Chapter 828

Within a short time, passing through the spatial passage twice left He Pingsheng dizzy.

And this time, he didn't know the direction or location—only exerted all his strength and casually opened a passage.

He had no idea where he'd emerge.

Seeing the boundless, desolate mountains around him, He Pingsheng flew into the void, continuously devouring the 【Ice Jade Loquat Paste】 while extending his gaze and spiritual sense to scan the surroundings.

Where countless mountains and valleys converged, a broad river appeared.

The river surged onward, cutting through the mountains.

He Pingsheng plunged with a splash directly into the water, riding the current downstream.

This way, he avoided drawing attention and could discern direction without releasing his spiritual sense.

After all, who knew where this place was?

With the 【Water Submersion Technique】 enhancing him, his speed underwater, though not matching flight, was still swift.

After about a month, he finally burst from the water with a splash and landed on the shore.

Not far from the riverbank stood a vast metropolis.

A city where mortals and cultivators coexisted.

He Pingsheng deliberately suppressed his aura and applied a Disguise Talisman to alter his appearance, striving to look ordinary.

After detouring some distance, he finally reached the city's main gate.

Beneath the dark gate, several golden-robed Foundation Establishment cultivators guarded it.

He Pingsheng instantly relaxed.

He stepped forward and casually revealed his Nascent Soul realm—the gate guards bowed respectfully to him.

"No need for formalities!" He Pingsheng said. "I'm here for the first time. May I ask, which Imperial Domain does Bamboo Joint City belong to?"

Indeed, the three large characters hanging high above the city wall were precisely 【Bamboo Joint City】.

"Respected elder, this place belongs to the 【Divine Thunder Imperial Domain】…"

The Foundation Establishment gate guard answered politely.

He Pingsheng slightly furrowed his brow.

He'd never heard of it.

Though the Imperial Domains of the Flame Continent numbered over ninety, and he wasn't familiar with all of them, he'd seen them all at the Stone Platform Gathering—even if he didn't know them personally, he'd at least heard their names.

He'd never heard of a 【Divine Thunder Imperial Domain】?

"Alright, thank you!" Though puzzled, He Pingsheng didn't press the gate guard further, nor dared to ask more.

Some things required finding answers oneself.

Best to explore slowly.

He Pingsheng stepped through the city gate.

As soon as he entered, many people surged toward him, each offering their services.

"Master, ride my cart—it's fast! In half a day, I'll take you anywhere in the city!"

"Great Master, his cart may be fast, but ours is faster—my spirit rabbit can carry you anywhere for just ten spirit stones!"

He Pingsheng chuckled.

He hadn't seen such a scene in a long time.

"Fine!" He Pingsheng didn't care about speed—he stepped onto the spirit rabbit and said, "Take me to the largest cultivation merchant association in Bamboo Joint City!"

"Got it!" The rabbit leaped joyfully and sprinted off, chattering as it ran: "Great Master, our largest merchant association is the 【Bamboo Joint Merchant Association】—their goods are outrageously expensive!"

He Pingsheng smiled but said nothing.

Expensive?

How expensive could it be?

After about half an hour, they finally arrived at the 【Bamboo Joint Merchant Association】.

He Pingsheng tossed five spirit stones to the rabbit and said, "Wait here for me… I'll give you the other five later."

Saying this, he stepped into the association.

His purpose for coming was simple.

First, buy a map.

He suspected he was no longer on the Flame Continent.

Second, purchase some supplies.

"Elder, welcome!" As soon as He Pingsheng entered, a beautiful woman in blue robes approached and bowed deeply: "How may I assist you? I'll show you what you need."

He Pingsheng glanced at the woman—her cultivation was low.

Only Foundation Establishment.

And she was human.

"I need several maps."

"Maps?" the woman asked. "What kind of maps, Elder?"

He Pingsheng said: "One, a detailed map of this Imperial Domain; two, a general map of the entire continent."

"Ah?" The blue-robed woman was startled by his tone. "Th-this… I'm sorry, our association doesn't have a general map of the entire continent, but we do have a detailed map of this Imperial Domain—it's… quite expensive."

"Are you certain you want it?"

He Pingsheng's face darkened slightly.

What kind of sales clerk was this woman?

"Get out of here!" At that moment, a hunched old man approached, shooing the blue-robed woman away with curses: "Elder, she's clueless—let me serve you. I'm the shopkeeper here—my surname is Cui."

"Hmm." He Pingsheng looked at the man named Cui. "Master Cui—lead the way."

The man named Cui wasn't Void Refinement—he was only Golden Core.

He Pingsheng addressed him as "Master" because he himself had suppressed his cultivation to Golden Core.

"Yes, yes, Master, follow me!"

Shopkeeper Cui led He Pingsheng straight to the third floor.

The third floor had a dedicated map counter.

"We have a detailed map of Bamboo Joint City and a detailed map of the Divine Thunder Imperial Domain—Elder, take a look!"

"The Bamboo Joint City map is cheaper—only ten thousand spirit stones."

"But the Divine Thunder Imperial Domain map costs one million lower-grade spirit stones!"

In the Spirit Realm, the exchange rate between spirit stones is ten thousand: ten thousand lower-grade equal one mid-grade, and ten thousand mid-grade equal one upper-grade.

That means one upper-grade equals one hundred million lower-grade.

It was that extreme.

He Pingsheng glanced at his own reserves and hesitated.

Mid-grade?

He didn't have any.

Lower-grade? He had plenty—but less than ten thousand.

No mid-grade.

He'd already upgraded all his mid-grade to upper-grade.

Upper-grade? He had tens of thousands.

And premium items? He had many of those too.

He simply lacked mid-grade.

After thinking, he pulled out one upper-grade spirit stone and said: "Give me the Divine Thunder Imperial Domain map."

"This…" Seeing He Pingsheng casually produce an upper-grade stone, the Golden Core Master Cui trembled in shock.

Upper-grade!

This…

"I… I still need to return you nine hundred thousand spirit stones?" Shopkeeper Cui looked pained.

He Pingsheng asked: "Can't you make change?"

"No, no, no—I can make change, but our shop has no mid-grade spirit stones—only lower-grade."

"Nine hundred thousand lower-grade is a lot—will your storage space hold it?"

He Pingsheng smiled: "Don't worry—it'll fit."

Perfect—he was running low on lower-grade spirit stones.