Chapter 461: Chapter 1: Shadowless Grassland
The journey spans four seasons, and a thousand miles bring differing weather.
The Spirit Starved Land between the Ten Thousand Merchants Domain and the Celestial Cyan Domain stretches across millions of miles. Even with the Business Alliance’s massive spiritual ship, it requires a two-year voyage.
It has now been half a year, and the scenery along the way has been fully appreciated.
Upon leaving the borders of the Celestial Cyan Domain, there were endless barren mountains, followed by vast, lifeless, silent black lands... Li Ji’an had also seen vast snowy mountains, thousand-mile glaciers, and even bottomless, eternally stretching abysses spewing black mist.
At this moment, a vast green grassland emitting a metallic scent appeared, finally bringing some signs of life.
He looked at Guo Wanzhi and Yao Rui.
Worthy of being Sect disciples, their willpower was extraordinary, and they hardly relaxed throughout the journey.
Besides Master Meng and a few stewards from the commerce, only the self-important Sima Yu occasionally tried to befriend them.
Both of them never wasted the Spiritual Qi environment in the elegant cabin, diligently cultivating.
Li Ji’an, at the peak of the Foundation Establishment Stage, needed to refine his Magical Power. With the Little Fire Spirit silently absorbing and feeding back, he no longer cultivated magical power but focused on Body Cultivation.
As for Soul Cultivation, he wasn’t sure if there was an Ascendant lurking on the spiritual ship, especially Master Chunyuan, so he didn’t dare to cultivate secretly.
As for other skills, whether puppetry, talismans, or divination, they weren’t convenient and could only be practiced in a stable cultivation dojo after reaching the Ten Thousand Merchants Domain.
"Coming again?" Just as Li Ji’an withdrew his gaze from the vast grassland outside the spiritual ship, his Divine Sense stirred.
He immediately transmitted a message to Yao Rui and Guo Wanzhi.
"Whoosh!" Yao Rui instantly stopped her cultivation, habitually coming to Li Ji’an’s side to massage his legs.
Guo Wanzhi, on the other hand, looked dismayed, secretly lamenting her fate.
"Fellow Daoist Huang, Fairy Guo, I am here to trouble you again." The next moment, the confident and refined voice of Sima Yu had already come from outside the elegant cabin.
Since the second day after the spiritual ship set sail, Sima Yu might have heard about Guo Wanzhi and Huang Jie’s relationship and came to visit.
During this time, he showed a strong interest in Guo Wanzhi.
He even subtly hinted at his esteemed status several times.
Hearing this voice, the somewhat indecisive Guo Wanzhi instinctively looked toward Li Ji’an.
Li Ji’an smiled nonchalantly, not minding Sima Yu’s approach.
During this half year, he had roughly figured out Sima Yu’s intentions.
Most likely, he wanted to connect with the Nine Tripods Commerce Association through Guo Wanzhi.
Although he’s an Immortal Seedling of the true monarch lineage of the contemporary Ten Thousand Laws Palace and was quite favored with resources in the Celestial Cyan Domain, the current situation in the Celestial Cyan Domain could no longer provide much help to him.
Especially since Li Ji’an learned from Master Meng that there were quite a few upper echelons in the Celestial Cyan Domain determined to fight to the death.
In the Ten Thousand Laws Palace, besides Master Chunyuan, the other Ascendants also had the intention to fight to the bitter end against the Demon Realm.
Therefore, Sima Yu’s escape this time was mostly with some spiritual resources prepared by Master Chunyuan, and once he arrived in the Ten Thousand Merchants Domain, many things would still depend on himself.
And with the Business Alliance being dominant in the Ten Thousand Merchants Domain, many things couldn’t bypass their rules.
Moments later, Guo Wanzhi sighed helplessly and invited Sima Yu inside.
"Fairy Guo, today is a beautiful day, the rain has cleared, and we’ve reached the Endless Grassland. I shamelessly invite Fairy Guo to enjoy the grassland scenery on the deck," Sima Yu, under the alias Bai Yu, courteously invited.
Upon seeing this, Yao Rui quickly signaled to Guo Wanzhi to brush off this annoying fellow.
However, Guo Wanzhi slightly frowned, "Apologies, Fellow Daoist Bai, I just had an enlightenment regarding Taoist techniques, I’m afraid..."
For the past six months, she had been tactfully declining the other’s intentional advances.
But this time, before she could finish, a message suddenly came from Sima Yu in her Sea of Consciousness.
"Alchemist Guo, does the Biyun Sect know of your cowardly escape, and can you withstand the pressure from the Holy Palace?"
"..." Guo Wanzhi was momentarily stunned.
Li Ji’an also understood its content the moment it was transmitted, and after surprise, the corners of his mouth involuntarily lifted, "Soft methods didn’t work, now it’s coercion?"
"Then... fine." Guo Wanzhi came back to her senses and got up to walk outside.
Once the two were outside the elegant cabin and on the spiritual ship’s deck, Yao Rui immediately looked at Li Ji’an with a solemn expression, "Huang, Alchemist Guo must have been threatened just now, think of a way!"
"Oh?" Li Ji’an raised an eyebrow slightly.
"What do you mean ’oh’? Alchemist Guo was clearly refusing that sissy just now, and it must have been the sissy’s threatening message that made Alchemist Guo have to agree, hmph! I said those who appear gentle aren’t good, you’re better being blatantly lecherous!" Yao Rui coldly glared at Li Ji’an.
"What can I do for you? Didn’t you see that Fellow Daoist Bai has two Fake Pill attendants with him?" Li Ji’an retorted, while his gaze towards Yao Rui was more blatant than half a year ago.
That’s all the side effect of the Faceless Mask!
Yao Rui’s expression instantly darkened, wondering if her disguise had been seen through.
But in the next moment, she composed herself, knowing full well that Huang Jie’s Magical Power aura was only at the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment, definitely unable to penetrate her disguise.
Instantly, she looked at Li Ji’an with even more disdain, how could someone in this state be so starved?
"Hmph, I didn’t say you could do anything! But clearly, everyone is wary of the master you mentioned. At the very least, if you pulled out the master’s name, these people would have to be somewhat respectful!" Yao Rui rolled her eyes.
Then she changed the subject, "But, on the other hand, the sissy clearly became close to Alchemist Guo because of the master you mentioned, yet... why dare to threaten just now? Could it be it wasn’t a threat but an offering of some benefit?"
