Chapter 1339: Suspended Mountain

He adjusts his own state, suppresses the chaotic aura as much as possible, only showing the cultivation wave of the Great Vehicle Stage, then transforms into an ordinary gray evasion light, flying toward the pale golden light membrane surrounding the Suspended Mountain.

Approaching the membrane, a gentle yet firm repelling force arrives, preventing unauthorized entry. At the same time, an authoritative voice sounds directly in his mind:

"Stop, traveler! This place is the 'Wanfa Suspended Mountain'; to enter the mountain domain, you must verify your identity, pay ten Dao Yuan Stones, or equivalent spirits, and obey the mountain's regulations!"

As the words finish, ripples flutter over the membrane, and two cultivators dressed in standard blue robes, with a cultivation level around the Dao Foundation stage, materialize, standing sternly in front. Their gazes sweep Yan Buji, inspecting, but show little surprise, evidently accustomed to such outsiders.

"Dao Yuan Stone?" Yan Buji raises an eyebrow slightly; he is new here and has no currency circulating in this realm. He slightly bows his fists, his voice calm: "I am Yan Buji, newly entered the Dao Realm, and I have no Dao Yuan Stones. May this item serve as entry capital?"

He flips his hand to produce an item, which is the most pure essence of the original deathly silence he refined after slaying the stone spirit leader. This item is of little use to him now, but the pure Silence Extinction concept it contains is a rare treasure for cultivators practicing certain techniques or seeking the way of Silence Extinction.

The two blue‑robed cultivators see this pale white vapor, and a flash of surprise crosses their eyes. One of them takes out an eight‑diagram mirror‑shaped artifact, shines it onto the vapor, and complex runes and numbers instantly appear on the mirror surface.

"What a pure Silence Extinction origin! Quality excellent, worth twenty Dao Yuan Stones!" The cultivator's gaze toward Yan Buji instantly becomes much more courteous. "Dao companion, please wait a moment; we need to register your name and aura imprint."

Yan Buji complies, leaving a trivial aura imprint and the name "Yan Buji".

After registration, another cultivator hands over a jade talisman: "This is a temporary identity talisman, allowing you to stay within the mountain for one month. Private fights are prohibited inside; if disputes arise, go to the 'Debate Platform' to resolve. Specific rules and a map are all within the talisman; Dao companion, examine it yourself. Please!"

Having spoken, the two step aside, and the pale golden membrane cracks open a slit just wide enough for one person to pass.

Yan Buji takes the jade talisman, says thanks, and steps into the membrane.

In an instant, the surrounding scene brightens! The irritating distorted mist and twisted whispers vanish completely, replaced by pure, peaceful heaven‑and‑earth spiritual aura and the characteristic air of the Suspended Mountain, faintly scented with sandalwood and medicinal herbs. Underfoot is solid jade stone pavement; distant peaks layer, waterfalls flow, palaces stretch, and countless evasion lights dart among them—a scene of immortal splendor.

Compared with the desperate chaotic distorted mist sea outside, this place is like a utopia.

Yet, Yan Buji's spirit sense, tempered by the mirror's refinement, keenly perceives that beneath this tranquility lie countless strong or weak, bright or dark aura fluctuations, like undercurrents beneath a calm sea. The cultivators passing the streets, though appearing calm, mostly bear wary and scrutinizing gazes deep within their eyes.

He holds the jade talisman that records information, and his divine sense sinks into it.

"Wanfa Suspended Mountain is governed by the Wanfa Alliance; within the alliance there are three halls and five pavilions; the alliance leader, Xuanji Immortal, is a great one who has survived three mortal demon tribulations..."

"Inside the mountain there are free markets, Debate Platform, Enlightenment Cliff, Mission Hall, and many other facilities..."

"Dao Yuan Stone, the universal currency of the Dao Realm, formed from pure Dao resonance, can be obtained by completing missions, trading treasures, etc..."

"Recent notice: In the southeast mist region, the 'Thousand Illusion Demon Lord' cave relic will appear, attracting many eyes; in the northwest Deathly Silence Wasteland, a 'Silence Extinction Wind Disaster' is occurring, do not approach..."

A flood of information pours into his mind; Yan Buji finally gains a preliminary understanding of the Dao Realm's border layout.

"Wanfa Alliance… wandering immortal… Thousand Illusion Demon Lord relic… Silence Extinction Wind Disaster..." he murmurs, light flashing in his eyes. This Dao Realm is indeed broader and more splendid than he imagined.

He looks up toward the deep part of the Suspended Mountain, where the spiritual aura is densest and the palaces most grand, surely the core area of the Wanfa Alliance.

"First find a place to settle, understand the situation, then plan the next steps."

He no longer lingers, walks along the jade road toward the area marked "Welcome Garden".

The courtyard is small but set with simple spirit‑collecting and soundproof arrays; for Yan Buji, who only needs a temporary foothold, it is already sufficient.

He first carefully studies the information in the identity jade talisman, gaining clearer insight into the rules, key locations, and recent trends of Wanfa Suspended Mountain. After a brief breath adjustment, he decides to visit the so‑called "Free Market".

The market lies on a massive platform between several Suspended Mountains, bustling with crowds. Various stalls abound, selling pills, talismans, artifact materials, broken techniques, ancient jade tablets, and even captured exotic beasts and Dao Realm specialty ores. Shouts, haggling, appraisal debates mingle, filling the air with lively market vigor, starkly contrasting the serenity of other mountain areas.

Yan Buji restrains his aura, moving like an ordinary visitor, strolling slowly among stalls, eyes scanning the goods. He aims to observe, learn the local prices and circulating goods, especially those tied to Dao Realm characteristics.

He soon discovers that unlike the outside Nine Heavens Five Realms and the Netherworld of Darkness, the treasures here often bear obvious "Dao Realm imprints". For example, some "mist crystals" that contain faint distorted traits yet have been refined and tamed, "Dao Realm Miscellaneous Notes" that record tips for brief survival and resource‑point hunting in the distorted mist sea, and even directly sold sealed, relatively weak distorted minor demons for research or special cultivation methods.

The most coveted are undoubtedly the Dao Yuan Stones that aid in comprehending laws and purifying Dao Foundations, and the ancient relic fragments and unknown technique inheritances excavated from various Dao Realm ruins and perilous sites.

Yan Buji sees a fist‑sized, rust‑covered bronze fragment, boasted by the vendor as a piece of an ancient immortal residence gate, priced at five hundred Dao Yuan Stones, drawing a small crowd arguing. He also sees a fully translucent "Quiet Heart Dao Lotus", exuding cool Dao resonance, highly effective against heart demons and stabilizing the spirit, priced steeply.

He does not rush to purchase anything, merely observes silently, comparing the value of his own items. The original deathly silence aura indeed seems precious, prompting the two blue‑robed guards to change attitude. He also carries some materials obtained from the Netherworld of Darkness and the Nianjing Hell of Mirrors, as well as his own forged "Chaotic Secret Key", which should also exchange for many resources here.

Just as he stops at a stall selling various common Dao Realm herbs and ores, picking up a dark‑purple "Eclipse Mist Iron" to examine, a sudden commotion erupts nearby.

"Kid! Can't you see? How dare you block the road of our 'Black Flame Peak'?" a coarse voice shouts.

Yan Buji glances sideways, seeing three cultivators in black gear, their chests embroidered with blazing flame emblems, blocking a seemingly young, plainly dressed blue‑robe cultivator. The blue‑robe cultivator holds a pale‑blue "Ice Soul Grass", apparently having accidentally stepped back and bumped into one of the black‑clad cultivators.

"S‑sorry, it was a momentary lapse on my part..." the blue‑robe cultivator's face turns pale, apologizing repeatedly; his aura is only at the early Golden Core stage, and facing three black‑clad cultivators at least mid‑Golden Core and with fierce aura, he appears anxious.

"Lapse? One lapse and that's it?" the leading black‑clad cultivator, a scar‑faced man, snarls, reaching to snatch the Ice Soul Grass from the blue‑robe cultivator's hand. "Consider this grass as compensation!"

"No! This is for my master's wound treatment..." the blue‑robe cultivator instinctively protects the spirit herb, his voice trembling.

"Looking for death!" the scar‑faced one flashes a murderous glare, raises his hand and slaps the blue‑robe cultivator's face, the palm wind fierce, seemingly to publicly shame.

The surrounding crowd disperses, apparently fearing the name "Black Flame Peak", no one dares to intervene. The stall owner also lowers his head, pretending to arrange goods, silent.