The few individuals were all diligent and hardworking, and with the cultivation insights from their sect elders found in the scriptures as reference, even in the wilderness, they felt they were making significant progress.
Unnoticed, more than half a month had passed, and the three soared along, crossing six counties and traveling over five thousand miles.
Although most of the flying ship's power came from the spirit stones contained within the flying array, the cultivators still had to adjust the direction and speed. This not only consumed spiritual power but also challenged their minds, as the scenery was monotonous over the long journey. Even Baitao lost the interest to peer over the boat's sides.
Eventually, these days would come to an end; a few days ago, Jiang Qingfeng had returned from a medium-sized marketplace and saw Lu Qian's bounty notice on the bulletin board almost completely covered by new information. No one in the marketplaces was discussing the matter anymore.
Theoretically, Lu Qian could now venture into marketplaces without concern as long as he wore his human skin mask, and Qingfeng could even remove his mask. The place was far enough from Quyang County that exposing his identity wouldn't attract much attention.
Yet, being cautious, Lu Qian decided they would only lift their disguises after safely entering Cangzhou's domain. Based on the latest map Qingfeng had brought back, another thousand miles or so of flight and about four or five days would see them to Cangzhou.
Throughout the journey relying entirely on the flying ship, the spirit stone consumption was substantial. This was a major reason Qi cultivators seldom chose flying spiritual artifacts for long-distance travel.
With expenses but no income, Lu Qian had to let Qingfeng exchange another spirit crystal to keep up with daily needs.
Just as he was in a daze, Jiang Qingfeng at the bow gasped lightly, causing Lu Qian to look up to see a perilous peak appearing before them.
The mountain's vicious nature was evident, with dense forests at its base, yet the summit was barren, covered in jagged stones with no vegetation, enveloped in a thin, misty haze.
Lu Qian frowned: "Senior Sister, this mountain looks quite dangerous, let's go around it."
Qingfeng nodded and was about to maneuver, when Baitao shouted, "There's a village there!"
The two turned to look, and sure enough, there was a clearing in the forest at the foot of the mountain, with a small village in the center of a vast open space. A muddy path extended from the village, winding through the forest, destination unknown.
Not wanting to be seen by mortals, Lu Qian used two invisibility talismans. The flying ship curved above the village, ready to veer away, when Baitao's shout interrupted, "What are they doing!"
The ship slowed down, revealing a large crowd gathered on the clearing before the village. These villagers wore threadbare clothing and clustered around several rattan cages. They appeared divided into two factions, emotions were high, with shouts and cries that Lu Qian could clearly hear from above.
It seemed one group was carrying the rattan cages out of the village, while the other was trying to stop them, resulting in pushing and tussling, chaos unfolding. At this moment, an elderly man in slightly tidier clothing rushed out, loudly berating those who blocked them, striking with his cane repeatedly. Only then did the crowd disperse, with about a dozen villagers carrying the cages away.
"Senior Sister, let's move on." After a glance satisfying Baitao's curiosity, Lu Qian decided not to meddle and prepared to leave.
Just then, Jiang Qingfeng shouted in surprise: "Junior Brother, those cages contain children!"
Startled, Lu Qian fixed his gaze, now seeing the crowd had parted, revealing each cage containing two or three young children, crying and struggling miserably.
Lu Qian was shocked, and the words selling wives and children flashed across his mind. However, these people, though dressed poorly, were robust and seemed ordinary farmers, not starving refugees, with no need to sell their children.
The children appeared to be around five or six years old, about Taotao's age, being carried away by villagers, crying their hearts out, waving arms from behind the cages.
Suddenly, several women burst out from the crowd, screaming and chasing, appearing delirious, only to be held to the ground by those around them.
Seeing this, Baitao turned her tearful eyes and pleaded, "Sect Leader Senior Brother, please save them."
Qingfeng was trembling with anger and was about to lower the flying ship when Lu Qian sighed deeply: "Senior Sister, we cannot intervene. Have you forgotten the forbidden intervention?"
As he spoke, he pointed out a three-zhang-high flagpole at the village entrance, atop which flew a banner proudly inscribed with "Shengyi Sect."
Seeing this, Qingfeng was stunned.
The forbidden intervention had gradually formed over twenty thousand years following the True Immortal calamity, becoming an unwritten code adhered to by all sects, with violators being intolerable in the world.
One rule was that cultivators were prohibited from interacting in any manner with mortals within other sects' territories, except for mortal servants within marketplaces.
This rule was fundamentally to protect sects' interests, ensuring that any mortal born within their territory with a spiritual root and potential to become a cultivator classified as a "spirit seed" could only be absorbed by their own sect. It prevented external cultivators from taking "spirit seeds" from within their domains.
The villagers carried the children toward the mountain. Suddenly, a woman in the crowd collapsed, and those around hurried to assist.
Jiang Qingfeng gritted her teeth: "Junior Brother, despite the forbidden intervention, this place is in the wild with no other cultivators. If we save the children and leave, who would know it was us?"
Lu Qian sighed again; he understood the reasoning well. A sect couldn't possibly monitor its territory daily. Violators of the intervention undoubtedly existed, or else how could so many loose cultivators find disciples?
But without grasping the reasons behind this mortal dispute, how could one rashly intervene as a passing cultivator? Many have caused harm while trying to do good in this world. Moreover, they were fugitives themselves, not suited for getting involved.
Just as he was about to persuade further, a flash of escape light suddenly illuminated from the mountain foot, heading toward them!
The two hurriedly manipulated the flying ship to descend, concealing themselves amid treetops.
The escape light approached, revealing a green boat-shaped magical artifact landing before the villagers carrying the children, from which three cultivators emerged.
The panicked villagers hastily knelt, but the leading cultivator swung his long sleeve, employing a magic technique to hurl them harshly to the ground.
Not yet satisfied, he loudly scolded, his voice carried by the wind, reaching Lu Qian's ears: "People, I said to arrive by noon, arrive by noon! What time is it now? Delaying the master's significant task, do you want to live?"
Apparently, someone responded softly, further enraging the cultivator, who kicked a person away: "Why worry about a few children? If not them, what else to lure the snake demon? Without eliminating the snake demon, you villagers wouldn't survive long! Unappreciative scofflaws!"
After some time, the cultivator finished venting, again flicked his sleeve, conjuring a whirlwind that forcefully deposited the cages onto the green boat.
The children's cries were loud, yet he remained indifferent, calling out, before he and the other two cultivators activated the artifact, flying toward the mountain base.
Qingfeng lowered her voice: "Junior Brother, did I hear wrong just now, did the cultivator say snake demon?"
Lu Qian nodded; animal transformations into demons are exceptionally rare in these continental heartlands. The cultivator was a Qi cultivator, his cry of slaying the snake demon, with such a demeanor, indicated the snake demon's cultivation wasn't high, certainly lacking an Illusion Form.
Members of the demon race that can assume human shape correspond to humans at Foundation Establishment level. But this human form is merely a phantom, not a genuine physical body.
Upon assuming Illusion Form, encountering human cultivators, they would politely greet each other as fellow cultivators if not wanting direct conflict. Those frontier areas where humans and demons coexist calmly address each other so.
Lu Qian contemplated for a moment, deciding firmly: "Senior Sister, let's follow and see what's really happening."
First, with the circumstances clear, the forbidden intervention also stipulated cultivators not to harm mortals. Second, in this continental heartland, how had this snake demon developed spiritual wisdom and achieved a demon form?
Perhaps, it consumed some heavenly and earthly treasures, or...there existed a spirit vein here, discovered by the snake demon, drawing in spiritual Qi, transforming into a demon.
Spirit vein? Spirit vein!