Chapter 135: Chu Zhongtian? Lin Danda?
Chapter 135: Chu Zhongtian? Lin Danda?
Half an hour later, on the road from Tanfang to Chuyun City.
A tall, lean man with bronze skin held a small leather pouch in his hand, constantly weighing it up and down, his face revealing a helpless expression.
“Aiyo, they say no merchant is not cunning, and it’s certainly true! Two whole months of hard work, and only this tiny bit!”
The young man weighed the pouch in his hand, looking thoroughly dejected.
This was, naturally, Tang Jinbiao.
Over the past two months, he hadn’t foolishly boasted about seeking revenge on Captain Wang or Chu Yunfei as soon as he recovered. Instead, he had found a place to secretly cultivate.
Although he worked extremely hard, without the provision of elixirs or spirit stones, his cultivation level had made almost no progress in these two months. He was still at the Third Stage Initial Body Refinement stage. However, he hadn’t been completely idle during this time.
By now, he could control the Qi energy inside his body with great proficiency. When he threw a punch, as long as he didn’t wish the Qi energy to be released, he could effortlessly hold it back with ease.
Mastering the control of Qi energy was his progress over these two months. Additionally, he could now persist in practicing the Ape Fist of the Ape Art for a full half-hour. Furthermore, when combined with the Qi energy, its power became even stronger.
After two months of experimentation, Tang Jinbiao had gained this confidence. During this time, he would also hunt some beasts, taking them to Tanfang to exchange for some silver coins when he had nothing to do, while also gathering some information.
Most of that information was news coming from the Hundred Thousand Mountains. Ferocious battles were raging within the Hundred Thousand Mountains, and all cultivators with a Core Formation cultivation level or above were compelled to participate. If, later on, the various major powers had any breathing room and discovered cultivators who dared shirk this duty, those discovered would certainly face harsh consequences once investigated.
This had led to a rather peculiar phenomenon: on a continent where cultivation was a matter of pride, not a single cultivator above the Core Formation level could be found.
Precisely because of this situation, Tang Jinbiao felt emboldened. He felt confident enough to go to Chuyun City to confront Chu Yunyun and Chu Yunfei. As for Captain Wang, although he didn’t understand why Captain Wang had attacked him, he was determined to demand an explanation if given the chance. A major reason for going to Chuyun City was also to inquire about Captain Wang’s whereabouts.
Of course, his primary objective in going to Chuyun City was to purchase a map to the Divine Wind Academy.
Since parting ways with Tang Yilin and the others back in Panlong City, it didn’t feel like long had passed, yet Tang Jinbiao vaguely sensed that it must actually have been quite some time—absolutely not just two or three months.
Even now, he remained unaware that a full five years had passed.
Clink clink clink!
Though somewhat dissatisfied and helpless, Tang Jinbiao couldn’t resist picking up the leather pouch, bringing it close to his ear, and shaking it vigorously, producing a continuous jingling sound.
“Oooh, that’s so stimulating!”
Hearing the sound of the silver coins inside clashing together, Tang Jinbiao felt goosebumps all over, his face lighting up with excitement.
Clink clink clink!
As if the initial stimulation wasn’t enough, Tang Jinbiao pressed the pouch to his ear again, shaking it once more.
This was precisely why he had chosen to hunt wild beasts to earn mortal silver during these two months. He still possessed a mortal heart and felt a strong yearning for money. As for things like spirit stones and elixirs, they had always been given to him by others; they didn’t quite hold the same tangible sense of value.
“Ah! That was so stimulating!”
The more he heard the sound of silver coins colliding inside, the more Tang Jinbiao looked as though he was about to reach euphoria.
“Hehe, hehe, I’m rich! I’m a rich man now!”
Tang Jinbiao shook the pouch while giggling foolishly to himself.
Clop clop clop!
However, just as Tang Jinbiao was lost in this foolish laughter, a sudden cacophony of sounds – the clattering racket of many hooves – rose up from behind him.
Whoosh!
The moment he heard the chaotic noise of hoofbeats, Tang Jinbiao snapped alert. Instantly, he stowed the leather pouch into his storage pouch and immediately stepped to the side of the road, watching quietly.
Clip-clop! Clip-clop! Clip-clop!
Not long after, dust rose over ten zhang high in the distance, followed by over a dozen horses charging wildly through the cloud directly toward him.
Though he knew little about horses, seeing such magnificent steeds sparked a twinge of envy in his heart.
“Wow! So handsome!”
As the riders approached, kicking up a fresh layer of dust, little stars practically glittered in Tang Jinbiao’s eyes—he found those men exceptionally dashing.
Clip-clop! Clip-clop! Clip-clop!
Soon, the horsemen galloped past him. Yet each rider wore a cold, grim expression; not a single one spared Tang Jinbiao a glance, utterly oblivious to his presence. They swept by as swiftly as they came, vanishing into a trail of dust.
“Cough! Cough! Cough!”
Choked by the kicked-up dust, Tang Jinbiao couldn’t suppress his coughing. He cursed inwardly, “Fuck it, I’m a Third-tier Body Refiner!”
Realizing belatedly that he should have held his breath, he clamped his nostrils shut.
Within half a quarter-hour, the horses disappeared in the distance, and the dust gradually settled back to the ground.
“Damn, I got careless just now!”
Gazing at the far-off dust cloud, Tang Jinbiao couldn’t help but swear out loud again.
Swearing aside, he pulled the small pouch of silver out from his Storage Pouch again. Weighing it in his hand, he continued trudging toward Chuyun City.
“Ha…ha… haha!”
The familiar jingle of silver inside the leather pouch instantly melted his frustration into excitement.
This little bag held all his “hard-earned” wages from the past two months—pennies saved here and there, slowly accumulating to over a hundred taels!
Of course, if any other Cultivator witnessed the “business” Tang Jinbiao had been conducting these two months, they’d probably slaughter him on the spot. They’d rage that he shamed all Cultivators. A Body Refining Third Tier expert—comparable to a Core Formation Cultivator, a significant figure in many places—yet he wasted days mingling with Mortals, even laboring tirelessly for mere lumps of gold and silver. Tang Jinbiao had certainly disgraced Cultivators.
If other Cultivators learned he had “earned” barely a hundred taels of gold and silver over two months, they might genuinely try to kill him.
And if a Core Formation Cultivator witnessed him being swindled earlier by that plump female shopkeeper, who knew what violent act they might commit.
But Tang Jinbiao didn’t care. All that mattered was his own happiness.
He’d never been the type to preach chivalry and righteousness. He yearned for a world where everyone simply coexisted peacefully—”You’re well, I’m well, everyone’s well.”
“Hmm, I really should’ve bought a horse back at Tanfang!”
Walking a while longer, Tang Jinbiao grew bored and couldn’t help but mutter this thought.
He truly seemed to have forgotten—he wasn’t an ordinary man.
With his Body Refining Third Tier strength, the mere fifty li from Tanfang to Chuyun City could be covered in a flat-out sprint in roughly fifteen minutes. Yet, he chose this slow, dawdling pace.
Ah… youth. Young men never grasp time’s fleeting value. They idle days away humming boredom, lamenting one dull day after another. Until one day, they look back and realize—they’re no longer that fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy, but a man edging into his forties.
Jingle-jingle! Jingle-jingle!
Shaking the pouch as he shuffled along, three whole hours passed without him noticing.
“Finally there!”
Inadvertently, Tang Jinbiao found himself beneath Chuyun City’s walls. Tipping his head back, he stared at the imposing ramparts stretching over a hundred feet tall and couldn’t stifle an awe-struck sigh.
Thankfully, Chuyun City didn’t charge any entry fee. Guards stood post, but their duty was largely symbolic—mainly screening individuals deemed “suspicious.” And Tang Jinbiao certainly didn’t fall into that category.
The guards glanced at Tang Jinbiao nonchalantly, paying him no further attention before letting him pass.
Tang Jinbiao had long since tucked away that pouch of silver. After a brief look, he walked inside.
……
Tang Jinbiao remained unaware that it had been over two years since he slipped out under cover of night to warn Captain Wang and his group; to him, it felt like barely two months had passed.
……
Chuyun City resembled Panlong City, populated mostly by Mortals. Though Cultivators existed, they were few and largely stuck at the fifth or sixth level of Qi Condensation. Body Refiners were harder to spot, though Tang Jinbiao vaguely sensed a few among the crowd.
Not lingering on these thoughts, Tang Jinbiao found an inn. At the counter, he reluctantly—almost resentfully—paid five taels of silver as deposit. After a simple meal, he retired to his room to rest.
……
Only when darkness fell and lanterns began glowing across Chuyun City did Tang Jinbiao emerge from his room.
He returned to the counter, ordered four or five dishes, issued brief instructions, and headed upstairs. Finding a window seat on the second floor, he settled in quietly to await his food.
The second floor was spacious yet sparsely occupied, with only about ten diners lending the place an air of emptiness.
Turning to look out the window, Tang Jinbiao saw that despite the late hour, the street below bustled with pedestrians, lively and chaotic.
Watching the ebb and flow of the crowd, some half-forgotten thought surfaced in his mind. Propping his chin on one hand, he leaned against the windowsill and sank into deep contemplation.
……
A quarter-hour later, raucous noise erupted from downstairs.
“Boss Ma! Fetch wine and food quick! Tonight, we brothers are drinking our fill!”
A gruff voice bellowed from the lower floor.
“Heh heh, of course, Lord Chu! Just as Lord Chu commands!”
An elderly voice answered with timid deference.
“Hmph! Don’t fret—Chu Zhongtian won’t eat your scraps. Here! Ten taels of gold—take it!”
The gruff voice radiated arrogant confidence.
“Yes, yes! This old man will see to it immediately! Only the finest for Lord Chu!”
Joy flooded the old man’s voice at the jingle of coins.
“Huh?”
Snapped from his trance by the commotion, Tang Jinbiao frowned and turned toward the stairwell.
Tap tap tap!
Footsteps clattered briefly on the stairs before a large, rugged man came into Tang Jinbiao’s view.
Clad in a blue robe, the man possessed a tall, imposing frame but an unappealing face. His brow creased with a sinister harshness that screamed ‘troublemaker’.
Everyone already dining upstairs instantly averted their gaze, heads lowered and mouths shut, resuming their meals in silence.
“Hmph!”
The big man swept the room with a disdainful glare and snorted contemptuously.
“Huh?”
His gaze locked with Tang Jinbiao’s. Noticing the conspicuous lack of fear in Tang Jinbiao’s demeanor, a smirk lifted his lip. He strode straight toward him.
“Huh?”
Sensing the man approach, Tang Jinbiao’s own brows knitted lightly.
He’d barely noticed his wine and dishes being silently served, now sitting coldly before him.
Tap tap tap!
As the big man advanced, the seven or eight others trailing him climbed the stairs.
His companions exchanged frowns upon seeing their leader march toward Tang Jinbiao but followed regardless.
“Heh heh, little brother. Sitting alone—drinking sorrows away? Feeling lonely?”
The big man inquired with a practiced smile.
“Huh?”
Tang Jinbiao frowned slightly, eyeing this stranger in confusion.
“Heh heh. This humble one is Chu Zhongtian, of Chu Zhong City. Care to make a friend, little brother?”
Chu Zhongtian offered an ingratiating explanation.
“What? Lin Danda?”
Tang Jinbiao froze at the name, mouth agape like an astonished dementia patient, letting out an incredulous gasp…