Cultivating Immortality: I Have a High-Martial World

Chapter 194 Inside the window, a life of extravagance and debauchery; outside, war rages on.

Lin Chen became increasingly suspicious.

It seemed as if an invisible hand was manipulating everything from behind.

Lin Chen helps the Righteous Alliance fight against the Demonic Sect.

However, at the same time, there is also a force continuously supporting the Demonic Sect...

This seems to have become a confrontation between Lin Chen and that force.

Lin Chen walked into the courtyard and looked up at the sky at a 45-degree angle.

From his vantage point, he could see the majestic and imposing Wendao Mountain.

"The Daoist Sect focuses solely on the Dao, disregarding worldly affairs, and indifferent to right and wrong..."

Lin Chen withdrew his gaze and sat down in the rocking chair in the courtyard.

The rocking chair swayed gently as Lin Chen continued to ponder.

"In any case, given the current state of the Demonic Sect, they will not be able to conquer Fog City in the short term."

"At the very least, it will take a year and a half to conquer the entire northern border of the Land of Mist and digest the spoils..."

"And once the Demonic Sect has completely occupied the northern border of the Land of Mist, it will probably be time for the Demonic Sect to launch a full-scale attack on the City of Mist."

"At that time, the strength of the Demonic Sect will probably return to its peak."

Thinking of this, Lin Chen gritted his teeth.

With his current strength, he is not yet able to determine the outcome of this war.

In particular, after Lin Chen began to suspect that there was an even more terrifying existence behind the Blood-Eyed Demon, he dared not make a move easily.

"Right now, the most crucial thing is to break through to the Nascent Soul stage as soon as possible..."

"As for the situation with the Righteous Alliance, there's no rush... It will take me at most half a month to get back from Dao Asking City. I can still make it back in a year."

Lin Chen planned to cultivate within the Dao Seeking Sect for a period of time.

The entire City of Asking the Way is like a huge treasure trove, waiting for Lin Chen to trade and explore.

Previously, Lin Chen had to be extremely careful when trading hundreds of thousands of spirit stones within the Righteous Alliance, constantly worried about being besieged by the Demonic Sect.

But within the City of Asking the Way, there is absolutely no such worry.

Lin Chen looked up at the sky. It was noon, and he decided to go to the city's market.

"The three cities to the east, west, and south mainly trade in elixirs, equipment, array plates, talismans, and the like... There will be plenty of time to go there later."

"Only the market town in the north of the city is a bit different; I might as well go and take a look."

Lin Chen swore he didn't intend to go to places of ill repute.

Well, I'm just a little curious about the most prosperous northern part of Wen Dao City.

So Lin Chen transformed into a streak of light and flew towards the north of the city, appearing a moment later in the cultivator market in the north of the city.

The market streets, several meters wide, were spacious and clean.

Both sides are lined with shops that are three stories or more, including brothels, gambling dens, brokerage firms, and entertainment venues...

Looking around, one could see thousands of cultivators lingering in the market.

The North City Market is the most bustling and the most frequent entertainment venue for cultivators from Daowen City.

"Tsk tsk, the prosperity of this Daocheng is indeed far beyond what Changchun Mountain Market can compare to... This market street alone is several times larger than Changchun Mountain Market."

Lin Chen walked down the street, looking around.

Along the way, there were quite a few Golden Core cultivators, and Lin Chen even encountered one or two auras that seemed to belong to Nascent Soul cultivators.

After wandering around for about half an hour, Lin Chen entered a gambling den.

The gambling dens in Wendao City are exclusively for cultivators' enjoyment, and offer a wide variety of games.

Besides the most basic gambling methods, there were also the jade gambling methods that Lin Chen had seen in Qingyu Town.

Even gambling on fish!

What is fish gambling? It involves starving hundreds of fish for many days and then using a special secret method to activate the ferocity of these spirit fish.

If these spirit fish are allowed to fight each other for several more days, only one fish will survive.

The outcome of betting on fish is that the winner takes all.

The cultivator who successfully catches the Victory Spirit Fish can consume the spiritual food of all other cultivators.

Fish betting has a win rate of almost one percent, so the odds are particularly high.

Many cultivators would spend several or even a dozen spirit stones, and if they guessed correctly, the profit would be hundreds of times their initial investment.

"Fellow Daoist, would you like to gamble on fish?"

Not long after Lin Chen arrived at the fish gambling area, a thin cultivator approached him and asked in a low voice.

Lin Chen turned and glanced at him, only to see him quickly say:

"Fellow Daoist, trust me! Bet on number 36! I have inside information; this fish is guaranteed to win!"

Lin Chen glanced at the cultivator with surprise after hearing this, then nodded in a low voice and said, "Hmm, I'll take another look first."

The thin, small cultivator glanced at Lin Chen and hurriedly disappeared into the crowd.

The voice of the casino manager came from beside me.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the first round of fish betting closes in 15 minutes. Those who wish to place their bets, hurry up!"

"I'm betting on number thirty-six, one hundred spirit stones!"

"I'm betting on number eighteen, fifty spirit stones!"

"I bet..."

As the countdown to the fish gambling began, the voices of the cultivators around them rose and fell.

Lin Chen stood in the corner, looking at the hundreds of spirit fish that had been released into the pond.

"Spirit fish number thirty-six doesn't seem to have the most abundant spiritual energy within it..."

Lin Chen shook his head. Cultivators are skilled in the art of observing qi, which allows them to discern the state of fish.

However, judging from his condition, it's unlikely that Number Thirty-Six will survive to the end.

Therefore, the odds are an astonishing 1 to 300.

If fish number 36 wins the championship, one spirit stone can earn three hundred spirit stones.

On the other hand, the fish in the best condition is number eighteen, which is the largest and has the most abundant spiritual energy, but its odds are only one to sixteen.

"Betting on fish... if Third Senior Brother were here... he'd probably be very interested, wouldn't he?"

Lin Chen smiled, and then, itching to bet, placed a thousand spirit stones on fish number thirty-six.

After that, he didn't linger, but continued to stroll around the market.

In the afternoon, Lin Chen entered a teahouse and ordered some spiritual fruits and a pot of refreshing tea.

The Mind-Calming Tea has the effect of calming the mind. It has a slightly bitter taste but a lingering aftertaste, and is very popular among practitioners.

However, its price is also quite high, with just one pot of tea costing over a hundred spirit stones.

Lin Chen sat in a private room on the fourth floor of the teahouse, leaning against the window and watching the passersby and scenery outside, basking in the sun.

I just felt that life was peaceful and serene.

"Sigh, this is what cultivation is all about! I've been in the cultivation world for fifteen years, and I've never felt this relaxed before."

Lin Chen smacked his lips.

This Daocheng is truly a wonderful place; as long as you have spirit stones and strength, it is a paradise for cultivators.

Cultivational resources, status, treasures, even honors and beauties... everything is available.

As darkness fell, Lin Chen left the teahouse and went to Tianxianglou, which was just across the street.

Since we're in the North City, we should at least enjoy ourselves.

As soon as Lin Chen entered Tianxiang Tower, he smelled a refreshing fragrance.

The incense burning inside the building was neither too strong nor too weak, just right to enter the nose, making people feel relaxed and happy.

The main hall on the first floor of Tianxiang Tower is very spacious. Hundreds of cultivators sit around a table in groups of three or five, drinking, enjoying music, and savoring delicious food.

"Sir, are you alone?" At that moment, a woman in a colorful dress with stunning beauty approached.

Lin Chen glanced at her; he was at the peak of Qi Refining.

The women in Tianxiang Tower all possess cultivation levels, ranging from Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment Perfection.

Her appearance is also exceptionally beautiful, and she exudes charm with every gesture.

"Is this a technique related to charm and allure?"

Lin Chen frowned slightly for a moment, then relaxed.

Using seductive techniques in a brothel can be considered putting what you've learned to good use.

"Hmm, is there a menu? I'm a little hungry..." Lin Chen said casually.

Upon seeing Lin Chen's reaction, a look of surprise flashed across the woman's beautiful face.

Although her cultivation level was not high, her seductive skills had reached a high level, and even Foundation Establishment cultivators would lose their composure.

The person before me is at least a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator!

Thinking of this, the woman became respectful and bowed to Lin Chen, saying:

"My name is Wan'er. Would you like to go to a private room upstairs, senior?"

"No need, I think this place is fine." Lin Chen shook his head.

Soon, Wan'er handed over a menu, and Lin Chen took it and began to order.

"Dragon and Phoenix Spirit Soup, 600 spirit stones per bowl."

"Jin Yuxian, one hundred and eighty spirit stones per share."

"Purple Smoke Chicken, eighty spirit stones each."

"A century-old Dragon Tongue liquor, five hundred spirit stones for a pot..."

Lin Chen blinked; the prices on the menu were definitely not cheap.

Even the cheapest cold dish costs at least thirty spirit stones, and a single expensive dish can cost tens of thousands of spirit stones.

Lin Chen pointed to the menu and asked:

"Why is the food at your Tianxiang Restaurant so expensive?"

The girl named Wan'er said:

"Senior, you may not know this, but our food is prepared by top-notch food cultivators. From the ingredients to the cooking methods, everything is done with utmost care. Not only is it delicious, but it is also very beneficial to one's cultivation."

Food therapy?

Lin Chen looked intrigued after hearing this.

The term "cultivating through food" also refers to the various arts and skills of cultivating immortality.

Skilled in cooking, they lock in the original flavor and essence of the ingredients within the food.

Eating food prepared for spiritual practice is as helpful as consuming elixirs for spiritual cultivation.

Compared to tasteless pills, delicious food is clearly more appealing to cultivators.

Lin Chen nodded slightly and then asked, "Is this Purple Swallow Chicken a delicacy of Yanlai Kingdom?"

Wan'er looked surprised upon hearing this and nodded, saying:

"Senior is indeed very knowledgeable. This Purple Smoke Chicken does indeed originate from Yanlai Kingdom."

Lin Chen nodded and pointed to the menu, saying:

"A serving of Purple Swallow Chicken, a serving of Golden Jade Fairy... and a glass of Centennial Dragon Tequila."

Lin Chen ordered a few simple dishes and a glass of wine, and waited quietly in the hall.

During this time, many cultivators dressed in fine clothes and smelling of alcohol approached Lin Chen, wanting to strike up a conversation.

Lin Chen politely declined each offer and sat quietly in a corner of the hall, eating his food.

Tianxiang Tower truly lives up to its reputation as one of the top three pleasure quarters in Wendao City.

The Purple Swallow Chicken melts in your mouth, is fragrant and delicious, and tastes even better than what Lin Chen ate in Yanlai City.

The other dishes were also rare delicacies, surpassing any food Lin Chen had eaten in the previous thirty years.

After the meal, a pot of wine lingers on the lips and teeth, making it irresistible.

The air is filled with specially made aromatherapy, which makes people feel happy.

The sound of a piano, so rare in the world, filled my ears, making me feel as if I were bathed in a spring breeze.

Before me stood a fairy, skilled in singing and dancing, barely clothed, captivating all who beheld her.

The mouth is filled with delicacies from land and sea that I have never tasted before, making my blood rush and my mouth water.

Lin Chen sat silently in the corner, observing everything around him.

After a long while, the cultivators left one after another.

They could either leave Tianxiang Tower or go upstairs to prepare for an all-night chat and in-depth exchange with the fairies.

At this moment, the girl Wan'er also stepped forward and asked:

"Senior, may I rest here tonight?"

Lin Chen shook his head, paid the money, and turned to leave Tianxiang Restaurant.

Before leaving, he glanced at the various cultivators inside the building and thought of the battle between the Righteous Alliance and the Demonic Sect.

For a moment, it felt as if I were in a dream world.

After a long pause, Lin Chen sighed:

Inside, there was extravagance and debauchery; outside, war raged...

(End of this chapter)