Falling from the Heavens, Stirring Billows upon the Earth—This City Is Tianlan!

Fierce winds howled across the sky as white clouds drifted and dispersed. Three flying boats sped north like arrows loosed from bowstrings, arranged in a triangular formation. Creaks and groans echoed continuously. Standing at the prow, Luo Chen frowned and glanced down at the vessel beneath his feet. At his side, Min Longyu hastily said, "I've done everything I could to reinforce it." Luo Chen shook his head. "This isn't your fault." Min Longyu breathed an inward sigh of relief. Indeed, no one could blame him for the Heavenly Eagle flying boat's battered, precarious state. During the battle at Gaoling Plain, the Heavenly Eagle flying boat had taken the brunt of the assault. First, it had been struck by Tu Shan's Chongfan Seal, and upon hitting the ground, it had been besieged by cultivators of the Great River Gang. Even though Duan Feng had put it away promptly, many parts had still suffered damage. Later, to escape Huo Quan's pursuit, they had flown non-stop day and night for five days and five nights without a wink of rest. It was precisely because of this frantic rush that they had compressed a journey that should have taken two months into less than one. The cost, however, was that this high-grade flying boat was on the verge of collapsing. In truth, that was another reason why Luo Chen had urged Li Yixian to leave behind most of the mortals. Slowing their travel speed was one factor, but the flying boat's impending structural failure was another. And it wasn't just the Luotian Association's vessel. Behind them, the flying boats belonging to the Li and Nangong families also looked dingy, battered, and coated in dust. Fortunately, they were finally about to reach their destination. "President, once we crest this Peach Mountain, Tianlan Immortal City will be in sight!" "Peach Mountain?" Luo Chen looked down at the modest mountain ahead. Peach trees covered the slopes from top to bottom, their branches sprawling and laden with magnificent blossoms. This was by no means the season for peach blossoms to bloom, yet throughout the vast expanse of the mountain, pink, crimson, and pale-rose blossoms flourished everywhere. Pavilions and covered walkways peeked out through the foliage. Figures bustled to and fro within the groves, and some of the sights were strikingly, dazzlingly fair. He frowned slightly and channeled more power into his Spirit Eye Art. What met his gaze, however, made his blood run a little warm. Out there in the wild, people were... "Ahem..." Min Longyu gave a dry cough and said somewhat awkwardly, "This mountain is an enterprise belonging to Patriarch Peach Blossom's lineage of the Hundred Blossoms Palace. Everything they do here is the business of the flesh." "Sounds rather similar to the Tianxiang Brothel back at Dahe Market, doesn't it?" "In the low-end market, Peach Mountain blows Tianxiang Brothel out of the water. In years past, at least hundreds, if not thousands, of cultivators came here daily from all over Tianlan Immortal City." *He sure knows a lot.* Luo Chen looked at him with a faint smile. "Have you ever patronized the place?" "I've only heard of its fame, purely heard of its fame! I never patronized it!" Min Longyu waved his hands in a fluster, eager to prove his moral purity. Luo Chen smiled faintly and let the matter drop. As the two conversed, the cultivators aboard the flying boat also noticed Peach Mountain beneath them. The gorgeous scenery and exquisite women, paired with the thick, sultry atmosphere of desire, left many blushing. Down below, some bold female cultivators spotted them and began waving their silk handkerchiefs. "Fellow Daoists, come down and play!" Luo Chen was caught between laughter and tears. He had never imagined such an uninhibited, wanton place would exist on the outskirts of Tianlan Immortal City. In comparison, the Joyous Union Sect's Tianxiang Brothel was truly amateurish. "If Brother Zeng Wen were still with us, this place would surely have been his paradise," Luo Chen murmured with feeling. Then his body went rigid. It wasn't because a tier-three demon king or a Core Formation Master had passed by. It was merely that Xiugu happened to walk past behind him, cradling her son, Zeng Yilong. A pair of faint, melancholy eyes seemed to cast a lingering glance in his direction. *I seem to have spoken out of turn.* Amidst the flirtatious giggles and sultry murmurs of the enchantresses below, the flying boat cleared Peach Mountain. Instantly, Luo Chen held his breath. Far in the distance, a colossal, magnificent city slammed into his field of vision with the blunt, crude force of a battering ram. Dark-green city walls stretched endlessly, towering a hundred zhang high and extending across several hundred li. Obscure, terrifying fluctuations of spiritual power rippled faintly from the ramparts. The higher one's cultivation, the deeper the awe one felt. It felt not like a majestic city stood before them, but rather an ancient primordial beast crouching upon the earth, slumbering for thousands of years! If it were ever to awaken, it would scorch the earth for thousands of li and overturn rivers and seas. Lifting his gaze further, he saw a mountain peak deep within the grand city standing proud and aloof. Its summit was lost high above the clouds; only its midriff was visible, veiled in swirling mist. A great white dragon roared as it plunged down from the unseen heights! No! That was no dragon! It was a waterfall hundreds of zhang wide, falling from a height beyond measure! Outside the cascade, multi-colored streaks of light flew in and out like mayflies, each radiating the formidable aura of at least Foundation Establishment, if not Core Formation. Swallowing hard, Luo Chen stared transfixed and asked, "Where does that waterfall come from?" A soft murmur rose beside his ear. "Falling from the heavens, stirring billows upon the earth." "This city is called Tianlan!" Tianlan... Taking a deep breath, Luo Chen tore his gaze away and looked back. Every cultivator from the Luotian Association had emerged by now, crowding every corner of the deck. Each of them stared at the spectacle in sheer awe. On the two vessels behind them, the stooped Nangong Jin tried to stand straight, but before this peerless wonder, his back seemed only to stoop further. In his wheelchair, Nangong Qin trembled uncontrollably. Aboard the Li family's boat, Li Yixian's beautiful eyes grew misty, shimmering with faint ripples of emotion. *This* was the true haven cultivators yearned for! Dahe Market had been nothing more than a rustic backwater. That young fellow Li Ao was pacing back and forth across the deck, pointing toward the distant immortal city and shouting in excitement, stripped clean of his usual haughtiness. *Whoosh!* A Foundation Establishment cultivator, his clothes disheveled, flew up from Peach Mountain behind them. As he overtook their boats, he glanced back and sneered. "Country bumpkins, completely dumbfounded, aren't they?" The sneer was not concealed in the slightest, and many heard it clearly. For a moment, numerous low-tier cultivators blushed red, wishing they could sink into cracks in the deck. Luo Chen shook his head and slowly raised his right hand. "Lift your heads. Square your chests." "We enter the city!" *Swish!* A unified rustle sounded as the cultivators of the Luotian Association held their heads high and straightened their backs, their gazes fixed firmly on Luo Chen's back. Min Longyu snapped out of his nostalgic reverie. He could not help but cast a deep look at Luo Chen. At that moment, he felt as though a soaring, boundless ambition was surging forth from the young man! The halted Heavenly Eagle flying boat slowly pressed forward again. The two vessels behind were a beat slower to react, but they soon caught up. Passing peaks high and low, enduring the curious gazes of cultivators along the way, the three flying boats finally came to a gentle halt outside a wide moat. *** "Extinguish your spiritual flames and disembark!" "Flight is prohibited within Tianlan City!" "Cultivators from outside, read the notice board! Don't go stumbling about rashly. Losing face is a minor matter, but if you lose your life, don't blame Old Xu for not warning you!" In front of the moat, a massive drawbridge lay across the broad surface of the water. An old man dressed in a snow-white robe was bellowing at the top of his lungs. Although he did not appear to be singling anyone out, the cultivators passing in and out could not help but turn their eyes toward the three vessels hovering in midair. "So filthy. How long have they been traveling without washing them?" "Tsk tsk, that lead boat looks like it's about to fall apart!" "One look and you can tell it hasn't been maintained properly. That flying boat is as good as scrapped!" "Where did this bunch come from?" "Who knows? Never seen a single one of them. Probably refugees fleeing some godforsaken wilderness!" With his sharp senses, Luo Chen caught every bit of the chatter. His expression stiffened slightly, and he waved his hand. The Heavenly Eagle flying boat began to descend slowly. Yet before it could touch down, that same aged yet robust voice hollered out again. "Where do you think you're landing?! Where do you think you're landing?!" The three flying boats froze in midair. Duan Feng and the others at the helm flushed crimson with indignation. With so much open ground here, what was wrong with setting down for a moment? "Stay calm. We've just arrived, so we must follow local customs in everything," Luo Chen sent a soothing voice transmission to reassure them. Duan Feng and the others nodded reluctantly. "Park wherever you like and see if you don't get fined!" "Liuzi, get over there and guide them in! Take them to moor their boats!" As soon as Old Xu's shout ended, a skinny, simian young man who had been waiting nearby shot into the air like a skyrocket, landing right before the flying boat. Luo Chen first glanced back at where the young man had been standing. Several other cultivators there were dispersing with curses of disappointment. *People actually fight over the job of parking boats?* While he was still puzzled, the young man offered a comical bow with clasped hands toward Luo Chen at the prow. "Junior Xu Xiaoliu greets Senior! Folks call me Liuzi, or Skinny Monkey. Senior can call me whatever pleases you." *He shares the surname Xu too?* Luo Chen nodded. "Liuzi, where should we park our vessels?" "Come, just follow me!" Liuzi gave a sly grin. Stepping on a lotus-cloud fragrance platter, he flew diligently ahead, occasionally offering flattering remarks to ingratiate himself with Luo Chen behind him. Aboard the boat, Huiniang had already stepped up behind Luo Chen. Her gaze hardened slightly as she watched Liuzi's back. "Ninth layer of Qi Refinement?" At her side, Min Longyu chuckled softly. "Is the Director-General puzzled as to why a formidable ninth-layer Qi Refinement expert would stoop to such humble service, greeting and ushering visitors?" Huiniang nodded, her face full of bewilderment. There was even a jarring sense of dissonance she found hard to accept. Whether in Dahe Market or Taishan Market, a ninth-layer Qi Refinement cultivator was considered a distinguished expert. If they joined a gang, they would start as a deacon at the very least. In cultivation clans, they were mostly elders. Even as rogue cultivators, wherever they went, others had to give them a great deal of face. Yet here in Tianlan Immortal City, Liuzi's bowing, scraping, and deliberate fawning were truly hard to stomach, not just for her, but for many cultivators of the Luotian Association. "Because this is Tianlan Immortal City!" "An immortal city renowned for having cultivators as numerous as clouds and Qi Refinement disciples as dense as rain! True Cultivators of Foundation Establishment are everywhere, and Core Formation Masters are seen regularly." "A mere ninth layer of Qi Refinement naturally doesn't count as an expert here." Listening to Min Longyu's explanation, Huiniang shook her head. Even after understanding the wider environment, she still felt a lingering daze. "Furthermore, immortal cities are usually situated at vital transportation hubs, serving as key junctures connecting the great sects." "In places like this, while fighting and killing still happen, the greater emphasis is placed on resource exchange and business dealings." "The level that Qi Refinement cultivators can touch is simply too narrow." "Without a backing, a rogue cultivator finds every step difficult. Rogue cultivators will bash each other's heads in just to scramble for any odd job." "One could say the competition here is fiercer than in small market towns, or even the internal infighting within sects." "Those who realize they lack talent might as well leave Tianlan Immortal City and try their luck in some rural backwater. Just like me!" Min Longyu said leisurely. He did not lower his voice, speaking quite openly and casually. These words were meant not only for Huiniang, but for all the cultivators of the Luotian Association. Luo Chen glanced at him, the corner of his mouth curving slightly. *Is this an opportunity to display his loyalty?* By laying out these harsh realities, he was steadying the wavering wills of those in their ranks. He had even used himself as an example! If someone as skilled in arrays as Min Longyu still called himself "lacking talent," one could imagine how those middle-stage or seventh- and eighth-layer Qi Refinement cultivators of the Luotian Association would feel. Their hearts would tighten, and they would resolve to cling tightly to Luo Chen's coattails from now on. *A bit exaggerated, brother!* Luo Chen quietly gave Min Longyu a thumbs-up in his mind. Flying ahead, Xu Xiaoliu turned around with a bright grin. "This fellow Daoist seems quite familiar with Tianlan Immortal City!" Min Longyu straightened his robes and said solemnly, "I am Min Longyu, of the Min family from Danxia Peak." Xu Xiaoliu looked at him in surprise. "Could it be the Min family of array masters that flourished a century ago?" "Precisely!" "Tsk tsk, to think cultivators of the Min family still survive. What a pity... your Danxia Peak has long since degenerated into a haunt for unorthodox rogue cultivators. It no longer holds the glorious sight of ten thousand rays of dawn and purple mist rising from the east. Have you returned this time to revitalize the Min clan?" As he spoke, Xu Xiaoliu glanced at Luo Chen. *A Foundation Establishment True Cultivator with quite an extraordinary bearing!* Hearing those words, Min Longyu's earlier high-spirited chatter dampened. He managed a strained reply. "To be alive is already a blessing; how could I speak of revitalizing the clan? Besides..." He forced a smile. "In this Tianlan Immortal City, my Danxia Min family is hardly the only cultivation clan to scatter like wind and clouds over the past century." "That's true!" Xu Xiaoliu nodded. "Ten years ago, the Fu family of Mirror Lake ceased to exist as well. Fortunately, their succeeding patriarch was decisive enough to lead all his clansmen far away, avoiding a fate like your Min family's." *The Fu family of Mirror Lake?* *Could that be the very Fu family wiped out by the Luotian Association?!* Many people in Dahe Market knew that the Fu family had migrated from Tianlan Immortal City. Huiniang looked over in astonishment, while Min Longyu merely shrugged and spread his hands. It seemed it truly was them! Huiniang was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. To think the Fu family couldn't survive in Tianlan Immortal City, only to have their entire clan annihilated after moving to Dahe Market. She didn't know whether to call it sheer bad luck or something else. After this interlude, Min Longyu's spirits lifted considerably. He said earnestly, "President, Director-General, don't look down on Fellow Daoist Xu here. This line of work of his is quite lucrative! Ordinary folks can't even get their hands on such a gig." "Oh?" Luo Chen raised an eyebrow. Right then! "Welcome to the Tianlan Boat Mooring Field!" Xu Xiaoliu turned around and bowed deeply to Luo Chen. Luo Chen looked down. Beneath them, over a hundred flying boats were arranged in neat rows across the level ground. Among them were nimble vessels meant for only one or two passengers, as well as colossal craft exceeding fifty zhang in length, radiating the potent aura of supreme-grade dharma artifacts. In comparison, the Luotian Association's Heavenly Eagle flying boat, barely thirty zhang long, was merely an ordinary high-grade vessel here. "Come, come, everyone follow me! Park over here!" Xu Xiaoliu guided them to land their vessels steadily. Even before they had come to a complete halt, he hollered at the top of his lungs, "Brothers, business is here! Move, move, move!" In truth, there was no need for him to shout. Several people clad in coarse hemp garments had already poked their heads out below, gazing upward. "Hold on!" Luo Chen frowned and called out to halt the approaching crowd. "What are you doing?" Xu Xiaoliu blinked. "Senior, your flying boats are so filthy—aren't you going to have them washed? Look here, they're practically falling apart. Aren't you going to have them repaired? Not to brag, but the Divine Craft Sect possesses unique techniques for repairing flying boats. We guarantee they'll be restored even better than new!" *Washing boats? Repairing boats?* Luo Chen was thoroughly dumbfounded. When had the cultivation world branched out into this kind of service? He couldn't resist asking, "Is it free?" "Fellow Daoist must be joking!" The one speaking was not Xu Xiaoliu, but a burly man tapping a tobacco pipe beneath a sunshade. Dressed in a short sleeveless vest, he was looking at Luo Chen with a genial grin. Luo Chen shifted his gaze, his expression calm. *A Foundation Establishment True Cultivator!* The reason he was so calm was that he had already sensed it while still in the air. Down here, there was more than one Foundation Establishment True Cultivator. "How should I address you?" "Lu Rong." The man stood up, took a deep puff from his dingy gray pipe, and exhaled a plume of stark white smoke. The smoke did not drift aimlessly; others couldn't catch even a single whiff of it. Instead, it swirled around his body in a complete circle before sinking into his pores and seeping into his flesh. Watching this display, Luo Chen was momentarily stunned. *What an eco-friendly way to smoke, perfectly eliminating secondhand smoke... Is he cultivating some kind of secret art?* Lu Rong strolled over to Luo Chen, stretched his limbs, and let out a yawn. "Fellow Daoist is making quite a grand joke. Repairing flying boats is grueling work that consumes both time and materials. How could it possibly be free?" Luo Chen's lips twitched into a cold, insincere smile. "Well, the joke you folks are playing isn't small either, is it?" "Oh?" Lu Rong stared at Luo Chen, clearly waiting to hear what he had to say next.