After changing into a gray cloth outfit, Lin Xiuyuan stepped into the city.
Shuoyang City stands amidst mountains, yet it is situated on the highest plain.
The surrounding area boasts a beautiful environment with clear waters and lush mountains, offering a panoramic view of the surrounding landscape.
Therefore, this city has many pavilions and towers, no city walls, and is open on all sides with many courtyards distributed around the streets, forming a unique urban landscape.
Due to its terrain, it is also a border trading town, bustling with activity. Moreover, due to the current situation, cultivators from all walks of life gather here, mostly from all sorts of backgrounds!
From afar, streaks of light streaked across the sky and weaved through the city, including many Foundation Establishment cultivators.
This is essentially a city of cultivators, as the Fengxia Mountains have attracted too many powerful forces and interests, thus drawing together numerous cultivators.
Ordinary people are mostly distributed in small towns and villages outside the mountains.
However, when Lin Xiuyuan stepped inside, he found that it didn't feel like he had imagined.
It is not lacking in prosperity, but it lacks solemnity and has no sense of tranquility.
It seemed to have a more江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry) spirit, unlike other cities of cultivators which were quiet, detached, solemn, and elegant.
A touch of ruggedness, a touch of clamor!
Some merchants who came from the Nine Kingdoms and the Northwest region in large caravans shouted out the goods they brought along the way after entering the city, attracting a lot of attention, just waiting for the shops to dump their goods or for the markets to snap them up.
At the city entrance, numerous gang members were offering protection, hiring, and escort services. These were mostly groups of independent cultivators who had gathered to secure resources amidst the chaos.
I also saw some cultivators from gangs who would occasionally clash, and they were ready to draw their swords at the slightest disagreement.
Seeing this, Lin Xiuyuan gained a clearer understanding of the chaos in the area.
However, if it has limitations and only involves competition among the younger generation, then the problem is not significant for him.
On the contrary, the disorder and chaos allowed Lin Xiuyuan to act more freely.
All that's needed is to determine the approach to take and how to establish a firm foothold more quickly so as not to delay or hinder his cultivation.
After a brief stroll around, it was discovered that in Shuoyang City, apart from the strongholds and shops of various forces and the residences of families, which were relatively stable, the rest of the city was in a chaotic situation with various gangs fighting and spreading everywhere.
Unsurprisingly, there is also a Heart's Destiny Pavilion here.
Lin Xiuyuan seemed to have come specifically for this purpose, or perhaps someone was waiting for him.
After he sat down in the lobby and ordered a cup of spiritual tea, the maid who had served him returned and said, "Are you Senior Lin? The steward requests your presence; please move upstairs to the tea room."
Lin Xiuyuan nodded slightly, then waved his hand and said, "Is this Steward Qiu? Please convey my apologies. Please wait a moment, I'll be there shortly."
"Yes, Senior Lin!"
The maid bowed slightly and withdrew.
This was indeed his main purpose in coming to Xinyuan Pavilion, and secondly, to better understand the situation here.
Tea houses and restaurants are more suitable for obtaining information.
Just then, Lin Xiuyuan overheard the discussion at the next table. His expression shifted slightly, so he paused the meeting, picked up a pot of spiritual tea, and walked towards the next table.
"I heard that those big gangs are planning to join forces and approach the Black Tide Secret Realm, at least to seize those herb gardens?"
"Yes, recently they've been spreading rumors about recruiting a large number of people, and many rumors point to this."
"It seems they want to seize and hold onto territory before all the major powers get involved, because what's in their mouths is what they have."
"…………"
At the next table, four people—three male and one female—were discussing in hushed tones.
They were all Foundation Establishment cultivators, one at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage and the others at the late stage. Therefore, Lin Xiuyuan concealed his cultivation level, revealing himself to be at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage.
However, there was no soundproofing array in the main hall, and everyone there was a cultivator, so even the softest whisper could not escape their notice.
However, these things have already been widely circulated recently, so there is no fear of discussing them in public.
Therefore, when Lin Xiuyuan stepped forward with a pot of spiritual tea and inquired about the details of these matters, the group couldn't help but look at him with wariness.
Upon seeing this, Lin Xiuyuan smiled and said, "I am new to Shuoyang City, so I am not very familiar with the situation here. However, I am afraid that I will be staying here for a long time. Therefore, I couldn't help but be curious when I saw you fellow Daoists discussing the big picture. I have taken the liberty of coming to disturb you. This pot of spiritual tea is my apology for my impudence."
Upon hearing this, the group's expressions softened slightly, but it was likely more because of the pot of Qingluo tea in Lin Xiuyuan's hand.
"I see." A handsome man looked at Lin Xiuyuan, then at the spiritual tea in his hand, and said, "Fellow Daoist, you seem to be no ordinary rogue cultivator. Your generosity is quite remarkable. I wonder where you come from?"
The man paused for a moment before introducing himself: “We are all independent cultivators from the Nine Kingdoms Alliance. We cultivate together in the Western Plains Kingdom for well-known reasons. To avoid the war, we came together to the Great Yue Kingdom to seek a place to cultivate. We are temporarily staying in Shuoyang with many fellow cultivators.”
"I am Gao Jian, and these are fellow Daoists Liu Daozi and Luo Hefeng. This is Fairy Qiushan."
The remaining two male cultivators were of different appearances: one had a rugged look, and the other had an ordinary appearance. The last female cultivator, though plain in appearance, exuded an ethereal, otherworldly aura, perhaps due to some profound cultivation technique. Some people truly lived up to their names.
"I have long admired your name." Lin Xiuyuan sat down and cupped his hands in a smile. "I am Lin Xiuyuan. I also came from the Nine Kingdoms Alliance, but from the Southern Frontier. I recently arrived in Shuoyang City, just like you fellow Daoists."
Lin Xiuyuan spoke vaguely, but what he said wasn't wrong; he had indeed come from the southern border.
Upon hearing this, the group was somewhat surprised. Fairy Qiushan, who was sitting to the side, said, "Fellow Daoist, you come from the Southern Frontier? There have been continuous battles there for the past few decades. Were you one of those who were recruited? It is quite remarkable that you were able to escape unscathed."
"That's not the case. A long time ago, when the great war began, I left the Southern Frontier and returned to the Nine Kingdoms Alliance."
Lin Xiuyuan waved his hand, not dwelling on the topic or showing any curiosity about the details of the righteous-demonic war. He simply stood up to pour tea and said:
"I overheard some fellow cultivators discussing that several major gangs are joining forces to attack the Black Tide Secret Realm? I wonder which gangs they are? I heard that the Black Tide Secret Realm is the territory of the Cloud Soaring Sect?"
"Fellow Daoist, you've really gone to great lengths. This spiritual tea would be quite effective if we drank it when we broke through to a higher realm."
Gao Jian took a small sip, feeling a sense of clarity and tranquility, before saying, "Yes, it seems you have some knowledge of this, fellow Daoist? Besides the Nine Profound Society, the Blood Wolf Gang, the Netherworld Gang, and so on, there aren't any other major gangs."
"Oh, I'm just curious why they would set their sights on the Black Tide Secret Realm. You know, the Cloud Soaring Sect is a long-established and large sect in the Great Yue Dynasty. How dare a mere gang of rogue cultivators set their sights on it? Not to mention the recent rumors that the Cloud Soaring Sect has increased its strength to guard this enclave!"
Lin Xiuyuan had some understanding of these gangs from the jade slip, but he was curious why these gangs formed by rogue cultivators would dare to attack the Cloud Soaring Sect's territory.
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