Promise!

Chapter 302, Underground

Yong'an, the capital, is located in the northern part of the Nine Provinces of the Great Qian Dynasty. It is already springtime, and yet it has snowed again.

Snowflakes were falling from the sky, but the official road leading to the capital was bustling with people and lively, with caravans constantly passing by.

In the distance, a majestic city lies sprawling across the plain; more precisely, it is a sprawling cluster of cities—this is Yong'an, the capital of the Great Qian Dynasty.

"Looking at the mountain makes a horse run itself to death." Although we can now see Yong'an, it is still quite a distance away. The breath of the men and horses condenses into white vapor in the dry, cold air.

Due to the beast tide, even though the Five Continents caravan was taking the other side of Songling, there were sporadic attacks from strange beasts along the way, but this did not cause them any trouble.

Among the caravan traveling to Cangzhou, the driver for Zhuang Jin and Shangguan Yunchang was named Shang Jinluan. He had accompanied Shangguan Jinfeng and his father-in-law Shangguan Yulin to the capital twice before, and now he was leading the two of them.

"Master Shang, are you familiar with Songling, the foremost of the nine wonders of the world? Could you tell me more about it?"

"Master, son-in-law, you're too kind."

Shang Jinluan declined for a moment before saying, "Our Cangzhou Funiu Mountains have two passes, but Songling is a triple barrier."

The first layer of barriers is the line of Tiebei Mountain, Ziyun Mountain, and Nanping Mountain; the second layer of barriers is the line of Youhuangze, Bishuiwa, and Qinglanbo; and the final third layer of barriers is the line of Tianmu Mountain, Taibai Mountain, and Doumu Mountain.

The Three-Tiered Barrier divides Songling into four parts. Because these four parts are mostly covered with pine trees, and their colors are also divided into red, purple, blue, and brown, they are often divided into four zones: red, purple, blue, and brown.

In the brown zone, most of the strange beasts are below the Innate Realm; in the blue zone, there are many strange beasts comparable to Innate Realm martial artists in the Five Internal Organs, Six Bowels, and Blood Exchange Realms; in the purple zone, there are many Vajra Realm strange beasts; and finally, the red zone is the only one among the nine great wonders of the world to have Great Vajra Realm strange beasts comparable to Yang God Realm martial artists.

"I see. I sensed the surging spiritual energy of heaven and earth in the distance, so dense it was astonishing, far surpassing even the Funiu Mountains. No wonder it could give birth to a Great Vajra Realm beast." Zhuang Jin nodded slightly.

"To reclaim the land, we must venture into the pine-covered mountains, fight off the beast tides, and establish our territory. There will likely be many challenges along the way."

"If it were simple, the powerful clans wouldn't have released him, and the entire world wouldn't have had to mobilize. We've already recruited quite a few people along the way; these can serve as the underlying infrastructure. Let's proceed cautiously and see how things go!"

With the upheaval in the capital, Yong'an, many people from all over the country saw an opportunity and rushed there. Along the way, they provided protection to many travelers, and some even sought refuge with the emperor. Even those who did not seek refuge immediately left a good impression, laying the groundwork for the future.

Once these people have cleared the land and established their territory, they can form the foundation and build the basic structure.

"These preparations at the lower levels are secondary; the real issues lie at the upper levels. For example, the qualifications for land reclamation and the imperial court's approval—the specific regulations—need to be thoroughly investigated upon entering the capital..."

As they were talking, the convoy passed a tea and wine stall. Shang Jinluan mentioned that Shangguan Jinfeng and Shangguan Yulin had both tasted the wine there before, and asked Zhuang Jin and Shangguan Yunchang if they wanted any. After they agreed, they went over to buy the wine.

Then, this conversation was heard.

"Waiter, bring me two catties of thirty-year-old longevity wine, in a bamboo tube..." Shang Jinluan said familiarly.

"The customer knows how to eat. Bamboo tubes are the best way to preserve the flavor of my family's longevity wine. He even knows this, so he doesn't seem like a visitor from out of town!" Under the emperor's nose, in the capital city, even the waiter at the tea and wine stall has a bit of pride.

I came here twice in my younger years.

"So that's it."

The owner inside heard this, stared at Shang Jinluan for a while, and was quite excited to see that he still remembered her. He even gave her a plate of dried tofu as a bonus.

When Shang Jinluan returned, Zhuang Jin and Shangguan Yunchang tasted it and found it to be indeed a fine wine.

"This is exactly how it tastes!"

Shang Jinluan sipped her wine and, when Zhuang Jin and Shangguan Yunchang asked her about the past, she recalled, "Back then, I was only eighteen and followed the old lady... When I came back with the master, it was thirty years later... Now, I am over eighty years old."

"This Yong'an Road, every time you come back, you get older!"

She came three times, transforming from a young girl into a middle-aged woman, and then into an old woman. Each time she came, her appearance changed, all reflected in the longevity wine.

Behind them, the faint scent of wine lingered, and heavy snow blanketed Yong'an Road.

……

In the afternoon, we could vaguely see Yong'an City, but by the time we actually arrived at the city and entered the city gate, it was already evening.

As the group entered, Zhuang Jin keenly sensed that he seemed to be being watched by something; a certain fluctuation flashed by, as if it were an illusion.

'Given my current realm and the strength of my soul, even an ordinary Yang God could probably detect it if observed secretly. Such a feeling is probably only possible with…'

He lifted the carriage curtain, his gaze barely perceptible, and glanced upwards.

In the sky, at the heart of Yong'an, a magical mirror hangs high.

Compared to the dodecahedron of the Cangzhou Suspended Sky Mirror division that I had seen before, the main mirror of this Suspended Sky Mirror is a regular icosahedron with nine halos, the radii of which are one, three, five, seven, nine... up to seventeen miles.

Shang Jinluan explained to them: "Among the nine rings of the capital, the first and second rings are where the imperial palace and the residences of the imperial family are located; the third ring is where the four great clans reside and where the Yin spirits dwell; the fourth to sixth rings are mostly residences of those at the third level of the Innate Realm; and the seventh, eighth, and ninth rings are those below the Innate Realm..."

As they entered Yong'an City and were enveloped by the light curtain of the Suspended Mirror, their sights and feelings instantly changed.

The temperature rise was noticeable, the falling snowflakes disappeared, and the sky reflected in the Mirror of Heaven was a hazy white light, like endless moonlight falling.

—Compared to the various state mirrors, this main mirror of the Suspended Sky Mirror is obviously more mysterious, possessing the power to change the celestial phenomena within its range. It is said that it was Empress Dowager Yuwen who loved flowers, and with a single order, spring arrived early in the entire capital Yong'an, with hundreds of flowers blooming, unaffected by external natural celestial phenomena.

The convoy continued forward, passing through the outer city and crossing an arched bridge. Moonlight filled the river beneath the bridge, and the sound of washing clothes could be heard.
Passing by a brothel, one can see alluring women leaning against the railing, singing in a languid tone, "Flowers like silk, moon like silver, peaceful people in Yong'an City";
Passing by tall buildings, I saw the image of a young man carrying books and a sword, climbing the watchtower at night to look out into the distance;
……

The capital city of Yong'an unfolds like a scroll painting.

……

Zhuang Jin's entourage's carriages glided into Yong'an. This day was the 24th day of the third month of the first year of Jiankang.

……

Like Zhuang Jin, Shangguan Yunchang was also visiting Yong'an for the first time and found it quite novel.

Shang Jinluan had visited twice, staying for several years in total, and knew the place well. She explained things to them until they entered the Yong'an Third Ring Road. She was quite cautious and talked about various rules, such as why carriages could not pass.

Zhuang Jin and Shangguan Yunchang also disembarked from the carriage. Without any obstruction, they could feel the magnificent atmosphere of Yong'an, the capital, which far surpassed that of Cangzhou.

Ironically, not long after the rules were explained, a carriage pulled by a dragon horse roared past, with a flag in front of it displaying the character '时' (time).

That's embarrassing.

However, having reached their current level and status, Zhuang Jin and Shangguan Yunchang naturally understood that since rules are set by people, there are always those who can transcend them. 'Compared to their previous lives, where some could drive their carriages into the imperial palace, such a scene in this world is not surprising.'

Zhuang Jin thought to himself, feeling a strange sense of similarity.

The crowd parted with a whoosh, and only after the Shi family's carriage had passed did whispers and murmurs begin to circulate.

"That must be Shi Yaotang, the third young master of the Shi family, right? I heard he killed someone in a car accident last month, right? And that was the wife of a certain Innate Venerable. Later, that Innate Venerable came looking for her, and they were both beaten to death."

"That's how powerful and domineering families have always been!"

"Don't generalize; General Yuwen, who has just arrived in the capital, is an exception..."

……

Yuwen Shentong, this great general, actually had a pretty good reputation among the people, who called him virtuous.

Of course, whether this person's reputation for virtue, which he gained in such a short time in the capital, was truly well-deserved or deliberately fabricated is a matter of opinion.

……

This was just a minor incident. Shortly afterward, Zhuang Jin and his group entered the Zhaixing Tower of the Yong'an Xuantian Division and settled down temporarily.

After entering the capital region, the Sky-Piercing Commander's Token is integrated into the Yong'an system, with slightly different functions and a much richer exchange list.

However, after settling down, Zhuang Jin used his own Dragon Token to search and found that high-end resources above the Yin God level were under control. Certificates and contribution points were not acceptable; real-name application and verification were required, which imposed great restrictions.

This is actually to be expected; otherwise, the powerful families in each state would have already used ordinary resources to exchange for high-end resources, emptying the Yong'an Xuantian Division's coffers.

'What unscrupulous merchants! High-end resources like those above the Yin God level are one thing, but rare items like the Yin-Yang Five Elements Wind, Thunder, and Ice Spirit Pearls—the Yong'an Suspended Heaven Division only keeps them as income and doesn't release them to the public?'

Seeing that there was no loophole to exploit, Zhuang Jin gave up.

……

That evening after dinner, Meng Duangui came over and mentioned that the representatives of the aristocratic families would meet the next day, the general would receive them the day after, and they would attend court together three days later. He invited them to visit the underground city that night.

If the Yong'an Xuantian Division is the "light" in the open, then the "underground city" is its shadow and dark side.

—The Yong'an Xuantian Division is not controlled by aristocratic families on a rotating basis, but is independently controlled by the royal family. The three major aristocratic families, the Mu family, the Shi family, and the Gongshu family, control the dark network of the capital's 'underground city'.

Zhuang Jin and Shangguan Yunchang were both quite interested in this and accepted the invitation.

This underground city is not underground in the literal sense, but more like a secret space. The two of them did not have underground city tokens at the moment, so they used a one-time token, which they activated on their own. After a spatial fluctuation, they were guided into it.

The world spun around, and I found myself in a gray, misty space overhead.

'This underground city really is an independent space.' Zhuang Jin and Shangguan Yunchang exchanged a glance, both having this thought in their minds.

Without a doubt, this underground city space, like the Suspended Mirror outside, must be related to that immortal from eight hundred years ago.

'Even a Yang God doesn't possess such ability to create space. Does this mean that even a Yang God is still one, or even several, realms below that immortal?'

Zhuang Jin thought to himself, recalling the feeling he had just experienced when using the token, which was somewhat similar to the fluctuations of the Holy Spirit Pearl: 'After my Holy Spirit Pearl absorbs that broken Void Stone, will its internal space also be able to accommodate living beings? In other words, does it also have the potential to create such an underground city space?'

After entering the underground city, you can pay to choose a guide. The other four aristocratic families had already sent people there. Meng Duangui wanted to get close to them, so he paid the fee for Zhuang Jin and Shangguan Yunchang, and then they went their separate ways.

Zhuang Jin and Shangguan Yunchang chose a guide codenamed 'Xiao Fan'. This person had an ordinary appearance and looked slightly older than the age they sensed in his life force, yet he was quite composed. He had cultivated a secret technique to conceal his realm, but they could still sense that he was truly at the sixth level of the Meridian Opening Realm.

This person was quite dedicated, and he introduced the place to them with great care: "Are you two new to the capital? Let me tell you about the underground city in detail. Unlike the Suspended Heaven Division, this underground city encompasses all darkness."

Here, you can post and accept many shady missions, such as assassination missions.

Auctions are different; they may feature living people, even some innate martial artists. As long as you can afford the price, you can even commission custom-made items.
If you like excitement, you can go to a gambling den. Unlike ordinary casinos, there are challenges where you can gamble with your life. If you're lucky, you can become rich overnight.
There is also the Xiaoyao Pavilion, where one can ingest the Immortal Powder and feel as if they are floating on air;
……

In short, as long as you have the ability and can afford to contribute points, you can find everything here.

'Understood! ’

Zhuang Jin had a pretty good idea of ​​what this underground city was. The Suspended Heaven Bureau was like the legitimate world, and they were still concerned about their behavior on the surface. Even the more outrageous things like the Ascension Pavilion were all about inducement, not coercion. It was like a prostitute trying to maintain a virtuous image. But this underground city was like the underworld, encompassing all the dark things, such as pornography, gambling, drugs, as well as violence and bloodshed.

"The level of the Underground City Token is the same as that of the Suspended Heaven Bureau. If you two have a higher-level Suspended Heaven Bureau token, specifically above the Xuan Snake Token, you can directly reach the corresponding level when processing it underground."

"Let's go get the dungeon token first!"

On the way there, Zhuang Jin inquired about the other party's opinion on Yong'an, the capital. To ensure the truthfulness of the inquiry, Zhuang Jin even used his mental power to give the other party a psychological suggestion.

"What are your thoughts on the capital?"

Upon hearing this, 'Xiao Fan' remained silent for several breaths before saying, "The capital city of Yong'an is a place where all that is beautiful and ugly converges. As long as you are strong enough, in this arena of fame and fortune, you can indulge in extravagance and debauchery, wantonly inflicting everything on the weak. All the beauty that can be imagined and experienced in the world will come rushing in."

But when you are weak, this place is an inescapable hell, ugly and dark. Even if you are humble to the point of being buried in the mud, there will still be people who dislike you and will step on you.

So, here, strive to climb higher and stand at the top!

"Isn't Yong'an, the capital, the most virtuous place?" Shangguan Yunchang asked, having heard about the underground city and connecting it with these words.

The subtext is: This capital city of Yong'an sounds even darker, more evil, and more chaotic than their Cangzhou city.
"The capital city? Ha!"

Xiao Fan sneered: "The capital city, located 200 million li in the Great Qian Dynasty, is the core of the Nine Provinces, a place where fame and fortune converge. It is full of desires and distortions. How can it be kind? It can only be uglier."

“Here, power converges, and there are many big shots you can’t afford to offend. Among these big shots, the most troublesome are those unruly and lawless spoiled brats. You don’t want to experience the consequences of offending them.”

"Compared to other places, there are indeed greater opportunities here to obtain innate or even Yin spirit opportunities, but there are far more people who die violently in the streets!"

"Extravagance, intoxication, the survival of the fittest..."

He looked at the two of them, his face filled with endless complex emotions: "This is the real Yong'an, beneath the so-called land of virtue!"

……

(End of this chapter)