Traveling through time to cultivate immortality: a life and death test

Liu Xing gazed at the city gate before him. It was nearly two hundred meters deep. Could the city walls be two hundred meters thick? He was once again struck by the grandeur of the building. No wonder it had stood so long on the demonic border for so many years. It truly was a city built on its strength. Passing through the gate, he saw a vast square, scattered with people. He glanced around and spotted a sign to the right of the gate. It contained a very simple map, sketched in just a few strokes, but it still gave a good idea of ​​the city's general size and zoning.

It turns out that Seaside City has four gates: east, west, south, and north. He was at the south gate. There were actually mortals in the city, housed in a small area in the northeast, roughly one-tenth of the city, but still able to accommodate tens of millions of people. The remaining area was occupied by monks, roughly divided into four major areas: east, west, south, and north. There were no more specific signage.

"Senior, do you need a guide? I am a local and can take you anywhere for only two spirit stones." Just as Liu Xing was pondering about what to do, a loud voice suddenly came from behind him.

Liu Xing turned around and saw a small, dark figure, at the third level of Qi Refining, looking at him expectantly. Unable to discern Liu Xing's level, the dark figure felt a suffocating spiritual pressure, believing he had encountered a senior in the Foundation Establishment stage. Liu Xing needed directions when someone presented themselves to him. Being cautious, he initially thought he was being targeted. But then he realized: in such a large city, unfamiliar cultivators often visit, and everyone needs guidance. This naturally led to an industry where low-level cultivators who lived in the city year-round earned their livings and exchanged them for cultivation resources. Liu Xing quickly understood the reasoning behind this, realizing it wasn't directed at him, and he let it go.

"First, tell me the general situation of the city. If it is accurate, I will hire you." Liu Xing wanted to test the black boy's knowledge before making a decision.

"Okay, I guarantee you'll be satisfied." The black boy answered confidently, and then began to introduce it with saliva flying.

The four districts of Seaside City are all large residential areas, boasting comprehensive amenities, like four cities within a city. One can easily find any area to meet their needs. Each district has its own distinct focus. The best cultivation caves are in the East District, boasting the most abundant spiritual energy and the highest number of excellent caves. Naturally, these caves are also the most expensive, primarily for those in the mid-to-late stage of Foundation Establishment and those at the advanced stage of Core Formation. For example, City Lord Han of Seaside City resides at the highest point in the East District, possessing a late Core Formation cultivation level. The other three districts also offer numerous cultivation caves, with rents more than half as cheap.

"How much is the rent?" Liu Xing planned to retreat here to build his foundation and live here for a while, so he asked about the rent.

"The price in Dongcheng District ranges from 100 to 300 spirit stones per year, and in the other three districts it ranges from 50 to 100 spirit stones per year." The black boy answered immediately, seeming to be very familiar with the price situation.

Hei Xiaozi then continued, explaining that each district had its own distinct focus. The West District, built on a volcanic crater, had been sealed off by a Jindan-level cultivator, creating numerous underground fire chambers to meet the alchemy and weapon-making needs of lower-level cultivators. Consequently, the West District attracted a large number of mid- and low-level cultivators. The South District, located near the demonic territory, attracted mercenary gangs engaged in sea-based demon hunting. It boasted numerous shops selling demonic beast materials, as well as arenas, black boxing gyms, casinos, taverns, and brothels. It was a place of extravagance and disarray, a place where money was spent and a relatively chaotic environment. Hei Xiaozi suggested that the South District might have an underground market, a good place to sell stolen goods, but his rank was too low to reach it. However, Liu Xing was secretly concerned, believing that things hard to find outside might be found in the underground market. The North District, located closer to the human cultivation area, was more complex, with many high-end trading markets monopolized by the major sects and chambers of commerce within the immortal cultivation world. Hei Xiaozi said that all the formal visitors to the market are concentrated here. A small auction for those below the Foundation Establishment Stage will be held in October every year, and a large auction for those at the Foundation Establishment Stage and above will be held every three years.

After listening to Hei Xiaozi's introduction, Liu Xing was quite satisfied, so he gave him two spirit stones and hired him to lead the way. Hei Xiaozi happily accepted the spirit stones. He hadn't received any orders for several days. It seemed that the competition in the road guide business was very fierce. Most of the road guides were concentrated in the North Gate, where there were many newcomers. He was too weak to get any business, so he could only try his luck at the South Gate. Liu Xing saw his joy and ordered: "Take me to the West City, first find a quiet cave, and then find a good earth fire alchemy room. If I am satisfied with the place, I will reward you with another spirit stone."

"Okay, senior, I will definitely satisfy you!" The black boy was even happier when he heard that there was a reward, and he was determined to do his best to provide good service.

"Old Liu, come here!" He immediately called over to the nearby coachman. Apparently, Old Liu was familiar with him, and since Liu Xing was easy to deal with, he was looking after his acquaintance. Naturally, Liu Xing wouldn't nitpick on such details. The city was too vast, making flying impossible and walking too slow, so the horse-drawn carriage business flourished. With a rental cost of just one spirit stone a day, many cultivators rented them.

The driver immediately drove the cart over. The one pulling the cart was a strong wildebeest that ran fast and steady. The coachmen in the coastal city basically used this kind of well-trained wildebeest to pull their carts.

Hei Xiaozi respectfully invited Liu Xing to get in first, then he climbed in, closed the door, and told the driver to head to the Yulan Bay Cave Residence area in the west city. Old Liu cracked his whip, and it struck the air with a snap, missing the wildebeest. However, the animal, as if receiving a command, began to gallop faster. The city's roads were paved with stone slabs, smooth and spacious, and the carriage ran remarkably smoothly. The carriage had windows on both sides for ventilation, providing shade from the sun and rain, keeping the air cool while allowing for a view of the surrounding scenery.

Hei Xiaozi kept explaining the architectural features and facilities along the way, observing Liu Xing's expression. Seeing Liu Xing's particular interest in bookstores and trading shops, he focused on these two areas, sharing many undercover stories. Liu Xing meticulously memorized details like which shops were cheating customers, which were reputable, and which were the most influential.

The seaside city is really big. Hei Xiaozi has tried his best to choose the shortcut with fewer people, but it still took half a day to get from the south gate to the Yulan Bay Cave District in the west city district. Liu Xing was very patient and listened carefully to Hei Xiaozi's introduction. He also asked a lot of questions about the local customs and practices. After all, when you come to a strange area, you have to adapt to the local customs to avoid violating any taboos. Hei Xiaozi also told you everything he knew. When it comes to the safety of the city, there is a law enforcement team patrolling. The law enforcement team is under the command of City Lord Han. It is a top-notch force in the city and no one dares to offend the law enforcement team. City Lord Han is also in the late Jindan stage. His magic power is unparalleled and he rarely has rivals in the same level. Once, a Jindan stage cultivator made trouble in the city and was killed on the spot by City Lord Han. From then on, no cultivator dared to make trouble in the city. Time passed quickly and they arrived at Yulan Bay before they could talk.