piratefiction Chapter 135 Journey to Central Plains
Chapter 135 Journey to Central Plains
As dawn broke, thirty-six towering, ten-zhang-tall black stone pillars stood on the internal teleportation array of the Zhenwu Sect, arranged according to the celestial positions of the stars.
The surface of the stone pillar was covered with spatial runes, which were now emitting a silvery-white luster.
A faint humming sound filled the air; it was the vibration of spatial power being activated.
In front of the teleportation array, Sect Master Gu Yingtian and the three elders of Lie Xiushan stood side by side.
The nine members of the Taoist Academy and Cheng Hao were already standing in the core area of the teleportation array, with the array diagram drawn by the Void Crystal Powder beneath their feet.
"This formation will reach Fufeng City, a major town on the southern border of Shenzhou, and is the closest to Zhongzhou." Gu Yingtian's gaze swept over everyone. "Fufeng City is only five thousand li from Zhongzhou. May you all have a safe journey."
Li Jingyun bowed and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Sect Leader Gu and all the elders. The Dao Academy will never forget the help from Zhenwu Sect."
Lu Ming stood slightly behind his senior brothers and sisters, filled with joy.
Finally, he was about to embark on his journey home. He subconsciously touched the calligraphy brush that Hu Zhen had given him when he was young, and a wave of melancholy washed over him.
More than thirty years have passed, and although the calligraphy brushes have not faded, their youth has long since faded.
"Junior brother." A gentle voice sounded beside him.
Lu Ming turned his head and met Chu Tian's eyes.
When Lu Ming first entered the Taoist academy, his Taoist cultivation was mostly guided by his senior brother, from guiding Qi into the body to sword control and various spells. The senior brother was like an elder brother and a teacher to Lu Ming, and Lu Ming respected him very much.
"Senior brother," Lu Ming replied respectfully.
Chu Tianyi nodded slightly, his gaze lingering for a moment on the cloud-like snow on his waist: "The situation in Zhongzhou is complex, with various forces deeply entrenched in their own power."
"Although you have had a miraculous encounter and have a solid foundation, your cultivation level is ultimately only at the Golden Core stage, and your cultivation is still shallow."
"When faced with a situation, prioritize your own safety. With your senior brothers always there to guide you, never act rashly."
"I will keep your teachings in mind, Senior Brother." Lu Ming felt a warmth in his heart, and the melancholy he had just felt dissipated considerably.
On the other side, Mo Yuan stood silently, holding his jet-black, seemingly wooden but not quite wooden sword.
Mo Yuan has a cold and aloof demeanor, and there is always a sense of detachment between his brows.
But those who know him well know that beneath that cold exterior lies a passionate heart that practices the Mohist principles of universal love and non-aggression.
Lin Yan was looking down and fiddling with the Heavenly Evolution Compass in his hand, the pointer trembling slightly.
"The time has come." Gu Yingtian looked up at the sky; the rising sun had fully emerged from the sea of clouds. "Activate the formation!"
The array shone brightly, and waves of spatial fluctuations emanated from it.
"Buzz!!!"
The entire teleportation array began to vibrate! The runes on the thirty-six stone pillars lit up one after another, and silver-white light shot into the sky, weaving into a mysterious array diagram hundreds of feet above the ground.
The array slowly rotated, and the space at its center began to distort, forming a deep passage with iridescent colors at its edges.
A violent spatial storm roared faintly at the entrance of the passage, but was firmly restrained by the power of the array.
"Please, everyone!" Gu Yingtian said.
Li Jingyun bowed to the Zhenwu Sect Master once again, and then stepped into the seven-colored passage first.
His figure disappeared in an instant, like a drop of water falling into a lake, creating only a ripple before vanishing.
Chu Tian turned around and glanced at Lu Ming and Mo Yuan: "Follow me."
The crowd filed in.
The moment Lu Ming stepped into the passage, he felt dizzy. It was the familiar feeling of vertigo, but it was much better than the previous times.
This process lasted for about three breaths.
A sense of grounding comes through.
Suddenly, everything became clear.
This is an equally magnificent stone platform, similar in shape to the Zhenwu Sect's teleportation array, but slightly smaller in scale.
The surrounding scenery was completely different; it was no longer a misty, ethereal mountain, but the core area of a bustling metropolis.
Fufeng City.
The first formidable city on the southern border of Shenzhou, guarding the strategic pass of Tianfeng Gorge, has been a vital passage connecting Shenzhou and Zhongzhou since ancient times.
The stone platform is located on a hundred-zhang-high altar within the city. Looking out, one can see the city wall, majestic as a dragon, stretching for hundreds of miles.
The city is filled with towering buildings, crisscrossing streets and alleys, and bustling with people.
This is Lu Ming's second time visiting Fufeng City. Last time, he came and went in a hurry, without having a chance to properly explore the city.
"Hahaha! Fellow Daoists of the Dao Academy, you've had a long journey!" A hearty laugh rang out.
Dozens of people were already waiting below the stone platform.
The leader was a middle-aged man dressed in a crimson brocade robe, none other than Nangong Lie of the Nangong family.
He was followed by more than twenty members of the Nangong family, all dressed in tight-fitting clothes and exuding a fierce aura.
Further away, the guards of Fufeng City maintained order, while a large crowd of onlookers pointed and whispered among themselves.
Li Jingyun led his men down the stone platform, greeted Nangong Lie, and after a few pleasantries, Nangong Lie stepped aside to lead the way.
"The airship is ready and is located outside the city. There are too many people and too many eyes here, so it is not convenient to stay for long. Please follow me."
The group walked through the central avenue of Fufeng City. The street was ten zhang wide and paved with bluestone slabs, with shops lining both sides.
The passersby were dressed in various styles and spoke a mix of accents, clearly cultivators and merchants from all over Kyushu.
Lu Ming followed in the group, his gaze sweeping over the border town.
He saw a weary wandering monk setting up a stall on a street corner, selling herbs he had picked himself.
They saw the sect disciples, dressed in uniform, walking by arrogantly.
Ordinary vendors also push their carts, carefully navigating the streets.
They also saw the city walls covered with countless giant crossbows and rune-inscribed turrets that gleamed with a cold light.
"Three days ago, a group from the Seven Killings Hall crossed the border and attacked a spirit stone mine in the Fuyou Holy Land, resulting in seventeen deaths and injuries."
As Nangong Lie walked, he said in a low voice, "Although we were repelled, this is the third provocation this month."
The Holy Land of Fuyou has sent additional disciples to assist in the defense, but the pressure on the Central Plains is increasing.
Li Jingyun pondered and said, "The Alliance of Protectors is acting faster than expected."
"More than that." Nangong Lie sneered, "The forces of Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain, Seven Killings Hall, and Xuanming Sect are all stirring."
"Although the Heavenly Sword Sect has not yet made a public statement, their Broken Peak lineage has already spread the word that they oppose the Immortal Dynasty's desecration of the cultivation tradition."
"Now in the Central Plains, apart from the Fuyou Holy Land, my Nangong family and a few other forces such as Lingque Cave Heaven, most sects have already sided with the Protectorate Alliance."
During the conversation, the group had already passed through the inner city and arrived at a wide open space outside the west gate.
Three airships were moored on the platform.
In the center stands a ship about a hundred feet long, shaped like a phoenix spreading its wings. Its streamlined blue hull is imprinted with the Nangong family's flaming warhammer emblem. This is the Nangong family's famous Azure Phoenix-class flying ship, renowned for its speed.
The two smaller ships on the left and right are frigates.
"From here to the gate of the Fuyou Sacred Land, at the speed of the Azure Phoenix Flying Boat, it will only take a day and a half," Nangong Lie said. "Let's board the boat and set off immediately."
The airship's interior is elegantly decorated and the cabins are spacious.
After everyone settled down, the flying boat slowly rose into the air, and the cyan light shield unfolded, transforming into a stream of light that shot towards the southern horizon.
Lu Ming stood by the porthole, looking down at the mountains and land rushing past.
There is no clear boundary between Shenzhou and Zhongzhou, only the Hengduan Mountains, which stretch for tens of thousands of miles, serve as a natural barrier.
North of the mountains lies the fertile land of China. South of the mountains lies the vast and complex Central Plains.
Parents, Qinghe Village, Daoyuan Tianyan Peak... scenes flashed through Lu Ming's mind.
Once we arrive in Zhongzhou, we will be able to see our families using the projection array that my senior brother mentioned before.
However, there is an impending war in Zhongzhou, forces whose allies are hard to distinguish, and old friends whom we haven't seen for thirty years.
Lu Ming glanced at the Cloud Snow pendant at his waist.
Senior Sister Xia Yufei, I wonder what she looks like now? Does she still recognize me?
The airship passed through the clouds, and the outline of a majestic, continuous mountain range appeared below.
That is a branch of the Hengduan Mountains, with steep slopes and swirling clouds and mist.
Occasionally, one could see the light of cultivators rising and falling among the mountains, and the shadows of large flying boats would also flash by.
"Three thousand miles ahead lies the Burial Ground Gorge," Chu Tianyi said, appearing beside Lu Ming at some point and gazing out the window.
"That place was once the battlefield of an ancient great war. The evil aura lingers for thousands of years, forming a natural treacherous place that flying boats must detour around."
Lu Ming nodded, then suddenly asked, "Senior brother, do you think the Immortal Dynasty will definitely invade Zhongzhou?"
Chu Tianyi was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "This matter is imperative."
"The establishment of the Immortal Dynasty was a monumental feat, a creation of heaven and earth. The Dao Academy and Dayan had been preparing for it for many years, and the secrets involved were unknown to others."
"But as disciples of the Taoist academy, we must not shirk our duty."
He turned to look at Lu Ming, his gaze profound: "In this world, there is often no absolute right or wrong, but one must firmly uphold one's own stance."
"What we disciples can do is to act within the bounds of this great trend and work together to build this groundbreaking and unprecedented undertaking."
Chu Tianyi knew that Lu Ming was kind-hearted and insightful. He knew that Lu Ming must have thought about the boundless disaster that would be caused by conquering Zhongzhou, which was why he asked this question.
Lu Ming seemed to be deep in thought.
Just then.
"Buzz!"
The airship jolted violently, its speed suddenly decreasing!