The sun is shining brightly; it's a great place to go out.
Shen Ange's shop wasn't far from here, so Fu Mingxu chose to walk out.
When he found himself amidst the bustling crowd, feeling the warmth and humanity of everyday life once again, his heart inexplicably calmed down.
The dragons don't like to wander around outside; most of them cultivate in the secret realm behind Yunhan City. Fu Mingxu didn't know what happened to Ao Yushu, who had a grudge against Han Tao, but given the kindness of the previous dragon leader, Han Tao wouldn't do anything to him, given his temperament.
Fu Mingxu never asked any questions, so he was unaware that Ao Yushu had already been sent back to the Dragon Clan's ancestral land by the priest.
Aside from the dragon race, Cloudfrost City is still predominantly inhabited by humans. The shops lining the main street are bustling with activity, and the peaceful life remains unaffected by external storms.
However, Fu Mingxu did not expect to run into Fu Shanqing on the road.
The other person was sitting in a wheelchair, his former high spirits long gone, his eyes seemed to be shrouded in gloom, and his expression was blank as he was pushed around by the Fu family.
The former entourage that once surrounded him is no longer there.
Fu Mingxu noticed that most of his vitality had dissipated, and even his face looked older than that of ordinary people of the same age, giving him a deathly aura like a withered tree in winter.
He did not approach, even though the member of the Fu family recognized him.
Fu Shanqing kept his head down, seemingly unconcerned about who was pushing him, and the bustling street was irrelevant to him. Fu Haoren was dead; he had survived by sheer luck, but was now forever barred from the path of immortality, left only with this wretched existence.
If his father hadn't been the head of the Fu family, he probably wouldn't even have a place to stay.
Memories of the past are like fleeting clouds. As Fu Shanqing's mind was pulled out of her unspeakable thoughts, the tall, straight figure in a green robe, as upright as a bamboo, had already disappeared around the street corner.
"It's all fate," he said softly.
Cause and effect are cyclical, the ways of Heaven are unpredictable, and under the turbulent winds of change, who can remain unscathed?
Fu Mingxu did not swagger at Fu Shanqing, nor did he seek revenge. The two passed each other by, like two gentle breezes that had a brief encounter, leaving no trace.
He walked slowly toward Shen Ange's shop without looking back.
Regarding the matter of the broken Heavenly Ladder, he thought it best to send a message to Immortal Lord Siyang to ask for details. Whether it was experience or understanding of the broken Heavenly Ladder, the one who discovered it first would definitely know the most.
Si Yang Xianjun did not reply immediately. Fu Mingxu knew he couldn't rush things, so he stepped through the alley and stopped in front of the shop he had visited countless times.
Uncle Chang was still busy at the counter. It was already autumn, and the temperature of the blazing sun in the sky had weakened. However, the banyan tree at the entrance of the alley showed no signs of withering or turning yellow. Its branches and leaves were so lush that it seemed as if spring had just passed.
Fu Mingxu walked in calmly. When Chang Bo saw him, his eyes lit up and he called out, "Young Master Fu, please have a seat. I'll be there as soon as I'm done."
There were seven or eight cultivators in front of him picking and choosing, sweeping the counter of pills clean and still not satisfied. Unfortunately, they had nothing left and had to leave slightly disappointed.
"Do you still have any Rejuvenation Pills?" No sooner had the first person left than four more arrived, rushing in and asking anxiously, "We want Rejuvenation Pills."
The Rejuvenation Pill is a common medicine among cultivators. Although it is not of high grade, it is quite effective in replenishing blood and restoring physical strength, making it an essential item for cultivators both when traveling and at home.
Fu Mingxu always subconsciously paid attention to pills. As soon as he heard the words "Rejuvenation Pill," his previously bored gaze immediately drifted over.
The four men carried long swords on their backs, and their clothing was very similar to that of the inner disciples of the Sword Sect he had seen, but the workmanship and quality were quite different.
He should be an outer disciple of the Sword Sect.
But why would disciples of the Sword Sect appear in Cloud Cold City?
As everyone knows, Yunhan City is under the jurisdiction of the Dragon Clan. It neither needs the protection of the Immortal Sect nor clashes with it. Furthermore, it never cares whether the family disciples and residents within the city join the Immortal Sect.
Therefore, Yunhan City enjoys a rare harmony, and because it is far from the major immortal sects, few disciples of immortal sects appear in the city.
Thinking of this, Fu Mingxu suddenly remembered that the seven people who had just left were also dressed in the robes of disciples from some sect.
He stood in one spot, silently observing the four people who were buying the pills.
After discovering that all the Rejuvenation Pills had been bought up, they bought up all the other pills in the display case, leaving only a few lonely bottles on the shelf.
Fu Mingxu remained silent, watching them leave thoughtfully.
Whether it was a coincidence or not, the two groups of people just happened to buy out all the healing and health-restoring pills in the shop.
"Young Master Fu, are you here to see our young lady?" Uncle Chang skillfully tidied up the counter and said apologetically, "It's unfortunate, the Shen family had something to do today, so our young lady went back to the Shen family, and Miss You accompanied her."
Fu Mingxu was stunned for a moment, and it took him a couple of breaths to realize that the Miss You he was referring to was You Shu.
That's unfortunate.
"Do you have any medicinal herbs here?" Fu Mingxu glanced at the empty counter, a comforting smile playing on his lips. "Anything is fine."
He had already refined all the spiritual herbs that the city lord's mansion had previously stockpiled. There were still some spiritual herbs stored in the Heaven and Earth Mystic Mirror. He always liked to hoard them and also enjoyed finding some rare spiritual herbs outside as a pleasant surprise.
Chang Bo stroked his beard, took out a storage bag from his sleeve, and handed it to him, saying, "Miss specifically instructed that we should not buy any of the spiritual herbs our shop receives, but use them all to refine pills for you."
Fu Mingxu nodded, and without any hesitation, took the storage bag, opened it, and took a quick look.
The medicinal herbs inside were divided into two piles. One pile, which exuded spiritual energy, was naturally a common medicinal herb in the cultivation world, while the other pile, which exuded demonic energy, was obviously a herb unique to the demon realm.
Looking at the pile of demonic herbs that occupied a space about five times the size of the spiritual herbs, he strongly suspected that You Shu had looted all the herbs in the Demon Realm before leaving, including some rare and precious ones.
Uncle Chang skillfully handed him the storage bag, saying, "Luckily, I saved the medicinal herbs I came to sell before you came back, otherwise I really wouldn't have them if you asked me for them."
Fu Mingxu's brow twitched. After taking the storage bag, he looked up and asked, "Could it be that these cultivators come to Yunhan City to purchase not only pills but also spiritual herbs?"
Or is there some secret realm that has appeared nearby?
Soon, Uncle Chang's next words cleared up his doubts: "You don't know this, but a month ago, many cultivators suddenly became possessed by demons. Many unprepared villages and small sects were attacked. The demonic energy is increasing and the spiritual energy of the Cangling Continent is decreasing. Many people are afraid that they will run out of pills in the future, so a wave of purchasing pills and spiritual herbs has emerged."
"After all, besides practicing cultivation techniques, this pill is the best way to replenish spiritual energy."
In life-or-death battles, the use of elixirs can indeed play a crucial role in the outcome of the war.
However, with the increase in demonic energy, Fu Mingxu couldn't help but recall the appearance of the Cangling Continent in another time and space.
The land is devastated, spiritual energy is scarce, and even a single medicinal herb is hard to find.
"Young Master Fu, what's wrong?" Uncle Chang's worried voice rang out.
Fu Mingxu suddenly snapped out of his daze. He told himself that Han Tao was no longer susceptible to demonic possession, and everything that had happened to the Cangling Continent before the time rewind would certainly not happen again.
His grip on the storage bag tightened, and his gaze fell on the banyan tree branches swaying in the wind at the alley entrance, his eyes gradually hardening.
No, Han Tao's fate has already been broken, and he certainly won't end up falling into demonic self-destruction. No matter how difficult it is, as long as he can find a way to solve the problem of the broken Heavenly Ladder, not only will his father be able to get out safely, but they will also have a broader path to immortality.
"I'm fine, I was just lost in thought." Fu Mingxu put away the storage bag and smiled at him.
That's what he was thinking, but after he said goodbye to Uncle Chang and came out of the alley, seeing the sect cultivators coming and going on the main street, the unease in his heart grew stronger and stronger.
Chapter 101
This unease intensified after Fu Mingxu visited several shops selling pills and medicinal herbs, only to find that all the pills and herbs there had been sold out.
The streets were bustling with people, but he had lost all interest in buying anything and returned to the city lord's mansion with this unease in his heart.
Upon entering the city lord's mansion, Han Zhengzhi, who had been waiting at the entrance for a long time, visibly breathed a sigh of relief when he saw him.
"Is something the matter?" Fu Mingxu found his behavior a bit strange.
Unexpectedly, the other party simply handed him a storage bag, saying, "The city lord asked me to give this to you."
Fu Mingxu was puzzled, but he still took it and opened it to find that it was filled with all kinds of spiritual herbs.
Does this mean he should hurry up and refine the elixir?
After Han Zhengzhi finished speaking, he saw Han Zhengzhi put away the storage bag, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, and then left with a sigh of relief.
Fu Mingxu watched his retreating figure, clutching the two storage bags as he fell into deep thought.
"Never mind, I'll go refine pills first." Refining pills was the most familiar thing to him, so he didn't ask any more questions. He hadn't received a reply to his message to Immortal Lord Siyang yet.
The Heavenly Ladder was severed a long time ago, and repairing it is nothing short of a pipe dream. Although Fu Mingxu wanted to give it a try, he knew that the road ahead would be difficult.
But aside from preventing Han Tao from becoming a demon, this is the only thing left.
Besides, he couldn't ascend to heaven, so he didn't care how much time it would take him to repair the Heavenly Ladder.
Once inside the alchemy room, he took a deep breath and sent a message to Han Tao informing him that he would be refining pills for a few days. He then put all these distracting thoughts aside and devoted all his attention to the alchemy process.
The procedures for processing spiritual herbs and warming the alchemy furnace were already deeply ingrained in his flesh and blood. He summoned the dragon flame and quickly immersed himself in them.
A woman dressed in green sat upright in the room, her fingers constantly making hand gestures, and the fragrance of medicine gradually filled the air.
Within the folded space, willow branches sway in the breeze, and various kinds of exotic flowers bloom in competition, as if spring has not yet departed.
...
In the backyard of the city lord's mansion, the priest in white robes looked at Han Tao standing in front of him. The other party was tall and strong. Even among the dragons, his dragon form and human form were considered top-notch.
"Lord of the City, why are you suddenly sending us back to the Dragon Clan's ancestral land?" The priest looked puzzled, his red eyes pure, but his words were not entirely true. "Did we disturb your intimate time with your Daoist partner?"
It is indeed very difficult for the dragon race to find their destined one; to put it bluntly, it has come down to whether or not the will of Heaven will be so lenient.
Upon hearing his words, Han Tao's eyes twitched twice, and he shook his head, "That's not it."
They can't disturb them even if they want to.
"The Cangling Continent is about to undergo changes. Since I was entrusted by the previous Dragon Lord to lead the Dragon Clan to experience the continent, the situation is now turbulent. Returning to the ancestral land of the Dragon Clan is the best choice for you."
Han Tao spoke slowly. This was not a sudden decision, but rather the best way out for the dragon clan after careful consideration.
To return to the ancestral land of the dragons, one must cross the Sea of Illusion, which is protected by causal restrictions, and those who are not of dragon bloodline or whose souls are connected to the dragons are not allowed to enter.
It is a restriction, but also a protection of the ancestral land of the dragon race.
Upon hearing this, the priest's face showed a rare look of confusion. "I have consulted the oracle, and it indicates that the future is bright and no calamity will occur."
The Cangling Continent has experienced many trials and tribulations, but it has never been in dire straits. Even when the Heavenly Ladder was severed, the path of cultivation, after a brief period of twists and turns and confusion, was still pulled back to the right path by a powerful being.
Knowing that he was unlikely to believe it easily, Han Tao couldn't go into too much detail.
The ways of Heaven are unfathomable. He doesn't know how many loopholes exist in the heavens. Whenever they touch that word, they might be detected. They can only warn each other in the most tactful way: "If you don't leave, the Dragon Clan will suffer the same fate as the Phoenix Clan."
He lowered his head, his golden eyes shining brightly, and spoke with a firm and resolute tone: "Do you dare to bet?"
His voice wasn't loud, but it was as clear as metal, striking the listener's heart and flesh with a resounding thud.
The priest was momentarily intimidated by his imposing presence. His lips moved repeatedly, and after a long while, he finally managed to utter a single sentence: "Aren't you going?"
Han Tao shook his head again, "Neither he nor I are going."
In the sunlight, his cold, hard jawline, instead of being warmed by the sun, exuded a chilling, axe-like aura.
Ao Yushu was sent back a few days ago, but the dragons escorting him have not yet returned to the city lord's mansion. If they set off as soon as possible, they might be able to meet him along the way.
In fact, as the leader of the dragon race, no matter what orders Han Tao gave, the other dragons would definitely carry them out without question.