Chapter 20: Grassland Border City

During these four months, Li Xingyu had actually developed a bond with these people. The warmth, kindness, and straightforwardness of the herders made him very fond of them. In this time, he had essentially mastered the language and script of the Celestial Empire, as all these herders belonged to the empire. The child he had saved was named Muzak; his father was Mujal, and his mother was Jillanka. This group was a branch of the Mu family within the empire, most of whom lived on this vast grassland and held considerable influence in the empire.

The mountain range where Li Xingyu had lived for over three years was called the Celestial Mountain Range. According to legend, it once imprisoned a demon, guarded by immortals. Eventually, for reasons unknown, the immortals departed. Whether the demon remained, no one knew, but the mountain range retained its air of mystery. To this day, any animal approaching it would be seized by terror, and people on this planet felt extremely uncomfortable within it. Thus, few ventured into the mountains. It was said that some occasionally tried to investigate the reasons, but only those who stayed near the edge ever returned; none who went deep into the range came back. Knowing this, Li Xingyu found himself even more intrigued by the mountains. He understood that so-called immortals were likely high-level cultivators, but he had no intention of venturing back for further exploration. If anything, he felt fortunate that he had once been cautious and avoided delving deeper.

After obtaining a rough map of the Celestial Empire from the herders, Li Xingyu departed from them. Now, he rode at a steady pace across the grassland on a horse gifted by Mujal. His leather suitcase contained some provisions and universal coins from this planet, all given by the herders. Since these were necessities, he did not refuse, but in return, he gifted them a set of his spare solar-powered early warning devices, which were highly useful for a nomadic people.

Moreover, his MVP5 device held a wealth of books, which he had discovered in the chieftain’s home. These books described not only the Celestial Empire but also the planet itself, akin to encyclopedias of society and science found on Earth. When he found them, he was exhilarated; the short time he had spent mastering the language and script had left him little opportunity to learn about this world from the herders, and they themselves knew only so much.

When the chieftain realized Li Xingyu’s interest in the books, he gifted them all to him, explaining that these volumes had been given to each branch of their family. Li Xingyu thought them heavy and inconvenient for reference, so he used the MVP5 to scan and store all their contents. This solar-powered device was extremely powerful and useful for him, so he guarded it carefully and avoided unnecessary use, fearing damage. It was also a gift from his girlfriend, which gave it special significance. As for the physical books, he left them with young Muzak and urged him to study them. Muzak idolized Li Xingyu and, during their time together, had learned much from him.

Li Xingyu’s destination now was a medium-sized city called Grasslands Gate. Officially classified as such in the empire’s records, its actual scale rivaled that of larger cities. Grasslands Gate was the sole passage into the Celestial Grasslands, which were encircled by the Celestial Mountain Range and two other ranges. Any caravan trading with the grassland had to pass through this city, bringing in supplies and exporting cattle, sheep, and horses.

Before the Celestial Grasslands were incorporated into the empire, Grasslands Gate was a strategic city. As civilization advanced, the Celestial Empire flourished, while the resource-poor grasslands gradually declined. Five hundred years ago, a great chieftain from the Mu family persuaded the elders to negotiate for the grasslands’ integration into the empire.

The Mu family continued to govern the grasslands, and through gradual assimilation, both the grasslands and the Mu family became fully integrated into the empire, with the family gaining significant influence. Grasslands Gate was essentially the Mu family’s stronghold. Although the city was officially governed by the empire, the Mu family remained its most powerful force. Initially, residents of the grasslands were divided over joining the empire, and the Mu family’s authority was threatened. However, through the empire’s conciliatory policies and the prosperity of trade, the grasslands developed and flourished. As the native people came to appreciate these benefits, support for the Mu family soared, eventually surpassing even their past prestige.

Li Xingyu no longer wore crude fur garments but was dressed in the prairie-style clothing provided by the herders. He had learned that cultivators were no longer found in the Celestial Empire or even on this planet; only martial arts sects and related powers remained, similar to those on Earth. From his understanding of the cultivation world, he realized that these people practiced simplified versions of cultivation techniques, focusing on martial arts and internal energy. Thus, the highest level they could attain was the so-called late innate stage, equivalent to the late stage of energy refinement among cultivators.

Because their skills were essentially combat techniques, if an energy-refining cultivator refrained from using spells, their offensive power would be weaker. However, since their internal energy was not refined directly from the world’s spiritual energy, they could not use spells. They could only adapt techniques meant for using true energy before reaching the innate stage, making them suitable for their current internal energy.

Li Xingyu also understood from gathered information that those who reached the innate stage were exceedingly rare. Estimates suggested that, as one of the four great empires on the planet, the Celestial Empire might have fewer than a hundred such individuals. Thus, he did not carry his laser gun on his person but kept it in his backpack.

His attire and bearing closely resembled that of the prairie herders. As it was not wartime, the guards at the city gate merely glanced at him before paying no further attention. Li Xingyu took note of their equipment, then rode into the city. In this world, martial artists existed, capable of cultivating internal energy, but the current level of technology did not allow for mass production of firearms or artillery, so such weapons were virtually nonexistent.

Riding through the streets, Li Xingyu observed the city’s roads and shops. Suddenly, chaos erupted ahead and quickly spread to his vicinity. His horse became agitated, so, mindful of his limited riding skills and fearing he might lose control, he dismounted and led the horse to the roadside. He saw that the commotion was caused by a group of riders speeding through the street, led by a middle-aged man, probably in his forties. Their swift progress had triggered the chaos, and the expressions of the people rapidly clearing the way—angry yet powerless—suggested that these riders held significant status in the city.

When the group reached Li Xingyu’s side, the middle-aged man glanced at him and was about to ride past, but suddenly he yanked the reins. His steed reared up with a shrill neigh and halted. The others stopped as well, their mounts standing still without disorder, revealing their disciplined training. The middle-aged man’s gaze locked onto a mark beneath the neck of Li Xingyu’s horse, then he looked at Li Xingyu and demanded, “Tell me, where did you get this horse?” His commanding tone betrayed a man accustomed to authority, though his urgency made him speak quickly and with impatience.

“Why bother talking to him? Take him back first; even if he isn’t the one, he must be closely connected,” said another man, apparently twenty-seven or twenty-eight, whose features resembled those of the middle-aged man. Seeing Li Xingyu’s hesitation and having spotted the mark, he spoke up.

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