The entry for cultivating immortality states that after dying a hundred times, I attained immortalit

Jiang Bai knew perfectly well that turning back now would be tantamount to walking into a trap and courting death.

With a cultivation level of the first stage of Foundation Establishment, one might be able to establish a foothold in the desolate state, but facing the combined forces of the Li and Chen families, one would still be powerless.

"Dragon City..."

Jiang Bai murmured these three words and looked southwest.

The Hundred Villages Conference of Huangzhou will be held there three months later.

The purpose of going to Duanlong City was not just to gather information or purchase what was needed.

It's also the beginning of debt collection.

He would take back everything that the desolate state owed him, the Blood Fang Village owed him, and the Starfall Pavilion owed him.

Duanlong City was the first platform for this debt collection.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the frustration in his chest, and leaped up, disappearing into the night.

……

Four days later.

Burial at Mapo.

This is a rolling hilly area with exposed yellowish-brown rock layers on the ground, interspersed with a few clumps of withered yellow thorn grass. At the top of the slope is a severely weathered stone tablet, the inscription of which is long since blurred and illegible, with only the two characters "Burying the Horse" vaguely discernible.

Legend has it that a caravan was robbed here a hundred years ago, and all of its more than one hundred packhorses were killed and their remains were buried here, hence the name.

When Jiang Bai reached the top of the slope, the sun was blazing.

The sun hung high in the sky, its rays like blades, cleaving the wasteland into a blinding white expanse. He squinted slightly, his hand naturally resting on the hilt of his sword—not out of nervousness, but a habit formed over many years.

Looking down from the top of the slope, you can see the outline of Duanlong City.

The city was built along the mountainside, with steep cliffs on three sides, forming a natural barrier. Only a wide avenue on the south side led to the city gate. The city walls soared into the clouds, meticulously constructed from black iron rock, gleaming with a cold and hard luster under the blazing sunlight, like a lurking beast, poised to pounce.

It is about fifty li away from the city gate.

Jiang Bai was about to descend the mountain when he stopped in his tracks.

The wind blew from the bottom of the slope, carrying sand and a faint, almost imperceptible, smell of blood.

Behind the stone, shadowy figures moved about.

"Come out," Jiang Bai said, his voice not loud, but it carried on the wind.

There was silence for three breaths.

A sinister laugh came from behind the pile of rocks.

"Your nose is quite sharp."

A one-eyed man emerged from behind a rock, his left eye covered by a black leather eyepatch, his right eye narrow and long like a knife, exuding a fierce aura. Behind him followed more than twenty men, all dressed in the uniform of the Blood Fang Stronghold, with curved knives hanging at their waists and blood-dripping fangs embroidered on their cuffs.

These people were positioned strategically, seemingly scattered, but in reality, they blocked all of Jiang Bai's escape routes—ahead was an open area at the foot of the slope, behind was a steep slope, and on each side were seven or eight people flanking and encircling him.

Jiang Bai glanced at it.

Three were at the ninth level of Qi Refining, and the rest were all at the seventh level or above. Such a lineup would be enough to sweep away a small clan in Ping'an County.

The one-eyed man sized Jiang Bai up and down, then grinned: "You're that 'Poison Pattern Cultivator'?"

Jiang Bai didn't say anything.

"I am the third leader of Bloodfang Stronghold, nicknamed 'One-Eyed Wolf'." The man patted the curved sword at his waist. "The chieftain has ordered that whoever brings back your head will be rewarded with a thousand spirit stones and promoted to inner hall steward."

After he finished speaking, he waved his hand behind him.

More than twenty people stepped forward at the same time.

Dark red patterns appeared on the ground, spreading rapidly like a spider web and tightly surrounding Jiang Bai's location. A fishy smell emanated from the patterns, and faint wolf howls echoed from underground.

"Blood Wolf Trapping Killing Formation." The one-eyed wolf licked his lips. "Kid, obediently prepare to die, and I'll give you a quick death."

Jiang Bai finally spoke: "That's all?"

The one-eyed wolf was taken aback.

Jiang Bai shook his head: "Blood Fang Stronghold... that's all it's capable of."

Before he finished speaking, he moved.

Instead of retreating or dodging left or right, it charged forward—straight towards the one-eyed wolf at the heart of the formation!

This charge was unpretentious, yet it was as fast as lightning and as swift as a spark.

The one-eyed wolf's pupils contracted, and he shouted sharply, "Activate the formation!"

The dark red patterns suddenly lit up, transforming into more than ten blood-red wolf shadows that leaped out of the ground, baring their fangs and lunging at Jiang Bai. Wherever the wolf shadows passed, the air hissed and corroded, and a stench as sharp as a knife swept over them.

Jiang Bai neither dodged nor avoided.

Nine sacred runes on his chest silently lit up, a dark golden light flowing beneath his skin. He gripped the hilt of his sword with his right hand, but did not draw it; instead, he pushed forward with his left palm—

[All poisons return to their source].

hum!

A powerful suction force erupted from him.

The blood wolf shadows that pounced collided with this suction force, twisting and disintegrating instantly like ice and snow meeting a raging fire, turning into wisps of blood mist that were forcibly pulled into Jiang Bai's palm. In less than two breaths, all ten-plus wolf shadows vanished.

The one-eyed wolf's expression changed drastically: "What the hell?!"

The three Qi Refining Level 9 cultivators behind him also changed their expressions. One of them said urgently, "Third Master, this person is strange, we can't be forceful..."

Before he could finish speaking, Jiang Bai had already arrived at the front lines.

He raised his right hand.

The Zanpakuto is drawn.

The blade was jet black, with a cold, matte sheen at the edge. It appeared ordinary in the sunlight, but the moment it was drawn, an extremely chilling sword intent swept out like a whirlwind—this was not sword energy, but the blade's own sharp and unparalleled edge, mixed with the bone-chilling coldness of the [Soul-Slaying Sword Intent].

Jiang Bai brandished his knife.

This strike was unremarkable, just a horizontal slash.

Wherever the blade passed, the dark red array patterns shattered like paper. The two closest Qi Refining Stage 7 cultivators didn't even have time to parry before their protective auras were torn apart by the blade's energy, leaving deep, bone-revealing wounds on their chests.

Blood splattered.

The two stared wide-eyed at their wounds, seemingly unable to believe that the protective aura of the seventh level of Qi Refining couldn't even withstand a single strike.

Jiang Bai didn't look at them.

He flickered and disappeared from the spot like a ghost.

【Void Shadow】.

When it reappeared, it was already among the seven or eight people flanking it from the left.

The swords flashed again.

This time it wasn't a horizontal slash, but a spinning sweep.

The jet-black blade arc bloomed like a full moon, carrying a sharpness capable of cutting through everything. Seven or eight people hurriedly raised their swords to block, but the instant the blades touched, their curved swords shattered like rotten wood, and the blade's energy passed right through their bodies.

Screams erupted from all sides.

Some tried to escape, but found their legs as heavy as lead—the [resentment and poison] contained in the sword energy had quietly invaded their meridians, and the poison was like a maggot clinging to the bone, frantically devouring their spiritual power.

In less than three breaths, the entire flanking force on the left fell to the ground.

Jiang Bai sheathed his knife and looked to his right.

The seven or eight people on the right were already terrified. When they saw Jiang Baiwang coming, they all took two steps back.

The one-eyed wolf roared, "Useless trash! Attack him together! No matter how strong he is, he's still just one person!"

He charged forward first, roaring angrily. The crimson light on his scimitar suddenly surged, transforming into a crimson blade beam over ten feet long, slashing down with a sharp whooshing sound.

This strike was delivered with all my might.

A full-force strike in the early stages of Foundation Establishment is enough to split a boulder.

Jiang Bai raised his eyes, his gaze sharp as he coldly stared at the crimson blade of light.

He stood still, without moving an inch.

He simply raised his left hand, spread his five fingers, and grabbed at the blade's edge.

[All Poisons Return to the Flow] reopens!

The crimson blade light struck his palm, but it vanished as quickly as mud entering the sea, dissolving and dissipating into pure spiritual energy that was absorbed into his body. The one-eyed wolf felt the force on the blade suddenly disappear, and he couldn't stop his forward momentum, staggering two steps.

Those two steps were enough to kill him.

Jiang Bai raised his Zanpakuto diagonally with his right hand.

The blade flashed upwards, slicing across the one-eyed wolf's chest, neck, and face like lightning.

There was no loud noise, only the faint sound of a sharp blade cutting through flesh.

The one-eyed wolf froze on the spot, his curved knife clattering to the ground. He looked down at his chest—a thin line stretched from his lower abdomen to his brow, initially just a red line, then blood gushed out.

He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but no sound came out.

The body slowly split in two and fell to either side.

Blood stained the yellow soil on the hilltop.

Jiang Bai sheathed his sword and looked at the remaining people.

The three Qi Refining Stage 9 cultivators exchanged a glance, then simultaneously turned and fled in three different directions without looking back.

Jiang Bai did not pursue.

He simply raised his left hand and pressed it against the back of the person who was running away the fastest.

[Resentment and malice erode it].

The man trembled as if struck by a heavy blow, spitting out black blood. He staggered a few steps before collapsing to the ground, where he fell silent.

The remaining two escaped thirty paces away, and only when they saw that Jiang Bai did not make another move did they dare to look back.

That one glance terrified them.

On the hilltop, of the twenty-odd men who had been lying in ambush, most had fallen. Only Jiang Bai remained standing.

He stood amidst the pile of corpses, a knife dripping blood from its tip. His face, hidden beneath a straw hat, was expressionless, but a chill ran through him.

The two dared not linger any longer and fled desperately into the distance.

Jiang Bai ignored him.

He bent down and picked up the one-eyed wolf's storage bag, then collected a few relatively intact magical artifacts and put them into his storage ring.

After doing all that, he looked up at the slope below.

On the official road not far from the bottom of the slope, several caravans were parked. Many people stood beside the caravans, looking up at the top of the slope with expressions of shock, awe, and calculation.

Clearly, they had witnessed the entire battle just now.

Jiang Bai didn't care.

He carried the knife and walked down the burial mound step by step.

When passing a caravan, some people instinctively stepped back to make way. Others bowed and addressed the caravan as "senior."

Jiang Bai did not respond, but simply walked through the crowd toward Duanlong City.

After walking about ten feet, I heard light footsteps behind me.

A thin boy, about thirteen or fourteen years old, hurriedly caught up. His clothes were tattered and patched, and he had a fawning smile on his face, a smile that was tinged with trepidation.

"Please wait, senior."

Jiang Bai stopped and looked at him.

The young man lowered his voice: "Senior, news of your incident at Burial Horse Slope will spread throughout Broken Dragon City within half an hour at most. Blood Fang Stronghold has spies in the city, and Starfall Pavilion also has people watching. If you need to inquire about information, or if you want to find a quiet place to stay, you can go to 'Dead Man's Alley' in the South City."

He paused, then added, "The third coffin shop in Dead Man's Lane, the owner's surname is Liu. He's accurate with his information and his prices are fair, but he's a bit eccentric and doesn't like to talk nonsense."

After saying that, the boy bowed to Jiang Bai, turned around and ran, disappearing into the bushes by the roadside in the blink of an eye.

Jiang Bai stared thoughtfully in the direction the boy had disappeared.

After a moment, he withdrew his gaze and continued walking towards Duanlong City.

……

Half an hour later.

South gate of Duanlong City.

The city gate was a full three zhang tall, cast entirely from black iron. Its surface was covered with deep marks left by sword and axe cuts, as well as dark red rust. The rust was mottled, whether from the erosion of time or from the blood that had once splattered on it, it was hard to tell. The two characters "断龙" (Severing Dragons) on the plaque were written with extreme arrogance, the strokes as sharp as knives, as if two evil dragons were fiercely fighting, ready to leap out of the plaque at any moment.

A long queue formed at the city gate, including merchant caravans, independent cultivators, and cultivators from various strongholds. Guarding the gate was a squad of black-clad armored soldiers, their auras cold and stern, and their minimum cultivation level was at least the sixth level of Qi Refining.

When it was Jiang Baishi's turn, a soldier looked him up and sized him up.

"Entry fee: ten spirit stones. One temporary identity token, to be returned upon leaving the city."

Jiang Bai took out ten spirit stones from his storage bag and handed them over.

The armored soldier accepted the spirit stones and handed over a black wooden plaque engraved with the number "372". The plaque felt slightly heavy, spreading from his fingertips, and faint fluctuations of spiritual energy swirled around it, as if some mysterious restriction was hidden within.

"Private duels are prohibited within the city. Violators will be expelled, and those with serious offenses will be killed," the armored soldier said routinely. "You must carry your identity token with you. A replacement will cost fifty spirit stones if lost."

Jiang Bai nodded, took the wooden plaque, hung it on his waist, and walked through the city gate.

The noise was overwhelming.

Duanlong City was more than ten times larger than Blackstone Market. Its streets were wide and boundless, and the buildings on both sides were rugged, mostly houses built of huge stones, with a few ancient wooden buildings interspersed among them. The streets were bustling with people, with cultivators from various villages, independent cultivators, and caravans coming and going in an endless stream, creating a mixed atmosphere.

The sounds of hawking, bargaining, the cries of spirit beasts, and the shouts of cultivators mingled together like a tide, creating a noisy yet vibrant atmosphere.

Jiang Bai pulled down his straw hat and blended into the crowd.

As he walked along the way, he could feel many eyes on him—especially on the Zanpakuto at his waist and the lingering murderous aura emanating from him.

People were whispering among themselves:

"Is that the one from Burial Horse Slope?"

"Looks young, but really ruthless..."

"Bloodfang Stronghold has suffered a huge defeat this time; even their third leader has been killed."

"I heard the Starfall Pavilion is also looking for him. This is going to be interesting."

Jiang Bai ignored him and simply followed his memory, heading towards the south of the city.

Dead Man's Alley is located in a remote corner of the southern part of the city. The alley is narrow and cramped, allowing only two people to walk side by side. The stone walls on both sides rise high into the clouds, their tops covered with moss, as if marked by the passage of time. The alley is dimly lit, and even in broad daylight, it exudes a chilling and eerie atmosphere.

Jiang Bai walked to the third shop.

The shop is small, with the facade made of several old wooden planks. Above the door hangs a black plaque with white characters that read "Liu's Coffin Shop," the characters crooked like a child's scribbles.

The door was ajar.

Jiang Bai pushed open the door and entered.

The shop was dark, with only an oil lamp flickering behind the counter. The air was filled with a strange smell of wood and paint, mixed with a faint whiff of decay.

Behind the counter sat a gaunt old man, head down, whittling a wooden board. His hair was white, his cheeks were sunken, and his eyes were deep-set. He held a small knife in his hand, the blade carving fine lines into the board.

The old man didn't even look up when he heard the door open.

"To buy a coffin, turn left and choose one yourself. For inquiries, the starting price is ten spirit stones; additional charges apply depending on the question."

Jiang Bai walked to the counter and put down ten spirit stones.