Chapter 416: The Beast

The large ship continued on its original route, maintaining the guise. If they were to disguise themselves, it had to be a complete disguise. Everything was as usual, except that the ship now carried thirty-two additional experts from the Longevity Realm.

Zhong Shan and Mr. Corpse still went by their aliases, Marshal Zhong and Corpse Four. They were already in the safest position, so there was no need to reveal their true identities. Besides, even if they did, Bei Qingsi still needed to go to the Demon Legion headquarters, and Zhong Shan had to follow. It was better to keep up the extra layer of disguise.

The ship traveled swiftly, and after two days, they reached the shore and continued their journey on foot.

Ten days later, they arrived at a city. The city's gate bore the characters "Wu City."

"The Jin Dynasty? The capital 'Wu City'?" Bing Xuan's pupils contracted.

In the distance, a massive city stood with a faint golden aura of luck gathering above it, indicating that this was the capital of an imperial dynasty.

"I'm not sure. The delivery location changes each time. This time, it's Wu City. Once we're inside, someone will find us," Old Zhao said gravely.

Everyone nodded and followed Old Zhao towards the city gate.

Before they reached the gate, Zhong Shan's pupils contracted. He exchanged a glance with Mr. Corpse, both looking at a monk standing at the gate.

Sekong? It's him?

Zhong Shan and Mr. Corpse avoided making eye contact with him.

"Sekong?" Old Zhao murmured.

"Old Zhao, are these people the ones who have just activated their Divine Seals?" Sekong asked with a smile.

"Yes. It's been quite tight around here lately. It seems like the Longevity Realm has been watching us. I've already lost nearly eighty thousand of my Demon Legion men," Old Zhao nodded.

"Heh, the Longevity Realm? Didn't the Pure Land fail to accomplish anything last time? Don't worry, our master's grand plan is almost complete. Come, I'll take you to your quarters," Sekong said with a smile.

"Alright," Old Zhao nodded.

Sekong led them into Wu City and soon brought them to a valley within the city. The valley was filled with numerous houses, and the environment was very elegant, with mountains and water, very serene.

"You'll be staying in the eastern courtyard. I need to wait for others from different routes," Sekong said.

"Alright," Old Zhao nodded.

After Sekong left, everyone settled down in the eastern courtyard. The following days were spent patiently waiting.

Zhong Shan often sat in a pavilion in the courtyard, drinking tea and playing chess with Mr. Corpse because from that position, he could see Bei Qingsi's residence.

Mr. Corpse also cooperated, and three days later, Bei Qingsi came out of her house, stretching slightly.

"Bei Qingsi!" Bing Xuan's voice suddenly called out from a distance.

Bei Qingsi frowned and looked over. Bing Xuan, dressed in white, walked over with a hint of a mischievous smile on his handsome face, exuding an indescribable charm.

"Martial Uncle!" Bei Qingsi stopped and called out immediately.

In the courtyard, several other disciples from the Longevity Realm also looked over. Hearing her call him Martial Uncle, they turned their attention to Bing Xuan. Although they respected their Martial Uncle, they were annoyed that he was openly pursuing a fellow disciple. They were unhappy but had to endure it due to Bing Xuan's strength and status.

"Qingsi's charm is indeed extraordinary. The moment you stepped out, everyone's eyes were on you," Bing Xuan said with a smile.

Bei Qingsi frowned and said, "Martial Uncle, please call me by my full name."

From a nearby pavilion, Zhong Shan raised an eyebrow, his eyes turning cold—a sign that someone was about to have a run of bad luck.

"My full name? Haha, I remember a junior brother in the Longevity Realm who once pursued you and called you that. You rejected him but also gave him hope," Bing Xuan said with a smile.

"Martial Uncle has a good memory. To avoid hurting the feelings of fellow disciples, I told him something impossible. I told him that he could call me 'Qingsi' only if he could find me 'pure water,' completely free of impurities. Both you and I, being of the water element, know that such a thing doesn't exist, just like asking for the stars in the sky. Could you bring them down for me, Martial Uncle?" Bei Qingsi sighed, shaking her head.

Zhong Shan watched from the side, deeply moved. Bei Qingsi was effectively locking her heart away.

"Not necessarily!" Bing Xuan said with a mischievous smile.

"Oh?" Bei Qingsi looked slightly puzzled.

The other disciples from the Longevity Realm all frowned.

"To the speaker, it was casual. To the listener, it was earnest. Since you said that, I've searched everywhere for the purest water. The purest water in the world is the 'Spring of Life' from the 'Creation Palace,'" Bing Xuan said with a smile.

"The Creation Palace of the Four Great Sacred Lands?" Bei Qingsi frowned.

"Yes. I went through great difficulties to find a sample of the 'Spring of Life,' which I brought for you. I ask for nothing more than to call you by your name," Bing Xuan said, producing a small jade box.

"The Spring of Life?" The disciples from the Longevity Realm were all amazed.

Bing Xuan gently opened the jade box, revealing an extremely clear water source inside, emitting a faint white light.

Bei Qingsi looked at the Spring of Life in the jade box with a furrowed brow.

"The Creation Palace? Hasn't it been missing for a long time?" Bei Qingsi asked, frowning.

"That's why it was so difficult for me to obtain this Spring of Life. You won't go back on your word, will you?" Bing Xuan said with a sly smile.

"This..." Bei Qingsi looked troubled.

"Hahaha!" Suddenly, Zhong Shan's laughter rang out from the pavilion.

The abrupt laughter caught everyone's attention, including Bing Xuan's, who frowned and looked at Zhong Shan coldly. According to his plan, he was just about to get closer to Bei Qingsi, and this laughter was an unwelcome interruption.

"What's so funny?" Bing Xuan asked coldly.

"Why am I laughing? Haha, I'm laughing because an elder, someone your age, still has youthful desires. It's not a big deal to have youthful desires, but to have designs on a girl young enough to be your granddaughter, that's quite something. And you, a renowned figure from the Longevity Realm, trying to deceive a young girl with a fake item, that's the funniest part!" Zhong Shan laughed.

His words were sharp and venomous, guaranteed to anger the person involved while amusing the onlookers.

"You...!" Bing Xuan's eyes flared with anger.

He quickly composed himself, taking a deep breath. "Fake? This Spring of Life is genuine. How dare a mere Nascent Soul stage cultivator act presumptuous before me?"

"Spring of Life? I didn't say it's not the Spring of Life. But the young lady asked for 'pure water.' Do you understand what pure water means? What is that? Good heavens, is that supposed to be pure water?" Zhong Shan exaggerated his laughter.

"The Spring of Life is the purest water in the world. If you don't know it, then step aside," Bing Xuan said coldly.

Zhong Shan didn't back down. Instead, he approached, looking at the Spring of Life in the jade box and shaking his head.

"This is your pure water?" Zhong Shan stared at Bing Xuan.

"Exactly!" Bing Xuan replied confidently.

"But, can this really be called pure water? What am I seeing? So many impurities, my heavens, there are even a few monsters swimming around in there," Zhong Shan exclaimed exaggeratedly.

Monsters? Swimming?

The surrounding onlookers were taken aback. This guy didn't want to live, talking to a Martial Uncle like that? Mr. Corpse, however, just smiled faintly.

Bing Xuan's eyes narrowed. "Are you deliberately causing trouble?"

"Not at all, why would I cause trouble? I'm just stating the facts. Can't you see the monsters in there? Oh, look, those two monsters are fighting. It's quite a show," Zhong Shan said, feigning surprise.

The crowd looked at Zhong Shan oddly. Monsters fighting? Was he mad? That was the purest Spring of Life! Bei Qingsi, of course, understood that this person was trying to help her.

Looking at Zhong Shan, Bei Qingsi felt a strange sense of familiarity, but he was also completely unfamiliar, a very peculiar feeling.

"This, uh, sir, are you saying this water is dirty?" Bei Qingsi asked, playing along.

"Dirty? It's more than dirty; there are monsters living in it! Can this water be considered clean? Can't you see them?" Zhong Shan put on an exaggerated expression.

Bei Qingsi looked at the box of water, shook her head, and said honestly, "I can't see anything."

After Bei Qingsi spoke, Bing Xuan exhaled a sigh of relief, and the onlookers also breathed slightly easier.

"It's alright if you can't see. You haven't had the special training. Wait for a bit, and I'll make something that will let you see. Not just you, anyone will be able to see the monsters fighting in there. Oh, it's quite a spectacle!" Zhong Shan said with a smile.

"Hmph, do you expect us to wait until next year while you make this thing?" Bing Xuan said coldly.

"Half an hour at most. In half an hour, you will see," Zhong Shan said.

"Hmph, fine, I'll give you half an hour. If you can't show us proof, don't blame me for being rude," Bing Xuan's eyes flashed with a cold light.

"Don't worry, I, Marshal Zhong, always keep my word," Zhong Shan replied.

The crowd looked at Zhong Shan curiously. Monsters? They had all scanned the Spring of Life with their divine senses and found nothing. Was this guy crazy?

Zhong Shan didn't avoid the others. He took some metals, lenses, and small mirrors from his storage bracelet.

With his Nascent Soul stage cultivation, crafting items was no longer difficult, even though he hadn't done it much. Zhong Shan threw the materials into his palm, and a flame instantly ignited. Using his divine sense, he quickly shaped the metals. He didn't inscribe any arrays, and in less than half an incense stick's time, Zhong Shan was done.

It was a strange contraption! Zhong Shan adjusted it for a moment, making sure everything was in order before exhaling deeply.

It took less than half an hour! After several adjustments, the peculiar device was finally complete.

"What is this?" Bing Xuan asked with a frown.

"This will let you see the monsters," Zhong Shan said with a smile.