The sun was rising, and the morning light shone from the junction of the sky and the earth, illuminating the endless yellow sand and dust in the air.
The Moon Shadow Sword Sect's group rested for the night and hadn't stopped since. After rushing for three days and three nights, they could already see Eastern Great Wall's Brilliance City in front of them, at the size of a bean, as well as the towering black-rock city wall stretching to the side of the sky.
Yun Tianchong stood on a towering weathered sandstone. Even though he had reached the late stage of Deification, he was still exhausted at this moment, and could not help but sigh. "Ah-- finally here..."
He took a deep breath and sniffed the sand-laden air in the desert of the Central Region, and then turned to look behind him.
However, when he saw Yun Yiyi and Yun Jiujiu standing side by side behind him, their expressions at that moment seemed to be like two resentful old women. Yun Tianchong's smile immediately turned awkward.
As for Yun Xi, her face was bandaged, so her expression could not be seen. However, Zhang Yihe, who was pushing her wheelchair, was smiling.
Let's just assume she's smiling too.
Yun Tianchong paused, then walked behind them and gently put his hand on Yun Jiujiu's shoulder.
"Yiyi, Jiujiu, Xi... this is your first time here, right? The last time I came here was more than three hundred years ago. It was here that I met Jiujiu's mother. I remember very clearly. The City Lord hosted a banquet for me, and your mother was a dancer invited to perform. I fell in love with her at first sight..."
At that time, due to the beasts' attacks, most parts of the wall were damaged. He and a few cultivators from the Imperial Sect and Bright Star Sect helped the Justice Division defend against the demonic beasts that attacked the Great Wall.
Yun Tianchong recalled the events of three hundred years ago, his face full of emotion...
However, he was the only one who felt emotional.
Yun Yiyi looked up at the tents that spanned nearly twenty miles and the towering sandstone walls of the Brilliance City, sighing. "Father, there are nine hundred and thirty-two of our Foundation Building and Qi Refining stage disciples who have gone missing. If you have time to recall your feelings here, you might as well go into the city quickly and ask the Justice Division to help find the Sword Sect disciples lost in the sand sea..."
"Ah... Yes, you're right."
"Also, Third Sister needs a place to recuperate."
"Uh... hmm."
Yun Tianchong felt embarrassed. He felt that Yun Yiyi was the real Master of the Sword Sect while he was just a servant. He quickly nodded in agreement and raised his hand to the disciples behind him, who were already exhausted and about to lose their balance. He ordered. "Hold on a little longer. We can rest once we enter the city."
"...Yes, sir."
The remaining sixty-odd people weakly cupped their hands in response. Then, they stepped on their flying swords, preparing to continue on their way.
After Yun Tianchong gave instructions, he walked back and asked, "Yiyi, Jiujiu, Xi... How about I take you guys to the city for a walk after I return from the Justice Division? This Brilliance City is truly unique. Jiujiu, you'll definitely like it..."
Yun Jiujiu turned to glance at him and rolled her eyes without saying anything.
Yun Yiyi sighed again. She thought to herself, if only her father was half as reliable as Ye Anping...
"Whatever..."
She shook her head, ignoring Yun Tianchong, and exchanged a glance with Yun Jiujiu. Then, she lifted Yun Xi's wheelchair on her flying sword before heading toward Brilliance City.
...
Brilliance City, located at the junction of the Central and Eastern Region, was also the largest market within a radius of nearly a thousand miles. After the Demon Clan occupied Heavenly Gate City, most of the cultivators who originally lived there came here to settle down.
Because of this, under the black rocks of the Great Wall, yellow tents were set up everywhere to block the wind and rain, and the market stretched for nearly twenty miles.
A man and three women wearing bamboo hats walked slowly along the busy street.
Ye Anping and his group had only arrived at the Eastern Wall last night. According to his estimation, even if they went all out, they would definitely arrive a few days later than Yun Yiyi and the others.
However, after walking around the streets for nearly an hour, he didn't see even a single disciple of the Moon Shadow Sword Sect.
Thinking of this, Ye Anping began to worry. His original plan was to leave early with the Justice Division and Moon Shadow Sword Sect to avoid the first wave of demonic cultivators' attacks as much as possible.
However, the Moon Shadow Sword Sect had not arrived yet. If he left with the Justice Division first, the city would be empty and the demonic cultivators would occupy it in an instant.
And if Yun Tianchong and the others arrived at that time without knowing that the city had fallen into the hands of the demonic cultivators, it would mean bringing Yun Yiyi and the other two into the city just to meet Seven Ghost Tomb...
Ye Anping thought about the worst possibility and looked worried. On the other hand, Feng Yu Die and Xue Tianqiao, who were following him, were quite happy, as if they had come out for an autumn outing.
"Sister Pei, I smell that the roasted chicken is especially fragrant. Shall we go and have one?"
"No."
"Sister Xiao, are you going?"
"..."
Ye Anping stopped with his back facing him and rolled his eyes. Then, he turned around helplessly and cupped his hands. "What is it that you want to say, Senior?"
"A golden core to a dual spiritual roots cultivator... Hmm--"
Yun Tianchong seemed to be in disbelief. He repeatedly scanned Ye Anping with his spiritual sense, causing his head to buzz. Even Xiao Tian, who was sleeping in his head, slipped out and cursed with a resentful face. "Who is it? Why do you keep scanning my Anping with your spiritual sense..."
When she saw Yun Tianchong's blond hair, Xiao Tian was stunned. She turned and looked at Ye Anping. "Anping, could this person be..."
"..."
Isn't it obvious, why are you still asking... A little tired, Ye Anping signaled her to go back with his eyes, then replied, "Senior, are you Master Yun of the Moon Shadow Sword Sect by any chance?"
"Yes, it's me."
Yun Tianchong raised an eyebrow and walked over, gently patting his shoulder. "Young cultivator friend, you are very promising at this young age. You could even form a golden core with your dual spiritual roots. I've lived for more than a thousand years, and that's the first time I've met someone like you... Who did you learn from?"
Ye Anping reckoned that Yun Tianchong, seeing that he had formed the Heavenly Dao Golden Core with his dual spiritual roots, probably wanted to form a good relationship with him or take him as a registered disciple or something...
In fact, this was quite common. Most cultivators with outstanding talent would have more or less several masters, one whose personal disciple they were, and several honorific masters.
However, in a sense, he should be considered Yun Tianchong's junior brother.
But Ye Anping felt that it was not good to tell the truth, especially since a black market boss was now present. If his identity as Immortal Yun Jian's disciple were to spread, he would be in trouble.
Therefore, he pondered for a moment before replying, "I am a disciple of the Black Star Sect."
"Black Star Sect, no wonder... you're Elder Qin's disciple? I have met your master several times." Yun Tianchong smiled and nodded. Then, he said, "It's fate that we met when we're away from our homes. Do you want to have a cup of tea with me later?"
Ye Anping had originally wanted to look for Yun Yiyi first, but since Yun Tianchong had invited him, that worked too.
Anyway, he would be taken to Yun Yiyi when the time came...
"I'll be glad to."
"Then, wait for me, we'll go after I buy the medicine."
Yun Tianchong smiled happily. He then turned to look at the white-bearded old man in front of the counter, whose forehead was oozing cold sweat. "Old sir, help me get a few of your best healing pills. My daughter was buried in the ground by a level-nine demonic beast, and more than half of her bones were broken. I didn't bring any good medicine for healing bones when I left. You can name the price..."
"...Wait a moment."
The old man wiped the cold sweat off his forehead and ran to the small room in the back without saying anything. He came out with three boxes embroidered with golden dragon patterns in his hands.
"My Lord, this is the Jade Dragon Pill. It was taken from the secret vault under the Heavenly Gate City Palace by several gold diggers a few years ago. They said that as long as one still had breath, he could be saved."
"Ooh... Nangong Cheng's stuff... What's the price?"
"Five hundred thousand... how about it?"
"Deal."
Yun Tianchong turned around and looked at Ye Anping. He seemed to be afraid that Ye Anping would become impatient, so he casually threw a large bag of spirit stones from his storage bag and handed them over. He put the Jade Dragon Pill back into his storage bag and prepared to leave.
"Little fellow cultivator, sorry for keeping you waiting. Let's go."
Ye Anping looked speechlessly at this upstart-type business, but he didn't say anything. He nodded and spread his hands.
"Senior, please..."
Yun Tianchong nodded, thinking that he was quite polite, and walked out of the room. However, just like before, the white-bearded old man took a deep breath and plucked up the courage to say. "Supreme Immortal Yun, wait, I heard that you..."
Hearing this sentence, Ye Anping knew what he was trying to sell. He immediately turned his head in disbelief and glared at him. He asked with his eyes, You really dare??
When the old man saw Ye Anping's look, he came back to his senses and shut his mouth.
"Huh?" Yun Tianchong turned around. "Sir, do you have anything else to say?"
"Ah... no... Supreme Immortal Yun, take care."
"Hehe, you're too polite, sir."
Yun Tianchong cupped his hands and bowed. Smiling, he gave Ye Anping a glance and led him out of the pill shop. Under the gaze of the passers-by on both sides, they headed toward a restaurant about a mile away.