Chapter 288: Chapter 189: Yin Yang Valley (Part 2)

“The Desolate Ancient City is located near the Yin Yang Valley. Taking the teleportation array can quickly get you there. Our Celestial Secret Pavilion headquarters is located in the Central State, and occasionally we also take the Illusionary God Sect’s grand teleportation array for travel. However, taking a teleportation array for short-range travel requires hundreds of top-grade spirit stones at a time. If you want to reach the Yin Yang Valley, which is 700,000 to 800,000 miles away, passing through a dozen city areas, it is estimated to cost thousands of top-grade spirit stones.” Shi Hongyao paused at this point, looking at Li Mu, the implication clear.

“For Golden Core Stage cultivators, unless they are an artifact refiner or an array master, or an alchemist, usually, all of their assets combined would barely amount to a few thousand top-grade spirit stones.”

“Thus, the cost of using a grand teleportation array is exceedingly high, generally considered unaffordable.”

Li Mu was unfazed and continued discussing with Shi Hongyao how to get to the Illusionary God Sect’s headquarters to take the teleportation array.

At that moment, a powerful divine thought swept across the entire Luotian City, and Li Mu was also swept over. Subsequently, a thunderous shout resounded.

“How daring!”

City Lord Liu Wuji of Luotian City flew out to confront three Venerable Divinity Transformation cultivators.

Soon after, several more figures gathered around the Lord of Luotian City, ready to face off against the three Divinity Transformation cultivators scanning the city.

“City Lord Liu, we mean no offense to Luotian City. We are only here to find a murderer, we hope for your understanding!” Venerable Celestial Sound quickly saluted and apologized to Liu Wuji.

“In your pursuit of the murderer, you mustn’t act recklessly!” Liu Wuji’s expression softened slightly, considering they were of the same tier, he engaged in some familiar conversation with them, showing an inclination to assist them in their search for the murderer.

…

The cultivators within Luotian City, who were in turmoil, anxiously looked upwards to see the three Divinity Transformation cultivators chatting amiably with the City Lord of Luotian City, without any brawls breaking out, and couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.

In the Celestial Secret Pavilion, within the Celestial Secret Chamber.

Li Mu’s expression turned solemn as Venerable Celestial Sound’s divine thought swept over him; he instantly recognized that it was three ’old acquaintances’ catching up!

Did the Spirit Taming Sect betray him?

This thought was the first to emerge in Li Mu’s mind but was immediately quashed. Venerable Lei Hong and the Purple Sky Thunder Beast weren’t the sort to do such things. There must have been some oversight revealing a clue.

“Fellow Daoist, the Illusionary God Sect is just to the east of Luotian City, a hundred miles away on Luoyun Mountain. You can head directly there.” Sensing that all was well outside, Shi Hongyao regained her composure and introduced to Li Mu.

“Alright! Thank you for your guidance, fellow Daoist.” Li Mu expressed his gratitude and left the Celestial Secret Pavilion.

The three Divinity Transformation cultivators pursuing Luotian City were of little concern to Li Mu.

The Tier Five Exquisite Mask and the Reversed Element Illusion Breath Technique at Perfection Level were more than enough to conceal his aura. Moreover, he had never actually encountered them face-to-face, so Li Mu wasn’t worried about being identified by them.

Li Mu took up residence in an inn in Luotian City named Heaven’s Blessing. At times, he sat and meditated in cultivation, at others he entered the Painting Realm Treasure Mansion, taking inventory of his spoils, refining spiritual artifacts, or crafting puppets… all while staying comfortably under the noses of the three Divinity Transformation cultivators, indifferent to the happenings of the outside world.

Time flew by, and half a month passed.

Venerable Huo Tian and Venerable Lin Hai couldn’t hold up any longer. With Liu Wuji’s assistance, Luotian City was nearly turned upside down, yet there was no trace of ’Sword Immortal Li’ to be found.

Suspecting they had pursued in the wrong direction, the three each chose a path and set off in different directions.

Li Mu continued ’turtling’ in the inn for another half month. Under the ’Star Concealment’ divine technique, once confirming that within a two-hundred-mile radius, there were no longer traces of the three Divinity Transformation cultivators, he then flew towards the Illusionary God Sect located on Luoyun Mountain.

As he approached Luoyun Mountain, Li Mu once again performed the Reversed Element Illusion Breath Technique, restoring his cultivation to the early stage of Nascent Soul, donned a black magic robe, and the Tier Five Spirit Fox Mask transformed his face into that of a seventy-year-old man.

Li Mu retracted his flying sword and controlled his flight towards the Illusionary God Sect on Luoyun Mountain.

Luoyun Mountain soared into the sky, with the Illusionary God Sect’s station established halfway up the mountain. Unlike typical religions that activate the sect protection array to forbid outsiders, it resembled a scenic area, with cultivators controlling their swords, coming and going in an endless stream.

Clad entirely in a black robe, with a sinister face, emitting the powerful spiritual pressure of a Nascent Soul True Monarch, Li Mu was evidently not someone to be trifled with. Cultivators passing by, whether Golden Core Stage or Foundation Establishment, avoided him, fearful of provoking him.

Soon, Li Mu landed at what resembled a plaza in the Illusionary God Sect’s station. In his view was a thousand-foot-tall mountain, shrouded in spiritual objects, with the plaza station’s front marked by a towering mountain gate.

Behind the mountain gate lay an obscuring array, leaving the scene beyond invisible. Taking precautions, Li Mu did not release his divine thought to pry.

On either side of the massive mountain gate stood eight Foundation Establishment cultivators. Ahead of them queued several lines of people, inquiring about their destinations or collecting teleportation fees.

Possessing Nascent Soul cultivation, Li Mu took a special passage, with only seven or eight Nascent Soul True Monarchs in line. It wasn’t long before it was his turn to enter.

“Lord True Monarch, may I know if you are entering the Illusionary God Sect to take the teleportation grand array or for other matters?” asked a disciple from the Illusionary God Sect, looking at Li Mu warmly.

“To take the teleportation array, I’m headed to the Desolate Ancient City!” Li Mu stated his destination.

“Understood, Senior, please wait a moment. I will have an array guide disciple attend to you.”

The disciple of the Illusionary God Sect respectfully made a gesture towards Li Mu, then took out a token to relay a message.

Soon, a Golden Core cultivator flew over, respectfully introducing himself to Li Mu: “Greetings, Senior, this junior is Yan Lingzi. Right now, the teleportation array to the Desolate Ancient City has only a few people. We’ll wait another three days before initiating it!”

“No problem, how many spirit stones are needed!” Li Mu asked with concern.

“Once the numbers are sufficient, it will be three thousand top-grade spirit stones. If the numbers are still not sufficient after three days, the cost will increase by 20%!” Yan Lingzi said apologetically.

“Alright! Reserve a spot for me,” Li Mu nodded, indicating.

“No problem, you’ll need to pay a deposit of one thousand top-grade spirit stones first.” Yan Lingzi suggested to Li Mu.

Upon hearing this, Li Mu didn’t hesitate; he straightforwardly took out one thousand top-grade spirit stones to cover the deposit.

Overjoyed, Yan Lingzi received the spirit stones, took out a cyan jade pendant, and handed it to Li Mu, saying respectfully: “Senior, this is the Passenger Order. If you’re not opposed, you may stay within our Illusionary God Sect for three days. When the teleportation array opens, I will inform you via the Passenger Order, and you can then promptly take the teleportation array.”

Li Mu didn’t refuse and accepted the jade pendant token, then followed him into the sect’s station of the Illusionary God Sect.

Under Yan Lingzi’s guidance, Li Mu resided in an elegantly ancient courtyard.

Li Mu casually set up a protective array, then sat cross-legged to cultivate, waiting for three days to depart from Luotian City.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

Following the guidance of the ’Passenger Order’, Li Mu arrived at a hundred-foot-wide green stone array field, with a central location marked by a circular teleportation array carved with complex array patterns and embedded with a hundred fist-sized top-grade spirit stones. The air was filled with Dao Principles, and an ancient vast aura flowed forth.

At this moment, on the teleportation grand array, stood more than a dozen cultivators, both male and female, young and old. Besides two Divinity Transformation cultivators, others were mostly of Nascent Soul and Golden Core cultivation. They wore high-tier magic robes, exuding remarkable aura, surely wealthy or noble.

Indeed, because the consumption of this teleportation grand array is not something a common loose cultivator can afford.

“Elder Zhang, you’ve arrived! Apologies, there aren’t enough people for this trip to the Desolate Ancient City, you’ll need to pay an additional 2800 top-grade spirit stones.” Yan Lingzi embarrassingly addressed Li Mu.

Li Mu nodded and straightforwardly paid the spirit stones from the Nine Treasures Spirit Pearl to him.

Yan Lingzi, delightedly, accepted the spirit stones and warmly led Li Mu into the array.

Li Mu curiously eyed the array patterns, seeing the teleportation grand array for the first time, unable to resist the urge to spy on the array’s workings.

Under the Innate Divine Power – Recognition of Ten Thousand Spirits, all information of the teleportation grand array unfolded in the character log box.

Just then, an unexpected change occurred.

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