Chapter 23: City of the Hidden Shadows

Perhaps the alchemy level of this realm was simply too low. Not only did Qin Chengming's pills sell out in a frenzy, but even those crafted by Qin Bocheng were eagerly sought after by all. Unlike Qin Chengming, who merely set up a stall on the street, Qin Bocheng went so far as to rent a shop in Haoxian City, opening his own apothecary. The shop not only sold his own concoctions but also acted as an agent for other alchemists, charging a modest commission. There was hardly any publicity; merely a notice posted outside listing the day's available medicines and their grades, yet it drew a crowd of curious customers.

The advertisement was bordering on outrageous. Selling seventh-grade Golden Core Pills was already remarkable—though rare, they could sometimes be found on the market. But to claim they offered eighth-grade Soul-Nourishing Pills was beyond belief. These pills were used to mend damage to the soul, requiring over a dozen rare ingredients, and the higher the grade, the older the herbs needed to be. Sourcing them alone was no simple feat, and the pill itself was notoriously difficult to refine. Even sixth-grade Soul-Nourishing Pills were a rarity, let alone eighth-grade ones. To make matters more incredible, there were not just one but eight kinds of eighth-grade pills listed—some with names unfamiliar to anyone, but their grade alone signaled their immense value. No one present believed that a nondescript little shop could possibly stock such high-grade elixirs. Only when the Nascent Soul Patriarch from the City Lord's Mansion personally came to purchase two eighth-grade Soul-Nourishing Pills was the truth confirmed.

Once the authenticity was verified, people immediately began reporting to their clans and sects. A rush to buy was inevitable.

Haoxian City was closest to the Forget-Worries Mountain Range, making ordinary herbs easy to procure, but high-grade ones were much harder to come by. After a period of refining, Qin Bocheng allowed his shop to build up inventory, then began venturing out with acquaintances to explore secret realms.

He had already reached the Out-of-Body Stage and would never waste time in low-grade secret realms. It just so happened that a late Golden Core friend told him that a new secret realm had appeared on Green River Island, above the Weihe. The realm was perilous; it was rumored that both the Myriad Sword Sect and the Tianyi Valley had sent teams inside. Both squads consisted of Golden Core cultivators leading Foundation Establishment disciples.

The results were disastrous. The Myriad Sword Sect fared a bit better, with at least five survivors. Tianyi Valley was not so lucky—over twenty went in, not a single one emerged. Even the three Golden Core leaders failed to send any message. The five survivors from the Myriad Sword Sect stumbled out in a daze, unable to recount what had happened inside.

The Myriad Peace Immortal Alliance, unconvinced, sent a team in as well. They wandered inside for two days, found nothing, and were simply ejected. Everyone agreed: inside was nothing but barren stone mountains and lava, not a single valuable item, and apparently no danger at all.

This was odd. If there was no danger, how had the earlier teams suffered such casualties? And so many deaths? Everyone entering was at least Foundation Establishment level—lava could at most injure their skin, but killing them would be difficult, especially with Golden Core leaders. Impossible.

Such mysteries only fueled the curiosity of wandering cultivators, leading to Qin Bocheng's current expedition.

Their party numbered eight, the weakest at early Golden Core stage, the strongest being two late Golden Core cultivators—one of whom was Qin Bocheng "posing" as such. The group was comprised of wanderers who usually hunted monsters in the Forget-Worries Mountains.

They might sound pitiable, but each was quite wealthy. All had once had opportunities to join a sect or serve a family, but their love of freedom kept them independent.

Whenever a dangerous secret realm appeared, the seven would band together to explore, maximizing both safety and rewards. This time, Qin Bocheng was welcomed for two reasons: his affable nature endeared him to everyone, and as an alchemist, his presence was akin to an extra lifeline. In perilous realms like these, alchemists and talisman masters were the most prized companions.

The journey from Haotian City to Green River Island required crossing the territories of the Myriad Peace Immortal Alliance and the Myriad Sword Sect—a considerable distance.

Qin Bocheng was still unfamiliar with the routes, so the party was led by Hou Mingyuan, the other late Golden Core cultivator and the acknowledged leader of the seven. Burly in appearance, he was calculating and prudent—otherwise, he could never have reached late Golden Core as an independent cultivator. He was also the one closest to Qin Bocheng among the group.

The four mid-stage Golden Core cultivators were Liu Yushan, Liu Yunian, Chen Jian, and Wen Xiaming. Liu Yushan and Liu Yunian were twin siblings, their looks similar save for stark differences in physique.

The remaining two, Chen Xiayi and Liu Zhongyu, were at early Golden Core stage. Chen Xiayi, a talisman master, had essentially reached Golden Core through heavy reliance on pills and was the team's most fragile member. Liu Zhongyu was a cultivator of musical arts, a master of the lute whose playing could send listeners into ecstasy or despair. Should they encounter an illusion array, his lute could help them traverse it with ease.

As the group traveled, no one dared to block their path. By nightfall on the first day, they reached the borderlands of the Myriad Peace Immortal Alliance; beyond lay the intersection of the Myriad Sword Sect, Tranquil Peace Sect, and the Alliance itself. This territory had once been hotly contested by all three, but for reasons unknown, a plague struck, wiping out all mortals overnight and claiming the lives of many cultivators below Foundation Establishment.

The major sects were instantly terrified: who could say whether the plague might affect those above Foundation Establishment? Until the cause was determined, none dared linger. The once bustling Ghostly City turned into a dead city overnight. So many deaths carried karmic consequences. None of the three factions wanted to claim the city, and so it became a no-man’s land.

Qin Bocheng and his companions spent the night in Starwatch City, within the Alliance. Before entering the inn, Qin Bocheng glanced toward the eerie area ahead and tugged Hou Mingyuan’s sleeve. “Brother Mingyuan, what’s that place up ahead? Why does it look so haunted and ominous?”

Hou Mingyuan looked up. “You mean there? That’s Ghostly City. Used to be lively, but now it’s just a dead city, haunted and gloomy. Tomorrow, we’ll pass through quickly—no need to linger, it’s bad luck!”

“Understood!”

Among them, only Qin Bocheng was unfamiliar with the place; the others were well aware. None wished to tarry there—everyone knew it was nothing but trouble.