Yunmeng Mountain

Xu Lei's body went limp, and he collapsed to the ground, disbelief written across his face.

He had never imagined that he would die at Shen Long's hands.

Shen Long let out a long breath. He had little spiritual power left, but fortunately, he had eliminated Xu Lei.

The four Child Blades fell to the ground, their spiritual light dim.

He did not withdraw his defenses. Controlling the Azure Moon Shears, he severed Xu Lei's head.

The Iron Tail Scorpion drilled out of the ground, letting out an excited hiss. Its tail stinger swayed from side to side as it claimed credit from Shen Long.

Without the Iron Tail Scorpion, Shen Long would have been killed long ago.

"Let's leave first. I'll buy you Spirit Feeding Pills later."

He returned the Iron Tail Scorpion to the Spirit Beast Bag, searched the two corpses and found three Storage Bags, tucked them into his robe, then took out an Earth Escape Talisman and slapped it onto himself before escaping through the earth.

Qin Qing was still alive. Who knew whether he might be lying in ambush outside? Escaping through the earth was safer.

Shen Long planned to head for a large marketplace. He did not intend to return to Thousand Bamboo Valley.

In Thousand Bamboo Valley, the door of a stone house opened, and Qin Tianhe walked out, intending to go to the Martial Practice Garden to practice his spells.

Qin Qing came running toward him and said, "Come on, leave the marketplace with me immediately."

He had rushed back to the marketplace at top speed, intending to take Qin Tianhe away. They could not stay in the marketplace any longer.

He did not dare inform the Chen Clan, Han Clan, or Li Family. This involved the Spirit Control Token. What he received might not be a reward, but murder to silence him. With the strength of those three families, crushing a sixth-level Qi Refinement cultivator would be as easy as turning over a hand.

With three hundred Spirit Stones, they would have no problem moving elsewhere and starting a new life.

"Grandfather, what happened?"

Qin Tianhe asked in confusion.

"Nothing happened. Just come with me."

Without further explanation, Qin Qing took Qin Tianhe and left the marketplace.

Within a secluded estate stood pavilions and towers, with small bridges over flowing water.

A strikingly beautiful young woman in a golden dress and a tall, thin middle-aged man sat within a Cyan Stone Pavilion, discussing something. Li Ruxue stood nearby.

"The Disciple Recruitment Assembly is about to begin. I'll lead the team this time! I hope some of our clansmen can enter the Mystic Yang Sect."

The young woman in the golden dress spoke, her face full of yearning.

Li Yueyun, Foundation Establishment Early Stage.

"Ruxue and the others all meet the requirements for recruitment, but whether they can pass the assessment depends on their own abilities."

The middle-aged man said.

Li Yuefeng, Foundation Establishment Early Stage.

"Ruxue, go back and prepare. We leave tomorrow. Whether you can enter the Mystic Yang Sect depends on your own fortune."

Li Yueyun instructed.

"Yes, Ninth Aunt."

Li Ruxue agreed and turned to leave.

The Yunmeng Mountain Range stretched for a hundred thousand li, its mountains rising and falling in endless succession, ancient trees reaching toward the heavens.

On the outskirts of the Yunmeng Mountain Range stood a steep Heaven-Propping Giant Peak. The giant peak was a thousand zhang tall, and buildings covered the path from its foot to its summit. Many cultivators could be seen moving about.

At the foot of the mountain stood a Cyan Stone Stele more than ten zhang tall, engraved with the three golden characters, "Yunmeng Mountain." Under the sunlight, those three characters glittered brilliantly, exceptionally conspicuous.

A figure appeared in the distance and sped toward Yunmeng Mountain.

Before long, the figure stopped atop a low earthen slope, revealing an ordinary-looking blue-shirted man. It was Shen Long, his appearance altered.

He did not know whether Qin Qing would spread the news. After leaving the Thousand Bamboo Mountain Range, he had changed his appearance and finally arrived at Yunmeng Mountain. The Five Great Powers of the Qin Kingdom recruited new disciples here at Yunmeng Mountain.

Afraid of being recognized, Shen Long traveled by night and hid by day. It took him more than three years to reach Yunmeng Mountain.

There was still one year until the Immortal Ascension Assembly. Shen Long was still at the seventh level of Qi Refinement, but he possessed the Spirit Control Token. Joining the Spirit Control Sect should not be a problem.

The ground began to tremble slightly. Shen Long's heart jumped, and he turned to look into the distance. A group of cultivators rode Azure Horned Horses toward him. Each Azure Horned Horse had a cyan horn on its head and ran at astonishing speed.

A cultivator sat astride every Azure Horned Horse, and plum blossom patterns were embroidered on their sleeves, seemingly serving as a symbol.

"The Plum Blossom Valley Su Clan!"

Shen Long recognized the emblem. Travels of Master Azure Cloud had mentioned the Su Clan. The Su Clan was an affiliated cultivation lineage of the Purple Sky Sect, with Foundation Establishment Cultivators overseeing it and experts as plentiful as clouds.

The Su Clan cultivators paid Shen Long no attention and rode their spirit horses toward Yunmeng Mountain.

Cyan light flashed beneath Shen Long's feet. His figure blurred as he rushed toward Yunmeng Mountain.

Wind Control Technique at Great Perfection!

During these three years, Shen Long had lived without a fixed abode. Every day, he set aside three hours to practice spells, cultivating the Wind Control Technique to Great Perfection.

When he came within one li of Yunmeng Mountain, Shen Long felt his body suddenly grow sluggish, and his speed slowed.

Alarmed, he guessed it was the marketplace's restriction. He hurriedly stopped using the Wind Control Technique and walked toward Yunmeng Mountain.

The streets were broad and clean, with orderly shops lining both sides. Pedestrians flowed like a tide, and carriages and horses filled the roads.

"Come take a look! Newly arrived Spirit Wine from a century-old shop—reliable and trustworthy!"

"We've launched five new Spirit Meals, all at a ten percent discount! Don't miss out as you pass by!"

"Products from Weapon Forging Pavilion are guaranteed masterpieces! Fellow cultivators and seniors looking to purchase Dharma Artifacts, come take a look!"

Shop attendants from several stores stood at their entrances, shouting their throats raw to draw in customers.

Shen Long looked around curiously as he wandered through the streets. He saw many strange and novel things, but did not buy anything.

Half an hour later, Shen Long arrived before a nine-story Cyan Pavilion. Three golden characters were written upon its plaque: "Guest Arrival Inn."

He strode inside. The hall was spacious and brightly lit, furnished with many tables and stools. Behind a cyan counter sat a ruddy-faced green-robed elder.

A Green-Shirted Attendant hurried over and asked warmly, "Is Fellow Cultivator staying the night or having a meal?"

"I'd like to stay. How much does it cost?"

Shen Long asked.

"Two Spirit Stones per month. If you rent for a year, it'll be cheaper—twenty Spirit Stones."

The green-robed old man said.

"So expensive!"

Shen Long frowned.

Renting a place in Thousand Bamboo Valley for a year would not cost him this many Spirit Stones. A large marketplace truly was different; even the rent was this expensive.

"This is the cheapest option. There are more expensive ones."

The green-robed old man said.

Shen Long nodded and left. He visited several inns and found that their prices were about the same. The proprietor of Guest Arrival Inn had not deliberately raised the price.

He settled down at Gathering Immortals Inn and paid a year's rent.

The room was spacious and clean. It contained a cyan wooden bed, a cyan tea table, and several cyan wooden stools. In one corner was a cyan formation, with eight identical grooves upon it.

Shen Long closed the door, placed eight Spirit Stones into the grooves, then took out a square cyan token and poured spiritual power into it. A streak of cyan light flew from the token and sank into the formation.

A Cyan Light Screen appeared across the walls, and the surrounding noise vanished.

Shen Long lay down on the wooden bed and let out a long breath.

"I've finally reached Yunmeng Mountain."

Shen Long muttered to himself, his face full of delight.

He took out a Blue Storage Bag and gave it a downward shake. A swath of blue glow swept forth, and a large pile of items appeared on the ground.