The Post Sky Tipping Era
Chapter 624 - 444 Building a City

Chapter 624: Chapter 444 Building a City

The Cloud-Riding Technique of the Heavenly Dao Sect may be a flying spell, but its utility is boundless. When Li Yi practiced it at the first level of the Five Qi Realm, the auspicious clouds he conjured were red and extremely fast—far faster than the escape light of those Golden Core Cultivators from the past. The clouds could even carry ordinary people or support houses and palaces, allowing a cultivator with sufficient mana to live on them for years.

Even after departing, as long as one leaves a portion of mana behind, the auspicious cloud can self-sustain for years, even decades or centuries. Moreover, the more mana infused, the faster the cloud becomes, effortlessly breaking the sound barrier and surpassing the full speed of Thunderbolt Fighters.

Upon reaching the Tri-Floral Realm, one could also leave a trace of Primordial Spirit Power to refine the auspicious cloud into a magic artifact, summoning it at will. It would automatically absorb nature’s spiritual energy without requiring mana expenditure.

What’s more, the Cloud-Riding Technique could be combined with the Dragon-Subduing and Tiger-Suppressing Skill.

By transforming the auspicious cloud into the form of a dragon or tiger and infusing it with mana, one could use it to engage enemies in battle.

Even though this world is now in the End of Dharma era, cultivation has been practiced for countless years, and Daoist Skills have reached an apex. Even a minor technique could be remarkable, let alone top-tier legacy techniques like this one. Ordinary cultivators would struggle to master it fully even after a lifetime, as was the case with Tu Daoist, who only mastered the Call Wind Skill during his peak in the Tri-Floral Realm.

Li Yi, on the other hand, possessed the Primordial Spirit Flower of Xiang Xiangzi. This gave him access to the insights and spell expertise of Tri-Floral Realm masters cultivated over countless years, enabling him to learn techniques with ease.

With red and white auspicious clouds racing along, they finally crossed the vast ocean and glimpsed a continent by the morning of the second day.

"Baoting City, we’re here." Divine Lady Yun Feizi gasped, sounding breathless. She and two other Immortals had taken turns using the Cloud-Riding Technique, and now, at last, they had reached their destination.

After all, having their cultivation realms collapse and insufficient mana had left them disheveled. If it were the past, they’d never have been so wretched.

"Let’s first visit where our Heavenly Dao Sect used to be stationed in Baoting. Goddess, please rest for now; I’ll take over from here," Xuan Yuezi stepped forward, shaking her hand. Several Spirit Stones in her grasp immediately crumbled into powder.

"Alright, I’ll leave it to you, Immortal," Yun Feizi nodded without objection.

Xuan Yuezi resumed the Cloud-Riding technique, leading Li Yi in a certain direction.

At this point, they began to notice villages, cities, and roads appearing below. Many former cultivators and ordinary people now inhabited these areas. Although they fell short compared to the Tao Court, this region seemed more peaceful—without conflict or killing, with established order and law.

As they went further, Li Yi saw a massive city that resembled a large ingot from a high-altitude view. The city was adorned with mountains embedded with gemstones, coral, pearls, and similar treasures. Despite the lack of spiritual energy nourishing them, these treasures had turned into mundane objects but still gleamed brilliantly in the sunlight.

Some people were attempting to climb the mountains and retrieve treasures left behind by former cultivators. However, the peaks were towering and impossible to scale; only cultivators soaring into the sky could procure them.

But even cultivators, who possessed mana, were unlikely to waste it on such trivial pursuits.

"Haven’t been to Baoting City for ages—it’s completely transformed." Tu Daoist gazed from the auspicious cloud and couldn’t help but sigh.

In his younger days, he had traveled the world, visited Baoting, gained some fortuitous encounters, and made friends with fellow cultivators. But those days were centuries ago, and everything had surely changed now.

Other Daoists also began discussing among themselves, recounting past experiences and sharing stories related to Baoting City.

Though they all lived in the Tao Court, as former experts, they each had their own history. Besides, Baoting wasn’t some backwater—it was a gathering hub for Daoist sects during its heyday, a place of unparalleled prosperity.

The group passed over Baoting City and arrived near the former station of the Heavenly Dao Sect outside the city.

Three verdant peaks stood there, resembling a blooming lotus flower. Palaces and buildings were scattered across the mountaintops and mid-slopes. However, they were now deserted; while still usable, the palaces and pavilions were built in perilous locations without stairs or ladders, rendering them inaccessible to regular humans. In this End of Dharma era, no one would bother wasting energy to live in such places.

Though unfortunate, abandonment was inevitable.

Below the peaks lay a flat expanse, a plain adorned with a sea of blooming flowers, intersected by rivers, and teeming with chirping wild birds.

"This place is quite nice—backed by mountains, facing water, gathering wind, and hiding energy. Settling here is bound to promote longevity," Wu the Taoist remarked after glancing around.

"Naturally. Even the Heavenly Dao Sect’s abandoned stations align with Heaven’s stars and Earth’s veins, boasting extraordinary feng shui. Those three peaks symbolize blessings, prosperity, and longevity. Any mortals living here are destined for great fortunes and long lives," Xiang Xiangzi noted. "Even if the feng shui were lacking, this Immortal could reshape mountains and rivers to create an auspicious site."

Xuan Yuezi sighed, "The End of Dharma era is truly a pity, and this location is somewhat distant from Baoting City. To reside here, one would need to break mountains and pave roads—an impossible task for mortals. While cultivators possess vast power to reshape the terrain, few are willing to spend their mana on such a matter."

"That’s no problem. I recently learned the House Building Skill. With a bit of modification, I can turn this place into a paradise," Li Yi said, clearly fond of the serene environment, which allowed for undisturbed cultivation.

Most importantly, engaging in cross-world activities here wouldn’t attract the attention of other cultivators.

"Then we’ll leave it to Taiyi. If there’s anything where you need our help, Taiyi, don’t hesitate to ask—I still have some mana left," Xuan Yuezi gratefully offered with a polite bow.

Li Yi replied, "No need. Immortals and all seniors, please rest well. My new Daoist skills are just itching for practice, and it’s perfect to test them here. That palace at the mountaintop, though covered in dust, is completely intact. Everyone can rest there for now, and we’ll arrange accommodations tomorrow."

He descended from the cloud and led the group to a meticulously designed palace with elegant green-glazed tiles atop the mountaintop.

Using the Clear Wind Technique, Li Yi summoned a gust of wind imbued with mana. Fallen leaves, weeds, dust, bird nests, and broken branches around and inside the palace were instantly swept away. The debris was ground into fine particles by the swirling wind and dispersed into the mountain.

After the cleansing, the palace regained some of its former glory—its golden splendor and extravagant opulence radiating once more.

"Heavenly Dao Palace."

The crowd stared at the three characters inscribed above the palace entrance, momentarily dazed.

Who would have thought they’d see this familiar structure again in their lifetime?

"There’s no longer a Heavenly Dao Sect, so what’s the point of leaving behind Heavenly Dao Palace?"

Xiang Xiangzi extended her fair hand and made a sweeping gesture. The three characters of "Heavenly Dao Palace" vanished instantly. Then, with another motion, three new characters appeared on the plaque: "Taiyi Palace."

"Much better. From now on, this shall be Taiyi Palace."

Satisfied with her work, she nodded approvingly.

The group chuckled but did not object.

It was a good thing to lay the Heavenly Dao Sect to rest—it’s important not to dwell on the past.

"Taiyi will live here in the future. This palace will be Taiyi’s residence. When you come here casually to disturb us, don’t blame me for being merciless. Understood?" Xiang Xiangzi declared.

"Immortal, we old Daoists don’t even have mana left—it’s not like we can ascend this mountain. Don’t worry," Wu the Taoist promptly replied, showing his stance and avoiding potential trouble in the future.

Xiang Xiangzi nodded, "True, but it’s still better to make things clear in advance to prevent misunderstandings later."

"Then, everyone may rest for now. I’ll go inspect the valley and see how to remodel it," Li Yi said before ascending on his auspicious cloud. He soared straight into the clouds and entered the Thunderbolt Fighter.

Within the fighter.

"Lan Ji," Li Yi called out.

"I’m here, Master," Lan Ji’s voice replied, followed by the appearance of a stunning woman with blue hair, a lithe figure, and delicate features.

This was a holographic projection from the Thunderbolt Fighter—not the actual person.

Li Yi said, "Use the Thunderbolt Fighter to scan this area, and combine it with the local style to generate urban construction blueprints."

"Understood, Master. Scanning the valley now..." Lan Ji responded.

Although Li Yi hadn’t received formal education, he understood that city building isn’t an easy matter. Reasonable planning and layout are essential; haphazard development leads to inconveniences for future residents. Therefore, he decided to entrust such responsibilities to Lan Ji’s AI system.

Though the system within the Thunderbolt Fighter wasn’t as advanced as Tianchang City’s fourth-generation AI, it was more than capable of handling such minor affairs.

Soon.

A holographic 3D map materialized before his eyes.

The map displayed a carefully planned, exquisitely designed small city—with orderly houses, intersecting roads, and rivers coursing through it, providing both water sources and transportation routes.

The palaces and pavilions left behind by the Heavenly Dao Sect atop and across the mountain were incorporated as well, connected by stairways plotted in the designs.

Additionally, city walls and gates were sketched around the valley to guard against invaders and wild beasts.

Beyond the walls lay a ten-zhang-wide road extending outward, winding its way to Baoting City.

The designs included both aesthetic renderings and detailed construction schematics. Looking at the intricate pipelines and wiring, Li Yi felt a headache coming on. He suddenly understood the difficulty of restoring Tianchang City after its destruction, when Yang Jian had crossed worlds to help—it wasn’t just about precise control of power but also the intellect required for planning and execution.

"Still, this serves as a great training opportunity for me, sharpening my mastery of spells. It’s not like I have any other pressing engagement," Li Yi mused.

Having committed the plans to memory, he opened the hatch, descended on his auspicious cloud, and hovered mid-air above the valley.

Grasping hand seals and releasing mana from his body, Li Yi activated the House Building Skill. The earth below trembled and transformed, as numerous houses rose from the ground. With mana infused, the mud structures became refined stone houses. However, some buildings were peculiar in shape, seemingly incomplete.

It lacked sufficient mana.

Li Yi remained unhurried, taking his time to modify the structures.

As the technique continued, an elegant small city began to take shape, accompanied by stairs that materialized across the mountains. These stairs connected the Heavenly Dao Sect’s grand palaces and pavilions, enabling unimpeded movement without requiring flight or mana.

In moments, the city walls also emerged, and a broad stone road extended far away, leading directly to Baoting City.

Li Yi built bridges, left open spaces for relaxation, and designed nearby fertile fields and vegetable patches. With proper cultivation, these could sustain thousands or even tens of thousands of people.

The ongoing spell practice refined Li Yi’s control over his techniques.

"Not bad." Li Yi was quite pleased with his work.

The concept of building a city in a single day would have been unimaginable in the past. Yet now, it was effortlessly achievable. It also underscored the stark contrast between destruction and creation—while he could have destroyed the city easily before, construction had been beyond his grasp.

Finally.

He conjured many wells across the city using mana, adding living facilities and addressing gaps. He toiled until late into the night, at last concluding his task.

Armed with this experience, Li Yi realized that no matter which world he visited in the future, he could now readily build a city whenever needed.