Complete one practice method every day

Chapter 99 Not a feather can be added, not a fly can land.

The caravan stopped at a fork in the road a few miles from the city gate of Tianzhou. Chen Yue and his companions discussed briefly and decided that although they had not had any dealings with the caravan along the way, they had ultimately arrived safely thanks to them, and it was only right and proper that they went to express their gratitude.

The four of them drove up to the side of the caravan that was resting and regrouping.

Qiu Jin turned around upon hearing the voice and saw Chen Yue and his three companions. A warm smile appeared on his face, and the guardedness and indifference he had shown earlier had long since disappeared.

Chen Yue stepped forward and cupped his hands in thanks to Qiu Jin: "I have troubled you greatly along the way. Today I have finally arrived in Tianzhou Prefecture and have come to express my gratitude."

Qiu Jin returned the greeting with a cupped hand and smiled, "Young hero, you're too kind. It's no trouble at all. It's best that you've had a safe journey."

His words were quite sincere. During the more than ten days they traveled together, Chen Yue and the other three had always kept to their proper place and had not done anything suspicious, which was enough to prove that they were not bad people.

There was a faint trace of kinship between the two sides.

However, Qiu Jin also knew in his heart that even if time could be reversed and he could make the choice again, he would still refuse to let strangers of unknown origin join the caravan, just as he had done before.

Caution is the first key to survival in business, especially in these turbulent times.

This is something we both understand perfectly well, and there's no need to say it aloud.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, the two sides bowed and took their leave.

The caravan slowly started moving, heading towards another passage specifically prepared for large caravans. Chen Yue and his three companions drove their carriage, merging into the flow of people and vehicles heading towards the main city gate.

Watching the caravan disappear into the distance, Shen Dujiang turned to Chen Yue and asked, "Chen Yue, now that we've arrived in Tianzhou Prefecture, what are your plans? Should we find a place to stay immediately, or should we gather some information first?"

Hu Shaoyu also slowed down his pace to catch the train. Lin Quan leaned out of the carriage, and all three of them looked at Chen Yue.

In this bustling, chaotic city, Chen Yue's strength was their greatest asset and their backbone. Naturally, they hoped to continue following Chen Yue and find a stable future.

Chen Yue pondered for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the increasingly imposing city wall ahead, and slowly said, "Let's not rush into long-term plans. Let's find an inn to settle down, wash up, and rest first."

Then, Mr. Shen and Mr. Hu, you two can first inquire about the current situation in Tianzhou Prefecture, where we can rent houses, and whether there are any forces suitable for us to rely on.

"When you first arrive, without any connections, things will be very difficult. But if you can find a reliable force to protect you, it will be much easier to settle down and acquire resources."

Upon hearing this, Hu Shaoyu nodded repeatedly, a look of deep agreement on his face: "Brother Chen has thought things through thoroughly. In such a prosperous place as Tianzhou Prefecture, the power dynamics are deeply entrenched, and the situation is far more complex than in Youlin County."

Every industry has its backers. Without connections, even if you just want to rent a shop and do some business peacefully, you might get eaten alive. It's wise to find a backer first; even if you have to pay a small fee, it will save you countless troubles.

Shen Dujiang nodded in agreement: "That's right. We're new here, so we need to understand the rules first before we plan our development."

With the plan finalized, the carriage finally moved slowly with the flow of people to the tall city gate of Tianzhou Prefecture.

Only by looking up at it up close can one truly appreciate the grandeur and magnificence of this capital city.

The city wall is built with huge bluish-gray stone blocks, which fit together perfectly. After weathering the vicissitudes of time, the surface has turned dark, but it looks even more solid and indestructible.

The city gate is deep and wide, large enough to accommodate several carriages side by side. Above it are engraved the two ancient seal characters "Tianzhou," written in strong and elegant script, exuding an air of majesty.

On the city wall, watchtowers stood tall, banners fluttered, and armored soldiers stood with spears in hand, their eyes sharp as lightning, looking down at the endless stream of people below.

Moreover, its grandeur lies not only in its form, but also in its momentum.

A vast and intangible aura, a mixture of dynastic laws and the sedimentation of countless years, enveloped the entire city as if it were a tangible entity.

Chen Yue had already begun to concentrate his mental energy, and his sensitivity to this force was particularly strong.

Standing beneath this city wall, he felt as insignificant as a drop in the ocean. The invisible pressure made his blood circulation stagnate slightly, as if he were standing next to a furnace, where ordinary cold and evil energy could not get close to him.

"Those evil spirits and ghosts that appeared in Youlin County probably wouldn't even be able to get close to this city wall before being swept away by this mighty force," Chen Yue thought to himself.

The queue for entry inspection was long but orderly, and the guards were strict but not difficult.

When it was Chen Yue's turn, the guards briefly checked the travel permit that Shen Dujiang had prepared in advance, and then glanced at the carriage.

Just when Chen Yue thought he had passed smoothly, the small alchemy furnace he kept close to his body suddenly vibrated very slightly, as if it had been swept by some invisible force.

The next instant, Chen Yue keenly sensed that an old soldier at the city gate, who had been keeping his eyes half-closed, suddenly raised his gaze and glanced at him like lightning.

But the old soldier did not speak up to stop him; he simply shook his head slightly at the young guard beside him.

"Did it sense the chilling aura of the alchemy furnace?" Chen Yue's heart stirred slightly, but he remained outwardly calm.

It seems the city gate checks in Tianzhou Prefecture are capable of detecting anything hidden. The other party didn't make a move, perhaps because Chen Yue didn't possess any evil aura, and the alchemy furnace had been nearly completely refined by Chen Yue's blood and energy.

The four passed through the inspection smoothly, and the carriage drove into the deep and magnificent gate.

Passing through the gate, the bustling scene of Tianzhou Prefecture unfolded before my eyes like a scroll painting, far surpassing any of the small towns I had passed through before.

The wide, flat main street, paved with bluestone, stretches straight out, large enough for several carriages to pass side by side, and seems to have no end in sight.

Shops lined both sides of the street, with towering buildings.

Silk shops, restaurants, teahouses, silver shops, pharmacies, martial arts schools, carriage and horse shops—all kinds of businesses were available, and their scale and grandeur far surpassed anything seen before.

The streets were crowded with people, including noblemen in fine clothes, laborers in short shirts and straw sandals, warriors with swords and knives, and scholars waving fans.

The cacophony of voices, vehicles, and vendors blended into a vibrant, lively atmosphere, full of local flavor.

The air was filled with the aromas of food, spices, cosmetics, and a faint floral scent wafting from somewhere—a complex and lively atmosphere.

Hu Shaoyu drove skillfully, avoiding the main roads and navigating through the crisscrossing alleys. He finally stopped on a relatively quiet street with plenty of inns and taverns, and found an inn called Yuelaiju.

The inn is quite expensive; a regular room costs almost twice as much as a similar inn in Youlin County per day.

While paying, Hu Shaoyu explained to Lin Quan, who was slightly frowning, "Master Lin, this is the normal market price. It's not easy to stay in Tianzhou Prefecture. Other inns are about the same price, and some in good locations are even more expensive. We're new here, so let's settle in here first. We can find suitable long-term accommodation after we've figured things out."

After settling their luggage and horses, the four did not rest immediately.

For more than ten days, they endured wind and rain, living in constant fear and anxiety. Although nothing major happened except for that night with the two ruthless villains, their minds remained tense.

Now that I have finally stepped into the safe and bustling capital city and am in a lively inn, a strong sense of relaxation washes over me.

The four of them specially ordered a meal at the inn that was not extravagant but quite plentiful, plus a pot of local rice wine.

As the steaming dishes were served and glasses clinked, even Chen Yue, who had always been calm, felt a long-lost peace and relaxation.

The warmth of the food filled my stomach, dispelling the chill and weariness of the wilderness.

Lin Quan completely relaxed, a genuine smile that hadn't been seen for many days appeared on his face, and he even drank a couple more glasses and became more talkative.

The past ten days of travel had been an immense ordeal for him, an alchemist with no martial arts skills, both physically and mentally. Now that he had finally arrived in the safe city of Tianzhou, he could finally catch his breath, and he was filled with relief.

After dinner, Shen Dujiang and Hu Shaoyu rested for a while before heading out together to inquire about various news in Tianzhou Prefecture, as planned. Chen Yue and the slightly tipsy Lin Quan returned to their respective rooms.

Closing the door shut out the noise from the outside world.

Chen Yue did not lie down immediately, but sat cross-legged on the bed, habitually calming his mind and looking inward at himself.

During the more than ten days of continuous travel, his cultivation never stopped for a single day.

Under the combined effects of the Marrow Cleansing Pill and the Danyang Pill, his cultivation level rapidly increased, and the experience bar for the Bone Forging Realm steadily advanced.

What caught Chen Yue's attention even more were the three talents that were still in their nascent stages.

[Talent: Invulnerable to all poisons (87/100)], it will be fully formed in thirteen more days.

At that time, his resistance to poisons will greatly increase, and ordinary poisons will be unable to harm him in the slightest.

[Talent: Copper Skin and Iron Bones (158/221)], with the dual tempering of one Bone-Increasing Pill and one Marrow-Cleansing Pill every day, this talent has already been more than halfway condensed.

It should be fully formed in about another month.

Compared to the soft power of being immune to all poisons, which is more geared towards dealing with special situations, the talent of having an iron body and a copper skin, once fully developed, will inevitably bring about a comprehensive and tremendous change in strength.

Stronger defense, greater strength, and more resilient bones will have an immediate and significant impact on combat effectiveness.

[Talent: Strengthening and Damage Recovery (63/265)], this talent requires a lot of experience.

It will still be quite some time before it is fully formed, but its effects of stabilizing its origin and accelerating recovery have already begun to show.

Furthermore, the growth potential of this talent also benefits from the Marrow Cleansing Pill.

Each time a Marrow Cleansing Pill is taken, the maximum experience requirement for Strengthening the Foundation and Recovering Injuries will decrease by 1 point, just like the Copper Skin and Iron Bones talent.

In terms of technique, the Vajra Palm has progressed from the Lesser Completion to the Greater Completion (2373/6019) stage. The palm power has become increasingly profound and robust, and a touch of harmony has begun to emerge from its fierceness.

The Mind Cultivation Technique has also progressed from the Lesser Completion to the Greater Completion (1485/6000), with a significant increase in mental strength and increasingly keen perception.

Nowadays, many subtle changes and shifts in the flow of energy no longer require Chen Yue to consciously investigate; his mind can automatically capture and discern them. This almost instinctive early warning is especially important in complex environments.

It gave me a feeling that not even a feather could be added, and not even a fly could land.

And the extremely dangerous book, "The Disintegration of the Heavenly Demon," has also quietly reached a minor level of mastery under Chen Yue's careful study (535/3356).

This means that if one encounters a truly desperate situation, this secret technique can already unleash some of its power. Although the cost is still terrifying, at least one has the means to fight to the death.

Of course, Chen Yue would never dare to try this unless it was a matter of life and death.

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