The divine flying ship, after being repaired by an elder of the Xuán Jī Gate, reached a new level of efficiency. A journey that would have taken two months was compressed to just half a month.
Xu Yi stood at the bow, her spirits lifting as the outline of Ping An City gradually appeared. They had finally arrived.
"Everyone, we have reached Ping An City."
Her voice, amplified by spiritual energy, carried to every corner of the divine flying ship.
Doors opened one after another, and soon the deck was filled with people.
"Venerable Hong Jing, Ping An City is just ahead. Can you finally tell us where the secret realm is located?" Xiong Zhuang Zhuang's voice boomed, his tiger-like eyes filled with eager anticipation. The others also looked at Hong Jing expectantly.
"There's no rush," Hong Jing replied calmly. "Everyone, let's enter the city today and rest for a few days. When the time is right, I will naturally tell you all."
"So mysterious." Bai Shan muttered under her breath. Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, she nudged Yu Xiaoyu aside from Xu Yi and said with a smile, "Sister Xu, when we get to Ping An City, let's go shopping together. If there's anything you like, I can give it to you!"
Yu Xiaoyu, pushed to the side, looked bewildered. Lu Zaiye and Bei Xinghan both cast meaningful glances at Xu Yi, awaiting her response.
"Ah, haha, alright," Xu Yi smiled brightly, not refusing Bai Shan's overture.
Lu Zaiye and Bei Xinghan's expressions immediately darkened. Then they heard Xu Yi continue, "But you don't need to buy me anything. Let's all go explore Ping An City together. It will be more lively."
Their faces brightened instantly, while Bai Shan's little face drooped.
"But I wanted... to go with you." Bai Shan's voice was low, her gaze towards Xu Yi filled with a hint of grievance.
"It would be too boring if it were just the two of us. Let's all go together, and then we can have a meal together. We've known each other for so long, and we haven't sat down to have a good chat. We shouldn't miss such a good opportunity." Xu Yi felt that Bai Shan was too solitary and that this was not conducive to integrating into the group. She decided to encourage Bai Shan to actively participate in group activities, raising her voice slightly on the last sentence.
Xu Yi's words were met with unanimous agreement. Xiong Zhuang Zhuang and Yu Xiaoyu nodded happily, while Bai Shan, seeing this, could only pout and abandon her original plan.
As they approached the gates of Ping An City, Xu Yi and the others disembarked from the divine flying ship.
"The calligraphy for 'Ping An City' is quite good." Standing beneath the city gate, Xu Yi looked up at the grand "Ping An City" characters, feeling a wave of righteous energy wash over her.
"These characters were left by Patriarch Yi Cheng of the Myriad Buddha Sect," Hong Jing said respectfully, offering a Buddhist salute to the city gate. Xiao Qi, hearing this, quickly followed suit.
"Patriarch Yi Cheng? Is that the same patriarch who left the secret realm?" Xu Yi pondered for a moment, recalling the information about Patriarch Yi Cheng.
"Indeed," Hong Jing replied with a solemn expression. "Ping An City, due to its proximity to Zhu Zhou, once became a den of demons. Patriarch Yi Cheng alone suppressed all the demons in the city. He then named it Ping An and left his calligraphy to protect the city. When you see the characters 'Ping An City,' you will only perceive their righteous aura. If there were demons, they would be harmed by the hidden Buddhist intent within these characters."
The group now understood the profound connection between Ping An City and the Myriad Buddha Sect.
"Then let's go in and see the current state of Ping An City, and whether it truly lives up to its name," Xu Yi suggested.
"Good."
Everyone agreed, and the group of ten majestically entered Ping An City.
Ping An City, situated in the northern part of Shi Zhou, rarely saw unfamiliar cultivators. Furthermore, Xu Yi and her companions exuded an extraordinary aura, their presence unfathomable, immediately drawing curious glances from many. The group had grown accustomed to such attention during the grand competition and were now at ease, carrying themselves with grace and dignity. This only solidified the citizens' belief that this group was of great importance.
They wondered what could attract these individuals to Ping An City. Could it be that a treasure they were unaware of had appeared? Their assumption wasn't unfounded. Decades ago, a remote area outside Ping An City experienced a sudden ground collapse. Curious individuals went to investigate and discovered dozens of broken spiritual artifacts buried deep underground. Although most of these artifacts had lost their spiritual essence, their materials could still be extracted, and the discoverer had sold them for a substantial sum of spirit stones. When the news spread, the people of Ping An City lamented their missed opportunity. Xu Yi's arrival brought back those painful memories for those who had experienced it, and they now looked at the newcomers with a mix of vigilance and assessment. The treasures near Ping An City should belong to them, and they would not allow these outsiders to reap the rewards.
Unaware of the locals' thoughts, Xu Yi and her group walked through Ping An City, their interest quickly waning. Compared to the cities they had passed through before, Ping An City was much quieter and lacked any distinctive features, thus failing to capture their attention.
"Let's find a place to eat," Xiong Zhuang Zhuang suggested, spotting a restaurant ahead.
The others had no objections, and within a few steps, they reached the restaurant. However, before they could enter, they encountered two people they would rather not have met at the entrance.
"Heh, you again." Shangguan Yuquan stood on the steps, looking down at them and issuing a dismissive snort with his chin slightly raised. The group's hearts tightened. Hong Jing's guess was correct; these two were indeed heading towards Ping An City, but their objective, whether it was the secret realm, remained unknown.
Xu Yi and the others remained silent, simply gazing at him coldly. Outmatched, they couldn't discipline Shangguan Yuquan even if they wished to, so they could only endure. Wanyan Xue frowned slightly upon seeing them, her gaze settling on Hong Jing as if she understood something.
"Get out of the way!" Shangguan Yuquan, assuming he had intimidated them by their silence, coldly uttered the two words.
"You..."
"Xiong Zhuang Zhuang!"
Xiong Zhuang Zhuang clenched his fist, about to retort, when Xu Yi sharply stopped him. Xiong Zhuang Zhuang saw Xu Yi shake her head disapprovingly and take two steps back. The others also silently retreated with Xu Yi. Xiong Zhuang Zhuang's expression shifted, but he ultimately gritted his teeth and followed suit. Shangguan Yuquan, observing their interaction, paused for a moment on Xu Yi before carelessly moving past the group, walking with composure. Wanyan Xue stopped in front of them, her clear voice ringing out.
"Are you going to the Myriad Buddha Sect's secret realm?"
The group tensed, looking at her warily.
"I advise you to turn back. The Myriad Buddha Sect's secret realm is not a place for you to go." Wanyan Xue spoke without any inflection, but the group did not feel any comfort from her words. Wanyan Xue's expression further indicated her disdain for them. Her intentions were similar to Shangguan Yuquan's, only more subtle.