Chapter 133, Zhaoge’s Twenty Miles

Translator: StarReader

 

Master Lu, Su Chen, Ah Nu, Woodcutter Wu, and Xiao Zhang, Master Lu’s attendant, formed a party of five, heading towards Spirit Mountain Zhaoge, some thirty miles away.

 

They did not walk quickly, and before long, they beheld a Spirit Mountain towering into the clouds in the distance.

 

Occasionally, a few cranes soared across the clouds atop Spirit Mountain, ethereal and graceful.

 

“Brother Su, do not rush! I will bring you to Immortal City Zhaoge, and everything will become clear. New rogue cultivators arriving at Immortal City Zhaoge, or mortals venturing in to seek immortals, inevitably feel anxious. When you arrive at Immortal City Zhaoge, you will discover that as long as you have spirit stones, whether it is a mortal becoming an immortal, or an immoral cultivating, or items used in the Qi Refining Stage, everything is available. Spirit stones can solve most problems. Of course, if a mortal lacks spirit marrow, there is nothing to be done.”

 

Master Lu smiled and played coy.

 

Su Chen and Ah Nu exchanged a look and could only patiently prepare to witness the sights of Immortal City Zhaoge.

 

…

 

As they approached Spirit Mountain Zhaoge, it was already evening, and the sky was gradually darkening.

 

A straight road led to the magnificent Spirit Mountain in the distance. Successive cultivators were seen riding spirit steeds, hurrying towards Immortal City Zhaoge, or hastily leaving Immortal City Zhaoge.

 

About twenty miles from Spirit Mountain Zhaoge, Su Chen noticed that the spiritual energy in the air began to rise significantly.

 

From this spot to Zhaoge, it was no longer a wasteland plain but began to flourish.

 

Fields of rice paddies lined the road, the golden ears of grain growing plump and inviting, accompanied by a chorus of frogs.

 

Large water wheels drew water from the stream flowing down from Spirit Mountain, irrigating the spirit fields along the canals. Several aged spirit oxen played in the water alongside the irrigation channels.

 

In the distant fields, there were still some people resembling farmers, seemingly engaged in labor.

 

But they were not using hoes but were instead employing spiritual arts.

 

Concentrating small patches of intensely rich spiritual energy into spirit rain, they covered the fields above a distance of over thirty meters, upon the golden and flourishing grain.

 

“This is… grain imbued with spiritual energy?”

 

Su Chen looked on in surprise.

 

This was not a mere handful of spirit grain, but rather a continuous expanse of twenty miles of spirit field, an extraordinarily grand sight.

 

A thought stirred in his mind, and he vaguely understood the situation.

 

This spirit grain was certainly intended for consumption by cultivators, and it would likely be of great benefit to them.

 

“Within twenty miles of Spirit Mountain Zhaoge, spiritual energy is abundant and can be utilized to open up spirit fields for growing spirit grain. Beyond that distance, spiritual energy is insufficient. These are all spirit fields belonging to the eight hundred immortal cultivation clans within Immortal City Zhaoge; a common rogue cultivator could never acquire such a privilege. Those closest to the foot of Spirit Mountain, where spiritual energy is most potent, are the top-grade spirit fields with extraordinarily high yields, all belonging to Zhaoge’s ten great clans.”

 

Master Lu explained.

 

Su Chen, Ah Nu, and Woodcutter Wu looked on with expressions of novelty. It was their first time visiting Immortal City Zhaoge, and everything here was new to them.

 

Crossing through the spirit fields, they reached the foot of Spirit Mountain Zhaoge.

 

This wide road leading to the summit of Spirit Mountain was flanked by wooden houses built against the mountainside, clustered in groups of three or five, of varying heights and designs, and quite unique in appearance.

 

One could see Qi Refining Stage cultivators settled here and even a number of mortals, distinctly indicating a burgeoning vitality and prosperity. As evening approached, the lights shone brightly, and the flowers bloomed in profusion, resembling a celestial town nestled against the mountain.

 

“From the foot of this mountain to midway up the mountain, these are dwellings constructed by rogue cultivators and mortals alike.

 

“Do not be surprised by the abundance of mortal folk. Those who practice cultivation also possess emotions and desires, and they marry and have children. The children born are mortal, and they may not all be able to practice cultivation in the future, so they reside outside the city. Over time, the area outside this Spirit Mountain city has become a mixed-dwelling place for rogue cultivators and the mortals.

 

“Even some prominent cultivator clans have too many mortal members, forcing them to relocate to more distant locales and establish manors for their clansfolk to inhabit.

 

“Some mortals from the outside world also come seeking the way of the immortals. They lack the aptitude for immortal cultivation, yet are unwilling to depart, so they reside nearby, absorbing a little of the immortal energy, hoping for a stroke of luck.

 

“As for Immortal City Zhaoge, the housing costs are exorbitant; it takes a century’s worth of effort to earn the spirit stones needed for a single room—ordinary cultivators cannot afford to live there. Those who can settle within the city are at least members of one of the eight hundred cultivator clans of Zhaoge City.”

 

Master Lu jested, recounting local customs of Immortal City Zhaoge to their company.

 

Night descended.

 

Their group of five ascended, reaching the summit of Spirit Mountain, a place nearly enveloped in mist, where they beheld a magnificent and awe-inspiring immortal city rising from the earth.

 

Within and without this immortal city, a scene of immortal splendor unfolded, where the grasses and trees all possessed spiritual energy, and the immortal energy was abundant.

 

A subtly enchanting melody drifted from the immortal city atop the mountain, invigorating the soul.

 

One could frequently see cultivators, drinking and laughing, stumbling home from Immortal City Zhaoge, tipsy and singing, swaying and reeling.

 

Above the entrance to the immortal city, a golden plaque bearing the name Immortal City Zhaoge hung high.

 

On either side of the entrance stood over a dozen guards, armed with sharp spirit spears and clad in spirit armor, approximately at the early Qi Refining Stage, their gazes sharply scanning everyone entering and leaving Immortal City Zhaoge.

 

This Immortal City Zhaoge did not prohibit immoral or mortal people from entering. However, some who were wanted and have a history of evil deeds, like evil cultivators, were not allowed to enter Immortal City Zhaoge.

 

“Well, well, Master Lu is here again! You lost a fair amount of money last time; did your wife scold you relentlessly when you returned to your estate? What business are you intending to conduct when you come to this immortal city?”

 

The city gate guard captain, spotting Master Lu and his group, chuckled.

 

“Scram, don’t you dare mimic women’s idle chatter!”

 

Master Lu snorted, ignoring the captain of the guard’s teasing, and strode into the city. He was a senior with considerable tenure in Immortal City Zhaoge, and many cultivators recognized him.

 

Su Chen and the others looked around, and this Immortal City Zhaoge was even more prosperous than the cities of the mortal world.

 

After entering the city and taking just a few steps, he looked up and saw a spirit tower pavilion with over ten stories, the Drunken Immortal House.

 

Inside, the lights were dazzling, and a confusing and enchanting song drifted out. Female cultivators were playing seductive immortal melodies, and there seemed to be hazy and graceful immortal figures dancing and laughing within the Drunken Immortal House.

 

The song they had heard when they entered the city came from here.

 

This immortal music and dance seemed to have a magical power, attracting passersby to involuntarily desire to enter and see for themselves.

 

Su Chen momentarily lost his focus and quickly shook himself awake.

 

His heart trembled slightly; he almost allowed the seductive music to mislead him. What was the purpose of this place? How could zither music be so bewitching?

 

“Hmph! A brothel!”

 

Ah Nu tugged on Su Chen’s sleeve, vigilantly staring at the Drunken Immortal House, filled with hostility.

 

They changed its appearance, but that wasn’t enough to fool her. She saw right through it.

 

“Girl, this is indeed the most famous brothel in Immortal City Zhaoge, the Drunken Immortal House. It’s not much different from a brothel in the mortal world. But they specialize in cultivating immortal melodies and magical sounds.

 

“The zither is a magic item, which can easily make even cultivators lose their minds and become intoxicated, unable to break free. This is a notorious sinkhole for wealth, and spending hundreds or even thousands of spirit stones is commonplace, unaware of how quickly their spirit stones are depleted.”

 

Master Lu chuckled.

 

Su Chen broke out in a cold sweat. There were actually cultivators who specialized in cultivating zither music; no wonder the music was so bewitching, with such a strong hypnotic effect.

 

“This brothel is a moneymaker; it belongs to one of the ten great clans, the Zhu Clan.”

 

Master Lu said.

 

Su Chen’s heart stirred slightly; he committed it to memory.

 

He remembered that Daoist Han Shan was from Immortal City Zhaoge and named Zhang Wuhui. He did not know whether he was a disciple of this Zhu Clan’s great clan or someone of a lesser clan of the same surname. He only knew that it was uncertain what his position was within the clan. Mortal… his status should not be too high.

 

He merely needed to be careful.

 

“However, the grade of the immortal melodies and sounds they cultivate is too low and can only bewilder some newly arrived rogue cultivators with no defenses. With a little caution, it will be difficult to become bewitched. Be careful; do not approach.

 

“Come, I will take you to the largest market in Immortal City Zhaoge’s southern parts to see the bustle. It is the most lively there now that night has fallen. There are many spiritual treasures there; whether you want to buy spiritual treasures or do business to earn spirit stones, it is all there.”