The streets of Raging Flame City were bathed in serene moonlight. Although it was currently the middle of the night, both sides of the road were filled with densely-packed shops, most of which still had their lights on.
Due to the Skyspan Trading Company’s presence, this place had become a vibrant shopping district.
Both before and after their adventures, explorers came here to equip themselves with armor, weapons, talismans, and recovery medicines.
In short, it was bustling.
Ye Zichen walked slowly through the shopping district, gourd of alcohol in hand. His behavior wasn’t particularly eye-catching; people here had long since grown accustomed to drunks. However, he’d discovered that amongst the shops, medicine stores were pitifully few and far between. Moreover, they only sold the most ordinary of immortal medicines. Most were just used to replenish spiritual energy. Their variety couldn’t even compete with Old Lord Taishang’s stocks.
“I wonder if I might be able to start a medicine shop here later?” pondered Ye Zichen. Of course, that didn’t mean he actually planned on doing so. Just the money the Axe Gang’s “Children of Wealth” gave him was enough to live lavishly for years.
Besides, he still remembered his solemn vow…..
“Alright. Ten years. I’ll remember our agreement. If you want to find me, come visit the Northern Divine Mountain’s Xue Family. My name is Xue Honghong.”
“I’ll remember it. Xue Honghong, I, Ye Zichen, am going to marry you.”
He found a corner and collapsed against the wall, then set down his gourd and scratched his head. Why had he been so reckless?
Xue Honghong wouldn’t really wait ten years for him, would she? If he didn’t propose within ten years, she’d definitely be deeply disappointed in him.
But if he really went….
That was a Divine Mountain!
Logically speaking, it would be difficult to become an awe-inspiring figure in just ten years. Besides, Xue Honghong’s family was obviously no ordinary clan.
No way!
As a man, he couldn’t just back down. He’d made his promise of his own free will; he had to keep his word.
And he had to go to the Divine Mountain of the North either way. Once he was there, he could go to the Sea of Innocence, pay the Wish God a visit, and ask for his support!
The more he considered it, the more doable it seemed. When the Wish God had been trapped in divine stones and sent to the Lower Three Realms, Ye Zichen was the one who’d set him free.
From the look of things, the Wish God wasn’t the ungrateful type. If Ye Zichen visited, he’d definitely help him out.
But what about the guy currently following him? It seemed he’d been tailing him almost all night?
“Excuse me, sir, are you looking for a hotel?”
At that very moment, a hotel clerk walked into view, a broad smile on his face. He’d had his eye on Ye Zichen for a while now. At first, he’d assumed Ye Zichen was nothing but a martial artist down on his luck and ignored him, but when he took a closer look…..
He wore at least four spatial rings on his fingers! He was absolutely a wealthy man!
The clerk dared not delay any longer and immediately approached.
Ye Zichen glanced up at the sky. From the look of things, he really should find a place to stay. This clerk showed up to offer him a place to stay just in time. Might as well follow him.
“You could tell I’m looking for a place to stay? You’ve got sharp eyes.”
Ye Zichen dusted off his butt and rose to his feet, then glanced meaningfully at the waiter. “I’ll follow you back and take a look. Oh, right. What’s your inn called?”
The clerk was a worldly man; he’d worked in Raging Flame City for a long time now. When he saw Ye Zichen’s look, he instinctively glanced behind him and realized that Ye Zichen was being followed. However, from the look of things, he wasn’t at all intimidated.
Their inn’s mission was “the customer is God!”
If this esteemed gentleman wanted to draw out his pursuers, there was no need to delay. The clerk belted out, “Our Hundred Daybreaks Inn has been in Raging Flames City for over a hundred years. It’s the best hotel in the eastern district.”
He shouted at the top of his longs, then deviously glanced behind him.
He turned to Ye Zichen and asked, “How was that, sir?”
“Not bad. Here’s your reward.” Ye Zichen pulled a bag of spirit coins from a spatial ring and tossed it to the clerk, who estimated it contained well over a hundred coins.
This was absolutely a wealthy man!
When he realized this, the clerk grew increasingly delighted, and he called out even more enthusiastically. “Welcome to Hundred Daybreaks Inn, sir!”
The clerk cautiously led Ye Zichen to the inn. As soon as they went inside, a group of masked men in black stepped into the street.
“The target has checked into the Hundred Daybreaks Inn. You, head back and report this. I’ll stay here and keep watch.”
With that, several of them disappeared into the night. The one who remained behind changed locations and kept a careful watch around the inn.
Ye Zichen had assumed an inn that needed to send its clerks outside to rustle up business wouldn’t be particularly good. However, when the clerk led him inside, Ye Zichen was struck dumb.
The room was filled with vibrant conversation. It was packed with people. Looking around, there were almost no empty seats left.
“It seems your business is going pretty well! Why do you still need to go out and rustle up business?”
“Sir, as you said, there is no need for me to take to the streets in order to attract customers. Fate itself led me to you. How could someone with your lofty status possibly sleep outside?”
The clerk instinctively flattered him. Ye Zichen obviously saw through his blatant flattery, but it was still rather effective against him. He nodded in satisfaction, then pulled another hundred spirit coins from his spatial ring and tossed them to the clerk.
“Not bad. You’ve got promise.” He patted the clerk on the shoulders.
I earned hundreds of spirit coins in just a few sentences? This guy is way too generous!
“Sir, please take a seat. You seem to have a taste for fine wine, so I’ll go bring you some of our inn’s signature immortal brew.”
“How much is it?”
“Hey, are you trying to hurt my feelings? It’s on me. I’m happy so long as you’re satisfied.” With that, he led Ye ZIchen to a private room, then rushed off to get Ye Zichen’s wine.
“That clerk really has a way with people.” Ye Zichen chuckled and shook his head. Soon, he glanced towards the crowded dining room.
Strange.
From the moment he’d first arrived, he’d realized that the diners here weren’t eating. He’d yet to see anyone so much as move their chopsticks. There was a constant flow of people into the building. They’d approach the dining tables, but they seemed to have little interest in food. Furthermore, after coming inside, they’d place money onto the tables, as if they were conducting some sort of business.
It was a shopping district, but this was the middle of the night. It was unusual for an inn to see so much traffic. Add that to the fact that none of them were eating, and the way they were conducting business…..
“This inn…..”
Just as Ye Zichen started pondering the inn’s true nature, a man suddenly appeared and sat across from him. “Do you want to buy some information, sir?”
