Chapter 2151: Yuanqiao Seaport

Chapter 2065

Yuanqiao Sea Market

"Thank you for your concern, Fellow Daoist."Silu rose and bowed solemnly.

"You're welcome! You're welcome! I still haven't repaid your life-saving kindness..."Jihong waved his hands repeatedly, then suddenly stared with his round little eyes, finally noticing the change in Silu's aura. "Fellow Daoist, you've already broken through to the second stage of the Emptiness Realm?"

"I was fortunate to pass this hurdle. I had been in seclusion to break through, and I didn't know you were looking for me," Silu deliberately vaguely explained his recent experiences.

Jihong was overjoyed. He raised his small face and asked, full of anticipation, "Now that you've emerged, Fellow Daoist, are you planning to rally your former subordinates and launch a counterattack?"

Silu gave a wry smile. "Including Steward Xia, several elders perished while escorting me. Many of my former subordinates have likely defected to our enemies. My forces are far weaker than before, so how can I speak of a counterattack?"

He glanced at Qin Sang beside him. "I will never give up, but the time is not yet ripe. Those people are certainly searching for me everywhere. Staying in the Siyou clan territory would only tie my hands. Operating covertly in the shadows is not the right path. It's better to escape first. I plan to leave this place for now, find somewhere to settle, and accumulate strength."

"Good idea!"Jihong fully agreed. "Leaving here means the sky's the limit for a bird to fly! The Siyou clan's reach doesn't extend to other places. Where do you plan to go, Fellow Daoist? Perhaps I've been there, and I could lead the way for you."

"For now, we're thinking of the Zhuyan clan..."Silu briefly explained their plan.

"Zhuyan, huh," Jihong wrinkled his small nose and snorted, "Those stinky monkeys are quite arrogant!"

"Have you been to the Zhuyan clan territory, Fellow Daoist?" Silu pressed.

Jihong nodded reluctantly. Judging by his expression, that experience was clearly unpleasant. He complained, "Those uncivilized wild monkeys don't know any manners at all! I couldn't stand it after just a few days, and I've never been back since! Fellow Daoist, you must think twice!"

Qin Sang and Silu exchanged glances. It sounded like Jihong harbored quite a bit of resentment.

Silu said, "Whether the Zhuyan are barbaric or not isn't important. I won't stay in the Zhuyan clan territory. I plan to choose a subordinate clan to reside with, and try to avoid dealing with them. Do you know how many subordinate clans are under Zhuyan's jurisdiction, Fellow Daoist?"

Jihong reached into one of the many pockets on his clothes and pulled out a melon-seed shaped object, seemingly a type of seed. He suddenly cried out, "Wrong one!"

His robes had dozens of pockets. He rummaged through them for a moment, then pulled out a ball of purple light from one.

The purple light manifested, revealing a book. The book was perfectly square, about half a person tall, and very thick.

The book's surface shimmered with iridescent light, indicating its extraordinary material, possibly made from some kind of beast hide. The cover was inscribed with characters Qin Sang had never seen before.

Jihong's small hand gripped a corner of the book, lifting it as if he were a strongman, making one wonder if he'd be flattened if the book fell on him.

He pointed a finger, and the book tilted slightly, hovering in mid-air. He then leaped up, about to open the book, when he suddenly turned his head to stare at Qin Sang.

"Brother Qin is not an outsider," Silu said.

Jihong withdrew his gaze and hesitated. "Fellow Daoist, you saved my life. Anything I've obtained myself, I can give to you. But this 'Myriad Clans Compendium' was brought from my clan. It records the divine abilities and secrets of various clans, compiled by my clan's predecessors who ventured far and wide. Without the clan chief's permission, it cannot be shown to outsiders. Please, both of you, don't peek."

Silu quickly said, "Rest assured, Fellow Daoist, we certainly won't peek."

Jihong seemed to trust him greatly and didn't ask them to leave. A purple glow flashed on his body, and he burrowed into the book's spine.

The book's surface shimmered with purple light but wasn't opened. Yet, a rustling sound of pages turning came from within. Qin Sang and Silu sat nearby, communicating via spiritual transmission. Neither of them used any techniques to peek at the book.

A moment later, the rustling of pages stopped abruptly. Jihong's slightly muffled voice came from inside, "Xingshing, Xiao, Zuzi, Changyou..."

"Wait!"Silu exclaimed, "Under the Zhuyan, is there indeed a clan named Changyou?"

The purple light flickered, and a small head peeked out from the book's spine. It said with some doubt, "Yes, there is! But the records say Changyou is just a small clan, probably not even qualified to attend the Yuanqiao Sea Market. Otherwise, how come I've never heard of their deeds before?"

After listening to Silu's spiritual transmission explanation, Qin Sang learned that the Yuanqiao Sea Market was a grand event for the Yiren race, where any tribe with sufficient strength, regardless of whether they belonged to the Celestial or Aquatic divisions, or even outside these two, could receive an invitation.

The Yuanqiao Sea Market was not only a place for the Yiren race to discuss important matters but also an opportunity for various tribes to exchange goods and verify their divine abilities, holding extraordinary significance in the eyes of the Yiren.

Finally receiving news about the Changyou clan, Qin Sang felt a slight relief. As they had suspected, Changyou was a small clan. In that case, the Storm Realm might just barely be able to withstand it. He hoped the situation hadn't changed.

Thinking of this, Qin Sang transmitted a few more words to Silu.

Silu said, "Smaller clans are easier to control. We'll go to the Changyou clan first. What else is recorded in the book?"

Jihong shook his head. "The book only says that the Changyou clan has four ears and is skilled in water manipulation."

He emerged from inside. His small hand swept across the cover, and the book transformed into purple light, vanishing into his pocket. He then flipped and jumped onto the table.

Finally having a clear destination, Qin Sang was a little impatient. Without avoiding Jihong, he immediately discussed the next itinerary with Silu.

Jihong sat on the cup lid, swinging his little legs, occasionally interjecting. He knew more about the area around the Siyou clan than Silu did. Towards the end, Qin Sang and Silu were almost exclusively asking him questions.

Silu, aware of Qin Sang's intentions, cupped his hands to Jihong and asked, "May I ask Fellow Daoist if you would accompany us?"

Jihong looked at him with a strange expression. "Of course, I'll go with you, Fellow Daoist! Neither of you has traveled through the mist tide before, only I have!"

He patted his small chest, full of confidence.

By now, he had discerned that Qin Sang's identity was not simple and that he was certainly not Silu's subordinate, but he didn't ask further. He had come to repay Silu's life-saving kindness; other matters were of no concern to him. Knowing that Qin Sang was Silu's ally was enough.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist."Silu was overjoyed.

Although Qin Sang and Sunü hadn't made things difficult for him, he, as an alien race, always felt out of place. Being alone was often inconvenient. With Jihong's company in the future, he wouldn't feel so isolated and alone.

After careful discussion, they settled on a clear path. Just then, Qin Sang suddenly caught a whiff of a delicate fragrance.

He saw Jihong take something from his pocket, put it to his mouth, and take a delightful bite, eating while watching Qin Sang and Silu discuss.

This object seemed to be a fruit, shaped like a grain of rice, but its surface was as white as jade and it was much larger than ordinary rice. Jihong had to hold it with both hands to gnaw on it.

Qin Sang's nose twitched slightly, and he felt the delicate fragrance explode in his nasal cavity. Yet, he didn't find the scent overpowering; instead, he felt an incredibly pure aroma spreading within his body, permeating his internal organs.

The bite mark left by Jihong emitted a soft, shimmering glow, like honey nectar.

Noticing Qin Sang's gaze, Jihong's expression stiffened, and a wary look appeared on his face. He quickly turned his body to shield the object in his hand. "No sharing!"

He quickly gulped it down, swallowing the item in short order. His voice muffled, he said, "One is enough to fill me up! You're so big, you'd need to eat this... a whole big bowl to be full!"

As he spoke, he spread his arms to demonstrate and shook his head like a rattle-drum. "Can't give! Can't give!"

Qin Sang's face stiffened slightly. He was merely curious and wouldn't snatch food from someone's mouth. Jihong's straightforward nature was a good thing, but he often made unexpected moves.

However, Jihong wasn't deliberately putting on an act; his actions came entirely from his true self, so Qin Sang wouldn't bother arguing with him.

Silu smiled. "Fellow Daoist Jihong, is this the Jiashi you cultivated yourself?"

He then turned his head to Qin Sang and said, "The Jiaojiao clan excels at cultivating fine seeds, capable of turning decay into wonder. The spirit seeds cultivated by Fellow Daoists of the Jiaojiao clan, if consumed regularly, can have effects comparable to some spirit medicines, greatly benefiting cultivation and even improving innate aptitude. They are extremely precious. This spirit grain, named Jiashi, is one such example. Fellow Daoist Jihong, unafraid of danger, travels everywhere, always venturing into unexplored places, just to collect rare seeds from the world..."

"Cultivating rare seeds?"Qin Sang's eyes gleamed with an unusual light. He hadn't expected Jihong to have such an ability. His thoughts flickered, but his expression remained unchanged as he slightly cupped his hands. "Fellow Daoist, you possess not only great divine abilities but also great perseverance and courage. I admire you."

Jihong's face showed pleasure. His gaze towards Qin Sang became a little more familiar. He said, seemingly with a pang of reluctance, "I'm not familiar with you yet, Fellow Daoist. When we get to know each other better, I'll give you a Jiashi. I've never lied; if you don't believe me, ask Fellow Daoist Silu."

Silu smiled. "I've had the good fortune to taste it once myself; the Jiashi truly lives up to its reputation."

Qin Sang thanked him and wasn't in a hurry. Once he coaxed this person back to the Storm Realm, there would be plenty of opportunities.

People with such straightforward natures are the easiest to deal with, but they often see through worldly affairs with extreme clarity and are very perceptive. One must treat them with sincerity for them to reciprocate.

Having settled all matters, the three decided not to linger and immediately left the city.

Outside the city, they met up with Sunü and the others. Seeing Jihong sitting on Silu's shoulder and hearing Silu's introduction, everyone was greatly astonished.

Above a section of the sea, a Dharma Boat slowly descended. Qin Sang and the others appeared, looking ahead.

The sea surface was a vast expanse of white mist. A wall of fog stretched across their path, endless to the left and right, and its top was out of sight upwards. The mist continuously churned, becoming thinner towards the outer edges, forming an indistinct boundary.

Qin Sang and the others had traveled a long distance, passing through the territories of several Siyou subordinate clans, finally arriving near the mist tide.

They were extremely cautious on their journey, only using teleportation arrays when absolutely certain of safety; otherwise, they preferred to fly on their own to reach this place securely.

"The mist here seems thinner," Sunü observed.

Qin Sang gazed at the end of the mist wall. "The place guarded by the Siyou clan experts is still ahead."

The mist in the sea of fog was capricious; some areas were dense, others thin, but thinness didn't imply safety.

The group rested briefly, concealed their auras, and quietly approached their target.

Before long, Qin Sang transmitted a message, ordering everyone to stop. Concentrating his senses, he detected array fluctuations ahead.

It must have been a grand array set up by the Siyou clan. Vague vital energy emanated from within the array, making it impossible to ascertain the number of experts, but Qin Sang was certain there were presences capable of threatening him.

With guardians watching, they couldn't directly enter the mist tide from there. Qin Sang looked around, signaled for everyone to retreat, found a desolate island to settle Guya and the others, and then the three Void Refinement realm cultivators split up to explore the mist tide's periphery. They quickly found a solution.

They chose to enter the mist tide from another location, then gradually moved towards the main path.

Upon entering the mist tide, the familiar sensation immediately returned, even stronger than during the mist year. If one got lost here, they might never escape the mist tide. Moreover, within the mist tide, the threat from mist waterfalls and mist beasts increased severalfold, and many conventional rules did not apply here.

The mist tide could be perfectly calm, only for a mist waterfall to suddenly descend. If one reacted even slightly too slowly, they would be swept into the mist waterfall and disappear without a trace.

And this was not the extent of the dangers. The group kept their minds steady, daring not to relax in the slightest.

Qin Sang took Jihong, leading the way, with Silu and Sunü covering the rear. The group silently traversed the white mist.

Qin Sang awoke the Heavenly Eye Butterfly. Stopping and starting, he successfully led everyone back in the correct direction.

Perhaps they were lucky, as they encountered hardly any danger.

After traveling through the mist tide for over ten days, Qin Sang suddenly felt something. He signaled for everyone to stop, his gaze sharp and fixed on the front.

"What have you found, Fellow Daoist?"Jihong stood up on his shoulder, his eyes wide, but he saw nothing.

"Ahead..."Qin Sang hesitated, "There's a palace!"

"A palace?"Jihong was startled, then immediately reacted, exclaiming happily, "It's a mirage! It must be a mirage!"

The so-called mirage was a celestial phenomenon in the sea of fog, appearing without regularity, though most frequently during the mist year.

"There aren't any other people there, are there? I've never seen a mirage in a place like this before! Let's go see!"Jihong urged repeatedly.

Qin Sang led the group flying for a while, gradually seeing the palace's silhouette he spoke of. It resembled a celestial palace in the clouds, nestled among majestic immortal mountains, surrounded by mist, with staggered palatial structures, appearing exceptionally mysterious.

The sight deep within the dense fog was unclear; the immortal palace seemed endless.

The palace gates were tightly shut. There were no living beings, no mist beasts, making it appear lifeless.

But the moment they saw the palace, everyone was awestruck by its grandeur, unable to distinguish reality from illusion. Qin Sang was secretly surprised. A mirage should be an illusion, yet even the Heavenly Eye Butterfly couldn't see through it, as if the immortal palace truly existed.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, should we go in and explore?"Jihong was captivated, looking at Qin Sang with anticipation. "Legend says some mirages are illusory; one experiences various wondrous things inside and emerges as if from a dream. But others blur the line with reality; treasures obtained from within remain even after the mirage disappears..."

Having experienced the Jushan Zhizhi Altar and the Fengju Jade Gate, Qin Sang knew that in the eyes of powerful cultivators, reality and illusion might not have clear boundaries. He hadn't expected the sea of fog to also possess such wondrous phenomena.

"No, that's not advisable!"Silu's expression was serious. "There are indeed rumors of obtaining opportunities from mirages, but more often, people go in and never come out, vanishing from the world along with the mirage. If a mirage appeared outside the mist tide, it might be worth exploring, but it's best not to enter now."

As they spoke, the palace's silhouette gradually faded, disappearing in the blink of an eye before them.