Chapter 5045 Collateral Damage?

"Follow me then. "

The fatty gestured, "The city is divided into three based on bloodline, cultivation, and the status of the faction one belongs to. Considering you don't want to reveal your status, I suppose your accommodation would only be approved in the inner area of the city, but since we're acquainted, I'll naturally won't treat you badly as I said before. I'll bring you to the core city that's beyond the inner city walls. Not only is the heaven and earth energy much denser there, but this would also be the place where you would get to meet the people you require for whatever reason you're planning to get a list."

He winked at the end, causing Davis to laugh.

"Don't worry, I won't implicate you."

"Tsk, tsk. Are you even worthy?" The fatty clicked his tongue in amusement, "I'll have you know that I'm way more powerful than I seem, alright?"

"Oh." Davis cupped his hands, "Many thanks in advance then since I won't hesitate anymore to graciously implicate you."

"You really don't plan on treating me like a stranger, do you!?"

The fatty laughed as he held his stomach, his voice boisterous, which made plenty of people walking in the streets look at him with some disdain and fear. Although cultivators disdained fatties since either a muscular or lean yet fit, aesthetically pleasing figure was preferred, strength was the ultimate factor.

They could clearly sense Primarch Stage undulations from the fatty, and those who were keen could sense he was at Level Eight Primarch Stage.

The fatty did indeed not hold back as he felt a mix of emotions.

He had seen many people dare not accept his friendship, but for the first time, it was the other way around.

"You truly have no idea who I am, don't you?" As the fatty asked, he didn't doubt the other party if they said yes, since they appeared as if they came from a hidden power that was sealed off, who knows where.

Lots of hidden powers popped up, instantly coming here as though they knew what to do at times like this. It wasn't a secret either, since it was widely taught in historical records that the Ethereal Lumina Tree served as a last bastion during short or long periods of Desolate Eras.

As for the place around the Realm Core, it would naturally be occupied by the rulers of the realm. Who would dare confront them without being confident and strong?

Davis shook his head, confirming the fatty's doubts.

It seemed like the other party was truly some kind of ancient hidden power, but he didn't care since this black-robed man was to his liking.

The fatty didn't push further. He had lived long enough to know when not to ask questions, and the masked man who sounded like a youth but could well be an old monster before him gave off a sensation that told him prodding would be unwise. He turned around and resumed walking.

Davis and the others fell into step behind him.

The outer city was loud. Stalls had been erected haphazardly along the broader roads, and people hawked whatever they had managed to drag out of their former lives. A worn cultivation manual. A set of cracked spatial rings. Food that had already begun to lose its spiritual essence. The sellers wore desperate smiles, and the buyers wore suspicious eyes, and neither trusted the other enough to make a clean transaction.

Davis observed all of it without expression. He didn't release his Heart Intent since a person of Fatty's caliber would be able to make a few guesses if he sensed Heart Intent sweeping. The fatty bragged too much, but Davis could tell he was capable and smart. As long as the fatty connected a few dots, he would be able to tell.

Nonetheless, the people here were not weak by conventional measure.

Most were at the Monarch Stage, and a few Sovereign Stage cultivators stood at the corners with arms folded. But listless as they were, they were all equally united in one thing.

Cursing the Divine Emperor of Death under their breaths.

If it weren't for him, would they have been forced into dire straits?

Evelynn walked close to Davis. She did not say anything, but her hand occasionally brushed his sleeve.

Davis could tell Evelynn wanted to say this wasn't his fault.

He smilingly shook his head.

Whether it was his fault or not didn't matter. When the heavens wanted someone dead, everyone caught in that person's vicinity was collateral damage. Since the heavens didn't care, why should he? But of course, Davis and the heavens weren't the same.

Although he couldn't brush off this minor feeling of guilt, he was a selfish person who wanted to live happily and protect his family.

If the choice of the end of the human race or the survival of the family were placed before him, he would unhesitatingly choose the latter. He had no regrets and wouldn't have any regrets in the decisions he made as he lived true to himself.

Since that was the case, he had long prepared himself to be the evil people called him when required.

Even now, he wasn't here to reverse the Desolate Era because it was affecting the people. He was here because it was affecting his family's cultivation and could be an increasingly worsening step for their location to be exposed soon as their defenses receded or experienced anomalies, and even more troublesome was that it would force even the ordinary people to go against them.

As long as someone killed or sealed him, the Desolate Era was bound to stop.

As they moved deeper into the city, the roads widened, and the noise thinned. The stalls gave way to proper storefronts, modest ones but storefronts nonetheless. The people here walked with purpose rather than the aimless drift of the outer residents. Their cultivations were noticeably higher, and their robes, while not extravagant, were clean.

"We're near the inner ring," The fatty announced without turning his head, "Powers with at least one Empyrean Stage cultivator can apply for residence here. The Sovereign Stage cultivators share buildings, but the bigger ones get their own plots."

"How is residence determined beyond that? What price do they go for?" Evelynn asked, seemingly sounding interested in buying up land.

"Contribution points. You can't buy land or sky-space here with wealth except by bribing, of course. But the legal way is for you to earn them by participating in the city's defense rotations, paying certain taxes ahead of schedule, or providing materials the city administration deems valuable."

The fatty paused to let a column of armored cultivators march past before continuing. Amidst the sound of clattering armor, he said, "In practice, if you have someone at the Peak Primarch Stage, they skip the queue entirely. The City Lord personally greets them and pretends he isn't afraid."

"And what is the City Lord's cultivation?" Davis asked.

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