Chapter 664: Pingbo Port

# The Mortal Realm

Xingguo, a small mortal kingdom controlled by a powerful entity within Pingbo Port, boasted abundant resources and its people lived in peace and prosperity. Qin Sang settled the old witch doctor in a large city in Xingguo, allowing him to live out his twilight years and sealing the old witch doctor's memories concerning him.

Qin Sang did not go directly to Pingbo Port. The black coffin on his back was too conspicuous; it would easily expose Du Han inside if he encountered cultivators with higher cultivation levels. He had deliberately avoided other cultivators on his journey so far, but this approach would not work in Pingbo Port. There were quite a few Core Formation cultivators in Pingbo Port, and it was rumored that even Nascent Soul grandmasters resided there.

He could have killed Du Han by this point, but Qin Sang wasn't willing to let him off so easily. Although the first half of the *Heavenly Yin Corpse Art* could only create refined corpses from Foundation Establishment cultivators, Qin Sang still intended to try it on Du Han. If it truly proved impossible, he would give up.

Refining corpses required Earth Fiend Qi. He still had some Lesser Yin Magnetic Bottles left, but they were insufficient for refining a living corpse. Earth Fiend Qi was uncommon; he could only inquire about it in Pingbo Port.

Qin Sang planned to first establish a cave dwelling in the wilderness, place the black coffin there, and then enter the city to gather information. Unexpectedly, the area outside Pingbo Port was so valuable that every inch of land was precious, with spiritual veins of all sizes largely occupied by individuals or sects. Left with no choice, Qin Sang had to move far away from Pingbo Port, eventually finding a hidden spiritual vein in a desolate mountain range, barely sufficient to create a cave dwelling.

After placing the black coffin and setting up restrictions and a concealment formation, Qin Sang felt relieved. He donned a cloak and flew towards Pingbo Port.

Before reaching Pingbo Port, he was immediately struck by an astonishing scene: a dense array of ships and thousands of sails vying for supremacy. Countless sea vessels covered the ocean surface, stretching as far as the eye could see. The largest ones were extremely luxurious, with multi-story ship structures, a single vessel comparable in size to a mountain. Beside these giant ships, there were some seemingly unremarkable small boats, yet they were sturdy vessels capable of withstanding ocean storms.

Qin Sang landed on the summit of a distant stone mountain, gazing at the sea. A gentle sea breeze blew towards him, carrying a faint salty smell. In the distance, the water and sky merged into one, and occasionally, cultivators could be seen flying through the air on their artifacts. However, most of these cultivators were either ascending from the ships or flying out from Pingbo Port to land on one of the vessels.

Cultivators in Canglang Sea still primarily traveled across the sea by boat. Even Core Formation masters, unless in an urgent rush, would not fly over the sea for extended periods using their artifacts. Firstly, their true essence would be difficult to sustain. Secondly, there were many hidden dangers in the uninhabited sea areas, such as hurricanes and sea beasts. Once danger was encountered, and if their true essence was excessively depleted in the vast and desolate deep sea, there would be no one to turn to, no help to be found. From West Frontier to Pingbo Port, Qin Sang had not continuously flown through the air for the entire journey. When he encountered areas with abundant spiritual energy, he would descend to rest for a while and restore his true essence. Only Nascent Soul Grandmasters could fly over the sea continuously for several months.

As sea vessels entered the port, the port was exceptionally bustling and lively. While cultivators possessed interspatial storage bags for items, their capacity was limited, proving insufficient for large quantities of goods. Countless goods were continuously unloaded from the sea vessels, and the busy workers at the port included not only mortals but also low-level cultivators, as well as tamed beasts and demonic beasts. Corresponding to the huge port was a giant city on land.

The scale of this city was the largest Qin Sang had ever seen. Looking from afar, the city's houses stretched endlessly, and in the Western City, there was a layer of faint, almost imperceptible mist that completely blocked vision. It was early morning, and people came and went in the city, including both cultivators and mortals. Long queues also lined up at the city gates. The Small Cold Domain was carved up by various major powers, with no single place capable of gathering so many people. The Seven Grand Passes were also on the edge of dangerous ancient immortal battlefields, limiting the mortal population and preventing the formation of such a giant city.

Qin Sang stood on the mountaintop, watching to his heart's content, before tightening his cloak and activating his movement technique to sweep towards Pingbo Port's city gate. Mortals and cultivators were clearly distinguished, entering the city through different gates. The city gate for cultivators to enter and exit had guards at its front who were actually Foundation Establishment cultivators, a mix of human and Witch tribes.

"Fellow Daoist, please stop for a moment."

Qin Sang arrived at the city gate and was stopped by a guard, who scanned him from head to toe and politely asked, "Fellow Daoist, do you have an identification token? Or is this your first time in Pingbo Port?"

"This humble Daoist is indeed here for the first time. I do not know what an identification token is?" Qin Sang asked, puzzled.

The guard showed no impatience and explained carefully, "Fighting is prohibited within Pingbo Port. Cultivators all receive a token to prove their identity. The token not only represents your status but also determines the scope of your activities within the city..."

Listening to the guard's explanation, Qin Sang learned that even within the seemingly prosperous Pingbo Port, there was still a world of difference between the status of mortals and cultivators. Even among cultivators, ranks were divided based on cultivation level.

Pingbo Port city was roughly divided into four major areas. The largest was the area where mortals lived, followed by the area for Foundation Establishment and Qi Condensation cultivators. There were no strict boundaries between these two major areas. The smallest area was the Western District, which Qin Sang had previously been unable to see through with his naked eye. It was shrouded in mist, and only Core Formation masters and Nascent Soul Grandmasters were qualified to enter, making it Pingbo Port's core area. Those with insufficient cultivation must be led by a Core Formation cultivator to be allowed entry. This place was heavily guarded and very quiet. What was even more commendable was that this place consisted of excellent cave dwellings. It turned out that Pingbo Port was built on several massive spiritual veins, with the Western District being the most spiritually abundant location. Of course, the rent was also very expensive. The last area was the cultivators' trading zone, located in the Northern City, adjacent to the port outside the city. It was an extremely large market, with trade guilds, auction houses, and other establishments all located there.

Upon hearing this, Qin Sang released his aura, revealing his cultivation. The guard was slightly startled, then bowed to Qin Sang and said, "Since Senior is a Core Formation cultivator, the token will be given to you for free, and you will not need to pay spirit stones for future entry and exit from Pingbo Port... Please wait a moment, Senior."

Soon after, the guard brought an identification token representing Core Formation status. Qin Sang fiddled with it for a moment, then hung it on his waist and walked into the city.

The steamed buns he encountered had a peculiar fishy smell, and he couldn't tell what meat was used in the filling; they weren't delicious at all. Qin Sang, with a disappointed expression, headed straight for the Northern City's trading zone. Within the city, one could not casually display their power; only walking was permitted. Relying on the token at his waist, Qin Sang had an unimpeded journey and soon arrived at the trading zone.

The trading zone had straight, crisscrossing streets, with shops of uniform design on both sides. Qin Sang slowed his pace, observing as he walked. Seemingly unremarkable shops could very well be backed by large trade guilds. It was said that some of the most famous human trade guilds had formed a trade alliance, whose strength was comparable to that of top sects.

"Four Seas Trade Guild..."

Seeing a shop's sign, Qin Sang's eyes lit up. He had just inquired about several reputable trade guilds, and the Four Seas Trade Guild was one of them.