Translator: AnubisTL
For cultivators in the Innate Realm, traveling a thousand miles in a day was a breeze. Following the official road of the Great Chu Dynasty, Gu Feng and his companions journeyed without incident.
Five days later, they arrived at a city in the southwest named 'Tranquil Sky.' Ten years ago, there was no 'Tranquil Sky' in the Great Chu Dynasty, and this area was nothing but desolate wilderness.
After the establishment of the Grand Harmony Academy, the continuous mountain range a hundred miles away was designated as the imperial examination site. Sharp-nosed merchants rented the land at a low price, initially building simple shelters for candidates to stay in. Over time, it gradually developed into a large-scale city.
Of course, 'Tranquil Sky City' usually had few residents. Only during the grand examination held every two years would it be packed to the brim. Even so, the investing merchants made a fortune.
"Two years without business, but when business comes, it feeds you for two years!"
Looking at Tranquil Sky City in the distance, Gu Feng couldn't help but sigh.
"Hehe, cultivators who have reached the Innate Realm, regardless of their background, usually have some wealth. Even if it's only once every two years, the merchants here can still make a profit. After all, the rent back then was as cheap as cabbage," Lin Xinhua said with a smile.
"Entering the city requires an entrance fee, and the consumption inside is quite high. The prices seem almost like robbery, but no one objects. After all, Spirit Stones are insignificant compared to the grand examination!" Yan Hanyun added.
"Some rogue cultivators, to save on expenses, rest in the wild while waiting for the exam to begin. It's really not easy!" Patriarch Bao shook his head with a bitter smile, his words tinged with emotion.
Although the entrance fee was quite steep, Gu Feng and his group were not short on money and didn't mind the expense.
"So many people! We even have to queue to enter the city. This is ridiculous!" Yan Xixi stuck out her cute tongue.
"People of all age groups are here. Looking at it this way, our Sunset Glow Sect doesn't stand out at all!" Wu Qi said with a laugh.
"Hehe, those are all rogue cultivators. Their lives are tough. They've been participating in the grand examination since the first session, not just to pursue martial arts but mainly to seek a stable place to live. Most of them fail repeatedly but keep coming back.
As they grow older, their chances of entering the Grand Harmony Academy become slimmer!" The Cloud Prefecture Prefect frowned as he spoke.
"Having something to look forward to in life isn't too bad," Chu Youhuan murmured, her eyes flickering.
The group moved forward slowly. The number of candidates was overwhelming, and the noise was deafening, with the city gate completely blocked.
Gu Feng and the others had no choice but to patiently wait in line to enter the city.
Suddenly, there was a commotion in the crowd, and someone exclaimed, "The Flower Sect's team has arrived!"
Then, the cultivators at the city gate began to push and squeeze, as if trying to make way.
Gu Feng and his companions were caught in the crowd, surrounded by cultivators. Not daring to use force, they could only be pushed to the sides.
"What are you doing!"
"What?"
"Your hand!"
Gu Feng looked up and was immediately embarrassed. In the chaos, his left hand had accidentally brushed against Yan Yexue's chest. Her eyes blazed with anger, and her cheeks flushed red.
"Mistake, mistake!!"
"The Flower Sect? Isn't that the third-largest sect in the Great Chu Dynasty, known as the holy land for female cultivators?"
"A single sect bringing nearly five thousand candidates? Isn't that a bit too much!"
"Not at all exaggerated. The Blazing Light Sect, the top sect of the Great Chu Dynasty, had a staggering eight thousand participants last year. Unfortunately, they still failed to secure the top position in any examination hall, which infuriated the Sect Leader of Blazing Light Sect."
As Gu Feng and the others moved along, they continued their conversation. When the commotion died down a bit, he noticed that the Flower Sect's examination team had a distinct characteristic—they all had short hair, exuding a sense of efficiency and capability.
This was a rare sight in this world.
"This is the unique feature of the Flower Sect. They uphold the belief that women can also become pillars of strength..." Lin Xinhua explained with a smile.
"Their overall strength is formidable. If nothing unexpected happens, they are likely to secure the top position in one of the examination halls," the Cloud Prefecture Prefect said with a hint of envy. The sects under his jurisdiction were generally weak, and the thought of securing the top position was something he dared not even dream of.
Originally, Gu Feng had a good chance, but the fact that he was entering the Spirit Nurturing examination hall had left him frustrated for several days.
"Who are these people? Why are they rushing towards the Flower Sect team like madmen?" A Fei shouted.
"That's the Wind Cloud Pavilion, the top information dissemination organization in the Great Chu Dynasty. These cultivators are rushing to interview the Flower Sect cultivators to get firsthand information, which they will then refine into Image Stones and sell for profit!" someone explained.
Gu Feng's expression turned peculiar. The world was full of wonders, and he never expected to encounter cultivators resembling journalists in this world!
The Flower Sect team moved quickly, and in the blink of an eye, they entered the passage that the crowd had opened for them.
A cute, slightly chubby female cultivator from the Wind Cloud Pavilion, with a baby face, gritted her teeth and desperately tried to squeeze in. Each time she was pushed back, she rolled on the ground a few times, patted the dirt off her clothes, and tried again, only to be pushed out once more.
This cycle repeated itself, like a moth flying into a flame, which amused Gu Feng. He thought to himself, "This little cultivator has a very proactive work attitude, but her strength is just too lacking!"
The chubby female cultivator never managed to get close to the Flower Sect team before they entered Tranquil Sky City, let alone obtain any firsthand information.
Covered in dirt, she sat on the ground, clenching her fists, her cheeks puffed up in frustration.
Just then, the passage that had been opened earlier closed again. The chubby female cultivator, still sitting on the ground, was unable to get up in time and was trampled underfoot.
In an instant, countless footprints appeared on her body. Even though someone shouted that there was a person underfoot, the crowd was too dense, and no one could pay attention to her.
Gu Feng frowned slightly, exerted some force, and pushed through the crowd, pulling the chubby female cultivator out.
"Thank you!"
"How much does the Wind Cloud Pavilion pay you every month? Is it worth risking your life like this?" Gu Feng asked, looking at the female cultivator who was covered in footprints and in a sorry state, he couldn't help but chuckle.
"It's not about the money. My ambition is to become the top information dissemination cultivator in the Great Chu Dynasty!" the chubby female cultivator said, patting the dirt off her clothes with a smile.
"Want to become the top paparazzi? That's a noble ambition. But you need the corresponding strength too. If you can't even squeeze through the crowd, how can you gather information?"
The chubby female cultivator didn't understand what "paparazzi" meant, but she didn't care. She turned to Gu Feng and thanked him again, then rushed towards another group of cultivators.
The scene was the same as before—she kept rolling on the ground, achieving nothing.
Gu Feng could only shake his head with a wry smile, too lazy to pay further attention.
The entrance fee to the city was one thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones per person, regardless of their cultivation level, which was astonishingly high.
After paying the city entrance fee, just as they were entering Tranquil Sky City, the chubby-cheeked female cultivator squeezed her way over again.
"This... this, could you lend me a thousand Spirit Stones to pay the entrance fee?" The chubby-cheeked female cultivator blushed slightly, looking somewhat embarrassed.
"Aren't you the number one information spreader in the world? Can't even afford a thousand Spirit Stones?" Gu Feng chuckled.
"It's not like that, don't worry, I'll definitely pay you back within three days. Here's my Wind Cloud Pavilion disciple token, you can hold onto it as collateral!"
Afraid that others might think she was a scammer, the chubby-cheeked female cultivator hurriedly handed over her identity token.
Shan Feier?
What a modern name.
"Keep your token, for the sake of your grand dream, I'll give you a thousand Spirit Stones!" Gu Feng returned the identity token to Shan Feier and turned to Wu Qi, saying, "Pay her entrance fee!"
"Thank you, thank you so much, I will definitely repay you!" Shan Feier's big eyes sparkled with joy.
"Are all Wind Cloud Pavilion disciples this poor? Don't they provide any funds for information gathering?" Gu Feng glanced at Shan Feier, who had just entered the Innate Realm. It was absurd that someone of her level didn't even have a thousand Spirit Stones.
"Well, there used to be, but I haven't gathered any valuable information in the past three years. The Elders haven't kicked me out of the Wind Cloud Pavilion yet, which is already a blessing. How can I ask for resources?" Shan Feier said with a bitter expression.
Chu Youhuan and the other female cultivators all showed sympathetic looks upon hearing this. This young girl was really having a tough time.
"You seem to be working hard, but not making any progress in three years is a bit much, isn't it?" Gu Feng asked with some confusion.
"I specialize in collecting information about prodigies in the Wind Cloud Pavilion, but these prodigies are just too much. They always try to take liberties with me, and of course, I refuse, so they kick me out..."
Well, this is a principled female cultivator, rejecting workplace harassment!
"What counts as useful information?" Gu Feng casually asked.
"The daily cultivation routines of prodigious talents, the rise of new sects... shocking scandals among cultivators could also work, but I don't do that... Take this grand examination for example, getting firsthand information from major sects... especially about the top contenders, that would be amazing..."
Shan Feier blinked her eyes, looking quite adorable.
"Why don't you interview our Sunset Glow Sect? It will definitely make you famous overnight!" Gu Feng said with a light laugh.
"Your Sunset Glow Sect?" Shan Feier glanced at the group, "There are quite a few of you, but they're all elderly, just cannon fodder for the exam. This information isn't very valuable!"
Upon hearing this, Gu Feng's face immediately darkened, and he turned to leave.
"Whatever, since I can't get close to the major sects anyway, and I still have to report tonight, I might as well just interview them casually!" Shan Feier muttered a few words, then quickly caught up to Gu Feng: "If I interview you, will you make any unreasonable demands?"
"Open your eyes wide and take a good look. Leader Gu is the master of our Sunset Glow Sect, surrounded by beauties. Does he need your services?" Chao Yuan said disdainfully.
"Oh!"
(End of the Chapter)
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