Chapter 230
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Chapter 230: Ascendant Town
An ancient small town came into Wang Chen’s view from afar.
This place no longer belonged to Da Qian. Riding his large blue donkey, he had traversed desolate fields devoid of human presence. The sudden sight of this town evoked a sense of familiarity within him.
Even cultivators, unless they have achieved complete detachment, seldom endure prolonged solitary cultivation; they still require normal communication and social interaction.
Following the wheel-worn path, Wang Chen entered this quaint small town.
The town’s buildings were sparse, but the green bricks and dark tiles bore the marks of age. The ground was paved with thick stone slabs, and a few shops lined the streets, appearing rather deserted with few customers.
Wang Chen halted in front of an inn, where a young waiter came out to greet him: “Taoist, are you here for a meal or lodging? We still have two upper rooms available.”
“I’ll stay for the night.”
Wang Chen dismounted from the donkey and handed the reins to the waiter: “Prepare an upper room for me.”
As he spoke, he handed over a piece of Broken Silver: “Here’s a tip. Take good care of this donkey and feed it some quality fodder.”
“Certainly!”
The waiter grinned broadly, patting his chest as he assured, “I’ll make sure your donkey is well-fed!”
The large blue donkey tilted its head, casting a disdainful glance at him, and snorted dismissively.
“A distinguished guest has arrived!”
Unnoticed by the donkey’s glare, the waiter called out loudly into the inn: “One upper room!”
“Please, come in~”
The inn’s lobby housed about ten tables, occupied by several dozen people.
Most of them carried bows and swords, their temples bulging with a fierce energy.
They were unmistakably Jianghu travelers.
A few had bamboo baskets beside them, containing tools like hoes, ropes, and probing rods.
The inn also offered dining services. The Jianghu travelers gathered in small groups, eating and drinking at the tables. Some laughed boisterously, while others whispered among themselves; some sat quietly in corners, drinking alone.
Wang Chen’s entrance drew the attention of many, and the laughter subsided.
Wang Chen found an empty table and sat down, retrieving spiritual rice and jerky from his bag. He addressed the approaching waiter: “Take these to the kitchen to prepare some porridge, and bring me a pot of clear tea.”
Although cultivators could sustain themselves with ordinary food, consuming too much devoid of spiritual energy would hinder their cultivation, not to mention the cycle of grains.
Wang Chen certainly wouldn’t partake in the inn’s offerings.
His storage bag was filled with enough spiritual rice and magical beast meat to last him ten years.
Most of it was acquired from his recent conquests.
The waiter, though slightly surprised, took the spiritual rice and beast meat to the kitchen for preparation.
Shortly after, he brought Wang Chen a pot of clear tea.
Wang Chen poured himself a cup but did not drink it.
He turned to gaze out the window, his eyes fixed on the mist-shrouded vast waters in the distance.
The Eastern Wild Marsh!
It is said that in ancient times, a great power set up a massive formation in the Eastern Wild to separate the realms of immortals and mortals.
This formation enveloped the heavens and the earth, covering tens of thousands of miles. Within it lay powerful and unmatched restrictions that even Nascent Soul true immortals could not break.
At that time, ordinary humans could never enter the world of cultivation through the Eastern Wild.
The difficulty of ascending to immortality was akin to climbing to the heavens!
However, as time passed and the world changed, the ancient great power who set up the formation had long ascended, leaving behind a formation that gradually lost its effect, eventually collapsing and transforming the land into an immense marsh.
Although the formation’s restrictions still remained, birds found it difficult to cross the marsh above, and only large flying ships could soar overhead. Yet, the ground was no longer a complete wasteland or dead zone.
For centuries, countless beings inhabited the marsh, and Jianghu travelers often ventured deep inside to hunt and gather, gradually discovering a path to the world of cultivation.
This path became known as the "Path to Ascend."
The small town where Wang Chen currently found himself was called Ascendant Town!
All the details about the Path to Ascend and Ascendant Town were told to the original owner by Wang Shaoyuan.
Even though Wang Chen’s soul had fused completely with the original owner, those memories remained deeply imprinted in his mind.
Years ago, Wang Shaoyuan had set off from Ascendant Town, traversing the vast Eastern Wild Marsh to reach the world of cultivation!
While Wang Shaoyuan had never shared the dangers he faced in the Eastern Wild Marsh with the original owner, it was safe to imagine he encountered countless dangers and put forth immense effort and hardships.
Every year, some mortals successfully crossed the Eastern Wild Marsh, but behind them lay countless buried skeletons.
Wang Chen never expected that he would also have to cross the Eastern Wild Marsh on his way to the world of cultivation, like these mortals.
It was a situation he could do nothing about.
Now, he was almost certainly a wanted target of the Guiyuan Sect. Even with the Thousand Transformations mask for disguises, going to Qianjing to board a flying ship from the Four Seas Trading Association to return to the world of cultivation was not a wise choice.
Wang Chen even doubted whether the Four Seas Trading Association still maintained this route after the Yunyang Sect fled to the upper realm; it was a major concern.
The Guiyuan Sect, which controlled Da Qian, would definitely have to reorganize!
To avoid possible risks, Wang Chen had traveled a great distance to arrive here.
Taking the Path to Ascend through the Eastern Wild Marsh might just take longer, but in reality, it was much safer for him.
“Guest.”
The shop assistant’s voice interrupted Wang Chen’s thoughts as he set down a pot of steaming meat porridge on the dining table.
An enticing aroma immediately spread throughout the inn’s lobby.
Many Jianghu travelers showed glances filled with longing, looking at Wang Chen with ambiguous divine intent.
Just the smell suggested it was something special!
The waiter placed the pot of porridge down and took two steps back, swallowing nervously.
He too was eager to taste the fragrant meat porridge, but just moments ago, the owner had been watching closely in the kitchen, forbidding anyone from stealing food, fearing it would bring trouble to the inn.
A young Taoist like Wang Chen, arriving alone in Ascendant Town, was certainly not an ordinary person!
Wang Chen sensed the predatory stares around him.
He paid no mind to them and pulled out a gold bar from his robe sleeve, gently pinching it between his left index and middle fingers.
The bright gold bar was instantly snapped in two!
The Jianghu travelers witnessing this all gasped in shock.
Such a feat could only be performed by innate strong fighters using innate true energy.
Wang Chen tossed half of the gold bar to the waiter: “Is this enough for the room and tea?”
The waiter hurriedly took it, nodding vigorously: “Yes, yes, it’s enough!”
Half of the gold bar was roughly five taels; not only would it cover a night’s stay, but it would also provide for a month.
Wang Chen’s generosity shocked everyone.
The gazes directed at him were now devoid of greed, replaced instead with awe.
Such a young innate strong fighter must have a profound background; who would dare offend someone like that?
Wang Chen quietly finished a pot of meat porridge.
