Cultivation starts from devouring the Dao fruits

Yan Wuheng smiled faintly, "Wu, those seeds are treasures of the major powers, seldom shared with outsiders. Be patient a bit longer, I will keep an eye out for you."

Zhao Yu asked, "If Wu were to join Yunluo Immortal City, could he exchange his contributions for these seeds?"

Yunluo Immortal City is a Nascent Soul Level force, with Nascent Soul old monsters in charge, and the city is extremely skilled at management, possessing countless Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.

What Zhao Yu sought were merely some seeds of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, which Yunluo Immortal City naturally possessed; they simply did not wish to sell them to Zhao Yu, an outsider.

Yan Wuheng chuckled, "If Wu, my friend, were to join our Yunluo Immortal City, naturally he could exchange for these seeds. However, Wu, if you wish to join, you must have a clear history. Otherwise, you won't get past the City Lord's Heart-Mirror test."

Yunluo Immortal City warmly welcomed Golden Core cultivators, but not just any Golden Core cultivator. All Golden Core cultivators who want to join must pass through the screening of the City Lord's Heart-Mirror.

The origins of Zhao Yu's identity, as Wu Tianhe, were unclear, and while residing in Yunluo Immortal City wouldn't pose a problem, joining required clarity about his roots.

"My real name is Zhao Yu, hailing from the Dan Ling Sect in the northern wastelands, where I once served as the Supreme Elder. Due to the scarcity of resources in the north, I had no choice but to seek opportunities to advance further!

It's just that I feared the Great Qian Empire Cultivation World was too dangerous, so I created a false identity." A pale light enveloped Zhao Yu, revealing his true appearance as he spoke with an even temper.

Yan Wuheng responded, "The northern wastelands? Indeed, it is a cultivation wilderness, a land scarce in resources. In the past, there have been several Golden Core cultivators who made their way from the wastelands to the Great Qian Empire Cultivation World. Go back and wait a while; when the City Lord has spare time, he will naturally summon you to undergo the Heart-Mirror test.

Even a Nascent Soul ancestor can't lie in front of the Heart-Mirror, and if you lie, death is your only path."

Zhao Yu said, "Then I will take my leave for now!"

Three months later.

Yan Wuheng arrived at the Yunlan Alchemy Pavilion, "Zhao, the City Lord wishes to see you! Come with me!"

Following Yan Wuheng through the inner city district, Zhao Yu arrived at a Cultivation Holy Land in the center of Yunluo Immortal City, a thousand miles wide with rich Spiritual Energy and towering Spiritual Peaks rising from the ground.

This was the dwelling and cultivation place for many cultivators of Yunluo Immortal City, the heart of the Fifth Order middle-grade Spirit Vein.

Zhao Yu reached the summit of a Spiritual Peak that soared ten thousand zhang high.

Atop that Spiritual Peak, there stood an Immortal City, more magnificent than any palace in the Mortal World and tens of times larger.

Under Yan Wuheng's guidance, Zhao Yu entered a palace within that Immortal City.

Inside the palace stood a middle-aged cultivator dressed in black robes, tall and burly with short hair, exceedingly handsome, and exuding a valiant aura, as well as a breathtakingly beautiful woman dressed in goose-yellow palace attire, tall with full curves, fair skin like ice and bones like jade, raven hair cascading down her back, and a face of unrivaled delicacy.

Zhao Yu thought to himself, "Nascent Soul cultivators! And two of them at that; they must be the City Lords, Xuan Yun Zhenjun and Yunluo Fairy, husband and wife."

Yan Wuheng bowed and said, "City Lord, I have brought Zhao Yu!"

Zhao Yu bowed and greeted, "Zhao Yu pays respects to the City Lords!"

"Repeat the story of your origin in front of this Heart-Mirror, and should you conceal even a shred of truth, death will be your only path!"

Yunluo Fairy waved her hand, revealing a palm-sized Treasure Mirror, which grew in the wind to a size of about a zhang.

A white light surged out of that Heart-Mirror, shining on Zhao Yu.

Instantly, Zhao Yu could no longer suppress the mana fluctuations within him, and a powerful aura of the Golden Elixir Seventh Layer emanated from his body.

Yan Wuheng secretly thought to himself, "Golden Elixir Seventh Layer! He had previously disguised himself as a cultivator in the early stages of Golden Core, hiding deeply!"

Xuan Yun Zhenjun and Yunluo Fairy took another look at Zhao Yu.

Golden Elixir Seventh Layer cultivators were not numerous within Yunluo Immortal City; they all ranked within the middle to upper echelons of the city, each possessing the strength to stand on their own.

Zhao Yu, before the Heart-Mirror, was very truthful about his origins. He was just an ordinary Golden Core cultivator from a small place, with nothing to hide.

Yunluo Immortal City often recruited Golden Core cultivators from outside. About four-fifths of the Golden Core cultivators within the city were recruited from elsewhere, while only one-fifth were grown and nurtured by Yunluo Immortal City itself.

"Do you harbor any malice towards Yunluo Immortal City?"

"I have no malice towards Yunluo Immortal City! I sincerely wish to join Yunluo Immortal City."

"Are you a spy sent by other forces?"

"I am not a spy sent by any other forces!"

"..." Continue reading on empire

After asking a number of straightforward questions, Yunluo Fairy Maiden finally gave a slight nod, putting away the Heart-Mirror.

Every cultivator had their own secrets. Once Yunluo Fairy Maiden was certain that Zhao Yu bore no ill will towards Yunluo Immortal City and was not a spy sent by other forces, she did not pry further into his affairs. Otherwise, instead of successfully recruiting a cultivator, they might make an enemy.

"From today onwards, you are now a Silver-ranked Elder of our Yunluo Immortal City. Every year, you can obtain ten thousand Spirit Stones and thirty thousand city contribution points, and you may choose a residence on a Fourth-Order Superior Spiritual Peak within the city. Every ten years, you must undertake a mandatory mission.

After joining our Yunluo Immortal City, you may also select a Cultivation Technique or Divine Skills worth one million contribution points."

With a wave of Yunluo Fairy Maiden's hand, a jade-like identity Token flew into Zhao Yu's hands.

Yunluo Fairy Maiden said, "You may leave now!"

"Yes, City Lord!"

Zhao Yu and Yan Wuheng both bowed respectfully and then withdrew.

"Fellow Zhao, come with me. I will take you to the Duiling Hall. There, you can exchange city contribution points for various good things!"

Yan Wuheng smiled and led Zhao Yu to a palace atop a peak of a nearby Spiritual Peak.

Inside the Duiling Hall, many Qi Cultivation and Foundation Establishment Cultivators were taking on various tasks, exchanging their sect contributions for different cultivation resources.

"Greetings, Elder Yan!"

"..."

As soon as Yan Wuheng stepped into the palace, the disciples of the Immortal City paid their respects in earnest.

Yan Wuheng nodded slightly and led Zhao Yu directly into the inner sanctum of the Duiling Hall, to a Golden Core old man lying in a lounge chair. He was burly, unpolished, with a face full of beard, and appeared indolently relaxed.

Yan Wuheng said, "Old Ghost Zhou, this Zhao Yu here is the new Silver-ranked Elder of our Yunluo Immortal City! Bring the exchange jade slip. Oh yes, and prepare some Alchemy-related mandatory sect missions. Old Zhao is a Pill Master!"

"Help yourself!"

The indifferent Golden Core old man glanced at Zhao Yu and casually tossed a jade slip that fell into Zhao Yu's hand.

Zhao Yu received the jade slip, scanned it with his Divine Sense, and discovered that his status as a Silver-ranked Elder in Yunluo Immortal City was not ordinary. He could exchange for many rare treasures seldom seen in the outside world. The seeds of the Spiritual Medicine he needed were also on the list of exchangable items, although the required contribution points were extremely high.