There were two options now... one was to go to the Scripture Library Citadel... the other was to go to the Commercial Citadel.

Which one to choose? "Let's go check out the Commercial Citadel," Lu Yuan said. Among the eight people, Lu Yuan possessed the greatest strength and was implicitly regarded as the leader.

Once Lu Yuan spoke, the others raised no objection. Since it was a simple binary choice, there was no rush for the Scripture Library Citadel, so this time they would head to the Commercial Citadel. Xuanyuan Twelve chuckled, "If you probe your consciousness into your Jade Talismans, there will be icons marking the places you can currently access.

Generally, those that are illuminated are where you can go. However, you are still ordinary disciples right now, so many areas are blind spots you cannot enter." "Alright, I've told you what you need to know. You may proceed on your own," Xuanyuan Twelve said, placing his hands behind his back before disappearing into the void.

Lu Yuan extended his consciousness into his Jade Talisman, searching for the glowing points, examining them one by one. At present, for most ordinary disciples, the star map was filled with blind spots; there were few illuminated points, few places they could go. In a short while, he found a glowing point; the symbol upon it was precisely the Commercial Citadel.

"Then, let's set off." This Jade Talisman was indeed useful; once a glowing point was confirmed, it even linked the route for him. Lu Yuan, Shi Feixian, Huo Yibu, and the others flew across this star field. Along the way, they saw an extraordinary number of powerful figures.

Many of those flying back and forth were at the Great Dao Realm, and sometimes an earth-shattering aura would sweep overhead—looking up, one would see a giant from the Chaos Realm soaring past. Along the route, there were various types of cave dwellings and grottoes, clearly inhabited. Outside these dwellings were arrays of restrictive spells and all sorts of exotic, unnameable rare fruits.

Moreover, there were many divine beasts acting as guardians—such as Dragons, Phoenixes, and Qilin—but these beasts were immense, far larger than those Lu Yuan had previously seen, clearly indicating they had reached a higher level of power. The Dragon Qi Hunyuan seemed to be of the Earth Dragon class, perhaps even a Celestial Dragon. A Celestial Dragon majestic in the heavens!

A Celestial Dragon thousands of zhang long suddenly roared several times. Lu Yuan even felt his internal cultivation fluctuate so violently that he almost tumbled to the ground. This was a Celestial Dragon!

A mere roar could destabilize his cultivation. This world was truly vast, immeasurably so. At this moment, a massive citadel came into view in the distance.

The entire city was constructed of snow-white giant stones, likely several hundred zhang tall. Above the city, a seven-colored restrictive array shimmered. At first glance, one could estimate that this array was tens of times more potent than the mountain-guarding formation of Mount Hua.

This was merely the Commercial Citadel within a single faction’s domain, yet it possessed such formidable protective arrays. It was truly awe-inspiring. Lu Yuan and the other seven landed before the city gate, noticing people already queuing to enter.

Upon entry, each person's Jade Talisman was inspected before passage was granted. When it was the eight of them, the inspector glanced at them and admonished, "You are newly initiated newcomers. Remember, fighting is strictly forbidden within the Commercial Citadel.

Any violation will incur severe punishment." Upon entering the Commercial Citadel, the reality was that newcomers could only access a small fraction of it, but even this small portion was astonishing to behold. The first place Lu Yuan and the others visited was a book market not far away. Entering the market, they found every kind of cultivation technique imaginable.

In a place like the Jin State, a technique capable of transforming one into a Dragon was essentially a treasure-grade item, considered a sect's ultimate secret. But here, in this book market, there were countless Dragon Transformation techniques for sale: Cloud Rain Dragon Transformation Great Law, Thunder Dragon Descent Divine Art, Nine Revolutions Golden Dragon Great Law..." All manner of Dragon Transformation methods were being sold, but their prices were extraordinarily high. A look at the required Spirit Stones showed they cost around five Upper-Grade Spirit Stones each—a steep price.

At least none of the people present could afford them. There were even techniques like the Ten Dragons Merging Great Law, a method for uniting numerous dragons into one. The Cloud Dragon Ten Transformations maxed out at the strength of a single dragon; subsequent advancement required cultivation methods like this.

These were even pricier, ranging from five or six Upper-Grade Spirit Stones to tens, or even hundreds, of Upper-Grade Spirit Stones, depending on the scroll. Here, Shi Feixian spent fifty points to purchase a Buddhist scripture. This scripture recorded endless Buddha Light and was highly suitable for cultivating Buddhist arts before the light was exhausted.

In the Sword Gate, very few cultivated Buddhist methods, yet Shi Feixian happened to practice them, so she acquired this scripture. Leng Xue’s eyes lingered covetously on the Blood Dragon Great Law. He practiced a fragmented version of it, and here was the complete Blood Dragon Great Law.

He was intensely envious, but the price was too high, and with only one hundred points, he couldn't possibly afford it. They proceeded to the mineral district, where every kind of ore imaginable was available. For example, the Heaven Enlightenment Stone was clearly marked with a price here, though the cost was quite high.

The Heaven Enlightenment Stone was highly valued everywhere, of course, but its listed price was followed by a point value, allowing payment via the point system. There was also the Heart Calming Stone, which prevented Qi Deviation and subsequent demonic possession. Glancing down the list of ores, there were thousands of different types, leaving one speechless.

Arriving at the Elixir Zone, they found an abundance of pills of every description. Lu Yuan’s eyes immediately fixed on one: the Nascent Soul Talisman Control Pill! Reading the description, he learned this pill could help a cultivator’s Nascent Soul control their Ancient Talismans—in other words, it was a pill designed to elevate one from the Fifth Level of the Great Dao Realm to the Sixth Level.

This was exactly what he needed. The listed price was in Upper-Grade Spirit Stones, which he certainly couldn't afford. He then looked at the price listed in points: two hundred points.

The shopkeeper emerged. Most shopkeepers here had relatively low cultivation bases, usually those with extremely poor natural talent who chose to manage a stall here rather than compete with the great figures within the Sword Gate, aiming to earn resources to secure a better foundation for their descendants’ cultivation. The shopkeeper was perceptive; seeing Lu Yuan looking at the pill, he smiled: "This pill’s effect is guaranteed.

If you take twenty at once, I guarantee you will advance to the Sixth Level of the Great Dao Realm." Twenty pills meant four thousand points. Lu Yuan had no way of acquiring four thousand points. Forget it, he would buy one first.

Lu Yuan had exactly two hundred points left; he might as well try to break through here. If it didn't work, he would buy another one. Because of the bet with Jian Zhi Xing, his most urgent priority was increasing his cultivation to the Sixth Level of the Great Dao Realm.

He bought one Nascent Soul Talisman Control Pill, which came packaged in a box made of dragon saliva sandalwood. When he opened the box, a golden pill was revealed. The moment the box opened, endless mystical talismans floated up.

The more advanced the elixir, the more miraculous its manifestations. In the Jin State, ordinary pills were at most fragrant or appealing; there was nothing more. But in the Central Heavenly Dynasty, these pills could manifest actual talismans.

Moreover, pills within pills—the King of Pills—could possess consciousness and even contend with cultivators and Immortals. As Lu Yuan held the pill, the shopkeeper sneered inwardly. Generally, ten pills were needed for an advancement, twenty provided an absolute guarantee, and ten was standard under average conditions.

Very few with exceptional talent needed only five or six Nascent Soul Talisman Control Pills to advance. Advancing an entire level with just one pill? Dream on.

Elevating the Nascent Soul from the Fifth Level to the Sixth Level, where the Nascent Soul achieved dominance, was no easy feat. If it were that simple, this world would already be overrun! He’ll never advance with just one pill; we must empty his points, thought the shopkeeper, having engaged in commerce for several hundred years.

Lu Yuan sat down, recalling that while fighting was forbidden here, practicing cultivation was allowed. He tilted his head back and swallowed the Nascent Soul Talisman Control Pill. As soon as it entered his abdomen, he felt his spiritual power surge madly.

Lu Yuan was aware this was only a temporary effect. Above his head, his thirty-seven Ancient Talismans flared up, with the Wind Elemental Nascent Law positioned at the very top, and the others slightly below. Thirty-seven Ancient Talismans!

Though Lu Yuan had witnessed many grand scenes within the Sword Gate, only a tiny number of people possessed thirty-seven Ancient Talismans. The surrounding shopkeepers all hurried over to watch. "He’s attempting a breakthrough, isn't he?" "Looks like he's trying to advance from the Fifth Level to the Sixth Level of the Great Dao Realm." "Thirty-seven Ancient Talismans, plus one Talisman of Death.

Reaching the Sixth Level will be exceptionally difficult for him, infinitely harder than for ordinary people. Shopkeeper Zhang, you’ve made a fortune this time; you must have sold him dozens of these pills, right?" commented another shopkeeper. "Made a fortune?

He only bought one Nascent Soul Talisman Control Pill. However, he actually possesses thirty-seven Ancient Talismans. Heh heh, this is a massive opportunity!

He is absolutely going to be fleeced by me," Shopkeeper Zhang chuckled smugly, confident that Lu Yuan would have to buy many more of the pills from him—likely thirty or forty—otherwise, how could he possibly clear this hurdle? His difficulty was far greater than that of an average cultivator. Lu Yuan felt his spiritual power skyrocketing.

He immediately began incessantly burning his threads of spirituality, reaching toward the Fire Elemental Nascent Law. The Fire Ancient Talisman was consuming the spiritual threads, but his current spiritual limit was exceedingly high, and the threads were thick and massive. In no time at all, the Fire Ancient Talisman completely submitted.

With the Fire Ancient Talisman subdued, the rest became easier. The Sun, Great Sun, Lava, Blazing, Joy, and Dusk—these five other Fire system Ancient Laws also submitted after consuming a significant amount of spiritual threads. Next, he moved on to trouble the Metal system Ancient Laws.

Metal, Austere, Autumn, Sorrow, Swift, and Slow—these six Ancient Laws were tightly bound by the spiritual threads. Although these Ancient Laws struggled fiercely, the spiritual threads were thick and huge, forcefully suppressing them. Six more Ancient Talismans submitted.

Now, a total of twenty Ancient Talismans had submitted, leaving sixteen remaining.