Peach Blossom Ferry and the Uninvited Guest

The wind on the high cliff carries the dampness of the lake and the sweet fragrance of peach blossoms.

Li Xian stared at the figures in blue robes emerging from the peach grove, his mind racing. Should he force his way in? Their numbers and strength were unknown, and his drones were running low on energy, while Xiao Lingshan's internal energy hadn't recovered—it was a poor choice. Explain? How could he explain their emergence from the "forbidden zone" canyon?

"I have an idea," Xiao Lingshan suddenly whispered.

She untied the small bundle from her waist, took out the small pine tree with dim energy, and held it in her palm. Then she took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

There was no forced resonance—her inner energy was no longer sufficient to sustain that kind of expenditure. She simply stroked the pine needles gently, like caressing a baby, releasing a trace of the purest wood-based affinity.

The little pine tree trembled slightly.

Although its energy was almost depleted, as a pure energy body created by Boltzmann's brain, its essential "spirituality" remained. At this moment, sensing Xiao Lingshan's guidance, a faint, firefly-like emerald green light slowly seeped from the tips of its dim needles.

The specks of light rose up, scattered into the air with the wind, and blended into the fragrance of peach blossoms drifting down from the cliff.

Li Xian understood her intention—to show goodwill and use their shared origin as a stepping stone.

Sure enough, one of the men in blue robes by the peach grove raised his hand.

The man seemed to be sensing something. A few seconds later, he turned and said a few words to his companion behind him. Soon, a small boat sailed out from the dock of the nearest island and headed towards the cliff.

"It's working." Xiao Lingshan opened her eyes, beads of sweat already forming on her forehead. This seemingly simple guidance had become a burden for her in her current state.

"Well done," Li Xian said sincerely.

The small boat drew near. It was rowed by two young men, both dressed in light blue robes with blue belts around their waists, and with simple, honest faces.

After the boat docked, one of them jumped onto the cliff and his gaze swept over the crowd—pausing on Li Xian, then lingering for a moment on the small pine tree in Xiao Lingshan's hand, and finally landing on the strangely shaped drones, his eyes flashing with obvious surprise and wariness.

"Where do you all come from?" he asked, his voice clear and resonant, with a touch of ancient accent.

"I came from outside the mountains." Li stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "I was looking for a quiet place to take refuge when I accidentally entered the canyon and followed the river to this place. Please forgive me if I have offended anyone."

"You accidentally entered the canyon?" The man frowned slightly. "There are restrictions at the entrance of the canyon, making it invisible to ordinary people, let alone 'accidentally' entering."

Li Xian's heart skipped a beat—no wonder this place had been hidden for so many years.

"We... have some special methods," he said vaguely, pointing to Superman. "These are mechanical creations that can detect terrain."

The man stared at Superman for a few seconds, then suddenly asked, "Did you trigger the stone sculptures and the sonic barrier in the canyon?"

"It triggered something," Li Xian readily admitted. "We also encountered a few metal spiders. We didn't damage them; we just subdued them temporarily and left them where they were."

These words eased the man's expression slightly. He exchanged a glance with his companion on the boat before looking back at Li Xian: "In that case, please come aboard with me. But there are a few rules to be told in advance: First, you may not move around freely after entering the village; second, these mechanical devices must not disturb the villagers; third, the affairs of the village must not be revealed to outsiders."

"We're only here temporarily, we won't cause any trouble," Li Xian solemnly promised.

The man nodded. "My name is Shen Qing, and this is Shen Yuan. Please board the boat—it's small and can only carry three people at a time."

Li Xian glanced at the drones. Superman immediately understood: "We can just fly over there! It'll be good for us to soak up some sun and recharge—though the light here doesn't seem to be the real sun..."

"That's 'Dome Fluorite'," Shen Qing explained. "Our ancestors made it using special minerals to simulate the alternation of day and night. And these mechanisms of yours... can they fly?"

"Of course!" Daya proudly spun around. "We're high-tech—no, I mean, products of advanced technology!"

Shen Qing's curiosity deepened, but he didn't ask any more questions. He only said, "Then please come with the boat. Don't fly too high, lest you frighten the villagers."

They will cross the lake in two batches.

Li Xian, Xiao Lingshan, and the Dark Knight were the first to board the ship.

The small boat was made of wood, with faint peach blossom patterns carved on its hull. The oars made almost no sound when they paddled. The lake water was so clear that you could see the pebbles several meters below, and those shimmering stones made the entire lakebed look like it was covered with a galaxy.

"What's the name of this lake?" Xiao Lingshan asked softly.

"Peach Blossom Pool," Shen Qing replied. "The village is called Peach Blossom Village. We are descendants of the Peng and Shen families who migrated here three hundred years ago."

"Three hundred years ago..." Li Xian's heart stirred slightly, "Why did they relocate?"

Shen Qing remained silent for a moment: "Our ancestors sought refuge from war. Details... will be revealed once you have met the clan leader."

As they spoke, the small boat approached the nearest island. Peach trees on the island were like clouds, their pink and white petals drifting in the wind and scattering onto the wooden planks of the dock. Beside the dock stood a stone tablet inscribed with three ancient characters: Liuzhu Island.

"Liuzhu Island is the smallest of the seven islands, but it's where the village gate is located." Shen Qing led everyone ashore. "All visitors must register here, and the clan chief will decide whether they stay or leave."

A dozen or so people, men, women, and children, had already gathered on the dock, all dressed in simple blue, gray, and pink clothes, curiously observing the visitors. When they saw the drone hovering overhead, a low gasp of surprise rippled through the crowd.

"What are these things?"

"A flying iron bird?"

"Look at that pink one, it's still spinning around..."

Da Ya immediately performed an aerial somersault: "Hello everyone~ I'm Da Ya, this is Er Ya, and those in black are Superman, Batman, and the Dark Knight! We're Young Master Li's partners~"

The children's eyes widened, and one bold boy shouted, "It can talk!"

"Of course! I can even sing! Want to hear me sing—"

"Da Ya." Li Xian coughed lightly.

The pink drone immediately shut up and obediently hovered behind Mr. Li.

At this moment, the crowd parted, and an elderly man with white hair and beard, and a gaunt face, walked over with a cane. He wore a dark blue robe with silver water ripple patterns embroidered on the hem, and his eyes were gentle yet exuded an invisible pressure.

Li Xian immediately identified it as a master of the Heavenly Origin Realm. Moreover, it was at least at the mid-level.

"I am Peng Huaishan, the current clan leader of Peach Blossom Village." The old man cupped his hands in greeting. "I've heard that a guest has arrived from the 'Forbidden Path,' carrying a talking mechanical contraption. Is that true?"

"Greetings, Chief Peng." Li returned the greeting, repeated his previous statement, and took the initiative to show off the small pine tree—of course, he only said that it was a "spiritual tree" that he had obtained by chance.

Peng Huaishan gazed at the small pine tree for a long time, then suddenly reached out and gently touched the needles. In that instant, Li Xian saw a fleeting glint of pale blue light flash at the old man's fingertips.

"She certainly possesses spirituality." Peng Huaishan withdrew his hand and looked at Xiao Lingshan. "Are you a Wood-type Resonator, young lady?"

"This junior is Xiao Lingshan, and my family has inherited wood-based martial arts techniques," Xiao Lingshan said respectfully.

"Good, good." Peng Huaishan nodded repeatedly, a hint of relief flashing in his eyes. "It's been many years since we've seen a wood-type talent. Since you all have emerged safely from the forbidden path and have no ill intentions, Peach Blossom Village should treat you with courtesy. Shen Qing, arrange for the guests to stay at the Qixia Pavilion."

"Yes."

"Wait a minute." A clear, cold female voice suddenly rang out from the crowd.

A woman in her early twenties stepped out. She wore a light blue dress, her long hair simply tied up with a wooden hairpin, and her features were delicate and pretty, but there was a hint of aloofness in her eyes. What was most striking was a jade pendant hanging from her waist—water seemed to flow slowly within it.

"Shutao, what is it?" Peng Huaishan looked at her, his tone gentle.

Peng Shutao—daughter of the clan chief, a water-type talent. Li Xian recalled the information Xiao Lingshan had mentioned earlier.

"Father," Peng Shutao's gaze swept over Li Xian and the drone, "the forbidden path was set up by our ancestors and is protected by mechanisms. These people were able to pass through unscathed, so their strength should not be underestimated. According to the village rules, outsiders must pass the 'Test of Heart' before they can stay for a long time."

"They're just taking temporary refuge..."

"We still need to try," Peng Shutao insisted. "Besides, the 'Peach Blossom Festival' is in three days, and more outsiders will enter the village then. If this person has ulterior motives and sneaks into the festival, the consequences are unpredictable."

Peach Blossom Festival? Li Xian caught this key phrase.

Peng Huaishan pondered for a moment, then looked at Li Xian: "What does Young Master Li think? The 'Test of the Heart' is not harmful; it simply involves reflecting one's true heart through the ancient mirror in the village to confirm that there are no evil thoughts."

"[Agree to her.]" the administrator's voice suddenly rang out. "[That mirror might be an energy detection device; I can analyze its workings from the reverse.]"

Li Xian sighed inwardly, but outwardly remained calm and said, "Now that we've entered your stronghold, we should abide by the rules. We are willing to accept the test."

"Alright." Peng Huaishan smiled. "Then please follow me."

The group followed the clan leader toward the heart of the island. Liuzhu Island was small, but its layout was exquisite: a bluestone path meandered through a peach grove, a stream babbled beside the path, and several wooden houses were scattered around, with vegetable plots or herb gardens in front of them, creating a pastoral scene.

In the center of the island stands an ancient stone pavilion, inside which hangs a bronze mirror about two feet in diameter. The mirror's surface is smooth, yet a faint, rippling halo of light flows within it.

"This is the 'Mirror of Reflection,' left behind by our ancestors." Peng Huaishan gestured for Li Xian to step forward. "Please gaze upon the mirror, young master."

Li walked up to the mirror.

His face was reflected in the mirror—but the next second, the image began to change. The mirror surface rippled with a blue light, and some blurry images emerged in the light: there were small pine trees, drones, Xiao Lingshan's figure, and... a dark red crystal network.

That was an energy monitor that the manager implanted in his consciousness.

The mirror suddenly trembled violently!

Peng Huaishan's expression changed: "This is..."

Li Xian sensed the administrator rapidly operating within his consciousness: [Analysis complete. Mirror principle: Reflecting the subject's mental imprint through weak energy resonance. Simulating harmless mental waveforms...]

The dark red network in the mirror gradually faded, replaced by a hazy, light green halo representing "goodwill".

The mirror surface calmed down.

"Passed." Peng Huaishan breathed a sigh of relief, but his gaze toward Li Xian held a deeper meaning. "Young Master's spiritual imprint is quite unique... but since the mirror shows no evil, it's fine."

Xiao Lingshan and the drones also passed the test one by one. Interestingly, the drones reflected complex and ever-changing geometric light spots in the mirror, which amazed the villagers watching.

After the test was completed, Shen Qing led everyone to their lodgings. On the way, as they passed the dock, Li Xian saw two more small boats sailing from "Rainbow Island" on the opposite shore. On the boats were several men and women dressed differently from the villagers—there were swordsmen, young men dressed as scholars, and even a burly man carrying a large axe.

"Those are visitors who have come to participate in the Peach Blossom Festival," Shen Qing explained. "Every year at this time, the village gates are opened to the public for three days, allowing outsiders to enter and participate in the festival. You've come at the perfect time."

"What exactly is the Peach Blossom Festival about?" Xiao Lingshan asked.

"Martial arts competitions, essay contests, skill contests," Shen Qing smiled. "If young men and women in the village take a liking to someone during the festival, they can get married on the spot. It's... a special way for us in Peach Blossom Village to resolve marriages."

Li Xian and Xiao Lingshan exchanged a glance, both thinking of the "skill-based marriage proposal" concept.

"That sounds interesting," Li said.

"It's certainly lively." Shen Qing suddenly lowered his voice, "But this year... it seems some unusual people have come. The women in white on that ship just now, they didn't look like ordinary people."

Li Xian looked in the direction he pointed—on the dock, five women in white were gracefully disembarking from the boat. They all wore veils, their figures were elegant, but their steps were so light they almost didn't touch the ground, clearly indicating they were masters of light-body techniques. The one in the lead was a middle-aged woman with a dignified face, who for some reason seemed somewhat familiar to Li Xian.

"What's the background of those people?" he asked.

"They claim to be disciples of the 'Linghan Palace,' here to observe the Peach Blossom Festival." Shen Qing shook his head. "But the Linghan Palace is far away in the snowy mountains and has no dealings with us. The clan leader has already sent people to keep an eye on them."

Linghan Palace. Li Xian memorized the name.

Qixia Pavilion is a two-story wooden building built over the water, where one can see the shimmering lake and peach blossoms just by opening the window. After arranging the room, Shen Qing took his leave, instructing that someone would bring dinner.

As soon as the door closed, the drones immediately collapsed on the table—or more accurately, their hovering altitude dropped to its lowest point.

"Energy critically low..." The Superman indicator light flickered weakly. "The underground cave section is completely dark, and 78% of the stored energy has been consumed. We can only maintain basic levitation and dialogue now; all combat modules are offline."

"My sonar is only at 30% power left." Batman's voice was weak.

Li Xian frowned. Losing intelligence and combat support from drones greatly increased the risks in this unfamiliar environment.

"There should be a way to recharge in the village," Xiao Lingshan pondered. "Those metal spiders use peach wood heart crystal, which means there is energy storage technology here. I just don't know if it's open to outsiders."

[Suggestion: Contact someone with water or wood elemental talents.] The administrator coldly suggested, [Based on the energy fluctuation analysis during the mirror test, Peng Shutao possesses a water-based energy circulation system. Although inefficient, it can be used as a reference. If we can gain her trust, we might be able to obtain a method for recharging her energy.]

"How do we make contact?" Mr. Li asked helplessly. "They're clearly wary of us."

"Perhaps... I can start from my side," Xiao Lingshan said softly. "Water and wood complement each other, so I might be able to find common ground with her. Besides..." She looked out the window, where Peng Shutao was talking to several women in white on the distant dock, her expression indifferent. "She doesn't seem to like those people from Linghan Palace either."

Just then, there was a knock on the door downstairs.

The girl who arrived was about thirteen or fourteen years old. She was carrying a food box and her round eyes were looking at the drone. "Grandpa asked me to bring you food. Also... Sister Shutao said that if Miss Xiao has time, she can come to 'Qinfang Pavilion' for a chat. She wants to ask about wood-type sensing."

Xiao Lingshan and Li Xian exchanged a glance.

The opportunity is here.

"Please thank Miss Peng for me. I'll be there shortly," Xiao Lingshan said gently.

The girl put down the food box, glanced curiously at Superman who was "playing dead" to save energy, and then skipped away.

"I'll go with you," Li said, getting up.

"No need," Xiao Lingshan shook her head. "Women talk more easily. You stay here and look after the drones, and while you're at it..." She paused, "think about how to handle the Peach Blossom Festival in three days. I have a feeling that Miss Peng's words had a hidden meaning."

Li Xian smiled wryly. The Peach Blossom Festival, the marriage proposal, the manager's tasks, Linghan Palace... a whole bunch of things were crammed together.

After Xiao Lingshan went out alone, Li Xian opened the window and looked at Peach Blossom Pool in the twilight.

As the sky darkened, the seven islands lit up one after another, like seven pearls scattered on the lake. Besides Liuzhu Island and Caixia Island, he could vaguely make out the larger "Qihuang Island" in the distance, the crescent-shaped "Yingyue Island", and "Sangzi Island" with the most smoke rising from its chimneys. There were also two more distant islands, hidden in the twilight and not clearly visible.

On the lake, several small boats rippled, and faint singing and laughter could be heard from them.

Peaceful and beautiful, like a true paradise.

But Li Xian knew that beneath this calm surface, undercurrents were beginning to stir.

In the space of consciousness, the pointer on the dark red crystal silently jumped one step:

Energy value: 30

Remaining time: 8 days 23 hours

The manager's voice is ever-present:

[A high concentration of life energy has been detected deep within the island. Recommendation: Approach the energy source during the Peach Blossom Festival.]

Your efficiency needs improvement.

Outside the window, peach petals drifted in on the wind and landed on the table.

Pink, soft, and fragrant.

But it sent a chill down Li Xian's spine.

(End of Chapter 24)

Appendix: Names and Features of the Seven Islands of Peach Blossom Village

Liuzhu Island: The smallest of the village gates, with Jianxin Pavilion and a pier.

Caixia Island: The island boasts the most beautiful peach blossoms and is the main venue for festivals. It features a fighting arena and a viewing platform.

Qihuang Island: The residence of the clan leader, which houses ancestral texts and energy cores.

Reflecting Moon Island: Its shape resembles a crescent moon, making it a place for water-based cultivators to meditate.

Sangzi Island: The most populated area, with concentrated farmland and workshops.

Tingyun Island (relatively far): Often shrouded in mist, with ancient peach trees and medicinal herb gardens.

Star-Picking Island (farthest): It has the highest elevation and offers a view of the dome-shaped fluorescent stone. It is said to have an ancient altar.