Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
This was originally a small city, but because the various sects continuously sent people here, the streets in the city were already crowded with people. However, it was still very orderly, perhaps because there were cultivators present, there wasn’t much havoc.
Shen Ying and the others only realized upon entering that there weren’t only disciples of Dawning Pill Sect around, disciples of many other sects were present too. In the west of the city, there were many houses built using spells, and many mortals were in queue, waiting to check in. Lonemoon could not help but get some sense of the atmosphere of modern flood control and disaster relief. It was unexpected that the relationship between the sects and mortals of this little world was rather harmonious.
Lonemoon decided to first head to the Scattered Cultivators House to find lodging. The reason why they identified as itinerant cultivators was firstly because it was more convenient and secondly, itinerant cultivators was the most well-informed. And Scattered Cultivators House was an organization of itinerant cultivators, he had already gotten the information a few days ago on the spirit boat. It was a place specially meant for all itinerant cultivators of the sects to receive and issue various missions. From finding rare herbs to hunting spirit beasts, there were all kinds of missions. So itinerant cultivators gathered there, it was best to head there to get information.
As he had found out the location beforehand, they did not spend too much time to find the place, it was all cultivators coming and going at the entrance. Once they stepped in, a lady looking like a steward turned around.
“Fellow Daoist this way… huh?” She stopped midway, looking blankly the two people who walked in, seeming to be stunned for a long time.
“Fellow Daoist? Fellow Daoist!” Lonemoon called out several times.
“Ah! Ah?” The steward then came to her senses and quickly led them in. “Two fellow Daoists, this way please, are you here to issue a mission or accept a mission?”
“We’ve just started practicing cultivation not too long ago, we would like to get lodging here.” Lonemoon replied.
“You are an itinerant cultivator!” That person was even more shocked.
“All three of us are.” Lonemoon nodded.
“Three?” The steward faltered and swept another glance at them before she caught sight of Shen Ying right at the back. As if she’d thought of something, she nodded in understanding. “I see, then I think you’d need to wait for some time.” The steward pointed to the crowd inside and said, “Today is the day the missions in our hall is renewed, so we’re busier.” With that said, she thought for a moment and led them to a table at the side to sit down.
They followed over and settled down, unsure if it’s because they were new faces, the inside that had been bustling earlier quietened down a lot. Most cultivators were turning back and looking at them.
There were many people in the hall, but oddly, most were female cultivators, only a handful were males with concealing array formations set up around them.
Lonemoon wasn’t too bothered, instead, the steward that had welcomed them earlier seemed to be very curious. She asked while pouring the tea, “I see that both of you have already perfected Foundation Establishment phase, you two must be extraordinarily gifted. Why didn’t you join a sect but became itinerant cultivators?” As she spoke, her gaze seemed to be uncontrollable as it kept moving onto Chef.
“We are used to being free and cannot stand restrains, so we became itinerant cultivators.” Lonemoon replied.
The steward frowned. No one knew what came to her mind, but she suddenly urged, “It has always been difficult for itinerant cultivators to practice cultivation, if young masters want less trouble, it’ll still be better to join a sect.” With that said, she even gave Shen Ying who was eating her fruit beside her an unexplainable glare that also came with some blame.
Shen Ying was speechless. Meow meow meow?
“Many thanks for your reminder.” Lonemoon smiled politely then continued to ask after some thought, “By the way, before we entered the city, we saw many mortals seeking refuge here, claiming to have encountered the ‘Fallen Night’ disaster.”
“Exactly.” The steward went on. “Sigh, it erupts several times every year, the previous time was still at the border cities, tens of thousands of miles away from here, no one expected it to reach this side so quickly.”
“This ‘Fallen Night’ is so scary, I am a little curious, where exactly did it start from?”
“Of course it’s from Corroding Vacant Valley.” The steward blurted out, struck with a sudden thought, she looked towards them in surprise. “Don’t tell me you few are here to accept the mission on investigating Corroding Vacant Valley too?”
“There is such a mission?” Lonemoon asked.
“It was jointly issued by all the big sects.” The steward explained. “This ‘Fallen Night’ has been a damaging source for years, the sects investigated for a long time but still did not get the cause. They could only somewhat confirm that it was related to Corroding Vacant Valley, so they’re calling for everyone to go in and investigate. But Corroding Vacant Valley is extremely dangerous, it is very possible to never return, that is why the sects want to gather itinerant cultivators to go together. Though the rewards are generous, it is really too dangerous inside. Two fellow Daoists, please don’t do it.”
“Thank you, fellow Daoist.” Seems like this darkness came from that what Corroding Vacant Valley.
The steward emphasized the danger of the Corroding Vacant Valley nervously, seeing that they had no intention of giving up, she then sighed and walked away to help them do their paperwork for their registration as itinerant cultivators. Her gaze was filled with pity and she still didn’t forget to give Shen Ying who had been quiet the whole time another glare. Seeing to be extremely displeased with her laissez-faire.
Shen Ying: “…” Son of a b*tch!
They did not stay long in Scattered Cultivators House, after knowing that the darkness began from the Corroding Vacant Valley, they accepted the investigating mission that the steward mentioned earlier, asked for a map, then left.
Not too far outside the city, Lonemoon was planning on checking the directions on the map when Yi Qing spoke up with a frown. “There’s someone following us.”
“Mm, noticed long ago.” Lonemoon added, “They’ve started following us since we left Scattered Cultivators House.” Several Foundation Establishment phase cultivators and a Golden Core cultivator only, they probably noticed that there were only three of them and wanted to rob them or something so he didn’t pay much attention.
Sure enough, not long after they flew out, five tall and brawny cultivators suddenly rushed out and blocked their way.
“Fellow Daoists, are you heading towards Corroding Vacant Valley?” The one that seemed to be their leader in the middle was a female cultivator dressed in blue. She stepped forward with a sleazy smile, looking across the few of them with narrowed eyes. “Why don’t you join us, we can look out for each other.”
“Oh? Are you sure, you only want to join us on the journey?” Lonemoon glanced at the money bag that came to his doorstep and revealed a brilliant smile.
That female cultivator seemed to be shaken by his smile and her gaze instantly became more fiery. “What are you saying? All of us are proper itinerant cultivators, it was only account that the Corroding Vacant Valley is dangerous and we were afraid of the beauty getting hurt that we wanted to show a little care.”
Beauty? Lonemoon subconsciously turned back and glanced at Shen Ying, when has her presence gotten so strong? Or are these few people human traffickers?
“In that case, we still got to thank you all?” Lonemoon let out a cold laugh, sweeping his gaze across them. He then realized that the other party were all female cultivators.
“No need to stand on ceremony.” That female cultivator beamed with a brighter smile, the lust in her eyes about to overflow. “As long as you two listen obediently, big sister here will definitely guarantee your safety, I promise you a good life from now on.”
