Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
As the trio stepped into the teleportation formation, they felt themselves transported into a strange space. Wrapped in immense power, they hurtled through a spatial fissure. This was something that would always happen when teleporting, but it normally lasted only for an instant. This time, it lasted for three whole days.
In these three days, they were floating about this higher space, the frenzied spatial rapids blowing past their bodies, presenting various kinds of dangers. This was an inevitable consequence of extreme long-distance teleportation. Thankfully, Tang Jie was well-prepared and was able to evade all these dangers.
Even so, they were still hovering on the brink of death. Yiyi and Er Hu reached their limit early on, and if Tang Jie hadn't protected them, they probably would have broken apart in the spatial turbulence.
Finally, light appeared at the end of the passage, and the three of them fell out of the teleportation passage and back into reality. Yiyi immediately plopped down on her butt, no longer able to stand.
"Tired, so tired! I almost died there! If I knew this was how things were going to be, I would have gone into the Mountain River Diagram and let Big Brother take me over. That would have been so much less painful," Yiyi spat out her tongue and shouted. Talking wasn't possible in the passage, so the first thing she did once she was out was complain.
As Tang Jie walked out of the void, he smiled and said, "You little rascal, all you care about is slacking off and avoiding hard work. I didn't put you in the diagram because this is a rare opportunity to experience the power of Space in the teleportation tunnel. Normally, teleportation is too short for this, so this extreme long-distance teleportation is perfect to feel the power of Space. Why can teleportation formations let us cross such long distances, what happens when we pass through spatial tunnels, and why does Space power manifest this way? These are all topics that need to be pondered, observed, and analyzed so that one can truly understand the power of Space and thus comprehend the Dao. Why do you think I spent extra resources to bring the two of you?"
"Eh?" Yiyi chose to ignore that last sentence, curiously asking, "If we're comprehending the Dao, shouldn't it be through enlightenment? Where does observation and analysis come from?"
Tang Jie was so angry that he laughed. "What do you think enlightenment is? Do you think you can just slap your head and say 'I comprehend' and be enlightened? Do you think no analysis, observation, or thinking takes place? One who comprehends the Dao comprehends the rules by which the world operates. To understand these rules is to comprehend the Dao, and one uses these rules to enter the Dao."
"Then what about controlling the Dao?"
Tang Jie paused for a moment, and then he shook his head. "If the Great Dao is a hall, comprehending the Dao is to see this hall, entering the Dao is to enter this hall, and controlling the Dao is to seat yourself upon the seat of honor. But based on what Immortal Ji Yao said, there's a level above controlling the Dao, which is beyond my level of understanding. Thus, until we actually reach that level, we can't really say anything about it. And now isn't the time to think about such a thing. You should try and recollect what you saw and experienced. Don't let it go to waste."
"Mm!" Yiyi earnestly nodded.
Tang Jie looked back and saw Er Hu standing behind him, curiously looking at his surroundings. They were in a cave.
This was his first time leaving the Verdant Cloud Domain and traveling to a completely new world.
Although there was nothing noteworthy around them, Er Hu still excitedly asked, "Master, are we in the Rosecloud Domain?"
"No, this is the Martial Lord's hidden realm. It can be considered my world. It's located on the barrier of the Rosecloud Domain, between Rosecloud and Blood River," Tang Jie replied.
Tang Jie didn't plan to hide anything from Er Hu.
Tang Jie turned and walked out of the cave.
Outside was a lush valley.
Tang Jie couldn't help but be excited by this familiar scenery.
After wandering about for more than a hundred years, he had finally returned.
Standing beneath the sky of the hidden realm, Tang Jie let out a mighty roar.
A flame lit up the horizons in response.
A girl dressed in red emerged from the flames—the Vermillion Bird.
She floated above the valley, looking at Tang Jie with glee. Although she didn't say anything, her eyes seemed to say: Tang Jie, you're finally back.
Tang Jie laughed. "I haven't seen you in a hundred years, but Big Sister Vermillion Bird is as graceful as ever."
"And you seem to have gotten a lot stronger," the Vermillion Bird replied.
"That being the case, what are you waiting for? Let's fight!" Tang Jie charged forward with a roar, throwing a mighty punch at the Vermillion Bird.
He hadn't been home for even three minutes, but he was already starting a fight.
Er Hu felt dizzy from this development.
———————
As expected, the Vermillion Bird beat him black and blue, but Tang Jie was able to last for longer, and the Vermillion Bird praised him for using those one hundred years well and making incredible progress.
Tang Jie ignored her praise, gesturing the number "12", which was the number of rewards he could select for his performance.
The Vermillion Bird didn't mind, flapping her wings and letting him collect those herbs himself.
While strolling through the valley, Tang Jie and the Vermillion Bird discussed what had happened while he was gone.
For the Vermillion Bird, the time spent in the valley was always quiet and boring, punctuated by the occasional surprise, such as when Tang Jie had fooled Sang Hongmei inside.
"Up ahead is where she's buried. Actually, I didn't have any plans on killing her, but she was too greedy, picking seven plants in no time at all. According to the rules, she had to take three strikes of my Southern Divine Fire for every plant, 21 strikes in all, each one stronger than the last… She was pretty strong, lasting fourteen rounds. Alas, I lost out on a conversation partner." The Vermillion Bird spoke with great regret.
"I didn't send her in to relieve your boredom."
"So petty!" The Vermillion Bird rolled her eyes, but then she smiled. "Regardless, the death of a Soul Transformation expert has added some spiritual energy to this place. Why don't you trick some more people inside? They can help you get herbs and also give me some work to do. Lady Xu already took those seven plants that were picked. Perhaps when all the herbs in the valley are picked, I'll be free?" The Vermillion Bird grew excited at the thought of this potential loophole.
Tang Jie indifferently said, "The more people that know of this place, the greater the risk. I only tricked Sang Hongmei into entering because I had no choice but to take the risk. If you're not worried about being discovered and this place being exposed, which will have the Earth Immortals of the six major sects rushing over to strip the valley bare and roast you on a spit, then I'll do what you want."
The Vermillion Bird was scared out of her wits and didn't dare to make this suggestion again, but she was unwilling to show weakness, saying, "I'm a firebird, so I don't roast well."
Tang Jie had finished picking his twelve plants, but when he saw the reluctant look on the Vermillion Bird's face, he smiled and said, "It seems there's something you haven't given me yet?"
"What?" The Vermillion Bird's heart thumped, and her expression became unnatural.
Tang Jie acted like he was thinking hard, and then he slapped his head and said, "Ah, now I remember! It's essence blood! We haven't met in a hundred years, so you owe me a hundred drops."
"Hey, hey, you bastard, don't get too greedy. If you take so much at once, my lifespan will be cut short!" the Vermillion Bird yelled.
Tang Jie found her angry and panicked appearance quite adorable, and he couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, I'm just teasing. Why don't you give me ten drops first, and we can just add on the rest to the end. Is that okay with you?"
"That's what I'm talking about." The Vermillion Bird waved a hand, and ten drops of essence blood flew into Tang Jie's hand.
Tang Jie gathered them into a jade bottle and threw it to Er Hu. "Take one drop of the essence blood in the bottle every three days. By the time you're done, you will be able to bring your strength to the next tier."
"Master!" Er Hu was both surprised and delighted.
"Don't be so shy," Tang Jie said, waving his sleeve. "You will be staying here for the next few days. You can keep the Vermillion Bird company so that she stops complaining about being bored."
"Great, great!" the Vermillion Bird said in delight.
The pain from ten drops of essence blood immediately went away, as it had seemingly been traded away for a conversation partner.
Leaving Er Hu behind, Tang Jie and Yiyi entered the teleportation formation to the Rosecloud Domain.
Cai Junyang, Wei Tianchong, and Xu Miaoran were still in Endsea, so Tang Jie decided to go to Horizon Ocean Pavilion first. In truth, he could use the Web of Fate and speak through Little Three, but Tang Jie wanted to give them all a surprise, so he didn't send any notice.
After several teleportations, Tang Jie arrived at Great Wind Island. After asking for directions, Tang Jie set off.
Cold Plum Villa.
This was a base the All-Talent Society had set up on Great Wind Island and was a place for foreign affairs and honored guests. It was also responsible for the buying and selling of materials. After the Sang Hongmei incident, Xu Miaoran had set up Cold Plum Villa to show she could carry on some business without going through Horizon Ocean Pavilion, out of revenge and a lack of trust for Horizon Ocean Pavilion.
In the main hall of the villa, Shi Meng was examining the account books. "When we imported that batch of colored glass from Pure Qian Island, we requested that the glass have at least 33 ice grooves in a palm's worth of space, but when we did a count, there are only around 32 on average. I know that it's only off by one groove, but the young lady said long ago that the All-Talent Society always does business according to the contract and won't accept inferior products. We can't accept a single problem, or else we'll lose our reputation. Return the goods and stop importing from that shop."
As the worst of Basking Moon's 13 Eagles, he had been tasked with managing Cold Plum Villa by Xu Miaoran. He had worked as a servant in a merchant clan, and the environment had allowed him to get a good grasp on business. All that was different now was that he was working with cultivator products instead of mortal products, so he was doing a rather good job.
"What if they aren't willing to take the goods back?" a steward inquired.
"Then go to the Sparring Hall and find True Person Cai."
The steward nodded in agreement.
After some thought, Shi Meng added, "Right, also fire that guy we sent to pick up the goods. Then send someone to trail him. If he goes to Pure Qian island, kill him. But if he doesn't, you can just let him be."
The steward was about to agree when a loud laugh came from outside. "A corrupt subordinate should be heavily punished, but execution is a little much. Death shouldn't be so recklessly thrown around. It would be better to give him forty strikes of the staff and three months of hard labor."
"Who's there? Trying to show off at my All-Talent Society?" As Shi Meng barked, his body surged with spiritual energy, engulfing the hall. As his Spirit Ring expanded, he took out his Thousand Frost Sword.
But a moment later, Shi Meng froze, and he stammered, "Tang… Tang Jie!"
A familiar figure had appeared in front of Shi Meng.
Clang! The Thousand Frost Sword dropped to the ground.
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