Invincible Dad-Chapter 699 Snowflower_1
This was Qian Xiao’s first trip to the Immortal Domain.
Sitting on the cloud, he witnessed stars exploding, transforming into crystal-clear fish that swooshed away and vanished in streaks of light. He saw cultivators fighting in the starry sky—what appeared to be two Nascent Soul cultivators battling with world-shaking intensity. He also laid eyes on grand cosmic fleets firing lasers at one another, and on peculiar creatures ambushing travelers to kill them for their treasures.
Scene after scene deeply impacted the young boy’s worldview, making him realize just how vast the world truly was. It was so immense that even as a cultivator, he could hardly fathom the universe’s expanse. More than that, he came to understand the cruelty of the world of cultivation. Death occurred at every moment.
Yun Jin, flipping through a star domain map, patted Qian Xiao’s shoulder and said earnestly, "Young man, we’ve only just left the Solar System. We haven’t even exited the Milky Way yet."
"Oh, right..." Qian Xiao was completely stupefied, not bickering with Yun Jin as he normally would.
"Sit tight," Xu Lai said calmly. "We’re about to speed up."
To accommodate his daughter and the other two youngsters, Xu Lai had slowed his flight to a tenth of its usual speed. Even so, it was so fast that everything became a blur, and they couldn’t make out any scenery. It was simply too fast. This speed surpassed that of light by an untold number of times. With nothing to see, the three children sat down on the cloud and began to meditate.
...
The Southern Immortal Domain was situated upon the Boundless Sea. Viewed from the highest point in the starry sky, the stars scattered across its domains looked like sesame seeds. It was unclear whether the Southern Immortal Domain or the Boundless Sea came first; the two had long since merged, completely intertwined, one within the other.
There were numerous forbidden areas in the Southern Immortal Domain, with the three most famous being those containing the Snowflowers. These crystal-clear blossoms, resembling snowflakes, froze everything within a radius of one hundred thousand miles, allowing no creature to survive. Anyone below the Immortal Venerable realm would die on contact. The surrounding million-mile radius was an absolute dead zone that few dared to enter.
However, the Immortal Domain was never short on madmen and desperados; as the saying goes, high rewards attract brave souls.
There were only three Snowflowers in the entire Immortal Domain. It seemed these flowers had been blooming ever since the Immortal Domain’s records began, a period spanning one hundred eras. Never mind such divine Spirit Plants; even a pig that lived for a hundred eras would become an Immortal Pig, every inch of its body a treasure that could drive the Immortal Domain wild.
Thus, there was a saying in the Southern Immortal Domain that eating a Snowflower could grant eternal life.
Unfortunately, this tale had never been confirmed, because no one had ever successfully plucked one. The three snow-white flowers stood eternally within the Boundless Sea.
...
To simplify governance, the Domain Masters of the East, West, South, and North had each divided their territory into one hundred major domains. Some domains saw many powers rise together, while others were dominated by a single force.
The first place Xu Lai intended to visit was the Third Domain of the Southern Immortal Domain. Its ruler was Lei Fengyun, a cultivator at the peak of the Immortal Venerable realm. The sect he belonged to was the Divine Thunder Pavilion, famous for its mastery of Thunder-element Divine Skills and a legacy spanning ten eras.
The star system under the jurisdiction of the Third Domain was home to one of the Snowflowers. Because many cultivators visited this area seeking opportunities, ten stars located a million miles outside the dead zone had become transit hubs. Trade revolved around auction houses, armories, elixir emporiums, and various gambling dens. The rest catered to lodging, food, and other pleasures of life and romance. All beings have emotions and desires, and even those on the path of cultivation are no exception.
He chose a star at random to enter. This star was even larger than Earth but contained no other factions, only a single city.
Divine Thunder City Number Seven!
The cities on the ten stars outside the dead zone were all properties of the Divine Thunder Pavilion, named from one to ten. Consequently, few dared to cause trouble here. Provoking a peak Immortal Venerable was akin to courting death. This was especially true given that this Immortal Venerable was the ruler of the Third Domain, hailing from the Divine Thunder Pavilion, which boasted a legacy of ten eras. Even a Quasi-Emperor would have to weigh their chances against this local power.
At the majestic city gate, city guards collected an entrance fee: one high-grade Spirit Stone or one hundred mid-grade Spirit Stones. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢
Xu Lai had Spirit Stones on him, but they were all Immortal-grade. Leaving aside whether the guards could make change, revealing an Immortal-grade Spirit Stone would likely attract a lot of trouble. This trouble wouldn’t be a matter of life and death, but it would certainly draw unwanted attention. For instance, from Lei Fengyun of the Third Domain, from the Domain Master of the Southern Immortal Domain, or from the Fox Coquette of Qingqiu, who was a thorn in the side of Anna, the Western Domain’s Twelve-Winged Archangel. After all, Qingqiu was located in the First Domain of the Southern Immortal Domain, not far from the Third Domain.
So, Xu Lai looked toward Yun Jin.
The Little Glutton could only steel herself and take out four high-grade Spirit Stones, the loss pained her so much she was on the verge of tears.
Spirit Stone grades were divided into six tiers: Low-grade, Mid-grade, and High-grade. Then came Supreme, Extreme-grade, and Immortal-grade.
Low, mid, and high-grade Spirit Stones were common enough to supply the cultivation needs of anyone below the Venerable Realm. An ordinary Golden Core cultivator would be reluctant to use even a single mid-grade Spirit Stone, and Yun Jin was just as unwilling to part with high-grade Spirit Stones, each worth a hundred times more than a mid-grade one. Because in the Immortal Domain, Spirit Stones were not just currency; they were hard currency, accepted everywhere.
"It’s fine, they’re just a few Spirit Stones," Xu Lai said indifferently. "You can get a few from the First Divine General later."
"Just a few?" Yun Jin muttered under her breath.
Xu Lai finished his sentence. "A few Immortal-grade Spirit Stones."
"Long live Uncle Xu!" Yun Jin was moved to the point of tears.
Immortal-grade Spirit Stones. Only an Immortal Venerable could absorb their energy. Although she couldn’t use them now, she could trade them or use them to purchase other treasures.
Upon entering the city, Qian Xiao felt as if he had stepped into another world. Completely different from the ancient towns on Earth, this sprawling city was home to a wide variety of beings. There were dignified humans, massive giants, demons with seven heads, and even one-meter-tall ants walking openly through the streets.
"Uncle Xu, shall we find an inn to stay in?" Yun Jin offered eagerly. "I still have plenty of Spirit Stones."
"Mhm." Xu Lai nodded.
Suddenly, sensing something, he chuckled lightly. "You three go ahead and find a room to settle in, then feel free to look around. I’m going to meet an old acquaintance."
"An old acquaintance?" Yun Jin didn’t think much of it.
She patted her flat chest. "Yiyi, Qian Xiao, I know a great place in the city. I’ll take you to see the sights."
The three children began to weave their way through the city.
Xu Lai, also forgoing flight, walked leisurely toward the westernmost part of the city. There was an unwritten rule in the Immortal Domain, born from countless bloody lessons: no flying within major cities.
At the westernmost edge of the city stood an old tavern. Perhaps due to its remote location or subpar food, it had very few patrons. Among them was a customer in a corner, wrapped entirely in black robes, with a blade resting by the table. He held a wine cup but did not drink. On his table sat a single, untouched dish of something resembling peanuts. The shop assistant, leaning against the counter, looked away from the poor, strange patron and yawned out of boredom.
TAP.
Xu Lai entered the tavern. He sat down next to the man in black and called out, "A jug of Millennium Green and a plate of beef."
