Seven days later.
The mist and clouds dispersed to reveal a boundless, picturesque view. Peaks and crags overlapped, and winding streams circled through deep valleys. Atop a high cliff overlooking the sea, the mountain forests cascaded like a verdant waterfall. Below, the waves surged amidst the swirling mist.
The cliff was so high that the reefs below were invisible, but the rhythmic roar of the tide was ever-present. Shattering waves crashed against the rocks, white water surged onto the shore, creating a thunderous roar of spray.
Truly, it was a solitary Jueming Cliff, a place of peerless beauty for quiet cultivation!
“…The map says this is Jueming Cliff. The tower ship to the Rakshasa Sea Market passes by once every three months, but I wonder if we’ve found the right spot.”
Nan Zhi held up a wolf-skin map and studied it closely, unable to help but voice her doubt.
“No matter how I look at it, this doesn’t seem like a dock where a flying ship could moor, does it?”
She was dressed in dark, sturdy traveling gear, having swapped her skirt for trousers with a matching front panel. She had tucked away everything that identified her as part of the Demon Suppression Division, leaving only an Azure Sea Sky Hairpin pinning up her high ponytail.
“When did you become illiterate? Doesn’t it clearly say ‘Jueming Cliff’ right here?”
Wanniang, dressed in red, held an umbrella over herself while cradling a skull in her arms. She pointed at a boundary stone on the ground with a smile.
“There’s even a poem written on it. Look: ‘In the Wuwang Sea, guests find no peace / On the Xuanyuan Stream, tears fall like rain / I urge you to turn back now / Lest you meet your doom on Jueming Cliff.’ Though it’s neither fully literary nor purely colloquial, it’s quite interesting.”
“To reach the Rakshasa Sea Market, one must board a spirit ship, cross the Wuwang Sea, and traverse the Xuanyuan Stream. I suppose this poem is meant to warn those who come here to turn back early, lest they regret it when they lose their lives.”
Nan Zhi stroked the little hedgehog in her arms, patting it gently as she spoke in a warm voice.
“Hongluo, we’ve arrived.”
As soon as she spoke, the red hedgehog dropped to the ground and its body hunched over, transforming into a young girl in pink.
“Wow! So this is Jueming Cliff?! It really doesn’t look like the mortal realm. Look, Sister! There seem to be people at the top of the cliff!”
“Then we’re in the right place. That must be where we board the ship.”
Nan Zhi shielded her eyes with her hand and leaned forward to look. Sure enough, she saw figures moving about the cliff top, partially obscured by the thin mist.
There were men and women, humans and demons, all varying in appearance and looking quite strange.
If commoners from the mountain below were to see this, they would likely mistake them for immortals walking among the clouds.
After bidding farewell to Bianjing, Nan Zhi had not headed north to the Qingjing Sect at all. Instead, she had traveled in the opposite direction, heading all the way south to the Liuzhou region.
She had no intention of participating in any sect selection.
The entry token given by the Qingjing Sect as compensation was merely a pass, and it wouldn't expire.
At the very least, she would wait until no one in the Qingjing Sect remembered the Daoist Qinglong case before considering whether to head to the Northern Seven Islands.
Even though Qinglong’s death was well-deserved, who could guarantee he didn't have close friends or old acquaintances within the sect?
Furthermore, a Nascent Soul Great Circle cultivator had fallen at the hands of a mere Foundation Establishment junior like her. Once the news spread, the name ‘Nan Zhi’ would surely attract some unwanted attention.
Fame is a burden, just as fat is a death sentence for a pig.
When it came to the Mayfly Wood and the path to immortality, Nan Zhi didn't believe no one would be tempted.
By then, she would face endless trouble. She would either have to join the Qingjing Sect for protection or continue to endure on her own, living in constant fear.
Besides, out of the three secret cultivation techniques of the Qingjing Sect, Nan Zhi already held two in her hands.
She wasn't actually a poor rogue cultivator. Rather than joining a sect and exhausting herself in the daily grind of competition, she preferred to live a free and unrestrained life on the outside.
She had heard Xu Zi mention that there were immortal ships in Liuzhou. By sailing south and crossing the boundary between the cultivation world and the mortal realm, one could reach the Rakshasa Sea Market, which was governed by the Dragon Clan.
Legend had it that cultivators from all over the world gathered there. Rogue cultivators, small sects, sect disciples, demon cultivators, ghost cultivators, and various other forces mingled together. It was an incredibly prosperous place, effectively the ‘transportation hub’ of the cultivation world.
It was the perfect place for her to hide and focus on her growth.
Nan Zhi planned to lie low for a while, at least until she shattered her core to form a nascent soul. Only when the Qingjing Sect no longer dared to hold her accountable would she think about moving toward the Northern Seven Islands.
Although she hadn't gained any experience points from Qinglong’s death, it had made her wealthy overnight.
Qinglong was, after all, a Nascent Soul cultivator and a master alchemist. The treasures in his storage bag were too numerous to count.
Taking out just one item would be enough to make many people envious.
It was a collection gathered over centuries. There were spirit fruits, herbs, immortal medicines, and pills that Nan Zhi had never even heard of.
In addition to dharma treasures she couldn't use yet, there were over a dozen pill recipes, including offensive pills like the Hundred Ghosts Heart Demon Pill and the Heavenly Fire Pill.
What interested Nan Zhi the most was a type of pill called a Sword Pill. It was similar to the sword pellets used by sword cultivators, capable of containing sword intent and possessing immense power.
The difference was that while a sword pellet required spiritual power to activate, even a defenseless child holding a Sword Pill containing a cultivator’s sword intent could become like a sword immortal, capable of moving mountains, filling seas, and creating islands.
Just a moment ago, she had been worried about her lack of combat experience and offensive techniques, and then Qinglong had delivered this massive gift bag.
Nan Zhi was sincerely grateful to every red-named monster that brought her equipment.
What a wonderful death!
It would be even better if they could die over and over again!
...
The place was somewhat strange. The trio of human, ghost, and demon climbed to the top of Jueming Cliff, only to find sharp peaks and deep valleys. A few scattered cultivators sat cross-legged on smooth stone platforms, their eyes closed in meditation.
Herds of deer roamed the mountains, monkeys and muntjacs leaped about, and foxes and rabbits hid in the thickets. It didn't look like a dock at all; it looked more like they had stumbled into someone’s private place of cultivation.
“Where is the ship? This is clearly just a cliffside. Does that boatman have the ability to fly up here?”
Wanniang covered her face with her umbrella and glanced at Nan Zhi, her voice coy.
“Dear Zhizhi, I wonder what the wine brewed by immortals tastes like. Could it be as sweet and refreshing as the wine I brew?”
“You used to just like brewing wine, but now you’ve become a total drunkard, haven’t you?”
Nan Zhi guessed what she was thinking and spoke irritably.
“The day before yesterday, when we were resting in Liuzhou, you drank every drop of wine in the foot-shop by yourself. Not only that, the Wine Immortal crawled out in the middle of the night and hung from the rafters like a piece of wind-dried cured meat.
If Hongluo hadn't been sharp enough to catch it when she got up in the night, the shop owner probably would have had his soul scared right out of him!”
“I don’t know why, but ever since the Wine Immortal started following me, my bones feel itchy and tingly if I go a day without wine.”
Wanniang chuckled and gently pinched Hongluo’s chubby cheek.
“You’ve certainly raised this little demon well. It hasn’t been long, yet her face has grown such a thick layer of fat. Truly plump and delicious.
Little Hongluo, the next time I have wine, I’ll slice the meat off your face to have as a snack~”
“You won’t! You only dare to say it.”
Hongluo stuck out her tongue and made a face.
“Don’t you know? Hedgehog meat is gamey and foul. If you eat it, you’ll stink for three days! Besides, I have Sister to protect me, so you can’t eat me. Hee hee!”
Rate on N.U.
