Way of Heaven - Chapter 40

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Chapter 40 – Imperial City

Translator: BipBop

Over a thousand kilometers away from the obscure valley was the Imperial City, the capital of the Tang Dynasty. Towering and lofty, covering an immense area that stretched across the kingdom, the city was the most majestic city in all of the Tang Dynasty. Even in the Mystic Region, this city was first class, only second to the main cities of the top sects.

The Imperial City, with an immense population, was bustling with people. The inflow of goods and people allowed the city to prosper. 

Mu Yuan stood at the foot of one of the Imperial City’s walls, wearing a moon-white robe with mystical engravings. He looked at the lofty city wall.

More than thirty meters high and made of exquisite materials, the city’s walls could withstand the attack of a sea realm cultivator. As for a tempering realm cultivator, they would at most leave a scratch on it.

In front of Mu Yuan, numerous ordinary people and cultivators lined up at the Imperial City’s entrance. Mu Yuan waited in line and soon entered the city.

In the Imperial City, a prosperous scene greeted his eyes. Countless people tread on paved roads that were ten meters wide and made of stone slabs. Specially decorated shops were on both his sides. Stall vendors shouted, trying to sell their products.

There were many cultivators in the Imperial City. Occasionally, an expert would pass him. In minutes, Mu Yuan noticed that more than a dozen spirit realm cultivators. Some cultivators rode monsters on the roads of the city. Spirit realm cultivators were commonplace here. It appeared tempering realm cultivators weren’t worth crap here.

Suddenly, Mu Yuan raised his head and looked off into the distance. His gaze seemed to pierce through time and space. His gaze fell onto the obscure valley. He saw cultivators and monsters viciously tear each other to pieces. Most were completely insane, killing the only thing on their mind.

Mu Yuan chuckled. 

“It’s begun…”

Four months ago, Mu Yuan created the first Origin Devouring Vine and placed it in the obscure valley, letting it grow on its own. He left the Cloudy Forest and traveled to various places in the Mystic Region. 

In the last three months, Mu Yuan, without disturbing the Zhenwu World’s heavenly dao, sporadically used his heavenly dao powers to instantly warp long distances. 

He placed an Origin Devouring Vine in every place he went to. These vines were going to devour the Zhenwu World’s energy and grow.

Of course, the potential of those Origin Devouring Vines can’t compare with the first vine. Mu Yuan consumed five drops of Origin Energy to make the first vine. Mu Yuan then consumed the remaining ten drops of Origin Energy left in the pearl to create twenty weaker versions of the vine. He then planted the vines in various places, waiting for them to grow.

Currently, the first Origin Devouring Vine has been discovered. Mu Yuan wanted to probe how the Zhenwu World’s heavenly dao would react to the capabilities of the spirit plant. He wanted to see if it would destroy the unknown plant.

However, it was most likely to be ignored by the heavenly dao because the Origin Devouring Vine had been created under the basis of spirit plants native to the Zhenwu World. It lacked a foreign aura. It was a being that “belonged” to the world.

So what if the Origin Devouring Vine devoured energy? It was not like similar cultivation techniques and plants didn’t exist in the Zhenwu World before. The devil’s path for cultivation worked similarly, devouring others’ energy. That was just a part of the world. Generally speaking, the heavenly dao shouldn’t care.

“Everything should go smoothly.”

If the first Origin Devouring Vine succeeds, then the other vines he planted would be “born” into the world. Mu Yuan planned on using the Mystic Region as his starting point to stir up chaos in this world. 

 Mu Yuan returned to the Tang Dynasty, even coming to the Imperial City, to put the next step of his plan in motion.

Seeing Mu Yuan standing on the streets of the Imperial City, a young man, eighteen years old and as thin as a monkey, approached Mu Yuan with a smile. His eyes flitted around. He noticed Mu Yuan’s clothes. 

The man’s smile grew wider, as he looked at Mu Yuan’s exquisite robes. “Little Brother, is this your first time coming to the Imperial City?”

Mu Yuan glanced at him. He nodded. The frail youth’s smile became even brighter. “Little Brother, the Imperial City is vast. If you don’t know anyone who is familiar with the city, it’s quite easy to get lost.” The youth paused and looked at Mu Yuan. He was implying something.

Mu Yuan pulled out a dozen spirit pills from his storage ring. The corner of his lips curved into a smile. He fiddled with them in his hand. “Are you a guide? How much do you know about the Imperial City?”

The frail young man’s eyes lit up. He quickly said, “I, Hou Ming, have grown up in the Imperial City. I know every corner of the place like the back of my hand. There is no one more suitable to be a guide than me.”

Mu Yuan tossed him a spirit pill and lightly said, “Then, take me to a good inn.” Hou Ming caught the spirit pill and hurriedly agreed. He led Mu Yuan down a road.

Hou Ming took Mu Yuan to an inn while explaining the general situation of the Imperial City. “The Imperial City is huge. It’s divided into six districts. If you think it’s prosperous here, then just you wait. Right now, we’re actually in the civilian district. There are only weak cultivators, common folk, and temporary residents here. The civilian district is the largest district in the Imperial City. It accounts for more than half the population.”

Although Hou Ming said that this district was the civilian district, it still looked quite prosperous. Numerous tall buildings and pavilions towered. People streamed through the streets. It was far more prosperous than Luo City.

“The second district is connected to the civilian district. It contains numerous factions, religions, etc.. It’s a mix of the good and the bad, a chaotic place. The third district is the major district. It’s mainly meant for the major families. The fourth district is called the noble district. Although it’s not big, it heavily influences the Imperial City. The fifth district is a commercial area. Different from the civilian district, it’s where the mass commerce and influential merchants go. It’s the most prosperous area in the entire Imperial City. The last district is the imperial palace. The core of the city, it’s guarded to the extreme. One does not simply break in.”

Mu Yuan listened to Hou Ming’s ramblings. After thinking, he lightly asked, “I want to get information. Where should I go?”

Hou Ming paused and then, with a smile, continued, “The best place to go for information would be the second district, the area with lots of factions. Although it’s chaotic, information is constantly being circulated between factions and the outside. You can probably obtain the information you want from that place.”

Hou Ming pondered a bit.

“But, you can also try to collect information from the fifth district, the commercial district. I heard that there is an organization called the Heavenly Network over there. They claim that as long as you have the money you can get the information you want.”

“Heavenly Network…,” Mu Yuan murmured with interest. “Take me to the commercial district.”

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This translation is presented by Nocturne Translations.