“Fish, Fresh daily!”

The cries of street vendors rang out around him as Yu Chen walked through the streets of the sprawling shanty town. He paused, watching in amusement as a gaggle of children ran in front of him, laughing as they played some game in the streets. A much younger boy trailed behind the others. He looked up as he passed Yu Chen, gracing him with a wide, gap-toothed smile before toddling along, waving his chubby hands in the air as he aped the others.

Yu Chen smiled at the sight. He continued down the street once the children passed, moving deeper into the overcrowded slums that clung to the shore of the river. Dilapidated buildings loomed on all sides, cramping the small streets and turning the area into a claustrophobic warren where alleyways popped up at random, leading off to side streets and back streets that twisted back upon each other in a confusing maze.

This was far from the city proper - the streets here were simple, rough things of unpaved dirt marked with deep ruts from the wagons that regularly passed through.

They were filled with mud more often than not, but that didn’t bother Yu Chen. He’d never minded a bit of dirt, and whatever managed to cling to the hem of his robes would wipe away easily enough, thanks to whatever strange properties had imbued them.

He’d passed through many towns and villages on his journey, exploring a good many of the countryside cities as well, and had begun to think himself somewhat cultured. But even he had to admit that the slums were a lively place. The sheer press of humanity he’d encountered here had been far beyond his expectations.

It was true what they said, the yellow river was the source of all life in this world. Countless humans filled the streets he walked through, more than he could begin to count.

A handful of day laborers rushed by, and Yu Chen moved aside, stepping closer to a pair of women covered in garish makeup and little else who stood in a nearby alley. One winked at him, waggling her eyebrows suggestively, but Yu Chen simply gave her a polite smile, shaking his head at her before continuing on his way.

She gave him a quick pout, but she’d already turned, smiling at the next man before Yu Chen even turned the corner. A consummate professional.

He didn’t have to go much further before he found what he was looking for. He squeezed down another alley, this one barely wide enough for him to walk through without turning sideways, and glanced around for the battered wooden sign he’d been told to look for.

Yu Chen spotted it, swinging in the wind at the end of the street, where it hung unevenly from two rusted chains that looked liable to snap at any moment. Someone had burned an image into the signboard, that of a near-empty cask, leaking from a hole in its side. It was attached to a low, dark building that someone had squished between two others, close enough that you couldn’t fit a pinky between them.

A pair of hard men stood near the front, eyeing Yu Chen as he approached but he paid them no mind, walking past them and entering the building. Only, he didn’t go in through the front, walking instead down a series of low steps that led into the basement of the establishment.

He opened the door, his nose wrinkling ever so slightly as the smell of cheap wine rolled out, mingled with the charred scent of smoke and the musk of unwashed men. The air felt thick and heavy, filled with a stench that had lingered for years. It was loud and boisterous within, but as soon as he stepped inside the noise faltered, the eyes in the room shifting towards him.

Yu Chen stood at the threshold for a second, looking around. It was a decent sized space, but it somehow still felt suffocating, with every inch crammed full of people and objects. A few dim candles hung from the walls, casting long shadows across the room, but they were barely enough to illuminate the seedy men within, hunched over tables covered in cards and dice. Faces turned towards him, hardened by years of rough living, looking up from their games of chance as they eyed the newcomer.

Yu Chen’s white robes, plain as they were, still looked out of place in the flickering light of the dinghy room. They were clean and unstained, unlike the others within. His long hair was neat and well kept, his face sharp and angular, and a deep strength filled his eyes that was at odds with the dirty, sweat-streaked men who sat around gambling with desperation in their eyes.

The noise slowly returned as he strode towards the counter, although it was more muted than before he’d arrived. Some of the men cast nervous glances his way as he passed, but Yu Chen ignored them all.

He only had eyes for one man.

The barkeep scowled towards him as he approached, but Yu Chen paid him no mind either, dropping into a seat beside the only man who hadn’t bothered to look up when the door had opened.

The man was hunched in his seat, leaning over the bar as he stared into a mug he was cradling in his hands. His long black hair was unkempt, hanging about his face in oily curls, and his face was covered in a patchy beard he hadn’t bothered to shave. He practically reeked, smelling as though he hadn’t bathed in weeks.

“What d’ya want?” The bartender asked in an unfriendly tone.

Yu Chen gave him half a glance as he placed a bit of coin on the counter, before nodding to the man beside him.

“I’ll take what he’s having, make it two.”

The surly bartender snatched the coin off the counter, moving so fast Yu Chen had half a thought the man might be a cultivator himself. He gave the coin a hard bite before letting out an irritable grunt, pocketing it as he turned around and busied himself pouring the drinks.

Yu Chen studied the strange man beside him, who still hadn’t reacted, not even acknowledging that someone had sat beside him. He was just staring into his empty cup, despondent, oblivious to the world around him.

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Two mugs slammed into the counter with an audible thump that caused cheap wine to slosh over the sides, not that the bartender cared. He was already walking away to deal with another customer, and Yu Chen couldn’t help but notice he hadn’t left any change behind.

He ignored it, unwilling to squabble with a mortal over a few coins.

“Thirsty?” He asked the man beside him, pushing one of the mugs closer.

This at last, finally had an effect. The man looked up, fixing him with a listless stare that gradually sharpened as Yu Chen’s words cut through whatever fog filled the man’s mind.

The broken man numbly pushed his empty cup to the side before picking up the proffered one, sucking down deep gulps that seemed to bring a hint of life back to his eyes. Yu Chen joined him, swallowing his own cup down before sliding some more coins on the counter and motioning to the bartender who’d come back around.

The two of them drank in silence for a while, going through enough cups that even the surly bartender started to eye him with respect. The man slowly grew warmer, and the wine itself became better as the man broke out the good stuff.

Although better was a relative term - the good stuff here was still worse than the swill served at other establishments.

Thankfully Yu Chen’s cultivation gave him a bit of resistance towards mortal poisons like these, allowing him to keep up with the strange man. If he truly wished to get drunk he’d need a wine brewed with water from a spirit spring, alongside other wondrous ingredients.

The despondent man still hadn’t spoken, not even to say thanks. It wasn’t until sometime around the eighth cup that he finally turned, fixing Yu Chen with eyes that were surprisingly clear.

“What’s this for?” The man asked. He was no longer gulping it down, instead he was sipping the cheap wine as though savoring the taste.

Yu Chen didn’t respond right away, taking a sip of his own. Truthfully the man hadn’t been exactly what he’d expected, and he wasn’t sure how best to approach him.

Well, he couldn’t go wrong with telling the truth.

“You’re Sun Yuan right? I’ve heard that you’re a passable navigator, and one of the few that’s been upstream. I could use your services.”

This seemed to catch the man’s attention, and for the first time he gave Yu Chen his full attention. A depth lurked in the man’s eyes in the brief moment he looked him up and down before they slid away, staring back into his cup.

“Passable? I’m the best navigator in this whole damned city, top or bottom.” The dirty man muttered, sounding vaguely offended. “Unfortunately I’m retired. Thank you for the wine, but do me a favor and piss off.”

Yu Chen didn’t move from his seat, drumming his fingers on the table as he thought. Retired? The filth and dirt gave him an older appearance, but Yu Chen could tell the man didn’t have more than a few years on himself. He wasn’t nearly old enough to be retired, let alone wasting his life away in a place like this.

“If it’s the danger you’re worr-” Yu Chen began, but the man cut him off with a snort before he could finish.

“Danger?” Sun Yuan asked, angrily waving his cup around. “What do you know about danger? Have you ever clung to the mast in a river storm, when the waves rise up so high they blot the sky, and heavenly thunder crashes down around you? How about fighting pirates on a deck slick with blood, trying to keep your footing as the ship heaves back and forth?”

He took a deep gulp from his cup, emptying it before placing it on the counter before him.

“Don’t tell me about danger boy.” The man said, his tone turning vacant once again as the brief surge of anger ran from his body, leaving him nearly as lifeless as before. “I’ve seen things you’ve never imagined.”

“I’ve seen my own share of troubles.” Yu Chen said, swirling the cup in his hand.

Sun Yuan grunted in reply, picking up the fresh drink the bartender laid down. He was moving with remarkable alacrity now that he’d realized Yu Chen would keep the coin coming, not even waiting to see it before setting a fresh set of cups down.

“Of course you have. What sect are you from anyways?” The man asked in disinterest as he took another sip from his cup.

Yu Chen shot him a look of mild surprise.

“The Golden Mist Sect, how’d you know?”

Sun Yuan rolled his eyes.

“Who else wants to go upstream? traders simply hug the shore on the way up and down the river, and have no need for a navigator. In which case, you wouldn’t be talking to me.”

Yu Chen settled back in his seat, impressed with the man’s deduction. Maybe there was more to him than he seemed.

“You have a boat then?” The man asked suddenly, looking up at him through the rank locks of greasy hair that swung in front of his face. His gaze was intent, piercing, and Yu Chen was taken about by the sudden intensity within.

“No.” Yu Chen replied with a sigh. “I have some coins though, we could buy one.”

“Some coi-”, The man began, looking at Yu Chen incredulously. “You think you can simply buy a boat that can traverse the deep waters of the Yellow River?”

Yu Chen looked at him in askance. The man turned away, muttering something that was lost as he swallowed a mouthful of wine.

He looked up, giving Yu Chen a considering look before deciding to explain. “Look,” He began. “I appreciate the drinks, so you should know this. The yellow river is no ordinary thing. It is full of spiritual energy that only increases the further you move away from land, to the point that it breaks down all mortal objects upon it.”

Yu Chen’s eyes widened, it was the first time he’d heard this.

“Only a spiritual treasure can survive for long within the deeper waters, and you won’t be acquiring one of those with some simple coin.” The dirty man let out an ugly laugh, swirling his cup in his hands. “You could try visiting Jiang Ming. That old fellow specializes in crafting spirit vessels. I hear he just finished a fine commission, maybe you could get your hands on it.”

“I’m not a thief.” Yu Chen said, his voice hard and low.

“And I’m not a navigator, not anymore.” The man said with a forlorn chuckle. “You can take that boat or find another, it doesn’t matter to me. Either way you won’t make it far upstream without one.”

Yu Chen didn’t reply, swallowing his wine before slamming his cup down. He stood up, pushing his stool back, leaving without another word.

He left the rancid den, taking a deep breath of fresh air from outside before exhaling slowly. It looked like he’d have to acquire a boat, one way or the other.