Chapter 478

Nine Palaces Mountain City lives up to its name; to the naked eye, the roads and buildings are uneven and winding, yet walking inside, one feels no undulation at all.

Both sides of the main street are lined with all kinds of shops: clothing stores, general stores, pawnshops, pill shops, magical artifact shops, technique shops, and market stalls……

From clothing, food, housing, and transportation to music and dance in peaceful prosperity, nothing is missing.

All sorts of people from the three teachings and nine streams fill the streets, including richly dressed young masters and lackeys, and there are no shortage of street beggars.

Heng Xian walked and observed; although he couldn't discern the formation's layout, he saw the city's enormity—just the outer city alone likely spans dozens of square kilometers, with a population of at least ten million.

And this is only half of the outer three cities!

Continuing inward, after about half an hour's walk, at a bend in the mountain path appeared a checkpoint blocked by mountains and forests; ten red-clad guards coldly stared at everyone from the outer city, as if the outer city and what lay behind them were two entirely different worlds.

When Heng Xian approached, a red-clad guard captain said coldly: 'To enter the middle city you must have lived in the outer city for ten years! Do you qualify?'

Heng Xian glanced around, feeling that forcing his way in would likely trigger the formation and get him killed, so he simply handed over his identity jade pendant.

The captain took a look, his expression softened: 'Oh, you're a third-class city resident—go on in!'

Heng Xian took back his jade pendant, brought 'Dog Egg' through the checkpoint, and instinctively lifted the pendant to glance at it.

Third-class city resident?

Are the people here also divided into three, six, nine ranks?

After passing the mountain-forest checkpoint, a vast expanse of connected, undulating buildings soon appeared ahead, with dozens of streets crisscrossing to form a huge city.

Moreover, the architecture is more orderly, the pedestrians on the streets more confident, and their attire more refined.

Heng Xian straightened his clothes, strolled along the main street looking around, and casually bought a candied haw skewer to eat.

His curious expression actually drew many girls by the roadside to glance sideways.

After walking like that for an hour, as dusk approached, palace lanterns were hung along the surrounding streets, yet still no trace or aura of the Twelve Sect disciples could be sensed.

He immediately opened the 'Xuanhuang Heavenly Hexagram' and asked: 'Having entered the middle city, how can we rescue the Twelve Sect disciples? Give me a plan!'

The hexagram showed: 【No need to rush; temporarily find a place to settle, the opportunity will come in three days!】

Find a place to settle?

Heng Xian thought for a moment, then picked up his identity jade pendant again.

"Gu Family Medicine Shop, Gu Xiao Yi?"

"The Gu Family Medicine Shop" is not just a simple herb shop; it is a medicinal materials trading firm!

The Gu clan's medicinal materials firm has some reputation throughout Nine Palaces Mountain City and even beyond; they not only trade spiritual and common herbs, but also refine pills and run pill shops and market stalls.

In other words, Heng Xian has obtained the identity of a wealthy second-generation heir.

The Gu family mansion also fits the identity of a wealthy household——

Vermilion-lacquered gate, stone lions, tall gate guards, and a lofty, deep courtyard.

Heng Xian stood at the gate for about half an incense stick's time; mainly, he didn't know whether, upon entering, he would have to become someone's son or grandson, feeling the cost‑benefit ratio was too low.

The six Gu family guards at the gate had already noticed him, and now they were filled with scrutiny and hostility.

The head guard bluntly barked: 'Brother, you've been standing here for a full half incense stick's time; if you have business, report it; if you intend to do something villainous, you'd better leave, or else our sharp blades won't show mercy!'

Just as Heng Xian was about to speak, a convoy suddenly stopped before the gate, and four young men and women stepped down from the carriages.

The head guard immediately switched to a fawning smile: 'Young masters and misses, have you returned?'

The four young men and women nodded, glanced at Heng Xian subconsciously, and entered the courtyard.

The head guard respectfully escorted the group into the courtyard, then turned his face toward Heng Xian and put on a fierce expression: 'Get out!'

Heng Xian rubbed his nose, handed over the jade pendant, and said: 'I'm going home; do I still have to take orders from you?'

The guard captain picked up the jade pendant, examined it for a moment, and his expression changed: 'Yi, Young Master Yi, please wait a moment!'

He stumbled as he ran inside.

Heng Xian tidied his clothes, thinking to himself that a big recognition scene was about to unfold.

Sure enough!

Soon a crowd came rushing out of the courtyard, including the few young men and women who had just entered.

Leading them were a pair of white‑haired elders in fine robes, who examined Heng Xian from head to toe, growing more excited the longer they looked.

"He looks just like him! Really, he does!"

"His eyes are just like his father's back then, and his nose too!"

"As handsome as my ill‑fated child!"

"My grandson!"

The elderly couple, eyes wet with tears, rushed forward.

Heng Xian: '……'

So I'm supposed to become his grandson?

Seeing the enthusiastic elders approach, he had no choice but to go along, letting them pull him forward to examine him.

The remaining middle‑aged men and women also came forward, their expressions all excited:

"Child, I am your great uncle!"

"Xiao Yi, I am your second uncle!"

"I am your third uncle!"

"I am your fourth uncle!"

"Your aunt!"

"Brother Yi, we are your older brothers and sisters!"

Heng Xian: '……'

He forced himself to answer each one in turn, then looked around and realized there were no direct blood relatives.

At this point the old man, having finished his inspection, pulled him and said: 'Grandson, where have you been all these years?'

Heng Xian gave a light cough: "It's a long story; back then I was still young, went out to play and was kidnapped, sold to a place tens of thousands of li away, to a family…"

After thinking, he said that this identity couldn't cultivate, so he said: "I was a child in a divine doctor's household; over these years the old doctor passed away, I'm going back home to have a look."

This explanation wouldn't hold up to scrutiny, yet a group of people chose to believe it completely.

Because they subconsciously felt trust toward the handsome, richly dressed youth before them.

Of course, if a beggar with a crooked mouth and sly eyes came instead, it might be a different story.

Next, Heng Xian was escorted inside by the crowd, and then followed a round of fabricated talk and long sighs.

He also figured out the general situation of this household: the grandfather and grandmother are the first generation, followed by two elder uncles, three younger uncles, one aunt, and many cousins.

And the father of this body had served the City Lord's Mansion Gongsun Family ten years ago, and died!

Moreover, his mother and sister were punished for having bumped into the Gongsun Family's people a few days ago, and were assigned to help in the laundry servants' courtyard.

Speaking of this, the Old Master Gu felt a bit embarrassed: "We weren't targeting your mother and sister; it's just that they offended Young Master Gongsun. If our family still had some standing, they would have lost their lives by now!"

Heng Xian nodded: "... Mm, I understand."

After chatting a while longer, Heng Xian was taken to the "Laundry Courtyard".

Standing at the entrance of the somewhat dilapidated Laundry Courtyard, one could smell a strong scent of lye and soapberry coming from inside.

He paused, gestured for the guide steward to leave first, then walked into the courtyard himself.

In the courtyard, racks were full of drying clothes, fabrics, and medicinal cloths; a crowd of servants came and went, very busy, paying no attention to him as an outsider.

Heng Xian, also bored, wandered aimlessly, and soon reached the innermost part.

He saw that beside a dozen or so water pools, female servants crowded, busily scrubbing clothes.

A fat female overseer gave orders with an air of superiority, shouting and scolding.

And in the corner was a lone mother and daughter, who stood out markedly!

(End of chapter)