Chapter 168 Leaving The Imperial Capital
Leaving the Imperial Capital
Xue Bai, of course, had activated his physique to disappear.
Right now, more than anything, he needed to find something to heal up his shriveled Martial Veins so he could continue cultivating. Staying in this Imperial Harem Palace while twiddling his fingers would do nothing to help that.
Thankfully with his new physique, Xue Bai was confident he would be able to go in and out of the city as he pleased. Otherwise, Xue Bai would most definitely be stopped and apprehended by the Imperial Guards.
So with his physique's abilities coupled with the map he scammed out of Feng Fei, Xue Bai planned to go out and heal his horrible condition before coming back and participating in the entrance exam.
The only thing he was worried about was his blood essence.
Blood essence was something far harder to heal than his shriveled-up Marital Veins.
There were definitely natural treasures that could restore lost blood essence. However, those would only heal a few drops of blood essence at most. Xue Bai had more than 70% of his blood essence missing.
Giving him a few drops would be like trying to fill up a dried-out ocean with a bucket.
He needed more than a few drops. However, no matter how extensive or thorough his memories were, they were only memories at the end of the day.
Xue Bai couldn't phase things into existence. The fortuitous encounter had to have previously existed for him to go and take it.
And the Northern Continent had nowhere near the number of natural treasures Xue Bai needed to be able to heal his condition. Perhaps only the Central Continent did, but that place was not only too far but too large. So even if Xue Bai were on that continent, he would die long before he healed himself fully.
So until he figured out something to fix that problem, Xue Bai would have to stay weakened.
Thankfully now with the Dao of Space, Xue Bai didn't need to fight physically anymore and could sit back with his bow while he manifested arrows using the Dao of Space and could use his physique to escape any fights he couldn't win.
It was a scummy way to fight, but it was his only way.
Right now, Xue Bai barely had enough physical strength even to hold up his own body. So how could he still sword fight? It was a death wish.
Even if he had Spiritual Qi to reinforce his body, it still couldn't help him.
Spiritual Qi was a way to amplify strength. So if someone's strength was 100, when they reinforced their body with Spiritual Qi, it could amplify their strength by 5 times, making their new strength 500.
However, Xue Bai's strength right now is at most 30. Amplifying it by 5 times would only make it 150, not even double the strength of the other cultivator. Fighting someone with 500 strength head-on would be stupidity.
Using the map as a guide, Xue Bai, after two good-timed breaks, managed to float through the Imperial Palace without alerting anyone and reach the outside city.
While he did this, Xue Bai also realized that while he moved through walls with ease, he could also ignore any detection array.
The Void Traversal Physique was a thief's wet dream. He could enter any building undetected, enter any safe room with ease, and take anything he wished, before leaving still undetected.
Xue Bai also tried exploring the Imperial Palace out of curiosity, but he got very disappointed very quickly.
The entire palace was completely desolate, with only a few maids and eunuchs around keeping it clean and safe.
Their cultivations varied, but for the most part, they were still in the five physical realms, with only a few eunuchs in the Qi Sea realm, but the ones that were also looked arrogant and haughty, raising their noses up to the skies and looking down on all of the workers.
It was as if everyone in the world owed them money. So, most likely, it was what Feng Fei was speaking of, and the eunuchs also were traitors.
It was only when Xue Bai exited the palace that he found a true powerhouse. Outside, guarding the Imperial Palace were four squads of Imperial Guards, each protecting a polar direction of the palace, making sure that not even a fly went in, or rather, came out.
The squads "protecting" the Imperial Palace each had ten people, with nine of them being in the Law Engraving realm and the squad leader being in the Law Manifestation realm.
Through this, Xue Bai also realized that he could even see through the cultivation of a man at the 2nd stage of the Law Manifestation realm. And while he was undoubtedly confused about why he got this ability since it was only convenient, Xue Bai just shrugged it off.
Exiting the direct vicinity of the Imperial Palace, Xue Bai quickly left the void and found a clothing shop. And after some bargaining, he managed to exchange a high yellow-grade Vajra Protection Talisman for 500 spirit stones before buying a full-body cloak and a bamboo hat.
Not only were all of Xue Bai's cultivation resources destroyed in the void but alongside them, his wealth. So the over 10,000 spirit stones that he once possessed were gone. Meaning that the once second-generation rich Young Master was brought down to earth, forcing him to haggle for a measly 500.
Thankfully the talismans he owned were at the top of their grade, so he was able to sell them for the maximum price of their grade.
Putting on the cloak and bamboo hat, Xue Bai walked out of the store and grabbed a citizen nearby before asking for directions to a store that sold or rented out mounts for use. The citizen was kind and showed Xue Bai where the nearest one was, so after giving the man two spirit stones for the information, Xue Bai made his way to the store.
"Marital God Pavilion, huh?" Xue Bai couldn't help but giggle after hearing the arrogant name that the store was called.
Though the Northern Continent was the strongest of all the polar continents, it still hadn't birthed an ascender yet in this calendar year. So how dare this random store call itself a Marital God?
However, since it had nothing to do with him, Xue Bai shook his head in amusement and walked in calmly.
Looking around the many kiosks that were open for help, Xue Bai couldn't help but remember his mother's Herb Mountain Pavilion.
Quickly shaking the nostalgic thoughts out of his mind, Xue Bai found an empty kiosk and sat down. And very quickly, a receptionist came along to help him.
"Welcome, guest!" A young woman with heavy makeup spoke politely, "Do you know what you would like to order, or do you want me to explain our wares to you?"
"No need. I only need two things. I'd like a jade slip with the most recent events in the Gen Empire and a Wind Chasing Horse." Xue Bai answered back. He didn't want to waste time. Though a week was a decent amount of time, he wanted to grab as many resources as he could in that time.
While a 16-year-old peak stage Bone Strengthening realm genius was still extremely rare, Xue Bai wasn't comparing himself to the bumkins in this province.
He had wasted more than two years of important cultivation time, and by now, Zhu Que was most likely catching up while Huo Long furthered his lead.
Thankfully the Mountain Province was a rather rich area in the entire Northern Continent, so as long as Xue Bai had enough time, he was sure that he could catch up.
"Guest, would you like to rent or buy a Wind Chasing Horse? If you want to buy, it will cost you 100 spirit stones, but if you'd like to rent, it will only cost you 25 for every week. And also, if this guest wants a better deal, you could buy a Wind Chasing Horse King in the Law Engraving realm, which will only cost you 250 spirit stones." The receptionist advertised.
"No need, just let me rent a normal Qi Sea realm Wind Chasing Horse for a week." Xue Bai directly refused. He didn't have the wealth to take care of the Law Engraving realm demonic beast with no combat ability. That thing was the definition of a liability.
"One final question, guest, how long would you like for the information to go back? The monthly news will cost you 50 spirit stones, and for every month the information goes back, we will charge an extra 10." The receptionist kindly asked.
"7 months." Xue Bai answered after a moment of thought.
Since he had been in the Northern Continent for six months, seven months would be able to get all the information he needed.
After she heard his request, the receptionist quickly excused herself to go and fulfill his request. And following a short wait, she returned with the jade slip and a note.
"Guest, the information you requested is here. And if you take this note to the stable on the left of our Martial God Pavilion, you will be able to get your Wind Chasing Horse. Your total will be 145 spirit stones." The receptionist spoke eloquently.
Xue Bai didn't bargain or make a fuss and quickly handed the spirit stones over. But just before he left the Martial God Pavillion, the receptionist spoke up once more.
"However, guest, please do remember that if the Wind Chasing Horse is injured, is crippled, or dies, we will have to ask for compensation according to the damages."
Xue Bai nodded in response. He expected such a clause, but since he didn't plan to have the horse fight for him, he didn't think it would apply to him. So after picking up the horse he rented, he left the Imperial City.
–
"Feng Fei sure wasn't lying at all." Xue Bai muttered as he rode his Wind Chasing Horse to his first destination of choice.
From what he read in the jade slip, Xue Bai quickly learned that the Feng Imperial Family was nothing more than a puppet at this point.
In the Gen Empire, there were 4 Dukes who protected the polar directions of the Mountain Province.
But it wasn't these Dukes that controlled the Feng Imperial Family, but instead, a Grand Duke who lived only a few miles away from the Imperial Palace.
The Grand Duke was once a distant relative and close friend to Feng Fei's father but, after the Emperor's death, revealed an ugly and ambitious side.
It had only been ten years since the Emperor's death, but by now, almost every single piece of power that the Imperial Family should control was now being firmly controlled by the Grand Duke.
Even the leader of the Imperial Guards was the son of the Grand Duke.
Now Feng Fei, as the 'Monarch,' couldn't even leave the palace, as the Grand Duke was 'worried' about her safety and left dozens of guards to protect the palace 24/7.
The allocation of resources was also funneled to the Grand Duke Mansion for 'safe keeping' since he was worried that the weak Feng Fei wouldn't be able to protect it.
Overall, Feng Fei was in a horrible situation where she and her mother were slowly being tortured.
"Maybe I shouldn't attach myself to her." Xue Bai couldn't help but have second doubts about the faction he chose.
The Child of the Plane that lived on the Northern Continent lived in the far away Heaven Province, so other than a few important plot points that he read on a forum, Xue Bai didn't know too much about the Gen Empire.
However, one thing he did know was that when the Child of the Plane did arrive at the Central Continent, the Feng Imperial Family was no more, but rather the Long Imperial Family, which was the last name of the current Grand Duke.
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