The first city of the Human King's Path.
The ancient, battle-scarred city exuded a sense of magnificent supremacy and great terror.
Outside the city lay a dazzling array of commercial streets, catering to all aspects of life, from food and lodging to transportation.
Here, immortal cultivators were few, while martial cultivators were numerous.
This was primarily due to combat power.
If martial cultivators caused trouble, immortal cultivators of the same level would be no match for them.
Outside the first city of the Human King's Path stood a massive stone tablet, inscribed with the names of the top one thousand ranked individuals.
As Chen Jiuyang stepped into the vicinity, he found a tea house with a pleasant view and settled in for a cup.
In the Lesser Immortal Realm, spirit stones were the hard currency.
"Waiter, bring me a pot of good tea. Here are one hundred spirit stones, and I'd like to inquire about some information."
The tea house waiter, a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage,'s eyes lit up upon seeing the one hundred spirit stones. "Then you've come to the right person, sir. I've lived here for fifty to sixty years, and I'm well-informed about everything in and out of the first city of the Human King's Path."
"Excellent, then."
Chen Jiuyang smiled slightly. Gazing at the stone tablet outside the first city, he asked,
"What is this stone tablet?"
The waiter replied, "This stone tablet is a testing stone tablet. To embark on the Human King's Path and enter the first city, one must attack this stone tablet with all their might. Only if the stone tablet reacts will they be granted the qualification to enter the first city of the Human King's Path."
"I see. And the names on it?"
"Those are the names of the strongest thousand prodigies from past generations up to the present," the waiter answered.
"Every prodigy whose name is inscribed on the stone tablet has, without exception, become a major figure in their respective fields!"
As the waiter spoke these words, his face was filled with yearning.
Having embarked on the path of cultivation, who wouldn't wish to make a name for themselves and carve out a legendary existence?
Chen Jiuyang nodded slowly, observing the dense crowd queuing before the stone tablet, striking it with all their might, his expression lost in thought.
After a moment, Chen Jiuyang inquired, "Are there any shops selling cultivation techniques in the market outside the city?"
The waiter chuckled, "Naturally, there are. All thirteen cities of the Human King's Path have supreme sects and imperial families selling cultivation techniques. What kind of technique are you looking to purchase, sir?"
"I'm looking for a technique related to the Way of the Saber. Do you have any recommended merchants or shops, young man?"
"Then you can go to the Ji family, an imperial clan, to purchase saber techniques. The Ji family has been renowned for their saber arts for ten thousand years."
Chen Jiuyang's eyes flickered. The Ji family, an imperial clan? A family that had produced a Human Emperor in its ancestry?!
Chen Jiuyang silently made a mental note, then asked, "Are there any benefits to being in the first city of the Human King's Path?"
The waiter slowly shook his head. "Sir, the secrets of the Human King's Path cannot be divulged. Only those who enter the city will know its merits and demerits. However, I do know that all thirteen cities of the Human King's Path are fraught with peril, and countless prodigies have perished."
Chen Jiuyang chuckled softly, "We martial artists, by nature, defy the heavens. If we were to follow the heavens, we would pursue immortal cultivation and longevity."
With that, Chen Jiuyang gently rose, left the tea house, and went to wander through the market street.
Throughout the entire market, although martial artists were numerous, most were at the Heavenly Realm, with very few at the Venerable Realm. Most Venerable Realm powerhouses, with even a shred of ambition, would not remain stationary but would seek paths to strengthen themselves.
Even so, none could be underestimated. Every shop was guarded by powerful beings, with strong backing forces, and the shops themselves were protected by formations.
The buyer is discerning, but the seller is even more so.
Goods related to both immortal and martial cultivation were displayed in abundance, but most were unorthodox methods. Core true scriptures and dao methods were the foundations of a sect's inheritance, and no one sold them.
Chen Jiuyang stepped into the 'Linlang Pavilion,' operated by the imperial Ji family.
A beautiful, alluring young woman who had cultivated媚功 (mei gong - a seductive cultivation technique) gracefully approached. "Esteemed guest, do you require anything?"
This beautiful young woman was at the Golden Core stage.
Chen Jiuyang looked around. All goods were placed within formations, with introductions and origins displayed outside the formations.
Chen Jiuyang stated, "I require a top-tier saber technique. I heard that the imperial Ji family is renowned for their saber arts, hence my visit."
"Heh heh," the beautiful young woman giggled. "Then you have come to the right place, sir. Our Ji family's Linlang Pavilion possesses the best saber techniques in the entire market. Please follow me."
The beautiful young woman led Chen Jiuyang to the second floor, where hundreds of saber techniques were displayed. "Please feel free to browse, sir."
"Mm," Chen Jiuyang nodded slowly.
His gaze scanned each one, but inwardly, he transmitted a message to the Yan Sheng Saber: "Yan Sheng, in your opinion, which saber technique should I choose?"
"Saber Master, your combat power is not weak. It would be best to find a saber technique that embodies saber intent, one that can help Saber Master comprehend the Way of the Saber."
Chen Jiuyang nodded slightly and said to the beautiful young woman, "I am new to the Way of the Saber and do not understand saber intent very well. I wish to find a technique that explains saber intent clearly. Can you help me pick one?"
"Certainly."
The beautiful young woman gracefully walked to a technique. "This is the 'Jing Hen' Saber Art, created by an Imperial Realm ancestor of our Ji family. This Imperial Realm ancestor was the chief instructor of our Ji family's academy ten thousand years ago."
"This technique explains saber intent in great detail and clarity, making it particularly suitable for cultivators like yourself. Its price is three million spirit stones."
Chen Jiuyang's expression faltered. He wasn't surprised by the high price, but rather by how low it was.
How could a top-tier saber technique be sold for only three million spirit stones?
Either this technique was fake or incomplete, or there were other hidden flaws.
The beautiful young woman seemed to perceive Chen Jiuyang's thoughts and smiled faintly. "Please rest assured, sir. Our Ji family would never sell flawed techniques. This 'Jing Hen' Saber Art is priced this way because its explanations are too detailed, making it somewhat difficult to get started, and even more challenging to master, hence this price..."
Chen Jiuyang understood.
The lifespan of martial artists was too short compared to immortal cultivators. If a technique required a very long time to cultivate, wouldn't that be a waste of life?
However, this was precisely what suited Chen Jiuyang's situation.
Chen Jiuyang's expression remained unchanged as he said, "One million spirit stones."
He immediately began to haggle.
The beautiful young woman's expression remained unchanged, and she smiled, revealing eight teeth. "Two million eight hundred thousand."
After a round of bargaining, Chen Jiuyang finally purchased the technique for two million three hundred thousand spirit stones.
After counting out the spirit stones, Chen Jiuyang left with the technique.
Not long after he left, an old man enveloped in deathly aura emerged and looked at the young woman. "He purchased the 'Jing Hen' Saber Art?"
"Yes, Elder."
"The 'Jing Hen' Saber Art has been on sale in the family's shops for over ten thousand years, and this is the first time it has been sold. Of all the techniques, he chose this one. I wonder what kind of fool he is."
When Chen Jiuyang returned and began to peruse the 'Jing Hen' Saber Art, he immediately felt he had struck gold.
"This saber technique, if it were me, I wouldn't sell it for a hundred million or a billion spirit stones..."