New Chu Yang! New World!

The Ferry Plan

Chu Yang laid out the ferry plan in a calm, measured manner.

Everyone listened with blank stares.

"Making a ship fly through the sky… can that really be done?"

Xiahou Jinxuan lost all the composure of a refined young gentleman, hopping about in excitement like a monkey.

"Young Master, don’t get so worked up. If the Sect Leader says it can be done, then it can definitely be done. You should start preparing the money instead."

Xie Cangxing looked rather expectant as well. However, he was already a formal disciple. Even without the ferry, he would learn sword flight and be able to fly in the future, so he was much calmer than the others.

"As expected of Shu Mountain. Such grandeur puts one to shame," Mo Yi said with an admiring expression.

Jiang Cheng pondered for a moment. "In that case, we can also travel to the Divine Land and find a way to help Brother Long obtain the Shennong Cauldron."

Xia clapped happily. "That’s right! As the saying goes, three cobblers can beat… what was it again…"

Xiahou Jinxuan sighed. "Zhuge Liang. Miss Xia, how can you not even know Mister Kongming?"

Xia’s cheeks flushed crimson. With her hands on her hips, she snapped, "So what if you know famous people? You’re still weak as a kitten. I could knock you down with one punch!"

Seeing how agitated she was, Xiahou Jinxuan truly feared she might punch him. He quickly waved his hands and begged for mercy. "All right, all right, I know your fists are powerful. I was wrong, okay?"

Xia held her head high and smiled smugly. "At least you know what’s good for you."

Long Ming smiled. "Then I shall await everyone’s good news. The sound transmission spell has already reached its limit."

After that, Long Ming’s voice never sounded again.

"The Water Spirit Orb will remain in Elder Mo Yi’s care for now. Now that matters here are settled, I’ll be taking my leave first."

Chu Yang turned to leave, only to see Mu Changlan anxiously blocking his path.

"Sect Leader Chu, could you come with me to Mu’ai Village?"

Only then did Chu Yang remember that Mu Changlan’s matter had yet to be resolved. Several dozen people in Mu’ai Village still relied on Ghost Qi to survive and were unable to leave for the rest of their lives.

"You can be considered to have made up for your mistakes. Fine, I’ll accompany you there."

Upon hearing this, Mu Changlan shed tears of excitement. She had waited more than ten years for this moment.

"Sister Mu, I want to go too!"

"Miss Mu, I’m also quite curious about the place where you were born and raised."

"I’ll come as well."

Everyone began speaking at once, and in the end, they decided to visit Mu’ai Village together.

The entire village never aged. That fact alone was enough to arouse tremendous curiosity.

After hesitating for a moment, Xiahou Jinxuan said that he wanted to come along as well.

"Young Master, you’re already home, so stop running around. Wouldn’t it be nice to stay home and enjoy yourself?"

Xie Cangxing could not understand Xiahou Jinxuan’s thinking. On the way to Shu Mountain, Xiahou Jinxuan had complained endlessly about how hard the mountain roads were, wishing he could return home immediately. Why was he suddenly interested in traveling far again?

"Miss Mu is my friend too. For something this important, I definitely have to help."

As Xiahou Jinxuan spoke, he secretly glanced at Xia.

Mu Changlan immediately understood. Covering her mouth, she chuckled. "It would be wonderful if Young Master is willing to travel with us. At least someone will reimburse our expenses along the way."

Xie Cangxing’s eyes lit up, and he nodded repeatedly. "Exactly. We truly can’t do without Young Master."

Xiahou Jinxuan shook his head with a bitter smile. "You mean you can’t do without the money pouch on me."

Jiang Cheng remained silent, seemingly preoccupied.

Xiahou Jinxuan looked at him and said, "Brother Jiang, I know you want to tell Uncle Ouyang everything, but there’s no need to rush. Once we’re done with Mu’ai Village, we’ll accompany you to Zhejian Manor."

Jiang Cheng shook his head. "Once Miss Mu’s matter is dealt with, I can return alone."

Xia said angrily, "Brother Jiang, you can be such a stubborn fool sometimes. What’s wrong with us accompanying you back? We’re all friends. Are you the only one allowed to help others while no one can help you?"

Jiang Cheng wanted to speak but stopped himself.

Chu Yang explained for him. "He is probably afraid that the exposure of his demon race identity will drag you down. If he returns alone, then even if Ouyang Ying cannot accept him, that is only his own affair. He would feel guilty about dragging all of you into it."

"Ah?" Xia looked at Jiang Cheng with a complicated expression and suddenly fell silent.

"Miss Xia and Brother Xie will be fine. With Sect Leader Chu protecting you, you need not worry about the gossip outside. But if Young Master Xiahou and Miss Mu become associated with me, I fear your futures will become difficult. Even if I can accept myself, the world may not accept me."

After hesitating again and again, Jiang Cheng finally voiced the concern buried in his heart. He was not afraid of his identity being exposed. His only fear was that his friends would be condemned by countless people because of him.

"Brother Jiang, I’m not a child. I know what I’m doing, and I’ll take responsibility for my actions." Xiahou Jinxuan said solemnly, "Even if you are unwilling, I will still go with you to Zhejian Manor."

Mu Changlan and Xia nodded at the same time.

Xie Cangxing chuckled. "Senior Brother Sect Leader is even friends with Chonglou of the demon race. He’s not afraid of the world’s gossip, so what do little shrimps like us have to worry about? As the saying goes, if the upper beam is crooked, the lower beam will be crooked…"

Chu Yang could not bear to listen any longer and kicked him squarely in the backside. Annoyed, he said, "A dog’s mouth can’t spit out ivory. Since you love showing off your literary knowledge so much, when we return, copy every book on the first floor of the Scripture Pavilion ten times."

Xie Cangxing’s lips trembled violently, and his face visibly turned pale.

Chu Yang shot him a fierce glare, then turned to the others. "If you’ve decided, then let’s go. However, I have important matters to attend to and cannot personally accompany you across mountains and rivers. I can only send a clone to travel with you."

As he spoke, there was a bang, and smoke spread through the air. Another "Chu Yang" appeared before everyone.

A wave of startled cries rang out.

"There are two Sect Leaders!"

Xia pointed at the extra Shadow Clone and shouted.

Xiahou Jinxuan praised, "What an exquisite spell. It is lifelike, just like a real person."

Xie Cangxing stroked his chin. If he learned this spell, he could have an extra person help him copy books. Once they returned, he had to quickly ask Senior Brother Sect Leader about it.

After leaving behind his clone, Chu Yang abruptly vanished before everyone’s eyes.

"Let’s hurry. If it becomes daylight and my father finds out, I might not be able to leave."

Xiahou Jinxuan urged everyone to depart.

Before leaving, he turned back as if possessed and looked at "Xiahou Tao."

"Don’t worry. I’ll explain things to your father."

"Xiahou Tao" wore a kind expression, almost exactly the same as usual.

Xiahou Jinxuan was briefly dazed. Without saying a word, he gave the other man a deep bow.

This bow was for both the departed and the kindness of more than ten years of upbringing.

Elsewhere.

Inside the Soul Palace.

The God Tree, which had not appeared long ago, suddenly blossomed with a gentle glow, illuminating the silent palace.

A crystalline white fruit had grown on one of its branches. It was not even the size of a fingertip and was clearly not yet ripe, but it was already enough to make people excited.

"Why did it suddenly bear fruit?"

Pirate Chu Yang was utterly puzzled.

"Look, doesn’t there seem to be images flashing inside the fruit?"

Through the fruit, everyone saw scene after scene of phantom images from the Xianxia world. In the end, the image froze on the moment Xiahou Jinxuan bade farewell to "Xiahou Tao."

"Was it because we changed the plot? Or was there some other reason?"

"I don’t know, but we can’t rule that out. We have too little information available right now. Let’s observe it further."

"What exactly does this fruit do?"

"Could eating it give us Chakra again?"

"If that’s the case, how would it be any different from the God Tree in the Naruto world?"

"Calm down. Something that can appear in the Soul Palace cannot be that simple."

The group discussed it fervently, though what they felt more than anything was anticipation for what they would gain once the fruit ripened.

After watching for a while, Magic Chu Yang returned to the laboratory and took out the Demon Refinement Tower that Xianxia Chu Yang had given him several days ago. To find out why the Water Demon Beast had been refined into the Water Demon Orb, they had been working day and night on research.

Before they had completely figured out the reason, however, the other demon beasts Chonglou had brought had likewise been refined into magic treasures. The multicolored beads lay quietly in Magic Chu Yang’s hand. Anyone unaware of the truth might have thought he sold marbles wholesale.

The five demon beasts corresponded to five Demon Orbs, as well as the Five Spirit Power. However, compared to the gentleness of the Five Spirit Orbs, the spiritual power within the Five Demon Orbs was extremely violent and highly aggressive. One needed sufficient strength to suppress them.

"Once their cultivation reaches a certain level, they are refined into magic treasures. So is the issue with the formation, or somewhere else?"

"Could it be an accidental mutation caused by the characteristics of the Demon Devouring Gu?"

"That isn’t impossible…"

Magic Chu Yang left the laboratory with the Five Demon Orbs and the Demon Refinement Tower. Since he had no leads for now, he might as well return the items to Xianxia Chu Yang first.

When he returned to the main hall, Xianxia Chu Yang had just emerged from the Nebula. He handed the items over.

Xianxia Chu Yang asked, "Any leads?"

Magic Chu Yang shook his head. "We need to conduct a few control experiments using the Demon Devouring Gu to find the cause. But personally, I think it’s probably some kind of mutation. After all, bloodline mutations often occur during Lineage Factor experiments as well."

Xianxia Chu Yang said, "In other words, Great Demons with over ten thousand years of cultivation are likely to be refined into magic treasures, and it all comes down to luck?"

Magic Chu Yang nodded. "That’s right."

Xianxia Chu Yang said with a troubled expression, "Magic treasures aren’t very useful to us. We don’t fight with magic treasures, and we aren’t used to using them. Some utility-type magic treasures would be all right, though."

"Wouldn’t that mean over ten thousand years of cultivation goes to waste…"

Magic Chu Yang smiled. "Ten-thousand-year Great Demons aren’t easy to come across. If it weren’t for Chonglou, where would you have gotten the Five Demon Orbs? You might not encounter another one for the rest of your life."

"Your way of comforting people is almost as good as Xie Cangxing’s." Xianxia Chu Yang said helplessly, "But you’re right. I really might not encounter one again."

The two chatted and laughed for a while. During that time, the fruit on the God Tree gradually grew and ripened, becoming bright red and ready to fall.

"Come quick! The fruit is about to fall!"

Demon Slayer Chu Yang shouted, gathering everyone present together.

Surrounded by the others, Xianxia Chu Yang caught the ripe fruit.

The fruit gave off an enticing fragrance, an indescribable allure that stirred desire in the depths of their souls.

"You eat it! The fruit grew because of you anyway."

"Right. If you eat it, it’s the same as all of us eating it. What is there to hesitate over?"

After everyone urged him a few times, Xianxia Chu Yang brought the fruit to his mouth and took a bite. The fruit transformed into a ray of light and drilled straight into him.

Then…

A wondrous cultivation technique appeared in Xianxia Chu Yang’s mind.

Treasure Refining Art!

It could refine magic treasures into a certain part of the body, strengthening one’s physique while also granting the abilities of those magic treasures!

"What a coincidence. Just when I was sleepy, someone brought me a pillow…"

Just a moment ago, Xianxia Chu Yang had been worried that the Demon Refinement Tower was wasting the cultivation of ten-thousand-year Great Demons. In the next moment, he obtained the perfectly suited Treasure Refining Art and solved his problem.

After sharing the information about the Treasure Refining Art with everyone else, Xianxia Chu Yang began asking for opinions on which parts of his body would be best suited for refining in the Five Demon Orbs.

After discussing it, everyone ultimately settled on the five viscera and six bowels.

The five viscera and six bowels already corresponded to the five elements. The kidneys belonged to water, the liver to wood, the heart to fire, the spleen to earth, and the lungs to metal. Among the six bowels, the kidneys corresponded with the bladder, the liver with the gallbladder, the heart with the small intestine, the spleen with the stomach, and the lungs with the large intestine.

The only slight difference was that the Five Demon Orbs had no metal or wood. Instead, they had lightning and wind.

That did not matter. The Five Spirit Power formed a cycle of its own. Once completed, there would be no possibility of disorder.

After studying the Treasure Refining Art for a while, Xianxia Chu Yang began refining the Five Demon Orbs in the main hall. With so many people beside him, they could take care of him if anything went wrong.

Xianxia Chu Yang chanted under his breath as the Five Demon Orbs emitted strange light and slowly floated around him.

The Fire Demon Orb, Earth Demon Orb, and Water Demon Orb entered Xianxia Chu Yang’s body first. Red, yellow, and blue light then appeared, constantly shifting within him.

The power of the three spirits formed a Three Talents Formation, further stabilizing his spiritual energy.

The Wind Demon Orb, whose attribute was slightly gentler, entered Xianxia Chu Yang’s body. The power of the three spirits locked it firmly in place and slowly refined it.

When the Lightning Demon Orb finally entered his body, Xianxia Chu Yang’s five viscera had become extremely stable. No matter how wildly the spiritual power rampaged, they remained immovable.

A moment later, the spiritual power suddenly became docile, and the cycle of Five Spirit Power was completed among Xianxia Chu Yang’s five viscera.

His body received unprecedented strengthening.

Every enhancement to his heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys multiplied Xianxia Chu Yang’s physical abilities!

Aside from his body, Xianxia Chu Yang simultaneously gained the ability to control the five spirits of lightning, wind, water, fire, and earth.

"Brothers, I successfully changed class from a warrior into a mage!"

Xianxia Chu Yang was extremely excited and eagerly shared his current state with the others.

"There was actually a cultivation technique inside the fruit!"

"Could every fruit contain a cultivation technique?"

"Maybe it isn’t limited to cultivation techniques. What if the next one contains something else?"

"I think there’s more to it too."

"Good thing what we got this time suits us so well."

"I want to test the power of the Five Spirit Power."

"Me too!"

Before long, lightning flashed and thunder roared within the Soul Palace. Flames soared into the sky; one moment there were violent winds and torrential rain, and the next meteors fell from above.

If the place had not been large enough, the entire palace would probably have been torn apart.

Ming Dynasty world.

Seven Heroes Town.

On a dark and windy night, Chu Yang and a youthful, beautiful girl were tied to a millstone. The girl was indignantly cursing something through clenched teeth.

"Junior Sister, I told you long ago that one must keep a low profile when roaming the Jianghu. Look at us now, tied to a millstone. We’re not donkeys."

"You still have the nerve to talk? If you hadn’t held me back, how could I have lost to that damned waiter?!"

"They’re calling us The Genderless Duo. Haven’t you realized this is all a misunderstanding?"

"Misunderstanding my ass! We’re the Twin Heroes! If you hadn’t exposed our identities, how could they have ambushed us? You’re so stupid. If I’d known, I never would have brought you out to roam the Jianghu!"

"Twin Heroes, my ass. You caused plenty of trouble along the way. In the time it took me to buy some buns, you somehow learned to abduct brides and nearly crippled someone’s groom!"

"He was obviously forcing a woman into marriage! Didn’t you see how heartbroken that bride was crying? If I hadn’t saved her, the rest of her life would have been miserable!"

"Bullshit! That Miss Zhao had been repeatedly jilted because of her plain looks. She finally found a man who did not care about her appearance, and she was so moved during the wedding that she wept tears of joy. Then you went and ruined it!"

"You’re talking nonsense!"

"I’m talking nonsense? After beating someone up, you patted your ass and ran off. To apologize, I brought Miss Zhao money in the middle of the night, only for the groom to surround me with people. I nearly got beaten to death."

"In Eighteen Li Village, I even saved a little beggar! If it weren’t for me, that old villain would have burned him alive with fire cups!"

"Just mentioning that makes me angry. We had just rented two rooms at the inn, and when I turned around, I saw you beating up a doctor. I told you, he was using cupping therapy to treat the beggar. How many doctors these days are willing to treat beggars?"

"I’m not listening, I’m not listening! You’re just jealous that my martial arts are better than yours, and you can’t stand seeing me uphold justice without taking you along!"

Chu Yang let out a long sigh toward the heavens, on the verge of tears. Every time Guo Furong got into trouble, she managed to act before he could stop her. Then afterward, she refused to heed any advice, repeating this same line over and over.

She should have stayed obediently in the capital and enjoyed her comfortable life. He had no idea whether his brain had short-circuited or what, but somehow he had been possessed into accompanying her on her adventures through the Jianghu.

"I’m such an idiot…"

After thinking it over, Chu Yang could only use those words to sum up his own behavior.

They had finally reached town. Since it was already late, Chu Yang did not ask around for information and simply found an inn to stay at. Who would have thought it would happen to be Tongfu Inn?

It was full of extraordinary people.

While checking in, Guo Furong let something slip and exposed their identities as The Genderless Duo. That night, Bai Zhantang quietly struck her acupoints and tied her to the stone mill in the back courtyard.

And she even turned around and blamed Chu Yang for it.

"I wonder if we’ll survive until dawn…" Guo Furong said tearfully and pitifully. "I miss my father. If he were here, he could take them down in two or three moves."

"With an airheaded personality like yours, you’re guaranteed to live to a hundred. There’s nothing to worry about." Chu Yang sighed, cursing inwardly, If your father knew everything you’ve done along the way, he’d beat you stupid at the very least.

Unable to accept that, Guo Furong started picking at Chu Yang again. "You entered the sect before I did, and you studied Surging Wave Palm under my father for so many years. How are you still not as good as me?"

Chu Yang had long grown used to that level of mockery. It did not bother him in the slightest, and he answered calmly, "My talent is limited. Fortunately, my family is rich, so it doesn’t matter if my martial arts aren’t impressive."

Thinking of how extravagantly Chu Yang spent money in the capital, Guo Furong had no temper left to lose. Whenever he bought something, he always bought two—using one and throwing the other away. She had never seen such a wasteful rich man.

If some ordinary spoiled young master spent money like that and her father, Guo Juxia, saw it, he would certainly give him a harsh lesson. Yet from childhood until now, Guo Furong had never once heard her father criticize Chu Yang.

He only ever praised him.

When they practiced martial arts, even the slightest slackness from the disciples would earn them a beating. Only Chu Yang could openly laze around.

Because of that, Guo Furong had always been curious about Chu Yang’s identity. She had asked about it several times before, only to receive Guo Juxia’s stern rebukes.

"There’s something I’ve always wanted to ask you, but Father never lets me."

"Spit it out!"

"Why does Father usually have us call you Chu Yang, but privately calls you Young Master Zhu? Is your surname Chu or Zhu?"

"None of your business. I’ll use whatever surname I feel like."

Chu Yang snapped back stiffly, as though she had touched upon something unpleasant.

Ever since transmigrating into this strange world, Chu Yang’s life could only be described as treading on thin ice.

His luck had actually been quite good. He had been born into Old Zhu’s family.

Zhu Yuanzhang’s Zhu.

Being born into the imperial family had its advantages and disadvantages. There was certainly no end to the wealth and splendor one could enjoy, provided one lived long enough. The traditions of Old Zhu’s family were not much better than Old Li’s—brothers killing brothers was hardly a rare occurrence.

Not long after he first transmigrated, Chu Yang still clung to certain unrealistic ideals. So, before the Late Emperor, he desperately tried to distinguish himself, hoping to earn the man’s recognition.

In truth, he had achieved his goal.

Chu Yang still remembered how, at a birthday banquet, the Late Emperor looked at him and said, "A Yang is most like me when I was young."

With just that one sentence, the bustling hall fell nearly silent in an instant. It was a long while before the murmurs gradually resumed.

Then, that very night, Chu Yang accidentally fell into a lake. He had not drowned, but he had nearly frozen to death.

Yet compared to that icy lake water, the cold imperial palace was what truly chilled his heart.

Because the one who had pushed Chu Yang into the lake was his elder brother—the man who was now the Emperor.

After that, the Late Emperor suddenly died without warning. Chu Yang immediately transformed from a model student into a debauched young devil, skilled in eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling. No one in the entire capital dared provoke him.

It was a cliché act of self-defilement, but there was no doubt that it worked extremely well.

He had lost any hope of competing for the throne, but at least he had survived—and he was living quite well.

Most importantly, his imperial brother, now seated on the throne, believed that he had become a wastrel. He no longer regarded Chu Yang as a thorn in his side and even trusted him greatly.

He had kept up this act for more than a decade. Recently, Chu Yang had begun to feel suffocated, so he followed Guo Furong out into the Jianghu. In any case, he had done plenty of outrageous things already; one more made no difference.

Only after leaving the palace did Chu Yang discover that this world was vastly different from what he had imagined.

He had seen someone sever a river with a single sword strike.

He had also seen someone punch the heavens, leaving a massive hole in the sky.

He had seen someone walk through the air beneath the moon, like a Banished Immortal descending into the mortal world.

Even more terrifyingly, he had seen a Great Demon soar across the sky, only to have its head taken by a peerless expert’s single sword stroke before the man drifted away.

In short.

There was something seriously wrong with this world!