Chapter 34 is full of twists and turns.
Chapter 34
"Run, of course I have to run."
The little turtle gave Bu Xingjin an answer that he did not expect.
Ever since he first saw the little turtle's true form, Bu Xingjin subconsciously regarded it as invincible and felt that no one could be its opponent.
Although he asked the little turtle out of politeness, he actually didn't think anyone could be his opponent.
But the little turtle actually asked him to run?
Bu Xingjin was so startled that he couldn't even hold the tea in his hand steady. He carefully set down his half-finished cup and stared at the little turtle nervously, a hint of worry in his tone, "Is there any enemy in Shifang City that you can't handle?"
"No." The little turtle insisted.
"Why should I run if there is nothing wrong?" Bu Xingjin was very puzzled.
"Because I can't always protect you. I'll always be distracted." The little turtle looked at Bu Xingjin and said seriously, "Although this was a complete accident, the world of cultivators is like this. Such incidents can happen at any time. Simply walking can cause someone to resent you. Even if you're so powerful that no one dares to provoke you, you can't necessarily avoid such situations."
Bu Xingjin nodded, indicating he understood. In a world without rules, whoever has the bigger fist is right. Having already incurred hostility, regardless of the reason, his current weakness is a reality; it's best to stay away. He just kept stubbornly refusing to act, and a seemingly minor incident had become unmanageable.
"After receiving the news, I immediately searched for the middle-aged man in the green robe. After resolving the issue, I quickly left." Bu Xingjin turned around and asked Qing Yan, who had remained silent, "Qing Yan, do you think this plan is feasible?"
"That's not necessary right now." Qing Yan's perspective was completely different from the little turtle's. "As the lord of such a large city like Shifang City, he shouldn't act rashly over such a trivial matter."
"Indeed," Bu Xingjin agreed. He believed that with the City Lord's nephew's personality, he was likely to be offended by countless people every day. If the City Lord were to handle every issue personally, he wouldn't have to be City Lord anymore. He would be busy resolving disputes for his nephew every day, and by the end of it, there would probably be very few people left in Shifang City.
If he was just the city lord's cousin, he might not be afraid.
In the end, Bu Xingjin decided to finish his business as quickly as possible and then decide whether to leave immediately based on how the situation developed. Deep down, he still wanted to see more of Shifang City, at least to clarify the questions that the little turtle had asked.
After waiting for a while, another unfamiliar waiter from the Zhishitang came out with a few scrolls and approached Bu Xingjin. The waiter who had greeted him at first was younger and looked serious and responsible, but the current one was in his forties, with a gaunt face and didn't look like a good person.
Bu Xingjin didn't ask any further questions when someone suddenly changed his address. He probably thought the previous person was busy with something else. He reached out to take the scroll and examine it, but was dodged by the middle-aged clerk in the governor's hall.
The waiter in the magistrate's hall, holding the scroll, said with a forced smile, "I'm sorry, but Sun Li has been called away by the steward. From now on, please allow me to serve you."
The middle-aged clerk held up the scroll and continued, "You can't just look at this portrait for free. You have to pay with spirit stones first."
It was unbelievable that they were actually collecting spirit stones right now. Bu Xingjin looked at the staff at the Governor's Hall with displeasure, "You're collecting spirit stones before you even start selling information? Why didn't you tell me before?"
"I'm sorry, perhaps my previous companion failed to explain this rule to you." Although the waiter at the governor's hall apologized, he did not seem to feel guilty. Instead, he held his head high and acted as if it had nothing to do with him.
"If you find the person you're looking for in the portrait, it means they've entered Shifang City. This information will be charged," the middle-aged clerk at the Governor's Hall explained softly. In reality, Bu Xingjin looked unfamiliar, his cultivation wasn't very high, and he appeared to be a casual cultivator. He'd also been in conflict with the City Lord's cousin and was expected to disappear in a few days. The spirit stones were useless, so it would be better to let him earn them. As for what would happen if the Governor's Hall learned of this? This was a consensual transaction, and the Governor's Hall didn't interfere in such matters. After all, he was required to turn over the majority of his earnings.
"What if it's not in the portrait?"
"Then you still got a piece of news. The person you are looking for has never entered Shifang City." The implication is that the spirit stone will not be returned until the person is found.
"How many spirit stones?" Bu Xingjin reluctantly accepted the reality. After all, he needed to buy information. However, he couldn't help but feel that everything was going wrong today, and deep down, he secretly prayed that no more accidents would happen next time.
"Twenty medium-grade spirit stones." The middle-aged waiter in the Zhishi Hall tentatively quoted a price that was not too outrageous.
"OK."
Bu Xingjin took out twenty medium-grade spirit stones and handed them to the middle-aged waiter in the governor's hall.
The middle-aged waiter in the governor's hall took the twenty crystal clear spirit stones with a smile on his face and gently handed the scroll in his hand to Bu Xingjin.
Bu Xingjin carefully took it and placed it on the small table beside him. He took out one of the pieces and slowly unfolded it, examining it carefully.
Although the person in the portrait was wearing an emerald green robe, the style was very different from the green-robed middle-aged man, and the two men looked nothing alike. Bu Xingjin quickly changed to the second painting, then the third, the fourth... until the fifth, none of them were the same.
There are only six paintings in total, and it would be a bit difficult if the last one is not one of them.
Should he fully believe that the Governor's Hall was as powerful as he had claimed, capable of knowing every person who entered Shifang City? Or, could there be some who slipped through the net, eluding their strict control?
Bu Xingjin took out the last painting and unfolded it to examine it.
What caught his eye was a picture of an evil figure that was so lifelike that even a portrait could bring it to life. Bu Xingjin could tell at a glance that this was the middle-aged man in green robe that he was looking for.
The middle-aged clerk of the governor's hall keenly captured the subtle changes in Bu Xingjin's expression. He knew very well that these portraits contained the goals he was pursuing, and in this way, the problem was solved.
"Guest, is there anyone you are looking for here?"
"Yes." Bu Xingjin handed the last portrait to the middle-aged waiter in the governor's hall, "That's him. I want to know where he is now."
The middle-aged clerk of the governor's hall took the portrait but did not examine it carefully, because he had already memorized the information of these people. He could see through the target that Bu Xingjin was looking for without looking at it again.
"Sir, do you only need the target's location? Don't you want to know more information?" The middle-aged waiter in the Zhishitang smiled faintly, like a weasel offering New Year's greetings to a chicken. "For example, is there anyone else with him? What is his cultivation level? What unique skills does he have, etc."
Bu Xingjin reluctantly declined, knowing that such information wouldn't come cheap. He only needed to know the location; he could figure out the rest on his own. Knowing the location would allow him to see for himself if anyone else was with the other party. A fight would reveal the other party's cultivation level and any unique skills. He had Qing Yan and Little Turtle by his side anyway, so even if he couldn't defeat them, nothing would happen.
"No, I just need to know the exact location. How many spirit stones?"
Seeing that Bu Xingjin was unmoved, the middle-aged waiter in the magistrate's hall rolled his eyes and quoted a staggering price: "Five high-grade spirit stones."
This price is for those who are in the Nascent Soul stage. For a small figure like the middle-aged man in green robe who is only in the Golden Core stage and not famous enough, generally speaking, one high-quality spirit stone is enough.
He held a detailed record of Bu Xingjin's every move since entering Shifang City. He knew that Bu Xingjin had once gone to the Immortal Weapon Pavilion to sell Yin Iron in exchange for mid-grade spirit stones. While a mere two hundred mid-grade spirit stones might not have been of much value to him, the record clearly indicated that Bu Xingjin was highly likely to possess storage tools. Even the smallest storage bag would require dozens of high-grade spirit stones, and possessing storage tools would undoubtedly be incredibly wealthy.
Five high-grade spirit stones. Although this was Bu Xingjin's first time engaging in information trading and he wasn't very familiar with the market, he still felt that the price was a bit outrageous. Five high-grade spirit stones were enough to buy a fairly good magical instrument, but this person's position was far from worth that price.
Ever since a new waiter came out, the atmosphere seemed off. Bu Xing carefully assessed the middle-aged waiter in front of him, who lowered his head and appeared respectful. Was he being deliberately harassed again?
“The price is too high.”
Bu Xingjin refused the price of five high-grade spirit stones. Although he had the spirit marrow to afford it, he didn't want to be taken advantage of.
"Sir, if you think it's too difficult, you can find another way. Only my office knows such detailed information about Shifang City. If you want to try your luck and search on your own, you can imagine how long it will take since Shifang City is so big."
The middle-aged clerk in the governor's hall raised his head and looked directly at Bu Xingjin, with an expression that looked out for your own good. "Besides, you just offended the city lord's cousin, so I'm afraid you can't wander around Shifang City peacefully."
The more he listened, the more wrong it seemed. Bu Xingjin looked at him. Was he threatening him? Sure enough, things were going wrong today. Couldn't he just spend his spirit stones to buy some information without any problems?
"What do you mean by that?"
"Sir, I'm just giving you a friendly reminder. What's the point? The information you want is this price. If you want to buy, we'll make the deal. If you think the price is too high, that's fine. Just turn around and leave."
Xiao Ye was waiting outside and didn't come in, otherwise Bu Xingjin would have asked him what store this was.
Bu Xingjin turned and left without saying a word.
He didn't know that after he left, someone walked up to the middle-aged waiter and asked, "Why did you let him go?"
"He can't leave. He will be back soon." The middle-aged waiter in the governor's hall said meaningfully.
…
Xiao Ye watched Bu Xingjin walk out expressionlessly. He quickly ran over and asked cautiously, "Master, did you not get the information you wanted?"
"Are there other places in Shifang City that sell information?"
"There are a few smaller places. They only know the news within their own territory. They don't know anything outside of their territory. Only the Governor's Hall is the largest and most comprehensive."
"Take me over there and have a look!"
"OK."
Seeing Bu Xingjin who was obviously in a bad mood, Xiao Ye didn't dare to say a word and trotted ahead to lead the way.
"Haha." The little turtle laughed out loud on Bu Xingjin's shoulder.
"Senior, why are you laughing at me?" Bu Xingjin slowed down his pace and instantly fell far behind. He lowered his voice, making sure Xiao Ye couldn't hear him, and asked the little turtle quietly.
"Don't be angry, it's not worth getting angry about this." The little turtle didn't expect that after so many years, the world of immortal cultivation is still the same. As long as you don't have a high level of cultivation and no background, you can be expected by everyone.
"That fellow is just looking for opportunities. He probably thinks you are a casual cultivator and can bully you at will."
In the end, it was still because his cultivation was too low, which gave him another reason to become stronger. Bu Xingjin clenched his fists, ashamed of his rest last night. He would not rest from now on. Resting was a waste of time. Cultivation was rest.
…
I followed Xiao Ye to three houses in a row, but no one knew the address of the middle-aged man in green robe.
By the time I finished asking the last place, it was already afternoon.
Bu Xingjin didn't need to eat, but he forgot that Xiaoye still needed to eat. He said to Xiaoye, "You must be tired after running for so long. Go eat something."
"Master, I'm not tired. There is one last family. Do you want to go and ask them?" Xiao Ye shook his head and refused Bu Xingjin's order. He brought some dry food with him and had eaten some while waiting outside the governor's hall just now. He was very full and was not hungry at all now.
"Okay, go ahead."
Bu Xingjin didn't hold out hope, but the result was just as he expected, there was no news about the middle-aged man in green robe.
This Shifang City is so huge that finding someone here is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Eventually, we have to go back to the Governor's Hall.
But this time, he wanted to change the waiter, the one who had served him at the beginning. He didn't believe that everyone would just order food based on the food.
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