When Han Li heard Mu Xue's words, he did not say anything else. Instead, he led her toward the entrance.
There was a long queue at the city gate for foreign cultivators to enter the city. Several cultivators in black robes were guarding the gate and collecting entrance fees from everyone who tried to enter the city.
Although these people looked exactly like cultivators, they were not humans. Instead, they looked like Earthly Immortal Dao soldiers.
There were a few rows of words carved on one side of the city gate. These were the entrance fees that people with different cultivation levels had to pay. However, they were only collected up to the Void Training Stage. The number of Spirit Stones required to enter the city for cultivators above the Form Synthesis Stage was not written.
"Why is it only for Void Training Stage cultivators? Don't those above the Form Synthesis Stage need to pay entrance fees?" Han Li glanced at the words and asked casually.
"You're right, Senior. Cultivators above the Form Synthesis Stage have a distinguished status. Naturally, they don't need to pay any fees to enter the city," Mu Xue answered with a smile.
"I see." Han Li smiled.
Not long after, the two of them arrived at the city gate.
Han Li did not take out any Spirit Stones. Instead, he walked toward the city gate with his hands behind his back.
A spiritual light flashed in the hands of the two Dao soldiers guarding the gate. They swept past Han Li and stood there motionlessly.
Mu Xue was surprised. However, she immediately took out two low-grade Spirit Stones and handed them to one of the Dao soldiers. Then, she hurriedly caught up with him. However, her expression became more respectful.
Behind the city gate was a wide street. It was about seven to eight feet wide and was paved with green jade. It was clean and tidy.
The street was crowded with people and carriages. Cultivators with magic power could be seen everywhere. There were even many high-level cultivators.
On both sides of the street, there were rows of spacious and bright shops. They did not look dirty or messy at all. Basically, they sold all kinds of immortal cultivation materials.
There were no strict restrictions on flying in the city. As long as one did not fly too high, no one would care.
Han Li flew into the air and looked around.
He did not see much from the outside. However, now that he had entered the city, he saw bustling streets that stretched as far as the eye could see. There were many shops, immortals, and mortals. There was a hubbub of voices, and it was noisy everywhere.
Such a flourishing scene truly shocked him.
Mu Xue came to Han Li's side and asked carefully, "May I know what Senior wants to buy or do you want to do in Black Wind City?"
Han Li turned around to look at Mu Xue as he casually asked, "I heard that the Teleportation Portal to the outside of the Black Wind Sea Region is in Black Wind City?"
"Yes.
The Teleportation Formation is at the Heavenly Star Tower in the center of the city. Senior … could it be that you want to leave the Black Wind Sea Region? "Mu Xue asked after hesitating for a moment.
Han Li didn't say anything and just nodded slightly.
"This … Senior, it's not that this junior wants to pour cold water on you, but every year, many people come to Black Wind City and want to leave the Black Wind Sea Area. However, basically no one succeeds.
It's actually … very difficult to use the Teleportation Formation to get to the outside world, "Mu Xue said hesitantly as she laughed bitterly.
"Oh, how difficult?" Han Li's expression didn't change as he asked.
"The Teleportation Formation that connects to the outside world is an ancient Teleportation Formation that is controlled by the Island Lord. It is activated once every 100 years, and the number of people who can be teleported is limited. Therefore, the Island Lord has to appoint the person.
In other words, if you want to get out, you must first obtain a place and bear a fee. This fee is extremely expensive, and not many Immortals can afford it, "Mu Xue said with fervor and assurance.
"Do you know when it will be activated next?" Han Li frowned slightly when he heard this.
"It shouldn't be long. Every time the Teleportation Formation is activated, it will also be after the Great Auction that is held once every 100 years.
Now that the Great Auction is approaching, the city will be livelier than usual, "Mu Xue replied.
"Oh, then how can I obtain a place as the Island Lord?" Han Li felt slightly relieved as he asked another question.
Mu Xue's expression stiffened as she scratched her head and said, "This … this matter is rather secretive. My cultivation is too low, so I'm not too sure …"
"You just said that it's an expensive fee. How many Spirit Stones do you need?" Han Li didn't blame Mu Xue and asked another question.
Mu Xue shook her head as she said, "The fee that the Island Lord is asking for is not Spirit Stones, but Immortal Origin Stones. Moreover, it's five Immortal Origin Stones."
"Immortal Origin Stones?
What's that? "Han Li's heart stirred as he asked.
Mu Xue pondered for a moment before she said, "It's said that Immortal Origin Stones are a special currency that Immortals use when they inject their Primordial Qi into a special crystal stone."
"Is this stone very precious?
Since it's a currency, it can be exchanged as long as one has enough Spirit Stones, right? "Han Li pondered for a moment before he continued asking. This was the first time he had heard of the term Immortal Origin Stones.
"Immortal Origin Stones aren't an ordinary currency. It's said that they're very precious even to Immortals. Moreover, they basically don't use them to trade with others. There's no circulation in the market at all.
I've been in Black Wind City for many years, but I've only heard that a few decades ago, the Rich Origin Chamber of Commerce in Black Wind City exchanged for one Immortal Origin Stone from an Immortal. At that time, the Chamber of Commerce had to sell several shops on the island to gather enough Spirit Stones, "Mu Xue said with a sigh.
Han Li nodded thoughtfully. He was interested in this so-called Immortal Origin Stone.
After that, he didn't ask any more questions.
He didn't think that he would be able to leave the Black Wind Sea Area so easily. He would talk about this later. He was also very curious about the Black Wind City in front of him.
With this thought in mind, Han Li headed into the city.
Mu Xue followed closely behind him and introduced the situation in Black Wind City.
The two of them strolled around for half a day before Han Li stopped.
What he had seen and heard in the past half a day had broadened his horizons.
Especially in the central area of Black Wind City, there were all kinds of elixir shops, material shops, and magic treasure shops. Han Li was dazzled by the sight.
However, according to Mu Xue, they had only strolled around less than 10% of Black Wind City.
Han Li couldn't help but sigh in his heart. Black Wind City was indeed the largest city in the Black Wind Sea Area. Other places couldn't compare to it.
He suddenly stopped in his tracks and looked at a tall shop by the side of the road.
It was a five-story building with a wide entrance. The decoration was luxurious but not gaudy. Instead, it gave off a simple and unadorned feeling. It was a huge elixir shop.
"Senior, this Thousand Medicine House is the best elixir shop in Black Wind City. It is said that it has some relationship with the Black Wind Island Lord. There are all kinds of precious elixirs inside, and the price is quite fair. I haven't heard of any bad records of bullying customers," Mu Xue quickly introduced.
Han Li nodded slightly and walked inside.
He didn't have many recovery elixirs on him, and he didn't have many healing elixirs and antidotes. He still had to leave the Black Wind Sea Area and head east to search for the Bamboo Cloudswarm Sword and other items. It was better to prepare all kinds of emergency elixirs in advance.
Mu Xue followed him.
There were dozens of wide counters in the shop, and they were filled with all kinds of elixirs. There were also some counters that sold all kinds of spiritual materials for refining elixirs.
At the moment, there were many customers inside. They were browsing the counters.
"Two esteemed guests, welcome to our Thousand Medicine House. May I ask what elixirs you need?" A yellow-clothed servant immediately came up to greet Han Li and Mu Xue when he saw them enter.
Han Li looked around and frowned slightly.
Although the elixirs on the surrounding counters were not bad, they didn't catch his eye.
"Are these the only elixirs you have here? Do you have better elixirs?" Han Li asked.
When the yellow-clothed servant heard this, he looked Han Li up and down as if he was judging Han Li's status. He said, "This shop is the best elixir shop in Black Wind City. We naturally have better elixirs, but the price …"
"How dare you!
You can leave. I will receive this senior. "An old man with white eyebrows and a yellow robe walked over quickly and shouted in a deep voice.
Judging from his clothes, he should be the manager of this shop.
The yellow-clothed servant was startled. He bowed at Han Li submissively and left with his head lowered.
"My subordinates are insensible. Please don't blame them, senior." The yellow-clothed old man cupped his hands at Han Li apologetically.
"It's alright. Where are the better elixirs? Take me there," Han Li said nonchalantly.
"Yes, senior and this young man, please come upstairs." The yellow-clothed old man stretched out one hand and was rather polite to Mu Xue.
Mu Xue quickly returned the gesture.
"I'm Lu Ping, the manager of the Thousand Medicine House. May I know your name, senior?" the yellow-clothed old man asked as they went upstairs.
"Liu Shi."
"So it's Senior Liu. The first few floors of the Thousand Medicine House sell ordinary elixirs refined by human-level alchemists. Naturally, they don't catch your eye.
If you come again, please go straight to the top floor. The elixirs there are refined by Grandmaster Hao. I'm sure they'll be useful to you, "Steward Lu said enthusiastically.
In order to fool others, Han Li had concealed his cultivation level to the Mahayana Stage. As an early-stage Body Integration cultivator, he could roughly sense Han Li's aura.
"Senior, Grandmaster Hao is one of the three great alchemists in the Black Wind Sea Area. It's said that his attainments in elixir refinement have reached the second-grade earth-level," Mu Xue whispered into Han Li's ear.
As they spoke, the three of them arrived at the fifth floor.
There were no counters here. There were only three exquisitely carved wooden shelves. There were only a few of them, and there were a few servants standing beside them. There were no customers at all. It seemed very quiet.
"The Thousand Medicine House has a close relationship with Grandmaster Hao. Most of the elixirs refined by him are here. There are many types. This counter has elixirs that can improve one's cultivation level. This one has restorative elixirs. There are also other elixirs for healing, detoxification, and so on." Steward Lu roughly introduced the elixirs on the three wooden shelves.
Han Li's eyes lit up when he saw these elixirs.
As expected of a top-notch elixir shop in Black Wind City. The elixirs in front of him looked very good. They were not inferior to the elixirs he had exchanged for with the Impermanence Alliance. A few of them were clearly stronger.
From the previous conversation, it seemed that only those who could refine elixirs that were useful for advancing to Perfected Immortals or Perfected Immortals could be called earth-level alchemists. Alchemists who could refine elixirs for ordinary cultivators should be human-level alchemists. Perhaps this was the distinction between alchemists in the Immortal World.