A Budget Traveler's Guide to the Immortal Mansion of the Nine Provinces

Halfway up Yan Mountain, inside the Sect Leader Temple, Liu Sanlang stood before the master and his three disciples, relaying the news he had brought with a solemn expression.

"Reporting to the Sect Leader True Person: according to our original plan, Brother Wu and I were supposed to reach at least the sixth stage of Qi Refining before considering teaming up to explore the outermost perimeter of the Moli Immortal Mansion. Based on our current progress, that would take about two years..."

"Cultivation cannot be rushed, and Immortal Mansions are fraught with danger. Even the outer perimeter of Moli has been explored repeatedly for hundreds of years, yet unexpected risks still occur frequently. Therefore, the plan itself is sound. However, I have just encountered a heaven-sent opportunity!"

After a brief pause, Liu Sanlang said gravely.

"I wonder if the Sect Leader True Person has ever heard of the Immortal Guiding Envoy from Luohuang Mountain?"

Before the words had even faded, Wu Ming's eyes lit up.

An Immortal Guiding Envoy? And one from Luohuang Mountain at that?

The so-called Immortal Guiding Envoy, as the name suggests, is a guide for Immortal Mansions.

Or, to put it simply: a tour guide.

Yes, even in an Immortal Mansion where danger lurks everywhere and the survival rate is slim, there can be tour guides.

On one hand, some Immortal Mansions do not disappear after their puzzles are solved. The laws of the immortals remain, and the world within continues to cycle, allowing many rare treasures to grow according to those laws—essentially, they refresh continuously.

This makes such Immortal Mansions, despite their dangers and lack of core secrets, still worth exploring repeatedly.

As for any challenge, once enough people have attempted it, the difficulty naturally drops significantly. The most skilled among these repeat challengers eventually gain the qualifications to lead teams as guides.

Furthermore, there are places like the Moli Immortal Mansion, where even though the core puzzle remains unsolved, the outer regions have been explored for hundreds of years, and all kinds of dangers have been laid bare. As long as one does not rashly venture into high-risk zones, exploring the outer perimeter is relatively safe, making it possible to have a guide.

Of course, the above is only theoretical. In practice, it is never that ideal. Even an Immortal Mansion that has been explored thousands of times is still a relic of the immortals.

The laws of the immortals are vast and unpredictable. Unless one possesses heaven-defying power, it is impossible to exhaust all their variations. In other words, even if you have walked a path ten thousand times, new accidents can still occur. At such times, one must rely entirely on their ability to adapt. No matter how experienced an Immortal Guiding Envoy is, they are ultimately just a cultivator of the same realm and do not possess the strength to turn the tide in every situation.

Therefore, while the concept of an Immortal Guiding Envoy has always existed, it has never become widespread. Even if some daredevils take the lead, ordinary people, after weighing the risks, would never dare to follow them rashly.

Unless that Immortal Guiding Envoy has the backing of Luohuang Mountain, a top-tier sect of this world.

As the undisputed number one immortal sect in Qiongzhou, the prestige of Luohuang Mountain is deafening, even as far away as Yan Mountain in Wujun—after all, the Qingluan Post Station was built and managed by Wuting, which is under Luohuang Mountain.

With three Spirit Transformation Realm experts in one sect, pillars of the Eastern Alliance, and honored guests of the Three Pure Ones... such reputations and accolades may have some vanity to them. But in practical terms, the strength of cultivators from Luohuang Mountain is visibly far superior to their peers.

Whether it is innate talent, the system of Daoist techniques, or external items like magical treasures and talismans, Luohuang Mountain cultivators are the ceiling of the immortal path in Qiongzhou. Many things that seem incredible are merely trivial to those from Luohuang Mountain.

And so, those who serve as Immortal Guiding Envoys in such a top-tier sect are naturally the absolute elite, chosen from one in ten thousand, whose strength far exceeds what ordinary people can imagine.

Other miscellaneous guides might be unreliable, but an Immortal Guiding Envoy from Luohuang Mountain is a different story entirely.

If a Luohuang Mountain Immortal Guiding Envoy were truly to lead the team, then even though Wu Ming and Liu Qi are only in the early stages of Qi Refining, it would not be impossible for them to gain some experience in the outermost perimeter of the Moli Immortal Mansion!

The only question was, how could the Liu Family possibly invite an Immortal Guiding Envoy from Luohuang Mountain?

As an Immortal Guiding Envoy, even one at the Qi Refining level, their status and standing often surpassed that of a Golden Core... After all, the Golden Core cultivators of many noble families were merely hired muscle for guarding the gates; despite their cultivation, they rarely had much opportunity to display their talents.

An Immortal Guiding Envoy, however, could truly venture deep into Immortal Mansions to collect all manner of heavenly treasures, or lead Dao Seeds of the Immortal Sects to seek out rare immortal opportunities. Their strategic value went without saying.

Although the Liu Family was a powerful local clan, it seemed far-fetched that they could invite an Immortal Guiding Envoy from Luohuang Mountain to assist them... Especially since Liu Qi was merely Liu Sanlang, not the eldest young master of the Liu Family.

To these questions, Liu Sanlang responded only with a bitter smile.

"Of course, they are not official, active-duty Immortal Guiding Envoys... The status of an Immortal Guiding Envoy from Luohuang Mountain is prestigious, and the competition is extremely fierce, so there are often those who fail to make the cut. These people possess strength that far exceeds the ordinary, falling only a hair's breadth short of the official envoys. Furthermore, there are those who were unfortunately injured within the Immortal Mansions, causing their strength to diminish, making them unable to fulfill their active duties, and thus they are retired former envoys."

Hearing this, Wu Ming suddenly understood: it was like factory-second goods or second-hand items!

If one couldn't afford the genuine article, high-quality imitations or near-new second-hand goods were not necessarily unusable!

"In fact, in the past, even these secondary choices were considered exclusive to the Immortal Sects and were by no means easily hired by the noble families of Wujun... It is only because of this incident at Zhuoquan Immortal Mansion that the entirety of Qiongzhou has been mobilized. Luohuang Mountain took the opportunity to share some of these non-disclosed secrets with the various commanderies, as a response to the orders of the Three Pure Ones."

"However, the visit of the Immortal Guiding Envoy to Wujun is intended to support the entire commandery, not any single noble family. Therefore, although the Liu Family has gained an early advantage, this is actually a fleeting opportunity. Thus, I truly dare not monopolize it, and have come personally to ask the Sect Leader True Person and Brother Wu to make the decision!"

After listening to Liu Sanlang's words, Gu Bai pondered for a long time, but ultimately turned his gaze toward Wu Ming... followed by a bitter smile.

"It seems there is already an answer."

Wu Ming nodded and said, "Since an immortal opportunity has arrived, there is no reason not to go and see it for myself."

Zhu Ying, however, could not agree: "To rashly break into an Immortal Mansion at only the third stage of Qi Refining is truly too reckless!"

But before Wu Ming could explain, Zhu Ying sighed: "But I know that even if I object, you will definitely go, and you will only spout some twisted logic that leaves one unable to refute you."

Wu Ming laughed: "Senior Sister truly understands me!"

Zhu Ying nodded: "So I will not argue with you. If you want to go to Moli Immortal Mansion, you must first pass my test."

As she finished speaking, the woman's gaze suddenly turned sharp, her ponytail swaying without a breeze, the tips tinged with a faint frost.

A fierce, oppressive intent surged forth invisibly!

Wu Ming, bearing the brunt of it, felt that biting cold begin to seep directly into his bone marrow before he could even blink!

A cultivator at the middle stage of Foundation Establishment had the power to kill or seize souls with a mere glance!

Liu Sanlang, standing to the side, was startled, and then horrified.

Just by curiously glancing over, a wisp of Zhu Ying's invisible cold pressure had drifted onto him. And that single wisp alone caused the Lijin True Qi within his body to instantly freeze... As for the brocade robe he wore, it provided no defensive effect whatsoever!

Is this the middle stage of Foundation Establishment?! Or a middle stage of Foundation Establishment that has only recently broken through and whose magic power has yet to stabilize?!

No wonder my eldest brother is so obsessed with what happened three months ago... Although this Gujian Sect is located in a remote area, it truly produces immortals one after another!

Just as he was thinking this, he saw Wu Ming, who was facing the pressure head-on, stand up unhurriedly!

In an instant, his blood surged like boiling water, and his mana steamed into a mist. Without moving his feet, he utilized the Root Stance, borrowing the power of the earth to prop up a Green Pine Stance!

Even if frost and snow pressed down upon his head, the green pine stood firm.

Liu Sanlang: "..."

If Zhu Ying's pressure alone was enough to terrify him, then Wu Ming standing up left him unable to even muster an exclamation point.

Both were at the third stage of Qi Refining, but... what kind of third stage of Qi Refining was this!?

Although this was merely a trivial bit of stubbornness beneath the thousand-mile freeze, the outcome was decided the moment Wu Ming slowly rose to his feet.

"Hmph..." Zhu Ying turned her head away, retracting her mana quite reluctantly.

Wu Ming let out a long breath, his face instantly flushing red like a furnace, and every bone and limb in his body felt limp. That Green Pine Stance just now was the result of him going all out, even to the point of overdrawing his strength.

Using Qi Refining against Foundation Establishment—and Foundation Establishment at the level of the Senior Martial Sister, no less—being able to hold out for even a moment was his limit. He owed that largely to the Wuting Divine Craft Manual, which recorded several techniques for craftsmen to maintain their footing under extreme pressure.

Furthermore...

"Thank you, Senior Martial Sister, for showing mercy."

Zhu Ying had seemed stern just now, but she had genuinely held back some of her power.

Wu Ming had once been fortunate enough to witness what she looked like when she truly went all out... A few days ago, he had gone to her room at 4:00 AM as part of his routine to wake her up, just as she had fallen asleep after staying up all night. The sheer morning grumpiness in that instant had frozen him solid on the spot; he hadn't had the slightest room to resist!

As for what happened afterward—how the Senior Martial Sister had been shocked out of her wits, ignoring her own disheveled state to hurriedly thaw and warm Wu Ming up... that was not for outsiders to know.

In any case, the Senior Martial Sister before him was clearly being her usual self: sharp-tongued but soft-hearted. Wu Ming naturally had to acknowledge the favor.

"Hmph..." Zhu Ying only let out a soft hum, then simply closed her eyes and ignored him further.

Gu Bai said, "Cough, since Ying'er has no objections, then there is nothing more for me, as your master, to say. However, Ming'er, you must also keep in mind the instructions I have given you in the past. The Immortal Mansion is a perilous path; the laws of the immortals are heartless, and the hearts of men are even more unpredictable. Even if you are overflowing with talent, you must be extremely cautious."

Wu Ming replied solemnly, "Disciple will strictly follow your teachings!"

Gu Bai nodded in gratification, but subconsciously felt something was missing, and couldn't help but frown. "...And then?"

Wu Ming blinked. "?"

"Usually, at a time like this, isn't there always something else you say?"

Wu Ming suddenly realized and began to explain, "Disciple will strictly follow your teachings! I will be extremely cautious in displaying my talent, then trample the Immortal Mansion, subdue the hearts of men, and spread the prestige of our Ancient Sword!"

Only then did Gu Bai smile in relief. "That's more like it. There is still some time left, so take this opportunity to rest and recover, then go to the Immortal Mansion to seek your fortune!"