Longevity Chronicles
Chapter 441 - 305 Black Cloud Blood Miasma Covers the Gold Sand, Human Clan's Flesh Refines Demon Core

In the midst of the clouds, two figures resembling Immortals transformed into rainbow lights, heading toward New Moon Province.

One of them, Tao Qian, initially listened to Zhong Ziyang's somewhat nauseating flattery and almost thought that this True Practitioner of Taishang Dao had seen through his identity.

It was only later that he realized Zhong Ziyang's true goal: to invite his alias, "Lin Runiu," to rebel.

Of course, since the imperial edict had been abolished by Tao Qian himself, calling it a rebellion was no longer accurate.

Another term for it would be an uprising.

"On the day I was born at the vegetable market, the first body I possessed belonged to a hero who had failed in an uprising."

"Surprisingly, I have come full circle."

"Taishang Dao's True Practitioner inviting me, a Spirit Treasure True Inheritor, to join the uprising—this is intriguing."

Tao Qian pondered for a moment, genuinely considering the idea.

Previously in Gao Ren City, he had initially chosen Zhong Ziyang.

One reason, besides the Nine Provinces' Twelve Artifacts' Yu Ding, was the desire to see how the Ancestor Dragon Society, centered around Ying Qingdi, the top Hidden Dragon, proposed equality for all and how they were planning to rise up.

Thus, now that Zhong Ziyang invited him to join their cause, Tao Qian did not immediately decline.

However, Tao Qian had no intention of agreeing right away.

Even though Zhong Ziyang mentioned that the Ancestor Dragon Society had no restrictions and members were free to come and go,

After all, this was a significant matter—after all, an uprising was about to begin.

This was starkly different from the "Yang Sui Uprising" he once led, where only Heavenly Destiny Emperor Zhu Yong was sacrificed.

But to orchestrate the uprising in Shangyang, Tao Qian could completely foresee it.

This time, numerous lives would be lost.

Uprisings... were not as simple as hosting a dinner.

"Hmm?"

Tao Qian's thoughts were still unresolved when both he and Zhong Ziyang suddenly furrowed their brows.

Both, being True Practitioners, possessed keen senses and extraordinary Dharma Eyes.

They simultaneously sensed that hundreds of miles ahead lay a city, but the sky above that city was filled with pervasive filth, leaving no clean spot in sight.

Tao Qian's eyes, akin to the mythical Thousand-Mile Eye, quickly saw the distant sky, completely engulfed by swathes of abnormal black air, thick and dense, blocking out the sun, like a massive, dirty black blanket covering the area tightly, with occasional holes allowing some sunlight through.

Before he could describe this bizarre sight to Zhong Ziyang, he heard him sigh and then say,

"Mr. Lin Daoist, we have arrived at New Moon Province."

"The scene you see is called 'Black Cloud Blood Miasma.' These noxious gases, seen over the cities large and small within New Moon Province, are a commonplace sight, formed from the blood and sweat of millions of its residents. It is filled with filth and violent energies, creating Soul Grinding Blood Pearls. Any beings entering them would face calamities."

"With our level of cultivation, although we fear nothing, pushing through might still stain us with that filth, which is ultimately undesirable."

"Perhaps we should use an Escape Skill to change our approach, and also rest in that city for a while, allowing you to see the current state of New Moon Province."

"What was the original name of that city up ahead? I too, cannot remember."

"All I know is it's now called 'Golden Sand City.' The city, along with the nearby villages, has roughly five hundred thousand people. It's controlled by a Heterodox Sect known as Golden Sand Sect, originally a group from Cao Gang, who later, seizing an opportunity, branched out from Cao Gang and took the name 'Golden Sand.'"

"The members of the sect, from top to bottom, still follow the 'Great Lifebook Scripture,' which is the 'Blood River Scripture.' The Sect Master's cultivation has reached Perfect Transcend Mortality."

As Zhong Ziyang spoke at length, Tao Qian began to guess the situation.

This trip, it seemed, was arranged in advance by Zhong Ziyang.

The purpose?

To recruit people into their cause, to rise together.

The best way, naturally, is to make the target feel the same as oneself, share the same enemies, to strengthen their resolve to work together.

"Zhong Ziyang knows that I have already killed in Gao Ren City, yet still brought me here."

"He probably thinks that the sights in Golden Sand City will be even more horrifying than in Gao Ren City?"

"When hanging sky lanterns, I occasionally received news from New Moon Province, although only a vague impression, but judging from the number of deaths, New Moon Province is actually the least among the Northern Land Provinces."

"Since the least number of people have died, shouldn't the situation be the best there...?"

As Tao Qian thought to himself,

He neither rejected Zhong Ziyang's proposal, instead he nodded and said, "That sounds good."

As they spoke, they saw a long queue of people entering Golden Sand City, snaking out for miles.

They silently landed and merged into the line.

Tao Qian immediately observed the surroundings and quickly noticed the diverse and strange composition of the entry queue.

Most of them were merchants from other cities in New Moon Province, or even from other provinces.

Then, there were Demon Cultivators, practitioners of heresy and heterodoxy.

There were some Daoist and Buddhists, but not many.

In other places, with such a complex mix of people, chaos would have already erupted, confusing everyone thoroughly.

But outside Golden Sand City, the atmosphere was unusually harmonious.

This scene made Tao Qian think of the area outside Seeking Immortal County, under Tengshe Mountain.

In the Cultivation World, people also came together in harmony when they headed to the workshop market.

"Could it be that this city has been transformed by the Golden Sand Sect into a place similar to a workshop market?"

A thought emerged in Tao Qian's mind, and soon the voices that he heard from around him let him know that he, even as Master Tao, had underestimated this place. This market-like area was far more astonishing than any regular market.

"Young Master! Is this place really reliable? You made us change our route abruptly to come here, to exchange treasures like Merfolk Pearls, sea beast flesh, Purple Coral, and Evil Dragon Scales for the local specialties here to sell back in Youliao. Unless the profit doubles, our Qingyun Trading Company is going to suffer heavy losses, and our master will probably blow his top."

"You know nothing. This trip was my father's idea to begin with; I didn't mention it earlier only to avoid any leaks... Those pearls, scales, and corals are trivial. As long as we can bring back the specialities from this city, such as Fragrant Meat Elixir, Human Soul Elixir, Blood Marrow Elixir, Seven Emotion Pill, Five Lust Pills... and so on, to Youliao, and sell them to those in the Heterodox Sects or Demon Sect, or the Devil Cave, we could make a fortune. Not just double the profit, but tenfold or even a hundredfold is possible."

"Hisss!"

"What kind of items are these specialties? Are they really that valuable?"

"Enough. Shut your traps, don't ask any more questions. Hurry into the city, finish the transaction, then leave immediately."

...

After listening for a while, Tao Qian immediately sensed a change.

Although he had yet to enter the city to see for himself, just the names of these so-called "specialties" were enough to give Tao Qian a hint of what was inside.

As he pondered, he noticed the lines in front of him quickly shorten.

Whether they were Evil Cultivators, demon traders or merchants from other provinces, all seemed to carry a sense of urgency, fearing to fall behind others.

Despite having to endure extortion at the entrance,

Tao Qian observed that Golden Sand City didn't accept ordinary banknotes or Silver Coins, only collecting Source Stones, spirit money, or some easily identifiable low-level treasures from the Cultivation World.

These items could be exchanged elsewhere for a large mansion or luxurious residence.

Here, they were merely the entry fee?

At the same time, Tao Qian quickly confirmed what Zhong Ziyang had mentioned, that the city's controllers had transformed from members of the Cao Gang.

The evidence was unmistakable.

Right at the city gates, rows of hundreds of "Blood Beasts" crouched, glaring menacingly at the incoming crowd, ready to pounce if anyone failed to comply with the rules.

These ferocious and brutally mutated creatures, clearly transformed from Human Clans, reminded Tao Qian of the squad leader of the Cao Gang, Hong Heihu, who had cultivated the Blood River Scripture but had been betrayed by his own son and mutated into a Blood Beast.

On that day, after transforming into a Blood Beast, Hong Heihu had ravaged the docks; and here, with hundreds squatting right at the gates, no wonder none of the demon cultivators entering the city dare to stir trouble—they obediently paid the fee.

Zhong Ziyang casually threw a Source Stone, and both men entered the city.

As soon as they entered, the bustling scene immediately caught Tao Qian's eyes.

Perhaps since the city's controllers were affiliated with Human Clan Cultivators,

unlike Gao Ren City, which reeked of filth; this place was considerably clean and orderly. Streets stretched in all directions, each bustling with activity, full of thronging crowds, shoulder to shoulder, containing neither ordinary civilians nor anyone else besides cultivators, demons, or some low-level martial artists and half-demons.

The goods sold in the various shops and stalls were not ordinary commodities like medicinal herbs or furs, but rather exceptional items that stirred Tao Qian, capable of triggering Record Descriptions of transcendent items.

This Golden Sand City was much like an enlarged version of a workshop market.

Tao Qian guessed Zhong Ziyang's reason for bringing him here; without further ado, he immediately began searching the nearest stall.

The stall owner was a young man with an odd human appearance.

His head was flat, his eyes narrow and spaced far apart, his body long, and his waist extremely thin.

He swayed from side to side, an utter lunatic in movement.

However, to Tao Qian's discerning eyes, it was immediately clear that he was dealing with a Snake Demon.

More precisely, a Human Clan member who had cultivated a certain technique and had fallen and mutated into a Snake Demon.

Tao Qian didn't care about that; his attention was on the stall.

A Flower Cloth was spread on the ground, neatly arrayed with square wooden boxes.

Each box divided, categorically hosting fist-sized, peculiar Elixirs emanating a fragrance highly enticing to demons and Evil Cultivators.

Before Tao Qian could speak, the stall owner enthusiastically said,

"Ah, a distinguished guest has arrived."

"Don't hurry; first take a look. Although it's a small business here, we have a complete range of products."

"Blood Elixir, Soul Elixir—whatever you need. Even the rarer Yin Woman Elixir and Yang Pillar Elixir are available. Feel free to choose."

With a siren-like voice entering his ears, Tao Qian expressionlessly squatted down.

He reached into a wood box engraved with Flower Snake patterns and picked up an Elixir about the size of his fist, emanating a thick meaty fragrance and colored dark red.

Without needing any introduction from the vendor, the Record immediately burst forth:

[Name: Fragrant Meat Elixir.]

[Record Type: Elixir.]

[Record: This is a mutant type of Elixir, the refining method is extremely simple; first, round up several Human Clan civilians and seal their anus with a Secret Technique so they eat without excreting. Continue feeding them while using a Secret Technique to fatten... When the hour comes, remove the Human Clan's pain sensation, then cut the flesh and refine the Elixir. This method does not harm the life and is sustainable. The refined "Fragrant Meat Elixir" is effective for demons and Evil Cultivators alike whether consumed or used in refining techniques, similar to consuming a fresh human.]

...

Before even looking at the annotations, just this initial Record had completely furrowed Tao Qian's brow.

A strand of killing intent inadvertently emerged.

ps: Second update, more to come.