Hua Jian had imagined what kind of posture she would adopt when arriving at the world-renowned Ascension City, but no matter how she thought about it, she never expected this.
Following behind a seemingly ordinary merchant caravan, she felt as sneaky as a thief.
“Did they really not cause any trouble at all? Do they just want to direct and act out a play of ‘the hero saves the beauty’?”
After watching the caravan enter Ascension City, Hua Jian could not help but complain to Linglong beside her.
The caravan had traveled extremely fast along the way, hardly making any stops.
The three of them had chased the caravan all the way and actually arrived at Ascension City several days earlier than originally estimated.
It was quite baffling.
“I’m not sure yet. We need to keep observing…”
“Stop!” Hua Jian suddenly made a cross with her arms in front of her chest. “Now, it’s time for you to settle the bill.”
From the moment they arrived at Ascension City, the first stage of her employment with Linglong was considered over.
For now, Linglong should forget about the caravan and settle the employment fee she owed her first.
As for what conspiracy the people in the caravan were plotting, that had nothing to do with Hua Jian. She was someone who kept things very clear.
She had paid so much attention before out of professional ethics; because Linglong, her employer, wanted to interfere, she took it to heart.
Now that the employment relationship between the two had ended, she had no motivation to care about those matters.
Let them cause trouble. What did it have to do with her?
“I think you’re going to get beaten up easily acting like this,” Shiqi muttered softly beside her.
Hua Jian’s face-changing speed was simply too fast.
Just a moment ago, she had the appearance of a partner of justice, but the moment they reached the city gate, she suddenly changed her expression and turned a cold shoulder.
“I can’t just give up money just to avoid a beating, right?” Hua Jian spread her hands, indicating she wasn’t that noble.
Raising her head to look at the massive city ahead that already surpassed her imagination, she only wanted to go for a stroll inside right now rather than continue being entangled with that caravan.
“And besides, Linglong, I’m not criticizing you, but don’t think about solving this kind of thing alone.”
“You mean…”
“Who are you? The Saintess of Yaochi! When you run into this kind of thing, just call for backup. Do you really think you, a Level 15 Spirit Master, can solve everything?”
Hua Jian’s words were a bit blunt, but the logic was sound. In such a situation, Linglong’s best choice was definitely to call people over for help.
She had the ability to call for aid, so why not use it?
Hua Jian didn’t believe the Saint Sect had some trash rule forbidding disciples from calling for help.
If such a rule existed, she definitely wouldn’t join that sect.
“Your Senior Brothers… oh, I forgot Yaochi only has Senior Sisters. Your Senior Sisters are stronger than you and have seen more of the world. What reason do you have not to trust them?”
Hua Jian did the math for Linglong. The three of them were merely Spirit Masters, while the power Yaochi had stationed in Ascension City was much more luxurious.
As long as Linglong told her Senior Sisters in the city about this matter, it would be mostly solved.
She didn’t believe the disciples of Yaochi would dare to ignore something the Saintess was concerned about.
“Besides, your training was supposed to end at Ascension City. I didn’t mind you not using your identity to act overbearing during your training, but now that your training is complete, isn’t it time for the return of the Dragon King?”
Linglong was left a bit dazed by Hua Jian’s rapid-fire speech.
She felt Hua Jian’s words made a lot of sense, but upon careful thought, there seemed to be something slightly off.
However, informing her Senior Sisters of the suspicions should be fine…
“Fine, shall we go together? You two can also stay at our Yaochi station,” Linglong said, persuaded by Hua Jian.
“As long as you don’t charge us money,” Hua Jian muttered. “So, where is the Yaochi station? The center of Ascension City?”
Ascension City was very, very large. Its area was several times larger than other major cities in the Central Continent.
It was divided into the Inner City and Outer City.
The Inner City was the base of the Five Great Sacred Sects, usually separated from the Outer City by a massive Array Formation.
Only when the Ascension Gathering was held would the Array be briefly deactivated, allowing cultivators from the Outer City to enter the Inner City to be selected by the Saint Sects.
The Outer City was where ordinary cultivators gathered. It was like a super-sized ordinary city, containing everything a city should have.
However, due to the special status of Ascension City, there were many more places here to help with training and combat abilities than elsewhere.
For example, the combat Secret Realms established by Linglong Pavilion were specifically designed to fleece people of their money in this regard.
“More accurately, it is up there.” Linglong raised her hand and pointed toward the sky.
In the Inner City of Ascension City, the actual ground area occupied by Yaochi wasn’t large, but Yaochi’s station was more luxurious than all the other Saint Sects combined.
That was because the true station of Yaochi was actually in the sky.
It was a massive Floating City, usually hidden within the clouds and mist. Its true form would only be revealed at critical moments to deliver a devastating blow to any incoming enemies.
To enter the Yaochi station, one needed to register their identity at the Yaochi ground station in the Inner City to obtain an access Token.
Only then could they enter that city in the heavens.
Of course, Neimen Disciples of Yaochi didn’t need such a complicated process. They could just fly directly from the sky.
“That’s pretty impressive… By the way, if we stay directly in the station, won’t people say we’re using the back door?” Hua Jian asked curiously.
Other cultivators had to stay honestly in the Outer City, yet because of their relationship with Linglong, they could go directly to live in the Yaochi station.
If word got out, it would surely drive some cultivators mad with envy.
Rumors might even start spreading, like how Hua Jian used her beauty to seduce Linglong, or that she was actually just a pretty face.
“It might make sense for others to worry about those things, but as for you…” Linglong gave Hua Jian a deep look. She didn’t think Hua Jian would be hurt by such rumors.
First of all, Hua Jian was truly thick-skinned. Such rumors would likely feel like nothing more than an itch to her.
Secondly, Hua Jian’s fists were truly hard. As long as she showed a bit of her skill at the Ascension Gathering, no one would doubt she was only chosen by the Saint Sect because of the back door.
When someone with strength was noticed early by a Saint Sect, it wasn’t called using the back door; it was called the Saint Sect having an eye for talent.
“Let’s not talk about that. Let’s head to the Inner City first. Unlike me, you can’t go directly to the sky station. You need to get an access Token first.”
Linglong paused slightly, then showed a helpless expression.
“Once we reach the station, I will settle our accounts properly. Every bit of it.”
This meant she wouldn’t be a deadbeat and owe Hua Jian money, but Hua Jian would have to follow her to the sky station once.
Hua Jian had no objection to this. Gaining some experience was a good thing, and she would be lying if she said she wasn’t curious about Yaochi’s Floating City.
Even the Outer City of Ascension City was much more prosperous and bustling than other major cities.
Many cultivators of various appearances were coming and going on the streets.
Many wore strange clothes, clearly coming from places outside the Central Continent.
For example, people from the South with slightly darker skin than those from the Central Continent, and people from the West wearing animal skins.
These were people Hua Jian had almost never seen before, but here in Ascension City, such cultivators were everywhere.
“As expected of Ascension City, it’s completely different from other places…” Even Hua Jian, who rarely expressed wonder, gave a heartfelt sigh at this moment.
Walking further in, all kinds of shops appeared before her eyes, selling everything. Whatever she could or couldn’t imagine was available here.
However, the prices were a bit “beautiful.” The cost of living in this big city was indeed somewhat hard to accept.
“Actually, the Saint Sects also open shops in the Outer City to sell some non-confidential items. For example, our Yaochi Waimen Disciples sell various clothes, decorations, and some Alchemy Pills here…”
Linglong pointed to a clothing store with a lot of customer traffic nearby.
The name of that shop didn’t show any Yaochi characteristics, but there was a special pattern wrapped around the shop’s sign.
This circle of patterns represented that the founder of this shop was a cultivator from Yaochi.
Other shops with Saint Sect backgrounds were the same, though the patterns changed according to the sect.
Walking along the way, Hua Jian really saw quite a few shops opened by Saint Sect disciples, such as the Ling Sword shop opened by the Jian Sect, the restaurant opened by Penglai, and the pet shop opened by the Wanling Sect. These were all the specialties of those sects.
Because of this, the business of these shops could be said to be quite good, with almost every single one being packed.
According to Linglong, you couldn’t just walk in to buy things in these shops; you had to make an appointment in advance.
“This is way too profitable… Do you think if I open a shop like this in the future, I could also make a fortune?”
‘You’d make a much larger fortune by training yourself to be peerless in the world.’ This was said by Shiqi.
“Exactly,” Linglong immediately chimed in. “Spirit Stones aren’t that useful. Only strength is truly your own wealth.”
For Spirit Masters and Ling Kings, Spirit Stones were still somewhat useful. But once one reached the level of a Ling Emperor or higher, Spirit Stones were actually no different from rocks on the side of the road.
The value of vast amounts of Treasures could not be measured by Spirit Stones. At that point, strength was the true pass.
The Saint Sect cultivators who opened shops in Ascension City were almost all Waimen Disciples. Why didn’t Neimen Disciples come to make this money? Wasn’t it because Neimen Disciples had more important things to do?
Disciples who could be accepted into the Neimen of a Saint Sect all understood that training was more important than making this small change.
They didn’t care about these petty profits. If they wanted anything, they could just exchange for it directly from the sect.
Training and stepping onto higher stages were their goals.
“But I’m a vulgar person. I just like these shiny little babies.” Hua Jian was stubborn. She understood the logic, but Spirit Stones were really lovable.
Linglong pressed her forehead and sighed, feeling somewhat desperate regarding Hua Jian.
The area of Ascension City was truly ridiculously large. The three of them didn’t stop or take any detours along the way, yet it took them nearly a whole day to reach the barrier entrance from the Outer City to the Inner City.
“The three of you, the Inner City is ahead…” The person guarding the entrance was a middle-aged cultivator wearing a Tiandao Sect uniform. Judging by his clothes, he should be a Waimen Disciple.
Upon discovering Hua Jian and the other two walking toward the barrier, he immediately spoke to warn them.
There were actually many people in Ascension City who couldn’t even recognize the roads.
From time to time, someone would walk over in a daze and crash into the barrier.
Therefore, the Saint Sects arranged for guards at these entrances to remind those who were lost to turn back quickly.
“Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother.” Linglong took out her Identity Jade Plate from her Storage Pouch and pressed it against the barrier ahead.
Under the effect of the Jade Plate, the barrier opened a small gap, causing the Tiandao Sect Waimen Disciple to show a look of astonishment.
It was actually a Token capable of bringing people into the Inner City. This Junior Sister was actually a Neimen Disciple? Incredible.
This barrier required a Saint Sect disciple’s Token to open.
While a Waimen Disciple’s Token only allowed themselves through, bringing others into the Inner City required a Neimen Disciple’s Token.
The Identity Jade Plate in Linglong’s hand formed a ring of light with a 3-meter diameter around her. People within this ring could enter the Inner City with her.
Leading her two companions, Linglong stepped into the barrier separating the inside and outside of Ascension City.
In Hua Jian’s vision, this barrier was like a curtain of light falling from the sky, completely separating the Inner City from the Outer City.
When Linglong led them into the Inner City, it felt as if they were passing through a waterfall. After passing through, a scene completely different from the Outer City appeared before her eyes.
What was the Inner City of Ascension City like?
According to a normal person’s thoughts, it should be a place where immortal qi lingered, like a paradise on earth.
The cultivators here were all Saint Sect disciples, the elite among the world’s cultivators. Their communication should also be like that of immortals—elegant and devoid of any worldly aura.
But what was Hua Jian seeing now?
This place, as messy as a construction site, was actually the Inner City of Ascension City?
“Are the bastards from the Tiandao Sect slacking off again? I can’t take it anymore! If I don’t hack those bastards to death today, I’ll take their damn surname!”
“Senior Sister Sun, please calm down!”
“Don’t be impulsive, don’t be impulsive. Didn’t we already know what the Tiandao Sect is like?”
Moreover, was that Penglai trio not far away, with two people holding back one violent older sister, really how Saint Sect disciples were supposed to look?
So that layer of light wasn’t to prevent Outer City cultivators from entering the Inner City, but to prevent the people in the Outer City from seeing that the Inner City looked like this, so as not to shatter their illusions about the Saint Sects, right?
Swish!
Rumble!
While Hua Jian was dazed, a high platform built of wood in the distance suddenly collapsed, startling the other Saint Sect cultivators nearby.
Everyone looked closely and saw a Jianxiu standing under the platform with a sword, an expression of even greater surprise on his face than anyone else’s.
“Who the hell let the people from the Jian Sect come over here?!” The violent sister’s voice echoed across the silent scene.
Hua Jian felt that she could probably understand this sister’s rage. Anyone who ran into this situation would be furious.
“This is the Inner City?” Shiqi was even more stunned.
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