Chapter Sixty-Eight: Departing the Immortal Pavilion

The Lightness Technique was not especially fast—at least, not compared to other cultivators. But to ordinary mortals, a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator employing the technique would be swifter by far than even the finest horses of the mundane world. To travel a thousand miles in a day was of no great account.

Leaving the Immortal Market behind, He Song drew his arms into his sleeves, his fingertips tightly gripping several Earth Talisman Seals, his expression severe as he sped away toward the northwest.

Azure Cliff Immortal City lay due north of Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market. If he headed straight north, he might run directly into the enforcers coming from the city. If that happened, he would be like a lamb entering the tiger’s den.

Thus, He Song chose the northwest path. In that direction, there was neither market nor city—making it the best route to avoid other cultivators.

He Song had studied the surrounding maps in the Immortal Market’s Technique Pavilion. The nearest Immortal Market was still several hundred miles away from Bamboo Mountain. Looking to every direction, only the northwest was devoid of any markets or cities.

In this way, He Song naturally need not worry about encountering other cultivators head-on. Moreover, he had long ago chosen the northwest as the place to open up his own spiritual fields.

The cultivation world was rooted in the mundane. There were countless threads binding the mortal realm and the realm of cultivators; most wandering cultivators came from humble origins. Yet, for the most part, mortals and cultivators kept to their own paths and seldom crossed.

Cultivators rarely entered the mundane world, for the spiritual energy there was thin. Without mastery in the art of formations to arrange a gathering array, cultivation in the mortal world was excruciatingly slow, and acquiring spirit stones became far more difficult. Under such constraints, those who retreated to mortal life were generally cultivators who had lost hope of advancement, were nearing the end of their lifespan, had lost all ambition, or simply craved wealth and luxury.

Such cultivators were not common, but neither were they rare. Their figures could often be glimpsed in the world of men. Mortals, however, found it exceedingly difficult to ever set eyes upon a true cultivator. Those who walked among mortals would usually conceal themselves, living carefree lives without much contact with ordinary folk—keeping the company of kings and nobles, indulging in glory and pleasure.

Though Immortal Markets did not bar mortals from entering, they were typically set deep within the mountains, hard to find, and guarded by fierce beasts and venomous insects. Thus, few mortals could ever reach them. Only in the cities of immortals did mortals gather in large numbers.

Beyond the Immortal Market—

He Song pressed on northwest, away from Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market, frequently glancing behind him. The market grew ever smaller in the distance, and with every step, he put more space between himself and the place he had called home.

Once he had traveled several miles, crossing into a densely wooded ridge, he used his Object Manipulation Technique to quickly carve out a small cave in the mountainside with his own spiritual power, and slipped inside.

It was his first time leaving the safety of the Immortal Market, and He Song did not dare venture too far. If danger arose and he encountered a demonic cultivator, he might still have a chance to flee back to the market under the protection of his Earth Talisman Seals. Once within the market, the enforcers could come to his rescue. But too far afield, he might not make it back alive.

After all, he was not fleeing some great calamity that would sweep across thousands of miles. He simply wished to avoid the enforcers from the Immortal City, so he would not die a senseless death at the hands of others’ greed. There was no need to run too far.

All he needed was to find a concealed spot just beyond the market, set up a Maze Array to ensure his safety, and quietly wait for the enforcers from the Immortal City to leave. Once they were gone, he could return to the market and his peaceful life.

Inside the cave, He Song wasted no time. From his storage pouch, he took out the nine formation bases of the Maze Array. With a series of hand seals, streams of spiritual light shot from his fingertips, embedding themselves in their appointed places.

A faint glow flickered in the cave: the Maze Array was complete.

Only then did He Song breathe a little easier. He formed another seal and activated the array, enveloping the surrounding dozens of meters in its concealment.

With the array in place, cloaking his presence, form, and spiritual energy, he could finally relax. Under the array’s protection, he need not fear discovery. Even if someone passed by outside, they would perceive nothing amiss—the mountain remained unchanged, the forest undisturbed, the cave he had carved vanished as though it never existed. For utmost security, He Song had unleashed the full power of the Maze Array: blocking sight, hiding aura, and clouding the mind—all three aspects engaged.

Thus, he was safe.

Leaving the cave, He Song moved freely within the array’s sphere, knowing he would not be seen. He scanned the distance with sharp eyes, uncertain if anyone might have followed him from the market. If someone had, and saw him create a cave and disappear, that person might already be preparing an ambush.

With this in mind, He Song invoked the Spiritual Sight Technique, sweeping his gaze over his surroundings. But no matter how carefully he searched, he found no trace of another cultivator. Only birdsong broke the silence, reminding him that he was no longer within the Immortal Market’s bounds.

After a time, realizing at last that he was not being followed, He Song returned to the cave. Within the Maze Array’s sphere, he could move about freely and expand his shelter without fear of discovery. Even if he enlarged the cave to several meters across—enough to live in comfortably—no one would know.

Once the cave was spacious enough for one person, He Song laid a meditation mat at its center, intending to set up a Gathering Array for cultivation. Just then, he sensed the Maze Array was suddenly disturbed.

In an instant, his heart leapt, and several Earth Talisman Seals appeared in his hand.

Had someone come?

He had watched the area for so long and seen no one. How could this be?

His expression shifted uncertainly, but in the end, he resolved to go outside and see for himself. After all, the Maze Array still cloaked the area around the cave—unless the array was broken, he would remain hidden.