The Return of Stars to the Jianghu

Chapter 192 The flying boat arrives at Wanghe City and teleports to the Red Continent

As the light from the teleportation array gradually faded, darkness returned to the surroundings. Besides the initial faint green glow, several strange, eerie lights quietly appeared. Clearly, this illusory realm of consciousness resembled a void in the vast universe.

Luo Yifei's primordial spirit floated in this dark void, having long since shaken off his initial discomfort. He turned to Ye Fan beside him and asked, "Senior Ye, are you from the same era as Senior Qingluan?"

"I suppose so," Ye Fan replied, looking at Luo Yifei. "Actually, on a cosmic scale, we can all be considered people from the same era. I'm not good at storytelling, but I'll try my best to show you everything that can be displayed through Skynet's images. By the way, Skynet is a system, different from the cultivation system; it's closer to a modern technology system."

As soon as he finished speaking, the illusion began to appear again.

The scene shows a magnificent city, with the three large characters "Jialan City" prominently engraved on the city gate. The camera then gradually zooms in, focusing on a mansion within the city, with the characters "Song Mansion" carved on the mansion's gate.

Inside the grand courtyard of the Song family mansion, a middle-aged man was kneeling in the ancestral hall. He was Song Qiao, the noodle shop owner who had appeared in the previous scene. His head was bowed, his face filled with sorrow. In front of him was a memorial tablet inscribed with "The Spirit Tablet of My Beloved Wife, Madam Li." The candlelight in the ancestral hall flickered, illuminating his weathered and weary face.

Song Qiao solemnly kowtowed three times to the ancestors in the ancestral hall, then carefully put away his wife's memorial tablet. The head of the Song family and the clan elders stood silently to the side. Song Qiao slowly stood up and walked towards the place in the back courtyard where the ancestor was in seclusion. Two servants stood guard outside the courtyard, their expressions tense.

Song Qiao did not step into the courtyard, but stood outside and bowed deeply three times towards the courtyard. The patriarch and the elders followed closely behind, and no one went forward to disturb him; the surroundings were completely silent.

After a long while, Song Qiao slowly got up, preparing to leave. Just then, the door to the house in the courtyard suddenly opened, and a sword flew out of the house, hovering steadily in front of Song Qiao.

"Take it." A deep, powerful voice came from inside the courtyard.

The sword had an ordinary appearance and no luster, but its appearance dispelled the surrounding cold air, like a blazing sun warming the surroundings.

"The Blazing Sun Sword!" Luo Yifei exclaimed in surprise upon seeing the scene before him.

“That’s right, let’s keep watching,” Ye Fan replied.

Song Qiao summoned a flying boat, stepped inside, and vanished from sight in an instant. Soon after, the flying boat reappeared, having arrived at Wanghe City, a major cultivation town in the northern border of the Cai Kingdom. This city stood at the northernmost tip of the Cai Kingdom, like a towering giant, steadfastly guarding the Cai Kingdom's borders.

Heading north beyond Wanghe City, one enters an unknown new world. Beyond the border lies a mysterious land where humans coexist with various races, including beasts, elves, orcs, immortals, demons, monsters, dwarves, and giants. Each race occupies its own territory, maintaining a delicate balance with human society.

It was daytime, and Song Qiao followed the flow of people entering the city, queuing up to enter Wanghe City, and then went straight to the city lord's mansion.

Inside the city lord's mansion, a middle-aged man dressed in magnificent attire sat regally in the main hall. He was Qin Lie, the city lord of Wanghe City. Qin Lie's face was dignified, and his eyes revealed an unwavering determination. Song Qiao entered the hall, bowed deeply to Qin Lie, and respectfully presented a secret letter.

Qin Lie opened the secret letter, carefully read through it, then looked up at Song Qiao and asked, "Song Qiao, even if this news is true, what does it have to do with me? The Tang Clan colluding with the Demon Clan? The evidence you provided only proves that this matter is related to Tang Jin, not necessarily the Tang family!"

"I am not asking the city lord for help, but rather hoping that the city lord can lend me the teleportation array. I wish to travel to Shangwan City in the River Bay Kingdom of Red Leaf Continent. I have brought enough spirit stones." After Song Qiao finished speaking, he took out a total of eight storage bags of various sizes.

City Lord Qin Lie stretched out his hand and used his telekinetic technique to instantly summon eight storage bags in front of him. The storage bags contained everything from low-grade spirit stones to high-grade spirit stones, and even a rare top-grade spirit stone.

After counting the spirit stones, Qin Lie nodded in satisfaction, then tossed the storage bag back to Song Qiao and said, "The spirit stones are correct. Please wait a moment, and I will arrange for someone to activate the teleportation array."

Upon hearing this, Song Qiao felt somewhat relieved and quickly thanked him. He stood aside, quietly awaiting the city lord's instructions.

A moment later, a general in armor entered the hall, clasped his hands in a fist salute to Qin Lie, and said, "City Lord, the teleportation array is ready."

Qin Lie waved his hand, signaling the general to step back, then turned to Song Qiao and said, "Song Qiao, go with him. Remember, activating the teleportation array requires a great deal of energy, so you must be careful on your journey."

Song Qiao bowed again and followed the military officer out of the city lord's mansion. After passing through several streets and alleys, they arrived at a secluded courtyard. The military officer stopped, pushed open the door, and revealed a teleportation array hidden inside.

As Song Qiao stepped onto the ancient teleportation array, an indescribable excitement welled up within him. He gently closed his eyes, sensing the energy fluctuations as the teleportation array activated. Suddenly, everything went black, and his figure vanished from the spot.

When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in the city lord's mansion of Shangwan City, the most magnificent cultivation city in the River Bay Kingdom. The city was bustling and vibrant, with crowds thronging the streets, shops lining the streets, and a dazzling array of goods, showcasing its boundless prosperity.

Song Qiao looked around and saw that the city lord's mansion was ornately decorated and magnificent. He quickly straightened his clothes and strode into the depths of the mansion. Soon, he arrived at a spacious hall, where an old man dressed in brocade robes sat regally. His face was dignified, and he exuded an air of authority without anger. This was Yun Feiyang, the city lord of Shangwan City.

Song Qiao bowed deeply to Yun Feiyang and said respectfully, "I am Song Qiao, and I have come to pay my respects to the City Lord." Yun Feiyang raised his eyes slightly, looking at Song Qiao with piercing gaze, and asked, "Oh? Song Qiao? Where do you come from? What brings you here?" Song Qiao quickly recounted the events in detail, including the news of the Tang Clan's collusion with the Demon Clan, and the purpose of his trip.

After listening, Yun Feiyang frowned and pondered for a moment before saying, "This matter is of great importance, and I need to consider it carefully. You wait here, and I will make arrangements." Upon hearing this, Song Qiao felt uneasy, but could only nod in agreement and stand quietly to the side to wait.

"Brother Song." At this moment, a middle-aged man walked in from outside the door. It was Yun Yi, the eldest son of the city lord. Yun Yi was dressed in fine clothes and had a smile on his face. He walked towards Song Qiao, patted Song Qiao on the shoulder, and comforted him, "Brother Song, don't worry too much. My father will definitely uphold justice for you." Song Qiao smiled bitterly and cupped his hands, saying, "Thank you for your comfort, Young Master Yun. However, this matter is of great importance, and I cannot help but feel uneasy."

Yun Yi shook his head, his expression serious. "Brother Song, you may not know this, but my father, Yun Feiyang, though seemingly serious, is actually deeply concerned for the world and possesses a strong sense of justice. If he knew about this, he would definitely do everything in his power to help." As he spoke, Yun Feiyang walked out of the main hall, his expression grave. He glanced at Song Qiao and said in a deep voice, "Song Qiao, I am already aware of this matter. The evidence you provided is conclusive; the collusion between the Tang Clan and the Demon Clan cannot be underestimated. However, this matter is of great importance, and I need to discuss it with the other city lords before making a decision."

Upon hearing this, Song Qiao felt somewhat relieved and quickly bowed, saying, "Thank you, Lord City Lord. I await your good news." Yun Feiyang nodded slightly, then turned and instructed Yun Yi, "Yi'er, you must treat Song Qiao well for me and not neglect him in the slightest." Yun Yi accepted the order and led Song Qiao away from the City Lord's mansion to an inn in the city to settle down.

Inside the inn, Yun Yi hosted a banquet for Song Qiao. The two drank and chatted amiably. Yun Yi recounted many secrets about the River Bend Kingdom and the cultivation world to Song Qiao, broadening his horizons. After several rounds of drinks, Yun Yi changed the subject, asking, "Brother Song, do you know why my River Bend Kingdom has been able to stand firm in the cultivation world?" Song Qiao shook his head, indicating he didn't know.

Yun Yi smiled mysteriously and said, "This is all thanks to a supreme treasure that our country possesses—the 'Qiankun Mirror.' This mirror can reveal demons and evil spirits, see through the smallest details, and protect our people from demonic invasions." Upon hearing this, Song Qiao was shocked. He had never heard of such a magical treasure before, and he felt even more awe for the River Bend Kingdom.

Seeing the strange expression on Song Qiao's face, Yun Yi understood his thoughts and continued, "Brother Song, you have come here to pursue justice. My River Bay Kingdom is willing to lend you a hand, but you must agree to one condition." Song Qiao asked eagerly, "Please speak, Young Master Yun. As long as it is within my power, I will certainly do my duty without hesitation."

Yun Yi smiled slightly and said, "It's very simple. I hope you will join our River Bend Kingdom, become a part of us, and work together to protect this land."

"Young Master, something terrible has happened!" Just then, a servant dressed in gray rushed in, his expression tense, interrupting Yun Yi's words. Yun Yi frowned and asked unhappily, "What's the matter that you're in such a panic?" The servant gasped, "Young Master, the city lords of Zhongwan City, Xiawan City, Xiwan City, and Dongwan City have all gathered at the city lord's mansion, demanding that we hand over the demon spy, and they're referring to Young Master Song."

Upon hearing this, Yun Yi's expression changed drastically. He stood up abruptly, staring sharply at the servant, and asked, "Is this true?" The servant was intimidated by Yun Yi's aura, his body trembling slightly. He quickly nodded and said, "Absolutely true. I saw it with my own eyes. They are currently in the City Lord's Mansion." Song Qiao's heart sank, and he sighed inwardly, "If you want to find fault, you can always find a reason."

"You may leave now," Yun Yi said, dismissing the servant. He then continued, "To be honest, this is a matter concerning Shangwan City, and has nothing to do with you. I was careless in involving you earlier, which will likely worsen the situation. The River Bay Kingdom is currently beset by internal and external troubles and is probably powerless to help you. I am already deeply entangled in this game and cannot extricate myself. I know of a hidden teleportation array that leads directly to the Tang Clan of Azure Valley. I could have…" Yun Yi sighed and continued, "The Tang Clan is backed by the Illusion Pavilion, and they have already made their move against Shangwan City."

Song Qiao said firmly, "Young Master Yun, you don't need to blame yourself. Now that I've come this far, there's no reason for me to back down. I've witnessed and heard the crimes of the Tang Clan with my own eyes and ears, and I'm determined to expose their true colors and rid the cultivation world of this scourge."

Looking into Song Qiao's resolute eyes, Yun Yi felt a surge of admiration. He patted Song Qiao on the shoulder and said, "Good, Brother Song, I admire your courage. Since you have made up your mind, I will not try to dissuade you any further. Wait here for a moment, and I will go and make preparations to send you away from Shangwan City."

After saying this, Yun Yi led Song Qiao away from the inn. A short while later, he returned with a package, handed it to Song Qiao, and said, "Brother Song, here are some provisions and travel money. Please accept them. Also, this is the method to activate the teleportation array; please keep it safe. Remember, be extremely careful."

Song Qiao accepted the package and jade slip, deeply moved. He bowed deeply to Yun Yi and said, "Thank you very much, Young Master Yun. I will remember your great kindness. If we are destined to meet again, I will repay you handsomely."

Yun Yi smiled slightly and said, "Brother Song, you're too kind. We are both cultivators, and it's only right that we help each other. Go now and take care."

Song Qiao nodded and turned to leave the inn. Following Yun Yi's directions, he arrived near Wanzai Village, southwest of Shangwan City, and discovered a secluded courtyard.

Looking at the teleportation array below the well in the courtyard, he took a deep breath and stepped onto it. Everything went black, and his figure vanished.

When he opened his eyes again, he was already in the forbidden area behind the Tang Clan in Qinglan Valley.