Heavenly Star City
Heavenly Star City is what cultivators call it.
It's less of a city and more of a large region, similar to a city cluster.
To mortals, Heavenly Star City appears as a single, interconnected kingdom.
It would take several years to walk from one end to the other.
In the eyes of cultivators, Heavenly Star City is only divided into the inner city and the outer city.
The vast area outside the city was where ordinary people lived and Life-Giving.
Only the inner city is the place where cultivators should reside.
The city wall, hundreds of feet high, served as the dividing line between the inner and outer cities.
Su Bai continued to fly on his Sword Flight, traversing mountains and seas. After more than ten days, in early November, he finally arrived at the legendary inner city wall of Heavenly Star City.
It is already awe-inspiring from afar, and even more so up close.
The city wall, hundreds of feet high, extends to both sides, seemingly without end, like a barrier that reaches to the heavens and the earth, completely separating the two worlds inside and outside.
Every hundred feet along the city wall stands a protruding sentry tower, all uniform in style and imposing in appearance, with the presence of the Cultivator stationed within faintly palpable.
At the base of the corresponding city wall below, there are magnificent city gates with the same spacing, where people and vehicles are passing through in an orderly manner, appearing busy yet well-organized.
Su Bai stopped his Sword Light at the edge of a grove of trees several miles from the city wall, not rushing forward.
He paused and gazed into the distance, calmly observing the movements at the city wall outposts and gates, his mind rapidly calculating the various scenarios that might arise in subsequent actions.
Based on the information on the Jade Slip and his inquiries along the way, he already knew the rules for entering the city: anyone entering the city for the first time, whether Cultivator or a mortal, must register at the city gate and obtain a unique identity badge.
This token is not only an access pass, but may also be connected to some kind of internal recording system of the Heavenly Star Alliance.
Except for Cultivator at the Golden Core or above, or those with special passes.
This means that once he registers, he will leave an Initial identity mark in the information system of this megacity.
In the future, when operating within the city, especially after killing a target, it will be crucial whether this identity can withstand possible investigation.
"When you're out in the world, your identity is something you give yourself."
Su Bai silently recited the instructions, quickly combining them with his understanding of the Demon Star Sea, and began to construct a reasonable background that would not be easily investigated.
Overseas Rogue Cultivator, without any sect or faction, who had cultivated alone for many years and luckily Foundation Establishment, came to the mainland to seek fortuitous opportunity or find a stable place to stay...
Such an identity is not uncommon in the Demon Star Sea, and it is also consistent with his current Foundation Establishment Early Stage.
With the plan set, Su Bai concealed his overly exposed sharp Sword Intent, making himself appear more like an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator with a touch of caution upon arrival, before stepping towards the nearest city gate.
A long queue formed at the city gate, with all sorts of people entering the city: there were caravans of ordinary people dressed in fine clothes, low-level Cultivator who looked travel-worn, and a few mid-to -High-Ranked Cultivator with considerable aura.
Su Bai's arrival did not cause much of a commotion, but his undisguised Foundation Establishment Realm Spiritual Pressure still caused the people queuing nearby to Consciousness make way for him, casting awe or curiosity in their eyes.
Sure enough, a city gate guard wearing the standard light armor of the Heavenly Star Alliance and possessing a cultivation level at the Late Qi Refining noticed him, quickly trotted over, and respectfully bowed. "Senior Foundation Establishment, is this your first time entering the city? Please follow me; there's no need to queue here."
Su Bai nodded slightly and followed the guard around the main group, arriving at a quiet, secluded stone house next to the city gate.
The room was simply furnished with a stone table, a few chairs, and a brief map of Heavenly Star City and its entry regulations hanging on the wall.
"Is this your first time in the city, senior?"
As the guard invited Su Bai to sit down, he skillfully retrieved a blank Mysterious Black Token and a Recording Jade Slip slip from under the table, a professional smile on his face.
"Exactly," Su Bai replied briefly.
"Alright, I'll register you now. The process will require asking some basic questions, and I hope you understand." The guard remained respectful throughout, clearly experienced in receiving Foundation Establishment Cultivator.
The registration process is indeed a bit cumbersome, involving name, general background, Cultivation Realm, whether one is proficient in Hundred Arts of Cultivation, and the types of Law Technique one is good at, etc.
Su Bai was prepared and answered calmly:
"Lu Jiu." (Taken from the homonym of "Hai Jiu," and "Lu" is a common surname among Overseas Rogue Cultivator.)
"He came from the Shattered Star Archipelago in the outer sea, without belonging to any sect or school, exploring on his own."
"I broke through by chance a month ago, and now I can be considered to be in the Foundation Establishment Early Stage."
"The Hundred Arts of Cultivation... I am ashamed to say that I have been cultivating alone for many years, lacking resources and the energy to explore them all."
"Specialized Law Technique..."
"My purpose in entering the city is to witness the prosperity of the mainland, and perhaps find a suitable Cultivation Method or a job so I can cultivate in peace."
He deliberately made the background plain and even somewhat shabby, vividly portraying an Overseas Rogue Cultivator who had only recently achieved Foundation Establishment but lacked inheritance and resources.
This identity would not attract attention, and it also explains why he entered Heavenly Star City —to seek opportunities.
As the guard took notes, he made a rough judgment in his mind: this was a newly promoted Foundation Establishment with no background, good luck but average foundation. He might be able to find a sinecure on the outskirts of the Heavenly Star Alliance in the future, but his potential was not high.
He had seen many Cultivator like this before, and while his attitude remained respectful, his inner caution had relaxed somewhat.
"Senior Lu Jiu, your entry Token has been completed."
Before long, the guard presented a warm, Mysterious Black Token with both hands.
The front of the Token is embossed with the emblem of Heavenly Star City and the characters "Lu Jiu," while the back features some miniature array patterns.
Su Bai took the Token, scanned it with his Divine Sense to confirm that it was normal, and then casually hung it in a conspicuous place on his waist.
He waved his sleeve, seemingly preparing to take out Spirit Stone: "How much is the entrance fee?"
The guard quickly waved his hand. "Senior is too kind. Heavenly Star City welcomes Cultivator from all directions. All cultivators at the Foundation Establishment Realm and above are exempt from entry fees. You only need to complete the basic registration and obtain Token."
"With this Token, you can freely enter and exit all gates, and also use it to make purchases or accumulate contribution points in some facilities within the inner city."
So this is a special perk; it saves me a lot of trouble.
Su Bai nodded, said no more, bowed slightly to the guards, and then stepped directly into the city entrance through the side door of the stone house.
Passing through a slightly cool, transparent light barrier that seemed to have a detection effect, the scene before my eyes suddenly opened up, and the concentration of Spiritual Qi also increased significantly by about 10% to 20%.
The architectural style of the inner city differs from the simple and grand style of the outer city, appearing more exquisite and ingenious.
The pavilions and towers are mostly built with Spiritwood, white jade, or strange stones with natural patterns. The eaves and brackets are often inlaid with bright pearls or carved with Spirit Gathering Formation patterns. Wind chimes or small Law Artifact for warding off evil spirits hang from the eaves, shimmering in the sunlight.
The streets were wide and flat, paved with jade slabs, and clean and tidy.
Among the passersby, the proportion of Cultivator had increased significantly. Their auras varied in strength, but most of them were in a hurry, either talking in hushed tones or entering the dazzling array of shops on both sides.
The air was filled with the faint fragrance of Pill, the aroma of spiritual materials, and the subtle fluctuations of various Law Technique, creating a prosperous and orderly scene of a cultivation Market.
Su Bai strolled along the street, seemingly browsing casually, but in reality, he was calculating rapidly in his mind. "There are still more than half a month left to kill the target, plenty of time."
"The most urgent task is not to take immediate action, but to first find a suitable 'daily identity' for myself that I can maintain long-term within this giant city."
"After completing the mission, there will inevitably be some turmoil. Having a harmless and reasonable public identity as a cover would be of great benefit, whether it's concealing one's movements to gather information or dealing with possible investigations."
"My [Immortal Talent Reflection] Survey and Copy abilities are currently at their cooldown."
Su Bai raced. "The safest approach would be to find a Cultivator with exceptional Alchemy Talent, Copy their Talent, and then present myself as Alchemist."
"These types of Cultivator are usually respected, have relatively simple social lives, and easily obtain legal residency and freedom of movement, making them excellent disguises."
"After the Foundation Establishment Realm, the consumption of Pill is enormous and their price is exorbitant. If one can truly master the art of alchemy, it will not only facilitate disguise but also provide long-term benefits to one's own cultivation."
After careful consideration, Su Bai decided to make Alchemist his first disguised profession.
"Right now, we need to find out where the top Alchemist in Heavenly Star City are gathered, and then find a suitable target to Copy their Talent."
He didn't linger any longer and began to wander purposefully through the more bustling areas of the inner city.
Sometimes he would sneak into shops selling classic books or offering consulting services, trying to get information indirectly.
Sometimes he would sit for a while in a teahouse Tavern and listen to the casual conversations among the Cultivator.
Occasionally, he would also ask questions of some low-ranking Cultivator or shop assistants who looked kind.
Several hours later, as the sun began to set and the sky gradually darkened, soft Brightlight Stone Law Technique lamps or stones illuminated various parts of the inner city.
Su Bai has gained a preliminary understanding of the distribution of forces related to alchemy within Heavenly Star City.
The first choice, naturally, is Starlight Academy.
This is a cultivation Academy established after the founding of the Heavenly Star Alliance. Its core function is to teach Cultivation Method and study Hundred Arts of Cultivation to the Core Disciple of the Heavenly Star Alliance.
If Su Bai is to join the alliance, at least his public identity must be completely innocent, and he will be labeled as a member of the Heavenly Star Alliance in the future.
The Heavenly Star Alliance's attitude towards the Azure Fish Hall was not good.
If Azure Fish's identity is accidentally exposed, she will likely face retaliation from the Heavenly Star Alliance.
The Heavenly Star Alliance was originally established by countless Human Race sects and cultivation Lineage who had been persecuted by the Demon Race race in the Demon Star Sea, and naturally had a chaotic factional division.
The emergence of the Starlight Academy was an attempt by the Heavenly Star Alliance Senior Leadership to gradually blur the lines between factions until they disappeared completely.
However, the Starlight Academy has only existed for a short time. To completely eliminate the factional divisions within the Heavenly Star Alliance, the Academy will need to operate for at least another one or two hundred years.
Only when the Cultivator who have grown up in the Academy have fully grasped the power of each level of the Heavenly Star Alliance can the Heavenly Star Alliance be completely solidified.
"Besides Starlight Academy, there are the Alchemist from the major Alchemy Pavilion in Star Luo Market."