Zhi Xuan shrugged indifferently, striding down the increasingly prosperous and wide main streets. Shoutuo City, which he had left as a place of disaster and intrigue, now felt more vibrant and orderly. The initial plan to return to Star Village was immediately discarded; it only made him less willing to step onto this treacherous path of immortality. His task now was not to look back, but to seek resources for the long journey towards the Continents beyond the Southern Continent.

  Zhi Xuan sighed softly, making his way to find a place that sold spiritual herbs. At least, he had some herbs and spiritual fruits he had collected from the Jade Dragon Ridge Mountains.

  Although Xiao Die was a Verdant Titan who now governed the area, Xiao Die was still a newborn Celestial Insect, and her instinct for scavenging rare herbs never faded.

  Zhi Xuan had collected quite a few high-level herbs—many of which were Black Jade Grass and Misty Cloud Fruit, strengthened by the aura of the ancient mountains—which should be enough to finance his journey and buy a better flying artifact than the Blue Wind Sword that was destroyed ten years ago.

  He found himself in the spiritual trade district. The streets were filled with cultivators of various realms: from young Divine Wheel cultivators to seemingly experienced First Ember cultivators. Three Foundations Transformation cultivators were rarely seen, signifying peace, and they usually concealed their aura.

  Zhi Xuan, with his cold and calm outward appearance, maintained his aura at the First Ember Dawn realm—a precaution learned from his experience. He did not want to attract unnecessary attention, especially considering his overly clean appearance and long hair, with a black robe trimmed in red silk—a characteristic that now felt like a burden.

  'I think, we should find the best herbal shop,' Zhi Xuan muttered. 'We need to make some serious money.'

  Zhi Xuan walked amidst the bustling crowd of city residents, his tall body looking conspicuous like a pillar supporting the city itself. His black-red robe flowed as if struck by autumn.

  Zhi Xuan walked with measured steps, keeping his aura at the First Ember Dawn level—strong enough to be respected, low enough to be ignored by high-level cultivators. However, he soon realized that the problem was not with his cultivation realm.

  "My goodness, look at that young man. His hair! Is he really a mountain cultivator?" whispered a girl wearing a worn-out Jade Star Sword Sect robe, her eyes fixed on Zhi Xuan's long black hair shimmering under the sun.

  "Of course! Look at his skin, as white as jade! He must have spent ten years in pure spiritual springs!" replied her friend, and they both giggled while pretending to bump into Zhi Xuan's shoulder.

  Zhi Xuan ignored them with the serenity of a monk. Ten years in closed-door cultivation had given him incredible control over his facial expressions. However, in his Sea of Consciousness, he could only grunt.

  'You know, Monkey,' Ruo Xianxue scoffed, her voice sounding like she was enjoying the show. 'Your natural devil charm will never fade, even after cultivation. Why don't you utilize it a bit? Maybe one of them knows a shortcut to the black market.'

  'Shut up, Ruo,' Zhi Xuan retorted flatly. 'I am here to sell herbs, not sell myself.'

  Xiao Die, sitting sweetly on his shoulder, the size of a fist, but enveloped in a rainbow aura that only Zhi Xuan could see, flapped her wings once, as if agreeing with Ruo Xianxue.

  Zhi Xuan walked through the bustling market. The sounds of bargaining, merchants' shouts, and cultivators' conversations filled the air.

  "Five hundred jade coins! I bet, this Five Elements Herb was picked under a full moon!" shouted a merchant with a red face.

  "Young man, buy my protective talisman! This talisman is woven with silk threads from an Ancient Jade Insect! Only ten spiritual jade coins!"

  Zhi Xuan turned into a smaller street, but there, the problem intensified. A young mother, carrying a sleeping baby on her hip, stopped in front of him and stared at him with almost insane admiration.

  "Excuse me, Young Master," she said, her voice soft. "My child cries constantly. I believe, with the Young Master's Heaven-blessed face, a gentle touch from the Young Master will bring blessing and peace to him. May I ask for it?"

  Zhi Xuan was speechless. What kind of request was this? Giving a touch of luck to a baby? This was the world of cultivation, not a blessing for a newborn!

  "I-I..." Zhi Xuan had never faced such a mundane and ordinary situation since he left Star Village. Zhi Xuan sighed in resignation. He stretched out his delicate hand, now filled with controlled Azure Holy Flame power. He touched the baby's forehead with his fingertip. Instead of channeling precious spiritual Essence, he only emitted the calm Spring Aura from his Law of Four Seasons, an energy that was pure, gentle, and full of vitality.

  The baby, who had been whimpering before, suddenly smiled in his sleep.

  "Oh! Thank you, Young Master! You are indeed Heaven-blessed!" exclaimed the young mother, bowing deeply, making Zhi Xuan feel even more uncomfortable. He quickly pulled his hand away and hurried off.

  'I must find a serious herbal shop immediately,' Zhi Xuan grumbled, increasing his pace.

  However, he had only passed two blocks when he found himself in front of a dark red wooden door with luxurious silk lanterns. Seductive music and flirtatious laughter filled the air. It was Shoutuo's most famous brothel, the Spring Fragrance Pavilion.

  As Zhi Xuan tried to pass it, the silk curtain at the entrance opened, and two young women in sheer silk clothing displaying their Dual Cultivation immediately stepped out. Their eyes immediately fixed on Zhi Xuan, and their smiles widened.

  "Wait, handsome Young Master," said the first, a woman with fox-like eyes. A flirtatious Divine Wheel aura surrounded her. "Your expensive robe, your dashing posture... You must be tired after a long journey, Sir. Why not come in and let our Spring Maidens massage your tight meridians?"

  "A meridian massage only costs twenty Jade Coins, Young Master," added the second, who was bolder. She quickly stepped forward, her soft, warm hand immediately resting on Zhi Xuan's firm chest. "Or perhaps our Maiden can help the Young Master cultivate the chaotic essence in your body? We guarantee our yin is pure, and we are very skilled in satisfying the burning heat of the essence."

  The touch gave Zhi Xuan absolute goosebumps. Although he was a powerful cultivator, he had never been involved in Dual Cultivation.

  Zhi Xuan quickly inhaled, feeling the warm touch on his chest. A feeling of surprise mixed with a strange amusement. Ten years in a cold, quiet cave had not prepared him at all for the "busy" life outside. He had forgotten how chaotic mundane interactions could be.

  "Thank you for the offer, Maidens," Zhi Xuan said in a polite, but firm tone. He channeled a very small amount of Black Jade Essence through his robe, creating a soft, harmless shockwave, but enough to startle the woman who touched him and make her release her hand.

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  "Unfortunately, I have just completed a closed-door cultivation and my meridians are in a stable phase. I must not accept any touch from external Essence, for the sake of maintaining my cultivation foundation."

  The fox-eyed woman blinked. "Ah, the Young Master is truly a cautious genius. In that case, allow us to see the Young Master off! We will definitely remember the Young Master's handsomeness." They made way, but their eyes continued to follow him, implying that they hoped he would "stabilize" his foundation and return.

  Zhi Xuan immediately moved away from the Spring Fragrance Pavilion, walking quickly, almost fleeing. He walked down the increasingly crowded street, feeling a pressure he had not felt when facing the Giant Moss Python.

  Zhi Xuan took a deep breath, calming his Sea of Consciousness which was slightly disturbed by the ridiculous mundane interaction. He finally understood why Foundation Transformation cultivators always tried hard to conceal their aura and appearance. Sometimes, strength alone was not enough to ward off the trivial troubles brought by unwanted attention.

  Xiao Die, on his shoulder, flapped her wings. The rainbow hum she emitted felt like soft laughter in Zhi Xuan's mind. The moth, a Verdant Titan, seemed to be enjoying the small chaos her master was experiencing.

  Zhi Xuan finally found the main Herb District. There, the streets felt quieter, dominated by cultivators focused on business and having a more organized aura. He ignored the small shops bustling with bargaining and focused his Divine Sense.

  He looked for a stable aura, the scent of ancient herbs, and, most importantly, a thick trace of Spiritual Essence—a place where major transactions took place.

  He stopped in front of a shop that looked simple, but elegant. Its sign was made of old, yellowed jade wood, engraved with three words: "Thousand Grass Pavilion." The entrance was guarded by two First Ember Eclipse cultivators wearing plain gray robes. They stood silently, emitting no aura, but felt very trained.

  This shop must be good, Zhi Xuan thought.

  Zhi Xuan approached the doorman. He did not speak, only nodded politely and let his aura leak slightly, showing the First Ember Dawn level he maintained.

  One of the guards bowed slightly. "Welcome, Young Master. Are you looking for specific herbs, or looking to make a major transaction?"

  "I want to sell," Zhi Xuan answered, his voice calm. "Several high-level herbs I collected during my closed-door cultivation in the northern mountains. I seek the best value, and, most importantly, confidentiality."

  The guard smiled faintly. "Thousand Grass Pavilion guarantees the Young Master's confidentiality. Please come in. Our Appraiser will meet you shortly in the private room."

  Zhi Xuan stepped inside. The shop's interior was much larger than it looked from the outside. Ancient wooden shelves displayed precious spiritual herbs, some of which emitted a faint light. The air here was filled with the calming scent of spices, eliminating the foul odor from the outside streets.

  A middle-aged woman in a plain silk outfit, radiating a stable First Ember Zenith aura, immediately greeted him.

  "Welcome, Young Master. I am Appraiser Hua," she greeted him with a professional voice. "Please follow me to the east room. I am sure we have a satisfactory price for you."

  Appraiser Hua led him to a small room decorated with sound and spiritual isolation formations. In the center of the room was a dark wooden table.

  "Please place your herbs, Young Master," Appraiser Hua said, with a gesture of her hand.

  Zhi Xuan nodded. He reached for his storage bag and with a concealed movement, he carved a simple seal in the air and took out several packages wrapped in spiritual leaves.

  He did not take out all his supply; he only took out a small portion, which he knew was enough to arouse serious interest.

  He placed six packages on the table. Four packages contained Black Jade Grass that emitted a thick Black Jade Essence, and two packages contained Misty Cloud Fruit that glowed faintly and emitted a calming aroma.

  Appraiser Hua, who was initially calm and professional, immediately changed her expression. Her eyes, which contained thousands of years of experience, widened slightly. She did not conceal her surprise.

  "This... this is Black Jade Grass from the Jade Dragon Ridge Mountains!" she whispered, and immediately released her Divine Sense to examine the herbs. "Not only that, the Essence is pure and thick, far exceeding the standard of wild herbs. And these Misty Cloud Fruits... they were picked at perfect ripeness!"

  Appraiser Hua took a deep breath, composing herself. She looked at Zhi Xuan with a more respectful gaze. "Young Master, with this quality, you must have found an untouched growing zone during your closed-door cultivation."

  Zhi Xuan only shrugged. "The northern mountains gave me a blessing. I only want to sell it at a fair price, Miss Hua."

  Appraiser Hua nodded. "Of course. We value your confidentiality. This Black Jade Grass is highly sought after by First Ember cultivators to stabilize their Soul Flame. The Misty Cloud Fruit is excellent for calming the Sea of Consciousness. I will price it at..."

  She pulled out an ancient spiritual calculator and began to calculate. After a while, she looked at Zhi Xuan with a firm gaze.

  "Young Master, we will offer you a total of Eight Hundred Thousand Upper-Grade Spiritual Coins for everything you brought. We can pay it with Pure Spiritual Stones or Jade Coins as you wish. This is thirty percent higher than the normal market price, as a premium price for its purity."

  Zhi Xuan was surprised—not because the price was high, but because of the amount. Eight Hundred Thousand Upper-Grade Spiritual Coins! That was equivalent to a small merchant's wealth! With only a small portion of the herbs he had, he could comfortably finance his journey.

  "I will take it in Pure Spiritual Stones," Zhi Xuan answered calmly, keeping his expression flat. He did not want Appraiser Hua to know how much money that was for him.

  Appraiser Hua smiled with satisfaction. "A wise choice, Young Master. Pure Spiritual Stones are easier to carry. Please wait a moment."

  She immediately called a servant, and in a few minutes, a carved wooden box was placed on the table. The box contained stacks of Pure Spiritual Stones that emitted a cold and clean spiritual aura. Zhi Xuan checked the amount with his Divine Sense. The amount was exactly correct.

  After the transaction was complete, Zhi Xuan stored the box in his storage bag. He felt a thick layer of security surrounding him.

  "Thank you for the transaction, Miss Hua," Zhi Xuan said as he rose.

  "You are welcome, Young Master," Miss Hua replied.

  Zhi Xuan turned, stepping towards the exit. He briefly glanced at a painting that looked like a flying sword. However, he ignored it and walked out of the herbal shop.

  Zhi Xuan stepped out of the Thousand Grass Pavilion, feeling the pleasant weight of the new wealth in his storage bag. The bustling street air hit him again, but this time, he no longer felt urgency or discomfort. Money gave him time, and time gave him options.

  Zhi Xuan walked to the east gate, passing the gate guards. There he saw the Thousand Stone River, feeling nostalgia as he looked at the river, where he once trained his body by pushing stones through the current, to be worthy of the Dragon Fang Arena duel.

  The river looked the same, the current was still fast, the stones at the bottom looked black and slippery. However, his newly recovered sight and his First Ember Sanctum Divine Sense told him a cruel truth: those stones were nothing more than pebbles in his eyes now, and he could fight the current just with the strength of his breath.

  'Once, this place was a battlefield. Now, it's just a ridiculous memory,' Zhi Xuan thought, a bitter smile appearing on his lips. He had surpassed his past. He stepped, crossing the bridge that provided passage. He was determined to forget his past, and later, if he was strong enough. He would return here.

  'Alright, you two, we will see the world outside Shoutuo.'

  With that, Zhi Xuan crouched for a moment and shot his legs, leaving the east gate of Shoutuo City behind. He did not need a flying artifact, not as long as there was a moth on his shoulder. With the speed of a First Ember, he glided faster even than when he reached Divine Wheel.

  "This is truly a different level," Zhi Xuan muttered, feeling the rotation of his Divine Wheel no longer exhausting. The Celestial Samsara Wheel was denser and glowed a bright dark purplish. He leaped from the ground, leaving a shadow-like trail behind him.

  WHUUMMPPH!

  Zhi Xuan moved quickly, darting across the plains that stretched outside Shoutuo City. The decision to leave the city without a trace felt liberating. Xiao Die, resting on his shoulder, did not need to exert power. Zhi Xuan's running speed in the First Ember Sanctum realm alone was enough to defeat most low-level flying artifacts.

  His new power felt like a harmonious symphony. The Celestial Samsara Wheel spun smoothly, supported by the Azure Holy Flame which now emitted a pleasant heat. His every step was propelled by the integrated Law of Four Seasons, making running across rough terrain feel like gliding on water.

  In a few hours, he had covered a distance that would have taken days when he first fled the Zhu Clan. He stopped at the top of a rocky hill, far beyond the reach of Shoutuo cultivators' Divine Sense, surrounded by a small forest that provided natural cover.

  Xiao Die slid from his shoulder and flew in a circle. In seconds, she cleared a small area on the hilltop, emitting a pure aura that chased away small insects and Spiritual Beasts.

  Zhi Xuan sat cross-legged on a flat stone, taking a deep breath. The new wealth had given him freedom, but now he had to confront the mystery he had postponed for ten years. He threw his storage bag into the air.

  Zhi Xuan carved a seal in the air, opening his storage bag. First, he took out the Half-Destroyed Furnace. The artifact looked pathetic. The bronze furnace was cracked from top to bottom, its surface covered in rust and dirt. Only half of the furnace looked intact, while the other half looked melted and broken.