Xundu City
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They landed in the city at noon, a crescent sun hanging in the sky.
Lei, being the loyal companion he is, abandoned Long Xiao the moment they touched down.
"Hey! Where are you going?" Long Xiao called out to Lei.
"See you later, Master!" Lei said telepathically, blending flawlessly in his human form.
Long Xiao, realizing that he had attracted quite the eyes, restrained his anger.
"I have already hidden my halo. Why do the mortals stare at me? Perhaps because yours truly's beauty is blinding." He grinned, looking all smug.
Long Xiao wandered alone for a while, observing his surroundings because clearly, Lei had decided that he wouldn't accompany him anymore.
"Unfaithful bird! I've been too lenient with him." He muttered.
The city was buzzing. Cultivators strutted through the streets like peacocks in silk robes, flexing spiritual pressure just to make their sleeves ripple dramatically. One of them was balancing on a single bamboo stick while reciting poetry to a crowd of demons. The demons clapped.
Long Xiao did not but he was clearly fascinated.
"The Mortal Realm is quite interesting." He thought.
A group of rogue alchemists were arguing over the correct way to ferment dragon liver. One of them had a cauldron floating above his head while the other held the liver. The cauldron was leaking. The cauldron's contents burnt its carrier. No one cared, carrying on the argument.
A group of humanoid bulls and foxes had gathered around to watch their friends play Go in front of a stall called, Win A Go Game And Earn 500 Spiritual Stones. The red fox clearly had the upper hand in the game, grinning ear to ear as the bull's breath grew heavier from frustration. At first, Long Xiao didn't think it was authentic until he saw a pouch materialize in front of the red fox after he won.
Long Xiao stopped walking entirely. Even the Heavenly Realm didn't gamble treasures this aggressively. The mortals were more advanced than he thought.
As he continued his exploration of the city, he came across a stall selling Divine Treasures.
Divine Treasures? Are they even authentic?" Long Xiao wondered.
"How much does this white tiger claw cost?" A child asked the man at the stall.
"500 spirit stones. Kid, can you even pay for that?" The man looked at the girl condescendingly.
"Mhm." She nodded, bringing out a bloodied storage pouch.
The man's expression suddenly changed, from condescending to weary. She smiled, handing it to the man as she fastened the necklace around her neck, skipping away happily.
Another stall was offering various Formations with a side of guaranteed enlightenment or mild hallucinations."
"What is a formation?" Long Xiao's curiosity piqued as he passed by.
The Xuchong Realm, Realm of Void Surge. This was exactly what he'd expect from a place that requires either insanity or divine blessing to enter. The air here hummed with unstable Qi, like someone forgot to turn off the spiritual blender.
Long Xiao knew that this was the perfect place to begin.
TheScarlet Star Sect, the largest sect in the realm, revered for its mastery of ancient Qi manipulation and Heavenly Demon arts. Their disciples didn't walk. They glided, robes trailing embers and pride.
One of them had divine constellations tattooed across his chest which glowed with motion while another had a floating orb of Scarlet's True Fire orbiting his head, a primordial flame known to cause absolute destruction if left uncontained.
Naturally, the disciple used it to look cool.
A third casually summoned a flame lotus to show off to a bunch of mortal maidens.
The disciples were dramatic. And they knew it.
Long Xiao resisted the urge to look back, keeping his chin high to maintain his divine dignity.
Anyways, he thought it would be interesting to hang around here for his first city. You know, blend in. Observe. Possibly study the mortal way of life while judging them silently or openly.
Depending on the situation.