Chapter 370

Chapter 370: Zuo Xiaomo

Transference!

Wang Chen had only read about such mystical techniques in books before, never imagining he would experience it firsthand today.

The West Sea Sect truly lived up to its reputation as the foremost immortal sect in the Mountain-Sea Realm; its profound foundation was beyond the comprehension of outsiders!

He steadied himself and began to survey his surroundings.

Now, Wang Chen found himself on a bustling, vibrant street lined with shops and teeming with people.

Yet, when he was transported here, he hadn’t disturbed a single passerby.

Wang Chen glanced around, noticing numerous cultivators nearby, most at the Qi Training stage, with a few at the Purple Palace level.

He distinctly sensed a unique aura among the people here.

Each person exuded confidence, and they were predominantly handsome men and beautiful women, making the average attractiveness level the highest Wang Chen had ever encountered.

After a moment of thought, he stopped a passerby and asked, “Excuse me, fellow traveler, could you tell me where this place is?”

Wang Chen didn’t approach just anyone; this passerby was young, handsome, and dressed in fine attire, carrying various magical tools with an aura that subtly hinted at his noble origins.

He was at the Qi Training ninth level.

Most importantly, his demeanor seemed approachable and friendly.

“Ah?”

The young passerby, startled by Wang Chen’s interruption, showed a peculiar expression in his eyes. “This is Wailing City.”

Wailing City!

Wang Chen immediately understood, “Thank you.”

Wailing City was one of the nine cities of the West Sea Sect’s outer sect and the largest immortal city, home to millions of people.

The West Sea Sect governed a total of ten immortal cities at its inner and outer mountain gates, directly overseeing billions of cultivators and mortals. Aside from the inner sect’s Wanxian City, Wailing City was the most renowned.

Thus, the passerby’s reaction was understandable — being in the city, who wouldn’t know where they were?

If Wang Chen hadn’t revealed his cultivation level, displaying his Purple Palace aura, this young passerby might have made some mocking remarks.

But then, he seemed to have an idea, his eyes flickering, “Meeting you is fate. I am Zuo Xiaomo, an Outer Sect Disciple of the West Sea Sect. Might I have the honor of inviting you for a cup of spiritual tea?”

Wang Chen smiled, “Excellent!”

What Wang Chen needed most at this moment was a deeper understanding of the West Sea Sect and the situation in the Central Region.

With no knowledge of his surroundings, tracking down a deeply concealed evil cultivator was like searching for a needle in a haystack; the limited information provided in the task details was far from sufficient for him to pass the entry assessment.

Most importantly, Wang Chen sensed that this task was far from simple!

And the passerby he had stopped was likely a local native and a disciple of the West Sea Sect, making it convenient for him to gather information through him.

This proposal was exactly what Wang Chen had hoped for.

Zuo Xiaomo skillfully led Wang Chen to a nearby teahouse. After selecting a private room, he ordered a pot of spiritual tea and some three-colored pastries.

“The pastries at this teahouse are quite delightful,” Zuo Xiaomo enthusiastically explained. “Please, do try them.”

"I am Wang, Wang Chen."

Wang Chen took a piece of pastry and tasted it; the flavor was indeed excellent.

"So, you’re Wang Chen."

Zuo Xiaomo’s demeanor became even more enthusiastic. "Is this your first time in Wailing City?"

"There’s no need to test me."

Wang Chen laughed. "To be honest, I am a newly promoted inner sect disciple. I just met Elder Zixiao, received an entry assessment task, and then was transported here."

"Ah!"

This time, Zuo Xiaomo was genuinely astonished. "So, you are an inner sect senior brother!"

"Not quite yet."

Wang Chen waved his hand dismissively. "If I fail the assessment, I’ll simply return to where I came from."

In reality, if he failed the task, he could still be demoted to the outer sect.

But there was no need to disclose that.

Zuo Xiaomo’s mindset shifted rapidly. "Well then, senior brother, how may I assist you?"

This Outer Sect Disciple of the West Sea Sect was quite excited—no wonder he had seen spirit magpies chirping in the trees when he left home that morning.

Outsiders might be surprised to learn that disciples of the West Sea Sect were divided into two categories: official disciples and preparatory disciples.

Official disciples were part of the formal structure. Unless they committed a grave mistake leading to their expulsion, this status would remain with them until they grew old and died, and it couldn’t be easily revoked.

Preparatory disciples, however, were temporary. If they couldn’t get promoted within a set period, they would have to leave.

Zuo Xiaomo was a preparatory disciple.

Under normal circumstances, someone of his status wouldn’t be able to associate with an inner sect disciple.

His intuition told Zuo Xiaomo that Wang Chen represented his greatest opportunity.

If he didn’t seize it firmly, he would surely regret it in the future!

Wang Chen pondered for a moment and then shared the details of his task with Zuo Xiaomo.

Sharing private matters too soon was usually a taboo, and based on common sense, he shouldn’t easily reveal his secrets to someone he had just met.

However, Wang Chen felt that he had no connections here, and he was essentially blind—his starting point couldn’t be worse. Being secretive would only waste time.

On the contrary, being frank might lead to unexpected assistance.

After listening, Zuo Xiaomo furrowed his brow. "Evil cultivators? That sounds quite challenging."

Evil cultivators were not the same as Evil Spirits; they still retained some human wisdom. Therefore, it was difficult to identify them unless they willingly entered the heavily guarded immortal city.

The key point of Wang Chen’s task was first to locate Zhou Shenzhi, then capture or kill him.

Zuo Xiaomo offered a suggestion: "Senior brother, you can inquire at Dongming Residence."

If Wanbao Pavilion was a shop selling magical tools and spells, then Dongming Residence was a broker for information and intelligence.

Wang Chen could enlist Dongming Residence’s help to track down Zhou Shenzhi’s whereabouts, and their efficiency was unmatched by any lone cultivator.

Of course, Dongming Residence’s fees were quite steep!

"Price is not an issue!"

Wang Chen immediately decided, "Let’s head to Dongming Residence now."

Zuo Xiaomo was taken aback; he hadn’t expected Wang Chen to act so decisively, wanting to gather information before finishing his pot of spiritual tea.

However, at that moment, Zuo Xiaomo couldn’t oppose Wang Chen’s enthusiasm, so he called the waiter to settle the bill, and they hurried off to Dongming Residence in Wailing City.

Dongming Residence prioritized its own safety in such businesses, and ordinary people couldn’t easily gain access.

But Zuo Xiaomo was different; he clearly knew the situation in Wailing City and quickly led Wang Chen to Dongming Residence without any trouble.

In addition to guiding, Zuo Xiaomo also acted as a guarantor, helping Wang Chen reach an agreement with Dongming Residence.

Wang Chen would pay 100,000 spirit stones in exchange for the latest intelligence related to Zhou Shenzhi.

As he left Dongming Residence, Wang Chen couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

Before coming to the West Sea Sect, he had disposed of most of the items he acquired, including some stolen goods.

Now, the "cash" he held exceeded a million spirit stones.

This amount seemed impressive, but once he arrived in the West Sea Spiritual Realm, he quickly realized that no matter how many spirit stones one had, they could easily be spent!