Chapter 10 - Reaching the City

The three travelers sat around their campfire, chowing down on a freshly roasted Mad Bull beast.

Things were way less confusing for Bai Lihua now that she knew Ye Meng and Xin Yang's backgrounds.

Ye Meng was a runaway from his clan after his parents died. No attachments, full freedom.

Xin Yang came from some ancient hidden tribe. He was out in the world exploring and getting stronger.

Watching the two guys happily stuff their faces, Bai Lihua didn't know what to make of her new companions. Her own cultivation level was pretty weak at just the third Qi Gathering stage, and she didn't even need to eat. But Xin Yang had insisted that appreciating food was a blessing not to be taken for granted.

After the hearty meal, Xin Yang stood up with a grin. "Alright, time to get moving. Ye Meng, finish up. Lihua, figured out your plans yet?"

Bai Lihua frowned, thinking hard. She had nowhere to go, and those creeps from the Spirit Jade Illusions Sect were chasing after her.

"Dunno," she said gloomily. "Got nowhere to go."

While sucking on a stuck piece of meat in his teeth, Xin Yang suggested casually, "Why not just come with us then?"

Biting her lip nervously, Bai Lihua asked, "You sure you want a Sect target tagging along? Those scumbags would chase you guys too..."

Xin Yang waved off her concerns with a laugh. So what if some sect jerks came running after them? He wasn't scared of those chumps. And Lihua's special talent might come in handy for his own goal, one that only he knew about.

"Don't sweat it, just come with."

Seeing Xin Yang's carefree reassurance, Bai Lihua's doubts faded away. Looked like sticking with these two wanderers was her best bet.

...

On their way to Red Gem City, Xin Yang came up with another idea.

"You should use that talent of yours to change your appearance, Lihua. Then those sect creeps won't even recognize ya."

Bai Lihua stared at Xin Yang with her mouth hanging open. How did she not think of that herself?!

She hastily changed her looks to a plain Jane mortal girl that wouldn't draw any attention. The threat of being hunted had finally been lifted thanks to Xin Yang. She showered him with gushing thanks, though he just shrugged it off casually.

With that problem solved, the trio continued their trek toward Red Gem City.

...

After walking for a few hours, the city gates came into view.

"And there's our destination," Xin Yang announced nonchalantly.

Having learned from their entry into Cloud City, the group strode into Red Gem City with their auras blazing bright. No sneaking around this time.

Like Cloud City, Red Gem City was a mortal town. Mortal cities were places where regular humans lived, guarded and governed by mortals. Sometimes powerful cultivator clans would settle down there to live like kings, with their patriarchs being Core Formation experts or even beyond.

Above mortal cities were cultivator-ruled cities. Sometimes they were subsidiaries of sects, aristocratic clans or imperial families. The closer to the capital you got, the more cultivator cities you'd come across.

...

The trio registered at an inn in the city, getting two rooms - one for Bai Lihua and one shared by Xin Yang and Ye Meng.

After settling in, Ye Meng and Bai Lihua focused on cultivation. Xin Yang sat on his bed, pondering his next move.

His one and only goal was growing stronger. Going solo meant fighting alone, but having companions meant fearing nothing, not even the King of Hell.

Xin Yang's mind was made up. He got up and knocked on Bai Lihua's door.

When she opened up, he told her, "Come to my room when you're done. Got something important to show ya." Then he left, leaving a puzzled Bai Lihua behind.

...

A few minutes later, Bai Lihua entered Xin Yang's room. Her arrival woke Ye Meng from his cultivation.

Xin Yang turned to them with a grave expression. "What I'm about to show you is my greatest secret. Swear you won't tell another soul, unless I say so."

Ye Meng didn't hesitate to swear the oath. After hundreds of oaths, what was one more?

Bai Lihua hesitated briefly before following suit. Since Xin Yang was her benefactor, she decided to swear the oath.

After confirming that both of them took the oath, Xin Yang revealed his greatest secret. With shocked gazes fixed upon him, he opened a crack in the void.

"Come inside," he beckoned, stepping through the rift.

Ye Meng rushed in first. Bai Lihua hesitated before cautiously entering the void crack. The rift then vanished behind her.

"This is the Void Realm. Time flows three times slower here and qi is five times purer. This isn't some special talent of mine. It's an ability granted to me by my tribe leader." Xin Yang showed them the tattoo on his right palm that triggered the ability.

Shock rooted Ye Meng and Bai Lihua in place. Their minds reeled as if explosions went off inside. They had never heard of such an ability.

Just how powerful was Xin Yang's tribe leader to create something like this?

Seeing their stunned looks, Xin Yang wasn't surprised. "Since Sister Bai is following us temporarily, I'd like to propose something..."

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, becoming solemn.

"I'm weak, far too weak. As a weakling, I strive to become stronger. Even with this Void Realm and leisure to cultivate without worries, would that make me truly strong? Those sect idiots stay holed up cultivating day after day. Would any of them emerge as real powerhouses? None have real battle experience. Their cultivation is all for show.

Chasing skirts, looking down on others, then dying miserably in the end.

I don't want to end up like them. I want to forge my own legacy, become a powerhouse renowned through the world. But I can't do it alone. I need you two. Help me grow stronger and you'll grow stronger too. It's a mutual cooperation. I'm no selfish jerk taking without giving back. So, will you help me or not?"

Xin Yang shifted through different poses and tones as he gave his most earnest speech since meeting them.

Snapping out of their stupor, Ye Meng agreed without hesitation. "Brother Xin, you know I'm with you no matter what."

Seeing Ye Meng's resolve, Xin Yang's face lit up with a bright smile. "And you, Sister Bai?"

Staying with Xin Yang and Ye Meng was better than continuing alone, Bai Lihua decided. She did want to join them earlier but feared rejection. Now that she had the chance, why let it slip by?

Smiling cheerfully, she replied, "Since you call me sister, how can I disappoint you?"

"Great!" Xin Yang cheered. Then his expression turned perplexed. "But we're still too few in number."

"Brother Xin, why do we need more people?" Bai Lihua asked in confusion.

"Because I have a grand plan to shake the world," Xin Yang revealed. "I wasn't certain it would succeed, but with you, Sister Bai, my confidence grew."

"What's this plan?" Ye Meng asked eagerly. As Xin Yang's sworn brother, how was he unaware of this plan?

"You both know we risk life and limb scavenging for treasures, techniques and herbs, right?" At their nods, Xin Yang continued, "But those sects, clans and gangs hoard greater treasures in their strongholds. Forgotten techniques that none now know how to cultivate. Stockpiles of herbs that could intoxicate phoenixes. Why slog hunting for great gains when we can 'borrow' from others?"

Another round of nods from Ye Meng. Still confused, Bai Lihua stared at Xin Yang in disbelief. "You mean to...steal from them?!"

"Yes, sneak inside, take what we need and slip away. With your talent, Sister Bai, we'd avoid detection easily. Just disguise as one of them, infiltrate their vaults, snag a little of their treasures and vanish."

Now enlightened, Ye Meng saw the brilliance of this scheme. 'How did no one think of this before?!'

"We'd need more hands since we can't do everything ourselves," Xin Yang explained. "Maybe they'd have formations or traps we can't deal with. Specialists could handle those. So we recruit powerful, useful people, bring them into the fold and once oathbound to us, we divulge the plan"

"Magnificent plan it is, but haste makes waste so let's cultivate for now"

"Yes, time to cultivate," Ye Meng proclaimed, settling into a cross-legged position. "I feel a breakthrough imminent."

Bai Lihua followed suit. "The abundant qi here aids cultivation greatly. It's perfect for advancing."

Xin Yang sat aside, studying the arcane Realm Creation technique.

...

Minutes later, Xin Yang shot to his feet in shock and elation.

After days of frustration, he finally grasped the technique! What he didn't realize was that even demonic geniuses could spend years comprehending but 1% of this technique. Yet he achieved 10% understanding in mere days.

His comprehension reached 10%. Only after prolonged study could he execute the technique, albeit with limitations.

This technique was wondrous, harnessing surrounding qi to sustain itself rather than personal qi.

With 10% understanding, Xin Yang perceived the technique's function: it created Realms, places where mighty cultivators left legacies for future generations.

Realms couldn't be created by cultivators and formed naturally. Powerful cultivators would claim them. Those lacking Realms used tombs instead.

Like Realms but less miraculous, tombs held a powerful cultivator's legacy.

Now Xin Yang could create Realms, unheard of ability. If ancient monsters got wind of this, they'd wring this talent from him.

With merely 10% skill, he could only create 2 small Realms the size of cities with few alterable laws.

If he mastered the technique, he could create a Realm as vast as a world.

Xin Yang stood and focused to utilize the technique. He forgot he was inside the Void Realm, a Realm within a Realm, violating natural laws beyond his power to change.

Oblivious, Xin Yang attempted the technique. Sensing collapse, the Void Realm merged with the new Realm formed.

Eyes threatening to pop from their sockets, Xin Yang, Ye Meng and Bai Lihua stared around them.

Wasn't this a dark void? How did it become so wondrous?!?!