Feng Shui Chapter 165: Encounter on the Road: A Duel of Spells

Tong Nuonuo’s throat tightened slightly. He nodded and said, “This was indeed something Brother Wu Qing carried with him.” Then, he handed the box to Chen Xiao and said softly, “Xiaoxiao, this talisman was made by you, better that you handle it.”

He then turned to Han Yuan and inquired about the arrangements made for their fallen teammates. Han Yuan explained that apart from a few rogue cultivators, the compensation for the deceased had been collected by their respective sects or family members.

Tong Nuonuo let out a sigh. With that, the matter was finally settled, at least for now. The rest would have to wait until he advanced further in cultivation. Only then could he personally take revenge on Li Muye.

Brother Chen Xiao don't keep the enhanced Spirit-Guiding Talisman. After a moment of thought, he handed it to the senior cultivator Han Yuan had assigned and asked him to deliver it to Du Rong. Ever since he left on his training journey, he hadn’t drawn another Spirit-Guiding Talisman. He hoped this one would help Du Rong in her cultivation breakthrough.

After bidding farewell to Han Yuan, the four of them didn’t linger and made their way toward the vortex portal atop the mountain. Chen Xiao had only glimpsed it from afar before, but now that he stood before it, staring at the swirling, twisting vortex in the sky, he felt the same kind of nervous anticipation, and a hint of fear of the unknown, as he did the first time he flew on a plane with his master.

Xi Yunqing said to him, “To pass through the portal between the Lesser Heaven Realm and the Middle Heaven Realm, one must be at least at the Foundation Establishment stage. Otherwise, both the body and spirit can’t withstand the pressure. In severe cases, it may even cause physical or mental damage.”

Hearing this only made Chen Xiao more anxious. He began to worry whether his pseudo-cultivator body could handle the trip. He asked hesitantly, “Then how did those apprentices manage to leave through the vortex portal? If I remember correctly, they were at most high-level cultivators.”

Xi Yunqing replied, “They were protected by magical artifacts. Only some Immortal Sects possess such treasures. Smaller sects that don’t have the resources must conduct their selections locally within the same realm. As for lone rogue cultivators, if they find a talented disciple but have no way to take them along, they can only wait until the disciple reaches Foundation Establishment before leaving.”

Unable to hold back, Chen Xiao leaned close to Xi Yunqing’s ear and whispered, “Since I’m not from a proper orthodox cultivation background, is my Foundation Establishment solid enough to make it through the portal safely?”

Seeing the unease in Chen Xiao’s eyes stirred something deep in Xi Yunqing’s chest. He said reassuringly, “You’ve already endured the baptism of heavenly lightning, Xiaodi. You’ll make it through just fine.”

Tong Nuonuo and Tang Ruke hadn’t noticed Chen Xiao’s nervousness. When they saw the pair lagging behind, they called out, “Xiaoxiao, come on! Hurry up!”

The toll for using the vortex portal wasn’t high, only ten spirit coins per person. Though the fee was low, the sheer volume of daily travelers made up for it.

Tong Nuonuo generously paid forty spirit coins and stepped into the vortex with Tang Ruke. Their figures shimmered like reflections on water, wavering and then gradually fading away until they disappeared entirely.

Chen Xiao’s heart pounded. He instinctively pressed his lips together, his fingers clenched into a fist. Xi Yunqing reached out and took his hand with perfect timing, leading him forward into the vortex.

The sensation of plunging into the vortex was strange and surreal. In an instant, Chen Xiao lost all feeling in his limbs, his five senses vanished. In that chaotic void, only his consciousness remained clear and weightless. Within his sea of consciousness, the spiritual compass began to move on its own. He noticed the needle at the center of the Celestial Pool spinning rapidly.

Chen Xiao figured it must be due to the warped space they were passing through, no wonder the needle couldn’t stay still.

Time and space became meaningless. He had no idea how long had passed until his mind felt a sudden jolt, like ripples spreading across still water. Then, abruptly, vision returned to him, and sensation returned to his body. Xi Yunqing’s grip on his hand was still firm. The moment they had rushed into the vortex finally came to a halt, and the world around them had completely changed.

The sky here was an impossibly vivid blue, and the sunlight was dazzling and sharp. As far as the eye could see stretched an endless ocean. The sound of people wading through water, splashing and crisp, filled the air, melodious and pleasant. Unlike the portal nestled in the mountains at Gengsheng, this one had deposited them right into the sea.

“...” Chen Xiao looked down, speechless, at his completely waterlogged boots and the soaked trousers clinging to his legs. He turned to glance at Xi Yunqing, who looked as composed as ever. His robes, made of water- and fire-resistant fabric, were untouched by the sea, perfectly dry.

Chen Xiao looked at Xi Yunqing, and Xi Yunqing turned his head toward him as well. That single glance made Xi Yunqing’s heart clench.

The soaked clothes clung to Chen Xiao’s thighs, outlining their firmness, the flat stretch of his taut abdomen, and even the gentle shape of what lay nestled beneath. Xi Yunqing’s ears turned scarlet. He hurriedly reached out, wrapping an arm around Chen Xiao’s waist.

Chen Xiao felt a sudden tightness around his waist and found himself pulled into a solid chest.

Xi Yunqing strode forward, taking him quickly along the shoreline. On the other side of the vortex was a beach, this was where the Zhishi Hall had set up its checkpoint. Cultivators entered through the front, while those arriving from other realms exited through the back, facing the sea.

Cultivators were hardly the pampered sort, a little seawater and damp clothes weren’t a big deal. But to Xi Yunqing, this scene was a vision of spring, stirring desire and flooding his heart with warmth.

Chen Xiao could feel the heat from Xi Yunqing’s arm seeping steadily into his body. By the time they stepped onto the sand, his trousers and boots were already dry. He didn’t realize Xi Yunqing had done it on purpose, he simply assumed the man had dried him off as a kind gesture. Smiling gratefully, he said, “Thanks for the help, big brother.”

Xi Yunqing gave a light cough and replied solemnly, “Yingxian Island has two shops, Qianxiu Workshop and Wanjin Pavilion, both sell breathable, water- and fire-resistant fabrics. Once we’re there, let’s stop by and have a few custom sets made for you, Xiaodi.”

Chen Xiao nodded. He had no desire to end up in another sorry state like before.

With their cultivation protecting them, Tong Nuonuo and Tang Ru quickly dried their soaked clothes. Once the four of them regrouped, it was Xi Yunqing, who had visited Yingxian Island before, who led the way in search of a place to stay. No matter how eager Tong Nuonuo was to play tour guide, Chen Xiao wasn’t about to risk the whole group getting lost by letting him take the lead.

The climate on Yingxian Island was much warmer than Hanshan City. Though the sunlight was intense, the temperature hovered in the comfortable twenties, even more pleasant than Jin City in the peak of summer.

After passing through the outpost of the Zhishi Hall and following the main road for a while, buildings began to appear on either side. Chen Xiao observed that the cultivators here seemed far more energetic than those in Hanshan City. People bustled by like commuters in a major city. Just as he was marveling at how different life was in a Central Heaven metropolis, a sudden burst of spiritual energy from a magical clash echoed ahead.

“What’s going on?” Chen Xiao asked in surprise, glancing forward, only to realize that the people hurrying past them were rushing toward the commotion.

Xi Yunqing frowned. “Someone’s having a spell duel.”

“A spell duel?” Chen Xiao craned his neck to get a better look.

Xi Yunqing paused, then said, “Since you’re interested, how about we take a look? Just be careful not to get caught up in it.”

Tong Nuonuo and Tang Ru hadn’t seen many spell duels either, so the four of them moved closer. Up ahead, above what looked like a fruit grove, three figures were locked in a fierce battle.

With his enhanced eyesight, Chen Xiao could clearly make out the combatants despite their rapid movements. Two women, both dressed in identical pink robes, were fighting against a man in a close-fitting blue outfit.

As an observer, Chen Xiao had no way to judge who was right or wrong. From the looks of it, the two women and the man were evenly matched.

Xi Yunqing seemed to take this as a good teaching opportunity and asked, “Chen Xiao, can you make any assessment of the situation?”

Chen Xiao hesitated briefly. The duel was intense, with both sides casting spells rapidly and their spiritual energies colliding, forming turbulent currents in the air.

He said, “The man in blue seems a bit stronger. The two women must be from the same sect, they’re very well-coordinated. Even though it looks even right now, if the fight drags on, they’ll be defeated one by one.”

Tang Ru crossed her arms and nodded. “That’s a good observation. The two women may have similar cultivation levels and work well together, but they clearly lack real combat experience. That man has better movement techniques, and it looks like he’s holding back for some reason.”

Xi Yunqing added, “He’s likely worried about damaging the grove below.”

Only then did Chen Xiao notice that the orchard beneath them had been neatly arranged, with evenly spaced trees of similar height, clearly a cultivated plantation.

Tong Nuonuo chimed in, “Then that orchard probably belongs to him or has something to do with him. Those two women are attacking recklessly, this doesn’t seem like an accidental conflict. Looks like they came looking for trouble.”

As the four of them exchanged observations, their deductions came remarkably close to the truth. The two pink-robed women seemed to have spotted the man’s weakness and shifted their attacks, not at him, but toward the orchard below. The grove was devastated as if a typhoon had swept through: trees snapped, and branches and leaves were flung everywhere in the resulting chaos.

The man was furious and shouted, “Pang Yi! Pan Wei! Don’t think you can bully me just because I’m a rogue cultivator! If you destroy one more tree in my Zizhi Grove, I swear I’ll go straight to the Island Lord and demand justice!”

At his words, Pang Yi and Pan Wei ceased their assault on the grove. Standing atop the crown of a thick tree, they stared him down as the man also stopped his spells.

Pang Yi’s voice was clear and cold, her words sharp enough to chill the heart: “Liu Lang, you refused the offer of a peaceful deal! We came to represent Wanjin Pavilion with the intent to purchase your Zizhi crop in good faith, but you showed no respect at all. You think you can hoard your goods and name your price, but you don’t realize you’re playing with fire!”

Liu Lang shouted back, “I didn’t hoard anything! This Zizhi crop has already been sold to Qianxiu Workshop! It may still be hanging on the trees, but it belongs to them now. They're coming to harvest it soon!”

Xi Yunqing’s eyes flashed. Tong Nuonuo let out a small gasp. “Wanjin Pavilion and Qianxiu Workshop have been at each other’s throats for ages, and now they’re outright stealing each other’s supply?”

Chen Xiao turned to him. “So it's a malicious competition between rivals?”

It took a moment for Tong Nuonuo to realize what he meant, then he nodded. “Pretty much. Qianxiu Workshop and Wanjin Pavilion started around the same time. Both make textiles and ready-made garments. Their owners, Mu Jinrong and Hu Manniang, were reportedly from the same sect, but something happened and they fell out. They’ve been in constant conflict ever since. Things heat up, calm down, then flare up again. With this new drama, the city’s going to be in chaos for a while.”

Xi Yunqing, however, wasn’t concerned about peace and quiet, what worried him was the timing. For these two to clash now of all times… There were no more outstanding garment workshops on Yingxian Island than Qianxiu and Wanjin.