I am cautiously cultivating immortals in a strange world

Hanchuan boundary.

Northern Cold Realm.

As Chen Lin landed with the others, he immediately felt a blast of cold wind. Even with his divine power, he couldn't help but shiver.

"What an intense chill!"

"I remember the Cold River Realm wasn't this cold before. Is it because of the Nameless Secret Realm?"

"How can ordinary people survive in such an environment?"

Everyone was talking at once.

Chen Lin quickly surveyed the surrounding environment.

They weren't inside a building, but landed on a mountaintop, where all they could see was snow.

The sun was shining brightly in the sky, but there was no warmth at all.

Beneath their feet was a huge disc covered with strange runes and patterns, the light emanating from it slowly fading away.

This is what led them here.

This is a teleportation treasure of the Azure Peak Heavenly Palace. It requires the Heavenly Palace's primordial energy to activate and has a unique activation incantation, making it impossible for outsiders to use.

There were three people standing opposite.

An old man in a gray robe, accompanied by two maids.

"Welcome to make offerings."

The old man cupped his hands in greeting.

He introduced himself, saying, "I am Lu Qiuya, a steward of the Heavenly Palace, and I have been ordered to receive you all here."

talking.

He showed his identity token.

He continued, "Elder Bai was delayed by something and could not come in person. He asked me to distribute the appointment documents to everyone, and then you can each do as required by the documents."

Chen Lin was stunned.

This way of receiving guests is truly unexpected.

Even if Bai Lingyu couldn't meet them in person, he still had to create a clone projection to explain the situation. The worshippers who came this time were all powerful beings with the strength of a ruler.

There might even be a true ruler!
But now they've only sent one steward, and they've even placed the teleportation tray in this desolate wilderness. Something just doesn't feel right.

Others also found it strange.

Before Chen Lin could speak, a tall, alien female cultivator stepped forward and scrutinized Lu Qiuya.

He asked in a deep voice, "Why put the receptacle here?"

Lu Qiuya bowed respectfully.

"I have met the fish offering. Because the Northern Cold Realm is currently affected by the Nameless Secret Realm, there are very few places to place the Reception Plate. In addition, Elder Bai's idea is that this operation should not be carried out in a big way, so this place was chosen."

The woman from another race nodded slightly.

"So that's how it is."

"However, we are still not at ease and need to communicate with Elder Bai. You should contact him as soon as possible."

"can."

Lu Qiuya nodded.

He reached into his sleeve and took out a white jade mirror.

Just a gentle touch.

Ripples spread across the mirror's surface, and it took a long time for the ripples to subside before Bai Lingyu's figure appeared.

“Deacon Lu has been assigned by me to specifically receive the retainers under my command. Just do as the document says. I will summon you again after I have finished dealing with this matter.”

Bai Lingyu's voice was calm, and she disappeared after speaking.

Now no one doubted it anymore.

Everyone took the documents from Deacon Lu and then opened them to examine them.

Chen Lin was the same.

The document is like a scroll; once opened, information flows into the mind, allowing one to directly grasp the content.

After watching it.

A thought suddenly crossed his mind.

Bai Lingyu originally intended for him to maintain order at the trade fair, but the appointment document actually instructed him to go to a place called Xiangyang City to establish a branch of the Qingding Heavenly Palace.

It seems something has indeed gone wrong here.

However, Chen Lin didn't care.

Since Bai Lingyu had given the order, he would do as she instructed. Given his relationship with Bai Yujing, the other party wouldn't dare to cheat him.

"Lord Chen, these two maids were sent by Elder Bai to assist you. The one in the white dress is called Mingzhi, and the one in the green dress is called Qingyu. They are both rune cultivators. Please give them some guidance in their cultivation when you have time, Lord Chen."

Deacon Lu brought the two maids to Chen Lin's side.

Chen Lin was taken aback.

There were nearly twenty worshippers present, and he was given two maids. This treatment was perhaps a bit special. Could his task be very difficult?

Moreover, he was asked to guide his cultivation, so the identities of these two maids are probably not ordinary; they are likely connected through connections.

This move immediately attracted attention.

Chen Lin smiled.

"Then thank you for your kindness, Elder Bai. You two come here. If there's nothing else, we'll head to Xiangyang City now."

"Yes."

The two maids agreed and walked to Chen Lin's side.

Then Mingzhi took out a jade slip.

He handed it to Chen Lin and said, "This is information about the Northern Cold Realm and Xiangyang City. Please take a look, sir."

"Not urgent."

Chen Lin put the jade slip away.

He cupped his hands in greeting to the crowd and said, "Fellow Daoists, I shall take my leave now. We shall meet again when Elder Bai summons us."

Then he looked at Luqiu Cliff.

"Does Steward Lu have any further instructions?"

"You flatter me, sir. I am here to serve you gentlemen and would not dare to give orders."

"However, sir, you must be careful. Xiangyang City is near one of the nodes of the Nameless Secret Realm. It is now a mixed bag, and many Star Ruins experts have also come here. Do not act rashly."

Chen Lin's eyelids twitched.

Nodding, he said, "I understand. Please tell Elder Bai, Deacon Lu, that I will definitely complete the mission."

After saying that, he took out the Azure Shuttle, took the two maids with him, and flew away into the distance, disappearing in an instant.

The rest of the people also dispersed.

Xiangyang City.

Chen Lin entered the city with two maids, holding a jade slip containing information in his hand, his expression slightly solemn.

He felt that Bai Lingyu thought too highly of him.

According to the information in the jade slip, the city is not a mixed bag of people, but rather a place teeming with powerful individuals.

They were all representatives of major powers.

Almost every well-known power has established a branch here, and each has sent a powerful ruler to oversee it.

He alone represents the Azure Peak Heavenly Palace, which is too weak. They should at least send a second-tier ruler. It seems that the Azure Peak Heavenly Palace doesn't have many people.

However, the environment inside the city is quite good. It is not small in size and has a protective array. The temperature is similar to that of spring, and various kinds of spiritual plants grow there.

Low-level cultivators and mortals can still survive normally as long as they wear magical artifacts that protect them from energy erosion.

"Sir, what should we do?"

Mingzhi asked softly.

The two maids were in charge of her, and Qingyu, who was beside her, rarely spoke.

"Let's find a place to stay first."

Chen Lin released his senses, explored the area, and then took to the air, flying towards the nearest market town.

The two women immediately followed.

The market was packed with people, and because there were many outsiders, there were also many strange races, which broadened the horizons of even the well-traveled Chen Lin.

"The shops here have all been occupied by various powerful forces. You must not take over these places, sir. The elders said that we, the Azure Peak Heavenly Palace, are in business and cannot bully others. Otherwise, it will affect the operation of the Heavenly Palace's rules."

Akie gave a careful reminder.

"clear."

Chen Lin nodded slightly. Bai Lingyu had specifically mentioned this matter in the jade slip she gave him. Even if he was just an attendant, as long as he acted on behalf of the Qingding Heavenly Palace, he still needed to follow the rules of the Heavenly Palace. This was also the reason why he was specially assigned two maids.

But he never intended to bully others by abusing his power.

"Did Elder Bai say how much the trip would cost, and did you bring it with you?"

Chen Lin asked a question.

As the most famous commercial force in Star Ruins, they cannot afford to lose face. However, building a decent base here will definitely cost a lot.

"No."

Mingzhi immediately shook her head.

"Elder Bai said that you should figure out a solution yourself. Although this is a mission from the Heavenly Palace, the elder is responsible for the profits and losses. She has no resources to help you now and can only provide some other compensation after the mission is over."

Chen Lin's lips twitched.

So it was a side job; no wonder such an important task fell to him.

No one else can do it.

But he has to do it.

The other party is Bai Yujing's sister, and she had treated him well before. Now that they need his help, they can't just abandon him.

I took a stroll around the market.

Chen Lin discovered some useful information: Xiangyang City was originally the territory of the Ning family, the family of Ning Yu, whom he met on Deer Island when he first entered Xingxu.

Although various powerful forces have intervened, the city is still nominally owned by the Ning family.

Knowing this.

He then went straight to the city lord's mansion to inquire about Ning Yu's whereabouts.

"I have met Fellow Daoist Chen."

The city lord was a middle-aged man named Ning Changtian, who had the cultivation of a quasi-ruler. After Chen Lin announced the name of the Azure Peak Heavenly Palace, he came out to greet him.

"Haha."

Chen Lin smiled and clasped his hands in a gesture of respect.

He introduced himself, saying, "My name is Chen Lin, a Yellow-rank Instructor of the Azure Peak Heavenly Palace. I am here on behalf of the Heavenly Palace to open a branch, and I need the strong support of the City Lord."

"So it's you, Venerable Chen. Please come into the main hall for a chat."

Ning Changtian invited Chen Lin into the council hall. After they were seated as host and guest, he had a maid serve him some spiritual tea before letting out a soft sigh.

With a bitter expression, he said, "To be honest, Elder Chen, Xiangyang City is nominally owned by my Ning family, but in reality, it has long been divided up. The shops in the three major markets have long been occupied by various forces, and I have no say in them."

Chen Lin took a sip of tea.

“I am aware of this matter, but this is still Ning family territory after all. It can’t be that there isn’t a single shop. We don’t need many, just a medium-sized or larger courtyard will suffice.”

"And the city lord can rest assured."

"Our Qingding Heavenly Palace has always valued fair trade and will pay the compensation according to the current price."

"Ugh!"

Ning Changtian sighed heavily.

He shook his head and said, "It's not that I'm not giving Fellow Daoist Chen face, but we really don't have any more. The three remaining shops are the symbol of the Ning family in this area. We can't give them to anyone else, otherwise, giving them to you would be equivalent to offending all other forces."

"My Ning family's strength is limited, and we cannot withstand the wrath of the major powers."

Chen Lin put down his teacup.

He knew the other person wasn't telling the truth.

Although Xiangyang City is occupied by various forces, it is not a core area. The city that truly borders the entrance to the Nameless Secret Realm is the largest city in the Northern Cold Realm.

North Cold City!
The key personnel of all the various factions were all stationed there.

Bai Lingyu was there too.

This area is just a small node in the Nameless Secret Realm, with limited resources and not many powerful figures stationed there.

But the other party has no obligation to help him.

Chen Lin knew that although the Qingding Heavenly Palace was mysterious and high above, it actually had no connections or resources.

After all, the Azure Peak Heavenly Palace is notoriously strict, and anyone trading inside must follow the rules.

Those who follow the rules have no deterrent effect.

Now they're using the rules as an excuse, and there's nothing you can do about it.

They stopped trying to cover it up.

Chen Lin immediately said, "I am a good friend of the nobleman Ning Yu. We haven't seen each other for many years. I've come to visit the city lord today to ask you to convey my wish to meet him."

"Does Fellow Daoist Chen know Ning Yu?"

Ning Changtian looked suspicious.

Upon seeing this.

Chen Lin took out the invitation letter that Ning Yu had given him.

Ning Changtian raised an eyebrow.

His attitude immediately softened, and he nodded, saying, "It was indeed posted by my good-for-nothing son."

"I remember now."

"You must have met my son on Deer Island, and you even became Daoist partners with Yue Bingling of the Yue family."

Chen Lin hurriedly waved his hand.

"Lord City Lord, you misunderstand. My relationship with Yue Bingling was just a misunderstanding. The name left on a treasure artifact of the Yin Yang Sect disciple does not mean we have truly become Daoist partners."

"But I did meet Brother Ning on Deer Island and we hit it off immediately. I never expected that he was actually your son. I should call you uncle."

Chen Lin began to try to get closer to him.

Ning Changtian didn't respond, and said in a lukewarm tone, "It's no use if you don't acknowledge your relationship as Daoist partners. The moment the Yue family girl returned, it was announced to the world. Now the entire Northern Cold Realm knows about your relationship."

Chen Lin was speechless.

It is clear.

He was used by Yue Bingling.

But now is not the time to deal with this matter; we must prioritize Bai Lingyu's mission.

"I have something to tell you."

"Yue Bingling possesses special talents and has long been regarded as the exclusive property of Feng Qing of the Feng family. Now, she has refused the Feng family's marriage proposal on the grounds that she will marry under the witness of the Yin-Yang Sect. Although the Feng family is wary of the Yin-Yang Sect and has not made a big move, Feng Qing is also a powerful ruler and I'm afraid he will not let this go easily."

"My Ning family does not want to be enemies with the Feng family."

Ning Changtian glanced at Chen Lin.

"So we can make a deal. You won't tell anyone about your relationship with Ning Yu, and I'll give you a shop in the market to use as the residence of the Azure Peak Heavenly Palace."

"How about it?"

Chen Lin remained silent for a moment.

He said in a deep voice, "Since the city lord does not want to cause trouble, I will naturally not publicize my relationship with Ning Yu, nor will I take the initiative to find him, but I will let it go as a deal."

Speaking of it.

He took out a bag of variegated crystals and poured them onto the table; there were fifty of them.

"I've already inquired beforehand, and shops in the market are in short supply and their value is much higher than before. I'll use these to buy one. It doesn't need to be too big; Lord City Lord can arrange it as you wish."

"Alright."

Ning Changtian did not refuse.

There was no further explanation.

He took out a token and handed it to Chen Lin, saying, "Take this token to Tianxing Pavilion in the central market, call the manager to take over the business, and from now on, that shop will belong to you."

Thank you.

Chen Lin grabbed the token, got up, and left.

He called to the maids waiting outside and left the city lord's mansion without stopping.

"City Lord, since this Chen Lin is from the Azure Peak Heavenly Palace, why not take this opportunity to befriend him? No matter how arrogant the Feng family is, they wouldn't dare to oppose the Azure Peak Heavenly Palace, would they?"

After Chen Lin left, an elderly man with white hair appeared behind Ning Changtian and made a suggestion in a low voice.

Ning Changtian shook his head.

"He is just a retainer, not a member of the Qingding Heavenly Palace. His status is even lower than that of a steward."

"and."

"These outsiders are just passing through. Once they have finished exploring the secret realm, they will all leave. At that time, we will have an extra powerful enemy. It would be unwise to offend the Feng family for this."

"It's too chaotic right now."

"It's best to remain distant from both sides and observe the situation. A slight mishap could lead to the extermination of our entire clan." (End of Chapter)