Three days later.
Yeyuan City, a coastal city on the border of the Xuanming Continent.
In an elegant teahouse on the second floor, by a window, a woman dressed in a black gown leaned languidly against the sill. She glanced sideways at the bustling capital with an indifferent expression. Her hair was tied up casually with a ribbon, and a silver mask with carved patterns covered the side of her face.
The woman took a light sip of tea and murmured, "The cultivation levels of these people are actually not bad."
Since awakening her memories at the age of fifteen, she had learned much about this world from Chiyun.
Here, anyone with a Spiritual Root can practice cultivation. One can be tested for a Spiritual Root, talent, and Spirit Power attribute at the age of eight. However, those without a Spiritual Root are considered ordinary people—viewed as nothing more than trash by Spirit Cultivators.
There are eight common Spirit Power attributes: Wind, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, Lightning, Light, and Dark. Beyond these, there is the rarest type—one not even recorded in some ancient texts: the Space Attribute.
Cultivation levels, from low to high, are: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Cyan, Blue, Purple, White, Silver, Gold, and Mysterious Spirit. Each major rank is further divided into nine sub-levels. The further one progresses, the harder it is to advance.
Murong Yunsheng had been cultivating for three years since awakening her memories. However, because time in her internal space moved three times faster than outside, she had essentially practiced for nine years. Her current cultivation level was Blue Spirit, Level 3.
Yet, Murong Yunsheng was already quite satisfied with this. After all, Chiyun had once said that for those with average talent, even if they started cultivating at age eight and practiced for nine years, most would only reach the Yellow or Green Spirit ranks.
Murong Yunsheng’s talent was exceptional; it was the kind seen once in ten thousand people.
Beyond Spirit Cultivators, this world also featured other professions: Pharmacists and Alchemists, Artifact Refiners, Rune Masters, Sound Soul Masters, Formation Masters, and Summoners. Pharmacists, Alchemists, and Artifact Refiners all required the Fire attribute, while others had less stringent requirements.
"In my opinion, why go through all that trouble?" Chiyun grumbled. "I should just carry you directly to the Shuangmeng Continent. Why bother with a boat? Even the fastest Spirit Boat takes at least two months to travel from here to the Shuangmeng Continent."
He was clearly against the idea of taking a boat.
"You carry me?" Murong Yunsheng countered. "I’m terrified of that idea. I fear that before we even reach the Shuangmeng Continent, the Central Continent will already have received word of us. I still want to live long enough to take my revenge!"
Chiyun was so angry he trembled. He gritted his teeth and said, "Do you think I can't protect you? I am a Divine Beast, after all! How dare you look down on me like that."
She really didn't know what was good for her. Hmph, she should be grateful to have such a powerful contracted beast by her side!
Murong Yunsheng rolled her eyes helplessly and changed the subject. "How many Spirit Stones are left in the space?"
In this world, only in the most impoverished places were silver and gold coins used for trade. The primary currency was the Spirit Stone. The value of Spirit Stones, from low to high, was determined by color: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Cyan, Blue, Purple, White, Silver, Gold, and Mysterious. One Mysterious Spirit Stone was equal to ten Gold Spirit Stones, one hundred Silver Spirit Stones, and so on.
"After what you used for cultivation," Chiyun replied, "and excluding the White, Silver, Gold, and Mysterious ones, we have mostly Cyan and Blue. Probably about five thousand pieces. The others are scarcer." He paused, then reconsidered. "But why are you worried about this? Aren't the mines in your space enough for you to dig through? If you want more, I can split one of those mountains open right now. You can have as many as you want."
Murong Yunsheng: "..." Her brow twitched. "Since we have enough Spirit Stones, let’s go."
She stood up and headed downstairs.
...
Yeyuan City was located on the border of the Xuanming Continent. Between the Xuanming Continent and the Shuangmeng Continent, besides the vast ocean, lay another continent: the Tianyuan Continent.
Although few people came to the Xuanming Continent—mostly because its two most powerful figures were notoriously difficult to deal with—the Xuanming Continent was a famous source of Spirit Stones. Even if its Spirit Power was not as abundant as that of the Shuangmeng Continent, it was still a wealthy land, and many merchant ships came here to do business.
Murong Yunsheng had her eyes on a merchant ship about to return to the Shuangmeng Continent.
...
A moment later, by the sea.
Looking at the giant ship anchored in the distance, she saw a flag fluttering with a large character "Lu" written on it.
Murong Yunsheng walked toward the gangplank, but before she could get near, she was blocked. "Halt!"
Murong Yunsheng: "..." *Ugh, alright. As expected.*
She looked at the men blocking her path and offered a sheepish grin. "Kind sirs..."
Before she could finish, one of them barked, "No unauthorized personnel allowed near the ship. Leave at once!"
Murong Yunsheng: "..." *Do they have to be so rigid? He sprayed me with spit.*
"Isn't your merchant guild heading back to the Shuangmeng Continent?" Murong Yunsheng asked. "Could you take me with you? Don't worry, I will pay the necessary Spirit Stones."
One of the guards, seemingly noticing that she meant no harm, kindly advised, "Miss, surely you must know that our Lu Family’s merchant ships never carry passengers."
Murong Yunsheng chuckled. "Is that so?"
Saying they don't carry others was just a way of saying the price wasn't high enough.
"Then could you please inform your master? I have a treasure in my possession that I believe someone in the Lu Family will definitely find interesting. Since the Lu Family are merchants, you surely wouldn't pass up a treasure, would you?"
The guard hadn't expected the young woman to be so persistent. After a moment of hesitation, he reluctantly agreed. "Very well, Miss. Please wait here for a moment."
...
A quarter of an hour later.
The guard who had left returned, accompanied by a young man. The man wore a long blue robe with a pale blue silk sash at his waist. He had willow-leaf eyebrows, a stature like a jade tree, and deep, dark eyes that glimmered with an alluring charm. His brows were thick, his nose bridge was high, and he wore priceless jade pendants at his waist. The cuffs of his robe were embroidered with intricate patterns in gold and silver thread. He held a white jade folding fan in one hand while the other was tucked behind his back. His entire demeanor was one of overwhelming nobility.
Murong Yunsheng felt like she was looking at a walking treasury.
Lu Chengze looked at the woman in the black dress, wearing a mask that gave her an air of mystery. He knew she was the woman his subordinate had mentioned—the one who claimed to have a treasure and wanted to board their ship.
He tried to discern the woman's cultivation level, only to find that he couldn't see through it at all.