All signs indicate that in the ancient times of this world, there was once a brilliant history of cultivation.

At that time, cultivators were much stronger than they are now.

Even those above the Celestial Realm were not uncommon.

However, as time went on, perhaps due to the limits of the world, they gradually vanished.

Only some traces of their activities were left behind.

In Jianghu, there are many ancient monuments like this Divine Stele, but most of them are meaningless and indecipherable.

After all, there aren't that many archaeologists here.

Moreover, truly useful information has probably long been hidden away by prominent sects.

Sect prejudices are very important in this society.

A technique, once preserved, can ensure the prosperity of a family for hundreds or even thousands of years. Who would be willing to reveal it openly without reservation?

"Cloud Brocade Town, eh?"

Lin Qianxuan pondered for a moment and decided on the next place to go.

....

Cloud Brocade Town.

This is part of the power under the Three Origins Gate.

Three Origins Gate is also a top-tier sect like the Lanxi Sect, with a Celestial Realm cultivator presiding over it.

However, unlike the Lanxi Sect, which only governs a million people, the Three Origins Gate's expansion ambitions are robust. Therefore, Three Origins Gate manages dozens of cities, totaling over four million people.

And Cloud Brocade Town is one of them.

However, this town is just a small town with fewer than fifty thousand people.

Yet, even with just fifty thousand people, Cloud Brocade Town's economy is quite developed.

Primarily due to tourism.

The hundred-zhang high Divine Stele standing thirteen miles outside Cloud Brocade Town attracts many people to come and see.

At this moment, Lin Qianxuan stands beneath this Divine Stele.

The pitch-black Divine Stele, over three hundred meters high, seems to be made of some special stone material. Even weapons made from top-grade refined iron can't leave a mark on it.

Text is densely inscribed on it, seemingly carrying some sort of meaning.

Many people sit cross-legged here, hoping to comprehend it.

Lin Qianxuan cannot understand these characters.

Too ancient, older than the five-thousand-year-old script he knows.

Moreover, the meaning carried on it is even harder for him to comprehend.

His intent focuses, only faintly feeling his essence qi, spirit and inner qi stirred within.

This is indeed an extraordinary martial art, but without understanding it, there's nothing to grasp.

After memorizing it, Lin Qianxuan decided to go back and learn a few more languages, hitting a language-related milestone.

But before that, he would first feast in the town.

Having traveled nearly over a thousand li, he hadn't had a proper meal yet!

Reaching the town, Lin Qianxuan sniffed the air and didn't go to a big restaurant but instead found a small eatery tucked at the corner of a street alley.

The eatery was run by an old man, who had a son as a waiter, and the son's wife managed the kitchen.

A typical family business.

Lin Qianxuan approached the counter and said to the old man, "Three-flavored tenderloin, deep-fried black jade balls, and a steamed big-finned fish..."

He ordered three dishes in a row, all local specialties.

Due to their complex preparation process, which heavily tested one's knife skills and were tough to make delicious, bustling eateries rarely made these dishes.

However, Lin Qianxuan's nose was sharp, and he smelled the fragrant dishes here, so he came over.

Apart from these three specialties, Lin Qianxuan ordered a few other dishes before the old man called his son to take the order to the kitchen.

The cooking in the kitchen began, while Lin Qianxuan found a spacious table to sit down.

Soon after sitting, dish after dish was brought to the table.

Though these dishes had a complex preparation process, they were manageable in the hands of someone skilled with a knife.

With a table full of fragrant dishes, Lin Qianxuan also prepared a bowl for You Xi and served her some dishes.

You Xi occasionally pecked at the food in the bowl but didn't eat much, just tasting the flavor.

Her current form preferred fruits and such.

She ate meat too, but she was picky, often flying hundreds of li away, catching some exotic beasts or rare birds for Lin Qianxuan to cook for her.

"Gulp~!"

The sound of swallowing was heard, and Lin Qianxuan turned his head to see a young man holding a bowl of mixed sauce noodles staring at him.

This young man, dressed in deep blue clothes, looked handsome and appeared to be in his early twenties.

What caught Lin Qianxuan's attention slightly was that his breathing was deep, and there was no dust on him.

One of the characteristics of an innate master is not relying on regular breathing and being unstained by dust.

The acupoints can help absorb and emit heaven and earth energy instead of purely relying on breathing to acquire oxygen, allowing them to survive underwater for long periods.

Dustlessness is due to innate true qi constantly enveloping the body, naturally clearing away dust.

Thus, an innate master who doesn't bathe for a year would still be very clean.

Even in metabolism, True Qi can sweep it all away.

"If you don't mind, Brother, join me for a meal. I can't finish it all by myself," Lin Qianxuan invited.

Meeting such a young Innate master might not be a bad idea.

"Not at all, not at all, I'm Xi Yunyi from Bixiao Ridge..." Xi Yunyi moved a stool and sat across from Lin Qianxuan, helping himself to some food and mixing it with his noodles, while mumbling, "May I ask, brother, where are you from?"

"A true disciple of Lanxi Sect, Tan You," Lin Qianxuan replied.

He directly used his younger brother's name.

Xi Yunyi continued eating without stopping, "Lanxi Sect? I've heard so much about it! Your Lanxi Sect is truly exceptional. I even visited the mountain peak that your Lanxi Mountain Master decimated in his famous battle. The Martial Arts True Intent lingering there is unforgettable, truly worthy of a Circulation Realm master!"

"The Mountain Master's strength is extraordinary; we true disciples admire it greatly," Lin Qianxuan stated.

"Indeed, Circulation Realm... I wonder if I'll ever have the chance..." Xi Yunyi's motions stilled briefly as he sighed.

After sighing, he resumed eating.

Before long, the table full of dishes was completely devoured.

Lin Qianxuan barely ate even a tenth of it; the rest went entirely into Xi Yunyi.

Lin Qianxuan didn't mind, instead he paid the bill with a smile and ordered two more dishes to eat slowly.

This time, Xi Yunyi truly couldn't eat anymore, so he sat and watched Lin Qianxuan while chatting with him.

"Among the younger generation of masters in the world, I'd first recommend The Red Virtuous from Heaven Mountain. She reached Innate status before twenty, with her long sword, few can withstand ten moves. She single-handedly eradicated the Seventeen Northern Bandits, which included five second-rate masters, three first-rate... Then there's King Ji of Lightning Saber from Xianliu Sect, a formidable individual, one of the rare masters to emerge from battle arrays..."

Lin Qianxuan listened, suddenly interjecting, "What do you think of the Simurgh Spear?"

"Simurgh Spear? Sounds familiar!" Xi Yunyi thought for a moment before reacting, "Are you referring to the Simurgh Spear, Tan Xuan, from your Lanxi Sect? I heard he achieved Innate status before ten and defeated two mid-Innate level masters while still in the Postnatal realm, but this seemed too unbelievable at the time to trust. Is it true?"

"Accurately speaking, he reached Innate at six; as for defeating two Innate mid-levels, that indeed happened," Lin Qianxuan confirmed.

"Is that true?" Xi Yunyi's expression seemed completely reshaped, asking, "Tan Brother, you're not toying with me, are you? Tan Brother, you also have the same surname—does he have any relation to you?"

"Simurgh Spear, Tan Xuan, is my elder brother," Lin Qianxuan replied.

"Your elder brother is that formidable?" Xi Yunyi blinked in awe, saying, "If given a chance, I'd love to meet your brother, Tan Brother, to see what kind of extraordinary being he is."

"Actually, he doesn't look much different from us," Lin Qianxuan laughed.

"That's true, that's true, even greats in the Circulation Realm, how do they differ from us?" Xi Yunyi detected Lin Qianxuan's underlying meaning and laughed in agreement.

The two conversed happily until a nearby group started a dispute with the tavern runner, seemingly intending to skip paying the bill.

The other party was wearing the attire of Three Yuan Sect's outer disciples.

This wasn't unusual.

There's nothing new under the sun.

Lanci Sect often encounters such things.

Even the higher-ups aren't particularly strict; if such things were exposed, it would only result in a symbolic reprimand at most.

In this world, it's survival of the fittest.

The extraordinary openly lay out these rules on the table.

The strong can oppress the weak without reservation.

"It's an honor for our humble shop if you enjoy our dishes,"

The old man apologized repeatedly, pulling his son along to do the same.

"At least you know your place!"

The outer disciples of Three Yuan Sect stood up laughing, preparing to leave.

At this moment, Xi Yunyi, sitting across from Lin Qianxuan, became restless.

He wanted to uphold justice.

Lin Qianxuan gently tapped Xi Yunyi's hand, causing a tinge of pain that paused his action, watching the group leave.

"Tan Brother, why stop me? I'm not afraid of these posers!" Xi Yunyi frowned.

"Xi Brother, you might enjoy a moment's satisfaction, but the shop's still here!" Lin Qianxuan hinted.

Xi Yunyi turned his head, realizing it.

If he beats up Three Yuan's outer disciples and leaves, the shop would suffer for it.

"Tan Brother, you're thoughtful," Xi Yunyi sighed, "This world, huh."

"Xi Brother, you're sighing too soon. To succeed in business in this world, few are simple," Lin Qianxuan replied with a laugh.

"What's that supposed to mean, Tan Brother?" Xi Yunyi asked, puzzled.

Lin Qianxuan stood up, saying to Xi Yunyi, "Xi Brother, come with me."

Though puzzled, Xi Yunyi followed Lin Qianxuan out.

After leaving the tavern, they found a small alley with a leap to the rooftops, seeking a vantage point high up.

They saw those Three Yuan Sect outer disciples had not gone far, encountering a woman with a cleaver.

In Xi Yunyi's shocked gaze, the cleaver cut down the refined iron sword, slicing through the outer disciples' belts into several pieces, extracted silver coins from their pockets required for the meal, and flung the purse at one of their faces before leaving.

Before leaving, she looked in the direction of Lin Qianxuan and Xi Yunyi, her gaze seemingly carrying a subtle warning.

As if warning them not to speak nonsense.

"Who is she?" Xi Yunyi asked, confused.

"The tavern's cook, also the runner's wife," Lin Qianxuan said with a smile, "Whether a cook or a killer wandering the Jianghu, aren't they all living by the blade? Just the same!"

"Just the same, indeed!" Xi Yunyi clapped his hands, "Today truly broadened my horizons!"

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