Viewed from Yingbin Ridge, Tian Shu City was already enough to make one's heart sway. However, when Tang Xiaoqi and Zhao Tiezhu truly descended the ridge and gradually approached that legendary city along with the torrent of travelers, they came to understand even more deeply what "shock" meant, and how insignificant they themselves were.
The closer they got, the more the dark golden city walls seemed to rise infinitely high. From a distance on the ridge, one could barely make out the outline of the walls; now, approaching nearby and gazing upward, one's line of sight actually could not reach the top! The walls seemed to truly connect with that eternal starry sky above, and those ancient runes slowly flowing across the wall surface, each as large as a house, radiated a heart-stopping energy fluctuation, together forming an indestructible, isolating barrier of laws separating inside from outside. Simply standing at the foot of the wall, a sense of reverence from the depths of one's soul would naturally arise, making one involuntarily suppress one's aura, not daring the slightest indulgence.
This was no construction possible by human hands; it seemed more like the work of ancient deities, the materialization of laws and power.
And the "city gate" they were about to enter was not an ordinary doorway either. It was a passage nearly a thousand zhang tall and several hundred zhang wide, so vast it was less a gate than a grand hall embedded within the city wall. The doorframe was carved from some unknown white jade, inscribed with patterns of the sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, and the state, faintly shimmering with imperial dragon energy and celestial star power. The passage interior was not dark, but filled with soft, bright light; one could not see the specific scenery within, only sense violent fluctuations of spatial laws.
This was the "Southern Heavenly Gate" of Tian Shu City!
At this moment, outside the Southern Heavenly Gate, was a scene of unimaginable bustle and prosperity. Countless cultivators, carriages, flying vessels, and spiritual beasts gathered here, forming dozens of winding, serpentine queues, waiting to pass through that enormous gate into the city. A deafening hubbub of voices, various languages and accents intertwined, forming a tremendous wave of sound that rose into the sky.
Tang Xiaoqi's gaze swept across, and his heart tightened once more. The cultivators gathered here, their overall strength far exceeded anything he had ever seen! Foundation Establishment cultivators here almost served only as servants and attendants; Golden Core cultivators could be seen everywhere; Nascent Soul cultivators' auras were not uncommon; and occasionally one could sense a few profound, deep auras sweep past the crowd, those were at least the great ones of Spirit Transformation realm and above!
The types of cultivators were also extremely diverse, far beyond the understanding of the southeastern region. There were sword cultivators bearing sword cases, their sword aura piercing the heavens; there were spell cultivators holding horsetail whisks, their Daoist charm naturally formed; there were body cultivators with muscles coiled like dragons, their qi and blood robust; there were Buddhist cultivators wearing kasayas, their Buddhist light faint; there were wu cultivators controlling poisonous insects and gu creatures, their auras cold and sinister; there were wood spirit tribes with pointed ears and emerald eyes, close to nature; there were stout, short hill clans skilled in refinement; and there were even some half-human half-demon bloodlines with mixed auras.
Their clothing varied widely, some gorgeous as immortals, some simple as ascetics, some eccentric to display individuality. Their vehicles were equally bizarre: ornate palace towers, fierce bone beast warships, elegant crane spiritual birds, and sleek, technological-feeling strange flying shuttles.
Zhao Tiezhu had long since been dazzled, his mouth open wide enough to fit an egg. He closely followed behind Tang Xiaoqi, afraid of losing his way or offending some seemingly formidable figure. He felt like a little mole from a mountain gully, suddenly barging into a place where gods gathered, everything was novel, everything was shocking.
"Senior... Senior, there's... there's way too many people here, and way too... way too powerful..." Zhao Tiezhu's voice trembled.
Tang Xiaoqi nodded slightly, saying nothing much. His gaze fell more on those young figures of extraordinary bearing surrounded by crowds. These people were certainly the heaven's chosen talents from major forces, intending to make their names known at the "Wan Xiang Wen Dao" grand assembly. They stood proud and alone, or chatted and laughed, but the confidence and sharpness in the depths of their eyes was uniform.
He even saw a few people he had glimpsed at Yingbin Ridge. That cold, white-robed sword cultivator was resting his eyes, deaf to the surrounding noise; that young man in bright yellow dragon robes, surrounded by a host of guards, walked directly toward a passage clearly much less crowded and guarded by armored soldiers; that palace-robed ice beauty rode in a grand carriage pulled by nine ice crystal phoenixes, and wherever she passed, the crowd automatically parted, no one dared block her path.
"Line up in order! Verify identity, pay the fee! No talking, no cutting in line!" At the city gate, soldiers in unified silver armor with solemn auras maintained order. These guards' cultivations were distinctly above Golden Core realm; the squad leaders were even at Nascent Soul level. Expressionless, their gazes sharp as eagles, they held special magic artifacts, examining everyone who wished to enter.
Tang Xiaoqi noticed that entering the city was not free. Most cultivators needed to pay a considerable sum of spirit stones to exchange for a temporary entry token. But people like the dragon-robed youth and the palace-robed woman only displayed a uniquely designed token and could enter through the special passage, their identities were clearly extraordinary.
He touched the "Dao Inquiry Invitation" in his embrace; this should be his pass.
After queuing for nearly an hour, it was finally Tang Xiaoqi and Zhao Tiezhu's turn.
"Name, origin, purpose of entry." A Nascent Soul level silver-armored guard captain, his gaze like lightning sweeping over Tang Xiaoqi, routinely asked, his tone carrying inexorable authority. His gaze lingered briefly on Xiaoqi's seemingly ordinary cyan robe and the occasionally flickering cloak, seeing no abnormality, taking him for an ordinary Golden Core rogue cultivator.
"Tang Xiaoqi, Qingxu Temple of Southeast Region, invited to participate in the Wan Xiang Wen Dao Assembly." Xiaoqi answered calmly, while taking out that jade scroll, the "Dao Inquiry Invitation."
When that "Dao Inquiry Invitation" radiating soft white light with flowing star patterns appeared in Xiaoqi's hand, the Nascent Soul guard captain's expression instantly changed! The previous official demeanor and hidden authority vanished, replaced by an irrepressible surprise and respect!
He respectfully received the "Dao Inquiry Invitation" with both hands, carefully verified it, and after confirming its authenticity, his attitude became extremely courteous, even slightly bowing: "So it is a talented cultivator holding the Star Oracle Hall's 'Dao Inquiry Invitation'! My apologies! You need not pay the fee; with this invitation, you may enter directly and bring one attendant. Here is your temporary identity jade token; please keep it close and wear it within the city."
As he spoke, he respectfully returned the invitation to Xiaoqi and simultaneously handed over two white jade tokens carved with star patterns.
This scene immediately attracted the attention of many around. Countless gazes, surprised, curious, or scrutinizing, fell upon Tang Xiaoqi. Those who could hold an "Dao Inquiry Invitation" were without exception genius figures recognized by Tian Shu City officials, with unlimited future potential!
Zhao Tiezhu puffed out his chest with pride and honor.
Tang Xiaoqi kept his expression as usual, accepted the jade token, said his thanks, and led Zhao Tiezhu, under the courteous gaze of that silver-armored guard captain, into that "Southern Heavenly Gate" passage with flowing light and violent spatial fluctuations.
One step in, as if crossing some boundary.
All external noise was instantly cut off, replaced by an indescribable silence and weightlessness. Surrounding was a passage of flowing light and color, countless runes flashing rapidly past. Only three breaths of time passed before his eyes suddenly brightened, and his feet once again stepped onto solid ground.
And when they saw the scene before them, even Tang Xiaoqi, who had long been mentally prepared, was once again deeply shocked and stood frozen in place.
Zhao Tiezhu directly went "plop" and sat down on the ground, mouth agape, completely speechless.