Chapter 234 – Profound Sky City
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The Seven Profound Valleys Total Faction was located within the Profound Sky Mountain Range. The Profound Sky Mountain Range didn’t belong to any country; it had a very special status within the 36 countries in the Seven Profound territory.
The Profound Sky Mountain Range’s tallest peak was 60,000 feet high. The mountain itself contained a massive amount of profound iron ore, so the entire mountain was a deep black iron color all over. The mountain had sparse vegetation, was rocky, and had extremely dangerous and steep cliffs. It was unknown why, but the entire mountain exuded a thick a baleful aura that caused those watching to feel unease. An average person climbing the mountain would feel very suppressed, and even if a martial artist were to pass by this place, they would attempt to take a winding detour around.
At the foot of the Profound Sky Mountain Range was a giant city. The walls of the city were 50 feet high and stretched for hundreds of miles.
This city was named Profound Sky City, and this was where the Total Faction Martial Meeting was held every three years.
There was a city-wide flying ban for hundreds of miles around Profound Sky City. Lin Ming saw this magnificent city rising from afar as a line of people swooped down from their Heavenly Wind Eagles and walked towards Profound Sky City on foot.
Along the way there were many fellow martial artists coming and going. Most of the martial artists’ cultivations were at the Altering Muscle stage or above; with their movement abilities, they were able to cover the hundred miles in only a quarter of an hour.
Outside the city gate of Profound Sky City was a team of guards that kept watch. Seeing the cultivation of these guards, Lin Ming let out a breath, they were actually all Bone Forging martial artists. The captain of that group of guards was impressively at the peak of Bone Forging.
The Seven Profound Valleys was truly worthy of being called a large sect. if a peak Bone Forging martial artist went to the Sky Fortune Kingdom, they could become a well-known and respected commander in the army. But in the Seven profound Valleys, these Bone Forging martial artists were only gate guards.
Many martial artists rushed to the Seven Profound Valleys because of their esteemed reputation. The Profound Sky Mountains contained an incomparably rich and thick heaven and earth origin energy. This was the reason the guards would rather live here. For instance, some people would rather live in the capital city and work hard labor as opposed to living in the countryside and finding a wife and having children. As long as they stayed in the capital city, they would have the hope of breaking through. But if they lived in a small country, then they might live their entire lives as a mere commander and never enter into the Pulse Condensation period.
The Profound Sky City’s gate was gigantic, but there were too many people trying to enter the city, it seemed very crowded. Particularly because the Total Faction Martial Meeting was occurring, there were many people that accompanied the core disciples.
To enter the city cost 10 gold taels. This high entry fee caused many of the low-level martial artists and common folk to shrink back, discouraged by the price.
Once Lin Ming paid the gold fee to enter the city, he discovered that over 90% of the residents of Profound Sky City were martial artists. Even the random peddler who hawked his wares on the street, or the waiters serving outside restaurants were martial artists. Although their cultivation was only at the first or second stage of Body Transformation, these people, if they went to Sky Fortune City, could live as a well-to-do servant or retainer in a respected family, while also having a high income and good reputation.
As the group walked by, Lin Ming saw all sorts of various treasures being sold. There was a pill shop and inscription symbol shops everywhere. If these shops were casually placed in Sky Fortune City, they would be on the scale of the Hundred Treasures Pavilions. What they sold would be considered incredibly valuable items that a common martial artist would never be able to afford even if they added up all of their savings.
All of this caused Lin Ming to sigh with emotion. If one lived at a different location, then their experience was also different. If he didn’t reach his current strength, then he would never have come to Profound Sky City in his entire life and seen such scenes.
Zhou Yu and Liang Long also noticed these shops. They drooled over many of the items inside; there were many treasures that were difficult to purchase in Sky Fortune Kingdom, or might not even be sold.
Qin Ziya sensed what was on everyone’s mind. He waited until they reached the inn, and then he told everyone, “You can go anywhere you want now. Come back to the inn before it’s dark, and try not to cause a ruckus anywhere.”
“Okay.” Zhou Yu and Liang Long were very happy at this news. They left first together, there were many shops that they wanted to go check out.
Lin Ming had wanted to stay in the inn and calmly cultivate, but Qin Xingxuan suddenly tugged on his sleeve and said, “Lin Ming, don’t you want to take a stroll around? This is my first time coming to Profound Sky City, I want to have a look around…”
This was considered an implicit invitation from Qin Xingxuan. Lin Ming naturally wouldn’t decline such an invitation. He laughed and said with a smile, “This is also good. How about we go together?”
“Okay!” As soon as she heard this, Qin Xingxuan’s features lit up with a smile; it was otherworldly and enchanting, the epitome of beauty and elegance.
After the two of them walked away, Sun Youdao sighed and said, “Ahh, it’s nice to be young. Those two cute little kids are just a match made in heaven. I really hope they end up together.”
Qin Ziya heard Sun Youdao’s thoughts and only smiled, not saying anything. If these two were content with the current status quo, then ending up together would be very easy. But, if they both had the determination and resolve to pursue the peak of martial arts, then he was afraid that they would have to separate in the future.
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The two youths freely strolled around the city. Qin Xingxuan bought many things. She bought jewelery, some precious fabrics to weave into beautiful dresses, unique souvenirs, hand crafted items, and other little trinkets and things like this.
The merchandise of Profound Sky City was valuable, there were even some items that required true essence stones to buy. For instance, Qin Xingxuan bought a dress, but because there was Sky Worm Silk woven into the fabric, giving it protection against fire and water, the price was a true essence stone.
Luckily, Qin Xingxuan was the daughter of a rich family. If it were a normal martial artist, they would never be willing to buy a piece of clothing for 1000 gold taels. This was half the price of a treasure.
As they walked around, they suddenly saw a restaurant with a pleasant atmosphere. This restaurant was called Desert Flower Hall. There was a signboard in front of the restaurant that listed out some signature dishes which caught Lin Ming’s eye.
The recipes here actually contained the meat of fourth-level vicious beasts.
It had to be known that a fourth-level vicious beast was equal to a Houtian realm master. In the Sky Fortune Kingdom, this power was considered the pinnacle. Even if Lin Ming were to encounter a fourth-level vicious beast, he would usually run away.
A fourth-level vicious beast’s body was simply a treasure. There were many parts that could be used to refine pills and elixirs. But placed here, it was actually food that was prepared in a restaurant. If this was so, then just how outrageously expensive would the food be?
“We’ve been in a hurry for the last few days, so all we’ve eaten is dry food and cured meats. Since we came here, let’s take a look inside.” Lin Ming said. Since he had grown up in a restaurant, he had special feelings towards them. Since he came to Profound Sky City, he definitely needed to sample the best restaurant here.
Qin Xingxuan read the signboard. She hesitated and said, “Here… is very expensive…”
If in the past Lin Ming had heard that Qin Xingxuan would feel timid about going into a restaurant due to price, then he would think it was simply a joke. But looking at this restaurant, it wouldn’t be strange if the food it prepared with fourth-level vicious beasts cost around 20 or 30 pure true essence stones. 20 or 30 true essence stones was equal to 20 to 30 thousand gold taels. That was a price equivalent to a medium-grade human-step treasure; even Qin Xingxuan would feel a bit distressed by this cost.
After Lin Ming had looted Ouyang Dihua and Zhang Fengxian, he could be said to be filthy rich; he naturally didn’t care about costs like this. He smiled and said, “During my adventure, I found a small treasure site and gained some true essence stones. Let me treat you.”
“But……”
Before Qin Xingxuan could say any more, Lin Ming had already pulled her hand and entered into Desert Flower Hall.
When they found a tasteful corner of the restaurant to sit down in, the waiter took out two menus and handed them to them. Qin Xingxuan glanced over the prices and was secretly mind-boggled. Every dish on the menu was priced in true essence stones. The cheapest dish cost 2 true essence stones.
“If I eat the food here can I become immortal?” Qin Xingxuan excoriated in her heart. Coming here, she had brought 80,000 gold taels. This money was meant to buy pills and treasures. If she spend a quarter of it on food, then that would be hilarious.
“What are your specialties here?” Lin Ming asked after he glanced over the menu. If he was eating at a famous restaurant, then he naturally must eat the best and most well-known dishes.
The water’s smiling face blossomed at hearing this. He said, “We have many specialties. For instance, we have keel soup made from the marrow of a fourth-level vicious beast with a Horned Dragon’s bloodline, and also brewed with several dozen different sorts of precious herbs. The taste is mellow and the soup is smooth. After drinking, it can help consolidate true essence and positively affect the body. The keel soup is 25 true essence stones.
25 true essence stones? 25,000 gold? This was simply robbery!
Qin Xingxuan let out a breath. Although she didn’t feel like it was worth the price, she didn’t display any different expression in front of the waiter.
The waiter smiled and said, “Young master, young lady, I can see with just a glance that you are talented juniors of a large aristocratic martial family. If a martial artist cultivates every day, it is easy to overtax one’s body. If one doesn’t supplement their body with food, then later it will be very difficult to reach the Xiantian realm.
A mere waiter with a cultivation at the Third Stage of Body Transformation opened his mouth and spoke about breaking through to the Xiantian realm. This sort of vision could be considered pretty grand. Desert Flower Hall probably didn’t often entertain many true Xiantian realm masters.
“Then I’ll take a pot of the keel soup, and a few side dishes, two bowls of spirit valley rice, and a pot of green tea.”
Even if Lin Ming was rich, he would only occasionally partake in such a luxurious feast. If he ate like this too often, even he wouldn’t be able to afford it.
The dishes soon came. The keel soup was a lustrous pearl-white, and was as thick as milk. Just looking at it made one’s appetite rise.
As Qin Xingxuan saw this keel soup arrive, she first served Lin Ming a big bowl, and then scooped one for herself. The creamy thick soup within the crystal jade bowl appeared just like a work of art.
Looking at this small bowl of soup, Qin Xingxuan self-deprecatingly said, “This small bowl is two or three true essence stones. It’s enough for me to spend for half a month. I’ll have to thoroughly taste it and see if it’s any different.”
Qin Xingxuan picked up the clear jade bowl and took a small sip. After feeling the soup slide past her lips, it quickly turned into a warm stream that flowed into her stomach. There seemed to be a faint trace of origin energy that flowed into her meridians, slowly and gently tempering the meridians within her body.
Although this origin energy was very weak, it was incomparably pure!
Pills had pill toxins. If one ate them, they could increase one’s cultivation. But, it would cause their true essence to become impure and they would need to expend energy in order to refine it out. But this keel soup, although it contained traces of origin energy, was very smooth and gentle. If one drank this long-term, it would consolidate one’s true essence and give a miraculous strengthening effect on the meridians. And the best part was that there were no side effects.
Qin Xingxuan was shocked. There might not be any effect with just one or two bowls, but what if one were to drink it all the time, would it accumulate?
After she tasted the spirit valley rice, she found that it had equally good effects. Even the pot of green tea contained a rich wood-based origin energy, and was extremely refreshing. After drinking it, the soul force within her spiritual sea seemed to have been subtly supplemented.
“How is it?” Lin Ming asked Qin Xingxuan as he put down his chopsticks.
Qin Xingxuan’s beautiful eyebrows furrowed for a bit as she pondered the aftertaste. She sighed and said, “No wonder their food is more expensive than our treasure. If you ate this every day then even without practice you could still break through to the Pulse Condensation period…”
