Chapter 561

Chapter 561: Xu Yingyi

Guiding the large blue donkey, Wang Chen strolled leisurely along the main streets of Chituo City.

As night descended, every household lit lotus lamps, their soft glow illuminating the streets and casting a sacred veil over the city’s rugged exterior, infusing it with a poetic charm.

This serene ambiance subtly soothed the hearts of all who wandered there.

Even the usually fierce Sand People slowed their pace, softening their rough demeanor.

Chituo City was neither large nor small, with only a few main streets, most buildings constructed from stone.

Yet, the temples scattered throughout the city were exceptionally grand and beautifully crafted.

Following the directions of passersby, Wang Chen easily located the Golden Buddha Temple in the city.

The Golden Buddha Temple, the largest in Chituo City, featured a splendid Buddhist tower that soared to the ninth level.

This tower signified the temple’s rank, with strict Buddhist regulations ensuring no overstepping of boundaries.

The teleportation array was housed within the Golden Buddha Temple.

However, Wang Chen was informed by the gatekeeper that he would need to return the next morning, as the temple did not host outside visitors at night.

Unperturbed, Wang Chen turned and left, finding a nearby inn to settle in for the night.

After settling in, he ventured to a neighboring inn.

This inn was quite ordinary, not particularly large, but bustling with business. When Wang Chen arrived, he found it nearly full.

Luckily for him, a guest had just finished their meal and departed, freeing up a table.

Seated, Wang Chen summoned a server to order several signature dishes.

Before the dishes arrived, several cultivators entered the inn, glanced around, and then approached him.

“Fellow traveler, may we join you?”

One of the cultivators bowed to Wang Chen and asked, “Could we share your table?”

Wang Chen nodded, “Certainly.”

“Thank you.”

The newcomers filled the empty seats around him.

“I am Xu Yingyi from the Canglan Sect.”

The cultivator who had spoken earlier sat next to Wang Chen, smiling as he inquired, “May I know your esteemed name?”

Wang Chen did not conceal his identity: “I am Wang Chen from the West Sea Sect.”

As soon as he spoke, curious glances surrounded him.

West Sea Sect!

“So, it is a fellow from the West Sea Sect!”

Xu Yingyi’s expression turned solemn: “I have been presumptuous.”

Although the Canglan Sect was also a significant immortal sect, it paled in comparison to the West Sea Sect.

Even though the cultivation levels of the two were comparable, Xu Yingyi had to show deference to Wang Chen.

As for the expressions of the others, they were quite intriguing.

Wang Chen was remarkably young.

Everyone was taken aback that the West Sea Sect had sent such a young disciple to observe the Spirit Mountain Conference.

Weren’t they concerned about provoking the Western Buddhist Sect?

Wang Chen disregarded the surrounding gazes and smiled, saying, “Senior Brother Xu, you’re too kind.”

The West Sea Sect and the Canglan Sect were situated on opposite ends, separated by hundreds of thousands of miles. Although they had no direct connections, it was customary for sects to show mutual respect.

Wang Chen was not one to be petty.

Xu Yingyi laughed heartily: “Brother Wang, tonight’s meal is my treat, so don’t hold back!”

He summoned a waiter and ordered a lavish spread, selecting the most expensive dishes available.

It was a display of great generosity.

However, the cost of living in Chituo City was exorbitant, particularly for celestial food, which was several times more expensive than in ordinary immortal cities.

Perhaps it was due to resource scarcity, or maybe the proprietors were exploiting these “outsiders.”

As the saying goes, “Three years without business, but when it opens, it lasts for three years,” and Wang Chen felt like a sect representative visiting the Spirit Mountain Conference for the first time in three years.

Having never encountered many disciples from other sects before, Wang Chen found this unexpected meeting quite enlightening.

Unlike Wang Chen, who was traveling alone, the Canglan Sect had sent more than just Xu Yingyi; he was accompanied by four others, forming a small group.

According to Xu Yingyi, other sects might send anywhere from a dozen representatives to as few as four or five.

It was indeed rare to see a sect like the West Sea Sect with only one representative.

Xu Yingyi tactfully shifted the topic and did not delve deeper.

With his smooth demeanor and excellent conversational skills, he engaged Wang Chen in lively banter, sharing interesting tales and keeping the atmosphere vibrant throughout the meal.

Notably, this was not Xu Yingyi’s first time serving as a sect representative.

This was his fourth journey!

Thus, Xu Yingyi was truly a seasoned traveler, and it was through his guidance that Wang Chen learned the teleportation formation at the Golden Buddha Temple was not open daily and had user limits.

In other words, if too few people rented the teleportation array, they either had to wait for more to gather or purchase the spots of others.

Otherwise, one would have to traverse Fire Mountain on their own!

“Fire Mountain is an exceedingly perilous place,” Xu Yingyi stated gravely. “Crossing it at the Golden Core level is fraught with danger, so do not take unnecessary risks!”

Wang Chen certainly had no intention of doing anything reckless.

Curious, he asked, “Is there no other way to cross besides the teleportation array?”

“There’s an ancient pathway beneath Chituo City, a thousand years old, that leads to the western foot of Fire Mountain,” Xu Yingyi explained. “But we cannot take that route.”

Wang Chen nodded, “I see.”

After the meal, they exchanged talismans, and Wang Chen returned to his inn.

The next morning, Wang Chen revisited the Golden Buddha Temple.

This time, he managed to enter the temple, but was informed that the teleportation formation could not be activated at the moment.

He would have to wait a few more days.

With no other option, Wang Chen remained in the city.

In the days that followed, more and more cultivators from various sects appeared in Chituo City.

He encountered Xu Yingyi several more times.

The social prowess of this Canglan Sect disciple seemed unparalleled, as more and more cultivators gathered around him.

On the fourth day after Wang Chen’s arrival in Chituo City, the teleportation formation at the Golden Buddha Temple finally opened.

Wang Chen paid a steep price of three hundred Intermediate Spirits for a teleportation spot.

Although this expense could be reimbursed, he still felt the sting—what a rip-off!

After all, the teleportation distance of the Golden Buddha Temple was not great; it wasn’t even thousands of miles, let alone tens or hundreds of thousands.

Yet they charged such exorbitant fees.

Other sect cultivators also grumbled, but there was little they could do.

However, the monks at the Golden Buddha Temple were efficient once payment was received; they led Wang Chen and the others to a side hall and activated the teleportation formation.

After a dizzying swirl, when Wang Chen’s vision cleared, he found himself in the center of a vast plaza, with a majestic temple ahead and rolling mountains in the distance, lush and verdant, creating a serene landscape.

The spiritual energy of the surroundings had returned to normal!