บท 4: The City

Sunday.

There's no classes on the day and the disciples are also allowed to leave the sect as long as they returned before midnight. Any later and there would be a penalty in the form of tough jobs or reduction of allocated resources.

Zhang Wuji did his training and left the sect for the city closest to the sect. It was established by the sect and even named White Serenity city. The city is around a kilometre south of the sect gates. The wide road is filled with trees on either side. One only needs to follow the road to reach the city. It was a walled city with two gates on the eastern and northern sides. As a city close to the Silver Bark forest it was under the risk of beast tides. So the west and south walls do not have gates to ensure they are not broken by the momentum of the tide. To the north was the sect and was thus safer.

He entered the city through the northern gate. It was midday. Disciples usually start visiting the city in the evening and therefore the roads were almost empty and he did not come across anyone on the way.

Given that the city provided some basic goods to the sect and sold the items produced in the sect, it was filled with merchants and cultivators. There is a constant flow of mortals, cultivators and goods in and out of the city. With the presence of the sect there were no big bandit groups in the vicinity and thus ensured a relatively safe journey.

Old Zhang Wuji had been to the city before so he was familiar with the city. First he was eager to try immortal world food.

He tried various fruits and treats on the way, loved them and munched on them till he was full.

'Aaah that was awesome. There's new fruits with a novel taste. There's also old world fruits like apple guava grapes and others with an enhanced taste. That weird looking melon like fruit was really amazing. One whiff got me salivating like crazy. Now that I'm full I'll roam around the city a bit and I'll try immortal cooking later at dinner time. Memories aren't enough when it comes to food. I gotta try it personally.'

He tried immortal world gambling games, lost some silver, window shopped at alchemy and tool refining guilds, went to the theatre and slept through the opera and tried all kinds of stuff till evening after which he tried all kinds of street food that open their stalls only after the sunlight decreases in intensity.

At this time one could see green robed disciples here and there. It was time to start doing what he came here to do.

'What kind of a person should this new acquaintance be?'

'Well let us see.'

'It definitely needs to be a he. If I approach a she, she might think I'm hitting on her and beat the crap out of me. Or she'll seduce me, suck my yang essence, rob me and use my organs in an evil ritual. I can't deny that it is possible that it would lead to an epic romance with epic fights, epic rivals with epic...'

*SMACK*

'Epic my ass! A she is a trouble magnet period. Though amazing, beautiful, hot and sexy they... ay ay ay this is getting difficult. Deep breaths deep breaths..'

*inhale

exhale

inhale

'I would die content if I could just....'

*shakes head and exhales

'I'll get something to eat first and think later.'

'The fruits were amazing so were the street stalls. Some novels say the cooking in such worlds is primitive. I never cooked in my life. I'm lucky that this doesn't seem to be such a world.'

'Let us see. Fine Dining Inn, Spring Wine Pavilion, Magnificent Feast,...'

'Green Bamboo. I like bamboo. I choose you'

*THUD*

"Old beggar you are not welcome here. If you dare come over again I'll break your hand. "

Just as Zhang Wuji was about to enter the restaurant a person came flying out from the establishment next door.

"Aiya so ruthless. These days the elderly are given no respect. How the world has fallen."

The old man got up rubbing his lower back and grumbled.

Zhang Wuji looked at the board of the shop 'Wan Bao Rock Gambling'.

'A fortuitous encounter scenario. If I help out the old man maybe he would give me a heaven defying cultivation technique or maybe a godly medicine. He might just be a normal gambling addict.

No. If you wanna have a chance at living happily in this world you gotta take risks. What is there to lose here? At most I'll just lose some money. Zhang family is rich. Old Zhang Wuji uselessly saved a lot of money. Only if I spend it will it have value. If some is lost it wouldn't be a big problem. Maybe my cheat is hidden here. Maybe this is going to turn my life around and I'll reach the sky in a single step. Alright I'm gonna do this.'

"Old man you okay? You need to take care of yourself. Stay away from such establishments. They cheat you out of you money. Here take this silver and have good meal."

'Show of concern check. Friendly warning check. Help with money check. I'm definitely going to...'

*SMACK*

"What do you mean cheat you out of your money. Do we look like cheaters to you? This is a proper dair gambling den. How dare you smear our name?"

A big man with a gruff voice smacked Zhang Wuji on the back of his head and yelled without raising his voice.

The old man took the ten silver coins and scurried away. No thanks no secret technique nothing. Zhang Wuji lifted his head to look for the old man but he was already lost in the crowd.

"Oy I'm talking to you. What are you gawking around for?"

"Ah big brother I'm the one at fault. It's all a misunderstanding. As you can see I'm the sect's outer disciple. I just came out the sect for a breather. Please do me a favour and forget about this. You didn't suffer a loss or anything."

"Hmph a mere outer sect disciple. Don't think you can wiggle out of this using the sect's name. Reputation is everything. A hit to one's reputation in this business is equivalent to a hit to one's livelihood. Let's go to the sect supervisor and let him be the judge."

"Big brother why increase the conflict? It is always better to make friends. If we disturb the supervisor for such a small matter it would not be good for both of us. I could compensate for the trouble I caused and we could bury the matter here. What do you say?"

"You talk some sense. Alright. Pay 200 silver for the losses and gamble a few stones to build the trust we have lost because of you and I'll let this matter go."

"200 silver?! Do I look like someone rich to you? That much sil..."

"Yes you do look like someone rich."

"How so?"

"A third grade disciple is not free enough to enjoy himself loitering around in the city."

"I am a poor first class disciple."

"Wow nice delivery. Your face didn't even slightly redden when you said that. You have talent. Now go learn some music and you can debut in an opera. There is a theatre in the city. I know the owner there and could recommend you if you want."

"What are you talking about? Do I not look first class material to you?"

"Here I thought you had skill. Turns out you are just stupid. You look sixteen and I don't know what your cultivation stage is but clearly you haven't yet reached late stage body refinement. No one is foolish enough to believe that you are a first class talent. You don't have talent and also seem to be lacking in the intelligence department. Give up cultivation and think about my offer. I'm in a good mood today. You will never have such a golden opportunity again."

"You... I... you just wait. When I reach qi condensation I'll make you kneel and beg for mercy."

"Huh?" The bouncer raised his eyebrow and looked down menacingly at Zhang Wuji. "Say that again."

....

'Fuck! What's wrong with me? kneel and beg for mercy? It is good that he was pacified with 300 silver otherwise my otherworldly journey would've ended here. 510 silver gone down the drain. Fortuitous encounter my ass. That happens only in the novels.'

Zhang Wuji decided to go back after having a meal. He had had enough of the city and just wanted to go back to his room and sleep.

'I'm so stupid. It's the White Serenity city and he wouldn't dare kill me. I unnecessarily gave him so much money.'

'This is all because of that old man. The next time I see him I'll beat the crap out of him.

He could still be an expert though.

Right. One must respect elders. How can I beat the elderly. I'll just let it go.'

'Haah my life sucks.'

He went to the first floor of the Green Bamboo, ordered some dishes and waited for them to arrive.

"Have you heard senior brother Wan issued a challenge to senior brother Lei."

He heard a really excited voice coming from the table two tables to his right. There were three teenagers around his age wearing sect outer disciple green robes at the table. The speaker was a tall kid with a good looking face.

"Seriously?! How is that possible? I heard he had just reached the eighth level a month ago and senior Lie is at the peak of body refinement. Isn't that just asking for a beating?" the other tall kid with a tan exclaimed.

"He might have levelled up?" the round faced kid said uninterested.

"Are you stupid? He took two months to reach eighth level from the seventh. I refuse to believe he could reach ninth level within a month."

"What do you know about the ways of the genius?"

"It has nothing to do with the ways of genius. It is simple extrapolation."

"He could've gotten a rare herb or pill from somewhere. Or maybe a hidden inheritance."

"Stupid! Inheritances are not cabbages. Besides the sect allows one break day. Where is he gonna get an inheritance in a day."

"Alright alright stop it you two. Why speculate when I have the whole story. The reason he dared to challenge senior brother Lei is .... that .... he managed to reach grand completion in the Venomous Snake Palm Art that he practices." the first kid said doing a bad job at trying to build up the suspense to shock his companions with the climax which worked nonetheless cause the news itself was shocking to the listeners.

"Grand completion stage!!! How old is he 13? 14? As far as I know he's only been cultivating for an year right? How is that possible? No wonder he dared to challenge senior brother Lei. With grand completion in martial arts he could easily skip levels and fight one level above."

"Sigh.. the world is so unfair. I've been training thunder blade for four years and have only reached the completion stage. Haah it is depressing." Round face shook his head as if to drive the depression away.

"Oy oy then what should I say I'm still at mastery stage."

"You are lazy. It is obvious that you have low skill."

"Alright that's it. Let's fight." the tan kid yelled getting up from his seat.

"Junior sister Yue got pregnant." The tall kid said with a smug smile as if he had done the deed. He enjoyed the reaction in people's faces when he drops a shocking news. He was quite confident in the effect of this particular news.

"WHAT!!! Which junior sister Yue? Yue Yinghua? The sister of senior brother Yue Fei?"

The image of a girl popped up in Zhang Wuji's mind. Yue Yinghua was a famous beauty in the outer sect. She had suitors even in the inner sect. Although she had an attractive face it wasn't enough to bring her the fame. The real reason behind the fame was that though fifteen she had a figure that could make the dead salute.

'Lucky bastard' Zhang Wuji couldn't help gulping at the thought.

"Yep."

"Was it He Jifeng? What happened next? Did senior Yue kill him? He couldn't have right? Senior brother He is a first class disciple."

Yue Fei was twenty years old and already at the fifth level of qi condensation. Even if he were to kill he wouldn't be punished much.

"Yes it was him. Senior brother Yue beat the crap out of him. A sect deacon interfered and stopped him midway otherwise he would likely have killed him."

"Then?" Gossip pulls everyone in. Zhang Wuji involuntary said. He was happy with it. If he doesn't screw up too bad he will have a brand new information source in the sect.