Chapter 50: Passing Through the Official Road (Part 1)
Early the next morning, the sky was still tinged with a faint red glow.
A handsome swordsman, clad in a gray robe, stepped out of the inn, shrouded in thick, lingering mist. At his feet, a white duck followed closely, mimicking his every step.
He made his way to the largest Treasured Pavilion in this remote town and entered through the side door.
Despite the early hour, the pavilion was already packed with people. Since this city served as an entry point from the small world to the greater world, nearly everyone here was eager to leave.
The vast expanse of the greater world was filled with uninhabited lands swarming with ferocious beasts and territorial demon clans. Even the official roads, which were supposedly cleared of danger, remained perilous. To traverse these treacherous routes, cultivators had no choice but to band together.
The man and the duck who entered were none other than Yan Yi and Bai Chunsheng.
After much deliberation, Bai Chunsheng decided that before returning to the Southern Region, he should remain in his original form.
There were three reasons for this decision. First, a seemingly unintelligent demon beast was easy to overlook, and Bai Chunsheng’s true form might yield some unexpected advantages. Second, hardly anyone had ever seen his original form. Though he was reluctant to admit it, no one would ever associate a harmless-looking white duck with Bai Chunsheng of the Ten Thousand Demon Sect. Lastly, when they had arrived at the interdimensional passage, they had used the identity of Ye Jingxing. By now, their unusual appearance and pairing had likely attracted attention. If anyone became suspicious of Yan Yi’s identity, they could simply shift all scrutiny onto “Ye Jingxing.”
It was Bai Chunsheng who suggested renting a carriage from the Treasured Pavilion.
According to his memory, just outside the city lay the territory of two bird demons, whose leader was as powerful as a cultivator at the Dao stage. Any Nascent Soul cultivator who didn’t wish to become their meal had to travel via a carriage equipped with defensive formations and stick to the official road. Only by making the risk outweigh the reward for these bird demons could they avoid being attacked.
Of course, carriages capable of withstanding attacks from a Dao-stage demon were extraordinarily expensive. The journey was long, and many travelers met with misfortune before reaching their destination. Some even stole the carriages and fled. As a result, renting a carriage required cultivators to pool together valuables equivalent to the carriage’s cost as collateral. Only after verifying their identities would the Treasured Pavilion lease them a carriage.
Upon reaching their destination, they would return the carriage to the local Treasured Pavilion, and the collateral—minus the rental fee—would be refunded.
Because of this system, many newly ascended cultivators in the greater world struggled to gather enough resources to rent a carriage, leaving them stranded in this harsh border town.
Bai Chunsheng, however, was unfazed by either the bird demons or the unseen dangers lurking outside the city. If it were just him, he could have traveled straight to the Southern Region without issue. But that would have been too conspicuous.
What truly concerned him was their identities.
Yan Yi and he had no verifiable identities, so they had no choice but to continue using Ye Jingxing’s. More importantly, they needed someone to confirm that Yan Yi was, indeed, “Ye Jingxing.”
If they went directly to the Southern Region, no one would have witnessed or verified their identities. Should anyone investigate, they would quickly discover a complete lack of history for these two individuals.
This was why they needed to rent a carriage and assemble a group at the Treasured Pavilion. No one here knew Yan Yi, nor would they recognize a cultivator who had supposedly died hundreds of years ago like Ye Jingxing. Whatever Yan Yi claimed, others would take at face value. By the time any authorities came searching, these people would testify that Yan Yi was simply “Ye Jingxing,” a cultivator who had been in secluded cultivation for centuries, and that Bai Chunsheng was nothing more than a newly awakened, ordinary white duck.
Even if the investigation extended to the Shattered Stone Mortal Realm, it would be impossible to trace their true origins. After all, Bai Chunsheng and Yan Yi had entered that realm through unconventional means, leaving no records behind.
By the time anyone managed to connect them—two fugitives with bounties on their heads—to “Ye Jingxing,” the two of them would have long accomplished their objectives, rendering the false identity irrelevant.
For now, the fabricated identity of Ye Jingxing remained useful. If the political climate in the Southern Region proved tense, they might need to infiltrate it by first joining the remnants of the Tianqing Sect.
Additionally, since the Treasured Pavilion was a highly reputable merchant guild spanning thousands of worlds, their authentication process could serve as further proof of identity.
The night before, Bai Chunsheng had secretly scouted the pavilion. Perhaps due to the town’s remoteness, this particular branch had yet to install identity-recognition formations. The highest-ranked stationed cultivator was only at the early Integration stage—someone whose senses Bai Chunsheng could easily bypass with secret techniques.
This put Bai Chunsheng at ease.
Not only would they be able to rent a carriage and blend into a travel party, but Bai Chunsheng could also use the opportunity to obtain a new identity document.
—An identity for a Foundation Establishment-stage demon beast.
Only Nascent Soul-level beings, whether human or demon, were automatically granted identity documents.
For a demon pet below the Nascent Soul stage to obtain proof of existence, its owner had to purchase an identity certificate from the Treasured Pavilion. “Ye Jingxing” was a responsible owner; after buying a carriage, it would be perfectly reasonable for him to also acquire an identity document for his pet.
In this way, Bai Chunsheng would secure his own false identity.
While his mind raced with plans, his movements were much slower—he had to hop along just to keep pace with Yan Yi, who was deliberately walking at a leisurely speed.
Upon entering the Treasured Pavilion, Yan Yi saw that the place was so crowded that another long queue had formed. Concerned that someone might accidentally step on Bai Chunsheng—who appeared small but was actually quite large—he reached down and scooped him up before he could charge forward.
Bai Chunsheng’s train of thought was abruptly interrupted. He immediately grumbled in protest, muttering, “Are you taking advantage of me again?”
“If it weren’t for the circumstances,” he continued with a huff, “you wouldn’t get to hold such a beautiful little bird even in your next life.”
“Hah, a beast in human skin.”
Bai Chunsheng flapped his wings and huffed. “Hmph, you should be grateful, do you hear me?”
One huff wasn’t enough to vent his frustration. Bai Chunsheng let out a long breath through his nose and then gave another heavy “hmph,” hoping to fully express his dissatisfaction, anger, and indignation. He lifted his head high, his glossy black eyes filled with pride.
Yan Yi didn’t take it to heart at all. He picked up Bai Chunsheng, patted his back, and smoothed his feathers as he said casually, “Alright, alright, I know you’re feeling wronged, but stop whining like a spoiled child.”
“???”
Bai Chunsheng sprang up with a jolt, as if he’d been scorched by a red-hot iron plate, launching himself into the air.
Under the gaze of everyone around them, he flapped his wings and nearly took off, but Yan Yi reached out and caught him mid-air. “…”
Both embarrassed and furious, Bai Chunsheng snapped, “What do you mean, spoiled bird? How ridiculous! I would never act spoiled!”
“…”
Author’s Note:
Onlookers: What an adorable little spirit beast. It’s only been a short walk, and it already needs its master to carry it.
The more you explain, the worse it gets.
Huge shoutout to @_nyanmaru_ on Discord for commissioning this! The chapter will be posted regularly, show your support for Ciacia at Kofi.
