Chapter 107: The Ancient City of Yuantian

Above the secluded valley, the night sky hung sparse with a few scattered stars. The tranquil evening carried a faint chill and moisture as Luo Hao slept soundly upon the large blue stone.

“The potion has been given to you; now release me quickly!”

Suddenly, the faint voice of the Crystal Lotus echoed weakly in Luo Hao’s mind. In the next instant, Luo Hao, who had been asleep moments before, abruptly opened his eyes and swiftly retrieved the Crystal Lotus from his embrace.

He could clearly sense a change within the Crystal Lotus, and this alteration caused his expression to grow grave.

“What’s happening? Why is your power weakening?” The jade-green glow that once flickered vibrantly now dimmed as the lotus’s strength ebbed away.

“Losing the source of my power, of course I weaken. In a few days, I will lose all sentience and revert to an ordinary lotus. My fate is truly bitter! Wuwuwu…”

The voice of the Crystal Lotus trembled with childlike sobs within Luo Hao’s mind.

“Is there any way I can help you?”

After a moment of contemplation, Luo Hao finally spoke. For the Crystal Lotus to have evolved from an ordinary flower into a treasure comparable to half a Medicine King’s herb, its cultivation must have been arduous. Luo Hao was unwilling to let such a marvel of heaven and earth perish so easily.

“Are you willing to help me? You truly want to help me?” The Crystal Lotus’s emotions surged violently, as if Luo Hao’s words were a beacon of hope in the darkness.

Luo Hao nodded. “You helped heal Xiao Hei; I must repay that debt, even if you are merely a spiritual essence.”

“Thank you. You are a good person!”

“What? You’re calling me a good person?” Luo Hao was momentarily speechless, baffled by this unexpected compliment. Yet the lotus’s next words dealt him a blow.

“Though I appreciate your kindness, your cultivation is too weak. To help me, you must at least reach the Blood Gathering Realm. When you break through to that stage, a sea of blood energy will form within your dantian. Only by rooting myself within your blood energy sea can I prevent my power from dissipating.”

“So it’s imperative I break through to the Blood Gathering Realm. How long before your power fully vanishes?”

“Ten days. After that, I will become nothing more than an ordinary lotus.”

“Then I must break through within ten days and form the blood energy sea,” Luo Hao mused, brow furrowed. Ten days was an extremely tight window, even with a Blood Essence Fruit in hand, success was far from guaranteed.

“What’s the matter, child? You seem troubled.” Suddenly, the voice of the Serpent Jiao echoed, breaking Luo Hao’s thoughts.

Seeing the Serpent Jiao before him, Luo Hao’s face brightened. “Aunt Serpent Jiao, how is Xiao Hei?”

“Don’t worry. Xiao Hei is fine now. The Heavenly Yang Fire Poison has been completely cleansed. With another half year’s rest, a major breakthrough might even be possible.”

The warmth in the Serpent Jiao’s voice revealed a mother’s relief now that her child was safe.

“That’s good! Aunt Serpent Jiao, is there any way you can help me break through to the Blood Gathering Realm within ten days without damaging my foundation?” Luo Hao asked anxiously, heart eased now that Xiao Hei was safe.

“Ten days? According to your cultivation speed, you should break through soon anyway. Why the sudden urgency?” The Serpent Jiao was puzzled. Luo Hao quickly explained the situation.

“I see. Then bring out the Crystal Lotus.”

Following her instructions, Luo Hao retrieved the lotus. The Serpent Jiao opened her mouth, and a beam of icy blue light instantly enveloped the flower.

“This chilling aura will preserve its power for a month without loss. Then place it into the Spirit Liquid Pool. With the pool’s millennia-old accumulated essence, its power should remain stable for two months.”

Luo Hao nodded and placed the lotus into the pool. Sure enough, its power ceased fading. He glanced at Xiao Hei resting at the pool’s bottom — the young serpent’s wounds had improved, shattered scales regrew, and vitality surged anew.

“Looks like I have two months to break through the Blood Gathering Realm. Much more time than just ten days,” Luo Hao pondered. For someone whose spiritual power had reached its peak, breaking through was not impossible, but it required a catalyst.

“To be safe, I suggest you seek some elixirs in the human world. Though our races are estranged, your humans’ alchemy is undeniably valuable,” the Serpent Jiao advised calmly.

“Elixirs? The Ancient Source City!”

Luo Hao hesitated briefly, then a goal formed in his mind. He had heard elder disciples at the Tianhai Sect mention the place before.

Ancient Source City had a long history, tracing back to the medieval era. Once a humble human town, it had grown into a bustling hub where martial artists of all kinds, serpents and dragons alike, gathered. It was also a major trading and auction site for large sects.

“Looks like you’ve got a direction. Tomorrow morning I’ll take you to the outskirts of the Tian Cang Mountain Range,” the Serpent Jiao said.

The next morning, after checking on Xiao Hei and the Crystal Lotus, Luo Hao mounted the Serpent Jiao’s back and left the valley. When the pair reappeared, they were at the edge of the Tian Cang Mountains.

“All right, go now. If you break through within two months, return and call for me with your scales!” With that, the Serpent Jiao soared into the sky and quickly vanished.

Her hurried departure suggested she still worried about Xiao Hei and the Crystal Lotus left behind.

Watching her disappear, Luo Hao’s gaze hardened. He turned toward the other side beyond the mountains and murmured, “The Ancient Source City should lie on the Wild Plains.”

With swift steps, he vanished into the Tian Cang Mountains. According to memory, the city was about two days’ journey from here, but at his speed, one day would suffice.

“Old Six, heard the Ancient Source City is lively these days?”

“Yeah, there’s an auction going on, but that’s got nothing to do with us poor guys!”

“Pfft, you’re the poor one. I’ve got money to burn!”

After leaving the mountains, Luo Hao pressed on relentlessly. Half a day later, a carriage appeared on the official road, accompanied by two voices.

The carriage moved at a steady pace, pulled by a sturdy blue-scaled horse renowned for endurance. The carriage was simple but not shabby; the driver was a burly man with a thick beard.

“Hey, sir driving ahead, are you headed to Ancient Source City?”

“What’s your business, young man?” The bearded driver pulled the reins and glanced back at Luo Hao with a curious look.

“Since you’re going to Ancient Source City, could you give me a ride?”

“Old Six, why’d you stop? Let’s hurry to Ancient Source City and have some fun!” Before the bearded man could speak, a young man about Luo Hao’s age climbed out of the carriage.

“Why the noise? This young brother is also headed to Ancient Source City. Wants a ride!”

“All under heaven are brothers; friend, hop in! I’ll tell you all about my wild adventures!” The young man spoke without hesitation and invited Luo Hao aboard. Amid the driver’s wary glance, Luo Hao climbed into the carriage.

The next morning, near the Wild Plains, the carriage stopped. Before the young man woke, Luo Hao apologized to the driver and, with a slight dizziness, stepped away.

Recalling last night, Luo Hao shuddered. The young man inside the carriage was an unstoppable chatterbox, talking endlessly about everything from distant lands to his own childhood mischiefs: spying on widows bathing at age three, visiting brothels at five, and more, boasting shamelessly.

An hour later, Luo Hao stood before an endless plain stretching to the horizon, merging with the sky in a vast, desolate expanse that still held a trace of primordial essence.

From the depths of the Wild Plains echoed terrifying beast roars, an oppressive aura so suffocating Luo Hao felt it pressing down on him.

Taking a deep breath, he plunged into the plains. The Ancient Source City lay on its outskirts.

The Wild Plains lived up to its fearsome reputation, teeming with countless beasts rivaling even those of the Tian Cang Mountains. Within moments Luo Hao had encountered hundreds, though their strength was low and none dared provoke him.

Half an hour later, Luo Hao let out a fierce roar and crushed the skull of a second-tier beast in his hand. Milky white brain matter splattered, but he dismissed it with a casual shake.

This was not the first time he had been ambushed since entering the plains. He welcomed these attacks as training, keeping him alert at all times.

After another half hour, Luo Hao paused, his eyes burning with emotion. Before him rose a city shaped like a solitary peak, as if a colossal ancient beast with a gaping maw lay crouched upon the earth.

Quickening his pace, Luo Hao soon stood before the city gates. A vast, solemn aura washed over him, as if transporting one back to the turbulent medieval era.

The formidable city walls soared dozens of feet high, dark teal in color with an ancient charm. Stretching endlessly like an eternal sky cushion, they separated the Wild Plains from the inland.

The weathered walls bore countless scars — cuts from blades and swords, imprints of fists and palms, claw marks from beasts.

“Celestial Black-Gold Stone!” Luo Hao murmured, running his hand over the wall in awe. The city’s walls were forged from this rare, hard mineral. While not divine metal, it was a precious ore indeed.

Given the vastness of the walls, it was hard to imagine who had built such a fortress.

Reflecting further, it was precisely because of the Celestial Black-Gold Stone that the ancient city had withstood countless assaults through the centuries, surviving intact since the medieval era.

Still, the scars on the walls testified to the brutal battles waged beneath them over the ages.

Beneath the ancient walls stood a massive gate. The stone plaque above the gate bore the two characters “Ancient Source” in a simple yet bold script, imbued with an inexplicable aura.

Luo Hao bowed his head in respect. The predecessor who inscribed these words must have reached the pinnacle of cultivation.

His blood stirred, passion swelling within his chest. With firm steps, Luo Hao entered through the gate, disappearing into the city beyond.