Amidst the misty haze on the Fire Peach Tree, the figure of a dwarf-like Tao Qingshan emerged.
He looked doubtful and asked, "Are you a disciple of the Sea-Swallowing King?"
"This is the token of my master," the young Taoist replied with a smile, taking out a jade plaque engraved with cloud patterns and the character "Ge," and waved it in the air.
Tao Qingshan immediately showed respect and said, "I apologize for not welcoming you properly, young sir. I hope you can forgive me."
Ge Qian put away the jade plaque and said, "According to my master's estimation, there should be mature Fire Peaches by now. I would appreciate it if you could help me obtain them."
Tao Qingshan stiffened and hesitated, saying, "To be honest, young sir, you have arrived a step too late. Three mature Fire Peaches were taken away the night before last."
Ge Qian frowned and asked, "Who took them?"
Tao Qingshan quickly pointed to the stone tablet and said, "Please have a look, young sir."
Ge Qian glanced at it and saw an elegant and bold inscription:
"Suyi took away three Fire Peaches on the fourth night of the second month of the Da Zhou calendar."
Ge Qian's frown deepened, and he asked, "Who is this Suyi?"
Tao Qingshan trembled with fear and replied, "Young sir, Suyi is a powerful immortal teacher with extraordinary methods. From my limited perspective, he appears like a celestial being descended to the mortal realm, transcending the ordinary. As for his background, I am not clear."
Ge Qian pondered for a moment and said, "He knows that this place already belongs to my master, yet he dared to take the Fire Peaches and leave a message on the stone tablet. Ordinary people wouldn't have such audacity."
Tao Qingshan cautiously added, "Young sir, based on my observation, that immortal teacher Suyi is not an evil person. On the contrary, he seems like a highly accomplished individual. When he left, he mentioned that if the Sea-Swallowing King blames him, you can directly find him."
"This person is not even afraid of my master?" Ge Qian's expression revealed a trace of surprise.
After thinking for a moment, he said, "Do you remember his appearance?"
Tao Qingshan hurriedly said, "Please wait a moment, young sir."
He plucked a jade leaf from the Fire Peach Tree and used his fingertip to sketch on it. Suddenly, sparks of light splattered, and a slender and elegant figure appeared on the leaf.
Holding a bamboo staff and with a Daoist topknot, he seemed ethereal and detached.
Ge Qian carefully examined it and muttered, "I thought he was an older figure, but unexpectedly, he is just a young man..."
Tao Qingshan explained in a low voice, "It is also possible that he has a method to maintain his youth. After all, someone like Suyi is far beyond the comparison of ordinary martial artists."
Ge Qian glanced at him and asked, "Do you seem to fear this Suyi?"
Tao Qingshan hurriedly replied, "I can only feel reverence and admiration in my heart for Immortal Teacher Suyi, young sir."
Ge Qian nodded.
"Tao Qingshan!"
Suddenly, Ge Qian's voice thundered.
Tao Qingshan trembled all over and instinctively looked up, only to see a faint purple glow flickering in Ge Qian's eyes.
Tao Qingshan felt a buzzing sensation in his soul, completely losing his perception, and became stunned.
A trace of subtle helplessness flashed across Ge Qian's delicate face as he said, "Old fellow, I leave the soul searching to you. I just want to know if what Tao Qingshan said is true or false."
As he finished speaking, a ripple stirred in his soul.
Immediately, a deep, hoarse laughter resounded, "As an exchange, after you obtain the Pure Yang Fire Peaches, you need to give me half of the quantity."
A pained expression appeared on Ge Qian's face as he said, "With your existence, you don't need such spiritual treasures, right?"
"I truly have no use for such fourth-grade Fire Peaches, but this is a rule. The purpose is to make you understand that if you want something, you need to pay the corresponding price."
The hoarse voice in his soul continued, "Work hard, young man. The more you sacrifice, the greater the rewards. With me by your side, you are the chosen one! Your achievements in the future will be a hundred or even a thousand times stronger than your current master!"
The voice carried a seductive tone.
Ge Qian sneered, "If you are truly capable, why do you need to reside in my soul? When I faced my master, you didn't even dare to make a sound. Now you're boasting to me. Aren't you ashamed?"
There was a moment of silence, followed by a soft sigh from the hoarse voice, "Dragons are trapped in shallow waters and mocked by shrimps, tigers fall into Pingyang and are bullied by dogs. If not for... forget it, it's better not to mention it. Those who know me worry about my heart, those who don't know me, what can they expect from me?"
Ge Qian burst into laughter and playfully said, "Good, be obedient, and I'll give you Fire Peaches in the future."
"Hmph!"
A cold snort sounded, and Ge Qian felt a sharp pain in his eyes. His pupils were suddenly filled with swirling purple light, fixated on Tao Qingshan.
In just a moment, the hoarse voice let out a hint of doubt, carrying a solemn tone.
"What did you see?"
Ge Qian quickly asked.
After a long silence, the hoarse voice in his soul finally spoke, "That Suyi is just a Blood Shifting Realm young man, not an old monster with the art of preserving youth. However..."
"However, what?" Ge Qian grew impatient. This was the first time he had seen the "old fellow" in his soul hesitate like this.
In the past, "Land Immortals" were nothing in his eyes, filled with disdain.
"I can only tell you that there is something peculiar about this Suyi, and he likely harbors a great secret unknown to others!"
The hoarse voice suddenly made a suggestion, "Young lad, I have a feeling that if you can suppress and subdue this Suyi, perhaps we can obtain an unexpected stroke of great fortune. How about giving it a try?"
Ge Qian became cautious in his heart but remained calm on the surface, saying, "That reason is not convincing enough. Also, I am naturally a timid person. My master has never seen someone as cautious and careful as me. I even have to cover my eyes when killing a chicken."
...
There was a moment of silence from the hoarse voice, then it said, "But he forcibly took three Fire Peaches. As a disciple of Ge Changling, shouldn't you retrieve your master's dignity? Here's the deal: as long as you deal with Suyi, I don't mind making an exception and taking action once! When the time comes, we'll divide the benefits we seize equally. That should work, right?"
However, Ge Qian's inner vigilance grew stronger.
He shook his head and said, "I will report this matter to my master and let him decide."
The hoarse voice sounded increasingly frustrated, "With your level of courage, how can you talk about dominating the world and defeating all enemies on the Great Dao? Bah! Your master didn't make a mistake; you are truly timid to the core!"
Ge Qian smiled dismissively and said, "Only by being cautious can one live longer. Being careful has never been a bad thing. If I listen to you and deal with Suyi, once it is revealed that he has something peculiar, not only will I be finished, but you, old fellow, will also have your soul scattered."
With that, he turned and walked towards the exit of the peach forest. The apricot-yellow robe fluttered, but a trace of gloom appeared on his delicate face.
For the first time, he witnessed how eager the old fellow in his soul was to deal with a young man of similar age!
This made him even more vigilant.
Along the way, the hoarse voice fell into silence. It seemed to have realized that it would be difficult to change Ge Qian's decision no matter what.
"Suyi, you stole the peaches from my master. You will definitely have to settle this account. Perhaps, in no time, I will come looking for you..."
After leaving the peach forest, Ge Qian heaved a long sigh and mounted his Immortal Crane, soaring into the sky.
...
On a massive ship in the Great Cang River.
Deck Nine, Building A.
"Mr. Su, this building has two floors. You will stay on the second floor, and we will stay on the first floor," Yuan Luoxi said crisply.
The ship has nine floors and twelve independent pavilions, and occupying a pavilion is not something that can be achieved with just money. It requires special connections and strong networks.
For example, Fu Shan obtained this Building A, Deck Nine through his relationship with Zhang Yiren.
"This place is really nice," Huang Qianjun surveyed his surroundings and couldn't help but marvel.
Although it was just a two-story pavilion, it had its own courtyard and was fully furnished with various decorations and items. The antique decor exuded an ancient charm. Standing at the windows on the second floor, one could have a panoramic view of the breathtaking scenery along the Great Cang River.
"Why don't you stay here too?" Su Yi casually suggested.
"This..." Huang Qianjun's heart skipped a beat. The room his father spent a fortune on was located on the ninth floor, considered a top-class room. But how could it compare to this independent pavilion?
"Alright, it's settled then. There are two rooms on the second floor, you can stay in one of them," Su Yi made the decision without much consideration.
Huang Qianjun immediately smiled from ear to ear, overjoyed and repeatedly expressing his gratitude.
Yuan Luoxi couldn't help but glance at him, realizing that compared to herself, Huang Qianjun seemed to have a closer relationship with Su Yi.
After everything was settled, everyone sat in front of the courtyard table and chairs, sipping tea and resting.
"Mr. Su, during my conversation with Zhang Yiren, he specifically mentioned that there are 800 demon beasts confined in the buildings on the first to fifth floors of the ship," Cheng Wuyong suddenly spoke, "These demon beasts all come from the Blood Thistle Mountain. They are spoils captured by General Chen Zheng of the Martial Spirit Marquis. He advises us not to approach those areas."
"Demon beasts?" Su Yi was surprised. "Why were these demon beasts captured alive?"
In the territory of Da Zhou, there are many desolate and dangerous places where demon beasts thrive. The Blood Thistle Mountain guarded by General Chen Zheng, the Martial Spirit Marquis, is one of the famous "Eight Great Demon Mountains" within Da Zhou.
In Da Zhou, demon beasts are classified into nine ranks based on their level of danger. First-rank demon beasts are the weakest, only slightly stronger than wild beasts. Ninth-rank demon beasts are the most powerful, possessing a certain level of intelligence and innate demonic power. Even ordinary martial masters would have to retreat when encountering them, only those who have reached the level of Martial Ancestor would have the power to fight them.
According to rumors in Da Zhou, above the ninth-rank demon beasts, there are demon spirits that are terrifying enough to contend with land immortals. Of course, Su Yi also knows that this classification is limited to the Cangqing Continent. In the vast wilderness of Jiuzhou, the so-called demon spirits could be easily dealt with by small sects and schools.
"Most of these demon beasts will be sent to the Yunhe County City and purchased by top forces to serve as sharpening stones for cultivators to temper their martial arts. The Heavenly Origin Academy, the Qinghe Sword Mansion, the County Governor's Mansion, and our Yuan family all regularly purchase demon beasts captured from the frontlines," Cheng Wuyong explained. "This is a common practice in Da Zhou. After all, as martial cultivators, if we don't experience bloody battles, we don't deserve the title of 'martial cultivator.'"
Hearing this, Huang Qianjun's face turned red with embarrassment. He had never hunted demon beasts in his entire life, let alone seen what they looked like.
Unable to hold back, he asked Yuan Luoxi in a low voice, "Miss Yuan, have you killed demon beasts before?"
Yuan Luoxi rolled her eyes and disdainfully said, "When I was nine years old, I stabbed a wild stork demon to death with a knife. Since then, I have killed a demon beast every seven days. The number of demon beasts that have died at my hands is countless. It's ridiculous that you even asked if I've killed any."
After speaking, she slightly raised her rosy lips, filled with indescribable pride.
Miss Yuan, that hit hard...
Huang Qianjun had the urge to cover his face and leave.