Chapter 541: Qiu Xiyu's Goodwill

Chapter 541: Qiu Xiyu's Goodwill

January 3, 2025

In the vast Jin State, there must be many mystical places that I have yet to explore.

Not only me, but even many Jin State warriors would not dare to claim that they have traversed every river and mountain in their own country.

There's no other way, the Jin State is indeed a bit too large.

It takes more than half a month to travel from the north to the south.

And that's only if you're a warrior.

For those with slightly less physical strength, ordinary people, traveling by carriage would take at least a month.

The diverse terrain, although not conducive to travel, also makes the entire Jin State's resources more abundant.

According to Qiu Xiyu, in the central-northern region of the Jin State, there is a training treasure land.

This treasure land is not unclaimed, but it has been occupied by a power for more than three hundred years.

It's just that this power's ability is average.

Furthermore, its capability has been declining year after year, and over the years, the actual control of the treasure land has been divided among many factions.

Nowadays, to participate in training there, one usually goes through a recommendation system.

Those who can obtain a recommendation slot are able to join the training.

Su Chen doesn't know much about the related situation.

He can only go there and take a look.

Anyway, according to Qiu Xiyu, this training is of great benefit to Fifth Rank Warriors.

The Fifth Rank Snow Intention is a stage to prepare for advancing to the Transformation Realm.

All aspects of this training are aimed at making warriors' strength more reliable and solid.

With the Autumn Family's exceptional strength and as a member of the Autumn Family, the training place introduced by Qiu Xiyu must be remarkable.

Heading north-central.

Along the way, Su Chen occasionally stops in the cities he passes through.

Many commoners have already heard about his display at the Heavenly Alchemy Expo.

In the discussions among the commoners, his reputation is gradually recovering, and it even feels quite good.

Su Chen listens to the conversations of the commoners in these cities along the way.

They still have a positive opinion of him.

On the contrary, the actions of the Odd Tower and the Crystal Pavilion have received much criticism.

Su Chen speculates that behind this, there should be the Jin State court pushing the waves and guiding public opinion.

He is not a citizen of the Jin State, yet after coming to this Jin State, he is mistreated and slandered by the Jin State powers.

This is not what the Jin State court and the major sects want to see.

Especially at the Heavenly Alchemy Expo, the alchemy master from the Chu State stood up and spoke, making a promise.

Showing goodwill towards Su Chen and displaying what it means to be a master.

Compared to Pavilion Master Peng of the Odd Tower, this gap is even greater.

In terms of dignity and character, the Chu State's alchemy master clearly outshines the people of the Jin State.

At the Heavenly Alchemy Expo, Su Chen politely declined the invitation of Master Chen Linxuan from the Chu State.

Naturally, this is even more in line with the interests of the Jin State.

With multiple factors combined, the Jin State court will definitely give Su Chen a good boost.

In the Jin State, there are many people from other countries who come here to cultivate and live.

Among them, there are many with extraordinary status and significant importance to the Jin State.

There are also many who will be of great importance to the Jin State in the future.

The mistreatment of Su Chen can be said to be a heavy blow to this group of people.

Helping Su Chen restore his reputation is not only aiding him but also stabilizing this group.

Especially since Su Chen ultimately sided with the Jin State; if he can't get a good result, others in similar situations will have to consider their own circumstances.

The Chu State has also extended an olive branch to everyone. If such a situation were to occur, the Chu State would be an even more suitable place to live.

Given the related reasons, Su Chen is not surprised that this situation arose.

With the manipulator's actions, his reputation will continue to rise.

The Wuluan Mansion's actions against him will naturally lead to more concerns.

Of course, for Su Chen, the essence of the matter remains unchanged.

Someone like Fan Chengyan can gain a domineering reputation; he knows what she's like.

What concerns, what worries.

If she finds an opportunity, she will still take action against him.

He can't gamble with his life, and he should be wary.

Cultivating martial arts and quickly entering the Transformation Realm is the true way to ensure his safety.

From Pebble City to the north-central region, it takes about seven days.

If he had gone directly to the north-central region after attending the Heavenly Alchemy Expo, it should have taken a maximum of three days to arrive.

This place is relatively close to Summer Region City, the site of the Heavenly Alchemy Expo.

In the north-central region, there is a very long mountain range.

It stretches across the land.

Every year after winter, this mountain range blocks most of the cold currents.

Allowing the southern region to be slightly warmer.

The formation of this terrain also provides living space for many plants.

Those plants that are intolerant to cold can still barely survive on the south side of the mountain range.

Buried in the soil, they will break through the ground and sprout again when spring comes next year.

However, the north side of the mountain range is a completely different story.

The harsh cold in the north can freeze even the seeds that manage to survive.

Only cold-resistant plants can endure the harsh conditions in the north.

This unique terrain has also led to a greater variety of plant species.

In areas with strong winds and cold weather, some warm-climate medicinal herbs can even grow.

The mountain range, stretching across the land, has created many wonders over the years.

Among these wonders lie numerous mysterious and extraordinary treasure sites.

Some of these sites offer training benefits, while others are purely poisonous.

After hundreds of years of exploration, most parts of the mountain range have been traversed by humans.

Over ten thousand people have lost their lives within its depths.

Various sects seek to find advantages and benefits within this wild and unfamiliar land.

Venturing into such a place is not a trivial matter.

Although located within the borders of Jin State, the mountain range is vast and towering, containing various terrains.

There are even rumors that heavenly demons exist within these mountains.

Numerous demonic beasts inhabit this area, a fact that has been confirmed.

Indeed, many demonic beasts live in this mountain range, and their traces have been discovered on multiple occasions.

However, whether heavenly demons exist here remains unverified.

Su Chen travels along the edge of the mountain range.

Winter has arrived, and as he walks along the southern edge, there is no sign of snow yet.

The north side, on the other hand, is already covered by a thick layer of snow.

With the help of his 【Demon-Seeking Expertise】 and heavenly fate ability, Su Chen continues his journey, carefully observing for any traces of demonic beasts.

He indeed spots some lesser and greater demons, but no signs of earth or heavenly demons, those powerful beings.

Given the vastness of the mountain range, Su Chen dares not conclude that there are no heavenly demons nearby.

His current priority is to reach his destination as soon as possible.

The training session should commence in a few days, and he cannot afford to waste time.

Missing the timing would be a waste of his efforts and Qiu Xiyu's kindness.

Su Chen heads towards the southeast of the mountain range, following Qiu Xiyu's instructions, and soon arrives at a city at the foot of the mountains.

This city, close to the mountains, exhibits distinct local characteristics.

Su Chen turns his gaze to the distance, observing the unique sights.

As the saying goes, "Make use of the mountains and rivers."

Near the mountain range, the city has several times more shops selling mountain products than other cities.

Medicinal ingredients and animal furs are abundant here.

The prices are indeed lower than in other cities.

This city is named Dingjun City.

Before the establishment of Jin State, this region was plagued by constant warfare among various factions.

But no matter which army it was, upon reaching the foot of the mountains, they would halt and rest.

After resting, they would continue their march.

This situation occurred repeatedly, and the city earned its name, Dingjun City, as a result.

Su Chen strolls around the city.

He notices many people from other places coming here to purchase goods.

Among them, a significant group is from alchemy sects.

The proximity to the mountains allows for the collection of various rare medicinal ingredients.

The complex and varied terrain results in diverse and unusual climates.

This is why some peculiar medicinal ingredients are willing to grow here.

No wonder Dingjun City appears quite prosperous.

As the upstream channel for alchemy, it's no surprise that money flows here.

After a quick meal, Su Chen doesn't waste time lingering.

He continues his journey, this time not along the mountain range but into its depths.

The training location mentioned by Qiu Xiyu lies within this mountain range.

This is not surprising, as the unique terrain often gives birth to extraordinary training sites.

Before entering the mountains, Su Chen purchases some food.

Finding food within the mountains can be troublesome.

Having supplies will make things much easier.

After confirming his preparations, Su Chen sets off towards the interior of the mountain range.

Qiu Xiyu provided him with a simple sketch.

Finding Dingjun City was relatively easy, but navigating further inside becomes more challenging.

Qiu Xiyu also emphasized to Su Chen the need to be cautious of the demonic beasts within the mountains.

Every year, many herb gatherers are injured by demonic beasts in this area.

The number of demonic beasts in the mountains should not be underestimated.

Su Chen, however, is not overly concerned about the beasts.

His current focus is on finding the correct path.

As Su Chen continued his journey, the sky gradually darkened, but he didn't stop. With the help of the 【Demon Hunter】, he wasn't worried about demon beast ambushes. After advancing to the Fifth Rank, his vision at night was sharp, and he could easily see his surroundings without any difficulty.

After walking for about three hours, Su Chen saw numerous lights in the distant mountains. This mountain range was not only long but also wide. Logically, the deeper one went, the more deserted it should be. Now that it was early winter, how could there be lights in the mountains at night? That large cluster of light didn't seem to be a bonfire either.

It seemed more like a gathering point.

After hesitating for a moment, Su Chen looked at the rough sketch Autumn Xiyu had drawn for him. The large cluster of light seemed to be right on the path of the sketch.

Seeing this, Su Chen didn't hesitate and headed straight towards the distant cluster of light.

Under the night sky, this cluster of light was quite eye-catching.

As he walked towards it, he felt it wasn't too far away, but he had already walked a considerable distance and still hadn't reached it.

Su Chen activated the Cloud Walking Steps, quickening his pace.

It was already the hour of the tiger.

At this late hour, the clusters of light were still bright, even brighter than when he first saw them.

Su Chen hurried his steps.

When he finally approached, he realized it was actually a small village.

But calling it a village didn't quite feel right.

It was more like a miniature town.

A town suddenly appeared deep in the mountains.

If someone with a weaker heart had come across this, they might have been scared out of their wits and wouldn't have dared to enter, right?

As he drew closer, Su Chen finally saw what the flickering clusters of light were.

They were lanterns hanging under the eaves of each house in the town.

From a distance, the lights from different houses merged into one cluster.

Although there was a lantern hanging under each house, the town was quiet.

This was normal, of course. It was the middle of the night, and quietness was to be expected.

However, seeing a town in the middle of nowhere was indeed a bit intriguing.

Holding a knife, Su Chen cautiously stepped into this miniature town.

Su Chen was certain there were no demon beasts around, and there were people here.

After taking only a few steps, two men emerged from an alley not far away.

"Is this your first time here? You look so nervous, and you're even holding a knife. Do you think we're bandits or ghosts?"

The younger of the two men spoke with a hint of jest.

They must have encountered people like Su Chen before.

Very tense and serious when entering the town.

Hearing this, Su Chen relaxed a little but remained vigilant.

"There's an inn up ahead, and you can buy some food there. It's the middle of the night, and you must be tired from your journey, right?"

Su Chen didn't reply but followed them.

As they spoke, Su Chen realized he had overthought the situation.

There were many such gathering points throughout the entire mountain range.

The mountain range was vast, and every year, many people entered to gather medicinal herbs.

In this complex terrain, countless people got lost.

There was no other way; rare medicinal ingredients were just that precious.

They tended to grow in strange places, luring people into getting lost and losing their sense of direction.

After years of lessons, and since this was also a business opportunity, gathering points in the mountains naturally came into existence.

"The lanterns under the eaves are called Lifesaving Lanterns. Do you know why they're called that? If you get lost in these mountains and see the light, you can find our gathering point. A life that was supposed to be lost is now saved. You must have seen the light and found us, right?"

The two men were quite friendly, and Su Chen started chatting with them.

These two were the receptionists of the gathering point, responsible for welcoming guests like Su Chen who arrived unexpectedly.

As for the security of the entire gathering point, it was handled by other warriors.

These warriors were currently resting.

Their status was not low, and they wouldn't be on guard duty every night.

Only a few would be on duty at a time.

Su Chen followed the two men into the inn and invited them to eat something.

The inn was open all kinds of food. The prices were more than three times higher than outside.

But in the mountains, this was understandable.

Transportation and other costs were involved.

If one didn't have money, it wasn't a big issue. Medicinal herbs could be used as payment.

If one didn't have herbs, they could still eat and work to pay for it.

As they ate, the two men told Su Chen about the situation in the mountains.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end