Chapter 385 - 358: City of the Ancient City

Chapter 385: Chapter 358: City of the Ancient City

SWOOSH!

Across the blue sky, a stream of air instantly tore through the firmament, flying toward the horizon.

’I’ve been traveling for nearly a month. According to Mu Qing, the Ancient City should be just ahead!’

Nie Yun came to a halt, his brow furrowing as he gazed at the rolling mountain range before him.

After leaving Guangming City, Nie Yun had flown directly toward the Ancient City. He hadn’t expected to fly for a solid month, spending nearly half of it over mountains and rivers. They called it a hundred thousand mountains, but this was more like a million, or even ten million—a veritable ocean of peaks.

Whenever he grew tired from the continuous flight, Nie Yun would return to the Zihua Cave Mansion to rest. After a month of travel, his Late-Stage Ultimate Venerable True Qi showed faint signs of another change. He felt he could break through at any moment and reach the Ultimate Venerable Peak!

Once he reached the Ultimate Venerable Peak, he would face the third Nirvana of his Nine-Turn Nirvana Skill. If he passed this Nirvana, he would undergo a complete transformation and soar to new heights! Of course, if he failed, he would vanish into thin air, and everything would be lost!

’My foundation is simply too profound. I absolutely cannot attempt Nirvana until I’ve prepared enough subsequent energy. Otherwise, if my energy falls short, I’ll really die!’

Thinking of his Qi Sea, Nie Yun had a love-hate relationship with it. The Nameless Technique had expanded it to an immense size, meaning his True Qi was far more abundant than a normal person’s. However, it also meant that advancing was many times more difficult for him!

Not only was advancing difficult, but the amount of energy required was also astronomical. Imagine this: raising the water level of a tank by a meter isn’t hard, but what about raising the entire ocean by a meter?

The difference between the two was simply too vast to be compared.

He had plundered the Divine Wind Empire’s Royal Family, the Mi Tian Sect, the Divine Holy Empire’s Royal Family, the Zi Qiong Mountain Range, and even the Qianqing Sect. Yet, even after consuming all of those treasures combined, he was still a long way from his third Nirvana!

This just went to show how terrifying his foundation was!

’Hm? A city of mountains, built entirely from mountain stone. It’s simple and unadorned, yet it carries a majesty left over from ancient times. This must be the Ancient City!’

Rounding a tall mountain, Nie Yun suddenly saw a small city appear before his eyes.

The entire city was built from mountain stone. Its unadorned appearance held an inviolable majesty. Though simple, it exuded a grand and ancient aura, perfectly matching the legends of the Ancient City.

’The Ancient City rejects outsiders. I should put on a disguise first!’

Recalling the unique aura of Mu Qing and Mu Xia, Nie Yun activated his Disguise Qi, and his entire appearance changed.

He still looked like a young man, but now he carried the distinctive, unadorned air of the Ancient City, making one feel as if he were a part of it, having grown up here since childhood.

"Mu Xia, you can come out now!"

With a wave of his hand, he pulled Mu Xia out from the Cave Mansion.

Mu Xia knew more about the Ancient City than her sister, Mu Qing, and she had even been here once before. It would be much better for her to lead the way than for him to go alone.

"We’re here? Yes, this is the Ancient City. Generally, peripheral descendants aren’t allowed to return. I was only granted an exception to come back once after I reached the Ultimate Venerable Realm. But my strength was too poor, so I didn’t qualify to stay, which is why I had to leave again!"

Mu Xia gazed at the Ancient City before them, a complex emotion in her eyes.

’You didn’t even qualify to stay? It seems this Ancient City is even more ruthless than I imagined!’

Before she met him, Mu Xia’s strength hadn’t been exceptional, but she was still roughly on par with those on the Earth List. For someone of that caliber to not even qualify to stay in the Ancient City was a testament to how fearsome this place was!

"Let’s go. We’re heading down."

After this brief reflection, Nie Yun and Mu Xia flew down.

The Ancient City had gates but no Guardians. The two of them walked inside on foot. Before he had taken more than a few steps, Nie Yun’s face was a mask of profound shock.

Nearly everyone walking through the town had a cultivation at or above the Qi Sect Realm. Celestial List experts were everywhere. Moreover, every single person had a powerful aura and muscles bursting with vitality. It was obvious at a glance that their combat prowess was extremely high—far stronger than the people of the Divine Holy Empire!

Based on aura alone, Nie Yun deduced that one expert here could defeat at least five experts of the same level from the Divine Holy Empire!

’What a powerful town!’

’It’s a good thing the people here have no ambition to conquer the outside world. Otherwise, without exaggeration, a team of just a hundred of them could probably annihilate the entire alliance of the Seven Great Empires!’

"Oh? Are you two also here for the decennial Holy Spirit Descendants selection? Judging by your faces, you must be peripheral descendants, right? Heh, it’s quite impressive for peripheral descendants to reach this Realm. The selection competition is still a while away, so I suggest you rest here for a bit!"

As they were walking, a smiling young man suddenly appeared before them, blocking their path.

This young man wore a constant smile and seemed to have no ill intent. He was only about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, yet his strength had already reached the level of the Ultimate Venerable Earth List!

With such strength, judging by his appearance and demeanor, he was merely an inn attendant!

An Ultimate Venerable Earth List expert working as an attendant—if news of this spread to the Seven Great Empires, it would be enough to scare people to death!

"The Holy Spirit Descendants is a selection competition in the Ancient City. Participants cannot be older than twenty, and their strength must be at the Ultimate Venerable Celestial List level or higher. Anyone who places in the top three will have a chance to be summoned by the City Lord, who will bestow upon them a Cultivation Technique to help increase their Cultivation!"

Mu Xia’s Sound Transmission entered his ear.

"Heh, that’s right. We’re here for the Holy Spirit Descendants selection. In that case, we’ll stay here!"

Nodding to himself, Nie Yun chuckled and answered the attendant’s question.

"Our establishment isn’t very large. Since you two are together, I’ll have to trouble you to share a room. It’s fifty Low-Grade Spirit Stones per day! Please pay in cash!" the young man said with a smile.

"Fifty Low-Grade Spirit Stones for one day?" Nie Yun was taken aback.

Low-Grade Spirit Stones were considered precious even in the Divine Holy Empire, nearly impossible to obtain for any price. Yet here, one night’s stay cost fifty of them. What a ripoff!

However, Nie Yun was an old monster in his own right. Though shocked internally, he showed none of it on his face. He casually tossed out fifty Low-Grade Spirit Stones and nodded. "Get me a room."

He had the Zihua Cave Mansion anyway, so getting more than one room would just be a waste.

"Well, well, look what we have here. Two more fools looking to die. Heh, a couple of kids from the periphery actually want to participate in the Holy Spirit Descendants selection. I’d say you’re really tired of living!"

Just as they stepped into the roadside inn, a sarcastic voice rang out. Nie Yun turned to see a youth of about eighteen or nineteen eyeing them scornfully, his face full of contempt.

The youth was young, but his aura was like a drawn Longsword—sharp and dazzling. Based on his presence alone, he was actually stronger than Huangg Ling!

A youth even more formidable than Huangg Ling. Despite Nie Yun’s strong mentality, a look of surprise couldn’t help but appear on his face.

Huangg Ling was an old monster who had lived for decades, even centuries. His profound strength was also thanks to the endless wealth of the Divine Holy Empire Royal Family. But for this youth to reach such a Realm at only eighteen or nineteen... what was going on?

Of course, in the eyes of others, Nie Yun was even more heaven-defying. But Nie Yun, having lived two lives and possessing a Heaven-Defying Cultivation Technique like the Nameless Technique, didn’t categorize himself among this crowd.

"Heh!" Although he was shocked, this person was still just someone he could kill with a single slap. There was no need to get angry. With a faint smile, Nie Yun glanced at Mu Xia behind him. "Let’s go."

"Peripheral descendants are the offspring of those who left the Ancient City long ago. Because they intermarried with outsiders, their Bloodline is considered impure. The core descendants who grew up here have always seen themselves as superior. According to the rules, peripheral descendants are supposed to kneel and bow to core descendants. So, whenever peripheral descendants come to the Ancient City, they are always humiliated. It has become a tradition..."

Mu Xia quietly sent a Sound Transmission, afraid that Nie Yun wouldn’t understand.

’A tradition? Looks like this tradition needs to be changed...’

The corners of Nie Yun’s mouth curled up.

"Hey, I’m talking to you! Didn’t you hear me? You ill-mannered brat, get on your knees and pay your respects!" Seeing Nie Yun ignore him and turn to leave, the youth’s eyes widened. With a flicker, he blocked their path, his demeanor arrogant and demanding, as if he would attack immediately if they gave the wrong answer.

"I don’t want to kill you. Step aside!"

Seeing the youth’s aggressive posturing, the corner of Nie Yun’s mouth lifted as he let out a soft snort.

"What did you say? You don’t want to kill me? Haha, that’s the most ridiculous joke I’ve ever heard in my life!" The youth hadn’t expected the person before him to say such a thing and burst out laughing.

"Did you all hear that? This kid actually said he doesn’t want to kill me! How ridiculous! Tell him who I am and what my strength is, so at least he’ll know why he’s dying!"

"Haha! Kid, you really don’t know what’s good for you. Let me tell you, this is Young Master Mu Shang, the third young master of Muaixia Manor, who holds real power! Don’t be fooled because he’s ’just’ an Ultimate Venerable—he can kill an ordinary Early-Stage Secret Realm expert with a single punch! You dare speak to the young master like that? I think you’re tired of living!"

"You reckless fool! Maybe you can be arrogant and domineering outside, but this is the Ancient City! A genius in the eyes of outsiders is less than trash here!"

"Hurry up and kneel and cripple your own Cultivation! Once Young Master Mu Shang makes a move, it’ll be hard for you two to even die if you wanted to!"

When the people in the inn heard the youth ask, they all looked at Nie Yun and his companion with pity, certain that these two ignorant fools were doomed.

"Now that you know who I am, kneel and pay your respects immediately! Or do you really need me to make a move?" After his sycophants finished their flattery, the corners of Mu Shang’s mouth curled up as he waited for Nie Yun and his companion to kneel.

"Since you like kneeling so much, you can do it yourself. I have things to do, so I’ll be heading back to my room."

Seeing that this kid was quite strong but spoke rather naively, Nie Yun shook his head helplessly and gently pointed a finger forward.

Seeing Nie Yun’s finger coming at him, Mu Shang’s heart trembled. He hastily retreated, executing countless exquisite techniques with his hands to try and block it. But how could he possibly block Nie Yun’s finger? His vision blurred, a Great Strength suddenly pressed down on him, and his knees buckled, causing him to kneel heavily!

THUD!

The sound was crisp and loud, echoing throughout the entire inn, as if it were a hard slap to the faces of the onlookers. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)