How Impressive, Uncle-Master.

Huating County.

The area is densely populated and teeming with ships.

The beaches to the east of this location were one of the important salt fields of the imperial court.

With the increasing commercial development of today, and the gradual dredging of the Songjiang waterway, Qinglong Town is becoming more and more prosperous.

According to later historical records, this place not only had twenty-two bridges and thirty-six wards, but also three pavilions, seven pagodas, and thirteen temples.

It can be described as a place with countless homes and a vast population, and is known as "Little Hangzhou".

In contrast, the area that was later called Canghai City is now just a port in Huating County. In recent decades, the trade center has shifted to the northeast of Huating, which led to the formation of settlements and transformed this desolate fishing village into a small town of some size.

The three of them set off from this point.

Legend has it that in the ancient times of Xuanyuan, ancestors sacrificed themselves one after another, using the power of the earth's veins and the ocean's depths as a foundation, and assisting the vast Heaven and Earth Qi to form an endless cycle of life, thus sealing a peerless demon that had caused widespread suffering into the depths of a certain sea.

Jiang Rongyue apprehended the thief who tried to snatch the purse from the waist of the pretty girl beside her, and casually tossed it aside by the roadside. Without even glancing at him, she gazed at the calm sea in the distance and stated:

"Legend has it that the demon feeds on all things, can swallow tens of thousands of tons of Seawater, and even devour continents. From the day it appeared, it caused countless severe disasters. It is the most terrifying demon in the thousands of years of recorded history."

Li Shishi seemed completely unfazed by the recent danger, clearly accustomed to the other person's manner and protection. She followed the other person's gaze with great interest, looking at the vast, boundless sea dotted with the occasional fishing boat, and sighed:

"A demon that can devour the entire continent? How huge would it have to be? Wouldn't it be able to crush an ancient structure like the Great Wall with a single kick? That's terrifying."

Su Qing'an silently sensed the distance. The infinitely expanding Honkai Energy Domain didn't reveal any obvious anomalies, but his intuition detected something amiss and something hidden within. He said:

"That demon is not dead yet."

Jiang Rongyue nodded upon hearing this.

She glanced at the man's long, raven-black hair and his delicate, beautiful face, and habitually showed him polite respect.

Through her master and senior Xiao Xuan's retelling, the girl learned that this seemingly young senior uncle had lost almost all his memories due to an accident, and even his cognition had become slightly impaired.

Under these circumstances, the opponent also suffered severe injuries and had to use a special Qi technique to extract the demon's corpse, extract the Heaven and Earth Qi and its internal substances to refine it in the body, gradually moving towards its peak.

Master once said that even under such circumstances, his martial uncle's strength was still at its peak. The reason why he needed to be present on this journey of slaying demons and monsters was simply to ensure the other party's mental state.

In fact, she had a profound realization about this as they approached the Capital City that day.

No one would consider someone who can create celestial Celestial Phenomenon with a mere gesture, control the wind at will, and command millions with his will as weak.

Jiang Rongyue was not surprised by this. Her master was an ancient immortal who had lived since ancient times. His age was unknown, but his appearance was still that of a stunning young girl. Only in the depths of his eyes could one occasionally glimpse the weight of time.

Her understanding is actually the same as that of most people in Shenzhou: that immortals and mortals are not on the same level.

Such beings have endless lifespans, born of the Dao.

Therefore, Su Qing'an, who was defined as a senior martial uncle, was probably at least several thousand years old in the girl's eyes.

Based on this logic, even if the opponent is severely injured and forced to reverse their innate nature and revert to a childlike appearance, it does not diminish the fact that they are very strong.

The girl's demeanor and speech exuded politeness and a rigid, old-fashioned air. She opened the box of pastries she'd bought from the market, and through the oil paper, handed one piece to the other person, feeding them with the obsequious formality of a duty. This caused Li Shishi, standing nearby, to purse her lips and say:

"What my uncle says is true; this is the purpose of our trip."

As Jiang Rongyue watched her martial uncle obediently accept the food, a faint crimson glint appeared in the depths of her eyes.

The boy's pale lips brushed against the oil paper, his white teeth biting into the soft, floral-scented pastry. His slightly fluttering eyelashes and pupils, their color shimmering in the light, were exceptionally beautiful.

Senior Xiao Xuan said that his master had already reached the state of abstaining from grains, but due to severe injuries, he had to consume a lot of energy at all times. However, he himself did not feel any extra need for mortal food, so someone needed to feed him.

Although Great Master Li seemed willing to take on this task, she believed that she could handle the matter entrusted to her by Senior Xiao Xuan herself, and there was no need to trouble others, so she did not agree.

But the truth is...

It's probably because this Armed Puppet was creating more interesting first-person perspectives for someone, so they made up a strange excuse.

As for why the Udu-dust would cooperate so readily in recording these scenes, that remains another unknown matter.

Jiang Rongyue had no particular feelings about what her martial uncle, who was being fed, looked like. She was a child who was born without emotions, but could understand the warmth of the world. She possessed a pure and innocent heart and had experienced many hardships. Her mental state had been honed to the point that she would not be moved by external things.

Li Shishi, who had not even grasped the basics of the Void Sword Qi for half a month, mastered the perfect Zhi Shui Sword Heart in less than an hour and continued to advance towards the next stage of the State of Dustless without any hindrance, which can be described as extraordinary talent.

This was not unexpected for Chi Yuan. Jiang Rongyue possessed the world's top talent in Qi Refining, and her mental state was already close to perfection before she even entered the sect. She was a first-rate talent, so it was normal for her to perform like this.

When she descended the mountain, after half a month of refinement, she had already reached the State of Dustless. She was only lacking some accumulation and mastery of the principles of Qi cultivation before reaching the next stage of clarity. Her cultivation efficiency was simply astonishingly absurd.

However, it doesn't fully consider the sword techniques and many details beyond the realm of swordsmanship, and will need to be refined over time.

However, after dispersing all the Heaven and Earth Qi into the cycle of heaven and earth, how much the strength of this swordsman, who already had his own unique fighting style, changed is an unsolvable mystery.

After all, the three of them arrived in Huating County by the young man's help, ignoring the terrain and the complexities of human life, and never had a chance to actually take action.

Li Shishi asked curiously:

"That demon is so powerful! It's been sealed away for thousands of years, yet it still hasn't died."

Although she hadn't yet mastered the Sword Heart Technique, she had practiced the basic Qi techniques for a while, using them as a defensive measure before practicing the Void Sword Qi method. She also had a stronger perception of the Heaven and Earth Qi in her environment than before. She then asked in confusion:

"Its tenacious vitality is understandable, but the fact that there haven't been any strange reports of demons causing trouble in the salt fields and towns near this coastline for so long indicates that the seal has always been very strong, and the Heaven and Earth Qi here doesn't seem like a place that could produce a large number of demons."

"The idea of a seal is so obvious that you can't even get in. The concentration of Heaven and Earth Qi in the surrounding area is also insufficient for hunting. So, there must be some other mystery about that place."

Jiang Rongyue carefully put away the pastry box; she was a very punctual person.

Because the task is to feed them regularly, there are certain standards for the time and amount of each feeding. Unlike a certain Courtesan who knows that Su Qing'an is not full and then lets her do whatever she wants.

The girl led the group toward a nearby inn, explaining:

"Yes, what Great Master Li said is correct."

"Those sages were my master's old friends. They heard that my master was slaying demons in another place at the time and was unable to arrive in time. By the time she returned to this place, the demons had already been sealed in the Nine Nether at the cost of her life, never to see the light of day again."

"Then, Master created a special weather phenomenon deep in the sea, almost completely severing its connection with the outside world."

"Therefore, this seal is extremely strong, and the Heaven and Earth Qi here has become ordinary. Since then, no demons have been able to cause trouble, so trade and salt field development along this coastline have never been affected, and even fishermen have never encountered any accidents caused by it when they go out to sea."

Li Shishi asked:

"Then why not just kill it then? Facing a sealed demon, even the strongest immortal wouldn't be spared. There must be some reason, right?"

The boy savored the fragrant pastry, glancing at the distant sea and the ground beneath his feet. His pupils shimmered with a kaleidoscope of colors, and from this, his mind discerned the correct answer, prompting him to reply:

"Because of the seal."

"Hua's friends probably didn't have the ability to fight that demon head-on, so sealing it was a last resort. Although we don't know what method they used, they entangled the ley lines of this place with the deep ocean, turning it into a sturdy cage."

"For that demon, breaking the seal would be equivalent to removing the edge of this continent and the heavy Seawater in one fell swoop, so it is impossible to break the seal."

"On the other hand, Hua at that time would have to face other problems. Of course, she could forcibly break the seal and kill the demons inside, but the price would be the collapse of the earth's veins and a large-scale, long-term tsunami."

"To avoid further casualties, the only way at the time was to forcibly cut off the supply of Heaven and Earth Qi with our own abilities, and let the demons be worn away over the long passage of time."

Jiang Rongyue replied:

"Yes, our goal for this trip is to enter the outer ring of the weather system established by our master. The Heaven and Earth Qi inside is extremely rich, and it has been cut off from the outside world for thousands of years. It is likely to contain a large number of demons, both large and small."

"However, to avoid any mental problems for my uncle, my suggestion is that I step outside the seal every morning and kill a fixed number of demons. Then, I will hire the Dragon River Gang nearby to transport the corpses back to a warehouse in a giant ship, where my uncle can then go and refine them."

Feeling utterly useless, Li Shishi clutched her purse without speaking. She felt she was only good for being a wallet. Despite both of them practicing the Legend of the Immortal Qi technique every day, the other had already broken through several realms while she hadn't even entered the door.

Others are genuinely here to slay demons and monsters, but she's probably just an accessory to accompany Su Su on her trip.

Su Qing'an pondered for a while, feeling somewhat guilty.

Although he believes his self-control is much better than it was during his semi-chaotic phase, the fact that he directly attacked China back then remains undeniable.

Just as Jiang Rongyue said, if he rashly went to the place of the seal and accidentally lost control, shattering the seal set up by the other party, the resulting disaster would not be something that could be resolved by simply renovating a courtyard in the Capital City.

So even though he had the confidence to restrain himself, he still chose to nod in agreement:

"Then I'll have to trouble you."

Jiang Rongyue said earnestly:

"It's alright. I was just worried about not having a proper place to test my sword skills anyway."

"If my martial uncle goes in person, I suppose I won't have a chance to make a move. Even without such a hidden danger, I would still hope that my martial uncle can give me a few days to test my skills."

The boy looked up at the taller woman in front of him, and earnestly poked her waistline, feeling the softness of the fabric and the strength of her bones beneath.

Jiang Rongyue politely half-squatted down, allowing him to look down at her, and listened to what this junior uncle had to say:

"Rongyue, you have been fighting demons and monsters in the mountains since you were young. You should know that humans are very fragile creatures. Some demons will regenerate after being cut in half and left to their own devices. Geckos can sometimes survive by cutting off their tails. Salamanders also have natural regenerative abilities. But when humans are cut off, all they can do is become incomplete or die."

"The instinctive reactions and sense of crisis you develop can help you avoid many seemingly fatal situations. In the mountains and forests, you will have time to catch your breath and have the luxury of planning ahead and the possibility of escape."

"But it's different there; it's an environment unlike anything you've ever heard of in your life."

"The outer seal, accumulated and peeled away from the Heaven and Earth Qi over thousands of years, will give birth to an unknown number of demons. Perhaps you will have no room to dodge and will directly face an army of demons."

Su Qing'an said:

"Of course, you possess the special abilities you gained after awakening your Stigmata, so you shouldn't be in any danger. But since Hua has asked you to participate in this journey to help me achieve my goals, I also have an obligation to ensure that you return unharmed."

Jiang Rongyue was taken aback. She had lived a life of fighting her way out of danger since she was a child. Even after leaving the mountains, she rarely had the opportunity to fight seriously and lived a relatively peaceful life. However, she still found these words of concern about her getting hurt very new and strange.

No one in the martial arts world had the authority to worry about whether the renowned Yue Maiden Sword would be injured, and there was no one else with the standing to make such a statement.

The girl certainly didn't resent the other person's concern for her; it was a concern she had never received before, so why would she dislike it?

However, after becoming a disciple, not only did I gain a place to belong in this world, but I also got to enjoy the feeling of being protected under someone's wing, which was something I hadn't expected for so long.

Su Qing'an gazed into those peach blossom eyes, which held a pure and slightly expectant look, and mentally sifted through the memories that had recently resurfaced and the specific information he had deduced from them.

Here.

The Manas consciousness uses the fingertips as a medium, at the closest distance to the other person's brain, to infuse a large amount of real-world information.

This is a top-down rendering process that transmits relevant skills to the recipient's consciousness in a simulated illusion, avoiding the time and correction process required during instruction.

The boy gazed at Jiang Rongyue, who was slowly regaining consciousness, and explained:

"From the moment I met you until now, I've noticed that although you possess the ability to transform the Heaven and Earth Qi into barriers, you're not proficient in it; in fact, your skills are rather crude. If you could overcome this shortcoming, there shouldn't be any major problems."

"This contains the practical memory and theoretical knowledge of [the fully autonomous defense formula that surrounds the body with the Heaven and Earth Qi] and [using oneself as the axis to transform the Heaven and Earth Qi into a domain]."

As Jiang Rongyue perceived the immersive scene in her consciousness, her body naturally developed an instinct to control her Qi, leaving her somewhat speechless.

If my master used a similar method when teaching me sword techniques, would I have already mastered them all by now?

This immortal technique, which allows for immersive consciousness and sensory replication in a short period of time, allowed her to almost instantly understand how to construct the framework of these two skills, and even gain some firsthand experience.

It can be said that they directly bypassed the initial difficulties of learning and arrived at the point where they were only a few steps away from the finish line.

Even though she was somewhat prepared for the power of immortals, this miraculous and mind-blowing event still left the girl somewhat stunned.

"Uncle-Master, you're amazing!"

Su Qing'an thought for a moment and continued to explain:

"This is the ability I've pieced together after thinking about it and doing it several times in practice these past few days. Based on the information Hua gave me, once you've mastered it, you should be fine on this trip."

To put it simply, these two abilities are all-around autonomous defense and the Honkai Energy Domain.

In theory, barring any major accidents, returning unharmed shouldn't be too difficult.

"Many thanks to my martial uncle for imparting his teachings."

Li Shishi understood exactly what Su Qing'an had done to Jiang Rongyue. Having experienced the lantern illusion, she quickly grasped the concept and immediately became interested:

"Su Su, did you teach Rong Yue something just by poking her that one time?"

He glanced at the data on the panel and said:

"Some of the uses of the Heaven and Earth Qi are taught based on the principle of utilizing the Manas consciousness."

The girl's slender fingertips fiddled with the tassels of her dress, she blinked, and asked:

"Then... how about the basics of swordsmanship?"

Sensing the other's calm and peaceful state of mind, Su Qing'an said softly:

"This isn't a matter of mindset or skill level; it's just that there are differences in aptitude for the Qi of Heaven and Earth Qi. Take it slow, Senior Sister Shishi."

Li Shishi pondered this naturally occurring chasm, her emotions a mix of complexities. Her delicate face showed no sign of it; she simply smiled and said:

"Then for the time being, I'll have to rely on Susu and Rongyue to protect me."

The boy let the other person hold his hand and responded with an "okay".

Perhaps one day, due to factors beyond their control, a cold and distant estrangement will develop between them.

But at least for now, it's still early spring.