Chapter 261: Arriving at the Sacred City, Consulting Formations
The Teleportation Hall of the Sacred City was over ten times more magnificent than Azure Nether City’s.
The vaulted ceiling soared over a hundred zhang high, inlaid with tens of thousands of Star Stones. Each stone pulsed with pure spatial energy, illuminating the vast hall with a light that rivaled the midday sun.
Beneath their feet lay not ordinary jade, but Void Profound Crystal—a material harvested from meteors in the deep void. With every step, faint ripples of spatial Dao spread outward like water.
Twelve Golden-Armored Puppets stood guard, motionless as statues. Yet, each one radiated the terrifying pressure of a Peak Nascent Soul cultivator.
Even more astonishing were the complex array patterns carved into the hall’s four walls. These patterns were not static; they flowed like living creatures, constantly adjusting the spatial fluctuations.
“This is the Sacred City…” Qiu Ruoli murmured, her eyes wide.
For the first time, she truly understood the gulf between the Northern Region and the Southern Region. Just the guards in this transit station rivaled the entire combat strength of her Tianyao Sect.
Tie Shan and the others were equally stunned. The burly man’s hands trembled slightly.
“This ain’t a hall,” he whispered. “This is an Immortal’s palace.”
The 1,000,000 Spirit Stone limit prevented many from glimpsing the Sacred City’s splendor…
Unlike the eager staff in Azure Nether City, the guards here barely spared them a glance. They were used to seeing titans walk these floors.
A white-robed steward approached, his expression professional and indifferent.
“Arrivals from Azure Nether City? Register over there.”
Shen Xian didn’t mind the cold reception. His attention was consumed by the floor.
The array patterns carved into the Void Profound Crystal were not static. They flowed like liquid mercury, constantly adjusting to the fluctuations of space.
Auto-calibrating spatial coordinates… Incredible.
His eyes burned with interest. The Sacred City’s mastery of formations truly lived up to its reputation.
He first thought of going to the Sky Dome Sacred Land.
Thus, he approached the steward and cupped his hands. “Fellow Daoist, may I ask the cost of a teleportation to the Sky Dome Sacred Land?”
The steward didn’t look up from his ledger. “Trans-Sacred Land teleportation. One hundred High-Grade Spirit Crystals.”
His tone was casual, as if discussing the price of cabbage.
“High-Grade Spirit Crystals?!” Su Mu gasped.
One High-Grade Spirit Crystal was equivalent to 1,000,000 High-Grade Spirit Stones. One hundred meant…
Tie Shan tried to count on his fingers, his face turning pale. “I… I ran out of fingers…”
Shen Xian’s heart sank.
One hundred High-Grade Spirit Crystals…
He touched his storage ring. Inside lay the five hundred Standard Spirit Crystals from Venerable Zi Yun. He had thought himself wealthy. Now, he realized he was a pauper in the land of giants.
“Is there a cheaper method?” he asked, not ready to give up.
The steward finally looked up, a trace of impatience in his eyes. “You can take the local relay network. You must pass through seven major cities. Each hop is ten High-Grade Spirit Crystals. Total cost: seventy.”
Cheaper, but still impossibly expensive. And the time cost would be months, maybe years.
Shen Xian stood frozen. His fist clenched inside his sleeve.
The five hundred Spirit Crystals from Venerable Zi Yun weren’t even enough for a fraction…
It seemed he had to stay in the Sacred City for now and find a way to earn money!
Unable to go to the Sky Dome Sacred Land immediately, Shen Xian decided to first settle at the Heaven-Reaching Chamber of Commerce.
He led his four disciples out of the Teleportation Hall after registering, and the bustling streets of the Sacred City unfolded before them.
Amidst the hustle and bustle, Shen Xian felt a wave of unprecedented confusion.
Was it worth it?
To spend such a huge sum for a woman…
The image of Ye Qingxian surfaced in his memory—the Empress he had a fleeting romance with in the Southern Region!
In his past life, he would have given up long ago…
But then, a fierce sense of purpose surged through him.
Every day now was more meaningful than his past life of idleness!
He looked at the cultivators coming and going on the street, each striving for their own path.
This is what Cultivation is…
“Master?” Su Mu’s tentative voice pulled him back to reality. “Where… do we go?”
Shen Xian took a deep breath and suddenly smiled. “First, find a place to stay.”
His gaze swept over the flag of the Heaven-Reaching Chamber of Commerce in the distance. “Since we’ve come to the Sacred City, we might as well ‘enjoy’ it properly.”
Cultivation without hard work?
He thought of the system and the dual cultivation method with Qiu Ruoli, a slight smile curling his lips.
But when it’s time to ‘work hard,’ he still had to work hard…
Turning to his four disciples, Shen Xian’s eyes had regained clarity. “Living in the Sacred City is not easy. From now on, your Master will return to his old trade.”
He patted the refining furnace at his waist. “You all need to be prepared.”
Ai Xiao nodded solemnly. Su Mu’s eyes lit up with excitement. Tie Shan grinned, cracking his knuckles. Only Qiu Ruoli watched him thoughtfully—she clearly sensed that just a moment ago, this rogue cultivator had undergone some kind of transformation.
This rogue cultivator seemed… more purposeful than before!
Shen Xian strode toward the Heaven-Reaching Chamber of Commerce, his robes fluttering, his heart already firm: he would go to the Sky Dome Sacred Land, but not now.
Since the system allowed him to grow stronger even while lying down, why not enjoy this Cultivation journey?
The Sacred City’s sunlight shone on him, casting a long shadow.
This time, he didn’t have the emptiness of idling away his days like in his past life; instead, he felt a grounded sense of fulfillment.
Ye Qingxian, just wait!
…
The headquarters of the Heaven-Reaching Chamber of Commerce in the Sacred City was not small, and its influence was significant, making it a very famous chamber.
Soon, they arrived at the chamber’s entrance.
Shen Xian gazed at the bustling street filled with people, his thoughts swirling.
One hundred High-Grade Spirit Crystals!
This number echoed in his mind.
If he took on scattered commissions step by step, it would probably take a century to amass such a huge sum.
The image of Ye Qingxian in his memory grew clearer.
Shen Xian unconsciously clenched his fist.
Now I am a Fifth-Rank Artifact Refiner, yet I can’t even afford the travel expenses to another Sacred City…
The Sacred City’s noise gradually faded from his ears as he sank into deep thought.
I can’t mess around like in Azure Nether City anymore…
The image of the Hundred Arts Sect’s majestic building appeared before his eyes.
I must establish my own reputation, like the Hundred Arts Sect, so that various forces come begging for my services!
Qiu Ruoli’s figure suddenly intruded into his thoughts.
Fortunately, I have her!
Shen Xian’s lips curled slightly.
Dual cultivation boosts my cultivation while accumulating resources.
He suddenly realized something.
Why rush?
He looked at the high-level cultivators coming and going on the street.
Ye Qingxian’s cultivation breakthrough would take at least several decades; he had plenty of time to prepare.
A clear plan gradually took shape in Shen Xian’s mind.
Step one: make a name for himself in the Sacred City’s artifact refining circles…
Step two: establish his own network of influence…
When the time was ripe…
Shen Xian looked up at the sky, a flash of determination in his eyes.
He had been prepared from the start to fight this colossal entity; all his preparations now were to deal with this guy.
It seemed he needed to work hard from now on!
“Who are you?” At that moment, someone from the Heaven-Reaching Chamber of Commerce headquarters noticed Shen Xian’s group and came forward to inquire.
Shen Xian took out the token Su Wuya had given him.
Seeing the token, the person’s face showed shock, and he hurriedly took out a talisman to report to the higher-ups!
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