After leaving Qinglan City, Chen Qing headed all the way toward Lingxiao Giant City.
Several days later.
A majestic city appeared at the end of the horizon.
Its walls stood over twenty zhang high, built entirely from massive blocks of Blue Granite.
The walls stretched endlessly to either side, their limits beyond sight, like a blue dragon coiled upon the earth, dividing the vast plains from the rolling mountains behind it.
This was Lingxiao Giant City.
One of Yan Kingdom's eleven giant cities, the foundation of the Lingxiao Supreme Sect, and the absolute heart of the Eight Paths Region.
Before he had even drawn near, the carriages, horses, and pedestrians on the official road were already as dense as woven threads.
There were merchant caravans laden with goods, their escort banners flying, and martial wanderers in fine clothes atop spirited steeds, high-spirited and full of vigor.
A medley of accents mingled together as voices surged like a boiling cauldron.
A faint floral fragrance hung in the air.
The territory governed by the Lingxiao Supreme Sect had a mild, moist climate suited to growing flowers, and was particularly renowned for its spirit flowers and exotic herbs.
Even in winter, quite a few cold-resistant flowers remained in bloom.
Chen Qing followed the crowd forward at an unhurried pace.
He had changed into an indigo brocade robe embroidered with cloud patterns, draped a silver-gray fox-fur cloak over it, and hung an ornamental longsword at his waist, disguising himself as a young scion of a traveling aristocratic family. The Jingzhe Spear remained wrapped in coarse cloth and carried on his back, hidden among his luggage and entirely inconspicuous.
Looking up, he saw that the city gate was lofty and broad, its passageway deep. Above it were three ancient seal-script characters, carved with strokes like