Isn't This a Game? Why Are You All Cultivating for Real!

Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Major Sect Gossip, the Live-in Son-in-law

That was easier said than done.

But when Song Jiulai, who had seen modern cities, truly entered this one...

After spending some time in Wang’an County, entering Liu Xian City still made her feel like a country bumpkin arriving in the big city.

Liu Xian City was quite large. The buildings here could be constructed using all sorts of Spells.

Therefore, the city was vast, with well-arranged buildings, and was brutally and simply divided into four districts.

The southeastern quadrant was the domain of Liu Xian City’s ruling sect, the Sea View Sect.

The other three major districts were basically territory for Loose Cultivators and other cultivators doing business in Liu Xian City.

A cross-shaped, grand road directly separated the four districts. The wide, neat avenue reminded Song Jiulai of the Vermilion Bird Avenue from the Huaxia Tang Dynasty.

Only a small part of the northwestern district was allocated to mortals.

And these mortals were not without status.

Their children or ancestors were cultivators in Liu Xian City, and they had lived here for generations, becoming citizens of the city.

Even as mortals, living here would grant them a longer life than elsewhere.

The architecture of Liu Xian City was finally what Song Jiulai imagined the Cultivation World should be like.

Many buildings were so tall that mortals could only gaze up at them in awe.

The tallest among them was a tower in the southwestern district, which connected directly to one of Liu Xian City’s floating islands.

It stood like a great tower between heaven and earth, seemingly a bridge connecting the two.

From outside Liu Xian City, it hadn’t seemed so impressive.

But once inside, looking up revealed the overwhelming presence of these structures.

Those floating islands also had pavilions built on them, and Liu Xian City’s Teleportation Array was indeed constructed up there.

Song Jiulai pointed to the conspicuously tallest tower and asked Su Huanli, "Senior Sister, what is that place?"

"That’s the Xue Cang Sect’s Star-picking Tower."

’They actually dared to call it the Star-picking Tower. It must be ridiculously impressive.’

And the Xue Cang Sect was, indeed, ridiculously impressive.

It was the number one Artifact Refining Sect in the Yunzhou Continent.

It could be called a holy land for all Artifact Refining Sects.

As Su Huanli mentioned the Xue Cang Sect, her eyes shone. "The greatest Artifact Refining Sect in the world. And this Star-picking Tower is merely a replica of one of their Gate Guardian Treasures."

"The original is called the Star-Picking Tower. It stands guard in the Xue Cang Sect’s Sect City, and legend has it that the tower suppresses a Holy Beast with the pure bloodline of a Nine-tailed Fox."

Song Jiulai was a little surprised. "It suppresses a Holy Beast from the Nine-tailed Fox family? If it’s a Holy Beast, why is it being suppressed?"

Su Huanli paused for a moment, then shook her head. "That, I don’t know."

Shui Ping came over, bouncing as she walked. "Junior Sister Jiulai, that’s just a legend! What’s really inside the Star-Picking Tower is a secret of the Xue Cang Sect. The Xue Cang Sect, the number one Artifact Refining Sect in the Yunzhou Continent! How could we possibly know the secrets of a Sect like that?"

"What we do know, though, is the story of this Star-picking Tower. Do you know why it was built here in Liu Xian City?"

Song Jiulai nodded frantically. "I don’t! But I want to, Senior Sister!"

Song Jiulai’s eager expression gave Shui Ping the satisfaction of sharing gossip. She said, "Because the son of the Sea View Sect’s Sect Master married the niece of the Xue Cang Sect’s Sect Master. It was a marriage alliance between two Major Sects, and the Xue Cang Sect Master’s wedding gift was this very Star-picking Tower."

Shui Ping raised her eyebrows, a hint of mischief in her voice. "For the Sea View Sect to marry a young mistress from a sect on par with the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect, like the Xue Cang Sect... that’s really marrying up."

Song Jiulai reacted as if she’d been zapped by electricity. "Senior Sister, aren’t you afraid of being overheard?"

Su Huanli let out a low chuckle. "Haven’t you noticed that the chatter from the surrounding cultivators has gotten quieter since we came in? Liu Xian City has Magic Treasures that block sound. We can’t hear other cultivators’ conversations unless they’re right in front of us. And High-level cultivators wouldn’t go out of their way to listen to what passing cultivators are talking about. As long as we keep our voices down, it’s fine."

"..."

’That’s amazing!’

’I was just thinking, with how sharp cultivators’ hearing is, wouldn’t they be hearing people talk trash about them all day long?’

’Turns out the Major Sects have thought of everything and have it all arranged.’

After learning this, Song Jiulai felt she didn’t need to be quite so cautious.

Of course, she knew that the more you talk, the more you risk a slip of the tongue. Even with such protective measures, she still had to be careful.

She was just a small fry in the Qi Refinement Realm. Right now in Liu Xian City, any passing dog could probably step on her.

Su Huanli also looked at Shui Ping. "Even so, you should still be careful with your words."

Although Song Jiulai couldn’t say it out loud, she still had her system to complain to.

’The Sea View Sect is just a subordinate sect under the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect, while the Xue Cang Sect is the number one Artifact Refining Sect, on par with Ten Thousand Immortals. Marrying one of the young mistresses from Xue Cang Sect really is marrying up.’

System: "The legendary live-in son-in-law."

’...Those are your words, not mine. Besides, he’s not really a live-in son-in-law, right? The young mistress from the Xue Cang Sect clearly came to live here in Liu Xian City with him.’

Just as Song Jiulai finished that thought, Shui Ping suddenly said, "I know, Senior Sister. But I heard they’re about to dissolve their daoist partnership, aren’t they? Because the young mistress from the Xue Cang Sect was never willing to move to Liu Xian City?"

Song Jiulai: "Huh?"

System: "See? I told you. A live-in son-in-law."

In the Yunzhou Continent, when cultivators married, they became daoist partners.

Unlike a marriage law, they would establish a matrimonial oath.

The oath had to be sworn with Heart Blood, which came at a high price. It was said that breaking the bond would cause a huge loss to one’s cultivation.

Most cultivators were unwilling to swear such an oath with each other. At most, if they found each other agreeable, they would partner up for a while.

If things didn’t work out, they’d just split up.

Of course, the risks of splitting up here were still considerable, as it was very likely to lead to cultivators getting into huge fights over their tumultuous relationships...

So, those who were willing to swear the oath must have been truly in love.

This young mistress from the Xue Cang Sect and the young master from the Sea View Sect seemed to be truly in love, enough to become daoist partners.

’And now they’re getting a divorce?’

Song Jiulai asked, "How many years have they been together?"

Shui Ping counted on her fingers. "About five hundred years, I think."

Song Jiulai: "..."

’Splitting up after five hundred years... that definitely was true love.’

Su Huanli, not wanting Shui Ping to say any more, turned to Song Jiulai. "Junior Sister Jiulai, I’m going to take you somewhere—the black market in Liu Xian City. But first, you have to get something. Come with me."

There’s a black market everywhere.

Even a place like Liu Xian City was no exception.

High-level cultivators had their places to trade, and low-grade cultivators had theirs.

This was Su Huanli’s main reason for bringing Song Jiulai along.

Song Jiulai was here to broaden her horizons anyway, so of course she agreed immediately.

The disciples of the Feique Sect all had their own places to go. Su Huanli and Shui Ping took Song Jiulai to wander around, but at that very moment in Liu Xian City, something possibly related to Song Jiulai was happening in the Star-picking Tower they had just been discussing.