“Up ahead is Baiyun Prefecture—Cloud Sky City.”
The carriage traveled slowly, and it wasn’t until two days later that Lin Ze pointed at a fly-sized black dot miles away and spoke.
Ling Xiao looked in that direction. The terrain was flat and open, with no cover, except for two large mountains in front of the black dot, forming a narrow passage.
It was an excellent spot for defense, hard to attack.
To others, it was all just a vague black speck.
But in Ling Xiao’s eyes, it was a different story.
In his soul-entered state, distant scenery seemed to zoom in instantly.
The towering, majestic mountains came into sharper focus.
Both mountains had defensive structures, and near the pass, there were stationed troops.
Looking through the narrow passage, about a kilometer beyond, a grand city came into view.
Cloud Sky City was built against the mountains, looking as if it floated in the air—hence its name.
Its layout was entirely unlike Tianfeng City and seemed seven or eight times larger, like an ancient beast coiled among the peaks.
The passage resembled the beast’s mouth, ready to swallow anyone who approached.
“What a magnificent city!”
Ling Xiao couldn’t help but praise.
“You can actually see the city’s details?” Lin Ze was startled by his words.
Even for him, a Martial Vein Ninth Stage Peak expert, Cloud Sky City was just a blurry shadow from this distance.
For the others, it was merely a fly-sized dot.
“Yes.”
Ling Xiao nodded without further explanation.
Lin Chen, nearby, wasn’t convinced. “I don’t believe it. You can see details from this far? Prove it!”
Ling Xiao smiled faintly and described Cloud Sky City’s general features, leaving the surrounding mounted soldiers dumbfounded.
“You’ve been to Cloud Sky City before, haven’t you?”
Lin Chen asked, still skeptical.
Ling Xiao didn’t bother explaining further, instead adding, “Standing at the outermost edge of that passage is a man with a scar on his forehead, holding a blade.”
“Hahaha, Lin Chen, don’t be stubborn. He can even tell who’s on duty today—that’s talent! Even I have to admit defeat,” Lin Ze laughed heartily.
Lin Chen stayed silent. They’d arrive soon enough, and he’d see if Scar Six was really on duty—then he’d know if Ling Xiao was bluffing.
If Ling Xiao got even that right, he’d be utterly convinced.
The guards outside the city rotated irregularly; even long-time residents of Cloud Sky City couldn’t predict it.
As the caravan neared the passage, Lin Chen’s jaw dropped.
Scar Six stepped forward to salute them.
Some soldiers had shared Lin Chen’s doubts, but now they looked at Ling Xiao like he was a ghost.
“Scar Six, why are you on duty today?” Lin Chen asked grumpily.
“Oh, a brother fell ill, so I’m covering for him.”
“Sigh.”
Lin Chen gave a wry smile.
Scar Six was baffled until a soldier later told him Ling Xiao had spotted his forehead scar from miles away, nearly dislocating his jaw in shock.
The caravan passed through the passage without hindrance—Lin Ze’s status ensured no one dared stop them.
Ascending a long slope into Cloud Sky City, Ling Xiao realized this place was truly teeming with experts.
There were almost no ordinary people in Cloud Sky City.
Here, every child was tested at birth to determine which cultivation method suited them, starting foundational training at two or three years old.
By seven or eight, even the weakest were Martial Vein First Stage martial artists.
In Cloud Sky City, even street beggars and dung carriers were martial artists.
That was the gap.
In Tianfeng City, ordinary people made up over eighty percent of the population.
Baiyun Prefecture, the capital of Baiyun Province, was indeed extraordinary.
The citizens of Cloud Sky City seemed to hold Lin Ze in high regard. Along the way, people saluted the caravan as it passed, their faces beaming with joy.
It was as if long-awaited family had returned.
The architectural style wasn’t too different from Tianfeng City’s, just far grander and more imposing.
The streets were all paved with bluestone—wide, flat, and spacious enough for six or seven carriages to pass side by side without issue.
Ling Xiao even saw people riding beasts through the streets, yet the citizens showed no fear.
Curious, he asked Lin Ze.
The answer was—
Many in Cloud Sky City could tame beasts, using them as combat assets or mounts.
Lin Ze himself had a flying beast mount but refrained from using it to accommodate the group.
“There’s the Border General’s Mansion.”
Suddenly, Lin Chen shouted excitedly.
Ling Xiao looked up. The mansion wasn’t as lavish as he’d imagined—not even comparable to the Ling Clan’s estate.
Compared to the residences of many nobles in Cloud Sky City, it was downright modest.
“The General cares for the people, so the mansion was built simply,” Lin Chen explained. “But we’re not going there. We’re headed to the barracks. General, should I take Ling Xiao and Ling Yixue there?”
He glanced at Lin Ze for confirmation.
Lin Ze stood before the mansion, pondering for a moment, then asked, “Ling Xiao, I’ll give you two choices. One: stay by my side to train. No one will compete with you for resources, and you might even get my personal guidance.”
“The other: join the barracks, training alongside other geniuses. It’s tough, and you’ll have to fight for resources yourself—I won’t interfere.”
“The latter,” Ling Xiao replied after a brief thought.
“Oh? Why’s that?”
Lin Ze’s surprise carried a hint of delight.
“Flowers in a greenhouse rarely thrive,” Ling Xiao said calmly. “Back in the Ling Clan, I noticed that people like Ling Feifan, Ling Chen, and Ling Yun were spoiled. They lost their drive to compete, so even a small setback would break them.”
He wasn’t a masochist, but he knew living under Lin Ze’s protection would keep him a fledgling forever.
“Good! I, Lin Ze, didn’t misjudge you!”
Lin Ze smiled. “Lin Chen, take them to report to the Border Army. No special treatment—assign them to the Hidden Dragon Battalion and come back.”
“Yes, sir!”
“General, we’ll take our leave.”
Ling Xiao and Ling Yixue saluted, then followed Lin Chen.
As they left, Ling Xiao casually glanced at the two guards outside the Border General’s Mansion.
“They’re both Martial Vein Sixth Stage Early martial artists!”
Ling Xiao was stunned.
Martial artists of this caliber were just gatekeepers here!
In Tianfeng City, they’d be honored guests in any family, even offered elder positions in mid-tier clans.
But here, they were mere guards.
That was the gap.
