Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan Chapter 1871 - 1404: Awaiting Repairs_2

Previously on Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan...

Li Zhirui negotiated with the Farmer School Elders for Primordial Jade Spirit Rice seeds, deferring to them to set the terms and avoid exposing his vulnerabilities. The Elders, after private discussion expressing concerns over his evasion of the Human Dao network's suppression—which he assured them was non-universal—proposed exchanging the seeds for five Earth Immortal Rank Spirit Seeds from his possession. The deal concluded successfully, with Li Zhirui acquiring two hundred pounds of the rice seeds and forty-five specialized Seed Bags, before departing discreetly to maintain his low profile, leaving the Elders to speculate on his profound cultivation as at least an Earth Immortal, possibly Heavenly.

Upon hearing those words, the remaining Elders promptly dropped all other matters at hand. Unless it was a dire life-or-death emergency, nothing could surpass the priority of cultivation!

...

Meanwhile, elsewhere.

Right after departing from the Farmer School's main base, Li Zhirui wasted no time in fleeing Sishi City.

He habitually expected the worst from people, and in his interactions with the Farmer School, he had unwittingly exposed a good deal of his riches.

The Elders from the Farmer School seemed straightforward and genuine on the surface, yet who could truly discern their hidden intentions?

Thus, to play it safe, he put as much distance as he could between himself and both Sishi City and Jiangzhou.

Li Zhirui dashed forward at astonishing velocity; in an instant, he shot from one side of the path to the opposite end.

Within mere moments, he had burst out of the city limits.

Free from any structures in his way, his pace surged even further, turning him into a streak of brilliant light that could span countless peaks and waterways in a flash.

Unbeknownst to Li Zhirui, shortly after his exit from Sishi City, a band of pursuers took off after him.

"He’s gone? How did he slip away that fast?! How do you expect to track him now?" the robust leader bellowed in fury.

His massive, fan-like hand crashed down forcefully onto the back of the scout tasked with tailing Li Zhirui, stirring up a surge in the man's Qi-Blood and painting his cheeks with an eerie crimson glow after only a couple of strikes.

"Boss, that guy moved way too swiftly. He vanished right before my eyes in a heartbeat, and I’m sure he spotted me. He dodged using the city's structures to cover his escape," the follower hastily clarified.

"Hmph!" The sturdy fellow grumbled in dissatisfaction, yet he held his tongue.

For he spoke the truth, and the power displayed by that individual suggested that even if they overtook him, victory wasn't guaranteed.

Their pursuit of Li Zhirui stemmed from a tip provided by someone within the Farmer School.

Though the Elders themselves hadn't escorted Li Zhirui outside, plenty of onlookers had seen them rise to bid him farewell from within.

One among those observers devised a scheme, believing that dealing with Li Zhirui would yield handsome gains, prompting him to alert this crew.

These overconfident rogues failed to grasp their own boundaries, oblivious to how their inability to catch up had spared them from calamity; a faint regret now tinged their thoughts.

...

To continue!

Li Zhirui hurtled onward, swiftly crossing beyond Jiangzhou's frontiers.

His journey through Jiangzhou carried a few lingering dissatisfactions, chiefly tied to the Farmer School, since he missed the opportunity to call on the Medical Family or behold their techniques.

Jiangzhou's southern edge borders Guan Province.

Guan Province, as it's known, serves as the State Domain encompassing the capital itself. Surrounded by towering, rugged peaks on every side, it proves simple to guard yet tough to breach, fortified by four key passes forming the bulwark around the capital—that's the origin of its name.

"Nature truly is a master craftsman, wondrous beyond words!" Li Zhirui marveled aloud while beholding the northern ridges of Guan Province.

Those peaks loomed enormous and sheer, a challenge for any ordinary mortal to scale, but they failed to seal off the route entirely. Rather, a broad, level Great Tao lay right before them, permitting easy passage for wayfarers.

Beyond the Great Tao stretched a fairly broad river, its calm currents dotted with countless vessels trading routes across its expanse, seeming to extend forever.

Gazing afar, yet another grand mountain range rose into view, the twin formations cradling the river and Great Tao between them.

"Young fellow, is this your first time in Guan Province?"

A nearby elderly woodcutter, catching Li Zhirui’s words of wonder, commented with a grin, "Not just this spot, but the other three sides mirror it exactly."

"Old man, are you kidding me? Such an extraordinary landscape in one location is already a marvel; how could there be four?"

"Hahahahahaha, why would I lie to you, young one? If you don’t believe me, see for yourself with your own eyes."

The old woodsman chuckled boisterously, gradually making his way off while towing a wagon brimming with logs.

His statement truly sparked Li Zhirui’s interest. Though he had originally intended to head to the capital, he shifted his course.

With his fresh itinerary set, he veered his path, not continuing south but swinging eastward initially.

Before long, Li Zhirui reached the eastern frontier of Guan Province.

As the old woodsman described, were it not for the variations in the mountains' contours and orientations, he could have sworn he'd strayed into unfamiliar lands.

Yet, a closer look revealed distinctions: unlike the north's flawless natural harmony, this area showed clear traces of artificial shaping.

Through some questioning, he discovered that the east, west, and south had been hewn and dug out by the Daqian Empire, modeled after the northern layout!

The goal was to link up with neighboring State Domains more smoothly and, should enemies invade, convert the area into a sturdy barrier safeguarding the capital.

’Alas! Who knows how many lives of the common people are buried beneath such a wonder?’ Li Zhirui lamented silently, the spectacle abruptly losing its allure.

Despite being a realm of myths and legends, completing a project of such immense scale would demand the labor of numerous mortals to finish in haste.

——