Chapter 791: The Fate of Martial Arts

Since Wei Yuansheng had spoken, Yan Fei, Lu Chengfeng, and the others naturally had no objections. People of the martial world possessed their own straightforward nature and wouldn't be indecisive. However, Zuo Wuji suddenly thought of something and quickly said,

"Then I'll write a letter to Second Master and Third Master, and we can leave immediately, right?"

"That works."

Lu Chengfeng agreed. Even if Zuo Wuji didn't write, he would have. Wang Ke and Du Heng were incredibly busy mediating between the Da Zhen imperial court and the martial arts world in the former Zuyue region, so a letter informing them of their whereabouts would suffice.

The couple, who had been busy in the kitchen, happened to walk over, carrying a freshly brewed pot of tea. Hearing the conversation, they eagerly asked,

"Great Hero Yan, are you leaving?"

Yan Fei nodded and addressed the couple.

"If lunch is ready, please prepare it quickly. We might be leaving immediately."

"Oh, oh, the food is ready! We'll bring it right out, right away!"

"Yes, please wait a moment, Great Heroes."

The couple dared not delay and hurried back to the kitchen. As they entered, the wife seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and whispered to her husband,

"Great Hero Yan and the others are leaving so soon. They've only been here a few days. It seems they weren't here to..."

"What nonsense are you talking about? This estate was entrusted to us by Great Hero Yan. It would only be right to return it to him. Enough talk, let's get the food served quickly."

Though the husband spoke firmly, his tone was noticeably relieved. Considering the baby sleeping inside, this estate was crucial to them.

Wei Yuansheng turned his head towards the kitchen with a hint of amusement, then looked back at Yan Fei and Lu Chengfeng. One was holding a teacup, the other a teapot, their expressions unchanged. However, given their martial arts mastery, they must have heard the conversation from the kitchen.

"Ah, humans!"

Wei Yuansheng sighed, then chuckled as another thought occurred to him.

"If they weren't like this, it wouldn't be real."

Yan Fei took a sip of tea and smiled.

"It was given to them in the first place."

After finishing lunch and sending the letter Zuo Wuji had written to Luoqing City's yamen for postal delivery, Wei Yuansheng found a relatively discreet corner. He then took the three others onto a small white jade boat, which ascended into the sky. His own levitation ability was not fast enough to carry three martial artists, so they relied on the magical artifact for better speed.

Sitting in the small white jade boat, Zuo Wuji was very excited, clinging to the rail and looking both forward and down. Being high in the air made him slightly dizzy, yet the sensation was quite unique.

"Luoqing City is getting smaller and smaller, and those mountains over there look so close... Huh, how did that great river..."

Zuo Wuji saw a vast river in the distance that still looked expansive even from high above. He knew it was the Tongtian River, but he hadn't remembered it being so wide when he passed by before.

Not only Zuo Wuji, but also Yan Fei, Lu Chengfeng, and even Wei Yuansheng were drawn to the Tongtian River.

"It is indeed the Tongtian River. Its watershed seems to have changed."

As Yan Fei spoke, the flying boat had already entered the Tongtian River basin. The sky suddenly darkened, not because evening was approaching, but because dense dark clouds were gathering there, bringing a moderate rain.

Rain poured down with a "whoosh," but it merely slid off the sides of the white jade flying boat. Wei Yuansheng looked up at the sky; these dark clouds were far higher than ordinary ones.

"The Tongtian River has indeed widened considerably. Who knows when we'll see it again after this journey."

Lu Chengfeng took a sip of wine.

Wei Yuansheng looked down at the Tongtian River, saying with a strange emotion,

"My master told me that ever since Da Zhen fully conquered the Zuyue lands and reorganized the various provinces into the new Six States, over half of the Tongtian River's segments have been continuously experiencing rain along its banks. The specific locations change, but the rain hasn't stopped. Many riverbanks have been submerged, though not rapidly, allowing small docks along the river to evacuate or move their boats in time."

"Is that so? Brother Wei, do you know why?"

Zuo Wuji curiously asked Wei Yuansheng. This immortal cultivator was approachable, like an elder brother, so Zuo Wuji didn't address him as "Immortal Master." Wei Yuansheng was quite happy with this address, and seeing that Yan Fei and Lu Chengfeng also seemed curious, he smiled and explained frankly.

"I asked my master too. He said it's likely the River Goddess Ying of the Tongtian River preparing for her 'water walk.' The water veins of Da Zhen will converge; it's a grand event for the aquatic tribes."

"River Goddess Ying? 'Water walk'?"

Zuo Wuji remained curious, while Yan Fei thoughtfully said,

"I've heard she's the goddess of the Tongtian River; there are many river god temples along its banks. As for the 'water walk,' I've heard it's a dragon transformation technique, a moment of aspiration and awe for countless aquatic creatures."

"Precisely as Great Hero Yan said!"

Wei Yuansheng echoed, while Zuo Wuji looked at the Tongtian River with a hint of disbelief.

"So that's how it is... It truly exceeds what we mortals can imagine."

Lu Chengfeng took a sip of wine, glanced at Yan Fei who wasn't drinking, and handed the wine flask to Zuo Wuji, speaking with a calm tone.

"If the demons and monsters we're about to face possess such immense power, will your fists and your staff still be able to strike?"

"Huh? No way, I wouldn't even be qualified to stand before such a powerful monster..."

Zuo Wuji looked at the Tongtian River, hazy in the rain, finding it hard to imagine how he could fight a monster that could summon the power of heaven and earth.

"Hmph, with overwhelming vital energy and potent might, I'll fearlessly face death. With my martial soul, I shall forge the primordial essence."

Yan Fei muttered lowly, then closed his eyes to meditate. Lu Chengfeng shook his wine gourd, heard there wasn't much left, corked it, and lay down on the boat to doze. Only Zuo Wuji sat somewhat lost in thought, while Wei Yuansheng on the side observed the three martial artists contemplatively.

'Forging primordial essence? What kind of technique is that?'

As a talented immortal cultivator, Wei Yuansheng's cultivation might not have been high, but his spiritual aura was naturally refined. He vaguely sensed a peculiar aura emanating from Yan Fei, Lu Chengfeng, and Zuo Wuji at that moment. He could perceive a trace of it through spiritual intuition, but couldn't fully sense it with divine consciousness or see it with his Dharma Eye.

When Wei Yuansheng tried to sense it further, one of the three martial artists seemed to be in a deep sleep, another appeared to be in a state of calm meditation, and even Zuo Wuji, though leaning on the rail and gazing down as if in a trance, had his vital energy contained, giving him the aura of an ordinary young man who hadn't trained in martial arts.

Logically, all three were martial artists, and Wei Yuansheng was seen as an immortal by ordinary people. Yet, he now felt that these three martial artists exuded more of a cultivation aura than he, an immortal cultivator, did. Indeed, those valued by Master Ji could not be judged by ordinary standards.

The white jade flying boat was not slow, but rather than Wei Yuansheng taking the three to an immortal port to board Taiyun Sect's treasure ship, it was more like he was chasing it. Before they even reached the immortal port, Wei Yuansheng suddenly calculated that the treasure ship had departed early, likely because the Taiyun Sect cultivators were eager to return to Tianyu Continent.

Wei Yuansheng expended great effort and barely managed to pilot the white jade flying boat to catch up with the treasure ship at the last moment. Otherwise, once the treasure ship accelerated, his cultivation would not have been sufficient to keep up.

The treasure ship was named "Taiyun Flying Pavilion." It only carried cultivators from the Taiyun Sect; there were no other passengers, let alone mortals. However, Wei Yuansheng had credentials from Yuhuai Mountain, which allowed him to persuade the supervisor on the ship to take the three mortals along, while Wei Yuansheng returned to Yuhuai Mountain to report.

The three martial artists on the Taiyun Flying Pavilion were no longer filled with the same curiosity about flying as when they first boarded the white jade boat, nor were they overly reserved. Instead, they practiced martial arts whenever they had free time. Even Zuo Wuji rarely went to the deck just to admire the scenery.

The three martial artists practiced martial arts and meditated on the deck daily. Wei Yuansheng even lent them incredibly heavy objects like black jade that he carried, to aid their training. This sparked some curiosity among the Taiyun Sect cultivators on board, but there was little interaction between them. After all, even Wei Yuansheng was considered just a junior by all the Taiyun Sect cultivators on the treasure ship, his true age matching his appearance.

Two and a half months later, the Taiyun Flying Pavilion finally arrived at Tianyu Continent, revealing a coastline still frozen solid.

The three martial artists, having just finished their practice, stood by the ship's rail, looking at the ice-bound coastline and the snow-white land. Despite the cold weather, Zuo Wuji was bare-chested, and wisps of steam rose from his mighty physique, like that of a Vajra.

Many Taiyun Sect cultivators also stood on the deck. The supervising True Immortal squinted at the vast land, let out a cold chuckle, and then looked at the three martial artists nearby.

"What a chaotic age of demons! I never thought my Tianyu Continent would see such a day! You three have truly come at an inopportune time."

"Immortal Master, please don't worry. Just drop us off at a suitable location."

The supervising True Immortal nodded. Everyone had their own aspirations, and he currently had little mind to concern himself too much with these three martial artists. Nevertheless, he handed them three small talismans.

"These are Pure Yang Talismans. They are not valuable items, but they can ward off evil and miasma, and resist some ghostly disturbances. Take them."

"Thank you, Immortal Master."

Yan Fei and the other two thanked him in unison and accepted the talismans.

Another half a day passed. A Taiyun Sect cultivator, riding the wind, delivered the three to the outskirts of a small town, then soared back into the sky, and the Taiyun Flying Pavilion also departed on its own.

Yan Fei, Lu Chengfeng, and Zuo Wuji stood on the unfamiliar land, breathing air far colder than that of Yun Continent. Yan Fei was expressionless. Lu Chengfeng swayed the wine gourd in his hand, seemingly pondering how to buy some wine; his own had long run out, and there was no place to buy any on the Taiyun Flying Pavilion. The immortal masters there were too aloof, even providing meals in the form of elixirs. Only Zuo Wuji seemed a little excited.

"Let's go. Good thing we brought some silver; we can buy some wine first."

"Great! Although elixirs keep us from hunger, I'm about to die of boredom! Being an immortal is truly dull!"

Zuo Wuji strongly agreed, pushing his two masters forward towards the small town.

Unfortunately, their hopes were dashed. Fearing demonic transformations, the small town refused entry to all strangers. Instead, they directed the three to a dilapidated temple outside the town walls and, after taking one tael of silver from them, provided two tattered blankets, a flask of murky wine, and a few steamed buns.

That night, thousands of miles away, Ji Yuan lay on his side in the monastic cell, eyes slightly closed, his consciousness drifting into a semi-conscious state.

Using his dream-traveling ability to guide his own dream, in a state between sleep and wakefulness, Ji Yuan seemed to hear sounds. These sounds were faint at first, then gradually became clearer. Yet, his eyes felt as heavy as if filled with lead, and his body seemed unable to move, just like that night when he first arrived at the ruined temple in the desolate mountains, powerless to do anything but listen.

This felt like an illusion, for Ji Yuan knew that if he wanted to open his eyes, he could instantly, and rise immediately. But it was more than just an illusion; everything his mind's ear perceived was a sound from afar.

Similar instances of sensing distant individuals had occurred a few times before, but each time was different and not entirely controlled by Ji Yuan's will. However, now with his improved deduction abilities and cultivation, Ji Yuan was beginning to grasp the knack.

"Clink."

Zuo Wuji tapped the steamed bun in his hand with a short meat-cutting knife; the sound it made was like striking a stone.

"This is frozen solid..."

Lu Chengfeng simply grabbed a bun and bit into it, making "crunching" sounds like chewing ice. He didn't forget to take a sip of wine. Yan Fei looked at Zuo Wuji.

"Roast this for me."

"Yes, First Master, I'll start a fire immediately!"

Thousands of miles away, a faint smile appeared on Ji Yuan's lips; he seemed able to imagine the trio's current state. Unfortunately, after a moment, this sensation gradually faded, like ripples from a stone dropped in water, eventually settling.

'Another ruined temple. I fear they won't have a peaceful night...'

Every time Ji Yuan encountered a ruined temple, something was bound to happen. Even with this remote sensing, he felt certain that something would occur.

As soon as Yan Fei and the others arrived in Tianyu Continent, Ji Yuan felt their 'chess pieces' solidify from a vague state into a distinct form. This indicated that this step was not wrong. The rest would depend on them, and on the fortune of their martial path.