Ye Qiu had thought the cultivation world would be vastly different from the mortal world, but now it seemed more like an ancient version of China.
The town’s streets were paved with bluestone. Tea houses and wine shops lined both sides, with numerous small stalls along the roadside.
The streets were bustling with people. Men, women, young, and old all wore long robes and kept their hair long. Occasionally, a few horse-drawn carriages could be seen.
Ye Qiu observed closely and noticed that most of the passersby possessed some level of cultivation, predominantly at the Foundation Establishment or Venerable realms.
King-level experts were rare.
There were also a small number of people who had no cultivation at all.
“Is this the cultivation world? Why does this poor Daoist feel like he’s travelled back to ancient times?” Longbrow Immortal said.
Ye Qiu said, “I thought everyone in the cultivation world would be an expert, capable of flying or burrowing through the earth. Why are there so many ordinary people here?”
Fairy Hundred Flowers explained, “Although this is the cultivation world, not everyone has cultivation.”
“Besides, we’re currently in a remote town on the edge of the Eastern Wasteland. It’s already impressive to have so many cultivators here.”
“In other smaller towns, there are even more ordinary people.”
“Only in large cities or areas near major sects would you find many experts.”
Longbrow Immortal said, “Then why do people from the mortal world need to reach the peak of the King realm to enter the cultivation world?”
Fairy Hundred Flowers said, “I think that’s likely a misunderstanding.”
“Perhaps the senior experts from the mortal world visited the cultivation world and knew of its cruelty, so they instructed their descendants that only those who reached the peak of the King realm should enter.”
“Firstly, because of the suppression of the heavenly rules, those who surpass the peak of the King realm and remain in the mortal world would be destroyed by the Heavenly Dao.”
“Secondly, the cultivation world is cruel. Only those with great strength can survive longer here.”
Longbrow Immortal said seriously, “Fairy, you keep saying the cultivation world is cruel. Can you tell me exactly how cruel it is?”
“You’ll soon witness the cruelty of the cultivation world for yourself,” Fairy Hundred Flowers said with a sigh. “Speaking of it, I somewhat miss the mortal world.”
“If not for my deep blood feud, I wouldn’t want to return.”
“Your mortal world is harmonious and stable, something our cultivation world lacks.”
“Let’s find an inn.”
After speaking, Fairy Hundred Flowers led Ye Qiu and the others forward.
Ye Qiu and Longbrow Immortal, new to the cultivation world, were curious about everything. They walked while looking around.
Ye Qiu noticed that the roadside stalls sold not only rouge, cosmetics, and snacks but also medicinal herbs.
Moreover, every herb was at least a hundred years old.
Most shockingly, no one even bothered to inquire about them. Clearly, hundred-year-old herbs were commonplace here.
“The cultivation world is truly extraordinary!” Ye Qiu said softly.
Fairy Hundred Flowers said, “Hundred-year-old herbs have no value here. Only ordinary people without cultivation occasionally buy them for medicinal purposes.”
“Thousand-year-old herbs are also common. Only ten-thousand-year-old herbs attract cultivators’ interest.”
“But for the major sects, even ten-thousand-year-old herbs are rubbish.”
Soon after, Fairy Hundred Flowers stopped in front of an antique inn and said, “Let’s stay here tonight.”
Ye Qiu looked up and saw a white flag hanging on the inn’s outer wall, with three large characters written on it.
Drunk Immortal Inn!
Longbrow Immortal laughed, “I like this name. Let’s follow the fairy’s suggestion and stay here tonight.”
Suddenly, the sound of hooves echoed like thunder.
Ye Qiu turned and saw a group of armoured riders galloping past.
The street was crowded, and many people couldn’t dodge in time. They were knocked over by the horses, causing chaos and disorder.
“Bang!”
A boy, about three or four years old, somehow fell in the middle of the street. Before he could get up, he was trampled by the horses, his body crushed, and he died on the spot.
The child’s parents ran over, wailing and crying around their dead child.
Ye Qiu clenched his fists, watching the riders disappear into the distance, a murderous intent in his eyes.
Fairy Hundred Flowers grabbed Ye Qiu’s hand and said, “Don’t meddle in others’ affairs.”
“But that was a child!” Ye Qiu said. “He was so young, without any cultivation, and didn’t offend anyone. Why did he have to die like that?”
Fairy Hundred Flowers said, “This is the cultivation world, a place where human lives are treated like grass.”
“Like that child, dead and gone. No one will seek justice for him, and no one will avenge him. It can only be said that it was his fate.”
“If I’m not mistaken, those riders were from the Yin-Yang Sect. We can’t afford to provoke them.”
“Let’s go into the inn.”
Ye Qiu glanced at the direction where the riders vanished, thinking to himself, I don’t care who you are. If I encounter you again, I’ll wipe you out.
At that moment, a young man dressed like an inn servant ran out.
“Honoured guests, are you here to stay?” the servant asked.
Fairy Hundred Flowers said coldly, “Arrange two rooms for us.”
“Very well, please follow me, honoured guests.”
The servant led Ye Qiu and the others inside.
Ye Qiu glanced around. The inn’s ground floor was a tea house, while the upper floors were for accommodation.
“Honoured guests, our inn is the best in town. The room rate is one spirit stone per night, so two rooms will be two spirit stones. Please settle the bill first, and then I’ll take you to your rooms,” the servant said.
Spirit stones?
Ye Qiu and Longbrow Immortal exchanged glances, hearing the term for the first time.
“Green Radish, pay,” Fairy Hundred Flowers instructed.
Green Radish took out a pouch and poured out two shiny, crystal-like objects the size of soybeans, handing them to the servant.
“Thank you, miss. Please follow me,” the servant said cheerfully, leading them upstairs.
Fairy Hundred Flowers whispered to Ye Qiu, “Spirit stones are our common currency here, like gold in your world. However, spirit stones vary in quality and can also help cultivators improve their cultivation.”
“Of course, smaller sects don’t have many spirit stones to help their disciples advance.”
“Once you get familiar with this place, you’ll understand everything.”
The servant led them to two rooms on the third floor, gave a brief explanation, and left.
“Rest well. Green Radish and I will be in the next room. Call us if you need anything,” Fairy Hundred Flowers said before entering her room with Green Radish. Ye Qiu and Longbrow Immortal entered the other room.
Upon entering, both were surprised.
The room’s furnishings were extremely simple: plain white walls, two wooden beds, no bathroom, and no television. It was worse than the most basic guesthouses in the mortal world.
“Young rascal, it seems the cultivation world is quite poor!” Longbrow Immortal said.
“This is supposed to be the best inn in town? It’s not even as good as the guesthouse I stayed in near the train station back then. Sixty-one a night, and they even provided girls.”
“Enough, just rest!” Ye Qiu sat cross-legged on the bed, closing his eyes to meditate.
He was pondering a problem. Although he had plenty of gold and gems in his Qiankun bag, the currency here was spirit stones, which meant he was essentially broke.
“It seems I need to find a way to make money. Without money, it’s hard to take a single step.”
Soon, loud snoring came from the side.
Ye Qiu turned and saw Longbrow Immortal sprawled on the bed, fast asleep.
“Dead pig!” Ye Qiu muttered, closing his eyes to meditate.
In the middle of the night, Ye Qiu suddenly opened his eyes, staring at the door, and shouted, “Who’s there?”
