Qiongfang City

(An extra chapter for all my friends who comment, ask for updates, and read the story! I love you (⑉°з°)-♡)

The caravan traveled upstream along the Wunu River. Snow and wind blanketed the fir forest, and the colorful scenery on both banks gradually gave way to a subdued silver-white.

By evening, the rolling snow-capped mountains had already hidden the setting sun. Its slanting rays shone through the thinning atmosphere, turning the sky a dreamy blue-purple.

The caravan traveled deep into the mountains and finally reached Qiongfang City, a Demon Race city nestled within the range.

More than five hundred years old, the ancient city was like a brilliant snow pearl set amid the towering, majestic peaks.

As the caravan passed through the towering, battle-scarred city gate, a sweeping vista opened before them.

The buildings followed the contours of the mountains, forming a distinctive terraced layout.

Row upon row of exquisite houses stood in a pleasing arrangement, like alpine snow that had grown naturally upon the cliffs.

Higher up, mansions and palaces were set neatly and tightly into the mountainside like fish scales, blending perfectly with their natural surroundings.

From a distance, the whole of Qiongfang City looked like an enormous castle that had grown out of the mountain rock, so naturally formed that it was breathtaking.

"Qiongfang City. No matter how many times I come, I always think it's magnificent!"

Yan Xu glanced back at the city wall that kept the wind and snow firmly at bay, unable to keep from exclaiming.

Shisui did not respond. He was busy controlling the Psychic Energy that had suddenly grown restless inside him.

The instant he passed through the city gate, a powerful surge of Psychic Energy swept over him. It was not aimed at Shisui, but was merely intimidating all awakened individuals as a matter of routine.

Shisui's senses were simply too keen, and that "fleeting glimpse" had roused his instinct to fight.

No wonder the temperature inside the city is steady, with no wind or snow. There's more to this wall than meets the eye.

And judging by a quick look at the number of troops stationed here, the defenders I found inside Chen City might not even match a fraction of the Demon Race army.

They wouldn't gather this much military strength just to defend the city.

It looks like the Demon Race will be making a move against the two races downstream soon.

As for the Wunu River Treaty?

Hah, aren't ceasefire agreements made to be torn up?

The caravan entered a warehouse district in the outer city and came to a smooth stop in front of a warehouse belonging to the Youhe Trading Company.

Shisui braced himself with one hand and nimbly vaulted down from the carriage, then joined the other cargo guards in unloading and stacking the goods.

"Yue Jian, Boss Zhou wants you!"

"Coming!"

After pretending to work busily for a while, Shisui finally received his employer's summons.

He strode toward his employer's carriage.

That employer, the fat boss of the Youhe Trading Company, was named Zhou Runfeng. When he was away from home, everyone addressed him respectfully as Boss Zhou.

These days, plenty of trading companies did business between two races, but those that maintained good relations with all three were few and far between.

After all, although the three races were not currently in conflict on the Moonfall Continent, the same could not necessarily be said of the other continents.

Not to mention that each race had clashed with the others to some extent over the past few centuries. The peace in this region might well be nothing more than an intermission.

That was precisely why Shisui had chosen the Youhe Trading Company.

By the time he reached the boss's carriage, several people were already standing there in small groups.

Most were at the fifth realm, while a few, like Shisui, were at the sixth realm. There were only six at the middle stage of the seventh realm and two at the eighth realm peak.

This small group represented half of Boss Zhou's assets, and it was also the special delivery team he had assembled to deliver goods to his distinguished major customers.

"Listen up, everyone. Make sure the goods remain intact and deliver them promptly.

"When you meet a customer, greet them politely and immediately explain why you're there. Then hand over the goods and have the customer confirm receipt and sign.

"That is all."

"Yes."

Shisui silently made himself less conspicuous, subtly adjusting his face to make his features more ordinary.

He picked up a spatial backpack lying nearby and stepped forward to collect the customer information for his deliveries.

The customers in Lou Shisui's assigned delivery area were several ordinary nobles in the middle and lower districts of Qiongfang City.

That was only to be expected.

The fox woman Shisui had attacked was the fat man's secretary, and the documents on the desk that day had included customer feedback records for the Youhe Trading Company's delivery service.

According to those records, the Youhe Trading Company promoted its service as safe and high-end.

For non-member customers among the common people, goods were delivered by awakened individuals of the third and fourth realms;

For wealthy member customers among the common people, fifth-realm awakened individuals made the deliveries, enhancing the emotional value customers received;

For nobles and above, deliveries were entrusted to awakened individuals of the sixth realm or higher, as a way of showing how much the Youhe Trading Company valued them.

Shisui's objective was to obtain a legitimate opportunity to approach noble residences.

In this world where strength was revered and realm reigned supreme, the Demon Race was also known for placing great importance on martial strength.

Perhaps this had something to do with the Demon Race having split off from the Human and Beastfolk races.

Moreover, the Demon Race's hierarchy was exceptionally strict, even more so than the Beastfolk's.

As a result, the Demon Race's resources and intelligence were highly concentrated. Ordinary commoners had only the duty to learn of and carry out any decisions made by the race, with no right to understand them in depth.

Thus, going from street to street to gather information would not work among the Demon Race.

As for why he had not claimed a higher realm and infiltrated a delivery team serving the upper nobility:

For one thing, it would have been too conspicuous and could easily have put the trading company's boss on guard during recruitment.

For another, the Demon Race's upper nobility genuinely had at least one Heaven Realm expert holding the fort. While his strength was still low, he had no desire to walk up and offer himself on a platter.

Keeping his speed in check and acting utterly unremarkable, Shisui rang the doorbell of the first noble residence.

"What do you want?"

A moment later, a burly household guard with black down on his cheeks came over and demanded an answer in a hostile tone.

A gentle, polite smile was fixed on Shisui's face.

"Hello, delivery from the Youhe Trading Company, at your service. This is a package for Viscount Tangtai. He needs to sign for it in person, so please announce my arrival."

The guard had initially been somewhat wary on seeing that the visitor was at the sixth realm, but the moment he heard it was a delivery, his expression turned contemptuous.

He's cultivated all the way to the sixth realm and still has to work for a living. Clearly just some dirt-poor commoner.

"Wait here."

He haughtily tossed out those words and turned back into the residence.

After a long, drawn-out wait, word finally reached the gate that Shisui was allowed in.

No wonder we only deliver to a few households a day. At this pace, it'd be hard to go any faster.

As he walked, Shisui scattered large quantities of Radiant Feathers along the way. Once the feathers stuck to passing servants, they would be carried all over the residence, and even onto the viscount himself.

"Don't go looking around. Move faster!" the servant ahead urged impatiently. Shisui could sense no fewer than three pairs of eyes watching him from the shadows.

How cautious. Good thing the Radiant Feathers are inconspicuous enough.

When they reached the viscount, the servant put on a different face.

"Master, sorry for the wait. This is the deliveryman."

"Mm, put it down. Butler, stamp it for him."

Viscount Tangtai was a tall, thin man with pinched features. Though he sat in a rocking chair, he looked down at Shisui.

There were other guests present, and the viscount paid the insignificant deliveryman no further attention as Shisui handed over the goods according to procedure.

The others present paid no attention to Shisui's arrival either. Unlike servants, even third-rate nobles had their own reserve and pride, and would not lower themselves to pay attention to a commoner.

An impeccable smile remained on Shisui's face as some even finer Radiant Feathers took the opportunity to cling to the hem of the nearby butler's clothes.

"The Youhe Trading Company looks forward to serving you again."

Done. On to the next one.