Wielding the Thunders Across Two Worlds

Although he had seen the Wanling River before, this was his first time crossing it.

Looking west, one could not see its source; looking east, one could not see where it ended. To the north, the opposite bank was out of sight. There was only a view of surging waves under a vast, misty expanse. The roiling river flowed ever eastward, its waves churning violently, making passage difficult for any small boat.

"The Wanling River cuts off five of the Twenty-Three States of the Central Plains, creating the regions of Jiangnan and Jiangbei," Li Qingshuang explained.

Gu Zhao smiled. "Doesn’t the Cangjiang River to the north also cut off five states, creating its own Jiangnan and Jiangbei?"

Li Qingshuang smiled and nodded. "Exactly."

There were three great rivers in the world: the Source River, the Cangjiang River, and the Wanling River.

The Source River, as its name implied, was the fount of all life. It flowed through the Central Plains, stretching for tens of thousands of miles and creating countless fertile plains. It was the ancestral river of the Central Plains Court.

To the north and south of the Source River were the Cangjiang River and the Wanling River, respectively. Each cut off five states, but the Central Plains still retained thirteen, a testament to its prosperity.

"The Wanling River is over thirty miles wide. Most stretches have such surging waves that boats can’t cross. Only in a few places is the surface calm enough for docks and ferries," Li Qingshuang said, pointing into the distance.

Not far from them were the docks of Pingjiang Prefecture’s northern bank. They stretched for several miles, with countless piers reaching deep into the water. A great number of boats were gathered there, their sails standing tall upon the river as they traveled back and forth, trading goods between the two banks.

Farther out from the docks, a dark shadow flashed across the river’s surface before submerging again and silently disappearing into the distance.

The Silk Embroideress was curious. "Do the demons in the river never attack these boats?"

Li Qingshuang explained, "The Xuanwei Divine Sect, the Spirit Court, and White Spirit Mountain occasionally have members stationed on the boats. If anyone tries to capsize a boat to eat the passengers, they’ll end up as food for the boat’s crew themselves.

"There are also good-natured demons and ghosts in the river. Some need the Incense offerings of the common people, while others simply wish to live as part of the mortal world. They also spontaneously protect the boats and maintain a basic sense of order.

"So, aside from the occasional newly-formed demon who doesn’t know any better and attacks a boat, why would any other demon or ghost bother with them? Even if they want to eat people, there are thousands of miles of riverbank lined with towns and villages full of them."

In short, attacking these boats was a low-reward, high-risk proposition. The cost-benefit was simply too poor!

The old Daoists of Daluo Palace didn’t understand this principle at first. When they discovered numerous demons along the banks of the Wanling River and saw boats traveling between the shores, they enthusiastically decided to lie in wait, hoping for an easy catch.

The result? They came up completely empty!

Well, they did manage to kill a few reckless demons and even met a few Spirit Monarch Ghost Gods, making some new friends. So it wasn’t a total loss.

After that, they learned their lesson. They stopped guarding the docks and ferries and instead spread out along the banks—not just of the Wanling River, but also upstream along its various tributaries. This allowed them to harvest far more Evil Qi.

Having seen enough of the docks and boats on the river, the group took to the air and flew north, out over the Wanling River.

But the moment they were over the river, Gu Zhao sensed something was wrong. ’A wind of pure water vapor?’

Li Qingshuang nodded. "All the great rivers—the Wanling, the Source, and the Cangjiang—are so immense and turbulent that the rushing vapor creates a unique river wind. When a Cultivator enters it, they cause a disturbance in this wind and are hindered by it."

Gu Zhao understood. "So that’s why it’s inconvenient for experts from Jiangbei to come to Jiangnan. The disturbance would be too obvious and easily detected."

"Yes," said Li Qingshuang. "After the battle between the Dragon King of Ten Thousand Spirits and the Supreme Profound Sect Leader, the river wind was stirred into such chaos that it became even more troublesome for anyone from Jiangbei to come to Jiangnan. Unless they took on their original form as a fish or a bird, Crossing the River became extremely difficult."

"But it’s gotten much better in recent years." Li Qingshuang looked at Gu Zhao, her eyes shining. "The Dragon King of Ten Thousand Spirits was rescued, the Ink Flood Dragon of Mo Lake was slain, the Netherfire Sect Leader was killed for Cultivating Demons, and Chaoyang Island and Silent God Mountain aren’t being particularly aggressive."

Gu Zhao raised an eyebrow. "Are the Xuanwei Divine Sect and the Spirit Court preparing to come back?"

"I haven’t heard anything about that." Li Qingshuang shook her head. "Actually, the way things are now is quite good. I think Daluo Palace is doing an even better job than the Spirit Court did."

Everyone laughed at her words.

This river wind of water vapor might be an obstacle for ordinary Cultivators, who feared making a scene and attracting unwanted attention, but how could it possibly stop Gu Zhao and his companions?

The large party, in a grand procession, rode the winds and clouds. They swaggered openly across the Wanling River, passing through the layers of vapor and mist that shrouded it, and emerged on the Bank of the Wanling Jiangbei.

Then, their eyes were immediately drawn to White Spirit Mountain, located in Jiangyang Prefecture of Jiangzhou, sitting on the Bank of the Wanling Jiangbei.

Even though Gu Zhao had never been to White Spirit Mountain, he recognized it at a glance. The mountain was not only evergreen year-round, but it was also constantly covered in clusters of blooming flowers.

From a distance, the entire mountain seemed to shimmer with rainbow hues under the sunlight, shrouded in a vibrant, multicolored mist.

"Wow! It’s so beautiful!"

The three women who had come along with Gu Zhao—Zhuo Qingyan, the Silk Embroideress, and Bai Ke—all gasped in unison.

"It’s a paradise on earth!"

"Nothing compares to this!"

Behind Gu Zhao, Taoist Yan Song and Taoist Ming Yu, who had come along to provide support and act as an advance party, also sighed in admiration at the magnificent sight of White Spirit Mountain.

As the group drew closer to White Spirit Mountain, the vibrant, multicolored mist gradually dissipated. But the scenery before them didn’t become any less refined; on the contrary, it grew even more exquisite.

Canopies of blossoms shimmered like woven brocade, and vines cascaded like crimson, tasseled curtains.

Butterflies and sparrows darted through the air in rainbow flashes, while a phantom mist veiled the empty valleys.

There were flowers as small as soybeans, growing in dense patches to form a sea of gold.

There were flowers as large as millstones, growing on sheer cliffs, each one like a crimson sun.

Some flowers stood taller than two men, others were shaped like woven sieves. Countless varieties of different shapes and colors were arranged in a tasteful, intricate pattern, decorating White Spirit Mountain until it truly became a mountain of a hundred flowers.

As the group drew nearer, not only did the flowers seem to grow more dazzling, but the chirping of insects and birds also grew more spirited.

In the next moment, countless multicolored petals suddenly poured out from the mountain, forming a river of flowers that surged toward the group and created a floral carpet that extended all the way to their feet.

At the end of the carpet stood an elegant palace. Bai Fei was standing at its entrance, surrounded by a dozen other women. Though they all had different features, every one of them was gorgeous and enchanting.

"Sister Fei, what a grand reception!" Gu Zhao said with a smile, clasping his hands in greeting.

Bai Fei returned his smile. Set against the backdrop of the mountain and its countless flowers, she looked like a Celestial Immortal who had descended to the mortal realm, possessing a thousand different charms.

"Come inside and we can talk," Bai Fei said, turning with a smile. "White Spirit Mountain may not have as many novel delicacies as Daluo Palace, but our specialties—Hundred Flowers Brew and Hundred Flowers Honey—are rare treasures. They should be fitting for our guests."

Bai Ke asked curiously, "I can understand the Hundred Flowers Brew, but you need bees to make Hundred Flowers Honey. This mountain is full of birds, so are there any bees to make the honey?"

A young woman beside Bai Fei, who wore her hair in a Spiritual Snake Bun, chimed in with a smile, "We raise special Spirit Bees on the back of the mountain to make the honey. If you’d like to see them, little sister, I can take you on a tour."

Bai Ke nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes, please!"

Gu Zhao patted Bai Ke on her little head, and Bai Fei patted the young woman’s shoulder. "There’s plenty of time. Let’s eat first."

Bai Ke rubbed her hands together, full of anticipation, already imagining all the delicious things she would get to eat on White Spirit Mountain.