Inside the cabin.
In a familiar posture and a familiar atmosphere, Luo Chen quietly cultivated.
Because they were not situated over a spirit vein, the ambient spiritual energy was not particularly dense, which prevented his Nascent Soul from growing as hyperactive as before.
After a long while, Luo Chen let out a long breath, bringing the cultivation session to an end.
The magic power within his body had barely increased, but he paid it no heed.
With a shift of thought, he directed his attention toward his Nascent Soul.
Across the plump, fair little Nascent Soul, black halos of light rippled outward like gentle waves. Sinking his awareness into them, subtle changes from his cultivation—previously overlooked due to his sheer concentration—surfaced one after another.
The rhythmic cadence of his breathing and exhalation, the drawing in and refinement of ambient spiritual energy, the response of his extraordinary meridians, apertures, and Purple Mansion after magic power flowed through them...
Bit by bit, even the faintest shifts within his Purple Mansion were revealed down to the finest detail!
This was the first time Luo Chen had witnessed his own cultivation process with his own eyes.
How could he describe that sensation? Only four words sufficed—riddled with flaws!
Luo Chen froze, murmuring, "I thought my mastery of the *Heavenly Phoenix Nirvana Scripture* had already reached a respectable proficiency. Why does it look completely off now, full of oversights at every turn?"
Indeed, Luo Chen had never doubted his mastery of his natal cultivation method in the past.
The rapid advancement of his cultivation realm seemed proof enough.
Yet viewing it now, it was nowhere near perfection; countless shortcomings remained.
Suddenly, an epiphany struck him.
When evaluating their own actions, people naturally tend to subconsciously embellish them, or remain blinded by a single leaf, unable to see the true face of the mountain because they stand within it.
As the common saying goes, the player is blind, but the bystander sees clear!
A chess player who believes every move they make is brilliant will, in the eyes of a spectator, make foolish, clumsy blunders.
Just as even a legendary pro gamer’s play could look clumsy to an armchair critic.
Only by stepping outside the board and looking beyond one’s own perspective could one perceive the underlying defects.
"Fortunately, these are all minor issues. A bit of straightening out and tweaking will do."
Luo Chen smiled faintly and entered the cultivation state once more.
His goal was not to raise his cultivation strength, but to rectify the flaws of his past cultivation habits.
He adjusted the cadence of his breath and regulated the pathways of magic power circulating through his body...
Gradually, Luo Chen's proficiency in the *Heavenly Phoenix Nirvana Scripture* soared at a visible pace.
One had to remember that the *Heavenly Phoenix Nirvana Scripture* was no longer just the Golden Core Chapter of old.
It was now a relatively complete text—a peerless scripture capable of taking the phoenix race all the way to the Great Vehicle Stage!
Even when cultivated by a human body, its upper limit was extraordinarily high.
Under such circumstances, the fact that Luo Chen could rapidly raise his proficiency demonstrated that the adjustments he was making to himself were genuinely effective.
The Spirit-Illuminating Gu truly lived up to its name!
While it might not grant an instant surge in a cultivator's combat strength like other Gu worms or medicinal pills, its effects as an auxiliary aid to cultivation were immediate and tangible.
Moreover, by cross-referencing with his proficiency panel, Luo Chen could verify whether the adjustments he made were beneficial or detrimental, creating a synergy where one plus one was far greater than two.
*If I could obtain a few more Gu worms like this, perhaps that distant, unreachable late Nascent Soul realm would be well within reach,*
Luo Chen thought during a break in his meditation.
Then he promptly immersed himself once more in fine-tuning the minute details of his cultivation.
***
Another half a year passed.
The flying boat gradually slowed to a halt beneath a clear, azure sky.
Cave Master Minglei gazed ahead and let out a sigh of relief as if a heavy burden had been lifted.
Ever since leaving the Shadow Reflection Sect, the remainder of their journey had proceeded without a single mishap.
Now, all that remained was to introduce Luo Chen into that circle, and his promise would be fulfilled.
"Have we arrived?"
A voice drifted out from the cabin.
Cave Master Minglei instinctively replied, "We have reached Jiu'ai Immortal City."
As he spoke, he looked back just as Luo Chen stepped out from the cabin.
Cloud-striding boots, dark armor, and a jade belt.
A golden crown adorned with feathers, his bright eyes gleaming like stars.
Cave Master Minglei could not help but freeze.
Luo Chen had worn this very attire before, exuding an overbearing, domineering aura that looked down upon the world and treated everyone with disdain.
Yet back then, there had still been a hint of stiffness and affectation.
Now, after only a few months of absence, some imperceptible change had taken place within him.
He remained just as overbearing, just as haughty, treating all living beings with identical disdain.
Yet beneath that overbearing presence, the former stiffness had vanished, replaced by an effortless natural grace.
It was as if he had been born to stand above all creation, supremely noble beyond compare, regarding all living beings as nothing!
How could one describe it?
A single phrase flashed through Cave Master Minglei's mind: *innately noble!*
Seeing Cave Master Minglei staring blankly at him, Luo Chen furrowed his brow. "What is it?"
Cave Master Minglei quickly shook his head and explained, "Jiu'ai Immortal City is right ahead. The entrance to Mount Mijie lies within it. Let us first settle down in the city!"
Luo Chen's brow remained slightly furrowed.
He noticed that the man had subconsciously lowered his voice, almost as though in awe of him.
*Did something go awry in my cultivation again?*
Luo Chen murmured internally, but showed no outward sign. He simply followed Cave Master Minglei toward the renowned Jiu'ai Immortal City.
What he did not know was that minute adjustments to a cultivation technique, through daily practice, would inevitably exert a profound influence on one's temperament, both inward and outward.
Back when he had consumed the True Flame Pill to cultivate the *Heavenly Phoenix Nirvana Scripture*, it had drastically altered his appearance, turning his face crimson.
Now, after continuously refining countless details he had previously neglected, he had genuinely cultivated a touch of so-called "nobility."
A cultivation technique possessed no nobility of its own, but the divine bird phoenix did!
This technique, tailored specifically for the phoenix race, possessed an inherent sacred nobility.
Luo Chen had always prioritized practicality and never cared for such things, but as he perfected the technique, he had gradually cultivated... or rather, nurtured a unique nobility that belonged entirely to him.
***
Jiu'ai Immortal City!
It possessed tremendous fame within the Southern Border, yet cultivators from the other four continents of the Mountain and Sea Realm knew very little of it.
This was simply because the city lacked ancient heritage, having been established only within the last few centuries.
"This city serves as the gateway to Mount Mijie. It was built at great expense right outside the entrance after Perfected Songyang discovered the passage all those years ago."
"As the Fierce Peak Zombie Alliance surfaced as a rising power, Jiu'ai Immortal City grew increasingly bustling."
"As for the name 'Jiu'ai'—Nine Haze—Brother Qi will understand the moment you lay eyes upon it!"
Putting away the flying boat, the two transformed into streaks of light and sped forward.
Before long, the silhouette of a towering, majestic city emerged in the distance before Luo Chen's eyes.
With a single glance, Luo Chen committed the immortal city's appearance to memory.
It stood lofty above the nine heavens, veiled within mist and haze, appearing and disappearing like an ethereal paradise beyond the mortal dust.
Perhaps it lacked the fierce, aggressive grandeur of Lingtian Pass, nor did it possess the ancient depth of Shangyou Immortal City.
Yet that otherworldly, transcendent aura, reminiscent of an immortal abode, was unforgettable to anyone who beheld it.
"What a magnificent immortal city!" Luo Chen remarked.
Cave Master Minglei chuckled. "When I first saw Jiu'ai Immortal City, I felt the exact same sentiment. Across the vast Southern Border, very few cities can compare to it. People find it hard to imagine that such an ethereal immortal city could come from the hands of Perfected Songyang."
Perfected Songyang!
A Great Cultivator renowned across the Southern Border's cultivation world for many years.
The very founder of the Fierce Peak Zombie Alliance.
Judging by the name 'Fierce Peak Zombie Alliance' alone, one could glimpse the tip of the iceberg of that Great Cultivator's unyielding style.
An immortal city built under the direction of such an expert ought to have resembled Lingtian Pass.
The current Jiu'ai Immortal City truly seemed entirely at odds with the faction he had established.
Naturally, there was no point dwelling on such thoughts now. The two parted the clouds and pierced the mist, making no effort to conceal their presence as they sped toward Jiu'ai Immortal City.
Their massive streaks of light radiated a formidable, overbearing aura.
Because Jiu'ai Immortal City was situated at such an extreme altitude, low-tier cultivators who wished to enter had to fly up from below.
Consequently, outside the immortal city, countless streaks of light wound upward like threads rising toward a celestial palace.
When two powerful streaks of light tore through the sky overhead, they instantly drew the gaze of numerous onlookers.
"Nascent Soul True Persons!"
"Two more Nascent Soul old monsters have arrived!"
"Is the Fierce Peak Zombie Alliance truly preparing to launch a great campaign and attack the sacred ground?"
"Sending invitations to top experts across the Southern Border to forge alliances... I certainly don't believe they have no grand ambitions in mind."
"I only hope our ancestor won't get involved. How could people like us dare provoke a sacred ground?"
"Hmph, the Gate of Life and Death has been hiding like a tortoise for so long, not showing itself at all. They didn't even utter a word of reprimand when our tribute was cut off. Internal strife has probably ruined them already. What is there to fear?!"
***
*Whoosh!*
*Whoosh!*
The two streaks of light descended before the towering city gates.
Upon landing, Luo Chen and Minglei exchanged a glance, both wearing expressions of surprise.
With their divine sense, they had naturally overheard the low-tier cultivators' hushed discussions.
Only now did the two realize what kind of monumental event was about to unfold at their destination.
"Is it true?" Luo Chen asked.
Cave Master Minglei looked somewhat bewildered. "Wind-Thunder Gorge is far too isolated. I know nothing of these shifts in the Southern Border's situation!"
Luo Chen took a deep breath, dropped the topic, and strode toward the city.
Yet what they were about to enter felt less like an immortal city and more like a colossal vortex.
Just like Lingtian Pass back then!
Still, Luo Chen did not shrink back. Whether considering the persona he deliberately maintained or his formidable strength, he possessed the confidence to step into any vortex.
Seeing his unhesitating resolve, Cave Master Minglei hesitated briefly before choosing to follow.
The moment they entered the city, Cave Master Minglei instinctively released his divine sense.
Only an instant later, he drew a sharp breath of cold air and hastily reined it in.
"Hiss!"
"There are so many peers of our level in this city?"
As he spoke, he could not help but glance at Luo Chen.
Yet he saw the man merely raise an eyebrow, showing no sign of losing his composure.
*Could it be that he failed to sense those Nascent Soul True Persons?*
Body cultivators were formidable in physical might, but weaker in divine soul.
That might explain Luo Chen's calm reaction.
Yet Luo Chen's next words instantly shattered his speculation.
"Seven."
"There are seven Nascent Soul True Persons in total within the city. Most are at the early Nascent Soul stage; only two are at the mid stage."
Having said that, Luo Chen stood in place, motionless.
Cave Master Minglei was stunned. Not only had he detected them, but he had also accurately stated their exact numbers. Could his divine soul be even stronger than his own?
How was that possible!
Amid his astonishment, a figure came rushing along the crowded street ahead. Without the slightest hesitation, the newcomer locked onto Luo Chen and Minglei with a single glance.
*Whoosh...*
Like a whirlwind, the young man arrived before Luo Chen and Cave Master Minglei and bowed respectfully.
"Junior Hu Jin greets the two seniors on the orders of my master, Daoist Zhengguan."
The moment the name Daoist Zhengguan was uttered, Cave Master Minglei recognized it immediately.
He sent a divine sense transmission to Luo Chen: "He is the city lord of Jiu'ai Immortal City, and the very host who held that gathering back then. His cultivation is at the mid Nascent Soul stage; he should be one of the two you just sensed."
Turning back, he nodded to Hu Jin, who was only at the Golden Core stage. "Young friend, I am Minglei. I once had the pleasure of meeting your esteemed master."
Hu Jin smiled. "Cave Master, my master has spoken of you before, calling you an extraordinary genius of the Southern Border who achieved the Nascent Soul realm as a rogue cultivator. He often uses your deeds to lecture us unworthy juniors."
Cave Master Minglei's eyes brightened. "Oh? Is that so? Then I am truly honored to serve as an example to encourage his disciples."
After exchanging a few polite remarks, Hu Jin looked toward Luo Chen.
"And this senior is..."
"Lead the way,"
Luo Chen said indifferently, having no intention of announcing his name before a junior.
This caused Hu Jin's expression to stiffen slightly, realizing that his status as a disciple of a Nascent Soul cultivator held little weight before this man.
This senior was clearly someone not to be trifled with!
Yet no resentment arose in his heart; it felt as though the man's demeanor was entirely natural, not an act of deliberate arrogance.
Someone born with such nobility ought to carry himself this way!
"Seniors, please follow me!"
***
Meanwhile, within a palace.
A white-bearded old Daoist holding a horsetail whisk stood before the entrance to receive guests.
Those familiar with him were bewildered, unable to understand why he would adopt such a posture.
One had to understand that this white-bearded old Daoist was the leader of a faction, holding an elevated status even after joining the Fierce Peak Zombie Alliance.
The fact that Jiu'ai Immortal City, the gateway guarding Mount Mijie, had been entrusted to his management proved that both his renown and strength were recognized by the alliance's Great Cultivators.
In particular, another Nascent Soul expert currently seated as a guest inside the palace furrowed his brows.
When he had arrived earlier, Zhengguan had certainly shown no such grand hospitality!
He wanted to see just who was coming!
A moment later, three figures appeared before the palace.
From a distance, Daoist Zhengguan draped his whisk over his arm and laughed heartily, "Could this be Baxiu Qi Tian in person?"
Cave Master Minglei froze. Qi Tian had not even introduced himself; how did the man already know his name?
Luo Chen grinned and replied without the slightest modesty, "It is indeed this seat!"
Daoist Zhengguan cupped his hands. "Please, enter!"
Luo Chen briefly returned the salute with clasped hands and strode into the hall without yielding an inch.
Cave Master Minglei parted his lips, the turn of events completely defying his expectations.
Had he not even had the chance to introduce him yet?
Hu Jin, who had led the way, was equally caught off guard. But after a moment, he seemed to recall something.
Looking at Luo Chen's departing back, a trace of awe crept into his gaze.
Inside the hall, the Nascent Soul expert who had arrived earlier furrowed his brows instantly.
*Baxiu Qi Tian... Could he be that one?*
Chapter 944