Chapter 81: This Young Master's Sloth Was Taken
The earth beneath Chen Haoran's feet cracked. The dragon screamed with terrible fury. "Xie Jin."
"I'll find him," came the quick reply. Xie Jin waved his sleeve, and out it unnaturally crawled his Gu. It took to the air with buzzing wings and hovered above the spot on the street Phelps and the Eighth-Layer last stood.
"You're a shaman?" They ignored Wang Xiao's shocked question.
The Gu shot off down the street.
"This way," Xie Jin said, running after it.
Chen Haoran was a step ahead of him and followed hot on the tail of the Gu. His sense hyper-focused on every wingbeat. His eyes were glued to its shiny black carapace.
"What do you think you're doing?" Xie Jin suddenly said.
Chen Haoran didn't turn around. He could feel Wang Xiao following them.
"That man is a criminal I'm after." Wang Xiao said. He snorted with derision. "If you hadn't interfered, this wouldn't have happened."
"This bastard-"
"Who is that guy you're chasing?" Chen Haoran asked. There was a brief lull, his question hung in the air. He hoped it wouldn't stay there for much longer. If Wang Xiao made him stop and turn around to get his answer, then he'd make sure the next thing the pretty boy chased was rehabilitation.
Fortunately, he spoke."A common thief and a poacher."
Poacher. It answered Chen Haoran's next most immediate question after 'Where were they?' and 'What would he do to the bastard when he found him?'. It was obvious now why the thief idiotically kidnapped Phelps when he knew it'd offend another Ninth-Layer cultivator on top of the one already hunting him. Xie Jin's amazement at Phelps's floating ability showed that it wasn't common. What would someone who hunted beasts for a living think then?
He shivered, but whether it was from anger or fear he could not tell.
"Brother Chen, you can't be thinking of letting this fucker follow us," Xie Jin said.
"I don't care what he does." He really didn't. Any problem with Wang Xiao was irrelevant as long as Phelps was in danger. "Focus."
Xie Jin thankfully put aside his complaints, though he did make sure to stay next to Wang Xiao and not expose his back, the trio followed the Gu in a winding run through the streets and back alleys of Snake's End; into crowded inns and through old ruins of better days. It was a confusing track that twisted and turned and doubled back in an obvious attempt to throw off any pursuers. It was futile in the face of whatever means Xie Jin's Gu used to track. Chen Haoran didn't fully appreciate it back when Xie Jin first found him, but it took him being sent to a separate dimension for the Gu to be unable to locate him, only to immediately lead Xie Jin to him once he exited it. It's skill was a soothing balm for the panic bubbling within his heart. His composure built on the security of knowing that finding Phelps was a matter of when and not if.
The trail led them out of Snake's End and into the jungle. Here Chen Haoran was forced to make way for Xie Jin. He didn't have a choice. While the Gu led them on the exact path the thief took, it didn't mean Chen Haoran could cross it as easily as he did. It was better to let the experienced take the lead and keep pace than delay them all. When they swapped places, Wang Xiao slowed his pace and put himself behind Chen Haoran. He could feel the Ninth-Layer's eyes burning into the back of his head. It was perhaps foolish to show his back to a stranger he had just been fighting.
Chen Haoran didn't care.
Under Xie Jin's lead the jungle didn't prove much of an obstacle to their speed. The obstructions were overcome, the poisonous were detoured around, and the dangerous were scared off. The Gu disappeared.
Xie Jin abruptly stopped and held up his hand. "Found him." He pointed through the thicket of trees. Chen Haoran cycled qi to his eyes and, with his sharpened gaze, saw a simple wooden fence camouflaged with branches and vines. Smoke from cooking fires wafted in the air. "He's not alone."
"Their base of operations," Wang Xiao whispered. It was more to himself than to them, however. He began to walk forward, only for Chen Haoran to hold his arm out and block him. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Where do you think you're going?" Chen Haoran asked, meeting question with question.
"We've been searching for this camp for a while now," Wang Xiao haughtily replied. "I will not brook anymore interference."
"Are you law enforcement? Do you work for the Imperial Government?"
"Are you trying to insult me?" Wang Xiao looked affronted.
It seemed like he and Xie Jin had something in common. Was it a universal thing to dislike the Empire in the south?
"He doesn't wear a law enforcers uniform or a badge," Xie Jin said.
Chen Haoran frowned. "So you're not an official. You're just some random asshole that picked a fight."
Wang Xiao's expression darkened immediately. Apparently, insulting his vigilantism had been a step too far. "Watch your tongue."
Chen Haoran pushed Wang Xiao back. "Watch yourself. If you do something and my pet gets hurt because of it then I will kill you."
He grabbed the hilt of his sword. "You will try."
Chen Haoran placed a single finger on his scimitar. Wang Xiao's eyes tracked his finger and he tensed. Xie Jin's qi quietly rose behind him. Chen Haoran pulled his finger away. Wang Xiao looked at him, the confusion and uneasiness clear on his face.
"I haven't tried," Chen Haoran said. "It's the only reason you're still alive."
The stare-down continued in silence. At any moment, violence could erupt and alert the poacher's camp. If Wang Xiao decided to draw his sword, they would have to fight to the death.
Wang Xiao scoffed and let go of his sword. Chen Haoran heard Xie Jin quietly let out a sigh of relief.
"Has your Gu located Phelps?" Chen Haoran asked.
"Yes. It's already snuck in. I can lead us directly to him."
He turned to Wang Xiao. "Does this group have any Liquid Meridian realms?"
"No," came his sullen answer. "They would not be scurrying like rats if they had any backing."
"What are their numbers?"
"We estimate no more than thirty. There should be other Ninth-Layers among them."
Chen Haoran looked back at the camp. He tapped his fingers against his side.
"What are you waiting for?" Wang Xiao demanded.
"You think you can take this whole camp on by yourself, don't you?" Chen Haoran asked.
Wang Xiao looked startled but quickly composed himself. "Of course."
"Xie Jin, can your Gu protect Phelps?"
"No one will come near him," Xie Jin promised.
"We're going through the front then." Without waiting for a response, Chen Haoran crashed through the thicket and shot toward the fence. He was spotted immediately, a high-pitched bird's cry screeched out as he approached and broke through the flimsy defense.
In the brief second he took to reorient himself, he was attacked. A long spear stabbed into his shoulder and stopped on his skin. The Seventh-Layer wielding the spear looked perplexed before Chen Haoran shattered his spear with a burst of qi and buried his fist in his gut, sending the man flying. He quickly cast his sense out and immediately honed in on Phelps's familiar qi, unconscious in a cage in the center of the camp. Xie Jin's Gu appeared there and emitted a noxious purple gas that split and struck the cultivators near the cage like snakes, causing them to spasm and collapse with purple faces.
Chen Haoran charged forward. Xie Jin and Wang Xiao flanked him from behind. He barreled past every man that stood in his way, slapping them with his superior cultivation or letting their blows fall uselessly on him. When he reached the cage, he grabbed the bars and pulled.
"That cage is made of Iron Essence," Wang Xiao said. "Even I would take-"
Chen Haoran cycled his qi and pulled. The bars bent. Wang Xiao gaped.
He picked up Phelps. He held his hand to the sloth's nose and relaxed when he felt him breathing. A quick look didn't reveal any outward injury. He carefully cradled Phelps in one arm and turned around to find Xie Jin and Wang Xiao facing off against the poachers. In the time it took Chen Haoran to free Phelps, they'd been surrounded by the entire camp. Two Ninth-Layers surrounded by a coterie of Eighth-Layers, including the bastard who had run off with Phelps, stood in front of them.
"It looks like Phelps is okay," he said to Xie Jin.
"I'll have to pull my weight then," Xie Jin said. His Gu flew in front of him defensively, and more than one man among the poachers flinched when they saw it. Even the Ninth-Layers became solemn.
"I'll give you one chance," Chen Haoran said to the apparent leaders. "You stole my pet, and I came to get him back. I don't care about whoever you are beyond that." He hooked a thumb to Wang Xiao. "This guy is your real problem. My friend and I are going to leave now."
"With our merchandise?" asked one of the leaders.
Chen Haoran stayed his hand. He gave them a chance. For everyone's sake, he hoped they took it.
The other leader cast the three of them a measuring look and turned to the Eighth-Layer who started this mess.
The bastard had the gall to shrug. "It's a valuable beast."
Whatever price they assigned Phelps in their minds was apparently enough. The leader waved his hand. "Attack."
Chen Haoran grabbed the hilt of his scimitar, and the leaders and their minions were crushed.
Chen Haoran's knuckles turned white as he held his still-sheathed sword and watched a wave of peach-pink liquid qi flatten the entire camp surrounding them to the ground. In the midst of it, suddenly appearing with a burst of speed, was another cultivator decked in pure white.
Wang Xiao clasped his hands and bowed.
"Senior Brother."
Chapter 82: This Young Master Really Needs to Advance
"Junior Brother," the Liquid Meridian said. Though Wang Xiao called him Senior, he didn't seem much older than any of them. He looked similar to Wang Xiao in the way people raised in the same circumstances do. Their demeanors couldn't have been more different, however. Where Wang Xiao had drawn eyes like a proud bird showing off his feathers, his Senior Brother had no need for such displays. It was like comparing a parrot to a falcon.
He nodded to Chen Haoran and Xie Jin. "Hello. I didn't mean to intervene like this, but I require these men alive."
Chen Haoran gripped his sword tightly. Xie Jin hid his hands in his sleeves while a thin purple film spread over his Gu. A subtle peach scent wafted through the air.
"No worries." Chen Haoran said. "We'll be leaving now. "
The entrance of a Liquid Meridian Realm made their already bad situation worse. He kept his qi cycling in a raging torrent. Unlike before, he had no more cores or mammoth tusks to harm a Liquid Meridian with. He didn't know if drawing his scimitar would do anything to him. They had to get out.
The Liquid Meridian didn't give them a chance. "Please hold if you will. I'd like a moment of your time." He waved his hand, and the peach-colored liquid qi covering the poachers dissipated. "Junior Brother Wang, please secure the prisoners."
Wang Xiao clasped his hands and bowed. "Senior Brother, these are the people who interfered with my hunt for the criminals. Please allow me to settle this grievance now."
An ugly scowl crossed Xie Jin's face, and Chen Haoran didn't think his own was any better. Now that this bastard had backing, he was getting bold again.
"Interfered, you say?" The Liquid Meridian chuckled. It was not a pleasant sound. "Wang Xiao, do you really think I haven't kept you in my sight?"
"Senior Brother Jiang-"
"Destruction of property, losing the target, disrupting the public, picking pointless fights." Senior Brother Jiang ticked off his fingers with each offense.
Chen Haoran and Xie Jin shared a look. They might not be in so much trouble after all?
"You would have lost the target completely and wasted our time had one of the men you involved not been a shaman."
"I still found it," Wang Xiao retorted. It was a weak defense. It was clear he was grasping for straws.
"You were lucky."
"Luck is a talent."
The air shifted, and Chen Haoran felt a weight on his chest. Xie Jin grimaced. Wang Xiao, who bore the brunt of it, paled.
Senior Brother Jiang spoke quietly. "Are you worthy of that luck?" He held his hands behind his back and walked over, yet for all that Chen Haoran never took his eyes off him he still didn't see when exactly the Liquid Meridian realm stood in front of Wang Xiao. "What are our goals here, Junior Brother?"
Wang Xiao did not meet his senior's eyes. "To do good and protect order."
"And you have failed," Jiang mercilessly said. "You will be rectifying these mistakes after dealing with the prisoners." He regarded his Junior with cool eyes. "You have disappointed me already with your actions. For your sake, do not add to it."
Wang Xiao hung his head. "Yes, Senior Brother." He bowed and like a beaten dog scurried away to deal with the captured poachers.
The breath Chen Haoran had been holding flew back into his lungs when the Liquid Meridian realm then turned to them and walked over.
"Do not come any closer," Xie Jin warned.
Jiang stopped before stepping back with his hands raised and helplessly smiling. "I just wish to convey my thanks. I've no intention of being on the bad side of a Black Bone Shaman."
Even a Liquid Meridian Realm considered the Gu threatening. Chen Haoran had the feeling Xie Jin had left some parts out when he'd been describing his home. He could only hope it would be enough.
"My name is Jiang Lei. My junior and I have been tracking this particular group for quite some time. Their familiarity with the area gave us a difficult time cornering them." He clasped his hands and bowed. "For that I would like to thank you, as well as apologize for the actions of my junior."
"It's water under the bridge now. There was no real harm caused," Chen Haoran said.
"Still, you've done us a great favor." Jiang Lei reached into the storage back at his waist and pulled out two palm-sized blue crystals. He tossed them to Xie Jin, who merely glanced over them and stowed them away.
"Excuse us then," Xie Jin said, backing away.
"May I know your names?" At Xie Jin's suspicious look, Jiang Lei smiled. "I enjoy learning the names of the young heroes of the South."
"I'm not from the South," Chen Haoran blurted out and instantly regretted it. When his nerves got the better of his mouth decided to do the thinking.
"You're here now," Jiang Lei said, still smiling.
They shared a look.
"Xie Jin."
"Chen Haoran."
"A pleasure to make your acquaintance." Jiang Lei bowed once more. His eyes flickered over Chen Haoran. "You have a bright future ahead of you when you enter the Liquid Meridian Realm."
Chen Haoran shivered. What did he see? "Thank you."
After waiting for Jiang Lei to say anything else, they nodded their heads and slowly backed out of the camp. When they reached the tree line they cycled their qi to the fullest and broke into a run.
As they dashed through the jungle, there was only one thought in Chen Haoran's mind.
He really needed to advance.
Chen Haoran didn't know and didn't care what direction Xie Jin had taken them. Just so long as they were far away from Wang Xiao and his powerful Senior Brother. He let out a long, anxious breath, and a weight was lifted off his shoulders. That situation could have gone so very, very wrong if Jiang Lei had been hostile.
"You weren't kidding about the resources in the south, huh?" It was a weak attempt at a joke, but he was grasping for straws as it stood. He needed a distraction. "I didn't think they were common enough we'd meet one so soon."
Xie Jin's face was pinched with confusion. "We shouldn't have met them. They had no business being this far out."
"What?"
"Those cultivators we met are from the Peachwine. The fact they're operating in Snake's End is suspicious."
Chen Haoran was about to ask what Xie Jin was going on about when Phelps shifted in his arms and yawned. They skidded to a stop and watched Phelps blearily open his eyes. For a brief moment, there was nothing but drowsiness in them, but they suddenly sharpened, and he let loose an aggressive scream and swung his claws.
"Easy, Phelps! Easy!" Chen Haoran flared his qi, and Phelps stopped, finally registering where he was. He dove into Chen Haorans's with a squeal. "Can we take a break?" He asked Xie Jin.
"We should be fine here."
Chen Haoran sank to the ground and cradled Phelps. He stroked the sloth's fur and finally felt exhaustion take him as his adrenaline died down. Xie Jin waved his Gu to patrol the jungle and sat down next to him.
"What were you talking about before? Peachwine? Are they related to those Reservoir Town cultivators we met before?"
"Yes," Xie Jin said before frowning and shaking his head. "But maybe no."
Perhaps his dissatisfaction was showing because Xie Jin hurriedly clarified.
"Remember when I told you Zumulu has its own special rivers? The Peachwine is one of them. Its waters are poisonous to drink."
He hadn't been joking about that?
"I'm guessing people still live near it despite that?"
Xie Jin nodded. "For others, it's poisonous. To the tribes who live along the river's banks, the water is an important cultivation resource."
"Is this… a big river?"
"It's smaller than the Machu, but it's bigger than the tributary we sailed down."
Chen Haoran's mind wandered at the implications. For him, cultivating in the Machu was beneficial only because the river deliberately helped him, otherwise it wasn't any more special than the other places he'd trained. Even drinking its water hadn't noticeably benefited him. What if it did, though? What if he could just reach down and drink his fill of cultivation supplements?
"It can't be that easy."
"Jealous much?" Xie Jin had damnably seen through his thoughts. "It's not that easy, thankfully. Even if the Peachwine is safe for them to drink, it's still poison. Their bodies are so adapted to it that most other cultivation supplements are near useless."
Chen Haoran quickly picked up where he was going with this. "And cultivators being cultivators, they don't want anything to interfere with their progress, so they don't easily leave the river."
Xie Jin sighed. "Exactly. Which is why those two are so suspicious. It doesn't seem like they work for the Pacification Committee, and yet they're this far from the Peachwine hunting criminals." Xie Jin pulled out one of the blue crystals Jiang Lei gave him and handed it to Chen Haoran.
"What's this?"
"A Spirit Stone." Xie Jin shook his head. "Whoever those guys were, they belong to a group and one with big coffers if they just hand out low-grade Spirit Stones like that."
Chen Haoran turned the crystal around in his palm. Through his sense, he could feel the qi trapped within it. That didn't exactly tell him what he could do with it, however. He showed the Spirit Stone to Phelps, who took one sniff and then started licking it. Seeing this, Chen Haoran let Phelps have it and held him while the sloth grasped the Spirit Stone in his claws and continuously licked and bit it.
"There are cultivators who'd fight to have your pet's treatment," Xie Jin said, shaking his head ruefully.
He was joking, but if Chen Haoran had his way, it might become reality soon enough.
Received Hundred-Fold: Middle-Grade Spirit Stone
He just had to do it one reward at a time.
Chapter 83: This Young Master Has Harmonized
With Phelps settled on his back Chen Haoran sought an answer. "Is your Gu really dangerous enough to threaten a Liquid Meridian?" It wasn't quite a question that came out of nowhere on Chen Haoran's part. Xie Jin had implicitly revealed it when he threatened Jiang Lei, who confirmed it by acceding to his demands. Granted, Jiang Lei seemed to be an easygoing type of character, but being a 'Black Bone Shaman' clearly wasn't something easily trifled with.
It was just hard for him to square away what he had seen of the Gu versus the threat it apparently posed. It was certainly an effective tracker, and its ability to remain unseen and inflict poison made it an extraordinarily effective assassin. Was that enough to make a Liquid Meridian clearly aware of its presence be wary of engaging it? Somehow, he didn't think so.
Xie Jin at least hadn't seemed bothered by his question. "We would be dead if he decided to kill us. It would have been a painful decision for him, though."
Vague enough to be useless but implying enough to be a subtle flex. Chen Haoran couldn't help but laugh. It was such a common act in both worlds that he could practically copy-paste old acquaintances over Xie Jin's face.
"I'll need to start hiding behind your back then," he jokingly said.
"Can I ask you something as well?" Xie Jin looked hesitant, his eyes roamed over Chen Haoran's scabbard.
"Of course."
"Your sword. Is it some kind of powerful artifact or something?"
Chen Haoran hummed as he considered the unsurprising question. "It's Profound-rank," he finally said. "It used to be a part of a pair, but I lost the other blade, so I can't use its full power now." Something that he would forever be annoyed about. He didn't even like curved swords or dual wielding. The fact he had to do both with the Swiftwind Scimitars was frustrating and only done out of desperate need. Its special effect was all it had going for it. He only still kept the other because he had yet to find another Profound-Rank weapon to replace it. "Other than that, there isn't anything particularly special about it."
Xie Jin frowned. "Then what was that back at the inn? And at the poacher's camp. Even that Liquid Meridian noticed it, I think. He was talking to me, but he was looking at you."
Joy. Just what he needed. Yet another Liquid Meridian Realm becoming unnecessarily interested in him. Jiang Lei had stated he'd been observing Wang Xiao at the inn. With his superior senses, he would have understood the threat posed by Chen Haoran's Harmonization.
How to answer Xie Jin, though? He absently trailed his fingers across the leather of his scabbard. Should he say he killed Lan Yao and had a moment of realization? A breakthrough in training? A fortuitous encounter? Or learning from a powerful senior? The White Tyrant fit all of those descriptions and more, so it wouldn't even be a lie. He too could be vague.
"I can't really describe it," Chen Haoran said, shrugging.
"What a weak excuse," Xie Jin groaned.
It wasn't.
It was the truth in fact. If he were to try to explain to himself just what the Harmonization the White Tyrant left to him was he would fail.
It was… weird and far beyond anything he knew or was familiar with. Admittedly, something like that seemed par for the course with a cultivator as strong as the White Tyrant. Just how strong was he in his prime that his shade was powerful enough to do such impossible things?
Regardless there was only one real way to give Xie Jin an answer. "Would you like me to demonstrate it?"
"You'd do that?" Xie Jin sounded surprised, which in turn surprised Chen Haoran. Had he just accidentally stepped over another cultural norm?
He pressed forward. No use in trying to fix his fumble. "Why not?"
Xie Jin looked at him strangely. "If you say so. "
"Perfect." Chen Haoran reached down to grab the hilt of his scimitar when he paused. "Hey… how much do you care about the trees around us."
"Pardon?"
"I'm asking if it's okay for this patch of jungle to become a clearing."
Xie Jin stared. "You're not serious." His words trailed off into the air but never received a reply. He tried again. "Right?"
"Why do you think I've been so reluctant to draw my sword?"
Xie Jin looked at the jungle around him. Perhaps estimating how much damage Chen Haoran would do to it. Chen Haoran's self-esteem said it wouldn't be as bad as he thought. His logical side, however, said that the White Tyrant, much less his Harmonization, wouldn't settle for anything less than maximum destruction. Regardless of his thoughts, Xie Jin had come to an answer.
"Maybe another time."
The jungles of Zumulu were beautiful and colorful, the same way a poisonous frog was. Its thick growth made traveling through them difficult, even for the people who lived here. Hidden within that dense coverage were the things that would have given nightmares to any invader. Hidden behind a vine could be a fruit or a poisonous lizard. Centipedes stalked between the roots and under layers of fallen leaves. High up in the air were silvery spider webs strung between branches, only visible when the light struck them just right. Chen Haoran watched a colorful bird get caught in one web only to have three different spiders descend to cocoon it and then fight over the body.
The only thing worse than the smaller insects were the larger ones. Xie Jin, damn him, said Zumulu had no more giant spiders. What he neglected to mention were the giant dragonflies that flitted through the trees, searching for prey like living VTOLs. They were harmless to humans, apparently. When one drew near in curiosity, Xie Jin held out his finger in front of the dragonfly's bulbous eyes and waved it in a circle, hypnotizing the bug until it settled onto his outstretched arm like he was some kind of falconer.
Chen Haoran marveled at the dragonfly's amethyst-purple form and its silk-thin wings. He was sad to see it go when it finally got a hold of its bearings and flew off. He most certainly did not scream when two large scythes shot out of a nearby tree and speared it. A man-sized praying mantis appeared above them and paid them no mind as it devoured the dragonfly.
"You really screamed," Xie Jin said, laughing. He wasn't laughing for long when Chen Haoran punched him in the arm.
"I did not scream. I was just startled."
"Whatever you say, Brother Chen."
Chen Haoran cast wary eyes up at the feasting mantis. "Are those things harmless to humans too?"
"No. If it were hungry, it would drop down on us."
Well, wasn't that a comforting thought? He recited a silent prayer of thanks to the fallen dragonfly.
"It wouldn't be that bad even if attacked." Xie Jin proudly patted his chest. "You have me here, after all."
"Let me guess, you have yet another random skill that will carry us through safely."
"Almost correct." Xie Jin waved his hand and let loose his Gu. On the surface, it looked like nothing had happened, but Chen Haoran felt its amorphous qi slightly pulse through his sense. As if by some cue, the praying mantis immediately dropped its meal and leaped away.
It was not the only thing that fled.
The dragonflies scattered in all directions. From the trees flew out beetles and spiders and cicadas. Ants marched out from trunks carrying their queens in royal procession. Centipedes flashed away among dead leaves, and worms burrowed out of the earth. What had to be every insect in the vicinity escaped in a single simultaneous motion that floored Chen Haoran with its intensity. There… were a lot more bugs surrounding him than he thought. He looked at his arm and found every single hair raised.
"Among the insects, the Gu is king," Xie Jin said as if reciting it. He flashed Chen Haoran a superior smile. "It's not enough to let us walk sideways through Zumulu, but with me around, there's nothing to fear."
There was a rustling in the trees. A tree cracked in half and fell over. The horn responsible for cutting it down loomed menacingly over them.
Chen Haoran looked at the massive rhinoceros beetle first, then Xie Jin.
"Hey so-"
"I fucked up, I get it."
Chen Haoran stretched out his sense and found that, like the Gu, he couldn't measure its cultivation level.
He didn't hesitate.
He threw Phelps to Xie Jin, cycled qi to his legs, and shot forward, drawing his scimitar out in the same motion. The world flared white. The vegetation around his feet was chopped to pieces.
When Song Yuelin had first taught him about Harmonization, he had called it a method to become in tune with one's technique and channel it through one's regular actions.
Chen Haoran did not Harmonize with the Canyon Carving Sword.
He swung. Pure white energy flashed instead of blue. What was a coursing stream of energy now became a single cutting line. Instead of a river carving through a canyon, all he could see in his mind was a single white ghost splitting open the clouds.
The horn was sliced off. The rhinoceros beetle moaned a final dying cry as a large gash opened up on its shell and nearly slashed it in two. Around it trees fell down one after another and threw up splinters and sawdust.
Chen Haoran sheathed his shaking scimitar before any more damage could be done and looked behind him to see Xie Jin watching him with wide eyes. He sheepishly shrugged. "I did ask you about the trees."
Chapter 84: This Young Master Enters The City Of History
The journey was smooth, for Zumulu's standards at least, from there on out. They cut their way through thick walls of vines, traveled down roads fighting against the jungle's encroachment and rowed down two blessfully normal rivers. All that while fighting heat, humidity, and the odd spider that decided to crawl down Chen Haoran's back, although he was pretty sure Xie Jin was responsible for that last one.
"I can see why this place was so difficult to invade," Chen Haoran said as they traveled down a road so overgrown they were stepping on more roots than solid ground. "Pain in the ass for us, though."
"The jungles of Zumulu are always growing," Xie Jin said. "The roads are hard fought to carve out and easily lost if not maintained. It's why we rely on the rivers instead for the bulk of transportation. We're just headed to Stonebridge from an awkward direction, so we couldn't take advantage of them."
"Some guide you are."
"Don't make me drop another spider down your robes."
"I knew that was you!"
Phelps at least enjoyed the jungle. Being born in the Spa Cavern with its endless steam meant he tolerated the humidity better than either of them. To be fair he also got carried everywhere. It was hard to get mad when you didn't have to move.
With Xie Jin's help, Chen Haoran found various delicacies of the forest to also stuff Phelps with. Light blue fruits hidden under large leafy bushes, gourds growing in tall trees that, when opened, revealed maroon-colored nuts, bright pink flowers that had to be pulled out from underground by the vine.
Received Hundred-Fold: 200-Year-Old Blue Shadow Fruits
Received Hundred-Fold: 400-Year-Old Blood Nut Seeds
Received Hundred-Fold: 100-Year-Old Sunken Glory Flowers
Phelps responded well to some things, and Chen Haoran made a mental note to seek out more of them in the future, even if the rewards weren't fantastic. Not all of them were good for Phelps; however, although Xie Jin swore they were safe, some things left the sloth feeling sick. Nothing debilitating, it would take more than an upset stomach to lay Phelps low with his cultivation, but Chen Haoran had to throw away more than a few robes because of it. Suffice it to say, when they finally arrived in Stonebridge, Chen Haoran was thoroughly miserable and filthy compared to Xie Jin and Phelps, who both looked fresh as daisies.
"Finally," Chen Haoran groaned as they lined up to enter the city's gates.
Stonebridge was an ancient city whose history pressed on you with an almost tangible presence. Its thick weathered walls were built from large blocks of rough-hewn stone and covered with moss. An imposing gate opened through the wall like someone had cracked open a hole rather than carefully constructed it. On the other side, sprawled squat stone homes that gradually gave way to larger mansions and complexes topped with rising terraced roofs. Complete with prowling statues of jaguars, monkeys, and disturbingly accurate centipedes, beetles, and more.
Everything within Stonebridge bore the marks of time. Chen Haoran and Xie Jin wandered down a cobblestone street worn smooth and slightly sunken by the countless steps taken on it. Statues loomed with blank, worn-down faces. Faded mural carvings told forgotten stories, their lines so thin that trying to decipher their meaning was more an act of impression than reasoning. One shop looked so old and stately that Chen Haoran thought it belonged to some major family of merchants or an old corporation. When he voiced his thoughts to Xie Jin, a passerby who happened to hear it, happily informed them the building was only built five years ago and that he was more than welcome to come shop with a discount for the compliment.
Cutting through Stonebridge was a river that Xie Jin, oh so helpfully informed him, was called The Skyspear because its water was so blue and reflective it was like a slice of the sky opened up on the land of Zumulu. As a river, its very nature was change, so it didn't share the same time-fermented flavor as the rest of the city. That did not mean it was divorced from it. Aqueducts and channels were carved around the city like veins, funneling the river's sky-blue water to fill fountains, water gardens, wells, and more.
The people living in the city were fortunately not so old or weatherbeaten. The majority were familiar southerners to him, though their bones were more finely made, and their clothes were of better quality as befitting an urban center. Hakwers energetically marketed their wares, with plenty selling bones elaborately carved into earrings, bangles, bracelets, rings, and more. The cultivation was even more refined. Chen Haoran saw more qi realms here than he did in Clearsprings, a place specifically known to be a vacation retreat for cultivators. It didn't end at qi realm, however. The number of Liquid Meridians he just so happened to sense while walking the streets was more than one, which was a flabbergasting number compared to their absolute rarity in Clearsprings City.
"What do you think?" Xie Jin asked. He had drawn more than a few cursory glances for his black bone arm bands, but he hadn't been the only one in the city sporting them. Chen Haoran had noticed another girl with them though he only caught a glimpse of a bangle around her ankle as she disappeared around a corner.
Chen Haoran arched an eyebrow. "Do I need to state the obvious? I love it."
It wasn't just the fact that it was better than the jungle. Which it was. Grand history instilled in him an almost intoxicating feeling. The same kind that comes after smelling the pages of an old book. If Chen Haoran were to get lost in this city, he would not worry because the act of discovering new nooks and crannies from ancient times would more than make up for not being able to find where he started.
"Of course." It was hard to mistake the pride in Xie Jin's voice even though Chen Haoran was pretty sure he wasn't from the city. "It's served as the capital for numerous dynasties and warlords throughout Zumulu's history."
They walked past a large circular building that strangely lacked the terraced roofs of its neighbors. Snakes were detailed into the stonework near its top, each chasing another snake and attempting to eat its tail in an endless circle. Two snake statues flanked the steps leading into the building, leaning as if to strike. By each of them was a red-cloaked guard holding a spear and with a cultivation high in the qi realm.
"What's that place?" Chen Haoran asked.
"A Court of Scales." Xie Jin's expression coiled into disgust. "From there, the Snake King's sacred serpents once oversaw justice and dispensed wisdom. Now the Empire's snakes hold court in its halls."
"Who's the Snake King?"
"A Star Core realm, he was one of the greatest cultivators in Zumulu's history and the only true King of the Rivers and Lakes." Xie Jin's tone took on a note of worship, and his eyes shined. His previous disgust was forgotten. "With his special technique, he could take on the powers of snakes and their senses and give them his wisdom in return. He conquered his rivals with overwhelming ability and practically ruled the empire he created by himself. A person just had to go to one of his serpents and state their case to receive the king's justice."
That… was impressive. He was no political science student, but he recognized the kind of power a ruler could wield if they could effectively project their will without error. He could see why the Empire would want to co-opt some of that reputation by taking over the Snake King's old courthouses.
"You sound like you admire him," he said.
Xie Jin sighed. "I do, as do many youths."
Chen Haoran hesitated. "When you say the last king…"
"He disappeared long before the Empire decided to turn their ambitions south. None of the petty kings and warlords who came after him could claim his throne."
"Why rivers and lakes, though? It seems like a strange thing for a king to associate with his authority when there's the jungle and Gu."
"He who masters the Jungle is a Warrior. He who masters the Rivers and Lakes is King." Xie Jin smiled as he recited what seemed like a fond memory. "The jungles are home, but it's the water where the real power is born."
"I'm feeling a bit lucky to be a Water Spirit root now. Seems like it's the element to be."
Xie Jin rolled his eyes and snorted. "Reach Liquid Meridian Realm before you start comparing yourself to bodies of water."
"That's the plan."
"Then what, pray tell, is the next step of this plan supposed to be? I'll help as I can, but there's only so much I can do now to help you get settled. I don't have that much gold after all-"
Xie Jin stopped short when Chen Haoran pulled out a shining gold necklace inlaid with a ruby so red it burned like fire.
"The next step is to get rich."
Chapter 85: This Young Master Has Lodging Problems
Whether it was Earth or this new superpowered world, it remained a fact that when you needed to sell your valuables for quick cash, someone would undercut the price on you.
"Oh no. You are not telling me a Mortal-rank artifact necklace is only worth 1000 Gold taels."
"We also have to make a profit here, sir." The owner of the pawnshop Xie Jin led him to was very skilled. Being able to say so much bullshit with a straight face was impressive.
"That's what marking things up is for, isn't it? I'm asking you to give me retail price. How much you want to charge after that isn't my problem."
"At the end of the day, it's only a Mortal-rank necklace; people will only pay so much for it."
Chen Haoran placed his hands on the counter and leaned in. The shop owner didn't move, but he could feel a slight spike in his qi. Seventh-Layer. Respectable. Chen Haoran waved his hand over the ruby necklace. "How many pieces of artifact jewelry have you seen before?"
"I've seen them before."
"Really? I can't suppose it was too many. Jewelry is already a vanity item, artifact jewelry even more so. You'll already be selling these for a premium." He held up four fingers. "This isn't the only piece I have either. If you think 1000 is the price, you need to pay to make a profit, that's fine. I'll just take these and go find someone who can sell them better."
The shopkeeper didn't say anything, and Chen Haoran swept the necklace off the table and began walking to the door without another word, making sure the ruby caught every light on his way out.
"Show me the other pieces. If they're the same level as the necklace, I'll give you 1200 for each."
Chen Haoran smiled. "Make that 15, and you can have them all."
"You're better at that than I thought," Xie Jin said as they walked out of the store 7.5 thousand taels richer.
"What? Haggling?"
Xie Jin shrugged. "You struck me more as someone who has money than someone who makes it."
"It's all about who can bullshit better." Chen Haoran thumbed the golden banknotes he'd received, paper redeemable at any Imperial-approved moneylender or bank. It was apparently the norm to use them in transactions that moved large amounts of money so as to not be stuck trying to carry thousands of taels. Even storage bags had their limits, after all. It was a problem Chen Haoran never had to deal with, considering he carried all his money in the reward space or else had other people deal with it for him. "And I'm pretty good at bullshitting if I do say so myself."
He didn't even know how rare artifact jewelry was. He threw that line out on a limb, given how little he'd seen of it in Clearsprings City and got lucky, though it was more likely the amount that convinced the merchant in the end.
Xie Jin yawned and looked at the descending sun. "Now that you're the rich friend again, you can pay for the inn."
"What do you mean? We're not turning in yet. There's money to be made."
"But you've already sold all the jewelry."
"No, I only sold five pieces."
Xie Jin slowly blinked while processing the statement. "What?"
"How big is that storage bag?" Xie Jin demanded as they walked out of the fourth store.
All together Chen Haoran had made nearly 30 thousand taels. He would have gone to more places, but night had truly settled over Stonebridge now. The city's history was a delight to the eyes and mind in the daylight. At night, illuminated only by the stars and moon, the ancient constructions had a quiet austerity to them that hung heavy over their heads.
"We should find a place to stay now," Chen Haoran said in lieu of answering him.
Xie Jin sighed, accepting he wouldn't be getting an answer, and pointed down the road. "I know a decent inn down that way."
"Hell no."
"What's the issue now?"
"Every single time I've been to an inn, I've gotten into a fight. I actually want to sleep tonight."
"You can't just make decisions based on coincidences like that!" Xie Jin threw his arms in the air, exasperated.
"Yes, I can. There has to be somewhere else we can sleep."
Xie Jin palmed his face with a long sigh and drummed his fingers across his forehead in thought. "I know some people. We can see if they have a spare room. We have to be quick if we want to avoid the curfew."
"Lead the way."
Stonebridge as a city was one that spread out organically. Its roads, especially in the outer districts, were winding, curving snakes of smooth cobblestone that tangled with the various canals to create a web of broken-up housing districts in every shape but square. Suffice it to say it made for confusing walking, particularly at night, they were the kind of streets only a local could understand. Unfortunately, for as much as he seemed to know the city Xie Jin was no local, and they got turned around more than once, though Xie Jin swore they were going the right way the whole time. Phelps was more than happy with getting lost, having lost himself in staring at the night sky.
Eventually, they came to a row of houses that sat just in front of a canal. The air was filled with the soft burbling of water and a chorus of chirping crickets. Xie Jin squinted as he tried to figure out which of the squat, square houses was the one they needed before settling on one in the middle and knocking.
And knocking.
And knocking.
Xie Jin frowned. "What the fu-"
The door opened, and a light spilled forth. Chen Haoran closed his eyes and clicked his tongue in irritation. He heard Xie Jin and Phelps hiss in pain.
"Xie Jin? Is that you?"
When he opened his eyes, a woman was standing at the doorway's entrance holding a lamp. A shiny black bone hairpin held her hair bun in place.
"Yes, it's me," Xie Jin said, rubbing his eyes. "Where's Brother Ang?"
The woman's eyes darted to Chen Haoran and back to Xie Jin. "He's out. He won't be back for a few days."
"Ah damn. I wanted to introduce Brother Chen to him." He looked at the woman with a pleading expression. "You mind sparing a bed for us tonight?"
The woman hesitated, her eyes locked onto Xie Jin. "…If you're fine with one more guest."
Xie Jin brightened. "Thank you, Sister Jia."
Sister Jia stood out of the way and let them into the house. Casting a curious glance at Phelps. The inside of the house was decorated to the brim. Colorful carpets stitched with fluid lines and dragonflies covered the floors save for the center, where a cooking fire crackled. Along the walls ran lattice frames crawling with vines that bloomed with yellow, red, and turquoise flowers. Their sweet scent filled the room. Hanging from the ceiling were three delicately carved wooden cages holding singing crickets. A single doorway covered with hanging beads led further into the house.
Sister Jia pulled out some cushions, and they sat on the floor before a low table. She pulled a pot of boiling water from the cooking fire and poured cups for them, using a ladle to scoop out flower petals and orange peels and drop them in the cups.
Chen Haoran accepted it with a bow. "Thank you."
Xie Jin patted him on the back. "Sister Jia, this is my good friend Chen Haoran. We met while I was up north."
Sister Jia nodded her head. "There's no need to be so formal. Any friend of Little Jin is a friend in this house."
"Little Jin?"
Xie Jin clicked his tongue. "I was hoping that with Brother Ang out, that wouldn't have been brought up." He took a sip of scalding water without flinching. "Where is he anyway?"
Chen Haoran tested the water with his tongue, only to immediately pull it back. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Xie Jin hiding a smirk. Ass. He cycled his qi and took a large swig.
"He's had some business to take care of outside the city." Sister Jia said. "He'll be sorry he wasn't here to greet you. You didn't tell us you were going North, though?"
Xie Jin grimaced. "Things happened, and I ended up there."
Oh? Did Xie Jin not tell anybody he went to take the Palace Exams?
There was a sudden knocking at the door. Chen Haoran instinctively cast his sense out. Ninth-Layer?
"Is that your other guest?" Xie Jin asked.
"Yes," Sister Jia said. She did not look Xie Jin in the eyes and rushed over to open the door.
Chen Haoran placed his hand on his scimitar. From where he sat, he saw a bare ankle with a black bone bangle wrapped around it. Xie Jin sat up with a curse and leapt back. Chen Haoran shot up at the same time. A centipede slid through the door between Sister Jia's legs faster than they could react. In an instant, it unnaturally lengthened, one end looping around Xie Jin's body and wrapping up his arm, the other coiled around Chen Haoran's hand and hilt and left it pinned. He flexed his qi to pull back, but the centipede extended again and wrapped around his neck. The tail end of the centipede twisted and turned into another head, its knife-like mandibles snapped near his jugular. Phelps screeched and flew towards the centipede, but his claws bounced off its carapace, and he quickly found himself wrapped up and hanging near Chen Haoran.
Everyone froze.
Their assailant stepped into the house, taking a moment to remove her shoes before walking onto the carpets. Chen Haoran's eyes were once again drawn to the bangle around her ankle. He dragged his eyes up to another black bangle around her wrist. Up further still, past her silks and black bones, Chen Haoran found his breath taken. Two black eyes filled with a predator's mirth at seeing trapped prey stared at them.
"Bao Si," Xie Jin bit out. His sleeve bulged and struggled, the Gu within trying to break out.
"Xie Jin, my love," Bao Si said. "Have you come back to propose?"
Chapter 86: This Young Master Is Not A Marriage Counselor
"You know her?" Chen Haoran asked. The centipede head snapped at him, and he leaned back as far as possible. Its qi was an amorphous blur to his sense. A Gu.
"Jin, who is this?" Bao Si lifted a brow as she properly looked over him. "He's handsome."
Xie Jin flexed his qi and tried to throw the centipede off him. His sleeve bulged as his Gu beetle tried to escape, but the centipede had wrapped up Xie Jin's arm tight, and for whatever reason, his Gu couldn't rip through the fabric. When Xie Jin's attempts to escape failed, he desperately turned to him. "Brother Chen, get her ass!"
Chen Haoran sent a silent prayer to his self-control because that wasn't the image he wanted at the moment. Plus, he wasn't pulling out his sword anytime soon. The centipede tightened around his hand as soon as the thought crossed his mind. "What about your Sister Jia's house?"
"I'll pay for it!" The centipede whipped and threw Xie Jin to the floor.
Bao Si padded over to his side with serpentine grace. When she passed him, Chen Haoran saw part of a black centipede tattoo sticking out the neckline of her dress and running up the side of her neck. "Your friend is considerate. Powerful too, if you're relying on him." The second centipede head by Chen Haoran chittered. Bao Si cocked her head as if it spoke to her. "And rich? Quite the package you've snagged, Jin. Are you cheating on me? You don't have to. We could work something out if it's him."
What. The. Fuck.
"Sister Jia, you sold me out!" Xie Jin roared.
"I didn't!" Sister Jia denied. "I didn't even know you were in the city! Plus…" She seemed to wilt and looked at Xie Jin with a mix of pity and exasperation. "You had this coming."
Xie Jin turned his betrayed gaze to Chen Haoran. "This is what happens when you don't choose inns!"
Chen Haoran conceded that this would never have happened if it weren't for him. At the same time, while this was definitely a precarious situation, it didn't feel dangerous… or at least not lethally dangerous… for himself, perhaps.
"Xie Jin," Chen Haoran said. He shivered at feeling the centipede's legs moving on his neck while he spoke. Even so, he tried to keep his tone even. "Are you in danger? Tell me, and I'll get us out of here right now." The centipede tried to dig its legs into his flesh as he said that, but beyond a pinprick sensation, he barely felt it. It wasn't beyond his means to break out; if needed, he could just destroy his scabbard and let his Harmonization loose. He had a feeling it wouldn't come to that, however.
He was right. Xie Jin sighed and ceased his struggling. "There's no need for that." He glared up at Bao Si. "You can release us now, you crazy bitch."
Bao Si hummed and snapped her fingers. The centipede released them all, and its second head transformed back into a tail end. It shrunk back to its original size before crawling up Bao Si's leg to her arm and disappearing in her sleeve.
Xie Jin cursed as he sat down and clutched his sleeve. The frantic Gu calmed at its master's touch and settled down. "Was that really necessary?"
Bao Si sat down next to him and buffed her nails. "I've found that action is the only way to make you understand how I feel. If you have a problem, then perhaps you should try listening more when I speak."
Chen Haoran plucked his agitated sloth out of the air to calm him down. Now that he didn't have a super centipede threatening to open up his neck, he could properly observe Bao Si. Long black hair threaded with black bone beads. A tightly fitted dress of black and green, embroidered with gold thread in a way that evoked scales. Cold black eyes. She was, in a word, eye-catching. Beautiful in the same way a snake was. Chen Haoran wasn't wrong for struggling to pull his gaze away before. Her presence demanded that much attention, at least.
She was much like Lan Fen in that regard.
He shook that last thought out of his head and went to support Xie Jin. Sister Jia came over and poured out more hot water for them all.
"You didn't answer my question before, Jin," Bao Si said.
"He's my friend," Xie Jin snapped.
"Chen Haoran," he said, nodding to Bao Si.
Her eyes curved into crescents. She had a nice smile. "A pleasure."
Xie Jin reached out for the hot water and downed it in one go. "What are you even doing here?"
"I was in the city for business." She flexed her qi, reminding them of her Ninth-Layer status. Xie Jin grimaced, recognizing whatever it was she meant to say through the action. "I've found something more important now, however."
"Leave me be. I'm helping Brother Chen get settled in the city."
Bao Si lifted a thin eyebrow. "And you'll quietly return home once you're done with that?"
Xie Jin said nothing. Bao Si scoffed.
Chen Haoran awkwardly sat to the side and patted Phelps in lieu of anything else to do. It seems he accidentally stumbled onto some personal drama of Xie Jin's, and he wasn't quite sure what to do now. He was in the midst of thinking when Phelps snapped at his fingers, something he did when he was begging for food.
Right. Gifts.
"Thank you for hosting us, Sister Jia," he said. He stood up and reached into his storage bag. "Where I'm from, it's poor manners for guests to arrive without bearing gifts. Please take this as a token of my appreciation."
"Oh no, I couldn't-" Sister Jia began, at least until Chen Haoran pulled out a flowering vine of bright pink Sunken Glory flowers. The house was immediately filled with a soft, cherry-like scent. "This-"
"Please accept it."
He now had the room's undivided attention and quickly found himself at a loss for what to do next. He tried to hint at Xie Jin to do something with the opportunity through his eyes, but Xie Jin was looking at the Sunken Glory flowers in open confusion.
Right. Might as well continue then.
"I have something for you too, Brother Jin." He was so glad he had his storage bag. He'd have no other way to explain where his Reward items were coming from otherwise. "My appreciation for all the help you've given me so far."
Xie Jin looked down at the red metal ingot Chen Haoran placed in his hands. "This is…?"
"Scarlet Iron Essence." Or at least it was. It had been so long since he bought it at the Golden Lily Association Auction that he didn't even remember what it had turned into after gifting it to Lan Fen compared to everything else he'd gotten when he cleared the place out.
Bao Si watched Chen Haoran's gift-giving with an amused smile, which only grew wider when he didn't present a gift to her. "I feel like you're trying to tell me something, Chen Haoran."
"I'm not. I just…" He cast a look at Xie Jin. "I still don't really know who you are."
"I am Xie Jin's dear fiance. You may call me Sister Bao."
Xie Jin snorted. "You wish we were engaged."
"I do. Our masters do. Our tribes do. You're the only one who seems to resist."
"Gee, I wonder why."
Bao Si dramatically sighed. "I do as well." She began ticking off her fingers. "I'm talented, powerful, beautiful, and choosing you despite having all that. I'm really left at a loss."
"That right there," he bit out. "Is exactly why."
"Come now Jin, we both know you're not that small a man."
"I'm not your easy way out."
Bao Si narrowed her eyes to slits. "It's only a little loyalty I ask for. Compared to what you get, is that really too much to ask?"
"A man can only sip from one pond for so long till the water makes his stomach sick."
"You-"
"Have you known each other for a while?" Chen Haoran interrupted.
Bao Si stared at Xie Jin. "Since childhood."
"Too long," Xie Jin said at the same time.
Boy, did he really not sign up for this. He reached into his storage bag one last time and considered what to give Bao Si. It would really be awkward if he didn't at this point. Something from the auction perhaps, like Xie Jin, but what? His eyes roamed over her silk dress and settled on her centipede tattoo.
He felt a light, airy sensation on his hand as the item he had in mind appeared. The bolt of silk he pulled out was light blue and nearly translucent. The way it shimmered in the firelight made it look as if he had ripped the fabric off a ghost's dress.
"Moon Moth silk," Chen Haoran said. When he bought it, he hadn't paid too much attention to the original article, which was a shame. The improved version in Bao Si's hands looked like she was holding liquid moonlight.
"Oh," Bao Si said, breathless. She looked up at him and smiled. "I like you."
"Watch out, Brother Chen," Xie Jin whispered in warning. He let out a yelp when Bao Si pinched his ear and yanked him back.
"You could stand to learn something from him. I have no idea how a brute like you could become friends with such a gentleman."
"Good karma for my trials, perhaps," Xie Jin muttered.
"Save the lip for when you return home. You still have explaining to do."
"Who said I'm going back with you?" Xie Jin growled. "I promised Brother Chen to help him get settled. I'm not leaving."
"You don't have a choice," Bao Si said with a grave look. "Your grandfather is ill."
Chapter 87: This Young Master Has A Token
"I'm sorry," Xie Jin said. "I had promised to help you get settled in Zumulu, but…"
Chen Haoran clasped his arm. "Family comes first. Thank you, for everything. I can take it from here."
As soon as the sun rose over the horizon Xie Jin had been out the door and preparing to leave with Bao Si, despite seeming to dread her company. Sister Jia watched them bid farewell from the door.
Xie Jin sighed. "If you need any help, look for Brother Ang when he returns. I'll be back as soon as I can."
Chen Haoran waved off his concern. "Don't worry about it." He hooked a thumb toward himself. "I'm an expert when it comes to adjusting to unfamiliar places."
Xie Jin didn't seem to have much faith in that statement. He wasn't necessarily wrong. Chen Haoran was run out of the last unfamiliar place he found himself in. Those were extenuating circumstances, however.
"Touching," Bao Si drawled. "I don't mean to interrupt your moment but we don't have all day."
"I'm already not looking forward to this," Xie Jin growled. He stalked over to his so-called fiancé and loomed over her. Or rather, tried to loom over. It was hard to do that when they were the same height. "If I find out you're lying to me…"
Bao Si rolled her eyes. "Please. I actually respect your grandfather."
Chen Haoran wasn't sure which was more messed up; Xie Jin thinking that she would lie about his kin's health in order to drag him back home or Bao Si for not directly denying it.
She saw him watching her and winked. "Until next time, Chen Haoran. I'll make sure to repay you for your gift."
Chen Haoran shivered.
Xie Jin pushed Bao Si away and down the road. "Take care, Brother Chen."
"Safe travels, Brother Jin."
Phelps squealed at Xie Jin. A goodbye, perhaps.
Chen Haoran watched them go until they rounded the corner and disappeared out of sight. When they were gone, he sighed and stretched his back. He scratched Phelps's chin and then marched the opposite way.
He had work to do.
"What do you think, Young Master Chen. 2 thousand silver taels a month is quite a good price, wouldn't you say?" The agent rubbed his hands together as he and Chen Haoran toured the house.
It was a secluded house on the northern side of the city, not particularly close to the river or the markets but those places were currently out of his budget. This place was larger than Sister Jia's home. Tall walls separated it from the road and gave its residents some privacy. The home itself was toward the back, and the space between it and the walls had been turned into a simple dirt courtyard. A single willow tree grew in the corner and offered some shade from the hot southern sun.
It would do.
"I'll pay in advance for the year," Chen Haoran said. He pulled out a wad of gold banknotes from his sleeves and counted and handed the equivalent of 24 thousand taels to the agent.
"Wonderful, Young Master Chen!" The agent accepted the taels with both hands and handed over the lease and key before bowing and leaving Chen Haoran to enjoy his new home. He put Phelps on the ground, and the sloth happily floated around to explore the new scents.
After Xie Jin left, Chen Haoran went around and sold 20 thousand more taels worth of jewelry before, with Sister Jia's directions, going to find an agent to rent a place to stay. He was planning on living in Stonebridge for a while, and an inn just wouldn't cut it, especially not for training.
He walked over to the tree, shrugging off his robe, and sat down.
Yellow River Dragon Refinement
The sounds of the city disappeared, and his sight was cast inward. Yellow Qi burbled through branching meridians, and a yellow dragon rose from the depths. It cast a single golden eye out, and Chen Haoran felt that, for a moment, it was looking directly at him. It quickly turned its gaze and began to dance through the flow of his qi. Rather than devour everything, it came across however, it was picky and ignored most of the qi that Chen Haoran drew in with every breath.
Thanks to the Machu River, he'd reached the limit of the Qi Realm and he could keenly feel the ceiling now. The qi he absorbed entered his body, but only the slightest amount was being converted. The rest were cycled out of his body by the flow of his qi. It wasn't the same feeling as a bottleneck, his qi had been blocked, but it at least still converted. Beyond maintaining himself, there was no point in trying to cultivate now. It was a shame, there was more ambient qi in this courtyard than there had been in his whole mansion back in Clearsprings. He was once again left thinking the obvious.
He had to advance.
The dragon narrowed its eyes and roared. It descended through his meridians and settled in an area near his gut, where it began to coil. Song Yuelin's face flashed in his mind, lit by the green glow of the Mourning Pool in the Clearsprings Mountain.
"In the Qi realm, one concentrates the qi into a single point until a drop of liquid is created."
The dragon shrunk and began to glow brighter.
They shepherd that droplet through their meridians as it grows larger-"
The dragon began to slowly drift, carried by the natural current of his qi around his body.
"-becoming a stream, a river, a torrent, and finally-"
Nothing.
The yellow dragon roared out its unwillingness as Chen Haoran's qi faded to black, and he opened his eyes. He slammed his fist into the dirt. It had been too weak. Barely any different from the normal density of his qi. He needed to condense it more. It had to reach a critical mass and snowball on its own for him to properly make the jump to the Liquid Meridian realm.
He closed his eyes and meditated.
The dragon roared once.
He failed.
The dragon roared twice.
He failed.
The dragon roared three times.
He failed.
Much like his Harmonization training, his attempts at condensing his qi were slow going and made no observable progress. When he opened his eyes again, night had fallen, and Phelps was angrily squealing at him.
He sighed and picked up the annoyed sloth. "Let's go eat."
The house's interior was thankfully furnished, although it lacked both the character of Sister Jia's quaint home and the opulence of his former mansion. He settled Phelps at a low, rounded table, and dumped out a bushel of glowing moss on top of it.
Phelps gave him a look.
"What?"
Phelps squealed and slapped his claws on the table.
"What, you want more or…?" Sudden inspiration took him as he looked at the moss strewn haphazardly across the table. He gathered the moss into a neat little pile and presented it to Phelps. "How about now?"
Phelps squealed.
Wrong answer. If not that though, then what? He cast a quick glance around the room. The kitchen wasn't far. He rushed over and rifled through the cabinets and pantry before finding what he sought. He brought over the ceramic plate and stacked the moss on top before placing it in front of Phelps again.
Phelps happily squealed and dug in.
Chen Haoran snorted. "You learned some manners, huh?" Or perhaps Phelps just liked the feeling of eating off a plate. He shook his head in exasperation, sat down next to his spoiled sloth, and pulled out his own meal, some bread baked with berries that Sister Jia had given him before he left. It wasn't the heartiest of meals, but some of the berries held some qi within them.
"It looks like it's going to be a while before I can reach Liquid Meridian realm, bud." He slumped over the table, watching Phelps eat. Chen Haoran patted the sloth's head, but his ministrations were ignored in favor of eating. "That's not too bad on its own. I knew it would take a while. I just don't feel safe."
Could he fight a Liquid Meridian with the White Tyrant's Harmonization? He touched his scimitar's hilt. If they stood still and let him cut their head off, maybe. He rose from the table and lit a few lamps to light the dark room. His hand ghosted across his neck, he could feel phantom fingers on it. Lan Fen's knife-like digits. Elder Lan Qianbei's iron grip.
It didn't matter how high a rank his cultivation technique was, or what resources or skills he had. A Qi Realm wouldn't let him stop being pushed around by Song Yuelin. A Qi Realm couldn't save him from the clutches of Lan Qianbei. A Qi Realm certainly did nothing for him in front of Jiang Lei.
He needed to advance.
There was a spike of qi from his storage bag. A thin line of terror shot down Chen Haoran's spine as he ripped the storage bag off his waist and yanked it open. He stopped. He slowly, carefully, reached into the bag's expanded space and pulled out a metal purple token embossed with a golden lily. The word Gold was engraved into the token and now glowed the same color as its namesake. He flipped the token around to see golden words appear on the blank metal surface.
One month. Stonebridge.
Chapter 88: This Young Master Does Some Shopping
The token flashed gold a few more times before the message disappeared, and the metal surface became blank once more.
The Golden Lily Association.
He hadn't given it much thought the night they'd given him the token. He didn't expect he'd ever go to another of their auctions. Where would he have even gone to find out about them? Lan Fen received her token and knowledge of the auction through her connections, something he severely lacked. He held the token up to the light and observed it with his sense. It seemed his massive spending that night had done him a favor. He was sure the token Lan Fen had nearly gotten him killed for wasn't as advanced as this one.
It didn't tell him exactly where the auction would be held, but he was sure that information would come later. This message was more like the Golden Lily Association telling its customers to get their wallets ready. Chen Haoran wouldn't lie and say he wasn't interested either. The last Golden Lily auction he attended with Lan Fen could be considered foundational to his current success. Hell, he'd probably be dead without it. His armor, his weapon, the Stygian Lotus to improve his durability, the mammoth tusk he used to kill a Liquid Meridian. All of those the auction provided.
"Too bad I'm broke now."
Tens of thousands of Gold taels could be considered a fortune to other cultivators, but for Chen Haoran, it was chump change compared to what he carried before. He reached into his storage bag and pulled out a gold tael that he had exchanged for from a moneylender, passing it to Phelps, who by now had finished eating. Phelps looked curiously at the tael, sniffing it and passing it around between his claws before eventually losing interest and dropping it to the floor.
Chen Haoran sighed. There'd be no buying out the whole auction like he did last time. He wanted to attend this auction. Even if he couldn't have the same insane gains he did before the treasures offered, there would be a cut above what he'd find normally. Especially considering Daqing was a much more powerful and wealthy place than Clearsprings City.
He picked up the dropped tael and patted Phelps's head. "If only you were as greedy as you were gluttonous."
Phelps squealed, and he could feel the sloth's qi thrumming beneath his hand. He'd be due for another advance soon.
"What did the White Tyrant say my power made me? An up-jumped merchant, was it?
If he couldn't give Phelps the money directly, then he'd just have to add a few more steps to the process.
The Ever Spring Pavilion was a shop dealing in pills and herbs. The interior reminded Chen Haoran of a spice market. A myriad of different scents filled the air and spiced it with a unique flavor of subtle spiciness and minty freshness. Sacks overflowing with spirit grasses and fruits were stacked on top of each other next to tables displaying potted flowers and other delicate herbs. Bushels of drying plants and moss hung from the ceiling.
"Welcome to the Ever Spring Pavilion, sir." The attendant bowed as Chen Haoran entered. She smiled brightly, with the picture-perfect customer service shine. She didn't even blink twice at Phelps hanging off his back. "How may I help you today."
He mentally praised her performance. He always respected seeing a fellow professional in action. "I was told I had a discount here. "
With his current means, he wouldn't pass up any chance at a deal. He was lucky the Ever Spring Pavilion was exactly the store he was looking for.
"Excuse me?" The attendant looked rightfully confused; fortunately, the passerby who had offered him a discount for complimenting the business was in the store today and noticed them.
"Greetings!" The man was a bit on the rounder side, with a thick black mustache that wormed across his face like a hairy caterpillar. He waved off the attendant. "I'll handle it from here."
"Am I still getting that discount?" Chen Haoran asked. He stretched out his sense toward the man, Ninth-Layer.
"How could you not?" The man bowed with a flourish. "My name is Chanchu, the humble owner of this establishment. My word is as good as the gold I trade. How can we assist you today?"
"I'm looking for cultivation supplements."
"Of course! Right this way, sir."
Chanchu cheerfully led him across the sales floor and up some stairs to the second floor. It was much quieter up here, with only two other cultivators, one of whom worked for the store. There were no sacks or clutter up here. Every table and display were evenly spaced, and each plant had a little sign with its name written in neat letters placed in front of them. Unlike the bottom floor, there were also a few pills laid out as well.
Chen Haoran casually walked between the displays with his hands behind him. He picked up a small pot with a tiny purple flower growing in it and held it up to Phelps. "What do you think?"
Phelps sniffed it once and gagged.
"That's a no, then."
Chanchu followed behind with visible confusion as Chen Haoran held up every flower and herb for Phelps to judge. He was professional enough not to say anything, however. There were a few interesting specimens on sale. A tall vine that sprouted what looked like golden strawberries. A Sunken Glory vine buried under soil in a glass case. Its flowers far paler than the one he gave to Sister Jia. There were fruits that rattled like maracas when shaken and vicious plants with metal leaves. Looking inside a smoking pot revealed a patch of moss that belched up smoke and embers like a tiny volcano. There was even a six-foot-tall pitcher plant in the corner that apparently created a qi-rich nutrient solution from the insects it devoured.
The pills were far less visually interesting by comparison, but Chen Haoran wouldn't let that fool him. They were the more valuable by far. Some of them he recognized and had used before himself back in Clearsprings City others, he had only their names to go on, to varying degrees of usefulness. He could glean only so much from names like Unyielding Dragon and 1 Thousand and One Nights.
"What are the effects of these pills?" Chen Haoran asked, pointing at the purple and pink pills with the opaque names.
Chanchu huffed a laugh. It sounded a bit awkward to his ears. "Those are… aids for nightly stamina."
Chen Haoran retracted his finger. "Quite the interesting selection you have here," he commented.
"Thank you for the kind words, sir."
"Is this all you have in stock?"
"These are for display. Just let us know how much you'd like to purchase, and I'll have it brought right away."
"Perfect. Let's start small, then." Chen Haoran pointed at a few supplements that Phelps had drooled over. "This, that, and those. I want 20 thousand gold taels worth."
Chanchu paused. The other two cultivators who'd been in the middle of a deal also glanced over. An arched brow and a flex of qi from Chen Haoran had them quickly back to minding their own business.
"Perhaps we should continue this in a private room, sir."
Chen Haoran was stewing over a cup of steaming tea. Had he made a mistake? 20 thousand taels would be a lot in Clearsprings, but this was Daqing. With the level of wealth and cultivators in the city, such a purchase shouldn't be too out there. Or maybe it was because the store was smaller. He didn't see too many people shopping here.
Chen Haoran sighed.
"Is there an issue, honored customer?" Chanchu's term of address had quickly changed as he led him into a well-furnished and comfortable room and had attendants gather his order.
"Just wondering if there was a problem with my order."
Chanchu bolted from his seat. "None at all, sir!" He halted himself and nervously rubbed his hands together. "Unfortunately, we don't have enough materials to complete your order today."
Chen Haoran waved him off. "Just add a few antidote and cultivation pills to make up the difference."
"Right away, sir!"
Phelps had been given his own chair and a plate of snacks to chew on. Chen Haoran's evaluation of Chanchu went up a few notches. The merchant was quick to identify what was important for his customers.
"I have a question for you," Chen Haoran said.
"By all means, honored customer."
"What are the uses of Blue Shadow Fruits and Blood Nut Seeds?" He'd thought to ask when he saw the Sunken Glory vine. Xie Jin hadn't explained what they were to him when they found them… granted that might have something to do with him instantly feeding them to Phelps.
Chanchu blinked. "Well… Blue Shadow Fruits are mostly used in mixtures to hide one's presence or erase tracks. Blood Nut Seeds are used in body training or physique-enhancing pills."
"Oh? They sound valuable."
"If you have any to sell, I'd gladly purchase them."
Chen Haoran propped up his head on his hand and silently regarded the merchant. Chanchu wasn't fazed at all and respectfully lowered his gaze.
"What's the oldest plant in your store?" Chen Haoran finally asked.
Chanchu puffed up with pride. Eager to brag and, perhaps, sell. "We have a 300-year-old Moonflower. It's the Ever Spring Pavilion's pride and joy. I normally only take it out during full moons and celebrations."
Well, he did need the money.
"How much will you give me for this, then?" He reached into his storage bag and summoned six spheres to his hand. When he pulled the 400-year-old Blood Nut Seeds out, the perfumed scent of the private room was drowned out with a heavy, almost metallic smell.
Chanchu's eyes bugged out.
Chen Haoran placed the Blood Nut Seeds on the table and laced his fingers together.
"I still want that discount, by the way."