Eternal Tale

Da Li, Fire Origin Province.

This province was home to countless volcanoes, and the fire-element spiritual energy in the air was abnormally dense. Numerous sects, both large and small, had claimed the underground fire veins, and many rogue cultivators roamed the land. Black markets were plentiful, and the rare Clear Soul Grass from across the provinces fetched high prices here.

Each major city in Fire Origin Province had teleportation arrays. Though costly, they saved significant time.

Fire Origin Province, Lu Tai City.

Outside the city, an old man hobbled along, leaning on a cane. His movements were slow, and he coughed occasionally. Every few steps, he had to stop and rest by the roadside.

He gazed toward the city with a soft sigh. On the towering city walls, dozens of feet tall, immortal cultivators stood guard, but the massive city gates were left unguarded. Crowds of cultivators and spiritual beasts flowed in and out freely.

As the old man looked on, his eyes dimmed. How he wished he had spiritual roots.

His attention was soon drawn to a peculiar sight: a man dressed in gray, slowly walking down the road with a black cow in tow. Beneath the cow’s belly... was a red dog?

The man’s gaze was sharp, his lips curved in a slight smile, and one hand rested on the cow’s head. The cow let out a soft moo, its eyes calm and gentle, revealing nothing extraordinary. The red dog under its belly trembled, half-closing its eyes, silently praying: Don’t see me, don’t see me…

The trio made their way into the bustling city, where the residents’ high standard of living was evident. The wide streets, large enough for five carriages to pass side by side, were filled with noise and activity.

Chen Xun wore a look of surprise. In Da Li, ordinary citizens and cultivators lived side by side, and while the common folk showed respect to powerful figures, there was no sense of awe. Cultivators, for their part, didn’t lord their power over the people, and interactions seemed remarkably harmonious.

In Da Li, only a Golden Core cultivator could be called a “celestial being.” Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment cultivators were seen as little more than stronger mortals.

Da Li had strict laws for cultivators: anyone disrupting the city’s order or slaughtering innocents would be executed without question.

As they traveled, Chen Xun also noticed that the distinction between righteous and demonic paths was rather vague here. There were numerous sects and schools of thought, but evil cultivators were universally hunted and despised, no matter where they went.

Two hours later.

They sat huddled in a corner, watching the passersby, their thoughts connected through divine sense.

"Brother Ox, Xiao Chi, Da Li is enormous. We’ll need to plan carefully," Chen Xun said calmly, his eyes lingering on a nearby steamed bun stall.

"Moo!"

"Brother Xun, Brother Ox, I’ll follow your lead," Xiao Chi replied, nestled between Chen Xun and the black ox, his heart racing as if it might jump out of his chest.

"We came to Da Li for a few key reasons," Chen Xun continued, his gaze distant. "First, we need to learn the art of teleportation arrays. Then, the method to ascend to Deity Transformation stage. And finally, we must look into the Buddhist teachings of karma, as well as the Incantation of Rebirth and the Great Compassion Mantra."

"The most important thing, of course, is to go out to sea and fish, while also gathering information about the River of Heaven."

"Moo moo!" The black ox’s eyes sparkled, nudging Chen Xun as the plan started to come together.

"Brother Xun, Brother Ox… you’re planning something big," Xiao Chi exclaimed, his pupils shrinking as the realization hit him. He didn’t fully understand, but he was in awe. "Little brother is deeply impressed."

At that moment, an ordinary passerby, shaking his head, tossed a few copper coins toward them. In this day and age, the man thought, these poor souls were still wearing patched-up hemp clothes. The gray-clad man even had shoes with several patches, a ragged straw hat slung over his back, and a farm ox and some strange red dog in tow. They were the very picture of beggars.

What the…?

Moo?!

Roar!

Chen Xun and the black ox were stunned, staring in disbelief as the passerby gave them a smile and strolled away, as if to say, "No need to thank me."

Chen Xun and the black ox exchanged bewildered looks, while Xiao Chi, unbothered, picked up the copper coins and wiped them clean, unfamiliar with their use. ＲÄ𐌽ȮＢЕŝ

"Hahaha..."

"Moo moo~~"

Chen Xun and the black ox laughed heartily, while Xiao Chi examined the coins, intrigued by the idea that they could be used to buy things.

"Brother Xun, Brother Ox, this might not be so bad after all," Xiao Chi said, his eyes widening as he seemingly stumbled upon a new idea. "What if we begged from those cultivators? They might give us spirit stones!"

"Moo!" The black ox immediately smacked Xiao Chi on the head. Does Brother Xun not care about his reputation?!

"Hehe, Brother Ox, I was just joking," Xiao Chi quickly retracted, lowering his head. But his eyes continued to dart around curiously, eager to explore the vast city for the first time.

Chen Xun, deep in thought, remained silent. The black ox glanced at him and decided not to disturb his thinking, instead joining Xiao Chi in watching the bustling street.

The citizens of Da Li walked with confidence, their attire refined and their demeanor poised. There was no sign of fear or subservience, and interactions between ordinary people and cultivators seemed effortless.

"Let’s head to the teleportation array," Chen Xun said abruptly, standing up.

"Moo~"

"Brother Ox, wait for me!" Xiao Chi, a bit slow to react, quickly hid beneath the black ox’s belly, nervous around the nearby cultivators.

As they made their way through the city, they spent several spirit stones gathering information. The teleportation array was located in the city center and connected to Fire Origin Province’s capital, where a larger array could transport them to the various provinces.

Within the province, teleportation could be paid for with lower-grade spirit stones, but traveling between provinces required mid-grade spirit stones at a minimum.

At the center of Lu Tai City stood an ancient hall, surrounded by smaller towers where Foundation Establishment cultivators sat in meditation. A detection array ensured no unauthorized activity took place within the hall, which was forbidden to commoners. Only cultivators could pass, and any unauthorized intrusions were met with death—no explanation needed.

Chen Xun, the black ox, and Xiao Chi entered the hall, joining the many cultivators inside. Strange arrays were constantly in operation, with cultivators occasionally appearing and disappearing from the formations. Their eyes were cold, clearly bound for dangerous places like the Heaven’s End Ravine.

Scanning the hall with his divine sense, Chen Xun noted the presence of two Golden Core cultivators guarding the area.

Based on the information they had gathered, the teleportation arrays in Fire Origin Province were monopolized by a faction known as the Lingxu Trading Company, an immensely powerful organization. However, no one could say exactly how large or influential it was.

"Let’s go," Chen Xun said, leading the way toward a middle-aged Foundation Establishment cultivator near one of the many arrays. The hall housed over a dozen arrays, with plenty of space for everyone.

"Senior!" The middle-aged man’s eyes sharpened, bowing respectfully. He couldn’t discern Chen Xun and the black ox’s cultivation levels, but he could sense that the red dog was at the Foundation Establishment stage.

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