Chapter 648: The Ferry

After walking for several more li, Han Li and the other three finally stopped before an arched cave entrance.

Han Li and the other two turned their gazes to Hu San.

"Inside here is the small teleportation formation to the Sixth City that I mentioned earlier. There are many such formations throughout the city. Follow me in."

With these words, Hu San stepped over the threshold and entered first, with Han Li and the others following closely behind.

Once inside, Han Li saw a small teleportation formation, about a dozen zhang in radius, on the ground not far ahead.

Beside the formation was a low table, behind which sat a green-skinned alien resembling a lizard, cross-legged and dozing off, showing no intention of acknowledging Han Li and the others.

Seeing this, Hu San walked over and woke him up, then casually tossed a pouch of top-grade spirit stones onto the table before leading Han Li and the others onto the formation.

The green-skinned alien weighed the pouch in his hand. Seeing that Han Li and his companions were generous, having given a tip beyond the formation fee, he perked up and quickly activated the formation to send them to the Sixth City, even remembering to bow to Hu San.

Hu San smiled warmly and nodded back, looking quite pleased.

With a flash of light from the formation, the figures of Han Li and the other three blurred and vanished from the spot.

The green-skinned alien looked at the top-grade spirit stones on the table, his smile widening. Just as he was about to count them and store them in his storage ring, his expression suddenly froze.

He looked down at his empty fingers and flew into a rage.

At the entrance of a teleportation hall in the Sixth City, Hu San walked out slowly, lightly tossing a jade-green ring in his hand.

"If you don't break that itchy-fingered habit, you'll get into trouble sooner or later," said Shi Chuankong behind him, shaking his head with a helpless look.

"Brother Hu San's sleight of hand is truly exquisite. To instantly sever that person's connection with his storage ring without him noticing is remarkable," Han Li said with a smile.

Rehua Zunzhe said nothing but instinctively checked his own storage bracelet, then breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

"I've been on my best behavior for too long; my hands just got a little itchy. Haha... no need to worry, no need to worry..." Hu San laughed, waving his hand dismissively.

Once inside the Sixth City, the flow of people on the plank roads became noticeably denser. Most were human-like, but the variety of alien races was also significantly greater than before.

The shops on the cliff walls also became more numerous, with various banners and flags hanging high, protruding onto the corridors. Most were stores selling spirit soil and spirit herbs, but there were also shops dealing in immortal artifacts and elixirs, looking little different from ordinary stores.

Afterward, they ascended several more cities, each much the same, though it was clear that the higher they went, the more merchants and travelers there were, and the more chaotic the surroundings became.

However, Hu San seemed to enjoy this noisy environment. The higher they went, the slower he strolled, even stopping at an immortal tavern to buy some famous spirit wine and immortal brews, treating Han Li and the others to a hearty meal.

He had heard that Han Li also enjoyed a drink and wanted to give him a few jugs, but Han Li, having spent too much time with Hu Yan Daoren, had developed a refined taste for spirit wine and found the local offerings unimpressive, politely declining.

By the time they ascended layer by layer to the surface, half a day had passed.

It was evening, and the last rays of the setting sun spilled from the west, casting the surface-level city in a warm red glow.

Han Li looked out and saw enormous city-wall structures standing at the city's periphery, with mountain-sized immortal ferry ships hovering beside most of them.

"Brother Rehua, Brother Li, the approximate location of the Truth Sect ruins is in the Huan Smoke Swamp area of Fuqiu Continent in the central part of the Black Earth Immortal Domain. By combining ferry travel with teleportation formations, it should take about thirty years. However, there aren't many places where teleportation formations can be used; most of the journey relies on ferries," Hu San said, pointing in a direction.

"Why take a ferry? These ferries, though massive and stable in flight, are slower than if we piloted our own flying immortal artifacts, aren't they?" Han Li asked, puzzled.

"Brother Li is right, but the Black Earth Immortal Domain has some special rules. Some areas cannot be flown over freely, and others have direct restrictions. If you force your way through, you're very likely to attract the attention of the Immortal Palace," Hu San explained.

"I didn't expect the Black Earth Immortal Domain to have so many annoying rules," Rehua Zunzhe muttered.

"Indeed. On one hand, heading south, there are many spirit fields and mineral veins, mostly owned by large trading companies, which forbid unauthorized entry by outside cultivators. On the other hand, the various continents of the Black Earth Immortal Domain are separated by vast areas of poisonous miasma and swamps. Some places remain forbidden zones like the wild borderlands, harboring many terrifying demon beasts, some even at the Da Luo level," Hu San added.

"These are all rules imposed by the Black Earth Immortal Palace to strengthen control. It's manageable in remote areas, but near large cities, it becomes troublesome," Shi Chuankong interjected.

"The ferries of various trading companies have fixed routes that have been registered with the Immortal Palace, so they are not affected," Hu San supplemented.

"Back when our Truth Sect still existed, the Black Earth Immortal Domain didn't have these damn rules..." Rehua Zunzhe sighed with some melancholy.

"In that case, taking a ferry does seem the safest option," Han Li nodded.

"Not entirely. Although many trading companies have registered and paid hefty immortal yuan stones, at some ferry stops along the way, Immortal Palace personnel still find excuses to conduct inspections. Either you submit to the inspection and delay for months, or you pay another batch of immortal yuan stones as a toll," Hu San shook his head.

"No wonder you weren't surprised by the incident at Liuyun City earlier..." Han Li said with a wry smile.

"Haha, but with Brother Shi here, we won't face such harassment. Among the various ferries, only those of the Bai Zao Pavilion and the Guangyuan Zhai are not subjected to harsh treatment by Immortal Palace personnel. In most cases, even temporary inspections are avoided," Hu San said with a smile.

"The Guangyuan Zhai ferry is a bit farther. Please follow me," Shi Chuankong said with a smile, then soared into the air and sped forward.

Han Li and the others followed closely, rising into the sky and heading south.

Once in the air, Han Li looked down and saw that the ferry ports on the ground were far more numerous than he had imagined, arranged neatly side by side within a radius of several hundred li.

Interspersed among them were marketplaces and streets, bustling with activity under the evening lights.

After a moment, they arrived at a spacious ferry port and entered a main hall.

Inside, a gray-haired old man who appeared to be a steward saw them, immediately put down the teacup he had been raising to his lips, and stood up to greet them.

He seemed to recognize Shi Chuankong, a smile spreading across his face as he was about to speak, but Shi Chuankong spoke first:

"Manager Zhu, long time no see. Shi has come to trouble you again."

"Brother Shi is a rare guest. Your presence at my ferry is always an honor; how could it be trouble? These are all your friends, I presume? Come, come... please have a seat inside," the old man paused briefly, then recovered and said.

As he spoke, he led Han Li and the others into an elegant room inside the hall, poured tea for everyone, and then asked:

"Brother Shi never visits without a reason. What important matter brings you here today?"

"Manager Zhu knows me well. When is the next Guangyuan Zhai ferry to Fuqiu Continent?" Shi Chuankong asked with a smile.

After a moment of thought, the gray-haired old man said, "We've just collected a batch of spirit soil, and there's also a batch of Fire Kite Grass and Jade Spirit Mushrooms ripe in the medicine fields. We can depart once they're loaded, about half a month from now."

"Hey, looks like we arrived just in time," Hu San said, swirling his teacup.

"Haha, you've come at a fortunate time. In a few days, the arena in Heiyou City is hosting a beast fight. Why not go take a look and pass the time?" Manager Zhu said with a smile.

Hearing this, Shi Chuankong perked up, sitting up straight. "Is it the Heilan Arena? What are the odds?"

"Yes. I hear the ten matches will feature high-level demon beasts captured from the wild borderlands north of the Heishan Immortal Domain. The two most formidable ones even have true spirit bloodlines, so the odds are quite high," Manager Zhu nodded.

"What do you think? Interested in going together in a few days?" Shi Chuankong turned to Han Li and the others.

Han Li found it amusing that Hu San loved wine and Shi Chuankong loved gambling—they were a perfect match—but he had no interest in such things and declined with a shake of his head.

"I'd go if there were a game of chess, but beast fighting is not for me," Rehua Zunzhe said with a smile.

"What about you? You're not going either, are you?" Shi Chuankong looked at Hu San.

"Go! Why not? Brother Shi, you always lose when you bet. If I bet against you, I can't lose," Hu San raised an eyebrow and declared loudly.

"Bah! When have I ever lost?" Shi Chuankong retorted angrily.

After a few more casual remarks, Manager Zhu arranged guest courtyards for them and led them to rest.

That night.

Han Li was sitting in his room meditating with his eyes closed when Rehua Zunzhe suddenly knocked and visited.

After entering, Han Li invited him to sit down, took out a tea set, poured him a cup of fragrant tea, and then sat quietly across from him without speaking.

Just as the atmosphere in the room grew a bit awkward, Rehua Zunzhe finally spoke: "Brother Li, there's something I'm not sure if I should..."

Before he could finish, Han Li raised his hand and waved, and an invisible light barrier sealed off the entire room.

"Brother Rehua, feel free to speak," Han Li said with a smile.

"Brother Li, were you expecting me all along?" Rehua Zunzhe said with a wry smile.