Guan Deshou was greedy for money and went to sea and ran boats just for money.
There is no place for drinking, gambling or playing tricks on the iron ship. However, in order to prevent excessive boredom, it provides leisure and entertainment such as drinking tea and archery at sea.
The price of tea is three times that on land.
Huo Huang ordered the most expensive tea every day, watching the competition of arrows shooting seabirds and flying fish on the deck outside the window.
After spending more money, it became easier to strike up a conversation with Guan Deshou, and he gradually learned some information about Huan Chen.
The world is vast and boundless, and even Guan Deshou only knows about 30% of the territory.
The area navigable to Bingsheng is southwest of Huanchen, and the anchorage where the iron ships are berthed is called Nanfeng City.
There are many sects in the Huanchen sect, but there is no unified alliance. The two worlds are clearly separated between laymen and cultivators. Except for the selection of newcomers, there are very few entanglements. In the big city of lay people, there is no Taoist sect.
Xuanmen was built in monk towns, or in places with high mountains and beautiful mountains and rivers.
"Nanfeng City is a monk city" Xue Tong asked.
"Yes, but there are no influential sects, and almost all of them are casual cultivators."
"Huanchen can be said to be the continent of cultivators. Monks are free and carefree. The sky is high and the sea is vast. There is neither the jurisdiction of the alliance nor the interference of the government." Huo Huang said.
…
The voyage is long.
The turbid waste gas produced in Xue Tong's cabin will be drained out by the ventilation system every three days. He enjoys doing the exercises without feeling boring, but he suffers from the pain of a large spiritual pet like Bai Hu, who has no place to live. Placement, no place to vent.
Xue Tong's body refining technique has entered the final level, and his practice is slow. His Qi refining speed is normal. He relies on a large number of high-grade magic elixirs obtained from the demon world to promote the cultivation of the scriptures and strengthen the Gang Demon Qi layer.
Ying Xu and Hei Min's sixth-grade magic elixirs were better than the human world Lingji elixir and Zifu golden elixir that Xue Tong took.
When winter comes, the cold wind blows, and every day feels as cold as the day before.
The first ice floe appeared in the North Sea, and within a few days, huge ice blocks were often visible.
Xue Tong took an eagle and flew to the big ice block, where he released his spiritual pets and knights.
The iron ship is driven by steam and wind and will never stop unless necessary. It is allowed for Xue Tong to leave the ship for a short time. However, if he cannot make it back in time, the boatman will not be responsible and the consequences will be borne by himself.
In addition to letting his spiritual pets relax, Xue Tong spent all his energy on practicing the scriptures.
The ice in the outer sea is getting less and less, and the waves are rough.
The iron ship weighs 100 million kilograms, resists wind and waves, and sails smoothly all the way.
…
Xue Tong Fahai made four turns and finished before landing!
With each additional turn of the mantra, the martial arts and sword formation power displayed increase by approximately 30%.
Huo Huang became very familiar with Guan Deshou.
He bought a map of southwest Huanchen, with the common towns marked in red and the Mysterious Realm taking up most of the territory in blue.
In addition to Nanfeng City, Xue Tong noticed the larger Tianmang City.
He once told Fan Ruhua not to go far when Huanchen arrives and stay in the big city in the south.
Tianmang can be considered a big city.
Huo Huang drew a picture, circled a piece the size of a crystal dragon, and said: "There are two major sects in Renzhou, one is Tianmang Sect, and the other is Huanglong Sect."
"Did Guan Deshou ever talk about Huanglong Tianmang's strength?"
"The two strongest masters of the two sects are no match for Taoist Xue. After all, they are state-level sects."
"Xue didn't come here just to fight. The purpose of this trip is to find Fan Ruhua, open up new fields, and obtain resources."
Xue Tong paused and then said: "Go to Tianmang City and have a look. If Ruhua is not there, leave. We only need a small territory and live outside the various sects."
"Senior Brother, I won't do big events anymore. What will the new venue be called?"
The relationship between Xiao Yuer and Xue Tong returned to normal, and their titles returned to the past.
"It's not yet time. If Ruhuaruo is in Tianmang, we can meet up and go deep into the interior. Otherwise, it's best to stay in Renzhou and go to the city to look for her from time to time. Tianmang is a big sect, and there will always be celebrations. Ruhua may come to look for her." Xue Tong said.
"Daozhang Fan can't be in Tianmang!"
Huo Huang waited for the two of them to finish speaking and then said.
"Why"
"Tianmang Sect will not allow high-ranking foreigners to live in the city permanently. This is Huanchen's practice."
Xue Tong was silent for a moment, "So Ruhua will live in the wild or in a remote place in a remote country, and will not be able to stay in the city."
"Then how to find it? Go to the largest city of Tucheng," Xiao Yu'er pointed at the map and shouted.
"The appointment is in the south, why go to such a far place? Besides, the strength of the sect is very important, so it would be wrong to go in a hurry!" Xue Tong retorted.
…
Nanfeng City Pier.
Guan Deshou let out a long sigh, and the four-and-a-half-year journey was finally over.
"Where are you going, Master Taoist?"
During the voyage, Guan Deshou never asked anyone about the purpose of coming to Huanchen. This was the rule of running a ship. When the ship docked, he was done and he was in a good mood, he casually asked about Xue Tong.
“Visiting old acquaintances, is there a good place for pipeline friends?”
"There's no good place to go, otherwise Guan wouldn't have to go through all the trouble to get on the boat."
"Fellow Taoist has made this trip. It will take some time before we go to sea again."
"Hmm, it will take at least five years, but there are three boats in Nanfeng City, so it is still convenient to take a boat."
After chatting for a while, Xue Tong and the other two left the dock.
The architectural style of Huanchen is taller and stronger than that of Yunxi, and a little less refined and meticulous.
There are 20,000 cultivators in the city, mostly casual cultivators, and most of their resources come from the sea.
The city streets are wide, and in addition to the carriages that shuttle back and forth, camels, elk, mammoths and other spirit horses also appear from time to time.
Xue Tong passed through Nanfeng almost straight, without lingering for a moment.
They are going to Tianmang.
Three days later.
As Huo Huang said, Tianmang didn't seem to welcome Xue Tong very much.
"Does the Taoist hold the invitation from our sect?" the guard asked, neither humble nor overbearing.
"Xue has no advice, come to Tianmang to find someone."
"Foreign masters can stay for up to half a month. Taoist priests need to hurry up," the guard reminded.
Tianmang City has fifty thousand monks, half of whom are from the Tianmang Sect.
The city was huge, so Xue Tong and the four of them walked around separately for a day, crushing transmission talismans in many places, trying to contact Fan Ruhua.
There is no news, the message has gone and never returned.
Xue Tong bought a map drawn by Tianmang Sect, stayed in an inn and studied it carefully for one night, and left in a hurry the next day.
…
"That's it!"
Three thousand miles away from Tianmang, Xue Tongqian pointed forward on the boat and said.
At the end of the valley, there are towering mountains, lush trees, and slowly flowing mist.
The nameless valley is full of spiritual energy and is located in the buffer zone between Tianmang and Huanglong sects.
"The rule of Huan Chen is that the unowned land can be occupied at will. The boundary of Tianmang Sect is 300 miles away, and it is inaccessible. It is just right to use it as a dojo!"
"Dojo" Xiao Yu'er said in confusion.
"Well, Xuanling Taoist Temple is slightly different from the Taoist Temple of the past. It is small and exquisite and does not deal with spiritual objects."
A few people would not object to what Xue Tong decided. Moreover, the idea seemed to be a good one, and there was no reason to object.
"Use the ready-made blueprints from the Taoist temple and zoom it out. Huo Huang will find someone. We don't have to build a house, but we have to dig the underground palace ourselves."
Huo Huang left the dojo and went out to look for the construction team.
…
The Taoist temple and side halls are half completed, and the huge underground palace is basically completed.
An uninvited guest came to the Taoist Academy. He was dressed like a deacon of the Tianmang Sect and was at the peak of his innate life. He asked Huo Huang where he came from.
"Yancheng"
Huo Huang named the farthest name on the map.
The deacon frowned and said, "This place is not far from Tianmang territory. You are building a Taoist temple. Do you have permission to say hello?"
"Because it is outside the territory of your sect and the size of the dojo is small, so..."
“How many people live in the dojo?”
"There are four at the moment, five or six at most."
The deacon's attitude was relatively mild, but when he heard that Xue Tongli Xin was a master-level monk, his face became clouded.
"You and other extraordinary monks are too close to our sect, so the dojo may have to be moved to another location!"
With such complications arising, Huo Huang hurriedly sent word to Xue Tong.
Xue Tong thought of the past events of Xuanling Taoist Academy, "There are few people in the Taoist temple. If Tianmang Sect is worried, they can send people to stay in the Taoist temple. However, when Guizong comes, there must be some space left for Huanglong Sect. On the east and west sides, there are Take one side."
Xue Tong's cultivation level is several levels higher. Even though the deacon is not afraid, he is still very careful in what he says. "I have never heard of the Taoist Master's proposal. I worked hard to build the dojo, but gave up half of the place to others and lived under the nose of the big sect."
"I need to go back to the sect to report that the dojo is temporarily suspended."
"It's easy to talk to. Fellow Taoist, please come back and say some kind words to the sect. Xue is waiting for good news."
Xue Tong gave the deacon five high-grade spiritual stones.
He thought in his mind that when he first came to Huanchen, it would be wiser to make some concessions that had nothing to do with the overall situation.
"Maybe this will bring us closer to the two sects!"
The deacon hesitated for a moment and accepted the benefit.
Ten days later.
The deacon arrived accompanied by two "big shots".
"This is Elder Rong, Master Hua!"
In the late stage of the two masters, Xue Tong carefully accompanied Smiley.
"Guitian Mang Sect on the east side, this sect is not responsible for the safety of the dojo. As long as you don't cause trouble here or enter the inner courtyard, you are not allowed to interfere with our activities. If Tianmang monks violate it, the dojo cannot handle it on its own and needs to be handed over to this sect! "
After the two of them inspected it, Hua Changting said.
Xue Tong agreed wholeheartedly, took out the drawings and asked if the facility site needed to be modified.
"When Tianmang settles in, the Huanglong Sect will inevitably come. It doesn't matter whether they watch the scene or not. The two major sects are here, who dares to cause trouble!"
"If you don't fight and kill, and interfere with our cultivation, you can do whatever you like!" Xue Tong secretly rejoiced, not feeling that the conditions were harsh.
Half a year later, when the Taoist temple was about to be completed, the Huanglong sect, as expected, took away the west courtyard.
There are six people living in each of the two sects, and the relationship is not tense, but they do not interact with each other and are regarded as strangers.
Xuanling Dojo became a legitimate place to sneak into each other's territory to spy on each other. They knew each other tacitly, and Xue Tong also pretended not to know.
The four of them, Xue Tong, had already prepared enough elixirs, and they took advantage of the rare peaceful time to practice hard day and night.
Only Huo Huang occasionally wandered into the outer courtyard to see if there was anything that needed to be dealt with.
Another half year passed like this.
Huo Huang sent a message: "The two sects of Huanglong and Tianmang want to use the dojo to negotiate. It's not up to Huo to shirk."
"Oh, it's a ready-made third-party venue. I know everything about it. It's safe and reliable."
"That's good, Xue will do his best to show his friendship as a landlord, and let's take a look at it!"
On the second floor of the Taoist Temple, the negotiation scene was held.
Xue Tong learned that the two sects were discussing again over some old cases, and those who came were second-level figures from the sects, such as the hall master and elders.
The dojo was excluded, and Tianmang even asked Xue Tong and the others not to disturb them and stay in the cave.
Xue Tong agreed with a smile.
…
Old cases are discussed again, and the quarrels often remain the same. In just half an hour, there is yelling, cups and dishes being thrown in the Taoist temple.
Xue Tong took the opportunity to enter and said, "Please calm down, everything can be easily discussed!"
