Chapter 2

The city of Yuecheng spans sixty-five miles from north to south, and it is said to have a population of over 2.6 million, making it one of the largest cities in the Dongwu Kingdom.

However, it is isolated in the midst of a vast forest, surrounded by primeval jungles, with almost no villages or towns nearby. Beyond a hundred miles, countless fierce beasts and monsters roam.

The reason for this is that the area around Yuecheng is rich in mineral veins, including silver, gold, iron, copper, and even the essence stones and iron essence used by cultivators. Almost everything is available here.

Over time, people gathered to form the city.

Since Yuecheng is within the forest, it is not threatened by attacks from other countries. The only concern is the beast tide that originates from the depths of the southeastern forest, which occurs almost every month. Therefore, the city walls are exceptionally tall, reaching a height of thirty zhang.

However, the reason Zhuang Wudao is so cautious has nothing to do with these factors. It is because he has made several enemies in the city.

Yuecheng does not produce its own grain, which is entirely dependent on external purchases controlled by various powerful factions. For an orphan like Zhuang Wudao, who has no parents, survival is particularly difficult.

The city, being in the forest, is effectively ungoverned by the Dongwu Kingdom's authorities. For centuries, the city has been in a state of chaos, with murders, robberies, and thefts occurring frequently.

Zhuang Wudao is an orphan. His mother, who worked hard to support him, died early from overwork. Although his father's clan was a prominent family, they had long severed ties, and he did not wish to have any connection with them. Zhuang Wudao has managed to survive in Yuecheng and even become the top disciple of the Lichen Academy, but he has had to engage in some illegal activities.

As a child, he stole chickens and dogs, and as he grew older, he formed a gang, extorting and collecting protection money from his neighbors. Although he has not committed major crimes, he is certainly not a good person.

Recently, due to a territorial dispute, he accidentally killed several people, thus incurring blood feuds. Although Zhuang Wudao is not afraid, he must be cautious when alone.

His strength is just a step away from the Qi Practitioner stage, making him the best fighter among the dozen brothers in his gang. Naturally, he is the first target for revenge by his enemies. Therefore, these days, Zhuang Wudao is extremely cautious when he goes out.

Once he enters within three miles of the city, he must be careful not to be followed and have his whereabouts discovered. If he is ambushed and killed, he will not even have a chance to cry out.

On his way back, he did not notice anyone following him, and there were no unusual signs nearby. However, Zhuang Wudao did not let his guard down. He deliberately took a detour and entered the city through the East Gate, where the nobles and officials gather.

He wound his way through the winding alleys for several rounds before returning to the west side of the city. A clever rabbit has three dens, and this place is not his usual residence. Three years ago, Zhuang Wudao bought a house here, known only to a few of his closest brothers. It is his safe haven, allowing him to sleep soundly at night without fear of being killed.

This kind of life will not last much longer. If he can reach the Qi Practitioner stage, the sky will be his limit. He does not fear a dozen Bone Marrow Cultivators.

The Dongwu Kingdom is a weak country in the southeast, with a vast territory but very few cultivators. Therefore, the status of cultivators in the country is even more revered. Being a cultivator in Yuecheng means one can even kill on the streets!

Moreover, the increase in strength is tenfold. After seven years of martial practice, he has only reached the Bone Marrow stage, which allows him to match thirty to forty ordinary strong men. However, if he reaches the Qi Practitioner stage, he will be able to fight a hundred men. One person can match ten Bone Marrow Cultivators.

The west side of the city is where the mine slaves gather, with dirty and dilapidated houses and streets. As soon as one approaches, a foul, sour smell can be detected. Zhuang Wudao's residence is a dilapidated wooden house, unremarkable in the west side of the city.

However, when Zhuang Wudao returned, he saw a person standing at the door of the house.

At first, he was startled, but when he saw the person's face in the dim moonlight, he felt a slight relief.

"Xiao Si? When did you come back?"

Wu Xiaosi is Zhuang Wudao's childhood friend. He is also an orphan and one of his former life-and-death brothers.

Despite his thin build, he had already reached the Blood Cultivation stage two years ago. However, a year and a half ago, he decided to quit and live a good life. He then left Yuecheng, and no one knew where he went. Some acquaintances said they had seen Wu Xiaosi working as a foreman at a wharf in Licheng, but it was unclear if this was true.

The surrounding area of Yuecheng is dense forest, and all the mined resources can only be transported via the Song River. Licheng, located five hundred miles away, is a transfer wharf on the Song River. Although a foreman's income is decent, it basically ends his chances of becoming a cultivator.

Blood and Bone Marrow cultivation require a large amount of medicinal herbs and constant practice. If one does not generate essence before the age of twenty-four, when the bones are fully formed, the chances of becoming a cultivator are almost zero. Zhuang Wudao relied on the money collected daily by his gang to reach his current status.

Wu Xiaosi's cultivation talent was not inferior to his. When Zhuang Wudao learned of this, he felt very sorry for Wu Xiaosi.

Now that Wu Xiaosi has returned, it is as if they have gained another strong ally!

Wu Xiaosi practices the Mountain Splitting Saber, and he is exceptionally fierce. Two years ago, even ordinary Bone Marrow Cultivators could not defeat him, and he excels in group battles. When fighting, he only needs to wear iron armor and wield a large saber, and almost no one can stand against him.

With him, they no longer need to hide and endure; they can directly confront their enemies.

However, Wu Xiaosi's face was dark, and his eyes were devoid of any joy, instead filled with a deep sadness.

"I was brought back from Licheng two days ago."

Zhuang Wudao's expression changed slightly, sensing that something was wrong. He instinctively looked behind him and saw that seven or eight figures had already blocked the alley.

Even on the eaves, several figures had appeared, looking down with cold smiles.

Zhuang Wudao's heart sank. If it were just these dozen Blood Cultivation stage martial artists, he would not be concerned. However, if they had set up this trap, there must be more than just these few. Several Bone Marrow Cultivators had not yet shown themselves.

Despite his daily caution, he had still fallen into a trap! He never expected that the problem would be Wu Xiaosi, who had long left Yuecheng.

"Why is this happening?"

Taking a deep breath, Zhuang Wudao remained unusually calm. He turned his head and looked at Wu Xiaosi with a questioning gaze.

Wu Xiaosi averted his eyes, his face stiff and cold: "In Licheng, I have a wife and children. If I don't sell you out, they will die. What should I do, Wu Xiaosi?"

Zhuang Wudao understood and frowned. He vaguely knew that Wu Xiaosi had left Yuecheng to start a new life because he had fallen in love with a woman.

Although he was angry about today's events, he understood that betraying a brother, while wrong, was somewhat understandable—

His anger subsided somewhat.

Wu Xiaosi then sighed softly and continued in a calm tone: "I remember I once said that we brothers, living on the edge of life and death, risking our lives for a future, would eventually die a miserable death on the streets. I asked you if you wanted to leave Yuecheng with me, to seek a peaceful life. You refused, and now it has come to this!"

Zhuang Wudao was taken aback, then laughed bitterly and shook his head: "Even if I had known this would happen, I would not regret it. Do you remember Wu Huan?"

After years of struggle, competing for food like animals, he had long realized that to survive, one must fight and struggle. Fight against the heavens! Compete with others!

Before the age of fifteen, he struggled for his own survival. After fifteen, with some capital, he began to fight for his future.

People are never satisfied; once they have enough food and clothing, they want more.

Zhuang Wudao was no different. He wanted to climb out of the mire, to be like those cultivators and nobles, to have a high status one day. He wanted his descendants to not suffer the same fate as him, to not be homeless and hungry. He wanted to make those who wronged him pay.

Moreover, he was deeply interested in martial arts. The more he practiced, the more fascinated he became. He yearned to be like the Golden Core and Spirit Masters, who could move mountains and control rivers.

So even if time could be rewound to a year and a half ago, and Wu Xiaosi asked him again, he would still refuse without hesitation.

Retiring and living a good life? Ha—

Just look at Wu Xiaosi today to see how difficult it is for people like them to live a peaceful life.

When he was twelve, he witnessed a retired Bone Marrow Cultivator being sought out by an enemy. The enemy, who could have been easily killed years ago, was now a Seventh Stage Qi Practitioner with a bright future. Not only was the Bone Marrow Cultivator torn to pieces, but his entire family of nearly a hundred people was also massacred. This was a shocking incident that occurred five years ago, which shook the entire city of Yuecheng.

Afterward, no one pursued the matter, and no one dared to collect the bodies for a month.

The retired Bone Marrow Cultivator was named Wu Huan.

Therefore, Zhuang Wudao had long recognized a truth: to live a peaceful life and avoid revenge from enemies, he must become strong enough to make all his enemies think twice about seeking revenge.

He had killed eighty to a hundred people in gang fights by the age of thirteen. Who knows if any of these enemies' relatives might become a monster?

Like Wu Huan's enemy, a Seventh Stage Qi Practitioner, who could dominate the world and use the power of a sect to gather information. Even if the enemy was hiding at the ends of the earth, they could still be found.

"Wu Huan?" Wu Xiaosi fell silent, perhaps thinking about his own situation.

Just as they were talking, a tall, muscular man stepped out of the house door. He had a tiger-like back and a bear-like waist, with bulging muscles. His eyes were like copper bells, radiating a cold, fierce light.

"Are you Zhuang Wudao?"

Zhuang Wudao sneered and did not answer. This was a pointless question. Had he not been talking to Wu Xiaosi for so long? How could this man not know he was Zhuang Wudao?

He was extremely wary of this man's strength. He was a Bone Marrow Cultivator, with dark copper-colored skin that gleamed like metal. Just from the first glance, it was clear that he practiced an external hardening technique.

His skin was as hard as steel, capable of withstanding weapons.

In addition, three other Bone Marrow Cultivators appeared on the rooftops to the left and right. One held a pair of sabers, another a hook chain.

Behind him, another figure appeared, short and stocky, holding a battle axe in each hand.