Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen: Shilong Chamber of Commerce

In the third month of summer, the sun blazed like a raging fire. In just twenty days of cultivation, Xu Daoyan had devoured all the horses, nearly a hundred of them, in less than thirty days.

Horses, in the five elements, belong to fire, with explosive and free-spirited natures. While eating horse meat, Xu Daoyan also had to neutralize the fiery nature within the meat, extracting its essence and integrating it into his body, which provided an additional boost to his cultivation.

He had also cultivated the Heart Fire Fist to a certain level, making him feel an urge to find someone of equal strength to fight.

His lifespan had reached 610 years, the peak of the sixth rank.

In the morning, after eating the last horse, Xu Daoyan's hunger finally subsided, but if he continued to cultivate, it would soon return, and without food, he would be hungry and weak.

"Master, there's no more food. What should we do? With my appetite, if I buy food in the village, I might eat all the livestock in the next two months..." Xu Daoyan never thought he would be stumped by the problem of food.

"Hmm, that is a problem. I'll take you to Shilong City to buy some food," the old beggar chuckled.

"Shilong City?" Xu Daoyan's eyes lit up, feeling excited. He had never left Liushiqiu Village, not even visited Shiyun Town. The idea of going to Shilong City naturally thrilled him, but his smile soon froze. "I can't go. If I don't return for a day, my mother will worry. It's a long way from here to Shilong City!"

"Ha ha, with me, what are you afraid of?" The old beggar patted Xu Daoyan's head, grabbed his shoulder, and took a step. Xu Daoyan felt a blur, and in an instant, he found himself in a mist, standing before a massive stone city that looked like a crouching dragon, exuding a fierce aura.

"Wow, what's happening? I can actually fly in the sky." Xu Daoyan felt his body floating, very light, with strong winds making his words sound like "wawa."

"Go!" The old beggar laughed, and they landed among the crowd.

When Xu Daoyan came to his senses, the old beggar was gone, but he heard his voice: "I'm going to take a nap. When you're done shopping, I'll take you back."

Xu Daoyan was helpless. The crowd around him seemed not to notice his sudden arrival.

Observing the surroundings, he realized this place was many times larger than his village!

Such a huge city, where should he go to buy food?

With no choice, he had to find it himself.

In Shilong City, there were armored warriors patrolling the streets, maintaining order.

He used the Immortal Wood Mirror to measure the lifespans of these warriors.

"Lifespan 2000 years, peak of the fourth rank!"

"Amazing!" Xu Daoyan was astonished. Just the patrolling warriors were at the peak of the fourth rank. How powerful must the lord of Shilong City be?

Shilong City was a major city on the outskirts, with extremely strict defenses, impenetrable.

"Alright, let's buy food first." Xu Daoyan muttered to himself and stopped a group of patrolling warriors.

"Where did you come from, brat? What do you want?" The leader of the warriors shouted at Xu Daoyan.

"Hehe, big brother, I want to ask where I can buy things in Shilong City?" Xu Daoyan smiled brightly, making the leader feel speechless. He couldn't get angry at a child, so he didn't take it to heart.

"Shilong Chamber of Commerce. There's nothing you can't buy there." The warrior answered.

"Which way?" Xu Daoyan asked urgently.

"See that tallest building? That's it." The leader pointed to the east, where a huge stone dragon's head stood at the highest point.

The building looked like a coiled stone dragon, very grand.

Compared to the Ghost Suppressing Stone Tower in Liushiqiu Village, it was like a toy.

"Thank you, big brother..." Xu Daoyan's eyes lit up, and he ran toward the Shilong Chamber of Commerce.

"Runs pretty fast..." The leader was surprised by Xu Daoyan's speed.

Soon, he arrived at the Shilong Chamber of Commerce. Xu Daoyan, wearing a patched linen shirt and barefoot, was stopped before he could enter.

"Shoo, shoo, where did you come from, beggar? This is no place for you. Get lost!" A servant at the Shilong Chamber of Commerce rudely pushed Xu Daoyan away, looking down on him.

"What are you doing, judging people by their appearance? I want to buy things, and I have money!" Xu Daoyan frowned, feeling indignant.

"You have money? I don't know where you came from, but this is no place for you. Open your eyes, this is the Shilong Chamber of Commerce!" The servant glanced at Xu Daoyan, disdainfully.

Xu Daoyan used the Immortal Wood Mirror to measure the servant's lifespan, finding him to be 200 years old, at the seventh rank.

"Watch your mouth. Why can't I come here? If you don't let me in, I'll go in anyway!" Xu Daoyan glared and walked toward the entrance of the Shilong Chamber of Commerce.

"Brat, you're asking for a beating!" The servant was furious and punched at Xu Daoyan's head.

Xu Daoyan caught his wrist, pulled hard, and sent the servant flying, landing with a thud, bones breaking.

The commotion drew a dozen strong men to the entrance, staring at Xu Daoyan. "Daring to cause trouble at the Shilong Chamber of Commerce, you're asking for it..."

Xu Daoyan used the Immortal Wood Mirror to measure their lifespans, finding them all at the lower sixth rank, with lifespans of 300 years.

The leader was at the peak of the lower sixth rank, 410 years old, and used a grappling technique to grab Xu Daoyan's throat.

These men were in their thirties, with thick bones and strong muscles. Xu Daoyan didn't want to fight them head-on, especially not outnumbered.

Xu Daoyan grabbed his three-foot sword and swung the scabbard wildly, targeting their weak points. His strength was immense, and the men couldn't get close, fleeing in panic, screaming and scurrying.

Just then, a black shadow appeared, and Xu Daoyan felt a strong wind. A large fist came at him, and he held his sword with both hands, blocking it.

Bang!

The scabbard shattered, and the force pushed Xu Daoyan back several steps. He saw a middle-aged man in black brocade, with a lifespan of 810 years, at the peak of the upper sixth rank.

No wonder he was so powerful. Xu Daoyan, at the peak of the middle sixth rank, was in trouble.

Despite this, Xu Daoyan was not afraid. His three-foot sword glinted, pointing at the man in black brocade.

"Good, I was looking for someone to practice with!" Xu Daoyan's fighting spirit surged, his eyes sharp.

"Did you do this to them?" The man in black brocade asked, staring at Xu Daoyan.

"Are you blind? Who else could it be?" Xu Daoyan sneered.

"Bold, daring to cause trouble at the Shilong Chamber of Commerce?" The man in black brocade, seeing Xu Daoyan's young age and strength, suspected he had a powerful background.

"Who started the fight? Your Shilong Chamber of Commerce is accusing the innocent?" Xu Daoyan retorted.

"Ha ha, what's going on here? Are you putting on a show?" A voice came from the side.

Xu Daoyan turned to see a young man about his age, wearing a practice uniform, looking energetic and poised, taller than him, with a presence that only someone from a noble family could have.

"Master Shi, forgive me. I'll get rid of this brat first." The man in black brocade didn't dare offend Master Shi.

"Heh, adults beating a child, aren't you afraid of making a fool of yourselves? And judging without understanding, that's not right. Little brother, what happened? Tell me, and I'll be the judge!" Master Shi held a folding fan, gently waving it. It was the beginning of the Grain in Ear season, and the weather was hot.

"The servant at the Shilong Chamber of Commerce looked down on me, thinking I couldn't afford anything, insulted me, and tried to drive me away. I didn't want to argue, but he attacked me, and this is the result..." Xu Daoyan explained briefly, pointing to the servant on the ground.

"It seems the Shilong Chamber of Commerce was in the wrong first. The little brother was defending himself. How can you look down on someone just because of their clothes? This little brother's three-foot sword is a high-quality weapon, worth at least ten thousand gold pieces, which most people can't afford. You're turning away a valuable customer!" Master Shi's eyes were sharp, speaking the truth.

"Yes, Master Shi is right. I'll discipline them strictly!" The man in black brocade forced a smile. With Master Shi involved and the truth clear, he had to take a stand, looking at the servant coldly. "Take him away and give him a hundred lashes as a warning!"

"Spare me..." The servant screamed in despair as he was dragged away.

"Master Shi, please." The man in black brocade was very respectful. The imposing man in armor behind Master Shi was terrifying.

"Ha ha, little brother, come in?" Master Shi looked at Xu Daoyan and smiled.

"Sure, thank you for standing up for me!" Despite the commotion, Xu Daoyan's main goal was to buy food, and he could still tell.

Moreover, Master Shi gave Xu Daoyan a good impression, and he might learn more from him about things he didn't understand.