Chương 55: The Path Forward (Final) [End of Arc 1]

When he approached the city gates through the forest trail that gradually turned into a road, Lucian saw firsthand the hanged corpses. Some paste had been applied to the dead that preserved their appearance. Combined with the strange nature of Qi, which seemed to prevent flesh from rotting as quickly as Lucian was used to, the corpses looked like they were floating in place, their eyes fixed on the newcomers. Only the scrolls nailed to their chests revealed there was more to see.

On each scroll, their wanted notices were written in bold characters, alongside their crimes. The larger the scroll, the closer the corpse was to the gate. Lucian could see dozens of people gathered farther ahead, reading the scrolls nailed to the bodies. Some of them were writing in booklets, leading him to believe they were either overly curious individuals or emissaries from different kingdoms, sent to record whether any rogue cultivators wanted in their regions had been captured.

The latter seemed more likely, judging by their pompous clothing and the armored guards accompanying them. Soon, Lucian approached the main gate. There, a luminous artifact shone brightly, illuminating the entrance and the barracks beside it. Despite the late hour, half a dozen people were in line in the city, likely believing it would be faster at night and easier to smuggle goods in.

However, the piles of food, rare materials, and sacks of medicine being inspected to the side showed that the guards were no more lenient during the night shift. From inside the barracks, Lucian could hear more than fifty people with his enhanced senses, some sleeping, others talking or eating. Before long, he reached the end of the line. A guard clad in bronze armor, a longsword at his waist, approached him, holding a feather and a scroll.

"Are you a cultivator?" the guard asked mechanically, gesturing for Lucian to dismount.

"No," Lucian replied, stepping down from the horse.

"Name and occupation," the guard continued, his tone slightly more relaxed.

"Lu Xian. I was accompanying the Young Master of the Bai Clan," he said, feigning sadness.

"The caravan was attacked, and we were forced to flee in different directions. I'm hoping to find my fellow clan members—" The guard waved dismissively, clearly uninterested.

"You can talk about all that at the Constable's Office or in a tavern. Are you bringing anything to sell?" Lucian sighed, pretending irritation, and pulled out two gold coins.

"Just these. It was everything I could bring." Clicking his tongue, the guard took one of the coins and bit it. After confirming it wasn't fake, he handed it back and wrote something down.

"Stay in line and wait for inspection. After that, you may enter without your horse. You will be reimbursed according to its market value." Having delivered his routine lines, the guard turned and walked away. Moments later, a shout echoed through the area, followed by a shockwave. Because of the sudden force, several people stumbled. Fortunately, no one was injured, as an invisible barrier held the force in place. The attacker kicked off the ground, attempting to flee.

Before he could take more than a step, however, his body exploded. Blood and gore were contained within an unseen sphere and swiftly transported to a side barrack. The people in line either lowered their heads or stared in shock. The guards shouted to keep the line moving, though most of them carried on as if nothing had happened. A few whispered among themselves, and others laughed, already expecting something like this. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road.

If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Foundation Establishment at the very least, Lucian thought, masking his cold expression with fear. He was trying to act and mimic the crowd. Only with a unified Dantian can Qi be controlled like that, according to Resonant Sea Ancestor's teachings. Suddenly, the guard who had talked to him returned, giving Lucian a strange look.

"Are you alright? Did the attack affect you?" Lucian realized he had overplayed the reaction, so he quickly shook his head and let out a strained chuckle.

"No, no. It just reminded me of the caravan attack," he said, feigning a saddened expression. The guard sighed in relief and tapped his shoulder.

"Good, good. Stay in line," he said before walking away. I'm not used to this, Lucian thought. Training fake emotions with Wang Chen wasn't enough. I should know my strengths and weaknesses. Over the past few days, he had guessed that dealing with stronger individuals and infiltrating places like Three Feathers City would demand refined acting skills. To that end, he had begun testing his behavior, pretending to care about Bai Xiaomeng and Wang Chen, offering occasional kind words and observing their reactions.

His tone, manner of speaking, and gestures adapted to their silent feedback, allowing him to remember how to deceive through acting. However, it was still not enough! I'm not talented in this, he thought, shaking his head inwardly. I should keep a low profile and gather strength. Someone once said I was terrible at keeping myself out of trouble. Was it Salazar? That kid. I'll prove you wrong. The line advanced, and Lucian took his time to observe everything he could.

The city's front gate, for example, was massive, reinforced with metal and embedded with luminous artifacts. Beyond it, the city bustled with life, its streets crowded despite the late hour. Near the entrance, peddlers and guides swarmed newly arrived travelers, especially those dressed in fine silks or in carriages. No matter where I go, money speaks louder than anything, Lucian thought, sneering inwardly. After some time, he stood before five guards. It was his turn to be checked.

While his gaze remained fixed on the guards inspecting him, his other senses locked onto two individuals sitting to the side. Both were playing a board game with white and black stones, seeming out of place. They also wore cultivator robes and were sipping wine leisurely. None seemed older than fifty, even with streaks of white in their hair. Their bodies were also lean, and they had no wrinkles. As soon as he saw them, Lucian noticed something unusual.

While he could see and smell them, he could not hear a single word they said. Glancing at them occasionally to feign mild curiosity, he thought, They surrounded themselves with Qi, forming a soundproof barrier. This means they are Foundation Establishment cultivators, at least. Then, a voice pulled Lucian out of his thoughts.

"You may enter. Your horse is worth two silver coins, but the entry fee is half a silver, so you will receive one and a half," a guard with a scar over his left eye said. He tossed two coins at Lucian, one larger than the other, before ushering him forward. Lucian turned to the guard and failed to notice that both Foundation Establishment cultivators shared a glance when he passed by them. As he walked through the gate, he heard a faint buzzing sound and felt subtle waves brush against his skin.

The artifact is scanning for items, he thought. Having left Xu Hua's sword behind, Lucian encountered no issues during inspection. Right after he stepped inside the city, a few peddlers and guides glanced at him briefly before turning their attention elsewhere. His worn clothes and lack of belongings made it obvious he had nothing worth their time. Taking a deep breath and smiling with his eyes, Lucian felt glad he had stolen Xu Hua's memories. Now, he knew exactly who to look for and where.

Time to find the Little Crab near the docks. While Lucian entered the Three Feathers City, various events unfolded across the Golden Peng Empire. An Imperial Censor at the Qi Condensation realm, accompanied by three Magistrates, discovered Xu Duan on the brink of death. The young man was starved and dehydrated, in a deep coma inside a formation of the Ancient Golden Clan. They had been guided there by divination just in time to save his life!

To the east, near the border of the south region, Liu Tian rampaged uncontrollably. The injuries he had inflicted upon himself destabilized his mind, causing violent mood swings and a growing desire for indiscriminate slaughter. He mumbled about being chased by a hidden Core Formation cultivator, while a Heart Demon cackled inside his Spiritual Sea. To the west, disaster struck the capital of the Twin-Neck Crane Kingdom.

The Crown Prince had been killed and dismembered by an unknown assassin, igniting conflict among neighboring kingdoms. In response, the Golden Peng Emperor Kun Wu ordered a strict lockdown alongside a bounty. All cultivators of the western region were searching for the culprits! To the north, the fall of the Myriad Soul Transformations Sect triggered a violent struggle for resources.

Kingdoms became pawns in the hands of the Nine Sects, while rumors of a lost Core Formation artifact were spread, further intensifying the chaos. And at the heart of the Golden Peng Empire, atop a distant peak known as Peacock Mountain, Chief Huoxing welcomed his great-nephew with open arms, unaware that the young man was, in truth, his own son.

Across the land, chaos unfolded in overlapping waves, each event feeding into the next, as if the world itself had been set into motion to welcome the beginning of a new era.