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nThe Dragon Transformation Pool.

nThe lightning gradually dissipated, and everything returned to stillness.

nA petite figure emerged from the pool’s depths. She was still dressed in plain cloth robes, with loose long hair and teenage features. But as she moved, she had a contemptuous majesty about her, as if she were gazing down upon the masses.

nThis was true draconic majesty. The very air itself quivered beneath it, and everything dimmed. When her dark golden eyes surveyed her surroundings, the depths of her gaze seemed to surge with imposing divine flames.

nThe young woman had a Red Dragon bloodline and Miracle Realm cultivation to begin with. Throughout the long Age of Fallen Immortals, her foster father’s Dragon-Marked Blood Chains had sealed the power of her bloodline and confined her in the Black Dragon Market. It was because of this that she’d avoided catastrophe during the Age of Fallen Immortals.

nNow, she’d broken her seal and undergone a baptism in the lightning of the Dragon Transformation Pool, finally becoming a true Red Dragon. Her draconic majesty was far, far greater than before!

nThe moment she fully emerged from the pool, she withdrew her draconic majesty and prostrated herself on the ground. “Senior, thank you so much for your guidance and this opportunity to become a true dragon!”

n“Fortune and disaster go hand in hand,” said Su Yi. “The Immortal Realm shall soon learn of your transformation. In the eyes of those at the pinnacle of the Immortal Dao, you are now a rare and precious treasure. Peril is the inevitable result.”

n“I understand,” the girl said softly.

n“Earlier, I said you had to agree to a few of my requests,” said Su Yi. “I’ll share them with you now.”

n“Please go right ahead, Senior,” the young woman said respectfully.

n“First, in the years ahead, you are not to leave the Black Dragon Market unless you’ve found an opportunity to break into the Great Realm,” said Su Yi.

nThe young woman seemed to have expected this, and she didn’t even pause to think. “I’ll uphold your guidance, Senior.”

nShe knew that Su Yi made this request out of concern that she’d prematurely seek revenge against Jiang Tai’e.

n“Second, I might need to visit the Eastern Sea at some point to sever some old grudges. If so, come with me.”

nLong ago, before Wang Ye reached the pinnacle of the Immortal Dao, the Eastern Sea of the Immortal Realm was home to numerous factions that had existed since the Primeval Era, like the Jade Firmament Immortal Palace, Penglai Immortal Island, and the Floating Temple.

nFour top experts of the Eastern Seas participated in the Battle of Eternal Night.

nThree of them, Wang Ye had killed a long time ago.

nOne of them, Immortal Sovereign Sky Killer, managed to escape disaster. Immortal Sovereign Sky Killer was one of the founders of Jade Firmament Immortal Palace, as well as one of the Five Sovereigns of the Yao Path.

nSu Yi had learned that Immortal Sovereign Sky Killer was still alive. Naturally, he had to go finish the old-timer off to realize Wang Ye’s desires!

nBut the Eastern Seas were boundlessly vast and home to numerous perils. Su Yi wanted to bring the Red Dragon Dao Monarch simply because her innate talent let her navigate its waters with ease. With her help, he’d have no trouble figuring out where the Immortal Sovereign Sky Killer was hiding!

nAlthough the young woman didn’t know what Su Yi was planning, she agreed without hesitation. “Senior, if you call for me, I absolutely won’t refuse!”

nSu Yi subtly inclined his head, then took out a jade slip and passed it to her. “There are still numerous preparations you need to make before you attempt to break into the Great Realm. This jade slip contains some of my experiences and revelations. Bear this in mind: you cannot force it. If the time is not yet right, keep waiting. Wait forever if need be. Push it, and I’m afraid you’ll never reach the Great Realm.”

nThe young woman accepted the jade slip with both hands and said solemnly, “Senior, I won’t let you down!”

n……

nLater that day, the Red Dragon Dao Monarch commanded that the Black Dragon Market re-open its portals to and from the outside world.

nEveryone in the marketplace sighed in relief.

nIt was also on that very day that Su Yi, Qing Wei, and Fang Han set off.

nBefore their departure, Immortal Lord Xing Yu gave Su Yi the five medicinal ingredients he needed. The Red Dragon Dao Monarch had even prepared a bag of holding for Su Yi as an expression of her gratitude.

nThe bag contained one hundred thousand immortal jades, over a hundred types of rare and precious medicinal ingredients, and recovery pills produced by master pill refiners. It was a true glittering mountain of treasure, and its value was inestimable.

nShe’d prepared gifts for Qing Wei and Fang Han too, and none were less than lavish.

nEven Qing Wei, an Immortal Lady experienced in worldly affairs, couldn’t help but gasp when she saw her present. She really is the master of one of the Immortal Realm’s top three black markets! What generosity!

nAfter leaving the market, Su Yi and Qing Wei parted ways. He gave her a talisman and said, “Go investigate Immortal Queen Liu Yun’s situation. If you need my help, go to the White Reed Province. So long as you carry this talisman with you, you’ll be able to find me.”

nQing Wei accepted the talisman, carefully put it away, and said softly, “Young Lord, you must take care! I’m looking forward to when we next meet again.”

nSu Yi smiled, then led Fang Han away. It was only after watching them fade from view that Qing Wei turned to leave.

n……

nThree days later.

nThe Star Province, one of the Immortal Realm’s forty-nine provinces. A harbor outside White Cloud Immortal City.

nA treasure ship like a floating landmass slowly descended toward the ground.

nIt was the size of a city, with interweaving streets and densely packed buildings.

nThis was one of the famous cloud ships of the Immortal Realm!

nEvery cloud ship could carry one hundred thousand cultivators, and they could cover eighty thousand miles a day, stopping at numerous “port cities.”

nTo cultivators out exploring the world, boarding a cloud ship was undoubtedly the most comfortable way to travel.

nThis was because the cloud ship really was like a traveling city, complete with restaurants, teahouses, trading companies, and gambling dens. On a cloud ship, you could travel without fear of loneliness or boredom.

nFurthermore, cloud ships gathered cultivators from all over the Immortal Realm. Here, you could buy goods from all over, and experience all sorts of different customs.

nMost importantly, on a cloud ship, you had no need to fear running into danger on your journey.

nThe reason for this was simple. Cloud ships were massive, and they were covered in formations of the Immortal Dao. More importantly, all of them had a top faction behind them. Ordinary immortals simply wouldn’t dare to provoke them.

nThere were even Void Realm True Immortals overseeing things on board!

nFrom time to time, even Immortal Lords traveled on board.

nGiven the circumstances, no one was stupid enough to set their sights on the cloud ships.

nThe cloud ship currently moored outside White Cloud Immortal City belonged to the Endless Jade Immortal Sect, one of the Xing Province’s immortal factions.

nThe ship bore the unique mark of the Endless Jade Immortal Sect on its hull. No matter where it went, the sect’s reputation ensured that everything went smoothly.

nThe area around the ship was long since packed with cultivators waiting to board, including no small number of immortals.

nSu Yi and Fang Han were here too.

nAfter leaving the Black Dragon Market, they’d made slow progress with frequent stops. Su Yi hated rushing along the road, so he just paid two thousand immortal stones to buy him and Fang Han each a ticket to the White Reed Province.

nThis way, they wouldn’t need to endure nights spent sleeping under the stars, and they could use their free time to focus on their cultivation.

n“A thousand immortal stones a ticket? That’s ridiculous!” grumbled Fang Han. “And that’s just for an ordinary room! They say that the hundred best pavilions go for over ten thousand immortal stones and that only those of high status can book them. It’s truly unreasonable.”

nSu Yi said plainly, “There are three provinces between the Star Province and the White Reed Province, and we’ll pass through twenty-nine port cities. A cloud ship like this can carry tens of thousands of people. One back-and-forth trip between provinces nets them two million pieces of immortal jade at the bare minimum.”

n“Two million pieces!? Of immortal jade??” Fang Han clucked his tongue in shock at this astronomical sum.

nSu Yi chuckled. “It might seem like they’re earning a killing, but their expenditures are shocking too. They have to pay tribute to the ‘local serpents’ at every harbor they pass through, and they have to be on guard for attempts to intercept them. Then there’s their fuel costs; every day of flight burns through around eight thousand immortal jades. In the end, only about twenty percent of the ticket price makes it into their pockets.

n“And if something sudden and unexpected happens, they can forget about turning a profit. They’ll be fortunate just to keep their lives.”

nFang Han clucked his tongue. He suddenly understood on a visceral level that there was no such thing as risk-free, enormous profit.

nSafely turning a profit with this cloud ship was actually extremely complicated!

nBefore long, both Su Yi and Fang Han boarded the ship.

nSu Yi stood by the railing and gazed into the distance, where a figure stood amidst the crowd. He transmitted, “Go back. No need to see us off any further.”

nThis was none other than Immortal Lord Xing Yu! He’d followed them in secret since they’d first left the Black Dragon Market three days prior. Su Yi noticed, but he didn’t say anything.

nBut now that they’d boarded the cloud ship, there was naturally no need for Xing Yu to trouble himself any further.

nWhen he heard Su Yi’s transmission, Xing Yu was obviously stunned. A moment later, he realized that the mysterious Young Lord Su had long since noticed him “secretly” tailing them.

nHe smiled, then clasped his fist and transmitted back, “Take care, Young Lord!”

nSu Yi subtly inclined his head, then led Fang Han to their quarters.

nIt was only after the ship took to the skies that Xing Yu turned to leave.

nThe ship really was no different from a city, with streets lined with all types of shops.

nMany other passengers had boarded well before Su Yi and Fang Han. There were perhaps less than one hundred thousand people on board, but they weren’t far off.

nSu Yi had originally planned to book a first-class pavilion, but there was nothing for it. Those had long since been occupied; only a few ordinary rooms were left.

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nAs Su Yi and Fang Han walked to their room, someone suddenly exclaimed, “Ee? It’s you! Haha! I was just thinking I’d like to see you again. Who’d have thought I’d really bump into you? What a small world!”

nA familiar figure approached from afar accompanying this voice.

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