Chapter 358

Chapter 358: Lian City

The massive flying ship parted the thick clouds, revealing a vast expanse ahead.

An endless marsh unfolded before the eyes of all the passengers, eliciting genuine admiration from many.

As the flying ship neared its destination, the passengers eagerly gathered on the deck to witness the breathtaking view of the Qinglian Great Marsh.

Among them was Wang Chen.

He had arrived in Wancheng on the fifteenth day of the first month and then boarded this flying ship to the southern capital—Lian City.

Lian City is situated at the heart of the Qinglian Great Marsh!

After the colossal ship continued its journey for half an hour, everyone caught sight of an immortal city built upon a lake.

Lian City!

This immortal city appeared to float atop endless azure waves, its majestic form resembling a blooming lotus. Each petal represented a district, connected by arched bridges.

Layers of lotus petals encircled a grand palace.

Wang Chen knew this to be the South Domain Palace of the West Sea Sect, governing the Spiritual Realm that spanned hundreds of thousands of miles.

The supreme authority in the southern West Sea Spiritual Realm!

Following protocol, as a newly promoted inner sect disciple of the West Sea Sect, Wang Chen was required to report to the South Domain Palace.

There, he would register his name, establish his identity, gather spiritual energy, and set up his immortal registry.

Finally, he would use the teleportation formation of the South Domain Palace to reach the inner mountain gate of the Central Region’s main sect.

Clutching the jade token in his hand, Wang Chen suppressed the rising tide of emotions within him.

Woo~

Accompanied by a deep and resonant horn sound, the flying ship began its descent toward Lian City below.

At that moment, two streaks of light shot up into the sky.

They were two flying boats.

Under the guidance—or rather, supervision—of the flying boats, the giant ship slowly landed on a dock on the outskirts of Lian City.

This dock was constructed on the water, with dozens of similar docks nearby, evenly spaced from left to right, nearly half of which were occupied by various flying ships.

The grandeur of Lian City was evident in this sight!

As Wang Chen disembarked from the flying ship and walked along the wide plankway into the largest immortal city in the southern region, he felt like a country person stepping into a bustling metropolis for the first time.

Even on the city’s outskirts, the concentration of spiritual energy was remarkably rich, infused with a refreshing marshy aroma.

Being within it invigorated the magic power within him.

Undoubtedly, cultivating in such an environment would significantly accelerate one’s progress.

Wang Chen stood amidst the bustling crowd and couldn’t help but take a deep breath.

At that moment, a nimble young boy in a blue shirt, around thirteen or fourteen years old, darted out of the crowd and approached Wang Chen, grinning as he bowed, “Little Guizi pays his respects, esteemed one. Do you need a guide who knows Lian City best?”

Little Guizi?

Wang Chen smiled and asked, “How many spirit stones?”

The young boy appeared quite sharp, his demeanor lively and restless.

Despite being only at the third level of Qi Training, he showed little respect for Wang Chen, a Purple Palace master.

It seemed he had seen too much.

Wang Chen was well aware that Lian City, as the capital of the South Domain and home to the West Sea Sect’s palace, was teeming with Purple Palace cultivators, as common as hairs on a cow.

Therefore, he made no effort to hide his aura.

The boy’s attitude was perfectly normal.

When Wang Chen asked about the price, the boy’s eyes immediately sparkled, and he held up three fingers, "Just thirty spirit stones for a day."

Wang Chen sighed, "Do I look like a fool to you?"

Thirty spirit stones for a day!

Back when he first arrived, his storage bag contained only seven spirit fragments and thirty-nine spirit fragments.

That was all the savings from his previous life’s hard work in farming!

Although Wang Chen’s wealth now exceeded a million spirit stones, that was no excuse to be wasteful.

His goal was clear, and he didn’t plan to stay in Lian City for long, so he didn’t really need a guide.

"This is the market price!"

The boy acted as if he was wronged by the heavens, "I wouldn’t dare offend a master, even if I had the greatest courage!"

To prove he wasn’t trying to cheat Wang Chen, he listed the benefits of having a guide on his fingers.

For instance, when it came to lodging, Little Guizi could help Wang Chen find the most affordable inn in the city.

In Lian City, inn prices were exorbitant, and there was a tendency to overcharge outsiders. Many new cultivators often realized this after being cheated a few times.

With Little Guizi leading the way, Wang Chen could avoid such traps.

Was thirty spirit stones a day expensive?

Not at all! The savings from staying three to five days would be more than that.

Moreover, Little Guizi could take Wang Chen to taste the most authentic lake fish.

Lian City was built on Qinglian Lake, and the spiritual fish from the lake were renowned for their delicious taste and their dual benefits of nourishing the soul and body.

However, due to extensive fishing over the years, the number of lake fish had dwindled, driving prices sky-high.

Even locals found it hard to get genuine lake fish.

"Many taverns sell lake fish that are imported and then soaked in Qinglian Lake for a few days,"

Little Guizi whispered to Wang Chen, "They sell them at outrageous prices, so don’t be fooled!"

Wang Chen was at a loss for words.

He was genuinely impressed by this kid and couldn’t help but shake his head. "Fine, I’ll hire you for a day. Start by taking me to the most affordable inn you mentioned."

The sky was about to darken, and heading to the South Domain Palace now would likely result in a closed door.

It wasn’t an emergency, and there was no need to rush.

Staying the night and going the next morning would be perfectly fine!

"Alright!"

The boy was instantly overjoyed and whistled, "Daniu, come here!"

When he saw Wang Chen shake his head, he thought the deal might fall through.

To his surprise, things turned around, and his face lit up with joy.

In the next moment, they heard the clatter of hooves as a two-seater horse carriage quickly approached them.

The driver was a sturdy-looking boy about fifteen or sixteen, who smiled warmly at Wang Chen while holding the reins.

Little Guizi bowed obsequiously, "Esteemed master, please."

As Wang Chen stepped forward, he suddenly asked, "Riding the carriage costs extra, right?"

"Wise master!"

The boy straightened up, revealing a grin of eight teeth, "The horse fee is separate, just five spirit stones from you."

Wang Chen gave the boy a deep look.

He climbed into the carriage.

Little Guizi felt a bit guilty under Wang Chen’s gaze and didn’t dare to sit beside him, instead running behind the carriage.

His speed with the movement techniques was impressive.

The carriage carried Wang Chen through the streets and alleys of Lian City, allowing him to see the true face of this city.

Wang Chen’s greatest impression was that…

There were truly a lot of Purple Palace cultivators!

While most of the passersby on the streets were Qi Training cultivators, there were quite a few in the Transcendence Realm too.

But the number of Purple Palace cultivators was truly staggering; he could spot one or two with a casual glance.

Wang Chen could hardly imagine what the scene would be like at the inner mountain gate of the West Sea Sect!

Lost in thought, the carriage stopped in front of a building.

Wang Chen looked up and saw three gilded characters on the signboard.

The Spring Pavilion.