I've never felt happy to become an immortal.

Chapter 161 Journey to Qingzhou

Ten thousand sails on the green waters, carrying cargo to the horizon, never to return.

Since ancient times, water transport has been the most common mode of transporting goods.

Even in modern times, with extensive infrastructure development, the status of water transport remains unshakable.

This was especially true in ancient times, when natural waterways were a vital lifeline. Therefore, the economic prosperity of the Southern Chu was partly due to the abundance of waterways in the south, which provided access to waterways in all directions.

The Qin Dynasty invested heavily in infrastructure, connecting waterways across the country, building canals, and constructing irrigation projects. For the first two hundred years of the Qin Dynasty, these were the main tasks, and the benefits of this infrastructure extended far beyond what would last for generations.

Even after nearly a thousand years, the mighty river and the engineering works left over from the Qin Dynasty are still playing a role, with the extensive water network connecting the entire southern Chu region.

People live off the land and water; with the development of water transport and economic circulation, doing related businesses is very profitable, and with money, people will flock to the area.

During the previous dynasty, the Canal Gang dominated the water transport sector. As it was a force created by a master of the Heavenly Rank, the Canal Gang held sway for nearly seventy years during the previous dynasty's short reign of over ninety years. When the Southern Chu dynasty came to power, Emperor Gaozu personally led troops to wipe out the Canal Gang. Their legacy and remains were divided among various factions. Therefore, most of the water transport in the Southern Chu today consists of fleets or docks built by individual merchant guilds.

The relationships between the martial arts world, the merchant guild, and the government are not so clearly defined in relation to water transport; rather, they are somewhat chaotic.

A boat flying the flag with the character "Lin" was heading west along the Bian River towards the capital.

Bai Xuan sat on the boat. Since he hadn't spent much time in Langya Prefecture, he didn't feel any discomfort now that he had truly left Wuzhou.

"After leaving Wuzhou, we arrived in Qingzhou." Ning Jianshuang placed a piece on the chessboard: "In the Jianghu of Southern Chu, the most bustling place is Qingzhou."

Xi Qingqing said, "Lively is synonymous with dangerous... I've been to Qingzhou two or three times, and every time I've been chased and beaten up. The people here don't have any martial ethics; they often bully the weak. Humph!"

Qingzhou is different from other prefectures.

In Wuzhou there was the Lin family of Langya, a colossal clan.

In Yuzhou, there was the Ruan clan of Chenliu, who occupied the upper echelon of the ecological niche.

A state can only accommodate one great Buddha; if there are too many, they will inevitably fight. This is a kind of unwritten rule. Usually, top-level powers have their own territories, just like tigers in the mountains have their own exclusive domains.

Of course, there are also some special cases. Top-tier martial arts forces and certain aristocratic families can achieve harmonious coexistence. The two sides can complement each other, fill each other's weaknesses, form an alliance, and expand their own influence.

Qingzhou is different from other states; its only top-tier power is the White Plum Sect.

The White Plum Sect is a notorious "loser alliance," an entirely female sect with little ambition for expansion; it's more like a retirement home crowdfunded by single women.

As one of the top powers, the White Plum Party lacks sufficient control over Qingzhou.

Because the White Plum School is quite Buddhist.

The Bai Mei School's economic resources mainly come from the three thousand plum trees in Meishan and a peach tree.

The plums produced by plum trees have excellent medicinal properties. The amount of plum wine made from them is very small, but it has the effects of refreshing the mind, repairing meridians, and clearing blood stasis. Its effects are comparable to those of a precious medicine, so it has always been in short supply.

The peach tree can increase lifespan. It bears fruit on average once every ten years, with each harvest consisting of ten to twenty peaches. Each person can consume it once in their lifetime, which can add ten years to their lifespan.

Thanks to the fruit trees planted by these two ancestors, the Bai Mei School was thriving.

Then there are the sisters in the sect, each one of them is a rich and beautiful woman. They have no problem taking out their private savings and family inheritances. They basically have no descendants, so their private property will belong to the sect after they pass away.

If these private properties are included, the White Plum School's assets even extend to the Japanese archipelago, where there is a gold mine.

No wonder Bai Mei Pai opened up shop right away. Isn't it better to make money while lying down? Why bother going out to work so hard?

So they lay down, but even though they lay down, they were still top figures in Qingzhou, and they rarely went down the mountain.

In Qingzhou's main city, only an office was left to recruit heartbroken female apprentices who had been abandoned by their lovers.

The White Plum Sect retains the prestige and reputation of a top-tier sect, but its actual control is weak, and its territory is extremely small.

The vacant ecological niches will naturally be filled by other Jianghu forces, and in order to compete for these positions, Qingzhou will fight tooth and nail.

As a result, Qingzhou is very lively, with new top-tier martial arts forces emerging on average every ten years or so. The turnover rate of new and old forces is extremely fast.

There are six top-tier martial arts sects, but only three of them are evergreen, while the other three have risen to prominence in the last one or two generations.

The overlord of Qingzhou didn't take charge of anything, and other forces fought for many years to win the nominal second-in-command position but actually the first-in-command position, but still couldn't reach a conclusion. In the end, they compromised and formed a group of 'Six Major Sects of Qingzhou,' which is roughly equivalent to an alternative version of the Five Mountains Sword Sects.

The six factions that loudly proclaim "we unite" are essentially abstract entities, their unity superficial and their true intentions divided.

This system has now been in operation for nearly twenty years. As a generation has passed, it has gradually solidified in a traditional direction.

“The six major sects will definitely come to the Sword Tournament. It will be quite lively at the foot of Meishan Mountain this time.” Ning Jianshuang put down the chess piece: “Alright, I’m going to win.”

Xi Qingqing stared at the chessboard, about to concede defeat, when her eyes lit up. Pointing at Ning Jianshuang, she said, "You didn't put the pieces in the chess box. I'm reporting you, I'm complaining..."

Before he could finish speaking, Ning Jianshuang gave him a sharp rap on the forehead: "You're learning bad things instead of good ones, aren't you? I told you to learn chess, and this is what you've chosen?"

Inside the room, the two girls were arguing and bickering.

Bai Xuan quietly looked out the window. The water was rushing and the mountains were green. With the speed of water transport and boats, he could reach the foot of Meishan Mountain in half a day.

When the White Plum Blossom School is mentioned, he inevitably has some complicated thoughts.

Meishan, White Plum School.

Juan Zhihuan, the founder of the White Plum School, has some connection with him.

Unlike herself who chose to self-destruct, she, as a terrestrial deity, shouldn't die so easily.

Even her own disciples are still alive, so she has no reason to die, but she hasn't appeared for many years.

And those true cultivators from before, have they all really disappeared into the long river of history?
Or did these bastards secretly ascend to immortality without telling me?

"Is Juanzhi going to leave me with some surprises?" Bai Xuan pondered.

After being tricked by his disciple last time, he suspected that many people already knew about his reincarnation and cultivation. Juan Zhi was still the destined heroine of the True Cultivation Era, so if she really wanted to find out something, it might not be impossible.

On the ship, Bai Xuan walked to the deck. Since he had nothing to do, he might as well go fishing for a while.

He refuses to cultivate in seclusion now because his cultivation level has reached the Profound Realm, and the effects of the precious medicine are negligible.

The rest depends on comprehension, and he is afraid that if he comprehends something even slightly more deeply, he will directly push his realm to the sixth level of the Finger Profound Realm.

They are suppressing their cultivation level here.

On the one hand, it can show weakness to the enemy... So many idiots came to their deaths thinking that they could be easily dealt with at the second level of Body Forging, but they were all cut down without making a sound.

On the other hand, it is said that those at the Finger Profound Realm can comprehend several Finger Profound Realm ultimate moves.

These moves or characteristics will become the face of a chivalrous hero in the martial arts world.

He personally plans to refine the Frost Sky Sword Qi in detail as his signature move.

As for the appearance of the moves, there is no need to use a sword at all; you can simply release them in the manner of the Six Meridians Divine Sword.

One of the moves in the Six Meridian Divine Sword technique involves launching sword energy using the Shaoshang acupoint. Where is the Shaoshang acupoint? It's on the thumb.

So when you unleash sword energy, it's like giving the opponent a thumbs up.

—You might not believe it, but if you click this like, you might die.

When I was a kid watching martial arts dramas, I felt the visuals were too abstract.

But upon closer reflection, it really is impossible to guard against.

Who would have thought that the person giving you a thumbs-up might not be giving you a thumbs-up, but rather glancing at you?

With the middle finger and thumb combined, the left middle finger and the right thumb, who can resist the power of passwords?

He went up to the deck, grabbed a fishing rod, and cast it into the river.

The boatmen were used to this.

When the Lin family's boatmen first met Bai Xuan, they were extremely nervous, but after spending a day or two with him, they found that he was completely unpretentious and put their minds at ease.

An old angler chuckled and said, "Young Master Bai, how many casts will you catch today?"

Bai Xuan said expressionlessly, "I'm sure I'll catch a big one today."

The old angler laughed heartily.

Yesterday, when Bai Xuan was fishing, he went to the kitchen beforehand to find some food and threw it into the river. The old fisherman next to him was stunned and asked him what he was doing.

Bai Xuan replied that you need to bait the area before fishing.

Immediately, half the ship fell silent.

Just as the ancients carved marks on their boats to find their lost swords, today Bai Xuan fishes in the river, baiting the way for others.

After realizing what was happening, Bai Xuan could only offer a defense: "Catching fish is a sign of sincerity... If we catch enough, the fish might just bring the bait to us on their own."

Isn't that how it is in modern times?
Why is fishing permitted during the closed season?
The biggest harm that anglers cause to fish is the excessive accumulation of nutrients.

The fishing rod was cast out, and it was already close to evening.

Bai Xuan wanted to catch a big one for dinner. His grilled fish skills had won over many people yesterday, especially the way he flicked his wrist to sprinkle salt, which gave the grilled fish its soul.

Soon, the fishing hook sank slightly.

"...It's a bit heavy."

He gripped the fishing rod and felt something heavy pulling on the fishing line.

Generally, you need to let the big fish struggle for a while before you can lift the rod directly. You have to exhaust its strength before pulling it up when it is exhausted.

However, Bai Xuan never cared about all that. He directly used his strength to create miracles, injecting true energy that transformed into silk!
"rise!"

Bai Xuan cast his line, and a dark shadow flew out of the river and landed on the deck.

Boom!
It must be a big one.

Bai Xuan raised an eyebrow at the old angler: "How about it? I'll braise it tonight."

The old angler stared at the dark figure on the deck with his mouth agape, swallowing hard: "You can't eat this."

"What can't be eaten? Is it some kind of protected animal?" Bai Xuan thought to himself, "Could it be that I caught Lord Jiang?"
Looking back, he immediately frowned.

That dark shape looks like a species of animal belonging to the phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata, class Mammalia, subclass Eutheria, order Primates, suborder Hominina, species Homo sapiens...

"This fish looks a lot like a person," Bai Xuan said.

"That's just how people are!"

Bai Xuan: “…”

This time, they've hooked the people.

(End of this chapter)