More importantly, the smell was exactly the same as the “trader’s smell” he felt at the end of the battle.
That was the person hiding in the distorted space, observing from the shadows.
Su Jingqiu walked over to David and stopped five steps in front of him.
The distance feels subtle, neither offensive nor too far.
He didn’t rush to speak, but instead bent down and gently placed a storage bag on the ground at David’s feet.
The movement is very natural, like putting down a bag you just brought on the side of the road.
“The Void Merchant Guild wishes to establish friendship with Master Chen. This is a small token of appreciation from us.”
He spoke simply and calmly, without unnecessary pleasantries or flattery. After finishing speaking, he straightened up, nodded slightly to David, then turned and left.
From beginning to end, he didn’t say his name, didn’t leave any contact information, and didn’t even glance at David.
They come suddenly and go just as quickly.
Jiang Xuelan watched his leaving figure, her brows frowned slightly: “He just left?”
“Hmm.” David bent down and picked up the storage bag.
The storage bag was the most ordinary kind, a grey-white cloth bag without any markings, the kind you could buy from a street vendor with some low-quality spiritual stones.
However, the contents of the bag were not ordinary bags at all.
As his divine sense penetrated in, David’s pupils narrowed slightly.
Inside the storage bag was a jade scroll and a silver-white coin.
The jade plate was pure white, with a faint spiritual light flowing on its surface, which clearly showed that it was a superior recording jade plate.
He probed the jade plate with his divine sense, and a huge map unfolded in his mind.
The level of detail on the map far exceeded his expectations.
The entire map radiated out from the Fallen God Wasteland, covering the entire Eighteen Heavens.
Mountains and rivers, cities and sects, spiritual veins and mineral deposits, forbidden areas and secret realms—all were clearly marked.
The Fire God Palace was located in the southwest, and the location of the nine golden towers was so precise that the height and defensive range of each tower were known.
The Hall of Light is located to the southeast. Below the coordinates of the floating altar was a sign that read “Holy Light Restriction: Do not approach if you are below fifth-rank Golden Immortal.”
The Void Merchant Guild’s Sky City was located in the far north. This map marked the distribution of the thirty-six floating islands surrounding the city and the teleportation nodes between them.
Qingyun Grotto Heaven is located deep in the Qingyun Mountains in the northeast. The exact location was not marked on the map, but was only described in small writing as “Residence of the Daoist sect, hidden by a large formation, exact location unknown”.
Apart from that, the locations, regions, and cultivation levels of the top experts from dozens of small and medium-sized powers were also listed.
There was even a map showing the distribution of spatial gaps within the Fallen God Desert. The locations, sizes, and activity cycles of the fissures were marked in great detail, and some places even had additional notes—”This fissure is connected to a place where ancient remnant souls sleep; approaching it is risky.”
The value of this map cannot be measured by spiritual stones.
The maps of the Eighteen Heavens available on the market at best only marked the approximate locations of a few major sects, and their accuracy was much worse.
This map seemed to reveal all the secrets of the Eighteen Heavens before David.
Behind the jade slip was a silver-white token.
This token was the size of a palm, with an engraving of a treasure ship traversing through the void on the front. The lines were smooth, and the sails were fluffy, as if the ship could sail out of the token at any time.
The back featured the Void Merchant Guild’s emblem—a swirl consisting of nine arches with the ancient characters “Void” in the center.
A faint silver light flowed on the surface of the token. David could feel that the token contained extremely subtle spatial laws. This law was connected to a certain formation of the Void Merchant Guild. Token holders can activate it in times of crisis and be instantly teleported back to the safe area of the Void Merchant Guild.
This is a guest token from the Void Merchant Guild.
Moreover, judging from the material and complexity of the runes on the token, the level is not low, at least second only to the guild leader.
David turned the token over in his palm and was silent for a moment.
Jiang Xuelan leaned closer to look, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes: “Guest token of the Void Merchant Guild? They want to win your favor?”
“It’s not about winning their hearts.” David put the token and jade slip back into his storage bag and tied it around his waist. “It’s about throwing a long hook to catch a big fish.”
“What does it mean?”
“A map, an ID, nothing else is requested, not even a name. This gift is so pure, so pure, that you would feel bad if you refused it.”
David looked up in the direction Su Jingqiu had left. His gray-blue figure had disappeared into the twilight of the Fallen God Desert. “To receive a gift is to owe a favor. And favors must be repaid sooner or later.”
“So you still want to accept it?”
“What I need is a map. That token…” David paused, “Just keep it for now, whether we need it or not is another matter.”
He turned around and walked towards Fire Crow City, with Jiang Xuelan following him from the side.
FAQ Novel
Q: Where is Fire Crow City located and what are its characteristics?
A: Fire Crow City is situated at the fringes of the Fallen God Desert, featuring walls made of black volcanic rock and inhabited mainly by wild cultivators, mostly below the True Immortal Realm.
Q: What significant encounter takes place as David and Jiang Xuelan approach the city?
A: As they are about to enter Fire Crow City, a mysterious woman with a soft and beautiful appearance emerges from the Fallen God Desert and addresses David directly.
Share your predictions for the upcoming interactions and the mysteries that lie within Fire Crow City in the comments below!