Crippled

Lu Jiuyuan's Divine Sense condensed into an invisible, sharp cone, piercing through layers of Void barriers and city tower array runes, directly striking the slender figure in blue robes on the street.

On the street.

Chen Changqing's large, fan-like hand still held Chen Fan's small hand tightly, his expression serious as he looked around.

Chen Fan let his father pull him along, the blade of grass in his mouth swaying gently.

Just as that chilling, probing Divine Sense was about to touch the back of his head, the gray-white Millstone floating above the Miniature Divine Kingdom within his body turned a mere half inch.

Finding your way back using your Divine Sense is much easier than drawing your sword.

Chen Fan stopped, turned his head, and across thousands of feet of Void, his gaze pierced through the layers of Void, landing on the shadow of the towering city tower.

His expression was calm and undisturbed, except for a chilling gray glint in the depths of his eyes.

A surge of power, following the trajectory of Lu Jiuyuan's Divine Sense, crashed back like a collapsing Stars!

"Boom!"

A tremendous storm erupted within Lu Jiuyuan's Sea of Consciousness.

The world before him instantly transformed into a lifeless gray Abyss. Within the Abyss, a colossal, immeasurable phantom of a god or demon appeared, its eyes lowered indifferently as it cast a gaze upon him.

Just one glance.

"Snap!"

The Black Jade Ancient Sword that Lu Jiuyuan was hovering beside him let out a mournful cry, and three hideous cracks suddenly appeared on its blade.

"Puff!!"

A mouthful of Lifeblood Essence mixed with fragments of internal organs gushed out of Lu Jiuyuan's mouth, Nine Luminaries Star Mark in his eyes shattered on the spot. Two lines of viscous blood tears rolled down from his eye sockets.

The entire majestic Dao Foundation of the late-stage Deity Transformation was forcibly cracked open from the top with a straight, deep fissure!

"Bang!"

The usually aloof Inspector slammed his knees heavily onto the stone bricks, gripped the battlements tightly with both hands, trembled violently, and his teeth chattered, making a clattering sound.

He went blind.

His Lifebound Eye Technique was completely destroyed.

Even more terrifying was that a Death Fiend Qi Dao Rhythm deep within his Divine Soul, as if his Primordial Spirit would dissipate like a withered leaf if the other party so much as made a single thought.

"Not to be seen... Not to be explored..."

Lu Jiuyuan swallowed a mouthful of blood and froth, desperately trying to control his internal energy. He didn't even dare to retract the Broken Sword that was floating in mid-air. He shrank into the shadows, not daring to extend his Divine Thought even an inch further.

On the street.

Chen Changqing noticed that Chen Fan had suddenly stopped, so he immediately took a half step to the side and stood in front of his son, his large hand warily resting on the hilt of his Sword Hilt.

"Fan'er, what are you looking at? Are you hurt somewhere?"

Chen Fan withdrew his gaze, tilted his head back, and grinned.

"It's nothing, Dad. I just saw a huge bug on the city wall slip and fall pretty badly."

Chen Changqing paused for a moment, looked up at the towering city wall, and muttered something.

"Nonsense, where would any bedbugs come from up there... Stay close, don't look around, the Divine City is full of arrays and traps."

Mo Wendao, who was standing to the side, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, glanced at the flattened city gate with lingering fear, and quickly followed.

After passing through the heavy gates of the barbican, the view suddenly opened up.

A Vermilion Bird Divine Street, spanning hundreds of miles, leads directly to the core of the Divine City.

Above Firmament heads, dozens of towering, suspended islands floated in the air, with waterfalls formed from spiritual energy cascading down from their edges, turning into a hazy white mist in mid-air.

Ninth Tier Savage Beast, clad in heavy armor of black iron, pulled a hundred-zhang-wide Gilded Flying Chariot as it swept low through the sky, causing a howling wind to rise.

The shops on both sides of the street were all built with ten-thousand-year-old spiritual wood, displaying all kinds of earth-grade magic treasures and top-grade spiritual pills. The cultivators walking on the street had a heavy aura. The Golden Core Realm cultivators could only act as followers. Occasionally, a Divine Sense would sweep across the street, and it would be clear that it was the pressure of Deity Transformation Realm expert.

"Such a rich spiritual energy..."

Chen Changqing couldn't help but sigh in admiration, and even the Nascent Soul within his body became more active.

The surrounding restaurants and teahouses were filled with laughter and conversation, almost all of which were related to the grand event that would take place in March.

"I heard that the young master of the Golden Crow Immortal Pavilion entered the city yesterday. He possesses the Pure Yang Golden Crow Bloodline and, at only twenty-five years old, has already broken through to the mid-stage of the Deity Transformation realm. His Nine Suns Divine Chariot stopped directly in the Heaven-Class Palace!"

"That Myriad Phenomena Academy, skilled in both Confucianism and Prodigies, is equally formidable. It's said that his 'Haoran Sword' has caused the Divine City of Star of Literary Glory to tremble; he's sure to win this tournament."

"Don't forget the Divine Maiden of the Taiyin Demon Sect, who, three days ago, with Nascent Soul peak Nascent Soul stage, defied the odds and attacked Deity Transformation; she's a truly ruthless character..."

The discussions were incessant.

Mo Wendao was secretly shocked. The foundation of these top-tier Dao Lineages in the Central Region was far beyond what sects in remote areas could imagine.

He dared not linger, leading Chen Changqing and his son quickly through the crowded streets toward the "Four Directions Lodge" located in the southeast corner of the city.

That was a lodging place set up by the Immortal Alliance specifically for sects from Outer Domain who came to pay homage.

After an incense stick has burned.

Inside the side hall of the Four Directions Lodge Pavilion, a middle-aged steward with a goatee glanced at the jade tablet of the Azure Cloud Sword Sect, then casually tossed it onto a marble table beside him.

"The Southern Region, the Azure Cloud Sword Sect? A sect leader at the Early Nascent Soul?"

The goatee-bearded deacon raised his eyelids, his expression listless.

"The courtyards with the word "Tian" and the word "Di" have long been divided up by the great sects of various regions. Now there is only one partial courtyard with the word "C" left, which I can't live in."

As he spoke, he tossed a dark gray iron array plate.

Mo Wendao took the array token, his brows furrowing slightly.

"Sir, the Immortal Alliance previously announced that all the sect leaders from various regions who arrived by imperial decree will be provided with mid-grade courtyards equipped with miniature spirit-gathering arrays..."

"A mid-grade courtyard?"

The man with the goatee interrupted with a cold laugh.

"Don't you even look at how many people have come this time? The True Spirit Ancient Clan of Northern Mang and the Ten Thousand Ten Thousand Buddhas Sacred Land of Western Desert, aren't they all far more prestigious than yours? Giving you a small courtyard to stay in is already more than enough from the Immortal Alliance. If you think it's too bad, go to an inn outside and dig up some spirit stones. Three thousand high-grade spirit stones a night, can you afford that?"

Chen Changqing's face darkened, and he was about to step forward to argue when Chen Fan tugged at his sleeve from behind and shook his head.

"Dad, it doesn't matter how big the yard is, as long as it's quiet."

Chen Changqing took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, glared fiercely at the man with the goatee, grabbed the array plate, and turned to leave.

After passing through winding, dark corridors, the three arrived at the outermost area of Four Directions Lodge Pavilion, designated Bing District.

The spiritual energy here is thin and mixed, and the surrounding area consists of low gray stone and tile houses with no privacy between the courtyards, clearly a place for beggars to be served.

However, as soon as the three of them reached the gate marked "C7", they saw four cultivators already standing in the center of the courtyard.

The middle-aged man at the head of the group wore a dark blue brocade robe with a flying thunder blade embroidered on the cuff, and exuded a powerful aura of a mid-stage Nascent Soul.

Behind him, three young men in the Late Golden Core were laughing and joking as they kicked the original stone table in the courtyard to pieces.

"The Thunderblade Sect is resting here. All irrelevant personnel, get out of the way."

A young man in the Golden Core stage leaned against the courtyard wall, his short knife slicing the wooden plaque above the gate in two.