Misty Rain of the Old Times

After emerging from underground, Chen Xuan and his group traversed nearly a hundred miles before finally leaving the Wanku Mountain area. This region was indeed quite large, but he began to wonder if he had gone in the wrong direction.

Outside Wanku Mountain, there is no sign of human habitation for a large area; as far as the eye can see, there are only desolate mountains and wilderness.

As the sun set behind the mountains, they finally found a city of considerable size and entered it in the afterglow of the setting sun.

Instead of going through the main gate, they went straight into the city, so much so that Chen Xuan didn't even know exactly where he was.

"We've been like groundhogs these past few days. Let's find an inn to clean up first, then we'll go out for a stroll and find a decent restaurant to treat ourselves," Chen Xuan arranged after entering the city, not caring at all about where they were.

Even after spending several days underground, everyone, including the little girl, remained clean and tidy, not at all disheveled. It was just a habit for Chen Xuan; although he didn't have severe mysophobia, he always felt uncomfortable if he didn't wash up.

The young girl was preoccupied with mundane matters and hadn't fully developed her perspective. She hesitated, saying, "But sir, we didn't bring any household registration or travel permits with us. We can't check into a proper inn."

This wasn't a big problem, and Chen Xuan didn't even need to come up with a solution. Du Juan proactively offered, "Leave it to me."

Having worked as an assassin and traveled extensively, she was experienced in this area and offered to help. Chen Xuan, wanting to save himself the trouble, didn't think too much about it and sighed softly, "The smell of the sea is a bit strong. We checked before entering the city; it's not by the sea."

Du Juan and the others were also here for the first time, so they had no idea what was going on and were speechless.

After a short search, they arrived at a decent-sized inn. Du Juan went forward first to negotiate the arrangements. Chen Xuan was initially curious about how she could arrange for him to stay at a proper inn without a registered residence. However, after he slightly revealed his innate cultivation, the innkeeper was incredibly polite and courteous, repeatedly telling him to let them know if he needed anything, without asking about any procedures such as residence registration or official documents.

That's normal; the so-called rules and regulations are designed for ordinary people.

This inn doesn't have a separate courtyard, but it does have a top-tier suite, which is quite nicely furnished. After checking in, the girls immediately arranged for Chen Xuan to take a bath and even took his clothes to wash.

As the city lights began to twinkle, Chen Xuan, refreshed after a good bath, found the girls had already finished their personal hygiene and were waiting for him.

"Let's go treat ourselves. We haven't had anything good to eat these past few days," Chen Xuan immediately suggested.

Leave your luggage at the guesthouse, and they'll close the door and go downstairs. There's nothing valuable there. If you lose it while you're out, you can hold the guesthouse accountable. If they can't even keep an eye on their guests' luggage, who else can they blame but you?

Without a clear destination, they walked down the street after leaving the inn. Chen Xuan looked around and said, "This city doesn't have a curfew, and there are martial arts practitioners everywhere. Tsk, there are quite a few innate masters. They're probably all here for Wanku Mountain."

Du Juan was no longer the taciturn and reticent person she had been at the beginning. Upon hearing this, she said, "Master, when you were bathing earlier, I asked the people at the inn. This city is called Juluo City, with a permanent population of around 200,000. It's not much larger than Yang County, where our family lives, but it's already the largest city within a radius of 500 li. It's also nearly 200 li from the coast and is the main distribution center for seafood along the eastern coast of our Jing Kingdom. The strong fishy smell you mentioned earlier is probably due to the concentration of seafood here, which then spreads throughout the country."

"And this is also the largest city near Wanku Mountain, so people from all walks of life flock here. Whether going in or out of Wanku Mountain, people have to pass through here. I imagine not many people go directly to Wanku Mountain like we do."

"Time is limited, so this is all I know. I haven't had time to inquire about the other people from all walks of life who came here."

After listening to her, Chen Xuan said happily, "Sister Juan has learned so much in such a short time, you're very thoughtful."

Although they were all unimportant messages, Chen Xuan was extremely pleased with her serious attitude towards her work.

"It's all what I should do," Du Juan said with a smile, not daring to take credit, but secretly thinking that she had done the right thing, and she was becoming more and more accustomed to the things that her identity required her to do.

The little girl next to her admired Du Juan's ability to handle things. She hadn't considered so many things. It seemed that she still needed to learn from Sister Juan about various matters when traveling.

After strolling around for a while, chatting idly, Chen Xuan pointed to a brightly lit restaurant and said, "Let's go here. It's packed with guests; it must have something special about it."

They naturally had no objections, and Du Juan stepped forward to make the arrangements first.

When Chen Xuan and the little girl stepped into the restaurant, Du Juan had already made arrangements to wait for them. They went straight up to the third floor, and their arrival attracted a lot of attention. Even one of them would stand out in a crowd. Such an outstanding trio is a rare sight.

The private rooms by the window facing the courtyard offer a panoramic view of the first-floor hall. There's a stage there where storytellers earn a living by spouting witty remarks, recounting hearsay, gossip, and elegant anecdotes, occasionally cracking a few dirty jokes for a laugh.

"What would you like to eat, gentlemen? Here is the menu," the waiter serving the private room said meekly, not daring to look at Du Juan and her companions even once. He was sure he would boast to the other staff later about how beautiful the women he had seen up close.

Chen Xuan watched with great interest as the storyteller on the first floor waved his hand and said, "I won't look at the menu. Just bring ten of your signature dishes, and a jar of your best wine."

"Alright, please have some tea, everyone. Please wait a moment," the waiter said respectfully, then stepped back, closed the door, and left.

Without turning around, Chen Xuan belatedly realized and said, "By the way, regarding the soft armor, we should have enough money for our expenses, right?"

"Master, I brought 10,000 taels of silver with me when I went out. I haven't spent any money before, so it's definitely enough for a meal, even more than enough for Zuixianju in the capital," the little maid said with a smile. Knowing Chen Xuan's personality, she always carried plenty of money with her when she went out.

Chen Xuan immediately laughed and said, "That's true. But we won't have to pay for food at Zuixianju anymore. It's Qian Ning's property. If we have to pay for our food there, she'll definitely complain to me when she finds out."

Such small favors between friends and brothers can become annoying and cause resentment if done too often, but it would be really inappropriate for a married couple to be so particular about them.

Seeing that his attention was focused on the first floor, Du Juan hesitated for a moment and whispered a reminder to the little maid, "Sister Roujia, don't flaunt your wealth when you're out and about. Be careful, walls have ears."

"Thank you for reminding me, Sister Juan. I was being inconsiderate," the girl said apologetically, explaining that she hadn't considered things much when answering Chen Xuan earlier.

With a smile, Du Juan said, "It's alright. We'll try our best not to cause the master any trouble. Don't worry, what we said earlier hasn't spread beyond this private room."

"Sister Juan, you don't need to be so wary. Maybe she can even bring us some fun. Everything's here, let's eat. We won't be so fussy," Chen Xuan said with a smile.

To be honest, the restaurant's signature dishes were really good, and Chen Xuan had a great appetite, as he hadn't eaten anything good in the past few days.

While eating, drinking, and chatting, Chen Xuan noticed someone he recognized at the restaurant entrance and took a closer look.

He was a swordsman dressed in a blue robe, gentle and refined, with a cultivation level of not weak in the innate realm.

"Ye Hong from Maple Leaf Manor has also come here. She's still as impressive as ever after all these years, especially that chilling, frost-like sword intent emanating from her. It seems her cultivation has greatly improved over the years; her swordsmanship is almost catching up to that of Fu Heng, though they're on different paths. It's a pity Fu Heng was implicated by Zhou Hong last year and had his head chopped off in the palace. Speaking of which, after Guo Jinglong's death, the Cold Mountain Sword Sect has been declining. Now, with Ye Hong's rapid progress, it's possible that Maple Leaf Manor might overtake the Cold Mountain Sword Sect as one of the five major sects of the Jing Kingdom's martial arts world. Oh, right, I remember Mr. Yushan and Maple Leaf Manor have a good personal relationship. That year, when I was dealing with human traffickers, Mr. Yushan even asked Maple Leaf Manor for help..."

Noticing Ye Hong's arrival, Chen Xuan muttered to himself. He had also been to the desert where Guo Jinglong and Liu Zhenwei had their martial arts competition years ago and exchanged a few words with them, but they could not be said to know each other. However, they were connected in some roundabout way.

Ye Hong went up to the private room on the second floor and poured herself a drink, whether she was waiting for someone or just killing time was unknown.

While Chen Xuan was lost in thought because of Ye Hong's arrival, the storyteller on the first floor finished a refined and interesting anecdote and changed the subject: "...For the past half year, this little-known settlement has attracted many heroes to explore and seek out its wonders because of a strange place deep in the Ten Thousand Caves Mountain where everything grows larger. However, for so long, no one has been heard of setting foot in that magical place. Unable to find it, many people have begun to doubt that the rumor is true. Countless people have stepped into that bottomless cave and never come out again, which is truly lamentable."

This is the opening, a common trick used by storytellers. It's a very ordinary statement, but it's actually meant to pique people's curiosity.

Sure enough, someone immediately chimed in, "You old man, there's something hidden in your words. What, do you know some secret information?"

"Not at all, not at all. I'm not a wandering swordsman. I just make a living with my mouth. How could I know any secrets?" the storyteller said with a smile, waving his hand. Then he added, "I just happened to hear some rumors. Whether they're true or not is still unknown. If you're interested, I'll tell you all so you can have a good laugh."

As soon as he finished speaking, someone jeered, "You old codger, are you playing us for a fool? Spit it out!"

"Exactly, exactly! Don't just say half of what you mean, are you looking for a beating? Grandpa's fists don't discriminate!"

Some lawless江湖人士 (jianghu figures) didn't tolerate him and urged him on with vulgar language.

For storytellers making a living in places like this, not fighting back or arguing is already a basic professional skill. He chuckled and said, "Please don't be impatient, everyone. I've been talking for so long and my throat is a bit dry. I hope you gentlemen can spare some money for tea to moisten my throat."

"Fine, I'll ask for a reward if I want one. Why are you saying these rumors are making me so eager? Tell me, and I'll reward you for it," someone said, immediately becoming displeased.

However, some people were still generous, as those who came here to spend money were not short of cash, especially the many江湖 (jianghu, the martial arts world) figures who were generous and threw down loose silver and copper coins, making the storyteller beam with joy and bow repeatedly in gratitude. Chen Xuan watched with great interest as he ate and drank, and also asked the little girl for a small piece of silver to throw down, but he was somewhat suspicious that there were shills arranged by the storyteller below, otherwise the atmosphere would not have been so lively.

The storyteller who receives such tips will have to share the profits with the hotel; if the hotel didn't provide the platform, he wouldn't earn that money.

Estimating that the tips thrown onto the stage totaled ten taels, the old man took a sip of tea and said cheerfully, "Thank you, gentlemen. Please be patient, let me explain slowly."

Amidst a chorus of urging, he hesitated briefly before continuing, "I heard that rumor last night from an old beggar who was nearly starving. He was acting completely mad, muttering something repeatedly. I make my living with my mouth, so since I've come across it, I might as well listen, whether it's useful or not, maybe I can earn a little something for tea."

"Amidst his incoherent words, the old man heard him say that his ancestors had lived on this land for generations, and that countless years ago, the Wanku Mountain area was a mine, and the countless caves were actually created by mining. However, it had been abandoned for countless years, and now it looks like it was formed naturally."

"The old beggar's ancestors were miners who mined for generations. They once dug up a very magical place where everything became incredibly huge, but it was too dangerous, causing a lot of casualties. Even the huge creatures inside came out of the mine, causing a terrible disaster!"

"To prevent widespread destruction, the mine was sealed off after the creatures that came to the surface were eliminated at a great cost. Even those who knew about it were all silenced to prevent future visitors from luring out the terrifying creatures and wreaking havoc on the world."

"Over the years, the original mine has transformed into the Wanku Mountain that people see today."

"These messages were passed down orally from the ancestors of that mad old beggar. As for those who knew about them before, they were all silenced. How his ancestors escaped that fate, this old man doesn't know, and the old beggar himself can't explain it either."

"After pondering all night, I guessed that the place passed down from the old beggar's ancestors is very likely the place that everyone is searching for but cannot find. It was something that had been lost to history, but last year someone accidentally saw that place and returned by chance. When the news spread, the old story was brought up again."

"These are all things I heard from that old beggar's ravings; they're not necessarily true, so just take them as a joke."

At this point, the storyteller smiled, took a sip of tea, and indicated that he had finished his story.

As he spoke, many people in the restaurant were drawn to his words, slowing their movements to listen attentively. But when he paused there, someone immediately became impatient and urged, "And then?"

"That's all. This old man has already told you everything he knows," the storyteller said, shaking his head.

One hot-tempered man immediately flew into a rage, smashed his wine bowl, strode onto the stage, grabbed the old man like a chick, clenched his fists as if to punch him, and gritted his teeth, saying, "You were listening with great interest, and you said there was no 'then'? You dare to play me for fools? I'll beat you to death!"

The storyteller was terrified. "I already told you it was just hearsay and rumors meant to amuse you all. How could you, you brute, take it so seriously?"

Trembling with fear, he closed his eyes and pleaded, "Hero, spare my life! That's all I know! Please don't hit me! Wait, wait! I remember now, that old beggar also said something like, 'You'll definitely be interested.'"

"Speak!" The burly man's fist was about to land on the old man's face when he heard this, so he stopped in time. Otherwise, the old man would have been covered in bruises, or even beaten to death.

Relieved, the old man quickly said, "That old beggar also said that his ancestors seemed to have recorded the route to that cave on a stone tablet, and it seems to have been passed down. I really don't know anything else. I'm not a江湖人 (jianghu person, a person of the martial arts world), why would I care about these things? Please, sir, spare my life."

"Damn it, that's more like it. Otherwise, I would have liked to punch you to death because I felt sorry for you. Did that old beggar mention where the stone tablet recording the route is?" The big man released him and cursed.

The old man said with a mournful face, "How would I know? Why don't you go ask the old beggar yourself?"

"Of course we have to ask. Where is that old beggar? What does he look like?" the big man asked, his eyes wide, seemingly taking it seriously.

Out of fear of him, the old man spoke the truth: "He's at the Dragon King Temple in the south of the city. He's easy to spot; he has a fleshy growth on his neck. But if you're going to look for him, you'd better hurry. He was starving last night. I gave him some food because of what he said, but I don't know if he'll last until now."

"Hmph, I'll let you off this time. Next time, you'd better finish what you're saying. If you keep saying half-hearted things, you'll get beaten to death sooner or later," the big man spat and shoved him aside. He strode away, paid the bill, and seemed to be really going to find that old beggar.

The old man shrank his neck and cursed under his breath. Isn't this the routine of all storytellers? Otherwise, how would they earn money?
After calming himself down, the old man looked around, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, and said with a smile, "I'm sorry to have made you all laugh. That was just something I heard from the mad beggar, so please don't take it seriously. Now, let me tell you something that might interest you. I wonder if you've all heard of Liu Ruyan, the most beautiful courtesan in this settlement. She's spread the word that if someone can take her to see that magical place, she'll not only offer her body and soul, but also a considerable sum of money she's accumulated over the years as a dowry..."

However, no matter how captivating his words were, even though he repeatedly emphasized not to take it seriously, some people in the restaurant still couldn't resist paying their bills and leaving to look for the old beggar. What if it was true?
Chen Xuan, who was eating and drinking, overheard all of this but didn't take it seriously at all. His main purpose in coming to Wanku Mountain was not that magical place at all.

They didn't even take the storyteller's words seriously. Only a fool would believe what such a person says.

However, when Chen Xuan heard the old man's last words, he was so amused that he almost spat out his wine. "Liu Ruyan" came up with this too. What a courtesan! To be honest, it seems that no one with the name Liu Ruyan has ever been ugly.

Noticing that Ye Hong downstairs had also paid her bill and left, Chen Xuan thought to himself, "No way, he actually believed that too?"

But then again, news of that place where everything became enormous has been circulating for over half a year, and there's still no trace of it. Now that we finally have a clue, many people are probably just hoping for the best.

But what are the chances of such a coincidence? So many people were helpless, and countless people died after entering Wanku Mountain. Suddenly, a clue appeared. It was either fabricated or had ulterior motives.

Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at the storyteller still talking non-stop on the first floor. Although many people went to see the old beggar, thinking it was better to believe it than not, a small number stayed behind. At the same time, the old man was also being watched.

Chen Xuan thought to himself that this was interesting. Despite his frail appearance, which made him look like he had one foot in the grave, the old man was actually a master of innate skill. He was very good at hiding his abilities, and his disguise skills were only two levels worse than Chen Xuan's back then.

Looking at Du Juan, Chen Xuan casually asked, "Sister Juan, what do you think about this?"

The voice didn't carry out of the private room. Upon hearing this, Du Juan hesitated and said, "Master, you don't believe the storyteller's words either, do you?"

It seems she didn't care at all, so naturally she couldn't offer any opinion. Chen Xuan shook his head and said, "Whether you believe it or not is not important. Anyway, I'm not very interested in that place. What I want to ask is, Sister Juan, what do you think of that storyteller's actions? Could he have ulterior motives?"

"I don't quite understand, could you please explain it more clearly, sir?" Du Juan said hesitantly.

Chen Xuan laughed and said, "That old man clearly has innate cultivation, and at an upper-middle level at that, yet he's pretending to be weak and frail to spread such rumors. Sister Juan, do you think that's reasonable?"

Du Juan genuinely couldn't discern the old man's cultivation level. Upon hearing Chen Xuan's words, her expression changed slightly, and she blurted out three words: "Black Diagram Society!"

"Black Picture Society? Tell me about it," Chen Xuan said speechlessly, thinking to himself, "Why does it have the same name as the Young and Dangerous organization?"

With her mind racing, Du Juan began to explain in detail: "Master, the Black Diagram Society is an even more mysterious organization than the Chongyan Sect and the Shadow Assassin Sect. No one knows where their stronghold is, nor does anyone know their specific members. Although they are considered one of the three major evil organizations in Jing Kingdom, just like the Chongyan Sect and the Shadow Assassin Sect, the world knows absolutely nothing about them. Even an organization as well-informed as the Shadow Assassin Sect is unaware of them."

"So, Sister Juan, do you think that old man is a member of the Black Society?" Chen Xuan asked curiously.

She shook her head and then nodded, saying, "My lord, I don't know either. When I heard you mention it, I immediately thought of the Black Diagram Society."

"Tell me the reasons," Chen Xuan asked with great interest.

Du Juan pondered for a moment and said, "Master, I don't know much about the Black Diagram Society either, just a few bits and pieces. The people in this organization are simply afraid that the world is not chaotic enough. They are always stirring up trouble behind the scenes. The more chaotic the times, the more they can make their move. They have no purpose whatsoever; they are purely just stirring up trouble for the sake of stirring up trouble."

It seemed she genuinely didn't know. Chen Xuan said speechlessly, "Could it be that those people have something wrong with their brains?"

“Many people think so,” Du Juan nodded in deep agreement.

No longer dwelling on it, since the old man hadn't provoked him, Chen Xuan remembered the old man's aura. Whether he was a member of the Black Map Society was another matter; if he had time later, he would ask Old Deng if he had any information about the Black Map Society. The old man was definitely the one who paid the most attention to this kind of organization, so asking him would be the right thing to do.

It was getting late, and after they had eaten and drunk their fill, Chen Xuan and his group paid the bill and left.

Back at the inn, I heard people discussing something heatedly as soon as I entered. A map to that magical place had appeared, recorded on a stone tablet, which led to a desperate struggle for it. Just earlier, the stone tablet was broken into seven pieces during the struggle, and each piece was taken away by someone who broke through the encirclement, leading to a chase and a fight to the death.

Upon hearing this news, Chen Xuan's lips twitched. Was it really such a coincidence?

Exactly seven pieces, no more, no less. What, can you summon a dragon if you collect them all?... (End of Chapter)