Chapter 721: Stealth

"Hehe, you truly have good eyes, honored guest. I am indeed a member of the Wusang clan, but I've left my homeland and drifted here," the shopkeeper said, somewhat surprised.

"I see. What a coincidence," Shi Chuankong laughed.

"Haha, what do you esteemed guests need?" the shopkeeper asked again.

"Shopkeeper, we need a map of Rakshasa City. Do you have one?" Shi Chuankong asked, looking around mysteriously.

"This is a contraband item. Outsiders are not allowed to privately sell or purchase it," the shopkeeper said, frowning and glancing at the door, lowering his voice.

Han Li's heart stirred slightly at this reaction.

"If you don't tell and we don't mention, who would know? Once the money and goods are exchanged, the deal is done," Shi Chuankong said with a chuckle.

The shopkeeper seemed hesitant, pondering for a long while without giving a definite answer. Shi Chuankong didn't rush him, instead casually examining the items on the shelves.

Shi Chuankong was better at bargaining, so Han Li kept silent, practicing the art of not speaking.

Mo Guang wasn't interested and stood at the shop entrance, looking downward.

"I do have the item, but you know the risk is high, so the price... naturally, it will be higher," the shopkeeper finally said, seeing that none of the three were eager to speak.

"Just name your price, shopkeeper. We know what to expect," Shi Chuankong said with a smile.

"Fifty gray crystals," the shopkeeper said.

"Shopkeeper, this item is rare and hard to find. How many buyers like us do you come across in years?" Shi Chuankong said, looking at the shopkeeper with a half-smile.

"Don't rush, honored guest. Haggling is normal; everything can be discussed," the shopkeeper said with a chuckle.

"At most ten gray crystals," Shi Chuankong said.

"That's too steep a cut. This map is different from the fakes on the market. It's a bit old, but it's absolutely authentic, with no errors," the shopkeeper frowned.

"Can you guarantee the map is genuine?" Han Li raised an eyebrow and asked.

"You may not know, honored guest, but the nine districts of Rakshasa City have only been under martial law for the past two to three millennia. Before that, aside from the Soul-Washing District, there were no special restrictions elsewhere, so map management was lax. The map I have is one of the few official ones preserved after the lockdown. Most of what appears on the black market are copies, incomparable to this," the shopkeeper said, sniffing from a snuff bottle and rubbing his nose.

"Aside from the Soul-Washing District... what is so special about it?" Han Li interjected.

"That is the sacred land of the Netherworld Clan, always mysterious. Even members of the Netherworld Clan cannot enter casually," the shopkeeper said.

"If that's the case, the map is worth about fourteen or fifteen gray crystals," Shi Chuankong said.

"I won't sell for less than forty gray crystals," the shopkeeper insisted.

Shi Chuankong remained unmoved. After some bargaining, they finally settled on twenty-eight gray crystals.

When the shopkeeper reluctantly brought out a black stone disc, Shi Chuankong stood with his hands behind his back, showing no intention of paying.

As the shopkeeper wondered, Shi Chuankong looked at Han Li and said, "What are you standing there for? Pay up."

Han Li rubbed his nose, amused and exasperated, took the black stone disc, and paid the gray crystals to the shopkeeper.

After Mo Guang refined the stone disc and confirmed the map seemed genuine, the three left the shop together.

"It's just a few dozen gray crystals. Why bother? Once we return to the Immortal Realm, we won't need these things anymore," Han Li said to Shi Chuankong as they left Upside-Down Street.

"Fellow Daoist Li, you don't understand. I'm not bothered by the gray crystals, but by the deal itself," Shi Chuankong said with a smile.

Just then, they heard Mo Guang's voice transmission:

"I examined the map earlier. The Soul-Washing District is in a very special location. From our current position in the Tamin District, we need to pass through the Baizang District and then the Luosheng District to reach the Soul-Washing District. Between each pair of districts, there are high walls and restrictions. The specific nature of the restrictions is unknown. Also, the Soul-Washing District is blank on the map, with no markings."

"So well protected... It seems the sacred land where the Soul-Cleansing Pool is located is indeed in the Soul-Washing District. Let's head to the Baizang District first and take a look," Han Li transmitted to the two.

Mo Guang nodded and led the way, leaving Upside-Down Street and heading toward the Baizang District.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

At that moment, a series of grand bell sounds came from afar, echoing in the sky, audible throughout Rakshasa City, shaking the soul.

Accompanying the grand bell sounds, four white pillars of light rose from the distance, shooting into the sky.

Each white pillar was a hundred zhang thick, like four giant pillars supporting the heavens, located in the Fallen Lake District.

People on the streets stopped what they were doing and looked toward that direction. Some who knew each other gathered, pointing at the four white pillars, their faces excited.

Han Li and the other two also stopped and looked toward the white light.

"It seems the Three Domain Alliance has begun," Shi Chuankong said, listening to the surrounding discussions.

"Good. Now most of Rakshasa City's attention is focused there, which makes it easier for us to act," Han Li said, his eyes glinting.

The three quickly averted their gazes and strode forward.

……

At that moment, the location of the four white beams of light was a plaza at the center of the Fallen Lake region.

The plaza was vast, covering an area of over a hundred li.

The ground was paved with white tiles of unknown material, emitting wisps of white mist that rose only a foot before stopping, making the entire plaza look like a flat sea of clouds.

Countless figures stood outside the plaza, mostly residents of Shura City, predominantly You slaves, along with attendants from various clans who had come for the alliance.

Nearly a thousand gray-armored soldiers stood at the edge of the plaza, forming a human wall that separated the crowd.

At the four corners of the plaza stood four stone pillars, from which the four beams of light shot into the sky, growing brighter.

The white light on the pillars swirled rapidly, and white runes surged forth, emitting a vast, heart-shaking aura.

A thunderous roar echoed in the sky as baleful energy surged wildly, transforming into gray rays that rolled and churned in the air.

Amid the rolling gray rays, a thunderous crash sounded, and a white stone platform suddenly appeared in the sky, then slowly descended to the ground.

The platform was hundreds of zhang high, casting a shadow that enveloped the nearby crowd.

At the top of the platform was an open space, where a huge white circular table was placed.

The table, made of unknown material, looked extremely ancient, with no trace of any restrictions, yet it exuded an extraordinary solemnity.

Behind the table were arranged over a hundred chairs, clearly prepared for the alliance meeting.

Seeing this, the nearby crowd showed surprise and buzzed with discussion.

Though they had heard the domain lord meeting would be held here, they hadn't expected it to be on this open, unobstructed platform.

At that moment, a black light descended from the sky onto the platform, revealing the figure of a tall man.

He wore bronze armor, with handsome features but an extremely indifferent expression, especially his gray eyes that showed no emotional fluctuation. This was the Nine Nether Domain Lord, Yin Chengquan.

He stood there without emitting any aura, yet the nearby void subtly twisted, and everything in heaven and earth seemed to revolve around him.

At that moment, Yin Chengquan was the center of this world.

The souls of everyone present involuntarily trembled—a shudder from the depths of their spirits.

"Greetings, Domain Lord!"

The residents of Shura City shouted loudly, kneeling like a tidal wave.

All outsiders also paid their respects.

"Welcome, everyone, to this Three-Domain Alliance. You honor Shura City. The purpose of this alliance is well known. For fairness, the meeting will be held here shortly. You may watch freely and bear witness to this event," Yin Chengquan said slowly.

His voice was not loud, yet everyone near the plaza heard it clearly, as if it sounded right in their ears.

The crowd below buzzed with discussion again.

"Lord Yin acts with integrity. I admire that," a clear voice rang out. Black light flashed on the platform, revealing three figures in black robes.

The foremost was a middle-aged man with a square face and thick eyebrows, his skin as black as the bottom of a pot, with a half-foot-long black beard. He nodded slowly as he spoke.

This man also emitted no aura, yet he perfectly merged with the surrounding void, subtly rivaling Yin Chengquan.

The other two were a young man, tall and sturdy, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, as robust as a bear.

And an old man with graying beard, hunched over, leaning on a black wooden staff, looking decrepit.

Their skin was also pitch black.

"They are envoys from the Black Rope Domain! It's said that due to geography and climate, the people there have black skin. It's true."

"That long-bearded middle-aged man seems to be Xiao Buye, the Deputy Domain Lord of the Black Rope Domain, Patriarch Xiao!"

"The other two seem to be the Bright King Envoy and the Heavenly Fiend Envoy among the Thirteen Sacred Envoys of the Black Rope Domain. Both are peerless experts at the Da Luo stage."

The crowd below buzzed with excitement.

"Deputy Domain Lord Xiao flatters me. I am grateful for your trust in holding this Three-Domain Alliance in my Shura City. Naturally, I must be open and honest," Yin Chengquan said, forcing a smile on his cold face.

"I hope Lord Yin does not forget those words." Another flash of light on the platform revealed three more figures.

The speaker was a white-haired young man, extremely handsome, but his expression was tinged with sorrow, as if he had experienced endless heartbreak, giving a sense of despair beyond grief.

Behind the white-haired young man stood two people. One was a middle-aged man, ordinary in appearance but tall and sturdy, clad in black armor, his massive figure standing like an iron tower, exuding a calm, mountain-like stability.

The other was a woman in a white dress, slender and beautiful, with slightly narrow eyes that held a sharp, cold look.

If Han Li were here, he would surely recognize her at a glance—she was none other than Jiao San.