Chapter 58: Leaving the Fortress

The hour was late, and the sky gradually darkened. Ling Shuang and Nian Er went to the dining hall for a simple meal. When they returned to their rooms, Sansi and Taiyi were still asleep, so they let them rest; once refreshed, they could set out early the next morning.

Five hours passed, and the sun slowly rose, illuminating the day with a gentle light. Sansi finally awoke, sat up, and patted his head, muttering to himself, “So dizzy... If I’d known it would feel this awful, I wouldn’t have drunk so much. What time is it now? The sky looks dim—are we near nightfall? If I head to the dining hall now, will I make it for dinner?”

“Sansi, that’s sunrise, not sunset. We should wash up, and by the time we reach the dining hall, breakfast will be ready.”

“Taiyi, when did you wake up? I slept so long I lost track of time.”

“I woke early. The sky was still dark, and there was nothing pressing, so I didn’t call you.”

“So, it seems your tolerance for wine is greater, Taiyi. I slept for so many hours and my head is still hazy. I’m starving. Let’s head to the dining hall, eat something, and walk it off to clear the wine.”

The two washed up and went to the dining hall. The sun had just risen, and the disciples hadn’t yet begun their martial training, but the food was already prepared and served at the tables.

Ling Shuang and Nian Er were early risers as well. Sansi had barely eaten a few bites when they arrived. Ling Shuang approached with a smile, “Sansi, you’ve finally woken up. If you can’t handle your wine, drink less. Look at you, you’ve slept for ages.”

Ye Sansi grinned sheepishly, scratched his head, stood up, and helped Ling Shuang and Nian Er with their food, bringing it to the table. He asked Ling Shuang, “Why are you up so early as well?”

Ling Shuang laughed, “You were all drunk last night, so we didn’t tell you—Grandfather and Father discussed sending us to Fangcun Immortal Island for training. We depart today. What do you think?”

“That’s wonderful! I came down the mountain to cultivate, and if the Elder is escorting us, our journey will be much shorter. Ha ha ha, just thinking about it makes me happy. I want to learn sword riding and all sorts of immortal arts. Once I master them, I’ll return to Nameless Peak and see Uncle Tree again—it's been so many days since we parted, I truly miss him.”

Nian Er smiled, “Master Ye, with your comprehension, you’ll surely master the Fangcun arts within a few years, and Uncle Tree will be proud of you.”

Ye Sansi was a bit embarrassed by Nian Er’s praise, though it made him happy, and he laughed as he dug into his meal. Other disciples gradually arrived at the dining hall, greeting the four as they did. Xu Xuan served his food and sat beside them, saying, “You all are up so early and so diligent—no wonder your swordsmanship and martial arts surpass ours. It seems I must work harder in the days ahead.”

Ling Shuang smiled and explained, “Brother Xu, we’re departing for Fangcun Immortal Island today, so we rose early.”

“Fangcun Immortal Island? That’s a sacred place for cultivation—I envy you all for such a lucky opportunity.”

Taiyi laughed, “What opportunity? We don’t seek fortune—just hope to do some good in the world, so our lives won’t be wasted. Xu Xuan, you’re the most skilled in martial arts among the Liu family’s disciples, calm and clever. You’ll surely accomplish much in the future.”

“Thank you, Uncle.”

Seeing Sansi and the others finish eating, Taiyi stood and said, “It’s getting late. Let’s head to the guest hall and see how the Elder plans our journey.”

The four went together to the guest hall. The day was fully bright, and the sunlight invigorated them. Inside, Qi Fei and Liu Zhen were already present. Qi Fei saw Sansi and eagerly stood, grabbing Sansi’s arm with a smile, “Brother Sansi, I saw you yesterday but didn’t get to greet you before you and this rascal drank yourselves into oblivion. I’ve been wanting to chat with you.”

“Brother, I was at fault. Since parting at Qingyang, it's been some time. I should have toasted you yesterday, but you were at the East Courtyard with the elders and masters of every sect and school present. As a junior, it wasn’t proper for me to approach. Next time, I’ll make up for it with a few drinks.”

Before he finished, Ling Shuang laughed loudly, “Who would have thought Sansi, barely a month off the mountain, has learned proper etiquette—he speaks like a scholar, so polite, not the wild man he once was! Ha ha ha.”

Ye Sansi chuckled, and Liu Zhen continued, “Nephew Sansi, Nephew Taiyi, I intend to send the four of you to Fangcun Immortal Island for training, departing today. Any objections?”

Li Taiyi bowed and replied, “I have no objections. Father always said, ‘One can never have too many skills; the more you learn, the better.’”

Qi Fei was delighted, nodding with pride.

Ye Sansi also bowed in agreement, “Before coming to Liu Fortress, my intention was to cultivate at Fangcun Immortal Island. With elders from the Liu family escorting us, the journey will be much faster.”

Qi Fei laughed, “Ha ha ha, brother, be careful on that island. The people there aren’t like those in the mortal world—they’re quite eccentric. Don’t get yourself into trouble and get chased out.”

“Brother, how could I? I’ve seen much this past month, learned a lot about the world, and picked up some etiquette. I won’t cause trouble—rest assured.”

Taiyi chimed in, addressing Qi Fei, “Old man, don’t worry. Uncle Ye is even smarter than me. You let me wander the world alone, why not trust Uncle Ye?”

Ling Shuang couldn’t help but chuckle at Taiyi calling Ye Sansi ‘Uncle Ye,’ saying, “That ‘Uncle Ye’ sounds so affectionate, ha ha ha. Right, Sansi, the jade bracelet I gave you—keep it hidden, don’t wear it openly. I stole it from the immortal island. If they discover it, you’ll be in trouble.”

Liu Zhen smiled, shook his head helplessly, and said indulgently, “Shuang’er, you’re so mischievous. How could you steal things from the immortal island? Luckily those days, the powerful elders weren’t around, or you’d have been caught and fed to the fish, and I wouldn’t have been able to save you.”

“Father, I doubt they’d dare!”

“Shuang’er, Fangcun Immortal Island is different from other sects. If it were a minor sect, they wouldn’t dare offend Liu Fortress. But at Tianluo Mountain, Divine Sword Manor, or Fangcun Immortal Island, you mustn’t act recklessly.”

“I know, I’m clever—I won’t cause trouble. Besides, with Sansi, Taiyi, and Nian Er with me, nothing will go wrong.”

The Elder entered the guest hall, coughing a few times, drawing everyone’s attention. Liu Jin smiled, “What’s this? Why are you all so tense when I enter? Am I that frightening? It’s getting late; we should depart. We’ll reach the south coast by sunset.”

Taiyi asked, “Elder, how shall we travel?”

“Sansi, didn’t you take a treasure from me?”

Sansi realized and quickly took out the gourd from the jade bracelet, offering it with both hands to Liu Jin, “I beg your pardon, Elder, for taking your treasure. I was drunk yesterday and didn’t return it in time.”

“No matter. In front of Ling Shuang and the others, I’ve already agreed to give you the gourd and won’t go back on my word. Besides, I ride clouds and mist and have no use for it. It would only gather dust in the treasury. I’ll borrow it to carry you all for a stretch, and then you may keep it.” With that, Liu Jin took the gourd in hand and motioned everyone out of the hall.

They exited to the martial training grounds, which were spacious and suitable for spellcasting. Liu Jin ordered the Liu family disciples down the steps, then placed the gourd on the ground and waved his sleeve. The gourd rapidly expanded until it was nearly the size of half the training field. Sansi exclaimed, “This treasure gourd can grow so large—amazing! Our journey will be much faster than if I used it alone.”

Liu Jin simply smiled, then rose on clouds and cast a spell to send Sansi and the others onto the gourd. After they settled in, Liu Jin waved his hand, and the gourd soared straight into the clouds. Despite the speed, Sansi and the others felt no discomfort—the gourd’s magic protected its passengers.

Liu Jin folded his hands behind his back, gathering cloud energy beneath his feet as he flew through the air, leading the gourd swiftly onward.

The journey was incredibly fast. Normally, at such speeds, voices would be lost in the wind, but atop the gourd, everyone could converse clearly. Sansi marveled, “Elder, you wield this treasure far better than I. When I used it, the cold wind at high altitude tore at my skin and I couldn’t hear the elders clearly. This is much better—so comfortable all the way.”

Ling Shuang was delighted as well, weaving through the clouds and glimpsing sights rarely seen. She recalled the last time she rode the gourd—it was in childhood.

The four cheered and chatted happily, praising the beauty of the world. Liu Jin watched the children’s joy and smiled, not just at Ling Shuang but at Taiyi, Nian Er, and even Sansi. He found them all endearing—such is the nature of the elderly, who relish peaceful moments and love innocent children.

Liu Jin said, “Children, you’ve never seen the view atop the clouds, have you? Look at these clouds—from below, they seem tangible, as if they’d feel soft to the touch, but up close, you realize they’re just for admiring, not for touching.”

Sansi replied, “Your words carry meaning, Elder. Life is much the same—when we see something we yearn for, we wish to reach it in one leap, but when we finally obtain it, it seems as insubstantial as the clouds.”

Liu Jin said nothing, only laughed heartily, evidently pleased with Ye Sansi’s answer. Though he harbored some doubts about Ye Sansi, it didn’t diminish his appreciation. Along the way, the five conversed merrily, and time slipped by unnoticed.

The gourd was so large that when the four peered down, they saw only its body and not the scenery below—an unfortunate detail. Liu Jin noticed their disappointment at this and smiled, “Ha ha, you all want to see what the world below looks like? No need to rush—once you learn sword riding at Fangcun Immortal Island, you’ll see as much as you wish.”

As he spoke, the south coast finally appeared. Liu Jin cast his spell and the gourd descended gently. The four gazed out to see a vast ocean—such grandeur they had never witnessed before, and they were reluctant to look away. But as the gourd touched down, they disembarked.

The landing site was behind a village named South Sea Village. Beyond the village entrance lay the South Sea. By now, it was late and the sea was dangerous, so they decided to rest for the night and set out the next day.

August 23, 2020. It’s already eleven o’clock. Some things came up and there wasn’t enough time to revise the chapter. I didn’t want to break the update streak, so I’m posting it as is. I hope readers will forgive me. I’ll try to finish the revisions and post a complete version tomorrow. The first draft may contain typos and awkward sentences, so please read up to Chapter 58 for now.