Morning.
Wang Ping woke to the crowing of roosters. It was still long before dawn, and the cold wind was biting. But most of the villagers were already awake, heading out to sea to try their luck after the rain.
A little girl in a gray linen dress ran out of a nearby courtyard just as Wang Ping opened his eyes. She first glanced at him curiously, then her gaze fell upon the tabby cat beside him.
"Kitty!"
The girl cried out in her high, childish voice. The sound startled the sleeping tabby cat. It opened its eyes, stretched languidly, and shook its head. Just before the girl could run over and hug it, the cat leaped onto the courtyard wall.
"MEOW..."
The tabby let out a triumphant cry, then disappeared in a few leaps.
Wang Ping smiled as he watched the direction the cat had gone. 'This cat has already gained sentience, but it's difficult for a domesticated cat to achieve transformation. It's been influenced by humanity and has a resistance to it.'
"I'm hungry..."
A voice from his Spirit Sea interrupted Wang Ping's thoughts. He walked over to the home of a fisherman preparing to set out to sea and bought two live shrimp they used as bait for large fish.
After feeding Yu Lian, Wang Ping set off on his journey...
By the time the morning glow rose on the horizon, he had appeared on a shallow beach. A few fishermen were there, preparing to go to sea. Listening to the fishermen's rhythmic chants as they pushed their boats, Wang Ping gazed at the red clouds emerging from the sea's surface after the rain. He sat down on a large boulder by the cliff's edge and began to meditate and purify his marrow.
Halfway through his purification, a merchant caravan slowly approached on the official road Wang Ping had just traveled. When the group saw him meditating, they all wordlessly fell silent. To them, the blue-violet light surrounding Wang Ping's body was filled with an immortal aura.
As the caravan passed, Yu Lian hid beneath Wang Ping's clothes, her lively eyes observing them without moving. Only after the caravan was far away did she go back to sleep.
After completing one cycle of purification, Wang Ping opened his eyes. He first looked at the dense footprints left by the caravan. It was the same one he had encountered before in Yuanning County. Wang Ping was very familiar with the auras of the caravan's several chiefs; they had all cultivated Qi Force within their bodies and were on the verge of Qi Cultivation.
Suddenly, a sea wind howled past, accompanied by splashing waves. The fishing boats that had just set out bobbed up and down on the swells. Feeling the chill, Yu Lian wrapped herself more tightly around Wang Ping's wrist.
When the strong wind hit Wang Ping, it was blocked by the swirling Qi Force around him. Watching the busy fishermen on the sea, he remembered Yu Cheng Taoist's advice. He took out some dry rations and took a bite. After swallowing the food, he felt the beauty of this world.
...
「Noon.」
Wang Ping encountered the caravan again at a teahouse. They were drawing water from a well nearby, apparently unwilling to spend money on a cup of tea.
"A pot of tea," Wang Ping called out to the teahouse staff, sitting on a stool outside.
"Right away!" a waiter ran over to serve him.
A moment later, a pot of tea was served. It was salty, with not only the flavor of tea leaves but also a hint of dried tangerine peel, perfect for someone who had been traveling for a long time.
After finishing the pot of tea, Wang Ping was about to get up and continue his journey when one of the caravan's chiefs walked over, cupped his fist, and said, "Daoist, are you also planning to head south to Hu Mountain Country?"
Wang Ping smiled. "How could you tell?"
"Our caravan travels to Hu Mountain Country. We take dried goods from the north of Xia Country to sell in Hu Mountain Country for the best profit, and then we make a bit more by bringing medicinal herbs from Hu Mountain Country back north. The only problem is that the road is difficult, and a round trip takes at least a year."
"My name is Wuping, but most people who know me call me Wu Sanlang," Wuping introduced himself. He then continued, "I've been running this trade route for nearly fifteen years, and the people I meet most often are Daoists like yourself, searching for medicinal herbs in Hu Mountain Country... There's still a month of travel ahead. If you're willing, Daoist, we could travel together!"
Wuping had tried to sound eloquent in his long explanation, but lacking a formal education, he finally gritted his teeth and got straight to the point.
"If you don't mind, Boss Wu, I have no objection!"
"Mind? How could we mind!"
Traveling with a caravan would save a lot of trouble. Wang Ping followed them for a month, passing through Mozhou Road and Hai Zhou Road, until they reached Huiping City, which bordered Hu Mountain Country.
The weather had gradually warmed over the month, and some of the withered vegetation on either side of the official road had begun to sprout new shoots.
The caravan rested in Huiping City for a day.
The next day, Wang Ping and the caravan entered Hu Mountain Country, heading for Sea City, the closest and largest city in the country.
As soon as he entered Hu Mountain Country, Wang Ping felt a difference. In Xia Country, one could see signs of civilization everywhere on the roads. But in Hu Mountain Country, you could travel for half a day without seeing a single person. Dense vegetation was everywhere, and the paths were mostly muddy trails.
On the afternoon of their fourth day in Hu Mountain Country, the caravan finally encountered people—but they were robbers!
Among these robbers, Wang Ping even saw two transformed demons with the heads of wild boars. They were the leaders of this band of robbers.
Wuping, however, seemed unfazed by this. He took two guards and went up to talk with the Pig Demons for a while. After paying five taels of silver, he secured a decent campsite for the night, and even got some spiced wild vegetables.
It was only during dinner that evening that Wang Ping learned those people weren't robbers, but the guards of the local lord!
The night passed without a word, and nothing eventful happened.
The caravan set out again at first light the next day. After traveling for less than two hours, Wang Ping saw the Sea City that the caravan had been talking about and longing for. It was situated in a shallow bay, backed by a mountain range several thousand meters high. The city spread across a large portion of the mountainside, and at the very peak, seven-colored streams of Spiritual Qi flickered constantly.
The city gate was guarded by two transformed Tiger Demons. They looked much sharper than yesterday's Pig Demons, wearing standard-issue iron armor and holding spears over ten feet long.
Wang Ping's identification token was still valid here, but he had to complete a detailed registration, stating the length of his stay in Hu Mountain Country. Finally, after paying an entry fee of two taels of silver, he received a temporary token that allowed him to travel within the country.
Passing through the towering city walls, the first thing Wang Ping smelled was a peculiar fragrance. Then he saw a wide road paved with gravel, lined with rows of buildings. The residents were mostly ordinary people, but there were also quite a few Little Demons.
Turning his head, he could see more clearly: rows of buildings extended in an orderly yet varied fashion up the massive eastern mountain, allowing anyone in the city to clearly sense its magnificence and grandeur.
"Impressive, isn't it? This city is even bigger than Shangjing. They say there are even Immortals from the Yuqing Sect on the mountaintop. By the way, the Upper Dan Sect has a reception point here. Just follow this main road, and soon you'll see a shop called the Upper Elixir Shop. Go in and ask, and they'll tell you what you need to know." Wuping pointed to the main road ahead as he explained this to Wang Ping.
"Thank you, Boss Wu. We'll part ways here!"
"Alright!"
Wang Ping bid farewell to the caravan and, as Wuping had instructed, followed the main road. After walking for about forty-five minutes, he saw a sign with 'Upper Elixir Shop' written in the script of Xia Country.
Upon entering the shop, Wang Ping directly stated his identity to the Shopkeeper and explained who he was there to see. The Shopkeeper's reply was that he would have to wait for three days.