Lin Fei and the others sailed along the southern shore of the Heaven's Eye Sea, and a day later, they turned into a great river.
This river was called the Yun Cang River, the main waterway of Yunmeng, running from the northwest to the southeast. Following the current, they continued their journey southeast.
At first, villages and towns dotted both banks like scattered stars. Smoke rose gently from cooking fires, and the scene was peaceful and serene. But as they traveled further, settlements grew sparse, and the mountains on either side gradually became steeper.
Midway along the river, the waterway split into two branches. The old boatman Zhang pointed to the eastern route and suggested, "Though the eastern channel takes an extra day, there are villages along the way. It's safer."
Principal Shen did not answer immediately. He looked to Yang Jian.
Yang Jian gazed at the southern channel, which narrowed as it stretched ahead. After a moment of silence, he said calmly, "We take the southern route."
Boatman Zhang opened his mouth as if to object, but in the end, he only nodded and instructed the crew to adjust the sails.
Standing at the bow, Lin Fei looked toward the southern channel. The mountains stretched endlessly, with no sign of human presence. A faint unease crept into his heart.
Two days later, the mountains on both sides grew steeper, and the river narrowed further.
At the bow, Lin Fei looked ahead and saw something astonishing—ruins of a city clinging to the mountainsides. Broken walls snaked along the slopes, but they were nothing more than crumbling remnants. Collapsed towers and charred stone pillars stood everywhere, silent witnesses to a past war.
"That's the Grey Ruins," Boatman Zhang said in a lowered voice, pointing toward the canyon entrance. "Be careful. This stretch of water isn't peaceful."
The ship slowly entered the canyon.
The light dimmed abruptly. Towering cliffs on both sides blocked most of the sunlight. A faint mist spread across the river, growing thicker the deeper they went, reducing visibility.
"This place was once called Guili City," Principal Shen said, standing at the bow as he looked at the ruins. "Decades ago, Yunmeng fought a great war here against the Vermilion Nation to the west."
"Was that the invasion led by the Fire King?" Li Chen asked.
Principal Shen nodded. "The Vermilion Nation lies west of Yunmeng and is known for fire-based arts. Their leader—the Fire King—was both ruler and supreme cultivator. Coveting Yunmeng's Spring of Immortality, he launched an invasion. Yunmeng's Longevity Hall resisted him here and forced him to retreat. But before leaving, he burned the city with devastating flames, reducing Guili City to ashes."
He paused, sweeping his gaze across the blackened ruins.
"Though Yunmeng won, the land here was scorched beyond recovery. Nothing grows, and no one can live here. The people scattered. Over time, it became an abandoned city—now called the Grey Ruins."
Lin Fei stared at the charred remains, struck by the thought that a single war could destroy an entire city like this.
The ship continued forward. The ruins loomed in the mist, appearing and disappearing. Occasionally, strange beast cries echoed through the canyon—long and eerie, sending chills down the spine.
"Everyone, return to the cabins," Yang Jian said in a low, firm voice. "Do not remain on deck."
Just as everyone was about to turn—
"There's a ship ahead!"
Lin Fei looked forward. A broken vessel lay across the river, lodged at the narrowest point of the canyon. Its hull was blackened, its mast snapped, its sails torn to shreds. It looked like a dead beast blocking most of the passage.
"What's going on?" Li Chen asked.
Boatman Zhang's face turned pale. "That ship… was placed here on purpose."
Their ship slowly approached, preparing to pass around it. Lin Fei held his breath, eyes fixed on the wreck. The deck was empty, the cabin door open—inside was pitch-black.
Then—
Clang!
A thick iron chain suddenly shot up from the water, stretching across the bow and blocking their path.
"River bandits!" Boatman Zhang cried out. The crew dropped everything and scrambled into the lower cabin.
Almost at the same moment, over a dozen figures burst out from the ruins on both sides, running across the water toward the ship. They wore black hunting outfits, faces covered, weapons gleaming coldly. Some were already forming hand seals, their killing intent unmistakable.
"First- and second-year students, into the cabin!" Principal Shen's voice was steady and commanding. "Sun Qian, lead the others and assist Deacon Yang in defense!"
"Yes!"
Master Sun drew a long whip from his waist, runes faintly glowing along its length. "Han Yue, Deng Qian, Zhao Wuji, Su Qinghe, Huang Su, Meng Yao—follow me!"
The six immediately took positions on both sides of the deck.
At the bow, Yang Jian unsheathed his blade. The metal gleamed coldly in the mist. Two masked guards stood behind him like statues.
Lin Fei was the last to enter the cabin, practically dragged in by Li Chen. He glanced back—just in time to see Yang Jian and the two guards leap forward to meet the attackers.
The cabin door shut.
Inside, Lin Fei, Li Chen, Liu Xiangru, and Fang Zijin stayed with Elder Jiang. Nearby cabins held Principal Shen and Granny Liu.
They held their breath, listening.
From above came the sounds of battle—shouts, the roar of clashing techniques, the sharp clang of weapons, and occasional screams. It was impossible to tell whose.
Though no enemies had entered, Lin Fei remained tense, eyes fixed on the door, palms sweating. Li Chen clenched his fists tightly. Liu Xiangru bit his lip in silence. Fang Zijin stayed calmer, taking steady breaths.
Suddenly—
Boom!
The entire ship shook violently.
More shouting followed, then an intense barrage of clashes.
Unable to resist, Lin Fei stepped toward the door—but Granny Liu stopped him.
"Do not panic," she said calmly, seated in the corner with her staff. "Nothing will happen."
Lin Fei turned back. Principal Shen and Elder Jiang were calmly drinking tea, as if the battle outside had nothing to do with them.
Gradually, the sounds faded.
After some time—the length of an incense stick, perhaps longer—the door finally opened.
Master Sun stood there, his whip hanging at his side, stained with blood. His clothes bore splashes of it as well. He grinned. "It's over. Come out."
Lin Fei rushed out first.
The deck was in chaos.
Yang Jian and one of the guards were tossing bodies into the river. His clothes were torn in several places, revealing armor beneath—but he was unharmed. The guard moved efficiently, casting corpses into the water, where dark ripples spread.
Han Yue and Deng Qian stood nearby, slightly disheveled but composed. Zhao Wuji sat against the railing, his arm bandaged and bleeding slightly, yet grinning. "Just a scratch."
Huang Su was extinguishing flaming arrows with water techniques, precise and controlled.
"Senior Su is hurt!" Meng Yao called.
Su Qinghe was brought over, pale as paper, a deep wound on his shoulder soaking his sleeve with blood.
"Quick, inside!" Master Sun helped carry him in.
Meanwhile, the wrecked ship blocking the river was engulfed in flames, smoke billowing into the sky.
"The bandits on shore are cleared," a voice said.
Lin Fei turned. The masked guard he found familiar landed lightly on the deck, barely marked by the battle.
Yang Jian nodded. "Call the crew. We move on."
With a flash of his blade, he severed the iron chain. Then, using a water technique, he pushed the burning wreck aside.
The path cleared.
The ship resumed its journey.
Lin Fei and the others cleaned the deck in silence, washing away the blood with river water.
As the mist faded, sunlight broke through, casting golden reflections across the river. The mountains lowered, and the canyon finally gave way to open wetlands.
Lin Fei stood at the railing, looking back at the Grey Ruins.
The shattered walls clung to the mountains like scars, silently telling of past devastation. The burned ship lay stranded at the shore, smoke still rising.
He lowered his gaze and continued scrubbing the deck.
The blood had been washed away—
but the scent of it seemed to linger.