Chapter 1567: Ferryman
Editor: Atlas Studios
The time in the Fifth Star Ring was measured by the formation of small vortices within the red auroras flowing across the sky.
When the number of these auroral vortices reached one thousand, it marked the completion of a year in the Fifth Star Ring.
Afterward, all the vortices would dissipate, becoming streams of light, signaling the beginning of a new year.
At present, the 753rd vortex was forming within the red aurora.
In the air, Xu Qing raised his head, gazing at the scene from afar.
This marked the thirtieth vortex day since he had begun his journey at full speed.
With his current speed, had he been in w.a.n.ggu, this amount of time would have been sufficient for him to fly from the Imperial Capital’s region back to Fenghai County.
However, here, he was still at the southern edge of the Fifth Star Ring.
The ground was still a swamp.
The Fifth Star Ring was truly too vast.
However, I have finally arrived at my destination.
Xu Qing retracted his gaze and looked at the ground.
Far away from the swamp stood a vast and majestic city.
This city was completely black. Under the aurora, it looked like a sleeping behemoth.
It looked a little dim and the end couldn’t be seen with the naked eye.
The range was so large that in Xu Qing’s perception, it was comparable to an entire province.
In the memories of the Ruler’s servant, this city… was actually just an ordinary small city in the south of the Fifth Star Ring.
There were many cities like this in the south, and many were even more majestic than it.
For example, his clan’s city was much larger than this.
As for the other large cities, due to his status and cultivation, the Ruler’s servant had never seen them before.
He had actually spent his entire life in this remote place in the south.
As for his owner, which was the clan that the Ruler was from, Xu Qing gained a better understanding of it through soul searching and his observation of the outside world.
This clan, though it controlled a significant territory in the southern outer region, and despite their ancestor having reached the level of a Quasi-Immortal Great Emperor, was not considered a dominant power in the area.
There were also some similar clans in the southern periphery.
It seems my previous judgment had some discrepancies.
Xu Qing looked at the city in front of him as he pondered.
In the beginning, because he didn’t know much about spirit mines, after seeing that the guardian was actually a Ruler, he thought that the strongest person in the other party’s clan was probably the legendary Summer Immortal.
This made him extremely vigilant.
However, it was obvious that the Summer Immortal, no matter where it was, was not a common level.
However, I have to be careful. There are too many experts in the Fifth Star Ring.”
Xu Qing took a deep breath and headed straight for the city ahead.
He changed his figure and aura to hide his cultivation and transformed into the servant of that Ruler. Moreover, he used his ident.i.ty token to step into the city. The process was naturally smooth.
He didn’t encounter any obstacles.
Soon, Xu Qing’s figure appeared in this huge city.
There were countless people in the surroundings and almost all of them were cultivators.
There were a lot of shops.
The sound of clamor continued to echo around him.
Even with Xu Qing’s experience, he was still in a daze when he saw so many cultivators after entering the city.
He had never seen such a scene even in the human race’s imperial city in the w.a.n.ggu Continent.
There were really too many cultivators here.
The feeling of unfamiliarity also unknowingly surfaced in Xu Qing’s heart.
Human nature was such that not only did emptiness make one feel unfamiliar, but also a vast crowd without any familiar faces could create a profound sense of estrangement.
However, Xu Qing had been to too many places since he was young. Hence, his thoughts calmed down soon after. He walked forward and slowly blended into the crowd.
While walking, he also observed the pa.s.sersby in the surroundings.
He sought out the differences between himself and them in terms of speech and behavior, and made adjustments accordingly.
Thus, after half a vortex day had pa.s.sed, it was difficult to distinguish Xu Qing from the local cultivators in terms of accent or demeanor.
Through the discussions of the surrounding cultivators, Xu Qing gained a better understanding of this Fifth Star Ring and this city.
Although this information was all fragments, at least it was enough to find the shops he needed.
Right now, Xu Qing was standing outside a shop.
The shop had a three-story pavilion design, with an opulent and grand exterior. Many cultivators came and went.
Inside, rows of shelves displayed various magic treasures, each sealed and not easily accessible, but accompanied by jade slips describing their effects.
The items sold here were magic treasures.
As he walked on the first level, Xu Qing’s gaze landed on those magic treasures.
After staring at it for a moment, he sighed with emotion.
In w.a.n.ggu, magic treasures were rare. They were often the supreme treasures of a sect.
For example, the Seven Blood Eyes’ blood-red eye treasure.
It was even rarer for it to be circulated outside. Moreover, even a magic treasure fragment was treated as a precious item.
The most commonly available items were only magic artifacts.
However, here, magic treasures were everywhere.
The shattering of the magic treasures in the w.a.n.ggu was mainly due to the G.o.ds.”
Xu Qing pondered.
If the fragmented-face didn’t appear, the difference between w.a.n.ggu and this place wouldn’t be so great.”
There’s another important reason why w.a.n.ggu’s development isn’t as good as here…”
That is, there is no path above the Summer Immortal in w.a.n.ggu.
Here, it’s obvious that the Fifth Star Ring found the path above the Summer Immortal a long time ago. That’s why it’s so prosperous now.”
Xu Qing’s gaze swept over and didn’t stay for too long. Although magic treasures were good, at his current level, he no longer needed them.
Hence, soon, Xu Qing walked toward the second floor.
There, he found what he needed.
It was a map of the Fifth Star Ring.
There’s a huge difference in the value of items like maps. The more detailed they are, the more expensive they are.”
On the second floor, there was a maidservant. After noticing that Xu Qing had stopped beside a jade slip containing the map of the Fifth Star Ring, she quickly walked over and smiled.
Senior, the map in front of you is very detailed regarding the southern area. However, I have to remind you that we only sell copies of the maps. Moreover, there are restrictions that forbid you from copying them again.”
When Xu Qing heard this, he retracted his gaze from the jade slip in front of him and calmly spoke.
Just the south isn’t enough.
As soon as he finished speaking, the woman’s eyes instantly lit up and she gave a sweet smile.
There are also more detailed maps. My Immortal Treasure Hall has countless branches in the entire Fifth Star Ring, so we are naturally comprehensive about maps.
May I know what level of map Senior requires?”
Xu Qing thought about it and looked at the maid beside him as he slowly spoke.
It should include the entire Fifth Star Ring, as well as information on the various forces and heaven’s chosens. The more comprehensive the better.
When the woman heard this, she narrowed her eyes and carefully sized up Xu Qing. She thought to herself that there was a high chance that this person was going to partic.i.p.ate in the hunt of the Immortal Capital. Only such a person would buy such a map.
This was because they wouldn’t only have to face the qualified opponents but also the entire Fifth Star Ring.
Such people were all people who had blood on their hands.
At the thought of this, the woman’s att.i.tude became more respectful.
My Immortal Treasure Hall has such a map. However, the price has to be settled by immortal jade. Moreover, the quant.i.ty…”
Xu Qing waved his hand and a small pile of immortal jade instantly appeared in front of him. After showing them, he put them away and calmly looked at the maidservant.
The maid immediately spoke.
Senior, please follow me to the third floor.
Xu Qing nodded and walked toward the third floor.
On the third floor, there were even fewer cultivators. Moreover, it was divided into cubicles that protected the customers’ privacy.
After following the woman into a cubicle, the woman bowed and left. Not long later, she returned with a tray in her hand.
There was a white jade slip on it.
Xu Qing made a grabbing gesture; the jade slip instantly flew over. After it landed in his hand, he swept it with his divine sense.
Immediately, a huge map appeared in his mind.
This map contained the north, south, east, and western territories. At the same time, there were also signs of various clans and sects. Even some local customs were mentioned.
Moreover, it also introduced heaven’s chosens from all over the world.
It was extremely detailed.
However, much of the key information was blurry.
Clearly, there was a restriction and it could only be seen clearly after buying it.
Xu Qing was satisfied. After he retracted his divine sense, he didn’t waste any time. He used a vast amount of immortal jade to exchange for the qualifications to make copies.
After that, under the respectful gaze of the woman, he left the pavilion and walked into the crowd, disappearing from sight.
In the crowd, Xu Qing changed his figure and aura multiple times. After confirming that there was no one following him because of this purchase, he transformed into an ordinary cultivator and checked the information on the map as he moved forward.
The Immortal Capital is right in the center. It’s sacred and cannot be probed.
The surrounding areas are divided into four major regions: East, South, West, and North.”
These four major regions can actually be viewed as four large starfields. Each of these starfields is further divided into East, South, West, and North. However, because the entire area is within the Fifth Star Ring, people generally refer to them by their star ring cla.s.sification.”
Each of these four large starfields contains numerous sects and clans…
The most orthodox are the four great forces: Great Immortal Mountain in the Southern Starfield, Sword Immortal Sect in the Northern Starfield, Star Ring Tower in the Eastern Starfield, and Dao Immortal Sect in the Western Starfield.”
These four major forces are considered orthodox because each has a Lower Immortal Ancestor stationed there who is responsible for the duties of patrolling the sky of the Immortal Capital.”
In the entire Fifth Star Ring, outside the Immortal Capital, there are a total of sixteen patrolling Lower Immortals!”
Apart from the four in the major forces, the remaining twelve take on the form of stars, moving within the aurora to guard various regions.”
After perceiving the map information in his mind, Xu Qing had gained a general understanding of the overall layout of the Fifth Star Ring.
At the same time, he also had a clear understanding of his location.
“I’m at the edge of the southern starfield of the Fifth Star Ring. It’s extremely close to the western starfield and almost borders it. There’s only a G.o.d Blood River in the middle…”
In the description of this river, there is a legend suggesting that it was formed from the blood of the G.o.ds.”
There are dangers and bizarre ent.i.ties on it. Unless one has the cultivation of a Great Emperor, they can’t cross it.”
Hence, this G.o.d Blood River became a formidable chasm between the Western and Southern Starfields.”
Ordinary cultivators can only travel between the two places by boat…
And there is a special profession on this river known as the Ferryman… Only Ferrymen can safely guide people across the G.o.d Blood River.”
Each Ferryman is said to come from the Immortal Capital. They seem to be sinners punished by the Immortal Capital, sent here to serve as Ferrymen.”
And crossing the river requires a fee. This fee isn’t spirit stones or immortal jade but life.”
The fee for crossing the river for the first time is six days of life of the person crossing the river. This is because the time to cross the river also requires six days.”
“As for the second crossing, the fee will skyrocket. It will require sixty years of life.”
There’s no third time.
Because the third time cost the whole lifespan.
When Xu Qing saw this, his heart stirred.