Chapter Thirty-Seven: Tian Nan City

Xiao Wenzi was already at a bottleneck in his cultivation. Without more Monster-Gathering Pills, who knew how long it would take for him to break through by sheer perseverance alone?

He had considered venturing deeper into the Tiannan Mountains to seek out more spirit herbs and flowers, continuing his cultivation until he reached the peak of the Third Heaven before leaving. Yet, he quickly dismissed this idea. After all, high-grade spirit herbs and flowers were normally guarded by demon beasts. The nameless blue flower he had found in the valley was merely a stroke of luck.

Moreover, with winter approaching, the harsh cold might affect his flight. It would be better to leave directly and find some rookie Third Heaven cultivators to “leech” and exchange for system coins.

The system page for the Third Heaven was already unlocked. Now, it cost only six system coins of this tier to redeem a low-grade Monster-Gathering Pill. If he could gather a few hundred coins, he could break through realms in quick succession—much easier than painstakingly searching for spirit herbs and flowers in the wild.

Besides, Xiao Wenzi had no knowledge of this world’s pharmacology. He couldn’t gamble his life every time, risking death by accidentally consuming poisonous plants. Worse, without Third Heaven system coins, he couldn’t replenish his hearts.

A large mosquito flitted through the autumn-chilled mountain forests. Traveling at full speed, it took him less than half a day to leave the Tiannan Mountains.

With Monster Spirit Dew replenishing his energy, Xiao Wenzi could fly at top speed without pause. Within just another half hour, he appeared above fields of golden rice.

Before long, a town came into view.

Tiannan Town, the only settlement between the Tiannan Mountains and the county seat, Tiannan City, boasted a permanent population of over ten thousand due to its excellent location. The streets crisscrossed, shops lined both sides, and it bustled with prosperity.

It was already late autumn, and mosquitoes were rarely seen during the day. Moreover, his current form was slightly larger than an ordinary mosquito and somewhat conspicuous. Xiao Wenzi took care to avoid passersby as he entered Tiannan Town.

His goal was to eavesdrop in inns and teahouses, hoping to overhear some useful information and, if lucky, encounter a lone rookie cultivator.

At the peak of the Second Heaven, his cultivation, thanks to the Blood Spirit Technique, was already comparable to a fourth-level Qi Refining cultivator. Now at the mid-stage of Third Heaven, avoiding the senses of ordinary mortals was a trivial matter.

Xiao Wenzi soon approached the window of a tavern, perching under the eaves to listen closely.

He filtered out the idle gossip and boasting, ignoring most conversations, until suddenly a man’s voice piqued his interest.

“Brother Xu, have you heard? The young masters of the famous Zhang, Du, Liu, Chen, Xu, and Fang families from the county seat went hunting in the Tiannan Mountains a month ago with their attendants, but not a single one returned…”

“I’ve heard about that too, Brother Jiang. It’s said that afterwards some family experts also came searching, but somehow, nothing ever came of it…”

From the conversation, Xiao Wenzi gleaned much useful information. The plump youth and his companions eaten by the wolf pack were actually the scions of several major families in Tiannan City.

The most prosperous city in Tiannan County lay a mere hundred miles southeast. That meant the maps and herbal tomes he sought would likely be found in Tiannan City.

Since Tiannan Town was a critical transportation hub, there would be plenty of carriages and carts heading to Tiannan City every day. Xiao Wenzi wasn’t in a hurry to leave. He clung to the tavern’s eaves, listening to conversations and gathering intelligence until dusk.

“Hmm, it’s about time to try my luck and search for some rookie cultivators.”

After listening for most of the day, Xiao Wenzi had more or less figured out the situation in Tiannan Town and had a general understanding of Tiannan City as well.

Night had fallen, shrouding everything in darkness. No one would notice a solitary little mosquito, making it the perfect time to search.

He flew past one inn and tavern after another, but to his dismay, not a single cultivator could be found in this sizeable town.

On reflection, this wasn’t surprising. Nanshan City, with its cultivator marketplace and a Foundation Establishment-level city lord like Yang Fan, owed its status to being under the jurisdiction of the Falling Feather Sect—one of the few cultivator cities in Tiannan County.

Tiannan City, on the other hand, was simply a county seat in the secular Beilin Kingdom. Even the county magistrate wasn’t a cultivator; otherwise, the Black Scarf Bandits wouldn’t have escaped his attempts at eradication.

It dawned on Xiao Wenzi that major cultivation sects were usually nestled deep in perilous mountain ranges. Even if they established marketplaces outside, they used arrays to conceal them from the eyes of ordinary people.

Cultivators generally had little interest in mundane affairs, save for those who, having lost hope for immortality, sought pleasure or power.

With a population in the millions, Tiannan City might host cultivators seeking diversion, but Tiannan Town offered little to attract them. Thus, their absence was to be expected.

Having figured out the key, Xiao Wenzi let it go. The next morning, he hitched a ride on a passing carriage and headed straight for Tiannan City.

The city gates were tall and imposing, more reminiscent of a legendary stronghold than a mundane city.

Though many soldiers guarded the entrance, there wasn’t a cultivator among them. Blending into the caravan, Xiao Wenzi entered the city with ease.

After a day’s travel, the caravan reached the outskirts of Tiannan City as evening fell. Delayed further by the entry inspection, it was nightfall by the time they entered the city.

Stepping off the carriage, Xiao Wenzi gazed at the ancient, bustling metropolis illuminated by lantern light. A wave of melancholy washed over him.

Once, the city he’d lived in was even more dazzling by night, with endless food, streets, movies, and romance to enjoy.

Yet, on that night—after quarreling with her—he’d drunk too much and crossed the street...

Ah, there was no going back. He could only hope she found happiness and lived out her days in peace.

With that thought, Xiao Wenzi cast aside the sorrow that had no place in his heart. His resolve hardened once more—he would survive, he would grow stronger, and one day, he would seize his own fate.

Spreading his wings, the solitary little mosquito flew toward the distant streets under the cloak of night.

His ultimate goal in Tiannan City was to find a regional map to plan his next steps in cultivation.

As for tomes introducing spirit herbs and flowers, he held little hope. After all, even if such books existed in secular pharmacies, they likely described only common herbs, offering him scant assistance.

In the days that followed, Xiao Wenzi specifically sought out shops selling scrolls and miscellaneous items, entering them to search for what he needed.

Unlike his previous experience in Hexian County, his cultivation had advanced considerably, and with his demon sense now covering over twenty meters, he could easily survey even rolled-up map scrolls.

It didn’t take long for Xiao Wenzi to find a detailed regional map of Tiannan County in a shop. A quick glance, and his heart was stirred.