Chapter 183: Blacksteel Decennial Refinement Competition

After some quick thinking, Lu Zheng figured that it was true. It had been over a millennia since he was in the main world last and had forgotten many of their customs.

"If you did not know, what then do you want here?" Zuo Xiuzhen stared at Lu Zheng like he was some interesting work of art.

Lu Zheng shook his head: "If you wish to find out so badly, you can follow me"

Walking through Blacksteel City from end to end would take any mortal many weeks and usage of martial techniques was restricted inside the place. The only way to move swiftly was to use a spirit carriage.

Lu Zheng walked with Zuo Xiuzhen to the nearest trade hub to purchase a spirit carriage. The carriage was very large and could easily contain ten people. After putting some vital stones inside the carriage, it left the ground and zoomed off into the distance.

Blacksteel City was very large and was divided into three segments; the outer city, the inner city and the central area. These three places where like concentric circles built inside the former and were all protected by strong spatial formations that prevented demonic path martial practitioners from wreaking havoc in the place.

The outer city was open to anyone that wished to enter, even mortals. Only wanted demonic path martial practitioners could not enter because they feared being arrested.

The inner city was much more glamorous and only martial practitioners above the Sky realm could enter it. Even they had to pay a certain amount of vital stones before they could enter.

The central area was only open to people with a certain status in Blacksteel Association. In his previous lifetime, Xue Ritian had earned the privilege to enter it after becoming a Grandmaster artificer. Now, Lu Zheng did not even qualify to see its inside.

Luckily, today was the Blacksteel Decennial Refinement Competition. Anybody above the Sky realm could enter the Sky realm.

Lu Zheng's spirit carriage zoomed swiftly through the open air. The journey that would have taken many days was completed in mere moments as they appeared before the gates of the inner city.

"Please come down" One of the guards motioned to Lu Zheng's spirit carriage.

"Hmm" Lu Zheng nodded as he controlled the spirit carriage. When they got down, the guard used his Sea of Consciousness to search the two people.

"Hmm?" The guard was stunned as he stared at Lu Zheng. When he used his Sea of Consciousness, it was like Lu Zheng wasn't even there and his appearance was merely a phantom.

The guard was at the Void Passage realm and was extremely keen to life aura fluctuations. Not even an Original realm expert could escape his perception but Lu Zheng had just done that.

Lu Zheng smiled innocently like he did not know what had just happened. Under his will, a few hundred vital stones appeared in his hands.

"Here, payment for me and the lady" Lu Zheng said as he returned to his spirit carriage.

The guard that was stunned motionless struggled to collect the vital stones as Lu Zheng walked away.

Shaking his head, the guard thought: "Surely now, I have seen a ghost"

"You're using the spirit carriage again? Don't you plan to see the wondrous sights of the inner city?" Zuo Xiuzhen tugged at Lu Zheng's robe.

"Why should I? The sights of the inner city cannot even begin to compare to that of the central area. Besides, I came here for important business. Now that the central area is opened for only a single day, it would be wise to do what I want to do there as soon as possible" Lu Zheng explained as he controlled the spirit carriage.

Controlling the spirit carriage only required soul consciousness. Lu Zheng could easily do that and talk at the same time.

"I see" Zuo Xiuzhen nodded in understanding. The inner city was truly beautiful but the central area was bound to be even more beautiful. Also, who knew when the Blacksteel Decennial Refinement Competition would start?

The spirit carriage was exceptionally fast, only slower than Lu Zheng's Quick Steps by a small margin. Without any surprises, they made it into the central area.

"Wow!" Zuo Xiuzhen gasped in surprise as she gazed around the place. The central area was extremely different from the outer and inner cities.

The ground was made from yellow gold vajra, a rare painting path cultivation material. Each building was many metres small and even the small shops in the trade hubs were like mansions.

The ambient Qi in the place was extremely calm and Zuo Xiuzhen felt at ease in the place.

Lu Zheng took a deep breath and stored the spirit carriage in his spatial ring: "Let's go"