My best friend asked me if I was still doing system tasks.

When Ruan Luo and her companion arrived at the mountain gate, almost everyone had already arrived. Some of them had solemn expressions, while others were excited. They exchanged greetings and names.

Luo Hanying spotted Ji Daoyun standing in the crowd at a glance. His appearance was not considered particularly stunning in the cultivation world, but his demeanor and temperament made it impossible for her to look away.

The river and sky are one color, without a speck of dust; the bright moon hangs alone in the sky.

Luo Hanying knew this wasn't a description of a person, but the phrase instantly popped into her mind. He was like a luminous moon within reach, yet also like an unattainable icy moon.

Luo Hanying nudged Ruan Chayan with her elbow and raised her chin slightly to indicate: "Is that Junior Uncle Ji Daoyun?"

"As expected of a disciple taught by Daoist Yu Chen, his temperament is somewhat similar to Yu Chen's."

"You're right." Ruan Chayan pulled Luo Hanying forward to bow, then prepared to stand in the crowd.

Unexpectedly, Ji Daoyun bowed to Luo Hanying and said, "You must be Xue Ci? I heard that you had a strange phenomenon when you had an epiphany and have many insights into poetry and literature. I hope you will teach me in the future."

Luo Hanying returned the greeting, showing no obvious emotion, and said with a forced smile, "Junior Uncle, you flatter me. Your name is well-known and I take you as my role model. I will need your guidance in the future."

[“Oh ho! Wa ho!”] Luo Hanying exclaimed a few times, [“His voice is really nice!”]

Ruan Chayan: "..." This is hopeless. She goes crazy when she sees someone good-looking or hears someone with a nice voice.

Ji Daoyun smiled and nodded, then asked Ruan Chayan, "Where is Jin Si?"

Ruan Chayan said, "Oh, he thought the children were too noisy, so he made himself sleep in the spirit beast pouch."

In his eyes, a group of ancestors who were hundreds of years old were nothing more than chattering children.

Ji Daoyun's eyes were gentle, with a faint smile: "This is really unexpected. I thought he would cause a big scene after he came out."

"In the more than a thousand years within the formation, Jin Si has changed a lot, and we must thank Daoist Ci'an for his care."

If it weren't for the companionship and instruction from Daoist Ci'an before his ascension, and the jade slips and books he left behind, he would likely have committed evil deeds upon his emergence.

It was Master Ci'an who changed him.

Ruan Chayan guessed that he was Qi Huixian's disciple, so he knew about Jin Si's affairs. Therefore, she said a few good words for Jin Si to improve the Daoist's favorability towards him.

Ji Daoyun remained noncommittal, clapped his hands, and signaled everyone to be quiet: "I have already told you all the reasons why I have summoned you here, and I have repeatedly emphasized the danger of this mission assigned by the sect. I hope you are all mentally prepared to die for it."

You still have a chance to back out now, but once we set off, there will be no turning back.

Disciples who do not wish to participate in the mission may leave now.

[“Holy crap?! Martyrdom?! Really?!”] Luo Hanying glanced silently at Ruan Chayan.

Ruan Chayan remained silent for a few moments, then said, "To be honest, I didn't know. Neither Hua Shiqing nor Ji Daoyun told me anything like this. How come I didn't know it was so dangerous?"

A young man in the crowd, his blood boiling, chimed in, "Junior Uncle! We're here prepared! We won't regret it! Let's set off!"

A few scattered voices echoed in agreement.

Ji Daoyun's divine sense swept across everyone's faces. Seeing that no one had any intention of backing down, he said gently, "Since that's the case, then I will hand over the spirit stones and magic artifacts provided by the sect to you."

As he distributed the Qiankun bags, he reminded everyone how many resources were inside, how to use the magical artifacts, and how to take the pills.

Ji Daoyun conjured a small ark, and as he chanted incantations and made hand gestures, the ark expanded and grew larger. Following his instructions, the crowd boarded the ark one after another.

Ji Daoyun placed the spirit stones into the array on the ark, and the sails were raised.

Luo Hanying and Ruan Chayan stood side by side, watching the Shiren Sect disappear from sight, their hearts filled with mixed feelings.

"It'll be at least six months before I come back next time, right?" Ruan Chayan murmured.

She felt a pang of reluctance; this place held a peaceful period of time and was one of the few beautiful memories she had of this other world so far.

Luo Hanying looked lost and disappointed: "That's how it is."

The mission deadline is six months. Even if we complete the mission after six months, it's impossible for us to teleport back instantly.

What kind of gloom awaits them as they walk down this path shrouded in doubt?

*

With an ample supply of spirit stones, the spirit ship traveled at a very fast speed, avoiding no-fly cities along the way, and in just five days it approached the border of Nan Yue Shenzhou.

Ji Daoyun pulled out a map from the jade slip and pointed it out to Ruan Chayan: "Youlin County is just ahead. We will part ways here. You go and take care of your business. We will meet again in Jinwu County."

Ruan Chayan hadn't expected the spirit boat to be so fast; it was practically as fast as an airplane.

After listening to Ji Daoyun's suggestion, she called out Jin Si and asked him to take her to Luanyang County.

"I don't know the way," Jin Si said lazily. "I can't guarantee where I'll be taken."

Ruan Chayan was prepared. She showed the replica map to Jin Si: "It doesn't matter if you don't know the way, we have a map."

Jin Si revealed a malicious smile and said, enunciating each word clearly, "I...don't...read...maps."

Ruan Chayan smiled and replied, "I will listen and give you directions."

Standing behind them, Luo Hanying watched their immature behavior and felt a pang of worry for Ruan Chayan's trip.

Jin Si wasn't as easy to coax as Hua Jiao, so Ruan Chayan had no choice but to say that Luanyang County had Qingluan Feather Tea, and if he followed her arrangements, she would buy him as much as he wanted, hoping to move him in this way.

Upon hearing this, Jin Si laughed so hard he couldn't stand up straight: "You're going to use your spirit stones, which aren't even enough for a spirit boat to fly for a day, to buy me spirit tea? How could you possibly make such a boast?"

Ruan Chayan awkwardly touched her nose.

"Fine, fine, I'll just take pity on you, you poor little pauper."

Jin Si wiped away the tears of laughter, transformed into his original form, and said, "Get on, I'll carry you to Luanyang County. Be careful out there, or I'll never forgive you."

Jin Si's actions surprised everyone. Ruan Chayan thanked him and sat sideways on the back of the Fire-Eyed Golden Lion.

As Ji Daoyun watched Ruan Chayan leave, he said softly, "It seems they get along well."

Luo Hanying heard Ji Daoyun's words and was both amused and exasperated: "It's nothing special."

Speaking of which, Kinsa has an eccentric temper, but he doesn't seem to deliberately cause trouble when it comes to serious matters.

Ji Daoyun's features were gentle and beautiful: "That's very good."

"Junior Uncle, come and take a look. Something seems wrong with Youlin County."

Jin Caiyu lay on the ship's railing, her divine sense extending downwards. "Why are all the mortals here hiding in their houses and not coming out? Should we go down and ask them?"

Upon hearing this, Ji Daoyun took a few steps forward, slowing down the speed of the spirit boat as he observed the situation in Youlin County.

Yulin County is famous for its ceramics production, with brick and tile making as a secondary industry. Various kilns can be seen everywhere, and the county town is named after the largest kiln in the area.

Youlin County is densely populated, where cultivators and mortals help each other and live in harmony. Ji Daoyun once passed through here during his travels. At that time, the place was bustling with activity, and you could see mortals working in the kiln, sweating profusely.

Looking around now, one can only see scattered low-level cultivators on the streets. There are no kilns in operation, nor are there the tall stacks of firewood that once stood there. Everything looks like it has been abandoned for a long time.