First Arrival at Lingyun Sect

Lin Xuan raised his head and glanced at the precipitous Heavenly Pillar Peak. According to Li Hai, Lingyun Sect's mountain gate lay at the summit. Ordinary people naturally could not reach it, but it posed no difficulty for Lin Xuan.

True essence circulated within him as Lin Xuan unleashed the Wind Control Technique. Crossing cliffs and sheer precipices was as easy as walking on level ground, and he sped effortlessly toward the mountaintop.

Though immortal arts were wondrous, climbing five thousand meters still took some time. Along the way, Lin Xuan saw several figures flash past. Needless to say, they were cultivators who had come to attend the Treasure Trade Fair.

Lin Xuan did not approach them to strike up a conversation. Instead, he deliberately avoided them. He would not rashly befriend strangers—if he encountered someone with formidable magic power but a crooked heart, would he not simply be asking for trouble? His purpose here was to acquire cultivation techniques, not broaden his horizons. Better to avoid trouble than invite it.

Thus, a little less than half an hour later, Lin Xuan arrived at the peak. Yet layered mists blanketed everything before him, obstructing his vision until he could see nothing clearly.

Lin Xuan smiled faintly. Though he was merely a cultivator in the Spirit Movement Stage, he saw at a glance that this was the crudest Illusion Formation, one meant to confuse directions.

Strictly speaking, this sort of Illusion Formation did not even count as a Restriction. It was far too crude and low-level. Even a cultivator who had only mastered the first level of the Spirit Movement Stage could avoid its effects simply by channeling magic power into their eyes. Its purpose was primarily to block Mortals. Although Heavenly Pillar Peak was perilous, martial arts masters among Mortals could still possibly climb it if they prepared the proper tools. That was why this Illusion Formation had been set here, to distinguish ordinary people from cultivators.

Lin Xuan's cultivation had already reached the middle stage of the Spirit Movement Stage, so naturally it affected him even less. Spiritual power from his dantian flowed through his meridians into his eyes. At once, the illusory mist vanished, revealing a crude Teleportation Array before him.

It was called crude because this sort of Teleportation Array could only transport someone a very short distance. Yet it also had an advantage: it required little energy and consumed no Spirit Stones. One merely needed to inject spiritual power into the formation core.

Standing atop it, Lin Xuan stretched out his hand and poured magic power into it. Immediately, the patterns around the Teleportation Array lit up. The scenery blurred, and his vision turned into a vast expanse of white. When these strange phenomena faded, Lin Xuan had already arrived elsewhere.

It appeared to be within a small mountain hollow, though the area was exceedingly spacious. Lush green grass carpeted the ground, a hundred flowers bloomed, and the scenery was exceptionally beautiful.

"Fellow Daoist, are you here to attend the Treasure Trade Fair?"

A voice reached his ears. Lin Xuan turned and saw a young man receiving guests. Judging by his clothes, he ought to be a Lingyun Sect cultivator, but his expression was utterly dejected, and he looked listless from head to toe. It was no wonder. Forced to dissolve his sect and cripple his own cultivation, falling from a lofty cultivator to an ordinary person—no one could easily accept that. Yet there was no choice. It was the only path to survival.

This young cultivator could only force himself to keep his spirits up as he received outside guests. Once the Treasure Trade Fair ended, they would have to abolish their own cultivation.

Though it was phrased as a question, it was really pointless. Anyone who could arrive here was naturally a cultivator. The young man handed Lin Xuan a Jade Slip.

Lin Xuan was somewhat surprised, but when he saw that every cultivator nearby had received one, he accepted it without a word.

Arriving beneath a large tree, Lin Xuan looked around and, seeing no one nearby, circulated his magic power and injected his divine sense into it. Rows of text and images immediately entered his mind. What it contained was naturally not cultivation techniques, but an introduction to this Treasure Trading Assembly and several matters requiring attention.

Lin Xuan examined it and found several intermediate-grade cultivation techniques, just as expected. Unfortunately, the descriptions were not detailed. Still, it unquestionably included the Spirit Control Technique. Lin Xuan was overjoyed inside, yet his expression remained unchanged as he withdrew his divine sense.

Putting the Jade Slip into his robe, Lin Xuan headed deeper into the mountain hollow. First, following the requirements listed among the Jade Slip's precautions, he came to a cluster of buildings on the eastern side.

They were small pavilions, one after another. They had once been Lingyun Sect's Post House, but were now used to receive visiting cultivators. Anyone wishing to attend the Treasure Trade Fair had to register here first.

"Name, sect?"

"Zhao Gang, independent cultivator."

Lin Xuan was determined not to reveal his identity, so he reported a false name without the slightest hesitation. Naturally, the old man handling the registration did not verify it. He extended his hand, and a hazy white glow emerged from his fingers. Using magic power, he inscribed Zhao Gang on the front of a waist token and the character for independent on its back.

"Very well. This is your token of identification during the trade fair. Keep it safe."

Though the old man had merely displayed a simple trick, his cultivation left Lin Xuan astonished. He was actually in the Foundation Establishment Early Stage. Yet like the disciple distributing the Jade Slips, the old man's eyes were lifeless. Once the trade fair ended, he would have to cripple his cultivation and become a Mortal.

A Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator was already so formidable, and Lingyun Sect had more than a dozen of them, yet it had still been forced to disband. Just how powerful were cultivators of the Core Condensation Realm? Lin Xuan's heart brimmed with curiosity. Although the master of Floating Cloud Valley was in the Core Condensation Realm, as a low-level disciple, Lin Xuan had only seen Master Yunhe once from afar when he first entered the valley. Master Yunhe normally remained in secluded cultivation, and even if he emerged, Lin Xuan was not qualified to see him again.

A hint of emotion stirred in his heart, but his face wore an unconcerned expression. Lin Xuan accepted the waist token and first went to inspect his room. It was not luxurious, but it was spacious and comfortable. Better still, a layer of Restriction surrounded the room, one that could only be broken with the identity token. This allowed cultivators not only to sleep and rest, but also to cultivate within without a care.

After looking over the room, Lin Xuan pulled over a meditation cushion and sat cross-legged on the floor. He was not cultivating, but restoring his strength. Though he had not hurried much during the past two days of travel, repeatedly using the Wind Control Technique had still consumed a considerable amount of spiritual power.

After meditating for roughly two hours, the spiritual power within him had been fully replenished. Lin Xuan then went to sleep on the bed. The Treasure Trade Fair was still some time away, so he would first restore his body to its peak condition. Besides, it was evening now; at most, he was merely going to bed a little early.