Jade Spring Town

Qi Refining cultivators, burdened by the turbid weight of mortal flesh, still cultivated true essence in gaseous form when absorbing spiritual qi, and could convert only a small amount into spiritual power.

To soar from the ground, they mostly relied on flying artifacts, flight techniques, or raised low-tier flying demonic beasts.

Flying shuttles and paper kites, for instance, were relatively common flying artifacts.

The paper kite flew swiftly, and they encountered no mishaps along the way—no blind-eyed demonic beasts, for instance. Jade Spring Town, a hundred li away, was reached in less than half an hour.

"Cousin, so this is Jade Spring Town where you lived as a child. It looks pretty good!" Chen Minglang said in surprise.

Chen Heng nodded slightly without saying much, though memories of Jade Spring Town's origins surfaced in his mind.

The site selection and layout of Jade Spring Town dated back several centuries, when Heavenly Thunder Venerable Chen Xiaoting, then at the Violet Palace realm, returned to Jade Spring Mountain from the Azure Profound Sect.

He saw that most of the Chen Household's mortal population was gathered in villages at the foot of Jade Spring Mountain, scattered and dispersed everywhere.

It was exceedingly inconvenient to manage them as a whole, and the mingling of immortals and mortals brought many inconveniences as well.

After weighing the matter, the Chen Household chose to establish a town in this flat valley a hundred li away.

With a Violet Palace Venerable overseeing it, the town's construction naturally could not have been poor.

Since this place was close to Jade Spring Mountain, and the Chen Household's Monster Slaying Squad regularly patrolled the area, while the garrison commanders, constables, and other personnel managing the town were basically all low-level Qi Refining cultivators from the Chen Household—

Should a demon attack or evil cultivators appear, they would sound the alarm and wait for cultivators from the mountain to come to their aid.

Jade Spring Town had always rarely seen incidents of demonic beasts attacking people or evil cultivators harming others. It was a peaceful and harmonious land of paradise.

At this moment.

Chen Heng's group was high in the air, looking down from above, with the entirety of Jade Spring Town spread before their eyes.

The Spirit Testing Platform stood in the central square of the town.

Chen Xingmo immediately controlled the paper kite, flying directly into the town and landing before a manor in the central square.

It was the Garrison Mansion of Jade Spring Town.

The current garrison commander governing Jade Spring Town—Chen Xingcheng, an elder around sixty years old who was only at the third layer of Qi Refining—had already brought quite a few low-level cultivators to await them before the mansion.

Before the paper kite had even landed, he had already led everyone in bowing and called out, "Greetings, my lords!"

Though Chen Xingcheng was also from the direct line and was older and of higher seniority, his cultivation was weak, so he did not dare put on any airs.

Any cultivator who had stepped onto the path of cultivation understood one principle: strength determined status.

And why had he ended up in a mortal place like Jade Spring Town? Was it not because he no longer had any close relatives in the direct line on the mountain, and had thus fallen to this state?

Fortunately, over the years he had taken in many wives and concubines and fathered quite a few children. He hoped one of them would possess at least a mid-grade spiritual root.

Then, with the father rising on the son's success, he could return to Jade Spring Mountain.

Chen Xingmo said calmly, "Cousin Xingcheng, you are too courteous. Have the children of suitable age from every village all gathered in town?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Xingcheng answered carefully, "Reporting to Elder, aside from the children from the two farthest villages, who are still on the road, the children from the other villages have already gathered at the designated inn."

"How much longer until they arrive?"

"Approximately another one or two days' journey."

Chen Xingmo turned back to glance at Chen Heng, then instructed, "In that case, we shall conduct the spirit testing and grade assessment together three days from now. Go make the preparations."

After Garrison Commander Chen Xingcheng accepted the order, he led everyone away.

Though he greatly wished to exchange a few more pleasantries, he also understood that too much was as bad as too little.

Right now, the most important thing was to complete his task properly and ensure nothing went wrong.

After everyone had left, Chen Xingmo said to the others, "There is still plenty of time. Let us enter the mansion first and find rooms to settle in. Mingjing, Minglang, if you two wish to take a stroll nearby."

"Why not trouble nephew Ming Heng to take you around and let you experience the customs and sights of a mortal town?"

Chen Heng frowned slightly at this. "When I was seven, I was found to possess a fifth-grade Water-Fire Spiritual Root and moved to the foot of Jade Spring Mountain. I am not particularly familiar with Jade Spring Town either."

"I fear I may disappoint my younger cousin and cousin sister."

At this moment, the short elder Chen Xingyi said with a chuckle, "Even if you took Minglang to the place where you relieved yourself as a child, he would still happily follow you there."

"Hey, Uncle Xingyi, can't you be a little more proper?"

Before Chen Minglang could reply, Chen Mingjing, who had remained quiet throughout the journey, spoke up to rebuke him instead.

"You youngsters go have fun. We will enter the mansion and rest," the tall elder Chen Xingyong said gently, his gaze toward the two filled with affection.

The two were presumably juniors very close to him.

After the three elders entered the mansion, Chen Minglang immediately moved close to Chen Heng and said with slight excitement, "Cousin, just take us around for a look."

"It is my first time coming down the mountain."

Beside them, Chen Mingjing raised a hand to cover her forehead and face, shaking her head as though she did not wish to acknowledge him.

Among cultivators, there were few whose mortal hearts remained as heavy as Chen Minglang's. It truly was uncommon.

After pondering for a moment, Chen Heng recalled a place he had often visited as a child, one well worth seeing.

He then said blandly, "There really is a place in town with a somewhat marvelous quality."

At those words, Chen Minglang's eyes immediately lit up. He hurriedly asked, "Cousin, what place is it? Tell me first."

Chen Heng merely smiled, pretending not to hear, then turned and walked ahead to lead the way.

Though he had been away for more than ten years, Jade Spring Town had not changed much.

Following streets from his childhood memories, Chen Heng led Chen Minglang and Chen Mingjing through the familiar lanes and alleys of Jade Spring Town. After all, he had often played in that area as a child.

His curiosity aroused, Chen Minglang naturally followed close behind, never more than a step away.

Chen Mingjing, meanwhile, maintained an even pace behind the two.

Her expression remained calm, neither sorrowful nor joyful.

Thus.

The three of them began wandering through streets and alleys.

Jade Spring Town had always been prosperous and peaceful. Shops of every kind lined both sides of the streets, and quite a few peddlers even wandered through the lanes.

All manner of cries and hawking calls rang out without end.

The vibrant warmth of mortal life rushed over them, utterly different from the quiet cultivation grounds upon the mountain.

Chen Minglang watched with great interest, looking around in every direction and occasionally asking about the various novel trinkets at roadside stalls, brimming with enthusiasm.

Chen Mingjing, however, still retained that same calmness. Her steps were unhurried, her gaze tranquil, as though the bustle before her had not truly stirred her heart.

She merely quietly observed this world so utterly different from her identity as a cultivator.

Yet before long, merely looking was no longer enough for Chen Minglang.

He even bought quite a few mortal snacks and ate them with great relish.

One had to know that mortal food contained great amounts of turbid qi. If cultivators ate too much of it, it would affect the efficiency with which they absorbed spiritual qi and converted it into true essence, thereby affecting their cultivation.

Most cultivators generally did not casually eat or drink mortal food.

But Chen Minglang acted without restraint and paid no heed to this, preferring to satisfy his appetite first.

He even generously invited Chen Heng and Chen Mingjing to taste some with him.

But Chen Mingjing, who had originally carried herself with dignity, rarely darkened her face at the sight and righteously refused.

She was someone wholeheartedly devoted to the Dao.

Chen Heng gave a soft laugh and accepted the skewer of candied hawthorn Chen Minglang offered him. He was not so strict about such things.