The Human Territory is divided into the Eastern Region, Western Region, Southern Region, Northern Region, and Central Region. Eastern Spirit City is the most prosperous city in the Eastern Region and is the residence of the famous Eastern Spirit King, Sikong Yi.
The most prosperous city in the Western Region is Xichu City; in the Southern Region, it's Dingnan City; in the Northern Region, it's Zhenbei City; and the most prosperous in the Central Region is the Imperial City.
King Zhao Batu resides in Xichu City.
King Duanmu Lengqiu resides in Dingnan City.
King Li He resides in Zhenbei City.
The revered Emperor of the Human Race lives in the Imperial City.
These five cities represent supre authority.
With the Emperor in seclusion, the four kings have beco rulers. Ostensibly, the four are equal in strength, but in reality… there are differences among them. The strongest is the Eastern Spirit King, followed by King Zhao Batu, while the Kings of Dingnan and Zhenbei are the weakest.
The four kings share one thing in common: they are arrogant, contemptuous, and capricious. It's said that at least a million people have died at their hands over the years.
With their hands stained in blood, the complaints of the people are deep-seated. Yet, due to the kings' power, the people dare not speak out and can only endure in silence.
...
More than ten days later.
Gao Fei, Chen San, and Liu Qing arrived in Eastern Spirit City.
"This truly is the greatest city in the Eastern Region! What a majestic sight!" Chen San exclaid, "The city walls must be a hundred zhang high, right? Are these city gates forged from Mysterious Iron? Even the armor of the gatekeeping soldiers is so dazzling and enchanting!"
"Compared to Eastern Spirit City, Chaotic Wind City is just a beggar, there's such a huge difference." Liu Qing sighed.
Gao Fei was also filled with admiration: "To build such a glorious city must have required an imnse amount of manpower and resources."
They encountered a little trouble when entering the city.
The gatekeeping soldiers conducted strict inspections, not only inquiring about Gao Fei and the others' origins but also searching them. Eventually, Gao Fei presented an official identity pass, and only then did the soldiers allow them to pass.
"Even a lowly gatekeeper dares to be so arrogant!" Chen San grumbled indignantly.
"They're not ordinary gatekeepers," Gao Fei retorted with a twist of his mouth. "They are soldiers of Eastern Spirit City, and what is this place? It's the domain of the Eastern Spirit King!"
"As the saying goes, 'In front of a pri minister's gate, all are Seventh Grade officials.'" Liu Qing chuckled, "The Eastern Spirit King is far more honored than a pri minister, hence the soldiers who guard his gates also rise in stature and look down on everyone else." He added, "I bet even if a Chiliarch ca by, the gatekeepers wouldn't give him a second glance."
"In plain terms, they're just a bunch of bullies who abuse their power," Chen San cursed. "Sooner or later, I will make them kneel on the ground and lick my feet."
"That's a lofty ambition!" Liu Qing gave a thumbs-up. "Chen San, you must work hard. Once you surpass the Eastern Spirit King, those gatekeepers really will lick your feet."
"Cut it out," Chen San said grumpily. "I know my limits. Even if I try my hardest, I won't be able to surpass the Eastern Spirit King... I'd be lucky to make it to Chiliarch."
"Don't talk like that; I believe in you. You will definitely surpass the Eastern Spirit King one day! You might even beco the Emperor," Liu Qing said encouragingly.
"Just keep those words between us, okay? Don't go spreading them around. If others heard us, we'd be done for," warned Chen San.
"I'm not that foolish, I know what to say and what not to say," Liu Qing said with a snaggletoothed smile.
"There's an inn up ahead. Let's rest there first, then slowly gather so information," Gao Fei pointed ahead.
"We'll follow the lord's lead," Chen San and Liu Qing had no objections.
So, the three of them entered an antique inn, requested three rooms, and ordered a table full of food and drinks. Afterward, they sat around the dining table, eating, drinking, and chatting.
Generally, as long as one's cultivation reached the Inedia Stage, one could absorb spiritual energy from the heavens and earth to sustain bodily functions, aning one wouldn't die of hunger or thirst even without food and water. However, most cultivators still ate regularly, not out of hunger, but to indulge in cravings. After all, there were countless delicacies in the world, and it would be a sha not to enjoy them.
"Mmm, the wine's good! The dishes too!" Chen San praised while eating, "This is the best al I've ever had."
"It is delicious, but it's also too expensive," Liu Qing felt the pinch as the table of food and drinks had cost over ten thousand spirit stones, which was really expensive.
"This is Eastern Spirit City, the largest city in the eastern region, so it's understandable that things are a bit pricier," Gao Fei said with a light smile. "Just eat and drink without worrying about the cost. I might not be rich, but I can afford to treat you to a few good als."
"Then I won't hold back," Chen San grabbed the wine jug and poured it into his mouth, "It's so good, so delicious!"
Liu Qing, on the other hand, was more reserved, sipping wine from a cup and delicately picking up food with chopsticks, looking very genteel.
In the blink of an eye, the table full of food and drink disappeared into the bellies of the three n, leaving not a drop of wine or a morsel of food behind, utterly clean.
"The wine's gone, the food's eaten, now it's ti to get to work," Gao Fei clapped his hands, "We'll split up and find out where City Lord Bai is being held. We'll regroup here after dark."
The three n stood up, left the inn, and went their separate ways.
...
The street was bustling with life, with carriages and horses bustling about.
Along both sides of the street were shops of all sorts, selling clothes, snacks, calligraphy and paintings... a bit of everything was available for sale.
Gao Fei observed for a while and noticed that most of the pedestrians were ordinary citizens with just a few cultivators among them, and their cultivation levels weren't particularly high. Every so often, a squad of soldiers would pass by, ard and armored, exuding an impressive presence. Their duty was to patrol and maintain public order.
It was evident that Sikong Yi, the ruler of Eastern Spirit City, had put considerable effort into managing the city.
Gao Fei casually strolled down the street, eyes sweeping around, his mind racing as he thought about how to rescue Bai Daqing...
"Fortune-telling! Fortune-telling for free if it's not accurate!" Suddenly, a loud and robust voice called out from ahead, powerful enough to be heard halfway down the street.
Gao Fei looked up and saw a shabby table set up about a dozen yards away, with a white-haired old man sitting behind it, dressed in coarse linen clothing, holding a few copper coins, looking all mysterious. Gao Fei always kept his distance from street fortune-tellers, believing them to be nothing more than swindlers.
Gao Fei continued straight ahead, coming closer to the fortune-teller.
"Young man, please wait," the fortune-teller suddenly called out to Gao Fei, "Please stop."
"Huh?" Gao Fei stopped, looking confusedly at the fortune-teller, "Are you talking to ?"
"Yes," the fortune-teller nodded, "I see darkness on your forehead and a poor complexion! It's a sure sign of impending disaster! Young man, sit down quickly, let take a closer look and see if I can help you avert this disaster!"
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