Yue Shichan’s clothes were as white as snow, and she had an ancient sword strapped to her back. A piece of red string held her flowing black hair in a casual ponytail, and she had a yellow-skinned gourd hanging from her waist.

Beneath the fiery light of dusk, she looked like a painting of a pure immortal beauty.

Su Yi slumped lazily in his wicker chair, looked her up and down, then pointed to a stone bench. “Sit.”

Yue Shichan casually took a seat. The setting sun illuminated her slender, delicate figure, its radiance like clothes woven out of gentle, misty light.

“Fellow Daoist, you already stand at the pinnacle of the Great Zhou’s cultivation world. You’re already practically invincible throughout the nation. What do you plan to do going forward?” Yue Shichan parted her pink lips to speak. Her voice was gentle, clear, and pleasing.

“Invincible?” Su Yi laughed. “I’m only a Xiantian Martial Ancestor. How could I call myself invincible? As for my plans… I currently don’t have any.”

Yue Shichan smiled faintly. “You’re too modest. The way I see it, only another heaven-defying, miraculous genius or a Spirit Dao advanced cultivator can threaten you now.”

Su Yi had no interest in lingering on this particular subject, so he took the wine jug from the nearby table and asked, “Want a drink?”

Yue Shichang took the yellow-skinned wine gourd hanging from her slender waist and said, “Fellow Daoist, how about you try my wine?”

Su Yi didn’t refuse. “Sure.”

Yue Shichan rose, then poured Su Yi a glass. The liquid was like clear amber, glinting with flecks of spiritual luster. The potent smell of alcohol permeated the air, carrying hints of distinctive sweetness.

“This is wine I brewed personally, deep within the wilderness of Silverflame Yao Mountain,” Yue Shichan said, smiling with her eyes. She looked tranquil and transcendent. "It’s made with the nectar of over one hundred types of spiritual flowers. Please, try it.”

Su Yi raised and drained his glass. After taking a moment to savor it, he couldn’t help but nod. “Not bad at all. It’s sweet and smooth, with a distinctive flavor. Even rarer, it has a gentle spirituality, making it highly beneficial for nourishing the blood and qi.”

Yue Shichan smiled, then refilled his glass. “Fellow Daoist, aren’t you curious as to why I’ve come calling?”

“Let’s hear it,” said Su Yi.

Yue Shichan returned to her seat, thought for a moment, then said, “Have you heard of the Orchid Terrace Dharma Assembly the Great Xia plans to host half a year from now?”

Su Yi was briefly stunned. Then, he shook his head. “No, never.”

The Great Xia was the hegemon of the Azure Continent. Their forces were enormous, and their vast territory was home to countless sects. Even their vassal states numbered in the dozens!

The Great Zhou, Wei, and Qin were at best comparable to the Great Xia’s vassal states. They couldn’t even begin to compare to the Great Xia itself.

However, the distance between the Great Zhou and the Great Xia was enormous, and the flow of information between the two was restricted. Thus, the ordinary citizens of the Great Zhou typically hadn’t even heard of the Great Xia.

Even to cultivators, the Great Xia was simply too far away. They knew of it only from rumors, and understood only the very tip of the iceberg. 

Yue Shichan continued, “The emperor of the Great Xia announced the Orchid Terrace Dharma Assembly this year. The imperial family will be hosting it in tandem with the Great Xia’s four peak-level factions…

“Any cultivator who’s reached the Origin Dao is allowed to participate. The Orchid Terrace Dharma Assembly shall consist of a series of duels, or ‘discussions of the Dao’. Everyone who enters the top thirty will receive a Sumeru Talisman.

“Those in the top ten receive legacies, treasures, spiritual medicines, as well as other rewards prepared by the current emperor of the Great Xia.

“The top three will each receive a piece of Jade Pearl Essence.

“They say the first-place winner will receive a special and mysterious reward.”

When he heard this, Su Yi couldn’t help but exclaim, “They’re offering Jade Pearl Essence as a reward? The Emperor of the Great Xia has sure spared no expense.”

Jade Pearl Essence was a highly distinctive divine material. It was used to temper a cultivator’s foundations in the Grand Dao.

To those about to enter the Origin Palace Realm, this divine material could help them open a Dantian Origin Palace of extraordinary quality!

Even in the Nine Provinces of the Wilds, a divine material like this was extraordinarily valuable.

Of course, what surprised Su Yi was that the emperor of a mundane nation in a mundane realm like the Azure Continent could offer such a treasure as a reward. From this, it was clear how terrifying the Great Xia’s accumulations were. 

“They say the current emperor of the Great Xia is most likely an advanced cultivator of the Spirit Dao. He’s a man of outstanding vision and ability, and his strength is deep and inscrutable,” Yue Shichan said softly. “Furthermore, the Great Xia began scouring the world in search of good fortune a long time ago. The number of lucky chances and fortuitous encounters that have fallen into the Xia Emperor’s hands isn’t small in the least.”

Su Yi couldn’t help but sigh.

This was the advantage of becoming emperor. One command, and countless people would search the world for treasure and opportunities on your behalf.

As the man running the Great Xia, the undisputed hegemon of the continent, the cultivation resources the Xia Emperor had accumulated over the years were inestimably numerous.

Su Yi was well aware that, if the emperor really was a Spirit Dao cultivator, with the methods at his disposal, it wouldn’t be at all difficult to gather good fortune from all over the continent.

Take the Great Zhou. Over the years, Emperor Zhou had scoured the Eight Great Yao Mountains of treasure and fortune, most of which went straight to the Unknown Dragons. As a result, every last one of the Unknown Dragons was in possession of ancient legacies. All of them mastered ancient secret arts, and their combat prowess far surpassed others of the same cultivation. 

The Great Xia was the hegemon of the entire Azure Continent. It was easy to imagine that their territory had numerous mysterious lands and danger zones similar to the Eight Great Yao Mountains.

The Xia Emperor had accumulated opportunities and strokes of fortune for years. Of course he’d built up an awful lot!

“What is a Sumeru Talisman?” asked Su Yi.

“They say that a mysterious island was discovered within the Great Xia. It’s called Sumeru Immortal Island. Only those in possession of a Sumeru Talisman can enter it in search of good fortune.”

Su Yi was vaguely starting to understand. “I’m afraid the Xia Emperor is convening this ‘Orchid Terrace Dharma Assembly’ precisely to choose a group of cultivators to help him search Sumeru Immortal Island for good fortune. Am I right?”

Yue Shichan nodded. “Most likely, but as cultivators, who could resist such temptation?”

“In that case, Sumeru Immortal Island can’t be simple,” said Su Yi, seemingly deep in thought. “Most likely, only Origin Dao cultivators can enter, and it’s undoubtedly extremely dangerous. Otherwise, the emperor wouldn’t need to go through all this trouble to select a group of top-class Origin Dao cultivators.”

Yue Shichan froze. “Why do you say that?”

“If Spirit Dao cultivators could enter Sumeru Immortal Island, how could Origin Dao cultivators possibly get in on the action?” laughed Su Yi. “Similarly, if Sumeru Immortal Island weren’t dangerous, why bother hosting the Orchid Terrace Dharma Assembly? He could just pick anyone and be done with it.

“In short, the way I see it, I’m afraid the emperor of the Great Xia doesn’t understand the situation on Sumeru Immortal Island either, and he lacks confidence. Thus, he has little choice but to arrange such an event to choose the best of the best to venture forth in search of good fortune.”

Having said all this, Su Yi raised and drained his glass.

In the 108,000 years of his past life, he’d participated in countless similar operations, venturing into all sorts of hidden lands and danger zones. He’d even organized numerous events much like the Orchid Terrace Dharma Assembly.

How could he fail to understand the emperor’s motivations? 

Yue Shichan’s bright eyes lit up with surprise and admiration. “I’m surprised, Fellow Daoist. You actually saw through the event’s mysteries at a glance.”

Su Yi waved the compliment away. “You just let the Orchid Terrace Dharma Assembly’s rewards tempt you. You didn’t think about it beyond that.”

Yue Shichan couldn’t help but say, “Then… Fellow Daoist, are you interested in participating in the Orchid Terrace Dharma Assembly?”

Su Yi looked up at the picturesque beauty, the young woman like an immortal fairy, and smiled faintly. “So, you came here today to invite me to go to the Great Xia with you?”

Beneath Su Yi’s direct, bold gaze, Yue Shichan felt vaguely uncomfortable, but she nonetheless admitted it. “That’s right. I won’t keep it from you; countless people have searched the Great Zhou’s Eight Great Yao Mountains in search of fortune. It’ll be hard to find anything else of value there.”

A hint of exasperation appeared on Yue Shichan’s delicate, beautiful features. “It’s not just the Great Zhou, either. The Great Wei and Great Qin are much the same. I’ve spent years wandering the three nations on foot, visiting countless lands of danger and opportunity, but I’ve generally returned empty-handed.”

“So you’ve decided to test your luck in the Great Xia?” asked Su Yi.

She nodded. “Exactly.”

“Did you know that in three years at the minimum, or five years at the most, the Radiant Epoch will descend upon the Azure Continent?” 

Yue Shichan was briefly stunned. Then, she said admiringly, “I just knew that the legendary Radiant Epoch would one day descend upon us. I wouldn’t have guessed you could deduce a rough timeline for its arrival.”

She paused, then continued, “You don’t know this, but I’m proceeding to the Great Xia to continue my cultivation precisely for the sake of preparing for the Radiant Epoch. I want to work hard and raise my cultivation a little.”

Su Yi’s eyes shone with admiration. 

Over the course of their conversation, he realized that this picturesque beauty pursued the Dao with pure, determined focus.

He thought for a moment, then looked at her and said, “If you’re willing, I can act as your guide to greater heights of the Grand Dao. I won’t promise anything else, but I can at least guarantee you’ll make it further with my support.”

Yue Shichan pressed her lips into a smile. “Fellow Daoist, do you plan to take me as your disciple?”

Su Yi shook his head and sighed. “Unless it’s absolutely necessary, or unless I’m extremely impressed, I’m afraid I’ll never accept another disciple ever again.”

His tone carried a hint of melancholy.

Yue Shichan was briefly stunned. He makes it sound like I’m not even qualified to become his disciple?

A moment later, she got her emotions back under control and said, “I’ll have to think it over carefully.”

Su Yi didn’t push. He just said casually, “You can come find me whenever you’ve made up your mind.”

He did quite admire Yue Shichan. It was his first time encountering such a good seedling since his reincarnation. Her bearing, talent, and appearance were all top-notch.

Of course, he wouldn’t lower himself by pushing her. 

It was then that Yue Shichan batted her eyes and asked with a smile, “Then… Fellow Daoist, would you be interested in going to the Great Xia with me?”