Staying Alive Cautiously in the Celestial Realm and Becoming the Strongest

The original owner had been born and raised in this city, and although he later went to work as a Spiritual Plant Farmer in the Defense Area, he often purchased daily necessities such as firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, and tea in the city.

After Wang Chen traveled to this world, he also frequented the city.

The original owner’s Divine Soul had long since fused with his, yet the memories etched within the Divine Soul could not be easily erased.

The city before his eyes naturally stirred his memories!

Yet Cloud Mountain City remained Cloud Mountain City, but the feelings it gave Wang Chen had become entirely different.

All things remain the same while people change; everything else comes to an end, alas!

Although his mind was full of thoughts, on the surface, Wang Chen looked like a country youth who had come to the big city for the first time, feeling a mix of trepidation and excitement as he followed the crowd to the city gate.

The present-day Cloud Mountain City now belonged to Guiyuan Gate, the sworn enemy of the Cloud Sun Sect.

Therefore, it was naturally disciples from Guiyuan Gate that were collecting the city entrance fee at the gate.

Wang Chen noticed that these cultivators were only collecting Spirit Stones and not checking whether the Loose Cultivators entering had Path Tokens.

The rule upheld by the Cloud Sun Sect for thousands of years was clearly abolished by Guiyuan Gate.

This, in turn, made it easier for Wang Chen.

Otherwise, applying for a Path Token would require leaving behind a trace of his Divine Soul’s energy, which would undoubtedly be troublesome for him.

Wang Chen also noticed that on both sides of the city gate’s walls, there were reward notices plastered all over.

Most of the individuals wanted were disciples from the Cloud Sun Sect.

Each had a name, identification, background, and the reward amounts were significantly high.

Wang Chen glanced over and shockingly saw his own portrait!

The reward notice for him obviously had been posted for some time, as the wear from wind and rain was evident.

Although the portrait had become somewhat faded, at least eighty percent of his features were accurately depicted.

And the reward was not low either.

The person who captured or killed Wang Chen could become an Outer Sect disciple of Guiyuan Gate, and also receive a reward of either five hundred Merit Points or twenty mu of Spirit Fields!

But Wang Chen felt that he was worth far more than that.

Without showing any change in emotion, he quietly withdrew his gaze and queued up to enter the city honestly.

The entrance fee had not changed, still one Low Spirit Stone.

After paying the fee and entering, as he walked on the streets, Wang Chen clearly sensed that the city had become more bustling.

Perhaps because the situation had stabilized, or maybe Guiyuan Gate had changed the rules; in any case, a large number of Loose Cultivators filled the streets, alleyways, tea houses, and taverns.

On the other hand, disciples from Guiyuan Gate in white robes were rarely seen, at most a fully-armed group of Battle Cultivators hurrying down the street.

The atmosphere in the city had an undercurrent of restlessness, easily making one irritated, and nature’s spiritual energy was not as abundant as before, with some trash even scattered at street corners and alley entrances.

Wang Chen had never seen such a scene before.

As outsiders, Guiyuan Gate’s control over the city was undoubtedly only superficial!

What surprised him was that although most of the shops in the city were still there, both the Four Seas Commerce Association and the Myriad Treasures Pavilion had actually closed!

The Myriad Treasures Pavilion had closed!

Wang Chen felt as if he had been struck by a blow on the head, nearly breaking his facade on the spot.

He had traveled thousands of miles, braving considerable danger to come to Cloud Mountain City, mainly aiming to purchase Cultivation Techniques.

The Innate Five Elements Skill!

The Innate Five Elements Skill was not a secret technique of the Cloud Sun Sect, so the chances of finding it at the Four Seas Commerce Association or Myriad Treasures Pavilion were quite high, just a matter of how many Spirit Stones it would cost.

Wang Chen now possessed several tens of thousands of Low Spirits, so acquiring a Spirit Light Law Seed of the Innate Five Elements Skill was definitely not a problem!

But in his wildest dreams, he had not anticipated that he would arrive, ready to offer his treasury, only to find the temples had disappeared!

That was very strange indeed.

Because the Myriad Treasures Pavilion had an extremely deep backing, reportedly having branches in the myriad worlds. It wasn’t just Guiyuan Gate that couldn’t afford to offend them— even the Upper Sects and Upper Sects of Guiyuan Gate would not dare to cross them.

Centuries ago, there was a very powerful sect in the Mountain and Sea Realm which, disguised as bandits, robbed a commercial ship of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion.

The sect boasting two Nascent Souls and over a hundred Golden Cores was breached in a single night.

The Nascent Souls of the two True Immortals were gouged out!

This incident was common knowledge, even several centuries later, it remained in countless people’s memories.

The high levels of Guiyuan Gate wouldn’t dare to lay a finger on Myriad Treasures Pavilion even if they had the audacity of a bear-heart and leopard-gall!

After some thought, Wang Chen asked an old cultivator who was sitting under the eaves, basking in the sun, “Senior, may I ask if Myriad Treasures Pavilion is not open today?”

“Today?”

The old cultivator cheerily held up three fingers, “They pulled out three months ago, and will not be returning.”

Wang Chen’s heart sank abruptly, “Why?”

The old cultivator just smiled, not saying a word, but rubbed his thumb quickly against his forefinger.

This was a universal gesture in the myriad heavens and worlds.

Wang Chen understood instantly, and promptly handed over a Spirit Stone.

After taking the Spirit Stone, the old cultivator touched his long beard and said, “Have you ever seen ants move house before a torrential rain? Myriad Treasures Pavilion pulled out for a reason; do you understand?”

In his aged eyes, a hint of sorrow flashed.

Wang Chen fell silent for a moment, then replied, “Thank you for the guidance, Senior.”

He handed over another Spirit Stone.

But the old cultivator didn’t take it.

Waving his hand, he hunched his body and walked into the crowd, soon disappearing from Wang Chen’s sight.

Wang Chen watched him leave, then entered a teahouse nearby.

The teahouse was doing well, with guests occupying about sixty to seventy percent of the seats. Wang Chen found a seat by the window, gesturing for a waiter to bring over a pot of Spiritual Tea and a plate of pastries.

He wasn’t hungry, he just needed to sit down and think about where to go from here.

From what the old cultivator implied, it wasn’t just Cloud Mountain City that was affected; Myriad Treasures Pavilion had likely withdrawn from the entire expanse of Cloud Sun Old Land.

The Four Seas Commerce Association was probably in a similar situation.

Remembering the ascension of the Cloud Sun sect to the Upper Realm, Wang Chen had an uneasy feeling.

The Cloud Sun sect was possibly in trouble before, so he escaped to the Mortal Realm, narrowly missing a storm.

But if the entire Mountain and Sea Realm was in danger, where could Wang Chen run to?

After much thought, all he could do was to take one step at a time.

Smack!

At that moment, a crisp sound captured Wang Chen’s attention.

Not far from him at a tea table, a young waiter covered his swollen face.

Blood was trickling through his fingers.

A Guiyuan Gate cultivator, pointing at his nose, cursed loudly, “I grace this place with my presence for tea, and you dare ask me for Spirit Stones? Are you blind?!”

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, he’s new and doesn’t know the rules, please be magnanimous…”

The teahouse’s shopkeeper hurried over, smiling apologetically, speaking kind words, and eventually appeased the cultivator with an envelope of Spirit Stones before seeing him off.

As for the other guests in the teahouse, some watched coldly, while others turned a blind eye.

It seemed they had already grown accustomed and numb to such scenes!

Wang Chen paid for the tea and pastries and quietly left the teahouse.

Then he left Cloud Mountain City.

This city, once so familiar and now strangely alien, he would not return to again.

There was nothing left to long for!

———-

The second update is delivered.