Chaotic World Book -
Chapter 312 - 305: Is there… here?
Chapter 312: Chapter 305: Is there... here?
Although he had met Yang Bugui before, Zhao Changhe said, "So it is you... A few days ago, when I met with Brother Zhixing, he also mentioned you."
Yang Zhixing, the Family Head of the Yang Family, must definitely be liaising with the Family Head as Wang Daozhong...
Yang Qianyuan truly thought that "Wang Daozhong" must have a clear image of his appearance and thus dared not hide it, little did he know that this scoundrel had never paid attention to what the wanted posters looked like?
On the contrary, it was Zhao Changhe who was now feeling uneasy. Had Yang Qianyuan never seen Wang Daozhong... His disguise was just the usual plain-faced man, mainly to cover up a scar, still looking like a young man, vastly different from Wang Daozhong.
As a concubine-born son of the Yang Family, how would Yang Qianyuan have the qualifications to meet Wang Daozhong? Although he also felt that this Wang Daozhong looked a bit too young... but an Earth List master might have the ability to preserve his youth. Despite his suspicions, he dared not act rashly and could only offer a forced smile, "Since it is an elder who has arrived, I dared not conceal anything. In truth, everyone here is hiding their true identities, and most people don’t know who’s who. Perhaps you could meet a passerby on the street who could be a Great Demon who used to shake the heavens for all we know."
Zhao Changhe snorted, "Speak if you want, it’s no big deal. Rest assured, I am not here to capture you."
"That’s right, that’s right. The Yang Family does not have the standing to make an elder come personally to capture someone," said Yang Qianyuan. "However, it is indeed very rare for someone like the elder to come to this kind of place..."
Zhao Changhe said, "What, are all the people who can’t make it out there seeking refuge? Kunlun has always been a place of legends, and as far as I know, there have always been many who come in search of treasures, right? Even Yuxu Palace can only control the nearby peaks, they possibly can’t manage such a vast surrounding area, can they?"
"There used to be more, but now it’s become increasingly rare. Who dares to easily venture into this land where demons dance wildly... At first, we thought the elder was just one of those Worldly Society folks seeking treasure and testing their luck, but since it’s Elder Wang, you probably wouldn’t come to such a place to seek treasure... Could it be that the elder is here to find someone?"
"Why not?"
"Firstly, the elder has many people to dispatch, there’s no need to personally brave the dangers, and secondly, with the elder’s identity, you could directly meet with Yuxu Palace, so why bother coming to this transit city at the foot of the mountain?"
"Transit..." Zhao Changhe said, "What do you mean by that?"
"Great Xia is easy to deceive, but Tang Wanju is not, who would dare to overlook the Demon Suppression Department she directs? For example, setting up a play, turning a trusted subordinate into an unforgivable person, escaping here to become an inside agent is a very normal tactic. In the past, there were people sent here to get close to and utterly trust a Great Demon, then lured out, only to be ambushed by Tang Wanju who laid hidden outside, and the Demon Suppression Department converged on and caught the person. By the time Yuxu’s real person got wind of it, the person was already hundreds of miles away."
Zhao Changhe: "..."
Yang Qianyuan sighed, "Therefore, not everyone can enter Kunlun, all newcomers seeking refuge must stay in the city, under observation, until their identities are confirmed before they can be accepted into the mountains."
Zhao Changhe nodded and said, "I see... Interesting, we truly did not know about this since we haven’t experienced it personally."
"Each place has its own ways, it’s normal for outsiders to be unaware," said Yang Qianyuan. "Actually, as time goes by and more people stay in the city, it becomes unnecessary to seek refuge in the mountains. Life is convenient in the city with food, drink, gambling, and other pleasures. After all, when more evildoers gather, neither the official authorities nor enemies dare to easily come knocking, there’s no difference, so why bother entering the mountains? Hence, most of the refugees just stay in the city now."
"But isn’t it still somewhat different?" Zhao Changhe said, "If everyone enters the mountains, you become one group, forming an organization. Wasn’t the purpose of accepting evildoers precisely for this reason? In the city, with you all killing each other indiscriminately, what value does that hold for the real person of Yuxu?"
"Actually, it’s almost the same now. Outsiders aren’t treated as human, and once someone can stay in the city, they will not attack each other without cause. Everyone needs such a place to settle, after all. If there’s chaos from killing each other, what would it turn into... Of course, no such rule has been formally set, it’s all up to individual strength. However, once someone tries to play the game of unifying the entire city, that very day their head will be plucked by the Yuxu real person, that’s his untouchable point. He doesn’t interfere in other matters, simply collecting taxes and resources, sometimes even exploiting people for labor, no different from a king."
"Is that so..." Zhao Changhe wondered aloud, "But why would the Yuxu real person go to all this trouble? If he just openly established his own rule, what could Tang Wanju do?"
Yang Qianyuan seemed to understand, "So the elder’s visit here is to correspond from east to west with the Yuxu real person."
Zhao Changhe was momentarily stumped by his reply, thinking to himself that it was no wonder he was born of an Aristocratic Family, his train of thought jumped to conclusions even I hadn’t considered. I appreciate the good excuse you’ve provided, making the presence of Wang Daozhong here all the more reasonable.
He then said with a self-important demeanor, "Indeed, my intent in coming here was just that, nothing more than entering the city to rest awhile."
Yang Qianyuan said, "Before, Xia Longyuan’s deterrence was strong and Yuxu’s real person acted more cautiously, understandable. But now Xia Longyuan is in such a state, and yet the Yuxu real person still does not dare, acting just as before. We don’t know what exactly he fears. Maybe because I haven’t been allowed into the mountain, I’m not privy to the internal details."
Zhao Changhe frowned slightly, "In that case... If I were to directly enter the mountain, surely I wouldn’t be unable to meet anyone?"
Yang Qianyuan gave an apologetic smile, "This junior does not know, after all, I have never been up the mountain."
Zhao Changhe nodded, "You seem to be doing quite well for yourself here, haven’t been around long, have you? Already looking like the head of some power?"
Yang Qianyuan said dismissively, "What head am I? I just offered up the Yang Family’s cultivation techniques as soon as I got here and sought refuge under the Money Gang’s wing in the east of the city. The gang leader saw I had a bit of cultivation, so he threw a small business my way to manage. But as I mentioned before, we hardly ever have any foreign guests here, and the business is so lackluster I sometimes don’t even get enough to eat."
Zhao Changhe asked in an elder’s tone, "So what then, you just keep running this tasteless business, day in and day out? Isn’t life here worse than when you were at home? Any regrets?"
Yang Qianyuan kept a straight face, "Every action has its price, and this is the price I’m paying—I’m well aware of it. Anyway, the road isn’t closed yet. What if one day I catch the eye of a true Yuxu sage and he teaches me a trick or two? Who knows if one day I might not fight my way back? Thirty years in the east of the river, thirty years in the west."
Zhao Changhe chuckled, "Interesting. Now I happen to be your foreign guest. Arrange for me to get a guide, keep me satisfied, and you won’t go hungry this month at least. If we meet with the Yuxu sage, I could put in a good word for you if it seems right."
With that, he flipped his wrist, and a lump of broken silver landed squarely on the table, fitting flush with the surface, as if it was designed to be part of the table.
Yang Qianyuan watched, letting go of his last shred of doubt.
Controlling his strength to that extent was one thing; he could do it himself, though not quite as effortlessly. But what really mattered was that he recognized this as the energy of the Wang Family’s Sky-clearing Sea Suppressing Palm.
Yang Qianyuan bent his waist even more, "Would the senior like to take a tour around the city? Just tell me where to go and I will lead the way."
Zhao Changhe thought for a moment, "Are there courtesans here?"
Yang Qianyuan revealed a knowing smile, "Naturally, follow me, senior."
In reality, Zhao Changhe wasn’t looking for a brothel but a gambling den. He didn’t want to approach the subject directly and preferred to beat around the bush. Usually, brothels and gambling dens went hand in hand; where there were brothels, you could almost always find gambling dens nearby, or at least not far away.
He wanted to find the gambling den because he was looking for Ying Wu’s forces. Hearing only Yang Qianyuan’s words wasn’t enough; he needed confirmation from others. Moreover, he didn’t dare ask Yang Qianyuan about his true intentions; Yang Qianyuan was just a guide and stepping stone in his search for trustworthy people.
The main problem was that Ying Wu’s people might not be openly running a gambling den here. The Yuxu sage wasn’t an idiot. Accepting a villain was useful for him, but why would he want another force from the Heavenly List? To make trouble for himself?
Even if Ying Wu’s people were here, they would be hiding their real identities and operating in another way. That San Niang hadn’t mentioned how to find them could only mean that at the time, she didn’t really consider him, Zhao Changhe, one of her own. Such an undercover situation was a secret indeed and not to be shared lightly.
But then again, he thought, riding his horse Wuzhui and carrying his Broadsword, if people didn’t realize he was Zhao Changhe, surely Ying Wu’s people would detect it and come to make contact? As long as he acted like he was looking for a gambling den, he should catch the attention of Ying Wu’s people.
As he pondered this, they arrived at the brothel.
He was instantly surrounded by chirping and chattering courtesans, each pulling for their own business: "Sir, come this way with us..."
"Don’t listen to her, sir. Our services are the best..."
"Tonight we have a special grooming session, sir. Will you not come have a look?"
Zhao Changhe looked around, expressionless.
He couldn’t see the gambling dens he wanted to find; the whole street was damn brothels, all clamoring for customers, about to smother him.
Zhao Changhe finally squeezed his way out of the tumultuous waves and grabbed one at random, "Stop pushing! You’ll do!"
He spoke, but then his words stuck in his throat.
At the corner of the street, there was a young man dressed in men’s clothing leisurely entering another brothel with a folding fan in hand, surrounded by the adoring crowd of courtesans in a relaxed and experienced manner, unmistakably a veteran patron.
Except that was no veteran patron.
Even if Zhao Changhe turned to ashes, he would still recognize him—it was his senior brother from that year, Luo Qi.
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