Qingxu City

Within the Qingxu Mountain range in western Chu, there stood a colossal city that pierced the heavens. Its walls rose dozens of zhang high, soaring into the clouds, built entirely from massive stones weighing thousands of jin each. The city gate was ten zhang wide, cast from a kind of black metal.

All manner of luxurious carriages passed in and out through the gate. Some gleamed with multicolored radiance and were clearly no ordinary goods. The creatures pulling them were plainly unlike mortal horses. They looked like horses, yet stood a full zhang tall, their bodies bulging with slabs of muscle. A single horn grew from each of their heads, and they pulled huge carriages with effortless ease.

Some people even rode directly out of the city on enormous tigers, except these tigers had two wings on their backs.

One young man took out a tiny palm-sized pouch as soon as he left the city gate, releasing a great bird with a wingspan of two or three zhang. The young man calmly sat on its back. With one beat of its wings, the bird flew dozens of zhang into the air.

Scene after scene left the four people standing by the gate dumbstruck, looking every bit like country bumpkins entering the city.

Their clothes were tattered, and their faces were grimy. The leader appeared to be only eighteen or nineteen, with an ordinary-looking face.

Though the other three were also dressed in rags, they carried themselves with a fierce, valiant air. A faint killing intent lingered about them, the sort of killing intent that could not be formed without slaughtering countless foes.

Yet before the leading youth, the three were exceedingly respectful and did not dare show the slightest offense. There was even a faint trace of worship in their eyes when they looked at him.

That youth was naturally Wang Hong. Since Huju City had dealt the Qin Army a crushing defeat three years ago, the Chu Army had won many battles. They had recovered the territory seized by the Qin Army, and the two sides had once again returned to their former border standoff.

Over those three years, Wang Hong had trained a group of elite soldiers and fierce generals. He had fought dozens of battles without a single defeat. He had once achieved a record of two thousand defeating ten thousand; he had even personally led a hundred guards into the midst of ten thousand troops and taken the enemy commander's head. At Horse Gorge, he ambushed fifty thousand Qin soldiers and captured their commanding general alive.

These great achievements one after another made him a rapidly rising new star in Chu's military.

His position had likewise risen with his accumulated military merits, until he became the Northern Expedition General commanding tens of thousands of troops.

With the aid of Dragon Tiger Elixirs and all sorts of medicinal meals, Wang Hong's cultivation had finally reached the very peak of the Xiantian Realm.

At that time, every meridian in Wang Hong's body flowed freely, and his five senses were razor-sharp. A casual strike carried several thousand jin of force. He had also cultivated the Six Harmonies Body Refinement Technique to the ninth layer. It could be said that Wang Hong now had no rival among martial artists.

Having witnessed Immortal Arts, his ambitions had long ceased to lie here. Mortal power, fame, fortune, and rank were no more than fighting for supremacy on a snail's horn to him.

What he yearned for was the immortals' power to fly through the skies and burrow through the earth—to roam the North Sea at dawn and Cangwu at dusk, to wander freely between heaven and earth, taking five hundred years as spring and five hundred years as autumn, while heaven and earth grew old but he did not.

Several months earlier, Wang Hong had submitted his resignation to the grand general, along with a two-hundred-year-old ginseng. The grand general happily accepted the ginseng, agreed at once, and promised to submit it to the imperial court and settle everything for him.

Before leaving, Wang Hong gathered Zhang Tiemao, Lu Jingou, and the others for a meal, giving each of them a bottle of White Jade Life-Extending Pills and a bottle of Dragon Tiger Elixirs.

These men had studied and fought alongside Wang Hong for years. After following him through campaigns all these years, they had all attained the rank of military captain.

Wang Hong hoped they would live better lives in the future.

Over the past few years, Wang Hong had trained a personal guard of one hundred men. He had poured no small amount of effort into nurturing them, and every one of them possessed Houtian Stage strength. When he left, ninety-seven of them had been willing to continue following him.

Fortunately, he had brought this unit along. Otherwise, Wang Hong might not have made it to Qingxu City alone.

The journey had truly been fraught with danger, a narrow escape from death after another. Qingxu Mountain was filled with perilous regions and an endless stream of fierce beasts.

Though they had taken the safest route, they had still fallen into danger several times. Once, they were surrounded by a pack of ferocious wolves, each possessing the strength of a Houtian Stage martial artist. The group had tangled with them for three days before carving out a bloody path.

It was said that Qingxu Mountain also contained demonic beasts even more formidable than fierce beasts. They could swallow clouds and spit mist, wielding spells that only immortals could handle.

Thus, after months of fighting and killing fierce beasts along the way, losing more than twenty men, they had finally reached Qingxu City.

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

Only when Wang Hong approached the gate did he see a notice posted there, roughly an entry guide for the city.

Its general contents were: Qingxu City welcomed anyone to enter. Those entering for the first time had to register for an entry token at the city gate. No one was permitted to fight within the city; violators would be severely punished by the city guards without mercy. Flying within the city was forbidden, except for those above the Golden Core Stage.

Wang Hong saw a table beside the city gate, with more than a dozen people lined up before it. An old man with a goatee sat behind the table.

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

While waiting, they saw a pale, thin youth following the crowd toward the city gate. But when he reached it, he seemed to hit an invisible wall. No matter how hard he strained, even turning red in the face, he could not advance a single step.

"Hahaha!"

The youth's actions drew booming laughter from those around him. At last, a kindhearted middle-aged man told him that he needed to register for entry. Without receiving an entry token, he could not enter.

The youth flushed crimson with embarrassment and hurried over to join the back of the line.

Soon, it was Wang Hong's turn. The goateed old man casually swept him with a glance. Yet that casual glance gave Wang Hong the feeling that he could not resist, that every inch of him had been seen through, even stirring an urge to fall to his knees in worship.

"Name?" the goateed old man asked blandly.

"Wang Hong," Wang Hong hurriedly answered.

The goateed old man wrote a few strokes in a booklet, then wrote Wang Hong's name on a wooden token and casually tossed it to him.

Wang Hong thanked him and caught the token. It was a palm-sized wooden plaque bearing his name. It felt heavy in his hand and was exceptionally hard; he had no idea what kind of wood it was made from. After putting it away, he headed toward the city gate.

Several dozen guards in black armor stood beside the gate, paying no attention to the people entering and leaving. Some were even resting with their eyes closed.

Straight ahead of the gate stretched a broad, straight street. People came and went along it, while towers and pavilions lined both sides, each one a shop.

Wang Hong felt that it resembled the mortal world somewhat, only far grander and more majestic. To his left stood a shop named Myriad Treasures Tower, over thirty zhang tall. Four women of breathtaking beauty stood at its entrance to welcome guests.

The shop selling clothing was called the Armor and Clothing Shop. The garments displayed inside all shone with treasure light, and armor was even sold there.

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

There were also restaurants, inns, medicine shops—the Elixir Pavilion—and everything else one could need.

Wang Hong strolled slowly down the street for some distance and discovered an enormous square. It was packed with a surging sea of people, noisy and crowded with all kinds of folk. In the center stood a giant sign bearing the words "Free Market," which glittered even in broad daylight.

The place was like a rural market fair, filled with all kinds of stalls. Wang Hong had not expected such a place to exist in an immortal city. The towering image of immortals in his heart instantly tumbled from its altar.

Without another thought, Wang Hong followed the crowd into the square. A place where so many people gathered and tongues wagged was best suited for quickly learning about the city.

"Hey! Demonic beast meat for sale! Freshly hunted golden-haired demonic ox meat!" A dark-faced man shouted with all his might. "Tier-one mid-grade golden-haired demonic ox meat! One hundred jin for just one Spirit Stone!"

As soon as Wang Hong approached, he heard the vigorous cries. A large pile of fresh red meat lay before the dark-faced man, while several people gathered around the stall, haggling over the price.