Chapter 10: The Fairy of the Mortal World, a Mysterious Journey to Western Shu

Since dreams will eventually turn to nothing, why struggle so hard? Yet the meaning of life lies in striving. (Gu Long)
……
“One extra bit makes it too long; one less bit makes it too short. Powder makes it too pale; rouge makes it too red. Her brows are like emerald feathers, her skin like snow, her waist as slender as a ribbon, her teeth like pearls. With a single smile, she can bewitch Yangcheng and captivate Xiacaibai.” Looking at the beauty before him, Liu Yi instinctively recited a passage of poetry.
The girl in white, seeing Liu Yi’s silly expression, couldn’t help but smile and say, “What a fool.”
Shi Jieyi was the second to notice the girl in white on his horseback. Turning around, he wanted to get angry and curse, but upon seeing such a stunning beauty, he forgot he even had a mouth that could speak.
As for that scrawny man and the so-called dozen or so brothers around him, the fire in their eyes was enough to roast meat.
Liu Yi was the first to regain his senses. He politely asked, “Lady, which fairy realm are you from, that you’ve come to this mortal world?”
The girl in white replied generously, “I come from the Kunlun Realm, the twelfth generation under the Divine Gate. I’m just a lay disciple. Call me Shui. Just now… I happened to pass by here and heard someone say they wanted to die, so I came to join in the fun and help that person’s soul ascend.”
Liu Yi chuckled, clearly finding Shui’s words amusing.
But the robbers didn’t find it funny at all. They heard the girl mention the Divine Gate… a terrifying name that shouldn’t ever appear in the ears of lowly beings like them.
Of course, Liu Yi and Shi Jieyi also noticed the robbers’ grim expressions. Liu Yi asked, “Are you all unwell?”
The scrawny man shook his head like a wave drum and said, “No, no.”
Shui smiled gently, revealing charming dimples, and said in a beautiful voice, “You must be feeling unwell somewhere. So, Shui advises you to go back and rest quickly. Otherwise, I might have to treat you myself.”
The scrawny man hurriedly said, “No, no, yes, right, immediately.” With that, he waved his hand and disappeared into the dust at a speed a hundred times faster than when he arrived.
Liu Yi looked around, puzzled, and asked Shi Jieyi, “What just happened?”
Shi Jieyi glanced at the still-conscious Great Sword King on the ground and said, “It seems we encountered some heroes of the outlaws, and then… they ran away.”
Shui watched the two of them acting cluelessly and chatting back and forth, then couldn’t help but laugh, holding her slender waist…
Liu Yi asked, “Fairy Shui, why are you laughing? Weren’t those robbers? Why did they run so fast?”
At that moment, the Great Sword King, lying on the ground, stretched out a hand and slowly got up. He said, “That’s because that girl belongs to the Divine Gate. We can’t afford to provoke them.”
Seeing this, Liu Yi thought, Hey, the Great Sword King really has strong vitality. He asked, “What is the Divine Gate?”
Shui looked at Liu Yi with her beautiful big eyes and asked in a strange tone, “You don’t even know the leading sect in the Three Realms, do you?”
Shi Jieyi and Liu Yi shook their heads. “Haven’t heard of it? Is it very famous?”

Da Dao Wang planted his iron-cutting sword in the ground, leaned on it, and said, “Of course, it’s extremely famous. Among the three realms, the strongest are the Divine Gate of the immortals, the Sword Gate of the human world, and the Demon Gate of the demons. These three sects lead all the other sects in each race and are simply called the top sects.”

“Wow, big brother, you know so much.” Shi Jie Yi loved these martial arts stories the most. As soon as he heard this, he became fascinated and quickly helped Da Dao Wang shake off the dust from his clothes, asking, “So which of these sects is the strongest now?”

Seeing how quickly this kid picked it up, Da Dao Wang also put on an airsy tone and cleared his throat. “Originally, there were two strongest sects: the Sword Gate and the Demon Gate from twenty years ago. At that time, the top disciple of the Sword Gate challenged the leader of the demons, Wei Lingfeng. That was truly an epic tale.”

It seemed Da Dao Wang really knew a lot. Even Shui Er, a disciple of the Divine Gate, widened her eyes and listened attentively. As for Liu Yi, although he wasn’t interested in what he was saying, hearing the name Wei Lingfeng made him feel a sense of familiarity, so he continued to listen.

Shi Jie Yi kept urging, “Big Brother Da Dao, what happened after that?”

Da Dao Wang stretched and said, “My back hurts a bit. Help me massage it.”

Shi Jie Yi immediately ran over and started massaging him earnestly.

Da Dao Wang cleared his throat again and continued, “Leng Jian, the top disciple of the human world, was a legendary figure. It was said that his swordsmanship had reached a level that could destroy heaven and earth. To test his Flowing Cloud Sword, he sought out Wei Lingfeng, the leader of the demons and head of the Demon Gate.”

“Wei Lingfeng was even more mysterious. There were very few legends about him. It was only known that the sword in his hand, named ‘Sorrowful Dream,’ was a demonic sword passed down from a thousand years ago. And it was said that he had reached the eleventh level of the Demon Realm’s top cultivation technique, the ‘Lan Er Fei Na Clear Heart Technique’.”

“The two agreed to duel on the night of the full moon, on the 15th day of the eighth month, at the Dream Cloud Hundred Flowers Peak. Leng Jian, representing the human world, was like an indestructible star, protecting the honor of the demons. Wei Lingfeng was a demon. After seven days of fighting at the Hundred Flowers Peak, the duel ended when both of them ran out of strength.”

Shi Jie Yi quickly asked again, “So, who won in the end?”

Da Dao Wang gave Shi Jie Yi a strange look and said, “Are you from the countryside? How come you don’t even know about such a groundbreaking sword duel?”

Shui Er smiled and said in a pleasant voice, “Of course, it was a draw. I think they fought six times in total, with each duel lasting a year.”

Da Dao Wang nodded and looked at Shi Jie Yi disdainfully. “Even a little girl knows this. How can you not understand anything?”

Liu Yi said to Da Dao Wang, “That’s not true. We’re not from the martial arts world; we lead ordinary lives as common people. How could we possibly understand matters from the martial arts world?”

Da Dao Wang nodded and said, “That makes sense too. What you say does have logic. But I heard there’s been turmoil in the martial arts world lately. The usually peaceful Divine Gate seems to be competing with the Heavenly Gate for the top position in the immortal realm. Is that right, little girl?”

Shui Er looked at Da Dao Wang with wide eyes and said, “I didn’t expect you to know so much.”

Da Dao Wang said proudly, “Of course! My little information network is quite accurate. Everyone in the jianghu calls me Xiao Qiang.”
Upon hearing this, Liu Yi had a flash of inspiration and immediately said, “Shi Yi, bring out A Jiu’s painting and ask Da Dao Wang if he has any news about her.”
The Ten Heroes immediately took out A Jiu’s painting, unrolled it, and showed it to Da Dao Wang.
Da Dao Wang’s eyes widened as he looked at it and muttered to himself, “Wow, today’s really a treat for the eyes—seeing two beauties at once!”
Liu Yi said impatiently, “What nonsense are you talking about? I’m asking if you’ve seen this woman.”
Da Dao Wang shook his head and said, “No, I haven’t.”
Shi Yi quickly folded up the painting and said, “Weren’t you saying your little information network is the most reliable?”
Da Dao Wang protested, “Many things happen every day; I can’t possibly know everything.”
Shui Er glanced at it curiously and asked, “Young master, may I borrow this painting to take a look?”
Liu Yi nodded at Shi Yi, who handed the painting to Shui Er. Shui Er opened it and exclaimed excitedly, “The sister in this painting is so beautiful!”
Liu Yi looked at the surprised Shui Er and shook his head, saying, “She’s still a bit behind Goddess Shui Er.”
Shui Er’s face turned slightly red as she said, “Why are you such a smooth-talking bookworm?”
Liu Yi continued, “Goddess Shui Er, have you ever seen the girl in the painting?”
Shui Er shook her head and asked, “No. Is this girl really that important to you, young master?”
Liu Yi nodded and said, “Not just important—extremely important.”
Shui Er nodded and said, “Then I think I might have seen her somewhere.”
Liu Yi, as if he’d seen a baboon in the desert, quickly asked, “Who has?”
Shui Er replied, “I don’t know if you’ve heard of it, but in your human world, there’s a mysterious organization that trades information for payment.”
Liu Yi shook his head. At that moment, Da Dao Wang said, “I know. Is it that Wan Jin Lou?”
Shui Er nodded and said, “Yes. That organization is called ‘Wan Jin Lou.’ No matter what kind of information you need, you have to pay 10,000 taels of silver as a fee first.”
Liu Yi said, “There’s such an organization? If I had known earlier, I would have gone there—how much time that would have saved!”
Shui Er said, “But I’m not sure about their exact location. This is the first time I’ve come down the mountain to help my master.”
Da Dao Wang patted his muscles and said, “I know that.”
Liu Yi’s eyes gleamed as he asked, “Where?”
Da Dao Wang said proudly, “It’s somewhere in Western Shu. I can’t pinpoint the exact location, but if I were to go, I’d definitely find it.”
Liu Yi gave Shi Yi a look, who immediately understood and said, “Then take us there.”
Da Dao Wang waved his fingers and said, “If you want me to lead the way, that’s fine. But the fee—oh, it’s quite expensive. You two should be prepared.”
Liu Yi nodded and said, “That’s okay. Just tell us how much.”
Da Dao Wang stretched out his hand, placing five fingers in front of Liu Yi.
Seeing this, Liu Yi said, “Shi Yi, give him 5,000 taels in silver.”

The Great Sword King’s eyes shone as he muttered to himself, “I meant five hundred taels. You’re giving me so much all at once.”
Shi Jieyi had excellent hearing. Hearing this, he said, “Boss, this kid said five thousand taels was too much; he only wants five hundred.”
Before the Great Sword King could argue, Liu Yi interjected, “Alright, give him five hundred taels first. Once we find that organization, we’ll give him another four thousand five hundred taels.”
The Great Sword King felt like crying, but there was nothing he could do—after all, they were guests, and he had to agree first.
Liu Yi said, “Alright, let’s set off.”
Shi Jieyi returned to his horse and was surprised to see Shui Er smiling sweetly at him. Without taking his eyes off Liu Yi, he said, “Boss, my horse…”
Liu Yi replied, “Since Fairy Shui Er likes to ride, you and the Great Sword King can walk. When we reach Jianmen Pass, we’ll buy two more horses.”
Shi Jieyi had no argument, and he was actually happy because at least he could keep asking the Great Sword King about Leng Jian and Wei Lingfeng.
And so, the two in front chatted happily, while the two behind them also talked freely, all heading straight for Jianmen Pass…
What lies in the future? How will these young people face it? What will happen when Shi Jieyi learns that his master is none other than the legendary Leng Jian, a star in the human world?