Proofreader: Papatonks
“Come get your furs! The finest 4th level spiritual beast furs you can find…”
“Iron, black iron, anything you need to make the sharpest spiritual weapons…”
“Get your herbs right here! For miracle 3rd grade cures…”
…
The market was packed with peddlers shouting out their wares. They got swallowed in the tide of noisy people coming and going, haggling and bickering, always fighting for a profit.
Among this sea of people, one lone figure seem to drift through it, his black cloak fluttering in the wind.
When he looked up, his cold face contrasted with the bustling scene.
Looking around, he found people with long noses, big eyes, and foreign faces unlike anyone he saw in Tianyu. Zhuo Fan lowered his head again and milled through the crowd and out of here.
Down here, in the capital of Quanrong Empire, he was the foreigner.
Like a nimble cat, Zhuo Fan’s trace was gone without anyone taking notice.
Zhuo Fan took a deep breath and floated through the bustling street like a ghost.
Ever since he left Ultimate Clarity Sect, Zhuo Fan knew the danger he was in, fated to go in this world alone. But after giving it some thought, he still could not help but want to see them again. Elder Yuan, Luo clan, and …
[Ha-ha, nevermind Qingcheng…]
He feared he’d never leave if he saw her.
This was a kind of silent goodbye. He would be facing Heavenly Sovereign by himself.
It was so convenient there was a World Wind Tunnel from dragon ancestor’s sketch on his way. Since he was passing through, might as well leave a drawing array behind.
But the dragon ancestor’s map was a dubious sketch, a true amateur painter. He might as well know only the eight locations of the tunnels and that was pretty much it. At least he knew the rough location, with nothing to go on as to its exact spot.
“Best keep an ear out while I’m here.”
Zhuo Fan halted his steps with a grin. Next to him was a rowdy restaurant.
When it came to listening, this place was the best location.
[With World Wind Tunnel’s gathered spiritual energy, it’s bound to cause some strange occurrences that people can’t miss. A native is sure to know more.]
Zhuo Fan looked up as he walked up to it, finding that it was made up of eight three meter big rocks.
[Quanrong are so crude, even their culture shows it. From the gate to their homes, nothing here inspires grandeur.]
Taking the capital’s gate for instance, it was twice as tall as that of Tianyu, but not as polished. The capital of Tianyu was a work of art, filled with beauty and refinement. Every corner was thought out, every nook and cranny used.
While the Quanrong capital, only looked huge. Size was good, sure, but the rocks used in the buildings were uneven, as if made up at random.
Maybe this was how their culture, one based on power and disregarding the details. As they associated themselves with spiritual beasts every day of the week for years and years, their belief in power would only be strengthened. There was a low chance for any sage like the three in Tianyu to appear.
[But this is also why the Quanrong stand united while Tianyu is filled of bickering fools weakening the empire.]
This aspect alone would paint the barren Quanrong nation as stronger than Tianyu.
[Heaven really is amazing to create such wonderful discrepancies, weak yet strong, ha-ha-ha…]
Zhuo Fan smiled as he walked in.
The waiter spotted him and waved, “Will you be dinning or staying? We have a quiet room, but it’s a bit on the expensive side.”
“No need, I’ll stay in the hall.” Zhuo Fan shook his head and took a random seat at a table.
The waiter lowered his head and saw that the cloak hid Zhuo Fan’s features, “Guest, you’re a foreigner?”
“Yeah.”
“Then where do you…”
Zhuo Fan eyed him, “What, do I have to explain myself to stay here?”
“No, it’s just that there are hostilities recently and foreigners have to report…” The waiter was put on the spot.
Sighing, Zhuo Fan ignored him. He didn’t give much thought to a lower-three sect protecting some third-rate empire.
Ever since the dragon ancestor used the golden flame to remake his body, his cultivation reached the 8th layer of Radiant Stage. As for his power, it grew exponentially, not limited to the draconic form Ye Lin had, tough and filled with Decimating Golden Flame, but also wielding the Apocalyptic Thunderflame Eye.
That was why he had no qualms coming here. Just that he would much prefer it if he kept his nose down.
“I come from Tianyu, any problem?”
“You’re from Tianyu?”
The waiter shouted in shock and looked at him in hatred.
That got everyone to turn their heads over with some unfriendly looks.
“Why, you don’t like Tianyu?” Zhuo Fan eyed the people around.
Gnashing his teeth, the waiter was spat, “That’s the least of it. We’re mortal enemies. Eight years ago, Tianyu stole our richest lands, forcing us to leave our homes and live in poverty. Many of our soldiers died in the war with Tianyu, so you tell me if I could forget such hatred!”
“War is all about death. Either you die, or I die. This is normal. Moreover, it was you who invaded us first. The war was also within Tianyu. You’re the attackers, although you failed in the end.”
Scratching his nose, Zhuo Fan spoke, “You struck first yet failed. Now you blame us for fighting back?”
The waiter glared in hatred and cursed, “Humph, what do you know? This is all Tianyu’s twisted plan. They say we should help them settle their unrest, only to label us as invaders later and steal our land on top of it. All of you from Tianyu are nothing but snakes and greedy wastrels!”
The others nodded, looking at Zhuo Fan with red eyes.
“Oh, that does make sense.”
Zhuo Fan nodded, “True, it was Tianyu’s emperor at the time that invited you to help. I didn’t think such a secret would reach the ears of a waiter. This must be the Quanrong emperor’s campaign to keep his seat. But that’s the truth and I have nothing to deny it. But this was settled by the leadership, with the common people of Tianyu wholly disagreeing. Now that emperor lost so of course he can’t honor his promise to you. On the contrary, the enemy you two joined to fight ended up taking the power and came to settle scores with you. Since they had no deal with you, their enemies, of course they used you.”
The waiter’s face twitched, then flicked his hand and barked, “Who cares? All we know is that anyone from Tianyu worked to cheat us!”
“No no no, Tianyu has many factions. If you side with one, the others are bound to become your enemies. Losing in the end means you bet on the wrong horse. This isn’t a matter of Tianyu people’s character. For them, you looked like the aids of their enemies who came to kill them.”
Zhuo Fan waved his hand, “The only one to blame is your emperor and his faulty reasoning, involving himself in an another empire’s matter before understanding its workings. Also, with feeble soldiers, it’s best to stay home and defend it, then invade and incite things.”
“Shut your pie hole!”
The waiter had had enough, shaking from anger, “Our emperor is the best in the world. After we lost our lands, he still made sure to settle us in the capital. Our commander is the best in the world, kind to his men and undefeated…”
Zhuo Fan mocked with a raised eyebrow, “The best emperor? Ha-ha-ha, he lost your land and you call him that after giving you some crumbs? Isn’t that his duty to begin with? If he didn’t even do that, he’d be failing as an emperor.
“The best commander? Tuoba Tieshan ain’t a bad old coot, but undefeated is a bit of a stretch at this point. At least in Tianyu, he lost all the way. How else would you end up without a home?”
“Why you little…”
Zhuo Fan’s sharp mockery cut deep. The waiter and the others around were fuming mad. In the end the waiter roared, “You dare slander our emperor and commander? You won’t leave this place alive, man of Tianyu! We’ll kill you!”
Everyone stood up and unleashed their bloodlust on Zhuo Fan as they came charging.
Zhuo Fan had nothing better to do than yawn, “A few Profound Heaven experts among a bunch of Bone Tempering cultivators. What can nobodies like you do against a Radiant Stage expert in the 8th layer?”
[Wait, Radiant Stage?!]
Eyes wide, they all looked dumstruck.
[We were too impulsive and got caught up in the flow…]
