Ying Land was situated on the border of Tianyuan Prefecture, a region dominated by towering peaks and mountain ranges stretching for tens of thousands of miles. Winding through these mountains were two eastward-flowing rivers that emptied directly into the sea—one named the Gold River, and the other, the Silver River.
The Gold River was muddy and swift, named for its abundance of versatile Five-Elements Sand, which attracted cultivators year-round to mine the sand and earn a living through spirit stones.
The Silver River, by contrast, flowed gently with crystal-clear waters. Merchant caravans frequented this waterway, mooring their cargo-laden ships at the river mouth for mainland merchants to receive. As this was an essential gateway to the inner domains of Tianyuan Prefecture, the area bustled with constant activity, its river mouth teeming with an endless stream of travelers.
On this day, an unassuming small cargo boat drifted leisurely toward the ferry pier without attracting much notice. Yet, the group of youths aboard chatted and laughed, occasionally bursting into song or poking fun at one another over a game of cards. Their bright, cheerful laughter carried across the water, drawing fond, knowing smiles from the merchants and tourists on nearby vessels.
...
The morning sunlight was glorious beneath a spotless blue sky. A young girl dressed in green robes lay on the cargo boat with her eyes closed, resting. A stray blade of aquatic weed drifted by on the water, and she idly twirled it between her fingers, listening to the gentle splash of the oars slicing through the river while tuning out the endless laughter around her.
As the boat rocked gently back and forth, the gourd hanging at her waist bumped against the wooden deck, emitting occasional clacks.
“Hahaha, I win!”
“No more, no more! If I keep playing, I'll lose the belt off my pants.”
“Brother Chiqiong, don't be like that! Quitting when you're losing shows terrible card etiquette!”
“Forget He Chiqiong! At this rate, I might as well call myself 'He’s Broke Soon'!”
“No, no! It should be 'Broke Sooner or Later'!”
As the lively laughter persistently drifted into her ears, the girl in green rolled over and kept napping with her eyes closed, her expression tranquil and serene. Her features were delicate—not breathtakingly beautiful, but her skin was white as jade, her long eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings, and her lips held a natural, rosy sheen. Resting quietly amidst the faint morning mist rising off the river, she frequently drew the glances of the card-playing boys. Their eyes would linger on her face for a second or two before they shifted their gazes away with reddened ears, loudly returning to their card banter.
This young girl in green was, naturally, Shi Yu.
After parting ways with Qingzhou and the other two, she had set off alone for Tianyuan Prefecture. Relying on the instant thousand-mile teleportation of the Flying Star Dragon-Wandering Talismans, her progress had been extraordinarily swift. However, each time she used one, her body and divine sense suffered a tearing, pulling pain, forcing her to rest and recover after every activation. This necessary downtime had cost her a few extra days along the way.
Even so, she had finally managed to reach Tianyuan Prefecture before Shiyan Academy's enrollment began.
Tianyuan Prefecture possessed the richest spiritual energy among all thirty-two prefectures of the East Continent, serving as the heart of the entire continent. Spiritual meridians crisscrossed the land, and powerful experts abounded. To avoid drawing unnecessary attention and trouble, Shi Yu stopped using the Flying Star Dragon-Wandering Talismans once she reached the border of Tianyuan Prefecture, choosing instead to travel by water. Fortunately, she still had enough time, making this a perfect opportunity to gather news and learn about Tianyuan Prefecture's local customs, geography, and culture along the way...
En route, she had encountered this spirited group of youths traveling together to take the Shiyan Academy enrollment exam. When they were attacked by a rabid demon beast, she happened to pass by and dispatched it with ease. Consequently, she joined their journey, saving herself considerable effort in navigating the roads.
Thinking back to the day she bade farewell to Qingzhou and the others, Shi Yu let out a soft sigh in her heart.
She had originally decided that if they could not make it in time, she would simply wait for the next enrollment cycle. However, connected to her by a pact, Qingzhou shared a soul-deep resonance with her and faintly knew that a heavy mountain weighed upon her heart—that her thirst for strength grew stronger with each passing day. Thus, he had proposed that she use her spirit talismans to forge ahead alone while the three of them followed at a slower pace aboard the cloud boat, reuniting later in Tianyuan Prefecture.
She had intended to decline, but Qingzhou had said, “Ah Yu, this is the path you wish to take. Why accommodate us and delay your own cultivation path?”
Mo Tong had smiled in agreement. “It's only a brief separation. Wait for us in Tianyuan Prefecture, Ah Yu. At most, it will take us a year or six months to catch up.”
Ji Yu had chimed in beside them, “Sister, my master once said that while wealth, companions, techniques, and places are all essential for a cultivator's journey, in the end, this path is destined to be long and rugged. Certain stretches must be traveled alone.”
When the boy said this, he had put on a solemn, wise air mimicking his master, making Shi Yu burst into laughter. Ji Yu had chuckled innocently along with her, though his eyes had glistened with reluctant tears.
So, she had traveled with them for a bit longer until she accumulated enough Flying Star Dragon-Wandering Talismans before bidding them farewell and setting off alone.
...
Keeping her eyes closed, Shi Yu felt a glaring light persistently flashing across her eyelids. She turned her face to the side, yet the bright spot stubbornly followed her. Helpless, she opened her eyes and saw a charming young girl who looked to be only thirteen or fourteen years old making a playful face at her. Setting down the dagger she had just used to reflect sunlight into Shi Yu's eyes, the girl sat down warmly beside her. “Sister Ah Yu, stop sleeping! Come play leaf cards with us!”
This little girl was named He Lingling, the youngest of the group. Lively and adorable by nature, ever since Shi Yu casually rescued them from the rabid demon beast two days prior, she had taken an immense liking to Shi Yu and loved clinging to her.
Shi Yu had no interest in leaf cards, so she shook her head and said, “You go ahead and play.”
The little girl pouted, a bit disgruntled. “I'm not playing with them! They always cheat and trick me out of my allowance!”
Laughter and protests immediately erupted from the card players. “Lingling, winning or losing at cards—how can you call that tricking?”
He Lingling rolled her eyes, too annoyed to reply.
A handsome young gentleman over there spoke up to remind her, “Lingling, remember your manners as a lady.”
He Lingling didn't care in the slightest, sticking her tongue out in another face. “Brother, pay me back my money!”
The handsome young gentleman could only reply helplessly, “Yes, yes, yes.”
Watching the exchange between the brother and sister, a faint smile glinted in Shi Yu's eyes. As He Chiqiong's gaze swept across Shi Yu's face and caught that hint of a smile, he found himself unable to look away. Fortunately, the river was growing shallower here, filled with aquatic weeds, and a stray bit of windblown catkin brushed past his cheek, snapping him back to his senses. His face flushed as he cleared his throat. “Stop clinging to Miss Shi all the time. Let her have some peace and quiet.”
He Lingling ignored him completely, holding Shi Yu's hand as if she hadn't heard a word.
He Chiqiong could only shake his head with a wry smile.
Meanwhile, among the young people playing leaf cards, another girl of similar age to He Chiqiong noticed his expression. She glared at Shi Yu, almost snapping the leaf cards in her grip.
A female companion beside her leaned in close and whispered, “Luoyao, Young Master He comes from a noble background, while this Shi Yu's origins are completely unknown. What if she found out about his identity beforehand and deliberately approached him? You need to keep an eye out.”
Su Luoyao gritted her teeth and whispered back, “I think so too. I've always felt that the demon beast going wild that day was suspicious, and this woman appeared far too conveniently. The more I think about it, the more it feels like a setup she staged. Brother Chiqiong is simple-minded and straightforward; he wouldn't realize it even if he were being duped...”
This group of youths were all at the Qi Refining Realm. Shi Yu had restrained her aura to look as though her cultivation was comparable to theirs, but in truth, she had long since entered Foundation Establishment, her divine sense far exceeding theirs. Naturally, she perceived everything happening around her with utmost clarity. Though she had no intention of eavesdropping, the two girls' whispered conversation drifted straight into her ears.
Shi Yu felt no emotional ripples in her heart, but as she always disliked trouble, she decided she would part ways with them and leave on her own once they went ashore.
Looking up, she watched the prosperous river mouth draw closer across the shimmering waters. She could clearly see row upon row of buildings in the riverside town, many featuring dazzling golden glazed-tile roofs that reflected the brilliant sunlight, exuding an air of rich prosperity.
“Tianyuan Prefecture... I've finally arrived.”
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