"How is it possible? Does this place harbor a particularly potent realm of spiritual energy and cultivation? Heh, indeed, our city boasts several such cultivation sanctuaries—some even rivaling the main cities of the Three Emperors. Yet this is only one aspect. More importantly, our city not only provides a continuous supply of materials from the three realms and seven lands, but also serves as the sole entry and exit point for both human and spirit races entering and exiting the Wild Wilderness. Consequently, high-level beings traveling between the wilderness and the city must pass through here. As a result, countless rare materials are brought back from the wilderness—many cultivators sell these directly here, or exchange them for what they need. Even medicinal herbs that enable sudden advancements in cultivation are not uncommon in the market. However, their prices are so exorbitant that they leave us in awe and often unable to afford them." "Having said that, the elder paused momentarily before continuing, 'Another key reason why our city's cultivators are reluctant to leave is that every decade, each of our senior council members—those at the Consolidation stage—delivers a lecture on the principles of the cosmos and the Dao, and answers questions from the cultivators regarding their cultivation practices. These senior members are all at the Consolidation stage. How many outsiders have such an opportunity? Heh, therefore, few cultivators who join our city are willing to leave.' 'With so many advantages! Yet, our city maintains such a large number of high-level cultivators—what could be the special purpose behind this?' After hearing this, Han Li felt initially delighted, but then furrowed his brows. 'Our city not only hosts cultivators, but also maintains a substantial number of high-level immortal beasts who have been stationed here for years, occupying half of the city's territory. In addition, there are numerous beasts and physical cultivators. Of these lower-tier beings, half were trained and nurtured within our city, while the other half were transferred from the seven realms across the three provinces.' Plus the dozen or so cultivators at the Consolidation stage from the Presbytery, the city now possesses such formidable strength that it naturally targets the foreign peoples from beyond the wilderness and those true spiritual beings. The super-Immortal Array established by our ancestors is truly profound and intricate. Throughout history, whenever foreign clans have launched invasions upon our human and spirit-people realms, they have been able to enter only through this single city gate. If they hadn't stationed such a large force here, how could they have survived such assaults and not been utterly wiped out by these foreign powers? It's reportedly quite common that, should a full-scale war erupt with the outsiders, half of the city's two peoples would be wiped out entirely. "Half wiped out!" Hearing this, Han Li's expression grew serious. "There's no need for Han brother to be surprised or overly concerned. The intervals between foreign invasions typically last from over ten thousand years to as little as six or seven thousand years. Given such a long span, what grounds do you have for worry? Should you happen to be unlucky enough to face an invasion, you'll have to fight to the very end. Any defenders of Tianyuan City who attempt to flee mid-battle will be relentlessly pursued Since one wishes to enjoy the conveniences of the city and is willing to take a certain risk, it is naturally justified. However, the Tianyuan City has not been invaded by outsiders since three ten thousand years ago. For the past one or two thousand years, we need not worry about such matters at all." The elder with the Li surname smiled slightly. "Ah, so it is. Then, I must say, being brought to this Tianyuan City has turned out to be a blessing in disguise." Han Li stroked his chin, looking thoughtful. "Of course. The first-generation cultivators who achieved transcendence reached the Lingxu stage much earlier than our descendants or native cultivators of the Spirit Realm, and thus each such cultivator was highly valued by the Council of Elders, who would never easily let go of them. Moreover, in recent years, for some unknown reason, the number of cultivators reaching transcendence accepted by the Feilin Platform has been steadily decreasing. It is said that several elders have even dispatched their partial divine presences to descend to the lower realms in an attempt to investigate the cause. Yet, so far, they have not succeeded. As Brother Han comes from the lower realms, have you noticed any unusual occurrences "No, everything in the human realm remains as usual!" Hearing this, Han Li immediately recalled the ancient demon affairs, his heart briefly tightened, yet he maintained his composed demeanor and replied calmly. "That's a pity. If Brother Han could indeed provide any valuable information, he would surely receive a substantial reward. However, in recent years, we've gathered no new leads from the cultivators who have achieved transcendence. It's only recently that we've heard rumors suggesting the immortal race might have obtained some updates. Therefore, the Council members likely won't be asking Brother Han for further information anymore." The elder with a green face did not find anything amiss in Han Li's response; instead, he expressed a sense of regret. Upon hearing this, Han Li smiled slightly and then asked: "By the way, Brother Liu mentioned the Qingming Guard—could you clarify what exactly that refers to? Were those the fellow cultivators in green armor that I previously encountered?" "Exactly. These are the companions clad in Qingming battle armor. The Qingming Guard has already established itself as a mid-tier force within our Tianyuan City. To us, it's merely a minor officer's rank—someone like myself who can command ten Black Iron Guards." The Qingming Wardens must be cultivators at the Huashen stage, but not all Huashen cultivators necessarily serve as Qingming Wardens. This distinction, Brother Han, I believe you understand. Indeed, I do have some understanding of this. Some of my fellow cultivators at the Huashen stage may not be particularly skilled in conflict or may have other duties assigned to them. That’s precisely what I appreciate. As for the duties of our Tianyuan City guards, they are also divided into two categories. One type simply needs to fulfill their regular rotating duties at regular intervals, and then may manage their own affairs at other times. However, the amount of spiritual stones distributed to them each year is rather limited, making their finances quite strained—though the risks they face are generally low. The other type is assigned specific special tasks issued by the Elders. For each completed task, they receive not only spiritual stones, but also rare items such as pills or treasures. Naturally, these tasks come with significant risks, and most of them involve the wild frontier regions or foreign tribes. Something that demands careful thought. Yet once each task is completed, one can enjoy decades—sometimes even over a century—of uninterrupted service, free to focus on long-term cultivation. Of course, these two roles are not fixed and can be swapped at any time." The elder explained clearly to Han Li. "Thank you, Brother Liu." Han Li's face showed no visible change, though he spoke his thanks. The elder chuckled, waved his hand, and then chatted with Han Li for a while before finally rising to depart. After seeing the elder go and watching him fade into the distance, Han Li settled his smile and returned to his room, then entered the inner chamber to settle into a meditative posture. Gently closing his eyes, he seemed to have entered a state of deep concentration. On the other hand, after stepping out of the corridor, several cultivators at the stage of Transformation were already waiting there. As soon as the elder emerged, they immediately gathered around. "How about it, Brother Liu? Did you learn anything from him?" "Anything? This man is extremely reserved—besides confirming that he himself is indeed a cultivator who ascended from the lower realm, he has revealed nothing else. I did, however, answer a few of his questions." The elder shook his head, looking somewhat helpless. "Heh, Brother Liu came directly to us like this. As a newcomer to the spiritual realm, he naturally has some caution. Still, we truly had no ulterior motives—only a desire to get along with him. After all, cultivators who ascend usually possess strong potential for advancement..." Several cultivators at the stage of Perfected Divine Spirit exchanged remarks among themselves, as though genuinely having no ill will toward Han Li. Brother Liu, on the other hand, remained composed and silent. Han Li could not afford to be slow. He bowed both hands. This man was precisely the golden-armored cultivator with a pale face and no beard, though now he had changed into the attire of a scholar, his aura of solemnity having diminished by a third, and instead radiating a more refined, transcendent grace. "Master Han, there's no need for formality. I've just arrived as well. Li brother has other matters to attend to, so today it's only I who comes to see you. My true name is Zhao Wugui." The Zhao cultivator, now clearly more amiable than he had been the day before, spoke with a warmer tone. Han Li was slightly taken aback, but promptly addressed him as "Master Zhao," then invited him into the room and seated him together with himself, taking turns as host and guest. "With this half-day, I'm sure you've gained a fair understanding of what's going on in Tianyuan City. I've kept my remarks concise. As a cultivator who has ascended to the heavens and endured such prolonged trials through the two-color lightning calamities, I'd say your abilities must be quite strong. Therefore, I've already arranged for your official status as a Here is your identity token—hold onto it, and when the time comes, simply go to take over the 356th squad. The four individuals you saw in the Transmission Hall yesterday belong to this small squad." As Zhao Wugui just settled down with one foot, he flipped his palm and revealed a jade pendant glowing faintly green, then offered it. "At my first arrival, I'm still not very familiar with the system. Now being assigned to the Qingming Guard seems rather premature!" Han Li did not immediately reach out to take the jade pendant, but instead spoke with a touch of hesitation. "Hehe, Friend Han, there's no need to be so humble. Every cultivator who reaches the stage of ascending to the heavens is automatically assigned to the Qingming Guard upon arriving in the city, and most of them perform exceptionally well. As for the city's affairs, once you've settled in for a year or so, you'll soon become thoroughly familiar with everything." Zhao Wugui said with a warm smile. "Then, with your kind words, I shall have no further hesitation," Han Li said, his eyes flashing briefly before finally accepting the jade pendant and glancing at it casually. What was visible was that one side of the jade pendant was inscribed with some silver-like characters, while the other side bore several pale golden characters reading "Bing Fifty-Six." Upon seeing Han Li take the jade pendant, Zhao Wugui nodded in satisfaction and then began to explain some basic information about Tianyuan City—some of which had been mentioned by the old Li-family gentleman yesterday, and others which were new to Han Li, who listened with great attention. "That's all I have to say. This place is merely a temporary gathering spot for cultivators ascending to the heavens; it's not suitable for long stays. Every cultivator with at least the Yuan Ying stage has their own dedicated residence within the city. However, the quality and size of these residences depend entirely on your own efforts. For specific details, simply inquire at the Yu Que Pavilion. There's a map of the city here—please take your time to study it carefully. As a newcomer, you need not assume your official duties immediately during your first month, but you must take up your post and receive your Qingming Armor by the end of the first month." Zhao Wugui retrieved another white jade scroll from his storage bracelet and handed it to Han Li, then rose to bid him farewell. Han Li naturally expressed his gratitude once again and saw the guest off.