Chapter 128: Black Dragon Ping City
There should be something wrong underground.
Li Yuanqing quickly shifted his gaze to the ground. He was different from others. Others would probably have to spend some effort to burrow underground, but for him, it was not difficult to go underground.
His flying ants and man-eating vines could dig holes, and they were especially good at developing underground.
However, they could not see the source of the death energy and could only blindly dig holes. Therefore, Li Yuanqing quickly gave the Man-eating Vine and the flying ants a mission to dig holes thousands of meters underground.
Why did they have to dig so deep? That was because this was outside the city and there were thousands of cultivators living here. Even if some of them were suppressed by the demons, there might be experts hiding deep.
Li Yuanqing was already very cautious. Now that he was in an unfamiliar place, he was even more cautious. He would rather take things slower than take risks.
Even though they were thousands of meters underground, Li Yuanqing still let the Man-eating Vine and the flying ants split up. Even if they were discovered, they were still considered as demons. There was no problem.
The ants crawled very quickly. There were many ants, and they worked together to dig holes continuously. They would find a place to pile up the soil that they dug out, and thousands of ants would be busy moving it.
They kept digging underground.
The Man-eating Vine also extended many vines and kept taking root underground. This was simply too easy for it. This was simply its old profession. It did not feel any pressure at all.
Li Yuanqing sat down in the courtyard, but he could control the direction of the Man-eating Vine and the flying ants with his mind. When he saw that the black aura there was thicker, he pointed in that direction and dug.
The days in the town were shorter than the nights. However, there were people walking outside regardless of whether it was day or night. It was just that at night, more humans would habitually stay in their houses.
This was because demons were very active at night. If one went out, it was easy to find a mistake and beat them up or quietly destroy them. Here, demons could not kill people openly.
However, it was inevitable that they would look for trouble. After all, the humans here were the lowest-level survivors. They could only live outside the dangerous city and do the lowest jobs. They would receive the lowest remuneration and would be in danger at any time.
Even so, very few human martial artists left the town.
This was because compared to the Wasteland or other places in the Catacombs, they could still find a job and obtain what they wanted in towns like this. It was not like the Wasteland where they lacked food and water, and it was very difficult to survive.
Li Yuanqing did not go out at night. Like most people, he chose to stay in this house. Anyway, the house was big enough. No matter which room it was, it was more comfortable to stay in.
More importantly, he could contact the others on the voice transmission device here.
This made Li Yuanqing feel very gratified. The sect that created the voice transmission device should be very powerful.
In the dark night, the voice transmission device was as lively as usual. There were still people calling Li Yuanqing and wanting to exchange water sources with him. Some even wanted to buy fish from him. Most of the martial artists on the voice transmission device were still worried about their livelihood.
There was nothing in this d.a.m.n Wasteland. They were still worrying that their residence would be found by the mutated beasts in the night and that they would become food for the mutated beasts.
Many people were still struggling on the edge of survival.
Li Yuanqing was already sitting in the huge courtyard drinking tea and enjoying the scenery. There was even a well in his backyard, as well as a rockery and flowers.
“There are fish and water sources. I still have everything you can think of and can’t think of. For example, tables, chairs, spiritual tea, and various delicacies. If you want them, you can exchange them for spirit stones. Even if I don’t have what you wanted today, tell me, I can get them soon…”
Li Yuanqing promised very easily. It was too easy to earn money from these martial artists on the voice transmission device.
Although they lived in the Wasteland, there were more spirit stones mines there. Even if those martial artists killed mutated beasts, they might accidentally find spirit stones in their nests.
The last time Li Yuanqing took out many medicinal pills refined from the black-and-white bears’ bones to sell at a low price, the decrease in the strength of many martial artists in the dark was not obvious. This made some martial artists slowly walk into the dark.
They began to hunt some lone vicious beasts and mutated beasts or follow them to find water or spirit stone mines.
Therefore, although their spirit stones were a little tight, they could still save some between their teeth and take them out to exchange with Li Yuanqing. This was because Li Yuanqing did not care what others used spirit stones to buy on the voice transmission device.
His were the cheapest and most cost-effective.
Moreover, the quality and his reputation was very good. Everyone was willing to deal with such a person. Therefore, Li Yuanqing quickly became a mighty figure on the voice transmission. Everyone was willing to trade with him.
As soon as he said this, someone immediately cheered from below.
“Awesome, Almighty, you’re really awesome. You can get any treasure. I even suspect that you can enter the Catacombs at any time and find the entrance to the small world. It seems like nothing can stump you…” Someone sighed with emotion.
Once martial artists like them entered the catacombs, it was easy to enter but difficult to leave. This was because the exit of the catacombs was constantly changing and there were all kinds of dangers. It was not easy to leave either.
Some martial artists were smart and would bring some supplies into the catacombs. However, these things would eventually be spent. At this time, they would be especially envious of people like Li Yuanqing who had abundant supplies.
“No way. The exit of the catacombs is so difficult to find. How can he be so lucky? I suspect that the big shot brought a magic treasure like a portable s.p.a.ce. Tsk tsk tsk, I’m really envious. Why didn’t I prepare more back then…”
“Don’t say anymore. I think you’re all wrong. You have to know that Big Boss 00001 seemed to be about the same as us. Later, later on…”
Someone mentioned that Li Yuanqing had also exchanged items with them in the beginning. Someone even mentioned that Li Yuanqing had even exchanged things like blankets.
This meant that he did not bring much supplies to the Catacombs back then. When did he become so generous and have all kinds of supplies?
Especially the water source. It was almost endless!
All kinds of guesses about Li Yuanqing became very lively on the voice transmission device. Suddenly, 00006 said, “Almighty, have you found the place? The town? Or are you still on the road?”
00006’s words made many martial artists feel a little puzzled and confused. However, Li Yuanqing understood at a glance that 00006 was asking if he had arrived at his destination.
That legendary place that everyone thought did not exist.
“Yes, I did. I headed east and finally found where I wanted to go. It’s nice here. It has everything!”
Li Yuanqing’s casual words made the other martial artists feel as if they had been struck by lightning. That legendary place really existed?
Looking at the Wasteland in front of them where there was nothing but barren land and lack of water. There were only dangers and spirit stone mines that might be hidden underground. However, they had to fight with the mutated beasts to obtain them. That was risking their lives.
But even if they risked their lives, they were still constantly in danger of dying.
What a miserable life!
But what about 00001? He had actually found the legendary place. Who would really rely on a rumor to travel all the way east? And even if they knew that everything was true, how many people had the ability and perseverance to travel all the way east?
“This place is like a city in a small world. However, it seems that demons are respected here. Human martial artists are still too weak here. Of course, there are fewer resources. I hope that this situation can be changed soon!”
Li Yuanqing’s gaze was firm. In the past, demons were respected here because there was a Greater Demon here, which was equivalent to the strength of a human at the Spirit Transformation Realm.
If a human martial artist reached the Spirit Transformation Realm and was stronger than the Greater Demon, would the situation of humans here change in the future? Or would the Catacombs become a place where humans were respected?
Would it become a place where all martial artists were proud to be human?
However, before solving this problem, he still had to find out why he couldn’t advance. Also, he had to think of a way to sign in more and find more places to sign in so that his strength could increase greatly and advance to the Spirit Transformation realm.
“Almighty, I’ll exchange it for you. I want to use spirit stones to exchange for some spirit herbs. I want to refine pills. I also want to head east!”
The first to react was 00006. He was the one who gave Li Yuanqing the direction to head east at the beginning. Back then, he did not expect Li Yuanqing to really find that legendary place as he headed east.
It was a miracle! What a miracle!
Li Yuanqing’s success motivated 00006. He felt that it was time for him to prepare. He would first refine some pills and think of a way to acc.u.mulate more spirit stones, food, and water. Of course, he still had to think of a way to replenish the supplies on the way. That was because he really did not know what danger he would encounter in the Wasteland if he headed east because if he was not careful, he might die before he reached his goal.
The more they tried to survive in the Wastelands of the Catacombs, the more they understood what water, supplies, and some first-aid pills meant.
“Sure, just talk to me privately if you need anything. I’ll give you some immediately. Those that I didn’t have, I’ll give it to you in a few days…”
Li Yuanqing had a good impression of 00006, so he readily agreed.
It was rare for the night outside the city to be peaceful. Although the houses here were expensive and the rent was not cheap, there were patrols specially formed by martial artists outside the city. They would patrol the surroundings at night.
A portion of the cost of these patrol teams came from the taxes and money that people used to buy a house. There were also some martial artists who volunteered to serve with work as a tax deduction, like when Li Yuanqing signed the deed.
He had once signed a contract that said that he would be responsible for the safety and defense of the area every few days with the patrolling team outside the city.
Perhaps in a few days, Li Yuanqing would go out to patrol at night to ensure the safety of that area at night.
That night, Li Yuanqing took a bath with warm water because there was a special bathroom in the backyard. It was filled with warm water and was especially comfortable to soak in. This was the first time Li Yuanqing took a bath since he came to the Catacombs.
In the past, he had enjoyed it like this in the Northern Kingdom. However, this was the first time since he came to the Catacombs. Usually, he would just use the Stain Removal Art to clean his body.
At night, Li Yuanqing entered a light sleep. It was especially comfortable. In his light sleep, he could even control the progress and direction of the Man-eating Vine and the flying ants.
After digging for an unknown distance in the direction Li Yuanqing had given them, the Man-eating Vine finally chose a place to reveal from the ground.
It was still a red blood moon hanging in the sky.
Outside a clean and neat high wall, a vine had appeared against the wall. The vine quickly climbed along the wall. Soon, the vine became faster and faster, so fast that no one could see it clearly.
On another soft land, a huge flying ant crawled out of the ground and flapped its wings silently. It began to soar up and look down at everything in front of it.
Here, they had reached the inner city.
At the highest point of the inner city was a majestic palace. On the widest square above the palace stood a sculpture that was seven to eight stories tall.
A pitch-black statue of a Demon King with a human body and a snake tail stood at the most eye-catching spot in the square.
On the head of this Snake Demon King, there were already signs of dragonization on its horns. In this place called Black Dragon Ping City, this statue was already a landmark. No building in the entire town could exceed this height.
Everyone needed to look up at this statue.
The flying ant also looked at the statue. Its body had become larger, but it was not easy to fly that high. Moreover, Li Yuanqing felt that there was something wrong with this statue.
Therefore, he let the flying ants fly up to the statue to take a look.
Some flying ants the size of bowls flapped their not-so-powerful wings and buzzed upwards. As they flew, they seemed to feel that their wings were very stiff and could not fly.
That night, it dug holes and flapped its wings. It had consumed a lot of energy coming and going, so much so that it felt exhausted. Therefore, its wings could not support its body. As it flew, before it reached half the height of the statue, the flying ant felt that its wings were about to break. It had to rest immediately. Otherwise, its wings might completely break.
The moonlight shone down on the statue. The eyes of the man on the tall statue looked down on everything, but there was a faint aura scattered down with the moonlight. The aura landed on the body of the flying ant. Although it was very little, it immediately filled the entire body of the exhausted flying ant.
Li Yuanqing, who was controlling this flying ant, immediately felt it.
There was indeed something strange about this statue. He had to go up and take a look.
Not only did the flying ants want to go up and take a look, but even the Man-eating Vine that was slowly crawling all over the base of the statue was eager to try. It seemed to have sensed that something was amiss here.
Li Yuanqing also sensed that something was wrong.