Promise!

Chapter 221, Exquisite

Amidst the laughter, only Cen Huakun couldn't laugh. Regardless of whether Shangguan Yunchang was referring to a woman as a man, she clearly didn't care about him and even disliked him, instigating trouble and even trying to use him as a tool to kill. He gritted his teeth, knelt down directly in front of Zhuang Jin, and kowtowed cleanly.

"Senior, I am willing to offer all the contribution points in my token. Please forgive me this time. I will definitely learn from this lesson and never do such a thing again."

"Fine, since this Miss Shangguan is pleading for you, then so be it!" Zhuang Jin glanced at Shangguan Yunchang, unwilling to be the one to suffer, and said this.

Cen Huakun immediately stood up and quickly transferred all of his token balance of 39729 to Ji Tongxiu (Zhuang Jin's daily token income was insufficient). He then bowed deeply to Zhuang Jin again and hurriedly left, seemingly afraid that Shangguan Yunchang would instigate him again and that he would really have his legs broken.

"Hey, I said it was you, young master."

Shangguan Yunchang sat down opposite him with dissatisfaction. A light and pleasant fragrance, like that of snow lotus from the Tianshan Mountains, wafted over. She looked at Zhuang Jin and said, "You really are a man who never takes a loss. When did I plead for Cen Huakun? Even if you didn't kill him, I would have preferred to break his legs... How boring."

"However, you did indeed show mercy. Cen Huakun only kowtowed to you once, and that's still a debt of gratitude!"

She didn't stand on ceremony, poured herself a cup from the pot, but didn't drink it. Instead, she twirled it in her hand, her expression playful: "In the end, it's still your strength, brother. Below the Innate Realm, Qi Condensation, Meridian Opening, and Fetal Breathing correspond to Bronze Carp, Silver Carp, and Gold Carp, which are just fish. But at the Innate Realm, it's the Mysterious Serpent Token, which belongs to the serpent family. Compared to the fish on the plate, the serpent... can be deadly."

That's absolutely true. The difference in innate level is huge. If it were someone else, even someone in the top ten of the Hidden Dragon Ranking, would they dare to treat Cen Huakun like that? Do you think he would be so 'easy to talk to' today?

Zhuang Jin knew about these rules in the city through Mu Qing, which explained his previous recklessness. He glanced at Mu Qing and said, "Strength is only one aspect. More importantly, it is the determination to use strength. Behind many seemingly ordinary rules and systems in this world are lessons learned in blood."

"Brother, your insights are truly profound."

Shangguan Yunchang did not shy away from saying, "Many years ago, there were four great families in Cangzhou City. In addition to the Shangguan, Cen, and Ge families, there was also the Zhou family."

"That was more than five hundred years ago. A primordial master had a conflict with a member of the Zhou family. It started as a small matter, but it gradually escalated because the Zhou family member relied on his status and acted arrogantly."

"The Zhou family was in the wrong in this matter, yet they beat the younger generation, then the elders came, and finally they wanted to eliminate that Innate Venerable one completely... That Innate Venerable one did not die during the pursuit, and two years later, at the end of the year, he took advantage of the situation to suddenly attack the Zhou family and massacre dozens of people."

—The Innate Realm truly marks another level. Inner energy transforms into Innate True Qi, which is almost a massacre for martial artists below the Innate Realm. Furthermore, one can merge with heaven and earth, concealing one's presence to the greatest extent. Within the Innate Realm, while higher realms can certainly sense lower realms, this requires a certain distance and focused concentration...

In such a situation, if a martial artist with innate talent were to launch a sudden suicidal retaliatory attack, they could indeed cause considerable casualties before being killed.

"The Zhou family's decline from a prominent family status was due to other factors, but it was also closely related to the lack of successors after this incident."

Therefore, from then on, the first lesson that all three aristocratic families, regardless of whether they were legitimate or not, learned from childhood was to respect the strong.

Zhuang Jin nodded in understanding. Having learned this lesson, the three major families in Cangzhou City now have such clan rules. It can be said that the death of that innate martial artist created a more lenient environment for his successors.

In the city today, if it's just a matter of jealousy and saving face, the three great families will give the Innate Venerable enough face. Of course, if it touches on their core interests and threatens their ruling position, then that's another story.

As they were talking, there was a sudden commotion at the door. It turned out that Yu Linglong, the manager of Tongfu Teahouse, had come over.

"Manager Yu is here!"

"What a magnificent jade pendant! It truly lives up to its name of 'Golden and Radiant Jade Pendant'!"

"With Sister Yu's arrival, all the sounds, lights, and colors in the room have been stolen away!"

……

Zhuang Jin also looked at the manager of Tongfu Teahouse. As her name suggested, she was petite and exquisite, but with a curvaceous figure. What was most attractive was her skin, which was moist and lustrous, as if it were surrounded by a hazy halo. When Zhuang Jin saw it, he couldn't help but subconsciously praise her. She truly deserved to be called 'Golden and Exquisite Jade'!
Looking at Yu Linglong, one instinctively thinks of a ripe, plump peach, and the image involuntarily comes to mind. If one could take a bite, the taste would surely be: rich, sweet, and juicy.

The young man in blue robes whom Shangguan Yunchang had questioned earlier was now staring intently at Yu Linglong.

"Greetings, esteemed guests."

Yu Linglong's voice was melodious and clear, yet possessed a magnetic quality. As her lips parted slightly, she exuded an indescribable charm from head to toe, inside and out, making one think that if there were any naturally charming people in the world, they would surely be like her.

"Madam Jing!"

"Sister Shang!"

"Sister Qiu!"

……

Yu Linglong greeted each of her regular customers, recognizing those who had visited once before, which greatly pleased them. Her attitude towards them varied subtly, and those without experience or shrewdness might not notice, but those of higher status felt the respect befitting their position. She was truly adept at navigating social situations.

Zhuang Jin sighed inwardly at what a beauty she was, and at the same time sensed her cultivation level—seventh-level embryonic breathing. However, having seen Shangguan Yun Chang before, his ability to understand her was greatly enhanced. He also roughly understood that this Yu Linglong was the same kind of person as the goddess constable Chu Jing, the tofu fairy Yu Yu Xian, and the successor of the medical fairy Miao Yun Zhen. He had some guesses in his mind.

"Miss Shangguan is a distinguished guest, and so is Miss Ji..."

As Yu Linglong spoke, she came over and greeted Shangguan Yunchang and Ji Tongxiu. Then she looked at Zhuang Jin and leaned closer, saying, "This young man looks unfamiliar. He must be new here. Otherwise, I would remember such a handsome young man!"

As she spoke, she turned around and called out, "Old Bai, put this pot of Ziyun tea on my tab."

This is differential treatment, probably because of Zhuang Jin's status as a Primordial Venerable. However, it is said cleverly, giving people the illusion that it is because Zhuang Jin is "so handsome" and "it is his first time here", thus taking care of the feelings of other guests.

"Purple Cloud Tea, here you go!" The waiter, who was called "Old Bai," was actually a martial artist who had reached the Meridian Opening stage.

Gurgling!

Yu Linglong poured tea with her delicate hands. The tea was excellent. As the tea was poured into the cup, the aroma rose and condensed, resembling a purple cloud, truly deserving of the name "Purple Cloud Tea".

However, the tea was good, but the woman was even more attractive. As she approached, even with Zhuang Jin's innate eyesight, he could not find a single flaw in her skin. Her body fragrance was like that of a ripe fruit, sweet and alluring, yet not cloying, as captivating as poppy.

'interesting!'

Zhuang Jin thought to himself, "When Yu Linglong poured tea, she seemed close and intimate, but it was merely a visual illusion. She maintained a measured distance, creating a subtle, almost teasing feeling, like a cat's tail gently scratching at one's heart." However, the young man in blue couldn't sit still any longer and stepped forward to ask, "Sister Yu, do you still remember me?"

"And who is this young man?"

Seeing the other person's nervous and expectant look, Yu Linglong pretended to be puzzled and teased him. When the other person showed a disappointed expression, she seemed to suddenly remember and chuckled, "I remember now, it's Young Master Shangguan. The last time we met was a month ago!"

"Sister Yu actually remembers? Sister Yu really remembers!" The young man in blue was flattered and his face flushed with excitement. He opened his mouth, wanting to find another topic, but he couldn't think of anything for the moment. He scratched his head in a silly manner.

This scene made Yu Linglong cover her mouth and laugh again. This time, it seemed much more genuine, and her smile was as bright as a hundred flowers in bloom: "Welcome, Brother Shangguan, to come often and patronize my business."

"Don't worry, Sister Yu, I..."

"Ah!"

Zhuang Jin watched this scene with a faint smile in his eyes. He glanced at Shangguan Yunchang; it was his turn to watch the drama unfold.

Clearly, this young man in blue was probably Shangguan Yunchang's younger brother or something similar, yet he was easily controlled and manipulated by Yu Linglong, showing that he was clearly more than one level above her.

After Yu Linglong appeared, Shangguan Yunchang focused her attention on the young man in blue. Seeing his pathetic appearance, she paused while turning her teacup. She tried to hold back, but at this moment, she couldn't help but almost smash the teacup on the young man's head when she saw Zhuang Jin, who was qualified to talk to her as an equal.

But she was ultimately rational, knowing that her younger brother, at his age, cared about his reputation and had a rebellious streak. If things really got out of control, things would spiral out of control. So she simply slammed the teacup on the table, tapped the young man in blue on the head with her fan, and said with exasperation, "Shangguan Yunhong, you've become so infatuated with something that everyone else has already played with?"

"Third Sister, although Sister Yu is a widow, she is... different." Shangguan Yunhong shrank back in fright, but still stammered in rebuttal.

“Miss Shangguan, aren’t you going too far?” Yu Linglong’s smile froze as she met Shangguan Yunchang’s gaze without fear, standing her ground in defiance.

"Um?!"

Shangguan Yunchang stood up, her true energy surging around her, activating the Xuan Snake Token. A phantom of a Xuan Snake coiled around her, riding on two clouds below, which was clearly the two-patterned Xuan Snake Token.

Forced by the other party's imposing aura, Yu Linglong took two steps back, glanced at the Xuan Snake Token, and finally changed her tone, saying to Shangguan Yunhong: "A man's ambition should be like the Kunpeng, soaring straight up and traveling a thousand miles in one go. Why bother to yearn for a gentle land? Brother Shangguan, you should go back and practice your martial arts properly."

"I will... Ouch, Third Sister, be gentle!"

Upon hearing these words, Shangguan Yunhong felt a surge of excitement and enthusiasm, as if he had been given a shot of adrenaline by his idol's personal encouragement. Then... he was dragged away by Shangguan Yunchang, who grabbed his ear.

Zhuang Jin noticed Yu Linglong's attitude, which seemed a bit strange. She didn't seem to care about Shangguan Yunchang's status as the eldest daughter of a noble family, but instead seemed to have some apprehension about the Xuan Snake Token itself. He asked her through telepathy.

Upon hearing Zhuang Jin's telepathic message, Shangguan Yunchang glanced back and smiled mysteriously: "You asked that question? I won't tell you."

Zhuang Jin: ...

Women, your name is vengeful. He knows this is revenge for his previous mockery and gloating.

Seeing Zhuang Jin's speechless expression, Shangguan Yunchang laughed heartily. This laugh had a kind of heroic beauty, unlike the delicate beauty of a young lady or the graceful beauty of a peony. It reminded people of rustling bamboo forests and clear springs flowing over rocks. At this moment, countless people in the teahouse were captivated by her, regardless of gender. However, when her gaze swept over them, they all looked away. Finally, she left a message for Zhuang Jin.

"This matter cannot be discussed, but you will find out soon enough."

Then, she grabbed Shangguan Yunhong and left. She had come here to catch this good-for-nothing younger brother, and her encounter with Zhuang Jin was purely accidental.

As Zhuang Jin watched Shangguan Yunchang's departing figure, he became even more certain of his previous guesses. He turned to look at Ji Tongxiu, whose expression showed a slight sense of disappointment.

Previously, Zhuang Jin's "anger for the sake of a beauty" made Ji Tongxiu the focus of attention, giving her the enjoyment and pleasure of being the center of attention. However, with the successive appearances of Shangguan Yunchang and Yu Linglong, this attention was replaced. Shangguan Yunchang, in particular, was arrogant and didn't say a word to her. From beginning to end, she was only interested in Zhuang Jin.

Paradoxically, Ji Tongxiu felt bitter and disappointed, yet remained silent, quietly giving up the stage, though she also felt it was only right.

—She was born and raised here, and her values ​​were instilled in her from a young age. When she sees people of higher status, she doesn't have thoughts like "a real man should be like this" or "I can take their place." Her class consciousness is innate, and her empathy is mostly a superior's condescension towards the inferior.

Just like Ji Tongxiu herself, when facing Zhuang Jin, she was always cautious and placed herself in a subordinate position.

Actually, this point is not so obvious in Ji Tongxiu, but it is more prominent in the old master of the Ji family, Ji Gongji. Despite being an old man, he truly treats himself as a junior in front of Zhuang Jin, flattering and ingratiating himself... This truly embodies this point to the fullest.

Seeing this, Zhuang Jin couldn't help but think: 'Even Innate Realm martial artists have to start with the Bronze Carp Token when they come to the state capital! Clearly, the quest to upgrade the token is by no means difficult for an Innate Realm cultivator, and there are many first-, second-, and third-rate families in the state capital willing to beg and plead for it. Yet the authorities simply don't open any backdoors here; they insist that Innate Realm Venerables go through the proper procedures. Isn't this a kind of subtle, gradual indoctrination?'

'So, from the moment I entered the Suspended Heaven Division, and even from the moment I met Ji Tongxiu, who came from the state capital, the invisible test had already begun?'

'To struggle with Heaven is endlessly joyful; to struggle with Earth is endlessly joyful; to struggle with Man is even more endlessly joyful!'

Zhuang Jin seemed to see a brand new game of chess starting, smiled faintly, stood up and said, "Let's go, let's go see other places!"

……

After leaving Tongfu Teahouse on the fifth floor of Zhenxiufang, Zhuang Jin and Ji Tongxiu continued their stroll in the afternoon. Thanks to Cen Huakun's gift, they gained a large number of contribution points, which provided them with ample funds.

However, Ji Tongxiu's token was only a Silver Carp Token, which was subject to many restrictions. He couldn't enter many high-level places, so his wandering was always a bit lacking. The feeling was like stopping short of a climax; it wasn't unpleasant, but it was always a bit short of a climax, neither here nor there.

Zhuang Jin thus gained an understanding of the feelings of those martial artists below the Innate Realm and those from first, second, and third-rate families. Desire opens a door, but it is difficult to completely satisfy it. No wonder it makes them strive and climb upwards.

Dinner was served outside. After dinner, Zhuang Jin asked if there were any other independent trading systems outside the Third Ring Road, such as black markets. Ji Tongxiu replied that there were, "but they are of a lower level and are also chaotic, which would probably disappoint Mr. Zhuang." Zhuang Jin, wanting to see for himself, asked her to take him there.

At the entrance to the black market, a masked, short female warrior with a somewhat childish voice called out to the two men: "Big brother, sister, would you like to learn about the Freemasons?"

……

(End of this chapter)