Chapter 33 The Beloved Little Sword of the Ji Family of Kongtong.
Riyue Mountain has three peaks: Qingku is the guard, Qiongyin is the shoulder, and Sanjiu is the main peak. Wuji Tianmen is located on Sanjiu Peak.
The main peak is majestic, the market is located on Qingku Peak, and the arena is in Qiongyin. The three peaks can be connected by using divine strategies to travel along the Wind Chasing Path, but there is also a simpler way: to ascend and descend the mountain on foot. Although Sun and Moon Mountain is not a tourist attraction, there are still houses scattered throughout the mountains. Therefore, even those with extraordinary abilities can only travel between the peaks on foot to avoid being discovered.
Standing on Qingku Peak, you can see the opposite Qiongyin Mountain shrouded in mist and clouds, with the towering Sanjiu Mountain piercing the sky.
The clouds and mist are because the gods are fighting and clashing in the arena, while Wu Ji Tianmen connects the gods and humans, and the Sanjiu Peak naturally reaches the horizon.
The four, who were not qualified to compete with their colleagues, could only spend their time going back and forth between stalls.
It was Xia Zhu's first time attending the Nine Heavens Assembly, and everything she saw was fascinating. Although she had no money, it didn't stop her from squatting in front of a stall, staring at an inconspicuous short sword mixed in with a pile of colorful ores.
She had been looking at it for a long time. The stall owner was a strange man with his head wrapped up. He didn't seem to have expected that Xia Zhu would like this ordinary broken sword and wanted to complete the transaction as soon as possible at the most suitable price.
"Five Divine Strategies cards, a great deal for a girl!"
He arrived early this morning but hasn't sold a single item yet. This is Zhuanxu's territory, and he, as a crippled individual expelled from a certain family, risked everything to sneak in. He can't leave empty-handed.
Xia Zhu nodded woodenly.
"Boss, may I pick it up and look at it?"
"Of course, of course, please feel free to ask for whatever you like." The man thought Xia Zhu didn't seem very bright, and he should have asked for a higher price.
This short sword is indeed broken; it has no other decorations or designs and seems to be just a product of random forging or practice. From any angle, it is just a "sword".
Tools are just tools.
But in Xia Zhu's eyes, it was sharp yet simple, and the weight in his hand was just right. He couldn't help but imagine himself fighting with it in his hand.
She also found a faint mark on the hilt of the sword. A few seemingly random lines outlined a comet that streaked across the night sky and was incredibly bright. It was like a vivid, dazzling and clever firework that exploded on the cold and dull iron. The mark made Xia Zhu's cheeks flush red. This discovery made her determined to buy the short sword.
She carefully placed it back in its original position and earnestly instructed the stall owner, "Boss, I'll be right back, please don't sell it."
Seeing her like that, the man suspected that this sword was some kind of hidden gem. After Xia Zhu left, he picked it up again and examined it over and over, but he couldn't find any secrets. This blunt sword probably couldn't even cut tofu, but Xia Zhu obviously treasured it.
She found Feng Feng enjoying a delicious meal at a sizzling earthworm snack stall and earnestly asked to borrow five Divine Strategy Stones from her. She only had two stones on hand, which wouldn't be enough even after exchanging them, and repeatedly assured Feng Feng that she would return them later.
"What has Ah Zhu taken a fancy to? It's so strange." Watching her straight back disappear into the crowd, Feng Feng couldn't help but be curious. After all, her eyes behind those glasses were even brighter than the sunlight overhead.
"No? This broken sword! I thought it was some kind of treasure?" Xia Zhu held the short sword he had bought up in front of everyone with both hands.
"It's not a broken sword." It seems no one else feels the same way. She carefully puts the sword away; it's her weapon, meant to fight alongside her.
Xia Zhu even gave her beloved weapon a cute and endearing name.
Little Sword.
She nodded at the void, "Yes, I'm quite satisfied."
It was getting late, and they needed to conserve their divine strategies, so they decided to hike down the mountain to the "Sleep Well" inn at the foot of Qiongyin Mountain to rest. By the time they arrived at the inn, the sun had completely set, and the temperature at the foot of the mountain was even lower than on the mountain. The random food they had eaten earlier had long been consumed, and they desperately needed a bowl of warm soup to fill their stomachs.
There were more guests in the hotel than expected. Besides people like them, there were also some ordinary guests mixed in, but those people were also well-equipped with large bags and small packages, probably some kind of expedition team or scientific researchers.
The strangely dressed descendants of the gods did not seem so out of place.
The guests checking in watched as group after group of people disappeared around the corner of the stairs, wondering if there was some kind of treasure here that attracted so many people to this remote place. Moreover, this shabby hotel only had two floors and at most ten rooms. Could it really accommodate so many people?
"Hey, you don't understand, do you? This is called 'squeezing the most common data.' I come here to collect data every year. This time of year is the liveliest, when the young people are having team building activities." Old Li patted the new team member on the shoulder and straightened his head, which was tilted to one side. He was a middle-aged man who kept up with the times, and there was nothing he didn't understand.
This is the only hotel within a hundred miles, and it serves as the unified lodging point for all those attending the Nine Heavens Conference. The hotel appears ordinary and even somewhat dilapidated, but in reality, it is a hidden paradise inside.
Feng Feng and her friends come here every year and are already very familiar with the place. They even know that there are some candies and chocolates in a small box on the front desk. Under the watchful eyes of the staff, they can take some to satisfy their hunger. Then, all they need to do is show the front desk guy the golden Divine Strategy, and he will lead them to the backyard.
Twenty divine strategies can open two rooms.
The five people went to the kitchen, lifted the curtain marked "For Staff Only", and passed through an invisible barrier where the air vibrations could be clearly felt. Only then did the true nature of the hotel come to the surface.
A four- or five-story Tang Dynasty building came into view. The kitchen door curtain behind them transformed into a heavy, gold-nailed, vermilion door. LED light strips flashed three large characters, "Sleep Well," between the vermilion-lacquered and gold-leafed Tang-style brackets.
The lobby on the first floor is where people eat, and it's already full of all sorts of people. Golden paper lanterns hang from the sky corridor, swaying in the heat. A huge screen on the stage is showing a popular palace drama that's all over the country. It's just reached the most exciting part, the blood test for kinship, and the noise has subsided considerably.
The second and third floors and above are private rooms and elegant seating areas by the railing. There are no waiters between the tables; instead, plates of steaming food float in the air, carried automatically to the guests' tables by an invisible breeze. There is even a nail salon in the corner of the hall.
Two towering dragon pillars, adorned with large, glittering lanterns bearing bright fruits, reach the dome that reflects the changing constellations. Feng Mian says those are improved seeds that Feng Feng sold to the boss.
Xia Zhu was dizzy from the sudden rise in temperature, and the constant changes made her see stars. The noise of the crowd, accompanied by lines from a TV drama, made her feel like she didn't know where she was. One second she felt like she had traveled to the Hua'e Xianghui Tower, and the next second she was pulled back to the real world by "Your Majesty, I want to report this." She could only stand there blankly as Xiao Feng dragged her through the crowd to the front desk to check in.
“This is the Kongtong Ji family, the property of the descendants of the Yellow Emperor. Their specialty is construction. The Ji family’s territory, Xuanyuan Hill, is unparalleled in the world. I was fortunate enough to go there once when I was a child with the adults. That year’s Nine Heavens Conference was held in Xuanyuan Hill.” Feng Mian pointed to the top of his head and thoughtfully explained to Xia Zhu, “They also have businesses in human society. They are a group of real estate tycoons.”
It must be very profitable. Xia Zhu looked up, and the constellations above her slowly moved and arranged themselves. One of the stars suddenly trembled, as if it were frightened by the clamor of voices. It was just like the three old farmers who brought an autistic relative to visit a family in the city and were overwhelmed by the prosperity of the big city.
"Their reach is incredibly long; they've opened a Sleep Well branch near every family, it's practically a monopoly!" Feng Feng added through gritted teeth, while Ying Ya, following behind her, nodded in agreement, seemingly puzzled.
The god Zhuanxu actually separated from the Yellow Emperor's tribe and started his own clan, so they share a common surname. Even the Puyang Ji family, which is known for its absolute authority, would give the Kongtong Ji family some face.
"Is it too late for me to switch sides now?"
"Wow, that's not funny at all!" Xiao Feng thought that the annoying Xia Zhu was not suited for humor.
The front desk here is a bit different from the one in the hotel. In addition to checking in, you can also sign up for the arena here. Teams that don't have enough members can also post a team application. So there is also a screen behind the front desk that displays the upcoming arena rankings, wins and losses, and team information.
Since all the unidentified officials will be based here, setting up the information gathering point at a good night's sleep is the most effective and permanent solution.
The receptionist was replaced by a girl with short black hair. She leaned lazily against the back of the counter, with a dark gold dragon-shaped jade pendant hanging from her waist.
“Her name is Ji Tao, and she is also an unidentified official,” Feng Mian whispered to Xia Zhu, turning his head away.
So the dragon-shaped jade pendant was her talisman. Compared to the Feng family's, it was far too big. Is this what rich people are like? It's so golden and beautiful.
Feng Mian seemed to see what she was thinking and couldn't help but smile. "When the main god first bestowed the talisman, each tribe only had one piece. In the inheritance, it was divided according to the number of different unknown officials. The Ji family had a small population, so the single piece of talisman they received was larger."
Feng Feng and Ji Tao started arguing. Ji Tao insisted on charging them ten Shence tokens per room. Feng Feng said that he had brought a lot of new seeds this time, so he might as well give them some to offset the room fee.
"If you don't have any Divine Strategies, turn left after you go out. You can book two rooms with cash." Ji Tao smiled and pointed to the vermilion gate behind them. Merchants are so profit-driven that they completely suppress the old farmer. Feng Feng threw out twenty Divine Strategies in resentment.
"capitalist!"
"Alright, I've upgraded your room for free, considering our years of friendship." Ji Tao turned to the wall behind her and beckoned to the densely packed cabinets without any handles. Two of the cabinets protruded outwards, and she took out two antique-looking keys from them and placed them in Feng Feng's hands. She then noticed Xia Zhu beside her and asked, "Who is this? I've never seen her before."
Feng Feng reluctantly pulled the cloth bag containing Shence closer, feeling that she hadn't spent much money and it was already empty. When Ji Tao asked her about Xia Zhu's identity, she responded with a huge smile.
"She is the half-sister of my mom's sister's husband's brother's daughter's uncle's niece."
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Author's note: After two transitional chapters, the next chapter will begin the third dream.
The Feng clan of Dongshan belonged to the Dongyi camp and were descendants of Emperor Taihao of the Spring Dynasty. They were associated with the Xianglimu tree and used the Jianmu tree as their totem.
The Ying clan of Dongshan belonged to the Dongyi camp and were descendants of Shaohao. They relied on their strength to control birds and used the phoenix as their totem.
The Jiang family of the Wei River, belonging to the Huaxia camp, are descendants of Emperor Jun. They are associated with wind, rain, thunder, and lightning, and are divided into four smaller families, each using the leopard, tiger, bear, and brown bear as their totems.
The Ji clan of Kongtong belongs to the Huaxia camp, descendants of the Yellow Emperor, and specializes in feng shui construction, with the dragon as their totem.
The Ji clan of Puyang belong to the Huaxia camp, are descendants of Zhuanxu, and are associated with the icy and cold currents of Xiangli. They use the black bird as their totem.
The text explaining the faction division roughly states that because there were wars and conflicts between tribes in ancient times, they also chose sides according to factions.
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