The ship cast an immortal spell and moved quickly. They arrived at the port of Yangzhou the next morning.
There were already immortal envoys waiting for them at the port, and several horses were stationed there.
Everyone ate breakfast at the port. The feathermen didn't need to eat, so they sat at the port and closed their eyes to rest.
It was just dawn, so there weren't many merchants and pedestrians, but the boatmen were already up. They gathered in groups of three to five to eat porridge and steamed buns. They even looked at them curiously from time to time.
The burly men in brown clothes sipped their porridge, and sporadic discussions drifted into Mo Ran's ears.
"Hey, hey, I recognize their clothes. They're from the lower cultivation world."
"The lower cultivation world is so far away, and they don't interact with the sects here. How do you know?"
"Look at the insignia on their wristbands.
Isn't it the same as the one on the God of Night? "
"Are you talking about the Exorcist Wood Armor?"
Someone glanced at Xue Meng's sleeve and chewed on a pickled vegetable. He exclaimed, "Oh, it's true.
Then who made the God of Night? "
"I heard it was made by Elder Yu Heng from the Peak of Life and Death."
"Who is this Elder Yu Heng?
Is he as powerful as our Lonemoon Night's Sect Master Jiang? "
"Hehe, I don't know. Who can say for sure about the matters of immortal cultivators?"
The boatmen spoke in heavy tones. Mo Ran and the rest couldn't understand, but Chu Wanning could understand what they were saying. He knew that the God of Night he made had been successfully sold among the people, and he couldn't help but feel relieved.
Thus, he planned to make more light and easy to use wooden oxen and horses when he returned to do some good deeds.
Early in the morning, the group of people galloped their horses and arrived in front of Mount Jiuhua in less than four hours. It was still early in the morning, the winter sun had just risen high in the sky. Ten thousand strands of golden light fell down like fine gauze, soaking the snowy peaks and making them sparkling and translucent.
On the foot of the peak, hundreds of green cypresses and pines stood in the frost all year round. They looked like great hermits with their sleeves down and eyes closed, standing quietly on both sides of the mountain path.
The mortals at the top of Nine Radiance Peak called it the 'Otherworld', and it wasn't a lie.
The feathermen blew three whistles at the foot of the mountain. A golden sparrow with beautiful feathers flew down from the snowy mountain.
The crowd followed the Golden Sparrow's guidance all the way to the west and came to a rapid waterfall.
"Immortal Monarchs, please step back."
The leader of the feathermen stood at the front, his five fingers twirling a flower, silently chanting a spell.
All of a sudden, she pursed her lips and gently exhaled into the wind. A fire dragon soared into the sky and attacked the waterfall, splitting the water curtain in half!
The featherman turned around and said with a smile, "Everyone, please move to the Peach Blossom Spring."
They followed the feathermen and passed through the water curtain. After passing through the enchantment, the scene before their eyes suddenly opened up. They saw that this place was vast and boundless. It was actually like another three thousand feet wide soft red.
The Peach Blossom Spring was a grotto-heaven that didn't have much to do with the cultivation world. Although it couldn't be compared to the real Celestial World and couldn't be compared to the God World, it was still full of spiritual energy.
The mountains and rivers in the spring were like freehand ink painting. The colors were elegant and faint. After walking for a while, they realized that the four seasons were changing without a fixed number.
The group was led by the feathermen. They first passed through the wilderness and saw the surging river and the sound of apes on both sides.
When they reached the outskirts of the city, they saw crisscrossing paths and wheat blowing on the ridges of the fields.
Finally, they arrived at the city. The pavilions were neat and tidy, and the eaves were high.
The main city of Peach Blossom Spring was grand and beautiful. Its city walls were big and well-equipped, and it was different from the prosperity of the mortal world. It was just that the falling flowers and the flying snow danced in the sky, and the jade birds and red-crowned cranes flew together. The feathermen passing by were all handsome and graceful, and they were like peerless fairies that walked leisurely out of a painting.
However, although Xue Meng and the rest found such a beautiful scene to be quite novel, they didn't make too much of a fuss because they had already seen the strange scene of the Jincheng Pool.
When they reached a fork in the road, they saw a featherman wearing a white robe embroidered with golden phoenixes standing beside a towering tree. The flame mark on her forehead was deeper than the others, which meant that her magic power was far above the other feathermen.
The immortal envoy who led the way brought everyone in front of her. Then, she bent her knees and bowed, saying, "Great Immortal Master, the four immortal monarchs at the peak of life and death have arrived."
"You've worked hard. You may leave."
"Yes."
The beautifully dressed featherman smiled slightly, and her voice was as moving as the clear cry of a young phoenix.
"My name is Eighteen, and I am favored by my family's immortal. I am the Great Immortal Master of the Peach Blossom Spring.
I am very fortunate that everyone is willing to give me the honor of coming to cultivate in my humble school.
During this period of time, if there is anything wrong with your hospitality, I hope that you will be magnanimous and speak frankly. "
She was so beautiful, and her speech was so polite. She really left a good impression on people.
Although Xue Meng didn't like the appearance of a man more than himself, he was at the age where he knew how to appreciate beauty, so he naturally didn't dislike beautiful women. Therefore, he smiled and said, "Immortal Master is too polite, but the name Eighteen is really weird. What is your surname?"
Eighteen said gently, "I don't have a surname, so I am called Eighteen."
Mo Ran laughed and said, "If you are called Eighteen, then is there someone called Seventeen?"
He was just joking, but who knew that Eighteen couldn't help but smile when she heard it, "Immortal Master is smart, Seventeen is my elder sister."
Mo Ran, "…"
Eighteen explained, "We feathermen were born from the feathers of the Vermilion Bird Deity. When our cultivation is low, we are usually in the shape of a crested ibis.
The first one to transform was my family's immortal. The rest of the feathermen were named one, two … I am the eighteenth, so I am called Eighteen. "
"…"
After hearing this, Mo Ran couldn't help but be speechless. He thought that Xue Zhengyong's naming was bad enough, but he didn't expect that there was an even worse one, which was to play with counting.
But then, Eighteen told him a piece of news that made him even more furious.
"Let's talk about serious matters first.
Immortal Masters, this is your first time here, so you don't know the cultivation rules of the Peach Blossom Spring. "Eighteen said," Cultivation in the mortal world has been divided by sects for hundreds of years.
But it is different here.
We feathermen have a clear division of labor. There are those who specialize in 'defense', those who specialize in 'attack', and those who specialize in 'healing'. There are a total of three types.
Your cultivation will also be carried out according to these three types. "
Mo Ran smiled and said, "That's good."
Eighteen nodded at him and said, "Thank you for agreeing, Immortal Master.
You have to know that a few days ago, the cultivators from Lonemoon's Night also came, but when they heard about this cultivation method, they frowned. "
Mo Ran said curiously, "Defense is defense, attack is attack, and healing is healing. Isn't it good to be so simple and clear?
What are they dissatisfied with? "
Eighteen said, "It's like this. Lonemoon's Night has a Young Master Duan who belongs to the 'Defense' category, so he has to stay with the other Immortal Masters. His senior sister belongs to the 'Attack' category, so she has to stay with the other Immortal Masters.
Although I don't really understand the emotions of mortals, I can see that the Young Master is unwilling to be separated from his senior sister. "
"Haha, so what … Wait, what did you say!?"
Mo Ran was laughing when he suddenly realized something and opened his eyes wide. "Not only do people of different attributes have to cultivate separately, they also have to stay separately?"
Eighteen didn't know why his expression suddenly changed. She said blankly, "Yes."
Mo Ran's face turned green. "…"
What kind of joke is this?
An hour later, Mo Ran, who had failed to bargain with Eighteen, stood in a daze in a spacious courtyard and fell into a long silence.
He, Xue Meng, and Xia Si Ni belonged to the 'Attack' category, so they were assigned to the east side of the Peach Blossom Spring.
The so-called east side didn't refer to a small area, but to the living quarters of the 'Attack' Immortal Masters. There were more than twenty courtyards like this where the four of them stayed. There were also mountains, lakes, alleys, streets, and markets. The construction was very similar to the mortal world. It was probably because they knew that they would be staying here for a long time, so they could relieve their homesickness.
As for Shi Mei, because he belonged to the 'Healing' category, he went to the southern part of the Peach Blossom Spring. He was far away from Mo Ran's living quarters, and there was a barrier between them. He had to rely on a token to pass through.
This meant that although Mo Ran and Shi Mei were in the Peach Blossom Spring together, except for the cultivation method of the feathermen that the Immortal Masters of the three attributes practiced together every day, he didn't have any chance to meet them.
This wasn't the worst part.
Mo Ran suddenly raised his eyes. Through the curtain of his thick eyelashes, he looked at Xue Meng, who was walking back and forth in the courtyard. It was obvious that he was planning to choose the most comfortable living quarters for himself. The veins on his forehead couldn't help but throb.
Xue Meng …
That's right. Motherf * cker, from today onwards, he had to live in the same courtyard as Xue Meng every day!
Of the eight hardships of life, love, separation, and resentment, he might experience them very thoroughly in the coming days …
The feathermen had been chosen from the Upper Cultivation World to the Lower Cultivation World, and the Peak of Life and Death was coming to an end.
Because of this, the people from the other sects had arrived earlier than them. Xue Meng soon discovered that in the courtyard where they were staying, there was a small house that already had an owner.
"That's strange. I wonder who's already living here?" As Xue Meng spoke, he glanced at the mattress that was drying in the courtyard.
Mo Ran said, "No matter who it is, they shouldn't be someone who cares about every little thing."
"What do you mean?"
Mo Ran said, "Let me ask you, which room did you choose to live in?"
Xue Meng's expression became very alert, "What do you want to do?
I've already chosen a room, the one facing the south is mine. If you want to snatch it from me, I'll … "
Before he could figure out what he was going to do, Mo Ran interrupted him with a smile, "I don't like rooms that are too big, so I won't snatch it from you.
But I want to ask you, if this room is still empty — — "As he said this, he pointed at the small house that someone had already moved into, then asked," Are you willing to exchange with him? "
Xue Meng first looked at the simple thatched cottage, then glared at Mo Ran, "Do you think I'm stupid?
Of course I won't exchange. "
Mo Ran laughed, "That's why I said that person doesn't care about every little thing.
Look, when he came here, all four rooms here were empty, but he didn't choose the best one, and only chose this small thatched cottage.
If this person isn't a fool, then he's a modest gentleman. "
"… …"
This analysis wasn't wrong, but Xue Meng felt like Mo Ran had stabbed him in the face with a knife hidden in his smile.
If he was a gentleman and didn't want to live in a good room and chose to sleep in a shabby thatched cottage, then wouldn't Xue Meng be a stingy person?
But Mo Ran didn't mention Xue Meng at all, so Xue Meng couldn't scold him, and couldn't bear it, so his face turned red.
"Anyway … I'm used to living in a good place."
Xue Meng held his breath and said with a calm face, "I'm not used to living in a shabby place, so whoever wants to be a gentleman can go ahead.
I don't care. "
When he finished speaking, he left.
And so, in this side courtyard, the four different rooms all had owners.
Xue Meng chose the one in the north, with white walls and black tiles, and a gilded door. It was the most luxurious room.
Mo Ran chose a small stone house on the west side. There was a peach blossom tree at the door, and it was in full bloom.
Chu Wanning chose the one in the east, with a bamboo building. Under the setting sun, the warm green bamboo was like jade emitting a brilliance.
And the one living in the shabby thatched cottage in the south was the "gentleman" he had never met before.
Chu Wanning hadn't recovered from his cold, so he was very dizzy.
He went to the bamboo building early to rest.
Xue Meng accompanied him for a while, but this little martial brother didn't know how to act spoiled, nor did he like to listen to stories. He just wrapped himself up like a small dumpling and slept by himself. Xue Meng sat on the edge of the bed for a while, but found it boring, so he patted his butt and left.
In the courtyard, Mo Ran came out with a chair. He crossed his legs and rested his head on his arms, leisurely watching the golden crow set in the west, and the last rays of the sun peeled away.
Seeing Xue Meng come out, he asked, "Is Martial Brother Xia asleep?"
"Yes."
"Has his fever gone down?"
"If you care about him, why don't you go in and take a look yourself?"
Mo Ran laughed, "I'm afraid the little guy isn't sleeping well, so I'll be clumsy and wake him up."
Xue Meng glanced at him and said, "It's rare for you to have some self-awareness.
I thought you'd be like my mother's cats and dogs, enjoying the shade in the courtyard and slacking off. "
"Haha, how do you know I'm slacking off?"
Mo Ran played with a peach blossom between his fingers and looked up with a smile, "While I was sitting in the courtyard, I discovered a big secret."
Xue Meng obviously didn't want to ask, but he was curious. After a long time, he still kept a straight face and pretended not to care, muttering, "… What big secret?"
Mo Ran waved at him and narrowed his eyes, "Come closer, I'll tell you quietly."
"…" Xue Meng reluctantly moved his ear closer.
Mo Ran came closer and laughed in a low voice, "Haha, you've been fooled, silly Meng Meng."
Xue Meng suddenly opened his eyes wide and flew into a rage. He grabbed Mo Ran's collar, "You lied to me?
Aren't you childish?! "
Mo Ran laughed, "How did I lie to you? I really did discover a secret, but I really didn't want to tell you."
Xue Meng frowned, "If I believe you again, I'm really an idiot!"
The two of them played like birds pecking at a dog. Mo Ran was about to say something to make the other even angrier when he suddenly heard a strange voice behind him. "Hmm?" He said with some doubt, then said, "Are the two of you new cultivators?"
This person's voice was clear and bright. It was much smoother than the voice of an ordinary youth.
Mo Ran and Xue Meng both turned around and saw a man dressed in martial arts clothes standing in the red light of the setting sun.
The man's facial features were deep, his eyebrows were dark, and his hair was tied up with a black jade crown. His honey-colored face was handsome and spirited.
Although his body wasn't tall and big, his posture was very tall and straight, even taller than the pine trees and cypresses.
Especially his long legs, which were tightly wrapped by black trousers, looked slender and powerful, straight and heroic.
Mo Ran's expression changed in an instant. It was as if the blood and sin of a previous lifetime flashed in front of his eyes.
He seemed to see a figure kneeling in the rain of blood. His shoulder blades were pierced, and half of the flesh on his face was torn away. But he would rather die than surrender.
His heart trembled, like a drop of crystal clear dew falling on a leaf. Mo Ran didn't know what to feel.
If there was anyone he admired in his previous life, then the person in front of him was definitely one of them.
So the Windswept Gentleman who was going to live with them … was actually him …