In the end, his footsteps halted deep within a secluded alley nad "Mirage Alley."
The light here was slightly dim, with few pedestrians. The shops on either side of the street were mostly inconspicuous, with old facades and blurred signs. The air was filled with a strange mix of old paper and faint herbal scents.
His gaze fell on a shop without a sign, with an ancient copper mirror hanging above the door.
The mirror's surface was blurry, unable to clearly reflect any figures, and branded with an ancient character 'Zhi'.
The largest underground intelligence hub in Wanliu City, Zhi Tianji, primarily dealt in the trade of intelligence.
At any ti, there was no shortage of people engaging in this kind of trade, as information often ant wealth.
Chu Zheng pushed the door open and entered. The light inside was dim, with only a uniquely crafted bronze oil lamp behind the counter emitting a green glow, barely illuminating the small space.
The air was thick with an even stronger scent of old age, with an elderly man with a hunched figure sitting behind the counter, his expression calm.
Noticing the aura fluctuations from Chu Zheng, the elder's expression changed slightly, and he stood up, bowing respectfully:
"What does Senior wish to inquire about?" The elder's voice was dry and hoarse.
"Looking for soone."
Chu Zheng spoke faintly: "A woman, Cultivation at the Sixth Order Martial God level, and Yun Tianji, a man from the Upper Realm."
With a cultivation of the Sixth Order Martial God, it would be rare in the Lower Realm. If soone had seen her, there should be traces left.
As for Yun Tianji, it was more of a casual query, to see if he could repay the favor he owed for past assistance.
The elder didn't respond imdiately and, after a mont, stretched out a finger as thin as a twig, tapping the counter lightly three tis.
"A thousand top-grade Spirit Stones."
Upon hearing the price, Chu Zheng raised his hand and took out ten pieces of top quality Spirit Stones.
Though the price was not cheap, it was still fair.
"A female Sixth Order Martial God was indeed seen in Wanliu City before, and she ca here as well to look for Yun Tianji."
Hearing this news, a slight change of expression flickered across Chu Zheng's face, montarily surprised.
But in the next mont, he understood that Xue Qing ca here probably to repay the favor from back then.
"As for Yun Tianji, he is now in Central Continent Yanyun City, probably around West City at the mont."
After confirming there was no more information, Chu Zheng turned around and left directly.
......
......
Yanyun City was not far from Wanliu City, just over four million miles.
Within monts, Chu Zheng had arrived in Yanyun City, heading straight to the west of the city.
During this process, he had already heard a lot of news about Yun Tianji.
In the past few decades, Yun Tianji had already made a na for himself in the Central Continent.
As a prominent figure from the Upper Realm here for 'training', Yun Tianji was always accompanied by certain mbers from the Three Great Clans, betting on him.
Even many strong individuals willingly joined him, hoping that one man's success would bring prosperity to those around him.
He indeed did not let them down, his cultivation advancing rapidly, now having entered the Fifth Rank of Immortal Dao, in the Divine Transformation Realm.
For soone of Yun Tianji's age, his cultivation talent was astonishing, even if not quite matching the current Son of Heaven, but not far off.
The prosperity of Yanyun City was comparable to Wanliu City, with complex forces within the city.
Yun Tianji used those Cultivators who joined him as a foundation to establish a force nad 'Ascension Alliance.'
In this Central Continent region, it had already gained so influence, with over a million mbers under its banner.
As Chu Zheng entered the west of the city, he quickly gathered information about Yun Tianji, making his way to a pavilion.
Today, Yun Tianji was at that location, discussing cooperation with a prominent business guild's president.
Following protocol, Chu Zheng submitted a greeting card and waited quietly.
Seeing Chu Zheng's cultivation at the Sixth Order, Yun Tianji's attendants dared not neglect him and directly invited him into an elegant room.
An hour later, he t Yun Tianji, who was accompanied by an elder in grey.
The elder's aura fluctuations were distinctively at the Seventh Order, with immortal power rolling around, having entered the Immortal Tribulation Secret Realm.
"Who might you be?"
Yun Tianji looked at the middle-aged Taoist in front of him, puzzled as the greeting card ntioned an old acquaintance visiting.
But he had no impression of the person in front of him.
Chu Zheng dispelled his Shape-Shifting Divine Power, cupping his hands in greeting: "Brother Yun, it's been a long ti."
Looking at the familiar face, Yun Tianji was unsure and, after a mont, tentatively asked:
"Are you... Zheng Chu?"
Chu Zheng nodded.
"When I last saw you, you looked about eight or nine years old, and now you've grown so much, that I almost didn't recognize you."
The expression on Yun Tianji's face relaxed, with a bit more genuine happiness: "If Xue Qing hadn't found earlier, I might not have recognized you."
"Thank you, Brother Yun, for your help back then, which allowed us to escape. I'm exceedingly grateful, and have not had the opportunity to express my gratitude in person."
Chu Zheng bowed once more, pausing slightly: "And how is Xue Qing now...?"
"Xue Qing?" Yun Tianji replied without hesitation: "She went to the Upper Realm two years ago."
"Upper Realm?"
Chu Zheng was slightly shocked, puzzled: "Isn't the Seventh Order required to go to the Upper Realm at least?"
No matter how monstrous Xue Qing's talent was, she couldn't beco a Martial Half-Saint in just a few years.
"Indeed, the Seventh Order, but Xue Qing was an exception."
Yun Tianji sighed, shaking his head slightly:
"The matter caused quite a stir back then. She ascended to the Upper Realm forcefully."
"Ascended to the Upper Realm forcefully?!" Chu Zheng was instantly shocked.
Yun Tianji seed satisfied with Chu Zheng's reaction, his smile deepening with a hint of schadenfreude: "The details of this matter were suppressed by the prideful clans of the Upper Realm."
"Xue Qing went directly to the Upper Realm, defeating two gatekeeping Immortal Tribulation Cultivators head-on, and entered the Upper Realm. Originally, the clans wanted to suppress her, but this matter alerted the Martial Pavilion, and Xue Qing was directly led into the Martial Pavilion."
Martial Pavilion...
The expression on Chu Zheng's face was slightly stunned. If he hadn't taken Xue Qing into hiding, she might have already entered the Martial Pavilion thirty years ago.
Now, after a roundabout process, Xue Qing still ended up in the Martial Pavilion, making him feel a sense of predestination.
When ntioning the Martial Pavilion, Yun Tianji's expression turned slightly complex, with the smile fading a bit:
"For Martial Cultivators, the Martial Pavilion is a Holy Land, beneficial to Xue Qing in every way, so there's no need to worry too much."
"Thank you, Brother Yun, for letting know."
Chu Zheng nodded, his expression serious: "Your assistance back then is a debt of gratitude I always rember. In the future, if you ever need anything, I will help with all my might."
"A favor? No need."
Upon hearing this, Yun Tianji imdiately waved his hand:
"Back then, I helped you rely in passing. As for the favor, Xue Qing has already repaid it."
Xue Qing... has already repaid the favor?
Chu Zheng was slightly taken aback.
"When she found , my Ascension Alliance was in so trouble, having conflicts with the Shadow Moon Sword Sect. There were nurous casualties on both sides, and I was almost killed in an assassination attempt."
As he spoke, Yun Tianji unbuttoned his chest, revealing a sword scar over his heart.
"The day Xue Qing got the news, she launched a night raid on the Shadow Moon Sword Sect, and with just three punches, killed both Supre Elders and the Sect Master, all Seventh Realm Cultivators, on the spot."
Yun Tianji's face bore a hint of satisfaction: "The benefits that this favor brought exceeded my expectations, so you don't owe anything, and you don't have to trouble yourself further. If you regard highly, as friends we will be."
His expression beca much more earnest, with a deep voice he said: "The Heaven Burial Palace has shown signs of opening. If, before it opens, we both reach the Eighth Order, I would like to invite you to venture into the Heaven Burial Palace together."
"Heaven Burial Palace..."
Chu Zheng frowned slightly, with fragnts rolling through his mind. This na seed familiar: "What kind of place is this?"
"The Heaven Burial Palace is the burial place of the Master of Heavenly Fortune, containing universes within. If we are fortunate, we might win Heavenly Fate's favor within."
Yun Tianji took a deep breath, with ambition surging in his eyes: "If so, we might beco true 'Sons of Heaven'!"
As Sons of Heaven, one has not yet entered the Ancestral Realm but already carries half of Heaven's Fortune.
As long as one doesn't die prematurely, entering the Ancestral Realm is certain for a Son of Heaven.
Yun Tianji's current cultivation was still only at the Fifth Order, but his sights were already set on the Ancestral Realm.
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