218: Haiya City

After several months of flying, a boundless expanse of blue appeared on the horizon, and the roar of waves crashing against rocks faintly reached his ears.

The North Nether Sea had arrived.

Lin Feng did not blindly rush on his journey. He deliberately slowed down, occasionally descending hisEscaping Light, stopping by deep valleys and Deep Pools that seemed rich in Spiritual Qi to collect rare Spiritual Plants along the way, or making brief stops at secluded small market towns to sell unused Materials, while subtly gathering information from all directions, especially regarding the movements in the northern Cultivation world.

It was this stop-and-go pace that consumed so much time.

This long journey also brought about a subtle change in the Little Beast on his shoulder.

Initially, the little fellow was somewhat unaccustomed to leaving the scorching environment of the Southern Fire Hills, appearing listless and often curled up asleep.

But as the journey extended, especially when flying over areas rich in water vapor and flowing rivers, it seemed to gradually adapt. It even showed great interest in the surging rivers and continuous rainforests below, its purple-gold eyes filled with a desire for exploration.

More noticeably, the Little Beast seemed to grow increasingly dependent on and close to Lin Feng.

It no longer always stayed quietly on his shoulder; sometimes it would climb to the top of his head, using its small paws to fiddle with his hair bun; sometimes, when he was meditating and recuperating, it would burrow into his arms, finding the warmest spot to curl up and emit soft, contented purrs.

When Lin Feng conversed with others in the market, it would cautiously prick up its ears, its purple-gold eyes scrutinizing strangers. If it sensed any ill intent from the other party, it would rub its head against Lin Feng's cheek, emitting low warning sounds.

This almost instinctive attachment and spiritual intelligence inexplicably brought a touch of warmth to Lin Feng during his solitary journey, yet his doubts deepened.

This little thing's intelligence seems to be growing higher.

Haiya City, built by the sea, had towering city walls that were not entirely reliant on the mountainside. Some sections were actually carved and stacked directly onto steep cliffs with great magical power, integrating with the rugged coastline, presenting a magnificent Aura.

The city's expanse was vast, extending into the sea to form a massive port. Countless boats of varying sizes, and even some peculiar Flying Magical Artifacts, shuttled between the port and the sky, creating a bustling and vibrant atmosphere.

Lin Feng descended hisEscaping Light from a distance, used the Form Transformation Art to change his appearance, and blended into the crowd entering the city. After paying three Low-Grade Spirit Stones and receiving a token, he was able to enter this majestic city.

Upon entering the city, a wave of bustling heat immediately assailed him. Shops lined both sides, with various signboards and banners. Not only were common Central Plains Cultivators seen, but also figures dressed in exotic attire, and even some half-transformed Sea Folk.

The Spiritual Qi in the air was dense and active, but its attributes were mixed, with water Spiritual Qi being particularly abundant, clearly benefiting from its proximity to the North Nether Sea.

Lin Feng had no desire to wander. His immediate priority was to find a suitable place to stay.

Ideally, it should be a quiet, safe, and Spiritual Qi-rich residence, preferably with some privacy, convenient for his Cultivation, studying the Little Beast, and processing some Materials he had on hand.

After some inquiries and comparisons, he came to the Xianju Pavilion in the city, which specialized in renting Immortal Caves.

The receptionist, seeing that he was an Early Core Formation Stage Cultivator, was quite enthusiastic.

But when he requested a residence with excellent Spiritual Qi and complete Restrictions, the receptionist's smile became even more eager, while also quoting an astonishing price.

"Fellow Daoist, you've come at a good time. There are still a few vacant Immortal Caves in the 'Tingtao Cliff' area by the sea. It's adjacent to a small branch of a water vein, the Spiritual Qi is pure, and the Restrictions were personally set up by a Formation Great Master. Even a Nascent Soul Cultivator would find it difficult to easily probe. But the rent... it's this much per month." The receptionist extended a hand and gestured a number.

Lin Feng's expression was calm, but he sighed inwardly. The prices in Haiya City were indeed far higher than inland.

However, he knew that you get what you pay for, and safety and secrecy were paramount when settling here.

After a brief contemplation, he decisively paid three years' rent, receiving a Jade Token to control the Immortal Cave's Restrictions.

Under the slightly surprised and more respectful gaze of the receptionist, Lin Feng took the Jade Token and, following the directions, arrived at a relatively quiet cliff area in the west of the city.

The Immortal Caves here were built along the mountains and sea, spaced far apart, and all shimmered with the light of Restrictions, indeed much quieter than the noisy areas within the city.

The Immortal Cave he rented was located in the middle section of the cliff. Pushing open the heavy stone door, the interior space was quite spacious, with a living room, a Cultivation room, and an Artifact Refining Room equipped with a stable ground fire vent.

What pleased him most was that the Quiet Room had a huge crystal window facing the boundless North Nether Sea. The view was excellent, with the sea and sky merging into one, refreshing and invigorating.

The Spirit Gathering Formation within the Immortal Cave operated well, and the Spiritual Qi concentration was indeed satisfactory.

After arranging his simple living items and activating the Immortal Cave's full set of Restrictions, a soft light screen separated the inside from the outside, and the noise immediately vanished.

Lin Feng finally let out a sigh of relief. He walked to the crystal window, gazed at the turbulent deep blue sea outside, and felt the majestic water Spiritual Qi, distinctly different from that of the inland, gradually calming his heart.

The Little Beast on his shoulder also poked out its head, observing its unfamiliar new home, full of curiosity about the boundless blue expanse outside the window, its nose twitching gently.

In the following days, Lin Feng lived a secluded life, spending most of his time in the rented Immortal Cave.

Haiya City truly lived up to its reputation as a northern hub. The several large merchant houses in the city had abundant supplies. He carefully purchased an astonishing quantity of various Materials in batches, changing his appearance and Aura each time.

From "ironwood" and "Yinhun Steel" needed for refining Puppets, to "Hundred-Year Yao Beast Skin" and "Ningshuang Spirit Ink" for drawing high-grade Talismans, and even Medicinal Pills for aiding Cultivation and nourishing Divine Sense, he almost exhausted seventy to eighty percent of his accumulated Spirit Stones.

Although the expenditure was huge, seeing the various resources filling his Storage Pouch, he felt a little relieved; at least for the short term, he wouldn't have to worry about resources.

However, there were no clues for the core main Materials required for refining his Natal Flying Sword, despite several inquiries, so he could only wait for future Opportunities.

In this Cultivation world where the strong prey on the weak, so-called "future Opportunities" often meant hunting down Cultivators with valuable treasures and forcibly seizing them.

With resources ready, Lin Feng began a systematic improvement.

The primary focus was still the Cultivation of the Hanguang Art. After Core Formation, his Sea of Consciousness expanded again, making the Cultivation of this Art twice as effective with half the effort.

Every day, he sat cross-legged facing the window in the Quiet Room. Outside the window was the vast North Nether Sea, with the sound of tides rising and falling seeming to contain some kind of heavenly rhythm.

Under his control, his Divine Sense power no longer sought to spread out overwhelmingly, but instead condensed to its utmost, quietly extending out of the Immortal Cave, sensing the shattering of every water droplet as waves crashed against the rocks below the cliff, perceiving the most subtle flow and changes of water Spiritual Qi in the air.

After half a year of continuous diligent Cultivation, coupled with the constant nourishment from the soul nurturing wood pendant, his Divine Sense strength and control precision had made significant progress compared to when he first entered Core Formation. With a slight thought, everything within dozens of feet was clearly visible.

With his Divine Sense greatly enhanced, refining Puppets became much easier.

Looking at the Little Beast that frolicked at his feet all day, its demeanor lively, Lin Feng felt a sense of inspiration and decided to refine a large number of beast-shaped Puppets.