Chapter 452: The

Zhao Ruoming's expression turned slightly strange.

The things this person said were simply too outrageous.

Your entire world has been brought in and placed right inside the Xiang Jianzong's venue.

After all this, you still think of invading our world.

"A traitor to the realm…" the city lord shook his head slightly, "but we cannot say it like that. You were sent to carry out such a dangerous mission—surely your own situation is not easy. Don't you want to consider your own interests?"

Ah yes yes yes!

This is way too dangerous.

Do you know how many people want this opportunity?

Of course, except for my own sectmates.

He stepped forward to the highest seat, sat down on the purple sandalwood armchair behind the long table, and lowered his black robe's hood.

His gaze swept over everyone, his fingers lightly tapped the table, then he said: "And then, like you, have your cultivation constantly drained?"

It's just showing off!

Like anyone can't do it.

Zhao Ruoming grew tired of arguing further and directly began probing for the information he wanted to investigate.

"So the lord's concern is this." The city lord's face lit up with understanding.

Indeed, these external cultivators who have never experienced the superiority of the 'Xiang Tian Gui Absorbing Spirit' system, upon seeing their hard-earned cultivation drained, naturally would have reservations.

But…

"Lord, you overthink it. The Xiang Tian Gui Absorbing Spirit system has some drawbacks, but also clear advantages."

"Oh?"

"Do you think it's easy to cultivate solely by yourself, from entering the Dao and training Qi, all the way to Soul Transformation?"

Is it easy to go from Qi Training to Soul Transformation?

Hmm…

Zhao Ruoming thought for a moment, then nodded slightly: "It's manageable."

Manageable…?

This answer left the city lord utterly speechless.

From Qi Training to Soul Transformation is fraught with immense obstacles; only those with great perseverance and great fortune can succeed.

What do you mean "manageable"?!"

Take this seriously, okay? We're discussing a very serious matter right now!

After two seconds of readjusting his emotions and formulating his words: "Can you guess how long it took me to go from Qi Training to Soul Transformation?"

"..."

Stop playing dumb riddles!

If Soul Transformation weren't immune to soul-searching, I'd have already beaten you half-dead and taken the knowledge myself!

"Twenty years?"

"... Lord, don't joke."

The city lord's lips twitched—he suspected this outsider Soul Transformation was mocking him.

Twenty years?

He couldn't even afford the cost of breakthroughs!

He cut straight to the point: "I entered the Dao at age three, achieved Foundation Establishment at twenty-five, formed a Golden Core at fifty-three, nurtured a Nascent Soul at one hundred and three, and successfully ascended to Soul Transformation at one hundred and seventy-five."

Of course, my family provided me with a bit of help to quickly gather the resources needed for breakthroughs…

The main reason is that breakthroughs require setting up a ritual altar and offering resources equivalent to one-fifth of a Soul Transformation's total magic power to the Xiang Tian Gui.

Of course, if a major sect guarantees you, you can borrow the required resources upfront and repay them gradually after ascending.

The city lord's face carried a hint of pride.

"Moreover, my talent is not particularly outstanding."

The other Soul Transformation cultivators, who had remained silent until now, could not help but show a trace of envy in their eyes…

According to ancient cultivators' progress, it would have taken countless years of grueling effort to reach this stage.

Yet he, whose talent was far from exceptional, achieved Soul Transformation in just one hundred and seventy-two years thanks to the Xiang Tian Gui Absorbing Spirit system!

All because he had a Void-Return Immortal Ancestor!

Under today's Xiang Tian Gui, resources are king; even the best talent is merely consumable material!

One hundred and seventy-two years to Soul Transformation…

I thought you'd become Soul Transformation at twenty-one, even better than Chi Jiuyu!

And not only did it take you this long to reach Soul Transformation, what the hell have you been doing all these years that you're still this useless?

Suppressing the urge to vent his inner sarcasm, Zhao Ruoming feigned slight interest.

"I still want to know more about the Xiang Tian Gui."

Indeed, no cultivator could resist the temptation of being tended and nourished by the Spirit-Pasturing system, drawing offerings from all beings under heaven for oneself!

"Naturally." The city lord produced a jade slip in his palm, "I present this 'Mystic Phase Xiang Tian Gui Secret Record' to you."

Huh?

So there's documentation!

Then why was I even arguing with you?

If I kill only him, it probably won't draw the attention of a Void-Return.

Zhao Ruoming slowly rose, ready to activate the small teleportation talisman he had previously left on the people of Zhitui Xiancheng.

"There is also the 'Ji Ling Yi Gui Mi Wen'—after Master Chang arrives at the Joyful Xiancheng tomorrow, I can obtain a copy for you on behalf of your lordship."

He retracted a thread of latent Qianyuan Yujing Immortal Light, suppressing the urge to kill and seize the treasure outright.

"Aside from the matter of the Celestial Track, how long until a Return-to-Void Immortal takes action?"

Fine, he simply could not bring himself to say "Immortal Sovereign" or such things.

"The Immortal Sovereigns..." the city lord hesitated, "how about one month?"

For a Spirit Transformation Realm cultivator, a month should not be long.

The main issue is that none of the Return-to-Void Immortal Sovereigns he could reach have responded—no one knows why.

One month?

Damn it, the Xian Sect Grand Assembly ended long ago!

He mentally cursed, but Zhao Ruohan agreed without hesitation.

"Fine."

Good—apparently, the Return-to-Void won't notice him for now.

The news should already be out; first, avoid Wu Zhongfeng's movements, and see if Zhiwei's elder sister and the others can raid the Joyful Xiancheng for the 'Ji Ling Yi Gui Mi Lu'.

If no opportunity arises, wait until tomorrow.

If they succeed... then kill this fool on the spot and flee!

"I have already arranged quarters for your lordship. Please rest for a while." The city lord stepped forward and placed a storage ring upon the long table. "This is a small token from the Immortal Sovereigns—a local specialty of our world. Please accept it."

To use these celestial Spirit Transformation cultivators to trace their world of origin, the Immortal Sovereigns had provided a batch of resources.

As for exactly how much to give...

With so many people above and below, one cannot leave even a sip of broth unshared.

Zhao Ruohan said nothing, pulled his hood back on, gestured with his hand to retrieve the storage ring, then rose and walked out.

The city lord and the other four Spirit Transformation cultivators smiled, watching him depart.

Unless absolutely necessary, they had no wish to clash with these celestial Spirit Transformation cultivators—they truly could not win...

But then again...

These celestial Spirit Transformation cultivators possess such peerless combat power—could their world truly be so simple?

If they truly uncover their world of origin...

The Immortal Sovereigns surely would not have missed this point...

A strange unease surfaced in his mind, but he quickly suppressed it.

At this moment, Zhao Ruohan had stepped outside the gate.

Yet the striking figure walking toward him made his heart tighten.

Wu Zhongfeng!

That cultivator from the Joyful Union Sect!

Though tense inside, Zhao Ruohan remained expressionless, maintaining his steady pace forward.

Nothing happened—he passed by without incident, descending the green stone steps.

Without looking back, he walked a further distance after descending the steps, and only when he saw the female cultivator Zhiying waiting there did he finally exhale.

Zhiying stepped forward and bowed: "Immortal Lord, please follow me."

"Hmm."

Yet Zhao Ruohan did not know.

Wu Zhongfeng, who had just passed him, now stood outside the side hall, gazing in his direction, lost in thought.

Perhaps he understood something—his gaze flickered slightly.

After a while, he withdrew his gaze and stepped into the side hall.

As when Zhao Ruohan had entered, the four Spirit Transformation cultivators sat upon purple sandalwood chairs padded with spirit silkworm silk, while the city lord held a spirit-jade purple-hair brush.

Noticing His arrival, the city lord set down his brush and smiled at Him: "How should I address you...?"

A flicker of impatience passed through His eyes, clear as a spring.

Boom!

A terrifying, violent will erupted like a falling celestial sun within the side hall.

The spiritual energy in the air vibrated at an extreme frequency, tearing visible distortions.

The long table before the city lord, and the purple wisteria chairs around the Spirit Transformation cultivators, shattered instantly.

Each felt as if an immortal divine mountain had crushed them—some sprawled, some fallen, utterly disheveled.

They were Spirit Transformation cultivators, yet could not withstand even the will-pressure of an equal Primordial Spirit—revealing the terrifying foundation of this Celestial Cultivator.

"I ask. You answer."

A layered voice, woven from two distinct tones, echoed through the side hall.

"Lie—and die!"

Outside the Five Senses Xiancheng.

A rock wall, overgrown with climbing vines, concealed a hidden cavern within.

On both sides of the cave, the ceiling was lined with a soft-glowing moss that illuminated the entire space.

Compared to when only Zhao Ruohan was present, the space now was far more spacious.

This was naturally because the cave's interior had been too small; three people hiding and refining pills at the same time was too cramped, so they expanded the space a bit.

On the inner stone walls, fresh chisel marks were still visible, their surfaces smooth as a mirror, as if cut by something extremely sharp.

In the soft glow, Chi Jiuyu lay sprawled on a mat, looking dusty and disheveled.

Ash clung to her nose and cheeks.

It was just a matter of a Cleansing Spell, but she was too lazy to clean herself.

Zhao Ruohan sat upright beside her, watching the true flame blazing fiercely inside a pill furnace not far away.

Near the furnace stood a masked figure—it was Ye Zhiwei.

The cave was quiet, save for the churning of the true flame within the furnace and Chi Jiuyu's restless shifting.

After a long while,

Chi Jiuyu sprang up like a leaping carp, shook her head, then plopped back down on the mat.

She pulled her legs in, propped her hands on her ankles: "Hey, Little Ye, why do you wear a mask?"

She'd been curious about this for ages!

But they hadn't been close before, and she'd asked so many questions about tea and her sister that she never brought it up.

It couldn't just be for show!

To be fair, that possibility wasn't small either…

But after spending this time together, she felt Ye Zhiwei wasn't the type.

"..." Ye Zhiwei fell silent for two seconds. "Because of some things that happened before."

"What things? If it's okay, tell us!" Chi Jiuyu added quickly, "Of course, we'll answer one of your questions too."

They'd done this before.

Every time she asked a question, Ye Zhiwei would turn around and ask one in return…

Ye Zhiwei said nothing, but turned to Zhao Ruohan.

"I have questions I want to ask you too," Zhao Ruohan said coolly. "You may ask me as well."

After receiving the reply, Ye Zhiwei gave a slight nod and turned back to Chi Jiuyu: "You answer me first."

"Sure thing, sure thing!"

The Great Ancestor Chi Jiuyu was always open and honest—except for that black history of being hung upside down from a tree and whipped by her master, there was nothing she couldn't say!

"Have you ever encountered a time in your cultivation when you felt utterly powerless?"

Huh?

What kind of question is that?

"Let me think…" Chi Jiuyu scratched her head.

A time when I felt powerless…

There was indeed such a period.

"I guess so," Chi Jiuyu swayed back and forth, her tone unusually hesitant. "During the last Outer Realm training, did you both participate?"

"I did," Zhao Ruohan said.

"I did too," Ye Zhiwei added.

At that time, both were at the peak of Nascent Soul, their abilities unmatched among peers—of course they participated.

But the world was too vast, and the previous training lacked this round's "shrinking zone" mechanism, so they never met.

"Do you know what happened after we returned?"

Before either could answer, Chi Jiuyu continued:

"I was found by my master beside a pond outside the Xiang Jianzong's outer gate."

It was quite lucky, really.

My master usually stayed cooped up, but I just happened to run into her while she was taking a stroll.

"She was raising nine fish at the time, so she named me after them."

The two: "..."

The origin of that name was absurdly casual.

"My master said that since I met her, I must have great fortune, so she took me as her personal eldest disciple."

"You know, like the main character in a story."

Alright, the setup's done.

"But after returning from the last Outer Realm training, I found my master and my aunt were gone."

Wait!

You're jumping ahead too fast!

"That was when I truly felt powerless—my master vanished, and I didn't even know why!"

Zhao Ruohan bit her lip: "Didn't you ask?"

"Of course I asked! But my senior brothers and sisters told me it wasn't something I was meant to know…"

Of course—it was the same answer.

Zhao Ruohan understood.

When her father vanished, she'd asked her mother and several older siblings too—and got only this reply.

"Of course! It was then that I decided to strive harder, and succeeded in reaching Soul Transformation at twenty-two!"

Back then, I was truly heartbroken.

But now my master has returned, and everything's back to how it was.

As a cheerful, optimistic main character, I certainly wouldn't wallow in self-pity, whimpering like that!

"Alright, alright! You've answered my questions, now it's my turn…"

She had only spoken halfway.

"Wait!" Zhao Ruohan cut her off. "There's news from inside the city."

As she spoke, she took out a purple fruit, and a wisp of Wan Qing Yuan Mu Supreme Immortal Light flickered at her fingertip, which she tapped against the fruit.

A light screen about twenty-seven inches across was projected out.

"I'll ask in a bit."

Ye Zhiwei said, and then also looked toward that light screen.

Chi Jiuyu: o(っ°Д°;)っ(End of Chapter)