The scale and grandeur of the city was impressive.
A mass of different races intertwining, shouts and noise rising from the crowd — everyone either minding their own business, or nursing ulterior motives, sizing up who to rob or scam next.
"Welcome to Longmen." A city guide approached us, mid-twenties by the look of him. By then my guards had already split off, leaving just me and the girls.
"I'm guessing this is your first time in the city," he said, giving us a once-over, clearly trying to gauge whether we were prey or not.
"Why don't you guess the answer," Lian said, after catching a subtle hint from Princess Xue.
"I'll guess — first time," he said, with a faint smile.
"Lead the way," Mei told him, once it was clear I wasn't going to respond or object. He launched straight into the clan's history and whatever else, none of which registered with me at all.
My mind wasn't on any of it — there was a brothel not far off that had my attention instead. *System. Remember that thing I mentioned to you?*
*Which thing, host?* Amusement, thick in its voice.
*You genuinely don't remember, or are you just pretending not to?* A little annoyed.
"Young Master Zaitian. Aren't you supposed to be playing host? Where's your mind wandered off to? Hardly fair to this poor lady." Princess Xue, playful, a little snicker underneath it, ignoring the guide's chatter entirely.
I glanced at her, then scoffed.
"What do you want to know," I said, tired.
"Why not start with the city's history? That would make it far more intriguing for this poor lady." Mockery, thinly veiled. By then the guide had already gone quiet, quietly leading us toward the best restaurant in the city, per Mei's earlier instructions.
*She's really done her homework on me. Whoever let me out unsupervised has a lot to answer for.*
Before I could scrape together some flimsy excuse, Mei's voice cut in, inside my head.
"Young Master, don't worry — just repeat after me."
I shot her a grateful glance, then turned to the Phoenix. "That won't be a problem." A subtle smirk.
"Longmen City — meaning Dragon's Gate — was named by one of my clan's ancestors, after he observed a carp that later transformed into a dragon. According to him, this city would become a place of enlightenment, full of opportunities capable of changing one's fate."
I took a breath and kept going.
"Legend also says that ancestor hid vast treasures throughout the city, meant to give hope and opportunity to adventurers."
"Satisfied?" A little worn out from the effort. *Just know I'm tolerating your presence, Xue. If not for Father's threat, I wouldn't be standing here with you at all.*
"Hmm. Not quite. You didn't mention when it was established." A mask of curiosity on her face.
"During the 61st epoch."
A stretch of blessed silence followed, and we continued on foot — something neither of us minded, given how much of our lives had been spent under our families' watch and protection.
"We've arrived. Welcome to the Mortal's Ambrosia Restaurant — a place like no other in this city." Real enthusiasm in his voice as he gestured toward a three-tiered pagoda, its name carved plainly into the entrance.
His excitement actually caught our attention for once.
"What do you mean, a place like no other?" Mei asked, on our behalf.
Still enthusiastic: "Because it serves the finest food across every realm — cultivators and mortals alike — and offers protection to the mortals dining here besides."
"Okay. Thanks for the tour. We'll take it from here. What's the fee?" Mei asked, ready to send him off, having clocked my impatience.
"Five low-tier spirit stones," he said cheerfully.
She waved a hand and passed him a spatial bag. "This should cover it."
Once paid, we headed inside.
What greeted me wasn't much of a surprise — the first floor held a mix of cultivators and mortals, though the divide between the two groups was obvious at a glance.
"Welcome to Mortal's Ambrosia, fellow Daoist," a waitress said, approaching with a pleasant smile fixed in place.
"I'd like a private room on this floor — one where I can hear what's happening outside, without anyone outside hearing us," Mei said, clear and direct.
"Right this way, Daoist friends," she said cheerfully, leading us to a private room.
"Here we are, Daoists."
"Perfect. Bring us the menu," Mei said as we settled in.
"Of course, esteemed Daoists." She bowed slightly and left us to it.
"Princess Xue, I've been wanting to ask you something," I said, out of nowhere.
"What is it?" Genuine interest — I'd been avoiding her gaze the whole outing, so the question caught her off guard.
"How did you train your mount?"
"Lumen isn't a mount. She's my beast companion. My friend." Clearly annoyed that I'd called Lumen a mount.
Before I could ask anything further, a heated conversation drifted in from outside.
"What do you mean the City Lord's Young Master lost to some unknown brat at the tournament?" The voice was already worked up.
"Yeah, he lost. Fast, too. I heard the kid was some prodigy of the human race."
"You can't be serious — the City Lord's Young Master carries the Golden Behemoth bloodline." Still skeptical.
"I'm serious. I was there. The Young Master got trashed that day."
"Heard from my brother — he's a city guard — that the human prodigy's an heir of the Jiang Clan, out of the Southern Domain."
"Wait — the Jiang Clan? The one with an ancestor who reached the Dao through Body Refinement?"
"Heard those people are absolute madmen in close combat."
I turned to Mei. "Who's this Jiang prodigy, and who's this City Lord's Young Master they keep talking about?"
Princess Xue turned to me instead. "Jiang Chen is the young master who defeated the City Lord's heir — his name's Long Xian. Both of them are Spirit Severing realm, and prodigies in their own right."