Chapter 559: About the Wuhu Unknown Area

The Five Flowers inn was one of the largest inns in Wuhu city.

From what Shen Xu and Zhen Yuan overheard, the inn was called so because the owners were five beautiful women.

However, these women were not only beautiful, but also powerful.

Because of this, no one dared to mess with the Five Flowers inn and the attached Five Flowers restaurant.

After booking their rooms, the group left the inn and went to the Five Flowers restaurant.

However, because of the company, Shen Xu and Zhen Yuan didn’t ask for window seats as usual. Instead, they booked a private room on the second floor, but that didn’t affect their eavesdropping.

After all, Zhen Yuan was a peak-stage great immortal realm cultivator, and could use his immortal sense without alerting the other diners.

"What’s the restaurant’s speciality?" Shen Xu asked, looking at the waiter.

"We have five menus: peony, orchid, lotus, peach, and lily." The waiter said and quickly continued.

"The signature dish in each menu is a classic of our Five Flowers restaurant." He said and handed out several menus.

After everyone ordered, the waiter left the room and the group fell into discussion.

"Is it just me or does the city’s atmosphere feel a little strange?" Wang Cheng; one of Zhou Ruyan’s protectors, asked.

"I also noticed." Su Ming; the third protector nodded.

"I just heard that an unknown area has appeared near Wuhu city." Li Bo started with a thoughtful expression.

"It seems to be a high level unknown area." He said and several people gasped in surprise.

"When did it appear?" Zhou Man asked with an excited face.

After all, recently appeared unknown areas had more resources than old unknown areas.

"Six days ago." Li Bo answered and turned to Zhou Ruyan.

"Young miss, the appearance of the unknown area changes everything." He said and Zhou Ruyan nodded.

"The elders should have already heard about the unknown area. Let’s wait for their decision." She said.

[Ayuan, what do you think?] Shen Xu transmitted.

[It’s inconvenient to go to the unknown area with the Zhou party.] Zhen Yuan said and the double nodded in agreement.

First, he and Zhen Yuan were level fourteen body refiners and could achieve more in the unknown area than the Zhou party.

Since they could climb more steps, they naturally needed more time in the unknown area than the Zhou party.

Considering that, Shen Xu and Zhen Yuan felt that they should first complete the escort task and then return to Wuhu city to enter the unknown area.

[Let’s decide after we hear the clan’s decision.] Shen Xu said.

Lunch was bountiful and sumptuous.

It had many strange dishes and although the spiritual chef couldn’t compare to the double, Shen Xu and Zhen Yuan still enjoyed the meal.

After leaving the restaurant, the group didn’t return to the inn but began walking around the city.

Because of the unknown area, many cultivators were excitedly speculating or preparing to enter the blessed place.

However, most of the city’s people didn’t know enough about the unknown area, and were scrambling for information.

On one hand, the unknown area was ten days from Wuhu city and those who left immediately after it appeared, hadn’t arrived yet. On the other hand, those who were near and could enter right away had only been inside for a few days, and couldn’t relay a lot of information.

"I heard that the unknown area has countless mountains." A passerby said.

"Countless? I heard one hundred." Another said.

"My taoist partner’s uncle’s grandfather’s adopted grand nephew has entered the unknown area and he told the family that the place has ten stairways."

"Stairways? What are they about?"

"He said they are tall stairways and one can climb whichever suits their spiritual root. However,..."

"However?"

"My taoist partner’s uncle’s grandfather’s adopted grand nephew has a water spiritual root and tried to climb the water stairway." The informed person said and quickly continued.

"He said that stepping on the stairway is like entering the sea. At first, the water is calm and easy to wade through but after awhile, waves appear and one can barely hold on. It’s easy to drown as one climbs higher."

"Is it an illusion?" Someone asked and the informed person shook his head.

"We also thought it was an illusion but it isn’t." He said and quickly continued.

"A sea is sealed on each step and one has to swim through." He said.

"What about the other stairways?"

"I heard that the steps of the fire stairway are infernos, and the grand nephew saw many people being burned alive."

"What about the rewards?" Someone asked.

"The grandnephew climbed ten steps before going out to inform the family. He said that the reward for each step was a pure water qi drop that was sealed in his dantian. Also, his physical strength improved with each step."

"An unknown area that can enhance the body, while rewarding qi is a good place. I need to go there soon."

"Me too. My cultivation has been stuck at the late-stage of the true immortal realm for more than ten thousand years. Maybe the elemental qi in the unknown area is the key to my breakthrough."

"I have the same idea."

"The grandnephew said that the quality of the elemental qi reward improves as one climbs higher."

The surrounding people couldn’t help but be excited when they heard the details.

Similarly, the Zhou siblings and their protectors were also excited.

"The unknown area sounds dangerous, but also good." Su Ming said.

[Ayuan, I forgot to mention something.] Shen Xu said and Zhen Yuan raised an eyebrow.

[What’s wrong?] He asked.

[One can attempt the stairway countless times. However, only the first time has rewards.] The double said and Zhen Yuan narrowed his eyes.

[If someone reaches the tenth step on their first try but reaches twenty steps on their second try, they will receive ten drops during the first attempt and another ten for the eleventh to twentieth steps on the second attempt.] The double said and Zhen Yuan nodded in understanding.

[Sounds fair.] He said.

[Also, each stairway has a monument every one thousand steps. Those who reach the monument can engrave their names and receive a gift.]

[However, only those who reach them on their first attempt can leave their names, and get rewards.]

[Those who reach them on their second and other attempts can see the names left behind, but they can’t engrave their own names. Naturally, they also don’t receive gifts.] Shen Xu said, and Zhen Yuan nodded before speaking.

[What kinds of gifts do the monuments give, and what did the book Xiao Weimin get?] He asked.