Volume One: The King's Command Chapter Fifty-Five: The Villager Enters the Holy City

No one else dared to make a move. With both senior brothers defeated by his hand, who would still look down on this young Taoist?

Feng Nanjue coughed violently for a while before recovering from the shock of true energy surging into his body. Dizzy, he staggered over to stand before Liu Xiaoyi, wearing an unprecedented smile. “You have excellent swordsmanship! When I improve further, please spar with me again!”

With both hands cupped in salute, he laughed heartily and strode away, soon vanishing from sight.

Seeing the commotion subside, Wang Ye quickly stepped forward to play the peacemaker. “Fellow disciples, the ferry has arrived. Please make haste to cross the river. The sect’s grand assembly is of utmost importance.”

Not far off, a dozen or so ferries each six or seven zhang in length approached, their boatmen smartly dressed, with the insignia of the Heavenly King Dao embroidered on their chests.

The largest sect in Yenliang Prefecture, besides its myriad disciples, also employed numerous servants. Wherever there was a river, the sect had its eyes and ears, always attentive to the slightest stirrings within its domain.

“Daoist Liu, I never expected you could best Feng Changzai. Once inside the sect, you must look after me!” Meng Qiaoqiao sidled up mischievously, nudging Liu Xiaoyi with her elbow.

Beside them, Guo Shuda felt somewhat uneasy. He pressed the formation disk in his pocket. The first time he had seen this quick-witted girl, he’d been completely smitten, even more so than with his obsession for the Dao. After consulting many texts and confirming that cultivators could indeed marry, his resolve to pursue Meng Qiaoqiao only strengthened. Yet now, a young and highly skilled Taoist had appeared out of nowhere—how could he not feel jealous?

Liu Xiaoyi saw at a glance what was going on. “With Guo Shuda and the other senior brothers around, I doubt anyone in the sect would dare bully you, right?” he said as he pushed Guo Shuda forward.

The latter immediately puffed out his chest and nodded vigorously. Meng Qiaoqiao pouted, turning away. “You men are all the same! I’m ignoring you!”

“Brother Guo is ashamed. I was harboring thoughts I shouldn’t have. You, my friend, are truly righteous!” Guo Shuda blushed with embarrassment. The other clearly hadn’t given Meng Qiaoqiao a second glance. It made sense, after all—a man capable of defeating Feng Changzai would surely set his sights on ascension and immortality.

Thinking of this, Guo Shuda sighed again. “Daoist Liu, you’ve offended the Feng family of Yenliang Prefecture. You must be careful in the days to come. They are notorious for bearing grudges and being petty.”

Feng Changzai had been publicly beaten and forced to cough blood; even on the ferry, his anger was palpable. Once ashore, he sent a letter home, intent on getting revenge in Seven Stars City.

He had crippled countless fellow disciples, but with his powerful family background and innate talent, the elders turned a blind eye and let things be.

“Let’s cross the river first. We’ve lingered long enough on the shore,” Liu Xiaoyi said, not wanting to wait for the next batch of ferries. Some with higher cultivation simply walked across the thin ice, covering the wide river in an instant.

“We’ve barely cultivated true energy and have no suitable magical tools. Let’s wait a bit,” Guo Shuda declined. The meager true energy in his lower dantian wasn’t enough for such lightness techniques.

Liu Xiaoyi gathered his energy, stepped onto the ice, and nearly slipped into the river. He hurried forward, adjusting his breath. His mana and true energy merged, allowing him to perform the lightness technique with ease, crossing to the opposite bank as if weightless.

Seeing Liu Xiaoyi cross, the crowd was again astonished. When he returned and pulled Guo Shuda across, the latter had no time to prepare before being whisked to the other side.

“I can take one person at a time—it’s no trouble. Wait here,” Liu Xiaoyi said. In a few trips, he ferried them all over, departing gracefully beneath the envious gazes of the others.

“Why are you all standing there? The day is still young—let’s get moving!” Liu Xiaoyi slung his three swords on his back, tucked his magical items into his storage pouch, straightened his slightly rumpled robe, and set off in high spirits.

Guo Shuda was so shocked he seemed to lose his soul, muttering as he followed behind, “Is talent truly so important? What about us cultivators…”

“Brother Guo, people like him are exceedingly rare. There’s no record of such individuals in our family histories. Staying with him may bring us good fortune,” Li Jue quickly reassured him. He believed that diligent cultivation was in no way inferior to natural talent.

The four hurried on and reached Seven Stars City before sunset. When Guo Shuda presented his badge at the gate, they were not charged any entrance fee and were allowed in with ease.

The holy city was built against the mountains, said to follow the formation of the Big Dipper, with six peaks behind completing the seven-star array. Spiritual energy gathered here, forming multicolored clouds in the sky, which would occasionally rain down spiritual dew to nourish the land.

The people living here, constantly bathed in spiritual energy, enjoyed longer lives than elsewhere in Yenliang. At sixty, their eyes and ears remained sharp, their hair black, and their faces rosy.

The surrounding forests were home to many spiritual beasts. To display their status, many disciples of the Heavenly King Dao would capture such beasts as pets or mounts.

Liu Xiaoyi had never seen such sights before. He stood at the city gate, wide-eyed, gazing at the myriad shops lining the streets. Many sold low-grade spirit beasts, and to attract customers, they would display rare creatures at their doors for people to admire.

“Daoist Liu, come with me and have a look over there! That white rabbit is so adorable!” Meng Qiaoqiao, without waiting for a reply, dragged him off toward the left-hand street. Guo Shuda sighed again; this was a long-term endeavor.

With the grand assembly approaching, the disciples were required to return early and had little time to linger. Thus, he and Li Jue headed straight for the chain of mountains.

The Heavenly King Dao’s sect grounds were located in a remote corner of Yenliang Prefecture, with a vast ocean stretching behind the mountains. Generations of sect leaders had sent people to explore it, but always in vain.

Over time, apart from disciples training near the shore, few cared what lay beyond the sea.

The mountain range stretched for thousands of li, with six peaks named after the stars of the Big Dipper. The crowning glory was this holy city of Seven Stars.

Many disciples who saw no hope of further advancement would descend the mountain and open shops in the city, earning a living in peace. The spirit beast shop Meng Qiaoqiao entered was run by an elderly white-haired woman.

The small rabbit with emerald-bright eyes was tied to a stake by the door with a thin cord. Several well-dressed young ladies were already haggling with the owner.

“Granny Rong, can’t you let us have it for a bit less? We didn’t bring that much money for a casual stroll,” one pleaded.

The old woman’s face was cold and stiff. “If everyone haggled like you, how could I keep my shop open? Five hundred taels of gold—nothing less!”

Her shop not only boasted a wide variety of spirit beasts, but also some truly unique ones. Disciples of the Heavenly King Dao often came seeking rare finds.

Meng Qiaoqiao squatted down, poking the fluffy forehead of the rabbit, making it shrink its neck and tremble.

“Five hundred taels of gold—I can’t afford that. Such an expensive spirit beast,” she lamented.

Hearing yet another person complain about the price, Granny Rong’s expression darkened. “There’s a reason for the cost. This Emerald Spirit Rabbit can enhance your true energy. With it by your side, your cultivation will be twice as effective. Five hundred taels is a bargain!”

Spirit beasts, like magical treasures, each had unique abilities. The rarest could accelerate cultivation. Life is fleeting—a hundred years passes in a blink, and years spent cultivating are even more monotonous. With such a spirit beast as a companion, one could greatly shorten the time needed for advancement.

Most visitors simply came to look; it was rare to make a sale in a day. Granny Rong was used to it and returned to her rocking chair to nap.

Suddenly, several servants from some household rushed in, squeezing into the shop and kneeling on one knee. “Granny Rong, a letter has arrived from home.” The leader placed a letter on the counter.

“I told you not to trouble me with family matters,” Granny Rong snapped without opening her eyes, clearly annoyed.

“It’s the young master. The young master was beaten…” the servant replied, trembling.

Granny Rong abruptly sat up and tore open the envelope. Inside was a portrait and a line of small characters: “If you see this person, bring him to the Feng family. I shall have my revenge personally.” It was signed by Feng Changzai.

“I see. Be off, all of you. Don’t get in the way of my business.”

She narrowed her eyes, gazing at Liu Xiaoyi. “You there, little Taoist, come here.”

Uncomprehending, Liu Xiaoyi entered the shop. “Granny, what do you want?”

She flipped the portrait and showed it to him; the ink was still fresh and the likeness unmistakable—it was Liu Xiaoyi. His heart skipped a beat. Signed by Feng Changzai—the Feng family of Yenliang Prefecture lived here in Seven Stars City?

“You beat my grandson. My family wants you brought back. What do you think I should do?” Granny Rong’s voice was icy. Sensing the tense atmosphere, the customers slipped out, leaving only Liu Xiaoyi and her in the shop, with a few spirit beasts.

“Feng Changzai provoked me first. He was outmatched—I've done nothing wrong,” Liu Xiaoyi replied, standing tall.

No sooner had he spoken than the air in the room grew heavy. Liu Xiaoyi felt as though Mount Tai were pressing down upon him, an unprecedented sense of danger surging through his body. He mustered all his strength to resist, forming hand seals and invoking the “Lin” character to steady himself. Black and white chess pieces flew forth, forming a defensive array against the crushing pressure.

But Granny Rong’s cultivation was far superior. As the Feng family’s most senior matriarch, how could she fail to subdue a junior?

The layers of defense barely held for a moment before they were shattered. Liu Xiaoyi was forced down, his legs pressed deep into the ground.

“Kneel and beg for mercy, and I’ll spare your life!” Granny Rong barked, the pressure increasing.

Seeing this, Meng Qiaoqiao summoned talismans, but she too was pinned to the wall by true energy, her charms sticking uselessly in place.

“A man kneels only to heaven, earth, and his parents!” Liu Xiaoyi pressed his tongue to the roof of his mouth and summoned every ounce of strength he possessed. His bones creaked under the strain, blood oozed from his lips, and his eyes turned red.

“Good! You have more backbone than all those useless members of the Feng family. Get up!” Granny Rong’s stern face broke into a smile. The pressure vanished instantly, and Liu Xiaoyi collapsed forward, landing face-first and bruising his nose.