Chapter 60: Chapter 45: Land Ship, Tai Fu

The next day, Jiang Yi rose early to pack his bags.

It wasn’t much trouble. He just needed to pack a few changes of Daoist Robes and some dry rations.

The main thing was to hide his talisman money securely, lest he run into Outer Path Tribulation Cultivators who might swipe it.

Especially now, with the year drawing to a close. According to Old Li, Outer Path Tribulation Cultivators were at their most rampant, often gathering in gangs to plunder openly.

“It’s really not easy for a Mortal Servant from the Outer Sect to take a long trip.”

Jiang Yi sighed softly. Talisman money was just waste paper if he held onto it. The proper way was to convert it into resources for Cultivation.

That was why he had asked to borrow money from Li Ruohan. He planned to use her one hundred and fifty thousand, plus his own savings, to go on a shopping spree and solidify his foundation.

The resources on the Outer Peak all had their sources and required connections.

It wasn’t peaceful at the foot of the mountain, but there were more opportunities and a greater chance of getting what you wanted.

’I wonder what Realm I have to cultivate to before I can own a Storage Magical Artifact.’

Jiang Yi looked at the stacks of red talisman money stuffing his sash bag to the brim, and a headache began to form.

He wondered, when the bigwigs of the Dharma Lineages negotiated deals worth millions, or even tens of millions, did they also have to carry a dozen-odd sacks of talisman money?

Or perhaps they used the legendary Spirit Stones for their transactions?

“Sure enough, poverty limits your horizons. It’s hard to even guess at things you’ve never seen.”

Jiang Yi shook his head, slung the heavy sash bag over his shoulder, and called out the door, “Brother He, let’s go!”

“Alright! Coming, coming!”

He the Venerable responded, popping out of his room with a similarly bulging sash bag tied around his waist.

Jiang Yi teased him:

“How much talisman money are you bringing down the mountain this time, Brother He? Looks like you’ve emptied out your entire savings.”

“Just a few thousand. I’m thinking of buying some useful things.”

He the Venerable chuckled, patting his crotch quite proudly.

“I sewed all the talisman money into my loincloth. I’m deliberately keeping the sash bag on the outside to trick those Tribulation Cultivators, heh heh! It’s foolproof!”

Jiang Yi couldn’t help but laugh, giving him a thumbs-up.

“Brother He, you truly are a seasoned veteran! So thorough. I’m impressed, I’m impressed!”

Just as the two were about to leave, the door to the room next door opened with a CREAK.

Widow Qin poked her head out.

“Brother Yi, wait a moment. I have something to tell you.”

Jiang Yi gestured for He the Venerable to go on ahead and wait for him at the foot of the mountain, then walked over.

“Sister Qin, is there something you need to tell me?”

Widow Qin fumbled around for a moment, then took out a plain purse and stuffed it into Jiang Yi’s hand without taking no for an answer.

“Old He said you’re going to Sanhe District this time? I remember there’s an old shop there that makes excellent Red Crispy Sugar. Could you bring two catties back for me?”

Jiang Yi took the purse. It felt heavier than expected. He opened it and saw that, besides the money for the sugar, there were several neatly rolled bundles of talisman money inside.

He was slightly taken aback. ’Is this Red Crispy Sugar made of gold? Do two catties really cost this much?’

“The rest… you keep it for yourself.” Widow Qin turned her face away, her voice coming softly. “It’s not easy for you to get to take a long trip. If you see any suitable Spiritual Materials, buy some for yourself. I also spent some time in Sanhe District in my younger days. The Spiritual Materials there are plentiful.”

She paused, her voice growing even softer.

“It’s not much money, Brother Yi… Please don’t refuse.”

’I owe her another favor.’

The purse suddenly felt scalding hot in Jiang Yi’s hand, as if it carried more than just Widow Qin’s lingering warmth. He subconsciously wanted to refuse, but on second thought, he accepted it decisively.

“Thank you for your kindness, Sister Qin. I’ll be sure to bring back the Red Crispy Sugar!”

Seeing Jiang Yi accept it, Widow Qin let out a sigh of relief and reminded him,

“Go on, now. Don’t keep Marshal Yang waiting! If there are any errands or trivial matters on the way, you can leave them to Old He. He’s used to dealing with people.”

With that, she shrank back and closed the door.

Jiang Yi took a deep breath and stepped out of the Big Mixed Courtyard.

The sash bag on his shoulder was heavy, and the purse in his robes was burning hot. For a moment, it reminded him of his past life, when he had left home for the first time.

He had been filled with the same expectations and the same trepidation, heading off into a strange world far vaster than his hometown.

「A short while later.」

Jiang Yi and He the Venerable arrived at the foot of Red Flame Peak and, following Yang Xun’s instructions, waited patiently.

It was said that Sanhe District was a full seven or eight hundred li from the Qianji Sect, and they would need to take a vehicle to get there.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Yang Xun arrived, his steps as swift as the wind.

He took out a few old pieces of Yellow Talisman paper and handed them to Jiang Yi.

“These are Armored Horses. We need to go to the ship and carriage station to catch a ride. Using these will get us there faster and save our legs.”

Jiang Yi took them and looked closely. On the talisman paper, written in Vermilion, were six characters for “Jia” and six for “Ding.” At the very bottom was a single “Ji” character, outlined with a string of swirling cloud patterns.

“’Jia’ refers to the god Jia-Ding. Tie these to your legs, and it will feel like wind is at your heels and clouds are beneath your feet. Traveling eight hundred li in a day is no difficult feat.”

Yang Xun knew this was Jiang Yi’s first time leaving the mountain, so he explained patiently,

“This is a common item used by Cultivators. Things like the Armor Horse Talisman, Clothes Cleaning Talisman, and Dust-Repelling Talisman are sold by all the various Dharma Lineages, but nine times out of ten, they come from the Taifu Sect.”

Jiang Yi did as he was told, tying an Armor Horse Talisman to each of his calves. He gave two to He the Venerable and asked in confusion,

“Does that mean only the Taifu Sect can create talismans?”

Logically, this kind of widely used, essential Daily Talisman should be a mandatory course offered by the Daoist Lineage and Method.

“Not exactly. These talismans are not high-grade. A cultivator at the third or Fourth Layer of Qi Cultivation can make them.

But I’ve heard that a few of the masters from the Taifu Sect have claimed the positions of the [Three Officials] and the [Four Shifts]. Because of this, anyone who wishes to create talismans must have the Taifu Sect’s approval. Otherwise, the talisman paper won’t respond to Spiritual Energy and will be as useless as waste paper.”

Yang Xun smiled and added,

“It’s said the Taifu Sect learned this from the Doushu Sect of the Immortal Dao, but I’ve never been to the Dongsheng Continent, so I can’t say if it’s true or not.”

’What a domineering method.’

Jiang Yi’s eye twitched. This was the first time he had heard about the deeds of an “Ancestral Sect” Dharma Lineage.

It was equivalent to saying that all Cultivators on the Nanzhan Continent who made talismans were subordinate to the Taifu Sect. Without their permission, their work was useless.

“The first time I heard about this, I was shocked for a long time too. Back then, my mind was filled with thoughts of the masters from the Ancestral Sects, wondering what kind of Great Divine Techniques they possessed, what the rumored ’Fruit’ was, and what the ’Positions’ were.

Hahaha, seventy years of hardship have passed in a flash, and I haven’t even been fortunate enough to lay eyes on a Foundation Establishment Upper Cultivator.

Let’s go. It’s getting late.”

As he spoke, Yang Xun couldn’t help but sigh wistfully.

He remembered how he too had once possessed the spirited ambition to vow his life to Cultivation, hoping to ascend the Twelfth Layer Floors and reach the position of a Foundation Establishment True Master.

But unfortunately, time waits for no man, and it had eroded his heroic aspirations.

“Okay!” Jiang Yi’s heart surged with emotion. The magnificent splendor of the Daoist Dharma Lineage truly made it worthwhile for all the Cultivators in the world to flock to it, one after another.

The group of three hurried toward the ship and carriage station.

…

…

The so-called ship and carriage station was like a mortal post-house, a place specifically providing convenience to Magic Lineage Cultivators.

But it wasn’t “officially run” by the Daoist Lineage. Instead, the “right to operate” was handed over to a Dharma Lineage.

“The ship and carriage station at Beimang Ridge is controlled by the Zhao You Sect. It’s an enterprise of the Fu Clan of the Dao Race.”

Yang Xun led Jiang Yi and He the Venerable into the station. It was bustling with people, all of them Cultivators wearing gray and black Daoist Robes.

“The vehicles are divided into ’Land Ships’ and ’Cloud Ships.’ One travels over mountains and ridges, the other soars into the clouds. The one we’re taking this time is a Land Ship.

There are also three classes of seats. To buy a second- or first-class ticket, you have to have your identity verified to see if you belong to a Dharma Lineage.

People from the Outer Dao are mostly ’unregistered,’ so they can’t ride.”

Jiang Yi’s expression was odd. ’So the Outer Dao aren’t just parasites, they’re also considered ’discredited personnel’?’

“You two wait here and don’t wander off. I’ll go get the tickets.”

Jiang Yi and He the Venerable nodded in agreement.

Jiang Yi couldn’t help but look around, his eyes full of the novelty of a first-timer, like a country Mortal who had just entered a city for the first time.

“Brother Yi, be careful. The station is full of all sorts of people. A lot of Outer Dao members disguise themselves to sneak in, specifically to steal things.”

He the Venerable reminded him.

“I know. I’ll keep a close watch on my sash bag.”

Jiang Yi naturally didn’t dare to be careless. He had long heard that among the Twenty-nine Meridians of the Outer Dao, there was the “Thousand Sect,” which specialized in the Spell of transportation.

Before long, Yang Xun returned with the tickets. He led the two of them onto a Land Ship as wide as a restaurant and explained,

“With the end of the year approaching, the tickets are in high demand. I was only able to get two second-class tickets. The remaining one is third-class.”

Before Jiang Yi could speak, He the Venerable cheerfully reached out his hand.

“It’s Brother Yi’s first time down the mountain; it’s only right he gets to see the sights. I’ll go to the third-class carriage. The journey isn’t that long anyway.”

Yang Xun nodded and handed over the third-class ticket, which was stamped with a red seal.

Only after He the Venerable had walked away did he say to Jiang Yi,

“The third-class carriage is crowded and noisy, and it’s near where the pack animals are kept, so it doesn’t smell great. The second-class seats are more spacious and also have fresh water and meals provided.”

Jiang Yi didn’t say much. He the Venerable was just tagging along, and besides, Grandpa had paid for the tickets. It wasn’t his place to comment.

Such an arrangement was quite appropriate.

A moment later, Jiang Yi followed Yang Xun through a corridor and into the second-class carriage.

It was indeed spacious and clean, with seats wrapped in thick leather, spaced comfortably apart, and small tables placed to the side.

Through the window, he could see rolling mountains in the distance, white with snow.

Not long after he sat down, Jiang Yi felt a slight vibration from beneath his seat, and the Land Ship began to move.

The great, long vehicle, as wide as a building, had no wheels, yet it could wind its way through the mountain ranges, speeding along.

“Land Ships and Cloud Ships are nothing special. If you succeed in your Cultivation one day and go to the Celestial Communication District set up by the Zhao You Sect, you can see a Grand True Master’s ’Grand Wei Treasure Palace’ docked among the cliffs. Now that is truly magnificent.”

With no outsiders around, Yang Xun smiled kindly.

“I’ve never had the good fortune to witness the grand spectacle of a Grand True Master’s procession myself, but I hope you’ll have the chance, Ah Yi… Huh?!”

Yang Xun’s voice stopped abruptly. Through the open window of the Land Ship, he heard a rumbling thunderclap, followed by a surge of displaced air that swept over them like a wave.

All the Cultivators in the second-class carriage looked over curiously, their gazes searching.

Jiang Yi followed the sound with his eyes and saw the sea of clouds in the distant sky suddenly part as a colossal object slowly descended.

It was an Eight-Cornered Flying Tower, rising in tiers, about four stories high, spinning as it hovered in the air. Streams of clear light flowed around it like water, dyeing the surrounding clouds with a magnificent, rosy glow.

’How majestic!’

“This is… which True Master’s vessel is this?”

All the Cultivators were astonished, but Yang Xun was even more surprised because he recognized the origin of the flying tower.

“The Taifu Sect! That’s the Taifu Sect’s ’Exquisite Magic Tower’!”

’Could it be? After seventy years of never seeing a Foundation Establishment Grand True Master, I’m lucky enough to run into one today?’

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep