True Monarch Tyrant Flood Dragon continued, “Afterward, I saw people of the Jet-Black Sect personally get into action and ascend to the True Martial Island. I don’t know what price the True Martial Island had to pay to appease the Jet-Black Sect, but I estimate that they definitely lost a great deal of money. Therefore, they came up with this ‘True Martial Cup Valkyrie Competition’ event to get some returns.”

　　Young Master Phoenix Slayer: “If it’s just the puppet technique of the Jet-Black Sect, let’s leave it at that. I’m not interested in it, and it also conflicts with my cultivation method. In that case, Fairy Lychee, I can accompany you there, but I won’t participate in the event. It just so happens that I was also planning to go to the True Martial Island to make some purchases.”

　　“Great,” Fairy Lychee said. “Is there anyone else who wants to tag along?”

　　Thrice Reckless Mad Saber: “I would like to go, but I’m currently very busy. Fairy Lychee, can you help me buy a special product from the True Martial Island? It’s called ‘Profound Steel Tooth’, and I want to enhance my life-bound treasured saber with it.”

　　“Alright,” Fairy Lychee said.

　　“Fairy Lychee, can you buy some stuff for me as well? I need something called ‘True Martial Shell’. Ever since I reached the Sixth Stage Realm, I haven’t been able to get myself a fitting outfit. I was thinking of gathering some materials first and then ask someone to forge it for me,” Northern River’s Loose Cultivator said.

　　“Alright,” Fairy Lychee said.

　　Fairy Dongfang Six: “Can you also buy me something? I want some immortal fruits from the True Martial Island. There’s a total of 10 different kinds. I’ll send you a detailed list when the time comes.”

　　Fairy Lychee: “Alright… wait, are you all making me go there to buy stuff for you?”

　　Fairy Dongfang Six: “Hahahaha.”

　　“I’ll only buy the things you three asked. I won’t be taking anyone else’s orders.” Fairy Lychee felt stifled.

　　❄️❄️❄️

　　After looking at the topic of conversation in the Nine Provinces Number One Group change to a new one, Song Shuhang quietly closed his phone.

　　The first class of this semester was English’s class.

　　A meticulous old professor ascended the stage and started, as serious as always, the first class of the new semester. Song Shuhang pinched his chin and listened to the contents that the professor was explaining while flipping his own textbook.

　　While flipping the pages, he was able to memorize a great part of the content of the textbook.

　　Being a cultivator was truly a good thing.

　　If he also had Venerable White’s [Learning God System], it would be even better.

　　Loli Shi quietly sat down beside Song Shuhang with a serious face while earnestly listening and taking notes.

　　She was now at the First Stage Dragon Gate Realm. According to the arrangements made by her teacher, she was to properly experience the life of a ‘university student’, through which she could hopefully find an opportunity to break through.

　　Besides Shi, the other transfer student, True Monarch White, didn’t show up today.

　　…For Song Shuhang, True Monarch White Crane not coming to class today was actually great.

　　❄️❄️❄️

　　At the end of the first class, Shi put down her pen and let out a sigh of relief. She then took out a small packet of melon seeds, and satisfaction filled her face as she nibbled on them.

　　She looked at Song Shuhang, and said, “Senior Brother Song, do you want some?”

　　“Alright, give me some,” Song Shuhang said.

　　Shi carefully poured everything inside the small packet onto the table. She then earnestly separated a third of the total amount, and gave it to Song Shuhang.

　　Song Shuhang felt that Loli Shi definitely had some sort of OCD.

　　Shi lowered her voice, and asked seriously, “By the way, Senior Brother Song, can I really find a way to ‘get through the dragon gate’ by studying here?”

　　“I’m not really clear on this, either. However, not everyone finds the method to ‘jump through the dragon gate’ the same way,” Song Shuhang said while eating the melon seeds.

　　Then, he recalled the circumstances of his own ‘jumping through the dragon gate’.

　　He remembered that he first rubbed off Yu Jiaojiao’s good fortune and experienced the ‘fish jumping through the dragon gate ceremony’ alongside her, from which he comprehended what it felt like to jump through the dragon gate.

　　Besides experiencing the ‘fish jumping through the dragon gate ceremony’,in the beginning, Venerable White had even turned him into a fish and made him go up a waterfall.

　　This had indeed helped him with his ‘jumping through the dragon gate’.

　　Perhaps he could bring Shi to look for a waterfall, and then make her swim against the stream?

　　“What is Senior Brother Song thinking about?” Shi asked curiously.

　　“Shi, can you swim?” Song Shuhang asked.

　　Shi nodded, and said, “A bit.”

　　Song Shuhang lowered his voice, and said, “When we have the time, I’ll bring you somewhere you can swim. It might help with your ‘jumping through the dragon gate’.”

　　Shi blinked curiously, and nodded earnestly.

　　While talking, Song Shuhang suddenly raised his head, and looked outside the window.

　　Shi then seemed to have sensed something, and also raised her head to look at the sky.

　　There seemed to be a figure in the sky above Jiangnan University Town. However, due to the smog, Song Shuhang and Shi could only faintly see that figure.

　　To be able to tread on air, the cultivator had to at least be of the Fifth Stage Spiritual Emperor Realm.

　　“Is this the place?” The figure smiled, and said, “This smog is really thick.”

　　“Fellow Daoist, I’m happy that you like it. It’s great that you were just nearby. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be easy to get around in this smog.” Beside the figure, the Frenzied Strength Imparter, Daoist Priest Horizon, was similarly treading on air.

　　“Haha, it’s a small matter. You’re welcome, Daoist Priest Horizon. Next, look at what I can do.” After the figure said this, he then inhaled deeply.

　　“Fwoosh~”

　　When he inhaled, all the smog was quickly sucked into his nostrils.

　　“Heavens.” Song Shuhang saw this, and was shocked.

　　He’s actually inhaling smog?!

　　“Fwoosh.” In around three minutes, the smog that filled Jiangnan University Town and its vicinity was completely sucked away.

　　“Great.” The figure in the sky sighed with satisfaction—this ‘great’ was so loud that even Song Shuhang and Shi who were below were able to hear it.

　　“Thank you for your help, Fellow Daoist.” Daoist Priest Horizon smiled, and handed over a box the size of a phone. There were five spirit stones of the Fifth Stage inside the box, which was the reward for the fellow daoist.

　　The figure laughed, and said, “You’re welcome. I was able to earn a small sum, and also able to inhale such high-quality smog. I’m truly satisfied.”

　　Daoist Priest Horizon cupped his hands, and said, “In that case, I wish Fellow Daoist to be able to forge your new magical treasure soon.”

　　“Hahaha, I’ll accept your blessing.” The figure laughed, received the box, cupped his hands towards Daoist Priest Horizon, and bid his goodbye.

　　The world of cultivation is truly vast, and there are all kinds of people!

　　Song Shuhang had seen people smoke, but it was the first time he was able to witness someone inhale such a smog from the sky and then feel refreshed afterward.

　　“Senior Brother Song, does it actually feel good to breathe in so much smog?” Shi asked seriously.

　　“I feel like it shouldn’t be good to suck in such smog,” Song Shuhang said. “Unless he’s practiced some sort of special cultivation technique.”

　　Shi nodded, and said, “Indeed.”

　　❄️❄️❄️

　　“It wasn’t a special cultivation technique. That guy actually just wants to forge a special magical treasure.” A voice suddenly rang out in the ears of Song Shuhang and Shi.

　　It was a secret sound transmission.

　　Song Shuhang and Shi turned their heads, and found that ‘Palace Master Seven Lives Talisman’ had unknowingly appeared behind the two of them.

　　Palace Master Seven Lives Talisman smiled at the two, and said, “Anyway, if you meet that guy later, try to stay away from him. Although his strength isn’t very high among his peers of the same realm, he has all sorts of weird magical treasures with him that are hard to guard against. It is uncertain when he would suddenly greet you by spouting smog at your face.”

　　“…” Song Shuhang and Shi.

　　In the world of cultivation, there was no shortage of all kinds of strange figures.

　　“By the way, little friend Shuhang, I’ve come to give you something,” Palace Master Seven Live Talisman said via secret sound transmission and, at the same time, took out a wallet-like thing, handing it to Song Shuhang.

　　“A talisman treasure?” Song Shuhang asked in a low voice.

　　“No, it’s better than a talisman,” Palace Master Seven Lives Talisman said. “Last time, you used a ‘bamboo leaf’ to save the life of a senior who has some relation with me. So, he asked me to give you this treasure to express his gratitude. These two ‘life talismans’ have effects similar to your ‘bamboo leaf’. One is for you to carry on your body, while the other should be hidden in the place that you believe is the safest. As long as you aren’t obliterated in an instant, you will be able to reform your body where the other life talisman is concealed. However, this ‘life talisman’ will no longer work once you ascend to the Fifth Stage Realm.”

　　Song Shuhang accepted the two life talismans. The place he believed to be the safest was naturally his Inner World. Alternatively, he could also consider placing it in Venerable White’s ‘Jade Lake Secret Realm’.

　　“Thank you, Senior Seven Lives Talisman,” Song Shuhang said.

　　“No need to thank me. We should be the ones thanking you. And to be frank, the effect of the life talismans is somewhat worse than that of the bamboo leaf… I originally wanted that bamboo shoot to give you another leaf. However, it wasn’t willing.” Palace Master Seven Lives Talisman smiled, and said, “Right, if you ascend to the Fifth Stage Realm before having been able to use the ‘life talisman’, you can always give the ‘life talisman’ to someone else. As long as it hasn’t been used, its effect will remain unchanged.”

　　Song Shuhang nodded.

　　Palace Master Seven Lives Talisman patted Song Shuhang’s shoulder. “Train well, I will no longer bother you.”

　　After Senior Seven Lives Talisman left, Song Shuhang stored the two ‘life talismans’ in his magical bracelet.

　　With these two life talismans, he felt a lot safer.

　　Although it would be best if there wasn’t a day when he needed to use these talismans…

　　❄️❄️❄️

　　Not long after Senior Seven Lives Talisman had left, a figure came through the door.

　　The figure was shrouded in the ‘invisibility technique’ native to cultivators. It clearly didn’t want to be perceived by ordinary people.

　　The figure smiled at Song Shuhang, and said, “Fellow Daoist Song, I’ve finally found you.”

　　It was Zheng De from the Immortal Farming Sect.

　　Song Shuhang had met him during the summer vacation. Zheng De had entrusted the seed of the ‘Seven Colors Wonder Fruit’ to Song Shuhang so that he could give it to Su Clan’s Sixteen. Afterward, it turned out that the seed of the ‘Seven Colors Wonder Fruit’ was actually of no use to Sixteen.

　　In addition, back then, Song Shuhang had taken the opportunity to order a batch of medicinal herbs to be used for a ‘medicinal bath’ from Zheng De.

　　Song Shuhang smiled at Zheng De. “Fellow Daoist Zheng De, are the medicinal herbs ready?”

　　“Yes, they’re all ready. All the herbs have already been brought over, they’re currently downstairs. Fellow Daoist Song, you can go examine them,” Zheng De said with a smile. Besides the medicinal herbs, he had also prepared a surprise for Song Shuhang, which he hoped that he would like.

　　Song Shuhang got up, and said, “Okay.”