Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 942

943. The Various Races of Cheonun

***

They had passed through the city gate and now stood on a wide avenue. Numerous shops, both large and small, lined both sides, with people coming and going. The atmosphere was lively, yet not chaotic.

“Very well. I also have some matters to attend to, so let’s part ways here,” Han Li said, checking the stone piece and smiling.

“In Unseong [Cloud City], various races of Cheonun live together, along with many cultivators from other races. Some stay for hundreds or even thousands of years. Therefore, there are many temporary residences available within the city, though they are not cheap. Another thing to be careful about is that you must not fight with other cultivators or use spiritual power within the city. If you are caught, you may be expelled from Unseong or, in severe cases, have your magical power crippled. This is a rule that even the elders of the Thirteen Clans do not easily violate. I believe I’ve covered everything, so I’ll be going now.”

Gapcheonmok gave a few final instructions and turned to leave. Han Li watched him until he disappeared in a carriage pulled by two spirit beasts.

Once he was gone, Han Li turned his attention to the shops lining the avenue. As expected of a major stronghold of the Cheonwon Thirteen Clans, the buildings were diverse in style. Some were as tall as small mountains, while others were small and intricately detailed. Even with a brief look, many unique architectural styles caught his eye.

The Cheonun Thirteen Clans were nominally a union of thirteen races, but they had lived together for so long that they could be considered one large race, despite their different bloodlines. Each clan was not very powerful, far inferior to the Gakchi Clan, but the union of the thirteen clans was a force to be reckoned with. That was why they had managed to maintain their existence next to a super-large clan like the Gakchi Clan.

In fact, wars between the Gakchi Clan and Cheonun had broken out periodically. The Gakchi Clan would seize Cheonun territory, or the Cheonun Thirteen Clans would unite to reclaim their lost territory. Of course, the Gakchi Clan was more often in the dominant position. However, the various races of Cheonun also compensated for each other’s weaknesses and did not fall far behind.

It was unexpected that the Gakchi Clan had suddenly launched an attack this time, but the Cheonun Clan had also reacted quickly and was preparing to respond. Han Li had learned all of this while traveling with Gapcheonmok.

Gapcheonmok had mentioned that the Cheonun territory was vast, and the Gakchi Clan was not the only large clan nearby. There were also the Yak Clan and the Bokmyeong Clan, which had similar power to Cheonun, as well as many other smaller clans. These smaller clans usually relied on nearby large clans; otherwise, they would have been wiped out or driven far away.

Han Li looked at the shops and pondered his next move. The most important thing now was to find a super-large teleportation array to return to the Pungwon Continent. However, such a large teleportation array would most likely be controlled by a major power, and if that was the case, he would have no choice but to interact with their higher-ups. That was the main reason why he had not refused Gapcheonmok’s request.

‘First, I need to find a place to stay in Unseong, and then I can proceed slowly,’ Han Li thought. He looked around and entered a building that resembled a human clan pavilion. The shop was two stories high, with display cases inside, making it look like an ordinary general store.

The shopkeeper, a person with dark green skin, smiled broadly when he saw Han Li enter. “Senior, are you looking for something? Our shop specializes in trading various specialties of Unseong. Maps, perhaps…”

The Yi Clan member was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, but he was not intimidated by Han Li. He had become accustomed to seeing many high-level cultivators in Unseong.

“Bring out a map of Unseong. The more detailed, the better! Also, I have a few questions to ask,” Han Li said, handing over a mid-grade spirit stone. The shopkeeper’s face brightened as he quickly brought out a red stone piece.

“This is the best map we have in our shop. If you have any questions, please ask! I will tell you anything I know.”

***

About an hour later, Han Li walked out of the shop with a calm expression. He hailed a spirit beast carriage and closed his eyes.

After passing through many alleys, the carriage stopped in front of a large, bizarre-looking building after two hours. The building, which resembled a sand dune, was easily over a thousand feet tall and several times larger than the other buildings. Dozens of large and small doors dotted the building, and people occasionally flew out or entered through them, like a giant beehive.

Han Li stood there for a moment, stunned, and then looked at the semicircular door. On each side of the gate, there was a strange character, but he could not tell which clan’s language it was. He did not hesitate long and entered the gate. A strangely shaped, wide hall appeared. The hall was made of turquoise jade, and potted plants and flowers were scattered throughout.

At a wooden table, a white-haired man wearing a gray robe was fast asleep.

“Give me a room in a corner. I will be staying for a few days,” Han Li said quietly, stating his business calmly.

Han Li’s voice was not loud, but it sounded like thunder to the old man’s ears.

“Oh my, a guest has arrived! I will find you a very good room right away,” the old man said, startled by Han Li’s voice. He got up and took out a white magic tool from his pocket, trying to find something. Han Li frowned when he saw this.

The old man in front of him was also a cultivator, but he had no sense of vigilance at all. It seemed that he had genuinely fallen asleep a moment ago, not just pretending. Intrigued, Han Li looked closely at the old man’s face and was shocked.

“Hyang Senior Brother! Are you alive? Here!”

The old man’s face was gaunt and sickly, but his shrewd impression still remained. The old man was none other than Hyang Jiryee, who had entered the spatial junction [a dangerous area between realms] first in the human realm.

When he had entered the spatial junction, the soul lamp he had left in the human realm had gone out, and it was thought that he had died. But here he was, alive. Even Han Li could not help but be astonished.

The old man, who had been looking down, flinched at those words and slowly raised his head. “…Han Junior Brother! Is that really you?” he mumbled with emotion, his face a mix of crying and laughing.

“It’s me, Han Li! But Senior Brother’s cultivation and aura…” Han Li unconsciously scanned Hyang Jiryee and felt heavy-hearted. Hyang Jiryee, who had been a Deity Transformation cultivator in the human realm, now had a Core Formation cultivation. Moreover, his aura was weak, as if his vitality had been greatly damaged.

“So, Junior Brother Han also came to the Spirit Realm through the spatial junction. Judging by your aura, your magical power seems to have increased greatly! Since we don’t know when guests will come and go here, let’s move to another place,” Hyang Jiryee said, staring blankly at Han Li. He suddenly seemed to have an idea and quickly turned around, guiding Han Li to a side door in the hall. Han Li hesitated for a moment but followed him.

The side door led to a long passage, with strange flowers and plants on both sides. After walking for a while, Hyang Jiryee opened a stone door and invited Han Li inside. “Junior Brother, please sit down. This old man never imagined that he would see Junior Brother Han again in his lifetime… I am ashamed to meet you again in this state,” Hyang Jiryee said with a wry smile as soon as they sat down. He was completely different from when he had been a great cultivator in the human realm.

“What happened at the spatial junction back then? What happened to the other two?”

“Old Monster Pung and Old Devil Ho lost their lives. They were just too unlucky. They encountered several spatial storms in a row, and then two spatial storms overlapped and struck them. There was nothing we could do. I was the only one who survived. To survive, I repeatedly used secret techniques that risked my life, which greatly reduced my cultivation and damaged my vitality. My current cultivation is something I have barely rebuilt over a long period of time,” Hyang Jiryee sighed deeply.

“Indeed, the spatial junction is an extremely dangerous place. It is a blessing that Senior Brother Hyang survived. But why did the soul lamp you left in the human realm go out? And why are you in the Thunderous Continent instead of the Flying Spirit Continent, where the human clan is located?”

“The soul lamp probably went out because of the secret technique I used. I used a great technique that risked my lifespan and almost died. But I don’t know why I ended up here. The place where I barely survived the spatial storm and escaped was here in Cheonun. It seems that the spatial storm was too strong and deviated from the original route,” Hyang Jiryee’s expression was not good as he thought about the terrible things he had experienced at the spatial junction. Han Li did not speak and nodded.

“Then, what is your relationship with the owner of this inn, Senior Brother Hyang? Do you have any plans to return to the human clan?”

“The owner of this inn is a member of the Seokchung Clan, and he is a benefactor to me. He is kind-hearted and has a certain position within the Seokchung Clan. In fact, I have nowhere else to go, and I am helping out here to repay his kindness. Ah, I gave up on returning to the human clan a long time ago. I heard that although the Cheonun Thirteen Clans control the teleportation array that can move between continents, the resources needed for teleportation are enough to bankrupt even a powerful clan. Even if I had maintained my original cultivation, I would not have been qualified to use the teleportation array. Also, with my current cultivation, how could I pass through the Great Desolate World and go to the human clan area? Since I have already lost hope of reaching the Void Refinement stage, I have decided to live out my life peacefully here rather than taking unnecessary risks,” Hyang Jiryee’s voice lowered as he shook his head. Han Li could not even offer words of comfort.

“Ah, that’s right! I haven’t heard your story yet, Junior Brother. Although I can’t go to the human clan, I want to know how our clan is living in the Spirit Realm,” Hyang Jiryee said, showing curiosity.

“After reaching the Deity Transformation stage, I found the spatial junction by looking at the information you left behind, Senior Brother. Then, I joined forces with Bingbong of the same level and entered the spatial junction. I guess I was lucky. I did encounter a spatial storm, but I was able to escape by tearing through space with Bingbong’s spatial divine ability. However, as far as I know, the situation of the human clan in the Spirit Realm is that they are barely managing to survive. To be specific…” Han Li briefly talked about what he had experienced and did not mention the story of losing all of his original cultivation. However, he told him everything about the situation of the human clan, except for a few things.

“The Three Realms and Seven Lands! The Saint Emperor and the Demon King! Our human clan in the Spirit Realm also has quite a few Fusion stage cultivators. Hearing that makes this old man feel much relieved,” Hyang Jiryee listened intently and then let out a long sigh. Han Li, who had been silent, changed the subject.

“Is it true that the Cheonun Thirteen Clans possess a super-large teleportation array? How did you find out about it, Senior Brother Hyang?”

“Hehe, are you also interested in the teleportation array? The story about the super-large teleportation array is not a secret. Not only Cheonun but also the Gakchi Clan and the Yak Clan each have one. Among the nearby large clans, only the Bokmyeong Clan has not built a teleportation array. I advise you not to be too attached to the teleportation array. Unless you reach the Fusion stage, you will not be qualified to use it, and it will be even more difficult for you since you are not a Cheonun person. Cheonun does not reject outsiders, so how about staying here and cultivating? If you occasionally keep this old man company and your cultivation increases greatly, it won’t be too late to return to the human clan. That’s right. I don’t know what stage you have reached now, Junior Brother. I can tell that your aura has become stronger than when you were in the human realm, but I can’t tell how much your cultivation has increased,” Hyang Jiryee said with a smile.