The line ahead of Jian Dan was finally thinning. Before long, it was her turn.
At the city gate stood a Golden Core stage cultivator overseeing entry. Naturally, for a mere late-stage Qi Refining cultivator like Jian Dan, he didn't bother to intervene personally. Instead, a nearby man at the peak of Qi Refining stepped forward and cupped his hands politely.
"Fellow Daoist, please present your identity token."
Without hesitation, Jian Dan retrieved a dull gray storage pouch from her waist and respectfully handed over a small jade token.
Since she had taken on Shan Yunzhu's identity, she intended to fully embody the role of a rogue cultivator. Fortunately, she had once been one herself and knew the hardships well—her disguise was flawless.
Today she wore a plain blue-black robe—if it could even be called a magic robe. It bore only a few basic talismanic marks for dust-repelling, water resistance, and fire aversion. It had no real defensive capabilities and wouldn't withstand even a single strike from a stronger cultivator. A stark reminder of the struggles of rogue cultivators—even a decent protective robe required a fortune in spirit stones.
Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail, secured with a dark blue ribbon, while Shan Yunzu's storage pouch hung at her waist.
While waiting in line, Jian Dan had observed her surroundings carefully. The city gate had only three cultivators checking identities and collecting entry fees. Most of those in line were rogue cultivators, while sect disciples had their own exclusive entrance.
Interestingly, the queue included Dao cultivators, demon cultivators, and even a few beastkin—some of whom hadn't mastered full human transformation, leaving traces of their original forms.
Standing just ahead of Jian Dan was one such beastkin—a cloud rabbit. Her pristine white ears twitched attentively with every sound.
Jian Dan couldn't help staring like some backwater bumpkin. She was mesmerized by those snowy ears, gazing unabashedly until the rabbit's ears turned red from embarrassment. Only then did she realize how openly she'd been gawking.
The rabbit beastkin quickly passed the identity check and vanished in three bounding leaps, as though a pack of wolves were chasing her.
Jian Dan awkwardly rubbed her nose and stepped forward respectfully, awaiting her own turn.
The Qi Refining cultivator inserted her jade token into a frog-shaped artifact. A pulse of light flashed, and the frog spat the token back out with almost humanlike motion.
After confirming there were no issues, the man returned the token and said blandly, "Five low-grade spirit stones."
Jian Dan immediately produced the required fee and fed the spirit stones into the frog's mouth. A shimmering barrier at the gate rippled as she stepped through effortlessly into Tianyue City.
Only then did she truly relax.
Now, Shan Yunzhu's identity was officially recorded.
That frog artifact wasn't just for show—it verified identities and left a mark similar to a registration stamp. Nearly every major city used them to log cultivators and track movement through official channels.
Inside the barrier, the city burst to life with noise and motion.
Less than a mile from the gate, to Jian Dan's right, stood a two-story pavilion with an old-fashioned design. A sign above the door read "Qianwen Pavilion". The shop boy at the door, seeing her humble clothes, showed no disdain. Instead, he greeted her with a bright smile.
"First time in Tianyue, Fellow Daoist? Perhaps you're in need of a guide?"
Jian Dan smiled and nodded.
Seeing a potential customer, the shop boy grew even more enthusiastic and ushered her inside.
"Our establishment rents out all kinds of guides—please, come this way. These are our avian guides, and those over there are of the beast category. Just let us know your preference."
Upon entering, Jian Dan immediately noticed how spacious it was inside. It clearly used space-expansion techniques—this place had some backing, that much was certain.
The boy led her toward a room on the right. The entrance was veiled by a transparent barrier, beside which stood a statue of a phoenix, marking this section as home to the avian-type guides. Jian Dan gestured for an introduction.
The boy launched into a spirited explanation of their available avian companions.
—Petite larks (delicate and swift)
—Eccentric cranes (aloof but knowledgeable)
—Mighty eagles (imposing but pricey)
—Vibrant peacocks (showy and vain)
—And finally, the "noble phoenix" (which, to Jian Dan, looked more like a mutt with trace phoenix blood).
The rental fees for the higher-tier guides were far beyond her means, so she focused on the smaller, affordable birds—just something cute and functional.
Then, a voice chirped:
"Beauty! Beauty! Pick me! I'm this shop's most experienced guide—and I have some juicy insider news!"