Mystic Gate Sky Boat

Qin Yiren's silver robes snapped in the wind as she rode Mystic Qi through the air and descended before the enormous Boundary Stone.

Cultivators from all directions turned their eyes toward her. Quite a few recognized her, and discussion immediately broke out, their expressions varied. No one had expected a direct disciple of Tiandu Immortal City to appear here.

The prodigies of her generation had already gone deep inside.

Without a word, Qin Yiren swept her sleeve, curled her palm, and struck the Boundary Stone. Roaring Mystic Qi surged from within her, her spirit veins manifested, and a ripple of bone-chilling yin energy swept across the grounds.

The cultivators near her hurriedly retreated, afraid of being caught in it.

In an instant, the entire Boundary Stone was dyed a deep, pitch-black hue, with vast Mystic Qi swirling around it.

Tushan Jiuyuan's name flickered in and out, seemingly about to be erased. Qin Yiren frowned at the sight and exerted herself again. The Mystic Qi around her roared like raging seas and crashing waves, flooding toward the Boundary Stone.

Yet in the end, Tushan Jiuyuan's name did not disappear.

Qin Yiren calmly withdrew her technique. Seeing this, the surrounding cultivators began discussing it among themselves.

Someone muttered, "It seems Tushan Jiuyuan's cultivation is still a notch higher."

Qin Yiren did not grow angry at those words. She remained composed from beginning to end. After testing it once, she flew away on her own.

"Fellow Daoist Qin only broke through to the seventh level of Pulse Opening not long ago. Given some more time to cultivate, she may yet be able to leave her name on this stone." Xu Yan glanced at her and remarked casually.

Qin Yiren had advanced only recently. Xu Yan remembered that when he had first encountered Tushan Jiuyuan upon entering the Immortal Treasury, that Heavenly Fox young lady's cultivation had already reached the completion of the seventh level.

Qin Yiren seemed thoughtful as she studied Xu Yan. "Would Fellow Daoist Xu care to try?"

"I'll pass." Xu Yan spread his hands with a smile.

The group did not linger long. After practicing their divine abilities here for a while, they went to a cave residence in the city to discuss their plans.

Inside a cave residence within an Ancient Pavilion, Xu Yan and the other six sat cross-legged on meditation cushions.

Fang Che and the others had arrived a day earlier and gathered quite a bit of information. They had also encountered disciples of Nine Star Kui Island in the city. Fortunately, fighting was forbidden in Spirit-Sealing City, and Fang Che's group had not left the city.

They had intended to wait for Xu Yan, or gather more independent cultivators. With their strength, banding together was their only way out.

"Every day at noon, the Mystic Gate Sky Boat appears five hundred li east of the city and wanders through the heavens. The reason those prodigy disciples have progressed so quickly is that they obtained the Great Teleportation Tokens aboard the Sky Boat."

Fang Che stroked his chin and spoke gravely.

Only twenty days had passed since the treasury opened, yet those prodigies had already reached the latter half, more than fifty thousand li away. Even a ninth-level Pulse Opening cultivator, bolstered by a high-grade flying artifact and traveling without pause day and night, could not have moved that quickly.

The only possibilities were the Ancient Teleportation Array or this Mystic Gate Sky Boat.

"What is this Mystic Gate Sky Boat?" Xu Yan asked doubtfully.

"It is said to be a 'ritual carriage' forged by the Gongsun Clan in the recent ancient era. Their line was a family of Dao merchants from Cang Province. At the height of their prosperity, their business reached other provinces. The Sky Boat was the Gongsun Clan's most renowned creation, and their line also forged a Mystic Gate artifact known throughout the world—the Great Teleportation Token."

Fang Che slowly continued, "I heard that the seal-bearing Dao master of the Talent Academy among the Dragon Ridge Hundred Academies is a descendant of the Gongsun line."

The destruction of the Gongsun Clan had always been a mystery in Cang Province. Some said they had offended a demonic sect from another province, while others claimed they had provoked a Dharma King of the Taiyuan Divine Sect. There were many different accounts.

Xu Yan listened thoughtfully. The Dragon Ridge Immortal Treasury truly contained countless strange treasures. First there had been the imperial palace of the Great Yin Immortal Dynasty, and now there was a Sky Boat from a recent ancient clan. It was a bewildering array—there was everything under heaven.

"With the Great Teleportation Token, one can derive the lay of mountains and waters and teleport thousands of li in an instant!" Yan Qihu narrowed his eyes, envy written across his face.

Fang Che shook his head. "There must be no fewer than ten thousand people in the city now. The struggle over the Sky Boat will likely be a storm of blood and slaughter."

Qin Yiren clenched her palm and remained silent.

If she could obtain a Great Teleportation Token, she would no longer fear those pursuing her. This item was extremely important to her.

Fang Che continued, "I was thinking that since the Sky Boat has drawn most cultivators' attention, we should seek out mountain-water formations instead. The Ancient Teleportation Array can likewise carry us thousands of li in an instant."

Though it could not compare to the Great Teleportation Token, competing for the Sky Boat with the cultivation and strength of independent cultivators like them would undoubtedly mean nine deaths and one slim chance of life.

Moreover, a Great Teleportation Token could only send away one person. Even if fortune favored them and they obtained one, who would wield it? That would create further problems, perhaps even causing their group to fall apart.

"Brother Fang speaks reasonably." After pondering for several breaths, Xu Yan said solemnly, "The Sky Boat is not something we can contend for... Fellow Daoist Qin, what do you think?"

Xu Yan had a very clear understanding of his own strength. He had only recently broken through to the third level of Pulse Opening, while the cultivators in the middle section of the Immortal Treasury were far beyond those in the earlier section.

There were many disciples of great clans here, traveling in twos and threes or in large groups.

Qin Yiren was silent for several breaths. "I need the Great Teleportation Token. Those hunting me will not let the matter rest. Only by reaching the latter half as quickly as possible can I shake them off."

"Fellow Daoist Qin, perhaps..."

Xu Yan frowned and was about to say something when someone knocked on the cave residence's door.

Fang Che immediately rose and opened it.

Those who came were not people, but a group of Demon Race disciples. A smile appeared on Fang Che's face as he cupped his hands. "Brother Tushan, and all fellow Daoists, this way please!"

Tushan Jing of the Celestial Fox Lineage and the Kui Ox of Big Horn Island were among them. Aside from these two familiar demons, there were ten more Demon Race disciples, all from the Celestial Fox and Kui Ox Lineages. None were weak; most were at the fourth or fifth level of Pulse Opening.

Xu Yan looked thoughtful. Fang Che had actually forged ties with Demon Race disciples.

Tushan Jing and the other demon looked travel-worn, evidently having only recently arrived at Spirit-Sealing City. The place where the Teleportation Array had sent them was somewhat out of the way, and they had encountered many lurking demons and monsters along the road, which was why they had arrived late.

Upon entering and seeing Qin Yiren there as well, their expressions froze slightly in surprise.

"Fellow Daoist Tushan, it has been a long time." Xu Yan rose with a smile and cupped his hands.

Tushan Jing's eyes were fierce as he said in a low voice, "Fellow Daoist Xu, you should be careful. Murong Yan arrived in Spirit-Sealing City not long ago, and the disciples of Nine Star Kui Island are searching everywhere for you."

"Searching for me? What do they want with me?" Xu Yan raised a brow.

"They say you killed Huangfu Ziyang." Tushan Jing paused, then spoke bluntly.

"What?!" Xu Yan abruptly rose to his feet, his face full of shock.

Fang Che and the other independent cultivators also stared wide-eyed.

"Huangfu Ziyang is dead?!" Yan Qihu exclaimed in astonishment.

"What does this have to do with Brother Xu? That young master was the one who came looking for trouble with us. We joined forces and drove him back, and when he fled, wasn't he perfectly fine?" Fang Che frowned.

"They say he died from severe injuries." Tushan Jing spread his hands. "The disciples of Nine Star Kui Island are spreading the news throughout the city and putting up notices everywhere, specifically naming Xu Yan as the man they seek."

Xu Yan's face turned livid. How had this chamber pot of shit been dumped on his head?

Huangfu Ziyang had fled after being seriously wounded. That final divine ability had been launched by Tushan Jing. Tushan Jing was also quite surprised. Rather than seeking them out, the disciples of Nine Star Kui Island had come after this Half-Immortal Xu.

"Fellow Daoist Xu, did you offend that Murong Yan before?" Tushan Jing asked casually. "Why is he targeting you alone?"

Xu Yan frowned and pondered for several breaths. Then he suddenly recalled the three Nine Star Kui Island disciples he had killed at the starting ground. One of them had been from the Murong Clan. Could it be that Murong Yan had investigated that matter as well?