Chapter 2243: Black Cloud City
Amidst a range of mountains.
There stood an ancient castle covered in vines.
The castle had already been completely overgrown by vines and vegetation; from the outside, it was almost impossible to make out its full appearance.
Inside the castle, it was pitch-black.
There was no sound at all.
Just then, at the center of the castle, a silver vortex appeared out of nowhere.
Immediately afterward, two figures stepped out from the silver vortex.
These two were Zhou Yu and Jia Chen.
After Jia Chen stepped out of the silver vortex, he immediately checked the surroundings. Finding nothing unusual, he let out a breath of relief, then said to Zhou Yu:
"Daoist Zhou, this is the secret Transmission Array of my Black Cloud Twenty-eight Clans."
"Because it can only be used by those with King Rank and above bloodlines, outsiders will absolutely never know of this place."
"From here to Black Cloud City, at the fastest it takes seven days, at the slowest half a month."
Hearing this, Zhou Yu nodded.
He took a look at the surroundings, then asked:
"I’ve heard that Black Cloud City is the council site of the Black Cloud Twenty-eight Clans."
"What is the current situation in Black Cloud City?"
Jia Chen smiled and said:
"Daoist Zhou seems quite familiar with my Black Cloud Twenty-eight Clans."
"That’s right. At present, the Divine Horn Clan’s offensive is fierce, and a large number of our Black Cloud Twenty-eight Clans’ High Rank Cultivators have already all withdrawn to defend Black Cloud City."
"Black Cloud City is one of the only three main cities left to the Black Cloud Twenty-eight Clans."
"It absolutely cannot be lost."
"Therefore, my Black Cloud Twenty-eight Clans intend to fight a decisive life-and-death battle with the Divine Horn Clan outside Black Cloud City."
"By the way, Daoist Zhou, you care so much about Black Cloud City—could it be that you have some matter there?"
Jia Chen asked curiously.
Zhou Yu naturally could not tell him about the Jade Box.
After all, the composition of the Black Cloud Twenty-eight Clans was complicated, and he had no idea what Jia Chen’s true background was.
Zhou Yu only said calmly:
"I have long lived overseas. Now that I’ve returned to the continent, I need to purchase some materials."
Hearing this, Jia Chen immediately understood.
"So that’s how it is."
"Then Daoist Zhou has truly come to the right place."
"Right now the Black Cloud Twenty-eight Clans are at war, and large quantities of materials and treasures are pouring into Black Cloud City. Daoist, you will definitely be able to find anything you desire in Black Cloud City."
"I also hold a rather decent position among the Black Cloud Twenty-eight Clans; when the time comes, I can be of considerable help to Daoist Zhou."
"Especially with a great war imminent, some unfamiliar faces may find it difficult to enter the city."
"However, Daoist Zhou can rest assured. With me here, entering the city naturally won’t be a problem."
Zhou Yu nodded lightly.
"When the time comes, I may indeed have to trouble Daoist."
"Haha, no problem, I’ll be happy to help."
"Of course, with Daoist Zhou’s strength, if you are willing, the upper echelons of my Black Cloud Twenty-eight Clans would absolutely be willing to invite Daoist Zhou to serve as a Guest Elder. I can introduce you then."
Zhou Yu’s heart stirred, and he nodded.
"I am sworn to an irreconcilable enmity with the Divine Horn Clan. If I can join the Black Cloud Twenty-eight Clans in defeating the Divine Horn Clan, I would indeed be willing."
"That’s excellent."
"Daoist Zhou, time waits for no one, let’s set off at once."
Zhou Yu nodded.
Then, the two flew out of the castle and headed outward.
After leaving the castle, the two rose into the air and sped in the direction of Black Cloud City.
About ten days later.
Zhou Yu and Jia Chen arrived in front of a massive city.
At this moment, as Zhou Yu looked at the city before him, a look of shock appeared in his eyes.
"This... is Black Cloud City?"
Jia Chen said excitedly:
"That’s right, this is Black Cloud City."
Zhou Yu had never imagined that Black Cloud City would live up to its name so literally, actually hanging in the air like a vast black cloud.
The entire Black Cloud City was built upon enormous slabs of Black Stone.
Even the smallest of these Black Stones was tens of thousands of zhang across.
The largest stretched beyond the horizon.
Altogether, there were at least several million Black Stones.
They floated scattered in midair like that.
Standing on the ground and looking up, the entire sky seemed to be covered by a vast layer of black cloud.
Such a spectacular sight was something Zhou Yu had never seen in his life.
Jia Chen smiled and said:
"Daoist Zhou must be visiting Black Cloud City for the first time."
"This Black Cloud City is unique in the entire Heavenly Origin World."
"Because Black Cloud Stone exists only here."
"Black Cloud Stone?" Zhou Yu was taken aback.
Jia Chen nodded and said:
"Yes, those massive black stones floating in the air are Black Cloud Stones."
"It’s said that these Black Cloud Stones were once a single Plane Treasure. Later, because of a great war, that Plane Treasure was shattered, and its fragments turned into this sky-filling Black Cloud Stone, floating here ever since."
"They have a history of hundreds of millions of years."
Hearing this, Zhou Yu’s heart trembled violently.
"A Plane Treasure?"
"And it could actually be shattered?"
"Even someone in the Mahayana Realm might not be able to do that, right?"
Jia Chen nodded slightly.
"Indeed."
"However, there are far too many legends about this matter, with all sorts of versions. At present, no one knows the true cause."
"Of course, it’s possible some old monsters know, but they’re unwilling to talk."
Hearing this, Zhou Yu took a deep breath and suppressed the shock in his heart.
Even so, he was still extremely stirred.
Of course, what excited Zhou Yu was that he hadn’t expected a Plane Treasure to be so formidable—so much so that even after shattering, it could still create such a spectacle.
And within his body, that Demon Blade was also a Plane Treasure.
In that case, the might of this Demon Blade was something he had far from fully unleashed.
If in the future he had the chance to draw out the Demon Blade’s full power, what kind of scene would that be?
At this thought, Zhou Yu’s heart surged with excitement.
Just then, Zhou Yu suddenly noticed that around Black Cloud City, there were ten Heaven-Reaching Pillars.
Set around such an immense Black Cloud City, even those ten Heaven-Reaching Pillars appeared incomparably gigantic.
One could well imagine how magnificent those pillars would look up close.
"What are those pillars?"
Zhou Yu asked curiously.
Hearing this, Jia Chen gave a mysterious smile.
"Daoist Zhou, those ten pillars are extremely formidable things."
"You could say they’re one of Black Cloud City’s greatest trump cards."
"Of course, as for what exactly they are, it’d be better for Daoist Zhou to find out for yourself after entering the city."
"Daoist Zhou, don’t blame me for keeping you in suspense. I only want you to have a bit more to look forward to."
Hearing this, Zhou Yu gave a faint smile.
He didn’t mind at all.
"Alright."
"Daoist Zhou, let’s enter the city then."
As he spoke, Jia Chen led Zhou Yu as they flew toward Black Cloud City.
Just now, they had been tens of thousands of li away, viewing Black Cloud City from afar.
Now, as they drew closer and closer to Black Cloud City, Zhou Yu could feel a terrifying pressure crashing over him.
Black Cloud City was like an unimaginably colossal primordial beast crouching in the sky.
Compared to it, all the cultivators coming and going were like mere ants.
Of course, as they approached Black Cloud City, the number of cultivators around them also increased.
All sorts of mounts, tunneling lights, and Exotic Beasts appeared in an endless stream.
However, without exception, everyone steered clear of those ten Heaven-Reaching Pillars from afar...