Chapter Twenty-nine: Tiangong Village

"Ah Fan, be careful out there. If you're working away from home, don't get into fights. Endure when you can, and if it gets too hard, just come back home."

Before his departure, Chen Fan's mother repeated her words over and over again.

What he was about to do, however, was far beyond her imagination. With more than a month left of summer vacation, he had simply used the excuse of taking a summer job.

After an exhausting journey spanning dozens of hours, Chen Fan finally arrived at the foot of the Kunlun Mountains. Gazing up at the towering peaks, he couldn't help but feel a deep sense of awe.

"So, this is the legendary Immortal Palace of ancient times? Truly grand and sacred."

"Let's go, Chen Fan."

Zhao Gu extended a hand toward him, the same plump, round bird still perched on her head.

Having learned his lesson from last time, Chen Fan didn't immediately take her hand. Instead, he asked cautiously, "Zhao Gu, isn't this the same fat bird from the Shuiyun Tomb? Last time, we almost fell to our deaths. Are you sure he's reliable this time?"

"Hey! Watch your mouth! When has Grandpa Fat ever failed? You little brat, once you step into the Xiansheng World, you'll have to call me your ancestor!" the fat bird squawked indignantly.

"Relax, my master upgraded him last time. Now, carrying two people is no problem at all," Zhao Gu reassured him.

Only after hearing this did Chen Fan finally place his hand in hers.

"Alright, dear passengers, welcome aboard Grandpa Fat Airlines. I am your captain, Little Fly Elephant. Here are the safety instructions—"

"If you say another word, I'll turn you back into an origami figure, and Chen Fan and I will walk up ourselves."

"Okay, okay! Geez, this lady is really aggressive. Ready?"

The fat bird dramatically pulled out a pair of sunglasses from who-knows-where and put them on. Meanwhile, a tiny speaker hanging from his waist blasted an obnoxious DJ dance track.

"Where does Little Fly Elephant even learn this stuff?"

"He likes to wander around aimlessly, so he picks up a bit of everything."

"Go!"

With a powerful flap of his wings, Little Fly Elephant stirred up a fierce gust of wind and shot into the sky with the two of them in tow.

As Chen Fan looked down at the endless sea of clouds beneath them, the sky above seemed even bluer, almost surreal. Closing his eyes for a moment, he let the music play in the background before sighing from the depths of his heart.

"So tacky."

Before long, they arrived at a certain peak in the Kunlun Mountains. Zhao Gu knelt down, traced an intricate symbol on the ground, and murmured a spell under her breath. Moments later, the sky tore open with a crackle of lightning.

"This… This is the Thunder Pool?" Chen Fan asked, his voice trembling slightly.

"Don't be afraid, Chen Fan. I'll protect you," Zhao Gu reassured him, giving him a comforting glance that eased his nerves.

"Let's go."

She took out a jade token. At that moment, Little Fly Elephant's speaker conveniently blasted out a line from a song—

"I want to fly even higher!"

"Go!"

Little Fly Elephant let out a battle cry in sync with the song, then shot straight up like a bullet.

The Thunder Pool was even more terrifying than the lightning storm of the Shuiyun Tomb. Amid the blinding bolts of electricity, Chen Fan swore he caught glimpses of human faces flickering in and out of sight. His breath hitched.

"Zhao Gu… there are faces in the lightning?"

"Yes," she replied. "This Thunder Pool is also known as the 'Fallen Immortal Pool.' Any immortals who defy the laws of heaven have their divinity stripped and are imprisoned here. Their lingering resentment only strengthens the Thunder Pool's power. That's why escaping the Xiansheng World on one's own is nearly impossible."

Such a terrifying place…

Fortunately, they wouldn't have to linger here for long. Though the faces in the lightning appeared horrifying and twisted, they were more of a psychological deterrent than an actual threat.

Chen Fan gazed into the depths of the Thunder Pool, curiosity flickering in his eyes. So many fallen immortals… What sins had they committed to end up here?

"Chen Fan, we're here. Let's go."

The moment they stepped through the familiar grand gates, they were met with a peculiar sight—dozens of people wandering aimlessly, seemingly lost.

Not far away, a familiar figure caught Chen Fan's eye. The woman called "Little Demon" from Kaiyun Sect was rummaging through her pouch, as if preparing something.

"Come on, Chen Fan. Those rats from Kaiyun are probably using 'Gathering Spirit Powder' again to lure these newcomers to their deaths," Zhao Gu scoffed, clearly unimpressed.

"Zhao Gu, aren't you going to save them? These immortal civilians are innocent."

"Chen Fan, in this world, I advise you not to hesitate too much," she said coldly. "The Xiansheng World is ruthless. Do you know why everyone craves godhood? Because survival here is cruel. These people were chosen as pawns for Kaiyun's schemes. If they survive, good for them. If they die… well, most of them were just unlucky. That's fate."

Chen Fan nodded slowly.

He thought back to his own journey—how he had been thrown into this world through sheer coincidence, how he had survived with no one to lend him a helping hand. With that realization, the weight of guilt eased off his shoulders.

The Xiansheng World had existed for countless years, and newcomers came and went. He had neither the obligation nor the power to change its ways.

Kaiyun Sect had a massive presence, and their gathering place was nothing more than an inn. Chen Fan had always assumed that the Artifact Crafting Sect was just a small group with only a handful of people. At most, he thought their headquarters might be a single house.

But when he finally arrived, his jaw nearly hit the ground.

Their "headquarters" was an entire village.

An entire village?! There had to be at least two or three hundred people here.

"Tiangong Village?"

"Yep. Now, come on, Chen Fan," Zhao Gu urged.

"What's the matter? Afraid to go in, kid? Just follow Grandpa Fat!"

Little Fly Elephant strutted forward on his tiny legs, his wobbly walk looking absolutely ridiculous.

"Greetings, Immortal Zhao! Greetings, Immortal Zhao!"

As they walked through the village, the passing villagers greeted Zhao Gu respectfully. The place felt just like an ordinary village—some people were farming, others chatting leisurely.

Meanwhile, the fat bird puffed up indignantly.

"Hey, hey! And what about me? Why doesn't anyone call me 'Grandpa Fat'?"

An elderly man with a walking stick chuckled. "Why should we? You're no different from us. You just have a bit more spiritual power, that's all. Little fatty, maybe use some of that energy to shed a few pounds instead?"

"Oi, Old Man Wang! Say that again, and I swear I'll turn you back into your original form!"

Little Fly Elephant squawked, but his threat had no bite. The old man merely laughed louder, and soon, the whole village joined in.

"Zhao Gu, you must stand up for me! I'm your spirit bird! If they're mocking me, that means they don't respect you either!"

"Hmm, makes sense." Zhao Gu nodded thoughtfully.

"Exactly! So you should help me teach this old geezer a lesson—turn him back into his original form!"

"Alright."

Before Little Fly Elephant could react, Zhao Gu smacked him with a palm strike.

With a faint poof, he instantly transformed back into a folded piece of paper, a single feather drifting down in his place.

"Zhao Gu… didn't you say your sect had the fewest members? This village is way bigger than all three Kaiyun factions combined."

Zhao Gu chuckled. Catching a rooster nearby, she tapped it gently.

With another poof, the bird turned into an origami figure.

"This entire village? It's all made of folded paper."