Though White Banyan's cart looked unremarkable, it was anything but slow. In just over a month, they were deep within the southern border as they galloped forward on an azure gale.
Then, several demonic creatures appeared to block their path. They were led by a wolf demon with a greenish face, protruding fangs, and fiery red hair. He looked quite different from those in Jiangnan.
White Banyan barked twice as he proclaimed, "I am the White Fox of Mount Dali. Which blind fool dares bar my way?"
The wolf demon's expression changed. Its already ugly face wrinkled further as its four eyes widened. It called out, "So it's Grandpa Fox! Forgive us... forgive us... Since you’re passing the ridge, why not visit our great lord’s place? I’ll fetch some hot tea and invite you to enjoy a few blood buns."
White Banyan glanced at him and asked suspiciously, "Which backwater mountain is your lord from, to dare invite me over?"
The four-eyed wolf demon replied respectfully, "He is the Black Ape General under the lord of Mount Bifu[1], residing in Black Lacquer Ridge..."
"Scram, scram! Annoying pest!" White Banyan’s expression changed at the mention of the lord of Mount Bifu. A wave of his hand sent the wolf demon flying three meters away as he snapped, "Just a monkey, yet so full of himself!"
The two demonic creatures were swept into somersaults by the wind he stirred. Groaning in pain, they got up and shouted, "Be careful, Grandpa! There are shapeshifting shamans near the ridge. They are very treacherous..."
White Banyan had already sped several kilometers ahead, but the two demons were still calling out 'Grandpa, Grandpa' as they saw him off. Li Zhouwei looked thoughtful, and White Banyan snuck a glance at him before saying awkwardly, "I don’t know those yokel demons at all! Don’t overthink it. It’s just that as a fellow demonic creature, we exchange a few words when passing through."
"So that’s how it is." Li Zhouwei sensed something off in his tone. His golden eyes swept across the forest below, then he asked, "The lord of Mount Bifu must be a Purple Mansion Realm great demon, no? What’s his background?"
"Well..." White Banyan had pulled a few fruits from his robe, hoping to stall any questions, but was too slow. Left with no choice, he said, "The lord of Mount Bifu... his name is Cen Lufu. He’s a descendant of one of the Nine True Chi Sons, possibly tracing his lineage to the True Hornless Dragon's eighth son... whose corpse still lies at the bottom of what is now the Scarlet Pristine Sea.
"So although Cen Lufu is a serpent dragon, he’s never dared set foot in the Eastern Sea. He just lords over this southern border and colludes with a few other great demonic creatures. He's an old wretch, that one."
Cen Lufu... Li Zhouwei’s heart trembled at the name. He finally understood the awkward look on White Banyan’s face.
The demon king of the southern border, Cen Lufu, lord of Mount Bifu at the peak of Purple Mansion Realm. My own ancestor was refined by him... thought Li Zhouwei.
White Banyan knew well that Li Tongya’s own younger brother had been refined by Cen Lufu. That was why he had steered far away. Now that they had flown out of the mountain range, he finally dared to explain quietly, "Cen Lufu is a great demon on par with my lord, and was once an allied demon king of Chi Wei... Being a descendant of the Eighth Young Master, he’s truly formidable."
As Li Zhouwei watched Mount Yue grow distant, he memorized the name of the Bifu Mountain Lord. But his tone remained calm as he asked, "This lord’s true form is the Azure Water Serpent Dragon?"
"Correct." White Banyan let out a breath of relief at the neutral tone and replied, "If the Dragon Clan hadn’t disavowed him, he’d probably be considered some sort of Dragon King by now. He also knows how to refine pills and has some standing in the southern border.
"He was already at the mid-stage of the Purple Mansion Realm over two hundred years ago... Back then, he led demonic creatures to attack the fledgling Azure Pond Sect. That’s likely when Chi Wei first met him."
Li Zhouwei silently took note of that, while White Banyan advised, "That was centuries ago... best to let it lie. Cen Lufu is a long-lived old demon, among the top in the Purple Mansion Realm. Even my lord couldn’t defeat him."
Li Zhouwei responded with a smile, and only then did White Banyan breathe easier. He pointed to the distant forests and patted his chest as he said, "Most cultivators heading to the Southern Sea have to detour through the Eastern Sea, but you don’t. If you ever go there, just ride the wind all the way. If anyone in the mountain or valley dares block you, just slap them aside!"
Li Zhouwei said softly, "Wouldn’t that offend those mountain lords and generals?"
"Of course not!" White Banyan laughed heartily in answer. "You saw it yourself. Which little demon didn’t call me Grandpa along the way? These lesser demons have no hope of reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm. They’re just errand runners. I’m from the fox tribe, so I’m polite, but if it were a tiger or leopard, they’d just grab one and make them do their bidding."
The distant sea slowly came into view, and the stifling atmosphere lifted, along with White Banyan’s mood. The Southern Sea’s waters were darker, and the climate was hotter. Lüfang Island had already emerged on the horizon, with towering dark green trees reaching into the clouds.
But White Banyan veered eastward, and the waters gradually turned jade-green, signaling their entry into the Scarlet Pristine Sea.
The Scarlet Pristine Sea lay at the southernmost edge of the Eastern Sea, and bordered the Southern Sea to the east. White Banyan, being a lazy sort, stopped once they reached the edge.
He casually grabbed a lesser demon and sent it to notify the patrolling sea demonic creatures, then turned the cart back, saying, "That Dingjiao fellow will catch up on his own. We’ll go on ahead."
They rode the wind as they made their way back. Li Zhouwei looked out and saw the eastern islands of Lüfang Island scattered like stars. Though thick with jungles, there were few signs of human habitation and no cultivators coming or going.
"It’s quite different from the Eastern Sea," muttered Li Zhouwei.
No island in the Eastern Sea would be left so unused. It was nothing like the Southern Sea’s empty spaces. White Banyan glanced at him and said softly, "Cultivators in the Southern Sea live in underwater cave dwellings and palaces. These islands are like private gardens for major forces and are protected by strict formations. They’re used to grow spirit items and gather spiritual qi from the veins.
"Mortals live scattered across the larger islands like Lüfang and Songzhou. Each should be about the size of Yue State."
Li Zhouwei nodded in agreement. The seafloor of the Southern Sea wasn’t occupied by the Dragon Clan and was tens of thousands of times vaster than the surface. It had its own world, so there was no need to live above water.
Moreover, the Southern Sea wasn’t as closely connected to the mainland as the Eastern Sea was. The southern border served as a barrier, and trying to gather qi from the mainland meant crossing the entire Scarlet Pristine Sea. The dangers of such a journey were obvious, making local island gathering even more vital.
"Further south lies Danjungwulo, where Buddhist cultivators and devil cultivators are more common..." said White Banyan.
The name Danjungwulo reminded Li Zhouwei of what Li Qinghong had once mentioned. She said that a relative of theirs was cultivating there... possibly an illegitimate son from Yuanqing’s generation.
"Once the Dragon Clan matter is settled, I’ll head to Danjungwulo to have a look and visit that elder... I wonder if he even knows that our family lord has fallen."
Li Zhouwei and White Banyan traveled for most of the day, galloping deep into the sea. They were then greeted by a vast white seabed, dotted with coral and brightly lit as if it were daytime. Densely packed houses and streets stretched out, bearing an uncanny resemblance to the former Tail Subkingdom.
A thin light barrier covered the seabed, clearly marking it as a market. White Banyan looked excited, immediately putting away his cart and donning a cloak as he descended into the market.
1. 'Bifu' (碧馥) literally means jade-green fragrance. ☜