After getting off the spirit ship, Shen Lian arrived in front of the Black Whale City.

An extremely strong sense of oppression came from the void, causing the spiritual energy flowing in his body to stagnate.

This is the pressure from the city's third-order sea-covering giant whale formation.

This formation is of high quality, third-grade upper grade. It is rumored that it is presided over by a late Jindan cultivator, and with the support of several early Jindan cultivators, it can withstand a blow from a Yuanying cultivator.

The reason why the Hailing Sect can guard this treasure bowl so tightly is largely due to the giant whale formation covering the sea.

Since he came to Black Whale Island, Shen Lian naturally had a full understanding of the place.

It is rumored that the large formation in the city is connected to the water veins in the sea. Not only can it be in operation at all times, but it also consumes very few spirit stones.

If you want to break through such a large formation, a single method will not be enough. You need the cooperation of several golden elixirs and various weapons to break the formation.

Looking at the city wall flashing with dense runes, Shen Lian sighed sincerely.

"I'm late."

Shun followed the other cultivators and paid the spirit stones in the side hall outside the city and obtained an identity jade tag.

The handling fee is not expensive, and you can stay in the city for a full year with ten spirit stones.

After entering the city, the pressure intensified and Shen Lian noticed that his steps became heavier.

This is a forbidden air formation. Even a cultivator who has established his foundation cannot fly.

This place was too prosperous, so prosperous that when Shen Lian raised his eyes, he noticed a foundation-building cultivator passing by.

The Yunshang Sect opened a disciple assessment point here, and families of all sizes in the nearby waters flocked here.

It can be said that Black Whale City these days is several times more prosperous than before.

The road, which is a hundred feet wide, goes straight into the center of the city.

On both sides of the street, there are tall and majestic buildings.

On the road, there are cultivators everywhere.

No matter if they looked ferocious or timid, none of them could be honest.

"It's too late. It's too late."

Shen Lian was filled with emotion seeing such a prosperous place.

He likes orderly places the most.

"Daoyou, come and play, come on."

Near the city gate, there is a pink building with blooming flowers and undulating mountains.

“Fellow Daoist, my fairy sister is the most caring. Not only does she hold people in her heart, she also holds them in her mouth and sits on their faces.”

When Shen Lian was standing near the city gate and looking around, a servant with a tuft of hair at the corner of his mouth came up to him.

“Fellow Daoist…”

Shen Lian came back to his senses and quickly moved away. Big cities are full of enthusiasm.

The servant didn't care and turned around and walked towards the next target.

When he first arrived in Black Whale City, Shen Lian naturally needed to understand the situation before taking the next step.

Seafood restaurant.

In the corner of the lobby on the third floor, Shen Lian had four simple dishes and a pot of wine.

"What a pity, I'm not a five-spiritual-root cultivator. If I were, I'd go and join in the fun. Even if I can't become a formal disciple, I can go to a Yuanying sect and become a stone-raiser."

"Tsk, you are dreaming. You think it is so easy to be a stone keeper? Don't let yourself lose your life."

"Is our life good now? We can't earn a foundation-building pill even if we work ourselves to death. We might as well try our luck at the Yuanying Sect. Maybe we can get a foundation-building pill and become a foundation-building master. It will be worth being a stone-raiser."

Shen Lian paused when his wine glass touched the corner of his mouth and started listening.

"Haven't you heard that the ancestor Ziyang of the Tiannan Xiuxian Realm fought with someone and was seriously injured and disappeared, and several stone cultivators under his command ran away with the five-colored stones."

"This is all old news. I also heard that the Ziyang Patriarch was both good and evil, and was too shameless. That's why he was attacked by a group of people just to snatch the five-colored stone from him."

"It's really strange. Where did those stone farmers go?"

"I heard that he fled to the south. Patriarch Ziyang was seriously injured and fled far away, but he still has Jindan disciples. They will definitely track down the whereabouts of the stone cultivator."

"I think you guys are drunk. You even dare to make fun of the Yuanying Ancestor. You really don't know how to live or die."

…

The so-called stone-cultivator is a cultivator who cultivates colorful stones.

The five-colored stones dug out from the Five Elements Immortal Palace need to be nurtured by the spiritual power of a cultivator with all five spiritual roots before they can be used.

While recruiting disciples, the Yunshang Sect also recruits cultivators with the five spiritual roots from independent practitioners.

The conditions will be relaxed accordingly. Even if one has five lower-grade spiritual roots, as long as one passes certain tests, one can be accepted into the sect.

These people are not accepted as disciples of the mountain sect and are called stone-raisers.

However, in order to attract independent cultivators, the sect would release a foundation-building pill every once in a while for the stone men to fight for.

Originally, the probability of building a foundation for the inferior five spiritual roots was already very low. In addition, during the nourishment process of the five-colored stone, the dantian was damaged, and the probability would be further reduced.

Other sects don’t know that in all these years in the Yunshang Sect, no stone cultivator has ever successfully established a foundation.

In comparison, some independent cultivators and ancestors of the demonic sects have much higher methods and efficiency.

The middle-grade five spiritual roots that the orthodox sects are reluctant to use.

I, the ancestor of the magic path, dare to use it.

The five spiritual roots of the highest quality have not been discovered. If one of them is discovered, it should be used as it should be, like oxen and horses.

…

Shen Lian shrank his neck. It seemed that he had to be extremely careful in the future, so as not to be caught by the old devil and have a few stones stuffed into his dantian.

It is necessary to be cautious, but you cannot be so timid as to do nothing.

In this day and age, the depletion of spiritual energy is not good for any cultivator with spiritual roots.

For the sects and ancestors, the five-colored stones are only a part of their practice.

But then again, the light command from the Nascent Soul Patriarch reached the ears of the Golden Core and Foundation Establishment Stages below, like a huge mountain pressing down on them.

This world is really difficult.

In the next few days, Shen Lian did nothing else but eat and drink in various restaurants in the city, and listened to the exchanges among the monks in the city.

After some investigation, I gained a lot.

The biggest takeaway is that the city’s entertainment industry is so lively.

Nowadays, the most lively event in the city is the Yunshang Sect's recruitment of disciples. As there are too many monks coming to take the test, the prices of residences in the city have increased.

The entire Black Whale City.

The main road in the city was in the shape of a big "X". The buildings on both sides of the road were all shops opened by powerful families, sects, and chambers of commerce.

The west and north are accommodation areas, with many high-end caves and manors.

The southern and eastern parts are mixed areas of market towns and host cities. Behind each shop along the street is a small courtyard for living, which attracts many monks to practice and live here.

Shen Lian had neither the money nor the courage to go to the main road to compete with the big families for business, so he set his target in the southern part of the city.

In addition to the two main roads in the city, there are too many alleys and streets.

There were people selling elixirs, talismans, rice, robes, instruments, groceries, coffins, and water...

These shops can be rented directly in the General Affairs Hall of the Hailing Sect in the city, or you can take over the stalls of fellow Taoists who can no longer run their business, and then go to the General Affairs Hall to complete the formalities.

Shen Lian was not in a hurry to go to the General Affairs Hall. He walked around the south of the city twice and chose a street with a decent flow of customers and some vacant shops.

This is where he settled down and cultivated until he established his foundation.

"Hongfu Street."

Standing at the intersection and looking at the street sign, Shen Lian nodded.

Good luck to you, this street intersection is great.

Just with these four words, you will be safe and secure.

The Hailing Sect’s reputation has lasted for hundreds of years, and it must live up to the reputation of its ancestors.

Please read on!

(End of this chapter)