Chapter 6: The Fortress City
The frozen wasteland fortunately did not offer any further issues for Kalum. After his confrontation with the Orange Flower Sect, he remained undetected until he reached the far outskirts of the fortress city of Musalyum.
"At least my stealth technique got me this far." Kalum muttered.
It would do him no good any further. The first defensive wall of Musalyum lay a mere few hundred feet away. The giant black stone walls reach what must be at least a thousand feet. The other two defensive walls towering above the outer wall even more so. Until you finally laid eyes upon the grand fortress city of Musalyum, the architecture was diverse but had a distinct militaristic feel.
Looking upon each of the walls, massive artefact siege weapons could be spotted. Massive cannon like contraptions that were designed to kill scores of low realm cultivators and even injure higher realm cultivators. It was even rumoured to be able to injure experts of the Soul Unity Realm. One of those massive weapons was trailed on Kalum even now, who could not hope to survive even the shockwave of such a weapon.
He made his way to the main gate, the only allowed pathway into the city regardless of which direction one came from. There was only a modest queue waiting to get in with even more coming and going. It only took an hour or so for the line in front to whittle down. Even now he lamented that he was not yet wealthy or powerful enough to deserve VIP treatment.
"State your name and business traveller." A young female guard asked Kalum, her cultivation realm unknown.
"I am here to buy and sell." He replied.
"Very well, that will be one hundred low-tier spirit stones for the city entry fee, as a merchant you are forbidden from entering the second layer of the city unless you pay an independent fee, Move along." The woman dismissed him as he handed over the requested low-tier spirit stones.
The morals used coins and notes to fuel their economy, the cultivators used either spirit stones or formation protected banknotes. Only the most wealthy of people dared to use the notes as they were exceedingly expensive. It was a mark of power and influence even in other continents, or so he heard anyway.
It took Kalum a further hour to make his way through the main gates, the huge reinforced entryway into the city containing six massive titanic doors that could be closed at any time and yet more weapon emplacements. Some things never changed about humanity, even with cultivation thrown into the mix.
With no trouble presenting itself, Kalum had an easy time making his way through into the first layer of the city. This layer was nicknamed the poor layer by some, many merchants and low importance sect disciples lived in or frequented this layer. Although it contained many shops that would sell goods useful to his cultivation realm and even the Qi Soaring Realm above, it was not what he needed.
Kalum came to a stop at the reinforced gateway of the second layer, stopping meters away from the armed guards who watched him like hawks.
"Halt! This area is restricted! State your business!" One of the guards sternly requested.
"I am here to pay entry to the second layer of this glorious city, I have business there." Kalum said, trying to keep up a stern and important persona.
The guard looked at him searchingly for a moment before replying.
"That will be one thousand low-tier spirit stones, anything to declare before entering?" The guard asked him.
Kalum luckily had nothing to declare other than his weapon, which while the dagger was mildly impressive to someone of his level, was well within allowance to be carried within the city.
"Just a Qi Gathering Realm dagger and some Demon Beast Cores Sir." Kalum responded.
After throwing over the money and making sure everything was correct, Kalum was bowed into the second layer of Musalyum. The difference was vastly different compared to the first layer, much higher realm cultivators lined the streets and merchants wore more extravagant clothing. Even the guards themselves wore more impressive armour.
Kalum intended to stay in the city until he both sold his Demon Beast Cores and obtained new items to strengthen himself. Although there were a myriad of different stores that could sell what he needed, Kalum preferred to seek out the auction house first as the price wasn't so fluid.
It did not take long to find the auction house, it was one of the largest buildings around, two titanic pillars made of frostwood adorned each side of the platinum doors. Ignoring the looks from the guard, Kalum made his way inside and waited for one of the receptionists to become free.
"Sir, I am ready for you!" One of the young girls waved him over, her cultivation realm was a match for his own for just a mere receptionist.
"Hello Sir, welcome to the Musalyum auction house! Are you here to sell or for information?" The young bubbly girl asked him.
"I am here for both actually." He replied.
"Wonderful, what would you like to sell first?" She asked him.
"I would like to sell a few Demon Beast Cores to this fine establishment." Kalum replied.
She looked him over again and Kalum could feel his own strength assessed. It was likely she did not think him strong enough to bring them anything of worth. He had to quickly rectify this in case she was about to kick him out.
"I am selling both my own and some from a fellow wandering cultivator who wasn't able to make the journey here." Kalum interjected before she could say anything.
The girl smiled knowingly before nodding and speaking again.
"Very well then Sir! Please note that we only accept Demon Beast Cores in or above the Core Creation Realm. Anything lower must be sold to one of the other establishments." She said politely.
Kalum took out the Demon Beast Core of the Frost Serpent he had received from the system, being a 2nd Core Creation Realm Demon Beast it was surely valuable. He handed it over without any fuss.
"I would like to sell this Demon Beast Core on behalf of my friend, I have been given full permission to do so." Kalum smiled.
The girl nodded and took out an artefact to check the Demon Beast Core. Although she was able to ascertain that it was above the Qi Soaring Realm she could not find out it's exact nature.
"We do not have this Demon Beast in our database!" The young girl said excitedly.
"Will that be a problem?" Kalum asked.
She looked confused for a second before hurriedly replying.
"Oh not at all Sir! Do you happen to know the name of the beast this core came from?" She asked, much more professionally now.
Seeing no harm in replying, Kalum responded amicably.
"I believe that it is from a Frost Serpent." Kalum responded.
"WHAT?!"
Weekly Power Status
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