A gentle breeze brought the boatman to his feet. Shi Qiongtian flicked his sleeve and the three found themselves in a forest. Ye Fan and the boatman were disoriented and struggled to keep themselves upright. Without waiting for them, Shi Qiongtian started walking forwards at a slow pace. It didn't take long for Ye Fan and the boatman to steady themselves and follow after Shi Qiongtian. The dignified Immortal had stopped levitating and was walking on the ground. He wore his red robes and silk shoes once more. It wasn't long before they broke through the line of trees and saw a fairly large town ahead. It was early in the morning so the gates had just opened and there wasn't a queue. Seeing the town, Ye Fan was a bit confused. According to what he remembered on his trip to the mountain from his home, this town wasn't familiar. Turning toward his Master, Ye Fan asked for permission to speak.

"Master, may I ask a question?"

"Mm. You may."

"Where are we?"

"This is Eagle Flame City in Luyang County."

Ye Fan was stumped as he tried his best to identify Luyang County from the counties bordering Jinghu, where his home was located. Seeing his young master's confusion, the boatman stepped up and whispered into Ye Fan's ear.

"Luyang is in the South of the Chi Dynasty."

"Oh! Luyang in the South. That's…"

After a moment of realization, Ye Fan became confused once more. His face was a bit pale as he spoke up once more.

"Master, may I ask another question?"

"Mm. If you have any more questions, you can just ask them. We are now in training."

Ye Fan nodded lightly and continued to ask his question.

"Are we really in Luyang County in the South?"

Shi Qiongtian turned around and addressed Ye Fan with a slightly slower pacing of words than usual.

"En. This is Luyang County in the South. There's no other Luyang county in the Chi Dynasty."

This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.

Ye Fan's face continued to pale as he came to a harsh realization. With a hint of panic in his voice, he continued asking his Master.

"M-Master? Why are we here?"

"To start your training, what else?"

Shi Qiongtian promptly responded. Ye Fan's thoughts seemed to overwhelm his mind as he continued talking with a panicked tone.

"But we were only a week's journey away from the clan compound! Now we're on the other side of the country!"

"A little bit of walking never hurt anybody."

Shi Qiongtian replied plainly. Ye Fan looked like a frightened kitten, squatting down on his knees and hugging them. A vulnerable voice came from the little child as he made his request with clear hesitation.

"M-Master, I've never been this far from home. C-Can you carry me?"

Seeing the panicked child, Shi Qiongtian held back a sigh and a wind current pulled the small child onto his shoulders. Ye Fan was pleasantly surprised and rested his cheek on Shi Qiongtian's hair. The child hadn't expected that his request would be answered; he was just trying his luck. The tall frame and strong figure gave Ye Fan a deep sense of comfort and he closed his eyes as he embraced the soft hair.

Shi Qiongtian stiffened for a moment due to the unfamiliarity of the sensation but he quickly recovered and continued walking towards the town. Uncle Hu was a bit surprised but quickly followed the pair after a moment's hesitation. The guards were still in the process of waking up so they didn't react until the trio got close to the gate. The boatman walked up to the half-awake guards and handed a silver coin to both guards. Both of the guards immediately woke up and waved the trio through with wide smiles on their faces.

The city was already alive and busy as locals roamed the street. People were heading to work and there were even some people in the market ready to be the first to grab some fresh ingredients for the day. Anyone who was close would greet each other in a friendly manner. Of course, this didn't apply to everyone. A friendly older lady with a basket under her left arm commented on the trio's appearance as she passed by.

"What a lovely Father-Son relationship. Your wife must be a very beautiful woman, young man."

Shi Qiongtian smiled gently and replied to the old lady.

"You're mistaken. I'm not married. This is my disciple."

The old lady was a bit surprised, but she didn't feel uncomfortable as she continued speaking.

"Someone as young as you has a disciple? You must be a great talent then. Which sect are you from? My grandson is also a cultivator."

"It's just my disciple and me."

Shi Qiongtian responded promptly. The old lady seemed a little disappointed as she excused herself.

"Is that so… Well, I've got to get to the market before all the good vegetables are taken. It was nice talking to you, young man. Remember to take good care of your disciple."

"I will, thank you."

Both Shi Qiongtian and Ye Fan waved to the old lady as she walked away. When she disappeared from sight, Shi Qiongtian continued walking. Uncle Hu was quiet as he followed along. Ye Fan was brimming with curiosity so he spoke up.

"Master, why did you treat that old lady so respectfully?"

"She is someone deserving of respect."

Hearing his Master's response, Ye Fan asked a few more questions, brimming with excitement.

"Then, is she a powerful reclusive master? Is she someone that dominated the Immortal world in her prime, but has retired? Is she-?"

"No, she's just an ordinary old lady."

Shi Qiongtian cut off his disciple before he could keep going. Ye Fan was now confused. He could tell that the Confucian scholar whom they had met before was a powerful figure, but his Master seemed to dislike him.

"Master, I don't understand. If she's just an ordinary old lady, why treat her any differently?"

"She is a kind soul. Her whole life has been dedicated to raising her family. A selfless being. It is through these people that the world is a better place."

"You sound a lot like a Confucian scholar, Master."

"Is there anything wrong with that?"

"I thought you didn't like Confucian scholars, Master."

"No, I just don't like that parasite in particular. I have my own Dao, but the wisdom of Confucian scholars isn't without its merits. Not everything is black and white."

Shi Qiongtian replied with a cold expression. Ye Fan seemed satisfied and returned his cheek to its resting position on his Master's hair. Uncle Hu's eyes shined as he eavesdropped on the conversation. His respect for the great Immortal grew even more. The trio proceeded the rest of the way in silence and wasn't interrupted by any more unexpected events.