The sound of birds chirping filled the air, accompanied by the gentle murmuring of a stream.
The morning valley was exceptionally serene and peaceful, exuding a timeless tranquility. A young girl dressed in yellow emerged from a rocky cave. Inhaling the fragrance of wild flowers that filled the valley, she walked over to the stream to wash her face.
Catching her reflection in the water, she saw that her cheeks were still somewhat bruised and swollen.
She couldn't help pouting. If only she knew healing arts; a single spell would be enough to dispel the swelling and bruises, restoring her pretty face to its pristine condition.
Too bad she only knew how to wield a spear.
As she wondered when the swelling would finally go down so she could return to see her Eldest Senior Brother, she looked up and spotted an immensely familiar figure in green robes standing atop a nearby peak.
"Ah, Eldest Senior Brother?!!"
Her green robes fluttering softly, that figure traversed the empty air and landed right before the yellow-clad girl.
It was none other than Li Wangyi.
"Eldest Senior Brother, how... how did you get here?" Qiu Susu blinked her large eyes, feeling rather sheepish.
Li Wangyi smiled warmly. "You made such a huge commotion yesterday that the entire Upper Courtyard knows about it. How do you think I got here?"
"I wasn't, I didn't..."
"Thinking that hiding here means I wouldn't find out, huh? Still acting just like when you were a little girl... so cute."
Qiu Susu felt even more embarrassed.
Seeing the bruises on her face, Li Wangyi felt a pang of heartache. With a casual wave of his long sleeve, a gust of "Buhan Willow Wind" swept toward Qiu Susu.
After the gentle breeze brushed past, the bruises on her face vanished, leaving her skin smooth, fair, and tender once again.
Qiu Susu touched her face, then looked at her reflection in the water, instantly bursting with joy.
"Thank you, Eldest Senior Brother!"
Watching her innocent and endearing demeanor, Li Wangyi couldn't help smiling.
He shook his head and shifted the topic. "Yesterday's incident with Guo An—I didn't care about it at all. Why were you in such a fiery rush? Besides, a few words won't chunk any meat off my bones."
"That won't do! He can insult me, but insulting my Eldest Senior Brother is out of the question. Besides, I beat him up anyway, humph!"
Clutching her large spear, the yellow-clad girl lifted her chin, her attitude resolute.
"Fine—let's go home."
Li Wangyi took a single step, rose on the wind, and headed toward Tingxi Garden.
"Eldest Senior Brother, wait for me!"
Seeing that her Eldest Senior Brother was already flying out of the valley, Qiu Susu immediately sprang into action, using the stream rocks and treetops to vault forward a few times, quickly catching up.
***
A few days later, in the main hall of Tingxi Garden.
It was a rare occasion for Zhou Lengxi to summon Li Wangyi first thing in the morning.
"Sir!" Li Wangyi gave a lazy salute.
He had stayed up late reading books last night, so he was suffering from a bit of morning crankiness.
Zhou Lengxi glanced at him, said nothing for a moment, and then stated coldly, "Two months from now, the Divine Lord Lady of Donghua Mountain will host the once-in-a-century God-Roaming Festival. She has a grace of protecting the Dao toward our lineage, so we must present her with a congratulatory gift."
"The Divine Lord Lady of Donghua Mountain is hosting the God-Roaming Festival? And we have to send a gift?"
"Mmm. Throughout her life, the Divine Lord Lady has loved only wine and the zither. We don't have fine wine, but as for a zither—just a few months ago, I acquired an ancient zither with quite a history. You will deliver it to her on your teacher's behalf."
Li Wangyi was somewhat surprised.
The Divine Lord Lady of Donghua Mountain was the paramount figure of the Divine Path in the Northern Zhige Continent, standing as one of the strongest powerhouses overlooking the entire continent.
To think that such an existence could have ties with their scholarly lineage.
Then, his brow twitched slightly. "If I remember correctly, Donghua Mountain stands on the edge of the Eastern Territory, near the Penglai Sea, separated by thousands of miles."
The Eastern Territory mentioned here naturally referred to the eastern region of the Northern Zhige Continent, which was at the very least several thousand miles away from the central part of the Northern Zhige Continent where Hanshan Academy was located.
Between the lines, Li Wangyi clearly showed that he did not want to go.
Zhou Lengxi glared at him angrily. "You dare refuse?"
Li Wangyi instantly caved. "I wouldn't dare. A teacher's command is greater than the heavens. Since your elderly self has spoken, how could I dare not go?"
Seeing him yield, Zhou Lengxi's anger subsided slightly.
"I'm having Little Qianjun go with you."
"Xiao Qian'er is going too?"
As soon as his voice trailed off, Little Qianjun flew into the living room, carrying a miniature little book box on her back and supporting with both hands an ancient zither several times larger than herself.
"Eldest Senior Brother, I've packed everything!"
Little Qianjun placed the zither on the table and patted the miniature book box on her back.
Though small and compact, this book box was actually a storage magic treasure. Travel permits, silver coins, changes of clothes, and all other necessities—including the books Li Wangyi had borrowed a few days prior—were packed inside.
Li Wangyi tapped Little Qianjun's cute little nose. "You've worked hard, Xiao Qian'er."
Afterward, he inspected the ancient zither. The entire instrument was purplish-black in color, marked with mottled crack patterns and featuring a deer-horn ash lacquer base, radiating a desolate and solemn beauty.
With a gentle pluck, the zither notes sounded vast and melodious, reminiscent of towering mountains and flowing rivers.
Above the dragon pond on the bottom, the four characters "Dragon Chant of the Vast Sea" were inscribed in seal script, while the left side bore another inscription: "Soaring Beyond the Clouds, Its Footsteps Carefree," its profound heritage clearly evident.
Truly a fine zither!
Li Wangyi packed the zither into its case and had Little Qianjun store it inside her compact book box as well.
Mistress and Little Junior Sister Qiu Susu came to see them off.
Mistress handed Li Wangyi a money pouch. "A poor home makes for a rich journey. Xiao Yi, take this money. Spend what needs to be spent on the road; don't be stingy."
Li Wangyi took the money pouch, weighed it, and noticed the weight felt wrong. Upon opening it, he discovered that what filled the bag was not ordinary gold or silver, but ancient copper coins pulsating with spiritual charm of the Great Dao.
These Great Dao copper coins were manifestations of the Great Dao born of heaven and earth, making them the rarest currency in the entire world. They were divided into four types: Spring Plowing Coins, Summer Planting Coins, Autumn Harvest Coins, and Winter Storage Coins.
These four types of Great Dao copper coins were universally accepted currencies among cultivators across all continents. Besides serving as a general equivalent, each possessed wondrous and unique uses.
Among them, Spring Plowing Coins helped temper the divine body.
Summer Planting Coins aided in the cultivation of divine abilities.
Autumn Harvest Coins assisted in nourishing the divine soul.
Winter Storage Coins helped one comprehend the Great Dao.
In the mortal realm, the saying went, "With money, you can make ghosts push grindstones." Among cultivators, however, the motto was, "With money, you can make gods, ghosts, immortals, buddhas, and demons push grindstones"—and that referred to genuine gods, ghosts, immortals, buddhas, and demons.
That is, provided you had enough Great Dao copper coins!
In this money pouch, Mistress had stuffed a full string of each of the four types of Great Dao copper coins, with one thousand five hundred coins per string, totaling six thousand coins.
This sight made Zhou Lengxi's skin twitch and his heart ache fiercely.
His monthly salary was only a thousand Great Dao copper coins, so this single stroke wiped out half a year's income. How were they supposed to live the days ahead?
Yet since his wife had taken them out, he could only pretend he hadn't seen anything.
Knowing the immense value of these Great Dao copper coins, Li Wangyi glanced at the less-than-natural expression of the Vice Hill Master, then accepted them without the slightest hesitation.
"Thank you, Mistress!"
"Silly child, why are you being so polite with your mistress?" Wu Ying said with a loving expression. "Xiao Yi, I heard that Jiang Jinwan, the disciple of the Divine Lord Lady of Donghua Mountain, is not only exceptionally beautiful and gentle in nature, but also possesses supreme talent and a Dao-conformed body. Once you arrive, you should pay her more attention. If you can win her heart, the old man and I will go personally to present betrothal gifts for you."
Ah, how did the conversation suddenly shift to this?
Li Wangyi was stunned. Beside him, the yellow-clad girl Qiu Susu was filled with great anticipation for her future senior sister-in-law and pleaded, "Sir, let me go down the mountain with Eldest Senior Brother too!"
"Go down where? Wait until you've practiced your Heaven-Slaying Spear to the seventh level before even talking about it," Zhou Lengxi rebuked irritably.
He was still nursing a heartache over his six thousand Great Dao copper coins about to be squandered.
Qiu Susu's little face fell, and she made a despairing expression; her Heaven-Slaying Spear technique had only reached the third level.
Disregarding the old man's attitude entirely, Wu Ying carefully reiterated various precautions they should keep in mind after heading down the mountain.
The old madam had never borne children of her own, so she had long since treated her three disciples and Little Qianjun as her very own children.
"Take care, Mistress!"
"Mmm, you and Xiao Qian'er be careful on the road as well. Remember to send letters to report that you're safe."
Finally, Zhou Lengxi said with a darkened face, "Since you have read ten thousand books, you must travel ten thousand miles. On this trip to the Eastern Territory, I hope you will walk more and fly less, taking in the scenery and human sentiments along the way, verifying what you have learned over the years and purifying the Great Dao in your heart."
"Understood." Li Wangyi obeyed.
Yet the very next instant, air currents surged violently as he already conjured a long wind, leading Little Qianjun into the distance.
A single breath of noble spirit, a thousand miles of joyous wind!
I am off!