Chapter 35: Departure

At dawn, a red sun slowly rose along the horizon.

Qingzhu Mountain was unusually quiet, with most of the non-secluded clan members still asleep.

Lin Tianming, sitting on his Purple-Gold Eagle, appeared outside the protective clan formation. The surroundings were silent, with not a soul in sight.

It was still early, half an hour before the agreed time, so Lin Tianming sat on a nearby blue stone to wait.

Before long, a sound of something piercing through the air approached, causing ripples in the clan formation. A white light descended, revealing Lin Shilu, who had just arrived.

Lin Tianming immediately stepped forward to pay his respects.

Lin Shilu nodded and threw out a cauldron, the Four-Symbol Cauldron Lin Tianming had asked him to repair.

The cauldron, after several days of repair by Lin Shilu, was now restored to its former glory as a second-grade low-level artifact. Its surface, once marred with tiny cracks, was now smooth and radiant, glowing a rich crimson.

Overjoyed, Lin Tianming thanked him earnestly, "Thank you, Fifteenth Uncle, for your help. I am deeply grateful. I will repay your efforts once I hopefully become a second-grade alchemist."

"Alright, no need for such formalities within the family. It's time to set off; the journey is long," Lin Shilu said.

Lin Tianming agreed happily and suggested, "My Purple-Gold Eagle flies quite fast. We can save a lot of time and energy. However, when we reach Qianchuan Market, I'll have to leave it outside unless I have a spirit beast pouch."

Lin Shilu, hearing this, took out a dark green spirit beast pouch and handed it to Lin Tianming.

As a second-grade alchemist, spirit beast pouches were not too rare for Lin Shilu. He had an extra one and decided to give it to Lin Tianming.

Lin Tianming received it with great joy. With this, he wouldn't have to leave his Purple-Gold Eagle outside the market, avoiding the risk of it being captured by others.

Lin Shilu took out a beast-skin map, confirming their direction and route with Lin Tianming.

"This journey to Qianchuan Market is of great importance. We must avoid detection by other cultivation families to prevent potential ambushes or sabotage. Therefore, we need to disguise ourselves and avoid major family territories," Lin Shilu instructed.

After agreeing on a route that would bypass Luoyun Market and the Jin family's territory, they donned black hats, which were first-grade medium-level artifacts that could alter their appearance, change their voice, and conceal their aura. Even a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator would have difficulty recognizing them, though a Core Formation expert would see through the disguise.

Lin Shilu transformed into an elderly man with a wrinkled face and white hair, while Lin Tianming became a bearded, rough-looking middle-aged man.

Both mounted the Purple-Gold Eagle and flew several thousand feet into the air, heading north.

Lin Shilu seemed to be resting with his eyes closed, but he had actually extended his spiritual sense to monitor the area within a few dozen miles.

Encountering some Qi Refining cultivators, they released a faint aura of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, which scared the Qi Refining cultivators away.

Traveling by day and resting by night, their journey was relatively smooth.

Twenty days passed quickly. Lin Tianming and Lin Shilu avoided major mountain ranges and territories with Foundation Establishment cultivators. They encountered a few Foundation Establishment cultivators along the way but managed to evade them, avoiding unnecessary trouble.

"Fifteenth Uncle, is that the Fenglin Mountain Range ahead?" Lin Tianming asked, holding a map and comparing the terrain.

"Yes, the vast expanse of red forest stretching for miles is indeed the Fenglin Mountain Range. We are close to Qianchuan Market now, just about five hundred miles away. It's getting late, so we should rest here and continue tomorrow," Lin Shilu responded.

"Yes, Uncle," Lin Tianming replied, instructing the Purple-Gold Eagle to descend into a valley. The valley was covered with red leaves, painting a picturesque scene.

Lin Tianming used a spirit sword to quickly carve out a simple cave from the mountainside, then cast a couple of illusion spells to conceal the entrance. The two of them entered the cave to rest.

The next morning, they set off again, heading towards Qianchuan Market.

After half a day of nonstop travel, they finally reached the outskirts of Qianchuan Market. Landing on a small hill a few dozen miles from the city gates, Lin Tianming stored the Purple-Gold Eagle in the spirit beast pouch. The two then used their flying swords to approach the market.

From a few miles away, they could see a massive city on the horizon. The city walls were a hundred feet high and silver-white in color, covering an area of at least several dozen miles, with a mountain peak thousands of feet high as its backdrop.

A golden light enveloped the city, indicating a formidable protective formation.

Lin Shilu remained calm, while Lin Tianming was amazed by the sight. It was his first time seeing such a large city, and the sheer size of the walls left him in awe.

"The protective formation must be at least a fourth-grade formation, capable of withstanding attacks from Core Formation cultivators. This is far beyond Luoyun Market," Lin Tianming thought, deeply impressed.

Lin Shilu, having been here a few times, was not as surprised. He reminded Lin Tianming, "Let's go and enter the city quickly."

"Yes, Uncle," Lin Tianming responded.

Within half an hour, they were near the city gates, joining a queue of dozens of people waiting to enter. Most were Qi Refining cultivators, with several in the late stages, and even more than ten Foundation Establishment cultivators. Lin Tianming and Lin Shilu discreetly joined the queue, preparing to enter the city.