Cultivation of Immortality: Start by Improving Spiritual Root Qualifications

Chapter 918 Nine Extremes Immortal City, Floating Giant Island!
Zhou Xun led everyone to the City Lord's Mansion.

This time, the group was large and impressive, including Zhou Xun and Sun Yuanxuan, as well as the Que Le brothers, Xiao Jin, Xiao Jia and other followers.

When they arrived at the gate of the city lord's mansion, the guards clearly looked troubled.

"Senior Zhou, there are too many people accompanying us today, I'm afraid..." The guard captain clasped his hands in a salute, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.

"Please wait a moment, Lord Bloodspear, after I have informed you!"

Zhou Xun nodded slightly.

At this moment, Sun Yuanxuan surveyed the entire city lord's mansion and exclaimed in amazement, "This city lord's mansion is truly magnificent!"

She looked up at the towering vermilion gate, which was inlaid with eighty-one gilded bronze nails that gleamed in the sunlight.

Above the door hangs a black plaque with gold lettering that reads "Beishan Prefecture" in bold strokes, seemingly imbued with a spiritual energy.

"No wonder it's a training ground for cultivators at the Void Refinement stage." Sun Yuanxuan's eyes were full of longing.

After waiting for a moment, a hearty laugh suddenly came from inside the mansion: "Hahaha, Fellow Daoist Zhou, we've finally waited for you!"

Everyone turned around and saw a blood-red figure walking through the air; it was none other than Blood Spear Heavenly Lord.

Today he was dressed in a dark red robe with a gold belt around his waist, making him look like a drawn sword, sharp and piercing.

"Greetings, Fellow Daoist Blood Spear." Zhou Xun bowed respectfully.

Blood Spear Heavenly Lord waved his hand, his gaze sweeping over the crowd: "The City Lord knew you were coming, so he specially sent me to pick you up."

He looked at the guards, "These people are all Fellow Daoist Zhou's followers. Let them pass."

Upon hearing this, the guard immediately bowed and made way: "Yes, Your Majesty, please!"

Passing through the gate, a straight bluestone avenue comes into view, with exotic flowers and plants planted on both sides, emitting a refreshing fragrance.

Every ten steps, a guard in silver armor stood at attention, and all of them were at least at the Golden Core stage.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou, the City Lord is waiting for you in the main hall," Blood Spear Heavenly Monarch said as he walked.
"I heard you're leaving Beishan City?"

Zhou Xun nodded: "Exactly. The teleportation array has been repaired, and I should set off now."

Blood Spear Heavenly Lord sighed:
"What a pity, what a pity. I was hoping to find an opportunity to have a good drink with you. I still have a few jars of 'Blood Spirit Brew' hidden away. It is made with thousand-year-old blood ginseng and thirty-six kinds of spiritual fruits. Even the city lord praised it highly."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xun smiled and said, "I appreciate the Heavenly Lord's hospitality. If I have the opportunity to return someday, I will definitely drink with the Heavenly Lord until we are completely drunk."

As they spoke, the group arrived at a white jade square.

In the center of the square stands a nine-story main hall with upturned eaves and a magnificent golden appearance. In front of the hall stand nine dragon pillars, each adorned with a lifelike golden dragon sculpture.

"We've arrived." Blood Spear Heavenly Lord stopped and turned to Sun Yuanxuan and the others, saying:
"Please follow the maids to the side hall to rest. The city lord has prepared tea and refreshments." With a wave of his hand, four maids dressed in light green gauze dresses gracefully came over.

Zhou Xun nodded to Sun Yuanxuan: "You two go and rest first, I'm going to see the city lord."

Sun Yuanxuan obediently responded and left with the maid. The Que brothers also bowed to Zhou Xun and took their leave.

Upon arriving at the entrance of the main hall, Blood Spear Heavenly Lord stopped in his tracks: "I'll leave you here. The city lord is waiting for you inside." He then bowed respectfully and turned to leave.

Zhou Xun straightened his clothes and stepped into the main hall.

Unexpectedly, the scene inside the hall was not the solemn and majestic one I had imagined. Instead, there was a small rosewood table in the center, on which were placed several exquisite spiritual dishes and a pot of wine.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou has arrived." A cool voice came from above.

Zhou Xun looked up and saw that the Lord of Beishan City had changed into a light purple dress today, and his hair was tied up in a high bun, secured with only a jade hairpin.

She descended barefoot through the void, the silver bells on her ankles making a clear, ringing sound.

Extremely moving!

"Greetings, City Lord." Zhou Xun bowed respectfully.

The Lord of Beishan City nodded slightly, gesturing for him to take a seat: "Today's banquet is to bid farewell to Fellow Daoist Zhou."

The two sat facing each other without any distinction of host and guest. Zhou Xun noticed that the spiritual food on the table was all rare and precious.

The crystal-clear "jade marrow bamboo shoots", the "mysterious gold fish sashimi" that exudes a faint golden light, and a bowl of "nine-turn lingzhi soup" that steams with spiritual energy.

The Lord of Beishan City personally poured Zhou Xun a cup of wine: "This is 'Cold Jade Brew' made from thousand-year-old snow lotus, which is very beneficial for stabilizing one's cultivation."

The liquid is pale blue, and tiny ice crystals can be faintly seen sparkling as it swirls in the glass.

Zhou Xun raised his cup and took a small sip, immediately feeling a cool sensation travel from his throat down to his dantian, which invigorated his spiritual energy.

"Excellent wine!" Zhou Xun exclaimed sincerely.

The two ate and chatted, and the Lord of Beishan City unusually spoke more than usual.

She inquired about Zhou Xun's impressions of Beishan City and then discussed some details of the repair of the teleportation array. After a few rounds of drinks, the City Lord of Beishan City suddenly changed the subject, seemingly casually asking:

"Fellow Daoist Zhou, will you return to Beishan City after this journey?"

Zhou Xun put down his wine cup and said seriously, "Of course I will go back. Since I have already agreed to serve as a guest elder, I will not go back on my word."

A hint of a smile flashed in the eyes of the City Lord of Beishan, and her expression softened with a touch of feminine gentleness. She then asked, "Where does Fellow Daoist Zhou intend to go?"

"Wandao Lake," Zhou Xun said frankly.

Upon hearing the place name, the Lord of Beishan City frowned slightly. After pondering for a moment, he took out a jade slip: "This is information about Wandao Lake that I collected during my travels in my early years. Perhaps it will be of some help to you, fellow Daoist."

Zhou Xun took the jade slip and scanned it with his divine sense. He found that it not only recorded in detail the distribution of various forces in Wandao Lake, but also introduced various dangerous places, and even marked several possible ancient ruins.

This information is far more detailed than the intelligence that can be bought on the market.

"I am deeply grateful for the Lord's generous gift." Zhou Xun solemnly accepted it.

"It's a rare opportunity for us to become acquainted, so there's no need for such formality. My real name is Bai Shishi. If Fellow Daoist Zhou doesn't mind, you can simply call me Fellow Daoist Bai!" the City Lord of Beishan City said with a smile.
Zhou Xun naturally readily agreed.
"Fellow Daoist Bai!"

Bai Shishi was extremely satisfied, and her tone became much more friendly.

The banquet lasted for about an hour, after which the City Lord of Beishan personally escorted Zhou Xun to the teleportation hall. On the way, she suddenly said:
"If you encounter any trouble at Wandao Lake, you can send me a message. Beishan City has some influence there."

Zhou Xun's heart stirred, and he thanked him again.

Sun Yuanxuan and the others had been waiting for a long time in front of the teleportation hall.

Upon seeing Zhou Xun, Sun Yuanxuan quickly stepped forward to greet him: "Young Master, everything is ready."

Zhou Xun nodded and turned to the City Lord of Beishan: "City Lord, please wait. I will take my leave now." The City Lord of Beishan nodded slightly: "Have a safe journey."

As the teleportation array lit up with a dazzling light, Zhou Xun and the others gradually blurred and disappeared from the spot.

A dizzying sensation swept over him, and Zhou Xun felt as if his internal organs were being churned, with a blinding silver light flashing before his eyes.

The dizziness gradually subsided when my feet touched solid ground again.

"We've arrived." Zhou Xun took a deep breath and steadied himself.

Opening my eyes, I was greeted by a magnificent, golden teleportation hall.

The roof of the palace is about 100 feet high and is supported by nine golden pillars with coiled dragons. Each pillar is inlaid with countless moonstones, which emit a soft light.

The ground was paved with solid pieces of green jade bricks, engraved with intricate array patterns, which were still shimmering with a faint spiritual light.

"This is absolutely magnificent!" Sun Yuanxuan exclaimed, covering her mouth in surprise as she looked up at the dome.

There was a star map there, with countless stars arranged according to specific trajectories, just like the real starry sky.

The Que brothers also showed expressions of shock: "As expected of the teleportation hall of a top-tier immortal city!"

Zhou Xun looked around and realized that the teleportation array they were in was just one of dozens of teleportation arrays in the main hall.

Looking around, the entire hall was arranged in a circle, with thirty or forty teleportation arrays neatly distributed. Next to each teleportation array stood two guards dressed in silver armor, whose cultivation levels were all at the Nascent Soul stage.

"Let's go." Zhou Xun took the lead and the others walked out along the passage.

The walls on both sides of the passageway are adorned with portraits of powerful figures who have guarded this city throughout history. Below each portrait, their names and cultivation levels are marked in gold paint. The most prominent portrait features an elderly man with white hair and beard, with the inscription "Ancestor Xuan Kong, Peak of the Integration Stage."

"Senior, shall we go straight back to Wandao Lake, or stay here for a while?" Que Le asked after leaving the teleportation hall.

Zhou Xun looked up at the sky, a hint of amazement flashing in his eyes: "Since we're here, we should naturally take a look."

The Nine Extremes Immortal City has a famous scenic spot called "Nine Heavens Cloud Sea," which is known as one of the eight great scenic spots of the Northern Underworld Immortal Realm!

They were standing on a suspended platform, surrounded by clouds and mist.

Looking around, the entire immortal city was actually a giant island floating in the air, with a bottomless sea of ​​clouds below.

In the distance, hundreds of floating islands of varying sizes surround the area, connected by rainbow-like spirit bridges.

"It is said that this ninth-level immortal city was originally a floating island covering tens of thousands of feet." Zhou Xun recalled the records in the jade slip of the North Mountain City Lord.

"There is an extremely dense magnetic field underground. After being modified by powerful cultivators, countless floating islands were moved here, which is why it has its current scale."

A gentle breeze blew by, carrying a faint fragrance of flowers.

Sun Yuanxuan curiously leaned over the railing and looked down. She saw the sea of ​​clouds churning below, and occasionally she could see birds flying by with wingspans of more than ten zhang.

"Be careful." Zhou Xun gently tugged at her sleeve. "Although the restrictions on this railing can prevent falls, it's still better to be cautious."

Leaving the teleportation area, the group stepped onto a wide street.

The ground was paved with pure white jade stones, each containing a wisp of spiritual fire that shimmered faintly in the sunlight.

Neat shops line both sides of the street, their signs displaying the names of each business.

"My God, is that a third-grade purple Ganoderma?" Sun Yuanxuan suddenly exclaimed, pointing to the medicinal herbs displayed at the entrance of a pharmacy.

On the display stand in front of the pharmacy, several purple Ganoderma lucidum mushrooms were casually placed, each about the size of a washbasin, exuding a rich spiritual aura.

This precious elixir, considered a treasure in the human world, is displayed in the open like ordinary goods here.

"That's not all." Little Jin, with her sharp eyes, spotted several more rare medicinal herbs. "Over there are Dragon Blood Vine and Mystic Ice Flower—treasures that are only found once every thousand years in the human realm!"

Zhou Xun nodded slightly: "The spiritual energy in the Immortal Realm is abundant, so these spiritual herbs are indeed much more common. However, the truly good things are not displayed outside."

As they were talking, a huge circular plaza appeared in front of them, covering an area of ​​a thousand acres.

In the center of the square stands a statue hundreds of feet tall, depicting an old man with his hands behind his back, his face kind yet dignified.

“That’s the statue of Ancestor Xuan Kong,” Que Le explained. “He was the one who built this immortal city.”

The square was surrounded by densely packed stalls where cultivators traded various spiritual items.

The sounds of hawking and bargaining filled the air, creating a lively atmosphere. Zhou Xun noticed that the items being traded here were indeed low-level spiritual items, the highest being no more than the fourth rank.

“Young master, how about we go and take a look at those big shops?” Sun Yuanxuan suggested, pointing to several imposing buildings on the edge of the square.

Zhou Xun nodded and led the group toward one of the most magnificent buildings.

The entire building is made of green jade, and a golden plaque hangs above the door with the three large characters "Wanyuan Pavilion" written in a powerful and vigorous style, which can be faintly heard as if a dragon is roaring.

As soon as you step through the gate, a refreshing fragrance wafts towards you. The hall is spacious and bright, with various rare and exotic treasures displayed all around, each shrouded in a transparent protective shield.

A dozen or so waiters in uniform were greeting guests. When Zhou Xun and his group entered, a middle-aged manager immediately came forward to greet them.

"What would you distinguished guests like? Our pavilion has all kinds of spiritual materials and magical treasures."

The manager smiled broadly, his gaze sweeping over everyone before finally settling on Zhou Xun, clearly recognizing his extraordinary talent.

Without wasting words, Zhou Xun directly released a trace of his Nascent Soul stage aura: "Do you have any fifth-tier spiritual herbs?"

The steward's expression changed, and he immediately became even more respectful: "So you are Senior Heavenly Lord. Please forgive us, fifth-grade spiritual herbs are indeed not in stock on a regular basis. Such rare items only appear at the once-in-a-century 'Mysterious Void Auction'."

"The last auction was held just over thirty years ago, and the next one will be nearly seventy years away."

Seeing Zhou Xun's disappointed expression, the steward added, "However, if you urgently need it, you can participate in the 'Cultivator Trade Fair' twelve years from now."

"That's a small gathering of cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage and above, where fifth-grade spiritual herbs are occasionally traded."

Zhou Xun nodded thoughtfully.
Nascent Soul stage cultivators have lifespans of up to 20,000 years, and a single seclusion can last for decades or even centuries. Therefore, it is extremely difficult for them to gather together.

Therefore, even for trade fairs, the time is arranged in advance, otherwise it is not easy to get everyone together.

Then, Zhou Xun asked some more questions about the details of the trade fair.

The steward answered all questions without reservation, and finally respectfully handed over a jade slip containing information about various recent activities in the Immortal City.

After leaving Wanbaoge, it was nearly dusk. The sea of ​​clouds at the edge of the floating island was dyed golden red by the setting sun, a breathtaking sight.

"Young Master, what's next?" Sun Yuanxuan asked.
Stay a few more days, try the local delicacies, and then head to Wandao Lake!

For the next half month, Zhou Xun led everyone to stay in the ninth-level immortal city, enjoying the delicious food, before finally returning to the teleportation hall.
Let's leave this place!
(End of this chapter)