Chapter 24: The Holy City

Several days later, Li Yao continued his journey northward. After traversing thousands of mountains and rivers and witnessing countless sunrises and sunsets, he finally neared the Holy City of the Northern Domain.

The Holy City, the absolute center of the Northern Domain, is as renowned on this crimson land as the Primordial Ancient Mine. The inhabitants of the Northern Domain revere it as a sacred site. The oasis housing the Holy City is vast, spanning tens of thousands of miles, and is home to numerous towns. Compared to other regions, the Holy Province is the most tranquil. Even the most audacious bandits dare not raid this oasis, for every major power maintains a presence here.

The northern wind swept across the earth, snapping the withered grass. The season of falling snow was not far off, and many travelers on the road had already donned furs. The main thoroughfare leading to the Holy City was broad enough for a dozen carriages to travel abreast. Aside from the locals, cultivators could be seen flying through the skies from time to time.

Upon reaching this area, Li Yao returned to his low-profile approach. He refrained from riding a rainbow, choosing instead to travel on foot once he was within a few hundred miles of the city. As he drew within two hundred miles, the number of travelers increased significantly. Exotic beasts galloped like wind and lightning, most ridden by cultivators. Among them were many from holy lands and ancient aristocratic families. Even before truly entering the city, Li Yao could sense that the place ahead was a gathering point for winds and clouds.

This city brought together the turbulence of the world; cultivators from the Central Plains, Western Desert, Northern Plains, Southern Ridge, and Eastern Wasteland were all gathered here. An hour later, Li Yao finally approached the premier city of the Northern Domain.

This was a pure land. Outside the Holy City, for a radius of one hundred and fifty miles, the landscape was lush and verdant, untouched by the changing seasons. Though it was late autumn, the area remained vibrant green, devoid of any chill. It felt like spring, with warm breezes brushing against the face, abundant vegetation, and bubbling spiritual springs.

The spiritual energy here was incomparably dense, many times higher than elsewhere. Ancient trees towered hundreds of meters, resembling small hills, their branches stretching toward the sky, while ancient vines clung to the cliff walls like coiled dragons. Upon arriving here, the Heavenly Book began absorbing vital essence at an accelerated rate, comparable to its speed within the Light-Shaking Holy Land. The Light-Shaking Imperial Scripture began to circulate spontaneously, and the absorbed essence slowly flowed into his bitter sea. Although his cultivation was not increasing rapidly, the accumulation was like grains of sand building a pagoda; over time, it was not to be underestimated.

Half an hour later, Li Yao finally laid eyes on the legendary Holy City. The ancient city was immensely majestic; its walls stretched out like a dormant dragon, continuous and unbroken, appearing as if cast from molten bronze and shimmering with a metallic luster. The grand city gate tower, standing a hundred meters high, was awe-inspiring and magnificent. From a distance, the massive ancient city imparted a sense of suffocating pressure.

"So this is the center of the Northern Domain's turbulence..." a passerby sighed.

From ancient times to the present, there have been many legends about the Holy City. Upon consulting various chronicles, people are often astonished to discover how truly ancient it is. Its origins cannot be traced to any specific era; since the beginning of written records, the city has never changed its location, and no one knows how many years it has existed. It is also known as the City of the Gods. Legend has it that in the vastness of time, it once hung in the sky, only descending to the earth during the Primordial Era.

This ancient city was many times larger than the capitals of great nations, majestic and vast. Without flying, even for a cultivator, it would take an entire day to cross it. The interior was incredibly prosperous, filled with palaces and wide, ancient streets. Stone-gambling dens, Immortal Towers, Pleasure Palaces, Saintly Lord Pavilions, and Demon King Pavilions—it had everything one could imagine. It was the height of luxury, where mortals and cultivators mingled.

Inside the city, the crowds were constant, and half of them were cultivators. In such a place, no one dared to be reckless, for one might accidentally bump into the descendant of an ancient family.

Once Li Yao arrived, he found himself surprisingly at ease. On the road to the Holy City, even though he had kept a low profile, he had still clashed with bandits wandering the Northern Domain. Fortunately, his luck held; the strongest among those he encountered were only at the peak of the Life Spring realm. Through narrow escapes and his own efforts, he had cleared his path and personally slain many of them.

For some time, Li Yao had kept his nerves taut, fearing that a powerful enemy might suddenly leap out to strike him. In the desolate, god-forsaken regions of the Northern Domain, his identity as a disciple of the Light-Shaking Holy Land did not always carry weight. But the Holy City was different. Although he intended to conceal his identity to carry out his own affairs, should he face true danger, his first move would be to reveal his status as a deterrent. This was the Holy City; unless one was as fearless as Ye Fan, anyone would think twice before provoking a disciple of the Light-Shaking Holy Land. Thus, in this place where the winds gathered and the strong were as numerous as clouds, Li Yao’s safety was, to some extent, guaranteed.

Walking along the bustling streets, Li Yao felt his horizons truly broadened. There were inns, restaurants, stone-gambling dens, and even pleasure quarters... From this day forth, if anyone dared to claim that a cultivator’s life was dull, Li Yao would be the first to object.

He had not gone far when, at a corner, he spotted a complex of palaces and gardens, magnificent in scale with towering, gilded, and brilliant pavilions.

Li Yao halted his steps. He looked up at the plaque above the palace gates, which bore the characters for "Five Elements Pavilion."

There was a power in the Northern Domain known as the Five Elements Palace. It was quite strong; in terms of status, it was comparable to the Taixuan Sect and the Xiaoyao Sect of the Southern Domain, only a notch below the top-tier holy lands. Such a power possessed a rich and diverse industrial chain, spanning almost every field, and naturally included commerce and auction houses.

No one flew within the city; even cultivators strictly observed the city rules. The prosperous streets were crowded with people, shoulders brushing against shoulders. Many cultivators were entering and leaving the Five Elements Pavilion. Li Yao took out a mask, put it on, pulled up his hood, and followed the flow of people inside.

The palace complex was not a single entity but divided into many smaller halls. Li Yao walked through the corridors, observing the names on the doors of the halls to his left and right. These names were easy to understand, allowing even first-time visitors to know exactly what industry each hall was involved in. For instance, the halls he had just passed were labeled "Taste Pavilion," "Spirit Beast Pavilion," and "Divine Treasure Pavilion."

As the names implied, the Taste Pavilion was for dining, the Spirit Beast Pavilion sold various spirit beasts, and the Divine Treasure Pavilion sold materials for forging weapons.

None of these were his destination, nor did he have the intention to browse. It had been over ten days since the battle at the Source Region; if all went as expected, the Light-Shaking Holy Land would be tracking his movements, or at the very least, the lineage of the Rising Sun Divine Island would certainly be searching for him. His time was not abundant, and he had to race against the clock to complete his business. As for these diversions, there would be time to explore them in the future.

After walking through the corridor and turning a corner, Li Yao finally reached his destination.

"Divine Technique Pavilion!"