Qingxu City

Deep within the Qingxu Mountain range in the western part of Chu State, stood a colossal city that pierced the heavens. Its walls, tens of feet high, soared into the clouds, constructed entirely from massive stones weighing thousands of pounds. The city gates were a hundred feet wide, forged from a black metal.

Luxurious vehicles of all kinds entered and exited the city gates. Some vehicles emitted colorful divine light, clearly not ordinary items. The creatures pulling these carriages were also evidently different from the horses of the mortal world. They resembled horses, but stood ten feet tall, their bodies bulging with muscles. A single horn grew from their heads, and they pulled large carriages with ease, showing no signs of strain.

There were also people riding directly on large tigers, though these tigers had wings on their backs.

Another young man, upon exiting the city gates, took out a palm-sized pocket. From it, he released a large bird with a wingspan of twenty to thirty feet. The young man calmly sat on the bird's back, and with a flap of its wings, the bird soared dozens of feet into the air.

These scenes left the four people standing by the city gates dumbfounded, looking like country bumpkins entering a city.

These four individuals wore tattered clothes and had disheveled hair. The one leading them appeared to be only eighteen or nineteen years old, with an ordinary appearance.

Although the other three were also in ragged clothing, their expressions were fierce, and a faint aura of killing intent emanated from them. Such an aura could only be forged through countless battles.

However, these three showed great respect towards the young leader, daring not to offend him in the slightest. Their gazes towards the young man held a hint of admiration.

This young man was naturally Wang Hong. Since the great defeat of the Qin Army at Huju City three years ago, the Chu Army had won many victories. They had recaptured lost territories occupied by the Qin Army, and the two sides returned to their original border standoff.

Over these three years, Wang Hong had trained a group of elite soldiers and generals. He had fought in dozens of battles and never lost. He had once achieved a record of defeating ten thousand with two thousand men; he had even personally led a hundred personal guards into the enemy's ranks to take the enemy general's head. In Zouma Gorge, he ambushed fifty thousand Qin troops and captured their commanding general alive.

These great achievements had made him a rapidly rising star in the Chu State military.

His position had also risen due to accumulated military merits, to the rank of General who Conquers the North, commanding tens of thousands of troops.

With the help of the Dragon Tiger Elixir and various medicinal cuisines, Wang Hong's cultivation had finally reached the peak of the Xiantian Realm.

At this moment, Wang Hong's meridians were all clear, his five senses were sharp, and a casual strike from him carried thousands of pounds of force. The Six Harmonies Body Refinement Technique had also been cultivated to the ninth level. It could be said that Wang Hong was now unrivaled among martial artists.

Having witnessed immortal arts, his ambitions no longer lay in this mortal realm. The power, fame, and fortune of the mortal world were merely struggles on the tip of a snail's horn to him.

He yearned more for the immortals' ability to fly through the heavens and burrow through the earth, to roam the northern seas in the morning and the southern mountains in the evening, enjoying freedom between heaven and earth, living five hundred years as spring and five hundred years as autumn, growing old with the heavens and earth, yet remaining ageless.

Several months ago, Wang Hong submitted his resignation to the Grand General, along with a two-hundred-year-old ginseng. The Grand General, accepting the ginseng with a smile, agreed to help him submit his request to the imperial court and handle everything for him.

Before leaving, he invited Zhang Tiemao, Lu Jingou, and others for a meal. He also gave each of them a bottle of White Jade Life-Extending Pill and a bottle of Dragon Tiger Elixir.

These individuals had studied and fought alongside Wang Hong for several years. Following Wang Hong in battles over the years, they now held the rank of Captain.

Wang Hong hoped they would live well in the future.

Over the past few years, Wang Hong had trained a personal guard of a hundred men. He had invested considerable effort in cultivating these hundred men, all of whom possessed Houtian Stage strength. Upon his departure, ninety-seven of them were willing to continue following him.

It was fortunate that he brought this team with him; otherwise, Wang Hong alone might not have been able to reach Qingxu City.

The journey had been fraught with peril, a near-death experience at every turn. Qingxu Mountain was filled with various dangerous terrains and an endless stream of fierce beasts.

Even though they took the safest route, they had been in perilous situations several times. Once, they were surrounded by a pack of fierce wolves, each with the strength of a Houtian Stage martial artist. The team fought them for three days before carving a bloody path out.

It was rumored that within the Qingxu Mountain range, there were even more formidable Demonic Beasts than fierce beasts, capable of swallowing clouds and spitting mist, and wielding magical arts. These were beings that only immortals could deal with.

Thus, fighting and killing fierce beasts along the way, they endured several months, losing over twenty men, before finally reaching Qingxu City.

Wang Hong looked around and said, "The four of us will enter the city first to gather some information, then we'll meet back here."

As Wang Hong approached the city gates, he noticed a notice, which seemed to be an entry guide.

The general content was: Qingxu City welcomes everyone. First-time entrants must register for an entry token at the city gates. No one is allowed to engage in magical combat (fighting or brawling) within the city. Violators will be severely punished by the city guards. Flying is prohibited within the city, except for those at the Golden Core Stage and above.

Wang Hong saw a table set up next to the city gates, with over a dozen people queuing in front of it. An old man with a goatee sat behind the table.

Seeing this, Wang Hong and the other three joined the queue.

While queuing, they saw a thin, pale young man walking towards the city gates with the crowd. However, upon reaching the city entrance, he was blocked by what seemed like an invisible wall. Despite exerting all his strength, his face turning red, he couldn't advance even half a step.

"Hahaha!"

The young man's actions caused the surrounding people to burst into laughter. Finally, a kind-hearted middle-aged man told him that he needed to register for an entry token and could not enter without one.

The young man's face turned crimson with embarrassment, and he quickly went to the back of the queue.

Soon, it was Wang Hong's turn. The goatee-wearing old man casually glanced at him. Yet, that casual glance made Wang Hong feel an irresistible force, as if he had been seen through completely, even evoking an urge to prostrate himself.

"Name?" the goatee-wearing old man asked indifferently.

"Wang Hong," Wang Hong replied hastily.

The goatee-wearing old man scribbled a few words in a book and then wrote Wang Hong's name on a wooden plaque, tossing it casually to Wang Hong.

Wang Hong thanked him and took the wooden plaque. It was a palm-sized wooden plaque with his name written on it. It felt heavy in his hand and was extremely hard, made from some unknown wood. After storing the plaque, he walked towards the city gates.

Dozens of guards in black armor stood by the city gates, seemingly oblivious to the people entering and exiting. Some were even meditating with their eyes closed.

Directly opposite the city gates was a straight street. People were coming and going on the street, with rows of buildings lining both sides, all of them shops.

Wang Hong felt it was somewhat similar to the secular world, only grander and more magnificent. To his left was a shop called Myriad Treasures Tower, which was over thirty feet tall. Four exceptionally beautiful women stood at the entrance as greeters.

The shop selling clothes was called the Armor and Clothing Shop. The clothes displayed inside emitted a treasure-like radiance, and there was even armor for sale inside.

There was also an Artifact Refining Pavilion. The main hall displayed weapons such as sabers, spears, swords, and shields. Wang Hong estimated it was probably similar to a blacksmith's shop.

There were also restaurants, inns, pharmacies (Elixir Pavilion), and everything else one could imagine.

Wang Hong walked slowly along the street for a distance and discovered a vast plaza. It was crowded with people, noisy, and filled with all sorts of individuals. In the center stood a huge sign with the words "Free Market" written on it, shining even in broad daylight.

It was like a rural market day, with countless stalls set up. Wang Hong hadn't expected to find such a place in this immortal city, and his image of immortals instantly fell from grace.

Without a second thought, Wang Hong joined the crowd. Such a place, with many people and diverse voices, was the best for quickly understanding the city.

"Hey! Selling Demonic Beast meat! Just hunted Golden-Haired Demonic Ox!" a dark-faced man shouted energetically. "Selling Grade 1 Mid-tier Golden-Haired Demonic Ox meat! One hundred catties for just one Spirit Stone!"

As soon as he approached, he heard the enthusiastic shouts. In front of the dark-faced man was a large pile of fresh red meat, and several people were gathered around the stall, haggling.