Chapter 90

Subduing the Qingluan Feng Xi was an unexpected joy for Lin Xuan, and it also meant more responsibility and potential trouble. He sank his mind into the cave-dwelling magic treasure (imitation) to observe Feng Xi's condition. Under the nourishment of Chaos spiritual power and top-grade pills, its huge body curled up in a corner of the cave, its green feathers dim, and the star power remaining at the wound was still stubborn, but it finally stabilized its foundation and fell into a deep sleep to heal.

"Star Palace... sacrifice to the Star Tower, attract the Ancestor Star..." Lin Xuan savored the information revealed by Feng Xi, his eyes cold. Hunting top-level divine birds and seizing the origin to stabilize the Mystical Realm, this kind of behavior, how is it different from demons? The Star Palace successor's means were grand, but the purpose was so unbearable, it seems that this so-called transcendent orthodoxy is not a pure land inside.

"And that person who triggered the space storm in the dark... the timing was so precise, it was definitely not accidental. Was it aimed at the Qingluan, or at the Star Palace successor? Or... was it aimed at me?" Lin Xuan was meticulous, going through all possibilities in his mind. He vaguely felt that an invisible big net seemed to be slowly tightening, and the Imperial Capital might be the center of the storm.

He restrained his mind and stopped thinking about it. Soldiers come to block, water comes to cover, improving his own strength is the foundation. While on the road, he continued to comprehend the fusion of the "Zhou Tian Star Art (Fragment)" and the Chaos Dao Seed, and at the same time nourished the natal flying sword embryo that had been initially tempered by the Geng Metal Spirit Marrow with his spiritual sense, naming it "Chaos Immortal-Slaying Sword Embryo." Although it was named Immortal-Slaying, it actually contained the Dao of Chaos creation and destruction, and could continue to evolve as he grew.

A few days later, the outline of a magnificent city appeared on the horizon.

Qingmu Province's capital — Qingmu Ancient City.

The scale of this city far exceeded Heiyan City, the city wall was a hundred feet high, cast from a spirit wood called "Iron Heart Wood" mixed with metal, showing a blue-black color, with runes flowing on it, emitting a powerful life aura and defensive spiritual light. The whole city was like a huge forest fortress, and many real spirit plants and ancient trees even grew on the city wall, with lush branches and leaves, and compelling spiritual energy.

As the core of Qingmu Province, Qingmu Ancient City was not only a political and economic center, but also a gathering place for wood-attribute cultivators and an important hub for elixir and spirit material trading. Before even getting close, one could feel the much richer wood-attribute spiritual energy in the air, and the popularity and cultivator aura like a flood from all directions.

Lin Xuan pressed his escape light dozens of miles outside the city and walked into the city with the crowd. The guards at the city gate were strict, and the inspection was several times stricter than in Heiyan City, even requiring registration of origin and cultivation base. Lin Xuan still registered as the early-stage Soul Formation rogue cultivator "Mu Xuan," and did not attract much attention. After paying the entry fee, he successfully entered this prosperous ancient city.

The scene inside the city was different from Heiyan City and other cities passed along the way. The streets were wide and clean, paved with bluestone slabs, and the buildings on both sides were mostly built with spirit wood, with carved beams and painted buildings, and an elegant style. Huge spirit plant potted plants could be seen everywhere, and some shops were even opened directly in huge tree houses. The air was filled with a faint medicinal fragrance and the fragrance of grass and trees, which was refreshing.

The number and quality of cultivators were also significantly higher, Golden Core cultivators could be seen everywhere, and there were not a few Soul Formation cultivators, and occasionally one could feel a few obscure and deep auras far exceeding Soul Formation, presumably the Spirit Transformation old monsters sitting in this city.

Lin Xuan came to Qingmu Ancient City mainly for two purposes: one was to buy some rare spirit medicines that would help Feng Xi recover from its injuries, especially treasures that could neutralize and expel the residual star power in its body; the second was to understand more about the recent movements of the Imperial Capital through the channels here, especially information related to the "Star Palace" and the possible "dark hand."

He first went to the largest elixir workshop in the city, "Hundred Herbs Pavilion," where the variety of spirit medicines was complete, and even ten-thousand-year spirit medicines would occasionally appear. Lin Xuan reported several quite unpopular spirit medicines that had miraculous effects on expelling alien star power, such as "Star-Cleansing Grass," "Spirit-Melting Flower," etc.

The person who received him was a Golden Core stage manager. Hearing what Lin Xuan needed, he looked embarrassed: "Senior, the few spirit medicines you want are extremely rare, especially the Star-Cleansing Grass, which needs to grow in a special place where star power and wood spirit energy intersect, and is rarely encountered in a hundred years. This pavilion currently has no stock, but... three days later, this pavilion will join the City Lord's Mansion to hold a large auction, and it is said that among the finale items, there is a five-hundred-year-old 'Star-Cleansing Lotus,' whose efficacy is far better than Star-Cleansing Grass, and might meet your needs, Senior."

"Auction?" Lin Xuan's heart moved, "Do you know what other treasures are there?"

Seeing that Lin Xuan was interested, the manager enthusiastically handed over a list jade slip: "This auction is grand, besides the Star-Cleansing Lotus, there are several rare magic treasures, high-rank cultivation techniques, and some strange objects from the Southern Wasteland and unknown places. This is a partial list, you can look at it first, Senior."

Lin Xuan's spiritual sense swept over the jade slip, and several items attracted his attention, especially a material marked as "Unknown Star Iron," described as containing strange star power, indestructible, and even the appraiser could not judge its specific origin and rank.

"Interesting." Lin Xuan nodded, "I will go and see it then." He paid some spirit stones as a deposit and booked a box for the auction.

Leaving the Hundred Herbs Pavilion, Lin Xuan went to the largest intelligence agency in the city, "Listening Wind Tower." Here, fish and dragons were mixed, it was a gathering place for all kinds of people, and it was also the place where all kinds of news spread the fastest.

Asking for a quiet room, Lin Xuan asked the deacon of the Listening Wind Tower who received him directly: "Information about the recent movements of the Imperial Capital, especially related to the 'Star Palace,' 'Youming Sect,' and a possible mysterious organization that is good at concealment and space means, price is not a problem."

The deacon was a capable-looking middle-aged Soul Formation cultivator. Hearing this, his expression turned serious, he looked at Lin Xuan carefully, and then said in a deep voice: "What you asked, Fellow Daoist, is not ordinary news. Regarding the Star Palace, this school of thought has always been mysterious, its disciples rarely appear in the world, and the only major news related to it recently is the battle with a Qingluan divine bird at the border of Qingmu Province a few days ago. The specific result is unknown, but there are rumors that the Star Palace successor did not seem to succeed, but instead let the Qingluan escape."

Lin Xuan's face did not change, but he secretly said that the Listening Wind Tower's news was indeed well-informed.

The deacon continued: "The Youming Sect has been active frequently recently, especially in the western border and the Southern Wasteland, seemingly frantically searching for something, rumored to be related to the demon who escaped from the Tianyuan Mystical Realm before. As for the mysterious organization you mentioned... there has indeed been an undercurrent surging recently, acting secretly, good at assassination and creating chaos, the target seems to be aimed directly at the major forces of the Imperial Capital and some young geniuses who have suddenly risen. Some suspect it is related to an ancient killer organization called 'Shadow Tower,' but there is no conclusive evidence."

"Shadow Tower?" Lin Xuan wrote down the name.

"This is all the information that can be provided at present, the fee is one thousand mid-grade spirit stones." The deacon reported the price.

Lin Xuan paid readily, this information was very valuable to him.

When leaving the Listening Wind Tower, it was already night. The night view of Qingmu Ancient City had a different flavor, and all kinds of spiritual light lamps illuminated the streets like daytime, the night market was prosperous, and the crowd was like weaving.

Lin Xuan walked on the way back to the inn where he was staying, his spiritual sense habitually spreading around. Suddenly, his footsteps paused slightly, and a trace of coldness flashed in his eyes.

Someone was following!

And more than one group!

One group's aura was cold and obscure, like a poisonous snake in the dark, quite similar to the style of the "Shadow Tower" described by the deacon. The other group carried a trace of faint... star power fluctuations? Although it was extremely weak and covered by some secret method, how could it be hidden from Lin Xuan, who had fused with the star core and was extremely sensitive to star power?

"Star Palace people? Or the dark hand that triggered the space storm?" Lin Xuan sneered in his heart, "It seems that my identity as 'Mu Xuan' has not completely deceived some people. Is it because of the Qingluan? Or because of the traces I left when I took action in Heiyan City and Star Burial Valley?"

He remained calm and continued to walk toward the inn, but deliberately turned into a relatively quiet alley leading to the residential area in the west of the city.

Sure enough, the "tails" behind him followed closely.

Just as he walked to the middle of the alley, the moment he was blocked by high walls in front and behind——

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Several subtle breaking sounds rang out! From front, back, left, and right, from all directions! These were not physical arrows, but shadow stabs condensed entirely from shadow energy, silent and soundless, but capable of corroding spiritual power and annihilating the soul!

At the same time, above his head, a large net woven from starlight, flashing with sealing runes, covered down silently, blocking the sky!

Front and back attack, up and down blockade! Tacit cooperation, ruthless and decisive!

The two groups of people following him actually chose to take action at the same time!

"Finally couldn't help it?" Cold light appeared in Lin Xuan's eyes.

Facing this sudden desperate situation, he didn't even turn around. Just the Chaos energy around his body fluctuated slightly, and the ordinary green robe moved without wind.

The next moment, with him as the center, a miniature Star-Nether Domain that seemed to be independent of the world unfolded again! It's just that this time, the range was controlled to be extremely small, only covering a three-zhang area around him!

Within the domain, the stars were annihilated, and the netherworld sank!

The dozens of shadow stabs that shot over, as soon as they broke into this three-zhang domain, were like falling into absolute stillness and void, the shadow energy on them disintegrated and annihilated rapidly, failing to set off any waves.

And the starlight net that covered down, the moment it touched the edge of the domain, the sealing runes flowing on it were like meeting a natural enemy, instantly dimming and shattering, and the whole star net melted and disintegrated rapidly like snow under the sun!

At both ends of the alley, and in the shadows on the walls on both sides, came several suppressed exclamations and muffled grunts! Obviously, the people who took action were injured by this weird and powerful backlash!

Lin Xuan turned around slowly, his gaze sweeping coldly over the several twisted black shadows looming at both ends of the alley, and the starlight gradually dissipating above.

"Hiding your heads and showing your tails, and you dare to show off in front of me?"

He pointed like a sword, and slashed casually toward the place where the shadows were thickest in front.

A gray, seemingly light-cutting thin line flashed and disappeared.

"Rip!"

Like the sound of tearing silk, the shadows there were forcibly torn, a black shadow stumbled out, a smooth cut appeared on his chest, and before the horror in his eyes faded, his vitality was cut off, and he fell to the ground with a "thump."

Lin Xuan didn't even look, and pointed backhand at the back.

The same gray finger strength, the same silent annihilation, another black shadow fell from the void and died.

In the blink of an eye, four shadow killers who were at least early-stage Soul Formation died!

The remaining two shadow killers and the person from the Star Palace (or dark hand) hiding in the dark were obviously scared by Lin Xuan's thunderous means, and dared not stay any longer, their figures merged into the shadows and the void, and disappeared without a trace in an instant.

Lin Xuan did not pursue, he walked to the two killer corpses, swept his spiritual sense, and found no items that could prove their identity, not even a storage bag, as clean as a dead soldier specially cultivated.

"Shadow Tower... Star Palace..." Lin Xuan muttered to himself, his eyes deep, "It seems that this road to the Imperial Capital is destined not to be peaceful."

He waved his hand to cast two groups of Chaos Dao Fire, turning the corpses into ashes, cleaning up the scene, as if nothing had happened, and then walked out of the alley calmly, merging into the lights and crowd of the street in the distance.

Only in his heart, he was more vigilant and... looking forward to the auction three days later and the subsequent trip to the Imperial Capital.