"The city magistrate has commissioned us to assist Commander Zhao," came a soft male voice from within the city gate, followed by the emergence of a scholar in a white robe and a Buddhist monk dressed in a green saffron robe. The scholar speaking was in his mid-forties. Commander Zhao treated the two cultivators with great respect, smiling warmly and promptly expressing his gratitude. One of them produced a mirror, the other a bronze bowl, then began reciting incantations while forming hand seals, simultaneously throwing their respective implements into the air. Instantly, the two objects spun gracefully in the sky. A cascade of azure mist surged from the mirror, enveloping the lead turtle carriage ahead, while a shimmering yellow light erupted from the bowl, sweeping over several nearby wolf knight riders. Within moments, the azure mist and yellow light separated and moved on, targeting other vehicles in succession. As the two cultivators moved from carriage to carriage, the alternating flashes of mist and light ensured that no single one went unexamined. In the span of a moment, all thirty-some vehicles and over two hundred people had been passed through two shimmering light halos, with no issues detected. "Very well, you may enter. By the way, I'd like to inform you that Lady Fang has reserved the largest inn in the western part of the city, like Yun Pavilion. Once you've delivered your goods, you can simply head there to meet up," said Zhao, his expression easing slightly, and without further hesitation, he raised his hand to allow passage. The scarred man was momentarily stunned, but soon bowed both hands and led the convoy into the city gates. Only upon entering the city gates did it become clear that the city's size far exceeded what Han Li had originally anticipated. Stretching out before him, countless buildings rose without end, making it impossible to see the horizon. Yet, the city had evidently been planned from the outset—though the buildings varied in style and construction materials, ranging from stone to wood—each was neatly arranged, with wide, cobblestone streets several zhang wide laid out in orderly fashion. At this moment, the city is bustling with activity, streets crowded with people, pressing tightly against one another. Han Li was momentarily stunned by the scene, but soon noticed that most of the pedestrians carried weapons such as swords and spears, their faces serious and composed. The blue-robed young woman in the carriage sighed softly and murmured, "It seems the beast surge is real—otherwise, why would all the people who originally lived in the villages outside the city have rushed into the city? Now, the pressure on Anyuan City must be even greater." Upon hearing this, Han Li finally understood. With so many people, the convoy's progress would naturally be hindered. Fortunately, Zhao, the commander, had anticipated this very situation and had already dispatched several soldiers to clear a path ahead, pushing aside the crowds and opening a clear route for the convoy. Even so, the turtle carriage moved only moderately swiftly, and it wasn't until after half a hour of travel that it finally crossed over ten long streets, reached a sparsely populated lane, and came to a halt in front of a multi-story archway. Behind this archway stood several warehouse-like buildings, each guarded with strict vigilance, and throughout the area, sentries armed with various weapons were on duty. Down below, things were much simpler: the staff of Tian Dong Trading Company handed over their goods to the warehouse officials responsible for inspection. After receiving the official documents, Zhang Kui exhaled in relief and led the group directly toward the western part of the city, as instructed by Zhao, the commander. Naturally, Han Li, now fully recovered and able to move about, was also among them. However, halfway through the journey, he suddenly requested to take a stroll around the city before rejoining the group at Yun Yun Inn and the other members of Tian Dong Trading Company. Zhang Kui frowned slightly upon hearing Han Li's words, paused to think briefly, then agreed, though he added a few remarks: "Han brother, you haven't yet met the lady, so you haven't formally joined the merchant house. I therefore won't be overly formal with you. But I'm sure you've noticed that the city of Anyuan is now bustling with activity and somewhat unsettled. Besides, it's merely a quiet, out-of-the-way town—there's probably little to see here. If you have any matters to attend to, you'd better finish them and head back to the inn as soon as possible." "The blood oaths have already been sealed—how could Zhang Si be concerned about this matter? Yet this young friend, Han, truly seems to come from a distinguished background; it's hard to fully grasp his origins." Zhang Kui regained his composure, only to smile wistfully. "Such an impressive physical cultivation at such a young age—naturally, he cannot have come from an ordinary family. However, observing his mannerisms and conduct, he indeed does not quite resemble someone from our Tianyuan realm. This point, I believe, is truly accurate." Nan Qi Zi remarked with a smile. "Ah, yes—I’ve noticed that as well. But as long as he doesn’t establish ties with any of the other major powers within our Tianyuan realm, even if his origins are somewhat questionable, our Tian Dong trading house need not worry. With proper cultivation, this young man might just reach the fifth stage of the Golden Body Technique. In that case, he would undoubtedly become a significant asset to the lady." Zhang Kui’s expression grew serious. "The fifth stage of the Golden Body Technique? Master Zhang truly has such high expectations—such a level could stand a direct confrontation with our condensed-energy cultivators without being at a disadvantage." Nanqi Zi glanced at the scar-faced man with a half-smiling expression. "I had somewhat high hopes. Yet, this young man has already attained such a level of cultivation—how can we be certain he won't reach the fifth stage of the Golden Body Technique within a century? In terms of opportunity, he seems to have far greater potential than an ordinary body cultivator like myself. Otherwise, I wouldn't have signed the blood oath document with him so decisively back in Qingluo Desert." Zhang Kui chuckled in agreement. "That makes sense. Well, let's set aside this matter. Our brothers and I have been hired by Lady Fang to oversee your caravan. Now that the goods have safely arrived, we've fulfilled our obligations. It's time for us to depart." Nanqi Zi bowed slightly, speaking calmly and composedly about their departure. "Oh, the monastics—wouldn't you like to meet Lady Fang as well? Then, please, go on your way!" Zhang Kui didn't find it surprising. After a brief attempt to hold them a little longer, he offered his courteous farewell. As a result, those three cultivators from Gouli Mountain departed from the group and moved farther away. "Indeed a pity. If only our merchant house could have its own cultivators." One of the knights, upon seeing the several Daoists leave, suddenly expressed a sense of regret. "Our merchant house, though hailed as one of the top three merchant houses at the Tianyuan Realm level, actually earns only enough灵stones each year to cover the costs of hiring cultivators year-round. Even the lower-tier Qi Cultivators—whose strength is only comparable to that of our ordinary body-builders—offer little value when hired. The cost of hiring Foundation-stage cultivators is quite staggering, and we only manage to hire them occasionally during periods of major business ventures. As for cultivators at the Condensation stage and above—well, that's simply out of reach. A high-level cultivator merely needs to find some rare materials or craft a few artifacts or spiritual tools, and that alone surpasses what our merchant house can afford with its modest annual income. "Indeed, the mid-level cultivators we've painstakingly nurtured over the years eventually leave." The Han man sighed gently. "That's true. Among our body-cultivators, the outstanding ones, once they achieve cultivation, immediately head for distant, perilous regions, seeking out those rare herbs that can spontaneously generate spiritual roots. Aspiring to become cultivators is always appealing—once they do, they gain the ability to practice immortals' arts and enjoy vastly extended lifespans, which is simply irresistible. Over the years, countless body-cultivators have been lost to these pursuits. Yet, the number of those who continue to leave for overseas remains endless." The knight also expressed a sense of reflection. "Well, these matters aren't directly related to us ordinary people. Let's go back and see our wives now." Zhang Kui waved his hand, deciding to put the matter aside. The knight immediately fell silent. Thus, the group departed and soon blended into the bustling crowd of the street. At that moment, Han Li had already stepped onto a nearby street, lifting his head to gaze at the seven brilliant white suns hovering in the sky, sighing with a touch of frustration. Since stepping out of the Qing Luo Desert and entering the grasslands, he had immediately sensed an astonishing abundance of spiritual energy swirling all around him. Indeed, the concentration of spiritual energy in this realm was several times greater than that of the Human World—should he find an even more ideal place for cultivation, it might well reach ten to fifteen times stronger. Yet unfortunately, he had already lost his Yuan婴 stage, and the seal planted by the Ice Phoenix was still active, preventing him from absorbing even a single drop of that energy. This naturally left him somewhat helpless. As he walked along the street, he glanced at the pedestrians passing by and the various shops lining both sides. These shops were largely similar to those in the Human World, with nothing particularly remarkable. Suddenly, she paused, her eyes fixed on the storefront before her, hesitated briefly, and then stepped inside. She then took a moment to survey the goods displayed within. On all sides stood long tables made of sandalwood, gleaming with a cold sheen, displaying various weapons such as swords, spears, halberds, and axes—making it a specialty store for arms and armor. Though the interior was modest and only two attendants were on duty, the number of customers browsing the merchandise was surprisingly large. These customers, naturally, were ordinary people.