Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 509 - Azure Mountain City

Unable to understand why Chen Ruoyan would want to join them, Liu Wuxie couldn’t help but frown. The trip would be dangerous; he wasn't just going out to play.

"Big Sister Jian’s problems are also my problems. I can’t just stand around doing nothing!"

No one could refute this perfect excuse. In the past few months, the two went from being wary of each other to close sisters, naturally baffling everyone.

Touched, Jian Xing'er quickly said, "Thank you, Sister Ruoyan!"

Unable to refuse, Liu Wuxie reluctantly agreed. He planned to send them back once he had resolved the matters with the Jian Clan. After all, he was more accustomed to traveling alone.

Bringing the two women would only burden him. They were still in the Heavenly Dipper Realm and couldn't fly by themselves, requiring them to use spiritual treasures.

After Liu Wuxie had made arrangements for his people, everyone returned to rest. He then left the sect at dawn with Chen Ruoyan and Jian Xing’er. A moment later, a young man in a purple robe quickly rushed to the Treasure Pill Peak to inform Elder Qing Mu.

Since Jian Xing'er was eager to return, the three traveled at full speed and didn't rest much. Three days later, they arrived at the Azure Mountain City, a small city with a population of ten million. Most skilled individuals had left this remote place, and those who remained had been living here for generations. Hence, the city had scarce resources.

Besides a few prominent clans, the majority of the city’s inhabitants were ordinary. Bandits also frequented it from the nearby mountains and plundered from the commoners.

Liu Wuxie concealed his aura and restricted it to the True Core Realm. Afterward, the trio entered the city together.

The walls were heavily damaged from wear and tear and riddled with holes from the assaults of profound beasts. Nevertheless, many groups of refugees had still made their way into the city to seek shelter.

"Why are there so many of them?"

As the third princess of the Great Yan Dynasty, Chen Ruoyan couldn't bear to see so many refugees. Whenever a war broke out, the common people always suffered the most.

"Mountains surround the Azure Mountain City, which is why profound beasts often besiege it. Many tribes live in the nearby mountain ranges, and a lot of them fall victim to the beasts annually," Jian Xing'er explained.

The Azure Mountain was no smaller than the Scarlet Sun Mountain Range, stretching seemingly endlessly for hundreds of thousands of miles. The profound beasts that lived in it hunted humans whenever they had a shortage of food.

As people fled for their lives, the city’s population dwindled over time. Now, only its prominent clans had experts who could push back the profound beasts.

Most of its weak commoners couldn't even reach the Marrow Cleansing Realm due to the lack of resources.

It seemed Liu Wuxie had only seen the tip of the cultivation world. He still had many places to visit in the Southern Province alone, just like the Azure Mountain City.

The Southern Province only had ten cities as large as Fan City. The majority were underdeveloped and suffering from harsh environments.

While walking through the Azure Mountain City, they noticed a lot of commoners in tattered clothes. Most were covered in sores and infected wounds. Unless they could get treatment soon, they would likely die from their injuries.

At some point, a dozen malnourished children ran over and clung to Liu Wuxie's leg, begging for food. Unfortunately, since Liu Wuxie’s group didn’t really need to eat, they didn’t bother bringing any. Instead, they took some Fasting Pills from their interspatial rings and distributed them to the children.

"They're so pitiful!" Chen Ruoyan exclaimed. This place looked more like hell on earth than a part of the cultivation world.

Jian Xing'er frowned. She felt terrible just looking at the people. "Past beast tides had never created so many refugees. Did something happen in the Azure Mountain this year?"

More people gathered around them. Since the trio had given out all of their Fasting Pills, they released Heavenly Dipper Realm aura instead, repelling the crowd. Those at this level could already be considered an expert in the Azure Mountain City.

Those who had reached the Heavenly Phase Realm had left the city to develop elsewhere. Meanwhile, the ones still in the Marrow Cleansing Realm and True Core Realm were forced to stay due to their incapability to fly. With profound beasts ready to devour anyone walking through the Azure Mountain before they could even get out, people learned that they would have to fly if they wanted to get out of this place.

The situation improved significantly when they reached the center of the city. Fewer refugees were on the streets, and shops lined the road.

Chen Ruoyan frowned. "Why are there so many casinos here?"

They went past five casinos in one street alone. The other streets were likely no better.

"The resources outside had to be transported through aerial profound beasts, leading to a resource shortage. Casinos are the only entertainment here," Jian Xing'er explained.

The Azure Mountain City's He Clan had raised a few aerial demonic beasts, raking in considerable profits each year.

Fortunately, she had managed to save enough resources to take a flying beast out of this city and join the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion. Unlike her, others would be trapped here for the rest of their lives since they couldn’t afford to fly.

For most people who wanted to make a quick fortune, gambling was their best option. Most of the casinos in the Azure Mountain City belonged to the Teng Clan, and they controlled at least seventy percent of the market.

"Big Brother Liu, should we head to the Jian Clan directly or find a place to stay first?" Chen Ruoyan asked.

"Let's find a place first and gather information before acting," Liu Wuxie replied. He had no intentions of going to the Jian Clan like that because he didn't have a good impression of them. The reason why he came to the Azure Mountain City was to help Jian Xing'er.

They were dressed in fine clothes, and there were two stunning women. They naturally drew much attention when they came with some malice individuals tailed them.

The trio found an inn and took three top-tier rooms. Their three-day journey had exhausted them.

"Junior Brother Liu, I’d like to head out and look around the city again,” Jian Xing'er sa

She had been feeling uneasy. Although she didn't have much affection for her clan, she was born and raised there. She couldn't just stand around and watch them die.

"I'll go with you!" Liu Wuxie offered. This was the least he could do for her.

Not wanting to trouble him if she could handle it alone, she replied, "No need. Just stay here with Younger Sister Ruoyan. I’ll be back soon."

Liu Wuxie didn’t want to force her. Hence, he instead just told her to be careful and use the Communication Talisman to let him know if anything happened. If she needed him, he would rush to the Jian Clan as quickly as he could.

The Azure Mountain City wasn't large. Considering how fast he had become, he could easily explore it in just ten breaths.

Since it was getting late, after seeing Jian Xing'er off, Liu Wuxie sat on the bed to meditate. He was close enough to the fifth level of the Heavenly Phase Realm that he’d probably make a breakthrough in just a few days.

However, not long after he had sat down, Chen Ruoyan entered the room. "Big Brother Liu, can you join me for a walk?"

This woman had been staying in the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion since she came to the cultivation world, causing her unfamiliarity with the outside world. For that reason, she planned to take this opportunity to explore the Southern Province.

"Alright!"

Liu Wuxie got up from the bed. Soon, the two left the inn and walked on the streets. With Chen Ruoyan’s beauty naturally drawing attention, she was left with no other choice but to wear a veil.

While strolling through the city, Liu Wuxie suddenly stopped in front of a massive five-story casino. "Teng Clan's casino!"

Many people were coming in and out of the establishment. Some left with smiles on their faces, while others were thrown out with tears in their eyes.

Liu Wuxie had already learned from Jian Xing'er that the Teng Clan made their fortune through casinos. Nevertheless, he wanted to learn more about their business.

"Let's go in and take a look!"

As soon as they came in, a noisy atmosphere filled with the smell of sweat immediately greeted them. The entire floor was covered in smoke and hostesses moving around to serve guests. One of them soon greeted the two.

"What would you two like to play?" the woman asked politely.

"What do you have here?"

Scanning all five floors with Ghost Eye, Liu Wuxie quickly found out that the central control system was on the highest floor. Someone at the higher end of the Heavenly Phase Realm was inside it, monitoring the entire casino. An individual of such caliber was already considered a powerhouse in this city.

The lower four floors were filled with various gambling games, many of which Liu Wuxie had never seen before.

"We have poker, small or big, guessing numbers, and baccarat. What would you like to play? I'll lead the way!" the hostess replied.

"I'd like to take a look upstairs."

The first floor was too noisy, and Chen Ruoyan was already frowning. The upper floors seemed quieter.

"Only the VIPs can enter the second floor.”

"How do you become a VIP here?" Liu Wuxie asked curiously. He didn't expect there to be so many rules in a casino.

"You need chips worth 500,000 spirit stones to qualify."

The hostess found it fortunate for Liu Wuxie that he was handsome. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have paid him any attention. After all, he and Chen Ruoyan had suppressed their cultivation to the first level of the True Core Realm before coming in.

Someone at this level couldn't possess 500,000 spirit stones.

Liu Wuxie took out an interspatial pouch and handed it to the hostess. "Is this enough?"

Upon scanning it with her divine sense, her expression quickly brightened. She immediately adopted a more respectful attitude.

"That's more than enough. Please, come with me!"

The hostess led the two through the passageway and up a flight of stairs, at the end of which a burly man stood.

The hostess said a few words, and the man moved out of the way. Finally, they entered the second floor, which was noticeably quieter. Nevertheless, although it had about one-third fewer gamblers, it still had a few hundred people.

Liu Wuxie didn't expect the gambling business in the Azure Mountain City to be so blooming. After all, the odds were stacked against gamblers, so only a few could win. This was how the Teng Clan rose rapidly and brought in large fortunes daily.

"What would you two like to play?"

The second floor had fewer gambling options, but it still had traditional games like poker and dice. These games were easier to manipulate. Moreover, once someone was hooked, it would be hard for them to stop.

Liu Wuxie glanced around, then said, "Let's play dice!"

A game of dice was simple. He just had to guess whether the number on the dice was big or small.