Chapter 476: Direction

Chapter 476: Chapter 476: Direction

In Shen Hao’s eyes, this City of Unjust Death seemed like a land of opportunity, except that the various powers failed to seize control of it. Instead, it gave birth to a new force—its origin is nothing short of bizarre. There must be many key variables not recorded in the case files, or else it’s impossible to explain how all sides could make such a huge miscalculation.

Now, in the present day, the City of Unjust Death is ruled by a powerful faction led by the "City Lord". They remain independent from the Sects, the Jingjiu Dynasty, and the Treasure Island Sect, holding absolute authority over the ancient tomb complex and the underground palace within the city.

Putting away the last of these case files, Shen Hao now had a rough understanding of the City of Unjust Death.

He continued reading onward.

The City of Unjust Death is located near the confluence of Weak Water and Gorge River, just outside the Jingjiu Dynasty’s territory, wedged onto a peninsula of the Treasure Sea. It is actually quite a large area, roughly half the size of Fengri City’s jurisdiction.

Because, in its early years, the City of Unjust Death often confronted the various powers—and even experienced several small-scale clashes—it was never regarded as friendly by any major faction.

Conversely, anyone at odds with the dominant powers viewed the City of Unjust Death as a sanctuary. As long as you paid tribute on time and followed the rules by lending a hand when the city required it, the City of Unjust Death would let anyone in and offer protection.

With such a loophole present, it’s easy to imagine what sort of situation exists inside the city.

Calling it a den of chaos wouldn’t do it justice.

This matched Shen Hao’s expectations perfectly; only in such a place of disorder could pseudo-evil cultivators hope to establish sects of their own.

Yet, according to the top local forces recorded in the files, there was no sign of that "Zhengyang Sect" Ma San Kui confessed to before his death.

The chance Ma San Kui lied before dying was slim. Most likely, this Zhengyang Sect simply wasn’t famous in the City of Unjust Death—not enough to make the list.

But the files did make it clear: Evil Cultivators were often seen in the City of Unjust Death, and evils could frequently be spotted outside the city. Even so, Evil Cultivators were rarely seen causing trouble near the city itself.

Additionally, because the City of Unjust Death is situated on a peninsula with the Treasure Sea to its south, plus its network of ancient tombs and underground palaces, the island sects of the Treasure Sea occasionally show up here as well.

So-called "island sects" is a nickname coined by cultivators within the Jingjiu Dynasty for easy differentiation; as the name suggests, they are sects based on the islands at sea.

Shen Hao had read about the island sects in various miscellaneous records before. Their origins were actually on land, but after expeditions across the sea, some perished in the depths while others found wondrous places and immediately established sects on the islands, slowly growing into what are now the island sects.

According to these records, the island sects’ cultivators share the same roots as those on land, but when it comes to magical arts, they are worlds apart—especially in combat, where their methods are nothing alike.

Having finished reading the files, the City of Unjust Death now stood vivid and clear in Shen Hao’s mind.

However, entering the City of Unjust Death would not be easy.

First, there’s the land route. Almost all of it is surrounded by the Jingjiu Dynasty. Entering the City of Unjust Death by land means passing through multiple checkpoints set up by the Dynasty. Not to mention the official roads—even the mountain paths are monitored by the Dynasty’s outposts; ordinary people have no hope of sneaking through.

As for formal entry, the procedures are complex, or you’ll need a letter of recommendation from a sect.

This shows that, while the Jingjiu Dynasty has lost control of the City of Unjust Death, it still holds the key passages—giving it an initial advantage.

In fact, ninety percent of the goods consumed in the city are transported in from the Jingjiu Dynasty.

Apart from land, one can also enter the City of Unjust Death by water.

Following the Weak Water and Gorge River waterways leads straight to the city, but likewise, you must pass the Dynasty’s water camps for inspection. Alternatively, you can avoid the rivers and come by sea. With a boat, one can reach the southern docks from any coastal area; even the interior of the Barbarian Race can send ships here via the sea.

With this in mind, it’s clear why the pseudo-evil cultivators set up sects in the City of Unjust Death. It’s extraordinarily convenient—not only do they not have to worry about being wiped out by the Dynasty or other sects, but they also have free land and sea access. Whether going to the Barbarian Race or sneaking into the Jingjiu Dynasty, nothing is difficult.

Still, if Shen Hao wanted to investigate the "Zhengyang Sect" Ma San Kui mentioned, he’d need to plan carefully. He also had to figure out which batch of personnel the Jingjiu Dynasty had stationed inside the city. It was definitely not the Xuanqing Guard; the Golden Sword Cultivators seemed most likely.

Aside from official duties, the City of Unjust Death also brought back to the fore a certain piece of Shen Hao’s personal business.

He held two Yin Jade Maps. One was a fragment resembling a maze route, and its exact location was still unknown. The other’s location had previously been confirmed, though only now did he realize the symbols on the map marked the City of Unjust Death itself.

Now that the second map’s location was clear, and with the city’s circumstances in mind, Shen Hao’s first thought was that the maze-like map fragment in his hand might be related to the tombs or underground palace below the City of Unjust Death.

Should he try to find it?

Shen Hao was tempted. He had obtained one Yin Jade Map at auction—for which several people had even died, meaning someone was clearly seeking it desperately. The map itself was strange too; if not for his Black Beast Tattoo’s help, Shen Hao would never have detected the map’s lines etched on the surface of the Yin Jade.

The other map came to him by chance from a Special Land, and it’s very likely that this is also where all the Yin Jade Maps originated.

If the so-called maze route on the map pointed to a tomb or underground palace beneath the City of Unjust Death, did that mean these places were directly connected to the Special Land somehow?

Of all the bizarre events Shen Hao had encountered in this world, two left the deepest impression: one was his Black Beast Tattoo on his chest; the other, the origin of the Special Land.

The common thread with both is that Shen Hao had not the faintest clue how to explain them.

How did the Black Beast Tattoo come about? How did the Special Land come to be?

If the answers are unclear, it’s best not to get involved rashly. Even though curiosity burned within, Shen Hao’s rational side told him not to rush in yet—this wasn’t the right time.

For now, hold on to the two maps in hand and investigate in secret—continue building strength. If he truly intended to search for whatever was marked on the maps in the City of Unjust Death, his current cultivation was far from sufficient.

After finishing the files, Shen Hao picked out several important ones for a second read. Only when the Small Banner Officer of the Yi Storehouse came to say time was up did he finally close the files, stand up, and leave.

By the time Shen Hao returned to Fengri City, he had already come up with a rough plan. Once the reward for the "Ma San Case" arrived, he would take some time to recuperate, then put his plan into motion.