Dongtai Prefecture City was far larger than Qinshan County and served as the administrative centre responsible for governing countless counties throughout the surrounding region. Compared with an ordinary county town, its scale was almost impossible to compare. Even the outer city alone was larger than several county towns combined, with wide streets extending in every direction and countless cultivators moving through the bustling districts.
The main city was divided into two major sections: the outer city and the inner city.
The outer city was where most ordinary cultivators and commoners lived. Numerous Yamen stations were scattered throughout the different districts, allowing the prefectural government to maintain control over the surrounding counties. Large merchant alliances also maintained branches here, constantly transporting resources between Dongtai Prefecture and the surrounding regions.
Three major martial halls were established within the outer city as well.
Unlike the small martial halls found within Qinshan County, these three possessed considerably deeper foundations. They accepted disciples throughout the prefecture and offered systematic martial training, making them important places for young martial artists seeking to improve themselves.
The streets were considerably cleaner than those of Qinshan County, and the number of martial artists was noticeably higher.
Acquired martial artists could be seen almost everywhere.
Even Innate martial artists occasionally appeared in the streets, though they naturally attracted considerably more attention.
As for the inner city...
That was an entirely different world.
Only those possessing sufficient status, strength or connections could enter and reside there.
Four powerful noble families occupied the most influential positions within the inner city.
The Su Family.
The Liu Family.
The remaining two families had likewise existed within Dongtai Prefecture for generations, possessing enormous wealth and influence that ordinary cultivators could scarcely imagine.
Above them stood the Prefectural City Lord.
The City Lord's authority extended throughout the entire prefecture, making him one of the most powerful figures in the region.
The Demon Suppression Division also possessed a headquarters within the inner city.
Unlike the ordinary Yamen stations scattered throughout the outer city, the Demon Suppression Division operated independently and was responsible for dealing with threats that ordinary officials and martial artists couldn't handle.
Its various specialized divisions were likewise stationed within the inner city.
Compared with Qinshan County...
Dongtai Prefecture City was clearly another level entirely.
Yet despite its enormous size and powerful factions, the atmosphere within the city remained relatively peaceful.
The recent Spring Festival had brought countless cultivators and merchants into the city, making the streets considerably livelier than usual.
Red lanterns still hung outside many residences and shops.
Decorations had yet to be completely removed.
Some restaurants remained filled with customers while merchants continued taking advantage of the increased number of visitors.
Apart from that...
There was little disturbance.
No large-scale conflicts.
No obvious unrest.
No sign that anything unusual was about to happen.
At least...
That was what ordinary people saw.
Within the outer city, a secluded courtyard stood quietly behind several rows of residences.
Lin Sheng sat beneath a tree, calmly observing the surrounding streets.
His Mental Perception occasionally swept across the area before retracting.
He had already spent several days within Dongtai Prefecture City.
During that time, he had deliberately kept a low profile.
He had learned about the basic structure of the city, familiarised himself with several important streets and quietly gathered information about the major martial forces.
More importantly...
He had confirmed that Uncle Wang and Aunt Wang were safe.
They had been settled in a quiet residence within the outer city.
The two ordinary people had quickly adapted to their new surroundings.
With sufficient servants and resources arranged by Lin Sheng, they no longer needed to worry about food, shelter or their daily livelihood.
Lin Sheng wasn't worried about them.
His attention was elsewhere.
Dongtai Prefecture City contained far more martial resources than Qinshan County.
If he wanted to obtain the scriptures and resources necessary for his next stage of Body Refinement, this was undoubtedly a much better place to begin searching.
Unfortunately...
He couldn't act recklessly.
The existence of his true cultivation was still a secret.
Especially his immortal cultivation.
Even Lou Feng's cultivation obtained through the Qi Eating Method had to remain concealed.
Only his Body Refinement could be openly displayed.
Lin Sheng slowly closed his eyes.
He would first understand the city. Afterwards he planned to follow the rhythm and open up a shop that could help him get some capital steadily.
---------
Lin Sheng sat quietly inside a modest teahouse located along one of the busier streets of Dongtai Prefecture City's outer district.
The establishment wasn't particularly luxurious, nor was it cheap enough to attract only ordinary commoners. Most of the customers were low-level cultivators, travelling merchants and martial artists who had come to the prefectural city to handle various affairs.
For Lin Sheng, it was an ideal place to gather information.
Rather than deliberately asking questions and attracting unnecessary attention, he simply sat in the corner with a cup of tea while listening to the conversations around him.
After several days in Dongtai Prefecture City, he had already learned that gossip often contained information that official records would never reveal.
"The Jade Sword Sect has elected another Core Disciple."
A cultivator at the neighbouring table suddenly spoke.
Another man immediately became interested.
"Who?"
The first cultivator lowered his voice.
"I heard..."
"...it's the Liu Family's young miss."
Several people nearby immediately turned their heads.
"The Liu Family?"
"Are you certain?"
The cultivator nodded confidently.
"I heard it from someone who knows an elder of the Jade Sword Sect."
"Apparently, her talent is extraordinary."
Another man clicked his tongue.
"The Liu Family really is ambitious."
"First they established connections with the Jade Sword Sect, and now their young miss has become a Core Disciple."
Someone else immediately joined the conversation.
"That's not all."
"I heard she has a very close relationship with the Jade Sword Sect's Young Sect Master."
A few cultivators immediately laughed.
"Really?"
"How close?"
The speaker lowered his voice even further.
"Close enough that many people already consider them a pair."
The surrounding table erupted into whispers.
Lin Sheng quietly drank his tea.
His expression didn't change.
The Liu Family...
One of the four great noble families of Dongtai Prefecture.
The information itself wasn't particularly important to him.
However, it confirmed something he had already suspected.
The influence of the four great families extended far beyond Dongtai Prefecture City.
They possessed connections with powerful sects outside the prefecture as well.
That meant obtaining certain resources through the noble families might be considerably easier than searching for them independently.
Lin Sheng was just about to continue listening when another voice suddenly mentioned something that caught his attention.
"Speaking of the Liu Family..."
"Did you hear about the Su Family's young master?"
The atmosphere around the table subtly changed.
Someone frowned.
"Su Yang?"
"What's wrong with him?"
The first cultivator hesitated.
"I heard..."
"...he's in trouble."
Lin Sheng's eyes narrowed slightly.
Su Yang.
The name was unfamiliar.
Yet the tone of the conversation suggested that this wasn't an ordinary matter.
Before the speaker could explain further...
"Say that again!"
A furious voice suddenly erupted from nearby.
Bang!
A wooden table was violently overturned.
The entire teahouse instantly fell silent.
Everyone turned toward the disturbance.
A burly middle-aged man stood beside one of the tables, his face flushed with anger.
He wore simple martial robes with the emblem of the Su Family embroidered upon his chest.
A guard.
Across from him stood another cultivator who had apparently made the earlier comment regarding the Liu Family's young miss and the Jade Sword Sect's Young Sect Master.
The man's expression immediately became cold.
"What?"
"Did I say something wrong?"
The Su Family guard's fists clenched.
"You dare insult our young master?"
The cultivator sneered.
"I merely repeated what everyone knows."
"The Liu Family's young miss is already a Core Disciple of the Jade Sword Sect."
"She's also close to the Young Sect Master."
"Why are you so angry?"
"Because..."
The guard took a step forward.
"The Liu Family and Su Family have been connected since the two Patriarchs were young."
"Their wives gave birth on the same day."
"Do you know what that means?"
Several people immediately began whispering.
Lin Sheng quietly listened.
He already understood that this was probably connected to Su Yang.
One cultivator explained in a low voice to someone beside him.
"The two Patriarchs were extremely close."
"Back then, while drinking together, they joked that since their children had been born on the same day, the two should become husband and wife."
"That joke eventually became a real engagement."
"Su Yang and Liu Ruyan have technically been engaged since birth."
Lin Sheng's gaze flickered slightly.
So that was the situation.
The burly guard continued angrily.
"And now you people spread rumours that our young master's fiancée is involved with another man!"
"Do you think our Su Family has no dignity?"
The other cultivator didn't retreat.
"Then why hasn't the engagement been cancelled?"
The guard froze.
The surrounding atmosphere became noticeably awkward.
Someone finally whispered.
"Because of Su Yang's condition..."
The words immediately drew several sympathetic looks.
Lin Sheng listened carefully.
It seemed that Su Yang's situation was the real reason the engagement had become complicated.
One cultivator lowered his voice.
"I heard that several of Su Yang's Innate Acupoints were severely blocked from birth."
"He couldn't properly cultivate martial arts."
"Despite being born into the Su Family, he couldn't even become a true martial artist."
Another person immediately added.
"That's why the Liu Family has been trying to distance themselves from the engagement."
"Especially after Liu Ruyan's talent was revealed."
"She apparently possesses extraordinary talent."
"Some people even say she has the potential to enter the Hundred List."
A brief silence followed.
The Hundred List.
Even Lin Sheng's attention sharpened slightly.
He had heard the term before.
Within the Martial Continent, the Hundred List represented the most outstanding young martial artists of a particular generation.
Someone capable of being mentioned alongside those names was naturally extraordinary.
The situation became clearer.
Su Yang had been born with severely blocked Innate Acupoints, preventing him from properly cultivating martial arts.
Liu Ruyan, on the other hand, possessed extraordinary talent and had now become a Core Disciple of the Jade Sword Sect.
The difference between them was enormous.
And yet...
They remained engaged.
At least officially.
Lin Sheng calmly placed his teacup on the table.
Interesting.
He had originally come to Dongtai Prefecture City searching for martial scriptures and resources.
He hadn't expected to encounter such a situation so quickly.
More importantly...
The name Su Yang had somehow triggered a faint sense of familiarity within his mind.
Perhaps it was nothing.
Perhaps...
It was something worth investigating.
Lin Sheng's eyes remained calm as he listened to the increasingly heated argument.
He didn't interfere.