Wangxian Town, City Lord's Manor.
Even at this moment, the gates of the manor were crowded with people. Though another "Shen Qingyun" might not appear, there were still many waiting with eager anticipation.
The armored guards stood expressionless, their cold gazes sweeping over the crowd.
Shen Qingyun took a deep breath and stepped forward.
"Name." The guard asked without even lifting his head.
"Shen Qingyun."
"Hand. Put it here." The guard pointed at a black stone covered in strange patterns beside him.
Shen Qingyun did as instructed, gently placing his palm on the peculiar stone.
In an instant, the lines on the stone lit up as though alive, finally releasing a soft, white glow.
The guard glanced at it, a flicker of surprise flashing in his eyes, but he quickly returned to his bored demeanor, lazily waving his hand:"Go in. Find the steward and get your bedding."
Success!
Shen Qingyun's heart leapt with joy.
Just as he was about to move forward, the crowd at the gate suddenly surged around him, hurriedly stuffing silver and gold into his hands.
For cultivators, such things were almost useless; perhaps they knew that themselves, but still offered them in hopes of leaving a good impression.
He refused them all, not accepting a single piece, and simply nodded at the guard before stepping inside the manor.
A steward with a pointed goatee awaited within. Without even lifting his eyelids, he tossed over a moldy, ragged bedding roll from the side.
"Find a spot in the back courtyard to rest. Don't wander, and don't cause trouble." His voice was shrill and harsh, and with that, he ignored Shen Qingyun entirely.
Unbothered, Shen Qingyun carried the bedding, passed through several corridors, and arrived at the so-called back courtyard.
The vast courtyard was already filled with people lying about in disarray. Each held their own bedding roll, sleeping under the open sky with the ground as their mattress.
Soft snores and murmurs drifted about, mingling with the thick stench of sweat and dust.
These people, all also named Shen Qingyun, were sprawled across the ground, many adorned with valuable trinkets, creating a strangely absurd sight.
Fortunately, it had not rained for the past half-month. Otherwise, sleeping exposed like this would have left many stricken with illness—perhaps dying before any immortal could arrive to take them away.
Shen Qingyun's gaze swept across the courtyard. The "Shen Qingyuns" came in all forms—brawny men, scholarly types, pampered young masters, street thugs, and even a slender woman curled up in the corner, deliberately keeping her distance from the men around her.
It seemed that for the sake of this elusive chance at immortality, countless people were willing to risk everything.
Yet the number of people here was not as great as rumored.
Counting carefully, including himself, there were only ninety-nine. Not even a full hundred.
He no longer thought about it. Finding a relatively clean spot, he unrolled the bedding, sat down like the others, and quietly waited for the so-called "immortal" from Blood Feast Valley to take them away.
…
At the same time, another incarnation finally arrived at its destination.
Inside the Dead City, the night wind was bitterly cold.
Liu Wu leaned against a gnarled old locust tree, silently waiting for midnight.
Suddenly, the silence was broken by the sound of heavy footsteps.
Opening his eyes, Liu Wu saw a plump man, smiling cheerfully, humming an off-key tune as he strolled from the far end of the city.
The fat man seemed surprised to see someone there, but quickly resumed his friendly grin, walking straight over.
"Well now, brother, you came early." The man plopped down beside Liu Wu, greeting him with easy familiarity. "Looking at you, I'd say you're headed for Luofeng City too, eh?"
Liu Wu gave a slight nod without speaking, closing his eyes once more.
But his divine sense remained locked onto the fat man. If the other made the slightest suspicious move, he would strike instantly.
The fat man, undeterred by Liu Wu's silence, chuckled and lowered his voice:"Brother, you look new here. Let me give you some advice. That guiding talisman in your hand… it's not from San Cai Workshop, is it? If it is, take my word for it—throw it away. Go back the way you came, before it costs you your life."
As he spoke, he winked subtly at Liu Wu and shook his head ever so slightly.
This time, Liu Wu opened his eyes, finally studying the man beside him. His voice was calm:"It's not from them. My talisman won't have any problems."
"Oh?" The fat man's eyes lit up with open surprise. He looked Liu Wu over, clapped his hands, and laughed."Impressive, brother! You've actually gotten hold of a genuine guiding talisman. I respect that, truly!"
Liu Wu still gave no reply. The more enthusiastic the fat man was, the more guarded Liu Wu became.
The man, however, seemed used to being ignored. He continued chatting:"Since you've got the real thing, then how much do you actually know about Luofeng City?"
Liu Wu remained silent.
He only knew the method to enter. As for the city itself, he was utterly ignorant.
Better to say nothing than reveal weakness.
The fat man's smile only grew broader. Lowering his voice to a whisper, he leaned closer and said with a conspiratorial air:"Brother, let me give you one last piece of advice—as a friend."
"Remember this… In Luofeng City, there are no living people. Only ghosts! Everything you see there—pavilions, towers, trees, mountains—it's all fake!"
"The only real things within that city… are the ghosts themselves!"
Liu Wu's brows furrowed deeply.
Everything is false, only the ghosts are real?
What could that mean?
Before he could ask, the fat man suddenly slapped his thigh and stood up.
"Ah, the time's up!" Glancing at the sky, he winked at Liu Wu. "Brother, I'll be going ahead. If fate allows, we'll meet again inside the city!"
Even as his words faded, he pulled out a talisman radiating chilling energy. With a surge of spiritual power, the talisman ignited without flame. His body dissolved into a wisp of blue smoke, vanishing completely, as though he had never been there at all.
Standing alone beneath the old locust tree, Liu Wu silently mulled over the man's parting words.
After a long moment, his eyes hardened with resolve.
Whether true or false, he would see with his own eyes—
Even if it cost him another incarnation!
From his robe, he drew out the guiding talisman personally inscribed by Liu Meng and infused it with spiritual power.
In that instant—
The world before him changed completely!