Chapter 2004: Jade Emperor

The tide surged. As the white line advanced, a wall of water rushed forward, inundating everything. Apart from a single mountain in the center of the island, almost everything was submerged beneath the tide. Looking in the direction from which the tide came, the end of the ocean current was nowhere in sight.

The lingering glow of the setting sun cast a dim light across the sky. When the tide arrived, the area around the island brightened. What had seemed like mere sea spray earlier was, in fact, countless points of light. These points of light were extremely tiny. They turned out to be spirit insects, similar in shape to beetles, glowing like fireflies, but much smaller. Within the swarm, the lights connected, varying in density to form luminous clusters, resembling glowing seaweed.

The insects drifted with the tide; the current itself seemed composed of them. From the surface to the seabed, they were ubiquitous and innumerable. In an instant, the entire small island, along with the white tiger that had not yet left, was surrounded by the swarm. Though no immediate danger was felt at the tide's arrival, the sight was unnerving enough.

Inside the quiet room, Qin Sang looked outside and frowned. This type of spirit insect wasn't on the Witch Insect Registry. Individually, they seemed weak, as fragile as ants, but their sheer numbers were astonishing. Some special spirit insects, though unremarkable individually, can undergo a transformation as a swarm once they reach a certain population, developing unimaginable and powerful abilities. Such swarms are extremely dangerous, forcing even cultivators to retreat. The insects on the Witch Insect Registry are those with both potent abilities and significant potential, individually powerful enough to guide future generations in the path of spirit insect cultivation. Cultivators find it difficult to control this type of insect, which is why they are not listed. It was unclear what abilities these luminous insects possessed, but judging by Li'er's demeanor, she certainly had a countermeasure.

"What kind of spirit insects are these in the sea?" someone couldn't help but ask.

"These are Tide-Beacon Insects! They're finally here!" Li'er replied with a clear voice, let out a cheer, and leaped up. In mid-air, a series of mechanical clicks sounded as she transformed into a shark-beast. With a sudden thrust, she plunged into the sea.

*Splash!* Water splashed high into the air. Li'er dove into the current, now a true shark-beast, swimming nimbly through the water. The shark-beast's skin was covered in dense spots, each the same size as a Tide-Beacon Insect and capable of emitting identical light. It could even mimic the unique fluctuations of the insect swarm. The Tide-Beacon Insects recognized Li'er as one of their own, and the startled swarm immediately converged around her.

The spots on Li'er's body began to shimmer faintly, as if imbued with some magic. The swarm continuously gathered around this section of the current, making it appear brighter than anywhere else. More and more Tide-Beacon Insects were drawn in, forming a vast, dense luminous cluster that enveloped Li'er, making it impossible to distinguish her from the swarm. Li'er completely merged with the swarm, drifting along with the current.

Qin Sang observed for a while, finding nothing unusual about the swarm. The current's speed was quite considerable. He mused that Golden Brilliance City indeed had its tricks; despite his considerable knowledge in insect manipulation, understanding the habits of such spirit insects was no easy feat. The Tide-Beacon Insects made no sound, and the only noise in the current was the flow of the water, creating an extraordinary stillness. Everyone else relaxed and entered into meditation.

This drift lasted for a full three years. During those three years, Li'er never changed her form or displayed any tokens, yet she remained undisturbed by any demonic beasts or cultivators. This indicated that the Tide-Beacon Insects were not harmless; Li'er must have used some method to deceive the swarm.

*Splash!* Li'er emerged from the water, reverting to her white tiger form. She shook her fur dry, then raised a paw and waved at the swarm. "Goodbye! Thank you for protecting Li'er!" The swarm naturally did not respond, but Li'er didn't mind. She began to gallop on all fours. Approaching Dazhou, the journey became noticeably safer, and Li'er started to pick up speed.

Three months later, another passenger disembarked. "Please let this old man disembark. Many thanks for your escort, Miss Li'er." An old man stepped off the vessel.

In the fifth month, Suzaku suddenly woke Qin Sang, excitedly pointing out the window. Qin Sang saw a black line appear at the horizon, stretching endlessly in both directions.

"Distinguished guests, we've arrived! The tide came early, so we're half a year ahead of schedule!" Li'er's voice echoed through the cabin, rousing everyone.

"We've finally reached Dazhou!" Qin Sang couldn't help but stand up, gazing at the continent. Ahead lay the territory of Dazhou, where humanity flourished. He wondered what awaited him there – pleasant surprises or dangers? From the remote Moon-Crossing Bay to Dazhou, this moment truly marked his first step into the wider Great World.

"Will I meet old acquaintances in Dazhou?" Qin Sang's gaze was profound. Before, he had thought searching for old friends in the vast Great World would be like finding a needle in a haystack. Unexpectedly, humanity possessed the Dazhou Immortal Kingdom and White Jade Capital, a sacred human land. This place served as the center of all humanity, the most prominent landmark. Any ascended cultivator, given the chance, would surely wish to visit and pay respects. As the human center, Dazhou's White Jade Capital would undoubtedly offer more opportunities, attracting countless heroes to gather there. Perhaps even ascended cultivators from the Storm Realm in previous eras might have established forces in Dazhou, leaving behind their legends. Of course, Qin Sang's greater desire was to see his old friends. If they, too, could reach White Jade Capital, they would surely meet.

"Five hundred years!" Qin Sang sighed inwardly. Including the over two hundred years in the Talisman Realm, he had 'ascended' nearly eight centuries ago. This was a number unimaginable to mortals; much could happen in such a time.

"The prefectural city of Lantan Prefecture is called Lantan City, and it's not far from the South Sea. We'll be there in three days!" Li'er stepped onto land, her body trembling slightly as she let out a joyous cry, interrupting Qin Sang's thoughts. The cultivators on board all planned to reach Lantan City before making further arrangements, so no one disembarked yet.

Upon stepping ashore, they were met by a tall mountain range stretching along the coast into the distance. Wings sprouted from Li'er's flanks, transforming her into a flying tiger. Her vision expanded, revealing undulating mountains stretching endlessly before them. "As expected of Gen Province!" Qin Sang and the others couldn't help but sigh with emotion. The Eight Heavenly Provinces were named after the Eight Trigrams, and it seemed they truly corresponded to the divinatory symbols.

As they traveled, they saw mortals working below and cultivators coming and going, an overall peaceful scene. On the third day, just past noon, a mountain city came into view: Lantan City. Lantan City was built on a mountain, orderly and unremarkable, yet perfectly functional. It reminded Qin Sang of the Immortal City of the Daoist Court's Capital Altar.

*Thud!* Li'er descended from the sky, landing on all fours on a high platform within the city. Qin Sang noticed the presence of guards and array formations in the city, but no one stopped or questioned them, clearly a privilege of Golden Brilliance City.

"We've reached Lantan City! Li'er's mission is complete, distinguished guests, you may disembark!" A door opened in Li'er's belly, and Qin Sang and the others stepped out one by one.

"Oh! Li'er is finally back!" From below came a joyful, delicate cry, and a fiery red figure flew out—it was a Fire Phoenix. This Fire Phoenix was undoubtedly also a mechanical beast, likely the Crimson Phoenix that Li'er had mentioned earlier.

"Sister Hong'er, Li'er missed you so much!" Li'er hopped over, and the tiger and phoenix embraced tightly, spinning and jumping. Finally, with a tiger paw on a phoenix wing, they danced gracefully in mid-air, fully expressing the joy of reunited friends. Such pure and genuine scenes were rare in the cultivation world. Even the old masters revealed benevolent smiles.

"Miss Li'er, we shall meet again!" Qin Sang gave a respectful bow and walked out of the courtyard. On the way, Li'er had given a rough introduction to Lantan City, and he already had a destination in mind.

"Daoist, please wait," Huai Ting called out from behind him. Learning that Huai Ting intended to settle in Lantan City first, explore the surroundings, and then gradually venture deeper after becoming familiar, Qin Sang again declined Huai Ting's invitation to travel together. Huai Ting, being a carefree person, simply bade farewell and turned to leave.

Qin Sang turned down a street and found several trading guilds, purchasing several maps. He found that their content was mostly similar, though more detailed than Li'er's, marking nearby sects, powers, and forbidden lands. However, he would have to verify their authenticity himself. He chose one trading guild at random to stay and chatted with the manager.

"Is Chenhui Prefecture the westernmost prefecture of Gen Province? What lies to the west of it?" Qin Sang asked, pointing at the map.

"Mountains!" the manager replied, drawing a semicircle on the map's edge. "Beyond the sea, there are only mountains. Endless mountains, endless dangers. It's said to be the same between Gen Province and White Jade Capital—mountains you couldn't traverse in a lifetime. Why else would it be called Gen Province?"

"Of course, I haven't been there myself; I heard it from an elder. Does Daoist Qin wish to go to such places?" the manager asked in return. Qin Sang decided to use his real name from now on in Dazhou, hoping it might reach the ears of his old acquaintances.

"I'm afraid it won't be easy to go there, will it?" Qin Sang glanced outside and sighed, "This prefecture is one of Gen Province's prefectures, yet it has no grand teleportation array connecting to other prefectures!"

The manager chuckled. "Grand teleportation arrays aren't so easy to build. Lantan Prefecture has existed for less than a thousand years. I wonder when our Prefect will have the strength to construct one; then travel will be much more convenient."

"Oh? Lantan Prefecture is part of Dazhou's territory, yet the Prefect must personally arrange for a grand teleportation array?" Qin Sang feigned confusion.

The manager scrutinized Qin Sang, then said with a dismissive tone, "Has Daoist Qin met the Zhou King? Do you think this is the mortal world, where a monarch conquers the realm and dispatches civil and military officials to govern? I've heard..." The manager lowered his voice, acting mysterious. "It is said that if a powerful cultivator wishes to establish a city or prefecture, as long as certain conditions are met and they declare allegiance to the Zhou King, they can summon a Royal Edict from the Zhou King. That's often how various prefectures and cities come to be."

"Is that how Tianji City, the capital of Gen Province, was established too?" Qin Sang asked. He mused inwardly. It sounded like the Zhou King's claim of being the world's co-ruler was more about holding a righteous title. There were probably countless forces in the world that answered the summons but didn't necessarily obey direct decrees.

"I wouldn't know about that. It's said that the Eight Heavenly Provinces and White Jade Capital have existed since ancient times, since the Jade Emperor created heaven and earth," the manager shook his head.

The Jade Emperor! This wasn't the first time Qin Sang had heard that name. The common people of Dazhou held little reverence for the current Zhou King, but the legends of the Jade Emperor were deeply ingrained, known to all. According to legends, the Jade Emperor created heaven and earth, led humanity out of barbarism, toiled tirelessly, expelled demons, established etiquette, transmitted immortal arts, founded Dazhou and the Eight Heavenly Provinces, laying down an everlasting foundation. From then on, humanity truly prospered, standing tall among the realms of the Great World. White Jade Capital was the Jade Emperor's residence. The Eight Heavenly Provinces were established to stabilize the world and have existed since antiquity. All successive Zhou Kings were descendants of the Jade Emperor. If the legends were true, the Jade Emperor's achievements were undoubtedly monumental, his prestige unmatched. Revered by everyone in the Great World, it was then not difficult to imagine how Dazhou and the Zhou King held such status. Anyone who dared to overthrow Dazhou would be defying the greater righteousness of humanity.

However, a mere trading guild manager had limited knowledge, mostly hearsay, especially in Lantan Prefecture, which didn't even have minor teleportation arrays. These legends likely contained significant embellishments. Qin Sang listened with a grain of salt, figuring he'd only find the truth in White Jade Capital. After chatting with the manager for a while longer, he asked, "I wish to travel to another prefecture, but I fear being alone and weak, my journey might not be peaceful. Do you have any recommendations, Daoist?"

"Of course, Golden Brilliance City!" the manager replied without hesitation. "However, Golden Brilliance City charges exorbitant prices, beyond what ordinary people can afford. As long as Daoist Qin can pay, there's no better choice among the prefectures of Gen Province."

"Many thanks for your guidance, Daoist." Qin Sang stood up and purchased some spiritual materials before leaving, making the manager beam.

After exploring Lantan City for a while, Qin Sang didn't leave the city but sought out Golden Brilliance City's establishment again. This time, it was Crimson Phoenix Hong'er who received him. The closest prefecture to Lantan Prefecture with a grand teleportation array was Xushan Prefecture. Qin Sang stated his destination, and Hong'er immediately agreed, though she noted they would have to wait a month to gather more people before departing.

This time, Qin Sang once again entered Hong'er's belly. These mechanical beasts traveled on land much like they did in the sea. Hong'er would sometimes soar like a phoenix in the sky, and at other times transform legs to gallop across the ground, displaying a variety of ingenious transformations. When passing a swamp filled with miasma, she even entered the belly of a giant crocodile, allowing the crocodile to carry them across. This crocodile was not a demonic beast but a wild animal, yet it could survive in the miasma. Along the way, they passed through cities, outposts, and sects of varying sizes, making stops for passengers to embark and disembark in an orderly fashion.

Upon successfully reaching Xushan Prefecture, the rest of the journey became much smoother, allowing for transfers via grand teleportation arrays. Unlike the Daoist Court, Dazhou's inspections were not strict. They primarily focused on the cultivation levels of travelers, taking appropriate precautions. As a Void Refinement cultivator, Qin Sang received a certain level of attention, always feeling subtly watched. Grand teleportation arrays were convenient but extremely expensive; even a Soul Transformation cultivator would feel the pinch after a single ride.

Qin Sang naturally didn't care about such expenses. With Gen Province and White Jade Capital almost within reach, he had no intention of stopping along the way. After several transfers, he finally reached his destination: The capital of Gen Province, Tianji City!

A slight dizziness, then normal vision returned. Qin Sang calmed the turbulent true essence within him and looked around, finding himself in an enclosed grand hall. A line of black-armored guards stood within the hall. Moreover, Qin Sang felt a subtle energy lock onto him. If he made any improper move, the grand array would immediately activate, and even a Void Refinement cultivator like himself would likely be annihilated instantly. He felt a secret awe.

"Fellow Daoist may enter the city via this array." The leader gestured. Beside the grand teleportation array were rows of smaller teleportation arrays, all leading into Tianji City. Thus, the grand teleportation array was hidden in an unknown location. Qin Sang nodded, picked one at random, and stepped into the array.