The person selling the sword was initially happy that someone was interested in his merchandise, but his expression turned sour as he noticed the guards accompanying Hao.
None in the city dared to fight the guards; after all, it was their city, and they knew better than to cause any trouble. His fear grew when he saw Niang, as the emblem on her chest clearly indicated her affiliation with the city lord.
''How much for this sword?'' Niang asked, seeing Hao's interest in it.
''Free, it's free!'' The cultivator hurriedly handed the sword to her, clearly intimidated.
As Niang examined the sword with a discerning eye, she spoke with a thoughtful tone. ''Though it appears to be cheaply made, I can offer you 4 spirit stones for it,'' she said, passing the stones to him.
She wanted to be fair in her assessment and make sure he felt he was getting a reasonable deal.
''Thank you, Lady, and... Young master,'' the cultivator said, still a bit confused as he looked at Niang and then at Hao.
''Let's go eat,'' Niang led Hao and the rest to a nearby food stall. As they left, the cultivator's back was full of sweat, but he reassured himself that he had never heard any bad reputation about the city lord.
That was why the majority of people enjoyed living in this city, making it popular in the surrounding areas.
''5 portions of spirit rice,'' she ordered, sitting down. The people were staring at Hao, making him feel uncomfortable, but the guards scared them away, allowing him to finally sit down.
The restaurant owner saw Niang and smiled. He had known her for years and then turned her gaze to Hao. ''This must be the young master,'' he said with a warm smile before rushing into the kitchen to prepare the food.
Watching the crowd of people come and go and experiencing the unique culture of this new world made him feel like he was in a dream.
They were trading and looking for members for expeditions. It was an extremely vibrant and lively city, without the technology like electricity found on Earth.
Instead, they used other methods, such as powering lights with spiritual stones and various other items.
The majority of people seemed to carry the items and place them in their pockets or exchange them for higher-grade stones, as they didn't have space rings like the one the head guard wore.
''How many grades of spiritual stones are there?'' he asked Niang, who was sitting next to him.
''There are eight grades. The sword we bought costed the last grade of spiritual stones, the lowest quality ones. The next grade is...'' Niang began to explain.
Suddenly, a loud ''ROAR'' interrupted their conversation, and he shivered as he felt immense pressure, something he had never experienced before. It was like being an ant, vulnerable and easily crushed. His face turned pale as the roar echoed throughout the city.
The guard had a serious expression and quickly positioned himself in front of Hao, blocking the oppressive aura. He looked up at the sky above the city, searching for the source of the ominous sound.
Then a massive creature appeared, resembling a gigantic fly from Earth, with four wings, a massive head, multiple eyes, and sharp teeth. It was over a kilometre in size, and its presence was imposing and terrifying.
''What's that?!'' Hao managed to voice his question, feeling an overwhelming sense of fear. Was there anything that could possibly defeat such a colossal creature?
The guard remained silent, but Niang responded to Hao with a serious expression, ''Skyscarab. It's an extremely strong creature, but don't worry.'' As she spoke, her face relaxed, and she reassured him that everything would be fine soon.
Before the beast could get close, a voice echoed throughout the city, ''You DARE?!'' capturing everyone's attention as they looked up to see a small figure in black robes floating in the sky.
''Father,'' Hao muttered, recognizing the voice and figure. The guard beside him visibly calmed, finding reassurance in the presence of the city lord.
''This is my territory, and you dare come here for food?!''Fang Xiong's aura intensified, causing the clouds to tremble around him.
His powerful presence sent shivers down the spines of those who witnessed it, a reminder of his authority and strength as the city lord.
The creature roared in reply, seemingly threatening Fang Xiong despite its intelligence. However, it didn't view Xiong as particularly strong, perhaps underestimating the city lord's power.
Seeing that the beast didn't run away, Xiong laughed confidently, sensing an opportunity. ''Good, good. It's been a long time since I used this.'' He called out loudly, ''SWORD COME!',''SUNDERING SKY!!''
A massive sword began to take shape in the sky, slowly materializing with each passing moment. Its size grew until it reached an astonishing 600 meters, and a radiant silver light covered the city, illuminating the surroundings as if a second sun had appeared high in the air.
Hao stood there, his heart pounding in his chest, witnessing this incredible display of power. It was a sight he would never forget.
Compared to Hao, who was miles away, the Skyscarab was feeling the horror up close. It roared in panic as it sensed the aura of the blade, questioning, 'What the hell is this?!' It quickly turned around and fled as if its life depended on it.
''You think you can come and go as you please?!''Fang Xiong's pressure intensified even more as he held a small token in his hand, causing lines of runes to spread all over the city like a vast spider's web.
As Hao looked at the lines of runes, the head guard explained, "This city is protected by an array that can be used to amplify the power of those within it, just like the lord is doing now."
"Fascinating," Hao muttered, captivated by the display of power. He watched in awe as Xiong in the sky visibly grew stronger, and the massive blade increased in size by another 200 meters, emitting a resonating buzz sound.
Then, all of a sudden, the massive sword shot forward with a speed Hao could barely comprehend. It landed on the beast, making a deafening ripping noise as the creature screamed in agony before being cleanly cut in half and falling down to the city below.
Fang Xiong activated the protective array, blocking the rain of red blood and scattered pieces from reaching the city. He swiftly collected the important remains and with a wave of his hand, the sky cleared.
Noticing his son's presence, he turned his gaze towards Hao, flashing a smile. Satisfied with the outcome, he ascended back to the mountain's summit.
''Amazing, I want to be a sword cultivator,'' Hao exclaimed, awestruck by the pure power displayed in the attack.
The sheer force behind it was immense, and he couldn't help but feel drawn to the path of sword cultivation. However, little did he know that he, Hao, had no talent for the sword.