White cloud city

Two months flew by in a peaceful blur for Chen Yang in the quaint village. He'd found a simple yet fulfilling life.

Each morning, he would gather the rambunctious village children for martial arts lessons, patiently guiding them through stances and techniques. Of course, half the battle was getting the little rascals to pay attention amidst vigorous games of "pull Chen Yang's hair" and "poke Chen Yang's belly." 

As dusk fell, Chen Yang would grill up slabs of fresh beast meat over an open fire, regaling the wide-eyed youths with fanciful tales of his "legendary" hunting exploits. All the while, he kept an ear to the ground, catching wind of delicious local secrets to feed his merciless Exposure System.

Not one to slack off, Chen Yang also took the naive Xu sisters under his cultivation wing.He bestowed them high-tier techniques  ,he had deciphered from that cracked alchemy furnace.

Which wasfar beyond their village's meager resources. The awestruck girls showed such rapid progress that Chen Yang began to suspect some budding martial talent.

To help them further, he ventured into the Balance Mountains on solo expeditions, hunting fearsome beasts and finding valuable herbs. 

These weren't leisurely strolls through meadows. The mountains were home to territorial creatures, and Chen Yang had a particularly harrowing encounter on one such trip.

As he stalked a rare Snow Ginseng nestled precariously on a rocky cliff face, a deafening roar shattered the mountain's serenity.

A monstrous Stonefur Bear, easily a tier-one furious beast, lumbered out of a nearby cave, its crimson eyes fixated on Chen Yang. 

These hulking bears were renowned for their immense strength and thick, rocky hides that shrugged off most attacks.

Chen Yang's heart hammered in his chest, but months of honed instincts took over. He couldn't outrun the bear, and a frontal assault would be suicidal.

  Dodging behind a massive boulder, he formulated a plan.  The ginseng would have to wait.

The bear, enraged at the interruption, slammed its massive paw against the boulder, sending tremors through the mountainside. 

Chen Yang, using his agility honed from months of martial arts, scrambled up the treacherous cliff face, the bear's frustrated roars echoing behind him.

Reaching a narrow ledge overlooking the ginseng, Chen Yang formed the long fire sword using his fire control skill.

The bear, realizing its prey was escaping, attempted to follow, but its bulk prevented it from navigating the narrow ledge.  Chen Yang, perched precariously above the beast, saw his opportunity.

Focusing his Qi, he unleashed a powerful energy blast from his fiery sword, striking the bear squarely on the snout.

The beast roared in pain, momentarily stunned.  Seizing his chance, Chen Yang launched himself from the ledge, landing nimbly behind the bear.

  In a flurry of movement, he danced around the enraged creature, his sword made of fire flashing as he targeted the bear's less-armored underbelly.

The battle raged for what felt like an eternity. Chen Yang, despite his agility, took several punishing blows from the bear's massive paws. 

Just as his strength began to wane, he saw an opening.  With a final surge of energy, he plunged his sword deep into the bear's vulnerable underbelly and made it explode .  The beast let out a deafening death cry before collapsing onto the rocky ground.

Panting heavily, Chen Yang surveyed the scene.  He was battered and bruised, but victorious.  After a moment to catch his breath, he carefully retrieved the valuable part of it's body and descended from the ledge, the hard-earned Snow Ginseng now within reach. 

This close call served as a stark reminder of the dangers that lurked within the Balance Mountains, but it also solidified Chen Yang's reputation as a formidable immortal amongst the villagers.

During this time, every martial artist in the village cultivation level increases by at least two sub-realms thanks to a pill .Refined from Xu Lin and Chen Yang alchemy experiment.

As for Chen Yang himself, he had rocketed from the third stage of Qi Condensation all the way to the third level of Foundation Establishment - an entire realm's difference! His alchemy prowess likewise escalated to the second tier of the mid-grades.

When quizzed about this meteoric progress, Chen Yang would just grin enigmatically and murmur something about "a fortunate encounter with the heavens' blessings."

In truth, that fateful day he had taught the Xu sisters the inheritance techniques, prompting his Exposure System to shower him with windfalls like:

"Venerable Ling Han's cultivation method has been leaked to Xu Lin and Xu Mei. Rewards: Cultivation talent increased by 186 (yellow level). Thirty-five years of cultivation . Twelve Life's Clone techniques [with 80% of main body's power, cultivatable by expending 9% of blood essence and earthly materials]. Earth's low-tier Thousand Bull Body Tempering Art [self-evolving]. One hundred black-grade winemaking recipes..."

And that was just for starters. For divulging other choice village secrets, the rewards kept on coming.

"Brother Chen, look! I finally refined my first mid-grade spirit pill!"

The beaming Xu Lin burst into Chen Yang's hut, proudly displaying a shimmering jade capsule between her delicate fingers.

Chen Yang's eyes crinkled with a proud smile as he ruffled her hair. "With talents like yours, you'll surpass even me in no time, little fairy!"

Xu Lin stuck out her tongue petulantly at the teasing pet name but blushed all the same at his praise. "So...does this mean you'll take me with you when you set out for the city? I can be a real asset with my pilling making!"

"Not just yet." Chen Yang patted her head affectionately. "Let me get a solid foothold established first. Then I'll come retrieve my most talented little alchemist, I promise."

With that, word quickly spread that Chen Yang would be departing for the nearby White Cloud City. The villagers insisted on throwing him an epic farewell banquet to shower him with gifts, stories, and well-wishes.

The raucous celebration raged long into the night, with ample food, frothy ale, and new secrets spilling from loose lips. Even staid Village Chief Liu became a veritable fountain of insight after a few mugs of rice wine.

Finally, the festivities wound down as rosy-cheeked revelers began stumbling off to slumber. Taking advantage of the din, Chen Yang made his move - slipping away at first light while the village still slumbered, avoiding any sappy goodbyes. 

Consulting the map from Chief Liu, Chen Yang set off on the well-worn road towards White Cloud City, judged to be only 130-150 km to the south. Three days' hard travel brought him finally in sight of the legendary town - its stalwart, mossy gray walls and watchtowers looming overhead like an ancient mountain range.

Even the road's signpost, carved with the words "White Cloud" in sinuous dragonscript, exuded a mystical, time-honored aura. Chen Yang's heart raced pondering the city's vaunted history and which secrets lay behind those formidable ramparts.

Slipping a handful of copper coins to the bemused gate guards, he stepped through the creaking portal and into a riotous other world.

White Cloud's main thoroughfare was a riot of sound and color - hawkers cheerfully hollering their wares, sweet and spicy aromas battling for supremacy, kaleidoscopic banners fluttering in the breeze.

"Cloaks of impervious demonic beast fur - water, fire, and blade-proof! A must for any traveling cultivator!"

"Get your magical armaments here! Azura swords, star-light hammers - low prices guaranteed!"

"Hi-grade restoration pills! One taste and you'll be hooked for an entire reincarnation cycle!"

Engulfed by the frenzied commerce, Chen Yang couldn't resist gawking about like a provincial bumpkin, barely avoiding collisions with stoic-faced passersby.But two thought prevailed - one, his decision to come here was the right call. And two, best get his bearings at this city's thriving heart before doing anything rash.

Cheng Yang meandered inward, watching as the bustling market stalls gave way to stately manors and well-appointed pavilions - markers of the city's elite power center. Everywhere he turned, expensively-garbed cultivators of lofty rank strode about on impenetrable air.

Finally, Chen Yang's gaze settled upon an ornate pagoda with a steady flow of arrivals and departures - the so-called Heaven's Pavilion by its signage. Squaring his shoulders, he marched straight towards the compound's yawning gates.

His new life was just beginning.