McDonald's and KFC are just fried food, but the taste is countless times better than anything I've ever had before—truly a delicacy of the mortal world... even in heaven, there might not be anything like it.

With my aptitude, I quickly got the hang of computers. Not to brag, but this thing is more magical than any artifact I've ever seen—its wonders are beyond description.

Until the time I was waiting for arrived, I almost didn't want to leave. I didn't feel like taking care of business today.

But as soon as that thought popped up, I dismissed it. After all, this was something I'd been waiting thousands of years for. These things are everywhere and not rare at all; I can just get one for myself later and play with it whenever I want.

I called William Brooks to come along. Although he didn't know what I was up to, he obediently followed me without asking any questions.

Willows on the riverbank, Slender West Lake, the ten-mile-long embankment.

When I reached the water's edge, I was so excited I was trembling inside. Without lingering, I dove straight into the water like a cold crow.

William Brooks was completely baffled, not understanding why I was going for a swim in the middle of the night. But he still followed me in.

Splash—as soon as William Brooks entered the water, a blue light shielded his body a few centimeters out, repelling the lake water about an inch away from him, not letting a single drop touch him.

That was the sword aura he had mastered through cultivation!

As for me, although I am a bird by nature and not a natural swimmer, at my level of cultivation, it's a different story. There's nowhere in the world I can't go now.

From the highest heavens to the deepest underworld, I can pass through sand and stone unhindered, walk beneath the sun and moon without casting a shadow—let alone something as trivial as the bottom of a lake.

My power is enough to stir rivers and seas, but right now there's no need for that. I simply pushed the water away a few meters around me, creating a sphere with myself at the center. The wall of water around me was like crystal—black crystal, really, since the water quality of West Lake is terrible, and there wasn't a single fish or shrimp in sight.

William Brooks couldn't hold back any longer and asked, "What are you doing at the bottom of West Lake? You're not here for a geological survey, are you? Or are you planning to build a cave dwelling down here?"

His question wasn't without reason. With the mountains being developed, some monsters do want to find a quieter place to settle down.

Me?

"No," I replied.

"Look, if you want to settle down, I can recommend some properties to you—guaranteed to satisfy you. Don't live in some remote, deserted mountain; it's bad for your mental health, easy to get depression, become withdrawn, develop a weird personality..."

"Alright, we've arrived at my destination. Are you coming in with me or not?"

"Huh!? Of course, otherwise why would I have come with you? I might as well be playing—Miracle—to pass the time."

William Brooks looked around in confusion and said, "We're here, but there's nothing here. What exactly are you trying to do?"

"Watch."

With that brief answer, I began casting a spell.

Forming a hand seal, six golden blades of energy, each a meter long and sharp as knives, appeared at my command.

The six golden blades twisted together, spiraling continuously.

"Break—"

With a flick of my hand, the six intertwined golden blades struck the mud at the bottom of West Lake, making the water even murkier. The Six Sentinel Blade Aura is my signature technique—using it to dig a hole underground is a bit of overkill.

Following the path bored by the Six Sentinel Blade Aura through the lakebed, I floated down after it.

William Brooks saw my move and immediately realized my power far surpassed his. Even if his flying sword had reached the level of unity of form and spirit, he was no match for me. At best, he could manage sword flight, but he was still far from mastery.

But he's a sensible guy—knowing I meant no harm, he followed me down with his sword aura protecting him.

The Six Sentinel Blade Aura was incomparably sharp, slicing through earth and stone like a hot knife through butter. In less than ten minutes, we had descended two or three kilometers.

Finally, we arrived.

Suddenly, the view opened up before us.

This is what they call golden halls and jade pillars, the immortal palace of purple gates.

This was it.

Brilliant lights dazzled the eyes, rainbows swirling all around.

Even I was dazzled by the sight.

William Brooks had never seen anything like this before—so magnificent, it defied description.

This was the place I was looking for.

Immortals have their celestial palaces in the heavens, demons have the underworld. But in the human world, they can only reside in famous mountains and great rivers, choosing a place to live until they ascend to another realm. These mansions are all abandoned now.

I could have traveled freely between the three realms on my own, but I don't like those lifeless places, so I still want to stay in the human world.

This is one of the Nine Earthly Spirit Mansions, originally inhabited by immortals, and it still holds many treasures. Ascending to the celestial realm is different from other realms—they can only rely on their own cultivation, letting their nascent soul break through the nine layers of heavenly tribulation, that barrier between the human and celestial worlds. All the magic tools, divine artifacts, elixirs, even their physical bodies, must be left behind. I've coveted the immortal treasures here for a long time.

At last, the day had come. The previous owner of this place had either already ascended, perished in a calamity, or helplessly reincarnated. In any case, this place was now mine to do with as I pleased.

"What is this place?" William Brooks asked me.

"You don't need to worry about what it is. Just know that there's no one here now—it's ours," I said, joking in my good mood.

"Such wondrous places really exist in this world," William Brooks exclaimed, rushing ahead in awe.

But when he was still dozens of meters from the Jade Palace gate, an invisible force bounced William Brooks back.