Chapter 703: Chapter 703 The Path of Hidden Qi
Originally, I planned to bring Watson Thompson along to Gyeon City, but I worried the Michelle Sect members might spot something unusual about Watson. So I had to abandon that idea.
The following day.
I departed for Gyeon City in the early morning.
——
Gyeon City stood as a fairly isolated urban area.
People said this place had once flourished, but then gradually withered away without any clear warning signs.
The city officials attempted numerous approaches, from drawing in business investments to bringing in feng shui experts, yet nothing produced results.
Countless investors arrived only to lose their entire fortunes in the end.
This earned Gyeon City another title: the Cursed City.
——
I settled into my airport seat, scanning the surroundings.
The enormous airport held barely any people, completely out of sync with its massive size.
My brow creased. I extended my divine sense, attempting to pick up on something, but detected nothing whatsoever.
"Weird," I murmured, stroking my chin.
The place appeared completely free of irregularities or dark forces, yet prosperity remained elusive.
"Maybe it’s... due to that Mystic Realm?" I pondered silently.
Right then, Stella Lucas touched my shoulder.
"Mr. Raymond, what’s occupying your thoughts?" Stella inquired with a grin.
I didn’t conceal my thinking. I said seriously, "Does Gyeon City earn the name Cursed City because of the Mystic Realm?"
Upon hearing this, Stella shook her head. "You’ve got it wrong."
"Do you understand why the Mystic Realm holds the most untouched cultivation materials? It’s because where the Mystic Realm exists, no unusual phenomena would appear."
"Exactly for this reason, the Mystic Realm gets explored so rarely."
After her explanation, I asked in bewilderment, "Then how did you locate it? How did the Capital City Martial Arts Association discover it?"
Stella pressed her lips together. "I have no idea. I’m just someone they hired, after all."
Seeing her answer, I stayed quiet.
I went with Stella to catch a cab and departed the airport.
The vehicle raced along the streets, eventually halting at an old-fashioned lane.
This lane resembled a food district, with wine shops, tea houses, and different snacks lining both sides.
Stella led me to a tiny tea house where we took seats. She then requested a pot of tea.
I surveyed the setting and commented, "A tea house... quite unusual to see."
Stella chuckled, "What do you think? Does it feel different from other locations?"
I nodded quietly.
In Gyeon City, tall buildings were scarce.
Such a sight was uncommon in modern times.
"Hold on a bit, someone will arrive to collect us shortly," Stella mentioned.
I made a sound of agreement. I lifted the tea cup and drank, only to see surprise flicker in my eyes.
"This tea actually contains a hint of qi?" I couldn’t help but open my eyes wide.
I quickly raised the cup again and gulped down more.
Absolutely! The tea definitely held a trace of nourished qi. Though not particularly dense, I could sense it distinctly!
"Stella, what’s the source of this tea?" I asked with a furrowed forehead.
Stella answered, "I’m not sure. Why do you ask?"
I shook my head. "It’s nothing."
This made me even more curious about the so-called Mystic Realm.
Even the street tea house contained qi. What kind of treasures might exist in the Mystic Realm?
"Let’s check out other places," I suggested as I got up.
Then, I turned and exited the tea house, strolling through the lane.
While walking, I grew increasingly amazed!
Every snack in this lane held an extremely weak trace of qi!
"So it’s not just the tea, but this entire lane has something going on," I realized with a creased brow.
I looked at Stella and questioned, "Do you notice anything strange about the food and beverages here?"
Stella lowered her head to bite her candied fruit and shook her head, "No..."
"Seriously?" I asked in shock.
"Seriously, I wouldn’t lie to you," Stella said with frustration.
"That’s really odd," I furrowed my eyebrows in puzzlement.
She held the rank of Military Marquis!
With a Military Marquis Realm’s sharp senses, she should have detected the qi inside!
"Maybe... this qi has unique properties?" I theorized internally.
With this thought, I released my own energy, and instantly, I could sense the surrounding qi through every pore of my skin.
I attempted to draw in the area’s qi with my body, but the qi moved incredibly slowly.
"Huh?"
At this instant, I suddenly noticed something!
I could perceive the qi’s density, and through that density, a pathway-like channel of qi formed in my thoughts!
Simply put, I could clearly observe the rich qi around me through my own qi perception.
This richness worked like a road marker, or even a trail!
I squinted and whispered, "Could this be the Mystic Realm’s vision?"
As long as something differed from its environment, there had to be a vision! The Mystic Realm was no different!
Maybe the reason Stella insisted the Mystic Realm produced no vision was that they couldn’t perceive it!
"If I follow this qi’s direction, the most concentrated spot should be ahead. The Mystic Realm might be located there," I said quietly, eyes narrowed.
With this realization, I headed in that direction.
I couldn’t wait to test my theory.
Just then, a figure suddenly leaped out from a second-story window on the side, cutting off my path!
This man stood about eight feet tall, powerfully built, and carried an indescribable menacing presence on his face.
A potent killing intent radiated from him, effectively cutting off the link between me and the Mystic Realm’s qi.
"Who are you?" I demanded angrily, staring at the man.
The man folded his arms across his chest and said coldly, "You must be Mason Raymond. I’ve been hearing about you for ages."
"Hearing what about me? Are you crazy?" I asked with irritation.
"You’d better move aside, or don’t blame me for getting rough!"
The man smirked, "Lots of people claim you’re the best among the younger crowd. I, Gene Massy of Gyeon City, don’t buy it!"
"Gene Massy? Tristram Massy’s kid?" It seemed someone recognized the name.
"Gene Massy?" Stella slightly furrowed her brows nearby.
I glanced at her and said, "You know him?"
Stella replied, "I don’t know him personally, but I’ve heard Tristram Massy’s name. There’s a story that Gyeon City’s downfall happened because Tristram Massy stole its luck."
