Fengsui City

That night.

The convoy came to a halt once more.

After leaving Northern Prefecture and traveling without pause for several days, the horses were exhausted. Their hooves were planted firmly in the ground, and they resisted with all their might... no matter how the whip urged them on, they insisted on resting and refused to move forward.

"Have we... arrived?"

Shen Yan, her heart heavy with worries, reached out to lift the carriage curtain and looked outside. It was pitch-black.

"We're here!"

Deng Baiyi rose and pushed aside the curtain to leave the carriage. Exhaling a breath of pent-up gloom, she said gravely, "Fengsui City lies ahead!"

The convoy rested in place atop a small hill.

If one stood at the summit and looked into the distance, one would see it.

At the end of the long night, countless flames stretched in an unbroken mass, tearing through the darkness!

It was an enormous border wall lit by bonfires, yet it still appeared cold and forbidding, its end almost beyond sight. Northern Prefecture was desolate. After its primordial energy dried up, the Great Chu Dynasty recalled its Garrison Envoys. Countless civilians wished to head south, and their first choice was Azure Prefecture, which bordered Northern Prefecture.

Unfortunately, they could leave Northern Prefecture, but they could not enter Azure Prefecture.

Fengsui City was like a heavenly chasm.

Without a travel permit, they would certainly be barred outside!

"Can we... get in?"

Deng Chicheng asked quietly, his face full of concern.

Xie Xuanyi had draped a thin outer robe over his shoulders and stepped down from the carriage as well. Looking at the flames soaring into the sky in the distance, he said calmly, "The matter of travel permits isn't actually as troublesome as you think."

This pass barred ordinary mortals, not cultivators.

Even a Qi Refiner would not be stopped so long as they declared their identity...

Of course, any Qi Refiner seeking entry had to undergo Fengsui City's detailed inspection. Only after their identity was confirmed would they be allowed through.

Demon disasters were frequent in Northern Prefecture. As the "iron gate" of Great Chu's northern frontier, Fengsui City could never permit suspicious figures to pass freely.

Xie Xuanyi turned back and glanced at Jiang Huang, who was sleeping soundly in the carriage.

In his memory, the ordinary resident officials responsible for Fengsui City were roughly at the Qi Guiding Realm. So long as the inspection was routine, Jiang Huang would never be exposed.

Those with higher cultivation generally remained hidden in special residences within Fengsui City and rarely showed themselves in public...

Those above the Qi Guiding Realm naturally would not travel alongside ordinary mortals.

With a flying sword, they could cross several miles in the blink of an eye!

Though the Great Chu Dynasty had recalled its Garrison Envoys, important frontier posts like Fengsui City would still have immensely powerful high-realm cultivators secretly holding the fort. If high-realm cultivators passed through, it would be their turn to appear. Yet appearing was simple enough—most of the time, they merely exchanged a wisp of divine sense, offered a greeting, confirmed one another's identity, and let them pass.

"I've been to Fengsui City before."

"Later, take out the talismans you drew over the past few days. Prove that you're a Qi Refiner, and no one will make things difficult for you."

Xie Xuanyi gave Deng Baiyi a reminder, then came before the steed that refused to move. He personally tugged its reins, patted it expressionlessly, and said flatly, "Don't be afraid. It's safe."

The horse, which had refused to advance no matter what, trembled all over. It gave a mournful whinny, then obediently lowered its head and followed them onward.

The group arrived before Fengsui City.

Beneath the copper walls and iron ramparts, densely packed oil lamps burned, making the place seem like daylight for a moment. Beneath those iron walls, it was unexpectedly bustling.

They had encountered scarcely anyone along the road.

That was because the overwhelming majority of those seeking entry were stuck before Fengsui City's gates!

City guards clad in Great Chu's Bronze Scale Armor were examining travel permits one by one. Behind them, halberdiers stood with their long halberds layered across one another, guarding the gate. The frontier post was filled with pleading cries.

"My lord, my lord... I truly can't go on living. Please show mercy and let me enter Azure Prefecture to seek treatment!"

"My lord! I have elderly parents above me and young children below..."

"My lord! My lord!"

Many people had gathered beneath Fengsui City's high walls. Among them were elderly people whose clothes did not cover their bodies, and children with tangled, filthy hair.

The weather was far too cold.

Most of them were covered in frostbite. Some had broken legs, while others limped. From afar, they looked like patches of withered deadwood.

Xie Xuanyi watched the scene in silence.

He had indeed visited Fengsui City before, around ten years ago, but it had not been like this then.

Fengsui, Fengsui—bountiful harvests of rice, wheat ears gathered in abundance.

Back then, this was an important frontier post for trade between north and south. Many merchants passed through Fengsui City in carriages. Whenever documents were inspected one by one, laughter would always echo above the city gates.

But now, it had changed beyond recognition, like a living hell.

A faint scent of blood drifted through the air.

"Northern Prefecture suffered famine in recent years, along with demon disasters. Many people died."

Deng Baiyi's gaze was complicated, and she lowered her voice. "I heard that many people wanted to go south, but were stopped. Many corpses are buried beneath Fengsui City. They refused to leave, so they dug up earth beneath the walls to eat."

Digging up earth to eat—what were they eating?

The answer was self-evident.

The Deng Estate convoy was not particularly imposing, but it stood in stark contrast to the beggars gathered before Fengsui City.

Xie Xuanyi walked at the front, leading the horse by its reins.

From both sides of the road, many gazes fell upon them—

Countless refugees were skin and bones. Though they resembled withered husks, so starved that their chests clung to their backs, their eyes were incomparably vicious, like those of wild beasts.

For every yard the Deng Estate convoy advanced, their gazes followed for every yard.

The Deng Estate servants had long since drawn their weapons.

"If anyone approaches, strike immediately."

Even with Xie Xuanyi present, everyone remained tense.

Deng Baiyi, clutching talismans in her hand, was no exception.

These people... were desperadoes with nothing left to lose. No one wanted to clash with them.

"Miss Shen, have you thought it through?"

Xie Xuanyi was in no hurry at all, deliberately walking slowly.

There were simply too many refugees at Fengsui City, and Shen Yan had remained in the carriage without showing herself.

As for the Azure Origin Pills, she truly found it difficult to make a decision.

What worried her was this: if she agreed to Xie Zhen, then once Xu You returned the pills, she would have truly spent a favor. Would this old friend of her father still be willing to help the Shen Household revive Lingluo Mountain then?

She asked pitifully, "Young Master Xie is such a great benefactor. If I refuse, will I be thrown off the carriage?"

"A gentleman should know how to cherish the fairer sex."

Xie Xuanyi said, "Though I cannot be called a gentleman, I will not 'throw' you off the carriage either... But without compensation, I truly have no means to help with entering the pass. I can only ask Miss Shen to disembark and seek someone more capable."

"..."

The carriage immediately fell deathly silent.

Deng Baiyi struggled to suppress her laughter, and even the way she looked at Xie Xuanyi changed.

When Xie Xuanyi had pulled Shen Yan into the carriage, Deng Baiyi had been puzzled. She had wondered how this fellow could be so kindhearted. Earlier, she certainly had not thought him any great benefactor!

Now that he had escorted her to the Fengsui City frontier post, the map was finally unfolded and the dagger revealed.

At last, she had seen the scene she had been waiting for.

"Fine."

After a round of hesitation, Shen Yan's gritted voice came from inside the carriage. "If Young Master Xie has the ability to send me to Taian City, then I, Shen, will certainly obtain three Azure Origin Pills for you!"

"Not three."

Xie Xuanyi shook his head. "It's five now."

Shen Yan was dumbstruck. "???"

"I told Miss Shen long ago that this matter needed an early decision."

Xie Xuanyi said calmly, "The price now is no longer what it was before."

Shen Yan had never encountered someone so shameless.

She said angrily, "Xie Zhen, are you truly a gentleman? What if I agree, and you keep raising the price while sitting on the ground?"

"I already said I'm not."

Xie Xuanyi mocked himself. "You're right, but you have no choice. If you don't trust me, you may get out of the carriage now."

Shen Yan finally lowered her banner and beat her drum.

After a moment, a faint sigh came from the carriage. "Five, then five. I agree. More than that is impossible."

"Deal."

Xie Xuanyi said expressionlessly, "I guarantee that you will meet Taian City's Deputy City Lord, Xu You."

The transaction complete, Xie Xuanyi quickened his pace.

An invisible current of qi spread outward—

The refugee civilians wandering before Fengsui City's gates, who had silently encircled the convoy, all felt an indescribably powerful pressure!

An invisible domain seemed to spread from the white-clad youth leading the horse!

That aura filled them with fear!

Pair after pair of scarlet eyes dimmed, and they retreated once again.

The final stretch of road was utterly peaceful.

The towering iron walls of Fengsui Pass radiated waves of chill.

"Who goes there?"

A rough, majestic voice exploded from above.

Xie Xuanyi raised his head. His gaze passed over the two Bronze Scale Guards coming forward to inspect their identities and went directly toward the top of the wall.

At some point, a tall figure had appeared there. Both hands rested upon the stone wall holding beacon lamps. With only a slight lean forward, he exuded tremendous oppression.

The lamplight swayed in dazzling brilliance, yet it could not reveal the large figure's face.

"Resident Official, we are cultivators traveling south from Northern Prefecture."

Xie Xuanyi spoke politely, bowing slightly in salute.

The tall resident official propped himself on his elbows and studied Xie Xuanyi. Unable to sense primordial energy from him, he asked indifferently, "Quite the bearing. Only in the Qi Refining Realm?"

Xie Xuanyi smiled as well. "Realm isn't so important."

With a glance from him—

Deng Baiyi hurriedly handed over the talismans she had drawn.

Xie Xuanyi did not take them. Instead, he simply swept his sleeve.

Whoosh!

A fierce wind suddenly rose. The countless talismans Deng Baiyi had offered did not fall into Xie Xuanyi's hands. With that casual sweep of his sleeve, they instead rose into the wind!

Countless strands of heaven-and-earth primordial energy gathered before the city gate, carrying the dozens of talismans to the top of the wall. The tall resident official, his face concealed in the shadow of the lights, said nothing. He merely extended a broad arm, hooked his five fingers slightly as though scooping fish, and snatched a talisman from the storm.

He rubbed it between his fingers.

"Oh?"

The resident official's expression grew more solemn after receiving the talisman. "A Daoist One Qi Talisman... Are you people from the Daoist sect?"

The Daoist sect... Deng Baiyi, who had remained silent from beginning to end, blinked her beautiful eyes.

Though she had never asked about his identity.

In her heart, "Xie Zhen" ought to have been a cultivator from the Great Grain Sword Palace!

"Correct. This journey is to bring a disciple of the Daoist sect back to Central Province."

Xie Xuanyi did not deny it.

He swept his sleeve again. Countless streams of primordial energy carried the talismans back down. Aside from the one taken by the tall resident official, not a single talisman was missing. They all landed neatly stacked in Deng Baiyi's hands.

"Interesting. No Daoist cultivators have come here for a long time. You actually venture outside as well? It seems this young lady is a fine seedling."

The resident official chuckled teasingly. This laughter sounded entirely different from before, carrying three parts more goodwill.

"z."