Inside the pitch-black tunnel, the newly acquired Wood Gold came in handy, the purple flame energy illuminating a certain range. Along the way, whether it was an illusion or not, virtual ripples flickered from time to time, and Wu Jinliang's loud voice echoed.
“I heard that all the girls outside are as fair as Miss Miao…”
Wu Jinliang, carrying his pack and saber, strode forward with his head held high. Despite his ragged appearance, he couldn’t hide his immense excitement and ambition, talking extensively about women and clamoring about visiting brothels once they were out.
Shi Chun almost joined in, thinking about the rumored enchanting scenery of brothels. Fortunately, he wasn’t completely carried away by excitement and hadn’t entirely lost his vigilance.
He quickly remembered that everyone around him was from Far-Gazing Tower, and since he was, after all, pursuing Miss Miao, how could he discuss such shameless topics?
He couldn’t burn bridges, especially since they hadn’t completely crossed the river yet.
However, the women in the Land of Exile were indeed too dark, as dirty, as dark, and as unkempt as they were.
In front of the Far-Gazing Tower entourage, Shi Chun not only acted less vulgar than Wu Jinliang but also displayed his refinement. He emphasized that the first thing he would do after getting out was to buy books to read, and the second was to buy himself a good set of clothes.
Look at this level of integrity: loving books more than himself, willing to forgo dignity for books.
Wu Jinliang felt disdain in his heart, but on the surface, he looked very admiring of the Chief.
After all, the Chief’s fists were bigger.
When they discussed buying books and clothes, they realized that there were quite a lot of things needed to settle down and make a living, especially the unfathomable cost of cultivation resources, which made them feel tight on money.
It was only then that natives like them, who came from the Land of Exile, could feel a tiny bit of friendliness from the Living Prison. The sum of money given to them upon their release was quite significant, preventing them from taking desperate measures due to financial hardship and giving them a period of adjustment.
Although the money they brought out was earned by their own desperate efforts.
As the white light at the exit grew larger and they could even see the scenery outside, Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang were too excited to speak, their hearts trembling, their hands trembling, fearing they were dreaming, afraid the beautiful dream would end.
Far-Gazing Tower’s group had already walked out of the cave entrance and stopped, looking back.
The guards in armor on either side of the cave entrance also looked back into the cave.
They were fine, accustomed to seeing similar things.
The Far-Gazing Tower leader shouted, “It’s too late if you don’t want to come out.
That place won’t take you back. Even if you commit a crime in the future, you might not be punished by being sent here.”
As soon as the words fell, a guard barked, “Out!”
Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang, in their tattered clothes, slowly walked into the sunlight with bated breath, their faces full of awkwardness.
Before their eyes were blue skies and white clouds, continuous green mountains, distant waterfalls rushing, and the fragrance of green grass and vegetation assailing their sense of smell.
Everything widened their eyes and also gave them an uncomfortable sense of dizziness.
It was real dizziness; both felt a swaying sensation as if drunk.
The guards knew this was normal. The air in the Land of Exile was actually thinner, and people unaccustomed to the outside world indeed felt dizzy when they first emerged.
Fortunately, both were cultivators and quickly adapted. Looking back, they saw a city gate tower embedded in the mountaintop.
The chilling, skeletal characters “Twelve Cities” were carved on the cave gate, and a group of guards was clearly stationed on the city.
“Are you coming or not?” The Far-Gazing Tower leader urged again.
They had no time to admire the scenery here; they had seen it countless times before.
How could they not go? The two quickly followed, their tattered figures swiftly descending the mountain.
The two were slow coming down the mountain: sometimes they embraced a tree by the roadside and affectionately rubbed against it; sometimes they grabbed a handful of grass, stuffed it into their mouths to chew, spit it out because it was bitter, eating and spitting countless times along the way, unable to resist tasting it with their taste buds despite the awful flavor; sometimes they picked a fresh flower, ecstatic; sometimes they jumped into a stream, shouting wildly, “Wah-ha-ha!”
Distances mountains shrouded in mist, the calls of deer, ethereal birdsong in their ears, insects and ants scurrying, bees and butterflies adorning flower stamens—everything was so beautiful.
Too beautiful, so beautiful that they frequently lost control, occasionally acting like mad dogs.
The Far-Gazing Tower people couldn’t call them back; they’d lose control from time to time.
After the two jumped into a clear pool and splashed water on each other, their eyes met, and they suddenly hugged each other, burying their heads and sobbing bitterly.
Wu Jinliang pounded Shi Chun’s back, choking out a complaint, “We should have come out a long time ago. I told you to come out early, how many times did I call, but you just wouldn’t go.”
Shi Chun also whimpered, “It’s not like I didn’t let you go. You could have left a long time ago.”
“You didn’t leave, I couldn’t feel at ease.”
“Bah, do I need you to worry? I even…”
Before he finished speaking, two figures flashed over, pulled them apart, directly lifted them out of the pool, and flew away with them.
The two had been dawdling, their words like wind in their ears. The Far-Gazing Tower group truly couldn’t stand it anymore.
Coupled with their low cultivation, which made them slow and wasted time, the group simply decided to carry them by flying.
If Old Tan hadn’t given instructions before they left, they really would have abandoned the two.
Instantly, the group felt the whole world become peaceful and free.
Before long, someone behind them shouted, “Why make such a huge saber? Are you a beast?!”
It was the person who picked up Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang’s luggage from behind, discovering he had picked up a huge burden.
Wu Jinliang’s large saber was too heavy, at least equivalent to two or three people. By rules, it couldn’t be mixed with Far-Gazing Tower’s goods.
This heavy load would definitely be uncomfortable for a long journey, so he couldn’t help but curse, saying he would have thrown it away if it weren’t for Old Tan’s reputation.
Wu Jinliang shrank his neck and said nothing.
Shi Chun, however, asked the leader who was carrying him, “Where are we going?”
The leader said, “We’ll drop you off at the nearest city, and our job will be done.”
Shi Chun asked again, “Where are you going?”
The leader replied, “Naturally, to Far-Gazing Tower to report.”
Shi Chun: “I heard Far-Gazing Tower is all over the world. Isn’t there one in the nearest city?”
The leader said, “The nearest city is too small to handle this much cargo we have.
We need to deliver it to a place that needs it.”
Shi Chun blinked and said, “We also want to go with you to see things, and listen to your guidance.
Old Tan promised us, didn’t he tell you?”
In reality, they were afraid that the Qi family hadn’t received the news from the Living Prison and that being unprotected at this time would be dangerous.
After some negotiation, Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang repeatedly guaranteed that they would not be disobedient or run around again, after which the group changed their direction.
A group of High Martial cultivators could fly two or three miles with one leap in the mountains, which greatly impressed Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang.
They occasionally stopped along the way, and in a blink of an eye, it was the next morning.
A cluster of pavilions and towers hidden deep in the mountains suddenly appeared before their eyes in a visually striking manner. Canyons and lakes were connected, with signs of human activity among the splendid buildings, and mists rising from the shimmering lake waters.
People coming and going seemed to be in a painting, and there were even figures flying into the sky, spiritual birds rising and falling, a scene of an immortal realm, which left Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang stunned.
This place was the destination of the Far-Gazing Tower group, Zhaotian City.
Still dumbfounded, Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang were pulled by the Far-Gazing Tower group, flying into the canyon and landing in a pavilion by a waterfall and pool.
“Alright, we’re here.”
The leader dropped these words and left.
Clang-clang, someone threw down Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang’s weapons and packs, and everyone turned and left, clearly unwilling to waste any more words on these two burdens.
Along the way, they didn’t even tell the two their names, perhaps too lazy to, or for some other reason.
Never mind, Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang weren’t angry; they had no such thoughts.
They were extremely curious, picked up their ragged belongings from the ground, and left.
Several rivers snaked through the middle of the canyon, with many bridges at the valley floor.
Numerous buildings soared high, and many pavilions were built into the cliff faces on both sides, with various large and small stone steps winding up the walls. The valley contained various shops, and amidst the splendid buildings were many dilapidated wooden-tiled houses.
People frequently flew through the air.
A young woman walked to an open terrace, suddenly flipped over, and transformed into a colorful large snake, then lay on her belly to sunbathe.
A large rat climbed onto the eaves and extended its claw to hang a bell.
People of all sorts, bustling and lively.
Clap! A sudden sound of a gavel striking a table, nearly startling Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang, who were dazed and looking around by the roadside. What was happening? The two turned their heads to see, in a hall a few steps up, an old man putting down his gavel.
Facing a group of leisurely guests, he intoned with a theatrical voice, “The Ten Yama Kings form their own realm, sealing off Hell for eight hundred years. The Jailer of the Twelve Cities defies heavenly laws, holding power over the Living Prison, heeding calls but not declarations.
Furthermore, the Four Continents harbor powerful factions, feigning obedience while acting contrary. The Empress, having usurped her position, desires to re-establish true heavenly order, but her grand ambitions are hard to achieve…”