Immortality and Cultivation: This old man seeks enlightenment through mere survival.

Wasteland City is located in the southwestern border region of the northern airspace.

This is a city purely for cultivators.

It was named after the vast, desolate marshes stretching for hundreds of thousands of miles behind it.

Within the vast, desolate marshes, several third-order spiritual veins stretch for thousands of miles, crisscrossing each other.

It brings an incredibly rich spiritual energy from heaven and earth.

Its unique geographical advantages have given rise to countless precious resources and spiritual objects for cultivating immortality.

For example, high-level rare flowers and herbs, secret ores and fine stones, etc.

Of course, opportunity and danger go hand in hand.

Besides the abundance of spiritual creatures, the desolate marshland is also filled with various poisonous mists and miasma, as well as high-level demonic beasts that have become even more powerful and ferocious due to the nourishment of spiritual energy!

It is said that ten thousand years ago, there was no Huangze City.

Countless cultivators were drawn to the spiritual creatures within the desolate marshes stretching for tens of thousands of miles, seeking their own opportunities.

To facilitate exploration, rest, and trade, the original group of monks built this city.

Later, news of cultivators obtaining rare and precious materials and breaking through their cultivation levels spread from here.

This city has also attracted more and more cultivators from all directions who are eager for opportunities.

As a result, Huangze City became increasingly prosperous...

On this day, the sky was clear and the weather was fine.

East gate of Huangze City.

Outside the majestic and ancient city walls, a large number of cultivators, some on foot, some riding magical artifacts, and some on spirit pets, formed a bustling crowd at the East Gate.

"Wow, this is the Wasteland City! It looks majestic and vast from afar, but it's even more spectacular up close!"

"Yes, it's so magnificent! Look at the stone bricks piled up on the city wall, every single one looks like it's made of black stone!"

"Wow, Blackwater Stone is hard enough to be used to forge a first-grade high-quality magic weapon, but it's being used to build a wall, how extravagant!"

Among the group of cultivators, there was a small group of five.

Three men and two women: a young female cultivator, a middle-aged beautiful woman, a young male cultivator, and two old men.

Two of the young men seemed to be visiting the Wasteland City for the first time, and they were both awestruck by its majestic and magnificent scenery.

Just then, an untimely sarcasm suddenly came from the side.

"Hmph, where did these young punks come from again? Look at you, so unsophisticated."

The city of Huangze is backed by a swamp, where countless powerful monsters lurk, posing a constant threat of a beast tide that could attack the city at any moment.

The city walls must, of course, be built to be as solid as a rock!

This is only the eastern part of the city wall.

The western wall, directly facing the water, is even more fortified, entirely constructed of second-tier basalt!

The speaker was a short, unremarkable old man in front of them, but his cultivation had reached the ninth level of Qi Refining!

"Hmph, what's with the attitude? Just because it's their first time here doesn't mean I can't be amazed!"

Faced with the ridicule, the young female cultivator in the group muttered in dissatisfaction.

However, the middle-aged woman next to the female cultivator's expression changed slightly, and she quickly stepped forward and pulled the female cultivator behind her.

"Senior, it was my fault for not disciplining them properly. The disciples of my clan spoke without thinking. Please forgive me..."

The short, stocky old man, however, was unmoved and turned back, saying in a sinister tone:

"Hehe, it's good that you can't discipline yourselves properly, Huangze City will discipline you for you."

A mere Qi Refining Level 3 cultivator is only fit to be a menial servant in the city.

Do you really think this place is a blessed land full of opportunities?

It is true that the ignorant are fearless.

Little girl, I hope you can live a few more days...

If you can't hold on, you can come and find me to be your maid. I'll discipline you properly..."

The short, stocky old man emphasized the word "good, good," looked the young female cultivator up and down, then gave a sinister smile and entered the city without looking back.

Once his figure completely disappeared...

Only then did a nearby cultivator speak up to remind them:

"You lot, your cultivation isn't high enough yet you brought your juniors to Desolate Swamp City. Now you've offended the Puppet Demon Old Monster, you're doomed..."

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged beauty's charming face darkened, and she quickly inquired:

"Fellow Daoist, do you know that old man from earlier? Please tell me about him."

The cultivator waved his hand and said:

"It's alright to tell you, anyway, this old monster has a bit of a reputation in the city, but it's the negative kind..."

The Puppet Demon Old Monster has been stuck at the ninth level of Qi Refining for more than ten years, unable to break through. As a result, he is tyrannical, cruel, and unpredictable.

His greatest hobby was skinning beautiful women alive to make puppets.

Those who were targeted by him never had a good ending.

You should go back to where you came from and leave now!

As soon as she finished speaking, the young female cultivator's face stiffened, and she couldn't help but shudder.

"What?! Aunt Hong, I didn't provoke him at all, he's the one who insisted on interrupting..."

The young female nun muttered something indignantly.

"That's right, Junior Sister Yan'er is right. He was the one who mocked us first."

"Junior Sister Yan'er, don't be afraid. Come with us when you enter the city. Elder Mo will protect you!"

The young male cultivator standing nearby also sided with his own people and spoke up to comfort Yan'er.

"Old Mo? Then what do you think..."

Upon hearing this, Aunt Hong looked at an old man in the line with a questioning and pleading look in her eyes.

Clearly, this old man is the one leading and making decisions in the team.

The old man had a weathered face and thinning hair, but his aura was also at the ninth level of Qi Refining, only not yet at perfection.

He lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then sighed:

"Sigh... Sure, as a small sect, we should stick together for warmth."

This journey has been difficult enough; we must be even more united in this city.

Upon hearing this, Aunt Hong's eyes lit up with joy, and she breathed a sigh of relief, quickly pulling Yan'er to thank her.

Old Mo and that puppet demon old monster were both at the ninth level of Qi Refining.

Although it's not perfect, it can at least protect them to some extent.

Aunt Hong was thankful that she had met Old Mo on the way; otherwise, she probably would have had to turn back home by now.

At this moment, however, Old Mo turned his gaze to the last person in the group—another old man who had never spoken.

"Old Lu, what about you? Are you coming with us too?"

"When we go exploring the marshes, it'll be better to have more people so we can help each other out..."

The old man, known as Lao Lu, was dressed in an inconspicuous gray robe. He had silver hair and white eyebrows, and his face was weathered and resolute. At this moment, he was examining the city wall while holding his chin with one hand.

To be precise, they were examining the dense array of patterns engraved on the city wall.

He was suddenly stopped, tilted his head and thought for a moment, then slowly shook his head and said:

"No need, let's part ways here. I need to go into the city to cultivate for a while, so I probably won't be going to explore the water for the time being."

"This... Lao Lu, have you thought this through?"

"That old puppet demon saw you with us. If you were alone and he ran into you..." Old Mo said hesitantly.

The middle-aged woman beside him also looked at Lao Lu and couldn't help but advise him:

"Yes, Lao Lu, this matter started because of us, and I'm truly sorry to have implicated you."

Why don't you come with us? There's strength in numbers.

"If we cultivate for a few more years in the Desolate Swamp City and make some breakthroughs, then we won't be afraid of that old puppet monster."

Old Lu shook his head again.

"There's really no need. Cultivation is a personal matter, and I'm more used to being alone. Thank you for your kindness."