Eastern Divine Continent. Jiangyue City.
The bright moon shone upon the river, its surface reflecting the city like a mirror.
Jiangyue City was a famed scenic spot in Eastern Divine Continent.
The long river's surface lay smooth as glass, its rippling waves forming shifting reflections.
What had once been a small riverside town had flourished because of this spectacular view—even changing its name to what was now called Jiangyue City.
Beyond the city walls, beneath the moonlit river, small boats hung red lanterns while luxurious grand vessels drifted far downstream.
A full moon mirrored in the river, countless red lights accenting the starlight.
Leaning against a window's sheer curtains by the riverbank and gazing outward meant beauty by day and breathtaking scenery by night.
Though blessed with stunning views, Jiangyue City also perfectly avoided nearly every spiritual vein route—a place so spiritually barren that cultivators detoured around it.
Perhaps there simply was no perfect place in the world.
And so, despite its spectacular scenery, Jiangyue City was almost entirely a mortal city.
Beyond the walls, moonlight chilled the lonely; inside the walls, lamplight warmed the wanderers.
Drifting on a cold boat at night was ultimately a privilege of the refined.
True warmth and vitality was found in the city's unregulated streets.
Chu Xingchen squeezed through the noisy streets with Yunxiao, gazing at the city illuminated by hanging lanterns that kept night at bay.
"Even if there's intelligence, did you really need to come here yourself?" Yunxiao frowned, sidestepping a passerby about to bump into him. "There are too many people here. If danger were hiding among them—even if you survived, wouldn't these mortals die unjustly?"
Chu Xingchen strolled casually, glancing around:
"What do you think about Xu Linglong's ritual array—real or fake?"
"Whether it's real or fake doesn't matter that much." Yunxiao picked up the thread. "We have to eliminate them regardless."
"Actually, I think it's real, and Xu Linglong is genuinely conducting her final experiments." Chu Xingchen's gaze settled on a nearby tanghulu vendor as he continued. "Because Bai Xuanling became a True Immortal. Because I made Bai Xuanling a True Immortal."
"If there's one Bai Xuanling, could there be a next Huang Miao?"
"Xu Linglong knows time isn't on her side—it's on mine. But she wants to determine exactly how much time she has left to prepare."
"So she wants to assess my condition. The harder I push, the less time she has to think."
"And Xu Linglong is doing this because she must believe she still has a chance to win. If she were destined to lose, she would definitely drag everyone she could down with her to take us all out."
"Even if this world has more Tribulation Transcendence cultivators than ever before—even with the world's only living True Immortal, and the possibility of the next True Immortal…"
"Xu Linglong still thinks… she might win."
"I don't understand what all these current actions of hers mean, but I know we must do something."
"If what Donggua said is true—the Heavenly Demon Realm crashing directly into this world, a clash of Dao against Dao…"
"Naturally, Xu Linglong would pay an enormous price for this too. She'd lose her final retreat."
"But compared to a cornered killer in terms of ruthlessness, in terms of what they're willing to sacrifice…"
Chu Xingchen stood before the tanghulu vendor, handing over copper coins, then looked at Yunxiao:
"I think we'd be the ones to suffer the loss. Fellow Daoist Yunxiao, under a sky-splitting catastrophe, perhaps Heaven-Blessed Prodigies like you and I might survive—but what about the people you care about?"
Yunxiao fell silent for a moment, watching Chu Xingchen take the tanghulu but not eat it, instead continuing forward.
He could only follow.
Chu Xingchen held the tanghulu, glancing around, then spoke:
"Saving the world sounds incredibly impressive, but it's actually a real pain."
"Since Xu Linglong is willing to go all out, then I'll have to let go of my reservations."
Yunxiao somewhat understood Chu Xingchen's current difficulty, but didn't quite grasp what "letting go of reservations" meant.
He pressed in confusion: "What reservations? Aren't you here to track down Xu Linglong?"
Chu Xingchen laughed twice: "I'm here to find someone. I originally thought I'd have to make a trip back, but it turns out they're right here in Eastern Divine Continent."
Yunxiao nodded in understanding. When the situation was urgent, seeking help from a big shot was natural.
Jiangyue City was bright as day through the night, its lights never dimming, its crowds never thinning.
Chu Xingchen looked east, looked west, and finally stopped before a stall surrounded by a dense crowd that occasionally erupted in cheers.
Amid cries of "encore!" and "again!"
Chu Xingchen used his cultivation to push his way in.
At the center, a monk was vigorously performing martial arts, smashing bricks and iron bars against his own body.
Bricks shattered on contact, iron broke upon striking.
Chu Xingchen immediately began clapping, his tone teasing:
"Great performance! Master's going to reward you with a tanghulu!"
Yuankong had been slapping a brick against his forehead. Hearing the voice, he immediately stopped, his gaze turning to see Chu Xingchen holding a tanghulu with a slight smirk.
For a moment, Yuankong stared blankly at Chu Xingchen.
Chu Xingchen held out the tanghulu: "Take it. Eat."
Yuankong finally snapped back to reality, dropping the brick. Under the surrounding crowd's gaze, he accepted the tanghulu, his voice filled with astonishment:
"What are you doing here?"
"If I can be here, why can't you?"
"No… did you come here specifically to find me?"
"Pretty much. You free?"
"I'm free… but you looking for me never means anything good."
"Your cultivation is pathetically slow—Golden Core late stage? But your lower limit is even more baffling. I understand lacking spirit stones, but how do you also lack silver?"
Yuankong wore a look of resignation. He was about to pack up and leave with Chu Xingchen when a snow-white silver tael appeared before him.
Chu Xingchen smiled: "Don't bother packing. I'll buy it all. My time is expensive."
"Sure thing!" Yuankong quickly pocketed the silver and the tanghulu.
Chu Xingchen raised his hand slightly, and the crowd dispersed naturally—as if they'd all just happened to be passing by rather than having stayed to watch Yuankong's performance.
"Where are we going?" Yuankong asked after catching up to Chu Xingchen's stride.
Chu Xingchen didn't answer, instead asking:
"What are you doing performing here?"
"Making money, obviously."
"You're at Golden Core cultivation and you can't earn spirit stones or money? Catching a few demons should earn you a reward."
"Catching demons is duty—you can't charge for that. Performing brings people joy—that you can charge for. They're different."
"Your moral standards are unusually high."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
Chu Xingchen nodded repeatedly, then smiled lightly:
"So you're earning money to support that little girl who wants to repay your kindness?"
Yuankong's gaze turned suspicious: "Are you spying on me?"
Chu Xingchen didn't hesitate to reach over and smack Yuankong on the head:
"What's my position? Do I need to spy? If I want to know something, I know it."
"Also, I'm your creditor. Watch your tone, or I'll take your clothes as payment!"
Yuankong immediately clutched tight to his robes, his tone becoming sycophantic:
"Yes, yes, Boss Creditor! What orders do you have for this lowly one?"
Yunxiao walked alongside them, watching the pair's clownish exchange.
He'd thought they were coming to find a big shot…
Instead, they'd found a sycophant monk?
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