With Jing Xingzhi having traveled from the Yuan Prefecture Sea to the Yuan Prefecture Continent before, he led the way, making the journey familiar for the three of them. Sometimes they used teleportation arrays, sometimes they flew across the sea. In just over ten days, they arrived at the Yuan Prefecture Continent.
Fortunately, the Yuan Prefecture Continent was still east of the Yuan Prefecture Sea, with no anomalies.
"The Yuan Prefecture is different from both Yunzhong and Tianji. There are no mortal nations here, and few cultivation sects," Jing Xingzhi said. "There are only Immortal Cities. Both mortals and cultivators rely on these cities for survival. It sounds somewhat similar to the demonic domain of the Beilin Country in Yunzhong, but it's also different."
These Immortal Cities had strict hierarchical city regulations. Individual cultivators were relatively insignificant, unlike the demonic domain of the Beilin Country, where cities were built entirely on personal prestige.
"Individual cultivators are insignificant?" Mo Tiange raised an eyebrow and asked, "Does that mean even Nascent Soul Cultivators don't count for much?"
"Of course not in that sense," Jing Xingzhi said. "But in the Immortal Cities of the Yuan Prefecture Continent, Nascent Soul Cultivators only possess corresponding rights and obligations. Everything must be done according to city regulations. They don't have the independent, transcendent status they do in Tianji and Yunzhong."
"It's actually like that..."
This was the first time Mo Tiange and Qin Xi had heard of such a thing. Cultivators in Tianji were instilled from the start of their cultivation with the concept that the strong were supreme. Those with higher cultivation could decide the fate of those with lower cultivation. If one cultivated to the Nascent Soul stage, one could be said to act as one pleased. This rule of city regulations being paramount, with no exceptions even for Nascent Soul Cultivators, was inconceivable to them.
Jing Xingzhi continued, "The Immortal Cities of the Yuan Prefecture Continent are said to have strict city regulations, but on the other hand, they are quite loose. As long as one fulfills the city's regulations, the Immortal City won't interfere with what a cultivator does personally. Even if conflicts arise with cultivators from other Immortal Cities, they are mostly resolved privately."
"So strange..." It sounded like it was neither as clearly hierarchical as an official government, nor as tightly knit as a sect or clan. It was somewhere in between, purely united by interests.
"Yes, when I first arrived in the Yuan Prefecture, I was also very surprised," Jing Xingzhi said. "Additionally, all the Immortal Cities in the Yuan Prefecture belong to a single alliance called the Yuan Prefecture Trade Alliance."
"Trade Alliance? Is commerce very prosperous in the Yuan Prefecture?"
"Indeed. The Yuan Prefecture is famously known as the merchant continent. Shops are everywhere, and many merchants travel between the various continents, selling all sorts of goods. In the Yuan Prefecture, merchants hold a high status. Unlike in Tianji and Yunzhong, where great wealth only invites envy and cultivation level is what truly matters."
A thought occurred to Qin Xi. "So, as long as one has money, many rare items can be bought in the Yuan Prefecture?"
"Correct. People in the Yuan Prefecture boast that as long as you have money, you can buy anything—of course, that's an exaggeration, but it is indeed easier to buy rare items here than in other places."
From Jing Xingzhi's account, Mo Tiange and Qin Xi gained a general understanding of the Yuan Prefecture. However, several days later, when they arrived at Changling City, the largest Immortal City in the eastern Yuan Prefecture, they were still astounded.
The Yuan Prefecture was much smaller than Yunzhong, its cultivation resources were not abundant, and its population was large. Initially, cultivators living in the Yuan Prefecture had a very hard life. However, they were clever and thought of this path: traveling between the major continents, selling various goods, and thus earning many Spirit Stones. Over time, merchantry became a tradition in the Yuan Prefecture. The wealth of the Yuan Prefecture far surpassed that of a continent like Yunzhong, which was rich in natural products.
Currently, the Yuan Prefecture mainly had five great Immortal Cities. At the very center was Yuan Prefecture City, where the Yuan Prefecture Trade Alliance was located. To the east was Changling City, to the west was Luomei City, to the south was Xiangyang City, and to the north was Lingxiao City. These five great Immortal Cities were the most prosperous places in the Yuan Prefecture and where the influence of the Yuan Prefecture Trade Alliance was strongest.
Similar to the city regulations of the Immortal Cities, the Yuan Prefecture Trade Alliance did not have direct command authority over its subordinate Immortal Cities. They were a loose organization united by interests. The personnel of the Trade Alliance consisted of representatives sent by each Immortal City, forming a chamber of commerce. Each Immortal City paid Spirit Stones to the Trade Alliance as operating expenses. This fee was not large, and all accounts were made public. Any Immortal City, regardless of its size or influence, could audit the accounts.
Under the organization of the Trade Alliance, the major Immortal Cities of the Yuan Prefecture united, exchanging what they had for what they lacked and advancing or retreating together. Therefore, the markets of the Yuan Prefecture were orderly, with few incidents of price chaos or unclear transactions. Moreover, precisely because of the existence of the Trade Alliance, they could negotiate with major powers like Yunzhong on equal footing.
Upon entering Changling City, Mo Tiange and Qin Xi finally understood why the Yuan Prefecture was called the merchant continent. The entire Changling City was essentially one giant market district. Shoulder-to-shoulder crowds, extremely bustling streets, shops and hawkers' cries everywhere. Many materials that would be considered precious even in Tianji, let alone Yunzhong, were casually displayed out in the open.
Mo Tiange personally saw a Qi Refining cultivator's small stall piled high with elixirs. This was unimaginable in Tianji. Elixirs were scarce for cultivators to begin with, let alone this person who only had Qi Refining cultivation. Having so many valuable items so openly would easily invite covetous eyes. In Tianji, rogue cultivators selling elixirs would only put out one or two bottles for show, and most of them only had one or two bottles anyway.
Furthermore, all three of them were Nascent Soul Cultivators and had not concealed their auras. Yet, traveling together like this, no one gave them a second glance. These low-level cultivators merely made way politely when they approached.
After getting a general look at the situation in Changling City, Mo Tiange asked, "Where do we go to inquire about information?"
"Naturally, to the City Lord's Manor," Jing Xingzhi said. "Although the Yuan Prefecture operates mainly on interests and rules, having high cultivation isn't completely useless."
Some information was inaccessible to low-level cultivators; they could only inquire from high-level cultivators. And high-level cultivators were, of course, at the City Lord's Manor.
The three of them made their way and soon arrived at the City Lord's Manor.
The City Lord's Manor of Changling City was not particularly ornate; its style was primarily simple and unadorned. But they could all tell that the manor's defensive formations were extremely sophisticated, far from ordinary.
"Esteemed Seniors, what business do you have?" Seeing them approach, the guards of the City Lord's Manor bowed politely and asked.
These guards only had Foundation Establishment cultivation, yet before these Nascent Soul Cultivators, they were neither subservient nor arrogant.
Although Jing Xingzhi did not return the bow, his attitude was courteous. "We are here to seek fellow cultivators. Please arrange it for us, little Fellow Daoist." As he spoke, he handed over two mid-grade Spirit Stones.
"So that's the case." The Foundation Establishment cultivator openly accepted his Spirit Stones and smiled. "Thank you for the reward, Seniors. Please follow me."
Mo Tiange and Qin Xi were somewhat astonished. Was it that simple? If they had ill intentions, wouldn't they have easily infiltrated the City Lord's Manor?
They looked at Jing Xingzhi. His expression was calm and unreadable. The two of them thought, perhaps this was just the custom of the Yuan Prefecture?
Following the guard into the City Lord's Manor, a neatly dressed cultivator who looked like a steward immediately came to receive them. Led by this cultivator, the three arrived at a small hall.
Instructing servants to bring tea, the cultivator bowed politely to the three. "Esteemed Seniors, I have already reported your purpose. In a moment, an Elder will come to receive you. Please wait here for a while."
Jing Xingzhi nodded and similarly tossed him two mid-grade Spirit Stones as payment.
After the cultivator withdrew and only the three of them remained in the small hall, Mo Tiange asked, "How was it so easy to get in? Since it's the City Lord's Manor, shouldn't the security be more stringent?"
Jing Xingzhi shook his head. "What's the use of stringent security? In the Yuan Prefecture, no one would think of targeting the City Lord's Manor."
"Why?"
"Because it's useless!" Jing Xingzhi said. "Seize the city? What use is seizing it? Every cultivator, including the City Lord, is bound by city regulations. One must do corresponding things to receive corresponding rewards. This is a tradition in the Yuan Prefecture tens of thousands of years old. Since being a City Lord is no different from being a rogue cultivator, why seize the city?"
"What about personal grudges?" Qin Xi asked. "Wouldn't that make it easy for people to infiltrate?"
Jing Xingzhi smiled. "The Immortal Cities of the Yuan Prefecture don't care about personal grudges. Everyone handles their own affairs. Moreover, do you think the City Lord is really as soft as tofu? The formations here are no simple matter. Once inside, one would be at a disadvantage."
Hearing this, Mo Tiange nodded. "True. Although I don't know what kind of formations they are, they are indeed formidable."
As they spoke, the three sensed a cultivator approaching from outside, with a powerful aura—likely a Nascent Soul Cultivator.
Sure enough, not long after, a thin-faced cultivator who looked to be in his thirties stepped through the door.
This cultivator was at the Nascent Soul early-stage. Judging by his appearance, he was probably not old. His expression was calm, with a slight smile at the corner of his mouth.
His gaze swept over the three of them, showing a hint of surprise. He clasped his hands. "I am Yan Feng, an Elder of Changling City. Greetings, Fellow Daoists."
Mo Tiange and the other two each stood up and returned the greeting, stating their names.
After the greetings, this cultivator named Yan Feng sat down opposite the three of them and asked with a smile, "Fellow Daoists, is this your first time in Changling City? I wonder what you need help with?"
Mo Tiange and Qin Xi were not very familiar with matters of the Yuan Prefecture, so Jing Xingzhi took the lead. "Elder Yan, you are too courteous. To be frank, we have indeed encountered some troublesome matters."
"Oh? Fellow Daoist, please speak freely."
Jing Xingzhi said, "First, let me ask presumptuously. Several months ago, a sudden tsunami appeared in the Guixu Sea. Does Elder Yan know of this?"
Yan Feng nodded. "Yes. Lower-level cultivators might not know, but no high-level cultivator in the Yuan Prefecture is unaware."
Hearing this, a flash of excitement appeared in Jing Xingzhi's eyes. He asked, "So, does that mean the tsunami in the Guixu Sea must have been something abnormal?"
Yan Feng did not answer immediately. His gaze swept over the three of them again, and he suddenly smiled. "I can probably guess why you three Fellow Daoists have come—you are cultivators from Yunzhong, aren't you?"
Jing Xingzhi did not answer yes or no. Instead, he praised Yan Feng. "Elder Yan is indeed sharp-minded. Since that's the case, I'll be honest. The three of us were in the Guixu Sea several months ago. Unexpectedly, after the tsunami, we lost our way and found ourselves in the Yuan Prefecture Sea. This matter was too incredible, so we simply came to the Yuan Prefecture to see what exactly happened."
"Heh," Yan Feng chuckled. "Just as I thought. Regarding this matter, we haven't released the news yet. However, since the three Fellow Daoists are all Nascent Soul Cultivators, there's nothing that can't be said."
He paused for a moment and said, "That tsunami didn't just occur in the Guixu Sea. The Yuan Prefecture Sea experienced a torrential downpour at the same time. Several days later, after the wind and rain subsided, we discovered that the Yuan Prefecture, along with the surrounding sea area, had shifted its location."