Chapter 218 - 18: Trading Fair, Sword Nurturing Technique

Chapter 218: Chapter 18: Trading Fair, Sword Nurturing Technique

The little ghost, however, seemed terrified of their bonfire and the Evil Qi emanating from Chen Ye. It just kept its distance, not daring to approach.

Chen Ye couldn’t be bothered to deal with it.

As long as it didn’t bother him, he’d pretend he didn’t see it.

"Hey," Su Yuan suddenly said, her face slightly flushed from the drink.

"Why do you want to become stronger?" Chen Ye stopped chewing and glanced up at her.

"To survive." His answer was crisp and direct.

Because that was what he truly believed.

Whether in the Main World or here, human life was as worthless as grass. The weak didn’t even have the power to ensure their own survival.

He didn’t want to be the fish on someone else’s chopping block, so he had to become stronger.

"Survive?" Su Yuan seemed a little surprised by his answer.

She tilted her head, thought for a moment, and said, "But you’re already very strong."

"Not strong enough." Chen Ye shook his head, his gaze fixed on the endless darkness outside the temple.

"This world is too big. What does my meager strength even amount to?"

As he spoke, Chen Ye thought of the Blood Lotus Sect in the Main World, of the bloody hand that had descended from the sky, and his Heart Spirit trembled.

Su Yuan looked into Chen Ye’s deep eyes and fell silent.

She seemed to grasp something in his words that was completely different from her own experience.

She grew stronger for fun, out of interest.

Chen Ye, however, grew stronger out of fear—out of a deep-seated awe for some existence.

From the very beginning, the two of them had been walking completely different paths.

"Maybe you’re right," Su Yuan said softly after a long pause.

For the rest of the night, neither of them spoke again.

Chen Ye took the first watch, and Su Yuan took over for the second half of the night.

The next morning, the two continued on their journey.

Perhaps last night’s conversation had an effect, as Su Yuan was clearly not as boisterous as she had been the previous two days. She had become much quieter.

Chen Ye was happy to have the peace and quiet.

The next two days were uneventful.

They didn’t encounter any more Demons and Ghosts, only occasionally spotting some traveling merchant caravans and lone Cultivators.

Chen Ye also took the opportunity to observe many of the Cultivators with his Asura’s Eye.

He discovered that the auras of these Cultivators were incredibly diverse.

Some had auras as sharp as a blade; they were clearly Sword Cultivators.

Others had auras as heavy as a mountain; they were likely Martial Artists from the Body Forging Stream.

Still others were wreathed in the faint scent of Elixir Pills and an aura of Flame; they were almost certainly Alchemy Masters.

By observing the flow of their Energy, Chen Ye could actually make a rough guess as to their Profession, a testament to the power of his Asura’s Eye.

And so, at dusk on the ninth day, as they crested a mountain ridge, a magnificent, colossal city finally appeared on the horizon.

The city was simply immense.

Its towering walls were like a black dragon sprawling across the land, stretching on and on with no end in sight.

Banners snapped in the wind atop the walls, where one could vaguely make out armored soldiers on patrol.

Even from this distance, Chen Ye could feel a vast, heavy presence washing over him.

It was a presence formed from the converging auras of countless living beings and the city’s protective Array.

Before such a presence, the small town of Yu Huo County was like a mere anthill at a giant’s feet.

"Whoa..."

Su Yuan couldn’t help but gasp in amazement.

"Is that Qingzhou Prefecture City? It’s huge!"

Her eyes sparkled with excitement.

Chen Ye was also shaken.

He knew Qingzhou Prefecture City would be large, but he had never imagined it would be on this scale.

This was just a Prefecture City. What must the capital of this land look like?

"Let’s go. We should be able to make it before dark."

Chen Ye took a deep breath, suppressed the turmoil in his heart, and strode toward the colossal city.

The closer they got to Qingzhou Prefecture City, the more travelers crowded the main road.

All sorts of carriages and merchant caravans streamed by endlessly. They could even see some Cultivators riding Exotic Beasts, whooshing past overhead.

Some of the Exotic Beasts looked like lizards magnified a dozen times over, while others had wings and resembled fierce tigers. Every one of them radiated a powerful aura.

Chen Ye and Su Yuan blended into the crowd, completely unremarkable.

Arriving at the foot of the city gate, Chen Ye once again felt the city’s oppressive presence.

The wall was hundreds of feet high, built entirely from a kind of massive black stone. It was covered in densely packed Runes that gave off a faint Spiritual Light.

At the city gate, squads of soldiers in Profound Armor, armed with Long Halberds, were inspecting everyone who entered and exited.

Each of these soldiers was brimming with vitality, their eyes sharp. Even the weakest of them had a Cultivation at the Qi Cultivation Realm.

The Captain leading them was an even more formidable master of the Unobstructed Realm, his aura deep and steady.

This display of force was several leagues above that of the Demon Slayer Department in Yu Huo County.

"Entry fee is ten cents per person," a soldier said expressionlessly when it was their turn.

Chen Ye promptly took out twenty cents and handed it over.

The soldier took the money, gave them a cursory glance, and waved them through.

After all, eight hundred, if not a thousand, ordinary-looking young men and women like them passed through every day. There was nothing worth investigating.

As they walked through the gate tunnel, a wave of bustling, lively energy washed over them.

The wide streets were paved entirely with bluestone slabs, broad enough for more than ten carriages to travel side by side.

Both sides of the street were lined with a dense array of shops and restaurants, and the air was filled with the endless cries of merchants and hawkers.

The streets were packed shoulder to shoulder with pedestrians, among whom were many powerful Cultivators armed with sabers and swords.

In just a short walk, Chen Ye even sensed the auras of several Sea Condensation Realm experts who were no weaker than Cong Bo.