Crossing Over: The Strongest Mage

Yan Huo buried the guqin in front of Xiuning's tomb, then took out a spiritual talisman from his body. After activating it, he affixed the talisman to the spiritual iron tombstone. A wave of black mist spread out, and both the tombstone and the grave vanished into thin air. "With the spiritual energy of the spiritual iron, the 'Heavenly Escape Five Elements Formation' should be able to last for many years," Yan Huo thought. He was still concerned about the grave being disturbed, so he used the formation to hide it. Once this was done, Yan Huo carefully tucked Xiuning's embroidery needles into his clothes and, with tears in his eyes, walked away from the mountain, constantly looking back.

Yan Huo was very familiar with the areas around Yanshan, including the city of Yan, as he had observed these landscapes countless times. They had long been etched in his memory. Now, he was contemplating whether he should go to Yan City. He also wondered about the secrets surrounding his own birth. But he no longer felt as eager to uncover the truth. "If it weren't for the secret of my origins, Sister Xiuning would not have left me. Everything is just fate," he thought as he stood atop the mountain, gazing toward Yan City.

"What's more important now is finding a way to bring Sister Xiuning back to life. Where can I find an immortal? Senior Chongyangzi only mentioned that there are very few practitioners of the Dao on this continent, so it seems there are some who have cultivated, but I'm not sure if they've achieved immortality yet.

It would be best if I could find an immortal here on this continent. If not, I'll have to travel to the distant Jiuzhou continent to seek one."

In truth, those who had truly achieved immortality had already ascended to the Immortal Realm long ago. They wouldn't remain in the mortal world for others to find. Yet, ironically, it was Yan Huo's naïve search for immortals that led to the fantastical life he would eventually lead.

Yan City, located in the Junlin Province, was a central city with official roads that were often frequented by merchants and travelers. It was just past noon, and while the flow of people on the official road was intermittent, it remained bustling. "Why are they all staring at me? Did I do something wrong?" Yan Huo noticed that many people were watching him, and as someone who had just entered the mortal world, he couldn't help feeling a little shy, his mind full of questions.

Suddenly, Yan Huo jumped down from the air. The bystanders, seeing him descend, began to speculate that he might be a deity or a monster. Some of the bolder young men in the crowd gathered around him, speaking excitedly and asking questions.

"God? A monster? Thank you!" As time passed, the official road grew more crowded. A carriage approaching from the distance slowly made its way closer. Seeing the road becoming congested, the young driver slowed the carriage. When the carriage came to a stop, a voice from inside called out, "Zhang Cheng, have we arrived at Yan City yet?"

"Young Master, not yet. There's still a mile to the city gate."

"Then why did you stop the carriage?"

"The road is blocked."

"Blocked? Why?"

"I don't know, but it looks like people are gathering around something."

The driver, Zhang Cheng, glanced around and then added, "It seems to be because of a young man."

"Hmph! Bunch of country bumpkins, they've never seen a man before," the young master said with disdain.

"Yes, Young Master." Zhang Cheng cracked his whip and shouted at the crowd, "Move aside! Move aside! You're blocking my young master's way!"

When the bystanders saw the embroidered beast patterns on the carriage's curtains, they immediately realized that the person inside was no ordinary individual. Gradually, the crowd began to part, allowing the carriage to pass.

Inside the carriage, the space was vast, and a young man dressed in luxurious, satin robes and a jade robe lay half-reclined on a white fur rug. A table of fine wine was warmed by his side. Though the young man held a book in his hand, his mind seemed preoccupied with other thoughts. As the carriage passed through the crowd, he was still disturbed by the noise from outside. He snapped back to reality.

"What are these people looking at?" The young man in the carriage, curious, lifted the curtain and glanced outside. His gaze immediately fell on Yan Huo. Just that one look made him suddenly shout, "Stop the carriage!!"

Before Zhang Cheng, the driver, could react, the young man had already leapt out of the carriage. Once on the ground, the young man quickly adjusted his appearance before heading toward the crowd. To his surprise, Yan Huo was surrounded by a group of about ten people. The young man found it difficult to approach the crowd directly, so he decided not to force his way through.

"Brother! I'm late!" The young man didn't want to push people aside with his hands, so he called out loudly from outside the crowd.

"Ah, so it's the rich young master!?" The onlookers quickly stepped aside. Yan Huo, who had been struggling with how to escape the crowd, was now relieved.

"Is he calling me? Could it be? Who is this man?" Yan Huo wondered.

"Little brother, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Yang Lue, the son of the Yang family in Luocheng." The young man who had come forward, holding a white fan, cupped his hands and greeted Yan Huo.

The Yang family of Luocheng was well known across the country as a wealthy merchant family, though their wealth came from somewhat shady dealings. The Yang family ran brothels, and it was said that wherever there were people, there would be a brothel owned by them. The Yang family was known to have connections in both the legal and underground worlds. Yang Lue, their only son, was often referred to as one of the "Four Young Masters of the ? Stream," alongside other notable young men such as Yan Huo's older brother, Liu Zheng. For the other three, "Stream" was merely a nickname, but for Yang Lue, it was truly fitting. He had grown up in the brothels and was a seasoned veteran of the trade. Yang Lue prided himself on his appearance, his family wealth, his talent, and his martial arts skills, believing himself to be one of the best among the younger generation in the Jianghu (martial world).

Yang Lue also enjoyed making friends with talented and unusual people, and he often sought out the company of "geniuses" or "scholars of the ? Stream." He considered his looks to be unmatched in the world. But the moment he saw Yan Huo's face, a sense of curiosity arose in him.

"Which family does this young master come from? Though he's young, his looks are extraordinary—his sword-like eyebrows and remarkable presence. If he grows a little older, he could surely become a handsome young man!" Yang Lue thought to himself.

Yang Lue's visit to Yan City had a purpose. His actions in Luocheng had accumulated too much trouble. Every few days, a different noble lady or distinguished maiden would come to his family, crying and pleading. This had become so problematic that his father, Yang Guang, had grown tired of it.

"With so many women under our employ, you could entertain one a day until you're a hundred years old! Yet you insist on causing trouble and messing around with women you won't even marry. Even though we run brothels, you don't need to make it look like I'm forcing women into prostitution every day. Go to one of our other villas and lay low for a while. Let me have some peace," Yang Guang had angrily ordered his son.

The Yang family had villas all over the country, and since Yang Guang didn't specify which one his son should go to, Yang Lue chose the best and most prosperous one—Yan City. To avoid attention, he traveled alone with just a single carriage. After all, every villa had everything he needed.