Chapter 868 - 662: Hierarchies
"Perhaps Fellow Daoist Lii is unaware that those from the Ancient Giant Race, as well as the Barbaric Giant Beasts in the wilderness, can grow to several thousand feet in height in their mature stage. If it weren’t for this high wall blocking them, no matter how powerful the Array is, it wouldn’t be able to stop their advance..."
"Thus, this can be considered a Wall of Life..."
Upon hearing the Yao Cultivator’s explanation, Qin Ming looked at the towering and magnificent high wall, nodding silently with awe.
Then.
The middle-aged Yao Cultivator once again activated the Dharma Ship, directly casting to trigger its teleportation function.
Qin Ming had witnessed this before, and it was quite miraculous.
The next moment.
A layer of silver light suddenly emerged, enveloping the entire Dharma Ship, which then proceeded straight toward the towering white wall.
At first glance, it seemed about to crash into it.
Just as the Dharma Ship was about to collide with the high wall, ripples spread across the wall’s surface, akin to water waves spreading and expanding.
The Dharma Ship then submerged into it, disappearing instantly.
After a brief moment of disorientation.
Qin Ming found they were already inside the high wall, and at the same time, the scene before him was truly astonishing.
The Heaven-Devouring Rat, already in the Little Spirit Realm, excitedly embraced the Little Silver Fox, shouting joyfully.
"Look! It’s Celestial Star City..."
Inside the high wall.
They saw a vast Immortal City covering tens of thousands of miles emerging before them.
Countless palatial buildings and Immortal Palaces stood with Spirit Mountains, and the city’s layout was orderly, unlike any other Immortal City Qin Ming had visited before.
On the celestial vault tens of thousands of miles away, towers reaching ten thousand feet high were faintly visible.
At the city’s core, at its very center, was an area covered by an Array Light Curtain, completely obscuring the interior scenes.
Suspended above it was a massive Celestial Sphere, several thousand feet in size.
Golden rings rotated within, flowing with various powerful runes.
Around it, several colossal Celestial Patrol Mirrors constantly monitored everything.
Just by looking at it, Qin Ming felt a sense of heart-stirring awe.
This instrument was undoubtedly crucial to the entire functioning of Celestial Star City.
On the way here, Qin Ming had also heard from the Yao Cultivator that Celestial Star City, as one of the main cities of the Human Race, was permanently stationed by an enormous army of cultivators, and it was also a center of power.
It was easy to imagine the city’s status among the Human Race.
It was even rumored that a Great Power in the Integration Stage resided here, but had never shown their face for a long time.
Such an existence would only be stirred if something significant happened within the Human Race, otherwise, they mostly engaged in secluded cultivation.
After all, the Spirit Realm currently dominated by the Human Race was still relatively peaceful and stable.
Beyond that, the elders in the Void Refining Stage took charge of the city’s military, administrative, and other matters.
The Divinity Transformation Stage Cultivators came next. However, not just any ordinary Divinity Transformation Cultivator could become a Star Guard of Celestial Star City.
A rigorous selection and assessment process was necessary, or they had to be exceptionally powerful to receive a direct invitation.
Becoming a Divinity Transformation Cultivator in Celestial Star City signified a middle-tier status among the Human Race in the Spirit Realm, with considerable standing.
In other Great Domains, Divinity Transformation Cultivators could already establish their own sects.
Then came the cultivators below the Nascent Soul Stage, who were considered lower to middle-tier cultivators here.
’I wonder how Xiao Xun is doing?’
’Being received by the Star Palace as an Ascension Cultivator, she should be doing quite well, right?’
’And there’s Su Yuqing, who knows how he’s faring. He should have successfully ascended here too.’
’After all, that old guy, Cloud-Fishing Elder, managed to climb to the position of Star Abyss Guard Captain, gained opportunities, and even broke through to Late-stage Divinity Transformation.’
Gazing at the majestic Celestial Star City, Qin Ming was immediately reminded of his old acquaintances.
Once the Dharma Ship entered Celestial Star City, its speed didn’t slow at all, transforming into a streak of light as it arrived at a circular high platform.
Then, teleportation runes lit up, enveloping the entire Dharma Ship, with the brilliance converging once more for teleportation.
A few breaths later.
Palatial halls draped in immortal mists floated amidst the clouds, a long white jade staircase extending thousands of steps...
At the end of the staircase, another round high platform identical to the previous one, intricately inscribed with complex Array Patterns.
A team of cultivators donned in bronze armor, holding Long Halberd Treasures, stood guard before the White Jade Platform.
Leading them was a Nascent Soul Great Perfection Cultivator, while the others were also of the Nascent Soul Stage.
Buzz!
At this moment.
On the White Jade Platform, silver runes erupted, and a violent fluctuation emerged in the void.
As the silver light gathered, a Star Guard Dharma Ship appeared on it.
The middle-aged Yao Cultivator, along with Qin Ming and a few other Silver Armor Cultivators, landed directly on the white jade stairs.
The Nascent Soul Perfection Elder saw Yao Tiannan and the others descend, quickly stepping forward with utmost respect, bowing and greeting, "Greetings to Lord Yao, welcome back to the Star Guard Lords."
The middle-aged Yao didn’t even raise an eyelid, directly ignoring the bronze armor cultivators, leading Qin Ming expressionlessly toward the hall above.
It wasn’t until they had walked far away that the Nascent Soul Cultivators dared to straighten up.
Even if they saw them bringing in unfamiliar cultivators, swaggering in, they dared not ask too many questions.
Mo Lingwei also sighed inwardly, as strong as a Nascent Soul Great Perfection, in this Spirit Realm Celestial Star City, was only fit to guard the gate, standing like a minion...
She was very grateful to be accompanying Qin Ming, otherwise, even if she ascended into the Spirit Realm, she wouldn’t know what was going on, and there was a good chance she would be conscripted to the frontline for battle before even entering the city.
"Fellow Daoist Lii, next I will take you to the Steward Hall to register some identity information and meet one of the city’s elders," the silver-armored Yao Cultivator said to Qin Ming while walking.
Qin Ming replied, "Then I’ll trouble Fellow Daoist Yao."
He also reflected that no matter where one goes, cultivation strength is essential!
If it weren’t for his current mid-stage Divinity Transformation cultivation, coupled with the prior brief Divine Thought confrontation he had in the Lingxiao Imperial Carriage with this person, ending in a draw.
It seems Qin Ming wouldn’t have entered Celestial Star City so smoothly, nor hitched a ride with the Yao Cultivator and their ride.
He could also see that this Yao Cultivator did have a measure of appreciation for him and was inclined to draw him in.
Not long after.
Qin Ming followed behind them, stepping into the enormous palace hall with the plaque above engraved with the three imposing words ’Heaven-Holding Hall,’ exuding an extraordinary aura of authority!
Clearly, some great figure used a sword to engrave them.
As he stepped into the hall, his sight suddenly broadened, with the entire interior floor paved in white jade and spanning over a thousand meters.
Inside, many cultivators were handling mundane tasks, appearing rather busy.
When the Yao Cultivator entered, everyone’s gaze in the hall unconsciously fell upon them.
However, upon noticing it was this individual, they dared not make much noise, each withdrawing their gaze and returning to their tasks.
After they walked away.
The cultivators in the hall began to whisper among themselves:
"Isn’t that Captain Yao? Back so soon?"
"Has it been less than thirty years? Already completed?"
"Yes, I heard their team was assigned to the Wind-splitting Canyon for a highly difficult mission?"
"Hmm... but seeing that he brought back fewer Star Guard members, it seems they suffered significant losses."
"Shh! Stop discussing it; you know this person’s temper — would turn against even family."
"By the way, who are those male and female cultivators he brought back? That male cultivator actually has mid-stage Divinity Transformation cultivation."
"Never mind asking, just get back to work. Is this something you should worry about?"
"..."
Moments later.
The Yao Cultivator led them through the grand hall and a series of corridor passages, eventually arriving at a side hall behind.
The furnishings inside were much simpler compared to the Heaven-Holding Hall, only having rows of bookshelves and a desk for handling mundane business.
However, as soon as Qin Ming entered, he felt a chill in his heart.
Behind the desk, an elderly man in a blue robe was busily handling the mundane affairs before him.
He was a Void Refining stage elder, and even Qin Ming couldn’t fully perceive his specific cultivation realm.
"Subordinate Yao Tiannan, having led the completion of the rotational duty mission, reports back!"
Yao Tiannan’s demeanor changed from before, now bowing with the Star Guards behind him to the person within.
He subsequently presented a pale yellow jade scroll.
The blue-robed elder behind the desk naturally noticed their entry, and a smile creased his ageless yet ancient features:
"Oh! It’s Nephew Yao! Didn’t expect you’d complete the task so soon? The mission of the third Yinhou grade you picked wasn’t easy!"
"Truly, you did not disgrace your master’s reputation; your cultivation has slightly improved too, not bad, not bad!!"
"After returning to the city this time, claim the resource rewards and cultivate well. Within hundreds of years, you might have a good chance to break through to Divinity Transformation Perfection."
This Void Refining stage elder, seemingly familiar with Yao Tiannan, didn’t spare any praise upon seeing him return.
Yao Tiannan cupped his hands and said, "Elder Lin is too kind."
Then, he summoned Qin Ming and Mo Lingwei over and introduced them:
"These two Daoists are loose cultivators I encountered on my return trip; they’ve come to Celestial Star City to stay and cultivate. I’ve already verified their identities on the way, so I brought them here for registration."
Qin Ming and Mo Lingwei, both wisely hastened to greet, "Junior pays respect to Elder Lin!"
Void Refining stage in Celestial Star City also holds a high standing, considered a high-level cultivator.
Moreover, the hierarchy within the Cultivation Realm is strict and unyielding.
The next instant.
They both suddenly felt a powerful divine thought force fall upon them, but it only scanned briefly before withdrawing, without deep exploration.
"Oh? No wonder Yao brought them back — such mana flow and veins, far exceeding same-tier cultivators... Hmm, not bad! As loose cultivators, having such cultivation is commendable."
"You may rise, no need for excessive courtesy."
Mo Lingwei didn’t mind it much.
But Elder Lin, when looking at Qin Ming, also showed a slight look of surprise.
He then conferred a bit with the Yao Cultivator about the context and background of the events, nodding slowly.
"Since you can pass the Celestial Patrol Mirror’s detection, and identity verification, there shouldn’t be any problem."
"However, if you wish to gain residency rights within Celestial Star City, you must stay in the city for a number of years under observation."
After Elder Lin finished speaking, he took out a milky white token and, with a wave of his large brush, completed the identity inscription plaque and handed it to Qin Ming and Mo Lingwei.
...