Chapter 3, Colorful Stones

That is indeed good... However, we both came from the underworld, and it has only been a moment since we arrived here. How could you have arrived six months earlier than I? Is it truly the case that a day in heaven equals half a year on earth?

Yue Chengwu has cultivated a remarkable demeanor in the workplace, which is quite striking; even when he stands casually, he draws attention. Suddenly, someone clapped him on the back, causing Yue Chengwu to turn around in alarm. A tall man with a bushy beard approached him and said, "I saw you earlier but didn't dare to recognize you. However, my brother, your unique outfit serves as an excellent marker. What brings you here so late?"

The most debated topic among these people is where to go next. Some wish to travel to the distant large cities, claiming that they are more prosperous and offer a more convenient life; others argue that the journey is fraught with dangers from monsters, making it difficult to reach, and prefer to temporarily settle in nearby towns. However, more people are discussing how to seek a master and pursue immortality, hoping to cultivate their magical powers in order to live on the Pangu Continent. The area of Gaifengzhou is not very large, only covering several tens of thousands of square kilometers, with a few villages, and a small city. The land is quite barren; although there are some resources, they are insufficient to sustain a large population, making it a place of great hardship. The area of Gaifengzhou is not very large, only covering several tens of thousands of square kilometers, with a few villages, and a small city. The land is quite barren; although there are some resources, they are insufficient to sustain a large population, making it a place of great hardship.

Yue Chengwu furrowed his brow and inwardly expressed some reluctance, saying: "Those妖兽 must be exceptionally fierce, but I wonder how you plan to hunt them? Is there a general store nearby that sells hunting rifles, traps, and other such items?"

Seeing the burly man with the twisted beard being so generous, Yue Chengwu felt a bit less apprehensive and more inclined to be friendly. He couldn't help but ask, "You have given me this bag of colorful stones; does that not mean you are left without weapons? How will you defend against the demon beasts?"

Yue Chengwu collected these two items and then remembered to ask, "May I ask your esteemed surname and given name?"

The two individuals recounted their encounters along the way, but the time, direction, and journey did not match. Each expressed their astonishment, thinking that this Wind Continent must indeed be a place of immortals, and such peculiarities were not surprising. They exchanged a few words before shifting the topic of conversation.

Oh, did we not traverse the Six Paths of Reincarnation together? How is it that you arrived before me

Yue Chengwu quickly recognized that this burly man was indeed the one who had been sent to the Path of Merit along with Judge Li, and had also chosen to become a Yellow Turban Warrior. Encountering an old acquaintance in a foreign land is inherently a comforting experience. Although he and this mustached giant had only met once and had not exchanged a single word, there was still a sense of familiarity in his heart.

It is unclear when it began, but there have often been beings from the lower realms ascending to the heavenly court, only to go astray and seek refuge here. These beings include humans, beasts, demons, and immortals. The indigenous inhabitants of this wind-blown land have seen many such arrivals and thus do not find it strange, allowing these newcomers to reside freely without discrimination. However, those demons and beasts that have ascended are unable to coexist peacefully with humans and books, frequently causing harm to lives

The burly man with a long beard sighed and said: "Don't mention it, I arrived here more than half a year earlier than you. I heard that there is a trend of seeking masters and immortals in this Wind Continent. I have already gone to pay my respects once, but I was eliminated at the third stage. I plan to try my luck again next year. If you don't mind, why don't we become partners and go to pay our respects together next year?"

The burly man with a thick beard replied without turning his head: "Wang Shi! You can also call me Shitou, or Dashi Tou!"

"Colorful stones? How can such things be used as weapons"

Yue Chengwu is a person with considerable social experience, and he is very clear about this. Although hunting is not a particularly prestigious profession, it is still a job. In an unfamiliar environment, those who have work will always hold a higher status than those who are idle. Yue Chengwu does not wish to go with the flow and become someone who resigns to a life of degradation. Moreover, the colorful stone given to him by the burly man is quite extraordinary, reminding him of celestial treasures, which greatly boosts his confidence in hunting demon beasts

Yue Chengwu is dressed like an urban white-collar worker, wearing a suit, leather shoes, a white shirt, and a tie that he hasn't worn for several days prior to the accident, having left it behind in the mortal realm. When the waters of the Tianhe River transformed his physique, these clothes also enlarged accordingly. Although he now stands nearly 260 to 270 centimeters tall, they still fit him well, and he does not stand out awkwardly among the diverse crowd.

The burly man with a thick beard laughed and said: "The land on Fengzhou is barren, and everyone can only hunt monsters to obtain fresh meat for sustenance. Are you willing to accompany me on a hunt? It is certainly better than wasting time here. These people gather here every day to talk, and I am already quite tired of hearing it; they do not engage in any productive work. When they are hungry, they go to Xici Town to beg for alms, which is quite shameful."

That will suffice

Yue Chengwu, you may also call me Chengwu! Please do not call me A Yue, as that sounds too effeminate

The burly man with a twisted beard chuckled and said, "Of course, I have weapons as well." He raised his hand and displayed an iron ring on his finger, silently reciting a spell. The iron ring immediately transformed into a heavy black iron spear, thick and imposing, exuding a sense of lethal intent

The burly man with a twisted beard exclaimed, "How can it be just a moment? I flew up not long ago and encountered a vast expanse of yellow sand, wandering aimlessly for what felt like several hundred years before suddenly arriving here"

This world, known as Pangu Continent, is entirely different from the Heavenly Court; it is a land floating in the void. Surrounding it are eight divine isles, said to be transformed from eight ancient golden crows, named Qian, Kun, Kan, Li, Zhen, Gen, Xun, and Dui. These eight divine isles rotate like celestial stars, illuminating the mountains and rivers. Among them, Xun Isle is one, but the people of this place commonly refer to it as Wind Isle

Yuecheng Wu nodded in agreement, and the burly man took out several fruits and handed over a water flask, advising: "This Xincheng fruit is a specialty from the vicinity of Xincheng Palace. Consuming one can restore a small amount of stamina. This water is drawn from the pool within Xincheng Palace, which is constantly infused with the energy of thunder and lightning. Drinking this pool water can invigorate the mind, and some of the demonic beasts emit toxic auras; consuming this pool water also has detoxifying effects."

The burly man with a twisted beard took up the iron spear and said to Wu of Moon City: "We need not venture far; there are many demon beasts in the Xici Grassland near the Heart Star Palace. In case of danger, we can retreat back to the Heart Star Palace for refuge"

The burly man with a twisted beard chuckled and said: "What things are there on Wind Continent? I have a bag of colorful stones that I bought in Xici Town, which would be perfect for you to use as weapons"

Yuecheng Wu, filled with confusion, took the egg-sized, mottled, and vividly red pebble handed to him by the burly man with a curled beard. He felt that this colorful stone was brimming with vibrant life, pulsating in his palm as if it were about to leap out. Sensing something unusual, he hurriedly asked, "How do you use this colorful stone?"

The six sects are indeed very strict in accepting disciples, with various conditions and three levels of screening. They recruit disciples only once a year, and often only one out of ten applicants is fortunate enough to be accepted. There are many who go to seek a master every year, yet are eliminated year after year.

I will teach you! The burly man replied: "You only need to silently recite in your heart, 'Strike!' and this colorful stone will fly out to hit the target. Then, silently recite, 'Return!' and it will fly back to your hand just like a book. It is extremely simple to use. This bag contains as many as 24 colorful stones, sufficient for your hunting needs. When encountering a monster, I will hold it off in front while you strike it with the colorful stones from behind. As long as we cooperate seamlessly, ordinary monsters will surely find it difficult to withstand us.

With these several reasons in mind, despite the strict recruitment of disciples by the Six Sects, the annual grand ceremony for recruiting new members is still extremely lively, attracting a multitude of eager participants

The immortals who descended from the Pangu Continent observed the rampant demonic beasts on Fengzhou and thus imparted numerous cultivation methods to those with little magical power, enabling them to resist the invasion of the demonic beasts Gradually, different sects of the immortal path were formed, namely the Six Schools of Jinqiang, Danxia, Shushan, Bixuan, Youming, and Ciyang, each with its own unique spells and teachings

There were originally many inhabitants on this Wind Continent, most of whom have lived here since the establishment of the Eight Divine Continents, with a very small portion being celestial beings who descended from the Pangu Continent.

He found a group of people engaged in a heated debate and listened for a long time, gaining a considerable understanding of the matters concerning the Pangu Continent and the Eight Divine Isles. It turned out that these individuals had experiences similar to his own; they had performed good deeds in their previous lives, accumulated merits, and were granted benefits by the judges of the underworld, allowing them to ascend to the heavenly court as celestial officials. However, they had inadvertently taken the wrong path to arrive at this place. Some had arrived early and were boasting about what they had heard, while others, who had come later, were anxious not to miss anything and hurriedly inquired around, thus gathering a large crowd.