Chapter 493: Entering the City

The number of boats on the river surface grew, and Wang Ji's boat had to slow its speed.

Cheng Feng stood at the bow, able to clearly hear the sounds of talking and jeering coming from other boats not far away, and even the crisp clashing of weapons.

On several boats flying the Martial Dao Association's banner, martial artists could no longer restrain themselves and began trading blows on the decks, the fierce wind stirred up by their fists and kicks making the sails flap loudly.

"Fighting before we've even arrived." Huo Luan stood beside Cheng Feng with arms crossed, a trace of disdain curling the corner of his mouth.

"These people are all from small families and obscure backgrounds in various regions; they haven't seen the world. Once they pass through the gates of the capital, they'll learn how vast the world truly is."

"I am also from a small place..."

Cheng Feng did not continue the conversation, his gaze remaining fixed on that massive city in the distance, which was becoming increasingly clear. The city walls were terrifyingly high, with dark green stone blocks stacked layer upon layer, each one taller than a person.

Moss and vines of unknown age grew in the wall crevices, and from afar, it looked like a giant dragon covered in scales lying between heaven and earth.

The city towers soared into the clouds, their three-tiered flying eaves hung with copper bells; as the river wind blew past, one could faintly hear the tinkling of bells drifting over.

The capital of Great Zhou, Tianqi City.

Cheng Feng silently repeated this name in his heart.

He had already heard Huo Luan speak of it back at Heimu Prefecture.

Tianqi City was a majestic city built by hundreds of thousands of laborers over twenty years at the beginning of the founding of Great Zhou. The city walls were ten zhang thick and over twenty zhang high, and the moat was fed by snowmelt from Longji Mountain a thousand miles away, remaining unfrozen year-round and unfathomably deep.

The entire city was divided into three layers: the Outer Guo, the Inner City, and the Imperial City. The Outer Guo housed commoners and merchants, the Inner City contained the mansions of officials and wealthy businessmen, and the Imperial City was the residence of the Son of Heaven.

The Martial Dao Association's competition arena was set up at the South City Grand Drill Ground between the Outer Guo and the Inner City; that place was usually a training ground for the Imperial Guard, but during the Martial Dao Association, it was opened for martial artists from all over the world to compete.

"Tianqi City has four main gates: East, West, South, and North. Boats arriving by water all dock at Liuhe Ferry outside the South Gate."

Wang Ji had walked to the bow at some point and stood on the other side of Cheng Feng, pointing ahead. "Our boat won't enter the Inner City waterways; we will disembark at Liuhe Ferry. The private residence has already been prepared by my people; it's a journey of nearly half an hour by carriage from the ferry."

Cheng Feng looked in the direction she pointed and indeed saw the river surface outside the South Gate packed densely with boats of all sizes. The masts were like a forest, the shadows of the sails blocked the sun, and it was a dense mass as far as the eye could see.

Several exceptionally large tower ships were moored on the outermost edge, their banners fluttering, embroidered with different family crests and sect emblems.

Further away, a fleet flying the Profound Yellow Dragon Flag was slowly sailing into the water gate beneath the city, the hulls painted entirely in gold, shining dazzlingly in the morning light.

"Those are the imperial boats." Huo Luan clicked his tongue. "I wonder which prince has arrived."

"Pingbei Prince." Liu Yu walked up from behind, his voice flat. "You can tell by the Black Tortoise emblem on the boats. Pingbei Prince is one of the chief judges for this Martial Dao Association and also one of the Red Lotus Sect's rivals. If you two encounter people from the Pingbei Wangfu during the Martial Dao Association, do not hold back."

Huo Luan perked up upon hearing this: "People from the Pingbei Wangfu are participating too?"

Liu Yu nodded: "Pingbei Prince himself is at the late stage of the Gang Qi Realm.

Among his three sons, the eldest, Zhou Tieyi, is a fierce general in the army, his spear technique reaching a state of perfection.

The second son, Zhou Tiexin, was the third-place finisher in last year's martial examinations.

The third son, Zhou Tiegu, though young, is said to have already obtained seventy percent of Pingbei Prince's true teachings.

There are also several retainers in the Wangfu who are all killers retired from the army, each one more ruthless than the last."

Cheng Feng committed these names to memory. Rivals of the Red Lotus Sect—this information was very useful.

The enemy of an enemy is not necessarily a friend, but on the Martial Dao Association's competition field, they at least wouldn't be the first to cause him trouble.

The Sun slowly pulled toward Liuhe Ferry. The ferry was crowded with people; there were porters moving luggage, peddlers hawking food, inn assistants soliciting guests, and a crowd of idlers gathered by the pier to watch the excitement.

Seven or eight bailiffs in blue-grey official uniforms were maintaining order at the ferry, holding water-fire staves and pushing those who were crowding too much to the sides.

After the boat was secured, Cheng Feng and the others disembarked one by one. As soon as his feet touched the stone steps, a bustling atmosphere mixed with human voices, water vapor, and the smell of earth rushed toward him.

Cheng Feng frowned, but quickly relaxed—this kind of place with many people and mixed eyes was, on the contrary, the best cover.

Several inconspicuous green-tented carriages were already waiting outside the pier. The coachman was a thin, middle-aged man, silent and reticent.

Upon seeing Wang Ji, he only gave a low call of "Miss." The group split up into several carriages and drove toward the city.

As the carriage drove into the South Gate, Cheng Feng looked up through the gap in the carriage curtain.

The city gate tunnel was terrifyingly deep, with a row of iron-cast spikes hanging from the ceiling, each one three feet long, covered in rust and carrying an indescribable, chilling aura.

Passing through the gate tunnel, the view suddenly opened up—a blue-stone main street, impossibly wide, stretched straight into the distance.

The street was bustling with carriages and horses, shops lined both sides, and flags of various colors rolled in the autumn wind.

The sounds of hawking, carriages, and laughter converged into a massive wave of sound, surging in from all directions.

"This is Tianqi City." Huo Luan poked his head out of the carriage window and took a greedy breath. "When I came three years ago, I was still a small soldier, but at least now I have a proper status."

Gu Niangzi was in another carriage; hearing this, she poked half her face out from behind the curtain and said with a grin: "Officer Huo, your 'proper status' is still just being one of Wang Ji's people; don't talk as if you've passed the imperial examinations."

Huo Luan waved his hand, not caring at all: "That's still better than eating sand at the frontier."

The carriage fleet passed through the most prosperous South Main Street, turned into a relatively quiet blue-stone alley, traveled for another stick of incense's time, and finally stopped in front of a house with grey tiles and white walls.

The facade was not large, and an old plaque hung on the lintel, inscribed with the two characters "Lan Yuan," the handwriting thin and elegant, clearly having some years to it. But the front was clean, and there wasn't a speck of dust on the stone steps, clearly having been swept in advance.

"We've arrived." The coachman jumped off the carriage and lifted the curtain. "Miss, esteemed guests, please come in. Everything inside has been arranged properly."

Cheng Feng got off the carriage and looked around. This alley was not deep, only a few dozen zhang from front to back, and both sides were lined with similar high-walled small courtyards, clearly private residences set up by officials of status in Tianqi City.

Someone was selling sugar-roasted chestnuts at the alley entrance, the fragrance drifting all the way to the courtyard gate. An old man wearing coarse cloth short-garments was squatting under the wall opposite, smoking a dry pipe; seeing them get off the carriage, he only lifted his eyelids before lowering his head to continue smoking.

Cheng Feng's gaze swept over the old man without lingering.

But he could feel that this was at least a True Qi Realm expert.

Entering Lan Yuan, the courtyard was unexpectedly spacious.

The front hall, Rear Courtyard, and east and west wing rooms were all complete, and a Martial Arts Arena of decent size had been cleared in the very center of the courtyard.

The ground was paved with blue stone, and the perimeter was surrounded by sandbags and wooden stakes, clearly specially prepared for them to continue their joint training.

After entering, Liu Yu walked around the Martial Arts Arena, tapped a few spots with his foot, and then nodded: "It's fine, the space is sufficient."

Wang Ji stood under the veranda, her gaze sweeping over the Martial Arts Arena, her tone calm: "Starting tomorrow, joint training will not cease. There is half a month left until the Martial Dao Association; in these half a month, you must adjust your state to the peak."

"Cheng Feng, do not stop your Dragon Snake Nine Transformations; break through as much as you can. Huo Luan, restrain your Blade Technique; the martial artists of Tianqi City are well-informed and experienced, and your style is too wild, making it easy to be countered."

"Gu Niangzi, you can use your Gu insects freely here, but remember one thing—it is forbidden to use Gu on commoners within Tianqi City; if something happens, I cannot protect you."

Gu Niangzi rolled her eyes: "Understood, understood, I'm not someone without a sense of proportion."

Cheng Feng stood on the Martial Arts Arena and looked up at the sky.

The sky over Tianqi City seems higher than elsewhere, and the autumn sunlight spills down from overhead, carrying a dry and crisp scent.

The courtyard walls are high, blocking out most of the clamor from outside, leaving only the occasional sound of copper bells and the faint, distant sound of war drums from the Great Drill Ground.

That is the Imperial Guard testing the drums before the Martial Dao tournament.

The drumbeats are muffled, striking the heart one by one.

Cheng Feng withdraws his gaze and leans the cowhide bag against a veranda pillar.

"Begin," he says.