Chapter 25: Journey to the City.

Chapter 25: Chapter 25: Journey to the City.

The gate of the Chen Family residence slowly opened as two figures walked out from within. Chen Haoran and Chen Guanshan.

The two walked side by side toward the gathered clansmen, their footsteps unhurried as their gazes swept over the group.

Chen Guanshan stopped before them, a step ahead, and spoke.

"Everyone."

The gathered clansmen immediately turned their attention toward him.

"Elder Guanshan."

"Patriarch."

Chen Haoran chose not to speak. He simply stood quietly beside Chen Guanshan, his gaze resting on the familiar faces before him with a complicated expression.

Chen Guanshan looked over the group before speaking.

"I will be leading the team this time."

The words immediately caused a stir among the crowd.

"Elder Guanshan, how can we allow you to..."

"That’s right. You should remain here."

"The journey to the southern border is too dangerous. We cannot let you..."

Chen Guanshan raised his hand, silencing the voices. He looked at them with a stern expression before letting out a low grunt.

"I’m old myself."

The crowd fell silent.

Chen Guanshan glanced over them, his expression carrying a trace of irritation.

"Stop trying to make a heroic end without me. We’ve known each other since we were kids! Trying to make a cool exit without me? Dream on!"

A few of the clansmen exchanged glances in surprise.

Chen Guanshan snorted.

"If you’re determined to throw your lives away for the younger generation, then at least let this old man accompany you."

His voice softened slightly.

"Besides, I’ve lived long enough. I don’t intend to sit comfortably at home while all of you go out there and fight."

The crowd remained silent, stupefied by what Chen Guanshan had just said. After a few breaths, one of them finally smiled bitterly.

"Elder Guanshan has already decided. What else can we say?"

Chen Guanshan nodded.

"Good."

He turned his gaze toward the road descending from the mountain.

"Then let us go."

But before stepping off, Chen Guanshan turned his head toward Chen Haoran. The sternness on his face softened slightly as he looked at the Patriarch standing beside him.

"Patriarch."

Chen Haoran raised his eyes.

"Guanshan."

Chen Guanshan gave him a faint smile.

"Do not worry. I will do my best to bring everyone back safely."

Chen Haoran remained silent for a moment before slowly nodding.

"I understand."

Chen Guanshan gave him one final look before turning around.

"Let us go."

The group began moving.

One by one, the old clansmen began walking down the long mountain path, leaving the Chen Family residence behind them.

Their figures gradually grew smaller as they descended the mountain.

Chen Haoran remained standing at the gate, quietly watching them leave. Only after the last figure had disappeared into the mist did Chen Haoran slowly withdraw his gaze.

Then, a hand gently patted his shoulder from behind, followed by a soft embrace from his side.

"It’s going to be alright, Haoran."

The familiar voice caused Chen Haoran to stiffen slightly.

He turned his head in surprise, his expression softening when he saw Qingxue standing beside him.

"Qingxue?"

There was a hint of adorableness in his voice, as though he had not expected her to appear at all.

"I know..." Chen Haoran said quietly. "I’m just overthinking it."

Qingxue smiled gently and tightened her arm around his. Without anyone else around, her smile was akin to a blossoming flower in his eyes.

The group continued down the mountain road, their pace unhurried despite the weight of their destination.

The winding path stretched through the foothills below the Chen Family residence, passing through several villages scattered along the mountain’s lower slopes.

The morning air became warmer as they descended further down, while the distant sounds of village life slowly replaced the quietness that surrounded them as they exited another patch of woods.

From time to time, farmers could be seen tending to their fields, while villagers carried baskets between houses and roadside stalls.

Children played near the edges of the road, occasionally stopping to watch the group pass.

Chen Guanshan did not intend to make a quick journey to the city. Rather, he wanted them to experience the journey first.

The peace before the storm.

At first, the villagers paid little attention to them. But then, someone noticed the emblem embroidered upon the backs of their clothing.

The distinctive emblem of the Chen Family.

The white deer antler.

A few villagers immediately recognized it.

"That’s the Chen Family..."

Their voices were quiet, but the words quickly spread to those nearby.

"The Chen Family?"

"Yes. Look at their clothes."

"They’re heading down from the mountain."

The villagers gradually moved toward the sides of the road, making way for the approaching group. Some lowered their heads respectfully, while others simply stood aside and watched in silence.

The Chen Family had long been established in the region.

To the ordinary villagers living beneath the mountain, they were a powerful cultivation family whose name carried a certain weight.

In fact, the fields they were tending were meant to be dedicated to the Chen Family uphill. The city was too far away, and as such, the surrounding villages would rather hand over their quarterly yields to the Chen Family in exchange for supplies and money.

Seeing so many Chen Family clansmen traveling together was therefore unusual. And what made it even stranger was the fact that nearly all of them appeared to be old.

"Where do you think they’re going?"

"I don’t know."

"Could it be some matter concerning the family?"

"Perhaps."

The whispers followed the group for a short distance before gradually fading behind them. None of the clansmen paid much attention to their words. They were harmless, after all.

They simply continued forward, their expressions calm and their footsteps unhurried throughout the journey.

Several hours passed beneath the steadily brightening sky. The sun climbed higher into the heavens, and the villages gradually became less frequent as the group continued along the road, leaving the mountain region farther behind.

The familiar greenery of the foothills slowly gave way to broader stretches of farmland, followed by open roads that saw more travelers than they had before.

The farther they went, the more noticeable the changes became.

There were more people on the roads now.

Some traveled by carriage, while others walked in groups with weapons hanging from their waists.

Most were similar to their group, carrying the distinct marks of their respective clan emblems upon their clothing.

Chen Guanshan noticed them but said nothing.

In terms of status, the Chen Family was one of the major cultivation families in the surrounding area. The other cultivation families were considerably weaker and posed no real threat to them.

Instead, once they noticed the Chen Family’s group, the other traveling groups immediately became wary, looking toward them with awe.

Some immediately stepped toward the side of the road, while others slowed their pace, allowing the Chen Family’s group to pass without obstruction.

A few even lowered their voices and began whispering among themselves.

"That’s the Chen Family."

"The Chen Family?"

"Yes. You can see their emblem."

Several cultivators glanced toward Chen Guanshan and the clansmen behind him, their expressions carrying a mixture of awe and caution.

"Why are there so many of them?"

"I heard the Chen Family is also sending people to the southern border."

"So it seems."

The conversation continued in hushed voices, but another question soon emerged among them.

"Do you think that old monster is still alive?"

The cultivator beside him immediately lowered his voice even further.

"Are you talking about that old man?"

"Who else?"

The two exchanged a glance.

Neither of them dared to speak Chen Yuan’s name too loudly.

The existence of Chen Yuan had always carried a certain weight among the surrounding cultivation families. Although he rarely appeared before outsiders, the stories surrounding Chen Yuan had existed for decades.

Some claimed he had reached the Foundation Establishment Realm long ago.

Others believed that his cultivation had already surpassed what ordinary cultivators could comprehend.

There were even rumors that the old man had been alive for nearly a century.

Of course, no one outside the Chen Family knew which rumors were true. What they did know was that Chen Yuan had not appeared publicly for many years.

Chen Guanshan paid little to no attention to the whispers around them as they continued their journey. He had heard such rumors many times before, and there was no reason for him to concern himself with what outsiders thought.

The other clansmen, however, reacted very differently.

Although none of them said anything, several instinctively straightened their backs when they heard the others speaking about their Ancestor with such awe.

An evident sense of pride appeared in their eyes.

That was their Ancestor.

The old man who had protected the family for generations.

Despite the many years he had remained hidden within the ancestral grounds, his reputation still carried enough weight to make other cultivation families wary.

Some of the younger clansmen might not have understood what that meant in the past. But after everything they had witnessed recently, they understood it better than most.

Chen Guanshan glanced backward and noticed the subtle changes in their expressions. He could not help but smile faintly, understanding their feelings.

However, he said nothing and simply continued leading them forward.

The road gradually widened as they approached Blue Cloud Mist City.

More and more travelers appeared around them, and the number of cultivation families heading toward the city increased as well.

Carriages carrying supplies moved along the road.

Groups of cultivators traveled together, their expressions solemn as they headed toward the same destination.

The atmosphere that had once been peaceful had gradually become heavier.

Then, after another stretch of road, the city finally appeared clearly before them.

The clansmen raised their heads one by one as a massive city wall stretched across the horizon.

It was absurdly massive, far larger than anything they had seen before.

The outer wall alone seemed to extend endlessly from one side of the horizon to the other, its enormous structure rising high above the surrounding plains.

But what truly caught their attention was what stood behind it.

Blue Cloud Mist City was not built upon a single level.

The city rose layer upon layer, with each section built upon an elevated terrace that climbed gradually toward the center.

Countless buildings filled the lower levels, while larger structures and cultivation estates occupied the higher ones.

Farther above, towering pavilions and ancient halls could be seen emerging from the faint mist that surrounded the upper parts of the city.

From their position, the city almost appeared to be a massive mountain of buildings.

Roads climbed along the different layers, while bridges connected one section to another. Even from this distance, they could make out countless figures moving across the elevated streets.

The higher they looked, the grander the structures became.

Chen Guanshan stared silently at the enormous city before him, and behind him, several clansmen also stopped walking.

"That is Blue Cloud Mist City."

One of them muttered quietly.

Although most of them had visited the city before, seeing it from this distance still left them with a sense of awe.

Compared to the small villages they had passed earlier, the difference was simply too great.

This was the largest gathering place for cultivators in the surrounding area.

Chen Guanshan finally withdrew his gaze.

"Let us go."

The group resumed their journey toward the city.

This time, no one spoke as their destination was already before their eyes. As they drew closer to Blue Cloud Mist City, the main entrance became increasingly crowded.

Long lines of merchants, travelers, and ordinary villagers had already formed outside the enormous gates.

Carriages stood one behind another, while guards inspected the people entering the city and checked the goods being transported inside.

The Chen Family’s group, however, did not head toward the main entrance.

Chen Guanshan led them along the outer wall until they reached a smaller side gate.

Compared to the enormous main entrance, this gate appeared much quieter.

A few guards stationed there immediately noticed the approaching group.

Their expressions changed when they saw the white deer antler embroidered upon the backs of the clansmen.

One of the guards stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

"Greetings, Elder Guanshan."

Chen Guanshan nodded slightly, not surprised by the fact that the guards knew his identity.

"We are entering the city under the City Lord’s order."

"Of course."

The guard immediately stepped aside and signaled for the others to open the gate.

There was no inspection and no questioning required for them as the guards simply let them pass through.

After all, almost everyone had already been made aware of today’s occasion near the City Lord’s Mansion.

The Chen Family was one of the major cultivation families in the surrounding region. Their reputation alone was enough for the guards to recognize them, and the presence of Chen Guanshan further confirmed their identity.

The group entered without delay.

The moment they passed through the gate, the scenery before them changed completely.