It was evening in Wuzhou city, the skies were a shade of red, reflecting onto the river in the City Lord’s Residence.
The young prince was wearing a white robe as he entered the courtyard next to the lake, on his handsome face was a fox-like smile, “Juncai, let me give you some good news. That brat Ding Hao doesn’t know his place and left the city. Zhou Genwei and my man are in pursuit!”
Ding Juncai was already at Innate Stage level three, but had encountered a bottleneck that he was temporarily unable to break through. In his hand was currently a high grade ice pick as he practiced the martial skill ‘Ten Thousand Point Ice Crystals. His surroundings all carried a cold aura.
“He exited the city at only Innate Stage level three? Surely you’re mistaken?” Ding Juncai stopped his training, unable to believe what was just said.
“It’s absolutely correct!” The young prince said, “He feels that he’s a genius that can do whatever he wants. Braving the outer territories alone, he really is courting death!”
“That piece of trash is extremely cunning, do not take him lightly!” On Ding Juncai’s face was a sinister look that exceeded his years, he continued, “When my cultivation is better, I will absolutely destroy him! I’ll destroy everything about his family and get back what is mine.”
“You probably won’t have to anymore.” The young prince said, “There’s already people after him. Not only Zhou Genwei, but my guard Du Lang! Zhou Genwei is at Innate Stage level seven, and Du Lang is at level nine! That piece of trash will die easily! Just wait for the good news!”
“That’s great!” A venomous look was on Ding Juncai’s eyes as he said, “Prince, I’m afraid the two of them won’t be enough, the outer territories are so big, if he escapes…”
“Haha, have you forgotten we have merchant branches in Indigenous City? Even if that trash arrives at the city, he will still be held up at the gates!”
Ding Juncai finally nodded, saying, “Jiuzhou’s third sovereign, King Tang of the Tang Family, his might is unequaled, how could a piece of trash like him fight against it!”
“That much is obvious.” The young prince nodded arrogantly. He took out a decorated small box and handed it to Ding Juncai, “This is for you.”
“This is…” Ding Juncai opened the box, and he instantly had a look of confusion and elation.
Inside the wooden box was a talisman on a yellow piece of paper. He opened the talisman and there was a thick smell of herbal medicine. In that talisman was a pill that was faintly glowing. Seeing that pill, Ding Juncai lost all his confusion and was absolutely elated!
The young prince said, “Breakthrough The SKy, this pill is worth at least two hundred Yuan stones in the market. Take it and quickly get to the middle stages of the Innate Stage.”
Ding Juncai heard that and did not hesitate to kneel down and say, “Thank you young price, I swear to be forever loyal to you!”
“You can dispense with the pleasantries, just focus on cultivating yourself!”
After the prince left, Ding Juncai shouted, “However… why are you helping me like this. You don’t really have any huge grudge against Ding Hao…”
Ding Juncai had always wanted to ask that, he did not understand why the prince was helping him so much.
“Do you really think I need a grudge to kill someone?” The prince turned around, his wide robe flapping in front of Ding Juncai sending a gush of air toward him, he said, “There are some paths that can only be walked if there is no one standing beside you! If it’s you, how would you choose?”
Ding Juncai said, “Then I would not let him on that path even if I died!”
“Haha.” The prince let out a small laugh as he left the courtyard.
After that, a figure walked up and apologized, “Young prince, of those five, three have already agreed. Two of them are still unwilling, they say they would not go easy in the examinations no matter how much money is offered…”
“Then eliminate them!”
At that time, the sun had already been shrouded in darkness as the young prince let out a sinister smile, “There are too many geniuses around, if you’re not dead, how could I show off!”
…
“Indigenous City in the outskirts has various goods. It has everything one would need, and all the shops there are booming in business. It doesn’t only have righteous practitioners, but evil ones are all around as well. They sneak inside and trade their goods. Of the shops in the city, there are four large branches, which are the Tang, Qian and Duanmu families, and the merchant’s clan. Of those, the Duanmu family likes to do business with evil cultivators…”
In the forest, a yellow-faced man who has not too large in size was walking as he read about the outer territories, especially the things about Indigineous City.
It was the disguised Ding Hao.
“I really did not expect that a shop could do business with evil practitioners in broad daylight, does no one care?” Ding Hao was surprised, Jiuzhou was a realm of righteous cultivators, how could anyone be selling evil goods in broad daylight?
Continuing to read, “The four big merchants all have great backers. The Tang Family are the kin of King Tang, and they have the greatest size and the greatest business…”
“King Tang, isn’t that the young prince’s relative?” Ding Hao exclaimed, “So the young prince even has family in Indigenous City!”
That caused him to furrow his eyebrows. The prince was not that friendly with him, so he was afraid it would be hard for him in the city, but the next piece of information allowed him to relax.
“The merchant’s clan has the backing of another sovereign, King Qin. The boss of the clan is already at the energy forging level, and was originally an expert under King Qin!”
He did not expect the merchant’s clan to have such a backer as well, it seemed like he would be save in the city!
“The Qian family is backed by King Zhou, and can’t be underestimated. As for the Duanmu family, they are the strongest, but they tend to operate clandestinely, so details are scarce. There had been rumors that the Duanmu Family is related to Jiuzhou Academy…”
“What? Merchants that favor doing business with evil practitioners are related to Jiuzhou Academy?” Ding Hao felt that it was hard to comprehend.
There were way too many secrets in this world, he could only know a sliver of the.
Ding Hao had quite the safe journey on this path. With Minion scouting ahead, he could avoid anyone who was in front.
However, at this moment Ding Hao suddenly heard footsteps behind him, the footsteps sounded extremely light and fast.
“Not good, someone’s coming!” Ding Hao was shocked as he broke out in cold sweat.
Turning around, he saw a tall and lanky girl wearing ragged robes as he rushed ahead. Ding Hao could see up to Innate Stage level seven cultivations, but he could not see what level that girl was at.
“Above Innate Stage level seven!” Ding Hao stopped in his tracks as he got envious. Was Minion’s nose blocked? Did he want Ding Hao to die!
That woman saw that he had stopped, and raised her head to look at him.
With a glance, DIng Hao got even more envious. The woman’s face was tattooed full of red, black and green colored flowers. She looked like a horrifying monster.
At Ding Hao’s horrified look, the girl gave him a consoling smile before heading toward the deepest parts of the forest, disappearing in one moment.
“Nothing happened?” The woman had disappeared, and Ding Hao finally sobered up. He had already prepared to fight, but strangely enough, that woman did not do anything.
At that time, Minion turned back and barked twice to indicate it was safe.
“You mongrel, what are you barking for?! There was a person who came by just now, but you smelled nothing!”
Ding Hao scolded the dog for being irresponsible, but Minion paused for a while before sniffing around the surroundings. He then ran over and awkwardly shook his head to Ding Hao. Ding Hao did not know when that brat knew how to shake his head, but it was not any cause for happiness. Ding Hao thought to himself, if Minion could not smell that woman, then maybe she was an evil cultivator!
“Evil cultivator!” With that thought, Ding Hao broke out in cold sweat and shouted, “Let’s go!”
After that, the yellow-faced man brought Minion speeding toward another direction.
After running for a good while, Ding Hao finally let out a sigh of relief as he leaned against a large tree, taking out a Yuan stone to replenish some spiritual energy.
That woman’s smile remained in his heart. Even though it was horrifying, there did not seem to be any evil intent behind it. He thought to himself, ‘Was she trying to tell me it was okay, and I did not need to be afraid?’
Were there good people among evil practitioners?
As Ding Hao was gasping for breath, he suddenly heard the sound of a dog barking. Minion’s loud clamoring seemed to indicate some trouble.
“Woof woof woof!” Minion was currently fighting a tough looking hunting dog. Ding Hao ran over and the hunting dog’s owner did as well. It was a middle-aged man, wearing a yellow shirt, who seemed to be hunting.
“Tiger, come back.” The hunter shouted, commanding his hunting dog to retreat.
“Minion.” Ding Hao called Minion over as well. He looked at the hunter, and he was right at Innate Stage level seven that he could make out. The hunter could only look at Minion, surprised, “Bro, how did you get your mongrel to grow like that?”
Ding Hao said, “I’m not too sure myself.”
The dog the hunter had was a hunting dog of good pedigree, but in that fight earlier, it was obviously on the back foot. Minion was extremely fierce and nimble, and his fur was beautiful. The hunter got greedy and asked, “Bro, how much for this dog?”
Ding Hao said, “I’m sorry, I don’t plan on selling my dog.”
The hunter did not heed him, and took out a large slab of meat from his storage pouch, saying, “Minion, just follow me from now on. You’ll have plenty to eat and drink.”
Minion really ran over, and the hunter was ecstatic. However, Minion actually grabbed the meat and brought it to Ding Hao. The armored rhinoceros mean looked dry and hard, and DIng Hao could see some cracks on the surface. Checking it, there was a green pill inside, it was obviously nothing good.
Ding Hao had a serious look on his face, “Friend, what is the meaning of this?”
The hunter said, “It’s nothing, just a tranquilizer, it wouldn’t cause it any harm.”
Ding Hao said, “You’re feeding my dog some pills in front of me, do you really think I don’t exist?”
The hunter smiled coldly, “Innate Stage level three. Bro, do you really want me to kill you? Just leave your dog and your storage pouch behind and kowtow to me three times and scram! I’m in a good mood today and don’t feel like killing anyone, otherwise you’d be chopped up into a million pieces!”