The Divine Urban Physician Chapter 3548: News (First Update)
Previously on The Divine Urban Physician...
Ye Chen ceased his deeper deliberations, his awareness plunging straight into the Samsara Graveyard without delay.
Positioned before the glowing stone tablet, he kept his gaze somewhat narrowed.
Depicted upon the tablet stood an enigmatic phantom of a colossal dragon shield.
Ancient runes swirled across the massive shield, radiating an immense and dominating power.
"Whenever fresh powerhouses appeared before, a name or title would invariably show up."
"So why does this powerhouse manifest through such a deep and intricate depiction of a giant shield?"
"Is it possible that this powerhouse wields a shield as their weapon? Or perhaps something different?"
Toward the stone tablet, Ye Chen clasped his hands and declared: "Senior, I beseech you to emerge for an audience."
Yet all that returned was utter quiet.
The other side showed zero desire to even reply to Ye Chen!
"Senior?"
Ye Chen called out several times more, but the outcome remained unchanged!
This powerhouse clearly had no wish to encounter Ye Chen at all!
Ye Chen couldn't tell whether this stemmed from sheer haughtiness or some concealed reason.
Regardless, the pressing priority lay in locating Ye Luo’er without further delay.
…
Within Xing Han City, a modest settlement hugging the borders of the Nine Death Realm, rampant weeds choked every corner, while thick necrotic essence saturated the air, gathering into eerie, phantom-like undead that hovered nearby. Skeletal remains dotted the landscape, and swarms of repulsive bugs darted frantically through the heavens, their droning echoes filling the void.
Side by side, Ye Chen and the Sky-covering Demon Emperor ventured into this forsaken settlement. The place felt minuscule, boasting just a single primary thoroughfare lined with scant establishments—a teahouse, an armory, and what appeared to be a brothel but truly served as a covert three-tiered hub for trading secrets.
Ye Chen harbored no desire to dawdle in Xing Han City, planning instead to uncover the precise whereabouts of the Nine Death Realm right here before dashing off alongside the Sky-covering Demon Emperor.
In this tiny outpost, the prime spot for collecting intel turned out to be a venue called Huadu Building, disguised as a brothel.
Renowned across the Outer Realm as a premier network for intelligence, Huadu Building masked its operations behind brothel facades while discreetly peddling vital data. Its outposts sprawled far and wide, reaching even to barren spots like Xing Han City.
Entering Huadu Building, Ye Chen and the Sky-covering Demon Emperor found the exterior resembling a weathered three-level structure steeped in the aroma of aged timber, yet the interior unveiled an entirely contrasting realm.
The ground-floor chamber brimmed with alluring women, clad in vibrant attire that highlighted their striking features and curvaceous forms through sheer fabrics, each offering seductive smiles to the newcomers.
Opulent adornments graced the chamber as well. Abundant Hongmeng Energy permeated the space, and Ye Chen faintly detected traces of Source Qi pulsing within, stirring a subtle reaction in him.
To establish an outlet amid the harshness of Xing Han City demanded true prowess. Even this modest venue sheltered experts versed in the Power of Source. Huadu Building lived up to its stature as the Outer Realm's elite intelligence syndicate.
Currently, the chamber also hosted others like Ye Chen, all drawn by the allure of the Nine Death Realm. They clustered in small groups of three or five, none below middle-stage Holy Ancestor Realm, each exuding a potent and distinctive presence. Ye Chen even spotted figures whose aura rivaled that of the Sky-covering Demon Emperor.
"Those two over there..." Ye Chen's eyes flicked toward a pair in the chamber's corner, quietly sipping from their teacups with narrowed gazes. Both ninth-level Holy Ancestor Realm cultivators, their might proved formidable indeed.
"Might I inquire about the purpose of your visit today? Seeking amusement, or perhaps intel?"
As Ye Chen mulled this over, a statuesque woman with flowing raven locks and eyes brimming with allure glided near, her voice honeyed as she addressed the Sky-covering Demon Emperor with a playful touch.
While speaking, the woman subtly appraised Ye Chen too. The Sky-covering Demon Emperor's presence loomed terrifyingly vast, his form shrouded in sky-shaking demonic qi that marked him as an undeniable force, whereas Ye Chen lingered at merely the third-level Heavenly God Realm.
This odd pairing naturally struck observers as peculiar.
The chasm in their cultivation levels yawned so wide that companionship between them seemed improbable, and they clearly weren't in a master-servant dynamic.
Most visitors to Xing Han City chased leads on the Nine Death Realm.
The Nine Death Realm posed a perilous domain, where even ninth-level Holy Ancestor Realm experts risked dire peril upon entry. So why would a third-level Heavenly God Realm like Ye Chen trail the Sky-covering Demon Emperor into such a hazard? Was he simply inviting doom?
Such doubts swirled in her mind when the Sky-covering Demon Emperor replied coolly: "Provide us a map marking the precise spot of the Nine Death Realm."
"Hahaha! Friend, dragging a mere third-level Heavenly God Realm youngster into the Nine Death Realm—that's basically suicide, right?"
Suddenly, a robust figure with a billowing aura, his frame pulsing with turbulent demonic qi, rose within the establishment, eyeing the Sky-covering Demon Emperor with a mocking guffaw.
This sturdy man's power held solid ground, reaching middle-stage Holy Ancestor Realm. Flanked by four allies—two matching his tier, the rest at late-stage Holy Ancestor Realm—he formed a sturdy band.
With his words, every gaze in the chamber locked onto Ye Chen. Since the lowest cultivation there hit middle-stage Holy Ancestor Realm, the abrupt sight of a Heavenly God Realm presence like Ye Chen had already drawn widespread scrutiny.
Ye Chen caught the burly man's remark but offered no reaction, merely sparing him a fleeting glance. His thoughts centered wholly on saving Ye Luo’er, leaving no room for detours or squabbles with insignificant foes.
Yet the burly man's interpretation of Ye Chen's quiet as fear sparked a smirk, and he turned to the Sky-covering Demon Emperor: "Friend, why not abandon this youngster and team up with our group of five for the Nine Death Realm venture?"
"Oh?" A hint of amusement crossed the Sky-covering Demon Emperor's face as he eyed Ye Chen at his side, then unexpectedly shifted away, adding: "You should hash this out with him directly."
"Hash it out with him?" Stunned, the burly man flared his aura, sending tremors through the entire Huadu Building as Hongmeng Energy churned, his face twisting into a sneer: "A puny Heavenly God Realm insect—I could crush him under one finger!"
"You prattle on excessively."
Now fixing the burly man with an icy stare, Ye Chen's eyes gleamed with chilling intent. He grasped the true motive: this fellow aimed to lure the Sky-covering Demon Emperor into alliance, figuring a ninth-level Holy Ancestor Realm ally would ease their perils.
But the man's overbearing demeanor demanded a firm rebuke.
"Hmm?" Astonished that a weakling like Ye Chen dared retort so boldly, the burly man's eyes bulged, unleashing a torrent of murderous intent to crush him through sheer pressure alone.
"Boom!"
A ferocious wave of killing intent crashed forth, but Ye Chen's face stayed impassive, his cold gaze locked on the burly man. After all, this opponent barely scraped late-stage Holy Ancestor Realm; even Xuanyuan Moxie had fled in humiliation from Ye Chen before. Such killing intent meant little to him.
Bathed in the savage onslaught of killing intent, Ye Chen held steady, his presence unshaken and devoid of ripples, treating the ferocious assault like a mere whisper of wind.
This display prompted narrowed eyes across the chamber, as observers sensed the anomaly. Despite his modest realm, Ye Chen's capabilities ran deeper than expected. Whispers arose about his true origins.
Resisting the oppressive killing aura of a middle-stage Holy Ancestor Realm while at third-level Heavenly God Realm demanded exceptional talent. His background likely carried staggering weight!