Chapter 11
Sword-ships and treasure-boats as great as mountains, carry immortals to the Plum Blossom Gathering.
On golden clouds and colored mist, they ride phoenixes and luan birds, truly a magnificent sight!
In the depths of winter, tens of thousands of cultivators journeyed to Penglai Immortal Island. For a time, golden light flashed and rainbows shimmered brilliantly.
On the shores of the Carefree Sea, fishermen gazed from afar at the auspicious light surrounding the immortal island. Recalling the tales of their ancestors, they believed the immortals were holding a banquet and prostrated themselves in worship.
Over the past few days, the great and small sects of the Carefree Sea, numbering in the hundreds, were all making their way to Penglai Immortal Island. The closer they got to the island, the more frequently they encountered other sects.
Along the way, Fei Xing saw dozens of sword cultivators, each arriving on their own flying swords. He saw a group of brightly-robed immortal cultivators arriving in a glazed treasure pagoda. He saw others riding various immortal beasts. In short, each of them arrived in varied and diverse ways.
He also saw a sect with a stern, imposing aura riding in a disc that resembled a golden nao (an ancient percussion instrument). It flew through the heavens, casting down beams of cold light, making it exceptionally eye-catching.
Upon arriving at Penglai Immortal Island, a great avenue would likely be the first thing to greet one's eyes.
The avenue was extremely wide, with various merchant guilds and treasure pavilions lining both sides. At its end, it connected with other roads, and so the large and small paths intertwined, resembling a bustling mortal marketplace.
There were eighteen such districts on Penglai Immortal Island, all located in the outermost ring.
Further inward, the island was meticulously divided into dozens of different zones according to their specific functions.
After the Lingsu Sword Sect landed, they proceeded inward. Yu Shuang deliberately remained behind, waiting for Fei Xing to arrive before leading him to follow the group.
Not long after the two of them had left, a young woman riding a qilin descended. Her excited cheers drew the frequent glances of the immortal cultivators around her.
For the sake of this Immortal Plum Blossom Gathering, the Eastern Emperor Immortal Sect had constructed many immortal teleportation gates in the outer area of the island. Passing through one would lead directly to the gathering.
The cost of a single teleportation gate was roughly equivalent to the annual expenditure of a small sect. Such an extravagant display naturally left the various sects in awe.
The members of the Lingsu Sword Sect passed through the immortal gate and arrived at the district where the Immortal Plum Blossom Gathering was held.
It was in a basin surrounded by mountains, located near the island's center. The area was vast, and the scenery was elegant and refined.
As soon as they landed, a refined and gentle man in magnificent brocade robes came forward to greet them.
"May I ask where you are from?"
"We represent the Lingsu Sword Sect, here to attend the Immortal Plum Blossom Gathering," Dan Feng replied. She noted that the man before her was at the mid-stage of the Golden Core Realm.
For even a person greeting them to have such a high cultivation: truly worthy of being the Eastern Emperor Immortal Sect!
"The Lingsu Sword Sect, you have twenty eligible participants," the man said, his gaze sweeping over the people behind Dan Feng. He smiled and added, "Is there one extra?"
His earlier scan had revealed that there were twenty-one people below the Life-Essence Realm.
"Our records show that your sect only accepts female disciples. Might I ask who this is?"
Since this was the Eastern Emperor Immortal Sect, which considered itself the foremost of all immortal sects, it was no surprise that they had collected and recorded information on the various sects of the world.
The man's gaze fell upon Fei Xing.
Yu Shuang said, "He is not a member of our sect. He is merely with me to see the world. I hope you can make an exception."
"In that case, it is not a problem," the man said kindly. "Please, follow me."
He led the people of the Lingsu Sword Sect to a pavilion.
The pavilion had three stories, with eight great rooms on each floor, corresponding to the eight directions, which was just enough to accommodate twenty-four people.
There were countless such vermilion pavilions and jade towers in this area, all meant for temporary lodging.
Between the pavilions, various ancient pavilions, moon-viewing terraces, soaring corridors, and waterside pavilions were scattered in an elegant and pleasing arrangement. Rare and precious paintings, carvings, and exotic ornaments were visible everywhere. Immortal mist swirled, and divine light flowed; no matter how luxurious a mortal estate would be, it could not compare to even a third of this place.
The total cost of it all must have been astronomical.
The members of the Lingsu Sword Sect, especially the younger disciples, upon seeing this, grew even more in awe and admiration of the Eastern Emperor Immortal Sect.
Compared to the Lingsu Sword Sect's own place...
If they were to live here for a month and then return to their sect, they would probably find it somewhat lacking.
Seeming to notice their thoughts, Chang Yi hastily said:
"Cultivation is about cultivating the body and the mind. External things are but floating clouds."
"Mmm..." the disciples murmured in reply.
To say such a thing at this moment was truly unconvincing.
Yu Shuang suddenly looked at Fei Xing and asked, "What do you think?"
"What?"
"What do you think of this place?"
Fei Xing said honestly, "I have never seen such a fairyland before."
Dan Feng teased, "Why don't you try to join the Eastern Emperor Immortal Sect?"
The man leading them said with a smile, "Our sect values the extraordinary. With such a fine appearance, this young friend might actually succeed."
Dan Feng said in surprise, "Did you hear that, Fei Xing?"
Fei Xing shook his head as a matter of course. "Wherever my Master is, that is where I will be."
The "Master" he spoke of was naturally Yu Shuang.
As soon as he said this, the surrounding disciples immediately began to whisper among themselves. Dan Feng covered her mouth and chuckled lightly, and even Chang Yi gave him a subtle look.
Fei Xing looked at Yu Shuang in confusion and asked, "Master, did I say something wrong?"
Yu Shuang turned her head away, as if she couldn't bear to look at him, and merely said, "Don't speak anymore."
The Eastern Emperor Immortal Sect, the leader of the righteous path, was immensely wealthy and powerful. They provided not only lodging but also food.
That night.
After enjoying the sumptuous feast provided for free, Fei Xing began his cultivation once more.
For most cultivators, the cultivation of the Opening Awareness Realm was the most interesting.
This was not only because it was a new experience, but also because the improvement was obvious. One could feel themselves advancing a little more each day, and tangible progress provided motivation.
It had already been five days since he broke through to the mid-stage of the Opening Awareness Realm. He wondered how much longer it would be until his next breakthrough.
Fei Xing sank into his own Sea of Consciousness.
At first, his sea of immortal consciousness was merely like a small pond; now, it had become a lake.
Reaching the late-stage of the Opening Awareness Realm in ten days of cultivation, was his speed considered fast or slow?
The immortal energy here was dense. Though it couldn't compare to being by Master Yu Shuang's side, it was several times richer than in ordinary places. Such an opportunity could not be wasted.
Fei Xing's will sank into his Sea of Consciousness as his body breathed in the immortal energy, extracting the essence and expelling the waste.
Yu Shuang had since given him a few more books, all of which would be useful to him before he reached the Golden Core Realm.
Right now, he was like one of the numerous scattered cultivators without a sect who were spread throughout the Carefree Sea.
His next breakthrough would be into the Heart Observation Realm.
The immortal path begins with the opening of awareness; with awareness opened, one can look inward to contemplate the heart.
To look inward and contemplate the heart, does it mean one must look inward to see the heart? It seems I still need to achieve enlightenment.
Fei Xing pondered this as he cultivated.
He didn't know how much time had passed when he suddenly opened his eyes.
It wasn't because he had comprehended something, but because a flower-shaped red light began to glow beneath the skin of his chest.
*****
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