"Little Junior Brother, Little Junior Brother..." A voice interrupted Li Yan's thoughts, rousing him from his memories. He saw that Wen Xinliang and Lin Daqiao, who had already walked some distance ahead, were looking back at him. Lin Daqiao was calling out to him with a strange expression on his face. Li Yan was still standing at the end of the main road, staring at the flow of people entering and exiting the city gate, looking somewhat out of place. Li Yan collected his thoughts, smiled, and caught up in a few steps.
"Little Junior Brother, you've never seen so many cultivators from other sects before, have you? Once we get inside the city, there will be even more," Lin Daqiao said with a laugh as Li Yan approached. He thought Li Yan had been stunned by the sight of so many cultivators from other sects for the first time.
"Oh, then I've really had my eyes opened today. There are so few people on Little Bamboo Peak , I rarely even see cultivators from our own sect, hehe," Li Yan replied with a chuckle.
"Sigh, I don't know what Master is thinking, sealing off such a large mountain peak. We have so few junior sisters and brothers, and daily life is so dull," Wen Xinliang sighed lightly. He often looked at the other four peaks, envying how they welcomed new, pretty junior sisters every year, and had plenty of new junior brothers to bully.
As they spoke, the three of them had arrived at the back of the line for the city entrance. Wen Xinliang and Lin Daqiao had no intention of cutting in line and stood directly at the end. However, their mere presence caused the few people at the back of the line to want to make way for them after seeing their attire. But when they saw that Wen Xinliang's group was just standing there, talking amongst themselves, with no intention of pushing forward, they couldn't help but feel a little less anxious. Even so, many still glanced back at them. Only when they saw that the three truly had no intention of cutting the line did these people slowly return to normal.
Li Yan had been observing the front since he arrived. Twelve guards stood at the city gate. Their uniforms were identical in groups of four. Li Yan guessed that they must be from four different forces among the eight powers, taking turns on duty here. Among these twelve guards were two Foundation Establishment cultivators and ten cultivators at the eighth layer of Qi Condensation or higher. Some were questioning, some were registering, and some, after collecting Spirit Stones, would issue a red or white waist token and allow entry.
"Everyone who enters the city must have their information checked and registered. Although some of the information is unverified, it's still a record, isn't it? The entry fee is one low-grade Spirit Stone per person. Those whose identities can be confirmed are given a white waist token. Those who cannot produce a token of identity are all given a red waist token. These people will be closely monitored after entering the city, and their entry fee is five stones." As Li Yan observed, Lin Daqiao's voice transmission sounded in his mind. This warmed Li Yan's heart, reminding him of when he first entered the sect, and this seventh senior brother had patiently explained everything to him.
"Five low-grade Spirit Stones? Why so many? Wouldn't it be better to just find a trading city one is familiar with?" Li Yan asked, feeling strange. Five Spirit Stones was very expensive for an ordinary cultivator.
Hearing Li Yan's transmitted question, Lin Daqiao smiled. "That's where you're mistaken. Paying the fee once allows you to stay in the city for a full day and night. During this time, you are protected here. No one can make a move here. Those who pay five Spirit Stones to enter the trading city are either being hunted and are spending the stones to seek temporary refuge to plan their next move, or they genuinely don't care about the five stones. This trading city has something they need, and they don't want to reveal their identity, so of course they would hide their tracks."
After hearing this, Li Yan had a sudden realization. He hadn't thought a trading city could be used to such an extent. But it was beneficial to both sides, so it was a form of cooperation.
"In that case, does paying more Spirit Stones mean one can stay inside for more days?" Li Yan continued to ask.
"What I just mentioned are only ordinary situations. If they really encounter an extremely powerful figure chasing someone here, these eight powers would have to consider whether they are willing to provoke them. Also, not everyone has to pay Spirit Stones to enter. For instance, Golden Core cultivators can enter directly. No one will collect Spirit Stones from them," Lin Daqiao replied.
As the two were communicating via voice transmission, a young man in a light-yellow long robe quickly walked over from the city gate. This person was one of the two Foundation Establishment cultivators, already at the initial stage of Foundation Establishment, which was quite impressive.
He walked straight towards Wen Xinliang, who was clearly the leader. Seeing someone approach, Li Yan and Lin Daqiao stopped their transmission. Wen Xinliang still had his lazy demeanor. Seeing someone coming towards him, he just watched the other party approach step by step, his expression unchanging.
After the man quickly walked up to Wen Xinliang, he glanced at Li Yan and the other behind him. His gaze lingered on Li Yan for a moment, a look of surprise in his eyes. He had been on duty here for several years, and it was rare for Malevolent Spirit Sect Qi Condensation cultivators to come here. In his memory, he had only seen one once, and that was when a Golden Core elder from the Malevolent Spirit Sect brought his descendant.
The young man in the light-yellow robe saw the attitude of the two Malevolent Spirit Sect Foundation Establishment cultivators towards this Qi Condensation disciple, which didn't seem like that towards a disciple. He couldn't help but wonder if this was another descendant of some Malevolent Spirit Sect elder. But his face remained impassive. His gaze just swept past Li Yan and he bowed slightly to Wen Xinliang, speaking respectfully in a low voice, "The three of you, the elder requests your presence. Please follow me."
Wen Xinliang and Lin Daqiao seemed to have expected this and didn't say much. They also cupped their hands in a salute to this person. Wen Xinliang replied directly, "In that case, please lead the way!"
Seeing this, Li Yan's eyes flickered a few times, but he said nothing.
Seeing that Wen Xinliang's group agreed, the young man in the light-yellow robe smiled and led the way. Wen Xinliang turned his head and nudged his chin at Li Yan, signaling him to follow. Then he started walking forward on his own, still maintaining his lazy posture.
Lin Daqiao and Li Yan also followed. Under the hesitant gazes of the cultivators waiting in line to enter the city, they walked towards the city gate. However, when the young man in the light-yellow robe reached the gate, he had no intention of stopping for Li Yan's group to be inspected or to pay Spirit Stones. He walked directly into the city. Following behind Wen Xinliang, Li Yan heard him mutter with a low chuckle, "Hehe, saved three Spirit Stones..."
Upon entering the city, a bustling, worldly atmosphere rushed to greet them. Directly opposite the city gate was a wide street that could accommodate four or five large carriages side by side. Just as Li Yan had seen from the sky, the two sides of the street were neatly divided into sections. Shops of all sizes lined the street, their flags fluttering. A clear stream flowed, and willows drooped gracefully. From this street inwards, at every certain distance, there would be horizontal or slightly slanted streets branching off, leading to various places, making it seem well-connected.
Although pedestrians came and went, the wide road did not feel crowded. These pedestrians were of all shapes and sizes, and their clothing was even more bizarre, which surprised Li Yan.
There were many times more cultivators in the city than he had encountered outside. Earlier, outside the town, Li Yan had already seen some cultivators dressed very strangely. There were those dressed as scholars, as Daoist priests, as palace maidens, and women in extremely revealing clothes. There were even beggars exuding a foul smell. At that time, Li Yan already felt it was a motley crew, but the spiritual power fluctuations from all of them confirmed that they were all cultivators.
Now, after entering the town, he saw even more strange people. Some were dressed in a nondescript manner, wearing a scholar's long robe but holding a glaring mourning staff. Some had a very exotic style, with colorful clothes and walking barefoot. Some were like wild men, carrying a giant club several zhang long on their shoulders, their upper bodies bare, with bulging muscles, usually just wearing the fur of some unknown demonic beast around their waists to cover their vitals. Some were like ghosts from the netherworld, completely covered in black robes, their faces obscured, with waves of yin energy emanating from them... All these things truly opened Li Yan's eyes. The auras emanating from some of them startled him. After entering the city and walking only a few hundred meters, he had already sensed the auras of five Foundation Establishment cultivators. The intense pressure made few people approach them.
There were also two or three people walking alone whose cultivation Li Yan couldn't sense at all. Their auras were faint, as if they didn't exist. But the more this was the case, wherever these two or three people went, the people there had long since changed their expressions and moved far away on their own.
Li Yan now understood a lot about the cultivation world. For things like this, he would never release his Divine Sense to scan the other party's cultivation, knowing that it would only bring him trouble.
However, some other scenes on the street made Li Yan feel a sense of warmth and familiarity. He hadn't expected that along the way, it would be just like doing business in the mortal world. In front of many shops, there were also many shop assistants calling out to attract customers.
"Seniors, take a look, have a look! Our shop's spirit pills can help you survive tribulations! No need to sigh over severed limbs or serious injuries! They can restore and assist..."
"Our shop buys all kinds of demonic beast inner cores, flesh, and fur in large quantities! The first time, our little shop just breaks even! The second time, a slight profit! The third time, a great gift for our valued guests..."
"Everyone, this artifact pavilion only sells magical artifacts and magical treasures! If you want to buy spirit treasures or spirit artifacts, please go elsewhere... The magical treasures in this pavilion are forged by Master Heyezi of the 'Wind-Severing Sect'! Every piece is a masterpiece, from elementary to intermediate grade..."
Li Yan's ears were filled with the high and low, near and far sounds of soliciting customers, making him feel as if he were in a bustling market, just short of the calls for oil cakes and tea.
He also saw one or two establishments with magnificent gates, clearly large businesses with deep foundations. Their main doors were wide open, colorful flags fluttered, and a red carpet was laid out. On both sides of the door stood a row of graceful women. Each of them was as beautiful as a painting, with long skirts trailing on the ground, tall figures, and skin as smooth as jade and whiter than snow. Whenever someone passed by the shop entrance, regardless of their attire or whether they intended to enter, they would all smile and nod, making one feel as if they were facing a field of blossoming peach trees, causing ripples in their hearts.
If someone entered, one of them would step out, moving with light, graceful steps. After a curtsy, she would lead them inside with a voice like an oriole's song, giving one an indescribable sense of satisfaction.
As Li Yan saw all this, these familiar feelings, if not for the spiritual power fluctuations from the shop assistants and welcoming maidens, and the continuous stream of strangely dressed people that interrupted the scene, he would have really thought he was back in Green Mountain Pass.
The young man in the light-yellow robe walked ahead without turning back to talk to the three of them, just walking quickly. After entering the city, the group didn't walk for long. They only walked about four or five hundred meters on this main road leading to the city gate before reaching a "井" shaped intersection. The young man in the light-yellow robe turned his head, extended his right hand in a gesture of invitation, indicating for them to follow him around the corner. Then he turned onto the street to the right. This street was also a wide one that could accommodate four or five large carriages, similarly lined with shops. This time, however, they only walked about a hundred steps before reaching a very inconspicuous alley entrance. The young man glanced back at the three of them before disappearing into it.