As they stepped into Carter City, a wind carrying the mingled scents of everyday life and bitter cold rushed toward them.
The streets were broad and straight, their surfaces frozen iron-hard by a thousand years of cold, then worn smooth and gleaming beneath countless feet.
Buildings of bluestone and thick timber lined both sides. Their eaves hung low, their outer walls were sheathed in thick layers of insulating ice, and even their doors and windows were wrapped in dense animal hides.
People streamed past, most dressed in heavy fitted clothes with weapons at their waists. Their faces were rugged, their steps steady.
At a glance, Martial Artists of the Martial Deity Realm and Martial God Realm were everywhere. Even lower Sages like Li Yun were hardly rare.
Here, Martial Deities and Martial Gods—Martial Artists below the Sage level—really were ordinary citizens. Compared with Blue Star and the Purple Moon Continent, the entire Martial Dao dimension stood far more than a notch higher.
Xu An led Li Yun deeper into the city, quietly introducing their surroundings as they walked. His tone carried the caution of a Martial Artist from the bottom rung.
"Brother Lin, my home's in the Western City's Commoners' District. It's cramped and shabby, so please don't mind it."
Li Yun nodded faintly. "A place to stay is enough. I've never been particular about such things."
They had barely passed two intersections when a squad of city guards in Cold Iron armor approached head-on.
They marched in formation, their armor cold and their presence stern. One glance was enough to know they were best left alone.
The man at their head wore an arrogant expression and bore a scar across his face. His eyes swept over the passersby with overbearing contempt.
Xu An's expression changed. A hint of panic