Chapter 172 Little Lotus City
After harvesting the vitality in the wheat fields along the way and leaving behind a field of charred dead things, Luo Xuanyi finally arrived at the edge of Xiaohe City.
Compared to Longlan City's towering stone walls, which gave people a sense of security, Xiaohe City's walls made people wonder if they could actually hold back a person. Barely two people high, the earthen walls were mixed with rice paste and small stones, their yellow-gray surface appearing rough and poor.
But this was an illusion. When Luo Xuanyi selected a city closer to the south, she prioritized wealthier places, so she could gain access to more people and operate more easily. The closest and wealthiest city was Xiaohe City.
Luo Xuanyi didn't intend to take action directly. After all, before the formation repair came, Luo Xuanyi had enough time to act and see if there was any other evil thoughts besides the materials for refining the formation flag.
As for the monster bones and spiritual herbs, Luo Xuanyi didn't hold out much hope. Such things would only appear where there were cultivators.
Under the rule of the six alliances, a Tianjie was built in the main city of each area designated by the mortal dynasty to manage it. Everything from talismans and herbs to spirit beast eggs and magic tools were available in Tianjie.
However, in order to lure more low-level formation cultivators to their deaths, Luo Xuanyi couldn't currently plunder Heavenly Street. Heavenly Street served as the local branches of the six major alliances, and any casualties would inevitably cause an unnecessary stir. Therefore, to avoid revealing her true strength and causing various problems, Luo Xuanyi planned to avoid the main city initially and plunder the smaller towns instead.
It wasn't that there wasn't a chance of encountering cultivators in a small town. In fact, no matter how small the village or town, there was always the possibility of encountering cultivators on quests, or wandering cultivators seeking spiritual herbs and artifacts. There were also some small sects that chose to stay in these small places, unwilling to be affiliated with the six major alliances.
However, these cultivators were generally below the Nascent Soul stage, with even the Golden Core stage rare. The leaders of smaller sects were likely only at the Golden Core stage, so with Luo Xuanyi's current cultivation level, she wasn't a threat.
Several soldiers carrying bows and arrows stood closely together on the walls of Xiaohe City. The city gates were wide open and unguarded. They seemed to be absorbed in something, and none of them had the energy to pay attention to Luo Xuanyi. Luo Xuanyi walked leisurely into Xiaohe City.
"...No way, could it be an insect infestation?"
"Go and invite Mr. Shi!"
"Shh! Keep your voice down, this is a big deal!"
The soldiers' deliberately suppressed anxious and worried voices passed by her ears, and Luo Xuanyi continued to walk into the city.
The slowly spreading death energy penetrated all the walls and attached itself to all living beings sensed by soul power. While confirming the number of people in Xiaohe City, Luo Xuanyi took a quick look at Xiaohe City.
Xiaohe City takes its name from Dangyun Lake, a beautiful, vast lake that occupies almost half of the city. Within the lake grows four-season lotuses, acquired three hundred years ago by City Lord Lian Yan from a cultivator from one of the six major alliances. The scenery is ablaze with life year-round, and the city's residents primarily make their living by harvesting lotus roots.
Ordinary people lived on the lake's west bank, while the city's wealthy and powerful often built their residences on the bridge towers spanning the lake. The bridge towers offered both scenic views and boating opportunities, making them popular with the elite. Furthermore, the lotus and lotus roots here were gifted by monks, and were extremely rare in the mortal world. Therefore, the lotus seeds produced here were chosen as tribute, and Xiaohe City became a place for the wealthy and powerful to enjoy the lotus year-round. This is why Xiaohe City is more prosperous than other cities.
Since all these opportunities were based on the foresight of City Lord Lian Yan, Luo Xuanyi could see a ancestral hall dedicated to City Lord Lian Yan as soon as she entered Xiaohe City.
Looking inside from the entrance of the ancestral hall, incense was burning continuously, and the faint sight of City Lord Lian Yan could be seen enshrined on a high throne. Her face was slightly wrinkled, but she smiled broadly, holding a bouquet of lotus flowers and lotus pods in her arms.
Two little children were holding rags and carefully cleaning every corner of the ancestral hall. It can be seen that even after three hundred years, the citizens still respect the city lord Lian Yan very much.
"Hey, you look unfamiliar." One of the boys who was helping with the pigtails noticed Luo Xuanyi, waved away the rag, opened his eyes wide, and poked his companion with his other hand.
"Are you here to see Xianhe?" another boy said shyly. He lowered his head and glanced at Luo Xuanyi. "Would you like to burn a stick of incense for Master Lian Yan?"
Luo Xuanyi looked at the statue of Lian Yan, who was smiling heartily, as if she was very satisfied with the prosperity of the people under her rule, and shook her head in refusal: "I'm sorry, although I admire everything she has done... I don't think Lady Lian Yan would welcome me."
"How could it be! Lord Lian Yan is a good man!" The boy with pigtails was a little surprised. He thought for a moment and said, "Burn incense for free."
"Brother, stop talking." The boy with disheveled hair picked up the rag again and smiled gently at Luo Xuanyi. Luo Xuanyi breathed a sigh of relief and passed by the ancestral hall, finally seeing the legendary Dangyun Lake.
The first thing she saw was the towering bridge towering over the lake. Its exquisitely detailed structure didn't detract from the beauty of Dangyun Lake, but rather enhanced it. Beneath the bridge tower, endless lotus leaves, laden with yellow and pink lotus flowers of all sizes, stretched as far as the eye could see.
A lotus-picking girl passed through the lake, cutting through the clear water and revealing a patch of blue sky and white clouds. This is the origin of Dangyun Lake.
Willows lined the lake's banks. At first glance, Xiaohe City appeared relatively unaffected by the Feiyi disaster, but a layer of silt along the shore revealed that Dangyun Lake had shrunk. However, its sheer size hadn't yet affected the lives of the city's inhabitants.
Unlike other cities and towns, the streets of Xiaohe City are built along the banks, with shops facing the lake. Most of them sell food, and the main attraction is to enjoy the scenery while enjoying the delicious food. However, there are only a few people sitting in the shops now.
Luo Xuanyi walked slowly down the street, spreading a deadly aura as she walked towards the most crowded west side of the city, while turning her head to look at the lotus scenery.
She is beautiful, but Luo Xuanyi cares more about other aspects.
These lotuses are all varieties improved by monks. Would they be more likely to accumulate spiritual energy? Could this water harvest vital energy like Luo Xuanyi harvests wheat? And what would the ratio be?
So there is a reason why I feel guilty when I see Lian Yan’s ancestral hall.
Luo Xuanyi, who was itching to do something, took out the main flag without hesitation. Just as she was about to throw the death energy into the water, she suddenly felt that the atmosphere of Xiaohe City had changed!
"Demon cultivator, prepare to die!"
Luo Xuanyi turned around hastily, and vaguely saw eight grass-gray flags blending into the air.
Second update~ Sister Yi is a little unhappy right now, she wants to experiment with lotus~
My writing speed has been slowing down recently, and I feel like I've hit a wall with this post. Maybe it's because I've never written such a long post before? But I'll keep writing, and I'll slowly get back on track.
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