The city gates were a far cry from the heavily fortified stronghold Xue Mu had anticipated.
On the contrary, there wasn’t a single guard in sight.
He couldn’t help but wonder if guarding a gate was simply pointless in a bizarre world where personal martial prowess was so absurdly high.
Or perhaps their civilization had advanced to a stage where gatekeeping was no longer necessary?
The massive gates stood wide open, with a steady stream of travelers flowing in and out.
Peering through the dark tunnel of the gateway, he caught sight of an immense main thoroughfare stretching over a hundred feet wide, teeming with horses, carriages, and a bustling crowd.
The architecture lining the streets bore a striking resemblance to the elegant, bustling style of the Song Dynasty.
The storefronts looked incredibly prosperous, and the air was thick with the chaotic symphony of street vendors crying out their wares.
The pedestrians wore a wild variety of clothing.
Most were clad in practical wanderer attire with sabers and swords strapped to their waists, though plenty of elites dressed in luxurious, embroidered silks strolled by as well.
The only thing completely missing from the crowd was the traditional scholar’s robes.
All in all, it looked like a highly structured civilization rather than a lawless wasteland.
The sheer prosperity on display rivaled any ancient golden era depicted in modern television dramas, defying Xue Mu’s assumption that this would be a savage world governed solely by mindless brutality.
As their group walked deeper into the city, Xue Mu edged closer to Yue Xiaochan and lowered his voice.
“What is going on with this city?
Why did it feel like a massive weight was suddenly crushing the breath right out of my lungs earlier?” Yue Xiaochan was busy looking left and right, absorbing the vibrant sights of the capital.
She answered distractedly, “We are at the feet of the Son of Heaven, after all…
The core functionality of the first cauldron of the Nine World-Suppressing Cauldrons is the Formidable Array of Compliance.
It blankets the entire city, suppressing martial power and banning flight.
Even I can’t unleash half of my true strength right now, so it’s actually a miracle you managed to breathe through it.
Don’t panic; you’ll get used to it soon enough.” Xue Mu had no idea what these World-Suppressing Cauldrons actually were, but he was thoroughly impressed by the sheer scale of it.
Such an elite magical artifact anchoring the capital’s central defensive formation had to be a top-tier legendary item.
Instinctively, he looked down at his palm once more.
Could that tiny bronze fragment of his actually be connected to the legendary World-Suppressing Cauldrons?
The prospect was becoming more tantalizing by the second…
But wait, banning flight…
Xue Mu let out a soft sigh.
“So you guys really can fly…” “Once you step into the Spirit-Attunement Realm and bridge the gap between Heaven and Earth, you’ll be able to fly too,” Yue Xiaochan stated casually, as if talking about a minor chore.
However, Xue Mu could clearly tell her mind was elsewhere.
Following her gaze, he noticed a fork in the main road to their right.
At the end of the side street, a massive crowd had gathered around an elevated wooden stage.
A banner fluttered prominently above the platform, inscribed with the words: Forging Friendships Through Martial Arts.
Indeed, it was a sparring arena to meet fellow martial artists, not a tournament to win a bride.
It seemed to be an incredibly common sight; many of the passing locals didn’t even bother to give it a second glance, proving that such public duels were a mundane part of daily life.
Up on the stage, a burly, bearded man let out a ferocious roar.
While still more than ten feet away from his opponent, he lunged forward, throwing a straight punch.
A highly visible, spectral silhouette of a raging tiger erupted around his massive frame.
His fist aligned perfectly with the center of the beast’s gaping jaw.
A thunderous tiger roar shook the air, its blood-red maw and sharp fangs flashing with terrifying clarity.
It was a display of pure, majestic power.
His opponent, a young man clad in a brocade robe, was clearly unwilling to take such a massive, heavy-handed blow head-on.
He took half a step back, angling his body to dodge the impact.
Flattening his palm into a blade, he sliced diagonally toward the burly man’s wrist.
As his hand cut through the air, a piercing whistle tore across space, violently clashing with the tiger’s roar.
The air atop the stage exploded, sending clouds of dust billowing in every direction.
Soon enough, the young man in the brocade robe succumbed to the pressure.
He stumbled backward several steps, his face flushing red and white with exhaustion.
The bearded giant smiled, clasping his hands together in a polite martial salute.
“Brother Jin, thank you for the match.” The brocade-robed youth stiffly returned the salute and turned to walk off the stage, taking his defeat like a man.
Up on the platform, the bearded martial artist raised his right hand, soaking in the cheers and applause of the onlookers.
Below, others were gently comforting the defeated youth.
The overall atmosphere was highly sportsmanlike; clearly, winning and losing on these stages was a thoroughly common affair.
Xue Mu and Yue Xiaochan’s convoy finally rolled past the intersection, leaving the spectacle behind.
Seeing that Yue Xiaochan still looked a bit preoccupied, Xue Mu couldn’t help but ask, “What’s wrong?
Are they so powerful that they’re stressing you out?” Yue Xiaochan murmured under her breath, almost to herself, “A third-rate faction like the Fierce Tiger Sect actually managed to produce a disciple capable of Form Manifestation.
On top of that, his control over his energy has already captured the true essence of martial intent—using momentum to guide raw strength.
It’s quite impressive.” Xue Mu was thoroughly out of his depth but found himself appropriately amazed.
“Are they actually stronger than you?” Yue Xiaochan finally snapped out of her daze.
She burst into a soft laugh.
“Of course not.
They are miles behind me.” “Then what are you so tense about?” “Because…
if even a third-rate sect can cultivate a disciple of this caliber, there’s no telling how many incredible prodigies the Eight Righteous Sects have tucked away.
For all I know, the geniuses ranked in the Ten Hidden Dragons might actually be stronger than me,” Yue Xiaochan whispered.
“I really have to push myself harder.” Seeing this usually cheerful, smiling young girl suddenly radiating such rare seriousness and anxiety, Xue Mu couldn’t resist offering a word of comfort.
“You’re only thirteen or fourteen, aren’t you?
Why are you trying to measure yourself against these established, top-tier ‘Ten Hidden Dragons’ right now?” “Because I am Yue Xiaochan.” She stopped dead in her tracks, lifting her head to look directly into Xue Mu’s eyes with absolute gravity.
“The entire future of my sect rests upon my shoulders.
In this world, raw strength is the absolute foundation of everything.
Falling behind them by even half a step is an unforgivable sin!” The sudden shift in the mood caught Xue Mu completely off guard.
He opened his mouth to say something, but the words died in his throat.
This kid wasn’t just a cheerful, carefree little girl, nor was she merely a ruthless demoness who threatened to gouge out eyes at the drop of a hat.
At this exact moment, the fierce determination radiating from her held a striking, undeniable beauty.
Yet, how should one put it?
She hadn’t even hit puberty yet.
Her shoulders were so slender and frail it looked like they would shatter under a single firm grasp.
The visual of this tiny young girl carrying such a heavy, suffocating sense of destiny created an extreme, jarring contrast.
Xue Mu couldn’t resist glancing back at the main carriage.
He wondered if Xue Qingqiu had overheard her disciple’s words, and what she thought about them.
She’s probably just feeling incredibly proud, right?
Xue Mu shook his head with a faint smile, remaining silent for the time being.
Fragments of conversation from the passing pedestrians drifted into his ears.
Once again, he felt a profound sense of isolation from this world.
Even his role as a passive observer felt completely surreal.
Just listen to these bizarre exchanges: “Ah, Brother Zhang!
Look at you, absolutely radiating joy!
Did you run into some good fortune?” “My boy passed the Seven Mystery Valley examination yesterday!
He is officially an outer disciple!” “Oh, congratulations indeed!” “Haha, thank you, thank you!” …
“Brother Li, I’ve recently achieved a breakthrough in my comprehension of the White Clouds Emerging from the Peak sword stance.
Shall we find a place to trade pointers and verify our insights tonight?” “Splendid idea!
I shall prepare a modest spread of wine at my estate tonight.
Won’t it be a grand time for us to drink and debate the martial path!” …
“Hey, Old Wang!
I heard you were in secluded meditation for days.
How did your training go?” “Not bad, actually.
I’m heading over to the Hundred Flowers Pavilion tonight to flash a few moves in front of Little Lotus.
That’ll guarantee her heart starts fluttering for me.” The more Xue Mu listened, the more speechless he became.
What the actual hell?
You guys even flex your martial arts moves just to pick up sex workers?
The sheer mental image of that was far too magnificent to comprehend; he didn’t even know where to begin roasting them.
Wait a minute…
The Hundred Flowers Pavilion.
Why did that name sound so familiar?
He threw out a careful probe to Yue Xiaochan.
“Earlier, when I heard you and your Master discussing your profits and losses, didn’t you mention the Hundred Flowers Pavilion?” “Yep.” The heavy sense of destiny vanished from Yue Xiaochan’s demeanor instantly.
She nodded her tiny head, flashing a sweet smile.
“That’s our property here in the capital.” Xue Mu pushed for final confirmation.
“A brothel?” Yue Xiaochan shot him a playful, knowing side-eye.
A hint of seductive charm suddenly crept into her smile, her voice dropping into a syrupy, flirtatious purr.
“Ooh?
Why do you ask, Master Xue?
Feeling a bit restless?
How about your little sister calls up a few girls to keep you company?
We can consider it a reward for that lovely story you told.” Xue Mu pinched the bridge of his nose, completely at a loss for words.
You two were talking so big and grand about ‘the future of the sect’ and ‘strength being the foundation of everything.’ I thought you guys were some elite, top-tier organization.
After all that buildup, it turns out you just run a chain of freaking brothels!
So, I thought I was interviewing to be the chief financial officer for a deadly mafia syndicate, but in reality, I’m just a bookkeeper for a sketchy red-light district bathhouse, is that it?!