It was a very strange feeling. Zhen Shi felt uneasy, but at the same time, he didn't feel any danger. He couldn't help but turn back towards Market Island and wonder if something was going on...
In the end, since that strange feeling didn't continue to persist, he could only assume that he was imagining things.
As such, Zhen Shi put those thoughts away and prepared to follow the tracks of the Bull once more. With William following behind, the two of them were now prepared to dash forwards and find the missing arrow as fast as possible!
However, they were only able to take a few steps forward, before coming to an abrupt stop. The sight before them had caused them to freeze in disbelief and stare with widened eyes.
Considering the presence of shops and salespeople, this place had to be the cobblestoned Market Street, but Zhen Shi had to rub his eyes just to confirm this was the same place he had visited before.
This place no longer looked like the wealthy and populated Market Street it had been before.
Instead, it looked like the dilapidated communal living area for a group of beggars, which had also been ravaged by a merciless typhoon later on! It was that bad!
The shops by the side of the road had been demolished to the ground, their wares seeming to have vanished.
The owners of those shops were simply walking around with blank faces. To observers, they would look like heartbroken widows who had lost their husbands just recently.
Even the more lucrative shops such as the Sales Hut were in complete tatters, their wares ransacked as well. Seth the 'respected' salesperson was hunched in a corner, looking forlorn and sad, almost on the verge of tears.
Remembering the sight of the ravaged forest, Zhen Shi immediately thought that this was destruction had to be the work of the Bull manifestation!
Looking around further, he saw that there were many kingdom guards groaning pitifully on the ground. Most of them had bandages wrapped around them and looked extremely weak. Some of the more unfortunate guards were still being treated by frantic healers and physicians.
Zhen Shi shook his head in disbelief, 'That Bull is a complete beast! I really hope it will have dissipated by the time I finish tracking it. If I face it without {Absolute Magician} I'll be absolutely slaughtered...'
Just when Zhen Shi began to wonder if chasing the Bull was good for his health, he spotted a familiar face in the distance. It was the same old man who had sold him that mysterious clay piece. Hurrying over, he shouted out with a smile, "Hey, Vincent! What the hell happened here?"
Vincent turned around in surprise. Noticing that it was Zhen Shi, he revealed a toothy grin, "Oh! It's you, kiddo! Have you come to buy anything else? Maybe that Sun Searing Leaf you were interested in?"
Zhen Shi grinned back, "Maybe later, but only if you tell me what happened here."
Listening to this conversation, William's brow furrowed deeply. Hearing a weak old man refer to his elder brother as 'kiddo' made him rather angry. He scowled inwardly, 'Not even a Curator of the Market Hall would dare to be so audacious!' but seeing that Zhen Shi was okay with it, he controlled himself.
Ignoring Will's angry glares, Vincent grinned even wider revealing a set of rotten teeth, "Sure, it's a deal!"
Turning to Zhen Shi, he began to talk with unnecessarily excited hand movements, "Well, the culprit that destroyed our market was a raging and fearsome bull! It was a Law Tier Demonic Beast! You must know how rare Law tier personages are. So it suddenly appeared, we were completely shocked!
The customers didn't even think twice, before deciding to turn tail and run away! Most of them were able to escape because the Bull was more interested in our shops.
All of the guards in the vicinity attacked to try to stop it, but all the Bull did was release a single snort! All the guards were thrown away, gravely injured!
Us shop owners couldn't even move in the face of its terrifying aura, and were forced to watch as the Bull ransacked our shops and consumed everything! Be it pills, ingredients, herbs, weapons, formation plates, everything was swallowed in one fell swoop!
Fortunately, the Bull left without taking any lives, and that is a blessing in itself..." and ended in a rather relieved tone.
Zhen Shi raised an eyebrow in surprise, 'Why would the Bull, a manifestation of qi, consume external items like pills and herbs? Could it be trying to assimilate the energy to extend its lifespan and prevent itself from dissipating? But, is that even possible? I've never read of such a thing...
And most importantly, why does Vincent think that the Bull is a demonic beast? Is it because his cultivation is too weak to realize that the Bull is actually a qi manifestation? Or, is it because of something else?'
In the end, Zhen Shi held back his suspicions and simply nodded. He asked again, "Do they know why the demonic beast appeared inside the city?"
Vincent slowly shook his head, and spoke thoughtfully, "Not really. It is rather unusual, especially considering that a demonic beast came from the center of the city. But I'm sure the kingdom guards will carry out an investigation..."
Despite Vincent's reassurance, Zhen Shi knew for a fact that the chances of the actual culprit being accused were next to impossible. Even if the guards were able to find the truth, he doubted that they'd dare to reveal it. Especially considering that the true culprit was Lord Turnbull, a Curator of the fearsome Market Hall!
Having thought this far, Zhen Shi couldn't help but smirk inwardly. This was a heaven-sent opportunity for him to cause trouble for Turnbull!
Waving at Vincent in thanks for his help, Zhen Shi walked away and quickly reached the very center of the destroyed market street.
His mouth curled into an enigmatic smile and his body shifted into an upright posture. Using some of his soul formation cultivation to increase the sound, he cleared his throat quite audibly, causing several people to look over in surprise.
Observing Zhen Shi's appearance, the observers could only see a rather good-looking, well-learned young man.
Despite the heart-wrenching sorrow of losing their shops, the crowd was still rather curious about what this scholarly young man had to say in the wake of this disaster...
Seth, who recognized him instantly, began to shiver in fear, 'W-Why is that damned monster here? Is he here to break my pride as a salesperson again?'
Unaware that he had been recognized, Zhen Shi nodded politely to his audience.
He began to speak in a warm voice, "Friends, Cultivators, Countrymen, lend me your ears for I have come to inform and not slander.
As fellow cultivators who constantly fight against the sorrows of life, all of us have faced loss, high and small. But as fellow shopkeepers, this is a particularly sorrowful disaster...
With the attack of that heartless demonic beast, our shops, our wares, and our livelihoods have been completely ruined. The shops we built from the ground up, completely gone..." ending with a sorrowful sigh.
With just those few sentences, all of the cultivators had been entranced by Zhen Shi's speech.
So far, he had only pointed out the obvious, but the way he said it and the words he used, had left them rather moved.
However, while the crowd was impressed, the eyes of Will and Vincent were twitching quite visibly, 'Ehhh? When the heck did he become a shopkeeper? When the hell did he face a loss? Fuck! Didn't he come here just a few seconds ago?'
Even Will couldn't help but think twice if this was the same elder brother that he looked up to.
On the other hand, Seth had become less afraid and was now observing curiously. To him, it was possible that 'the damned monster' was a shopkeeper, which actually made quite a bit of sense.
With all eyes on him, Zhen Shi sighed heavily and continued, "The worst part is that there is no real culprit. A demonic beast attack is akin to a natural disaster. There is no true villain, but the cruel side of mother nature to be blamed, right?"
The entranced crowd immediately nodded. After all, this was completely true and mirrored their current feelings.
However, at this point, Zhen Shi strongly shook his head, "But I say, NO!
I have stepped up today to say something different! Something that'll make you stand up in rage! Something that will not have us submissively accepting this tragedy!"
The crowd was hanging on to every single word leaving his mouth. Without even intending to, they bent their heads, as if to listen more carefully. Even William, Seth and, Vincent were rather curious about what Zhen Shi had to say.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
Quite satisfied with the reactions from the crowd, Zhen Shi continued strongly, "Did you ever wonder why the beast come from further towards the middle of our city?
If you did, then perhaps, you thought that the demonic beast entered from the other side of the kingdom and came this far?
Then, why have there been no reports of any destruction on the other side? Would the powerful knights of the king let a mere law tier bull run unchecked across the kingdom? Why is it only us?"
Every single sentence left the mind of the crowd reeling. Most of them had noticed this fact but hadn't thought too much into it. They had simply decided to leave the investigations to the kingdom guard.
After listening to Zhen Shi's words, they felt rather embarrassed for not looking into the matter more deeply. After all, just like he said, it was rather suspicious.
Zhen Shi's voice grew sharper and louder, "Well, let me tell you why! The reason for all of that is because the demonic beast did not come from nature! This was a man-made disaster! In fact, it isn't even a real demonic beast, just a qi manifestation!
The first signs of destruction similar to our shops can be spotted in a forest on the market island!
Remember the activation of the Market Hall's island formation, that shocked all of us, just a few hours ago?
Well, that was Curator Turnbull's doing, and that was the time that he launched the attack of the bull!
Don't those times match up? It was only an hour or so later when the Bull charged through and destroyed our market!
In addition, did you wonder why the demonic beast was a Bull? Which is rather rare in these parts? Well, its obviously because of the Turnbull family's fascination with Bulls!"
The entire crowd was shocked by this mind reeling revelation! Never had they thought that the culprit would be such a powerful personage!
At the same time, there were some Soul Destruction cultivators who had sensed something off with the Bull's aura and had been confused about whether it was a true demonic beast.
If they had had some slight doubts about Zhen Shi before, with this new evidence that pointed out it was a qi manifestation, they definitely didn't.
Besides, most of the points that Zhen Shi had mentioned, made perfect sense. It was logical and rather believable. As such, most of them, including Seth, started to stare towards the Market Island with rage in their eyes.
Even Vincent did the same. Although he knew that Zhen Shi wasn't a shopkeeper, he could see the truth in his words.
By now, William was feeling rather guilty for his suspicious thoughts. He could see that Zhen Shi was making a move against Lord Turnbull, and it was an extremely clever one!
Seeing the expressions of the crowd that revealed that they believed his words, Zhen Shi was growing rather excited. The fact that he had such a large crowd listening to him, made him feel extremely pleased.
Even so, he quickly controlled his excitement and hid it behind a clam face. He continued to scam, *cough* inform the masses, "As I said before, this is not slander. This is simply information. I happened to be a humble observer of Lord Turnbull's actions, and this is only my part to play as a witness. What you do with this, is up to you," and ended with a light sigh.
Saying this, Zhen Shi observed what the crowd would do, with thinly veiled curiosity.
However, despite the surprising new revelation and the raging anger they felt, not a single one of the cultivators made a move to go after Turnbull. After all, they were just ordinary people, and Lord Turnbull was a Law Holding Curator!
Zhen Shi spotted their reluctance almost immediately.
Fearing that the people might not dare to make a move despite his epic speech, he slapped his chest loudly and roared, "I'm sure that Lord Turnbull simply made a mistake. I'm sure he wasn't truly intending to harm us. Even if it is so, our suffering is real!
So, how can we wait passively?! We should make an inquiry of our own and find the truth for ourselves!
Even if you don't trust me, this is a chance to earn back our losses! It wouldn't hurt to simple check right?
Besides, we're in this together!
We're the shopkeepers of Lyon City!
The masters behind the communal market of the capital of the Lyonesse kingdom!
Even if Lord Turnbull is a Curator, can he brush off the punishment of destroying our market! Even our King might make a move to support us!"
Hearing his shouts, the entire crowd fell into thought with a sense of pride rising in their hearts.
If Zhen Shi's words were to be believed, they weren't just shopkeepers, they were akin to kings! They could be proud of themselves because they were... The Shopkeepers of Lyon City!
Most importantly, they were extremely moved by Zhen Shi's final statement. What he said, did have a point. Considering that even the King would be paying attention to this matter, they were no longer worried about Lord Turnbull.
With the various powerful connections they had as shopkeepers, they no longer had to fear being harmed.
They didn't even think that Zhen Shi could be lying. Even though they didn't know him, they felt that this young man was a kind, humble, and honest person.
Besides, to use the name of a Curator simply for the sake of slandering would be akin to suicide, and that only made them more confident in his story.
As such, only a few minutes passed before the majority of the crowd began to stand up with determination and march towards the Market Island.
Their steps and movement were earth-shaking, their figures were upright with pride, as they all thought with pride, 'We're the shopkeepers of Lyon City! The Masters of the Communal Market of the Capital of the Lyonnesse Kingdom! What do we have to be afraid of?'
Having listened to the entire speech, Seth, no longer felt that Zhen Shi was 'a damned monster'. Instead, he was actually seeing Zhen Shi as a role model, the epitome of what a proud shopkeeper could be!
The way Zhen Shi had forced him to pay a large amount for the beast core was still fresh on his mind, and even that only served to increase his respect!
Quite a bit of the group had thoughts similar to Seth, and it was with complete confidence that they continued to march forward.
This was a terrifying mob! A mob that would undoubtedly shake poor Lord Turnbull until he was forced to repay their losses! And, the mastermind behind this mob, was none other than Zhen Shi!
As Zhen Shi continued to watch the mob of cultivators walking forwards, like an army marching for battle, Zhen Shi felt extremely proud of himself.
However, it was at this point that some of the cultivators noticed that Zhen Shi, the founder of their small protest, wasn't following after them.
They immediately halted their march and turned around with sharp eyes, 'Wait, didn't he say that he is a fellow shopkeeper? Doesn't he want to earn back his losses? Wait, why does he look so unfamiliar? Is he even a shopkeeper? I've never seen him before. This is strange...' and stared suspiciously.
Feeling all those sharp eyes on him, Zhen Shi felt his spine run cold.
He hadn't followed after this crowd due to several reasons. Not only could the fact that he wasn't an actual shopkeeper be found out, but Lord Turnbull might even figure out that he was the one who had riled the crowd up and try to shift some of the blame over to him.
Thus, there was no way he would go with them. But, he also knew that making the wrong move right now might end up with him being ravaged by his own mob.
As such, he forced himself to remain calm.
With the evening sunlight causing his body to glow warmly, his eyes passed over the various destroyed shops. His gaze seemed to be profoundly deep, seeing further than ordinary people could.
A disappointed expression came across his face as he muttered sorrowfully, "Bear with me, my friends. Did I not tell you, I was simply an informant? My intention was never to make a profit. It was only to rebuild what was lost. I might have given you the courage to make a move, but it was only for our once proud Market! How could you... doubt me?" and ended with a heavy sigh.
Hearing his sorrowful words, the suspicious crowd was shocked to their cores!
It was almost as if Zhen Shi was disappointed with them for doubting him and his integrity!
It was almost as if he was truly a selfless shopowner with only the pride of the market powering him on!
Will and Vincent were shocked as well! Will was so shocked he simply stared in disbelief. At first, he had been rather impressed by this plot, but now he just felt embarrassed by Zhen Shi's shamelessness.
Seeking solace in each other, Will and Vincent sighed with awkward expressions on their faces.
It was one thing if Zhen Shi was truly a shopkeeper, but it was something else entirely if he wasn't!
They couldn't help but wonder, 'Where's the intelligent kid who tried to cheat me out of profit? Where's the generous and powerful elder brother that helped me? Is this even the Zhen Shi we know?! How could he be acting so shamelessly?'
Zhen Shi was both relieved and pleased by the changes in the faces of the crowd.
Intending to strike while the iron was still hot, he pretended to not notice anything and calmly sat down in a lotus position.
Closing his eyes, he muttered out a single sentence, "My heart is with our destroyed market, in the rubble. I will pause till it comes back to me, when the market, is rubble no more..."
As those profound words left his mouth, the wind seemed to blow centering around him, the light of the sun seemed to focus on him, the qi seemed to thrum with energy, almost as if nature itself was agreeing to his words.
Hearing his words and seeing these mysterious natural phenomena, the crowd was almost shocked out of their bones. They felt like they were living through one of those legendary stories!
They were truly impressed by this young man. An unwavering heart, following one's will, being true to oneself, he had it all!
His desire to accompany the market was simply awe-inspiring. As fellow shop-keepers, they couldn't help but feel a twinge of pride. This young man was a true shop-keeper of Lyon City!
The entire crowd bowed deeply in his direction, with genuine respect in their eyes.
Not a single one of them dared to glance at him suspiciously any longer.
Honestly speaking, there was no way that the crowd would've been satisfied with just those nonsensical words from Zhen Shi.
In the end, it was only the mysterious phenomena, almost as if nature itself was paying respects to him, that made them believed him.
If even mother nature went so far as to show her respect to his words, they didn't dare suspect him any longer.
By now, Seth was staring at Zhen Shi with complete and total adoration.
He had already made up his mind to keep this great fellow Daoist as his role model. He now understood why he had suffered such a grave loss in the face of this skilled shopkeeper! It was only because Zhen Shi was the epitome of a true shopkeeper!
With the majority of the crowd holding similar thoughts, all of them bowed twice more, to make a total of three bows.
Ding!
The user has gained 100 OP!
Ding!
The user has gained 50 OP!
Ding!
The user has gained 30 OP!
Just as the three bows were completed, a series of notifications rang out. Zhen Shi was completely overjoyed, but considering the current situation, he forced his face to remain calm and his eyes closed.
Gazing at Zhen Shi with genuine respect, the crowd who suspected nothing, slowly turned around and continued to walk away to the Market Island.
Just moments later, almost as if they intended to respect Zhen Shi, they began to cheer loudly once more, "We are the Shopkeepers of Lyon City! The Masters of the Communal Market of the Capital of the Lyonnesse Kingdom! We might have fallen, but we will rise from the rubble!"
It was Seth who started to cheer first, and it quickly caught on. Although they were well-mannered shopkeepers, as of this moment, they looked very much like an angry mob or a group of protesters.
Watching the excited crowd leave, Zhen Shi wiped the cold sweat off his forehead. For a moment there, he had been worried that he would get caught.
Fortunately, he had gotten the bright idea of using some of his bow's divine aura to fake some of that natural phenomena. This was the only reason he had been able to trick the crowd.
Considering that even a Law Tier Vivienne had been tricked back then, there was not much to be said about this little crowd of shopkeepers.
In the end, despite the risk, Zhen Shi had to admit that the entire thing had been rather worth it. Not only had he been able to cause trouble for Lord Turnbull, but he had also been able to obtain a sizable amount of OP!
Those had been the main reasons for Zhen Shi to engage in this farce and trick so many people.
However, now that he thought about it, he realized that he had also kind of enjoyed being the subject of worship and adoration.
Seeing the sight of hundreds of people bowing to him had been rather strangely exhilarating...
Without even knowing it, Zhen Shi was developing a weird tendency to rile up crowds and create mobs that worshipped him.