Chapter 40

In the midst of Nine Abyss Peak, Wu Jiang met with Sect Leader Yan Jizhi and carefully recounted everything she had seen and heard on the road.

She had already sent a message to her master Fang Zhiyi via the Heaven-Penetrating Treasure Mirror, but there had been no reply for a long time—her master was likely in secluded cultivation.

After much deliberation, Wu Jiang decided to return to Nine Abyss Sect first.

Yingzhou Island lay out at sea, and that stretch of ocean lacked abundant yuan qi spirit veins. No rare herbs or minerals grew there either, so no one had ever established a sect on it. Yingzhou Island didn’t belong to the territory governed by any sect, which meant that even if something happened, as long as no one carried the news back, the major Xuanmen sects on the mainland wouldn’t know a thing.

Yan Zhichuan had also been dragged over by Wu Jiang to listen in. In the past, whenever something occurred, Nine Abyss Sect would surely dispatch a true inheritor to investigate the truth—but that true inheritor was never her.

With Blade Peak’s senior sister absent, did that mean it was Zhan Yujie? Yan Zhichuan let her thoughts run wild. She didn’t hear Yan Jizhi’s voice, but the jumpy Heavenly Dao System startled her instead.

Heavenly Dao System: “Sword Bone!”

After the matter with Liu Yanqing was resolved, a new task had appeared.

Yingzhou Island was an inescapable point in Zhan Yujie’s fate. In her original destiny, after Liu Yanqing’s slander ruined her reputation, Nine Abyss Sect believed in her and protected her. Upon learning of the events on Yingzhou Island, they sent her to handle it, hoping it would change the impression orthodox daoists had of her.

But things didn’t improve—instead, they grew far worse.

Yingzhou Island had long become a den of demons, occupied by a fake Xuanmen force called the “Heavenly Venerable Sect.” Rumors said that “Heavenly Venerable” had heaven-piercing abilities and could set even those without cultivation talent on the path to dao. Zhan Yujie’s mother, Zhao Pingchuan, had taken Zhao Yulu to Yingzhou Island as well. Upon encountering Zhan Yujie, Zhao Pingchuan no longer hid her covetous gaze toward Zhan Yujie’s Sword Bone. In that situation, Zhan Yujie was forced to draw her sword and accidentally killed Zhao Pingchuan.

Thus, she—who was already notorious—bore the unforgivable sin of killing her own mother.

The Heavenly Dao System chattered on to Yan Zhichuan about Zhan Yujie’s original fate. Yan Zhichuan had vaguely known some of it before, but hearing the full story now only deepened her pity for Zhan Yujie. She kept shooting sympathetic looks her way.

Zhan Yujie noticed Yan Zhichuan’s weird gaze and furrowed her brows.

She had no idea what this junior sister was imagining in her head, but it surely wasn’t anything good.

“Something strange is happening on Yingzhou Island, and it’s good that you’ve arrived.” After listening to Wu Jiang, Yan Jizhi pondered for a moment before saying, “Yujie, prepare yourself. You’ll set out in a few days.”

After the Three Ways River incident, the sects had begun racking their brains to root out lurking Demon Cultivators—and they had indeed found a few. Including those who died at Three Ways River, most of their pasts were tied to “Yingzhou.” Aside from a handful discovered and brought back by sect elders, the rest had come to the sect gates on their own and kept a low profile. They were wooden and obedient; without some incident, they truly wouldn’t have been detected.

Zhan Yujie acknowledged the order.

Yan Zhichuan put on an “just as I thought” expression and looked up at Yan Jizhi, volunteering eagerly. “Master, I want to go too! Slaying demons and exorcising evil is our duty as cultivators!”

Yan Jizhi gazed at the chubby chirping bird flapping beside Yan Zhichuan and furrowed her brows slightly.

Zhan Yujie’s heart sank. She said tactfully, “Junior Sister has been refining pills on the peak lately and probably needs time to rest and consolidate her gains.”

Yan Zhichuan blinked. “No need.”

Heavenly Dao System: “Chirp chirp.”

Yan Zhichuan had to go in order to avert the fate line.

Zhan Yujie’s feeble protest went nowhere. After some thought, Yan Jizhi said, “Very well.” She earnestly cautioned them, “When you’re out there, prioritize your safety above all. If anything feels off, withdraw immediately.” No Cave Heaven or Soul Transformation cultivators had appeared on Yingzhou Island yet. If they rushed in rashly, they might alert those behind the scenes and fail to uncover the truth.

With things settled like this, Zhan Yujie had no room to refuse. She looked up at the utterly thrilled Yan Zhichuan and sighed inwardly.

Yan Zhichuan’s joy stemmed from the system task’s reward.

She already had a cauldron and a sword now—she didn’t want physical items. After some haggling, the system could only agree to tweak the numbers, restoring that lump of Dao Pills to “nine.”

Yan Zhichuan still felt like she was getting the short end of the stick. It should have been that way from the start. But no matter how she wheedled, the stingy Heavenly Dao System refused to add more.

Zhan Yujie’s gaze was focused and intent. Yan Zhichuan, who had been quietly snickering to herself, noticed and met her probing eyes. She inexplicably felt a pang of guilt.

She hasn’t done anything wrong, has she? This would save her senior sister from disaster and get her benefits too—a win-win.

Yan Zhichuan’s heart skipped a beat. She muttered to herself inwardly, then smiled and said, “I’ll definitely listen to Senior Sister.”

Zhan Yujie snorted inwardly at that.

As if Yan Zhichuan would ever listen.

Half a month later, Zhan Yujie and Yan Zhichuan set off for Yingzhou Island.

The seas were stormy, travel slower than over land, and with Yingzhou Island deep in the ocean, it would take at least three days.

Zhan Yujie piloted the Cloud Boat swiftly forward while Yan Zhichuan, with nothing better to do, pulled out a fishing rod and dangled it over the sea.

But the Cloud Boat wasn’t anchored anywhere. Unless the fish bit fast enough, with the constant motion, how could she catch anything?

Half a day passed, and the bucket at Yan Zhichuan’s feet remained empty.

Yan Zhichuan: “……Aren’t you supposed to casually hook heavenly treasures in the storybooks?”

Zhan Yujie glanced over from nearby, her expression subtle. She wanted to say something but thought better of it.

No catch for her junior sister meant peace and quiet for her ears.

“It must be the bait,” Yan Zhichuan concluded.

She tossed the rod aside and pulled out the Medicine God Cauldron to refine spirit pills. She scattered them into the sea, and the creatures below leaped out in a frenzy.

Zhan Yujie: “……” Was that the medicine she’d loaned money for wasted like this?

Yan Zhichuan was delighted, her haul overflowing.

Zhan Yujie eyed the leaping school of fish, her gaze suddenly turning icy. A fierce sword light flashed like lightning, and when it returned, a fish thick with demonic qi thudded onto the deck.

Yan Zhichuan leaned in for a look. “A Demon Creature?”

Zhan Yujie’s expression was grim. “Yes.”

Yan Zhichuan pondered. She stopped tossing bait pills and instead hurled a handful of Explosive Pills into the water. Moments later, thunderous explosions boomed across the sea. Corpses gradually surfaced, dyeing the waters red. Yan Zhichuan clung to the railing, peering down—until Zhan Yujie yanked her back by the collar.

Yan Zhichuan turned to ask Zhan Yujie, “Not many fish with demonic qi. Coincidence?”

Zhan Yujie: “I don’t know.”

An ominous premonition stirred in her heart. She urged the Cloud Boat onward at full speed.

Meanwhile, Yan Zhichuan enthusiastically Explosive-Pilled the fish.

The sea wasn’t fully polluted by demonic qi—Demon Creatures were just scattered here and there. But signs were there: the closer they got to Yingzhou Island, the more demonic creatures roiled in the depths.

As they neared Yingzhou Island, the vast, serene sea suddenly brimmed with life.

Waves glittered with gentle light. Small boats dotted the waters near the island, and ornate grand vessels hung amid the clouds—clearly not from ordinary folk.

“Is Yingzhou Island always this lively?” Yan Zhichuan stared at the crowded waterways in surprise.

Zhan Yujie said nothing. She took out a mask and handed it to Yan Zhichuan. It was an artifact bought from Artifact Peak, able to conceal one’s aura and origins. Only after Yan Zhichuan donned it did she leap from the Cloud Boat to the ground.

Unlike the desolate silence she’d imagined, the sunlit sea was calm. Azure waves crashed rhythmically with a whooshing roar. The island bustled with busy mortals, their faces alight with fervent smiles.

Yan Zhichuan’s curious gaze darted everywhere as she crossed the beach. Soon, a lively town appeared—buildings packed row upon row, shop banners fluttering in the wind.

Zhan Yujie observed her surroundings too. Among the pedestrians were quite a few cultivators. Even if their cultivation wasn’t high, they had at least stepped onto the immortal path. As she prepared to ask around, crisp gong and drum sounds rang out. The crowd on the road instantly surged to the sides, clearing a path.

Zhan Yujie didn’t want to stand out and pulled Yan Zhichuan aside as well. She looked toward the source of the sound and saw flower petals raining down. Four bright-faced young daoists carried a finely carved, faceless statue briskly forward. As they marched, they sang a crisp tune, petals drifting in their wake.

The roadside crowd flushed with fervor, eyes fanatic—some even prostrated themselves, bowing to the patrolling statue.

Yan Zhichuan plucked a strangely colored petal and curiously infused it with a thread of mana. Yuan qi swirled, and the soft petal transformed into a golden invitation in her palm.

Yan Zhichuan hissed softly.

A bizarre tale from the storybooks immediately sprang to mind. She turned to Zhan Yujie. “Have I been marked by ghosts? Will monsters come for my life at night?”

Before Zhan Yujie could reply, a disgruntled voice cut in.

“What nonsense are you spouting? That’s an invitation from our Heavenly Venerable Sect!”

“Heavenly Venerable Sect?” Zhan Yujie seized the opening to ask.

The speaker sized up the two of them and grinned. “Newcomers, huh? Seeking immortality? Lucky timing—in the old days, you wouldn’t have had the chance.”

“Heavenly Venerable Sect is a new sect on Yingzhou Island. Unlike those on the other side of the sea that only judge by spirit roots, as long as you have the heart for the dao, anyone can join and cultivate.”

“How can you cultivate without spirit roots? You can’t even reach Foundation Establishment,” Yan Zhichuan said.

The man laughed again. “Heavenly Venerable is omnipotent. Accept his crowning baptism, and you’ll awaken your apertures and enter the dao. Some kids here were just mortals before, but now they’ve joined the sect as immortals seeking eternal life. There’s a saying: ‘The immortal strokes my head, tying my hair to receive eternal life.'”

Zhan Yujie gave a light scoff. “They take anyone?”

The speaker: “Anyone who can prove a sincere heart for the dao—even pigs, chickens, or ducks. Don’t believe me? Go see for yourselves at Heavenly Venerable Sect.”

Zhan Yujie frowned slightly at that. She took the invitation from Yan Zhichuan’s hand, tucked it away carefully, and smiled faintly. “We will. Thank you.”

“No need to thank me—just mention Li Shiliu Niang introduced you. You’ll get a basket of eggs.” The last words were soft, but both Zhan Yujie and Yan Zhichuan were cultivators with sharp senses—they heard every bit.

Yan Zhichuan glanced at Zhan Yujie.

This all sounded like a scam. People’s natures varied; without spirit roots or talent, how could they enter the dao?

Zhan Yujie murmured, “Let’s keep looking around.”

Something was off about Yingzhou Island. She needed to see just what was going on with these “entered dao” folks.