Chapter 1317: Ascended Cultivator and the Heavenly Abyss City

After descending nearly a thousand zhang, Han Li suddenly found himself in a vast hall of similar height. Nearly a hundred armored guards hurried through the hall, appearing exceptionally busy.

Around the perimeter of the hall were over a dozen exits identical to the passage Han Li had emerged from, with people constantly coming and going.

A flicker of surprise crossed Han Li’s face as he stepped into the hall. Instinctively, he looked up—and was immediately stunned.

The so-called “hall” had no visible ceiling. Instead, it was a massive cylindrical structure, resembling a hollow giant tower. The passage he had just exited was likely embedded within the tower’s walls.

Han Li had never seen such an enormous stone tower before. He stood frozen in shock for a long moment before regaining his composure.

The blue-eyed man leading him showed no surprise at Han Li’s reaction and made no move to hurry him. Only when Han Li lowered his gaze did he resume guiding him toward the hall’s exit.

As Han Li reached the exit and looked into the distance, his heart lurched in astonishment once more.

Stretching as far as the eye could see were towering green pagodas, piercing the clouds, densely packed in numbers exceeding a hundred. At their bases sprawled countless pavilions and towers, clustered tightly together—some reaching a thousand zhang in height, others merely a hundred zhang, all appearing as if ordinary structures had been magnified several times over.

How could Han Li not be utterly dumbfounded?

Meanwhile, armored guards emerging from the hall transformed into streaks of light, shooting toward the buildings below.

At the blue-eyed man’s signal, Han Li was also led downward, heading straight for a grand pavilion about a thousand zhang tall.

The structure was divided into ten levels, each with its own entrance. At the center stood a massive gate, thirty zhang high, adorned with a silver plaque inscribed with the words “Flying Spirit Hall.”

The man guided Han Li into the fourth level, where a small hall branched into six or seven corridors leading in different directions.

Inside, several cultivators in varied attire stood conversing with smiles.

Han Li swept his gaze over them and immediately discerned that they were all early-stage Deity Transformation cultivators like himself.

The moment he and the blue-eyed man entered, the group noticed them, their eyes snapping toward the newcomers in unison.

“Oh? Isn’t this Nephew Zhuo? And who is this—a new companion?” asked a white-haired, green-faced elder with a chuckle.

The blue-eyed man, already at the peak of late-stage Nascent Soul, dared not slight the elder.

“Ah, Senior Liu! This esteemed one was personally brought in from outside by a Heaven Guard, not a cultivator who advanced within the city,” the man explained with uncharacteristic deference, his earlier stern demeanor completely gone.

A trace of surprise flickered across Han Li’s face.

“Brought from outside? A cultivator from the Flying Spirit Platform?”

“Which realm did he ascend from?”

“Huh? An early-stage Deity Transformation cultivator? I thought first-generation ascendants had to be at least late-stage Deity Transformation?”

The group of early-stage Deity Transformation cultivators stirred, casting peculiar glances at Han Li.

Han Li merely smiled, clasping his hands in greeting without a word, though inwardly, he was equally puzzled.

Were these people ascendants from other lower realms? They didn’t seem like it. But if they were native Spirit Realm cultivators, why would they be here?

The name “Flying Spirit Hall” clearly suggested a connection to ascendants.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with the others, the blue-eyed man gave vague responses before leading Han Li down a corridor to a suite of interconnected rooms.

The arrangement resembled a small-scale cave abode, complete with a dedicated cultivation chamber, an alchemy room, and a forging room. The entire suite was sealed by a unique restriction, accessible only with a control token.

Han Li nodded in satisfaction.

The blue-eyed man listed a few taboos of the place, handed over the restriction token, and excused himself, citing pressing duties.

This thwarted Han Li’s plan to question him further about Sky Deep City.

Now seated in a wooden chair in the main room, Han Li leaned back, idly twirling the silver token as he reflected on the events since the tribulation.

Originally, after surviving the so-called Minor Heavenly Tribulation, he had planned to find a secluded, spirit-rich spot in the Spirit Realm to quietly cultivate, aiming first for the Void Refinement stage and the path to immortality.

But he had never expected that ascendant cultivators carried “otherworldly aura,” making the Minor Heavenly Tribulation terrifyingly severe.

Even if he had managed to survive the initial two-colored lightning tribulation, the next one would have been impossible to withstand.

Thus, without hesitation, he had followed the two men to Sky Deep City.

Now that he was here, everything seemed vastly different from an ordinary cultivator city, leaving him uneasy about what lay ahead.

The only thing he knew was that Sky Deep City housed many ascendants like himself.

Lost in thought, Han Li grew restless.

He considered venturing out to gather information about the city and the fate of ascendant cultivators like himself.

Just as he resolved to act, a hoarse voice sounded outside the door’s restriction:

“Fellow Daoist, are you inside? This old man is Liu Hedao. Might I have a word?”

Han Li blinked, then chuckled softly.

It seemed he wouldn’t need to seek others out—they were coming to him first.

“Ah, Fellow Daoist Liu! Han is honored by your visit!” Han Li replied, waving the token toward the door.

A silver glow surged forth, and the door creaked open.

Outside stood the green-faced, white-haired elder he had glimpsed earlier in the hall.

“So Fellow Daoist’s surname is Han. I hope you don’t mind this intrusion,” the elder said with a smile.

“Not at all. Even if you hadn’t come, I’d planned to visit you all soon,” Han Li replied smoothly, his social acumen honed over centuries far surpassing the elder’s.

Within moments, the two were chatting as if old friends.

“From what Nephew Zhuo said, you were personally brought here by a Heaven Guard, meaning you must be a newly ascended cultivator. May I ask which lower realm you hail from?” the elder inquired, shifting the topic.

“Which realm? Well… I’m not yet familiar with how the Spirit Realm refers to the lower worlds. Perhaps I can answer after learning more,” Han Li deflected with a smile.

He had no intention of revealing his origins, given his past entanglements with Spirit Realm powerhouses like the Heavenly Phoenix and the Heavenly Wolf King—entities far beyond his current reach.

“Ah, my mistake. You’ve only just arrived. But first-generation ascendants like yourself possess extraordinary potential. Your chances of reaching Void Refinement far exceed ours—descendants of ascendants or native cultivators. The Elder Council highly values your kind. Most likely, you’ll be directly appointed as a Dark Azure Guard without any tests,” the elder said with a laugh.

“First-generation ascendants? Could you elaborate?” Han Li asked, his smile fading into curiosity.

“Of course—it’s no secret. Stay here awhile, and you’ll learn all about it,” the elder chuckled.

“First-generation ascendants are cultivators like you who ascended directly from the lower realms. Your otherworldly aura is extremely dense. Even with annual doses of Dust Dispelling Pills, it takes three hundred years to fully cleanse. Descendants within a few generations also carry traces of this aura. Once they reach the Nascent Soul stage, they too face two-colored tribulations. Take me—I’m a second-generation descendant. After reaching Nascent Soul, I had to return to Sky Deep City immediately for Dust Dispelling Pills, or face certain death. Only after the aura is purged can we leave freely. By the fifth generation, the bloodline is pure, no different from native cultivators.”

“I see. But since you’re already at Deity Transformation, your aura must be gone. Why remain here?” Han Li probed.

“Sharp question! Indeed, even after purification, few choose to leave. This applies not just to ascendants and their descendants, but even to native cultivators sent here from the Three Sovereigns and Seven Lands. None wish to depart lightly.”

“Oh? I’m intrigued. Please enlighten me,” Han Li pressed.

“Simple. Cultivation speed here is twice that of elsewhere. Everything available in the Three Sovereigns and Seven Lands can be found here—and more. I trust you grasp my meaning,” the elder said meaningfully.