After flying south for two more days, Linley finally saw the legendary city.
It was a colossal city entirely black, with walls over a hundred feet high and stretching for countless miles, like a black dragon crawling on the gray earth. The walls were covered with marks from swords and spears and dried blood, silently telling the story of the countless bloody battles that this city had witnessed.
Above the city gate, two large characters were written in an unidentified crimson substance—
demon.
"This is the City of Fiends." Linley looked up at the tall city walls, a hint of solemnity flashing in his eyes.
Bebe perched on his shoulder, her little eyes darting around. "Big brother, this city is so big!"
Linley nodded. Even with his eyesight Wind Element Lowgod, he couldn't see the end of the city wall at a glance. The scale of this city was ten or even a hundred times more magnificent than any Yulan City he had ever seen.
The City of Fiends is quite different from the wasteland.
Every few hundred feet along the city streets, a squad of imperial guards clad in black armor, wielding long spears, patrolled back and forth. These guards exuded a chilling aura; even the weakest among them was at the level of Lowgod. Their eyes were fixed straight ahead, their steps perfectly synchronized, and the heavy thuds on the bluestone slabs resonated like drumbeats, striking the hearts of everyone present.
The rules of Fiend Castle state that fighting in the streets is strictly prohibited within the castle. Violators will be killed without exception.
Linley lingered in the city for three days. Although he did not see anyone make a move, the people who came and went in a hurry, or rather, the gods, could not hide their coldness and murderous aura.
" Qiao Se'en, you're a Peak Saint Realm cultivator who doesn't even dare to leave the city. It's a bit of a waste for you to take this fragment of a treasure," a long-haired man with a somewhat gloomy face said to an inconspicuous black-haired youth.
Instantly, dozens of gazes turned towards him, but the gloomy, long-haired man paid no attention. He immediately released the aura of Lowgod. Although it wasn't powerful, some people recognized him as Fuluo, the younger brother of the Emperor Wing Fiend Fula, and withdrew their gazes, wanting to move away.
"How about this, I won't treat you unfairly. I'll exchange this ancient treasure map for you, how about that?" Although the tone was flippant, it carried an air of undeniable authority.
The dark-haired man, Qiao Se'en, forced a smile that looked more like a grimace. "May I take a look?"
It was just a few crude lines carved with divine power on ordinary animal hide; "that means agreement."
With a slight flick of his finger, Fuluo noticed that the item in the small pouch at his waist had been taken and instantly stored in his ring.
A squad of imperial guards happened to pass by. But they didn't even lift their eyelids and walked straight past.
Linley understood. The "no violence" rule in this city only prohibited open robbery, not cunning. Fists were replaced by empty words, and people could still be devoured without leaving a bone.
"Boss," Bebe whispered, "The swindlers in this city are even more ruthless than those in the wasteland. At least the swindlers in the wasteland openly rob people, but the people here eat people alive without spitting out the bones."
"The law of the jungle, it's always been that way," Linley said calmly. "It's just that the people in the city have hidden their fangs in their sleeves."
During these three days, Linley also learned the details of Fiend Castle.
Fiend Castle is the only official force in the Gebados Plane, guarding this prison on behalf of the Sovereign God of the Yulan Plane. Inside the castle, people are divided into three ranks according to their strength:
Ordinary Fiend, Emperor Wing Fiend, Seven Star Fiend.
Ordinary Fiend must be Midgod or Lowgod who have passed the trials; Emperor Wing Fiend are the best among Midgod or those who have just entered the realm of Highgod; as for Seven Star Fiend, they are the top powerhouses among Highgod, and there are only a handful of them in the entire castle.
Above the castle, there is a mysterious "city lord" whose strength is said to be unfathomable, but he never shows his face. Even the Seven Star Fiend have to be respectful to the city lord.
These three types of demons enjoy various privileges within the city. Anyone who sees them must give way; to offend them is a capital offense. However, these privileges only apply within the city. Once outside the city, their lives are their own responsibility.
"Boss, shall we join Fiend Castle?" Bebe asked.
"That's exactly what I was thinking," Linley said. "Without joining the Fiend Castle, we won't get resources, and we won't find a way out of Gebados. Besides..." He paused, gazing at the towering black tower, "Here, without any backing, we'll die sooner or later anyway."
He looked up at the giant tower.
Black flames swirled endlessly atop the tower, as if countless vengeful spirits were silently wailing within them. In the plaza below, a black stone tablet inscribed with the trial notice stood silently, awaiting the next person to meet their doom.
Linley took a deep breath and walked towards the tower gate.
The tower gates swung open, and an old man in black robes sat in the doorway, a stone table in front of him. Seeing Linley approach, he raised an eyelid and lazily asked, "Registering for the trial?"
"Yes," Linley said.
"A lower-level Wind Element Lowgod." The black-robed elder glanced at him, his tone indifferent. "The trial pass rate is less than 10%. Are you sure?"
"Confirmed." Linley's voice was unwavering. "Pay the registration fee: one Saint Realm Magic Crystal Core or other equivalent items."
Buzz~
A black crystal core appeared on the stone table. The old man brushed it away, and a black token appeared on the table, engraved with a hideous demon's head.
"The trial will begin three days from now, outside the West Gate. The token is your proof of identity; if you lose it, don't bother coming back."
Linley took the token; it was icy cold to the touch. The demon's head on the token seemed to be grinning silently at him.