Li Weiyi stood straight at the bow as the river wind whipped against him, gazing at Jiuli City in the distance. The city walls rose pitch-black and towering, while dozens of watchtowers—several times taller than the ramparts themselves—stood across the vast plain outside the city. Armored soldiers astride giant birds flew from the towers from time to time, disappearing into the clouds.
Beneath the towers, along both banks of the great river, all kinds of common houses and sprawling estates gathered in an unbroken expanse stretching dozens of li. This was the suburban district of Jiuli City, home to as many residents as the city proper.
Here, the Sui River branched into four tributaries that flowed into the city through four gates—the Cangling Gate, Chiling Gate, Moling Gate, and Qingling Gate. In addition, a moat twelve zhang wide had been dug, channeling the river water to encircle and protect the city.
The moat, the walls, the watchtowers, and the entire core city of Jiuli were shrouded beneath layered screens of gauze-like light.
These luminous veils varied in shade and drifted unpredictably, closely resembling the auroras found only at Earth's north and south poles. Rising from the ground to meet the clouds and sky, they could ward off large-scale incursions by departed spirits and fiendish demons.
***
Beside the docks, boats of every size lay moored, their masts and pennants as dense as a forest.
After disembarking, Li Ling was surrounded like a star encircled by a host of moons. Most were familiar faces, and laughter and chatter filled the air. Some asked with concern about the perils of her journey, others showered her with praise and compliments, and some proposed heading to the Heaven Pavilion tonight to hold a welcome banquet for her.
These young talents were the cream of the crop in the entire prefecture. Either they possessed dense dharma power, extraordinary mental strength, or Pure Immortal Physiques; not a single one was mediocre, and all were flanked by attendants and maidservants.
Li Weiyi glanced around and noticed that the elderly servants following these figures all had eyes sharp as torches, and wisps of dharma mist seeped from their pores. This was an outward sign of leaking dharma power that only appeared once someone reached the peak of the Yongquan Realm, the seventh spring.
Those capable of serving by the side of such heaven-blessed prodigies were no ordinary servants; they held a respectable standing within their clans.
Li Weiyi searched the crowd, but saw no sign of Gao Huan or Cai Yutong.
Cang Li naturally noticed Li Weiyi and gave him a nod from afar. He originally intended to come over and show some hospitality, but his friends shoved and bantered around him, sweeping him toward the city amid cheerful clamor. He could only instruct an elderly servant at his side to attend to them.
Li Ling had long since been engulfed by the lively crowd, gradually fading from sight in the direction of the city gates.
The servant Cang Li sent was not truly old, only in his fifties. His name was Li Qi, and he was an old acquaintance from Zhao Zhizhuo's youth, though he had already attained the cultivation of the seventh spring.
He said, "Tonight, the young tribal chief and the others are certainly going to the Heaven Pavilion to host a reception for the Fourth Young Miss. That is the most luxurious and romantic venue in Jiuli City, an establishment only great clan scions and top martial cultivators can afford. Brother Zhao went there in the past, so you ought to know. The young tribal chief gave orders just now that you may all accompany them."
Li Qi had no idea that Li Weiyi had rendered a service to the Cangling Tribe. He assumed the young tribal chief was simply being overly generous and cordial. But in certain settings, the presence of the wrong people only led to immense awkwardness. Thus, while his words were an invitation, every syllable subtly signaled to the group that they should not go.
As a servant, he could only couch it tactfully rather than speaking bluntly.
Li Weiyi had never intended to become deeply entangled with the Cangling Tribe in the first place, and he knew full well that such extravagant luxury was not something he currently had the standing to touch. Forcing one's way into a circle that belonged to a different social class would only bring humiliation upon oneself.
He was sensible in the ways of the world. Seeing Zhao Zhizhuo glare in anger, Li Weiyi smiled and waved his hand. "We couldn't possibly go. Simple mud-legged folk in plain clothes like us wouldn't dare step foot in such a grand place. Wouldn't going only make the young tribal chief lose face?"
An imperceptible flicker of satisfaction crossed Li Qi's eyes. A young man who knew when to advance and retreat was far more pleasant to deal with.
Li Weiyi continued, "However, since the young tribal chief extended an invitation, it might put Elder Li in an awkward spot if we don't go. How about this: convert it to silver, and we'll find our own place to eat and stay for the night. Old Zhao, if our entire group were to go to the Heaven Pavilion, how much would it cost?"
Zhao Zhizhuo caught on instantly and said, "If all of us went? Then at the very least, it would take... a thousand silvers!"
Li Weiyi looked at Li Qi with a smile.
Taking the brocade pouch containing one thousand silver coins from Li Qi's displeased hand, none of the group felt the slightest bit cheerful.
"Respect the robes before respecting the man! I can understand it. Tomorrow, we'll all get ourselves better clothes," said Zhao Meng. His upper torso remained completely bare; given his massive build, any clothes had to be custom-made.
Recalling many past memories, Zhao Zhizhuo let out a long sigh. "As if it's just a matter of clothes."
On the boat, Li Weiyi had consulted Senior Coffin, whose advice was:
Do not move into the city proper for now.
Before amassing sufficient funds, do not buy a residence either. Instead, rent a large courtyard in a bustling part of the suburbs near the city walls. The density of heaven-and-earth dharma here was hardly inferior to the inner city, yet the price was far cheaper.
When Li Weiyi shared this plan of renting a residence, Zhao Zhizhuo agreed wholeheartedly.
He explained, "Inside the city, departed spirits and fiendish demons cannot attack, making it seem safer. But it also makes it easier to be targeted by people we cannot afford to provoke.
"The suburbs are slightly more dangerous and have a mixed crowd, but what truly powerful figure lives out here? If someone sets their sights on us, we'll at least have a chance to deal with them.
"And if the worst comes to pass and a massive swarm of departed spirits attacks, so long as we live close enough to the city, we can flee inside immediately."
Zhao Zhizhuo understood that Li Weiyi was wary of entangling himself too deeply with Cang Li and Li Ling and was unwilling to borrow the Cangling Tribe's influence. He was weighing the optimal choice based purely on their own strength.
Over the next two days, Zhao Meng and Zhao Zhizhuo searched throughout the southern suburbs until they finally settled on an estate.
Combined, the front and back courtyards covered three mu, with over a dozen rooms. Located only several hundred zhang from the moat in a prosperous area of the suburbs, everyone was satisfied with every aspect of the place—except for the price.
The monthly rent came to a steep one thousand three hundred silver coins.
All the coins on Li Weiyi combined would barely cover less than a year's rent.
Yet there was no alternative. With Old Meng's six-meter-tall frame and two mutants, Old Liu and Old Guan, a smaller courtyard wouldn't even give them room to stretch their limbs when practicing martial arts.
Li Weiyi had not stayed idle either. Over those two days, he made three separate trips into the city, visiting three different locations and spending three thousand silver coins to purchase three spring-piercing needles.
It was outrageously expensive.
If not for the urgent need to suppress the evil camel bell and break through to the fifth spring, he truly would have loathed wasting such an exorbitant sum.
When Zhao Zhizhuo returned with Old Liu and Old Guan after buying various household goods and food, Li Weiyi had brought out a chair and was sitting beneath the old poplar tree in the front courtyard—a tree two men could barely encircle—counting his coins, his brow furrowing one moment and locked in motionless contemplation the next.
*Thump, thump!*
Knocks sounded on the courtyard gate.
Old Liu hurriedly set down the supplies and went to answer it.
Opening the gate and seeing three figures standing outside, Old Liu wore a stunned expression. Unable to speak the local tongue, he had no idea how to ask who they were.
The man leading the group appeared to be in his forties or fifties, fair-faced and beardless, resembling a scholar. Despite the wear of time, one could still tell he had been remarkably handsome in his youth.
"Banner Leader Shi Chuanyu of the Changlin Gang, here to pay respects to the master of this residence." The scholar was exceedingly polite, wearing a genial smile as he cupped his hands in greeting toward Old Liu.
Li Weiyi put away his coins, walked briskly to the gate, and smiled. "The master of this residence is my senior brother. May I ask what business you have, sir?"
Shi Chuanyu bowed once more and chuckled. "We live in this area as well, so we are neighbors from this day forth. Since you have moved into a new home, it is only right to offer our congratulations. A few modest gifts, nothing grand."
Shi Chuanyu gave a signal with his eyes.
The two gang members behind him, carrying gifts tied with red cords, walked straight through the gate.
***
Beneath the old poplar tree, Old Meng, as the master of the residence, struck up a conversation with Shi Chuanyu.
The two chatted with great warmth.
Seeing that the moment was ripe, Shi Chuanyu adopted a solemn expression. "As newcomers, you gentlemen might not be aware. Outside the city walls is unlike the interior; we are frequently attacked by departed spirits and fiendish demons. When an onslaught is fierce, hundreds or even thousands of residents might perish in a single night. Fortunately, a group of powerful dharma-martial cultivators came together and formed gangs to resist these external dangers.
"The safety of this suburban sector falls under the responsibility of our Changlin Gang.
"Yet running a gang requires money. When contending with departed spirits and fiendish demons, many of our members are wounded or killed, requiring medical expenses and pensions for their families.
"Therefore, those living in this sector, whether merchants or residents, contribute a bit of coin and grain each month so that we can keep operating and better protect everyone."
Zhao Meng understood immediately: this was a shakedown for protection money. He said, "When we rented this residence, we paid city defense silver. Shouldn't incursions by departed spirits and fiendish demons be handled by the City Defense Battalion?"
Shi Chuanyu laughed heartily. "The City Defense Battalion mainly oversees the city interior. If they truly gave their all, how could the suburbs be as chaotic as they are now? In truth, gangs like ours could only emerge because we have the backing of the City Defense Battalion or major clans. By the way, Brother Zhao, how long do you intend to rent?"
"Let's start with one month!" Zhao Meng replied.
"Since it is a short-term lease, we'll waive the departed-spirit silver and fiendish-demon silver. Times are tough for everyone. Come over to the Changlin Gang for tea tomorrow—my treat."
Shi Chuanyu took his leave with the two gang members, waving goodbye and repeatedly telling Zhao Meng not to bother seeing them out.
Once they were gone and the front gate was shut, Zhao Meng felt something was deeply amiss. Uneasy, he asked Zhao Zhizhuo, "Are the local gangs always this polite? Why do I have a bad feeling about this?"
Zhao Zhizhuo's expression was grim. "He didn't come to collect protection fees. He was likely scouting the place to test our depth."
"Old Zhao, do you mean the Changlin Gang thinks we're outsiders with no backing and plans to wipe us out entirely?" Li Weiyi asked.
Zhao Zhizhuo nodded. "That's what I believe. The fact that they visited our door means they've already checked into us. Had they taken the protection fee, we could sleep peacefully tonight. Because they didn't, I won't be able to get a wink of sleep."
***
The three Changlin Gang members walked down a bustling street crowded with traffic.
Behind Shi Chuanyu, a gang member who had opened four springs could not help but ask, "Banner Leader, did we really let them off without paying the departed-spirit silver and fiendish-demon silver? Those gifts might not be worth much, but our Changlin Gang isn't a charity hall."
Shi Chuanyu muttered to himself, "Both of those men had heavy accents. They must have fled from another prefecture and have no roots in Lizhou. Anyone who can afford over a thousand silvers a month in rent definitely has some wealth stashed away. What a fat sheep!"
The other four-spring member said, "That man surnamed Zhao is six meters tall. His combat strength might be formidable."
Shi Chuanyu scoffed. "Nothing but an empty frame. I brushed against his palm—he hasn't cultivated a shred of dharma power. No matter how large his body is, he can only serve as coolie labor. Tonight, let us send them off properly. Disguise it as an attack by savage insects; it will have nothing to do with our Changlin Gang.
"From this moment on, keep a tight watch on anyone who leaves that residence. Under no circumstances must anything go wrong."
An elderly man who had opened six springs came walking toward them and bowed to Shi Chuanyu. "Banner Leader, the eldest miss of the Yang family has arrived. The gang leader wants you to head over immediately—it seems there is an urgent matter."
Chapter 46