NOVPUB"What do you think was the reason that Heavenly Dao annihilated Huang Nation back then?" Xu Zimei asked curiously on his way down the mountain.
"How would I know? But the Heavenly Dao surely had its own intentions," replied the monk Da Zhi.
"Heavenly Dao doesn’t act without cause; it’s as if it were the Dominator, maintaining the fundamental operation of this world.
It would only act if something disrupted this balance."
"You seem quite knowledgeable," said Xu Zimei with a laugh.
"Because our lineage studies divination and often deals with fate, naturally we know a bit more," explained Da Zhi.
"Have you defied the heavens?" Xu Zimei asked with a smile.
"What does it mean to defy the heavens?" Da Zhi laughed loudly.
"Only those legendary figures of real authority could possibly offend the Heavenly Dao.
Talking about defying the heavens, for an ant like me, the Heavenly Dao probably wouldn’t even bother to look my way, so it’s not a question of defying it.
At most, I just can’t stand the ordinary and want to defy my own destiny."
Xu Zimei glanced at Da Zhi, this fellow really had a clear view.
...
The two made their way down from Tianyu Mountain and came upon a river.
This river was one of numerous tributaries of the Endless Heaven Sea, and by following it upstream, one could reach the waters of the Endless Heaven Sea.
There used to be ships here, specially to ferry those heading to the Endless Heaven Sea.
However, due to the mountain’s closure, the river seemed desolate and uninhabited.
"There’s a small village nearby, let’s go take a look. Perhaps they have a ship," suggested Da Zhi, looking toward a place not far away.
The outline of the small village was faintly visible, with smoke from cooking rising above, indicating there were indeed people there.
Xu Zimei nodded and raised no objections.
Though they could have flown through the air, the distance to the Endless Heaven Sea was considerable, and traveling by ship would be much more comfortable.
...
The village was not too far off, a community of decent size.
When Xu Zimei and his companion arrived, three large characters reading "Wanghai Village" were inscribed on the stone stele at its entrance.
The village seemed new, with the stele appearing quite fresh.
A few sea pine trees were planted on either side, dressed in silver and looking very beautiful.
Xu Zimei entered the village and found a villager, asking with a smile about the availability of a ship.
"The village does have ships, but they’re all managed by the village chief. You can talk to the chief," the villager answered.
Following the guide’s directions, Xu Zimei and his companion followed a small path paved with stones to the very end.
There they found a small house built from blocks of stone.
An elder was sitting in front of the house on a stone bench, seemingly cleaning some seafood.
"Strangers?" Seeing Xu Zimei and his companion, the elder stood up slightly, addressing them first.
"Village chief, we wish to go to the Endless Heaven Sea and would like to borrow a ship from the village," said Da Zhi.
"Hasn’t Tianyu Mountain been sealed? How did you get here?" the elder asked with confusion.
"We got lost in the mountains and ended up here quite by accident," Da Zhi offered casually.
"I can send someone to take you by ship, but do you have Spirit Crystals?" asked the elder.
"People of Taoism, as we are, never crave worldly riches," Da Zhi stated, glancing at Xu Zimei.
Xu Zimei smiled and casually took out a few dozen Spirit Crystals from his Storage Ring and handed them to the elder.
The elder looked at Xu Zimei’s Storage Ring with some incomprehension, then smiled and said, "Then please wait a moment, I will arrange for someone."
The elder spoke hurriedly then walked toward the interior of the village.
Watching the elder’s departing back, Da Zhi whispered, "Don’t you find it strange?"
"What’s strange?" Xu Zimei asked with a smile.
"When we passed through the village just now, I felt as if countless eyes were watching us from both sides.
Didn’t you feel it?" Da Zhi the monk asked.
"Why bother about so much, as long as it doesn’t hinder our journey to the Endless Heaven Sea," Xu Zimei said.
As they were talking, they heard a series of hurried footsteps coming from within the village.
Right after that, they saw an old man leading a group of people rushing over.
Travel-stained and disheveled, most of these men were burly, holding various weapons like chain-linked sabers.
They had red headbands tied around their heads, adorned with a skull pattern.
"We haven’t stumbled into a den of thieves, have we?" Da Zhi the monk said helplessly.
"This kid, seems quite rich," the old man said to the people behind him.
As the group approached, one of the burly men jumped out and said, "Boy, hand over all the valuables on you, and I’ll leave you with a whole corpse."
"Boring," Xu Zimei replied with a touch of annoyance.
Immediately after, no one saw the curved blade unsheath, yet a wave of Blade Intent had already flourished forth.
Dozens of heads fell to the ground.
Only the leading old man stood there, completely stiffened.
"Where’s the boat?" Xu Zimei asked indifferently.
"It’s, it’s on the south side of the village," the old man replied, his breathing rapid and his eyes empty.
"Who are you?" Da Zhi the monk asked from the side.
"We are the pirates here," the old man hurriedly replied.
"Dammit," Da Zhi the monk seemed to have a loathing for evil, and with a single palm strike, he exploded the other’s head.
The two were about to head to the southern part of the village to check out the boats.
But halfway there, Xu Zimei glanced at a house beside the street.
Frowning slightly, he said, "Is there someone hiding?"
As the two kicked open the door, they saw a woman bound with ropes inside.
Part of her clothing was torn, and she was sobbing softly.
Seeing Xu Zimei enter, her panic intensified.
"Who are you?" Da Zhi the monk removed the gag from her mouth and asked.
"Aren’t you with those people?" the woman asked cautiously.
"We’re just passing through this village," Da Zhi the monk replied.
"Please, save me, I was abducted here by them," the woman begged urgently.
"Boundless Heavenly Venerate," Da Zhi the monk uttered a religious salutation, then untied the woman.
"Which is your home?" Xu Zimei asked.
"I, I came here with my parents," the woman hesitated and then replied.
"But they killed my parents and kidnapped me."
"Benefactor, you are lying; the face reflects the heart, and you can’t deceive me," Da Zhi the monk shook his head and said.
"Could it be that you don’t trust us?"
"I," the woman pondered for a moment and finally replied,
"I secretly ran away from the Red Dust Palace."
Hearing the woman’s words, Da Zhi the monk slightly furrowed his brow.
"How could someone who entered the Red Dust Palace still come out?"
Those who can enter the Red Dust Palace are naturally free from desires and have given up everything in the world.
Once they enter, they can never leave again.
This is what deters people from the Red Dust Palace, and many avoid it at all costs.
