CH 2182.1

As for Lu Yun, the experiences of three thousand reincarnations had formed three thousand seals to suppress his past memories. If he wanted to increase his strength now, he needed to do so through his own efforts. Darklake was too small for him as it was a third rank cultivation empire. This was a step he had to take if he wished to understand the multitude.

Although forceful gales stirred the Jade Ruins Realm and utter mayhem would break out after three months, the current Lu Yun still didn’t have the courage to disturb what lay at the bottom of the crater.

He left most of his items at home for this trip, keeping very few on him. He wanted to enter Fallen Leaf Mountain to forge a new personal treasure for himself.

He’d been a sword immortal in his first reincarnation. It’d been the strongest of his three thousand lifetimes, so he wished to craft a flying sword for himself.

All was a-hustle and a-bustle inside Fallen Leaf City. More cultivators than could be counted passed through its gates. Lu Yun paid the toll of a mid rank spirit stone and strolled into the city. He was dressed in his customary long ivory robes with a cerulean blue overcoat. A paramount rank jade belt fashioned at his waist, he wore a cerulean blue ribbon to hold up his hair while waving a fan gilded with silver. As for his trademark lewd folding fan—he threw it into his storage ring after turning it into a picture.

He looked like a noble scion out for an adventure, so he quickly drew attention when he entered the city.

“Sir! This humble one is Wang Bu’er, is this your first time in Fallen Leaf City?”

Lu Yun only had time to take a few steps before a short, middle-aged man in a gray short-sleeved shirt sidled up to him. The young man lifted his head and looked sideways at Wang Bu’er before inclining his head.

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“Since it’s your first time here, sir, you’ll be easily taken advantage of. Why don’t I show you around in turn for some spirit stones?” Wang Bu’er cut straight to the chase.

Lu Yun nodded and threw him an upper rank spirit stone. Wang Bu’er beamed and quickly gave thanks, but no goodwill emanated from him. That made sense as this was a consensual transaction. If even that was sufficient to create goodwill, then goodwill was too easy to earn.

It came as no surprise that people like Wang Bu’er existed in a place like Fallen Leaf City. They made their living showing outsiders around. Lu Yun had spent one of his lifetimes as one of these people, so he wasn’t disgusted by them.

It was honest work. While it didn’t require a lot of skill, they could hold their heads high and look others in the eye.

“Talk to me about the layout of the city and find me a place to stay,” Lu Yun tossed out.

Although Wang Bu’er was strictly at the bottom of the Dark Orchid totem pole since he was only mid foundation establishment, he was quick witted. He could immediately tell from the young man’s words that this noble scion was no child. The first thing one should do in a new environment was to get the lay of the land. Any other young gentleman on their first excursion away from home wouldn’t ask about this.

“In response to the gentleman,” Wang Bu’er explained as they walked, “The biggest in the Fallen Leaf City is the city lord’s residence. The city lord is a soul projection powerhouse who is nearly unrivaled in Dark Orchid.”

Wang Bu’er spoke with pride when he mentioned the city lord. The city lord was the pride of all the citizens. He safeguarded the city’s peace and tranquility, ensuring that they weren’t threatened by the spirit beasts in the mountain.

Lu Yun nodded slightly. Being a fourth rank empire, Dark Orchid’s strongest heavyweights would be soul projection. Having one in residence in a small city like this was indication that Fallen Leaf was more than it seemed.

“But the city lord more often than not spends his days in closed door cultivation. He only appears when there is a beast tide. If he is not present, the city lord’s residence very rarely intervenes in the city’s matters. Therefore, the strongest in the city are the various Fallen Leaf factions,” Wang Bu’er sighed. As wonderful as the city lord was, he was too far removed. He only showed himself if the city was in imminent danger.

“The strongest factions in the city are the Azure Dragons, White Tigers, and Black Tortoises. These three sects control, directly or otherwise, all of the trading companies, taverns, and shops in the city. Since it’s your first time here, sir, it’d be best not to offend any of them. Their leaders are all peak nascent soul!”

The two arrived in front of a moderately sized inn. It wasn’t the biggest or the most opulent, but it was very clean.

“Sir, while Cloudflow Inn isn’t the most luxurious in the city, its prices are certainly the fairest,” Wang Bu’er said with a smile. During their conversation along the way, he discovered that while Lu Yun emanated the strong presence of a noble scion, he wasn’t arrogant or overbearing. He was rather down to earth, so Wang Bu’er set aside his original reservations.

“Aiyo, Wang Er, got another good customer there huh? This gentleman must be an important person since he has a noble air between his brows! You’re a lucky one, Wang Er! Please come inside, sir!” The employee at the door was plainly familiar with Wang Bu’er and teased the man when the two arrived.

“My name is Wang Bu’er!” Wang Bu’er grumbled. “Zhang Ping, arrange an upper rank room for the gentleman. Here’s three mid rank spirit stones!”

He took out three spirit stones from his own storage ring and gave them to Zhang Ping.

Lu Yun had given Wang Bu’er a piece of upper rank spirit stone, the equivalent of one hundred mid rank stones. The man was normally just paid a few mid rank stones when he showed visitors around.

His gesture engendered a bit of good intention from Lu Yun. This was a world of cultivation, after all. It was quite uncommon to see a selfless person like Wang Bu’er.

An inn like this one costed one mid rank stone a day. Wang Bu’er didn’t know how long Lu Yun would be staying for, so he paid for three days in advance.

Zhang Ping led them to a seat by the window on the second floor after receiving payment. It was noon, so there were numerous cultivators here for a meal. There were five floors to Cloudflow Inn; the first two were similar to a tavern and rooms could be found on the other floors.

Dark Orchid was different from Darklake in that the food of a fourth rank empire contained rich qi. Although cultivators had no need of food, this kind of food was far from ordinary as the act of eating it was also partially cultivation.

A full spread of dishes soon covered the table. Wang Bu’er swallowed hard and respectfully stood in a stooped position next to Lu Yun.

Lu Yun took a bite at random. Given Cloudflow Inn’s size, there wasn’t much qi in its food, but it was better than nothing.

“What are you standing for? Sit down and eat.”

Wang Bu’er hesitated before taking a seat across from Lu Yun. He sat gingerly on one corner of the stool and joined Lu Yun in lunch. As they ate, he gave a full overview of the varying sized factions in the city, marketplaces, trading companies, and stores.

A commotion rose from the first floor halfway through their meal. Five burly men charged upstairs soon after and made straight for the third floor.

Sounds of fighting rang from upstairs after a few minutes. A haggard middle-aged man scrambled down from the third floor, his hands tightly gripping a small bundle.

The staircase to the first floor was blocked by another five men. As small as Cloudflow Inn was, it contained defensive formations that withstood the man’s cultivation of initial foundation establishment.

“Hand it over, old man, and we’ll leave you with a whole corpse!” A hulking man with a scar on his face leered, advancing menacingly on the middle-aged man.

Fear outlined the latter’s limbs and he sagged to the ground, scooting backward. He left a bloody trail on the ground as he moved. Many of the guests on the second floor vacated the premises, deathly afraid of bringing trouble down on their heads.

“We should stay out of the way as well, sir. These are people from the Darkwater Gang, an organization under the Black Tortoises. The Black Tortoises are a tyrannical force in the city, so it’d be best not to incur their wrath,” Wang Bu’er quickly whispered to Lu Yun.

Bam!

A man in black stomped over and kicked Lu Yun’s table over, then slapped Wang Bu’er across the face. The man was initial golden core and Wang Bu’er just mid foundation establishment. Half of Wang Bu’er’s face immediately caved in and his neck twisted at an unnatural angle.

“Heh, how dare you gossip about the Darkwater Gang behind us, Wang Bu’er!” the man sneered at Wang Bu’er. Although the latter had kept his voice down, it didn’t escape a golden core cultivator’s hearing.

Wang Bu’er flew backward and raised a series of ripples when he smashed into the inn’s defensive formation. Bloody froth bubbled at his lips and he slid to the ground, convulsing and gasping for air.

Lu Yun frowned slightly, walking over to Wang Bu’er and shoving a pill into the man’s mouth. Wang Bu’er’s injuries healed at a rate visible to the naked eye and he miraculously made a full recovery when he’d been on the doorstep of death just moments ago.