Chapter 13: Tianque City

“Enough.”

A wave of thick spiritual power swept in from behind and crushed the fierce attacks aimed at Yan Li in midair. The spiritual power turned into chaotic spiritual light and burst apart in all directions. The aftershock made the robes of nearby people flap loudly.

The crowd fell silent at once.

The crowd blocking the rear parted to both sides on its own.

Yan Li’s eyes sharpened. The small silver sword transformed into a three-foot longsword and floated horizontally before him.

Xuan Shiyan also looked toward the voice, spiritual light surging in his palm.

A young man walked over slowly, followed by several black-clad guards in neat uniforms with identical swords. His aura was far beyond those cannon fodder from before.

He wore a moon-white brocade robe with a jade belt at his waist and a gold crown on his head. His features were handsome enough, but his eyes and brows carried a lofty arrogance.

He waved a folding fan painted with mountains and rivers. As the fan swayed, he had already flashed in front of Yan Li. He was actually a Golden Core stage expert.

He stopped and snapped the fan shut.

“Impressive.”

Yan Li withdrew his longsword and said nothing.

The young man did not mind. He smiled elegantly and tapped the folded fan twice against his palm.

“I am Zhou Jin of the Zhou family in Tianque City. My subordinate was ignorant and offended you, sir. I apologize on his behalf.”

Then he turned his head and ordered someone beside him: “Take these blind fools back and deal with them according to the family rules.”

“Yes.” The guards behind him responded and stepped forward. They dragged the half-dead man up from the ground and escorted him away along with the other five.

Zhou Jin’s gaze swept once around Yan Li’s face. A flicker of admiration crossed his eyes, then was covered by his arrogant expression.

“Might I ask who your master is, sir? What business brings you to Tianque City?”

The words sounded polite, but beneath the politeness was clearly an interrogation.

Yan Li replied flatly, “What’s it to you?”

When the upper beam is crooked, the lower beam is crooked too. That principle applied anywhere.

Those guards could shove pedestrians and spew filth in public without restraint. That was not a habit formed overnight.

Yan Li did not believe their master had not silently allowed or even encouraged it.

Sure enough, as soon as those words came out, Zhou Jin’s smile froze for a moment.

One guard behind him immediately stepped forward, hand on his sword hilt, and shouted angrily, “Insolent! Do you know who stands before you…”

“Stand down.”

Zhou Jin raised a hand to stop the guard from saying more, instantly commanding the scene.

His smile returned as if nothing had happened. He opened the fan and waved it slowly.

“You speak quite directly, sir.”

“Likewise.”

Zhou Jin’s fan hand paused. His smile did not change, but amusement grew in his eyes.

He looked at Yan Li for a moment, then suddenly chuckled and snapped the fan shut against his palm.

“Interesting.” He turned and walked without pausing. “Let’s go.”

The group filed past Yan Li and walked on without looking back.

The man Yan Li had taught a lesson was helped by a companion and limped along behind them. When he passed Yan Li, he did not even dare glance his way.

After the group entered the city, the atmosphere at the gate finally relaxed.

The crowd began to murmur.

“Who is that? He dared speak to the Zhou family’s young master like that…”

“Must be an outsider. Doesn’t know the rules.”

“Those Zhou family guards deserved it. They’re used to acting tough. Finally ran into someone tough.”

“But those two moves were really clean. I didn’t even see how he struck.”

The voices mixed together, but Yan Li ignored them all. He had only come to Tianque City to find medicine for Yan Shu. Once it was done, he would leave. He did not care about the Zhou family or the Li family.

The stalled line began to move again.

Yan Li secretly let out a breath. His dantian was actually empty now. The confidence he had shown just then had been forced.

If those attacks had really landed, it was hard to say whether he could have withstood them.

Add in a Golden Core stage expert, and if it really came to a fight, the three of them likely would not even make it through the gate alive.

Besides, that exchange had looked easy, but in truth it required control over spiritual power down to a hair’s breadth.

Three months ago, Yan Li could never have suppressed a late Foundation Establishment cultivator with a single thread of spiritual power from his fingertip, much less seal off the flow of spiritual power throughout his body.

After that, the whip of spiritual power had knocked weapons from the hands of several cultivators at the same stage.

From beginning to end, the silver flying sword had never left its sheath.

Yan Li’s sword path had always been sharp and fierce, but these days he spent every day clearing Yan Shu’s meridians. To avoid hurting her, he had ground that sharp spiritual power down until it was as fine as a strand of hair.

Over time, this almost harsh control had completely changed his command of spiritual power.

Now he could release and withdraw spiritual power with meticulous precision.

At that thought, Yan Li turned his head toward Yan Shu in Xuan Shiyan’s arms.

The little thing was kicking her short legs and squirming in Xuan Shiyan’s arms. When she saw Yan Li looking, she opened her little arms toward him and babbled “ah ah ah,” begging to be held.

Yan Li’s tense expression softened a little when he saw Yan Shu stretching her little hands toward him and leaning his way with all her strength.

He reached out, rubbed her little head, and took her from Xuan Shiyan’s arms.

As soon as Yan Shu was back in his arms, she grabbed his collar with practiced ease and giggled.

The coldness between Yan Li’s brows quietly melted away, and a gentle smile rose in his eyes.

Xuan Shiyan looked at the two of them and could not help but smile.

“Let’s go.”

“Mm.”

The two walked side by side toward the city gate.

Tianque City truly lived up to its name as the largest city in Zhongzhou.

The moment they stepped inside, everything seemed to open up.

The streets were wide enough for several carriages to travel side by side. Spirit lamps hung high on both sides, making the long street as bright as day.

The spiritual energy in the air was far denser than outside. With every breath, strands of spiritual energy seemed to actively burrow into their bodies.

This was a city truly built for cultivators.

Looking around, shops lined both sides in row after row. Even at night, the streets were still crowded and brightly lit.

Signs for spiritual material shops, pill workshops, and artifact pavilions flickered in the night. Hawking and bargaining voices filled the air.

Yan Shu was fascinated by the lively scene. Her little head turned this way and that. One moment she was staring blankly at strings of shiny spirit beads on a street stall; the next her gaze was caught by fluffy spiritual beast cubs in cages.

In a blink she looked up, following the spirit lamps drifting through the air. Her little head swung left and right, utterly busy.

Yan Li carried her in front, sometimes turning sideways to avoid oncoming pedestrians. Tianque City had far too many people, so many that even walking required care not to step on someone’s heels.

Xuan Shiyan followed behind. He seemed to casually scan both sides of the street, but in truth he was quietly gathering information about the city.

By unspoken agreement, neither of them mentioned what had happened at the city gate.

The name Zhou Jin and that appraising gaze were set aside by both of them at the same time.

The most important thing now was to find Yulu Workshop.

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