The night of September seventeenth.
A full moon hung in the sky. The yellow earth between the two rivers had become a sea of lights, and a thousand boats of every size cruised along the banks like fireflies. The clamor could be faintly heard even from the opposite shore.
A large ferry lay moored by the river. Since another round trip would mean missing the Heroes' Gathering, it had stopped sailing and served instead as temporary lodging and a sightseeing boat for Jianghu travelers with nowhere to stay.
In a third-floor room aboard the great vessel, Nangong Ye sat cross-legged with her back to the silver moon outside the window, eyes closed in concentration, like an iceberg that would never melt.
Coal Ball crouched alone on the windowsill, gazing at the endless barbecue stalls along the riverbank without the slightest appetite, like a bird sword immortal who had seen through the mortal world.
On the bed, Xie Jinhuan lay flat and straight. For the past three days, he had been tempering his physique with treasures of heaven and earth.
Although the Dragon and Tiger Vitality Pill did little to raise his realm, it could strengthen his foundations and raise his limits. Once he had digested the pill containing an entire Jiazi Lotus, his speed had already slightly surpassed that of the half-demon He Man, and his other attributes had improved as well.
The Mortal Shedding Pill, meanwhile, was an External Elixir of the Cinnabar Cauldron Sect, specifically targeting the Qi Meridians and Qi Sea to raise one's realm. After he fully absorbed it, most of his Qi Sea had condensed into jade liquid, while the smaller portion remained mist.
Since the Spirit Qi Realm had been artificially divided into Third, Second, and First Grade, it was actually difficult to judge