Chapter 10 - "Tianyong City: A World of Its Own!"

“I knew I could trust you,” Xiao Yu said with a satisfied smile, feeling reassured. Then, as if recalling something, he added, “By the way, Junior Sister, have you considered this? That Wu guy is a Golden Core cultivator. If he wanted to kill us, he could’ve just attacked us directly. Why bother bringing a helper? Isn’t that unnecessary?”

“Now that you mention it…” Fu Qu’s eyes lit up with understanding. “I thought about that when Wu appeared, but the fight distracted me, and I forgot.”

“Also, that Mad Dog cultivator’s treasure just happened to counter your artefact. Doesn’t that seem too convenient? And the fact that Wu knew we’d pass through Tianyao Gorge and ambushed us there—he must’ve known our route beforehand.”

Xiao Yu had spent some time analysing the details of the ambush. The more he thought about it, the more it felt like a carefully orchestrated plot.

“Senior Brother, you mean…” Fu Qu’s eyes widened.

“I’m worried that there’s a spy in Tianyong City,” Xiao Yu said, his expression grave.

[Tianyong City (天墉城, Tiānyōng Chéng): A fictional cultivation sect. Its name, Tianyong, translates to “Sky Wall,” evoking the idea of an ethereal fortress suspended in the heavens.]

“A spy?!” Fu Qu’s body tensed as she exclaimed, “I’ll go back right now and tell Father! He can summon all the elders and disciples and root out the traitors one by one. We can’t let this go unpunished!”

True to her impulsive nature, Fu Qu was ready to leap onto her sword and fly straight back to Tianyong City, raising chaos until the matter was resolved.

Xiao Yu stopped her with a steady hand.

“Junior Sister, we don’t know yet whether the spy is one person or a group. To avoid alerting them, let’s wait until we return to Tianyong City and report everything to Master. He’ll know what to do.”

Their master, Hansu Zhenren, was a cultivator of immense wisdom and experience, having weathered countless storms in his centuries of cultivation. If anyone could uncover a traitor, it was him.

“Alright, Senior Brother. I’ll listen to you,” Fu Qu replied obediently.

The two of them mounted their swords, Xiao Yu transforming into a streak of blue light and Fu Qu into a streak of purple, as they shot into the sky and sped toward the northern Kunlun Mountains.

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Two days later, atop the Kunlun Mountains.

[Kunlun Mountains (昆仑山, Kūnlún Shān): Often referred to as the “Mountain of Immortals” in Chinese mythology. Kunlun is believed to be the dwelling place of deities and immortals.]

Two streaks of light—one blue, one purple—descended from the sky and landed at the foot of the mountain.

Fu Qu inhaled deeply, savouring the crisp, cool air as she gazed at the familiar peaks, “It feels so good to be home!”

Xiao Yu took out a jade token from his storage pouch. Infusing it with spiritual energy, the token emitted a brilliant green light. Moments later, the ground before them began to glow, and a teleportation array appeared.

“Come on, Junior Sister,” Xiao Yu said, stepping into the array.

“Okay!” Fu Qu smiled brightly and followed him in.

The world knew Tianyong City to be located within the Kunlun Mountains, but few knew the truth—it was an independent world unto itself.

Three thousand years ago, the sixth sect leader of Tianyong City, the most gifted master in the city’s history, had used unparalleled divine powers to carve out a separate dimension. This became the city’s foundation, a sanctuary that had endured ever since.

To enter or exit Tianyong City, one needed a special jade token. The token activated the teleportation array at the Kunlun Mountain entrance, which verified the user’s identity before transporting them into the city. Any attempt to bypass or manipulate the array would trigger an explosion.

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In a realm brimming with ethereal mist, a teleportation array flashed brightly as Fu Qu emerged.

“We’re finally back!” she exclaimed, looking ahead at the grand city before her.

“Yes, we are,” Xiao Yu said, a faint smile curving his lips.

Tianyong City sprawled across a vast expanse, far more than a simple city—it was a small world unto itself. Within its borders were towering pavilions, rolling mountains, meandering rivers, dense forests, deep gorges, and sprawling marshlands.

The entire city floated in the void, protected by a massive sect-defending array. The array, resembling an inverted transparent bowl, enveloped the city completely, shielding it for millennia.

[Sect-Defending Array (镇宗大阵, Zhèn Zōng Dàzhèn): A powerful defensive formation that protects Tianyong City from external threats.]

“Senior Brother Xiao Yu, welcome back!”

A young man stepped forward, his demeanour calm and respectful. He clasped his hands in a formal salute.

“Ling Yue (陵越, Líng Yuè),” Xiao Yu greeted warmly. “It’s only been a few days, but it seems your cultivation has improved again. If I don’t work harder, I might lose my position as Senior Brother,” he joked, patting Ling Yue’s shoulder.

[Ling Yue (陵越, Líng Yuè): A junior disciple known for his skill in swordsmanship. His name combines Líng (陵, “mountain ridge” or “majesty”) and Yuè (越, “to surpass”), symbolizing ambition and elevation.]

Ling Yue smiled modestly. He was a talented disciple who practised the Way of the Sword. Disciplined and kind, he was the student of Ziyin Zhenren (紫胤真人, Zǐyìn Zhēnrén), one of the sect’s elder swordmasters, making him Xiao Yu’s junior martial brother.