Chapter 46

Li Youyi stood straight on the bow of the ship, where the river wind was blowing, looking at Nine Licheng in the distance. He saw that the city walls were pitch black and towering, and dozens of enemy-watching towers, several times higher than the city walls, stood on the vast plains outside the city. Soldiers riding flying birds and wearing armor flew out of the towers from time to time and disappeared into the clouds.

On both sides of the great river under the towers, various civilian houses and large mansions gathered, stretching for dozens of miles; this was the suburban area of Nine Licheng, and the number of residents living there was no less than that inside the city.

The Sui River splits into four tributaries here, flowing into the city along the four city gates—"Cangli Gate," "Chili Gate," "Moli Gate," and "Qingli Gate"—and also excavates a twelve-zhang-wide moat, drawing river water to surround and guard the city.

The moat, city walls, enemy-watching towers, and even the entire Nine Li main city were all shrouded in layers of thin, gauze-like light curtains.

These light gauzes varied in depth and were erratic, very much like the auroras that only appear at the North and South Poles on Earth. They rose from the ground and connected to the clouds and sky, capable of resisting large-scale invasions by departed souls and evil spirits.

By the pier, all kinds of ships, large and small, were docked, and the masts and wind flags were as dense as a forest.

After getting off the ship.

Li Ling was surrounded like stars holding the moon; most of them were acquaintances, and everyone was talking and laughing. Some asked with concern about the dangers along the way, some praised and complimented her, and some suggested going to the Heavenly Pavilion tonight to hold a welcome banquet.

These young talents were the top small group of people in the state; either their magic power was thick, their mental power was extraordinary, or they were pure immortal bodies. None of them were vulgar, and they were all surrounded by servants and maids.

Li Youyi observed for a moment. The old servants following these people all had eyes like torches, and strands of magic energy mist flowed from their skin pores. This was a sign of magic power overflow that only appears when the cultivation base reaches the peak of the Seventh Spring of the Gushing Spring Realm.

Those who can follow these proud sons of heaven are by no means ordinary servants and also have a certain status in the family.

He searched once but did not see Gao Huan and Cai Yutong and the others.

Cang Li naturally noticed Li Youyi and nodded to him from afar. He originally wanted to reach out and show concern, but he was pushed and shoved by his friends around him, who were heading into the city as if to stir up trouble. He had no choice but to instruct an old servant beside him to go and receive them.

Li Ling had already been submerged in the lively crowd and gradually disappeared in the direction of the city gate.

The old servant sent by Cang Li to receive them was not very old, only about fifty years old, named Li Qi. He was actually an old acquaintance of Zhao Zhizhuo from his youth, but the former was already at the Seventh Spring cultivation base.

He said: "Tonight, the Young Clan Leader and the others are definitely going to the Heavenly Pavilion to hold a welcome banquet for the Fourth Miss. That is the most luxurious and romantic place in Nine Licheng; only children of great clans and top martial artists can afford to consume there. Brother Zhao has been there before, so you should understand. The Young Clan Leader just ordered that you all can go together."

Li Qi did not know that Li Youyi had once done a favor for the Cangli tribe; he only thought that the Young Clan Leader was too generous and friendly. But in some occasions, if the wrong people go, it will cause a lot of embarrassment. So although he said he was inviting them, every sentence was telling the few people in front of him not to go.

As a servant, he could only speak tactfully and not too bluntly.

Li Youyi didn't want to get too deeply involved with the Cangli tribe in the first place, and he knew that such romantic luxury was not something he was qualified to touch right now. If you are not from the same class and force yourself to integrate, the only one who will lose face is yourself.

He understood some social nuances, so when Zhao Zhizhuo looked over with anger, he smiled and waved his hand: "We can't go. Our group of plain-clothed, mud-legged people wouldn't dare to go to such a big scene; wouldn't we lose face for the Young Clan Leader if we went?"

A look of satisfaction flashed imperceptibly in Li Qi's eyes; such young people who know how to advance and retreat are much cuter.

Li Youyi said: "But since the Young Clan Leader has invited us, if we don't go, I'm afraid it will be hard for Old Li to explain. How about this: convert it into cash, and we'll find a place to eat and stay for the night ourselves. Old Zhao, if all of us go to the Heavenly Pavilion, how much silver would it cost?"

Zhao Zhizhuo understood immediately and said: "If all of us go? That would cost at least... a thousand silver!"

Li Youyi looked at Li Qi with a smile.

After receiving the brocade bag containing one thousand silver coins from the unhappy Li Qi, the group's mood was not happy at all.

"Respect the clothes first, then respect the person! I can understand. Tomorrow, we'll all get some better clothes." Zhao Meng had been exposing his upper body; with his physique, clothes could only be custom-made.

Zhao Zhizhuo thought of many past events and sighed: "It's not just a matter of clothes."

On the ship, Li Youyi had discussed with Senior Coffin, and the advice given by the other party was:

Do not move into the city area first.

Before the funds are sufficient, do not buy a residence first; you can rent a large mansion in the prosperous suburban area near the city area first. The concentration of heaven and earth magic here will not be much less than inside the city area, but the price is much cheaper.

After Li Youyi explained the idea of renting a residence, Zhao Zhizhuo agreed very much.

He said: "Inside the city area, you won't be attacked by departed souls and evil spirits, which seems safer, but it's also easier to be targeted by people we can't afford to provoke."

"Although the suburbs are slightly more dangerous and a mix of fish and dragons, who lives in the suburbs if they are truly powerful figures? So, even if we are targeted, we have a certain ability to respond."

"Taking a step back, even if we encounter a large-scale attack by departed souls, as long as we live close enough to the city area, we can escape into the city at the first opportunity."

Zhao Zhizhuo knew that Li Youyi did not dare to get too deeply involved with Cang Li and Li Ling and was unwilling to borrow the power of the Cangli tribe, so he was thinking of the optimal solution based on their own strength.

Over the next two days, Zhao Meng and Zhao Zhizhuo ran through the southern suburbs and finally settled on the residence.

Including the front and back yards, it covered three acres and had more than ten rooms. It was only a few hundred zhang away from the moat and was in a prosperous area of the suburbs. It could be said that everyone was very satisfied with every aspect, except for the price.

The monthly rent was as high as one thousand three hundred silver coins.

All the coins Li Youyi had on him were only enough to rent it for less than a year.

There was no way around it; with Old Meng's six-meter-tall physique, plus the two freaks Old Liu and Old Guan, if the yard were small, everyone wouldn't be able to move at all when practicing martial arts.

Li Youyi was naturally not idle. Within two days, he ran to the city area three times, spent three thousand silver coins in three different places, and bought three Spring-Breaking Needles.

It was simply outrageously expensive.

If it weren't for suppressing the Evil Camel Bell and urgently breaking through to the Fifth Spring, he really wouldn't want to spend this unjust money.

When Zhao Zhizhuo brought Old Liu and Old Guan back with various household items and food, Li Youyi was setting up a chair, sitting under the old poplar tree that two people could embrace in the front yard, counting money, occasionally frowning, and occasionally lost in thought, motionless.

"Thump, thump!"

A knock on the door sounded outside the yard.

Old Liu hurriedly put down the various items and went to open the door.

Opening the door and seeing the three figures standing outside, Old Liu showed a look of astonishment. Because of the language barrier, he didn't know how to open his mouth to ask.

The leader outside the door looked to be in his forties or fifties, with a white face and no beard, looking like a scholar. Even though time had passed, one could still see that he must have been extraordinarily handsome when he was young.

"Flag Master of the Changlin Gang, Shi Chuanyu, has come to pay a visit to the master of this place." The scholar was very polite, with a kind smile on his face, and also bowed to Old Liu.

Li Youyi put away the coins, walked quickly to the door, and smiled: "The master of this place is my senior brother. I wonder what advice you have?"

Shi Chuanyu bowed again and smiled: "We also live in this area. From now on, we will be neighbors. Since you have moved to a new home, we naturally have to come and congratulate you. A small gift, not worth mentioning."

Shi Chuanyu gave a look.

The two gang members behind him, carrying gifts tied with red rope, walked straight into the yard gate.

Under the old poplar tree, Old Meng, as the master of the residence, began to communicate with Shi Chuanyu.

The two talked happily.

Seeing that the time was ripe, Shi Chuanyu said with a serious expression: "You are all new here and may not know. Outside the city is not like inside; it is often attacked by departed souls and evil spirits. When it gets bad, hundreds or thousands of residents may die in one night. Fortunately, we have a group of powerful magic and martial artists who have quickly united to form various gangs to resist these external dangers."

"The safety of this suburban area is the responsibility of our Changlin Gang."

"But the operation of the gang costs money, and when dealing with departed souls and evil spirits, many gang members will be killed or injured. Medical expenses and settlement fees are indispensable."

"So those who live in this suburban area, whether they are merchants or residents, will help us with some money and food every month so that we can continue to operate and better protect everyone."

Zhao Meng understood; this was coming to collect protection fees. He said: "When we rented the residence, we paid the city defense silver. The attacks by departed souls and evil spirits should be the responsibility of the City Defense Battalion, right?"

Shi Chuanyu laughed: "The City Defense Battalion is mainly responsible for inside the city area. If they were really doing their best, how could the suburbs be as chaotic as they are now? In fact, the gangs that have come into being have the support of the City Defense Battalion or large families behind them. By the way, Brother Zhao, how long do you plan to rent?"

"Let's rent for a month first!" Zhao Meng said.

"Since it's a short-term rental, the departed soul silver and evil spirit silver will be waived; it's not easy for anyone. Come to the Changlin Gang for tea tomorrow; my treat."

Shi Chuanyu and the two gang members said goodbye and left, waving to say goodbye, repeatedly telling Zhao Meng not to see them off.

After seeing them off and closing the main gate, Zhao Meng felt that there was a big problem and felt uneasy in his heart, so he asked Zhao Zhizhuo: "Are local gangs so polite? Why do I have a bad feeling?"

Zhao Zhizhuo's face was quite ugly: "He didn't come to collect protection fees; he was probably here to scout the location and probe our reality."

"Old Zhao means that the Changlin Gang thinks we are outsiders with no backing and is preparing to wipe us out in one go?" Li Youyi said.

Zhao Zhizhuo nodded: "That's what I think. Since they visited in person, it means they have investigated us. If they had collected the protection fee, we could sleep peacefully tonight. If they don't collect it, I really can't sleep tonight."

The three members of the Changlin Gang walked on the prosperous street with heavy traffic.

Behind Shi Chuanyu, a gang member who had opened four springs couldn't help but ask: "Flag Master, are you really not collecting their departed soul silver and evil spirit silver? Although those gifts aren't worth much money, our Changlin Gang isn't a charity house."

Shi Chuanyu muttered to himself: "Both of them have very heavy accents; they should be refugees from other states and won't have any roots in Lizhou. Being able to afford a monthly rent of over a thousand silver means they definitely have some family wealth. What a fat sheep!"

Another gang member who had opened four springs said: "That man surnamed Zhao has a physique of six meters; I'm afraid his combat power is not to be underestimated."

Shi Chuanyu scoffed: "It's just for show. I've touched his palm; he hasn't cultivated magic power, so no matter how big his physique is, he can only do hard labor. Tonight, send them off properly; disguise it as being attacked by fierce insects, and it will have nothing to do with our Changlin Gang."

"From now on, anyone who comes out of that residence must be controlled for me; there must be no accidents."

An old man who had opened six springs came towards them and bowed to Shi Chuanyu: "Flag Master, the eldest young lady of the Yang family is here. The Gang Leader wants you to go over immediately; it seems there is something very important."

(End of chapter)