Transmigration: The Peerless Immortal Husband

The four companions arrived once again at the desolate outskirts of Yuanyang Town aboard their flying artifact. Just as Gu Yao was forming hand seals to enter the underground space, the group suddenly sensed two new auras, both recently having broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage. They glanced in the direction of the auras and exchanged smiles. It seemed that Boss Dong and Ding Dali were fortunate—able to remain focused and patient in their cultivation, and now both had achieved Foundation Establishment. Yuanyang Town was sure to see some lively changes.

However, this no longer had anything to do with them. A passage appeared before the group, and Gu Yao and Chi Changye led the way, jumping in.

The last time the four had come here, they hadn’t reached the teleportation array itself. This time, Gu Yao guided them directly to it. It was located beneath the underground space, below a fire vein that was enveloped by powerful fire and earth energies. This provided an endless source of power, ensuring the array’s continuous operation.

“What an astonishing feat. Setting up a formation like this is no easy task,” Chi Changye remarked, deeply impressed.

He felt that even someone at the Nascent Soul stage wouldn’t be capable of creating such a flawless formation.

Gu Yao activated the formation with a series of hand seals, and with a flash of light, the four of them disappeared into the teleportation array.

—

Shortly after their departure, Yuanyang Town was thrown into an uproar with the arrival of two new Foundation Establishment cultivators. The news caused a sensation throughout the town. These two cultivators were not affiliated with any of the three main families, leading to speculation about whether they would replace one of them.

The Gu family, in particular, was shocked. They alone knew how precariously their position was balanced. The arrival of these two new Foundation Establishment cultivators introduced an unpredictable variable, and the Gu family was the most threatened by this change.

“Patriarch, terrible news! Young Master Gu Chen’s soul plaque has shattered!”

“What?” The Gu Patriarch shot to his feet, only to be overcome by a wave of dizziness.

—

Qianhao Continent.

In a calm and serene sea, sudden waves erupted as four streaks of spiritual light shot out, followed by a swarm of sea beasts in hot pursuit. Some of the beasts leaped high out of the water, only to fall back in reluctantly after failing to reach their targets. They lingered on the surface, roaring in frustration at the four figures rapidly disappearing into the distance.

The fatty cultivator wiped seawater from his face, still shaken. “Oh my, who would’ve thought the teleportation array was buried so deep under the sea? We were almost surrounded by those sea beasts!”

Now seated aboard their flying artifact, the four companions reflected on the recent events. Even Chi Changye couldn’t help but laugh as he glanced back at the ocean below. “If not for the array being hidden so deep underwater, I doubt it would have remained intact for this long.”

Gu Yao nodded in agreement. “Exactly. Who would ever think to place a teleportation array here? But the spiritual energy in this area is incredibly dense. I wonder where we’ve ended up.”

As he spoke, Gu Yao retrieved the map he had obtained earlier. It lacked any indication of the teleportation array’s location, leaving them to speculate based on the seemingly endless expanse of ocean before them. The one piece of good news was that the territory of the Changxian Sect wasn’t near, so they were likely outside the sect’s domain. Encountering the Changxian Sect right after arriving wouldn’t have been a pleasant experience.

At the thought of the Changxian Sect, the four companions altered their appearances. This time, however, the fatty cultivator was persuaded to use his true face, under Gu Yao and Tian Feirong’s joint insistence. His youthful appearance made him seem harmless and unthreatening, which they believed would lower others’ guard.

Despite his protests, the fatty cultivator had no choice but to accept reality.

Chi Changye also suppressed his cultivation to the Foundation Establishment stage. Along their journey, the group encountered a family of cultivators training by hunting sea beasts, only to find them surrounded by the very creatures they sought to hunt. Gu Yao and his companions intervened, rescuing the family and earning an invitation to travel together.

The family, surnamed Yan, had over a dozen cultivators aboard their sea vessel, ranging from Foundation Establishment to Qi Refinement stages. Through conversation, the group learned that the Yan family was overseen by a Golden Core cultivator, making them a notable power in the region. Yan Xun, the leader of the group and a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, was both curious and cautious about the four strangers. In his eyes, Chi Changye appeared to be at the peak of Foundation Establishment, Gu Yao at the late stage, and Tian Feirong and the fatty cultivator at the mid-stage. Together, their combined strength was nothing to scoff at. Yan Xun also noted Chi Changye’s youth and considered that, should he succeed in forming a Golden Core, he would become an equal to the Yan family.

“Fellow Daoist Chang,” Yan Xun addressed Chi Changye, who had introduced himself as Chang Ye. “We’ll be reaching land soon. Our Yan family resides in Jiangyun City, the largest cultivation city in the area. If you haven’t decided on your next destination, why not visit Jiangyun City? Your assistance to our Yan family is something we’ll never forget.”

“Yan Daoist is too kind,” Chi Changye replied with a faint smile. “Without your guidance, we would’ve been lost at sea as well. It’s simply mutual aid.”

Standing at the bow, the group exchanged polite words while the Yan family’s younger generation and guards whispered among themselves about the newcomers. Despite the strangers’ concealed appearances, their bearing was hard to overlook, especially Chi Changye’s. His combination of youth and high cultivation left a strong impression. Many speculated about his potential, imagining that if he was recruited, he might soon ascend to the Golden Core stage.

Meanwhile, Yan Yuchen and Yan Yuyin, two highly sought-after sisters within the Yan family, observed the scene. Popular and admired, the sisters had countless suitors vying for their attention. In fact, there were even bets placed in Jiangyun City about which talented individual would win their favor.

“Yuchen, you’re staring at Fellow Daoist Chang again, aren’t you?” Yan Yuyin teased with a sly grin. “If you ask me, repaying his life-saving kindness with marriage would be perfectly reasonable. Who knows, it might become a legendary romance!”

Yan Yuchen’s cheeks flushed slightly. She had almost been dragged into the sea by a sea beast when a flash of sword energy severed the beast’s tail, saving her life. At the time, everyone else had been too preoccupied to help her. Since then, Yan Yuchen had quietly kept her eye on the young cultivator named Chang Ye.

“Unfortunately, he’s so cold and distant, it’s hard to get close to him,” Yan Yuchen said with a tinge of frustration. Several times, she had tried to express her gratitude, but each attempt was met with a polite but dismissive reply, as if it were no big deal. He had made it clear that the Yan family’s offer to take them to shore on their sea vessel was more than enough repayment, leaving Yan Yuchen feeling somewhat disheartened.

“If he had a different personality, you probably wouldn’t even care about him, would you?” Yan Yuyin teased, exposing her sister’s true feelings. Yan Yuchen’s face turned an even deeper shade of red.

As they neared the shore, everyone returned to their cabins to organize their belongings and prepare to disembark.

In the cabin where the four companions were resting, Tian Feirong studied Chi Changye with an amused expression. Despite his plain appearance, it was clear that the young Yan sister had taken a liking to him. Her interest was so obvious that even the most oblivious person would notice. This had stirred up jealousy among other cultivators onboard, especially those who admired Yan Yuchen, resulting in hostility toward the four companions.

“Brother Chi, you’re quite the popular one! Meanwhile, the rest of us don’t even get noticed. Even if we want some of those spirit fruits, we have to rely on you,” Tian Feirong joked, holding up a spirit fruit that had been sent over by Yan Yuchen as a token of gratitude for saving her life. The fruit, which didn’t exist on Tianlin Continent, was delicious.

Chi Changye gave him a sharp look. “If you have the energy to talk while eating, I’ll gladly leave you here as a live-in son-in-law for the Yan family when we reach Jiangyun City.”

“No way! Please, spare me!” Tian Feirong quickly pleaded for mercy. “I’m not looking to get involved with any female cultivators!”

The fatty cultivator, meanwhile, munched on a spirit fruit and said, “So, we’re currently on the eastern side of Qianhao Continent. The largest faction here is the Tailuo Sect.” During their time aboard, they had been gathering information from casual conversations with other cultivators. By now, they had enough details to cross-reference with their map.

Gu Yao nodded. “Yes, the eastern side. The Changxian Sect is in the southern region, separated from the Tailuo Sect by a mountain range.”

This continent was much larger than Tianlin Continent. While their current location wasn’t exactly close to the Changxian Sect, it wasn’t too far either. So far, they hadn’t heard any mention of the Changxian Sect from others, which left them curious.

“The Changxian Sect must hold a significant position,” Chi Changye speculated. “It’s likely on par with the Tailuo Sect in terms of power.”

The Tailuo Sect was known to have Nascent Soul cultivators among its ranks, so it was safe to assume that the Changxian Sect also had its share of Nascent Soul cultivators. Their decision not to directly teleport into the Changxian Sect’s territory had undoubtedly been a wise one.

After a short while, someone came to remind them that they were about to disembark. The four of them gathered their belongings and walked out of the cabin together. As they looked up, they saw the two sisters from the Yan family staring at them. Gu Yao’s steps momentarily paused, which made him feel quite displeased. It was as if someone was openly trying to steal away what belonged to him, making him feel uncomfortable. Tsk!

Only those who truly understood him would notice this subtle change in his mood. To others, this cultivator with the surname Yao appeared gentle and easygoing.

“Thank you for the reminder, Fellow Daoist Yan,” Chi Changye said, cupping his hands in gratitude toward Yan Xun.

“Not at all, it’s my duty,” Yan Xun replied courteously, inviting the four companions to the bow of the ship to wait for disembarkation.

When they exited the cabin, they saw numerous ships docked in the area. The vessel they were on, capable of carrying dozens of passengers, did not particularly stand out. However, the Yan family had a notable presence in the region and their own reserved docking space, so the ship easily found a place to anchor. Once docked, the group disembarked, where members of the Yan family were already waiting for them on the shore.

The four companions joined the Yan family on a flying artifact. Though referred to as a “flying artifact,” it was more like a mobile cultivation residence, complete with intricately carved railings, decorative pavilions, and even miniature mountains and flowing water. The extravagant design clearly demonstrated the differences in cultivation culture between this region and Tianlin Continent.

Chi Changye, having seen far more luxurious constructs in his time, merely glanced over the artifact before shifting his attention to the scenery outside, finding it far more interesting.

Meanwhile, the Yan family members who had come to receive them quietly inquired with Yan Xun about the four newcomers. “We received your transmission before you arrived. Didn’t you figure out their identities? Can they be trusted?”

Yan Xun replied, “They claim to be rogue cultivators who lost their way while traveling and drifted at sea for a long time. According to them, they came from the opposite side of the sea. That area is one we only know about through the occasional merchant ship traveling between the two regions, so it’s impossible to confirm whether they’re telling the truth.”

This explanation was part of a fabricated story the four companions came up with after learning about Jiangyun City. They had simply chosen a random location from the map and used it to cover their tracks.