Sea City.
Just as before, a peculiar floral fragrance greeted him upon entering. The stone-paved roads were new, clearly replaced recently. The sprawling buildings on the mountainside still connected to the pillar of light at the very top.
The mark of the Yuqing Sect was visible everywhere in the city—on the signs of street-side shops and the armor of patrolling soldiers, for instance.
It was now noon, and there were no ard brawls on the main street. However, the clash of weapons could occasionally be heard from the dark alleyways. Yu Lian, nestled in the folds of Wang Ping’s chest clothing, peeked out curiously from the cover of his collar, watching everything unfold in the shadows.
’Chaotic, yet balanced. It seems the Yuqing Sect has found a way to manage humans and demons living together,’ Yu Lian mused. Compared to a century ago, she had beco much more thoughtful.
’But...what’s the point of their existence?’ Yu Lian posed a new question. ’They hurt each other. What use is that to the Yuqing Sect?’
’The internal Cosmos of a Celestial Gate Cultivator and the cultivation of the Demon Race actually work on the sa principle. Perhaps keeping their minds active is a way for Yuqing Cultivators to stabilize their own,’ Wang Ping replied almost subconsciously, his answer based on the insights he’d gained from cultivating to the Second Realm.
’Are the mysteries of the internal Cosmos the sa as the world’s Cosmos?’
’I don’t know. That’s one of the Yuqing Sect’s most guarded secrets.’
The two chatted intermittently. Half an Hour later, after traversing nearly half the city and asking for directions from attendants at several inns and teahouses, they finally found the nominal destination for their trip: Qianhu Inn.
It was one of Qianmu Temple’s most secret liaison points in Sea City. Located near the southern city gate, it appeared to be the property of a local clan and was even frequently involved in inter-clan disputes.
The inn’s business was decent, mainly catering to dicine rchants and travelers from the southern parts of Hu Mountain Country.
As Wang Ping walked in, a Mouse Demon in a short gray linen tunic greeted him enthusiastically. Wiping his hands on a towel he carried, he said, "Young sir, are you looking for lodging?"
He spoke with a southern Hu Mountain Country accent. Wang Ping could understand it, but he was currently playing the part of a rookie Jianghu Traveler who wouldn’t possibly know it. So, he feigned a look of difficulty and said, "I’m here to deliver a shipnt. Where’s your Shopkeeper?"
The Mouse Demon understood the Zhongzhou official tongue. He just paused for a mont, then gave a soft cough and switched his tone. "Please have a seat over here. The Shopkeeper is taking inventory in the back. I’ll go get him."
His Zhongzhou official tongue was perfect, without a trace of an accent.
Wang Ping nodded and sat down where the attendant had indicated—a long bench near the door. There was a faint sll of sweat in the air, suggesting that many common laborers had been seated here in the past.
After sitting down, Wang Ping looked into the main hall. Most of the patrons were ordinary people. The Demon Race guests were mainly Pig Demons and Mouse Demons, and most were respectably dressed. In the private rooms upstairs, so demons clad in brocade silk leaned against the windows, looking down.
’The atmosphere here is quite nice. Everyone is so relaxed. I like it here,’ Yu Lian said in his Spirit Sea.
Wang Ping didn’t answer her. A middle-aged man had just walked out of the warehouse next to the counter. His sleeves were tied back with ropes, he had distinct wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, his hair was cut in a short buzz, and his face was clean-shaven. For Hu Mountain Country, this style was very progressive.
"Where’s your identity token?" The man was not at all polite to Wang Ping.
"Here." Wang Ping stood up and took out his identity token.
The Shopkeeper took it and scanned it with his spiritual sense for a few breaths. His expression remained unchanged as his gaze fell upon Wang Ping. "Where’s the item?" he asked.
Hearing this, Wang Ping silently took out a wooden box from his robes—about half a foot long and a finger wide—and handed it over.
The Shopkeeper took it coldly and said to the person beside him, "Arrange a room for him in the back courtyard."
"Yes!" The Mouse Demon from before had been standing by the Shopkeeper’s side the whole ti.
The Shopkeeper didn’t linger. He took the box and returned to the warehouse by the counter, while the Mouse Demon beckoned with a cheerful smile, "Young sir, this way."
Wang Ping followed the arrangent.
After leading him into the back courtyard, the Mouse Demon lowered his voice. "The back courtyard connects to an outer corridor. No matter what noises you hear at night, it’s best not to get curious. The back gate is always kept shut. You’d best not open it. If you need to go out, take the extra few steps and use the front entrance."
"Alright!"
Wang Ping readily agreed and followed the Mouse Demon through a central courtyard piled high with goods. They entered a yard filled with sunlight. The yard was quite dilapidated; aside from the reinforced walls, which looked decent, the rest of it was rather plain.
"You absolutely must not open the courtyard gate," the Mouse Demon repeated seriously, pointing to the gate barred by two thick wooden beams.
Yu Lian couldn’t help but quip, ’If you can’t open it, why even build a gate?’
’Probably for escaping in a critical mont.’
While the two were communicating, the Mouse Demon led them to a detached room. From the outside, the room looked old but not yet broken down. With a CREAK, the Mouse Demon pushed the door open. A musty sll washed over them, revealing a small resting chamber with nothing but a single bed inside.
"If you want to eat, co out to the front. The latrine is over there..." The Mouse Demon pointed to a small thatched hut in the corner of the yard. He then pointed to the well in the center. "The well water is fine for washing your face and clothes, but you absolutely cannot drink it."
He spoke very quickly this ti, as faint calls could be heard from the main hall. After finishing his instructions, he hurried away.
Wang Ping didn’t rush into the room. He first surveyed his surroundings. Besides him, one other person was living here, in the room directly opposite his. A row of clothes-drying poles, out of place with the surrounding architecture, stood outside the building. But the room was currently empty.
’Ard fights must happen often just outside these walls. The stench of blood is thick,’ Yu Lian reminded him.
Wang Ping nodded. He took a handful of weed seeds from his pocket and casually scattered so inside and outside the yard. Only when everything in the vicinity was under his control did he step into the room. Just as he was about to use a ’Cleaning Spell,’ Yu Lian reminded him:
’You’re supposed to be a rookie Jianghu Traveler right now. How could you possibly use a Cleaning Spell?’
’You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?’
’I’m just reminding you.’
Wang Ping let out a low chuckle. He was no stranger to cleaning. When he first arrived at Qianmu Temple, cleaning was the chore he did most.
「Thirty minutes later...」
The room was spotless, inside and out. Wang Ping sat on the bed and was about to subconsciously begin ditating, but after a mont’s thought, he lay down instead. Yu Lian scurried out from Wang Ping’s clothes. She first stretched out her entire body of Scale Armor comfortably, then burrowed into the quilt, cleansing it with a light wisp of Water Spirit Qi.
’According to your persona, you should be going out to the front to eat now.’ Having cleaned the quilt, Yu Lian poked her head out to look at Wang Ping.
"You’re the one who wants to eat, aren’t you?"
"Yes. I slled venison earlier. I just don’t know how good the chefs are here."
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