mtl008 Chapter 533 Sishui City
Chapter 533 Sishui City
The young man, Lin Yang, was also one of them. Sishui wasn't a Taoist temple, but it was well-known among the human race. They gathered the common people, and by now, tens of millions of people lived within the walls of Sishui. While not as populous as the Taoist temples, it was still not to be underestimated.
Sishui City was founded by several immortal cultivators from different Taoist temples. Initially, they simply wanted to gather a few people, but as time went on, Sishui City grew larger and larger, and the city walls were expanded outward in circles, forming the towering city that stretches for hundreds of miles today.
In reality, these cultivators also had their share of adventures. For example, this special seal script, and some martial arts-like training methods. Otherwise, how could these young men have wielded brushes as tall as themselves to paint on the city walls? As for cultivation methods, while nearly everyone possessed talent, the scarcity of resources and the dire nature of spiritual energy—indeed, because of the war, the quality of spiritual energy throughout the world had once again declined, making it a scarce resource. Logically, the world wouldn't allow such a thing to happen, but with billions of branches, there were endless possibilities.
These futures may not necessarily become reality, but it's undeniable that amidst the infinite possibilities, unexpected and coincidental encounters are indeed possible. Therefore, only one in ten thousand, or even one in a hundred thousand, can truly cultivate immortality. Survival in Sishui City is far from easy. They must contend with the encroachment of demonic beasts, which constantly seek trouble day and night, and to survive, they must leave Sishui City and hunt them.
You know, even if one practices martial arts, hunting monsters is extremely difficult. Almost every expedition is accompanied by a large number of deaths. This is why Sishui City, despite centuries of development, still has a population of only tens of millions. To survive, the number of people who die accounts for as much as one or two tenths of the total population. This is a terrifying number—one or two out of every ten people will die while hunting monsters.
Yet, even so, the hunting team remained one of the most passionate. Perhaps due to their upbringing, every young man in Sishui City longed for the test of blood and fire. It was a unique rite of passage, and they possessed a far greater fervor than those who settled comfortably in the dojo. Thus, Sishui City survived, surviving through constant battle.
Lin Yang had wanted to join the hunting team from the start. It wasn't that he wasn't qualified, but rather that he displayed a natural talent for talismans. Using the same materials, his talismans possessed a certain extra charm, lasting a day or two longer. He was a genius, not only in talismans but also in cultivation. To describe him as a man who traveled a thousand miles a day wouldn't be an exaggeration. Someone like him wouldn't be allowed to act recklessly until he had fully matured.
Of course, tempering without blood is just empty talk. As long as Wang Yang passes the city elders' trials, he'll be able to complete his belated coming-of-age ceremony. There aren't many people like him, but there are some. This is similar to the function of a dojo. If these exceptionally talented young men can return, they'll become Sishui City's true force in the fight against the demonic beasts.
In Sishui City, the enormous demonic beasts are dangerous, but the truly dangerous creatures are those half-human, half-beast beings. These beings are the true overlords of the Sishui region. They possess extraordinary intelligence while retaining the brutality of their original demonic beasts—a kind of demon that resembles a transformed demon, yet is completely different.
In an environment where gigantism and strength are universally valued, beings of exceptional intelligence emerge. Most are born with defects, and such beings generally cannot survive. However, those who survive are undoubtedly more cunning and cruel than ordinary monsters. Combined with their intelligence, such beings pose a true threat to humanity, much like the wolf pack's military advisor, the Bei.
Because of these creatures, Sishui City periodically faces a wave of beasts. Led by these great demons, the beasts charge the city. Sishui City has faced these attacks four times, each one a near-death experience, each one teetering on the brink of destruction. The city elders have even slain one of these great demons, paying a horrific price. That was the closest Sishui City came to destruction.
But every disadvantage has its advantages. It was this incident where the Sishui City Lord perished alongside the great demon that instantly ignited a surge of resistance. Everyone felt as if they had witnessed a spiritual faith. That battle was both brutal and tragic. Since then, Sishui has been without a city lord.
There have been countless such desperate counterattacks, and each time, someone stood up. Of course, each time, there was death. Death is not a fear for those here, but rather a form of honor. Dying in battle is commendable, and we pay tribute to the heroic souls who have fallen. This is how inheritance is practiced: shaping the spirit.
This was the Saint's destination, and it would be the first flame he would ignite. However, no one in Sishui City knew about it.
Lin Yang looked at the unwilling monster without paying much attention. He stretched out his body, and after a few somersaults, he landed on the city wall. The others praised him. He could be considered a celebrity in Sishui City. After thanking everyone, he would walk a little further along the city wall. The seal characters on the wall were nested together to form a formation that could cover the entire city. However, there was a disadvantage: if a single seal character was misplaced, the entire area would be affected. Therefore, it needed to be checked. Sometimes, a small error would allow the formation to function normally, but this single error would become a weak point.
There were basically no problems. After all, I'd have to draw at least a thousand seal characters, and I could do it with my eyes closed, without making a single mistake. It was all just practice that made perfect.
Lin Yang checked everything and left. But before leaving, he suddenly glanced outside the city. Standing atop a wall several dozen feet high, one could actually see quite far. And in the distance, a human figure seemed to be approaching. That figure leisurely strolled among the monsters. Lin Yang rubbed his eyes, then took a closer look. He was not mistaken. This unusual scene instantly tensed his spirit and muscles. In the outside world, any abnormality could bring about a devastating catastrophe. Even more disturbing was that the monsters didn't dare approach the figure. Worse still, they lowered their proud heads, as if the person approaching wasn't a human, but their king.
The person next to Lin Yang looked at him and sweated profusely, asking worriedly, "Are you okay?" However, Lin Yang shouted directly, "Ring the Wanling Bell!!"