Two days had passed since the battle. Huo Chen sat cross-legged in a shallow cave, eyes closed in meditation.

  The entrance was concealed behind thick vines, and the interior was dry enough to serve as shelter. His wounds had healed significantly.

  The cuts on his shoulder and side had closed, leaving pale pink lines. The burns on his arms had faded to rough patches of skin and his ribs no longer ached with each breath.

  He opened his eyes and reached for his storage bag. The second half of the Blood Flame Purifying Fruit sat wrapped in cloth, its crimson glow dimmed but still pulsing faintly. He unwrapped it and bit into the fruit. The taste was bitter and sweet at once.

  The moment he swallowed, warmth spread through his body. Spiritual energy flooded his meridians, circulating through his dantian and pushing deeper into his foundation.

  For the next several hours, his body expelled more impurities. Black sludge seeped from his pores, though less than the first time. His Qi became denser and more refined, making his sixth-layer foundation feel significantly more stable.

  By the time he finished, his body felt lighter and stronger than it had ever been before.

  "The Blood Flame Purifying fruit is really marvellous. My foundation is more stable now. Breaking through to the seventh layer will be smoother when the time comes."

  He stood and stretched, testing his body. Everything moved smoothly. The pain was manageable.

  His mind turned to his next steps. "My purpose for coming to the outer demon forest has been fulfilled. I've gained sufficient combat experience and resources, its time to leave."

  He looked toward the cave entrance where afternoon sunlight filtered through the vines.

  Qingfeng City. That was the next destination.The main city of the Azure river Sect. If he wanted to continue growing stronger and gain access to better resources, that was where he needed to go.

  Huo Chen gathered his belongings, checked his storage bag one last time, and left the cave.

  The journey out of the Outer Demon Forest took half a day. The massive trees gradually thinned as he traveled, the oppressive demonic Qi fading with each li he covered. The outer regions were quieter than the depths. Beasts sensed him but he avoided them.

  By late afternoon, the tree line broke and open plains stretched before him. The transition felt stark.

  Behind him, the dark canopy and wild spiritual energy of the forest. Ahead, cultivated fields and distant villages under clear sky.

  Huo Chen kept walking. Two days later, Qingfeng City appeared in the distance. At first, it was just a shape on the horizon. As Huo Chen drew closer, the details gradually emerged. Massive walls rose against the sky—thirty meters high, constructed from pale gray stone.

  The closer he got, the more he could see. Intricate formation patterns carved into the surface, glowing faintly with blue luminescence. A main gate wide enough for several carriages to pass through at once.

  Even from a hundred paces away, Huo Chen felt it. A subtle pressure in the air, like an invisible barrier pressing against his spiritual sense. The city's protective formation. He couldn't understand its structure or how it worked—his knowledge of formations was too shallow—but he could sense its presence.

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  As he drew closer, the spiritual energy in the air changed. Denser. Richer than the open plains, richer even than parts of the Outer Demon Forest. It saturated the air, flowing from somewhere beneath the city itself.

  "A Grade 3 spirit vein," Huo Chen realized, breathing deeper. "That's why Qingfeng City is so prosperous."

  The main gate came into view. Cultivators moved in and out in a steady stream. Merchants with carts. Independent cultivators with weapons and storage bags. Groups in matching robes bearing various sect insignias. Everyone here radiated spiritual pressure.

  Qi Refining cultivators at minimum, with occasional Foundation Establishment experts moving through the crowd .

  "A true cultivation city." Huo Chen joined the line at the gate.

  Two guards in dark blue robes stood at the entrance, both at least sixth-layer Qi Refining. Their eyes scanned each arrival with practiced efficiency. The line moved quickly.

  Most paid and walked through without issue. When Huo Chen reached the front, one of the guards looked him over briefly.

  "Ten low-grade spirit stones for entry," the guard said flatly. Huo Chen pulled out ten stones from his storage bag and handed them over. The guard counted them, nodded, and stepped aside.

  "Welcome to Qingfeng City. No fighting within city limits."

  Huo Chen nodded and walked through the gate. The moment he stepped inside, the difference was immediate. The main street stretched wide before him, paved with smooth gray stone. Buildings rose on both sides—some two stories, some three, built from wood and stone with tiled roofs.

  Shops lined the streets, their signs advertising spirit herbs, pills, talismans, weapons, and more. Cultivators filled the roads everywhere. Qi Refining cultivators haggling with merchants. Groups gathered outside establishments, discussing deals or sharing information.

  The spiritual energy here was even denser than outside the walls. It pulsed through every corner, feeding into the city from the spirit vein beneath.

  Huo Chen could feel it in every breath—clean, refined Qi that made his meridians hum. "This is what a real cultivation world feels like."

  He walked deeper into the city, taking in the sights. Weapon shops displayed swords and spears behind protective glass. Pill pavilions released faint medicinal scents into the street.

  A large three-story building had a sign reading "Myriad Treasures Pavilion" with cultivators constantly entering and leaving through its ornate entrance. Everywhere he looked, there was activity.

  "I need a place to stay first. Then I can explore properly."

  After walking for a while, Huo Chen turned down a quieter side street. A few blocks in, a three-story building caught his attention. The sign above the entrance read "Flowing Cloud Inn."

  It looked clean and well-maintained. Cultivators entered and exited casually—a good sign. Huo Chen pushed open the door. The interior was simple but well-kept. Wooden tables filled the ground floor where a few guests sat eating or drinking quietly. A staircase led to the upper floors.

  Behind a counter near the entrance stood a middle-aged man with fifth-layer cultivation. "Looking for a room?" the man asked as Huo Chen approached. "Yes. How much per night?"

  "Fifteen low-grade spirit stones. Includes access to the cultivation chamber on the second floor and one meal."

  Huo Chen pulled fifteen stones from his storage bag and placed them on the counter. The innkeeper counted them, nodded, and retrieved a key from beneath the desk. "Third floor, room seven. Quiet and faces east. Good morning light."

  "Thanks." Huo Chen took the key and headed upstairs. The second floor had a shared cultivation room—formations carved into the floor to enhance Qi absorption. The third floor was individual rooms, each door marked with a number. He found room seven and unlocked it.

  The room was small but clean. A bed against one wall, a wooden table and chair near the window, and a washbasin in the corner. The window overlooked the street below where cultivators moved past in the late afternoon light.

  Huo Chen set his storage bag on the table and walked to the basin. He filled it with water from a pitcher and washed his face and hands. The cool water felt refreshing. He changed into a clean robe from his storage bag, then sat on the bed and looked out the window.

  The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the street. Spiritual energy hummed constantly in the air, abundant and clean.

  Tomorrow, he'd explore properly. Sell his materials, gather information and figure out his next steps.

  But for now, he was here – finally at peace. He closed his eyes, collapsed onto the bed, and doozed off.