Book 1- The Start of Cultivation Chapter 27: Arriving At Dragon Fort City! Again!

Long Huo's eyes shone with satisfaction. Leaning closer, she caught Lan Shui's chin and pressed a passionate kiss to her lips. After a few moments, she released her.

Lan Shui was panting heavily, her cheeks aflame.

"How about you spend the night here?" Long Huo asked.

"Yes, Young Miss," Lan Shui answered, her heart pounding, a familiar heat burning in her lower body.

The hands of fate were once again moving in mysterious ways around Xue San, but he was unaware of any of this. He was just happy at the thought of seeing his family again after so much time.

He decided to hire a carriage and travel alone this time. His last mission had left him weary of strangers—even those from his own sect.

In every major city, one could find services offering everything from simple horse-drawn carts to fantastical conveyances pulled by flying beasts. Their prices, however, rarely fell within Xue San's modest budget. After weighing his options, he chose to spend two Middle-Grade Qi Gathering Pills to hire a carriage pulled by Elephant-Horses. Despite their imposing name, these magical creatures were quite commonplace. They had six legs and required only two or three hours of sleep each night, ensuring significantly faster travel.

Xue San concluded it was worth the cost to shorten his journey by a few days.

Dragon Fort City, unlike many others, was ruled by the venerable Long Clan. This distinction had been conferred upon them centuries ago when hordes of beasts started descending from the Sleeping Giant Mountains, wreaking havoc on the surrounding territories. The Long Clan had consistently proven to be the strongest force in subduing these bestial tides, cementing their influence throughout the region.

These days, the city bustled even more than usual, agitated by rumors of the mysterious True Flame.

The True Flame was said to be a naturally occurring wonder gifted by the world itself—the purest essence of fire. Unlike other materials that could be used merely to forge magical artifacts or concoct pills, a True Flame—once refined—would grant its wielder immeasurable power. Little wonder, then, that cultivators far and wide had converged on Dragon Fort City in hopes of claiming it.

"Grandmaster Chu Feng, my Long Clan will support you in any way you require," said Long Wei. "But as I've mentioned, these are only rumors. We have yet to uncover any solid proof of a True Flame residing near Dragon Fort City."

"Humph. Only rumors, you say?" Grandmaster Chu Feng snorted. "What if I told you the Blood Moon Guild has confirmed there's truth to this so-called 'rumor'?"

"Damn this old man, poking his nose where it doesn't belong," Long Wei muttered internally. Out loud, he replied, "Whether we have proof or not, please feel free to conduct your own investigation, Grandmaster. I will leave you to it."

As Long Wei began to withdraw, Chu Feng added, "Oh, one more thing. My disciple will be arriving in a few days with a companion. Ensure they are well taken care of if I'm not here."

"Of course," Long Wei said, inclining his head.

"Humph! You old fox," Chu Feng muttered once Long Wei had gone. "You think you can deceive me by playing the dutiful host."

Many other prominent figures arrived in Dragon Fort City, drawn by the rumors, but Long Wei deigned to meet only with Grandmaster Chu Feng. The rest he left to his clan elders. Still, he couldn't fathom how word of the True Flame had leaked. He had invested considerable time in locating its whereabouts, for the flame was crucial to fulfilling his ambitions. Only the clan's core members had known of it, all of whom had sworn unbreakable Dao Oaths to keep the secret.

"It must be the Blood Moon Guild," Long Wei concluded. "But why would they reveal the news, and more importantly, how did they learn of it?"

Xue San, meanwhile, remained blissfully unaware of the turbulent undercurrents swirling through Dragon Fort City. His journey had been pleasant thus far. The six-legged steeds provided a comfortable ride, allowing him to spend idle hours cultivating or refining his knowledge of the Qi Replenishing Pill concoction. He mentally reviewed the process repeatedly, searching for ways to improve.

He also attempted to train in the Wood-King Body technique. But lacking any materials rich in wood-based spiritual energy, his efforts felt like trying to clean a greasy pan with more grease. Eventually, he resigned himself to waiting until proper resources became available.

"Ah, if only I had a wealthy master who'd bestow everything I need," Xue San murmured wistfully.

He hadn't forgotten the strange defensive jade Dan Qing had used. After a week of trial and error, he finally managed to conjure a protective barrier similar to hers. Although it drained a considerable portion of his Qi and spiritual sense, the outcome was worth it—his shield seemed even sturdier than Dan Qing's.

What Xue San didn't realize was that Dan Qing would never power the jade with her spiritual sense. She relied solely on the Qi within her body. Depleting one's spiritual sense too quickly caused instant disorientation, a grave risk in battle. Yet Dan Qing's spiritual sense was meager compared to Xue San's.

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On the sixteenth day of travel, he finally caught sight of the city walls—massive ramparts fashioned from a dark stone of unknown origin. Approaching the gate, he noticed the usual line of people waiting to enter. However, when the crowd saw the six-legged horses, they parted, allowing him to pass more swiftly.

At the checkpoint, Xue San showed his disciple badge and was immediately granted entry.

"This does have its perks," he mused.

He proceeded to the local branch of the carriage rental company, returned both horses and the conveyance, and set off for his family home. With Fluffy fast asleep in his bag, he felt an unexpected knot of nerves in his stomach. How would his relatives see him now that he was a cultivator? More troublingly, how would they react to the fact that he had taken a life?

His pace slowed as he mulled over these thoughts, worried about what his father might say if he confessed to killing someone.

Distracted, Xue San nearly collided with a teenage boy stepping out of the house he had once called his own.

"Who are you?" the boy demanded, eyeing him suspiciously.

For a moment, Xue San felt disoriented. Perhaps this was a friend of his older sister.

"This is my family's house," he said, his voice tentative.

The boy regarded him with a mixture of impatience and confusion. "Are you stupid or something? This is my family's house."

Xue San froze. Had he come to the wrong address? "Isn't this where the Xue family lives?"

"Why do you want to know?" the boy retorted.

Irritation flashed in Xue San's eyes, and the teenager must have sensed the pressure rolling off him. The boy took a step back, his voice trembling.

"My family bought this place from the White Tiger Merchant Guild. I don't know anything about the people who used to live here."

A cold weight settled in Xue San's chest. What had happened to his family? Panic welled up, threatening to overwhelm him. Unsure where to turn, he decided his best hope lay in finding Jin Fu, who might at least provide some answers.

And so, burdened with anxious questions and a heart full of foreboding, Xue San set off into the city once more, determined to learn the fate of his family—no matter the cost.

Xue San wasn't entirely sure where to find Jin Fu, so he rushed to the God Silk Palace in hopes of meeting him there. Upon locating the store, he introduced himself and inquired after Jin Fu.

"I'm sorry, but Master Jin Fu isn't here. He went out on business," one of the female attendants informed him.

At a loss, Xue San decided his next stop would be the White Tiger Merchant Guild. After all, they had sold his family's house—they ought to know something.

"Wait a moment," the attendant suddenly said, then rushed upstairs. She returned with a note in hand.

"Master Jin Fu asked me to give you this if you ever came looking for him when he wasn't in the city," she explained, handing Xue San a letter.

Opening it on the spot, Xue San read:

Young Friend Xue San,

If you're reading this, it means I'm currently out of the city and you came looking for me because you can't locate your family. Don't worry—I can help you. Due to certain problems involving your older brother, your family was forced to sell their house. They've moved to the slum district. Conditions there are far from ideal, but they do at least have a roof over their heads. You'll find them living in a small house near the Drunk Mosquito Tavern.

You might wonder why I didn't do more for your family. Rest assured, I did what I could. The trouble your brother got into could have easily resulted in the death of your entire household. But I used my connections and paid a hefty price to keep them safe. I'm sorry I couldn't do more.

Sincerely,

Jin Fu

Xue San breathed a sigh of relief. So it was that idiot brother of mine who caused all this trouble. Still, he felt confident he could solve whatever problems his family faced. After all, even if he was considered poor by cultivator standards, he was wealthy beyond measure to an ordinary mortal.

High above, on the third floor of the pavilion, Jin Fu watched Xue San depart.

"Master," said a shadowy figure at his side, "I don't understand. If you wished, you could have easily helped him solve this mess. Why pretend it took so much effort? His brother was only transporting stolen goods through his father-in-law's company. Serious for mortals, perhaps, but trivial to us."

"And why should I do that, Shadow One?" Jin Fu asked calmly. "I do find the boy interesting—he seems to be a cultivator now. Judging from his aura, he's likely no higher than the third stage of Qi Gathering. I was generous enough to warn the White Tiger Gang not to kill his family. Beyond that, I'm merely curious. Let's see how things unfold. Send someone to follow him and notify me if anything noteworthy occurs."

"Yes, Master," the figure replied.

The slums were a dumping ground—not only for people but for refuse of every kind: trash, sewage, and all the filth the wealthy wished to keep out of sight and smell. Gangs roamed at will, terrorizing those who had come to the city in search of a better life, only to have their hopes cruelly crushed.

As Xue San walked the filthy streets in his pristine outer-sect robes, the locals stared at him warily. Soon, he found the Drunk Mosquito Tavern mentioned in Jin Fu's letter. Now, he only needed to pinpoint his family's whereabouts.

"Well, well, what've we got here? A pretty boy" slurred a drunk man stumbling out of the tavern. "Hey, pretty boy, how about I show you a real good time? I'll even pay you five copper coins!" he jeered.

Xue San's face darkened—not so much at the man's crude proposition as at the thought of his sisters living in such a vile environment. He silently vowed to knock some sense into that useless older brother of his.

"Scram," Xue San growled, letting a fraction of his spiritual sense flare. The drunk sobered instantly, trembling so hard that he even wet himself.

Ignoring the man, Xue San stepped into the tavern.

Although it wasn't particularly crowded, every patron turned to gawk at him. Without a word, he approached the counter.

"I'm looking for someone," he said.

"Then keep looking," replied the bartender, a middle-aged man with a large mustache.

Xue San studied him calmly, then took a gold coin from his pouch and placed it on the counter. The bartender pocketed it, waiting to hear more.

"A family of four," Xue San began. "A couple in their thirties and two daughters—one around thirteen and another about eighteen. Their name is Xue. They rented a place nearby. Do you know where they might be?"

"Well, I haven't seen any family of four move in lately," the bartender remarked. "But a few months ago, a family of five took up residence in the building behind this tavern. Four that match your description and also another little girl"

At that, Xue San immediately thought of the nephews he'd never met. It could be them…

The bartender continued. "The father picks up odd jobs here and there, and the mother stays home with her daughters, making ends meet by mending clothes. Word is they were pretty well-off once, but apparently their eldest son screwed up badly, and they lost everything. Now he just drinks all day. And you want to hear the funniest part?"

"What?" Xue San asked, a dangerous light flickering in the depths of his eyes.