Rei Lin stepped down from the final step of the towering Cultivation Heaven Tower, his gaze sweeping across the vibrant city before him. The skies above were a clear blue, while below, the bustling streets stretched far and wide—lined with cultivators, spirit beasts, and glowing pavilions.
"Hmm… now that I think about it, I never even bothered to learn the name of this place," he muttered to himself, shaking his head with a slight smirk. "All I did was rush to cultivate here."
As he walked forward into the crowd, he lightly tapped a passing old man on the shoulder.
"What's the name of this city?" he asked casually.
The old man turned, gave him a respectful glance, and replied, "This is Phoenix City, young master."
"Phoenix City, huh?" Rei Lin nodded thoughtfully. "Strange… there was no system notification when I arrived. That must mean someone already discovered this place before me."
Rei Lin began to move through the crowded streets, taking in the vivid sights and constant flow of spiritual energy around him. As he walked, he listened closely to the chatter of cultivators, merchants, and street hawkers, quickly piecing together more information about the city.
Phoenix City was famous for one major reason — the Golden Phoenix Bazaar, a sprawling marketplace known throughout the lower heavens.
It was said that if something existed in this realm, you could find it in the bazaar — be it rare seeds, ancient herbs, exotic beast materials, soul-bound artifacts, or even long-lost cultivation manuals.
"So this is the legendary Golden Phoenix Bazaar..." Rei Lin muttered as he turned a corner and saw the towering golden archways marking its entrance. "I guess I should take a look."
He stepped forward, his expression calm but alert.
"If I'm lucky, I might find some rare seeds... or heavenly herbs to plant in my Celestial Spring Garden. Or maybe—" his eyes gleamed faintly, "—something that catches even my senses."
But just as he neared the gate, someone stopped him. There were guards there.
"Halt! Do you have permission to step inside?" one of the guards asked him.
"Do I need a permission to enter inside?" Rei Lin asked surprised.
"Naturally. The Golden Phoenix Bazaar is not your ordinary place where one can enter normally, and only those with a permit are allowed to do business here."
"Then where do we get a permit? I'd like to buy something in there," Rei Lin asked them.
"This must be your first time here. Even getting the permit to enter this place is not that simple. First and foremost, you must donate a generous amount of money to the city lord before you can even be considered for the permit," the guard said to him.
"Money…?" Rei Lin immediately began sweating. "How much are we talking about?"
"Most people donate at least 10,000,000 gold coins," said the guard.
"10,000,000 gold coins?!" Rei Lin's jaw nearly dropped to the ground.
"Isn't this almost stealing?" he said, frowning as he looked at the guard. The other man sneered.
"Where did this poor beggar come from?" the guard muttered with contempt, clearly seeing only a dirty, robed youth—unaware the white pain cultivation robe was given by the player system that Rei Lin didn't bother to change. In their eyes, Rei Lin looked like a wandering pauper.
"I'll ask once more—are you lying to me, or is it true that I have to pay that much just to enter?" Rei Lin's voice turned calm but sharp.
The guard laughed coldly. "Sorry, young master… it's not 10 million. It's 1 billion gold coins."
The moment those words left his mouth, Rei Lin's eyes narrowed dangerously. In the next instant, golden flames erupted from his body—True Solar Flames—surging with oppressive heat.
The entire area lit up as waves of flame rippled outward. Screams followed.
The guard's hair was burned off instantly, and patches of skin turned black as ash. Even those standing far behind stumbled back, covering their faces as the searing heat swept through the street.
Those nearby could only watch in horror as a "poor bum" revealed power that felt like divine retribution.
The two guards, both at the Spirit Master level, clearly sensed the impending danger—but by then it was far too late.
The golden-white flames surged over them like a divine punishment. Not only were their clothes instantly incinerated, but their very meridians burned from the inside. Their cultivation was abolished on the spot.
They collapsed, screaming in horror, despair flooding their eyes as they felt everything they had built up over decades turn to ash. No medicine, no treasure, no regret could restore what they had lost.
Rei Lin stepped through their ashes without pause, walking calmly into the Golden Phoenix Bazaar.
This time, no one dared to stop him.
But just as he was about to enter deeper into the market, a figure stepped into his path—a beautiful woman with dark hair and black eyes. She radiated a noble air and a subtle pressure of strength.
"Wait! Who are you, and why did you attack the guards?" she asked, her tone sharp, but her eyes filled with curiosity more than accusation.
Rei Lin turned his head slightly, his expression cold. "Listen, woman. They were the ones who disrespected me first. I simply responded," he said flatly, beginning to walk past her.
She blinked, slightly stunned by his aura and bluntness. But something about him caught her attention—the eyes, the flames, the pressure. Her gaze lingered as she whispered to herself:
"Who is he…? That flame... so powerful. But that wasn't martial technique—it was... bloodline ability?"
Her brows furrowed slightly as she watched his back fade into the crowd.
With a final thoughtful glance, she turned and made her way back to her shop.
A guard hurried through the ornate halls of Phoenix City, heading straight for the mayor's residence. Inside a quiet chamber filled with incense and calm Qi, an old man sat cross-legged, deep in meditation. His aura pulsed faintly—stable, ancient, and vast like a deep sea.
Knock. Knock.
Without opening his eyes, the old man spoke calmly, "Come in."
The door creaked open as the guard stepped in, his breathing slightly rushed, sweat clinging to his brow.
"Senior Lu," the guard bowed, "someone just crippled two of our guards near the Golden Phoenix Bazaar gate."
Senior Lu's eyes opened slowly, sharp as blades beneath heavy brows. "Crippled them? For what reason?"