Heavenly Dao Engine
Chapter 364 - 364 0273 Three-dimension Map

Chapter 364: Chapter 0273: Three-dimension Map Chapter 364: Chapter 0273: Three-dimension Map Chapter 0273: 3D Map

Wanjie City is vast and to get from Wanjie Commerce to the South City Gate, many blocks must be crossed. It’s no easy task for the likes of Qi Tian and his fellow cultivators. Only by utilizing the Wanjie Commerce’s caravan can they reach their destination swiftly and without trouble.

Since the foundation of Wanjie City, the South City has been a dumping ground for all sorts of waste. The oldest dumps here have a history spanning thousands of years. They look like small hills, continuous and standing tall like mountain ranges, painting a majestic scene.

Much like on Earth, what is referred to as garbage is often merely items not yet found a way to be reused. A significant portion of this waste contains useful cultivation resources. However, due to the low percentage and high amount of work involved in the extraction process, making the operation costly, these resources were discarded by their owners and shipped to the South City.

The elite cultivators living in their lofty mansions might turn up their noses at this waste, but in South City, many people survive on it. Battles have even broken out over the rights to these garbage piles, with Gold Core Stage cultivators sometimes getting involved in the fiercest incidents.

After years of strife, three power groups primarily control the garbage mountains outside the city. Anyone wishing to search through the dumps must report to these factions and pay a fee. Leveraging this, the three forces rose to prominence and established their influence in Wanjie City.

When Qi Tian and his group arrived, they traveled by cart. The cart was nothing luxurious; it didn’t even have a canopy. Sitting inside, they could clearly see the surroundings. As they approached South City, Qi Tian noticed many caravans like theirs. Each vehicle carried cultivators filled with hopeful anticipation, dreaming of unearthing an Innate Spirit Treasure Level ore shovel and becoming overnight millionaires.

However, what shocked Qi Tian the most, wasn’t the number of treasure-seeking cultivators, but the dozens of corpses suspended in the air along the sides of the road. These bodies floated like dandelions, each meeting their end in different ways. Yet, it was apparent that none of them had died willingly. The attire of these individuals suggested that they were not ordinary people.

The bodies left to float in the open air were clearly a deliberate decision, intended as a warning. A chill penetrated Qi Tian’s heart. While Wanjie City hosted many cultivators, it remained a place where the strong preyed on the weak. While here, he must proceed with caution, being careful not to give people any leverage against him.

At that moment, He Miao flew over the caravan. His voice filled with a warning, he said, “You see them, don’t you? There are two types of people who end up dead and displayed like this. The first are the leaders of the so-called three power factions of South City. They believe they have the right to negotiate with us and demand ridiculous fees for our treasure hunting activities in the garbage mountains. Ignorant of their own mortality, they are now dead. The second type are those who were dishonest. They entered the garbage mountains before you, found some treasure, and planned to hide their finds. If you wish to keep anything you find, feel free, but unauthorized withholding is punishable by death. I hope you take this as a cautionary tale, and do not make the same mistakes.”

Originally, the cultivators in Qi Tian’s cart were engaged in lively discussions, but in light of the bodies along the road and the ominous warning from He Miao, everyone fell silent, fearful of being next.

He Miao was quite satisfied with the effect of his warning. The treasure hunters sought by Wanjie Commerce needed to be disciplined. Only after stern warnings like this one, would they genuinely work for Wanjie Commerce.

Exiting the South City Gate and arriving outside the city, they could see garbage mountains as high as a hundred meters in the distance. If one were to take a deep breath, the pungent stench emanating from the mountains could still be detected.

He Miao had explained earlier: The treasure hunting wasn’t a free-for-all. Wanjie Commerce and other influential groups had already mapped out detailed regions within the garbage mountains. Who had the right to search which mountain for the Innate Spirit Treasure Level ore shovel was clearly defined. If nothing was found within the assigned region, individuals were not allowed to move to other areas.

As Wanjie Commerce, a significant player in Wanjie City with several Nascent Soul Stage cultivators on their side, they managed to secure eight interconnected garbage mountains during the territory division process. Qi Tian and the others were allowed to freely move and search for treasure within these eight mountains.

However, that was only in theory. If conflicts arose between treasure hunters, Wanjie Commerce wouldn’t interfere; they only cared about the end result.

There was only one ore shovel. The best outcome would be to find it, but if other treasures were found, they could be traded to Wanjie Commerce. If luck was exceptionally poor, hunters would receive a daily wage of five low-grade spirit stones.