Starting at the Nascent Soul stage, a rogue cultivator is incredibly poor.

We sped along the vast sea.

Qingyouzi rode the azure clouds, carrying Chen Ziche and his daughter, speeding towards Zhongqing Island.

To Chen Ziche's slight surprise,

Along the way, not a single monster dared to harass them.

Not only were there no attacks, but even the shadow of monsters was rarely seen.

At first, the sea was vast and desolate, with only the waves rising and falling. After flying for half a day, they began to occasionally encounter a few human cultivators flying by in their escape light, or see a few merchant ships with talisman sails on the sea.

He was clear-headed.

This was likely due to some hidden manipulation by the senior beside him. Perhaps his imposing aura startled the monster, or perhaps his speed was so great that the monster had no time to react.

Thinking about it this way, this senior's cultivation level is probably higher than he imagined.

The journey was safe and sound.

Half a day later.

On the horizon ahead, the outline of a giant island gradually becomes clear.

Around the island, cultivators frequently moved in and out in their escape lights, leaving trails of spiritual light as they flew low overhead. Dozens of ships of various sizes shuttled back and forth on the sea, their sails dotting the surface, creating a lively scene.

Fly closer, and the entire island will be in full view.

The buildings and houses stand side by side, rising up the mountain in layers.

The streets are crisscrossed, lined with shops, and flags flutter in the breeze.

Furthermore, the sounds of people could be faintly heard from several markets, mixed with the shouts of vendors and the sounds of bargaining, creating a bustling scene.

Qingyun landed on the dock at the edge of the island.

Chen Ziche quickly introduced:

"Senior, this is Zhongqing Island. It is located at the border between the human and demon races and is a buffer zone tacitly agreed upon by the two races. There are two Nascent Soul seniors stationed on the island year-round, so it is usually very safe."

The three of them stepped onto the stone-paved path of the dock.

After walking a few steps, he saw a middle-aged man anxiously looking around at the dock. As soon as the man saw Chen Ziche, his eyes lit up and he rushed over.

Chen Ziche also showed a happy expression:

"Dumb guy! What brings you here?"

Qingyouzi looked up and saw that the person was about forty years old, with a simple face and a cultivation level of only the Great Perfection of Qi Refining.

He rushed over, first pulling Chen Wenjing up and down to check her over, and only after confirming that she was unharmed did he breathe a sigh of relief.

"Alright, Uncle Ya, I'm fine," Chen Wenjing said with a smile. "Thanks to this senior for saving us."

The middle-aged man, referred to as the mute, turned to Qingyouzi, bowed deeply, then pointed to his mouth and gestured with his hands, his expression sincere.

"The mute is right."

Chen Ziche nodded and explained from the side:

"The mute is right. Thank you, senior, for saving my father and me. We are sworn brothers. If my father and I had perished in the Western Sea, he would have been truly alone for the rest of his life."

Qingyouzi nodded slightly in response.

Yet, I felt a slight sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, mixed feelings).

It's quite rare for a Foundation Establishment cultivator and a Qi Refining cultivator to become close friends in this dog-eat-dog world of cultivation. Judging from Chen Ziche's expression and tone, he is indeed sincere and without a trace of hypocrisy.

Such a pure and innocent heart is rare.

Chen Ziche turned to the side and gestured for them to proceed.

"Senior, would you like me to show you around the island and let you see the local customs and culture?"

"I'll go too!" Chen Wenjing said quickly.

Chen Ziche smiled and patted his daughter's head: "Okay."

Qingyouzi nodded.

The group walked slowly along the stone steps of the pier toward the island.

The streets gradually widened, and shops lined both sides.

There were medicine shops selling elixirs, their doors filled with the aroma of herbs; there were workshops specializing in magical artifacts, their interiors filled with the constant clanging of hammers; and there were also restaurants and teahouses, where cultivators came and went, chatting and laughing.

Qingyouzi strolled among them and suddenly spoke:

"It is quite rare in the cultivation world for Fellow Daoist Chen to form a life-and-death friendship with a Qi Refining cultivator."

Chen Ziche paused slightly, a hint of reminiscence flashing in his eyes.

"The mute and I... debuted together." His voice softened. "When we were young, we went to sea together to hunt low-level demonic beasts and save spirit stones to buy cultivation resources. Later, by chance, we bought a Foundation Establishment Pill."

He glanced at the mute man who was silently following beside him.

The mute seemed to sense something, turned to look at him, and grinned.

"At that time... he gave up his chance to establish his foundation and gave me the elixir."

Chen Ziche's voice was low and deep.

"I was fortunate enough to achieve Foundation Establishment, and from that day on, I vowed to save up enough spirit stones for Foundation Establishment Pills so that he could also become a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Over the years, I have gone out to sea almost every day to hunt demons and earn spirit stones, which is quite embarrassing for you, senior."

"It's alright," Qingyouzi chuckled.

His gaze suddenly drifted to a certain spot on the street corner.

Just a moment ago, he caught a glimpse of a very subtle demonic aura. Although it was fleeting, it was extremely pure and could not be possessed by a low-level demonic beast.

A demon in human form?

This place is indeed not as peaceful as it appears.

If you have the chance, you should leave this place of trouble as soon as possible.

While he was pondering, Chen Ziche took out a yellowed ancient book from his storage bag and presented it with both hands.

"I have no way to repay your life-saving grace, senior. I obtained this ancient book by chance from a demon cave when I was hunting demons in my early years. Its contents are obscure and profound. I have been studying it for more than ten years, but I have not even scratched the surface. Rather than let this gem go to waste, I would like to offer it to you as a token of my gratitude."

Qingyouzi accepted it.

With a sweep of his divine sense, the contents of the book appeared in his mind.

It turned out to be an ancient book recording various formations! In particular, there was a large-scale formation called "Nine Palaces Locking Spirit," which occupied most of the book. Its principles were profound and its design was ingenious.

Although it is not as good as the Heavenly Demon Annihilation God Array, it is still a superior array inheritance.

"Thank you for your kindness." Qingyouzi put the ancient book into her storage bag. "I will accept this."

He paused, then asked:

"By the way, do you have a map of the mainland?"

"Yes, yes!" Chen Ziche quickly took out another roll of animal hide map.

Qingyouzi unfolded his hand and scanned the area with his divine sense.

It turns out that this continent is called Tianque, and the mountains, rivers, and power distribution are clearly marked on the map.

The Tianque Continent is vast and boundless, and the human race's power is mainly divided into three branches.

Guixian Sect, located in the eastern mountains, has a history of ten thousand years and is the head of all sects.

Xuanxian City, situated on the central plain, is a magnificent city, bustling with merchants, and a gathering place for cultivators from all over the world to trade.

The Wanxian Dynasty, though it rose to power only a thousand years ago, ruled over a vast territory in the north. Its dynastic system was strict and its laws were profound.

"Immortal Sects, Immortal Cities, Immortal Dynasties..."

Qingyouzi muttered to herself, a slight smile playing on her lips.

In Nanxuan, only Tianxian City dares to use the word "Immortal" in their titles. And the fact that three families in this area use the name "Immortal" speaks volumes about their prestige and ambition.

"The cultivation here is indeed far more advanced than that of Nanxuan."

He put away the map and looked at Chen Ziche:

"Are there any teleportation arrays on the island that lead to other places?"

"Yes!" Chen Ziche pointed to the end of the main street. "Go straight along this road, and you'll see a teleportation hall. There's an array inside that leads directly to Xuanxian City, but it's quite expensive, costing five hundred spirit stones per trip."

Qingyouzi nodded and continued on his way.

After walking for a while, Chen Ziche and the other two gradually stopped.

Qingyouzi tilted her head slightly.

Chen Ziche scratched his head and smiled, then his expression turned serious. He pulled his daughter over, and together with the mute man, they bowed deeply to Qing Youzi.

"Senior, the mountains are high and the road is long, and I have other worldly affairs to attend to, so I will see you off here. I will never forget this life-saving grace. May I ask... your name, my benefactor?"

Qingyouzi turned around, but continued walking slowly forward.

His divine sense transmitted his voice into the ears of the three, the voice was calm, yet every word was clear:

"Qingyou".

As soon as she finished speaking, the figure in blue had already blended into the crowd on the street and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Chen Wenjing straightened up, watching the receding blue figure, and suddenly bent down and called out.

"By the way, senior. The continent is not peaceful either. The immortal sects and immortal dynasties have always been at odds. Senior, please be careful!"