The carriage passed, and traffic on the road returned to normal. Many people secretly pointed at Yuan Gang and whispered amongst themselves.
The parents, embracing their daughter, thanked Yuan Gang. Though they were wary of him, their reverence for him was far greater.
Yuan Gang didn't say much; he simply returned to his table and continued eating. The people around him continued to whisper, and Yuan Gang overheard that it had been the provincial ruler's carriage that had just passed by.
Yuan Gang had a hearty appetite, quickly devouring everything on the table in large mouthfuls. When it was time to pay, the proprietors refused Yuan Gang's money.
Yuan Gang, however, insisted and tossed down a silver coin. Then, he and Wei Duo retrieved their horses and, asking for directions, headed towards the ruler's palace.
When they reached the palace, they were, of course, stopped.
At that moment, Hai Ru Yue was returning after an inspection. She had just returned to her quarters to rest when a maid approached, taking out some jewelry from a box and presenting it for Hai Ru Yue to see.
Zhu Shun came and reported:
"Your Highness, Yuan Gang has arrived."
Hai Ru Yue: "Give him Niu You Dao's message."
Zhu Shun didn't leave immediately; he smiled and added:
"It was just reported that Yuan Gang was the one who collided with you on the street. He was the one who overturned your rider."
"He?" Hai Ru Yue was surprised. She immediately put the jewelry back in the box.
"Is it really Yuan Gang?"
Zhu Shun shook his head and replied:
"This servant did not see him on the street; I cannot say for certain."
Hai Ru Yue said with interest:
"Indeed, a shepherd recognizes another shepherd from afar. And he is an outstanding man. What is his relationship with Niu You Dao?"
Zhu Shun: "Both of them rarely appear, and little is known about them. However, it can be said that they trust each other implicitly."
Hai Ru Yue waved her hand:
"Summon him."
"Understood!" Zhu Shun exited and ordered his men to bring Yuan Gang.
Yuan Gang and Wei Duo were allowed inside. However, according to regulations, Wei Duo's sword and Yuan Gang's dagger were confiscated. Their cultivation channels were also sealed.
The two men waited in the reception hall.
Not long after, Hai Ru Yue emerged, accompanied by Zhu Shun. The guest and host met.
After assessing the situation, Yuan Gang was slightly surprised. He hadn't expected the ruler of Qingzhou to personally come out to meet him.
Yuan Gang did not cup his hands in greeting nor bow to her. It was his habit never to bow to anyone; even when he saw Shang Shu Qing and Shang Chao Zong, he still did not observe proper etiquette. Looking at her, he asked:
"Where is Niu You Dao?"
Hai Ru Yue also scrutinized him, finding him quite interesting. It seemed Yuan Gang did not attach much importance to them.
It seemed this man paid no mind to the hierarchy of this world. Rank was rank, and common folk were common folk, but for Yuan Gang, it seemed to be all the same. He even felt more sympathy for the common people.
Hai Ru Yue calmly replied:
"Niu You Dao has departed."
Yuan Gang frowned and asked:
"Where?" Noticing that Hai Ru Yue seemed disinclined to answer, he immediately added:
"Did he go to the Ice and Snow Palace?"
Hai Ru Yue said: "It seems you know quite a lot."
"I have troubled you. Farewell!" Yuan Gang replied, turning to leave.
Hai Ru Yue smirked. This man showed her no deference at all. She called out:
"Stop! Do you think this is a place where you can come and go as you please?"
Yuan Gang stopped, slowly turning around:
"The Princess and I have no enmity between us!"
Hai Ru Yue: "Stay in Qingzhou for a while." She then added:
"Niu You Dao left a message for you." As she spoke, she signaled Zhu Shun.
Zhu Shun retrieved a letter from his sleeve and handed it to Yuan Gang.
In truth, they had already examined Niu You Dao's letter long ago. But they couldn't decipher what was written; no matter how many times they looked, they still couldn't understand what it said.
Yuan Gang glanced at the letter and immediately recognized it as Niu You Dao's personal message. For it used a simplified script unique to him and was written in his style, immediately ruling out any possibility of forgery.
According to the letter's contents, Niu You Dao knew Yuan Gang would come here and requested that Yuan Gang remain in Qingzhou, awaiting his arrival.
Niu You Dao had deliberately arranged everything this way. If military actions began in Qingshan while Yuan Gang was with the Shang family, there was an 80-90% chance he would participate in the battles. Yuan Gang was ardent, temperamental, emotional, and a man who disdained death; thus, he would fight even at the risk of his life.
Niu You Dao did not consider the Shang family's cause worthy of Yuan Gang risking his life.
Therefore, the main purpose of Niu You Dao's feigned severance of ties with Shang Chao Zong was to summon Yuan Gang here. Once the situation in Qingshan stabilized, Yuan Gang could return to them. And even if the brother and sister failed to seize Qingshan, Yuan Gang would still be safe, and it wasn't certain he would even need to return to them then. For this reason, Niu You Dao had set out for the Red Yang Fruit, already preparing to create conditions for a retreat to Qingzhou.
The most important thing was for Yuan Gang to be safe.
Looking at the letter's contents, Yuan Gang understood that Niu You Dao had headed to a dangerous place, since he hadn't taken Yuan Gang with him.
"Farewell!" Yuan Gang replied and turned to leave.
Just then, two cultivators appeared at the door. They stopped them, and Hai Ru Yue said:
"Send them to Liusu Courtyard!"
...
The Wu Kingdom's calendar system!
Although each kingdom now had its own calendar, whenever communication occurred between states, all kingdoms still referred to the Wu Kingdom's calendar system. This was one of the reasons for the lingering shadow of the Wu Kingdom over every realm.
The 523rd year of the Wu calendar.
The Yan Kingdom's envoy, Song Long, was killed in the Zhao Kingdom's Qingzhou province. During the investigation, it was discovered that Song Long, neglecting his duties, had attempted to kill someone within Qingzhou territory. Qingzhou sent a note of protest to the Yan Kingdom's imperial court, demanding an explanation. However, the Yan Kingdom's imperial court flatly refused to engage in dialogue with them, instead contacting the Zhao Kingdom's imperial court directly. This infuriated the ruler of Qingzhou. As a result, Qingzhou mobilized its troops, put them on high alert, and began massing forces towards the Yan Kingdom's Southern Domain.
The Yan Kingdom was immediately gripped by unease. Zhou Shou Xiang, the governor of the Southern Region, hastily began recruiting troops in the province. Meanwhile, the common Prince Shang Chao Zong, citing Zhou Shou Xiang's previous attempt to attack him, sought justice from the imperial court. The imperial court had no grounds to refuse him. Consequently, Shang Chao Zong requested troops from his father-in-law, Feng Lin Bo. He took command of 50,000 elite troops and began to threaten Zhou Shou Xiang. This sent shivers throughout the entire Yan Kingdom!
The boundless Gobi Desert. And finally, faintly in the distance, a mountain peak could be discerned. Yuan Fang, pointing ahead excitedly, said:
"Lord Dao, we've arrived. Zhaixing City at last."
Swaying gently on his horse's back, Niu You Dao gazed into the distance:
"It seems if we press on with the horses, we should be able to arrive there by nightfall."
Zhaixing City was an ancient city. It was said that it was once the capital of all states, until the ruler of the Wu Kingdom, Shang Song, destroyed it. Now, it was a central trading hub for cultivators.
And of course, this place had its own master. This was a Yuan Ying level cultivator, whose numbers could be counted on one's fingers. Such cultivators could only be the heads of sects like the Ice and Snow Palace, Werewolf Ridge... And indeed, behind the Ice and Snow Palace stood Xue Lao Er.
Niu You Dao's purpose in coming here was precisely to broaden his understanding of cultivation. As for the Red Yang Fruit, that matter could not be rushed. If Hai Ru Yue hadn't obtained it, how could Niu You Dao simply take it so quickly? He needed to thoroughly study the situation before acting.
Yuan Fang was excited precisely because of this place. For he had followed Niu You Dao and also understood what kind of place this was.
However, this boundless desert was not deserted. From time to time, many riders could be seen here.
As Niu You Dao expected, by the time they reached the foot of the mountains, dusk was already falling.
The two men also couldn't ascend the mountain on horseback. Fortunately, there was a stable at the foot of the mountain with many horses. Travelers could leave their horses there, where they would be cared for and fed. However, the price for such services was considerable: one gold coin per day.
The two men had no choice but to leave their horses and fly upwards.
When they reached the summit, they realized they still hadn't reached the city. From the peak, they could only see the distant lights of the ancient city.
Crossing the city's ridges, they finally reached the city itself. Upon entering, they noticed that it was quite populous, and evidently, everyone seemed to be cultivators. The night lighting in the city was poor; only merchants lit stoves to illuminate their shops. Most people held Little Moon Butterflies above their heads to light their way.
There were many people whose identities were difficult to ascertain, meaning danger could lurk everywhere. Yuan Fang and Niu You Dao immediately headed to the renowned inn. It was said to be the city ruler's inn, which meant its security would be well-established. Thus, travelers unfamiliar with the city immediately settled here.
The Yaoyue Inn was situated at the highest point. Its owner had placed it halfway up the highest mountain, from which vantage point the entire city could be seen. One could imagine the power it represented. It was said that the Yaoyue Inn was formerly an imperial court, from when Zhaixing City was still the capital of the world. Niu You Dao generally believed this.
As they ascended the stairs to the inn, Niu You Dao suddenly stopped and looked back. He noticed many people watching them like wolves eyeing a succulent piece of meat.
However, it seemed no one dared to attack them here.
As soon as the two men entered the inn, they felt the luxury of Yaoyue. It truly deserved to be called the foremost inn. Immediately, cheerful staff members approached them, and when they learned that the travelers wished to stay for the night, they were immediately checked in.
Niu You Dao took one room for them. It cost 10 gold coins for a single day, a price that could be said to be beyond reasonable. However, the proprietor vouched that even if one only rented a room for a single day, simply holding the Yaoyue Inn room tag would ensure no one in the city dared to cause trouble.