Xiuxian, I can travel to another world

Chapter 222 The Situation of the Great Qi

The so-called 'black market' is just a colloquial term; its official name is 'Wushanfang,' which is not far from Qunxingfang.

'Wushanfang' is named after Wushan.

This mountain was a mine, rich in a certain ore, but it had been completely mined out hundreds of years ago.

The mine has become an abandoned mountain.

The mine shafts became havens for filth and depravity.

Many shady businesses and unidentified gangsters hid here, eventually leading to its current state.

Since it's a 'black market,' it's open at night, of course.

It's still early.

Zhu Ju, disguised, strolled into a restaurant, glanced at the sky, and ordered some wine and dishes to enjoy.

He is indeed a cultivator, but he cannot sever his emotions and desires; he will not even give up his cravings for food and drink.

Traveling thousands of miles, appreciating different scenery, and tasting various delicacies and wines—only then can one truly live a worthwhile life.

"Snapped!"

"Step aside!"

"Get out of my way!"

A commotion broke out on the long street, and riders on horseback were seen brandishing long whips, driving away pedestrians.

"Are you all blind? Didn't you see Lord Qi's carriage? Get out of the way and clear the road!"

"Looking for a fight!"

"Snapped……"

In the hands of a knight, the whip is powerful enough to split stone tablets and shatter rocks; when it falls on a person, the skin and flesh are torn apart and screams of agony follow.

The long street was deserted in an instant.

A luxurious carriage slowly approached, surrounded by a group of guards, while pedestrians on both sides lowered their heads, not daring to look any longer.

"Whose carriage is this? It's quite impressive."

"Lord Qi Chengye's carriage," someone said in a low voice.
"Lord Qi is Zhang Xiang's prized student. He was rewarded for his meritorious service in disaster relief. It is said that he will go to the Ministry of Revenue this time when he returns to the capital."

"He will most likely become the head of the Ministry of Revenue in the future."

"Disaster relief?" The burly man drinking nearby looked disdainful.

"In the past two years, countless people have starved to death in the three prefectures and seventeen counties. There are countless cases of people exchanging children to eat and eating raw dirt. Yet these people can be promoted for their merits in disaster relief. The Great Qi really has no one left to use!"

"Brother, be careful what you say!"

"Shh..."

Upon hearing this, the onlookers turned pale and quickly moved away, fearing they would be implicated. The burly man, however, seemed oblivious and continued eating and drinking heartily.

In recent years, Prime Minister Zhang has been at the height of his power in the court, suppressing bandits, pacifying disaster victims, and gaining the trust of His Majesty.

The fact that a illegitimate son of the Zhang family beat a civil official to death in the street, yet no government office dared to intervene, speaks volumes.

Since Lord Qi had curried favor with the Zhang family, no one dared to utter a single word of criticism.

Although the capital is large, it is full of scoundrels. If someone hears this and reports it to the Zhang family, the consequences are predictable.

"The imperial court has been sending troops out year after year, conquering east and west. Although it has won many great victories, it has also consumed a lot of wealth."

An elderly man nearby spoke slowly:
"Especially the suppression of the enfeoffment of marquises, which involved the mobilization of millions of troops, was a bottomless pit of manpower and horse feed."

"Lord Qi has solved Prime Minister Zhang's financial problems, so he should naturally be rewarded!"

"Heh..." The burly man put down his wine bowl, his face filled with disdain.

"If the disaster relief funds and grain are used for war, does that mean the disaster victims in the three prefectures should die?"

"That guy surnamed Qi misappropriated disaster relief supplies and actually received a commendation, even being promoted three ranks! Heaven has no eyes!"

"Humph!"

He snorted coldly:
"Although the feudal lords were suppressed, the desperate refugees turned into bandits, and the world may not be any better."

"In my opinion, all the officials in the court are incompetent and corrupt!"

"Young man, watch your words!" The old man's face turned pale, and he hurriedly left his seat and walked away.
"You're asking for it, don't drag us down with you."

"Yes!" someone shouted.
"Since you hate evil so much, why don't you go and ask Lord Qi for an explanation? What's the use of spreading rumors here?"

"You think I, Lu, wouldn't dare?" The burly man's eyes widened, and he slammed down his wine bowl and strode into the street.

He clenched his fists, stared directly at the approaching convoy, and grinned maliciously.
"Qi Chengye!"

"During your four years in office, you have fabricated tax regulations to extort money from the people, misappropriated disaster relief funds for your own selfish gain, and committed all sorts of evil deeds. Today, I, Lu, will act on behalf of Heaven and kill you, you corrupt official!"

Second-rank Martial Grandmaster!

The burly man's voice was like muffled thunder, each word like a powerful arrow, crashing into the convoy and causing men and horses to fall.

As he spoke, he leaped forward like a tiger charging towards the carriage, throwing a powerful punch in mid-air.

"Lu Kong, the eldest disciple of the Divine Fist Sect?"

At this time.

The unassuming coachman in the caravan suddenly looked up and calmly flicked his long whip:

"You think you can assassinate Lord Qi?"

"Snapped!"

The long whip soared into the air like a nimble dragon, shattering the fist's force with a single twist and tightly binding Lu Kong.

"And us!"

Before the coachman could deliver the fatal blow, several figures leaped out from the rooftops on both sides of the street and attacked the carriage.

Several people also rushed out from among the pedestrians on the street.

The vendors who were originally shouting and selling their wares, and the panicked passersby, turned out to be assassins with extraordinary skills.

This group of people were all quite young, with a touch of chivalrous arrogance on their faces, and all of them possessed considerable strength.

Several of them, judging from their appearance, were no more than twenty years old, yet they were already top-tier experts of the third rank who had achieved the unity of spirit and body.

Clearly, each has its own lineage.

"How brave!"

The driver's eyes widened, his aura surged, and an unparalleled, fierce power burst forth from between his skin and flesh.

He opened his mouth and shouted, and a sudden gust of wind arose in the arena.

When the flesh and blood are tempered to the extreme and reach the first-grade grandmaster realm, the physical body already possesses some divine power.

Inhale and become wind; exhale and become thunder!
Every inch of skin and every hair can unleash incredible power.

"Peng!"

The carriage frame beneath their feet exploded with a deafening roar, and the coachman transformed into several afterimages, appearing in various parts of the carriage to meet the group of assassins.

His extreme speed allowed him to block all attacks in an instant.

"Qin Jin, the Golden Dragon Who Stirred Up the Sea!"

One person roared:

"As a Grandmaster of the First Rank, how could you aid and abet evil? Have you forgotten Senior Bai's teachings?"

"Hmph!" Qin Jin's face showed disdain:
“My master’s martial arts talent is astonishing, yet he has never advanced to the first rank in his entire life. How can I, Qin, follow in his footsteps?”

"It was because I didn't listen to him that I was able to become a Grandmaster of the First Rank, and even had the chance to open the Divine Treasury!"

"Lord Qi has been kind to me. If you all try to harm him, you will ruin my future. You will all die!"

"boom!"

His figure flashed, his fists moved like dragons.

Each punch carried the power to shatter mountains and split seas. Although the assassins were highly talented, they were ultimately too young, at most only at the initial stage of the second rank. How could they be his match?

However, with a group of people charging forward fearlessly, even a Grandmaster of the First Rank would have to hold his own.

"Shh!"

Just as the group was fighting, a sword light suddenly shot out from underground, tearing through the wooden planks and penetrating the carriage.

"boom!"

A burst of violent force erupted.

The car was instantly torn to pieces.

"Successful!"

The assassins were overjoyed.

"Humph!"

Seeing this, Qin Jin, the Golden Dragon of the Sea, showed disdain and took the opportunity to strike repeatedly, blasting away several figures.

"Earth Poison Sword!"

Inside the shattered carriage, a tall, thin man, with a sword blade between two fingers, looked at the young assassin:
"A disciple of the Earth Sword Sect who has already reached the second rank at such a young age, you must be the young sect master, Shen Xi, right?"

"Who are you?" Shen Xi's cheek twitched.
Where is that corrupt official Qi Chengye?

"The Chief of the Divine Capital, the Sheep of the End of the Autumn." The man flicked his finger, and the long sword immediately shattered into countless fragments. The fragments pierced into Shen Xi's body, blasting him away. He landed on the verge of death.

"Prime Minister Zhang knew long ago that you Jianghu people were unruly and that someone would definitely try to assassinate Lord Qi."

"Indeed!" Wen Yangqiu stood with his hands behind his back, his aura as a peak first-grade grandmaster expanding as he coldly surveyed the crowd:

"kill!"

"Leave no one behind!"

"promise!"

Suddenly, a large number of soldiers appeared nearby, their auras linked as they rushed towards the group of assassins.

Screams and angry roars rang out, but soon ceased.

Youthful arrogance and a chivalrous spirit could not compensate for the gap in strength, and none of the young people escaped unscathed.

They were all killed!
"Divine Fist Sect, Earth Sword Sect, Sanhe Manor..."

Mo Yangwen glanced at the corpse on the ground, his face cold:

"Do you really think the imperial court is made of clay? Issue the order: these martial arts sects that have defied the imperial court shall all be executed!"

"Yes!"

A bad person should be.

not far away.

Zhu Ju shook his head and looked away.

'It seems that the current situation in the Great Qi is not the prosperous and peaceful era one might imagine.'

'Rebellion, drought, rioters...'

"The prosperity of the capital doesn't mean it's the same elsewhere. I heard from Qingfeng that grain prices have also risen in the capital."

"Shopkeeper."

Taking out several large coins from his pocket, Zhu Ju leisurely stood up:
"Bill, please."

*
*
*
Bai Xiaoge.

The black market is a place where information is sold.

Many people are doing similar businesses, but most of them don't last long, while Baixiaoge has been able to endure.

It is said.

It has a powerful backer.

Even the corrupt officials who monitor the capital city sometimes send people here to buy information.

Sang Rongrong, dressed in black and wearing a thin veil, walked gracefully towards them.

"Greetings, sir."

"..." Zhu Ju, who had disguised himself, had a strange expression. He knew that his 'neighbor' had a special identity, but he didn't expect to run into him here. Could it be that being a news broker was the other party's main job, and stealing items was just a side job?
"Guest officer?"

Sang Rongrong waved her hand in front of Zhu Ju:
"Guest officer?"

"Oh!" Zhu Ju snapped out of his reverie and said with a half-smile:
"The girl's voice reminded me of an old friend, and I was momentarily dazed. I'm so sorry."

"Really?" Sang Rongrong sat down.

"It seems we are destined to meet. May I ask what kind of information you would like to buy, sir?"

"I want to know who the experts are in the Starry Sky Pavilion, how many Divine Martial Saints there are, and what kind of inheritance they each cultivate?"

"?" Beneath the thin veil, Sang Rongrong's expression froze, and she said in a strained voice:
"Guest sir."

"You really think highly of us, but even the Hundred Knowledge Pavilion wouldn't easily leak information related to the Divine Treasure Martial Saint, and that has nothing to do with the price."

Each of the Divine Treasure Martial Saints is a renowned figure; a little inquiry is all it takes to find out.

Therefore,
The reason we don't do business with them isn't because the relevant information is hard to obtain, but rather for a sense of security.

"Oh!" Zhu Ju rested his chin on his hand:
"Is the Hundred Knowledge Pavilion also afraid of the Divine Treasure Martial Saint's retaliation?"

"It's not that I'm afraid, it's that there's no need to be," Sang Rongrong sighed.

"The Divine Treasure Martial Saint has a long lifespan and is no longer human. The Hundred Knowledge Pavilion is well aware of the consequences of offending them."

"Sir, perhaps you should choose another message."

"Alright then!" Zhu Ju sighed softly.
"I'd like to know who in the Starry Sky Pavilion possesses the divine treasure inheritance?"

Sang Rongrong was speechless.

"Does it make a difference?"

"Of course." Zhu Ju shrugged.

"Having the inheritance of the Divine Treasure does not mean that there is a Divine Treasure Martial Saint in charge. This is not an exception, is it?"

“This…” Sang Rongrong looked thoughtful.

She had never encountered anything like this before, since news about the Divine Treasure Martial Saint was taboo everywhere.

"How about this!"

Zhu Ju spoke again:
"Can you tell me which first-rank masters in the Starry Sky Pavilion are relatively young?"

"That's acceptable." Sang Rongrong breathed a sigh of relief.

"Sincerely yours, one hundred taels of gold!"

"Hmm..." Zhu Ju squinted:
"So expensive?"

“If it were any other workshop, ten taels of gold would be more than enough.” Hearing this, Sang Rongrong shrugged.

"However, what you need is information about Qunxingfang. It is a gathering place for many talents, including princes and nobles. It is no exaggeration to say that it is the gathering place for the top talents in the entire Great Qi. You will definitely not lose money if you buy their information for one hundred taels of gold."

"certainly……"

"The Heroes' Pavilion is too special, and the information from the Hundred Knowledge Pavilion may not be entirely accurate. After all, no one knows which masters are hidden there. Please don't blame us later if you find out that the information is wrong."

As if she had thought of something, her voice changed slightly.

"All right!"

Zhu Ju sighed and casually asked:
Are the inheritances of divine treasures very rare?

"Of course," Sang Rongrong replied matter-of-factly.

"There are many second-rank and even first-rank grandmasters in the martial arts world, but very few possess the inheritance of divine treasures."

"Even fewer have ever produced a Divine Treasure Martial Saint."

…………

Baiyun Temple.

Two seven- or eight-year-old children used all their strength to drag an elderly man covered in blood to a guest room.

"What should we do now?"

Qingfeng widened his eyes and spoke:
"Won't we cause trouble for our master?"

"He's already jumped into the courtyard, are we just going to watch him die in the Taoist temple?" Mingyue said crisply.

“When I was injured before, Grandpa Sun would cover the wound with mud and wait for it to scab over and heal.”

She looked at the old man's wounds, lost in thought:
"Or should I go get some mud?"

"Will your method work?" Qingfeng asked, looking completely bewildered.
"I have a feeling that this is a bit unreliable."

"Why isn't it working?" Mingyue pouted.
"That's how my injury was healed. The reason I'm still alive is thanks to Grandpa Sun's 'medical skills'."

"Two...two young friends." The old man, who had somehow regained consciousness, smiled wryly upon hearing this.
"Ignore me. I am seriously injured and will soon die. You can report to the authorities after I die."

"in this way……"

"It won't implicate you."

He was well aware of his injuries: his internal organs were damaged, and his bones were shattered. Even if he survived, he would be a cripple.

A dignified elder of the Divine Fist Sect, a peak second-rank grandmaster, has fallen to such a state in a single day.

Divine Fist Sect...

I shouldn't have come to Shenjing!

Lu Kong was a passionate young man, but he dragged the entire sect down with him. We should never have let him act so recklessly.

"squeak……"

"master!"

Gentle breeze and bright moon rushed up to the Taoist priest, chattering away:
"This person jumped into the Taoist temple from outside!"

"Covered in blood..."

"He said he was going to die!"