Chapter 337: Time to Go Home
Ying Ruoli had heard about some previous events, so she naturally understood why Ji Yuan was sighing.
“Since they know of Xianxia Island, it seems this is no aimless, haphazard search.”
Ji Yuan only half-agreed with the Dragon Daughter’s statement. He replied:
“For the Imperial Preceptor of the Dynasty of Daxiu to mobilize such a massive fleet, he must be quite trusted. But whether this search will lead to Xianxia Island or not is another matter. They also might not necessarily obtain any divine elixirs or miraculous elixirs.”
Ying Ruoli smiled.
“Then, Uncle Ji, you may be unaware of something.”
“Oh? What makes you say that?”
Ji Yuan inquired, slightly surprised. He watched as the Dragon Daughter turned to look at the Grand Commander at the bow of the large ship.
“Even I, a flood dragon who perpetually resides in the Tongtian River, have heard of Xianxia Island. My elder brother once had a drinking buddy who was suppressed by an immortal cultivator from Xianxia Island. Rumor has it that this island is located in the Eastern Sea; there are also whispers that it’s in the Northern Sea, and some even say it might be in the Outer Wild Ocean…”
Ji Yuan frowned. The rumors he had heard before stated that Xianxia Island was in the Eastern Sea. “Could it be that Xianxia Island can move?”
“I am not certain, but I have indeed heard various such claims. I have also heard stories of mortals accidentally landing on the island and receiving gifts from immortals. These people all safely returned to their hometowns, and some of these accounts are verifiable; not everything was fabricated.”
The Dragon Daughter paused here before continuing.
“In contrast, ordinary cultivators, without any connection to the island, even if they possess the ability to fly, might not necessarily find Xianxia Island if they rashly go searching for it.”
Ji Yuan looked thoughtfully towards the bow of the ship.
“So the Imperial Preceptor of the Dynasty of Daxiu actually has some tricks up his sleeve. Having them sail the seas in such a desperate search is partly to try his luck at stumbling across Xianxia Island, and also partly to move the immortal cultivators of Xianxia Island with their sincerity.”
From the Dragon Daughter’s brief remarks just now, Ji Yuan could basically confirm that the immortal cultivators of Xianxia Island were for the most part quite benevolent. He had also heard rumors of Xianxia Island cultivators slaying demons.
Ying Ruoli looked at the long fleet of ships, stretching before and behind them, shrouded in mist.
“As Uncle Ji said, it’s still just a gamble. Perhaps for the Dynasty of Daxiu, staking their slim hope on sending such a fleet is a worthwhile venture.”
Ji Yuan nodded.
“Indeed. Or perhaps this isn’t the only thing the Dynasty of Daxiu is betting on. Who knows, there might be many capable individuals in the imperial court, such as that Imperial Preceptor who understands Xianxia Island’s customs.”
Ying Ruoli sighed in a rare display of emotion.
“That makes sense. It’s just that these people are too pitiful…”
Ji Yuan looked at the Dragon Daughter. She was a flood dragon serving as a River Goddess, in the end; had it been any other monster, these people’s lives or deaths wouldn’t matter to them in the slightest.
“I have witnessed imperial families before. While I cannot make sweeping generalizations, I must say that for the emperor of a great dynasty, the lives of a whole fleet of people should be of little concern.”
Even if there were fewer than a hundred ships left, the people on board still numbered in the tens of thousands. Who knows, perhaps that same number of people had already perished.
“Judging from this person’s demeanor as he spoke, there was no sign of enthusiasm or determination. He must have lost all hope in this mission. How about this we try to persuade them?”
“Persuade? How? We don’t have any elixirs of immortality.”
The Dragon Daughter looked at Ji Yuan, puzzled.
“Does Xianxia Island have any? They’ve searched bitterly for eight years; now they are merely held here by imperial decree, unable to leave. They would all want to return home if given any chance.”
“They persevered for eight years without turning back. Do you think they would listen?”
The Dragon Daughter looked at Ji Yuan. Was her Uncle Ji planning to use his supernatural abilities to threaten them, or even directly use his techniques to force them to return?
Ji Yuan merely smiled. Ying Ruoli, in the end, still had little experience of the outside world.
“Rather than saying they’re searching for immortal elixirs, it’s better to say they’re searching for an immortal island. And rather than searching for an immortal island, ultimately, they are searching for an immortal. Once they meet an immortal, what difference does it make whether it’s in the sea or on an island? The words of this ‘immortal’ should carry some weight, right?”
Hearing this, Ying Ruoli suddenly understood. She had never considered herself an “immortal,” and just now she had been blind to the fact that she hadn’t thought of her close Uncle Ji an immortal. But thinking it over carefully, whether Xianxia Island even had immortals of Uncle Ji’s caliber and attainment was debatable anyway.
The fleet continued to move slowly, and the sound of drums never stopped. But after a while, the fog began to gradually dissipate.
As soon as the fog dispersed, the ocean surface immediately became much clearer. The previously somewhat depressed crew members’ spirits also brightened, and the drummers with aching arms were finally able to rest.
The Grand Commander breathed a sigh of relief, but a voice suddenly rang out beside him.
“Sir, you must be the commander of this fleet, correct?”
“Who?!”
The Grand Commander was startled by the voice, immediately jumping back two steps. A group of armed guards immediately gathered around him.
However, the Grand Commander quickly raised his hand to stop his subordinates’ movements.
The newcomer wore a wide-sleeved green robe, his long hair flowing down his back, adorned with a jade hairpin. When he turned to look at the Grand Commander, the latter could see that his face was clean-shaven, his age indiscernible. The pair of pale eyes, widen open and staring directly at him, were particularly striking.
The Grand Commander hand touched the jade pendant hanging at his side. At such close proximity, he still didn’t feel any burning heat, indicating that the other party was not a demon.
His heart pounded as the Grand Commander carefully asked.
“Sir, when did you board the ship, and when did you arrive by my side?”
Ji Yuan replied bluntly.
“Roughly around the time when you were lamenting the endless wait for your return home.”
“Then, Sir, are you an immortal from Xianxia Island? Is the immortal island nearby?”
Everyone around around at this question, but the sea stretched endlessly into the distance, without even a single break in the horizon.
Ji Yuan glanced at the jade pendant on the Grand Commander’s waist. He hadn’t noticed it before, but the other man’s movement had caught his attention. Now, he could tell that it seemed to be something quite special.
“No need to look around. Xianxia Island is not nearby, nor am I an immortal from Xianxia Island.”
After a slight disappointment, the Grand Commander immediately perked back up.
“Then, Immortal Master, you are indeed an immortal, aren’t you?”
Ji Yuan smiled. This man was quite shrewd.
“By ordinary standards, I am indeed qualified to be an immortal.”
The Grand Commander immediately bowed deeply. Behind him, the guards and crew members followed suit, hastily bowing with cupped hands.
“I am Qiao Yong, the Imperial Grand Commander of Daxiu. Greetings, Immortal Master!”
“Greetings, Immortal Master!”
Ji Yuan didn’t flinch. He accepted the bow, gazing at Qiao Yong.
“That jade pendant on your waist is quite interesting. I heard that you encountered evil spirits and demons during your voyage. Aren’t you afraid that I might be a demon in disguise?”
Qiao Yong stood up and shook his head.
“This jade pendant was bestowed upon me by the Imperial Preceptor of Daxiu. It is called the Xiezhi1 Pendant. It can distinguish transformed demons and evil spirits, and can also differentiate between immortals and mortals. If a demon or evil spirit were to approach, the pendant would grow scorching hot. If an immortal were to arrive, the pendant would become cool and comfortable. For mortals, there is no reaction.”
“Oh!”
Ji Yuan nodded in understanding. This certainly saved him a lot of trouble.
However, Qiao Yong hadn’t explained the full story. Before he had set sail, the Imperial Preceptor gave him a bunch of talismans and artifacts, explained their uses to him in those few words, then added one more instruction at the end:
If they were to encounter someone who was clearly extraordinary at a glance, but the jade pendant still showed no reaction, then the visitor was naturally even more extraordinary than the pendant. Whether the visitor brought fortune or misfortune was left for him to judge.
However, Ji Yuan was intrigued by the name of this jade pendant.
“Xiezhi?”
If someone else where to hear this name, they might simply be wondering how to write it, but Ji Yuan immediately recognized it. Wasn’t this precisely a divine beast that could distinguish between good and evil, between right and wrong? However, the source of this knowledge was from his previous life.
“Immortal Master, the name is written like this…”
Qiao Yong merely gestured a couple of times, and Ji Yuan knew he hadn’t guessed wrong. So he waved his hand, stopping him.
“I know how to write it. This jade pendant was given by your Imperial Preceptor?”
“Precisely!”
“Where is the Dynasty of Daxiu located?”
“To reply to the Immortal Master, our Dynasty of Daxiu is located in the northern region of the Heng Continent.2 To the south is our great imperial court!”
Ji Yuan gleaned a lot from Qiao Yong’s few simple words. Qiao Yong could actually identify it as the ‘northern region of the Heng Continent,’ and their Imperial Advisor appeared to be quite skilled. Clearly, this dynasty was not simple. At the very least, these people were was far stronger than some people on the Eastern Cloud Continent, who believed their land to be the only one in the world.
At this moment, Ji Yuan had already decided: he would first inquire about the Xiezhi. If he couldn’t find out anything elsewhere, he would go ask that Imperial Preceptor. But for now, he would stick to his original plan.
“I heard you are searching for Xianxia Island, to seek the immortal elixir?”
“Yes! If we don’t succeed, then we will never be able to return home. The imperial decree is as heavy as a mountain. . .”
Ji Yuan nodded, and spoke calmly.
“Then you should return. Go back and tell your Imperial Preceptor that I will be attending a Cultivator’s Grand Assembly on Nine Peaks Mountain in a few years, and that the immortal cultivators of Xianxia Island will also attend. At that time, I will help you inquire if this mission can be accomplished. Since he knows of Xianxia Island, he should also be aware of the Cultivator’s Grand Assembly. Have your Imperial Preceptor convey this to the emperor.”
Since the imperial decree demanded that they achieve something, then Ji Yuan’s words actually counted as a gain — they could even be called a great achievement. As long as there were people like that Imperial Preceptor involved, they would surely pass the test. At worst, they would only suffer a minor reprimand, which was far better than drifting at sea for the rest of their lives and eventually dying in a foreign land.
Qiao Yong and his surrounding subordinates exchanged glances.
“Ah… May I ask for the esteemed Immortal Master’s name?”
“My surname is Ji. People call me Mr. Ji. Whether you believe this matter or not is up to you. That is all I have to say; I will take my leave now.”
With that, Ji Yuan leapt from the bow in a single stride. Clouds formed where he stepped, and he soared into the sky. A little further away, the ocean surface rippled, and a massive creature parted the waters and emerged. It was a giant whale, and on its back, there was another person, not clearly visible.
As the immortal in green robes descended, the person on the back of the sea beast bowed respectfully with cupped hands towards the man. Then, the two rode together on the whale’s back, departing in a different direction into the sea. In mere moments, they were out of sight.
- The Xiezhi is a mythical creature that looks like an ox/goat with a long horn on its forehead. It has the power to judge good and evil, and spears corrupt officials on its horn.
- 恒 (héng): permanent/constant/fixed/ordinary/one of 64 hexagrams