Chapter 744 - 690: Arrival at the Nine Rivers

Chapter 744: Chapter 690: Arrival at the Nine Rivers

March’s breeze bathes the mountains, where clouds gather in solitude.

As the Thousand Feather Tower Ship entered the Nine Rivers Realm, Immortal Monarch Chongmin had just completed one Grand Circulation. Sensing the aura of the Thousand Feather Tower Ship, he casually glanced over.

Rumble!

Thunder erupted in the clear sky of the Nine Rivers Realm, and the weather suddenly changed.

Immortal Monarch Chongmin hurriedly suppressed the shock in his heart as the wind and thunder gradually dissipated.

As an almost desireless Mahayana Immortal Monarch, it had been many years since he had been so ’startled’.

The people on that half sky-high ship at the moment were not on the same level as he had been told.

The ’ship’ he referred to was at most five hundred people, and Jiang Yuebai could add another hundred or two.

How did that ship, reinforced with lock chains and arrays, almost falling apart, manage to carry nearly five thousand people to the Nine Rivers Realm?

No wonder the people from the Star Alliance who came to find him were so terrified!

Yet Immortal Monarch Chongmin did not blame Jiang Yuebai; his nature was tolerant. He just found Jiang Yuebai to be unlike ordinary cultivators, straightforward and lovable, with a bit of cunning intelligence.

"Given ten years, she managed to complete her mission and return within just four years. It seems she’s eager to begin her cultivation within the Immortal Palace."

Immortal Monarch Chongmin straightened his attire, smiled, and continued his cultivation with great anticipation.

*

The Thousand Feather Tower Ship entered the Boundary River from the lower reaches of the Jiuxiao River, without the threat of void storms. The cultivators crammed on the deck, almost deformed from the crowding, could no longer bear it. They each summoned their flying magic treasures, leaving the Thousand Feather Tower Ship to follow alongside.

Like stars surrounding a moon, the entire procession was grand and intimidating.

So much so that the loose cultivators in the Jiuxiao River Basin were shocked, thinking some force had come to exterminate them.

Among them, some clever cultivators had already quietly mixed into the various tower ship workshops and riverbank docks of the Jiuxiao River Basin, gathering information about the Nine Rivers Realm, preparing for their future cultivation livelihood.

When the Thousand Feather Tower Ship entered the range of the Eight Immortals River, those cultivators who went to gather information returned one after another. They gathered with acquaintances on the now much more spacious deck to share intelligence.

"...If you ask me, the quickest way to earn Spirit Stones in the Nine Rivers Realm is definitely to take on bounties. Look at this bounty list I copied; the bounty for capturing the Chenzhou Demon Head is truly astonishing. If we could take her down, we wouldn’t need to go out and earn money for at least thirty to fifty years."

"Yes, I’ve heard that too, but this Chenzhou Demon Head is elusive, cruel, and ruthless, and she’s an Upper Realm cultivator. She won’t be easy to find, let alone deal with, which is why she’s topped the bounty list for so long."

"Maybe we should keep looking around; we’ve just arrived in the Nine Rivers Realm. Let’s not make enemies so soon."

"What’s the background of this Chenzhou Demon Head, and what exactly has she done?"

"It’s simply unspeakable. Let me tell you..."

Jiang Yuebai stood on the upper terrace, hearing so many people below eager to have a go at the Chenzhou Wanderer, and couldn’t help but roll her eyes.

These idiots just arrived at the Heavenly Interence Sect and already want to capture her, the Grand Senior Sister of the sect. They must have a death wish.

"Chenzhou... isn’t that..."

Yun Shang, beside Jiang Yuebai, spoke in confusion. Jiang Yuebai quickly covered Yun Shang’s mouth; she was one of the few who knew that Chenzhou was her alias.

Lu Nanzhi, standing nearby, curled her lips slightly. After Jiang Yuebai transmitted sound to remind Yun Shang, she let go of her.

Yun Shang covered her mouth herself and whispered, "I won’t speak, but you promised me, right? To let Xie Jingshan take me to see the Azure Dragon Realm."

Jiang Yuebai nodded as she stayed alert of her surroundings, suddenly noticing Li Shen Zhi, that old fox, standing below, looking up at her thoughtfully, rubbing his chin.

Oh no!

He must have guessed, but Jiang Yuebai would never admit it.

"True Monarch Wangshu, the Sect Master requests your presence." Qii Ming came from the rear passage, "The Sect Master wants to discuss the Chenzhou Demon Head matter with you."

Jiang Yuebai’s face sank. Oh great, just arrived in the Nine Rivers Realm, and she’s already about to be reprimanded again!

"Good luck," Lu Nanzhi teased.

Yun Shang nodded in agreement.

When Jiang Yuebai saw her master, he was sitting by the window reading a book, all the sounds from the deck outside pouring in. Without lifting his head, he said, "As your master, I didn’t realize that your life in the Nine Rivers Realm was so ’colorful and varied’."

No matter the age or cultivation level, Jiang Yuebai always felt inexplicably guilty in front of her master.

"Master, please ignore their nonsense. It’s easy to spread rumors, hard to dispel them. I’ve never been involved in those things like massacring entire families. It was the Xiong Family and the Heavenly Star Sect hiring people to impersonate me..."

Jiang Yuebai slowly explained to Lii Jiuchuan.

In reality, Lii Jiuchuan knew Jiang Yuebai would never do such things, nor did he intend to scold her. He merely felt pained for her, facing so many crises alone, cutting through thorns and thistles to reach today.

As a master, Lii Jiuchuan felt utterly unworthy and very guilty. He just wanted to have Jiang Yuebai come over, listen to her chatter, so his heart could be at ease.

As they talked, Jiang Yuebai also took the opportunity to ask about some of her master’s experiences when he was young, how he embarked on the path and entered the Heavenly Interence Sect.

Only after asking, she learned that her master was a concubine’s child from a scholarly family. Although not favored by his stepmother in childhood, he wasn’t mistreated either.

His entry into the Immortal Gate turned out to be like the stories in mortal books.

Her master’s father read books late into the night and encountered a ghostly woman in a painting, who possessed him, keeping him bedridden. Her master, merely five or six years old then, was exceedingly filial, keeping vigil by his side.

At midnight, her master said he ’dreamt of being a butterfly,’ seeing the Immortal Gate’s blessed land. After overcoming many dangers, he entered the Immortal Gate and encountered a Female Immortal who gave him an Elixir to save his father.

Upon awakening, her master indeed found an Elixir in his palm, which he gave to his father. He then watched as black air seeped from his father’s brow, attempting to harm him, but was burned to ashes by the sudden five-colored brilliance emanating from him.

From then on, knowing he was destined for immortality, her master lost interest in studying, persuaded his mother and the household staff, and set out to seek immortality.

"...Strangely, although I distinctly remember the Female Immortal’s appearance in my dream, I could never recall it after waking. Whenever I got lost seeking immortality, my intuition would always guide me to safety, leading me smoothly to the Heavenly Interence Sect’s gate," Lii Jiuchuan said slowly.

Now, his family had long passed away, and he had become a Nascent Soul True Monarch. Remembering his childhood still felt surreal and fantastic.

Jiang Yuebai, however, felt a chill down her spine. Regardless of coincidence, just dreaming of a Female Immortal couldn’t help but make her suspicious.

"Sect Master, True Monarch Wangshu, we’ve reached the Seven Stars River region by Yunping Mountain, and True Venerable Fuyi is waiting ahead."

Lii Jiuchuan stood up, "Let’s go, Yuebai, let’s head out together."

Intending to probe further into her master’s past experiences, Jiang Yuebai had to abandon that when the ship arrived at its destination, joining her master to meet Uncle Fuyi.

As they stepped out of the cabin, they heard a wailing cry.

At the front of the Thousand Feather Tower Ship, Hee Wangchen had already leaped forward, landing at the feet of the airborne Zhao Fuyi, crying uncontrollably.

"Master~~ I finally see you~~ I missed you so much~~~"

Zhao Fuyi, a bit embarrassed, surveyed the nearly five thousand pairs of eyes watching from the ship, dark-faced, and sternly reprimanded Hee Wangchen.

"Cry again, and I’ll expel you from the sect!"

Hearing this, Hee Wangchen’s cries abruptly stopped, her mouth puckered, tears hanging on her eyelids, about to fall but not yet, looking pathetically pitiful.

This sight made Zhao Fuyi’s heart soften involuntarily. His gaze swept from Hee Wangchen’s face to Li Shen Zhi, Muh Wushuang, and Tang Weimian, who had crowded to the front.

Everyone’s eyes were red.

Zhao Fuyi said warmly, "Master has missed all of you too!"