The grassy rolling plains covered the land, spread abound on the vast land akin to soft muslin cloth worn by a fair maiden.

Above it, the clear yet cold sky was like the inverted sea, a picturesque scenery indeed.

And in this inverted sky, a giant ship with wings double its size, gleaming in luminous golden light, appeared.

From it, two people appeared, a girl who looked to be in her twenties and an elegant middle-aged gentry.

At this moment, the young girl's face was flushed as well as had a smile that could make almost anyone's heart melt.

Such innocence? Where one can find it nowadays?

That's also what the elegant gentry thought, thus he let out a smile and said, "This is the barren plains of Nanqing Immortal Province, you like it, Ling'er?"

They were the master and disciple duo, Hou Shu and Bai Ling.

"Yes, Master! Such a vast land, yet no hills nor forests covering it, only this soft-looking grass! How good it would be to cultivate in this place?" Said Bai Ling, her excitement apparent.

Hou Shu chuckled as he put Vajrayana back into his storage ring.

Bai Ling was someone who was born in the mountainous region of Dashou Immortal Province. Being a mortal almost all her life, She never ventured out of the Dashou Immortal Province. Her excitement was something natural.

"This scenery is something not something common in Dashou Immortal Province, but this place has its downsides as well." Hou Shu said.

"Ah! What does Master mean?" Bai Ling said, her voice calmer than before, one's excitement wanes quickly, after all.

"This place is called the barren plains for a reason, this place has a lack of resources, even spiritual veins. This made the plains picturesque, without any obstructions of different resources making it look unsightly, but this also made the plains have fewer cultivators." Hou Shu explained.

"Aya? But we are going to investigate the cultivators here right? Why would one like to stay here then?" Asked Bai Ling, discovering the flaw in Hou Shu's explanation.

Hou Shu nodded, "Good, never forget to notice even the smallest fallacies like this, this is an essential skill of us detectives," He then explained Bai Ling's inquiry, "This place is barren, but this barrenness is also this place's virtue. Without any natural resources taking in Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth, there is an abundance of Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth despite the lack of spirit veins."

"This disciple understands... No, why would this place be ruled by independent sects if this place is beneficial for cultivators? Why the Seven Hegemons haven't annexed this place as their own?" Asked Bai Ling once more, this time almost not noticing her Master's test.

Hou Shu let out a hearty laugh, "Ling'er never disappoints Master!"

"In the past, what you said might have been true, but now... One can hardly gather the Spiritual Qi they were nurtured in, not to mention foreign Spiritual Qi." Said Hou Shu, a longing expression on his face.

A few moments later, Hou Shu shook his head and said, "We have been talking about this place for quite some time, let us head towards the place we came for, shall we?"

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"Yes, Master!" Bai Ling bowed.

After that, the master and disciple became two streaks of colors, one azure and one white, heading for their destination...

***

Somewhere deep in the barren plains, there was a single mountain in the shape of a pheasant.

On it, there were many halls and pagodas made with what seemed to be deep purple roots and golden limestones.

Such a sight, as majestic as it is, is clearly not natural. This mountain is something that was moved here artificially.

And above this mountain, there appeared two streaks of light. And from it, appeared the master and disciple duo, Hou Shu and Bai Ling.

And as soon as they appeared, Hou Shu signaled Bai Ling.

To which, Bai Ling quickly nodded and went forward and said in a voice reinforced with Spiritual Qi, "Junior Bai Ling, the disciple of Hou Shu, The Red Book Detective, greets the seniors of Zhiji Mountain Sect!"

Bai Ling's face was flushed as this was the first time she represented her Master, despite this representation being quite minor.

"So it's Junior Bai Ling and Senior Hou." An old voice echoed throughout the mountain as a seven or eight-year-old child with a head full of grey hair floated towards the duo.

The child cuffed his hands and said, "Junior Dan Xuan greets Senior Hou."

"So this is the genius Sect Master of Zhiji Mountain Sect who is said to be half a foot into Nascent Soul stage, not bad." Hou Shu hummed in acknowledgment.

"Senior flatters me, this barely made it to this stage." Said Dan Xuan with a laugh.

"If Senior doesn't mind, this one would like to invite both Senior Hou and Junior Bai Ling to my Zhiji Mountain Sect." Said Dan Xuan in a manner that only those who have gone through many perilous times can.

This manner of speech and Dan Xuan's child-like appearance made Bai very amused but she knew that cultivators have their own eccentricities, just like how her Master had a deep love for wines.

"Good, lead us to your abode." Said Hou Shu.

"As Senior commands!" Said Dan Xuan with a smile and led them onto the back mountain.

On the back mountain, there was a small pagoda made of some type of Yang Gold and Yin Wood.

As they entered the pagoda and sat down at a table, Dan Xuan poured both of them wine.

"Forgive this one if Junior's wine doesn't satisfy Senior, this is the best wine this one has." Said Dan Xuan with an apologetic smile.

"No, this is quite good, very vigorous!" Said Hou Shu as he took a sip of it.

"Our barren plains have nothing but this vigorousness, if we couldn't even capture this in wine, then we are no worse than those cultivators of the black path." Dan Xuan said with a peal of laughter.

This sweet laughter, not unlike the previous old man's voice, was filled with childish innocence, which Bai Ling found adorable.

But suddenly, Dan Xuan then put on a somber expression and asked, "May I ask what the purpose of Senior's visit is?"

Hou Shu nodded, "This time, I came here to investigate the situation of barren plains, as the sects of barren plains seem to be at war against each other?"

Hearing this, Dan Xuan's face twisted from shock.

Just as he was about to retreat and prepare to escape, Hou Shu raised his hand and said, "Don't worry, none of the other sects have hired me, they can't afford my services."

Hearing this, Dan Xuan's face once again broke into a flattering yet apologetic smile, "Senior... Please forgive me, this one is at war with other sects in the area so I had to be on guard... This one didn't mean to disrespect you."

While Dan Xuan apologized on the surface, he was deeply embarrassed on the inside.

'By saying that the opposing sects can't afford him, isn't Senior saying that we, the Zhiji Mountain Sect are also poor?' Dan Xuan thought.

"No, it's fine, I understand your position, I also am a leader of an organization." Said Hou Shu, he then spoke with a mysterious smile, "Now, will Sect Master Dan speak of the situation?"