Chapter 111: Traveling Together, Leaving the Northern Territory for the First Time
Once the decision is made, there is no more hesitation.
Ye Li made careful arrangements for the affairs of Youge. Lin Feng sat in the Xuanyun Sect headquarters, responsible for daily operations and intelligence gathering, Xia Zhihe assisted in handling internal affairs, and Han Li focused on training newly recruited members. Sun Xiaohou, who was extremely clever and good at concealment and reconnaissance, was chosen by Ye Li to lead a capable team as a vanguard and secretly accompany them. Their mission was not to provide close protection, but to establish secret intelligence points in advance along the routes that Ye Li and Qin Yixuan traveled, collect information from various places, and lay the foundation for possible subsequent needs. Following Ye Li's footsteps, the tentacles of Youge will truly extend outside the sect for the first time.
Before leaving, Ye Li went to see Master Mu Yun for one last time. Master and disciple exchanged few words. Master Mu Yun simply handed Ye Li an ancient jade pendant, explaining that it contained three powerful, all-out attacks, potentially saving his life in a crucial moment. He then meticulously instructed him on various matters to be aware of during his journey, his concern evident in his words.
"Master, take care. I am leaving now." Ye Li bowed deeply and kept this kindness of his master in his heart.
Elsewhere, within the Bishui Pavilion, Qin Yixuan faced a similar situation. Mr. Shuijing looked at his most outstanding disciple with a mixture of pride and concern. He also bestowed upon her a protective treasure and warned her that while divine origins presented a tremendous opportunity, they could also carry immense consequences. She must always maintain her original heart and never forget her roots.
"Disciple will remember Master's teachings." Qin Yixuan bowed gracefully, with reluctance in her cold eyes.
The day they chose to leave the sect was a clear, bright morning. Without alerting too many people, two streams of light quietly left the gates of Xuanyun Sect and Bishui Pavilion, reuniting outside a remote town called "Wangbei" on the border of the Northern Territory.
When Ye Li descended on the flying light, he immediately saw Qin Yixuan who had been waiting at the agreed place.
Today, Qin Yixuan wasn't wearing the Bishui Pavilion's signature attire. Instead, she wore a light-blue, easy-to-move-in white outfit, topped off with a pale blue cape. Her long black hair was tied back in a simple bun, giving her a less aloof, more refined air of a woman of the underworld. She stood beneath an ancient tree, the morning light filtering through its branches and leaves, casting a soft glow over her.
Seeing Ye Li coming, Qin Yixuan turned around, and a faint arc appeared on the corner of her lips: "Here I am."
"Yeah." Ye Li nodded. She also changed out of the Xuanyun Sect's authentic clothing and put on a neat black dress. She had a cold temperament and stood with Qin Yixiuan. One was black and the other was white, one was cold and the other was gentle, but there was a strange sense of harmony.
"Let's... go?" Qin Yixuan asked softly, her tone carrying a hint of anticipation for an unknown journey, as well as an imperceptible, subtle excitement of traveling with Ye Li.
"Okay." Ye Li said concisely.
The two smiled at each other and did not choose to control the dazzling escape light. Instead, they walked into Wangbei City like ordinary travelers, intending to leave the Northern Territory through the cross-domain teleportation array in the city.
Although Wangbei City was a small town, it was a vital hub on the northern border, making it quite prosperous. The streets were bustling with people, cultivators of various races mingling in a cacophony of auras. Ye Li and Qin Yixuan restrained their powerful Yuandan realm auras, blending in unnoticed among the crowd.
They could feel that there were several hidden auras following them not far away. It was the Youge team led by Sun Xiaohou, who had already begun to perform their duties.
At the city's largest "Wantong Trading Company," they paid a hefty fee and embarked on a cross-domain teleportation array leading to the "Thousand Flow Plains" in the central region. The teleportation array lit up, and the power of space fluctuated. After a brief moment of dizziness, the scene before them had changed dramatically.
The ice and snow and biting cold winds of the Northern Territory vanished, replaced by a vast, boundless plain, densely networked with waterways, and imbued with spiritual energy. The sky was a clear blue, and the air was filled with the fresh fragrance of moist grass and trees, a stark contrast to the dryness and coldness of the Northern Territory.
The Thousand Flow Plains, located on the edge of the central region of the Thousand Realms Spirit Realm, is named for the thousands of rivers and streams crisscrossing its territory. The complex interplay of power here is unparalleled. Unlike the Xuanyun Sect or the Bishui Pavilion in the Northern Territory, which dominate as single, dominant sects, the Thousand Flow Plains are instead controlled by numerous sects, clans, and city alliances. With well-informed networks and a flourishing trade, it serves as a crucial transportation hub connecting to other regions of the Spirit Realm.
Leaving the teleportation hall, experiencing a completely different local customs and practices, both Ye Li and Qin Yixuan felt a sense of novelty. This was the world outside the Northern Territory: vast, unfamiliar, filled with infinite possibilities, yet also lurking with unknown dangers.
"Let's find a place to stay first and learn about the specific conditions of this place." Ye Li suggested. Traveling is not about wandering around blindly; information is crucial.
Qin Yixuan naturally had no objections. The two of them found a quiet and clean inn in Wanchuan City, the largest city on the Qianliu Plains (Sun Xiaohou had scouted it in advance) and stayed there.
After settling in, Ye Li quietly met Sun Xiaohou, who had been waiting there, through Youge's special communication method.
"Pavilion Master!" Sun Xiaohou was excited and respectful when he saw Ye Li. After more than half a year, his cultivation had improved significantly, reaching the peak of the Condensed Veins Realm, and his eyes were more lively.
"What's the situation?" Ye Li asked directly.
"Pavilion Master, the situation in Wanchuan City is complex. There are three main forces: the Wanchuan Alliance, which controls the city's order and teleportation arrays and is composed of several local major families; the Baibao Building, which monopolizes over 70% of the trade in the plains and has a mysterious background, rumored to be connected to certain major chambers of commerce in the Central Region; and the Qianliu Water Mansion, entrenched in the deep waters outside the city. It is a demonic force that maintains aloofness from the human race." Sun Xiaohou quickly reported the initial intelligence he had gathered. "The city has been relatively peaceful recently, and I haven't heard of any major incidents. We've rented an inconspicuous courtyard in the city as a temporary base and are trying to contact some small-scale local intelligence dealers."
Ye Li nodded. Sun Xiaohou was very efficient. "Well done. Continue gathering intelligence, focusing on the movements of the major forces in the Central Region and unusual events, especially... rumors about ancient ruins, strange fragments, or the 'Eclipse Realm' and 'Returning Ruins.'"
"Yes! I understand!" Sun Xiaohou took the order and retreated quietly.
Back at the inn, Ye Li shared what she had learned with Qin Yixuan. Qin Yixuan also took out some jade slips about the customs and people of the Central Region that she had brought from the Bishui Pavilion, and the two studied them together.
Over the next few days, they didn't rush to leave Wanchuan City. Instead, they wandered around the city like ordinary cultivators, familiarizing themselves with the surroundings. They visited the bustling market, seeing all sorts of unique items from various realms; they also visited teahouses where cultivators exchanged ideas and listened to various news; they even hid their cultivation and took on a few simple missions within the city, experiencing the life of the local cultivators.
Throughout this process, their rapport grew. Ye Li's calm and decisiveness complemented Qin Yixuan's subtle insight. Qin Yixuan discovered that Ye Li wasn't as cold-hearted as she appeared; she possessed unique perspectives on many things, and her occasional glimpses of maturity, belying her age, intrigued her. Ye Li, in turn, grew to appreciate Qin Yixuan's kindness and resilience beneath her cool exterior, as well as her occasional flashes of girlish innocence.
That evening, the two of them watched the sunset from the famous Guanlan Terrace in Wanchuan City. Below them was the ever-flowing river, and in the distance was a magnificent sight of the water and sky merging into one.
"Only after leaving the Northern Territory did I realize how vast the world is." Qin Yixuan sighed softly as he watched the sunset glow dye the river a golden red. "In the past, when I was in the pavilion, I always thought that the Northern Territory was the center of the world. Now it seems that I was just looking at the world from a well."
Ye Li stood with her hands behind her back, the river breeze ruffling her hair. "Though the world is vast, the Tao is one. No matter where we are, we must remain true to our original aspirations and keep moving forward."
Qin Yixuan turned her head to look at Ye Li's profile, which was outlined by the setting sun, and her heart moved slightly. She suddenly felt that with such a person walking with her, this long journey of cultivation seemed less lonely and cold.
"Ye Li," she suddenly spoke, her tone tinged with seriousness, "We may encounter many unexpected dangers on the road ahead. We... must take care of each other."
Ye Li heard this and turned her head to meet Qin Yixuan's clear and serious gaze. The afterglow of the setting sun fell into her eyes, as if igniting two clusters of warm flames. Ye Li's heartstrings were gently plucked, and she nodded. Although her voice was soft, it carried the weight of her promise:
"good."
One word is as heavy as a thousand pounds.
The sun sank completely below the horizon, night fell, and the lights of Wanchuan City lit up. The two young women stood side by side on a high platform, gazing upon the unfamiliar and vast world before them. Their journey of travel had officially begun. Their destinies would become even more intertwined during this journey together. The hidden chess pieces of the Youge had quietly been laid, spreading like a spider web deeper into the Thousand Realms Spirit World.
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