"Take the rest," Zhi Xuan said, smiling faintly at the stall owner.

  "Thank you, Young Master!" The stall owner smiled broadly and joyfully. "May your path always be blessed by Heaven!"

  Zhi Xuan responded with a light nod, the calm aura of a mortal wanderer now enveloping him—a perfect mask. On his shoulder, Xiao Die let out a serene rainbow hum, sensing the shift in its master's intent. He walked out of the stall, returning to the main road to move north.

  ‘Blessed by Heaven, huh?’ Zhi Xuan murmured in his thoughts, shaking his head with amusement. What kind of Heaven would bless a vessel of a Sacred Devil, whose heart had to struggle against the Devil Seed, while formulating a scheme to sneak into an Empire-protected Sect?

  Heaven's blessing would only be a shackle around his neck. The only blessing he needed was control over himself.

  The journey from the mortal village to Green Cloud City took several more days. As soon as he left the boundaries of the peaceful village, Zhi Xuan immediately discarded his mask of mortal elegance.

  His steps became fast and efficient. He channeled his Black Jade Essence to dart across the plains, avoiding the busy main road and choosing paths through bushes and hills, greedily absorbing the Essence of nature.

  Occasionally, he would utilize Xiao Die to shorten the distance, though he couldn't push his luck by constantly using Xiao Die as a mount, as a Verdant Titan was too conspicuous for attracting high-level cultivators.

  He stepped into a sparse forest path, and in his Sea of Consciousness, Ruo Xianxue's shadow appeared, this time in the form of a giant sword shadow plunged into the dark seabed.

  ‘You cannot deceive yourself, Monkey. Your Devil's ambition grows stronger after you found the Thousand Heavens Sect. I can feel it. You don't just want resources; you want the unsurpassed Dao,’ Ruo Xianxue echoed, her voice hoarse, mixing praise and censure.

  Zhi Xuan paused his steps for a moment, staring into his Sea of Consciousness. The Devil Seed on the surface now pulsed with a stable rhythm, no longer whining, but singing in a dangerous low tone.

  "I seek absolute freedom," Zhi Xuan countered, without emotion. "And absolute freedom requires an unsurpassed Dao. If Heaven limits my path, then I must use the Devil to carve it. But, I will not be a servant, Red Stone. Your seed is merely fertilizer."

  Zhi Xuan continued his journey, his Black Jade Essence swirling, covering himself with a thin layer of inconspicuous Essence, an art of concealment he had mastered—making himself look like an ordinary First Ember cultivator. He knew that Green Cloud City would be full of sharp-eyed geniuses.

  After two weeks of non-stop travel—with only brief rests to stabilize his Essence—Zhi Xuan finally saw signs of a great civilization.

  In the distance, a towering defensive wall lay stretched out, made of gray jade stone that emitted a faint spiritual glow. The wall was not only tall but also thick and inscribed with ancient Defensive Formations that radiated an aura of stability and authority. This was Green Cloud City, one of the main strongholds of the Hongmeng Empire on the southern continent.

  Above the wall, a thin blue-green mist hung like a heavenly cloak, protecting the city from careless spiritual prying. At the main gate, thousands of people moved back and forth.

  Zhi Xuan could see that beyond the defensive wall was magnificent, where the Jade Dragon's Back mountain range met the Southern mountain paths, adorned with towering clouds, flying ships passed like a flock of sheep.

  Behind the main gate, there was a staircase that seemed to claw the sky, stretching upwards as if welcoming any soul stepping into Green Cloud City. Around the stairs, cultivators in luxurious robes or soldiers in complete uniform moved as if the city were a gathering of all the rulers of the southern continent.

  Zhi Xuan froze, his gaze locked on the scene. It was not a city; it was the embodiment of condensed Imperial Authority and foundation.

  "This," Zhi Xuan muttered, his voice hoarse with awe, yet his eyes radiated undeniable sharpness. "Is this the center of the southern continent."

  Zhi Xuan felt like a frog that had just leaped out of the dark well of Mist Chaser Village, now staring at the vast ocean before him.

  The gray jade wall emanated an oppressive pressure—not the pressure of hostility, but the pressure of unshakable authority.

  The Defensive Formation looked like the skin of a sleeping dragon, ready to devour anyone who dared to break its silence.

  He stared upwards, at the Jade Dragon's Back mountain path that stretched behind the city. The blue-green mist shrouding its peaks was pure Heavenly Essence, trapped by the City Formation. Every strand of that mist felt denser and more valuable than all the spiritual Essence he had collected in the forest.

  "Just to get the Sun Falling Leaf, I have to step into this place," Zhi Xuan hissed, his lips forming a thin line.

  The flying ships moving above the city, shaped like dragon boats carved from jade wood, were not sights an ordinary First Ember cultivator should see. These ships symbolized abundant wealth and untouchable social status.

  "Unsurpassed Dao..."

  Zhi Xuan repeated his murmur; now he understood Ruo Xianxue's intent. The authority here did not just possess knowledge; they had the foundation capable of supporting millions of cultivators. Compared to the grandeur of Green Cloud City, Star Village felt like dust.

  His awe quickly turned into cold determination. He did not come here to stare at the splendor; he came to harvest it, to step further and grasp his oath.

  ‘Remember, Monkey. This grandeur is poison to a weak Dao Heart. Do not fall in love with their power,’ Ruo Xianxue interjected with a warning voice, although there was an undeniable tone of fascination in her hoarse voice. ‘They may have ancient heritage, but you have the Ancient Devil Monument.’

  Zhi Xuan nodded inwardly. He stabilized his Essence, forcing himself not to look too surprised or too curious. He allowed his breath to slow down. He had to become a ghost in the crowd.

  He touched the jade-gold thread of the Heavenly Trifold Reincarnation Cauldron in his hair, ensuring the artifact's Essence was completely hidden. He bowed his head slightly, blending in with the low-level cultivators also walking towards the gate.

  This was a grand stage. A stage where a First Ember cultivator with a Devil Seed in his heart must compete with thousands of geniuses from across the southern continent to become a Dragon seed of the Thousand Heavens Sect.

  Zhi Xuan stepped forward, his foot stepping towards the towering Green Cloud City Gate felt like his first step into a cruel arena of destiny.

  The Green Cloud City Gate was magnificent. The gate reached two hundred zhang in height and was flanked by defensive towers adorned with spiritual gems that emitted a faint light—a silent warning of the Hongmeng Empire's military might.

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  In front of the gate, a long queue formed. Thousands of people, from mortals carrying carts to muscular cultivators with swords on their backs, crowded to enter. Zhi Xuan noticed that everyone had to pay an entrance fee of one low-level Spiritual Stone or ten silver pieces.

  More importantly, there were ten Hongmeng Empire soldiers in black and gold uniform standing tall, scanning everyone who entered with a spiritual barrier net radiated from their swords. The net did not attack; it only scanned to detect cultivators carrying ill intent, poison, or high-level forbidden artifacts.

  "Old Hu, hurry up! These vegetables will wilt if you take too long!"

  "If you can't wait patiently, you can pay five low-level spiritual stones over there!"

  "Hey, I heard the city lord of Huoxi came bringing both his son and daughter!"

  "You mean Huo Ye and Huo Ling? I know! They will definitely be candidates for the Thousand Heavens Sect disciples!"

  "You guys exaggerate too much! They are not that strong, you know Su Baolian from Star Wilderness? She is a Blood Transformation cultivator!"

  "Yes! I heard her blood has heritage from an ancient Dragon ancestor; she must be very strong."

  A tall, large man suddenly interjected, slipping into the crowd and joining the whispers.

  "Hey! I heard old man Dun is selling forbidden artifacts again! I wonder what artifact is in his shop this time."

  The whispers immediately spread in the front line, replacing the discussion about geniuses and city heirs with a darker enthusiasm—danger and profit. Information in Green Cloud City flowed like a river, laden with gossip, ambition, and danger.

  Zhi Xuan, in the middle of the crowd, listened intently. He ignored the taunts and urges from the people behind him, allowing his Black Jade Essence to absorb every piece of information he caught.

  These pieces were the information he had to play with. The Blood Transformation genius, Su Baolian, immediately caught his attention. Blood Transformation, the realm he was pursuing now, a realm that demanded a stable foundation and pure Spiritual Blood. The realm he was aiming for to stabilize the remaining Taiyin essence that threatened to corrode him. Zhi Xuan, still struggling at the First Ember sanctum stage, had to move fast.

  As for Old Man Dun, the idea of forbidden artifacts attracted the Devil Seed in his Sea of Consciousness. An unhealthy curiosity, a desire for unethical gain, surged briefly before being forcibly quelled by Zhi Xuan's cold control.

  "Priorities. Sun Falling Leaf. Then, stabilize the realm," Zhi Xuan whispered to himself.

  The queue moved forward. Zhi Xuan paid one low-level Spiritual Stone he had obtained from the Head Weaver's spoils. The Hongmeng Empire soldier in front of him glanced at him, his sharp eyes scanning his body with the spiritual net.

  Zhi Xuan allowed the scan. The spiritual barrier net was designed to detect highly corrosive essence fluctuations or artifacts emitting hostile auras. The Heavenly Trifold Reincarnation Cauldron slept soundly in his hair, and the Devil Seed had been suppressed into passivity, wrapped in a thin layer of Black Jade Essence.

  "Enter," the soldier said flatly, returning the low-level Spiritual Stone he had just given him. Zhi Xuan felt surprised and confused.

  "This," the soldier said, pointing to the Spiritual Stone. "Someone has already paid for you. Enter."

  Zhi Xuan stared at the spiritual stone in his hand, he observed his surroundings, his sharp gaze scanning the line, looking for a figure who might have the social status to pay his entrance fee. However, he saw no one who looked like a generous philanthropist. Every face he saw was filled with impatience or exhaustion.

  ‘Who?’

  Zhi Xuan's thoughts spun quickly. In the world of cultivation, there was no such thing as selfless kindness, especially at the gate of an Imperial city. The entrance fee was the first filter. Whoever paid it must have a motive.

  Zhi Xuan pursed his lips. He took back his Spiritual Stone, allowing his Essence to flow into it to scan for any spiritual trace that might have been left. The stone was clean. No trace of poison, formation, or another cultivator's Divine Sense.

  Beside him, the crowd urged him forward. Zhi Xuan had only a split second to make a decision. Stopping meant arousing suspicion from the Imperial soldiers.

  He put the Spiritual Stone in his pocket and stepped across the threshold of the Green Cloud City Gate, his head bowed slightly. Once inside, the city's aura immediately welcomed him with a dense wave of Spiritual Essence—so dense it felt like a thick, calming mist.

  Zhi Xuan walked slowly, the Heavenly Cycle of Samsara immediately responded, absorbing the city's pure spiritual Essence at a higher speed than in any forest.

  He immediately walked to the side of the main road, clinging to the wall. His sharp eyes scanned every face that passed by. Who would bother to pay the entrance fee for an ordinary-looking First Ember cultivator?

  Zhi Xuan moved quickly, merging with the low-level cultivators using the side paths. The heart of the city was the giant staircase that clawed the sky—the Qinglong Stairs, the place for high city officials and the geniuses who would participate in the Thousand Heavens Sect selection three months later. Zhi Xuan knew his place was not there, at least not yet.

  He walked to the bustling trading district, a lower path filled with stalls and shops made of dark jade wood. The strong aroma of spiritual spices, pills, and thick alcohol filled the air. Here, value and danger blended.

  He felt the aura of much stronger cultivators in this city. There were at least dozens of Consciousness Transformation auras spread around the city center, and dozens of Five Elements cultivators patrolling as Imperial law enforcers.

  Zhi Xuan's first goal was the Sun Falling Leaf. He had to visit the largest apothecary or spiritual herbal market. He chose a gloomy-looking shop at the corner of the street, made of black stone and adorned with worn alchemy symbols. The shop did not radiate an aura of luxury, but it felt authentic.

  Zhi Xuan stepped inside. The strong smell of dry herbs pricked his nose. Behind a thick wooden counter, a middle-aged man with sunken eyes and grayish skin was weighing spiritual mushrooms. The man looked like a sluggish Body Transformation—Organ Transformation cultivator.

  "What are you looking for, young man? We only sell genuine spiritual herbs, no serving mortal requests," the man said, his voice dry like a withered leaf.

  "I am looking for the Sun Falling Leaf," Zhi Xuan said, his voice calm.

  The man raised his thin eyebrow, scanning Zhi Xuan with his Divine Sense. He detected a low First Ember cultivation level, which was a sharp contrast to the high-level spiritual herb request.

  "Sun Falling Leaf? Rank five herb, kid. It's sold for Blood Transformation stage cultivators and above, or for concocting high-level Blood Bone Pills. Are you sure you know the price?" The man snorted. "Four hundred low-level Spiritual Stones, per leaf. Payment in advance."

  Zhi Xuan was not surprised. The price was indeed crazy for a mortal herb, but reasonable for a high-level pill's main ingredient, though he only needed a low-level pill to cleanse the Taiyin essence.

  "I only need one leaf," Zhi Xuan replied. He reached into his Storage Pouch, taking out the low-level Spiritual Stone fragments—the remnants of the spoils he collected from the Head Weaver's warehouse. He quickly calculated. He only had a little more than a hundred Spiritual Stones.

  "I only have one hundred and twenty Spiritual Stones. Do you accept herbal exchange?" Zhi Xuan asked, his tone not containing a plea, but cold pragmatism.

  The man laughed softly. "Herbal exchange? Unless you bring Seven Treasure Heavenly Ginseng or Titan-level Spiritual Beast Blood, I'm not interested. Go and come back when you've harvested enough."

  Zhi Xuan clenched his hand inside his pocket. He had just escaped death, carried a Devil Seed, and faced an impenetrable price wall.

  "How about an artifact?" Zhi Xuan asked. "An ancient Stone Cauldron laden with the essence of death."

  Hearing the words "essence of death," the middle-aged man suddenly raised his head, his sunken eyes radiating a sharp glint. "Essence of Death? Show me. If it's a valuable item from the foul villages in the South, I might be interested."

  Zhi Xuan knew he was taking a risk, but the urgent need for the Blood Bone Pill outweighed caution. He pulled the ancient Stone Cauldron from his Storage Pouch—a cracked cauldron, but still emitting a thick historical aura.

  As soon as the Stone Cauldron was placed on the counter, a foul odor and passive Essence of Death immediately spread inside the shop. The man took a step back, his eyes widening in surprise and greed.

  "This... An Ancient Spiritual Blood Refining Cauldron!" the man whispered, his voice hoarse. He touched the Cauldron with his trembling fingertip. "Though cracked, the Essence inside... is extraordinary."

  Zhi Xuan just looked at him calmly. "I traded a life for this Cauldron. And I need the Sun Falling Leaf."

  The man took a deep breath, calming himself. He was a cunning merchant. "This Cauldron is valuable, yes. But it's a hot item. I can give you one Sun Falling Leaf, plus fifty Spiritual Stones. That's a fair offer."

  Zhi Xuan smiled faintly, he knew that an Ancient Stone Cauldron emitting the essence of death was not worth so little, this herbal merchant was too cunning and naive to deceive Zhi Xuan. Zhi Xuan was silent for a moment, thinking of something to exchange for the Ancient Stone Cauldron.

  "Seven Heavenly Herbs and Fallen Petal Powder," Zhi Xuan said with a cold demand. "Give me that with the Sun Falling Leaf, or I will just sell this cauldron to Old Man Dun."

  Zhi Xuan's sudden demand—leaping from simple negotiation to a detailed and audacious requirement—stopped the middle-aged man's movement. The expression of greed in his sunken eyes froze.

  "Seven Heavenly Herbs and Fallen Petal Powder?" the man hissed, repeating the demand in a tone of disbelief. The man narrowed his eyes, his Divine Sense swirling, scanning Zhi Xuan with greater intensity.