He had guarded the city gate for thousands of years and had seen countless magical treasures, but even among the elders of the alliance, very few were willing to easily take out a mid-level Immortal Treasure.
Such a treasure is enough to allow him to advance his cultivation level further, and even break through his long-standing bottleneck to reach a higher realm!
Luo Chuan gently pushed the Flowing Cloud Fire-Repelling Pearl in front of the old man with a slight movement of his palm. His voice was calm and even, yet it carried an undeniable air of authority.
"Elder, you've worked hard guarding the gate. This little trinket is just a small token of my appreciation. Please accept it."
The old man subconsciously reached out his trembling hands and carefully took the Flowing Cloud Fire-Repelling Pearl.
The moment his fingertips touched the bead, a warm and mellow immortal power surged into his body, soothing his meridians that had been damaged over the years. His greed and excitement surged to their peak.
The old man gripped the Immortal Treasure tightly, as if he were holding the entire world in his hands. The dilemma on his face grew even more pronounced. On one side was the Azure Dragonzi's thunderous majesty, and on the other was a mid-level Immortal Treasure that could change his life. He found it difficult to choose between the two.
The old man gripped the fire-repelling pearl tightly, fine beads of cold sweat beading on his forehead. His gaze darted back and forth between Luo Chuan and the Immortal Treasure, and he said in a hoarse voice:
"Fellow Daoist... this gift is too generous, I really dare not accept it... but I really... really cannot disobey Azure Dragonzi's orders."
"If I let you in, and Lord Azure Dragonzi finds out, I will surely die, and my entire family will be executed."
Luo Chuan spoke calmly, his tone steady and firm. "Elder, please rest assured, what happened today is known only to you and me, and to heaven and earth."
"My companion and I entered the city solely to handle a private matter. We will not cause any trouble in the outer city, nor will we reveal that the elders allowed us entry. I will offer a generous reward upon completion of the task."
"If the elder remains hesitant, then I will have no choice but to seek another method. However, this opportunity, once missed, may never come again."
These words seem calm on the surface, but they actually conceal a sharp edge.
The old man felt a chill run down his spine; he knew that the young man before him, who possessed the Seven-Colored Token, had unfathomable cultivation.
If he really pushed the other party too far, given their strength, he wouldn't be able to stop them from forcibly entering the city. In that case, not only would he not get the Immortal Treasure, but he would also offend a terrifyingly powerful expert, and his fate would only be worse.
On one hand, there was certain death for disobeying orders; on the other, there was the promise of being given valuable treasures and being secretly allowed to pass. The pros and cons became clear in an instant.
The old man gritted his teeth; his greed ultimately overwhelmed his fear.
He quickly stored the Flowing Cloud Fire-Repelling Pearl in his storage ring, his eyes flickering. He glanced around to make sure no Alliance spies were watching, then lowered his voice and hurriedly said to Luo Chuan and Nado:
"So be it! Today, this old man will risk his life to disobey Lord Azure Dragonzi's order!"
"Follow me quickly and enter through the secret passage at the side gate. Do not linger in the outer city, and do not reveal your Seven-Colored Token to any of the Azure Dragonzi Prince's direct descendants. If it is exposed, even ten lives wouldn't be enough for me to die!"
Having said that, the old man no longer hesitated, turned and walked towards an inconspicuous hidden door beside the city gate. At the same time, he waved his hand to disperse the surrounding cultivators, and shouted sternly, "Disperse! Disperse! Anyone who makes a disturbance here will not be allowed to enter the city!"
Seeing that even Nado was allowed to enter the city, the crowd was filled with doubt and resentment, but dared not say anything and could only disperse dejectedly.
Nado followed behind Luo Chuan, his heart already churning with turmoil, his gaze towards Luo Chuan filled with awe and worship.
To everyone's surprise, a mid-grade Immortal Treasure actually made this ruthless, arrogant old gatekeeper relent, further strengthening his confidence in Luo Chuan's abilities and strength.
Luo Chuan remained calm as he followed the old man into the hidden door.
This secret passage is narrow and hidden, surrounded by restrictions that conceal its presence. It winds and twists, leading directly into the outer city.
The old man remained silent the whole way, looking tense, clearly still worried about being exposed.
After walking for about half an incense stick's time, a glimmer of light finally appeared ahead.
The old man stopped and reminded him again, "Beyond this gate lies the western district of the outer city, a place where all sorts of people mingle, making it easy to conceal your whereabouts."
"Remember, never provoke the Azure Dragon Sacred Sect, and never mention your origins. This is all I can do."
Luo Chuan nodded slightly and said calmly, "Thank you, Elder. I will remember your kindness today."
The old man waved his hand, not daring to linger, and hurriedly turned to leave, as if staying even a moment longer would increase the danger.
The moment Luo Chuan and Nado stepped out of the secret passage and into the outer city of Heavenly Pivot Star, a spiritual energy dozens of times denser than that in the star field rushed towards them.
The area was surrounded by towering buildings and towering immortal mountains. The cultivators who came and went all possessed powerful auras, and spirit boats shuttled back and forth, accompanied by celestial music, creating a magnificent and prosperous scene.
Nado trembled with excitement. After a century of waiting and enduring countless humiliations, he had finally stepped into the place he had always dreamed of.
Luo Chuan stood on the bustling street, his eyes beneath the mask as cold as knives, gazing into the far reaches of the center of Tianwai City.
Most of the cultivators here are at the Ascendant Realm realm. Because they are native cultivators, even the lowest-ranking mortals consider themselves extraordinary.
"This is the outer city, but the inner city is heavily guarded, and it's rare to get inside. We can only wait in the outer city for now."
Luo Chuan was not in a hurry. After all, he was only at the First Decay of Heaven and Man realm. Even with the Ancient God Body and the Nine-Colored Ultimate Realm, he could not cause trouble for cultivators of the same level.
If one were to encounter a powerful expert who has reached the third step of cultivation, the Heavenly Human Realm would have virtually no chance of winning.
"Let's find a place to observe first." Luo Chuan glanced in the distance, and as his divine sense spread, he could also sense a special aura a hundred miles away.
Nado did not refuse and followed Luo Chuan straight towards the restaurant in the distance. As for whether they could enter the inner city, that would depend on the abilities of the Luo Chuan brothers.
Inside the inner city of Heavenly Pivot Star, in a magnificent room.
Looking at Liu Mei, who was already able to walk, True Person Huanglong nodded and said, "It seems she has recovered quite well. It won't be long before she can use her cultivation."
Liu Mei bowed respectfully towards True Person Huanglong, saying, "Thank you for saving my life, senior. I will remember this forever and will certainly repay your kindness in the future..."
True Person Huanglong interrupted Liu Mei directly, calmly saying, "You and I were originally disciples of the Hengyue Sect, and in addition, we are disciples of your Patriarch Luo Chuan. My actions are only justifiable."
"However... Long Panzi will definitely not let this go in three years. I still need to think of a countermeasure, otherwise even I will not be able to withstand Long Panzi's attack."