Capítulo 40: The Ghu Clan
As a cultivation city, North Ghu City was actually much larger than most mortal nations. Measuring almost 100 miles from end to end, this city was as wide as Heavenly Path Mountain!
The old temple lord from the Country of Danso explained to Yaan that he would need currency if he wanted to enter the city. Since Yaan didn't have any form of cultivation currency on his person, he decided to make a stop at another mortal country en route to North Ghu City.
The Country of Trambe was the largest mortal country in the immediate area, but it was still just a mortal settlement ruled by an Innate Qi Realm cultivator.
Since this country was situated along various travel routes towards North Ghu City, it had naturally developed into a trading hotspot for cultivators over the years.
The Country of Trambe was very different compared to the Country of Danso. There were more cultivators here, whilst there was little to no segregation between the ordinary citizens and the travelling cultivators. In fact, this nation's mortals were well accustomed with the continual stream of travelling cultivators going in and out of their country. Because of this, there were many high-end shops owned by mortals here, which dealt with the travelling cultivators and their valuables.
Yaan lacked currency, but he had stored the most valuable Rank 2 beast bones that he managed to obtain in the dark forest, tucking them away inside a leather satchel within his robe. This was a good decision on his part, because apparently, these items were far more valuable compared to the usual merchandise which made its way into the Country of Trambe, eventually attracting the attention of the country's king.
King Fas was a large and boisterous man with hair covering his body. He became extremely excited when he saw the goods that Yaan had for sale, whilst Yaan was similarly impressed by how many assets this man had accumulated over the years. It was clear that King Fas was money crazy, as was reflected in his prosperous, trade-focussed nation.
In the end, Yaan traded half of his Rank 2 beast bone fragments for 50 Rank 2 Vital Recovery Pills.
Vital Recovery Pills and Qi Recovery Pills were often used as currency amongst cultivators. Both of these types off pills were of similar value, so they could be used interchangeably. Since Yaan had no use for the Qi Recovery Pills, he decided to only take Vital Recovery Pills.
50 Rank 2 recovery pills was worth 5,000 Rank 1 recovery pills! This could be considered a fairly large sum of money for someone at the Early Innate Qi Realm, leaving Yaan feeling very satisfied. That said, in North Ghu City, this much money couldn't be considered anything special.
After talking to Fas some more, Yaan ended up buying a new, more detailed map, and he also obtained further information regarding the city.
North Ghu City was ruled by the Ghu Clan, the central ruling power in Ghu Province. The Ghu Clan was a behemoth of a clan which had ruled over the province for many generations. North Ghu City was one of the Ghu Clan's many territories. According to Fas, the city was used by the Ghu Clan to generate revenue by selling wares to travelling cultivators, amongst other business ventures.
Despite this being just one of the Ghu Clan's territories, it was actually overseen by an Origin Soul Realm cultivator! The Ghu Clan deserved their reputation as the number one organisation in the Ghu Province with roots that stretched back for thousands of years; they had multiple Origin Soul Realm powerhouses scattered across the province!
Unfortunately, Fas had no idea how powerful the Ghu Clan Lord was. He only knew so much about North Ghu City thanks to the constant stream of travelling cultivators that passed through his country. However, any cultivator who was knowledgeable regarding Origin Soul Realm powerhouses wouldn't spare this small mortal country a single glance, and they would be even less likely to share their knowledge with an Innate Qi Realm person like King Fas.
Yaan once again departed. As he set out alone, this time on horseback after purchasing an ordinary horse from a mortal farmer, he felt less like he was fumbling his way through the world. Talking to Fas allowed him to develop a better understanding of the Ghu Province as a whole.
All of the lands between the dark forest and North Ghu City were mortal lands, including villages, towns and countries. The Spiritual Energy here was weak and the threat of demonic beasts was low. This was normal, since beasts and cultivators alike preferred areas with high Spiritual Energy density, these sorts of mortal lands were often far less dangerous.
The time he spent riding on horseback across the mortal farmlands and villages was extremely tranquil. In fact, Yaan felt more at peace during this time than he had felt for years. The bright skies, the flourishing crops, and the fresh scent which lingered in the air, brought him a sense of familiarity, reminding him of Lightstone Village.
When Yaan was living in the Heavenly Path Sect, the fact that he was a demonic race member in hiding always hung over him. One wrong move and his identity could have been discovered, bringing about his inescapable downfall.
Now though, he didn't need to worry about being outed by the elders in the sect. Yaan was determined to leave his past behind him and start anew elsewhere in the Ghu Province.
Truthfully though, he didn't have any other choice. It's not like he could return to the Greenwood Mountain Range at this point.
Whilst this time was very tranquil and without fear or danger, he couldn't deny the loneliness in his heart. Yaan had lived with this loneliness for all of his life though. He was used to it by now…more or less…
Travelling 200 miles through the dark forest would take many months, but traversing this distance across the safe grasslands took a short ten days. Yaan sold the horse for a few silver coins to a local farmer, before hiking the last few miles on foot.
North Ghu City…
The city was located on an island in the middle of a vast lake. Although it was called a lake, this lake was so large that it almost resembled an ocean. To reach the island in the centre of this giant body of water, it was necessary to cross at least ten miles of water, even at the narrowest point.
According to King Fas, the port at the edge of the lake was the only point of entry to the city. Yaan made his way towards this place whilst maintaining his caution.
As he approached his destination, Yaan slowed down. He noticed that there was a huge crowd ahead, gathering near to the lakeside, beside a large boat.
What shocked Yaan was that out of these few thousand people, every single one of them was a cultivator! The majority were at the Innate Qi Realm, but some Qi Gathering Realm and Qi Temple Realm cultivators were also in the group. When he peered deeper into the crowd, Yaan's eyes widened in shock as he realised that there were even Spirit Core Realm elders here!
It had been months since Yaan last encountered someone with this sort of strength, but that wasn't the only issue. Back at the sect, the great elders would always restrain their auras, making them more approachable and less terrifying in the eyes of the disciples. Honestly, in such an environment, it was easy to forget the terrific might that these powerhouses possessed…
But here, these people were all strangers to one another, they had no obligation to be so considerate. Many auras were released openly, giving off an extreme sense of pressure that didn't allow anyone with a weaker cultivation base to approach them.
Yaan silently made his way to the back of the crowd along with the other weaker cultivators. After taking a small space for himself, he strained his ears and attempted to listen in on the surrounding conversations. Knowledge was power, so we would take any and every opportunity to broaden his understanding of the world around him.
After a few minutes, he was able to confirm that this was indeed the que for entry into North Ghu City. As for the que itself, it was actually for the boat, which was also the only way to enter the city, attempting to enter any other way would be breaking the rules set out by the Ghu Clan. Yaan had no desire to make an enemy out of such a shockingly powerful clan.
Two hours passed by. By now, Yaan noticed that there was actually somebody standing on the boat.
The pale faced man wore a grey robe and completely ignored all of the cultivators below. Even when those Spirit Core Realm cultivators started to question him, he showed no reaction, as if he was unable to hear their words.
The grey robed man's presence was practically non-existent, he released no aura and he would be easy to miss altogether if you weren't paying attention. However, Yaan felt a sense of danger whenever he looked at this man, giving him the feeling that this person wasn't simple.
"This is getting ridiculous. I waited on account of my respect for the Ghu Clan, but why should I, Grand Demon Luo, que for a boat, when I can just fly over these waters and enter the city directly?"
An old man who had been complaining for a while now suddenly swept his aura outwards, pushing back everyone in the vicinity. Shockingly, even the weaker Spirit Core Realm cultivators were affected! Some weaker individuals were directly thrown backwards and became seriously injured, but nobody had the heart to care about them right now.
The old man's body started glowing with a metallic red light. The scent of blood leaked out from his body and he shot into the air, releasing a trail of red mist in his wake. When people looked closely, they noticed that shockingly, there were countless auras of deceased cultivators constrained within that crimson mist!
The man on the boat still showed no change in expression. The grey robbed man remained motionless, as if he was unaware of all the goings on around him…that is, until the old demon flew above the waters.
Whoosh!
The grey robed man on the boat suddenly shot towards the old man, causing the old man's eyes to widen. However, although shocked, the old demon quickly recovered. He was an experienced old demon after all, which was why he could tell…that the grey robed man on the boat intended to kill him!
He showed a savage grin as battle intent and bloodlust filled his eyes.
"You think this old demon is afraid of you Ghu Clansmen?! Those born into clans are far too sheltered, die for me!"
The old man withdrew a sword from his spatial ring, then slashed downwards without a moment's hesitation. That metallic red mist glowed with a brilliant light and covered the sword, then formed an illusion of a red demon slicing down with its hand.
The grey robed man ignored the illusory demon entirely. As the bloody attack approached him, the grey robed man pointed his finger calmly at Grand Demon Luo.
"Extraction." He muttered quietly.
A silver tattoo on his hand glowed brightly, then a silver net shot out from his finger and wrapped around the old man. The speed of this net was simply too fast, the old man could only struggle hopelessly under its suppressive might. After a few seconds passed by and he was still unable to escape, a look of terror surfaced within Grand Demon Luo's eyes.
He wanted to cry out, but the net began to constrict until blood was forced out from his pores. A second later…
BANG!
The old man's body directly detonated into a mist of blood. Strangely, this blood didn't travel far outwards. The blood was rapidly absorbed into the old demon's Spirit Core along with the pulverised flesh, organs and bone, then the Spirit Core drifted towards the grey robed man on the boat.
The grey robed man tapped the Spirit Core with his index finger, causing the core to be directly absorbed into his and. After absorbing the Spirit Core, the silver tattoo on his hand now shone with an even more splendid lustre.
The grey robed man returned to the boat and stood there expressionlessly, as if all of this was only normal for him. Those who were visiting North Ghu City for the first time felt mortified, but those who understood the Ghu Clan didn't show any significant change of expression. Honestly, the only surprising part about all of this, was that there was actually a Spirit Core Realm powerhouse stupid enough to challenge the almighty Ghu Clan!
"Peak Spirit Core Realm! To think that the boat driver was so powerful…Thankfully I stayed silent…" A Qi Temple Realm man close to Yaan muttered as he shuddered slightly.
This was Yaan's first time seeing such a terrifying spell as this, it was clearly extremely demonic in nature.
After witnessing a Spirit Core Realm powerhouse being cut down so pitifully, the crowd broke out into stunned whispers, discussing some things that allowed Yaan to develop a deeper understanding of the dreaded Ghu Clan.
"The Ghu Clan really deserves its reputation as a demonic clan! All of its members are so vicious, even their spells are this terrifying!"
"Hey, did you just say that the Ghu Clan is a demonic clan?! Is it really safe to enter this city? I heard that demonic cultivators eat children and massacre people for fun!"
"Hahaha, I guess it's your first time leaving your sect? Don't worry, the Ghu Clan's cities actually have a reputation for being very safe. The Ghu Clan may be a demonic clan, but they also engage in legitimate business."
After overhearing this conversation, Yaan's eyes widened. It was his first time encountering demonic cultivators aside from Rui, and it turned out that the Ghu Clan, the ruler of the entire Ghu Province, was actually a demonic clan!
He wondered how it was that King Fas didn't seem to know this…perhaps the king wasn't quite so knowledgable as he had made out.
A demonic clan…
Demonic clans would nurture their young via extreme methods, forcing them to fight to the death at every stage of development. This sort of harsh environment resulted in the rise of savage and powerful cultivators amongst the survivors. Demonic clans's actually adhered to very strict rules to ensure that the competent and powerful members didn't fight amongst one another.
It wasn't too unusual for a demonic clan to build up a city like North Ghu City, after all, even demonic cultivators could benefit from legitimate business.
There was a no-violence rule within the city which everyone adhered to without exception. Because of this safety net, cultivators from all walks of life could stay in the city with peace of mind.
Despite the Ghu Clan's reputation for destroying and pillaging other clans and sects, their cities were actually considered safe havens by many, because both demonic and orthodox cultivators would be accepted without question here. Yaan was still unsure about the Ghu Clan's stance on the demonic races though, so for now, it would be for the best if he kept his identity as a demon hidden.
Fortunately, fiends did not look much different compared to humans, the only notable difference in terms of Yaan's appearance were his red eyes. Now that Great Elder Wan had died, the concealment spell that he cast on Yaan back then had dispersed, but this wasn't a huge problem. There were many techniques in this world, including those which changed the colour of one's eyes, so Yaan wouldn't be suspected too deeply.
An hour later, the grey robed man on the boat finally spoke for the first time.
"Board the boat one at a time, the price for entry is one Rank 2 recovery pill."
With such a high price just to enter the city, it was obvious how the Ghu Clan made their money. If the entrance toll alone could earn them thousands of Rank 2 recovery pills every day, then their businesses within the city must be extremely prosperous!
Yaan waited his turn, then paid the price as he boarded the boat. After finding a secluded place, he sat down silently on his own. He was being extremely cautious, since he was surrounded by so many unfamiliar powerful cultivators. He quickly learned that this caution would be essential if he wanted to survive in the Ghu Province.
"Haha, little thing, come be my cultivation furnace! I'll certainly treat you well until you die!" A disgusting looking old man with a face full of boils approached a young girl whilst licking his lips. He had a Qi Temple Realm cultivation base, whilst the girl was only at the Innate Qi Realm.
Some of the older cultivators threw the girl looks of pity, as if her fate was already sealed…
"You dare attempt to take my woman in front of me?!" A young man by the girl's side suddenly jumped up and erupted with indignant anger.
"Noisy." The disgusting old man frowned, then waved his hand casually. That wave of the hand sent out a small knife which cut through the air with a whistling sound and directly penetrated through the man's skull. A look of shock was plastered across his face, a look which didn't fade away, even as he lifelessly fell backwards into the water.
Splash!
The boat driver noticed this and frowned, glancing at the old man discontentedly. Yaan thought that grey robed man would interfere and punish the disgusting old man for his wrongdoings, but he had simply misunderstood.
The gross old man noticed quickly waved his hand again. The water distorted, then the young man's corpse exited the water and retuned to the boat. The gross old man stored the body in his spatial ring, then smiled at the boat driver and gave a polite bow.
The boat driver looked away. It seemed that he only cared about a body being left in the surrounding waters. The fact that someone had been murdered right before his eyes on his boat, didn't bother him at all.
Whilst the city itself had a no-violence rule, they were still outside of the city.
Many younger disciples who were leaving their sects for the first time felt mortified when they witnessed this scene. Someone had just been murdered in broad daylight! Why was nobody speaking out against this injustice?!
Before they could do something stupid, their elders quickly grabbed them and whispered into their ears. One by one, they all reluctantly turned away.
Yaan also shivered slightly, but like everyone else, he turned a blind eye.
The girl whose lover was just executed by the disgusting old man sobbed quietly, but she was too scared to move away, even as the old man wrapped his arm around her waist and stroked her thigh with his rash-covered hand. Not wanting to watch this for a moment longer, Yaan moved to a different part of the boat and tried to forget about it.
The ten mile channel of water was crossed quickly.
Soon enough, they arrived at the one and only entrance gate to the city. If you looked closely, a faint white light could be seen above the city walls. This light formed a dome around the entire city, it was a protective formation which prevented anyone from entering from above.
The only way in was through this arched gate, which only opened for half an hour each day
The boat driver had them all depart from the boat. A few people looked about uncertainly, but when they all realised that the grey robed Ghu Clansman was staring at them from the boat, they no longer had any desire to linger around, quickly making their way through the entrance gate and into the city.
Yaan was amongst the last of those to enter.
Slam!
He glanced back at the giant stone doors which shut behind him. The doors were dozens of feet tall, whilst they were made of a material so heavy that it caused the air to vibrate for hundreds of feet in every direction after they slammed shut. This once again reinforced Yaan's understanding that the Ghu Clan was no ordinary group, since even their city doors were so terrifying.
Yaan turned back around and took a deep breath. He embraced the sights of a true cultivation city for the first time in his life, causing his eyes to shine with awe.
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