The flight through the skies was enjoyable. The weather wasn't too cold with the help of some Qi manipulation and we could see the clouds blow use as we flew fast above them.
The bird was honestly fast, not as fast as my hoverboard but fast enough to travel vast distances without having me personally steering or guiding it. It didn't even need to take orders from Liang Yu as it already knew where it was headed.
"We'll arrive to my place shortly, brace up", she said.
And soon, the bird began its descent.
The whole trip took less than half an hour and we were already in a new region.
The ground below us was pretty vast open fields, there was a mountain nearby where a single manor was built on top.
From the mountain a large waterfall fell down watering the ground richly, it was one of the many sources of water in this place.
The area next to the mountain was very wide and open.
There were a few settlements far in between along the open fields.
"Mortals?" I asked.
"Yes, a few, servants and workers, homes of people who wish to be under an Immortal's protection, they pay up their protection fees by working the fields and managing my estate. From gardening to cleaning. I never formally accepted them, but they don't seem to have any ill intentions, so I allowed them to live here," she said.
"Aren't you afraid of them overpopulating the area?" I asked.
"On the contrary, I don't mind it, I usually sneak in and see how mortals live their daily lives every once in a while, but this land I have, is pretty far away from most mortal habitats, so the few that come here are mostly people who have lost their way, and decided to settle here," She said.
"Hmm, interesting take. So is it okay if I take a piece of this land? I can buy it from you if you wish," I said.
"No need to, as I said, you can have your people settle here, I mean how many could you have with you at most," she said.
"Ah… well, how about an entire city?" I said.
As if I she thought I was joking she laughed, but once she saw my face, "Wait, you're serious?"
"Yes," I said.
"Well, that's not much of a problem, but an entire city, how are you going to transport them?"
"Not a whole city worth of people, but a literal whole city," I said.
Liang Yu looked at me, then at the open fields, and then said, "Is this area enough for them?" she asked.
"Yes, more than enough, but like you mentioned I'll have a few of them help you manage your territory, I have a few capable hands who'll know more than I do about managing territory, land and the people. You have an entire fiefdom under you, but you rule over no one, this might be a good opportunity for you to have something to protect," I said.
"Not only that, this should help you with your Mortality Severing," I said.
My words were shocking to her as I saw her reaction.
"How did you know?" she asked.
"I have my methods," I said smiling.
It was actually something that most cultivators if not all have to go through, it's something of a debate I had with brother Zhang Tian, the son of the Wind King. One of the mightiest beings on this world, he too had to go through Mortality Severing, and cut away his Mortal Greed, in order to ascend.
And from what Liang Yu spoke earlier, the fact that she wanted to mix in with mortals and see how they lived, it was the beginning stages of Mortality Severing. Understanding of Mortality.
Not all cultivators are born mortals.
The vast majority, are the suns of Cultivators, and they were brought up in clans and sects that have cultivated for eons. They never mingled with mortals, and have a very low understanding of them.
Mortals live short lives, yet at the same time, even in such a short lifetime, they can reach their conclusion and they can achieve satisfaction from their lives. While cultivators live for hundreds if not thousands of years and end up wallowing in regret and misery for not being able to achieve their goals.
It is a sort of Karmic justice. Eternal life doesn't mean eternal bliss.
"So how are we going to do this? How are you going to bring an entire city here?" she asked.
"That means you don't mind it, right?" I asked.
"Not at all, it is as you said for my Mortality Severing," she said.
"Alright then, Automaton," I spoke and immediately a small child-like puppet appeared in front of me.
"At your service, my Lord," the puppet spoke.
"It's time to bring Lucid Springs Out, place it near the river there," I said pointing.
"As you command, Lord," spoke the automaton and silently went back to the Lord of Lord's pagoda.
Suddenly, a massive portal appeared right against the ground of the open prairies.
The dirt was shoved down, creating hundreds upon hundreds of house foundations.
Then the whole land began shaking and slowly houses began manifesting from within the portal.
Many houses appeared paved streets and walkways, villas and small mansions, and finally the main city hall. All appeared at the same time.
Liang Yu was awe-struck for a moment before she looked at me, "This is amazing, how did you do that?" she asked but then shook her head, "Please, never mind me asking, it must be a secret to you."
That makes things easier.
Suddenly, people began leaving their houses and looking around at the new area.
"Wu Di, Xiao Lang, hurry up," I spoke immediately after the city had appeared.
Two cultivators immediately shot out of the city and headed away from it.
This looked rather suspicious to Liang Yu and she asked, "What's the meaning of this, Shen Bao," she said.
"Oh, don't worry, they're not spies or anything, in fact, they've suppressed their cultivation for a long time, and now that they're under the gaze of the Heavens again, that would happen," I said as I pointed my finger up.
Liang Yu tracked my finger and noticed something manifesting in the distance.
The pure white clouds began darkening fast, and then they started turning red.
Lightning began crackling as the signs of Heavenly Tribulations began appearing wide and clear for all to see.
"Ah," she spoke and immediately thunder boomed in the distance.
"Once their tribulation is over, they'll come here," I said. "Now how about we visit the city?" I asked her.
"Sure," she said and the two of us went towards the city.
The two of us entered the city from its main gate, and the many citizens there noticed us and were clearly able to sense the 'Immortal' next to me.
They gave way and let us go through.
"This…is amazing," she spoke as she looked like a young kid in a candy store.
"Let's head to the city hall, I need to explain things to a friend," I said.
The two of us walked all the way to the city hall, and I couldn't escape the embarrassment of having to explain why there was a statue of me in the city center.
"It's just something these guys made," I said.
"It isn't just something, it has incredible law knowledge. Who made this?" she asked.
"Would you believe it if I told you, it was made by a mortal?" I said.
My words caused her to stop, pausing for a while.
Then she said, "Mortals are really amazing, whoever made this, probably didn't know fully what he was doing. But the creation itself, far surpasses what a cultivator with a good understanding of Natural Law could accomplish," she said.
"People are amazing, their creativity is only matched by their destructiveness," I said.
"Well spoken," I heard, and this voice didn't belong to anyone from the city or Liang Yu.
Turning, there was a man slowly rubbing his beard as he looked down at the entire city as if he was a god looking at his servants.
"Sect Master!" immediately, Liang Yu bowed deeply.
"With all due respect, my neck starts hurting when I'm forced to look up to someone, would you kindly come down?" I said.
I knew I was asking for a lot from such a clear, disgustingly powerful person, but I hate being looked down on.
"Oh, quite some spite you have there, no worries no worries," the old man said and slowly came down.
I clasped my hands to the old man, "Thank you for not making it difficult for this junior," I said.
"You're the one who sent in the clue for the murder of my granddaughter," he said.
And he was damn blunt and to the point.
"Yes," I said.
"I suppose you killed the person who murdered her," he said.
For some reason, I felt a chill running down my back, I had a vague feeling, that I was being tested, and if I were to lie…I couldn't guarantee my survival.
"No," I replied. Shacking my head.
The man frowned but I continued my words, "He killed himself by trying something he shouldn't have, and I was only there to reap the rewards," I said.
The old man grinned, "Smart man," Had you lied to me there, I would have killed you, Disciple of the Poison God."
And now it was my turn to be utterly shocked.