Heading to

The day after leaving the Xuan Yuan Sect, the Flying Boat sliced through the clouds, speeding towards the northwest.

The Flying Boat was the Sect Master's vehicle, entirely crafted from Black Ironwood and inscribed with complex flight formations. Its speed was comparable to a Nascent Soul cultivator flying at full power.

The boat had three decks, and Qin Yuan and the others were arranged in private chambers on the second deck, one room per person.

Inside his chamber, Qin Yuan sat cross-legged.

Outside the Flying Boat, clouds and mist churned, while mountains and rivers rapidly receded below.

But he had no mind to admire the scenery; his heart and soul were completely immersed in cultivation.

A System panel floated in the depths of his consciousness:

[System of Gaining Forty Years of Cultivation Per Day]

[Current Level: 3 (0/10000)]

[Cultivation Storage: 0/200 years]

[Today's cultivation has not been extracted]

Ever since defeating Chu Wuyue to claim the top spot among True Disciples that day, Qin Yuan had not stopped cultivating.

Forty years of cultivation were extracted punctually every day. Combined with the dense Spiritual Energy of Blazing Peak, his cultivation was steadily solidifying at the peak of the Golden Core stage.

However, the bottleneck was becoming increasingly apparent.

The transition from Golden Core to Nascent Soul was the first true chasm on the path of cultivation.

If Foundation Establishment was "Qi turning into liquid," and Golden Core was "liquid solidifying into a core," then Nascent Soul was "core giving birth to spirit"—nurturing the nascent form of a primordial spirit within the Golden Core. From then on, the soul and Golden Core would merge, lifespan would extend to a thousand years, and one would truly step onto the path of eternal life.

This required not only the accumulation of Spiritual Energy but also comprehension of the Great Dao and a touch of the laws of heaven and earth.

Qin Yuan could feel that the Nine Revolutions Golden Core within him had reached perfection. His Spiritual Energy was as vast as the sea, and his Spiritual Sense was as profound as the abyss. Yet, the seed of "spirit" deep within his Golden Core refused to sprout.

"It seems advancing to Nascent Soul requires not only the passage of time but also opportune moments," Qin Yuan opened his eyes and murmured softly.

But he was not impatient.

Forty years a day, two hundred years in five days. Time was the one thing he had in abundance.

Moreover, although the cultivation extracted these past few days had not broken through the bottleneck, it had made his foundation even more solid.

The Nine Revolutions Golden Core had become more condensed, his Spiritual Energy circulated more smoothly, and his perception of the Spiritual Energy of heaven and earth had become more acute.

He had even vaguely touched upon some deeper things—such as the essence of Spiritual Energy, and the meridians of laws.

These insights would all become capital for his future attempt to break through to Nascent Soul.

The Flying Boat flew for four consecutive days.

On the evening of the fourth day, the silhouette of a city appeared on the horizon ahead.

It was a city with a peculiar style.

The city walls were entirely black, built from some unknown stone, and covered with dark red patterns that resembled dried bloodstains.

The walls were about thirty feet high, with no city gates, only a distorted curtain of light serving as the entrance.

The entire city was shrouded in a layer of gray mist, making it impossible to see its interior clearly. Only the shadows of some pointed buildings could be vaguely discerned.

"We've arrived," Sect Master Lu Xuanfeng's voice echoed. "The City of Gloom."

The Flying Boat landed three miles outside the city.

The five of them disembarked and looked up, all feeling a cold and eerie aura emanating from the city.

"The City of Gloom is a neutral territory established by the Old Man of Gloom," Lu Xuanfeng explained as they walked. "This senior's cultivation is unfathomable; it's said he has already reached the Deity Transformation Stage. He has laid down a rule: fighting is forbidden within the city. Those who violate it will be killed without mercy."

Deity Transformation Stage!

The five were inwardly shaken.

In the Xuan Yuan Sect, Nascent Soul was already a legend. Deity Transformation was something they dared not even imagine.

"The entrance to the Ancient Battlefield is within the City of Gloom," Lu Xuanfeng continued. "Every ten years, the battlefield opens for three months. During this period, disciples from various sects can enter to seek treasures and gain experience, but it is fraught with danger. Remember to be careful once you enter."

As he spoke, they had already reached the curtain of light beneath the city walls.

The curtain of light rippled like water. Through it, they could see the city's interior—wide streets, numerous buildings, and people coming and going. It was, in fact, a rather prosperous city.

Lu Xuanfeng took out a black token and waved it at the curtain of light. The light split open, and the group entered in single file.

The moment they stepped into the city, Qin Yuan felt as if he had passed through a layer of icy water, his body temperature dropping sharply. The air inside the city carried a faint smell of decay and blood, completely different from the outside.

On both sides of the street were various shops selling all sorts of strange items: demonic beast materials, broken magic artifacts, bizarre talismans, and even "live creatures" in cages—those things had strange shapes, some resembling humans yet like beasts, others were simply wriggling black shadows.

Most of the pedestrians wore black robes, their faces hidden within hoods, walking with hurried steps. Occasionally, gazes would sweep over Qin Yuan and the others, filled with scrutiny and wariness.

"It's the period when the Ancient Battlefield opens recently, so there are many people in the city," Lu Xuanfeng said in a low voice. "Stay close to me and don't look around randomly."

As he spoke, a commotion suddenly erupted from the street ahead.

A group of people had gathered in front of a three-story building. A plaque hung at the entrance: "Netherworld Auction House."

"There's an auction today!"

"I heard they brought out a lot of good stuff from the battlefield this time!"

"Go take a look!"

The crowd discussed amongst themselves as they surged into the pavilion.

Chu Wuyue's white pupils brightened. "Sect Master, how about we..."

"Our main business is more important," Lu Xuanfeng shook his head. "Let's settle in first. We're entering the battlefield tonight."

He led the five disciples through the bustling streets and arrived at the City Lord's Mansion in the center of the city.

The City Lord's Mansion was taller than the surrounding buildings, constructed entirely from black jade. Two rows of black-robed guards stood at the entrance, their auras deep and powerful; they were all Golden Core cultivators.

Lu Xuanfeng stepped forward to announce their arrival. A moment later, an old man in black robes came out to greet them.

"Sect Master Lu, it has been a while," the old man's voice was hoarse, his face covered in wrinkles, yet his eyes were as clear as a youth's. "Are these the disciples from your sect entering the battlefield this time?"

"Indeed," Lu Xuanfeng cupped his hands. "We trouble Senior Gloom for your care."

Old Man of Gloom—this Deity Transformation Stage mighty figure looked like an ordinary old man.

His gaze swept over the five disciples, lingering on Qin Yuan for an extra moment. A flicker of surprise flashed in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. "Come in. The other two families have also arrived."

They entered the mansion and proceeded to a large hall.

Two groups were already waiting in the hall.

The group on the left consisted of five cultivators clad in purple robes, three men and two women, each with a sharp aura. Leading them was a girl who looked only sixteen or seventeen, with a delicate, porcelain-doll-like face but cold eyes, idly playing with a small dagger in her hand.

The group on the right was made up of five bald cultivators in gray monk robes, four men and one woman, all with their eyes closed, chanting scriptures with peaceful expressions. The young monk leading them had a handsome face, a cinnabar mark between his brows, and held a string of black prayer beads.

"Zi Xiao Sect, Dustless Temple," Lu Xuanfeng whispered. "Among the hundred sects of Qingzhou, these two rank in the top thirty. Their strength far surpasses our Xuan Yuan Sect."

Qin Yuan's gaze swept over the two groups.

The girl from Zi Xiao Sect was at the peak of the Golden Core stage, her spiritual energy fluctuations extremely sharp, clearly a decisive and ruthless individual.

The young monk from Dustless Temple also had unfathomable cultivation, with a faint Buddhist light circulating around him, indicating he had practiced some profound Buddhist dharma.

The two groups also noticed the Xuan Yuan Sect disciples.