When the stork came down clamping a golden paper with its beak, anyone from the West would not hesitate to say the communication method of the people of Huaxia was primitive. They would think the message was written on the golden paper.

Such was the thought Diana was having. She couldn't help commenting on how unsafe it was inwardly.

It was, however, more than met the eyes. When the stork passed the golden paper to Tian Long, he immediately channelled his Qi into it as he clamped it between his thumb and index finger.

The paper glowed almost blindingly for a brief second. Tian Long then threw it at the stork and it immediately wrapped itself around the stork's neck. Looking at the scene, Diana was bewildered. She couldn't comprehend what she was looking at.

Pop!

The stork exploded in the next moment, scattering feathers in every direction. These feathers then gathered up, creating a piece of white paper that landed in Tian Long's hands.

"What..just..happened?" Diana muttered.

"Well, it is only surprising at first. Once you accept that Daoists are different from Mages, you will get used to it," Julia said, in response to her mother's bewilderment.

"In terms of secrecy, I can guarantee you Daoists are the best. Very few of us have any desire to be famous, so we tend to hide things even if it is unnecessary. Heck, even up to this day, we still have many hiding dragons amongst us. That's why we try our best to lure them out," Tian Long explained as he read the letter.

"Uh..I guess it is a very safe method indeed," Diana explained.

She gazed at Basil but found that he didn't have any look of fascination or astonishment on his face. It was clear to her that she was the only one who didn't know anything about the unique way Daoists communicated.

"Well, I know now where she is," Tian Long remarked as he scrolled the paper and then burned it to ashes. "She is in Gaozi province, Zunshen city."

At the mention of the province, Xiu Li's face already darkened; at the mention of the city, his face got even darker. Basil noticed it first yet he didn't say anything. When Tian Long noticed it, however, he immediately called Xiu Li out.

"What is the matter, lad? You look concerned for some reason."

"Ah..that is.." Xiu Li widened his eyes and then scratched his head in embarrassment. "It is nothing, Great Daoist Tian Long," he continued with a smile.

"Well..if you don't want to talk about it, I won't prod you." Tian Long shrugged.

Xiu Li smiled again and then nodded his head. He looked grateful, which made the people who looked at him sure that something was bothering his mind. Still, none of them asked what was bothering him. As Mages and sensible people, they knew not to be nosy.

"Who is this friend of yours anyway?" Mei Qi asked.

"Yan Xueyi. She is best at treating any Yin-related ailments."

"Oh? It's aunt Xueyi. Is she still not married yet?"

At the question, Tian Long turned to Mei Qi in horror. "Mei-er, don't bring that up before her. Understood?"

"O-Okay.."

Yan Xueyi was the fifth strongest Daoist in the entire Huaxia. She was formerly Tian Long's senior sister at the sect that nurtured him. She was one of the unique geniuses who preferred indulging in their hobbies to improving their Cultivations. Despite so, her aptitude still brought her to the second last realm of Cultivation.

There were six Cultivation Realms: Qi Amasser, Qi Smither, Physique Forger, Unshackled Spirit, Immortal, and Nirvana Tribulation. Tian Long was in the Middle Stage of the Immortal Realm, whereas, Xueyi was in the Pinnacle Stage of the same realm.

It was very hard to increase one's Cultivation level; therefore, they only made up 15% of the entire population. History suggested that the chance one would reach the Immortal Realm was less than 20%, which was why most people stopped trying to break through once they reached the realm.

"Yan Xueyi..I reckoned she had failed her Tribulation once," Basil commented. "Very few people can survive, so I wonder if she is still at her prime."

"Oh, don't you worry, young man. That mons—friend of mine is tougher than she looks."

Tribulation was something that one had to go through to step into the last realm of cultivation—Nirvana Tribulation. One had to withstand 72 strikes of lightning and defeat one's Heart Demon to pass it, so one could be considered a Daoist of the Nirvana Tribulation Realm.

It was a very arduous and excruciating process, which was also one of the major reasons why few people were eager to advance to the Nirvana Tribulation Realm. One's chance of surviving was less than 10%, so many people shied away from it.

Being in the Immortal Realm, Daoists could already live forever. Most of them learned to feel complacent—they naturally felt complacent—once they reached said realm, so they laid low afterwards; meanwhile, the ambitious kept climbing the ladder and reached the peak if they were lucky.

"Does the failed Tribulation not affect her?" Basil wondered.

"Well..she is fine..physically and mentally. Her luck is just shit ever since, so she is often grumpy."

As someone who didn't believe in fate and luck, Basil would normally treat it as a placebo effect. Considering how peculiar Daoism worked, however, he slightly worried that Xueyi's bad luck might contribute to his failed treatment later.

Tian Long immediately laughed at the pondering look on Basil's face and then slapped him in the back. "Ku-Ha-Ha! Don't worry, young man. Her shit luck only affects her love life. She is a very skilled Daoist, so she won't mess up while we are treating you."

Basil merely nodded his head and said nothing. Tian Long then told everyone to get ready since they were going to depart soon.

As everyone was leaving, Diana asked Julia what was happening. It was only at this moment did the people know she could barely speak Hua Dialect.

Being a good daughter, Julia told her mother about what they were going to do. She asked if she could go with them and Tian Long was the one who answered her with "Why not?" in Exonet, the universal language.

The preparation took half an incense to burn. They then departed Wanhei province using a flying boat owned by Tian Long, which only five people in Huaxia had.

...

Wanhei province turned out to be not that far from Gaozi province. The flight only took an hour and a half and it felt like nothing for those who had just had their first time flying: the lasses, Diana, and Deacon.

When Danzel was asked why he didn't seem impressed, he revealed that he had often ridden the flying boat with Tian Long. The lasses didn't look very amused by the piece of information, causing him to smile bitterly and Tian Long to laugh boisterously.

When Basil was asked if he had ever ridden something like the boat before, he said that he didn't need one because he could fly himself. The people didn't doubt him in the slightest as they nodded their heads and then turned to Xiu Li.

When the outcast from the Wei received the gaze, he immediately relented and told them that he had ridden his grandfather's flying boat when he was a child. He could barely maintain his smile as he talked about it, so the people immediately felt bad for asking.

"There are more interesting things to look at around you. You shouldn't bother talking about trivial things."

The awkward situation was successfully evaded thanks to Basil's comment. The people looked around them and immediately gasped in awe.

"Woah! My world has been too small—I have never seen this view!" Shirley exclaimed.

"After staying in this country for two years, this is still my first time seeing this scene," Clarissa commented.

"Hm..my view has been broadened," Julia intoned.

Looking at the lasses in bemusement, Diana wondered if they were reciting a poem due to their manner. She didn't understand a thing they said since they spoke in Hua Dialect, so their manner was her only clue to what they were saying.

"They are just being stupid," Mei Qi whispered, understanding Diana's difficulty.

"Ah..I guess they are too astonished by the scene," Diana replied with a small chuckle.

Indeed, the scenery was something that one could never find in the West. A sea of people flying as fast as lightning, a bunch of fancy flying boats decorating the sky, the grandeur of the flying city—it was something one should admire.

"Zunshen is the smallest but most prominent city in Huaxia. It is the only flying city Huaxia has because it is small enough to keep the cost of flying it reasonable. Those who want to spend their money—those who desire fun come here."

Gesturing at the smaller boat that flew below them with his head, Tian Long continued, "Youngsters of the prominent family—sometimes, naughty married people—come here to seek pleasure. This place has one of the—Kuhum! Forget what I said."

Tian Long wanted to go on and on about the "delicacy" the city could serve; however, a glare from his daughter was enough for him. He felt a little bit unfortunate that the knowledge he gained in his naughty days couldn't be put to good use but he would do anything to keep his daughter's mood good.historical

'Who knows where she will disappear this time!' he constantly reminded himself.

Unlike the others, as soon as his flying boat was spotted by the guards, they immediately escorted him to the smaller but pretentious gate. As one of the strongest people in Huaxia, being treated as a VIP was a must.

"All right, everyone, it is time to get down and head to the hotel where my friend stays," he said, prompting the people to immediately get down. Xiu Li looked hesitant, so he couldn't help asking, "Are you afraid of height, lad?"

"Huh? No. I was just..reminiscing. Yes—reminiscing. It has been a long time since I last came here," Xiu Li said with an awkward smile, failing to hide his distraught state.

Tian Long, again, didn't prod him and nodded his head. They both got down together and, afterwards, he stored his gigantic flying boat in his Spatial Ring.

Just as they were about to walk, another gigantic flying boat occupied the spot that was previously occupied by Tian Long's. A huge Hua Dialect's character read "Wei" was written on its side.

Upon its appearance, Xiu Li immediately smiled sourly. He retreated until his body crashed into Basil's. As he was about to turn around and say sorry, Basil held him in his place. Basil said nothing but he knew what Basil wanted him to do.

He took a deep breath and straightened himself as he looked at the boat. A man in his mid-twenties came down the boat not long after and immediately sneered as he looked at him.

"My, my, my... Look what we have here. The outcast dares to return!" the Young Master of the Wei Family, the successor of Zunshen city, greeted his little brother.