The few senior and junior brothers wandering around walked all the way to the higher elevations, until they reached a dead end and walked out from a cave entrance resembling a crack. The sky was already full of stars, with no moonlight to be seen, and countless shadowy silhouettes loomed in the deep distance.
The group did not reach the very top, but they dared not go any higher. Above them was the massive rock at the highest peak that resembled Changban Slope, which was also where the City Lord’s Mansion was located. No one was allowed to climb it without an invitation, and anyone who did would bear the consequences.
As for the exterior of the mountain, you could look at the scenery at the cave entrance, sit around, and have fun, but you absolutely could not run around everywhere on the outside of the mountain.
The protruding sections on the exterior of the mountain had many residential areas and shops built into terraces. It would be highly inappropriate for people to constantly come and go or jump around there, so it was strictly regulated.
Therefore, the few senior and junior brothers could only stop here. Although the scenery at higher altitudes was certainly better, allowing one to take in the full panoramic night view, their status was not high enough, and they truly could not go up.
It was late at night, and they could not see clearly outside anyway. The group stood there for a while before losing interest, feeling that it was about time to head to the shop called “Dangziwang” to meet up.
Nanzhu looked back at the path they had taken and asked, “We have been turning left and right so many times that I have lost count. Who could possibly remember the way back?”
Yu Qing said, “The original path is not necessarily the shortest route,
Anyway, we just need to walk all the way down, and once we reach the bottom, we can circle around and look.”
It could only be this way, as they did not have a map of the city in their hands.
There were indeed places in the city that sold maps for thirty thousand taels each, which was a bit expensive. Although they were exquisitely crafted, the few senior and junior brothers still could not bear to buy them. They decided to buy from the mountain porters outside, having heard that they only cost three thousand taels. To them, it did not matter if the craftsmanship was a bit rough,
as long as they were usable. Maps were meant for navigating, not for admiring. Could good looks put food on the table? Saving money truly could put food on the table.
If they had a map to copy, they would have tried to save even this money.
After winding left and right for nearly half an hour, they finally arrived at the foot of the mountain. They emerged from a different exit and, as previously discussed, circled around the base of the mountain to search.
There were many mountain porter shops at the foot of the mountain, scattered in a circle around Kuailai City. It was estimated that there were several hundred such shops in total.
With the signboards to guide them, it was not hard to find. It only took a little while to locate the shop named “Dangzizai”.
An unlit red lantern hung at the entrance of the shop,
and the interior was pitch black with the main door tightly shut, indicating that they were not open for business.
Baili Xin stepped up and knocked on the door. When it opened, the cloaked figure made a hand gesture, prompting the group to temporarily step back.
After closing the door, the cloaked figure ducked underneath the shop, gathered the four support pillars, hoisted the entire structure onto his shoulders, and carried it away from the original spot. He walked around the base of the mountain for a while until he found a relatively open space before setting the pillars back down to secure the shop.
With a wave of his hand, he beckoned over the few followers who had been tailing them at a discreet distance and led them all inside the shop.
The space inside the shop was neither particularly large nor small, and it should have easily accommodated a few adults. However, due to the various lofts and partitioned rooms, the group had to either sit cross-legged behind the door, stand in the aisle, or climb up to lie flat on the loft.
The cloaked figure checked outside from the doorway. After shutting the door, he slipped a metal necklace off his neck, held out a small metal tag to Baili Xin, and whispered, “Hardly any women work as mountain porters, and we have no connections for that here. We could only get our hands on a male identity. Do you think this will do?”
Baili Xin, standing in the aisle, turned her head to look at the others.
Yu Qing, lying on the loft, immediately nodded and said,
“That works. There are three men here, which is more than the women, so we are not short of men.”
Only then did Baili Xin take the tag into her hands and examine it. On one side, the characters for “Mountain Porter” were engraved within a decorative pattern, while the other side bore a person’s name. Upon seeing the name, she could not help but mutter, “Hua Shangfei? Why does this name look like a woman’s name?”
The cloaked figure replied, “The name does not matter. What matters is that it is safe for you to use. Finding a complete identity with all the belongings is hard to come by around here on short notice, so getting this is already quite good. Besides, when necessary, it is fitting for you to use this name as a placeholder, and it will not easily arouse suspicion.”
Baili Xin and the others considered this and agreed. The name was not important; the safety of using the identity was paramount. Impersonating a mountain porter was a grave offence, no matter who caught them. The cloaked figure then pulled a scroll of paper from his sleeve and handed it over, saying, “This is the background of ‘Hua Shangfei’, the original owner of this shop. You should take a look. If you truly run into any trouble, you will at least be able to talk your way out of it.”
Baili Xin asked, “What if we are discovered impersonating someone?”
The cloaked figure said, “This is exactly what my superiors told me to impress upon you. Try your best not to be found out. If you are exposed, you will have to figure out a solution yourselves. You do not want to bring trouble upon yourselves, do you? If things really go south, my superiors will try to find a way to smooth it over. But you must firmly remember one thing. You absolutely cannot let the matter of impersonating a mountain porter blow up. Once it becomes public knowledge and openly challenges the rules of the mountain porters, no one will be able to protect you.”
Baili Xin glanced at the contents of the paper by the faint light from outside and acknowledged, “Understood.”
The cloaked figure asked, “Is there anything else you need me to pass on?”
Baili Xin asked, “I mentioned the matter of money in my letter. Were you not told to bring it?”
It was not just a saying that a single coin could stump a hero; it could equally stump a woman. She wanted to maintain some dignity, and knowing Nang Pangzi’s intentions but finding it hard to refuse, she felt quite uncomfortable.
“No money,” the cloaked figure replied, shaking his head. “My superiors said he has no money either. Mobilising some manpower and resources for a personal matter is already stretching his limits. Asking for money is a whole different story, as expenses in the cultivation world are no small sum.”
Hearing this, Yu Qing raised an eyebrow and re-evaluated Baili Xin in the dim light, wondering exactly what kind of person this woman had found to help them.
Previously, Xiang Lanxuan had asserted that this woman was sent by Ying Xiaotang, but that was merely outside speculation. He himself knew it was not true.
He was also aware that the outside world had many misunderstandings regarding his relationship with Ying Xiaotang, and in reality, it was nothing like what people imagined.
He had met Ying Xiaotang and spoken with her face to face. Ying Xiaotang had done all she could for him, and when he insisted on leaving, she had made her position perfectly clear. She would not endlessly indulge his stubbornness.
Of course, he would not clarify this matter to the outside world either. He was willing to let the public maintain this vague misunderstanding. After all, had he not enjoyed the benefits of this very misunderstanding when he was freely entering and leaving the Underworld Temple earlier?
The cloaked figure then turned his head to sweep his gaze over Yu Qing and the others,
saying, “My superiors said that if you did not bring up money, I was to say nothing. But since you did bring it up, it must be the fault of these fellows here. My superiors told me to inform you that these guys are incredibly stingy and would even fight each other over money. There is no sentiment to be had with them, so do not be shy. If you need money, just demand it from them. With these shameless scoundrels, you can even stab them in the back when necessary. Once they get scared, they will naturally hand over the money.”
As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of the three senior and junior brothers changed drastically.
What did he mean they would fight each other over money? Even though they would not admit to such behaviour themselves,
Nanzhu, who was sitting cross-legged in the lower compartment, suddenly poked his head out and craned his neck, saying, “Who is stingy? This is slander, this is defamation. Baili, you tell them yourself, am I not generous? Am I the kind of person who is that stingy? You cannot believe a word this man says.”
Baili Xin shook her head. It was genuinely hard to say that this particular man was stingy towards her, even though he had ulterior motives.
She was also pondering what on earth the relationship was between the superior and these fellows, for him to be able to say such things.
She actually did not know who the superior was either, but she knew the man in front of her definitely did.
Yu Qing, lying on the loft, politely cupped his hands and asked, “Friend, may I ask who your superior is?”
The cloaked figure shook his head and replied, “I do not know.”
The three senior and junior brothers were collectively rendered speechless.
Nanzhu immediately changed his line of questioning, “You must at least know where he holds his high position, right? Having helped us so much, we…” Nanzhu, who was sitting cross-legged in the lower compartment, suddenly poked his head out and craned his neck, saying, “Who is stingy? This is slander, this is defamation. Baili, you tell them yourself, am I not generous? Am I the kind of person who is that stingy? You cannot believe a word this man says.”
Baili Xin shook her head. It was genuinely hard to say that this particular man was stingy towards her, even though he had ulterior motives.
She was also pondering what on earth the relationship was between the superior and these fellows, for him to be able to say such things.
She actually did not know who the superior was either, but she knew the man in front of her definitely did.
Yu Qing, lying on the loft, politely cupped his hands and asked, “Friend, may I ask who your superior is?”
The cloaked figure shook his head and replied, “I do not know.”
The three senior and junior brothers were collectively rendered speechless.
Nanzhu immediately changed his line of questioning, “You must at least know where he holds his high position, right? Having helped us so much, we should at least find an opportunity to visit and thank him in person, shouldn’t we?”
Yu Qing immediately added, “Exactly. Without thanking him in person,
it is truly difficult to express our gratitude.”
Mu Aotie also grunted in agreement and said with immense solemnity,
“We truly must thank him in person.”
The cloaked figure said, “Enough, stop asking. I will not say. My superiors specifically instructed that if Baili Xin did not ask for money, I was not to mention these things, because they do not want to be endlessly entangled with you. My superiors said you are no good, and if you knew who he was and where he was, you would definitely cling to him shamelessly. He is not blessed enough to enjoy your immense hospitality.
My superiors said that you have gotten involved in matters you should not be involved in, and there are some faint, looming eyes watching you from behind. He cannot figure out their origins, nor does he dare let those eyes turn their attention to him, so he must simply say that those with different paths should not conspire together.
He has no right to meddle in whatever you are doing, and he has his own great matters to attend to, with no energy to follow you around in your reckless antics.
He tells you to act with utmost care and caution. Being able to invite a Grand Archer to lend you a helping hand is already more than enough to treat you fairly.
My superiors specifically asked me to pass on one last message, telling you not to be paranoid, and to know that Baili Xin is absolutely reliable!”
Having finished speaking, the cloaked figure spread his hands to indicate that was all. The three senior and junior brothers were stunned for a long time after hearing this. These words were not easy to digest, but they were certain of one thing. That “superior” was absolutely someone who had come out of the Linglong Sect.