107: Chapter 107: Baidi City

One month later.

Eternal Night Palace, Cultivation Room.

A grayish-black vortex slowly rotated within the room.

At the center of the vortex, Xiao Ran sat cross-legged, his aura surging around him like the tide.

At his Dantian, that Chaos vortex had grown another size compared to five days ago.

Deep within the vortex, various phenomena such as lightning, flames, ice, and poisonous mist were faintly intertwined.

The Nascent Soul sat cross-legged at the center of the vortex, its eyes tightly closed, surrounded by five-colored light.

Suddenly, the Nascent Soul opened its eyes.

In that instant, Xiao Ran's entire aura surged violently!

The barrier that had obstructed countless Cultivators seemed non-existent before Xiao Ran.

Late Nascent Soul Stage!

The vortex expanded abruptly, sweeping away all the Spiritual Qi in the room before slowly receding.

Xiao Ran opened his eyes, a sharp light flashing within them.

“It is done.”

He stood up and clenched his fists, feeling the surging power within his body.

The Late Nascent Soul Stage was worlds apart compared to the Middle Stage.

If he encountered an opponent of Blood Buddha Ku Chan's level now, he wouldn't even need to use a Magical Artifact; he could blow them apart with a single punch.

“In less than five months, from the Nascent Soul Early Stage to the Late Stage...”

“If I told anyone this speed, they'd think I was bragging!”

Xiao Ran murmured softly to himself.

He knew this wasn't just thanks to the Myriad Dao Guixu Body, but also the accumulation from the Legacy.

Every time he devoured a Legacy, it strengthened his Foundation.

Li Changsheng's voice came through the Soul link:

“Xiao Ran, did you have a Breakthrough?”

Xiao Ran asked in surprise, “How did you know?”

“Nonsense, the Soul link just vibrated for a moment.”

“Are you even human? I've only just stabilized my Nascent Soul middle stage, and you're already at the Late Stage?”

“I finally managed to catch up in Realm, and now we're far apart again.”

Li Changsheng's tone was complex.

We're both brothers, so why is your advancement so fast?

Hearing this, Xiao Ran said smugly,

“You can't envy this; it's a matter of Physique.”

Li Changsheng was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked:

“Can you beat the White Bone Scholar now?”

Xiao Ran thought about it.

“The White Bone Scholar is at Nascent Soul Great Perfection, a half-step into Soul Transformation. Although I'm at the Late Stage and appear to be a Realm lower than him on the surface, if we actually fought... it would be a fifty-fifty split.”

“Fifty-fifty?”

“Are you sure?”

Li Changsheng exclaimed in surprise.

Xiao Ran nodded.

“Of course, I am a man with the Guixu Body; I get stronger as I fight!”

Li Changsheng felt relieved upon hearing this.

He was afraid Xiao Ran would be impulsive and go to challenge the White Bone Scholar to a duel.

“Alright, be careful yourself.”

“By the way, the situation on my end has stabilized.”

Hearing this, Xiao Ran immediately clapped his hands.

“That's good news!”

“Once things are stable on your end, let's find a chance to meet.”

“Fine.”

The two cut the link.

Xiao Ran walked out of the cultivation room; the sunlight in the courtyard was just right.

He was about to stretch his muscles when his brow suddenly twitched.

Outside the courtyard gate, a familiar aura was approaching.

Mo Yuan.

Xiao Ran hurried out to meet him.

The courtyard gate pushed open, and Mo Yuan stood there with his hands behind his back, looking at him.

“You've had a Breakthrough? Not bad!”

Xiao Ran quickly cupped his hands, “It is all thanks to the Palace Master's blessing.”

Mo Yuan smiled.

“Your flattery skills aren't bad either.”

“Since you've just had a Breakthrough, come with me to the Deacon Hall. I have a mission to give you.”

Xiao Ran's heart skipped a beat.

A mission?

He followed Mo Yuan, and the two turned into streaks of light, flying toward the main peak.

...

Deacon Hall, side hall.

Mo Yuan sat in the main seat, while Xiao Ran stood below him.

“Do you know why I called you here?”

Mo Yuan asked.

Xiao Ran shook his head.

Mo Yuan raised his hand, and a Jade Slip flew toward Xiao Ran.

Xiao Ran took it and sent his Divine Sense inside.

A moment later, he looked up, a hint of surprise in his eyes.

“White Emperor City?”

“Yes.”

Mo Yuan nodded.

“White Emperor City, a lawless zone in the Northern Territory. The City Lord is the White Emperor, a Void Refinement Peak powerhouse whose strength ranks among the top ten in the Void Refinement Stage.”

“His territory doesn't care about Righteous or Demonic paths, only interests. The city is a mixed bag, with strongholds for all factions.”

Xiao Ran looked at the information in the Jade Slip.

White Emperor City was located in the southwest of the Northern Territory, adjacent to the Great Qian Dynasty, and was a famous city of freedom.

There were no Sect forces within the city; only the City Lord's Manor maintained basic order.

As long as you didn't cause major trouble, you could do anything.

“The mission the Sect is giving you is to go to White Emperor City and retrieve something.”

Mo Yuan said.

“What thing?”

“The seed of the nine nether magic lotus.”

Xiao Ran's brow furrowed.

The nine nether magic lotus was a legendary item of ultimate Yin that grew in the Netherworld. Its seeds could be used to refine a barrier breaking pill, helping a Void Refinement Great Perfection Cultivator break through to the Body Integration stage.

It was another item used for Breakthroughs.

The two treasures obtained from the ruins last time were the same.

“Where is this seed?”

Xiao Ran asked.

“At the White Emperor City auction.”

Mo Yuan said.

“Three days from now, the Wanbao Pavilion in White Emperor City will hold a large-scale auction. The seed of the nine nether magic lotus will be one of the final auction items.”

“Your mission is to win the bid and bring it back.”

Xiao Ran was silent for a moment.

“Why doesn't the Sect send an Elder?”

Mo Yuan looked at him with a half-smile.

“Because this is an opportunity for you to gain experience.”

“Besides, it's too conspicuous for an Elder to go.”

“In a place like White Emperor City, anyone at the Void Refinement Stage or above will be closely monitored, and those at the Soul Transformation Stage need to register. You, as a Late Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator, are just right.”

Xiao Ran understood.

This mission had to be him.

“This Disciple obeys.”

Mo Yuan nodded and cautioned further,

“Although White Emperor City is free, it is also dangerous.”

“Fighting is not allowed inside the city, but outside, no one cares. Once you get the item, return immediately; do not linger.”

“Yes.”

Mo Yuan nodded and waved his hand:

“Go on. Depart in one day and take the teleportation Formation directly to White Emperor City.”

Xiao Ran bowed and left the side hall.

Walking out of the Deacon Hall, he took a deep breath.

White Emperor City...

What a familiar name.

Through the Soul link, he sent a message to Li Changsheng.

“Changsheng, I've taken a mission to go to White Emperor City.”

Li Changsheng replied quickly: “White Emperor City? That lawless zone?”

“Yes.”

“What a coincidence, I've also taken a mission to go to White Emperor City.”

Xiao Ran was stunned.

“You're going too?”

“Yeah.”

Li Changsheng said.

“The Dao Palace wants me to bid for something at the auction, it seems to be an upgraded version of the Ten-Thousand-Year Warm Jade.”

Xiao Ran smiled.

“Then we can meet in White Emperor City.”

Li Changsheng was silent for a moment.

“Meet? We're on opposing sides of Righteous and Demonic; it wouldn't be appropriate to meet, would it?”

This guy was putting on airs.

Xiao Ran rolled his eyes.

“My dear Saint, we'll just meet in secret. Anyway, White Emperor City is a mixed bag; no one will notice.”

“Fine then!”

Li Changsheng reluctantly agreed.

This caused Xiao Ran to give him a fierce middle finger.

The two cut the link.

...

One day later.

Eternal Night Demon Sect, Teleportation Formation.

Xiao Ran stood in the Formation while several deacon Disciples were adjusting the array.

Just before his departure, Mo Yuan sent a voice transmission.

“Remember, act low-key and return immediately once you have the item.”

Xiao Ran nodded quietly.

“This Disciple understands.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he felt an extra Jade Slip in his storage ring.

“This is the Sect's token. When you arrive at White Emperor City, go to the Yelaixiang Inn and find the shopkeeper; he will arrange your accommodation.”

Xiao Ran was inwardly startled.

But on the surface, he still nodded steadily.

Then.

The Formation activated, and white light enveloped his entire body.

In the next instant, he disappeared from where he stood.

...

White Emperor City.

Xiao Ran stepped out of the teleportation Formation and flew for a while before finally arriving at White Emperor City.

He looked up at this legendary city of freedom.

The city walls were a hundred zhang high, built entirely of giant black stones, with countless Formation runes flickering upon them.

The buildings inside the city were arranged in an orderly fashion, with the tallest being a nine-story high tower.

At the top of the tower was a giant pearl that illuminated the entire city.

The streets were crowded with people: Cultivators, Mortals, merchants, Loose Cultivators... all sorts of people mixed together.

Some wore Daoist robes, some wore demonic robes, some were bare-chested, and some were masked.

Xiao Ran walked down the street, his Divine Sense quietly spreading out.

A Late Nascent Soul Stage was not top-tier here, but it wasn't weak either.

The cultivation of those around him was mostly between Golden Core and Nascent Soul, with the occasional aura of the Soul Transformation Stage being sensed, but they were all well-restrained.

“It really is a mixed bag,”

Xiao Ran thought to himself.

He followed the address given by Mo Yuan and found the Yelaixiang Inn.

The inn was not large but was very elegant.

The shopkeeper was a middle-aged man at the Nascent Soul middle stage. Seeing Xiao Ran produce the token, he immediately greeted him warmly.

“Young Master Xiao, your room is ready. The auction starts tomorrow night; please rest first.”

Xiao Ran nodded and followed the waiter upstairs.

The room was on the second floor, the layout simple but comfortable.

Xiao Ran closed the door and set up several Restrictions.

Only then did he walk to the window with peace of mind and look at the street scene outside.

The night in White Emperor City was brightly lit.

That nine-story high tower in the distance must be the City Lord's Manor.

The White Emperor at the Void Refinement Peak...

I wonder what kind of person he is.