The glow of the teleportation array slowly faded, and the blurred streaks of light around her condensed into solid scenery.
In just a breath, Xie Zhaolin was standing inside a massive city.
Above the towering city gates hung an enormous plaque. Three ancient characters carved with spiritual pressure gleamed faintly—Tianxing City.
This was the largest gathering place for cultivators within a million miles, a hub of trade and the quickest source of news.
She drew in a deep breath. The spiritual energy here was even denser than the inner sect region of Qingxi Sect, yet her heart stayed calm.
This trip wasn't just because of Elder Chou. Even without that woman, it was about time she left the sect anyway. She had to start preparing for condensing her Golden Core. Her cultivation had already reached the peak of the Foundation Establishment late stage, just a step away from perfection. The next step was to strike at the path of the Golden Core.
The resources Qingxi Sect could offer inner sect disciples were limited, and her dantian and cultivation methods were too unique. To break through, she needed chances only the outside world could offer. Her first destination was already decided—the Endless Beast Plains, tens of thousands of miles northwest of Tianyan Giant City.
That place was a land of rampant beasts and countless deadly zones. But it was also home to rare spiritual herbs and precious minerals that couldn't be found anywhere else. It was dangerous enough that even Golden Core and Nascent Soul cultivators risked their lives for the chance of fortune.
But before heading there, she had to come to Tianxing City.
The Beast Plains were far too dangerous. Even with her past life's experience, she had to be fully prepared. And Tianxing City was the place that could provide her with the intel and resources she needed.
And second—she had to sell off her loot.
She found a quiet inn, checked into a room, and activated the protective formation before taking out her spoils from the Fusang Secret Realm.
There were treasures she'd stripped from sect disciples and demon cultivators alike. Some items were exquisite, but others carried obvious sect markings or personal cultivation imprints.
Keeping such things was courting trouble. Better to trade them for spirit stones or supplies she actually needed. She separated the suspicious items into a storage pouch. But just as she set the last marked artifact aside, a violent crash of spiritual power erupted downstairs, followed by angry shouts.
"Zhao Qian! You dare trick me? Hand over that Blood Essence Ganoderma!" A rough voice roared, shaking the wooden floorboards.
"Bullshit! Sun Lie! I found that spirit herb first. We even settled the price, then you barged in and tried to force me. And now you're blaming me?!" a shrill voice shot back without backing down.
The clash of artifacts, explosions of spells, and jeering voices of bystanders quickly followed.
Xie Zhaolin frowned but didn't move.
In a massive city like Tianxing, full of mixed cultivators, fights broke out in markets, inns, and even in the streets. Most were over resources or grudges. Unless it involved them directly, few cared to meddle. She even heard voices in the corridor as other guests opened windows to comment with interest.
"Hey, it's those two again. Isn't this their third fight this month?"
"Yeah, all for a three-hundred-year-old Blood Essence Ganoderma. They've brawled from the south side of the city to the north."
"Tsk, tsk, that racket's no joke this time. The shopkeeper's gonna cry over the damage to his formation."
She was ready to ignore it and go back to sorting her things when—
BOOM!
A blazing crimson firebolt suddenly broke free of the fight. Whether by accident or intent, it smashed straight into her door. The protective barrier—supposedly strong enough to block a full-powered strike from a late Foundation Establishment cultivator—was torn apart instantly.
The surge of heat and shattered formation light came crashing in.
If not for Xie Zhaolin's Primordial Soul constantly keeping watch, and her instinctive sidestep the moment danger struck, the stray blast would've caught her outright.
Even so, the shockwave tossed several of her materials across the floor, and the table in the room cracked apart.
The entire corridor fell into dead silence. Even the fight downstairs paused strangely for a moment.
Every gaze turned toward the door, now blasted open with a smoking, blackened hole. Inside, a young woman slowly rose to her feet, her face dark enough to drip water. She lifted her head, her cold eyes sweeping across the stunned onlookers before locking onto the two middle-aged cultivators downstairs. They'd also frozen mid-battle, their expressions shifting uneasily.
She stepped to the broken doorway. Her voice wasn't loud, but it cut through all the noise, calm yet dangerous.
"Who did it?"
Zhao Qian and Sun Lie exchanged a glance, then both smirked instead of showing guilt. Their eyes gleamed with mockery.
Sun Lie snorted and crossed his arms, looking her up and down. "Oh? Where'd this little lady pop up from? Got quite the temper, huh? Relax. Just now I was sparring with Brother Zhao, lost a bit of control, and accidentally hit your door."
He dragged out the word accident with a mocking lilt.
Zhao Qian followed with a fake smile, his gaze running openly over her.
"Brother Sun, you're wrong. A cultivator with such strength won't fail to understand. In Tianxing City, there are at least a hundred fights a day. Collisions happen all the time. Since the fairy's been startled, why not come down for a chat? We'll serve the best tea and apologize properly. How about it?"
Around them, laughter rose. Some snickered darkly, others shouted, "Zhao Daoyou, Sun Daoyou, you two aren't just after her cause she's alone, are you? Using the same tricks again?"
A flash of icy light crossed Xie Zhaolin's eyes. She wasn't fooled. This was their routine. Use the excuse of an "accident" to provoke. If she backed off or argued, they'd press harder and twist the story. If she lashed out in anger, even better. Both of them were late-stage Foundation Establishment. Confident in their strength, they'd use it as a chance to beat her down, extort compensation, or even snoop into her belongings.
No doubt, they'd been eyeing her since the moment she entered the city.
"Shameless bastards."
Xie Zhaolin hated nothing more than being treated like some soft persimmon to squeeze at will. Since they'd shoved their faces into her path, she didn't mind slapping them back.
"Apologize?" Her lips curved into a cold smile. Her voice wasn't loud, but it rang sharper than the jeers around her. "No need."
Her figure blurred. The onlookers saw only a flicker.
The next heartbeat, she was already in the hall, standing just a few steps away from Zhao Qian and Sun Lie.
"Since you can't control your own power," her voice was soft but icy, "I'll control it for you."
Without giving them a chance to respond, she raised her hand, her fingers like a sword. Spiritual power burst from her fingertip, shooting straight for Sun Lie's face!