Chapter 80

（The monthly ticket ranking actually reached third place, which was really unexpected; although it was only for a moment! Here, we celebrate the Mid-Yuan Festival on the 16th, and I need to return to my hometown today to celebrate. I'll update the two guaranteed chapters first. If the monthly tickets reach 200 or 400 today, I'll add more updates when I return at night.）

Chen Xun and his companions had moved directly into the disciple quarters of the Xuwu Wei Mansion half a month ago, and they had not had the opportunity to walk around the city except for today's grand ceremony.

When they first crossed the ridge and saw the black city walls stretching for hundreds of miles, they were shocked by the grandeur of Canglan City. However, the true grandeur of Canglan City could only be deeply felt when one was inside it.

Chen Xun followed Zuoqiu, Zongya, and others as they walked through the streets that were as dense as a spider's web, watching the crowds rubbing shoulders along the way. After passing through the southern city gate, they discovered that outside the black giant wall, there was another dilapidated city.

This was the southern part of Canglan City.

Chen Xun had long been accustomed to a life with vast land and sparse population. The Black Python occupied a mountain range spanning a hundred miles, and there were only a thousand people living there. Every time he went out to gather herbs or hunt, he might not encounter a single person for three to five days.

However, within the high walls of Canglan City, nearly a million people lived, with a population density and scale far beyond Chen Xun's imagination.

The southern part of the city was filled with dilapidated shacks. After a heavy rain the day before, the muddy streets were difficult to walk on, with deep mud pits everywhere, even worse than the Black Python Stone Village.

The people along the streets were dressed in tattered clothes, their faces pale, and many were on the verge of starvation, but no one paid attention.

Seeing this situation, Chen Xun realized that the southern part of the city was actually a slum. The three sides of the city walls were low earthen walls, and the defense was far inferior to the main city's hundred-meter-high black stone walls, let alone any defensive magic arrays.

In the end, a total of forty-six young people from the Beishan tribe entered Canglan City with Zuoqiu and Zongya. Many of them were injured or disabled and needed medical treatment and medicine. With limited resources, they could only find a dilapidated place in the southern part of the city to settle down.

A sparse tree fence surrounded a two-acre yard, with a few dilapidated thatched houses inside. A few animal skin tents were set up on the open ground, which became the place where the Beishan young people settled in Canglan City.

The group did not find it hard, as the situation here was at least no worse than in their tribe.

Although the southern city walls were low and did not seem to have any magic array protection, the dense population of hundreds of thousands gave a sense of security. Even if fierce beasts from the deep mountains on both sides of the city walls invaded, hiding among hundreds of thousands of people would be safer.

Everyone enthusiastically welcomed Chen Xun, Gu Jianfeng, and others into the house, sitting on the ground, and eagerly asked about their life in the disciple quarters.

Of course, what everyone was more concerned about was how Chen Xun had met Su Tang, the direct disciple of the old ancestor of the Su family, and why he had publicly refused to become Su Tang's disciple when such a good opportunity was presented.

Chen Xun naturally could not reveal the secrets behind this to so many people. Seeing the pile of stones and wood for building walls and houses in the yard, he changed the topic and asked Zuoqiu, "Do you plan to settle down here?"

"Yes, merchants can reach the Beishan area of Black Python Ridge. I think we should have a place to stay in Canglan City in the future. Previously, the tribal warriors were not allowed to enter the trial area, but in a few days, the tribe should send people over," Zuoqiu said with a worried look, "I'm just not sure if the Guixi tribe will interfere."

Canglan City was a mix of dragons and snakes, with a population of a million.

Besides the Su family and the Canglan Academy, there were countless small and medium-sized tribes and independent cultivators. The thousands of tribes living in the Canglan wilderness would mainly come to Canglan City for exchanges and transactions.

No matter from which perspective, the convenience of cultivating in Canglan City far exceeded the isolated and remote Black Python.

"Among three people, there must be one who can be my teacher."

Even if he could not enter the Canglan Academy, Chen Xun believed that he could find a cultivation method suitable for him in Canglan City.

Sometimes, it was not the more mysterious and profound cultivation methods that were better, but rather finding a method suitable for his current stage of cultivation.

Although Greenwood Daoist was only at the peak of the ninth level of the Witchman realm and might never hope to advance to the Rebirth realm, his "Residual Interpretation of Dao" almost explained the principles of True Yang realm cultivation thoroughly, from which Chen Xun benefited greatly.

He believed that in the city of a million people, there would certainly be capable and extraordinary people.

Chen Xun had already considered staying in Canglan City temporarily, even if he could not enter the academy. However, Zongya, Zongling, and Nanxi initially planned to enter the Canglan Academy if possible, and if not, to return to the Black Python.

In comparison, the Zuoji tribe had a more comprehensive plan. Led by Zuoqiu, they entered Canglan City and had already considered finding a place to settle down.

Although the Zuoji tribe did not have any Heaven-level Witchmen, as a tribe with over ten thousand members, it was one of the few large tribes in the Beishan area of Black Python Ridge. The number of middle and upper-level Witchmen who had enlightened their Witchman souls in the Zuoji tribe far exceeded that of the Black Mountain and Black Python tribes, and their foresight and understanding of future rules were indeed stronger.

Zuoqiu, though only seventeen or eighteen years old, was not remarkable for his cultivation level, which had already reached the upper level of the Witchman realm, but rather for his personal insight and courage, which were superior to Gu Jianfeng, Zongya, and others.

Facing the ambush by the Guixi tribe, it was Zuoqiu who, at a critical moment, gathered the Beishan tribe's young people to survive together, persisting until Chen Xun arrived to seek help.

In just half a month since entering Canglan City, Zuoqiu had already started to find a place to settle down, showing more meticulous and planned actions than other young people, which was why the Beishan tribe's young people could gather around him.

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Chen Xun planned to stay in Canglan City temporarily, but he needed a quiet room for cultivation without being disturbed by others.

The yard in the southern part of the city was too simple, with only six or seven thatched houses. Apart from the animal skin tents, about five or six people had to squeeze into each shabby house and sleep on the ground.

In such a simple yard, everyone was so crowded that it was difficult to turn around, let alone focus on cultivation.

However, Chen Xun could not live separately from Zuoqiu and the others at this time.

Besides being concerned about the safety of Zongya, Zongling, and others, he wanted to find a safe place to cultivate in Canglan City, and for now, he could only stay with Zuoqiu and the others.

Canglan City was a mix of dragons and snakes, with the Guixi tribe watching them closely, and the powerful Su Quan also harboring resentment towards him.

After the incident with Su Tang, no one in Canglan City would dare to openly cause trouble, but if he did not join forces with Zuoqiu and the others and was left alone, anything could happen.

In Canglan City, besides the Su family, the Canglan Academy, and the major tribes, there were countless independent cultivators, evil cultivators, and even hidden forces from other sects and noble families.

Su Quan and the Guixi tribe did not need to send people directly to attack. They just needed to spread the news of their whereabouts and the large number of talismans and spirit pills they carried, and he would be forced to flee.

With enough temptation, those independent and evil cultivators, who had no roots, would not hesitate to attack, regardless of Su Tang being the direct disciple of the old ancestor of the Su family.

After they succeeded, they could simply run away and find a new sect to stay in, never stepping foot in Canglan City again. Even if Su Tang was the direct disciple of the old ancestor of the Su family and had high cultivation, what could he do?

If Chen Xun really thought that relying on Su Tang would allow him to stand firm in Canglan City, he would be a naive teenager.

Seriously, he should be about twenty-five years old, and his thoughts were not as simple as Su Tang's, nor as straightforward and inflexible as Zongya and others, who could not see the dangers of human nature.

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It soon turned dark, and several young people ran out to buy wine and meat. Everyone sat on the ground, eating meat and drinking, while the cautious Zuoqiu arranged for people to stand guard in the yard.

Chen Xun walked out of the yard and noticed some people lurking around, possibly spies from the Guixi tribe, confirming that Zuoqiu's caution was necessary.

With Zuoqiu around, he did not need to worry too much and could focus on cultivation.

Soon, Ge Yi personally led two attendants, riding two camels, and came to the southern part of the city, bringing back the personal items Chen Xun had left in the disciple quarters.

Apart from the bronze medicine furnace, heavy spear, and iron-bow, which were inconvenient to carry, there were no other items left in the quarters, but the two camels were heavily loaded with animal skin bags.

When they were unpacked, Chen Xun found that in addition to the items they had left in the quarters, the hundreds of silk scrolls from the study, Ge Yi had also packed and sent them over.

"These magical robes and the four academy seals you are wearing are very precious, and the Xuwu Wei Mansion will need to reclaim them. However, the miscellaneous items you used in the quarters are not suitable for other disciples to use, so I have packed them all for you. Please check if anything is missing..." Ge Yi said.

"Thank you, Sir Ge." Chen Xun bowed in gratitude.

It was not surprising that the Xuwu Wei Mansion would reclaim the academy seals and magical robes, but these hundreds of silk scrolls, which seemed ordinary to others, were far more precious to him than the academy seals and magical robes, and he was deeply grateful to Ge Yi.

Ge Yi, as the executive of the Xuwu Wei Mansion and the right-hand man of Su Qingfeng, had even risked being killed by Su Quan on the spot to prevent Lou Jiao from taking advantage of the situation to harm the Beishan tribe's young people. What else could he feel besides gratitude?

Zuoqiu and the others were also very grateful to Ge Yi.

Although the bloody trial for the Beishan tribe's young people was arranged by Ge Yi, everyone knew that he was just following the Su family's orders.

"This place is too simple..."

Ge Yi walked into the yard, where a sparse tree fence surrounded a muddy ground, and the dilapidated thatched houses had walls that let in the wind. With summer approaching in two months, the animal skin tents would be hot and stuffy, and he wondered how the forty or fifty Beishan tribe's young people would live in this yard.

Thirteen Sir was currently away on business, and it was unknown when he would return to Canglan City. How to deal with the challenges from Fourth Sir was not something Ge Yi could decide.

However, although Chen Xun, Gu Jianfeng, and others had been expelled from the Canglan Academy, as representatives of the Beishan tribe's young people and cultivators, living in the chaotic southern part of the city made him somewhat worried.

Ge Yi explained some of the situations in Canglan City to Chen Xun and the others.

Chen Xun then learned that although Canglan City was vast, the southern part, which was the most crowded and dilapidated, was home to the most lowly and despised people, such as slaves, outlaws, and evil cultivators, who all hid in the southern part of the city.

The Guixi tribe and Fourth Sir would not openly confront them, but living in the chaotic southern part of the city, anything could happen, and they could easily shift the blame.

The northern part of the city, controlled by the Three Orders and Six Wei Mansion and the Su family's direct line, was the true core of Canglan City. However, most of the small and medium-sized tribes, sects, and independent cultivators, as well as merchants traveling to Yunzhou and the Western Wilderness, lived in the eastern and western parts of the city, which were the main parts of Canglan City.

The lowly and despised people, slaves, and outlaws in the southern part of the city were not allowed to enter the main city at will; even if they had a permit, they could not stay overnight.

If they were found in the main city after the curfew, they would be easily caught by the city guards and spend a few days in jail, paying a ransom to be released, or even be killed on the spot.

Compared to the chaos in the southern part of the city, the main city was three times larger, with a population of only three or four hundred thousand, and the Law Enforcement Mansion was responsible for maintaining order. Independent and evil cultivators rarely dared to cause trouble in the main city.

The Guixi tribe would no longer hope to take back the seven talismans and three Nine Yuan Spirit Pills from Chen Xun and the others. They would likely soon spread the news and incite independent and evil cultivators to attack Chen Xun and the others.

The longer Chen Xun and the others stayed in the southern part of the city, the more dangerous it would be.

"There is a yard near my house, with six separate courtyards, which can barely accommodate forty or fifty people. It costs a thousand gold," Ge Yi said. "I helped you pack your things at the quarters, and there are a few not-so-important items that are worth about a thousand gold..."

In the cultivation world, only cultivation resources were measured in Heavenly Gang talisman money. In secular life, a thousand gold actually referred to a thousand pounds of bronze.

A thousand pounds of bronze was a considerable amount of wealth in Canglan City, but in the eyes of cultivators, it was not much.

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