Chapter 81: The Packaging Tube is Full

The leader sent by the sect, a master of the Golden Core, was mainly responsible for the safety of the disciples. Any treasures discovered by sect disciples during their exploration, if they were cultivation methods, had to be recorded and submitted to the sect, with contribution points awarded according to their grade. If the treasures were tangible items, those below the Golden Core could keep them, but anything above the Golden Core had to be handed over to the leading elder, who also distributed contribution points. Though somewhat unfair, the Golden Core masters would mark off a range in advance; should disciples encounter insurmountable danger, crushing the communication pearl would summon either a Daoist of the Purple Mansion or a Golden Core master to their aid. Whether one gained or lost depended entirely on the disciple.

As for why Golden Core masters did not explore the ruins themselves, the answer lay in age restrictions. Since these were inheritance relics, the ages of those entering were limited; typically, the limit was around one hundred years. Most Golden Core cultivators were at least four hundred years old. The relics could be entered by special means, but this did not comply with the rules set by the inheritance. Even if they managed to break in, the legacy would not be granted. (Soul age)

This was truly frustrating.

Over time, the surrounding nations began to send their younger disciples to explore such relics, treating it as a form of training. Various regulations gradually formed over the years.

With his treasure-sniffing cat, Cao Chengyu could easily find rare medicinal herbs in these ruins, though it could not sniff out cultivation methods. Joining the sect's expeditions ensured safety but restricted his gains. Thus, he chose to go it alone.

In the Five Elements Sect, there were many like him. The green-robed elder he'd met earlier had clearly formed a team with his younger brother to explore the ruins; unfortunately, the brother perished here. Disheartened, the elder returned directly to the sect. Such choices could not be deemed wrong—much depended on the individual.

After more than half a month, the earliest batch of disciples had suffered losses, prompting Qi Minglou to post a long-term recruitment task to supplement the manpower for relic exploration.

Anyone in the sect who saw the task could join. Without a communication pearl, their survival depended solely on themselves—just like Cao Chengyu, a solo cultivator.

Having finally understood all the circumstances, Cao Chengyu performed a divination for himself: the East City was auspicious, the North City slightly ominous, the South City deeply inauspicious, but only the West City showed a sign of great fortune.

Excellent.

This Six Rens divination truly suited him. He resolved to seek out more arcane arts in the future; casting a divination before setting out, whether accurate or not, brought great peace of mind.

Thus, his target was the West City. Off he went!

The ruins of this ancient city covered a vast area. Just reaching the West City took him more than half a day—and that was because his escape speed was exceptionally fast. An ordinary cultivator might take more than a day. Especially inside the city, where restrictive formations abounded, exploring every corner could take years.

In the coming years, this place would become the most popular gathering spot for cultivators in the Martial Kingdom.

Arriving near the entrance to the West City, Cao Chengyu was struck by how crowded it was.

There were solo Five Elements Sect disciples like himself, most at the late Dao Body stage, about 120 years old, pushing the age limit to the extreme. There were also numerous itinerant cultivators, whose abilities varied greatly; the best were around a hundred years old with mid-to-late Dao Body strength, while the weakest were only at the mid Spirit Refining stage. Many scions of the Immortal Clans were present as well, with some prodigies still very young.

A rough glance told Cao Chengyu that at least a thousand people were gathered at the entrance. The itinerant cultivators were loudly recruiting teammates, while the sect disciples had already formed their groups in advance. The Immortal Clan youths, needless to say, acted as a group from the start.

By the entrance, a Daoist of the Purple Mansion from the Five Elements Sect, accompanied by a team from the Golden Peak Law Enforcement Hall, maintained order. Everyone entering had to pay an "admission" fee.

Itinerant cultivators were also subject to storage bag inspections upon exit, required to surrender thirty percent of their gains—a truly capitalistic use of free labor.

Cao Chengyu wore a black-and-white robe; though his colors differed, the cut matched the Five Elements Sect's five-colored uniforms, with more ornate details and accessories.

He did not know the elder guarding the entrance.

He walked forward and presented his inner sect disciple token, gaining free entry. Since the area was marked off, even solo disciples did not need to pay the admission fee or undergo storage bag checks.

The elder was from Golden Peak, known as Daoist Golden Light, a mid-stage Purple Mansion cultivator.

Seeing Cao Chengyu alone, the elder was slightly surprised but said nothing, instead offering advice: "You are Cao Chengyu, correct? Going alone is rather dangerous. Be wary of itinerant cultivators and members of the Immortal Clans after entering. Help your fellow sect members when you can."

"Yes, Elder," Cao Chengyu replied respectfully.

"Very well, you may enter."

He studied the translucent yellow membrane at the entrance, then reached out and passed through it easily.

With a swift movement, his figure vanished from the entrance.

Unlike the East City, guarded by Golden Core masters, the solo route was fraught with danger. The exploited itinerant cultivators, in particular, bore a natural resentment toward sect disciples.

Upon entering the ancient city, Cao Chengyu was astounded.

A cultivator's city was unlike a mortal one; the bricks beneath his feet were made of spirit jade, engraved with spirit-gathering patterns that drew vast quantities of spiritual energy from heaven and earth into the city.

It was a marvel of creation, though much of it had been destroyed and corroded by time. Yet the underlying heritage was unmistakably unique.

The buildings lining the streets were resplendent with vermilion walls and jade tiles: Ancient Source Pill Pavilion, Drunken Immortal Brewery, Nightless Red Tower, Profound Truth Dao Library…

There were myriad structures, each serving different functions.

The only pity was that most buildings were in ruins; their treasures had long since been scavenged by the first wave of explorers. Even the intact spirit jade bricks from the ground had been pried out clean.

One could only wonder what those people wanted with bricks—given the passage of time, their material had degraded, and surely they would fetch only a handful of spirit stones. The locust-like greed was simply absurd.

Cao Chengyu, like a country bumpkin visiting the city, found everything novel and fascinating, unknowingly diverging from the main avenue.

He explored several intact buildings nearby, but not even a hair remained—chairs, tables, decorations, all gone.

Resigned, he patted the little head of his spirit-sniffing cat.

“Alright, my good son, show your father the way. I’ll eat the bread, you eat the wrapper.”

“! (◎_◎;) ???”

Though the little cat didn’t understand what he meant, its tiny paw dutifully pointed in a direction, meowing a few times.

“Well done, the wrappers are plentiful.”

Cao Chengyu followed the direction indicated by the spirit-sniffing cat, occasionally employing his spirit-sniffing technique to see if he could find any draconic treasures. (The spirit-sniffing technique could only locate items related to dragons.)

His essence, energy, and spirit advanced together, the three flowers gathered atop his head—a foundation of immortality recorded in the Yellow Court Canon.

Currently, his energy path was strongest, with Five Elements Wheel power cultivated by his Five Elements Body, its might unparalleled.

His essence path was second, stabilized after devouring much Azure Flood Dragon flesh through the Hundred Beasts Thunder Body technique.

The spirit path lagged behind; he had yet to acquire any secret methods of spirit refinement and urgently needed to fill this gap.