Pingbo Port

The State of Xing was a small mortal country controlled by a faction from Pingbo Port. It boasted fertile lands and abundant resources, where the common folk lived and worked in peace and contentment. Qin Sang settled the old witch doctor in a major city within Xing, allowing him to enjoy his twilight years in peace, and sealed away the old man's memories of him. Qin Sang did not head straight for Pingbo Port. The black coffin strapped across his back was simply too conspicuous; any cultivator with higher cultivation than his could easily see through it to Du Han trapped within. While he had deliberately avoided other cultivators all along the way, that strategy would not work at Pingbo Port. Core Formation cultivators were plentiful there, and it was said that even Nascent Soul Patriarchs presided over the place. By this point, he could have simply slain Du Han, but Qin Sang was not inclined to let him off so lightly. Although the first half of the Heavenly Yin Corpse Art only detailed refining Foundation Establishment cultivators into refined corpses, Qin Sang still intended to test it on Du Han. If it truly proved impossible, he would give up on the idea. Refining corpses required earth fiend qi. He still had a bit left in his Shaoyin Magnetic Bottle, but it was not enough to refine a living corpse. Earth fiend qi was by no means common, and inquiries could only be made at Pingbo Port. Qin Sang planned to first carve out a cave dwelling in the wilderness to deposit the black coffin before heading into the city to gather information. To his surprise, land outside Pingbo Port was worth its weight in gold; virtually every spirit vein, large or small, had already been claimed by individuals or sects. Left with no alternative, Qin Sang had to move farther away from Pingbo Port. In a desolate mountain range, he finally found a concealed spirit vein that was barely sufficient to carve out a modest cave dwelling. Depositing the black coffin and setting up restrictions alongside a concealment formation, Qin Sang felt a weight lift from his shoulders. Donning a cloak, he flew toward Pingbo Port. Even before entering Pingbo Port, he was greeted by an astonishing sight of sea vessels standing like a forest, a thousand sails vying across the waters. Countless sea vessels spread across the ocean's surface, stretching as far as the eye could see. The largest among them were exceptionally grand, boasting multi-storied pavilions and matching mountains in sheer size. Beside these colossal vessels were smaller boats that seemed unremarkable at first glance, though they were not small at all; every one was a sturdy craft built to withstand the tempestuous storms of the open sea. Qin Sang landed atop a rocky peak in the distance and gazed out over the sea. A gentle ocean breeze met him, carrying a faint tang of salt. Where water and sky merged in the distance, cultivators could occasionally be seen riding magic tools through the air. However, most of these cultivators were either ascending from the sea vessels or descending upon one after leaving Pingbo Port. Cultivators of the Canglang Sea still relied primarily on ships to cross the waters. Even Core Formation experts would not fly over the sea on magic tools for extended periods unless pressed by an urgent matter. For one, their true essence could hardly sustain it; for another, the untamed waters harbored numerous hidden perils, such as hurricanes and sea beasts. If one encountered danger after depleting too much true essence, one would be stranded in the vast, boundless deep sea, completely cut off from help. During his journey from the Western Frontier to Pingbo Port, Qin Sang had not remained airborne the entire time either. Whenever he came upon areas rich in spiritual energy, he would descend to rest for a while and restore his true essence. Only Nascent Soul Patriarchs possessed the ability to fly continuously over the sea for months on end. As ships entered the port, the harbor bustled with extraordinary vigor. Though cultivators possessed mustard seed bags to store items, their internal space was limited, leaving them ill-equipped to handle bulk cargo. Countless goods were unloaded from the sea vessels in a steady stream. The bustling laborers at the port included not only mortals, but also low-tier cultivators, as well as tamed beasts and monster beasts. Befitting such a massive port was an enormous city sprawling across the land. The scale of this city exceeded anything Qin Sang had ever seen in his life. Looking from afar, rows upon rows of buildings stretched endlessly. Over the western quarter of the city hung a faint, wispy mist, which proved completely impenetrable to sight. It was early morning, and people bustled back and forth through the city—both cultivators and mortals—with long queues snaking before the city gates. The Lesser Cold Domain had been carved up by major powers, leaving no place capable of gathering such vast numbers of people. Meanwhile, the Seven Great Passes lay along the hazardous fringes of the Ancient Immortal Battlefield, where mortal populations were limited, making the emergence of such a megacity impossible. After feasting his eyes from the mountain peak, Qin Sang pulled his cloak tighter and channeled his movement technique, gliding toward the gates of Pingbo Port. Mortals and cultivators were kept strictly separated, entering through different city gates. Before the gate designated for cultivators, the guards included Foundation Establishment cultivators, consisting of both humans and members of the Witch Clan. "Fellow Daoist, please hold on a moment." As Qin Sang arrived before the gate, a guard intercepted him, looked him up and down, and spoke courteously, "Do you possess an identity nameplate, Fellow Daoist? Or is this your first visit to Pingbo Port?" "It is indeed my first time here. Might I ask what an identity nameplate is?" Qin Sang inquired with puzzled curiosity. The guard showed no impatience, explaining thoroughly, "Fighting is forbidden within Pingbo Port. Cultivators are issued a nameplate to verify their identity. This nameplate not only represents your status, but also dictates the scope of areas you may access within the city..." Only through the guard's explanation did Qin Sang realize that even within the seemingly bustling Pingbo Port, a world of difference separated mortals from cultivators. Even among cultivators themselves, strict hierarchies were drawn according to cultivation. The city of Pingbo Port was roughly divided into four main districts. The largest was the residential area for mortals, followed by the district designated for Qi Refinement and Foundation Establishment cultivators; no strict boundary separated these two districts. The smallest was the western district, which Qin Sang's eyes had previously failed to pierce. Veiled in mist, only Core Formation experts and Nascent Soul Patriarchs were qualified to enter, making it the core sector of Pingbo Port. Those lacking the required cultivation had to be accompanied by a Core Formation cultivator to be permitted entry. This area was heavily guarded and exceptionally serene. Even more precious was that it was composed of top-grade cave dwellings. As it turned out, Pingbo Port had been built atop several colossal spirit veins, and the western district occupied the location with the richest spiritual energy. Naturally, the rental fees were exorbitant. The final district was the trading area for cultivators, situated in the northern city immediately adjacent to the port outside. It amounted to a massive cultivation market, where guilds, auction houses, and similar establishments congregated. Having heard this, Qin Sang released his aura and revealed his cultivation. The guard paused briefly in surprise before bowing respectfully to Qin Sang. "Since Senior is a Core Formation cultivator, the nameplate will be provided free of charge, and you will not need to pay spirit stones when entering or leaving Pingbo Port in the future... Please wait a moment, Senior." Before long, the guard delivered a nameplate denoting Core Formation status. Qin Sang examined it briefly, hung it at his waist, and stepped into the city. The meat filling inside the steamed buns sold here came from an unfamiliar animal; it had a strange, gamey tang and tasted terrible. With a disappointed look, Qin Sang headed straight for the trading district in the northern city. One was not permitted to display supernatural powers openly within the city, leaving walking as the only option. With the nameplate at his waist, Qin Sang met with no obstruction along the way and soon arrived at the trading district. The streets in the trading district were straight and crisscrossed in a neat grid, flanked on both sides by uniformly designed shops. Qin Sang slowed his pace, browsing as he walked. A shop that looked unremarkable on the surface might very well be backed by a major guild. It was said that some of the most prominent human guilds had banded together to form a merchant alliance whose strength rivaled even top sects. "Four Seas Guild..." Spotting a shop signboard, Qin Sang's eyes lit up. He had just heard of several well-reputed guilds, and the Four Seas Guild was one of them.