From high above the Great Dry Imperial Dynasty, a grand canal could be seen stretching from south to north, winding across the earth like a giant dragon.
This grand canal was called the Ningjiang Grand Canal. Its northern end connected to the imperial capital, while its southern starting point lay in Hengshan City, the capital of Hengshan Dao.
Thanks to its favorable location, Hengshan City thrived as a center of trade and commerce, with a population of ten million. The Kunlun Divine Palace, which controlled the city, was one of the wealthier great powers among the Nine Daos of the realm.
Hengshan City was vast beyond measure, and a mountain range lay enclosed within its northern side.
The mountain range was lush and green, with countless palaces nestled among its peaks. This was the seat of the Kunlun Divine Palace. It was a mountain within the city, said to have been seized from ten thousand miles away by the palace's second-generation founder and brought here.
Buzz, buzz, buzz!
At that moment, ten miles outside Hengshan City, beside an official road—
Space suddenly twisted, and streaks of blue light burst forth, crisscrossing until they outlined an enormous expanse of azure radiance.
Clang!
The gate shuddered, then slowly opened a crack. A group of people emerged from within, led by Jiang Yan and accompanied by the others from Huoyan Valley.
"Is this the territory of Hengshan City? As expected, it's a place that breeds outstanding people."
Standing on the official road, Jiang Yan gazed toward the city in the distance. A hazy gray line filled his view, stretching for who knew how many miles in either direction. It was the city wall of Hengshan City.
With a brief sweep of his senses, he detected countless pillars of blood-and-qi smoke rising inside the