Chapter 522: Broke

Chapter 522: Broke

Entering the Flame Mountain City together with Chen Yang, Chu Yang followed him to the Explorer Union's branch inside the city before both of them parted ways.

Given that he had already helped him out of the Burning Mountain Range, there was really no reason for Chen Yang to accompany him any longer, Chu Yang also understood this and didn't say anything as Chen Yang disappeared inside the Explorer Union's branch located at the core of the Flame Mountain City.

Standing around the entrance to the Explorer Union's branch, Chu Yang began thinking about what to do next. After all, his plans of going to the famous demon beast forest next to the Shattered Star Peaks was not going to happen and he now had to get back to the Flying Sword Sect's territory again…

"…"

Looking towards the entrance of the Explorer Union's branch directly in front of him, Chu Yang could not help narrowing his eyes upon noticing how many different people were entering and leaving the branch with every minute going by.

Maybe I can join the Explorer Union and see if there is any caravan or something similar heading towards the Flying Sword Sect's territory…

As this thought appeared, Chu Yang could not help feeling that it was a good choice to find a caravan heading towards somewhere inside his sect's territory. This way, he would not have to worry about getting lost on his way back!

As for joining the Explorer Union, while being a part of the Flying Sword Sect? There was no problem with this, as he would just become a normal explorer. An external member of the Explorer Union and not truly part of the Explorer Union.

Many of the Flying Sword Sect disciples he had talked with back in the sect had already done this, as it would allow them to not only sell the things they gathered when out adventuring without any risk, but also because it allowed them accesses to a certain amount of knowledge about their surroundings kept by the Explorer Union.

This was normally not that useful when the disciples were still inside the Flying Sword Sect's territory, as the branches set up by the Flying Sword Sect were by far better than the branches of the Explorer Union and the knowledge, they could get their hands on there would be far better.

However, when they adventured outside the territory of the Flying Sword Sect, it was crucial to be a member of the Explorer Union. Not only have access to the knowledge of the different powers that existed in the place they chose to adventure, but also the dangerous places that should be avoided.

For now, I should become a member of the Explorer Union and see if there is any missions about protecting caravans heading to somewhere inside the Flying Sword Sect's territory!

Having decided on what to do, Chu Yang took a step forward and entered the Explorer Union branch.

Soon finding himself inside a large chaotic environment, with different people dashing all around the place.

Even having seen all the people constantly entering and leaving the branch, Chu Yang still felt taken aback by the sheer number of people that had managed to squeeze inside the branch building.

"Hey! Don't stand in the way!"

"Sorry-"

Still feeling taken aback by how cramped it was inside the branch building, Chu Yang didn't register the voice coming from behind him as he unconsciously answered before feeling a large burly man along with three other similarly burly men move in front of him before making their way towards a counter with a long queue of similarly burly men in front of it.

Recovering from the shock of the busy scene in front of him, Chu Yang quickly scanned the different counters before finally spotting the one for registering that he was looking for. Luckily, the line in front of it was nowhere near any of the other counters, as it only had two young people around his own age nervously waiting, while another was getting in the process of becoming a member of the Explorer Union.

The cultivation of the three youths was only around the middle stages of the Qi Condensation Realm. Quite good given their age…

Not thinking too much about the three youths, Chu Yang looked around himself one last time before making his way towards the counter to register himself and officially become an external member of the Explorer Union.

Quietly waiting in line before it was finally his turn, Chu Yang quickly went through the registration process before coming to a stop.

"You can't pay…?"

"…"

Not able to say anything when faced with the stern look of the middle-aged woman behind the counter, Chu Yang could only remain quiet.

Indeed, as the woman behind the counter had said, Chu Yang could not pay the small fee required to become a member of the Explorer Union. Even if the fee required was only a few normal spirit stones, it didn't matter, as Chu Yang had just come to realize that he had somehow ended up loosing the few spirit stones he had taken with him when leaving for an adventure outside the sect.

He had no idea how he had lost them, but his most likely guess was when he had fled from the large wolf demon beast just after entering the Burning Mountain Range. Another possibility was that he had ended up losing them during the encounter with the fog stalker demon beast. Back then, he had focused all his attention on his surroundings to counter the attacks of the fog stalker, he might have ended up losing his spirit stones during that time, as they had just been hanging loosely in a small leather pouch attached close to the top of his spear…

I lost them when I fought with the fog stalker… Didn't I…?

"Hah…"

Letting out a sigh as he realized this, Chu Yang could not stop a wry smile from appearing on his face. Awkwardly looking at the woman behind the counter.

"To think even someone at the Core Formation Realm can't pay up such a small sum… You can come back when you gathered up the required spirit stones!"

Giving him a not so friendly glare after finding out that he couldn't pay the small fee required. The woman behind the counter did not care about his cultivation realm as she directly told him to leave.

A Core Formation Realm might be powerful when compared to the people currently inside the branch, but when taking the entire Explorer Union into account, a Core Formation Realm Expert was nothing. Even his age didn't matter, as the woman behind the counter shooed him away.

Faced with such a situation for probably the first time in his life, Chu Yang had no idea how to respond, as he could only awkwardly turn around to leave.

Thump~

Stepping outside again without having accomplished anything, Chu Yang had no idea what to do next.

Not only was he far away from the Flying Sword Sect and its territory, but he was also broke!

At this point in time, Chu Yang felt nothing could make his current situation worse-

Whoosh~!

"Hm?"

Hearing the sound of something above him, Chu Yang quickly looked up and saw an enormous flying ship passing by. Two people were flying close to the ship itself as they cautiously observed their surroundings.

The aura excluded by the two people flying through the air was terrifying, as the other people inside the Flame Mountain City also looked up an noticed the two people in the air flying alongside the enormous ship.

The only difference between them and Chu Yang, wa the fact that most of them had a terrified expression on their face, while Chu Yang only felt curious about the enormous flying ship.

The main reason for this, was that Chu Yang had already become familiar with the aura of his master. Compared with his master, Chu Yang could clearly feel that the two people flying alongside the ship were weaker when compared to his master!

For two people to fly through the air like guards around the ship…

Chu Yang felt extremely curious about the person inside the flying ship.

Would it be some important young genius or a terrifying expert?

No matter what the answer was, Chu Yang felt extremely curious about the flying ship, as he watched it disappear after passing through a thick layer of clouds.

"Isn't that the direction of the Azure Sky Kingdom?"

"Azure Sky Kingdom? For what reason would someone like that visit a small kingdom like the Azure Sky Kingdom? From what I know, it should not be much stronger than the Heavenly Sky Kingdom before its destruction…"

"Haha, you all might not know, but recently, a new religion appeared in the Azure Sky Kingdom and began taking control of the entire kingdom! I bet that the ship belonged to one of the big three religions of the Sky Empire!"

"Really!?"

"Tell us more old man! I will buy you a drink if you do!"

"What is the Sky Empire?"

Along with the conversations of the people on the streets who had stopped to look up at the flying ship as it passed by. Almost everyone focused their attention on an elderly man at the Peak of the Core Formation Realm after he shared some of his knowledge.

Chu Yang also felt quite curious as he decided to listen in from the side.

Even if he knew about the Sky Empire, he only really knew the name of the empire which he was currently inside of, he had never learned anything about the big three religions that the old man just mentioned.

"Hehe, I happen to need a new weapon… If everyone is willing to donate a few spirit stones, I'm more than willing to share some of my knowledge…"

The elderly man suddenly said this while looking at the people who had surrounded him with a big grin on his old face.

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