Stranger Danger

“This junior failed to recognize Mount Tai. Please forgive me, senior.”

Zhao Wushuang gritted his teeth and apologized to Miser Taozhu.

“I accept your apology, but only because the Spring Lord requests it.”

Mister Taozhu chuckled while rubbing her portly stomach. “If you’ll listen to my advice, make sure to keep your eyes wide open the next time you’re on one of your outings. You may not be this lucky next time, understand?”

There were veins popping on Zhao Wushuang’s clenched fists. That was how angry he was. Still, he did not dare to show even a sliver of it on his face and replied, “You are right, senior. This junior will remember your guidance!”

“Haha, good boy.”

Mister Taozhu soaked in Zhao Wushuang’s expression with playful eyes.

“Mister Taozhu, Crown Prince Wushuang, you must be hungry from your journey, right? We have prepared a feast for you all. Please, come with me.”

Xi Wangchun stepped in at an appropriate time and acted as the mediator.

“This way, please.” Xi Wangchun let out a chuckle of her own before flicking her fingers. A wisp of sword qi shot into the clouds, loud and ringing.

A few breaths later, the sea of clouds surrounding the peak of West Queen Mountain suddenly churned unnaturally. The next moment, the sharp, melodious cry of a crane cut through the air, and a celestial crane the size of a small hill descended from above and landed in front of everyone.

The celestial crane had white feathers and black claws. It was handsome, gorgeous, and clearly intelligent.

Even stranger, the back of the celestial crane was overgrown with unusual plants. The plants were tangled and swirled into tables, chairs, and cups. Resting on the tables were all sorts of fine wine and delicious food.

The Great Distance Crane… Tsk tsk, West Kunlun sure knows how to put on a show!

Ye Qing raised his eyebrows. The celestial crane in front of him was called the Celestial Welcoming Crane. A Phenomenon-class Stranger, it was shaped like a crane and extremely massive. There were plants growing out of its back, and it could bear extremely heavy objects and fly thousands and thousands of kilometers with ease. That was why it was named the Great Distance Crane.

Although the Great Distance Crane was just a Phenomenon-class Stranger, it was extremely rare and only appeared in blessed lands belonging to celestials. The blessed land must be overflowing with spiritual qi and air of dao as well.

For this reason, the Great Distance Crane was also nicknamed the Auspicious Crane. “If an auspicious crane comes to you, you will have no worries for countless years to come.” That was how the people described it.

As a result, there wasn’t a single sect that did not treat the Great Distance Crane like their most precious treasure and afford them every luxury, unwilling to strain it even a little.

The West Kunlun seemed to be an exception, however. After all, they dared to use the Great Distance Crane as a beast of labor and an attendant. As a guest himself, Ye Qing must admit that he felt quite flattered.

Of course, this also proved that West Kunlun possessed a deep, unshakeable foundation.

While he was thinking, the Great Distance Crane shook its feathers and caused vines to fall down from its back. They joined together to form a vine ladder.

“Scree!”

The Great Distance Crane let out a melodious cry after the vine ladder was fully formed.

“Mister Taozhu, Crown Prince Wushuang, if you would…”

Xi Wangchun gestured, and everyone climbed up the Great Distance Crane’s back one after another.

There were dozens of them in total—over a hundred, if Mister Taozhu hadn’t annihilated most of Zhao Wushuang’s entourage—but the back of the Great Distance Crane was so big that there was more than enough space for everyone.

Xi Wangchun, Mister Taozhu and Zhao Wushuang sat on the seats of honor after climbing up the Great Distance Crane’s back. Ye Qing and everyone else sat together.

As Ye Qing was pretending to be the Mountain Opening Waterway Commander’s subordinate, of course he didn’t have the right to sit together with the trio.

“Let’s be off.”

After everyone had taken their seats, Xi Wangchun gave the Great Distance Crane a gentle pat on the head. The crane cried again and flapped its wings, taking them into the clouds instantly.

“This is the Celestial Peak, one of the six peaks of West Queen Mountain...”

“That is the Heavenly Pond of Kunlun…”

“That is the Cloud Sea Heavenly Palace…”

“That is the Sky Level Valley…”

On the Great Distance Crane’s back, Xi Wangchun dutifully introduced them the many beautiful sceneries of West Kunlun.

The Great Distance Crane flew very, very slowly probably because it would be difficult for the guests to admire the view otherwise. It only flapped its wings every once in a while and appeared almost slothful.

In any case, it was absolutely incredible to look down on West Queen Mountain and West Kunlun from high up in the sky though.

From above, the West Queen Mountain looked like a massive dragon crouching on the earth. This alone was quite impressive, but the back of the “dragon” was overgrown with plants and overflowing with spiritual qi as well. The contrast between West Queen Mountain and the snowy, barren wasteland around it was dramatic to say the least.

Flashes of colorful light would appear on the mountain from time to time. If someone were to look into the light, they would find clumps and clumps of exquisitely-designed buildings, auspicious beasts and rare birds racing about, and people coming and going like streams. Combined with the fog and clouds that swirled around West Queen Mountain, the whole place truly looked like a celestial realm of dreams.

Of course, they could only see what West Kunlun allowed them to see. According to Ye Qing’s demonic thought, there were various places that appeared blurry and indistinct because they were hidden behind restrictions. Neither sight nor spiritual energy could pierce through it. Clearly, they were forbidden zones or important locations of West Kunlun.

While enjoying a cup of delicious wine, Ye Qing was silently engraving the locations he could not perceive with his spiritual energy into memory.

After all, one of these places might be the key to entering the Kunlun Ruins.

Since Xi Wangchun and the others were either chatting with each other or admiring the beautiful sceneries of west Kunlun, no one noticed what Ye Qing was doing.

About a teatime later, the Great Distance Crane suddenly let out another long cry and passed through a patch of clouds. Then, it landed on a large square.

“We’re here, everyone.”

Xi Wangchun smiled, and a vine ladder fell off the Great Distance Crane’s back once more. After everyone had gotten off its back, Xi Wangchun gave the Stranger a doting pat and tossed a pill into its mouth. “This is yours. Thanks for your hard work.”

The Great Distance Crane swallowed the pill and gave Xi Wangchun an affectionate bump of its own. It was definitely intelligent.

“Off with you!” Xi Wangchun smiled after rubbing its head.

The Great Distance Crane cried in response and flapped its wings. It disappeared into the clouds in just the blink of an eye.

“Master.”

“Master.”

It was at this moment a man and a woman walked up to them. The man was handsome, and the woman was beautiful. They were both wearing black robes with red linings. The image of a sun and a moon were sewn to their sleeves. This was an attire only the direct disciples of West Kunlun had the right to wear. Their auras marked them as Half-Step Truemen as well.

Considering how they addressed Xi Wangchun, they had to be Xi Wangchun’s direct disciples.

“Mm.” Xi Wangchun gave them a nod before looking at Mister Taozhu and Zhao Wushuang. “Mister Taozhu, Crown Prince Wushuang, I have other businesses to attend to, so this is where we part ways. I’ll leave it to my two disciples to take you to your residences. Do not hesitate to speak with them if you need anything.”

“Do as you wish, Spring Lord.” Mister Taozhu saluted her.

“Qinghe, you will take Mister Taozhu and his men to the Qianyuan Garden. Qingye, you will take Crown Prince Wushuang to Kun Mount Garden.”

Xi Wangchun instructed, “Mister Taozhu is one of the Three Misters of the Way of Taiping, and Crown Prince Wushuang is the crown prince of the Court of Chaos. They are both honored guests of West Kunlun, so I expect you to treat them with the utmost respect.”

“As you command, master.” Qinghe and Qingye saluted her.

“Please follow my disciples to your respective residences. Again, just speak to them if you need anything,” Xi Wangchun repeated.

“You’re welcome, Spring Lord.” Mister Taozhu and Zhao Wushuang saluted her.

“Very well. See you all later.”

Xi Wangchun returned the salute. “Take good care of them. You will be held accountable if you mistreat our guests!”

“Yes, master[1].”

Qinghe and Qingye bowed. After Xi Wangchun was gone, they looked at Mister Taozhu and Zhao Wushuang and clasped their fists. “This way please, seniors.”

“Thank you.” Mister Taozhu and followed behind Qinghe, the handsome disciple. On the other hand, Qingye, the beautiful woman led Zhao Wushuang in the opposite direction.

1. I can’t help but wonder how arrogant these disciples normally were if she has to warn her disciples twice not to disrespect anyone lol. ☜

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