Three days later, dawn was just breaking.
Dressed in a sect master's black robe embroidered with blood-red patterns, Lin Sheng strode out of the Crimson Blood Sect with He Tu.
The City Lord's Residence stood on the highest ground at the very center of the Inner City. As they followed the bluestone-paved main street north, their surroundings grew increasingly grand.
Along the way, He Tu lowered his voice and explained the city's balance of power.
"Sect Master, the nominal ruler of Bitter Profound City is the City Lord's Residence, backed by the Withered Bone Cathedral. It counts as an official power in the Azure Snake Domain. The Fallen Spirit Church and the Withered Bone Cathedral, those two giants, have divided all the cities in the Azure Snake Domain between them, great and small. Our Bitter Profound City falls within the Withered Bone Cathedral's territory."
"There are three top-tier powers in the city: the Three-One Church, the Evil Life Sect, and Ghost Luo Mountain. Each has at least two peak demigods holding the fort. Their roots run deep, and their businesses are extensive. Our Crimson Blood Sect can't compare."
"Below them are second-tier powers like our Crimson Blood Sect: the Hungry Ghost Gang, the Bone-Eroding Church, the Black Spider Society... seven in all.
"Of those, the Hungry Ghost Gang has the deepest grudge against us. They've always coveted our beast-material business, and we've had no shortage of bloody clashes over the years. Their leader, Li Kui, is a high-rank demigod, roughly on par with our former sect master, He Cang. He's always been vicious and ruthless. You'll need to be especially wary of him at the banquet, Sect Master."
Lin Sheng nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the shops lining the street.
The closer they came to the City Lord's Residence,