Scenes of Mortal Life, an Invitation from an Old Acquaintance

February of the eighth year of Yongning.

Outside Jinling City, banners fluttered in the wind.

A Yunlan warship belonging to the Ye Clan Immortals hovered in the air.

Three hundred Azure Nether Cloud Guards stood arrayed atop it, the wind patterns on their armor shimmering with a mysterious radiance in the morning light.

Twelve Foundation Establishment Peak Deacons led the way on their swords, their sword light streaking across the sky like shooting stars.

On the giant ship, there was also a jade palace, on which the words "Azure Nether Qiu Yan" were engraved.

The two Purple Mansion Great True Person, Xu Feng and Fengyi, secretly followed and protected him in the Great Void.

Ye Jinyu sat in the palace, flipping through the secret reports he had obtained from various channels, his gaze slightly narrowing.

"The five tribes of Youyan and Hulu allied southwards, igniting war on the Northern Frontier, resulting in repeated defeats!"

Illustrious Martial of Jin was besieged in Jidu and urgently needed reinforcements. Great Peace Temple achieved three victories against the Jin Court army at Hulao! A total of seven people from both sides perished in their Purple Mansion!

Furthermore, the world is in chaos. According to incomplete statistics, since the eighth year of Yongning, more than twenty Purple Mansion True Person have fallen!

This was unthinkable before!

In addition, many Aristocratic Clan in the north have begun to secretly transport their direct descendants, spiritual resources, and magical techniques to the south, and there are also unusual developments in Jingzhou!

"Are they planning to move south?"

Ye Jinyu put down the secret report, and the collection array in the palace was activated, projecting the information and environment around the giant ship onto a light screen.

The prosperity of Jinling has gradually faded into the distance.

The Ye Clan set off, followed by a fleet of thousands of ships, all belonging to prominent Aristocratic Clan from Jiangnan, heading to Xuzhou to attend the ceremony.

The boats were ornately decorated, and young men from various families stood at the bows, dressed in fine clothes and full of vigor.

The first stop was Guangling, then north to Xuzhou.

Guangling was once the capital of Yangzhou, and the imperial Heavenly Palace of the Sima Clan in Huainan, a place of unparalleled prosperity in the Jianghuai.

Ye Jinyu still vividly remembers Guangling back then, where the city was filled with the light of spiritual lamps, cultivators came and went in droves, and the restaurants and markets were bustling with activity.

Passing through this place again now, the scene is completely different.

The spirit array runes on the city wall had dimmed considerably, and long queues formed at the city gates. Everywhere were refugees: Rogue Cultivator, Aristocratic Clan, and ordinary people from the north.

The further north you go, the more shocking the sights become.

In Huaiyin, hundreds of thousands of corpses float on the Si River, while wild dogs tear at each other on both banks, their blood-red eyes emitting low whimpers.

The world is in chaos, war breaks out, and people are displaced by conflict.

The situation is somewhat better as long as the Great Jin exists.

Once order is out of control, cultivators who break free of management act recklessly, often slaughtering people for miles around for a spiritual object or to refine a Law Treasure.

Nine out of ten houses are empty, fertile fields are overgrown with weeds, and a gaunt old woman sits on the doorstep of a collapsed house, holding a lifeless infant in her arms, murmuring an unknown lullaby.

"Young Master," Ye Jinyu said, his voice transmitted through the Xu Feng.

"This place is outside the Ye Clan's control. My subordinates have already sensed a familiar aura. It seems that the further north we go, the stronger the Dao Devouring becomes... ten times, a hundred times stronger than in Jiangnan."

Ye Jinyu wasn't particularly compassionate; she simply observed everything without revealing her true thoughts.

The palace's light screen would occasionally capture various scenes.

For example, a Foundation Establishment Rogue Cultivator was being chased by three fellow Foundation Establishment cultivators and fled into an abandoned Daoist temple.

The Rogue Cultivator being chased was covered in blood, his spiritual energy leaking out, but he was tightly clutching a mid-grade spiritual herb that he had picked from who-knows-where.

Three pursuers surrounded the Daoist temple. One of them pulled out a black banner, which was filled with a ghostly aura. Hundreds of distorted faces could be vaguely seen wailing on the banner.

The Rogue Cultivator ultimately failed to escape. Another face appeared on the black banner, his Dao foundation was devoured by the three, and his cultivation improved considerably.

And then...

Another cultivator with even higher cultivation level appeared, and his Cultivation Method clearly restrained and suppressed the three of them.

It's obvious that the three people's Cultivation Method were incomplete, deliberately given to others by someone, and then used to raise Gu (a type of poisonous insect) to devour the final victorious Gu King!

Without breaking a sweat, he killed the three men, then devoured the remaining three and obtained their treasure!

He who kills will be killed by others!

In the desolate mountains, some Foundation Establishment cultivators set up a magic array using the "lower cultivation" method. More than ten Qi Cultivation cultivators sat cross-legged in the array, all of them with ashen faces and barely breathing.

The further north you go, the more disorder spirals out of control, and the more pronounced the survival of the fittest, scheming, and plotting become!

Finally, upon reaching the center of Xuzhou, the situation improved somewhat.

After all, Pengcheng is the capital of Xuzhou!

The Xie Clan had been running the business for many years. The city walls were majestic, the spirit array was solemn, and the atmosphere was peaceful and prosperous, just like a golden age!

The gates of Pengcheng were wide open.

The Xie Clan had already learned of the arrival of the young master of the Ye Clan and sent a Purple Mansion Elder to greet him at the city gate.

Many of the Ye Clan's personnel disembarked from the ship.

Led by Young Master Ye, they entered Pengcheng along with Elder Xie Clan!

The moment I entered Pengcheng, an endless cacophony of noise hit me.

On both sides of Pengcheng's main street, restaurants and teahouses stand side by side, and market stalls are everywhere.

The cultivators came from all corners of Cangxuan Heaven, discussing loudly the arrival of various immortal clans and the upcoming meeting of the Kings.

Of course, betting is also indispensable.

"Bet on the Cloud Mist Ye Clan to become king, odds of 3 to 1!"

"Those who bet on the Xiaqi Xiao Clan not to appear will be compensated fivefold!"

"Whoever sends troops to the Sima Clan will be compensated tenfold!"

A cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage stood on a makeshift platform, shouting at the top of his lungs.

Hundreds of people gathered below the stage, placing bets of Spirit Stone, spiritual materials, and elixirs.

Ye Jinyu's gaze swept across the high platform, noticing that they were all members of the Wang Clan.

The Wang Clan family members always wore Li Fire robes, and they surrounded a young man holding a whisk.

The young man had a handsome face and an arrogant demeanor. He lightly flicked the whisk in his hand, seemingly noticing Ye Jinyu, and even provoked her!

"The Ye Clan? They've really come!" The young man frowned.

"That's enough. There's no immediate conflict of interest Wang Clan and me, so there's no need to concern ourselves with it."

"Come, come, take back the bet that Young Master Ye Clan won't come!"

"Hurry!"

The residence arranged by the Xie Clan for the Ye Clan was located in the most central area of Pengcheng. It was originally a villa belonging to a prince of the Sima Clan clan.

The mansion gates were wide open, and two rows of the Xie Clan family servants had been waiting for a long time. Inside the mansion, pavilions and towers were arranged in a well-organized manner, with artificial hills and flowing water, and rare flowers and plants, all exuding the grandeur of a celestial Aristocratic Clan.

After surveying the mansion and confirming there were no hidden formations or traps, Fengyi nodded to Ye Jinyu.

"Check-in is available."

Ye Jinyu had just sat down in the main hall when she heard a commotion outside the door.

He frowned and gestured for Xu Feng to go and take a look.

A moment later, Xu Feng returned and reported, "Young Master, it was a member of the Xie Clan family arguing with a member of the Chen Clan family over a woman on the street."

The Xie Clan and Chen Clan both took a liking to the same female cultivator. The Xie Household got her first, but the Chen Clan was dissatisfied, and the two sides started fighting in the street. The melee caused a great commotion.

"Never mind." Ye Jinyu waved her hand.

"For the sake of a woman, you have utterly disgraced the immortal race!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than another Cloud Guards rushed in and presented a secret report.

Ye Jinyu unfolded it and took a look.

The Xie Clan family set up checkpoints in Pengcheng, collecting "offerings" from all cultivators entering the city.

Each Rogue Cultivator receives ten mid-grade Spirit Stone, each member of a minor clan receives one hundred spirit stones, and each member of a mid-level immortal clan receives one thousand spirit stones.

Those who cannot pay with Spirit Stone will be compensated with Law Artifact, pills, or Cultivation Method. If the compensation items do not meet the requirements of the Xie Clan family members, they will be confiscated on the spot, euphemistically called "temporary storage."

In just three days, the Xie Clan had swindled no less than a million Spirit Stone from the cultivators who entered the city.

Even more absurdly, the Xie Clan's Spirit Stone cannot be called Spirit Stone.

A Rogue Cultivator Spirit Stone.

"This is all the wealth a villain possesses."

He was then insulted on the spot by the Xie Clan family members, who cursed him, "How dare you, vulgar thing, defile our ears! This thing is worthless, shut your mouth!"

The Rogue Cultivator with incomprehension and humiliation.

He didn't understand how the Xie Clan could have both the title and the status!

That's disgusting.

Ye Jinyu placed the secret report on the table.

"You worthless wretch." He chuckled softly, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "What a worthless wretch."

Night falls.

Pengcheng was brightly lit.

Ye Jinyu stood atop the watchtower high above the mansion, overlooking the brightly lit city.

From the Xie Clan's immortal abode in the distance came the sounds of string and wind instruments, and the faint sounds of clinking cups and boisterous laughter could be heard.

Tonight is a welcome banquet hosted by the Xie Clan, to entertain the disciples of various immortal clans who have arrived in Pengcheng.

Ye Jinyu had no particular thoughts, and simply said that he was tired from the journey, so he sent someone to deliver a generous gift and that was it.

Those lively toasts and clinking of glasses, those elegant conversations and casual chatter, those warm faces addressing each other as fellow Daoists and immortals—in reality, they could turn around and draw their swords against each other in a life-or-death struggle.

absurd.

That's utterly absurd.

What an absurd world! What absurd families!

Just then...

A maid dressed in a blue robe ascended the watchtower.

Xu Feng was hiding in the shadows, gave Ye Jinyu a wink, indicating that she could rest assured.

"Young Master Ye." The maid curtsied and presented a letter with both hands.

"My young lady has said that an old friend has invited her; would you be so kind as to spare some time to meet her?"

Ye Jinyu took the letter and unfolded it.

The letter was written in neat, beautiful handwriting, the ink still fresh.

The inscription at the end reads, "The Heavenly Phoenix Steps on the Marsh, the Phoenix Cries in the Clear Sky, Xie Clan Qingying."

Holding the letter, Ye Jinyu's mind conjured up a figure in light blue.

Xie Qingying? What does she want with me?

Ye Jinyu folded the letter and put it in her sleeve.

"Lead the way."

The maid led Ye Jinyu through the streets and alleys of Pengcheng.

She took a secluded route, avoiding all the hustle and bustle.

After many twists and turns, the view suddenly opened up before us.

It was a bamboo forest located in the west of the city. Deep in the bamboo forest, a small pavilion was built by the water, with a solitary lamp hanging in the pavilion, and a woman sitting under the lamp.

She wore a light blue long dress, her black hair cascaded down her back, and a dot of vermilion was placed between her eyebrows.

She sat sideways by the pavilion railing, gazing at the water in a daze. Moonlight shone on her profile, casting a faint, cool glow.

"They're here." Xie Qingying didn't turn around; her voice was very soft, as if she were afraid of disturbing the moon's reflection in the water.

Ye Jinyu walked into the pavilion and sat down opposite her.

"Thank you for your refined taste, Fairy Xie," he said. "You don't go to see the guests all over the city, but instead sit alone deep in this bamboo forest."

Xie Qingying finally turned her head.

Compared to the last time we met, she looked thinner. There was an inexplicable weariness between her brows, and something deeper was hidden in her eyes.

"The city is full of guests." She repeated the four words, a self-deprecating smile playing on her lips. "What do all that boisterous drinking and revelry have to do with me?"

"Among the many noble sons of the Immortal Clan, only Young Master Ye truly catches my eye!"

Ye Jinyu smiled.

Xie Qingying looked into his eyes and suddenly said, "Since that's the case, this fairy will tell you a thing or two, how about it?"

Ye Jinyu adopted a listening posture.

Xie Qingying's voice was gentle as she spoke.

"Now, people have already composed verses about it; Xuzhou is truly the focus of the world's attention!"

"The Emperor rose from Ye Capital on a southeastern expedition, the Mingyang sun shone upon Xucheng."

"The shimmering sea is a single, clear color; the summer fire blazes fiercely across the four seas."

"The cycle of flourishing and decay, life and death, is ever-changing; who in this Huanyu can truly be called an immortal?"

"The Azure Nether and Qiu Yan, Xiaqi Geng Metal, which is called Xiao."

Since the Chen families of Yanzhou, Zhongzheng has ruled the world!

This is what is meant by the gathering of immortals, their ambition to seize the territory of Jin and establish themselves as kings!

The Way has no distinction of rank or status, high or low; yet, the dust of war rages on for thousands of miles.

Ye Jinyu listened to each sentence.

Oh.

They're all here!

"Young Master Ye, what are the Ye Clan's plans?"