Chapter 765: Chapter 506: A Millennia-old Aristocratic Family, A Ten-millennia Clan

After erasing the traces of the seven members of the Fan Family, Chu Zheng continued on his journey.

As for the so-called Five Tribulation True Immortal ancestor of the Fan Family, he was not significant enough to cause a ripple in Chu Zheng’s heart, let alone fear. He didn’t even have the slightest intention to investigate his reactions.

This was merely a small episode, he wouldn’t waste too much time here.

With a slight shift of his thoughts, the Ten Thousand Feet Dharma Form was retracted, the Anti-Five Elements Array dispersed quietly, and the imprisoned Void resumed its flow.

In the next instant, Chu Zheng’s figure transformed into a barely noticeable stream of light, darting northward like a meteor.

He needed to temporarily distance himself from this troublesome location.

Traveling northward, the mountains and rivers beneath his feet remained magnificent, and the spiritual energy between heaven and earth gradually became rich.

Obviously, the Fan Family was just in the Border Desolate Land of Falling Leaves Heaven.

A vast plain unfolded before Chu Zheng’s eyes, lush and verdant. Spirit Plants were abundant, and occasionally groups of Spirit Beasts could be seen leisurely wandering, their auras peaceful, evidently raised by someone.

On the plains, large and small cities were scattered like stars, each shrouded in the glow of arrays, with the Spirit Gathering Array operating tirelessly day and night, capturing the spiritual energy from all directions.

Chu Zheng traversed the grasslands, and the silhouette of a colossal city appeared at the horizon’s end, coming into view.

The city’s walls were towering, reaching the clouds, constructed entirely from gigantic stones that shimmered with a jade-like luster, bathed in Immortal Light, having endured countless years and exuding a profound ancient aura.

In front of the city gates, people flowed like a tide, with various strange mounts, flying boats, and even cultivators themselves using tunneling light, bustling in and out— a thriving sight unmatched by any city previously seen.

Above the city gate, a massive Mystic Iron plaque hung high, with bold and powerful strokes, inscribed with three ancient script characters:

[Dingyuan City]

Below, a line of smaller characters clearly marked:

[Under Zhang Family’s jurisdiction]

This line of text, compared to the ancient script of Dingyuan City, was evidently from a different era, appearing much newer.

This city must have changed hands multiple times over the years.

Concealing his aura, Chu Zheng, like an ordinary cultivator, followed the crowd towards the enormous city gate.

There were no guards at the gate; instead, dozens of Immortal Jade Puppets of various shapes stood there, their steady auras and cold spiritual lights in their eyes scanning and recording the aura of each entrant.

Inside the city gate, several luminous Jade Platforms were set up, with a few cultivators dressed in standardized blue magic robes seated on them. Most of their auras were between the Seventh Order, with one having entered the Eighth Order True Immortal, appearing calm and dignified.

His presence was full of life, surrounded by lush green, devoid of any mixed aura, having evidently just crossed the Wood Great Tribulation recently, being a First Tribulation True Immortal.

When it was Chu Zheng’s turn, a blue-robed cultivator of Seventh Order raised his eyes to look, and the Ancient Mirror on the Jade Platform flickered slightly, displaying the image of Chu Zheng entering the city, with the text “Early Stage Seventh Order” particularly striking.

“Entry fee, twenty pieces of Top Quality Spiritual Stone, or equivalent value.”

“If staying in the city, a daily cultivation tax is required. Early Stage Seventh Order, pay an additional fifty pieces of Top Quality Spiritual Stone daily. You may pay now or at the tax bureau or designated locations within marketplaces in the city. Failure to pay on time will result in enforcement by the city guard puppets, with a penalty of triple and conscription into labor based on circumstances.”

The rules were similar to those of the Fan Family.

The only difference was that these cultivators did not ask about his clan; obviously, the Zhang Family’s strength was far superior to the Fan Family, as they were not intimidated by most family clans within Falling Leaves Heaven, hence behaving this way.

Chu Zheng understood that in the Upper Realm, the rules were centered around territory and identity.

If one’s resources were insufficient, it would certainly be difficult to remain in the city; and encountering a clan member in the wilderness would require paying taxes, unavoidable no matter what.

Chu Zheng said little, casually flicked out a thousand Top Quality Spiritual Stones, which landed on the Jade Platform.

The Spiritual Stones emitted a slight glow upon landing, resulting in a small green mark beside Chu Zheng’s image in the Ancient Mirror.

His aura had been recorded, presumably if he overstayed, a puppet or cultivator would track him down by his aura.

Upon entering the city, a tumultuous spiritual energy swept over him, the wide streets stretching over a hundred feet without interruption, paved with lapis lazuli polished to smoothness, with Dust Removal Arrays constantly operating, shiny enough to reflect one’s image.

On either side of the street, pavilions stood densely, varying in style— some towering a hundred feet into the clouds with ornate carvings and painted beams, others intricate and elegant with various signs hanging around.

Chu Zheng even saw a skyscraper made of steel, with two women standing before the door, who were not living creatures but filled with precise electronic components, products of high technological level.

Such things should not exist in the Near Immortal Realm, the only explanation being this city had truly integrated with the Great Universe.

The air was permeated with a very clear scent, as all the Turbid Qi had been drawn out by omnipresent arrays and expelled outside the city.

The cultivators within the city generally had high cultivation, mostly above the Fifth Order, with Sixth Order cultivators common, making Chu Zheng’s current cultivation in the crowd not noticeable.

The nature’s spiritual energy was overly concentrated, with relatively clear laws, allowing those not born with obstructed meridians to absorb the spiritual energy into their bodies and embark on the path of cultivation.

The concept of mortals had already vanished entirely in the Upper Realm.

He strolled along the bustling street, perceiving the pulse of the city before him, quickly gathering some unexpected information.