Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Cloudveil City

Cloudveil City was built at the foot of Misty Cloud Mountain, right where three rivers met. The sect had chosen the spot generations ago because it controlled the trade routes between the inner regions and the outer provinces. Every caravan heading toward the sect had to pass through here, and every merchant paid a fee for the privilege.

The outer walls weren’t towering like a fortress, but they were thick and etched with faint array lines for defense. At the main gate, two guard in silver-trimmed armor stood guard, their eyes sweeping every person who entered.

Li Feng looked up at the massive stone gate. At the top was the Azure Moon Sect’s crest: a sword standing upright through a crescent moon, with clouds curling around the blade. “So this whole place belongs to the sect?”, He asked casually as they walked through the gate. No one stopped them, being disciples of the Azure Moon Sect came with some privileges here.

Lin Yu nodded. “Yes. The city is directly controlled by the sect. The city lord is appointed by our sect, and all taxes and trade fees go straight into the sect treasury.” He gave a small smile. “That’s why Cloudveil is always so lively. If you’re looking for rare spirit herbs or ores, this is the place to find them.”

Inside, the streets stretched like a fan, paved with gray stone. Stalls lined both sides, banners fluttering overhead. Mortals in simple clothes hustled to sell grain, cloth, and tools, while cultivators walked in pairs or small groups, swords slung across their backs. The mix of voices, sharp bargaining from mortals, calm tones of cultivators, created a constant hum.

The air smelled of roasted meat from a street vendor and bitter herbs from an apothecary nearby. Li Feng’s eyes wandered curiously, looking at spirit stones gleaming in trays, talismans stacked neatly, and cages holding chirping spirit birds..

“Not bad,” he murmured. “Much livelier than the sect.”

Lin Yu chuckled. “Just wait until the tournament begins in a few days. It’ll be twice as crowded.”

Li Feng ask with some confusion. “What do you mean ?”

As they walked through the crowd, Lin Yu continued to explain in a low, steady voice, his tone almost like that of a senior guiding a junior.

“The tournament is not simply about rankings. It is an open stage before countless eyes. Elders from the sect will be present, naturally, but that is only the beginning.” He glanced at Li Feng meaningfully. “Representatives from local major clans, minor families, and even some factions from outside will come to observe. Some seek to assess potential threats for the future. Others…” He gave a small smile. “They seek investments.”

Li Feng raised a brow. “Investments?”

Lin Yu nodded. “Yes. A young cultivator with promise potential is like an uncut gem. Those with foresight will offer gifts or form ties early, hoping to share in their future glory. Some may try to recruit you as a guest elder for their family. Others will send precious resources or even offer spirit treasure.”

“Sounds generous,” Li Feng said lazily.

Lin Yu’s smile deepened faintly. “Nothing in this world is free. Every gift comes with strings attached. If you accept such favors, expect that one day they will call upon you to repay them, perhaps to aid them in a conflict, or to use your influence to benefit them.”

Li Feng hummed, clearly entertained. “And people still accept?”

“Of course,” Lin Yu said simply. “The benefits can be immense, and not everyone has the confidence to climb alone like Senior sister Yue.”

Then Lin Yu voice lowered slightly, with a teasing tone. “Even small cultivation families take this chance. They will come bearing treasures, sometimes even make…offers. A promising genius’s bloodline is worth gambling on. There have been cases where families propose marriage arrangements or…” He hesitated a bit, choosing his words carefully. “They might ask the genius to have a child with someone from their bloodline, in exchange for wealth and resources. They hope the child will inherit the talent of their father or mother.”

Li Feng’s eyes twinkled. “So, you’re saying they might offer their clan’s beauty? And I don’t have to take responsibility afterward?”

Lin Yu nodded his head subtly, and a hint of resignation in his tone. “Such occurrences are not uncommon in the cultivation world. Power and talent often give rise to desperate measures.”

He continued, voice calm. “But very few accept such offers. You should know, even the lowest-ranked cultivator is no longer a mortal so for them to produce a child isn’t easy. And doing so wastes precious time and drains their body essence, which could have been used to advance their cultivation further. So most geniuses would never agree to that unless they’ve already hit a dead end and believe their future is limited.”

Lin Yu’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Of course, those families aren’t fools either. They would never make such an offer to someone without real potential.”

Li Feng smirked inwardly. So this tournament is basically a market… but instead of goods, it’s people being bid on. Interesting.

He let out a low chuckle and said, “So it’s more like… an investment fair?”

Lin Yu blinked at the strange phrasing, then laughed softly. “That is one way to put it. If you stand out, you might attract an elder or a clan. Once that happens, your path will change completely.”

Li Feng’s tone stayed light. “Change completely, huh? Sounds like being chains… with extra steps.”

Lin Yu chuckled, not denying it. “That’s just how the cultivation world works. Sometimes, you can’t avoid those chains, unless your talent is strong enough to break or ignore them.”

Li Feng only smiled faintly, saying nothing. Behind him, Goldie loomed like a silent shadow in his hooded robe, making passersby glance twice and quickly look away.

“Come,” Lin Yu said, pointing toward a shop with red silk hanging from its doorway. “You cannot keep wearing that plain sect robe if you plan to walk around the city.”

They stepped into the clothing shop. Rows of robes in every color lined the walls, simple whites for mortal scholars, bright crimson for wealthy merchants, and elegant dark tones embroidered with beasts and clouds for cultivators.

The shopkeeper, an elderly man with a thin beard, smiled politely, until Goldie bent to fit through the door frame, his heavy steps making the floor creak. The man froze, staring at the hooded giant.

Li Feng smiled as if it were nothing unusual. “My bodyguard,” he said lightly. “Ignore him. Show me something good.”

A few minutes later, Li Feng stepped out from behind a screen wearing a dark blue robe with silver thread tracing cloud patterns along the sleeves. His hair was tied with a simple jade clasp.

He spread his arms slightly. “Well?”

Lin Yu’s eyes twitched and he try to smiled. “Junior Brother Li, you look… distinguished. Perhaps a little too distinguished.”

Li Feng turned once more, brushing imaginary dust from his sleeve. His grin widened. “Too distinguished, huh? I can’t help it if I look this good. Honestly, I admire my own look too.”

As Li Feng walked to the counter, the shopkeeper leaned closer, eyes glinting with a merchant’s instinct. “Esteemed Immortal,” he said smoothly, “if you’re buying for yourself… might I also show you something for the ladies?”

Li Feng looked up with curiosity. “Ladies?”

The shopkeeper cleared his throat politely, then reached under the counter and pulled out a neatly folded bundle of pale silk. “This,” he said, carefully unfolding it, “is a Snow Silkworm nightgown. Woven from spirit silkworm threads, it’s as light as air and cool to the touch, like jade. It’s very popular among noble ladies across the Dynasty.”

Li Feng’s gaze swept over it and lingered. The fabric was very thin, almost translucent when the light hit it just right. The embroidery was delicate, patterns of frost and plum blossoms curling across the hem. It wasn’t obscene by any means, but it seemingly graceful while seductive.

Li Feng held it up, feeling the cool fabric slide through his fingers. He couldn’t help but picture Yue Lan in it, the way the robe would cling just enough to her curves, how the soft silk might whisper against her skin when she moved.

He tapped his chin slowly, eyes narrowing with interest. Noble ladies wear this, huh? Maybe I should let Senior Sister wear something like this from time to time… He stopped the thought halfway, then a grin already tugging at his lips. He glanced at the shopkeeper and ask. “Do you do custom designs?”

The shop owner paused a bit and slowly reply “Yes, we do have a customize service according to the customer preference but it will be a bit more expensive … ”

“How much?” he asked casually.

The shopkeeper brightened. “For you, Esteemed Immortal, only five low-grade spirit stones.”

Li Feng didn’t even haggle. “Deal, then based on this, I want to make a few changes…” Li Feng began to explain what he wanted.

The shop owner couldn’t help but widen his eyes after listening to this shady immortal’s custom request. “This… this is too lewd—I mean, ingenious!”

Lin Yu, who noticed Li Feng and the shop owner quietly whispering near each other, couldn’t help but be curious and come over.

“Junior Brother Li, what are you doing?”

Li Feng shot him an innocent look. “Oh, this shop actually offers custom designs, so I told him some of my requirements.”

Lin Yu gave him a perplexed look. “You know how to design?”

“Of course! I can create many graceful and elegant designs!” Li Feng proudly declared.

Lin Yu couldn’t help but shake his head at this junior brother, who seemed to have his hand in everything. If only he knew that the robe design he was envisioning was completely different from what Li Feng had in mind…Li Feng was anything but pure.

After paying with a few spirit stones, they stepped back into the busy street. Goldie followed silently, the hood casting his wooden face in shadow. A few children stared, wide-eyed, before their mothers dragged them away.

As they walked, Li Feng’s gaze slid toward a medium size pill shop across the street. Through the open doors, he saw rows of jade bottles and small amount of customers walking around looking at those jade pills.

Li Feng’s curiosity piqued as he caught sight of the store’s name above in elegant characters: ’Wei Alchemy Hall.’

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep