This is where the Qingzhou Reefs and the large island of Qingzhou Island which belonged to Changxiao Gate were located. The island resembled a long and narrow boat with multiple peaks and a myriad of scattered reefs around it. Cultivators passed to and fro, spirit boats rose and fell upon the waves, and various demonic beasts swam through the vibrant jade-red waters, creating a lively scene.
Li Ximing watched for a while and noticed a large boat sailing across the sea. It was filled with revelry, and he could hear the faint sounds of silk and bamboo instruments drifting across the water. Several shrimp and crab people stood around in robes, drinking and making merry.
There was no saying in the outer sea that all monsters had to be killed. In fact, the three seas were essentially the domain of the demonic creatures, governed by the dragon species. The demonic creatures on the boat wore robes and bowed with human-like decorum, while the female demons played the pipa and sang. It was no different from humans.
"How curious..." Li Ximing sighed in amazement
Beside him, Li Xijun spoke softly, "Golden Tang Gate’s Golden Sack Island and Profound Peak Gate’s Yuezhou Island lie about two thousand five hundred kilometers south from here. Hengzhu Dao’s Suzhu Reefs is just under five hundred kilometers to the east."
When he heard the name Suzhu Reefs, Li Ximing’s brows furrowed. He seemed to suddenly recall something and became momentarily dazed. Li Qinghong led the group across the sea, her eyes sweeping the densely scattered reefs below. Judging by the scale, the area was far from small.
"Just the islands alone is probably half a commandery in size. If we include the sea surrounding the reefs, it stretches endlessly!"
Li Ximing let out a sigh. He hadn’t been to the Eastern Sea many times and wasn’t familiar with the powers scattered across the waters. Only now did he realize he had underestimated how important the Eastern and Southern Seas were to the Three Sects and Seven Gates.
He glimpsed flashes of dharma light from a battle in the distance and murmured, "It truly is a different scene. We’ve seen many cultivators dueling with dharma arts along the way."
Li Qinghong had spent many years navigating the outer seas and was quite familiar with the situation, so she wasn’t surprised. She said softly, "The inland territories are the domains of the True Monarchs. Each sect’s clansmen live within their commandery, and both spirit veins and spiritual energy are incredibly precious, so they are too fragile for open warfare. Unless matters escalate to a full-blown war of extermination, no one would dare invade a sect stronghold. Most of the conflict between the Three Sects and Seven Gates unfolds here in the outer seas."
Li Ximing looked as if he had suddenly understood. Hands behind his back, he replied, "No wonder Changxiao Gate and Hengzhu Dao have been at odds for so long, yet there’s barely any news from inland. So they’ve been fighting it out at sea."
Li Xijun nodded. His white robe fluttered in the sea breeze, and he gently held his blue-white frosted longsword, Han Lin, in his arms. He said softly, "Changxiao Gate has risen rapidly in recent years, displaying something new every day. Hengzhu Dao Gate, by contrast, has a long history and deep foundations. Both gates’ territories lie among these scattered reefs... they’ve taken the best spots."
Even immortal sects followed a hierarchy, and that was on full display. Golden Tang Gate’s Golden Sack Island and Profound Peak Gate’s Yuezhou Island were far less impressive. They were not only smaller in size but also lacking in resources. To put it bluntly, they were little more than commercial towns.
The group passed over Qingzhou Reefs and descended toward Suzhu Reefs. Compared to Qingzhou, the islands here were more sparsely distributed but much larger. The rocks were a vivid red, seemingly imbued with the aura of departing flame.
The disk-shaped Suzhu Island lay at the center. The marketplace glowed brightly, not through modern formations but through the spontaneously formed scarlet runes, which resonated with the ambient spiritual energy.
Li Qinghong formed a spell seal, activating the Chongming Profound Insight Screen hidden in her sleeve. The screen unfurled, releasing a soft golden iridescence. The Perception Severance effect could only conceal a nine meter radius.
She turned slightly and said, "Three Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators descending together draws too much attention. You two split up and scout the surroundings. One to the Qingzhou Reefs, the other to the Suzhu Reefs. Return after a few days."
Both men agreed. Li Qinghong deliberately dispersed her lightning aura and descended on the wind. The grand formation of Hengzhu Dao Gate quickly responded. The red rune flickered back into the island, and a cultivator from Hengzhu Dao Gate came out to receive her, likely having sensed her Foundation Establishment Realm cultivation.
Li Qinghong exchanged a few words with the cultivator and entered the formation. Meanwhile, Li Ximing appeared unsettled as he stared blankly ahead.
Li Xijun studied him for a moment and called out. Only then did Li Ximing respond with an explanation, "You’re meticulous, Brother Xijun. It’s better for you to head to Qingzhou Reefs. I’ll stay nearby and have a look around."
"Alright." Li Xijun nodded lightly and flew northward on his frost and snow aura. The other man remained in place. His fists were clenched within his Daoist robe as he hesitated for quite a while before eventually drifting southward.
Wisps of drifting clouds floated above, and the seawater shimmered in shades of jade and crimson. He frowned and clenched his jaw, glanced at the sky, then continued south for fifty kilometers until he finally spotted a few salt reefs exposed above the waves.
His heart thumped wildly as he flew another fifteen kilometers south. The gleaming white salt reefs became increasingly numerous, and Li Ximing pursed his lips and thought to himself, She once said her home brimmed with Li Fire and that the earth veins were particularly fierce, causing seawater to constantly steam from the reef hollows and leaving behind layer upon layer of salt frost... This must be the place."
Li Ximing landed silently on the largest salt reef. When he sent his spiritual sense out for a sweep, he immediately detected something amiss beneath a large boulder. There was a square-shaped crevice hidden beneath it. An ordinary cultivator wouldn’t have noticed anything, but with his Foundation Establishment Realm cultivation, such a small trick wouldn’t deceive him.
He hurriedly fumbled about and retrieved a jade box from his storage pouch. It was elegant and finely crafted, gilded with threads of gold. When he lifted the lid, the sea breeze nearly blew away a small bundle of white paper inside.
Li Ximing instantly shielded the bundle with his mana and unfolded the stack. Each sheet held a portrait of his younger self, mostly cold and expressionless, standing alone in a courtyard. A few showed him seated with a woman on his lap, a pale blue orchid tucked in her hair.
He didn’t linger on the drawings. Instead, he took out the jade pendant that had been carefully wrapped, then swiftly packed the box away. When he held the pendant before the crevice, he saw that it fit perfectly into the hollow.
Just as he was about to channel his mana, Li Ximing suddenly came to a belated realization. He reached up to feel his chin and discovered a beard nearly two fingers long. He hadn’t even noticed it before.
"It’s already been over thirty years!"
He stared silently at the sea. The reflection looking back at him was unfamiliar. It was youthful at first glance, yet his aged eyes gave him away. The Daoist robe on his body lacked the lightness it once had.
Li Ximing quickly trimmed his beard and changed into a new set of robes. But after a second glance, he felt even more mismatched. He looked worse than before. Regret surged within him, Too deliberate!
He sighed. Mana surged in his hand as the stone reef before him slowly opened. Li Ximing slowly looked up. Inside the formation, the most eye-catching sight was a grand red plaque, its calligraphy vigorous and unrestrained.
Two words were written upon it, Meng Mansion.