After several sensory shocks, Li Yunjing realized that his understanding of his sect was too shallow.
Many of his previous beliefs and views were simply laughable.
What defines a dominant sect on a continent?
It’s not about how many Qi Refining Realm cultivators one has, nor how many Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators, and certainly not merely about first-tier and second-tier wealth.
Only by truly stepping out of the "Shenxiao Mountain Range" and traveling across the entire Southern Heaven Continent would one truly understand what kind of sect the "Shenxiao Dao Sect" is.
"You guys wait here! Don’t move around!"
Yu Yuanhua instructed Li Yunjing and the others before joining the seventeen other Golden Core Realm cultivators and approaching the three Golden Core Realm commanders, continually discussing something in hushed tones.
However, this conversation was magically isolated, and the other Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators could not hear the specifics of their discussion.
Li Yunjing looked around at the others, suddenly realizing that their group seemed to be missing a person.
There were only thirty-three people left!
Li Yunjing thought he had seen it wrong, so he counted again and confirmed there were indeed thirty-three people!
At the moment the teleportation ended, his team was missing one! This made Li Yunjing’s mind a mess, unsure if he should report this to Yu Yuanhua.
He looked around once more. If only one person were missing, Li Yunjing wouldn’t have noticed the discrepancy, but he observed that it seemed like dozens of people were missing after this teleportation!
This was quite unusual!
Out of more than a thousand people, dozens were missing!
With Li Yunjing’s photographic memory, even without deliberately remembering, his brief recall made him notice the difference immediately.
He could confirm that some people were indeed missing.
"Could it be as I guessed at the start, where some high-ranking figures in the sect mixed in with us and secretly entered the ’City of Glory’ during the teleportation, and then left unnoticed?"
Thinking of this, Li Yunjing dared not speak recklessly. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ NoveI★Fire.net
He was convinced that the eighteen Golden Core Realm cultivators leading them would also notice the discrepancy in numbers.
But since they said nothing, this was clearly within their expectations!
Since the higher-ups were silent, Li Yunjing naturally pretended to be oblivious. This was no time to show off his cleverness and attention to detail.
Li Yunjing had no desire to create trouble for himself with petty tricks.
After a long while, the conversation among the higher-ups ended.
Yu Yuanhua came to Li Yunjing and the others, coldly looking at the remaining people, and said, "Follow me!"
They responded, following Yu Yuanhua out of the plaza.
As soon as he left the plaza, Li Yunjing saw massive palaces, all offices of the "City of Glory."
No commoners lived in the "City of Glory"; every building here was prepared for war.
Passing through clusters of palaces, they reached the streets of the "City of Glory."
On the streets were houses, some enclosed as barracks; some used as warehouses for supplies; and others served as offices for various military institutions.
Of course, some areas were designated as trade zones.
Some shops were set up here, mainly to supply the soldiers with materials.
Setting up shops in the "City of Glory" had rigorous restrictions and was subject to stringent controls, even forced allocations.
However, after the war, the "Shenxiao Dao Sect" would compensate these merchants based on their value.
The merchants had no complaints about this.
Those who could set up shops in the "City of Glory" were either insiders of the "Shenxiao Dao Sect" or had close connections, willing to serve the sect.
Merchants unwilling to be controlled wouldn’t do business here.
As Li Yunjing observed the street scenes, he thought about the upcoming "Treasure Pavilion" auction to be held here, feeling puzzled about how "Treasure Pavilion" managed to host an auction here.
Along the way, there were guards every few steps and patrols at every corner, with City Guards everywhere.
The strictness of "Wanghai City" could not compare to the "City of Glory"; there was no comparison at all.
The "Shenxiao Dao Sect" valued the northern enemies more than the Sea Race in the Sea Region.
Here, Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators were everywhere, and true Qi Refining Realm cultivators were as common as dogs, while Foundation Establishment cultivators roamed the streets.
In such a northern stronghold, without Golden Core Realm cultivation, one had no status at all.
Yu Yuanhua led the group without any intention of stopping, heading straight towards the northern gate, out of the Great Ming Dynasty’s border.
As the cold wind howled, after they walked out of the high city gate, Li Yunjing looked forward and saw a distant mountain range that stretched across the land like a silver dragon covered in ice and snow.
After leaving the city, Li Yunjing, like the others, felt a sense of melancholy, like a warrior embarking on a journey of no return.
This made Li Yunjing and the others involuntarily turn back to look at the magnificent "City of Glory."
This grand fortress stretched across ten thousand miles, each stone in the city walls was made of diamond, and the towering walls were like a mountain ridge blocking all routes to the Great Ming Dynasty from the north.
The entire "City of Glory" extended across the land, imposing and majestic.
On the tall city gate tower, rows of guards solemnly defended the frontier.
These guards were not all Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators.
Evidently, without war, the defense was mostly by Qi Refining Realm cultivators to ease the Foundation Establishment cultivators’ pressure, giving them ample time to train and advance their cultivation.
The entire "City of Glory" had countless inscriptions on the city walls representing various restrictions.
Li Yunjing looked back and sensed that some of the methods from the "Seven Star Palace" were integrated into them.
Evidently, when building such a grand city, their "Seven Star Palace" must have been one of the leaders and played a significant role.
"I guess I’m leaving my country now!"
Li Yunjing retracted his gaze, looking ahead, and smiled self-deprecatingly.
This world he was in was too vast.
Li Yunjing now had left the Great Ming Dynasty’s territory for the first time. As for how big the Southern Heaven Continent was, he had no idea.
As for other continents and the size of the whole world, he knew even less.
Perhaps, only when Li Yunjing completed his assessment and was promoted to true disciple would he have the right to know the world’s truth.
Li Yunjing and his group had only traveled dozens of miles without reaching the mountain range ahead when they encountered patrols of guards.
Even outside the "City of Glory," they could meet their own people.
The "Shenxiao Dao Sect" strategy was never to strictly defend the city but to actively strike out.
Since its founding, the "Shenxiao Dao Sect" had launched numerous northern expeditions to enter the world’s center. However, several large-scale actions were thwarted by multiple forces joining hands to keep them within the Great Ming Dynasty’s boundaries.
Even if they broke out of the Great Ming Dynasty, their limit was the Southern Heaven Continent.
They were never allowed to grow from a local giant to a super sect of the entire world.
The patrol squads that Li Yunjing’s group encountered had heavy tasks, frequently engaging in large battles and clearing out spies or small enemy factions infiltrating from various directions.
These patrol teams, each with over a hundred people, mainly consisted of Qi Refining Realm cultivators, led by Foundation Establishment Realm captains. Their armor was polished, their weapons sharp, exuding an air of killing intent.
From this, it was evident that these were no showpieces but a real iron-blooded army that had experienced brutal battles.
These people, when facing Li Yunjing’s group, did not overlook them due to the difference in strength but actively approached to check on them, showing their bravery and valor.