The night in this city had a faint sense of mystery. The districts of red lanterns and flowing wine grew lively. The food streets and pedestrian lanes also began to fill with weary figures. Shi Qianzhang wore a hat to conceal his distinctive spiky hair. He also radiated righteous qi and sacred light, making it nearly impossible for anyone to recognize him. However, Wang Sheng, with his sword case on his back; Huai Jing, with his bald head and monk's robes; and Zhou Yinglong, with his flowing Daoist robe, all made it obvious that they weren't ordinary people. Nevertheless, no one disturbed them, but not because the citizens possessed lofty self-restraint. Rather, it was because twenty Sakura Island cultivators remained nearby at all times. Some of them disguised themselves as passersby, while some hid in corners with escape techniques. A few even strode openly at the front, clearing the way. The cultivators were not spying on them. Rather, they were protecting the Hua Republic cultivators, dissolving any possible threats around them so they could quietly take in the customs and atmosphere of the land. Sakura Island had clearly grown fearful. The Daoist sects had cowed them, and Wang Sheng even more so. After all, he threw around heavenly tribulation, which no one could withstand, as a warning at the slightest provocation. For years, the Saros Empire had often bullied Sakura Island. Hence, it only seemed natural for them to give Wang Sheng, the Daoist cultivator who had bullied even Saros, such special treatment. Since they could not win in combat, all they could do now was avoid fighting at all costs and seek to survive quietly. This mindset could be traced throughout the last seventy to eighty years of Sakura Island's history. "This bar looks decent. Shall we go inside and have a look?" Zhou Yinglong asked with interest. The cultivators hidden in the shadows instantly broke into a cold sweat, wishing they could replace all the liquor in the bar with water. They couldn't let their guests get drunk, lest some uncontrollable incident break out. Fortunately, Wang Sheng and his companions had good alcohol tolerance, and the one most likely to cause trouble, Shi Qianzhang, was now in a sage-like state. The four sat cross-legged at a low table. The other drinkers glanced their way, but five men in suits soon walked in and sat down at different tables, silently signaling the crowd to mind their business. A young waitress dressed in traditional Sakura Island attire approached the four with an electronic menu. She was visibly nervous, her bows and kneeling posture somewhat stiff. In Hua language, she softly asked, "Esteemed guests, what would you like to order?" "Mm…" Huai Jing thought for a moment. In fluent Gelan language[1], he easily conversed with the young woman. Wang Sheng could not help but rub his forehead. He felt like the least educated one among them. Follow current novels on 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭•𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮•𝘯𝘦𝘵 Once Huai Jing had finished ordering, Wang Sheng chuckled and teased, "Looks like you have not been lazing around these past years. You've even picked up auxiliary skills." "I play on international servers often. Considering the number of games I play, I naturally learned a few simple foreign words." Huai Jing laughed sheepishly. He then placed a string of Buddhist prayer beads before him. "Since you went missing, Fei Yu, I rarely took on missions. "Most of the time, Qianzhang dragged me along, which made my gaming hours spiral out of control. Today,  I will break my precepts and try a little sake as my own way of welcoming you back." Smiling, Zhou Yinglong said, "Junior Brother Wang, when we return, why not visit the Wudang Mountains? Everyone there misses you. When they heard you were still alive, even our grandmaster grinned so widely that his teeth nearly fell out." Huai Jing couldn't help but laugh. "Hahaha! Are you sure you should speak of Yuan Pu Zhenren like that? Doesn't that imply he wears false teeth?" Wang Sheng also laughed quietly. Meanwhile, Shi Qianzhang sighed faintly, closed his eyes, and sat still like a clay statue. Huai Jing waved his hand before Shi Qianzhang's face. "Will he be behaving forever?" The latter remained utterly motionless, as though he had entered meditation. "What kind of spell is this?" Zhou Yinglong asked curiously. "It must be some kind of mind-calming technique." Wang Sheng rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "There's no need to worry. Big Sister always thinks before she acts. She probably only meant to give him a small punishment, though she did not expect Qianzhang's Dao Heart to be so fragile." Shi Qianzhang slowly opened his eyes and, in a measured tone, said, "Brother Sheng, that's going a bit too far. "Though my cultivation may be low, my Dao Heart shines like the moon in the heavens and gleams like boundless white snow. "As the saying goes, 'if friends of the Longhu Mountains inquire about me, they will find a heart as pure as ice within a jade vessel. I do not seek praise for external beauty; all I want is to leave a clear fragrance filling the heaven and earth.'" The others immediately burst into laughter. Even the young waitress who had come over with their drinks stole a few glances at Shi Qianzhang and could not help but smile. Huai Jing rubbed his hands in anticipation. "Come, let's drink!" Wang Sheng removed his sword case and set it on his legs. He asked the waitress to fill their cups with sake, then kindly said, "Thank you. We will serve ourselves from here." The young woman dared not linger. She bowed and walked away with small, careful steps. "How many cultivation sects does Sakura Island have left?" Wang Sheng asked casually, showing no sign of restraint. "Not many," Huai Jing replied. He tapped the table with his finger. "Only a few of the oldest sects remain. Most of the others have joined the Dark Faction. Compared to thirteen years ago, Sakur Island's number of cultivators has fallen by half, though they now have a few who can be considered experts." Zhou Yinglong added, "Our Daoist sects and the common folk alike have long held grievances against Sakura Island because of our history. We walk the path of peaceful development now, though. We will not act against them. "Once Sakura Island realized this, they abandoned their hostility toward us. They do not stand on the same side as us yet, and even if they wish to, we might not accept them. At the very least, however, they will no longer cause us trouble without reason." Wang Sheng smiled. "Good to know. I had broken my promise to help in the Hua Republic's fight against Sakura Island. It's one of my deepest regrets." "Yet here we are together now." Zhou Yinglong raised his cup. "Come, let us toast to this belated journey to Sakura Island." "Ugh, this sake does not sit well—" Huai Jing let out a coughing fit. Shi Qianzhang lifted his cup slowly, softly, and gracefully. As he leaned forward elegantly, his eyes grew as tender as Liu Yunzhi's, nearly making them the splitting image of each other. "A cup to the days ahead, another to the days gone by…" "Just drink already!" Huai Jing pressed the cup against Shi Qianzhang's lips, forcing him to gulp it down. Shi Qianzhang sputtered and flailed in a panic. When he finally swallowed the sake and pulled the cup from his mouth, he glared at Huai Jing. He was just about to spout curses when a faint flash of Buddhist light passed over him. The proud Longhu Mountains disciple suddenly softened, his eyes once more becoming tender. The three others at the table shivered. Things seemed to be heading in a rather troubling direction. On the hotel rooftop, beside the balcony pool with drifting fragrance. Four young women sat by the water, eating and chatting. Mu Wanxuan was more reserved than the others. She only removed her shoes and dangled her feet in the pool while still in her Soaring Celestial Dress. Using her enchanted power, she lifted the platters and served the dishes herself. She also used her qi to control the plates and even roast the meat. Xi Lian had already coaxed Hao Ling and the young female liaison into donning the local yukata[2]. of Sakura Island. The three swung their legs as they sat. Rows of marinated chicken wings and skewers lined the grill as if invisible hands tended to them. In truth, Mu Wanxuan was controlling everything with fine precision. "There really isn't anything fun here." Xi Lian yawned, her charming eyes tinged with boredom. "I hope those researchers finish their meeting soon so we can return earlier." "Sakura Island's development is far behind our homeland." Hao Ling sighed softly. "I originally had high hopes for this place, but I now find it disappointing." "Shall we go look for some entertainment?" Xi Lian's eyes glimmered with laziness and allure. "I swept my spiritual consciousness across the area and found quite a few interesting places. There's even a military base far away. It seems to be conducting some twisted research." "Senior, we should remain discreet," the liaison whispered timidly, not daring to raise her voice. "We're on Sakura Island, after all. Though they have made peace with us on the surface, we're still far away from home." "What's there to fear?" Immortal light wrapped around Xi Lian as she transformed into a twelve or thirteen-year-old girl. She placed her hands on her hips, raised her chin, and declared, "Here, I can go wherever I please!" Mu Wanxuan tugged at Xi Lian's sleeve and gently shook her head. Xi Lian pouted and sulked. "Fiiiine. I came here thinking we'd end up fighting. Little Fei Yu finally getting out excited me, and even if things got out of hand, I had nothing to be afraid of. Who would've thought we wouldn't even come across the slightest thrill!" Hao Ling chuckled softly. "Big Sister, there are still beings on this planet who could rival you. It is better to remain cautious." "Hmph! That's only because my condition's unstable," Xi Lian muttered. She then smirked. "Otherwise, I would have already gone to challenge those so-called old princes and great corrupt gods! How dare those mere savage devils offend our Great Divine Land! If Daoist Master Qinglin were still here, he would have cleansed every last devil in this star in one night!" The others could not help but smile. "Hey, why don't we video call Little Fei Yu?" Xi Lian suggested mischievously. "Little Xuanxuan, go change into something else. You are being too reserved. Good cabbages get snatched if left alone. After more than ten years apart, I thought you two would be burning for each other, but now you've slipped back into the same rhythm as thirteen years ago. How boring." Mu Wanxuan pursed her lips, shook her head gently, and pointed around them, hinting that the setting was too unfamiliar. She then whispered, "Much time." "Alright then." The half-immortal fox smacked her lips and pulled out her expensive phone. She opened the virtual interface and quickly found Wang Sheng's avatar. With a mischievous grin, she covered the camera, preparing to give Wang Sheng a scare. However, just as Xi Lian's finger was about to tap on the screen, her delicate eyebrows knit slightly. She casually put the phone away. "What is it, Big Sister?" Hao Ling asked in confusion. "This place is certainly a mess," Xi Lian raised an eyebrow. "There are actually people brazenly practicing corrupt arts and nurturing devilish swords. Want to go take a look? Back home, corrupt cultivators have become rarer than treasures." The three young women blinked. Mu Wanxuan glanced at the skewers still waiting to be grilled. "We can pick up some drinks while we're out," Xi Lian suggested. Mu Wanxuan instantly perked up. "Let's go!"