Flat Rock City Roadblock

For the next two days, Jiang Yun and Xia Weier kept an extremely low profile. The bargain they had stumbled upon was too huge, and they feared they might not be able to hold onto it.

That amount of Divine Source alone was worth two or three hundred thousand jin of pure Source, while the treasure sealed within was worth more than ten times that.

Jiang Yun chipped off two pieces of Divine Source, and the two cultivated directly in the courtyard they had rented, quietly waiting for the Domain Gate to open.

The two days flashed by, and they headed straight for Purple Heaven Capital's Domain Gate. Only after paying a full hundred jin of Source did they board it.

This Domain Gate was clearly somewhat larger than Qingwei Sect's, enough to accommodate several thousand cultivators.

Unfortunately, while Jiang Yun and Xia Weier were entering the Domain Gate, they ran into Zhao Fa and the group from Purple Mansion Holy Land again. They appeared to be heading to the Northern Region as well.

Jiang Yun silently cursed his bad luck.

Zhao Fa showed no reaction. The two clearly did not seem to come from any major power, so he could not be bothered to pay them any attention.

However, after Jiang Yun and Xia Weier passed by him, Zhao Fa's nose twitched. As he watched their receding figures, an unusual gleam flashed through his eyes.

"Fellow Daoists, please wait." Zhao Fa called out to them.

Jiang Yun silently cursed his bad luck again.

He stopped and turned around. "What advice does Brother Zhao have?"

"I would not dare call it advice. I remembered something just now and failed to greet you two. I truly apologize."

Zhao Fa looked at them with an apologetic expression, carefully sizing Jiang Yun up as though confirming something.

"It is nothing. Brother Zhao remembering the two of us is already enough to move Jiang Yun."

As he spoke, Jiang Yun invoked the backing of the Jiang surname.

"So you are a member of the Jiang Family, fellow Daoist. It seems Zhao was blind and failed to recognize you."

Zhao Fa was somewhat surprised by Jiang Yun's background. Had he misjudged him? Did this man truly have such backing?

Several disciples of Purple Mansion Holy Land also turned to look over.

Although the Jiang Family of the Ancient Era stood alongside the holy lands in fame, holy lands themselves came in different ranks. Purple Mansion Holy Land could not compare to the Jiang Family.

"So you are an outstanding member of the Jiang Family. You truly are a dragon and phoenix among men, making us wish to befriend you."

They had originally treated Jiang Yun as a mere passerby, but upon hearing that he was from the Jiang Family, their expressions immediately became much more cordial.

"How could I compare to Fellow Daoist Zhao? You have already entered the third secret realm at such a young age. Jiang is ashamed of his inferiority."

Jiang Yun exchanged pleasantries with him as well.

"The divine material I recommended yesterday was not bad, was it? I imagine Brother Dao must have gained quite a lot."

Zhao Fa suddenly stopped fencing with words, asking as if casually.

"Perhaps my luck was poor, so I failed to live up to Brother Zhao's kind intentions."

Jiang Yun put on a regretful expression, as though rather vexed.

But when he saw Zhao Fa's nose twitch several more times, he could not help sighing inwardly. Did this man have a dog's nose?

"That is truly regrettable. If there is another opportunity, Zhao will certainly find Brother Jiang a fine piece of stone."

Zhao Fa spoke to Jiang Yun with apparent sincerity and even tried to grab his hand.

But Jiang Yun dodged aside.

"Fellow Daoist Zhao's understanding of Source Stones is extraordinary. Brother Jiang is truly fortunate. We had to ask our Holy Son senior brother before we could invite him here."

Jiang Yun listened as the several Purple Mansion Holy Land disciples and Zhao Fa praised one another, without interrupting.

"Fellow Daoists, the Domain Gate is about to open. We will be leaving first."

Jiang Yun could not be bothered to keep up false pleasantries with them, so he directly led Xia Weier away.

"Brother Jiang, please convey my greetings to brothers Jiang Yichen and Jiang Yitian. I have not seen either of them in a year."

Zhao Fa's voice suddenly came from behind them.

"Very well, I will greet them on your behalf."

Jiang Yun turned back and gave Zhao Fa a deep look before leaving.

The smile on Zhao Fa's face became somewhat meaningful.

Truth and falsehood were difficult to distinguish. Jiang Yichen did exist, but Jiang Yitian was questionable. This was Zhao Fa's test, and Jiang Yun understood it.

If the other man had malicious intentions, Jiang Yun was not afraid despite being a major realm behind him. He could not be bothered to continue tangling with him.

During that brief conversation, who knew how many truthful words they had exchanged?

He would deal with whatever came. No longer dwelling on it, Jiang Yun and Xia Weier directly boarded the Domain Gate bound for Flat Rock City.

Although Flat Rock City was not particularly famous and could not compare to an ancient city like Purple Heaven Capital—

According to the locals, however, the city had a history of over a thousand years and had always been the central city of this region.

Situated within an oasis several hundred li across, it was an ancient city built entirely from reddish-brown boulders, carrying the weight of countless years.

Though it was not particularly renowned in the Northern Region, it was still far more prosperous than Yan Capital. Every major holy land had established stone workshops here; the Northern Region's atmosphere of stone gambling was simply too intense.

Jiang Yun and Xia Weier emerged from the Domain Gate and walked forward for some distance.

He discovered that Zhao Fa and several Purple Mansion disciples had also arrived in Flat Rock City behind them.

It was clear that Zhao Fa had his eye on them.

Divine Source stirred men's hearts. Recalling Zhao Fa's demeanor during their conversation, Jiang Yun felt that each time Zhao Fa's nose twitched, he seemed to have detected some sort of aura.

Jiang Yun knew a little about Divine Source, but not much. After all, this was a real world, and what the book had described was merely the tip of the iceberg.

There were bound to be secret techniques capable of detecting the aura of Divine Source.

Jiang Yun gave Xia Weier a few instructions, then left Flat Rock City together with her.

The sun was still high in the sky.

Jiang Yun first took Xia Weier to find several cultivators and ask about the location of the Lihuo Sect.

The Lihuo Sect possessed the Lihuo Divine Furnace, making it Jiang Yun's foremost target.

Jiang Yun was also determined to obtain the Emperor Jade held by Chen Big Beard, the bandit under the Azure Cloud Sect, as well as the Emperor Jade from Mysterious Moon Cave. They were indispensable for entering and leaving Purple Mountain.

He could not help marveling at how many treasures the sects around Purple Mountain possessed.

Of the four sects, three had artifacts connected to the Great Emperor.

It was truly absurd.

Together with the clues to the Source Heavenly Master's inheritance in Stone Stronghold, this was truly a land of exceptional geomantic fortune.

Although Jiang Yun did not know which force Stone Stronghold belonged to, it was located within six hundred li of Flat Rock City.

For Dao Palace cultivators, searching for it would not be difficult. They would find it eventually.

The Lihuo Sect was fairly well-known within several thousand li, and most cultivators who often searched for Source here knew of this sect.

After making his inquiries, before Jiang Yun could even head toward the Lihuo Sect, a figure brimming with killing intent blocked his path.

There was no doubt about it. Who else could it be but Zhao Fa? His face had long since lost its usual pretense of refinement.

He descended from the sky, flamboyantly opened the folding fan in his hand, slowly waved it, then angrily rebuked them.

"You dare impersonate members of the Jiang Family? You have quite the nerve. Today, I will clear the Jiang Family's name on Brother Yichen's behalf."

"And you think you are worthy of clearing our Jiang Family's name?"

Jiang Yun was not flustered in the slightest. He had already anticipated all of this.

He had not expected Zhao Fa to be acquainted with Jiang Yichen as well. Birds of a feather truly flocked together.