As soon as they left, Lian felt his heart skip a beat.
They passed the gatekeepers who stood at the sect's gates.
They were twins; one of them had hair and a broad smile, while the other was bald with a mean-looking scowl.
The one with hair wore blue robes and faced east, the bald one wore red robes and faced west.
"Mmmpht, how cute," Bo Ming thought as they passed through them.
At first, all the eyes could see were buildings and scattered settlements stretching into the distance.
"There sure are a lot of towns around here, huh?" Lian remarked as they passed through their third one in just a few hours.
"Yes. That's because we're still within the district of Heaven's Gate Sect," Xiao Bao replied.
"Some clans and families choose to take refuge under our sect's great name."
Xiao Bao was tall and lean, with short black hair and square-shaped glasses that sat perfectly on his face. His large robes draped over his hands as he walked.
"As long as they remain within our jurisdiction, they receive protection in exchange for a small tribute to the sect," he added, adjusting his glasses.
"Mmm… is that so? You sure know a lot, Xiao Bao," Lian said, turning to face him.
"Well, he should," Wang Gu chimed in from behind.
"Xiao Bao here is under the Chamber of Commerce. I'm pretty sure the only reason they even gave him this mission was to test his money-making skills in the middle of a tragedy."
Xiao Bao didn't respond. He simply returned to reading the book he had been holding open the entire time.
"I guess it doesn't matter if you are a small or big clan, money is always an issue." Lian thought.
His gaze drifted toward Dong Feng. The man hadn't said a single word the entire journey. He wore an undergarment sleeve that wrapped all the way up to cover most of his face, and his long blue hair draped over his shoulders, obscuring his facial features and making it hard to read his expression.
What's up with him? Lian wondered as the buildings gradually melted away, replaced by long trees and lush green grass, dotted with bushes.
"Has anyone here been to Yùzhàn?" Lian asked.
"Never been."
"Mmm."
"Neither have I," voices followed one after another.
"I've been there once," Wang Gu said, rubbing his eyes.
"Of course he has," Lian silently guessed.
"We can only get there by sky ship. We'll board one in Mashu, that's the only station that goes to such remote areas."
"Make sure you have your disciple identity jade," he added lazily, still trailing behind.
"Otherwise, we won't be allowed to board."
"He really is lazy," Ming thought to herself.
"Even while walking, he looks half asleep."
They continued on, and the scenery kept changing. From time to time, they passed commoners who didn't hesitate to bow whenever they saw Heaven's Gate uniforms.
Now and then, the untamed forest would give way to rice fields and farmlands carefully tended by the people.
Eventually, it wasn't just ordinary folk anymore.
Groups, upon, groups of people clad in martial attire began moving in the same direction as Lian and the others.
"Stay vigilant. A fight might break out at any moment," Wang Gu warned.
The people around them all looked different. Perhaps it was due to the martial arts they practised, but some appeared less human—more like beast–human hybrids. Lian noticed, yet chose not to point it out, fearing he would draw too much attention to himself as it was.
Finally, they arrived at the station.
The ships were massive. Four mechanical wings protruded from either side, flapping with a low buzz powered by unseen energy. The hulls were built from dark wood, and banners hung in every direction. Each banner bore the image of the sun and the moon.
"This is Mashu, the home place for trade and the dark markets," Wang Gu said.
The place was bustling with activity. Merchants moved back and forth, loading cargo onto ships lined up one after another. Large crates were stacked high, and iron cages containing magic beasts sat locked to the side, some of the creatures growling softly from within.
"We need a ship heading to Yùzhàn," Wang Gu said, placing his disciple jade on the counter.
The fixer was a broad man with an eyepatch, a massive axe strapped across his back.
"Yùzhàn, huh?" he said, snorting softly.
"I've been hearing a lot of rumours lately. Looks like Heaven's Gate finally decided to do something about it."
He turned and gestured with his hand.
"Well then, follow me."
His steps were uneven—one of his legs was missing, replaced by a wooden peg that rang sharply against the floor with every step.
They walked around the large ship—only to be met with something pitiful.
The vessel before them was barely three-quarters the size of the others they had seen. One of its mechanical wings looked so run-down it seemed ready to fall off at any moment. Rust streaked along the joints, and several panels were crudely patched together.
"This can't be it, can it?" Bo Ming spoke, her voice cracking a little.
"Is that thing even safe to get on to?"
"I would hope so," Xiao Bao shimmed in.
As far as Lian could tell, only shady-looking people were climbing aboard—figures with lowered hoods, scarred faces, and eyes that never lingered too long in one place.
"This is it," the fixer said flatly.
"The only ship heading to Yùzhàn."
With that, he turned and walked away.
Though hesitant, they boarded the ship and found places to sit among the other passengers. The wooden benches creaked under their weight, and the air carried the faint smell of oil and old blood.
"Hello there."
The voice came the moment they settled in.
"I see you're heading to Yùzhàn as well," a young boy said, approaching their group.
"Mind if we travel together?"
He wore robes of black and white, clean and neatly pressed, a sword hung on his hip, and he had a broad smile.
Xiao Bao leaned closer,
"MMmmm, they're from the South Sword sect. I wonder why they are going to Yùzhàn as well ."