ragginovel Chapter 89 1 Heading South
Chapter 89 1 Heading South
"Qianxue Market." Yang Changsheng said succinctly.
The Southern Region of the Immortal Cultivation World is vast, spanning millions of miles at both ends. Azure Lake is but a drop in the ocean, located within the sphere of influence of the Nascent Soul Sect's Southern Divine Palace.
However, it did not rule directly, but rather governed in a supreme manner, collecting a sum of spirit stones, mediating frictions between small and medium-sized forces, and maintaining superficial stability.
Because its core territory covers an area of 200,000 li, it is simply too vast to manage.
His final destination was the Flowing Cloud Immortal City built by a rogue Golden Core cultivator. If he relied solely on flying, it would take an unknown amount of time and be fraught with danger.
"Thirty low-grade spirit stones. We'll only leave once everyone's gathered. Just wait."
The old monk stretched out his withered fingers and tapped on the greasy counter.
Yang Changsheng frowned almost imperceptibly.
Thirty spirit stones are enough to buy a decent first-grade low-level magic weapon, and it's only a little over four thousand miles away. In the heyday of port markets, this price was practically robbery.
But now, this is the only airship route left to leave this place, and cargo airships will not carry strangers.
He quickly calculated in his mind that although the expense was painful, it was within his expectations and was safer than crossing the former territory of the Wang family and the treacherous Black Sand River alone.
"How long will it take?" he asked in a deep voice.
The old cultivator snorted through his nostrils without even opening his eyes: "Who knows? It could take half a day, or two or three days. Pay the spirit stones first, then board the ship with your ticket. No refunds after the deadline."
The other party's tone was firm and unwavering, leaving no room for negotiation.
This is clearly a monopoly business; they're raising prices arbitrarily, take it or leave it.
Too expensive? The fangs of the cultivators and ferocious beasts in the vast waters and desolate mountains outside are far sharper than these spirit stones.
Yang Changsheng didn't say much. He took out thirty low-grade spirit stones with sharp edges from his storage bag and placed them on the counter, making a crisp clinking sound.
The old cultivator then slowly sat up straight and used his withered hands to sift the spirit stones one by one into an open old wooden box.
Then, he pulled out a rough wooden token from the drawer, on which the words "Qianxue" and a number were crookedly engraved in spirit ink, and casually tossed it to Yang Changsheng.
After taking the boat ticket, Yang Changsheng turned and left the wooden house.
The ferry crossing was deserted, and the lake breeze carried a damp chill.
He walked to an old locust tree with gnarled branches not far away, found a flat blue stone, sat down cross-legged, and closed his eyes to regulate his breathing.
His divine sense quietly extended, covering an area of more than thirty feet around him.
This is the advantage brought by the "Great Evolution Myriad Souls Technique". Although it is still far from the "hundred-zhang divine sense" required for perfect foundation building, it far surpasses most cultivators in the late stage of Qi Refining.
While circulating the "Mysterious Origin Technique" to nourish his magical power, he also pushed his senses to the limit, paying close attention to every movement around him.
Being in this decaying place, and on the eve of departure, one must be cautious.
Time slipped away quietly amidst the shimmering waves of the lake.
Two days is but a blink of an eye for a cultivator.
When the news finally came that the flying boat was about to set sail, more than sixty Qi Refining cultivators had gathered near the ferry.
Most of these people had weathered faces and mixed auras. Their cultivation levels were mostly in the mid-stage of Qi Refining, with only a handful being late-stage cultivators.
They were either independent cultivators like Yang Changsheng who had finished dealing with their final matters, or low-level cultivators who had originally lived in the port market and now had to find another way out.
The decaying port city was like a sunken ship; those with the ability and connections had already evacuated, leaving only the sand and gravel washed away by the great waves.
The spaceship that was about to carry them away was named the Wavebreaker.
Made entirely of hard ironwood, it is about forty feet long and nine feet wide. It is a behemoth in the mortal world, but it can only be considered a small to medium-sized flying boat in the cultivation world.
The ship's hull is covered with signs of repair and weathered by wind and rain, giving it a sense of having weathered many years.
Standing at the bow was an exceptionally burly, bald man, clad in tight leather armor, his bare arms bulging with muscles as hard as iron, covered with hideous scars.
His gaze swept over the cultivators boarding the ship like a hawk's, and his powerful spiritual pressure, emanating from the ninth level of Qi Refining, was undisguised; he was clearly the guard for this trip.
The presence of the other person was a rare source of security for the passengers on the ship.
The crowd began to board the ship in turn, using their tickets.
The cabin was quite spacious, but in order to maximize passenger capacity and save on the spirit stones needed to power the flying boat, it was furnished in a very simple manner.
There were no partitions, no seats, just bare floors.
The cultivators found places to sit or stand, and the air was filled with various body odors, the smell of sweat, and the faint scents of medicinal pills and talisman materials, making it feel somewhat oppressive.
Yang Changsheng chose a spot near the stern window, sitting with his back against the bulkhead. This provided a good view and made it easier to respond to any emergencies.
He habitually kept his divine sense within a few feet around him, neither too conspicuous nor too intimidating, so that he could provide timely warnings.
"Buzz!"
A deep hum resounded, and the ship trembled slightly.
A light blue screen appeared on the surface of the ship, enveloping the entire airship; this was the most basic protective formation.
Immediately afterwards, the massive levitation array was activated, and the Wavebreaker slowly lifted off the ground. Then, it accelerated sharply, transforming into a gray shadow and speeding towards the southern horizon.
The port city and familiar blue lake beneath my feet receded rapidly, becoming smaller and smaller, until they were finally left out of sight, like a miniature sand table model.
Yang Changsheng looked through the porthole at the waterways, mountains, and villages that flashed by below.
Those places where he once left his footprints—Bishui Lake, Bingyin 73 Water Area, Bichao Lane, Zuixianlou…—have all become blurred backgrounds now.
His eyes were calm and expressionless, and he felt little attachment.
From the moment he embarked on this thorny path to immortality, his goal never wavered.
Break free from all constraints, pursue the elusive yet alluring path to immortality, and seek true freedom and liberation.
The airship glided smoothly through the sky, the strong winds kept out by the protective shield, with only a slight whistling sound.
The cabin was quiet, with most of the cultivators either resting with their eyes closed or quietly cultivating, making the most of the short journey.
Yang Changsheng's gaze fell on the rolling sea of clouds outside the window, but his fingers unconsciously stroked the storage bag at his waist.
With a slight thought, a brocade pouch woven from moon spirit silk appeared in his palm.
The brocade pouch is exquisitely crafted, embroidered with intricate floral patterns. Although it is not extravagant, it possesses a unique and elegant charm.
As you bring it close to your nose, a familiar yet distant fragrance wafts through the air, wafting towards you.
"I wonder how Xiaoying is doing in the Eastern Region these days..."
A faint sense of melancholy lingered in Yang Changsheng's heart.
The image of the girl's exquisite face, her clear eyes brimming with liveliness and concern, floated into his mind.
The Azure Wave Banquet at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion's Flowing Cloud Pavilion, and the Hundred Flowers Brocade Pouch she slipped to him before parting... that kindness, that "Brother Changsheng," all weighed heavily on his heart.
The Eastern Region... a terrifying distance of millions of miles, its vastness is more than ten times that of the Southern Region.
Even a Golden Core cultivator would need decades to escape at full speed, which is an insurmountable barrier for a mere Qi Refining cultivator like him.
Moreover, the brocade pouch did not contain a detailed address. The Eastern Region is vast and the population is immense, making the search for the person like finding a needle in a haystack.
This longing and gratitude can perhaps only be kept deep in my heart, waiting for the day when... if I ever set foot in the Eastern Regions... then I will go.