Tianfeng City and the Azure Cloud Token

Tianfeng City.

Within a radius of three thousand li, it was the largest cultivation city.

Its scale was more than ten times larger than Qingyang City.

The towering city walls, built from a type of unknown black giant stone, were carved with profound runes on their surface. They shimmered with a faint spiritual light under the sun, clearly forming a massive defensive formation.

At the city gate, the crowd was as dense as weaving, and traffic was heavy.

There were young masters from noble families, dressed in luxurious robes and riding ornate carriages pulled by demonic beasts.

There were rogue cultivators with imposing auras, carrying giant swords on their backs.

And there were mortal merchants pushing carts, selling all sorts of trinkets.

Cultivators and mortals, here, formed a peculiar harmony.

Chen Chen stood amidst the crowd, gazing up at the magnificent city, and couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.

This, this was the true cultivation world.

Compared to this, Qingyang City was merely a remote little village.

He adjusted his bamboo hat and, following the flow of people, walked through the city gate.

Entering the city required a payment of one low-grade spirit stone.

For ordinary rogue cultivators, this was a considerable expense.

But for Chen Chen, who was now wealthy, it was but a drop in the ocean.

He paid the spirit stone and successfully entered Tianfeng City.

The scene within the city was even more prosperous than outside.

The wide streets were paved with smooth bluestone slabs, wide enough for ten carriages to travel side by side.

On both sides of the street were countless shops, restaurants, and elixirs pharmacies. Every building was elaborately carved and painted, exuding grandeur.

The air itself was filled with a faint spiritual energy.

Chen Chen had no mind to admire these sights.

He had only one purpose for this trip.

--The Azure Cloud Sect.

Wang Teng!

According to the information he had obtained earlier, the Azure Cloud Sect's triennial grand ceremony for accepting disciples would take place in one month, and the location was here in Tianfeng City.

What he had to do was, within this month, find a way to infiltrate the Azure Cloud Sect.

Then, find Wang Teng and erase him, along with the entire Wang Family behind him, from this world!

However, the Azure Cloud Sect was the foremost sect within a three-thousand-li radius, with strict rules and countless experts.

How could it be easy to infiltrate?

He needed intelligence.

The most detailed intelligence about the Azure Cloud Sect.

Chen Chen found an inconspicuous inn to stay in, and then headed to Tianfeng City's largest intelligence trading center—Sky Listening Pavilion.

Sky Listening Pavilion, as the name suggested, could hear all matters under heaven.

It was said that as long as you could afford the price, there was no information they couldn't uncover.

As Chen Chen entered Sky Listening Pavilion, a young man dressed as a servant in a green robe immediately came forward.

"Guest, are you here to buy information or sell it?"

"Buy information."

"May I ask what kind of information you wish to purchase? People, sects, ruins, or treasures?"

"Sects," Chen Chen said calmly. "Regarding the Azure Cloud Sect, the more detailed, the better."

A professional smile appeared on the face of the young man in the green robe. "Guest, we have a lot of information about the Azure Cloud Sect. May I know what specific aspect you wish to understand? Is it the sect's history, its internal structure, or perhaps... the upcoming disciple recruitment ceremony?"

"The disciple recruitment ceremony."

"Certainly." The young man in the green robe nodded. "Public information regarding the Azure Cloud Sect's disciple recruitment ceremony costs ten low-grade spirit stones. If you wish to know some internal information, such as the assessment content, the preferences of the presiding elders, etc., the price will be calculated separately."

"I want it all," Chen Chen stated concisely.

"Certainly!" The young man's eyes lit up, and his smile became even more enthusiastic. "Guest, please proceed to the private room on the second floor. We have a dedicated steward to serve you."

Chen Chen followed the young man to a private room on the second floor.

Soon, a middle-aged man in a black robe with a chilling aura walked in.

His cultivation level was, in fact, Qi Condensation Fifth Layer!

"This guest must be the esteemed client who requires information on the Azure Cloud Sect, correct?" the black-robed steward said directly.

Chen Chen nodded.

"Public information costs ten Spirit Stones. Inside information varies from one hundred to one thousand Spirit Stones, depending on its value. May I ask, esteemed guest, how 'internal' do you need the information to be?" the black-robed attendant's voice probed.

Chen Chen remained silent, merely flicking his finger.

A Storage Bag containing one hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones landed on the table.

"Let's start with an appetizer. I want to see the quality of your Sky Listening Pavilion's information."

A glint flashed in the black-robed attendant's eyes. He picked up the Storage Bag, scanned it with his divine sense, and a satisfied smile spread across his face.

"You're a generous patron!"

He took out a jade slip from his robes and handed it over.

"This contains all the public information about the Azure Cloud Sect's disciple recruitment ceremony, as well as the backgrounds, personalities, and preferences of the three main examiners, along with an analysis of the assessment content from previous years. The value is one hundred Spirit Stones."

Chen Chen took the jade slip and sent his divine sense into it.

A massive amount of information instantly flooded his mind.

The Azure Cloud Sect's disciple recruitment ceremony was divided into three stages.

The first stage, the Path of Heart's Inquiry, tested a disciple's character and perseverance.

The second stage, the Cloud Ascending Ladder, tested a disciple's aptitude and potential.

The third stage, the Combat Assessment, truly tested a disciple's actual strength.

Only by passing all three stages could one become an outer disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect.

Becoming an inner disciple, however, was as difficult as ascending to heaven.

The jade slip also detailed the information on the three main examiners.

Elder Li Xuan, the Grand Elder, was rigid and valued rules above all else.

Elder Zhang Fan, the Second Elder, was easygoing and favored geniuses.

Elder Zhao Yue, the Third Elder, was a female Cultivator, meticulous, and detested those with poor conduct.

"This intelligence is indeed worth one hundred Spirit Stones," Chen Chen said calmly, putting away the jade slip.

"As long as the esteemed guest is satisfied," the black-robed attendant chuckled. "Do you require any deeper intelligence? For instance... methods to pass the assessment with one hundred percent certainty, or even to directly become an inner disciple?"

"Oh?" Chen Chen's interest was piqued. "Tell me more."

"There are only two ways to take a shortcut," the black-robed attendant said, holding up two fingers.

"First, exceptional talent, one in ten thousand. If you possess the legendary Heavenly Spirit Root, then not only inner disciples, but even direct disciples are a possibility."

Chen Chen inwardly shook his head. He knew he only had an ordinary Five Elements Mixed Spirit Root, so this path was not viable.

"And the second method?"

"The second method..." the black-robed attendant smiled, lowering his voice slightly, "is the Azure Cloud Token!"

"Azure Cloud Token?" Chen Chen raised an eyebrow.

"That's right," the black-robed attendant explained. "The Azure Cloud Token is a token of favor bestowed by the Azure Cloud Sect's higher-ups upon those who have made significant contributions to the sect, or to some close allies. Holders of this token can bypass the first two stages of the assessment and proceed directly to the third stage. Furthermore, they will receive special consideration during the third stage. As long as their performance isn't too poor, becoming an inner disciple is almost a certainty."

"Do you sell this Azure Cloud Token at your Sky Listening Pavilion?" Chen Chen asked.

The black-robed attendant gave a wry smile and shook his head. "Esteemed guest, you jest. How precious is the Azure Cloud Token? Each one has a unique mark and serial number, making them impossible to forge. Even with all the ability in the world, our Sky Listening Pavilion cannot obtain such an item."

He paused, then changed the subject. "However... while we don't have an Azure Cloud Token, we know who does possess one."

Chen Chen's eyes narrowed instantly.

"Who?"

"The Liang Family in Tianfeng City," the black-robed attendant slowly uttered the four words.

"The Liang Family is a local cultivation family in Tianfeng City with considerable ties to the Azure Cloud Sect. As far as we know, the head of the Liang Family, Liang Hu, possesses an Azure Cloud Token. It was a reward from the sect for a great contribution he made in his early years."

"He has always wanted his son, Liang Feng, to join the Azure Cloud Sect. Unfortunately, Liang Feng is a disappointing, spoiled brat with mediocre cultivation, utterly useless. Therefore, this Azure Cloud Token has remained unused."

"Are you suggesting I steal it?" Chen Chen's voice turned cold.

"Esteemed guest misunderstands," the black-robed attendant quickly waved his hands. "While the Liang Family cannot compare to the Azure Cloud Sect, they are deeply entrenched in Tianfeng City, with many experts. The family head, Liang Hu, is a peak Qi Condensation Ninth Layer cultivator. Attempting to steal it would be suicidal."

"However, we have also gathered another piece of information."

"Although the young master of the Liang Family, Liang Feng, is unlearned, he has a fatal weakness."

"--Gambling!"

"In the southern part of Tianfeng City, there is a casino called 'Immortal's Abode.' Liang Feng is a regular there, almost every night. Moreover, he is a terrible gambler and loses every time. A few days ago, he lost so badly that he pawned everything valuable he had and still owes the casino a large sum of Spirit Stones."

"We speculate that if he is pushed to desperation, he might... consider using that Azure Cloud Token."

The black-robed attendant stopped here, looking at Chen Chen with a half-smile.

The implication was clear.

Chen Chen's heart stirred.

Go to the casino and win the Azure Cloud Token from Liang Feng!

This is indeed a viable method!

"How much for this information?" Chen Chen asked.

"Five hundred low-grade spirit stones," the black-robed attendant said greedily.

Chen Chen didn't even frown. He directly tossed over a storage bag.

"Deal."

"You truly are a straightforward customer!" The black-robed attendant was overjoyed. He pocketed the storage bag and added, "Oh, right. I'll give you one more piece of information for free. The Immortal's Abode is backed by the City Lord's Mansion. Don't even think about causing trouble in there."

"I understand."

Chen Chen stood up and turned to leave the private room.

Watching his departing back, the smile on the black-robed attendant's face slowly faded, replaced by a deep gleam in his eyes.

He muttered to himself, "A cultivation base of Qi Condensation First Layer, yet such wealth and courage. And his soul power is even more bizarre and unfathomable... Just who is this kid?"

"It seems Tianfeng City is about to have some turbulence."