248: Chapter 246 Celestial Phenomena

The moment he passed through the city gate's tunnel, the hustle and bustle surged toward him like a tide.

It wasn't a disorganized noise. It was a layered torrent of sound produced by tens of millions of people gathered together, operating in an orderly fashion. The cries of vendors, the sounds of haggling, the rumble of wheels over bluestone slabs, the neighing of Spirit Beasts, the whistling of flying boats cutting through the air, the time-keeping chimes from distant clock towers, and the buzzing of countless voices intertwined like a grand and chaotic symphony.

Yun Ming stood on the plaza inside the city gate and looked around.

The streets of Tianyuan City were astonishingly wide. The main street, named 'Heavenly Street,' ran east to west and was a hundred chang wide. The road was paved with solid blocks of cyan jade, carved with fine anti-slip patterns. On both sides of the street were three-foot-deep hidden drainage channels; the water within was crystal clear, with faint glimmers of spiritual light. Every fifty chang, a spiritual lamp stood by the roadside. The lamp posts were cast in bronze and carved with auspicious cloud patterns; the lampshades were crystal, and the wicks inside burned not oil, but compressed Spirit Stone powder. The flames were a pale blue and never went out throughout the year.

Shops lined both sides of Heavenly Street, packed so densely that the end was nowhere in sight.

The shops weren't ordinary single-story buildings; instead, towers and pavilions stood tall in a staggered arrangement. Some were two stories, some three, and the tallest reached five. With flying eaves and bracket sets, carved beams and painted rafters, every storefront was decorated with extreme luxury. Some used white jade for flooring, polished to a mirror-like sheen; some used spiritual wood carvings that looked lifelike; some placed Spirit Beast statues at their entrances with eyes made of real gemstones that sparkled in the sunlight; and some had massive signs floating above their roofs, the characters formed from spiritual light, clearly visible even in broad daylight.

Medicinal Pill shops, Magical Artifact shops, Talisman shops, Formation shops, Spirit Beast shops, Materials shops, antique shops, calligraphy and painting shops, jewelry shops, cloth shops, tea shops, liquor shops, and spiritual cuisine shops—everything one could imagine was there. Each category of shop was further divided into different grades: cheap shops for low-level Cultivators, exquisite pavilions for high-level Cultivators, and private clubs open only to those at the Golden Core Stage and above.

Pedestrians on the street flowed in a ceaseless stream, day and night.

Cultivators, merchants, soldiers, Loose Cultivators, Sect Disciples, and demon Cultivators—all sorts of people mixed together, rubbing shoulders. Some rode tall horses that were Spirit Beasts, their manes as crimson as fire, their four hooves treading on faint spiritual light, their saddles inlaid with gemstones, and their stirrups made of pure gold. Some sat in palanquins that had no porters, suspended in mid-air three feet off the ground, drifting forward on their own; the curtains were woven from Ice Silkworm Silk, translucent enough to vaguely see the figure inside. Some flew on Flying Swords close to the ground, the sword light weaving through the crowd as nimbly as a snake, with tassels made of Spiritual Silkworm Silk hanging from the hilts, trailing long wakes in the air.

In a teahouse by the street, someone was storytelling. The storyteller was no Mortal, but a Cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Stage. He sat on a high platform, holding a folding fan, his voice booming as he told the story of the founding emperor of the Zifu Immortal Dynasty slaying demons. The tea patrons were enthralled; some clapped and cheered, while others threw Spirit Stones onto the stage. The second floor of the teahouse consisted of private rooms with half-open windows, where several Golden Core Cultivators could be seen sitting across from each other sipping tea. The fragrance of the tea wafted out the windows, attracting a few spirit birds that hopped about on the windowsills.

Business at the restaurants was even better. Restaurants lined both sides of Heavenly Street, the most famous being one named 'Drunken Immortal Restaurant.' It was five stories high, with flying eaves, bracket sets, and carved beams. Two massive red lanterns hung at the entrance with the words 'Drunken Immortal' written on them. The restaurant's signature dish was 'Immortal Crane Stewed with Lingzhi,' which cost ten High-Grade Spirit Stones per pot. Only ten portions were available each day, and demand far exceeded supply. The second floor of the restaurant was for general seating, while the third, fourth, and fifth floors were private rooms that required advance reservations. As Yun Ming passed by, he caught the aroma of wine drifting from the restaurant—mellow and rich, making him feel as though his spiritual power was being replenished just by smelling it.

At the entrance of the market stood a massive bulletin board. Three chang high and five chang wide, it was carved from a single block of white jade and was covered with various news. There were requests to buy fourth-rank Medicinal Pills, sales of third-rank Spirit Beasts, recruitment of Cultivators to explore Secret Realms, and several wanted posters featuring the ferocious faces of demonic Cultivators with staggeringly high bounties. A crowd gathered before the bulletin board; some were reading intently, some were whispering, and some were recording information.

There were also mobile vendors on Heavenly Street. They pushed small carts filled with all sorts of strange and exotic items. Some sold spiritual fruits that were crystal clear and emitted a faint spiritual light; some sold spiritual tea grown with spring water from spiritual springs, its fragrance striking the nose; some sold spiritual Talismans with various patterns drawn on them—not of high grade, but cheap; and some sold spiritual pets, with various fluffy and adorable younglings kept in cages. The cries of the vendors rose and fell, and some even used amplification Talismans, their voices carrying halfway down the street.

The scene in the sky was even more spectacular than the one on the ground.

Various flying Magical Artifacts traversed the sky in dense but orderly patterns. There were flying boats, Flying Swords, flying carpets, flying carriages, flying palanquins, and all sorts of strange flying Spirit Beasts. They flew at different altitudes without interfering with one another. The low altitude was for walking Cultivators and low-grade flying artifacts; the mid-altitude was for large flying boats and Spirit Beasts; and the high altitude was for fast-flying artifacts and Nascent Soul Cultivators.

A golden flying boat flew in from the east. The hull was a hundred chang long, and the prow was carved into a Golden Phoenix about to take flight, its eyes being two fist-sized rubies that flashed with piercing light in the sun. The hull was draped with banners formed from spiritual light, embroidered with the emblem of some great Sect. The flying boat was fast but steady; as it passed overhead, its massive shadow covered half the street. Several white-robed Cultivators stood on the deck, their robes fluttering, possessing extraordinary bearings.

An immortal crane swept over Yun Ming's head. Its wingspan was a full ten chang wide, its feathers white as snow, with a splash of vermilion on its head. A group of Cultivators sat on the crane's back, both men and women, all wearing uniform cyan Daoist robes with tokens hanging from their waists. The crane's cry was clear and far-reaching, causing passersby to look up. In the wake of the crane's flight, faint traces of Spiritual Qi were left behind, like white silk ribbons drawn across the sky.

A flying carriage drove in from the west. The body was cyan, carved with cloud patterns and inlaid with various gemstones. It was pulled by two unicorns, snowy white all over with golden horns and hooves treading on flames. The flying carriage was extremely fast, appearing and disappearing in just a few breaths, leaving only a faint trail of spiritual light and the lingering scent of fire in the air.

There were even people walking in the sky. Not flying, but walking. A Cultivator dressed in a black Daoist robe stepped onto the Void Realm, walking upward step by step as if climbing an invisible staircase. His pace wasn't fast, but each step covered dozens of chang, and he disappeared into the distant horizon in just a few strides. Where he walked in the Void Realm, a string of pale gold footprints remained, lingering in the air for several breaths before slowly dissipating.

The number of Cultivators in Tianyuan City was staggering.

Cultivators of various Realms—Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, and Nascent Soul—were mixed together, each busy with their own affairs. Those at the Golden Core Stage could be seen everywhere, wearing Daoist robes of different colors, some alone and others in groups. True Lords of the Nascent Soul Stage were also not rare; with a casual sweep of his Divine Sense, Yun Ming captured over a dozen unfathomable Auras. Some were on flying boats high up, some in private rooms of restaurants, and some in distant mansions. Yun Ming did not probe deeply, fearing it might cause a misunderstanding.

There were very few Mortals in Tianyuan City. Not none, but very few. Occasionally, a few Mortals could be seen, but they were servants, maidservants, or carriage drivers following Cultivators, or clerks in the shops. The status of Mortals in Tianyuan City was not high, but not low either. They had their own communities, their own shops, and their own social circles. The laws of Tianyuan City protected Mortals; Cultivators were not allowed to oppress them at will, with heavy penalties for violators.

In the distance, the imperial palace stood like a mountain.

It wasn't a metaphor; it truly looked like a mountain. The base of the palace was built of white jade, dozens of chang high. Atop the base, halls and pavilions were layered one after another, with flying eaves and bracket sets, resplendent in gold and jade. The main hall at the highest point was named the 'Hall of Supreme Harmony.' The roof was covered with golden glazed tiles that flashed with dazzling light in the sun. On the main ridge of the roof coiled a five-clawed golden Dragon, its body winding and its head held high, its eyes inlaid with two fist-sized night-luminescent pearls that emitted a faint glow even in the daytime.

Surrounding the palace were countless towers, pavilions, corridors, and gardens. The palace walls were towering, their surfaces covered in formation patterns that flowed with seven-colored light, enveloping the entire palace in an auspicious glow. Outside the palace walls was a wide moat; the water was not ordinary water, but spiritual spring water. The surface shimmered with faint spiritual light, and the bottom was paved with Spirit Stones, the Spiritual Qi so dense it almost condensed into substance. Several stone bridges spanned the moat, their railings carved with various auspicious Divine Beasts that looked lifelike.

The main gate of the imperial palace was the 'Heavenly Gate.' The gate was ten chang high and five chang wide, the doors made from solid blocks of red sandalwood and inlaid with gold nails and gemstones. A plaque hung over the lintel with the four characters 'Zifu Immortal Dynasty' written on it. The characters were personally penned by the founding emperor, the brushstrokes bold and the Aura magnificent. On either side of the Heavenly Gate crouched a massive Spirit Beast statue: an Azure Dragon on the left and a White Tiger on the right, both carved from solid jade with eyes of real gemstones that sparkled in the sun.

Deep within the palace stood a tall tower. The body of the tower was entirely greenish-black, built of some unknown material. The spire reached high into the clouds, hidden in the mist, making it impossible to see its full form. Massive Talisman characters were carved into the tower, extending from the base to the top, each several chang in size and emitting a faint spiritual light. Yun Ming had heard people speak of it; it was called the Heaven-Reaching Tower, a thousand chang high, and a landmark of Tianyuan City. It was said that from the top of the tower, one could see the entire Zifu Immortal Dynasty.

Yun Ming stood by the street and watched for a long time.

Tianyuan City was larger, more prosperous, and more bustling than he had imagined. Qingyao City was considered a major town of the Zifu Immortal Dynasty, but compared to Tianyuan City, it was like a small county town. The people here, the things, the Spiritual Qi, and the atmosphere all felt foreign yet novel to him.

"Mr. Yun, where are we going?" Ah Yuan's voice came from behind him.

Yun Ming turned around. Ah Yuan was standing behind him holding the fox, her head tilted up and her eyes sparkling. The fox lay in her arms, its nine tails hanging down and swaying slightly, its eyes squinted as if it were dozing.

"First, let's find a place to stay," Yun Ming said.

His gaze swept over the buildings on both sides of the street. There were many inns, ranging from simple small shops to luxurious pavilions. He took a fancy to one with an imposing storefront and a sign that read 'Xianke Residence.' It was three stories high, with flying eaves, bracket sets, and carved beams. Two red lanterns hung at the door with the words 'Immortal Guest' written on them. The attendant at the door was cleanly dressed and full of smiles.

Yun Ming started walking toward that inn. Ah Yuan followed behind with light steps. The fox poked its head out from her arms and looked around, its nine tails swishing back and forth.