396 - Rebirth of a Star: Another Day, Another Drama

Chapter 396: Gateway City Cultivators at the level of Immortal Monarch are considered the pinnacle of the lower Celestial Domain. In the end, Taishi Qing couldn't find Ye Ling Long and had no choice but to leave the Immortal Spirit Academy with his group. However, upon departure, he declared a manhunt for Ye Ling Long throughout the lower Celestial Domain on behalf of the Hunyuan Sect. Almost every town displayed her image and description. Gateway City Gateway City is a unique town due to its exceedingly strict entry requirements. Only those possessing a ticket to the middle Celestial Domain are allowed entry. Tickets to the middle Celestial Domain are extremely expensive and released in very limited quantities, making them highly valuable. The city gates open at fixed times each day, and even those who arrive early must wait outside. Those who attempted to force their way in have met unfavorable outcomes in the past. At the break of dawn, around a dozen people already gathered outside Gateway City. In a few days, a ship to the middle Celestial Domain was scheduled to depart, so those planning to board were arriving in advance. Each of these individuals carried an air of nobility, clearly from prominent families. Among them, however, were two rather ordinary-looking people, the type easily lost in a crowd. "Young brother, what takes you to the middle Celestial Domain?" Wang Tong curiously approached the two individuals. He was familiar with most who could afford a ticket, yet he had never seen these two before. "We are not from the lower Celestial Domain," one of the men replied. Though ordinary-looking, his voice was pleasant. Wang Tong's eyes lit up, suddenly reminded of the fact that those who could afford such tickets might also be from the middle Celestial Domain. "Ah, distinguished guests from the middle Celestial Domain, my apologies," he quickly adjusted his tone to one of respect, and others around them followed suit. The man said nothing further, seemingly agreeing by silence. After all, she truly wasn't from the lower Celestial Domain, and whatever misconception others held wasn't her concern. Indeed, these two were none other than Ye Ling Long and Feng Li, who had left the Immortal Spirit Academy. After parting with Zou Guan Qing and Master Hai, Ye Ling Long had immediately summoned Feng Li back. Following Qian Jun's suggestion, she planned to use the tickets provided by Di Lian Yun to journey to the middle Celestial Domain. The middle Celestial Domain was resource-rich and contained a treasure trove left by her master, Di Chang Ling, which would help her quickly improve her skills. Having already located the array, there was no longer any reason for her to stay in the lower Celestial Domain. However, considering that nearly the entire route was filled with spies from the Hunyuan Sect, the pair had to be cautious. Wang Tong, convinced of his guess, thought that perhaps their ordinary appearance was an illusion, a means to practice discretion on their travels. As time ticked by, the moment for the city gates to open finally arrived. With a creaking sound, the heavy gates slowly swung open, revealing two heavily armored city guards. "Remarkable—guards at the Immortal King stage," someone in the crowd remarked. The guards remained unfazed. Lang Sheng spoke up, "Step forward if you have a ticket." "Yes, yes, yes," Wang Tong responded eagerly, pulling out a small plaque from his cloak and handing it over. Several others followed, producing identical plaques. Ye Ling Long felt a twinge of anxiety when she noticed her ticket looked different from theirs. Alone, she might not have worried, but when everyone else's ticket matched, she began to panic. Could Di Chang Ling have given them counterfeit tickets due to time constraints? As thoughts raced through her mind, their turn for verification finally came. "Your tickets," the guard demanded impatiently, noting their hesitation. Jolted back to reality, Ye Ling Long retrieved two plaques from her storage space, noticeably distinct from the others. Unlike Wang Tong's tickets, Ye Ling Long's were far more exquisite, clearly extraordinary. The guards, initially indifferent, visibly altered their demeanor upon seeing her plaque. Instantly, their attitude switched to one of utmost respect, courteously checking the authenticity before respectfully ushering Ye Ling Long and Feng Li inside. Observing this, Wang Tong became even more convinced that Ye Ling Long and Feng Li were indeed distinguished guests from the middle Celestial Domain. The difference in ticket appearance and the guards' contrasting attitudes confirmed it. "I must secure this golden opportunity," Wang Tong instinctively decided. Once inside Gateway City, there were still two days until the departure of the ship to the middle Celestial Domain, leaving them time to explore. Many treasures unavailable outside could be found within the city. As soon as they were inside, and under the respectful eyes of the guards, Ye Ling Long and Feng Li quickly vanished from sight, eluding everyone's watch. Wang Tong had hoped to establish a connection, only to be disappointed when he couldn't even catch a glimpse of them. "I really wanted to make their acquaintance," he lamented. "Ha, Wang Tong, you should know your place. Those from the middle Celestial Domain wouldn't waste their time on a lesser noble from the lower ranks," someone mocked from behind. Ignoring the taunt, Wang Tong snorted and chose a direction to leave. "Hmph, just a nobody who dared to put on airs!" the person sneered. "There's been trouble in the Wang family lately, sending this nobody to the middle Celestial Domain might be for his own protection," someone speculated. "A nobody remains a nobody, no matter where they go. Once he's in the middle Celestial Domain, we'll see how I'll deal with him," another added with a smirk. ... "Man, I was so nervous back there. I almost thought our tickets were fake," Feng Li admitted once they had distanced themselves from the group. Given that those two guards were Immortal King stage experts with a dangerous aura markedly different from those in the lower Celestial Domain, if it had come to a fight, their only option would have been to flee. An extended confrontation would mean inevitable reinforcements. Ye Ling Long mused over the two plaques in her hand. "It must be a matter of ticket class. The plaques given by Di Chang Ling were obviously different from theirs. We’ll find out once we board the ship."