Chapter 73: Snowstorm in the North, Various Scenes in Border Town
The closer we got to the Demon-Suppressing City in the North, the harsher the weather became. A fierce wind whipped up shards of ice, cutting across the wasteland like a knife. As far as the eye could see, all was white. The only sounds between heaven and earth seemed to be the whistling wind and the crunching of packed snow underfoot. Ordinary vegetation had long since vanished, leaving only some extremely cold-resistant mosses and low coniferous shrubs clinging tenaciously to the crevices of the rocks in the leeward reaches.
Ye Li followed the stealth route suggested by the Youge intelligence. Instead of flying directly to Demon Suppression City, she chose to hike through a treacherous area known as the "Ghost Weeping Ice Valley." The terrain here was complex, riddled with bottomless ice crevices and snow cornices that threatened to collapse at any moment. Furthermore, a strange gale known as the "Ice Howling Wind" blew at irregular intervals, freezing spiritual energy and corroding the soul. It was a dangerous place that even local cultivators were reluctant to tread.
But dangerous places often also mean relative safety. At least, those pursuers are unlikely to set an ambush here.
She energized the "Emperor's Scripture of the Underworld" to its fullest potential, allowing extreme icy energy to surge through her body. This not only shielded her from the harsh cold outside, but also resonated faintly with the icy landscape, sharpening her perception of the environment. The "Universe Traceless Step" was unleashed with unparalleled ease within the rugged icy valley, often allowing her to instantly dodge cracks before they collapsed and find shelter before the howling icy winds struck.
Three days later, she safely passed through the Devil's Weeping Ice Valley, and suddenly the view opened up. At the end of a relatively flat ice sheet, the outline of a huge city stood tall.
That is the important town on the northern border - Demon-Suppressing City.
Unlike the other ethereal, ethereal cities within the Xuanyun Sect's jurisdiction, Demon-Suppressing City was constructed entirely of massive black basalt. Its walls, hundreds of feet high, were mottled and jagged, bearing the scars of various magical bombardments and the ravages of minions, imbued with an air of vicissitudes and iron-blooded warfare. Runes flickered on the walls, vaguely forming a vast defensive formation, emitting a heart-pounding energy surge. The city gates were guarded by cultivators clad in heavy black armor, bearing a commanding presence. The flow of people in and out was orderly, but most were hurried, bearing the wariness and fierceness characteristic of a frontier fortress.
Ye Li restrained her aura, maintaining her cultivation at the ordinary level of the early stages of Vein Condensation, blending in with the crowds entering the city. She noticed that in addition to human cultivators, there were also some tall, pale blue-skinned Ice Barbarians, as well as a few demon cultivators with strange attire and a chilling aura. As an outpost against the demons, Demon Suppression City didn't seem to have the same strict restrictions on race as the inland sects. As long as they followed the rules and worked together to fight the demons, they could stay here.
After paying the entrance fee of ten low-grade spirit stones, Ye Li entered Demon-Suppressing City. The scene within the city left a lasting impression. The streets were wide, but the architecture was rugged and utilitarian, with few carved beams or painted buildings, and instead constructed primarily of massive stone and hardwood. The air was filled with the faint scent of blood, herbs, and a lingering aura of malevolence. The shops along the way sold weapons, armor, healing elixirs, antidotes, and magical materials unique to the glacial plains. Practicality was paramount.
Most of the monks were in a hurry, some leaving in groups, some returning with wounds. Their conversations were brief and forceful, their eyes sharp, full of the competence of the pressure of survival. There was none of the leisurely discussion of the inland sects; instead, there was a tense, battle-ready atmosphere.
Following the address given by her master, Ye Li wandered through the city until she found a place called the "Veteran Tavern." The tavern was small and sparsely decorated, but it was bustling with activity. It was filled with a variety of cultivators, who loudly discussed their demon-hunting experiences and market conditions. The atmosphere was bustling and lively. It was one of the places where the lower-class cultivators of Demon Suppression City gathered for information.
She walked up to the counter and took out the jade pendant given to her by Muyun Jushi, who was wiping a wine glass and had a hideous scar on his face. She whispered, "Boss, I want to ask someone if General Zhao Gan is in the city."
The one-eyed old man paused, his single eye sharply sweeping over Ye Li and the jade pendant in her hand. A gleam of light flashed in his cloudy eyes, and then he regained his composure and said in a hoarse voice: "General Zhao is very busy with military affairs, so it's not easy to see him. If you have anything to say, you can tell me first."
Ye Li understood, knowing that this was a codeword for contact, and responded according to Mu Yun Jushi's instructions: "An old friend asked me to bring a pot of 'Xue Ding Han Xiang' from 'Yundan Peak' as a token of his gratitude."
Upon hearing this, the one-eyed old man showed a barely perceptible smile on his face and nodded: "So you are Mr. Muyun's junior. The general's residence is on Xuanwu Street in the north of the city. Take this token and someone will take you to see the general." As he said this, he handed over a black iron token.
"Thank you." Ye Li took the token and felt relieved. Master's arrangements were indeed thoughtful.
She did not go to the general's mansion immediately, but first found a seat in the corner of the tavern and sat down. She ordered a pot of "Shaodaozi", a local specialty brewed with icefield grass, and sipped it slowly. At the same time, her spiritual sense quietly spread out, collecting information about the surroundings.
"Have you heard? A few days ago, a small demon acupoint was discovered in Black Wind Gorge. Dozens of black demons escaped, and the patrol team almost couldn't stop them!"
"Damn it, there are more and more monsters in this damn place! If this continues, something big will happen sooner or later!"
"What are you afraid of? If the sky falls, there are tall people to hold it up. The masters sent by the Demon Suppression Army and the major sects are not vegetarians. Let's earn some military merits and exchange them for resources for cultivation. That's the right thing to do."
"That's true... but there seem to be a lot more new faces in the city recently. Some of them have a strange aura, not like people from here."
"Who cares? As long as he doesn't cause trouble and follows the rules..."
Listening to the patrons' discussions, Ye Li gained a more direct understanding of the tense situation in the northern border. The Black Demon's activities were indeed unusually frequent. She also noticed that there were indeed a few people in the tavern with hidden auras, not quite like the regular cultivators. The aura of the people at one table had a faint hint of the Red Flame Sect's fire element. Despite their best efforts to conceal it, it couldn't escape her keen senses.
"Have you set your sights on me so soon?" Ye Li sneered in his heart, but remained expressionless on his face.
After a short rest, she left the tavern and, following the token's instructions, arrived at the General's Mansion in the north of the city. The General's Mansion was also ruggedly styled and heavily guarded. After showing the token, a personal guard led her to a study.
In the study, a middle-aged man wearing heavy black armor, with a burly figure, a resolute face, and a majestic aura was standing in front of a huge map of the northern border in deep thought. He was General Zhao Gan, the defender of the Demon-Suppressing City, and his cultivation had reached the late stage of the Spirit Mansion Realm.
Sensing Ye Li coming in, Zhao Gan turned around, his eyes like lightning, sweeping over Ye Li, lingering for a moment on her calm eyes and concentrated aura that belied her age, and said in a deep voice, "Are you the Ye Li mentioned in Brother Mu Yun's letter?"
"I am Ye Li, a junior, and I am honored to meet General Zhao." Ye Li bowed neither humbly nor arrogantly and presented the letter from Mr. Mu Yun.
Zhao Gan took the letter and quickly glanced through it, a trace of emotion on his face. "Brother Muyun has indeed accepted a good disciple. At such a young age, he dares to accept this mission in the Northern Territory. He is very courageous." He put the letter down, his tone becoming serious. "However, Junior Brother Ye, the Northern Territory is not like a sect. The rules here are simple, strength is respected, and it is also more dangerous. Since you are here, you must abide by the rules here. I have read your mission documents. Investigating the unusual movements of the Black Demon is indeed a strange matter, and the Demon Suppression Army has been paying close attention."
He walked over to the map and pointed to several locations marked in red. "Over the past three months, the frequency and scale of Black Demon appearances have far exceeded those of previous events, primarily concentrated in these areas. The several reconnaissance teams we sent out have suffered casualties, and one team was even completely wiped out. They only sent back a blurry image that seems to point to an ancient ruin deep within the ice sheet."
Ye Li looked intently and memorized those locations.
Zhao Gan continued, "You'll be given three days to familiarize yourself with the Demon Suppression City and replenish your supplies. After three days, a mixed patrol team consisting of independent cultivators and sect disciples will depart for the 'Broken Blade Cliff' area. You can join them for a preliminary investigation. Remember, your mission is investigation, not elimination. When encountering large-scale monsters, your top priority is to protect yourself and pass on information. Here is the patrol team's information and a detailed map of the Broken Blade Cliff area."
Ye Li took the jade slip handed to him by Zhao Gan: "Junior understands, thank you for your guidance, General."
After leaving the General's Mansion, Ye Li found a simple stone house in the city, a temporary place for monks to stay. She carefully read the patrol team's information and maps, and through the Samsara Mirror, informed Lin Feng of the initial situation and the upcoming action, asking him to focus on collecting information about "Broken Blade Cliff" and "Ancient Ruins."
After completing all this, she opened the small window of the stone house and gazed out at the gray sky and the snow-capped mountains in the distance. The ruggedness of Demon Suppression City, the fierceness of the cultivators, and the potential dangers all gave her a sense of an atmosphere completely different from that within the sect.
There was no intrigue here, only the most direct challenges of survival. Perhaps this was exactly the kind of training she needed most right now.
"Broken Blade Cliff...ancient ruins..." Ye Li muttered to himself, a sharp light flashing in his eyes, "Let me see what secrets this northern icy plain hides."
Three days later, she will join the patrol team and officially embark on an investigation, facing the dreaded Black Demon Tide. This land shrouded in wind and snow will soon witness her new journey.
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