518: Chapter 518 Strange Phenomenon

Looking from afar, a massive city lay across the end of the horizon.

Fusang Main City is located at the intersection of the Tanggu Plain and Fusang Land. The entire city is a regular square shape, covering hundreds of miles, with city walls crisscrossing like a chessboard.

The most striking feature is the massive wall running east to west—built with an entire mountain range as its foundation and the remains of Fusang branches as its spine. It stands over a hundred zhang high, with battlements protruding from the wall every few miles, like a sleeping giant beast lying on the earth.

The south side of the city wall faces the dark red main rift on the Tanggu Plain. For thousands of years, it is this barrier that has firmly blocked the True Demon Army's advance north.

The city gate is a hundred zhang high, enough for the Giant Clan to pass through in their normal form without any effort.

Above the gate tower, the dark green textures of the Fusang branches are faintly visible, with vine-like roots deeply embedded in the wall, as if this city had grown from the remains of that ancient divine tree.

Pavilions layer into the clouds, with staggered eaves and terraces stacked upon each other. Countless flying Spirit Beasts and sword lights weave between the buildings, and the banners of various Sects block out the sky, flapping loudly in the wind.

The market in the city never rests, day or night. The lights illuminate half the sky as if it were daytime. Even from dozens of miles away, one can feel the scorching aura woven from the clamorous voices and spiritual light.

Ling Hao stood at the bow of the spirit boat, hands behind his back, gazing at the massive city. His gaze swept over the city wall, then lifted to look at the dark red rift spanning the distant sky, and he narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Not bad. Compared to Tianyuan Capital City, the scale is not much different."

Since entering Fusang Province, combined with the intelligence sent back by Yu Zhaohua and her companions and what he had seen and heard along the way, he already had a rough understanding of the situation in Fusang Province.

The main rift in Fusang Province is called Chihua. It is said to be "one rift," but in reality, it is formed by the convergence of three rifts, with several Demon Ancestors presiding within the True Demon Army.

The True Demon's goal is very clear—to break the Seal and rescue the Ancient Demon Taotie, who was suppressed by the Fusang Supreme in a Secret Realm. Naturally, the Sects of Fusang Province could not let them succeed, so eventually, both sides united to fight a decisive battle on the Tanggu Plain, and thus Fusang Main City was established.

They have been fighting for thousands of years, and neither side can do anything to the other. Thus, both sides tacitly agreed to a period of truce—once every forty-nine years, with each truce lasting two and a half years. Now is the truce period.

The spirit boat continued to approach the city. The closer it got, the stronger the oppressive feeling of Fusang Main City became. The hundred-zhang high city gate was like a giant mouth spanning heaven and earth; when the spirit boat passed under it, it was like a falling leaf drifting past a cliff.

Ling Hao estimated that this city gate could at least allow more than ten people of the Giant Clan to pass through side-by-side in their normal form, and when the spirit boat passed under it, there were still dozens of zhang of clearance above.

Fusang Main City has no ban on flying; anyone who wishes can fly into the city.

But the vast majority of Cultivators will honestly land before the city gate and enter on foot—because the city is only so big, and who knows if you might collide with some big shot while flying in the sky. If you have the guts, fly, but if you collide with someone you shouldn't, you'll have to bear the consequences yourself.

The spirit boat slowed down. Mu Xiyao walked over from behind, stood beside Ling Hao, followed his gaze to look at the massive city, and said:

"Yue... Senior, since we have arrived at Fusang Main City, why not go to our East Sea Chamber of Commerce branch first? The chamber's backyard has a few quiet courtyards, which are much more convenient than the spirit inns outside."

Just as Ling Hao was about to speak, a tall figure suddenly blocked the space between him and Mu Xiyao.

Young Tribe Leader Ju Yunxiu stood in front of Ling Hao. Her height of eight feet and eight inches blocked the way, her broad shoulders and back completely shielding Ling Hao. The posture was exactly like a mother beast protecting her cub.

She looked down at Mu Xiyao:

"Moon Shadow Sect Master has already agreed to come to my Giant Clan."

Mu Xiyao was stunned for a moment, then she couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time. She glanced at Young Tribe Leader Ju Yunxiu, then at Ling Hao, who was blocked behind her.

The difference in size was too obvious; Young Tribe Leader Ju Yunxiu standing in front of Ling Hao was like a moving wall.

Moreover, Mu Xiyao always felt that this Young Tribe Leader of the Giant Clan had been secretly watching Moon Shadow Sect Master. Two days ago, when she was talking to Ling Hao, Young Tribe Leader Ju Yunxiu's gaze never left them, and now she was even directly blocking in front of Ling Hao, looking like she was strictly guarding against something.

If it were liking him, it didn't look like it; if it were repaying a life-saving grace, she hadn't seen her be this attentive when thanking him before. Why did it seem like she was afraid that she would steal Ling Hao away?

She opened her mouth, but in the end, she didn't ask, just glanced at Ling Hao and then at Young Tribe Leader Ju Yunxiu, and stepped back half a step.

"In that case, it was this Junior who was rash."

...

The spirit boat slowly docked in front of a tall building in the center of the city. Mu Xiyao and Shen Qingci stepped off the spirit boat, looked back at the city gate, and sighed.

Still didn't manage to keep him. But fortunately, they had already exchanged voice transmission talismans, so it would be convenient to contact him in the future.

Shen Qingci stood by her side, followed her gaze, and suddenly chuckled: "Young Miss, what's wrong? Can't bear to part?"

Mu Xiyao turned her head sharply: "Big Sister Qingci, don't talk nonsense!"

"I haven't even said what you can't bear to part with yet."

The smile on Shen Qingci's lips deepened a bit, but she didn't tease her anymore, just patted her shoulder, "Let's go."

Mu Xiyao choked, glared at her, but couldn't find any words to retort, so she had to turn her head away sullenly.

The two walked toward the tall building.

Some people had already come out to greet them in front of the chamber. The leader was a middle-aged man with a proper face and a slightly plump figure, wearing the sea-blue brocade robe of the East Sea Chamber of Commerce. When he saw Mu Xiyao, he was obviously stunned for a moment, then quickly stepped forward:

"Xiyao? Why are you here? And this spirit boat—"

The slight redness on Mu Xiyao's face had already faded away, and she said indifferently:

"Fourth Uncle, what, I can't come?"

Mu Yongchang was stumped by her words:

"No, no, I mean you didn't give any notice before coming, and Big Sister didn't say a word either; I could have at least gone to welcome you in advance. If something happened..."

"I'm not that delicate."

Mu Xiyao interrupted him, "The spirit boat was damaged because we encountered the True Demon Army, but it has already been resolved."

Mu Yongchang's expression changed slightly, and he cursed: "This damned True Demon Army! One day, we will kill them all!"

He paused, then asked with concern, "Niece, you weren't hurt, were you?"

"No."

Mu Xiyao scanned the hall, "Where is Third Uncle?"

Mu Yongchang's expression paused slightly: "Your Third Uncle... he went to the Golden Crow Holy Land station, saying there was a big deal to negotiate there."

"Is that so?"

Mu Xiyao's voice was calm, "This shipment of goods is precious and cannot withstand the bumps of the teleportation array. I see that you are free, Fourth Uncle, why didn't you go with him?"

Mu Yongchang's eyes flickered, he glanced at Shen Qingci, and gave a dry laugh: "Qingci has outstanding abilities, and I trust her... Besides, isn't it the truce period now? The True Demon Army shouldn't come out. I can't leave the branch here either... This time, Fourth Uncle didn't consider—"

Before he could finish speaking, the ground suddenly shook.

In the northern sky, a thick black fog surged up without warning, rapidly condensing into the outline of a ferocious giant beast.

Sheep body, human face, tiger teeth, human claws, eyes under the armpits, appearing like a giant mouth devouring the sky.

The giant beast roared at the sky, and the black fog turned into thousands of threads of tentacles spreading in all directions, darkening the sky wherever it passed.

The next moment, a flash of emerald green light suddenly shone from the center of the black fog. The green light rapidly expanded, turning into the outline of a towering tree, its roots like thousands of spirit snakes plunging into the black fog, wrapping and tightening layer by layer.

The shadow of the Taotie struggled violently in the entanglement of the roots, emitting a silent roar, and finally dissipated into fragments of light filling the sky.

The black fog receded, and the sky returned to its original gloomy color.

Everything happened in just a few breaths. Cultivators in the city stopped and looked up, and discussions rose like a tide.