354: Tai Lan Immortal City

[Half a month later,]

[After consuming a Heaven And Earth Treasure, your injuries have finally recovered.]

[The qingming mirror leaves you on a piece of Shattered Star Continent.]

[You immediately release Qin Han and perform a divination for it; the result is also: Neutral.]

[Clearly, Qin Han's fate has also been obscured.]

[It seems this Venerable Tianming has thought of every possibility.]

[Now you are completely in the dark, feeling as though you could step into a Liu Clan trap at any moment.]

[Even though the Immortal Realm is vast, it feels as if there is no place for you to call home.]

[You know very well in your heart—as long as your tracks are discovered, even in a Holy Land, the Liu Clan would send death soldiers to perish together with you.]

[Furthermore, even if a Mahayana Cultivator steps in to kill you, would a Holy Land really stand up for you?]

[You do not think a Holy Land would do such a thing.]

[After all, the rules in many places are meant to constrain the weak. When strength reaches a certain level, the rules... are whatever they say they are.]

[As things stand, the only safe places are the Rakshasa Demon Domain and the Haotian Demon Domain.]

[Thinking of this, you shift your appearance with a thought and flee toward that distant Star Continent.]

[Ten days later, Tailan Immortal City.]

[You walk through the streets and alleys, calculating your next move in your heart.]

[You have been here for several days already.]

[When you first arrived at Tailan Star, you made some inquiries and quickly grasped the general situation here.]

[This place is somewhat different from other Star Continents—the boundary between Immortals and Mortals is clearly defined.]

[Mortal Dynasties manage worldly affairs, while Cultivator factions almost all live in seclusion to cultivate, never concerning themselves with Mortal matters.]

[Occasionally, a Loose Cultivator might walk among the Mortals, but they would never dare to easily interfere in Mortal affairs; this is an ironclad rule.]

[Those who violate it will be hunted down by all Cultivator factions in unison.]

[Because of this, the vast majority of Mortals on Tailan Star have no idea that there is a world beyond their own, let alone that Cultivators exist in this world.]

[And this Tailan Immortal City is the only city for Cultivators on the entire Tailan Star.]

[Its scale is grand, no less than that of Tianshu Great City.]

[Similarly, the only grand formation capable of inter-star teleportation is located within this city.]

[The city is built on a solitary island in the boundless sea. The surrounding waters are shrouded year-round in a thick mist of Spiritual Qi, with visibility less than half a foot. Combined with the presence of illusion formations, it is impossible for Mortals to cross over.]

[Only Cultivators can enter the city.]

[The factions within the city are deeply intertwined, with large and small clans as numerous as the hairs on an ox, making it difficult to gauge their depth.]

[The reason you are still here and haven't left immediately is that—the inter-star teleportation formation has been disabled.]

[Not only is it disabled, but the core module of the formation has been removed by someone.]

[As you walk, you stop your pace by the roadside.]

[Before you is a magnificent nine-story pavilion, with upturned eaves, brackets, and shimmering green tiles.]

[In the center hangs a plaque with gold characters on a black background, bearing three heavy, profound characters: Guanlan Pavilion.]

[After a slight hesitation, you step inside.]

[In this immortal city, gathering places for Loose Cultivators like this are as numerous as the hairs on an ox.]

[For instance, names like 'Caiwei Pavilion,' 'Wangyou Pavilion,' 'Yaoyue Pavilion,' 'Tingyu Pavilion,' and so on can be seen almost everywhere.]

[These places are nothing more than meeting spots for Cultivators to exchange news, trade for what they need, or simply meet friends over tea.]

['Guanlan Pavilion' is one of them.]

[Just as you step through the door, a clean-looking female Cultivator dressed in a light green jacket and skirt approaches. She bows and speaks in a gentle voice:]

['Greetings, customer. Are you here to buy or sell information, barter goods, seek an Opportunity, or... simply meet friends over tea?']

['To meet friends over tea,' you say calmly.]

[The female Cultivator nods and asks no more, leading you through a series of carved corridors.]

[A moment later, the view before you opens up—]

[It is an extremely vast courtyard, at least several thousand square meters in size.]

[In the courtyard, rockeries are scattered about, spiritual springs murmur, and various spiritual plants are dotted throughout, with Spiritual Qi condensing into a light mist.]

[Over a hundred elegant seats carved from translucent white jade are sparsely distributed throughout the courtyard.]

[Beside each seat stands a young female Cultivator in plain gauze, eyes lowered, serving respectfully.]

[Next to the seats, a shallow stream from a spiritual spring winds through the courtyard according to the terrain.]

[On the water's surface, palm-sized spiritual jade trays carry amber-colored immortal brew and precious delicacies steaming with Spiritual Qi, drifting silently along the current.]

[Guests can pick them up at will, like an immortal version of a revolving banquet.]

[You are led to an elegant seat by the water and sit down, then pay one hundred Spirit Stones—this is the fee for one hour.]

[Subsequently, a sharp-eyed female Cultivator who looks no more than sixteen or seventeen years old steps forward lightly and stands silently by your side.]

[Here, within an hour, you can talk freely, make acquaintances with fellow Daoists, exchange intelligence with those in neighboring seats, or even barter goods on the spot.]

[Looking at this exquisite and luxurious revolving banquet, you can't help but sigh inwardly—these people have countless ways to earn Spirit Stones.]

[Just this one courtyard, charging by the seat, would likely have an income calculated in the 'hundreds of thousands' by the end of the day.]

[However, you do like the atmosphere here—the environment is open and free, with swirling Spiritual Qi that makes one relax unconsciously.]

[Once you are settled in your seat, the serving female Cultivator silently presents a cup of green spiritual wine and several plates of exquisite spiritual food.]

[Her eyes flicker as she lightly scans your ordinary silk clothes, her voice so soft it could drip water:]

['This is Young Master's first time at our Guanlan Pavilion, isn't it?']

[You nod slightly.]

[She leans forward slightly, bringing a faint fragrance, her tone hiding a well-measured expectation:]

['If Young Master plans to come often, you might consider getting a Heaven-grade membership jade token. It can save quite a few Spirit Stones on future expenses.']

[You understand the implication behind her words.]

[In her eyes, with your current attire, you are likely a poor Loose Cultivator with tight pockets.]

[In the cultivation world, any Cultivator with even a bit of wealth or status would have long since changed into Dharma robes or spiritual robes that provide protection, gather Qi, or possess various mystical properties.]

[Someone like you, still wearing Mortal silk clothes, is mostly likely a wandering Loose Cultivator who is short on funds and has no background.]

[But who could have imagined that you have over ten million Spirit Stones on you?]

[You merely smile and do not respond, instead focusing your Divine Thought to begin gathering the information you need.]

[Soon, pieces of information you find useful enter your Sea of Consciousness.]

['This Liu Clan Immortal Family is too overbearing, actually taking away the core module of the inter-star teleportation formation.']

['That's nothing. It's not just our Tailan Star; I heard it's like this everywhere within the Nine Heavens Heavenly Palace's sphere of influence.']

['I wonder who it is that's so capable as to dare offend the Liu Clan Immortal Family.']

['Indeed, it's been so many years, yet this is the first time I've seen the Liu Clan Immortal Family make such a massive fuss.']