Falling Boulder City took it's name from where it was located. The entire city was built at the side of a mountain that had an incline that was almost completely straight, shooting up towards the clouds. Because of this, on days where there were particularly strong winds, boulders would fall from the mountain.
Because of this, while it was called Falling Boulder City, it barely had enough inhabitants to be considered a town. Every building was made out of stone and was round in shape, not a single decoration or carving present on the houses.
There was a large array covering the ground inside and around the city. Whenever a boulder fell from the mountain, the array would activate and push the boulder away from the city. But the array could not last forever, it would stop working sooner or later, exposing the city to the falling boulders.
Unlike normal days, where there would barely be any visitors to the city, the city was currently filled with travelers. The city was too small to accommodate everyone, so a circle of wagons and camps had formed outside the city.
There was a spot outside the city where space was shimmering and twisting, indicating that there was something there. This was the hidden realm that everyone had come here for. The shimmering and twisting space was a sign that the hidden realm was close to opening.
"Brother Jun, Sister Luo! You cannot spend every day waiting inside that room. The people from the four clans are going to get some drinks together, so this is a good chance to let you see the people from the other clans."
Yao Shui knocked on the door of the room where Yao Jun and Guo Luo were resting, calling out in a loud voice. Since they had arrived rather early, and coupled with the fact that they were from one of the four clans, the group had managed to secure a few rooms in the city where they could rest.
After waiting for a short moment, the sound of footsteps came from within the room. Yao Jun and Guo Luo opened the door to the room and stepped out. They were not clad in their emerald green clothes, but a more common type of brown robes that could be bought in the city.
"That does sound like a good idea. Lead the way Brother Shui."
Yao Jun had a faint smile on his face as he spoke. They had arrived in Falling Boulder City a little over a week ago. So since it was only between one to two weeks left until the hidden realm opened, Yao Jun wanted to spend the remaining time in quiet cultivation, waiting for the day they figured out if there was a restriction on entering the hidden realm.
But it was never a bad idea to make some connections and learning about potential enemies. So when Yao Jun heard Yao Shui say that he was going to meet with the people from the other clans, how could he possibly say no?
Seeing Yao Jun finally leaving his room and agreeing to one of his suggestions, Yao Shui's lips curled into a faint smile. He lead Yao Jun and Guo Luo away from the inn and towards a small restaurant at the center of the city.
The restaurant was only one floor tall, but it was much longer and wider than any of the other buildings in the city, it was also the only house in the city that had any decorations. A few golden lanterns hung down from the roof of the building, various ingredients and types of food carved into the wall of the building.
Upon entering the restaurant, the waitress a young female clad in a golden uniform, immediately brought them into a large open hall. This hall was the reason that the restaurant was so long and wide. While it was called a hall, it was more appropriate to call it an open plain.
The floor was covered in earth, grass, trees, and other various plants had been planted around the entire area. White pavilions were placed all around this plain, a myriad of people seated in each pavilion.
Thanks to a small array in the ceiling, there was even a fake sun and sky present above them. This restaurant had been built not longer after the city was first founded, when people thought that it would grow into a massive city housing millions of inhabitants.
The young waitress brought the three of them to to a pavilion located not far from the entrance of the hall. Yao Yazhu and the others that Yao Jun had traveled with were already seated in the pavilion, chatting with several other people.
There were three other groups of people. One of the groups was lead by a female youth with dark golden hair and a bewitching figure, she had green eyes that carried a faint arrogance. This group was clad in golden robes carrying the mark of the Peng clan, a massive golden Peng.
The second group was lead by a burly male youth, his brown hair was short and spiky. His entire body was brimming with scars, muscles, and power. He had deep black eyes that seemed to constantly survey the area, a vigilant look in his eyes. This group was clad in the deep red robes of the Wei clan, their clothing carrying the mark of their guardian beast, a Blood Dragon.
The last group was lead by a male youth who was so pretty and delicate that if Yao Jun hadn't seen his adam's apple, he would have believed him to be female. The youth had long green hair and clean white skin. His deep blue eyes seemed to contain a faint smile, and he had a pleasant atmosphere around him. The people in his group were clad in the blue robes of the Zhuang clan, their clothing carrying the mark of their guardian beast, a massive Leviathan.
"Forgive me for being late, I had to stop and pick up Brother Jun and his wife first."
Yao Shui spoke with a smile, sitting down next to group of people from the Yao clan and grabbing a cup filled with wine. Yao Jun and Guo Luo were given two chairs by a different waiter, the two of them sitting down at a spot in the pavilion that was not too close to any of the four clans.
"So this is Brother Jun and Sister Luo. I am Peng Qing, Brother Shui has praised you quite a bit, so I am glad to finally get a chance to see you."
The bewitching female from the Peng clan sent a smile at Yao Jun and Guo Luo, introducing herself. She did not miss what Yao Jun indicated by sitting down where he sat, he was indicating that he was not too close to any of the four clans, meaning that he was free for anyone to make a move on.
"He is probably just bragging needlessly."
Yao Jun and Guo Luo both shook their heads. They had chosen where to sit carefully, as they could not look too distant, nor too close, to any of the four clans. Their current seating position implied that they were not too close with any of the four clans, meaning that they could become friends with any of the clans.
"I am Wei Li. Should there ever be a chance, I would like to request a sparring match."
The burly youth from the Wei clan looked Yao Jun and Guo Luo up and down before speaking out. He could sense danger from both of them, so it was clear that they possessed great strength. People from the Wei clan were notorious for being people obsessed with battles, so they quite enjoyed meeting people like Yao Jun and Guo Luo, strong people who could fight them.
"I am Zhuang Xinyue, I look forward to entering the hidden realm alongside you."
The last person to introduce themselves was the pretty male youth from the Zhuang clan. People from the Zhuang clan were renowned for being carefree and relaxed, making friends wherever they went.
"The four clans are all entering together?"
Yao Jun slightly raised his eyebrow when he heard the words of Zhuang Xinyue. From what he said, it sounded like these four groups were planning on entering the hidden realm together. He couldn't help but ask, as he thought that the four clans were competing with each other, so what was the point of entering together?
"Not all groups from the four clans are entering together, but it is safer for people who are weak like us to enter together. As long as we equally share whatever we find, our lives should not be in any danger."
Yao Shui responded with a laugh. The people in these four groups had nearly no position within their respective clans, so while they had access to more resources than wandering cultivators, the amount of resources they got could not even get close to some other people within their clan.
For people like them, it was much better to team up whenever they ventured anywhere dangerous. Of course, Yao Jun was certain that the talk about equally sharing everything that they found was completely false. Once they found something even remotely valuable, it was likely that the entire party would collapse and everyone would become enemies.
"So you are not from any clan or sect?"
Peng Qing moved closer to Yao Jun and Guo Luo, her charming eyes drilling into them as she asked with a faint smile. The two were not from any sect or clan, but they had the same cultivation level as the strongest people in their groups? How could she not be interested in recruiting people like this?
"No, we are just a wandering couple who heard of the news and came to join in on the fun."
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"Then I assume that you don't know anything about who will be entering? Then allow me to make the introductions."
Upon hearing Yao Jun's response, Peng Qing's face lit up with a smile. Hearing Yao Shui tell them that they were not from any clan or sect was one thing, but actually having them confirm it was obviously much better.
"Let's start with the people that you should avoid entirely. There are a total of five such people that have arrived so far. Whatever you do, it is simply best to avoid these five people completely, especially for someone like you who has no backing."
Peng Qing decided that it was best to give them a good impression early on, so she decided to explain a bit about the most dangerous people who were planning on entering the hidden realm.
"The first person is that man over there, Yao Duan He. He is the person who is most likely to become the next patriarch of the Yao clan. His cultivation has already reached the late stage of the 6th Houtian sky, only a single step away from the 7th Xiantian Heaven."
Peng Qing pointed towards a pavilion located a short distance away from them, at the center of the area. Inside the pavilion were a group of people clad in the robes of the Yao clan, a person who looked like a male youth seated in the middle of them.
The male youth had long black hair that he had tied up into a bun. He had chiseled features and clear eyes, his skin clean and unblemished. He looked more like a mortal scholar than he did a cultivator. But Yao Jun could sense a terrifying pressure radiate from this man, telling him that he was not someone to be underestimated.
"He is a true Yao clan descendant, so he has inherited the blood of their guardian beast, the Mountain Eater. Thanks to that blood and his own power, his control over the stone and earth element is nearly unmatched. These dangerous people might look young, but don't let that deceive you, the youngest amongst them is already 40 years old."
Cultivators could never be judged by their looks, as cultivating would allow one to enjoy a longer lifespan. A person who looked like a youth could easily end up being several hundred years old.
The guardian of the Yao clan was a Mountain Eater, a rock type Demonic beast that could eat mountains like snacks once it reached maturity. The progenitor of the Yao clan had married one such Mountain Eater, allowing his descendants to carry it's blood.
"The second person is that vixen over there, Zhuang Shao Ju. She has the same status and cultivation as Yao Duan He. She is another true descendant, meaning that she carries the blood of the Leviathan in her. Thanks to that blood, she can control the surrounding water and moisture to great effect."
The next pavilion that Peng Qing pointed at contained a group of people clad in the robes of the Zhuang clan. The vixen in question was a beautiful female with long blue hair and enchanting red eyes. Her robes were tighter than normal robes, showing off her figure.
"Her own power is slightly weaker, but much more devilish. She can control the blood inside her own body to attack others. The drawback is that this drains her own blood and weakens her. But she has learned a technique to combat this drawback, she can directly drain the blood of other people to supplement her own."
Peng Qing could not help but shiver slightly upon mentioning Zhuang Shao Ju's power. She had completely erased the drawback of her power, using the blood of other people to supplement her own. Rumors had it that her eyes used to be a deep green, but turned red after she started draining the blood of others.
"That brute over there is Wei Zhong Jun. Another person who has the same status and cultivation as Yao Duan He. Of the five people to avoid, he can be considered the most harmless one. He is the same as this brute right here, honest to a fault and a complete battle maniac. He is also a true descendant, meaning that he carries the blood of the Blood Dragon, allowing him to control blood in an area around him."
Peng Qing pointed at another pavilion, this one containing people clad in the robes of the Wei clan. Wei Zhong Jun himself had deep crimson hair that reached down to his shoulders. He was burly and rugged, exposing his muscular chest. His body was covered in large and small scars, showing how many battles he had fought. His deep green eyes were vigilantly scanning the area around the pavilion.
"If he is facing someone much weaker than him, he can simply extract their blood directly from their bodies. His own power is actually much simpler, it is a straight power boost. For a short moment, all of his power will grow much stronger. That includes his strength, speed, reactions, everything. Honest to a fault, but terrifyingly strong."
His power could be considered both good and bad. It was bad because on it's own, it did practically nothing. But it was also good because of how strong Wei Zhong Jun already was. Activating his power practically turned him into a humanoid Demonic beast.
"The fourth person is Qiao Xian Yi, the person who is next in line to become the Peng clan matriarch, same cultivation as Yao Duan He. I know what you are thinking, and she is indeed not someone from the Peng clan. She was found and adopted by the previous Peng clan leader. Thanks to her outstanding strength and social ability, she has managed to become next in line for the title of Peng clan leader."
Peng Qing proceeded to point at a pavilion containing the people belonging to the Peng clan. Her voice contained a mixture of disdain and envy when she spoke about Qiao Xian Yi. Qiao Xian Yi was not someone from the Peng clan, but managed to climb all the way up to becoming next in line for clan leader, how could she not be envious?
Qiao Xian Yi had short hair, only hanging down to a little below her ears, that was a deep orange in color. Her face seemed to hold a perpetual faint smile, and she had black eyes that radiated a feeling of kindness.
"She does not have the blood of the Peng flowing in her, but her power is still incredibly terrifying. Her power allows her to not only control the minds of people weaker than her, forcing them to serve her, but she can even raise dead people and have them act as her puppets. Never assume that she is alone, for she always carries several dead servants in her interspatial ring."
Amongst the people of the Peng clan as well as the higher ups amongst the other clans, Qiao Xian Yi's power was well known. If she was given enough time, she could easily create an un-dead army, or even place spies all over the continent. She looked kind and harmless, but she was a person who could be a truly terrifying foe.
"The last person to watch out for is that beast over there, Gao Zhou Wuhan. The person who was most likely to become the next leader for the Demon Race was recently banished by the Devouring Empress Gao Bi, allowing Wuhan to quickly rise in power."
The last pavilion Peng Qing pointed at contained a group of people that were clad in the skins of Demonic beasts. Some of the people had scales, tails, additional limbs, or other marks that showed that they belonged to the Demon Race. Of course, besides Yao Jun and Guo Luo, there was probably no one in this pavilion who knew that the banished person was actually Wan Yi.
The person Peng Qing pointed at looked like a completely normal human youth. He had clean and unblemished skin, his long black hair was made up into a pony tail. But he had golden eyes that seemed to contain a fiery light. His eyes swept the surroundings, a disdainful light visible inside his eyes.
"As the son of Gao Bi and Feng Huan, he has inherited both their Soul Beasts, the Taotie and the Golden Crow. He is powerful and ruthless, willing to do almost anything to rise in power. I have heard that he can use his Taotie to devour other people's Soul Beasts, taking them for himself, because of this, he often hunts for people banished by the Demon Race."
Gao Bi and Feng Huan were the current leaders of the Demon Race, so with Gao Zhou Wuhan being the son of the two of them, his position within the Demon Race could be imagined. Yao Jun could not even imagine what Wan Yi had to do to surpass Gao Zhou Wuhan's standing in the Demon Race.
"The Demon Race can also enter this hidden realm? They aren't worried about the others ganging up on them and killing them?"
Yao Jun pretended like he did not know anything about the relationship between the clans and the Demon Race. After all, it was mostly only people from the large clans who knew that the Human Race was not actually at war with the Demon Race.
"The relationship between the Demon Race and our Human Race isn't that bad. Most commoners only think that because we have entered an agreement with the Demon Race. Their commoners believe that the entire Demon Race is at war with the Human Race, while our commoners believe the same."
Peng Qing responded with a slight smile. She was not surprised that Yao Jun did not know about the actual relationship that they had with the Demon Race, as it was not something they could ever tell the common people.
"Like this, the people from both sides will occasionally start a small skirmish. The two groups can then use this small skirmish to allow their younger generations to learn what a true battle is. Some lives are always lost in the process, but that is the price we must pay for strength."
To cultivators, commoners were the same as ants. So what if countless commoners of the Demon Race and the Human Race died? They could easily be replaced within a few years. But strong cultivators required many years and countless battles, so both races were more than happy with keeping the fake war going.
"I see, that makes sense."
Yao Jun nodded with an understanding expression on his face, but he was cold as ice on the inside. His parents had spent a large part of their lives fighting on the front lines in this fake war. Wan Yi had already told him that the war was fake, but he still held a faint hope that she had lied to him, that his parents hadn't wasted so much of their lives fighting in a fake war.
Now that he got confirmation that what Wan Yi had told him was true, how could he not be angry? He continued to drink with them for a bit longer, engaging in small talk and discussions about what could be inside the hidden realm. After a few more hours, he excused himself and he and Guo Luo returned to their room, returning to their silent cultivation.