Chapter 737

Chapter 737: Journey to Qingqiu (Part 1)

In the vast expanse of the sky, a streak of light swiftly passed by.

In the next moment, it descended beside a gently flowing stream.

Having just landed, Wang Chen sheathed his Longyuan flying sword and extended his divine sense to survey the surroundings.

Detecting no immediate threats, he crouched down and cupped some clear stream water to wash his face.

Instantly, he felt a surge of energy!

Since departing from Qianxing Immortal City, Wang Chen had been engaged in sword flight for three consecutive days.

It was quite taxing.

While easier methods of travel existed, using a third-grade treasure-level flying ship was too conspicuous. As a mere Purple Palace cultivator, Wang Chen deemed it unnecessary to take such a significant risk.

After quenching his thirst with a few sips of the refreshing stream water, Wang Chen scouted the area and found a small cave to serve as a temporary campsite.

As dusk approached, traveling at night was not a wise decision.

The Haotian Realm was originally a domain of the demons. Although human cultivators had risen and seized vast territories, the demons still generally held the upper hand.

Ordinary cultivators, once they ventured beyond the safety of the immortal cities, could easily become prey for demon hunters.

Solitary cultivators like Wang Chen were particularly vulnerable to being targeted.

Moreover, the wilderness at night was a time when Evil Spirits and magical spirits roamed, making it even more perilous.

If it weren’t for the need to obtain the seven-leaf mysterious ginseng, Wang Chen would not have embarked on such a long journey to Qingqiu in search of Hu Jiao Jiao.

Before the night fully descended, Wang Chen sealed the cave’s entrance and set up a defensive formation plate.

Formation plates are portable magical formations; although their destructive power may not match that of fixed formations, they are highly convenient and easy to deploy.

Thus, they are essential for cultivators venturing into the wild.

After activating the formation plate, Wang Chen also excavated a tunnel and a hidden chamber within the cave.

This would serve as his bedroom for the night.

Once everything was properly arranged, he sat down to regulate his breathing and replenish the magical energy expended during the day’s sword flight.

Sword flight consumes a significant amount of magical energy, and doubling the speed increases the consumption by two to three times.

Although Wang Chen’s cultivation level had reached the peak of Purple Palace and he could utilize external elixirs, flying for half a day was already his limit.

He could not afford to fly too swiftly.

Wang Chen soon entered a state of forgetting both self and the world, where his Immortal Body continuously absorbed the spiritual energy from the heavens and earth, converting it into pure magical energy in his dantian. This energy then circulated through every part of his body and his five organs.

He had spent countless nights in this manner.

However, tonight was distinctly different. Just as Wang Chen was nearing the completion of his daily virtue, a deep, resonant boom suddenly echoed in his ears.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Each successive boom seemed to trample on Wang Chen’s heart, shaking his very soul!

Wang Chen immediately felt a sense of impending doom, his heart pounding with fear.

He halted his actions without hesitation, swiftly retrieving the defensive formation plate before retreating back underground.

After sealing the tunnel, Wang Chen held his breath and activated the Supreme Mysterious Spirit Dragon Technique, suppressing all traces of his presence.

Under the influence of this technique, his body surface turned as cold as stone, his heartbeat slowed to an almost imperceptible rate, and his blood within his body nearly solidified.

He remained utterly motionless, as if petrified!

Wang Chen had no idea what kind of creature was outside, but it was undoubtedly a terrifying presence. If he were to reveal himself, the consequences would be dire.

Even if the being was merely passing by, he wasn’t willing to gamble on his luck!

The heavy thudding, or rather footsteps, grew closer to the cave where Wang Chen was concealed, as if it had detected his location.

Yet Wang Chen didn’t move a muscle.

He suppressed his instinctive fear, maintaining absolute composure.

Then…

The footsteps shifted direction and gradually faded.

Until they disappeared entirely.

Wang Chen exhaled a long sigh of relief.

He deeply realized how insignificant he was in this world.

This only strengthened Wang Chen’s resolve to condense elixirs.

Below the Golden Core, all are but ants!

The next morning, when Wang Chen cautiously unsealed the cave entrance, he discovered a deep footprint on the ground, just ten paces away from the cave.

The footprint resembled a monkey’s claw but was three feet deep and over ten feet in length and width!

How massive was the creature that had passed by last night?

Wang Chen shook his head, pulled out the map of the Nine States to reassess his location, and then summoned his Longyuan flying sword.

Transforming into a streak of light, he soared into the sky!

Traveling Like the Wind and Lightning, Wang Chen pushed his magical energy to the limit, flying at full speed. He even tapped into the spiritual energy stored in the Heavenly Net for Exorcising Evil. Finally, he reached Changsheng Immortal City just before sunset.

After paying an entry fee of ten spirit stones, Wang Chen stepped into this peculiar immortal city.

Changsheng Immortal City was unique because it wasn’t part of the Nine States Immortal Alliance system, rendering Wang Chen’s immortal registry useless here.

This immortal city functioned more like a large rest stop, catering to traveling merchants and loose cultivators journeying from north to south.

Built into the mountains rather than carried by a dragon tortoise, it lacked the grandeur of Qianxing Immortal City. Most buildings stood only three or four stories high, and while the streets were bustling, the commercial atmosphere was far less vibrant.

Among the crowd, many individuals exuded a fierce and menacing aura!

Wang Chen had barely taken a few steps into the city when a grubby hand darted toward the storage bag at his waist, swift as lightning.

The thief’s movements were deft and practiced!

But no matter how quick the thief was, he couldn’t evade Wang Chen’s sharp instincts.

Wang Chen sidestepped, leaving the thief grasping at air.

At the same time, Wang Chen noticed that the would-be thief was a half-grown boy at the Qi Training third or fourth realm.

He couldn’t help but feel exasperated.

Sometimes being too low-key backfires—even the smallest of creatures dare to challenge you!

“Scram!”

Wang Chen unleashed a hint of his aura and barked sharply.

The boy was visibly shaken, staggering back a few steps with a pale face, his eyes wide like a wounded wolf cub!

After a moment, he shot Wang Chen a venomous glare before darting into the crowd and vanishing.

Wang Chen paid no further attention and continued on his way.

It was clear that Changsheng Immortal City was no safe haven; thieves operated openly on the streets without consequence. While he could have apprehended the thief, doing so would likely draw the ire of their shadowy overseers.

These street thieves were part of an organized network!

Wang Chen had neither the inclination nor the ability to play the hero, so he let the matter drop.

His priority was to secure the seven-leaf mysterious ginseng as quickly as possible, lest complications arise.

After walking a bit further, Wang Chen came across “Gao’s Inn,” which appeared to be thriving.

He entered, found a seat, and ordered a few dishes.

It was time to nourish his five organs.