Chapter 40: Myriad Paths City
Myriad Paths City lived up to its name.
As we approached, I could see why it was called the City of Countless Roads – dozens of major thoroughfares converged on its walls like spokes on a wheel, each one a vital artery connecting to some distant part of the cultivation world.
Trade caravans and travelers flowed along these paths in an endless stream, giving the city the appearance of a massive spider web with the urban center as its heart.
"Every major road in the Eastern Continent passes through here," Wei Lin explained, noticing my wide-eyed observation. "The original city was built at the intersection of three ancient spirit veins. Over time, as cultivation sects established themselves across the continent, new roads were built to connect them all through this central point."
"The spirit veins are why it became such an important hub?" I asked, genuinely curious.
"Partly," Wei Lin nodded. "The veins made it easier to maintain the massive formation arrays that protect the city. But honestly? It's mostly just geography. We're at the perfect midpoint between the major mountain ranges where most sects build their strongholds."
The forest surrounding the city was unlike anything I'd seen near Azure Peak.
Ancient trees with trunks wider than houses created a natural barrier, their branches interweaving so densely that barely any sunlight reached the forest floor. The roots of these giants had broken through the earth in places, creating natural archways and hollows that looked like they could hide any number of secrets.
"This is perfect!" Liu Chen declared, leading us to one such hollow beneath a particularly massive tree. "Rocky will be safe here, and no one will bother him!"