His divine sense, however, had spread rapidly in all directions from the ruins of the Ziwei Sect, like an invisible network.
He wanted to sense how many "eyes" were secretly watching the Northern Region at this moment, and where the Snow Empress was, and whether she was being watched.
Meanwhile, in the Northern Region, about ten thousand miles away from the ruins of the Ziwei Sect, lies a medium-sized cultivator city called " Red Rock City ".
This city was built on a huge, crimson rock mountain, and its walls were constructed of locally sourced red-veined stone, making it resemble a burning flame from afar. It was one of the places where countless independent cultivators and cultivators from small sects in the Northern Region gathered to trade, obtain information, and take short breaks. It was a melting pot of all sorts of people, and the order was relatively chaotic, with only a few local medium-sized sects maintaining the surface order.
Snow Empress, disguised as a white-clad female cultivator with delicate features, a cold demeanor, and a cultivation level around the Dao Palace Peak (in appearance), paid a few Source Stone as an entrance fee and entered the bustling city.
The streets were wide and paved with stone slabs, lined with all sorts of shops and stalls. Some sold pills and weapons, others bought and sold spiritual herbs and ores, some provided intelligence and hired guards, and some even held open duels. The air was thick with the mingled smells of dust, sweat, blood, and various herbs and ores. The cultivators hurried about, most with weathered and wary faces, dressed in various styles—some in fine clothes, others in coarse linen, and some even in animal skins. Many bore unhealed wounds, and their eyes were fierce.
The Snow Empress frowned slightly. Although she had lived through countless years, she spent most of her time in the Far North snowfield, ruling over the ice and snow creatures. The environments she encountered were either sacred and solemn or battlefields where two armies clashed. Such a chaotic, noisy, and bustling place, filled with the struggles and desires of the lower-level cultivators, was quite rare.
However, she quickly adjusted her mindset, her expression returning to calm and composed. She walked slowly along the street, her divine sense quietly spreading out to gather information about her surroundings.
"Have you heard? The Yaoguang Holy Land and the Jiang Family family are fighting again at the Licheng Ancient Tomb! They say they unearthed a broken legendary weapon, and both sides are fighting tooth and nail for it!"
"That's not all! I have a brother who hangs out there, and he says there might be the eggs of Primordial Beings deep within the tomb. Now even people from the Great Xia Dynasty in Central Province have come here!"
"Damn it, these powerful forces are so domineering. They take all the benefits, and we rogue cultivators can't even get a sip of soup."
"Shh, keep your voice down! Are you out of your mind? There might be their spies here."
"Let's talk about something closer to home. The Black Wind Stronghold robbed another merchant caravan a few days ago. I heard that even a cultivator at the Other Shore Realm was killed while they were in charge. Their leader might have already entered the Dao Palace Secret Realm."
" The Dao Palace Secret Realm? That's quite a big deal in our area. Don't the major sects of Red Rock City care?"
"Manage? How can we manage them? Black Wind Stronghold is in a dangerous location, and that leader is very cunning. He robs and runs, always picking on the weak. The major factions are all holding each other back; who's willing to put in the effort to suppress the bandits? Besides, they're not even robbing their own caravans."
Anything new lately? Ruins, secret realms, or anything like that?
"Something new? Oh, right, a couple of days ago someone said that at ' Ghost-Crying Hill,' three thousand miles to the west, a clear light often shines into the sky at night, accompanied by the sound of a woman crying. It's very eerie. A few brave rogue cultivators went to investigate, but they never returned. Now everyone says that the place is haunted, or that some sinister treasure has appeared."
" Ghost-Crying Hill? Isn't that a mass grave? What good things could there be there? It's probably just an anomaly caused by stagnant yin energy."
"Who knows? I certainly wouldn't dare go..."
Snow Empress listened silently, taking notes of the information. The ancient tombs of Licheng, the Great Xia Dynasty, Black Wind Stronghold, Ghost-Crying Hill... these place names and events formed her initial impression of the current situation in the Northern Region.
She then entered a shop that looked relatively legitimate, named " Hundred Knowledge Pavilion ". These kinds of shops specialize in selling information, and although the prices are high, the information is relatively reliable.
There weren't many customers in the shop. An old man with a goatee was dozing behind the counter. Sensing Snow Empress's entry, the old man opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing in them. He was actually a cultivator from the Dao Palace Secret Realm.
"What information do you need to inquire about, fairy?" the old man asked with a smile, his gaze sweeping over Snow Empress subtly, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. This female cultivator possessed a cold and aloof temperament, and her cultivation level seemed to be at the Dao Palace Peak, but she gave him a faint pressure, suggesting that her actual combat strength was probably more than that.
"I'd like to know if there have been any recent events or rumors in the Northern Region related to 'Taiyin,' 'Ancient Relics,' or ' Green Lotus,'" the Snow Empress asked directly, her voice clear and melodious.
The old man stroked his beard and pondered, "'Taiyin'... Such information is rare. After all, Lunar Power is uncommon, and those who have cultivated it successfully are even fewer. Hmm... If I had to name a time, about three months ago, there seemed to be a brief anomaly in the Central Region the Eastern Wasteland. The moon shone brightly in the night sky, and there were rumors that some kind of Taiyin physique had awakened, but nothing came of it. I don't know if it's true or not."
"Ancient religious ruins... There are countless ancient religious ruins in the Northern Region. The largest ones recently discovered are the ancient tomb complex near Licheng, suspected to be the burial ground of some ancient sect. Smaller ruins are discovered almost daily by rogue cultivators in the wasteland, but most are of little value. If you want specific, valuable information about ruins, that depends on your offer."
"As for the ' Green Lotus '..." The old man frowned and thought for a moment, then shook his head. "I've never heard of it. In the Northern Region, most famous plant-related phenomena or treasures are of the fire, metal, or earth attributes. The Azure Green Lotus... does remind me of the ' Qing Emperor's Tomb ' that caused such a stir in the Southern Region the Eastern Wasteland some time ago. However, that place has been closed, so it shouldn't have anything to do with the Northern Region."
Snow Empress's heart stirred slightly. Qing Emperor's Tomb... that's where she came from. It seems this matter has spread throughout the Eastern Wasteland.
She took out ten catties of Pure Source and placed it on the counter. "Information on relatively certain ruins or locations related to 'Taiyin,' as well as the recent distribution of power in the Northern Region and taboos to be aware of, the more detailed the better."
The old man's eyes lit up. Ten catties of Pure Source was no small amount for a rogue cultivator in the Dao Palace Secret Realm. He quickly collected the source, took out a jade slip from under the counter, stuck it to his forehead, recorded the information with his divine sense, and handed it to the Snow Empress a moment later.
"Fairy, this contains the locations of three ancient ruins in the Northern Region that are known to be possibly related to Taiyin, along with brief descriptions. However, due to their antiquity, their authenticity is difficult to verify. It also includes the distribution of strongholds of the major powers currently known in the Northern Region (Holy Lands, Desolate Ancient Family, and Great Religions), information on some well-known dangerous and infamous locations, information on bandit groups, and the basic rules of Red Rock City. It's fairly comprehensive basic intelligence," the old man chuckled. "If you require more secretive and in-depth information, such as the specific restrictions of a certain ruin or the whereabouts of a powerful figure, then there will be an additional charge."