296: No old friends remain west of Yangguan Pass

The azure cloud boat traveled day and night, and after several days, it finally reached the westernmost part of the Great Qian territory.

Below them, the familiar towns and farmlands were replaced by increasingly desolate mountains and Gobi Deserts, and the air was filled with a rugged and primal atmosphere.

This was the border region where Great Qian met the Western Regions Demon Kingdom.

Conflicts between humans and demons here were constant, and battles, both large and small, never ceased, making the boundary extremely desolate.

The flying boat quietly descended onto the city wall of a Border Town.

As Li Shengyuan and Pei Shuyun stepped out of the cabin door, they were met with a strong smell of alcohol mixed with sand.

Leaning against the stone steps of the city wall was a familiar figure—it was the Chancellor's Eldest Disciple, Chu Chunqiu!

He still looked unkempt, his Daoist robe loose, a massive Wine Gourd dangling in his hand, his face flushed, and his eyes hazy with intoxication.

Standing beside him was Little Junior Brother Song Zhen, who looked slightly helpless but whose gaze was calm.

“Yo, you’re here?”

Chu Chunqiu let out a burp, swayed as he stood up, raised his wine gourd toward Li Shengyuan, and chuckled:

“Shengyuan, I’ve been waiting for you for a while! Teacher sent word that you would arrive today. Come on, drink this first sip of wine; consider it my farewell gift to you!”

Song Zhen stepped forward and offered a respectful, slightly reserved bow to Li Shengyuan and Pei Shuyun:

“Martial Brother Li, Miss Pei.”

He looked at Chu Chunqiu and added in a low voice, “Eldest Martial Brother... has been waiting here the whole time.”

Seeing this, Li Shengyuan couldn't help but smile.

He knew that Chu Chunqiu appeared unrestrained but was actually meticulous and possessed unfathomable cultivation. The Chancellor placing him on this Western Regions Border must have deep meaning.

He took the Wine Flask Chu Chunqiu tossed over, pulled out the stopper, and a strong aroma of alcohol rushed into his nostrils.

“Martial Brother Chu, Junior Brother Song, thank you for waiting.” Li Shengyuan raised the flask in salute.

Chu Chunqiu chugged a large mouthful of wine, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and sighed:

“Teacher ordered me to remain here for other important duties, coordinating some... cough, cough, trivial matters. I won't be able to accompany you deep into the Demon Kingdom.”

“This round of drinks is for your send-off! That Demon Kingdom is a chaotic mix of people, and the rules are completely different from the Human Territory. Although your cultivation is heaven-defying, a powerful dragon can't subdue a local snake. You must be careful in everything, especially...”

He glanced at Pei Shuyun, leaving the rest unsaid, but the meaning was clear.

Li Shengyuan nodded, understanding completely.

His gaze swept westward to the vaguely visible, more vast and majestic mountain contours—that was the Demon Kingdom's territory.

A sense of desolation and heroic spirit arose spontaneously. He suddenly recalled a line of poetry from his past life's memory, which perfectly matched the current scene.

He tilted his head back, drank a mouthful of spicy Liquor, and laughed heartily: “Martial Brother Chu speaks wisely. Feeling inspired before departure, I recall a line of poetry. Consider it a gift to myself...”

“Oh?” Chu Chunqiu’s eyes lit up. “Tell me what it is?”

Li Shengyuan paused, facing the biting wind of the Frontier, and slowly recited:

“I urge you to drain another cup of wine, for west of Yang Pass, you will meet no old friends.”

The poem flowed out, a few short lines expressing the traveler's solitude, the unknown path ahead, and the sorrow of parting with old friends, all while conveying a heroic spirit facing the vast wilderness.

Upon hearing this, Pei Shuyun's beautiful eyes instantly brightened. She gazed raptly at Li Shengyuan's profile, feeling that the poem perfectly matched his current demeanor, her heart surging with emotion.

Chu Chunqiu slapped his thigh and laughed heartily, the alcohol sobering him up slightly: “Good! What a line, ‘West of Yang Pass, no old friends’! Shengyuan, your literary talent is truly outstanding, speaking in perfect verse! The words, the wine—magnificent!”

He raised his wine gourd and declared boldly, “For that line of poetry, let's drink again!”

“When you return safely from the Demon Kingdom after thoroughly messing up that damn Cult Master's conspiracy, I, your older brother, will host a feast at the best restaurant in the Capital City, and we'll drink until we're drunk for three days and three nights!”

“It's a deal!” Li Shengyuan laughed in response.

Song Zhen also silently raised his own Water Flask, substituting water for wine, his eyes filled with respect.

The four of them drank and expressed their feelings in this desolate Frontier, amidst the sand and strong liquor, temporarily forgetting the dangers ahead.

Until the darkness receded, the eastern sky turned the color of a fish belly, and the morning light once again spilled onto the land.

The wine was finished, the words spoken.

Li Shengyuan and Pei Shuyun exchanged a look, then formally cupped their hands toward Chu Chunqiu and Song Zhen.

“Martial Brother Chu, Junior Brother Song, take care!”

“Martial Brother Li, Miss Pei, safe travels, and be extremely careful!”

After saying goodbye, Li Shengyuan put away the azure cloud boat.

It was inappropriate to use Flying Magical Artifacts when entering the Demon Kingdom's Pass.

He and Pei Shuyun circulated their Cultivation Techniques, concealing their auras, and transformed into two faint wisps of smoke, darting toward the invisible boundary in the west.

Upon officially stepping into the Western Regions Demon Kingdom's territory, the feeling was immediately distinct.

The Spiritual Energy permeating the air was more violent, mixed with the unique musky stench of various Demon Beasts.

Looking around, the mountains were steeper and more rugged, ancient trees reached the sky, and vines intertwined—a truly primal scene.

Releasing their Divine Sense slightly, they could perceive many powerful auras hidden within the mountains and forests, including quite a few Great Transformation Demons equivalent to the Human Race's Fourth Rank or even Third Rank!

In some directions, there was even a faint oppressive aura that made him feel a slight solemnity. Those must be the Demon Kings guarding the border, whose cultivation had likely reached the Second Rank!

This was truly a world where the strong preyed on the weak and strength reigned supreme.

Even though, under the rule of the Demon Emperor these years, they had learned from Great Qian and started to become civilized, even introducing Buddhism from Great Qian's Western Regions to educate the demons, this only had some effect in the Demon Kingdom's capital, Saint Dragon City.

The border regions remained full of savagery.

There were also a small number of humans and other races within the Demon Territory, but they had mostly been assimilated by the demons long ago.

And their destination was the heartland of the Demon Territory, the holy site worshiped by ten thousand demons:

Saint Dragon City!

However, the demons' territory was much vaster than Great Qian's.

Furthermore, traveling conspicuously and rapidly within the Demon Kingdom, surrounded by powerful experts and with unclear allies and enemies, was tantamount to courting death, meaning they were destined to spend more time on the journey.

The two lowered their speed to the minimum, moving like the most cautious travelers.

They could only rely on Pei Shuyun's understanding of demon habits to choose relatively safe paths, avoiding the territories of powerful demons, and flying toward Saint Dragon City...