Jingye City

Entering the city.

This had still felt somewhat distant to Wu Ming until now.

Though Wu Village was fairly close to Jingye City, only a little over ten li away, Demons had been causing trouble in these times, and the world beyond the village was naturally far from peaceful. Thus, from the day he was born until now, Wu Ming had never once entered the city.

But from this day onward, he would probably be like Wu Qi, traveling frequently between Wu Village and Jingye City.

Fortunately, Wu Village and Jingye City were close enough that traveling back and forth was fairly easy. Wu Qi usually entered the city alongside several uncles from the village, but for a martial man like Wu Ming, a journey of just over ten li was nothing even alone.

Still, for his first trip into the city, he would follow Wu Qu. After all, Wu Ming still knew very little about the outside world.

"Ming'er, take this silver. You may need it after entering the city."

Wu Qi stuffed some loose silver and several strings of copper coins into Wu Ming's hand.

Wu Ming weighed them in his hand and made a quick calculation. They were worth around fifteen taels in total. He could not help but show a little surprise. "This money is..."

"It's the money from the Spring Tax, along with congratulatory money sent by your Uncle Yang, Uncle Bai... and a few other families. Put together, it should be enough. Don't worry about home. Your brother-in-law also sent over more than ten jin of rice, enough for the household's needs."

Wu Qi spoke to Wu Ming with a steady expression.

Someone in the village becoming a martial man was a joyous occasion, in some ways even more festive than a wedding. The village had only recently collected the Spring Tax, and ordinary households could not spare much silver, but families such as Wu Yang's were better off. Sending some congratulatory money to the family of a newly advanced martial man was also a tradition. After all, poor families who managed to train into martial men had generally emptied their coffers, and this was usually their most difficult period.

In truth, with the status of a martial man, borrowing some silver would not have been difficult. But they were all distant relatives and close neighbors from the same village; there was no need to let someone become so embarrassed. A little scattered silver meant little to the few well-off households in Wu Village that had martial men. Besides, now that Wu Ming had become a martial man, they would sooner or later have need of one another. The congratulatory money they sent now was merely a small gesture of goodwill.

"It really is different from before."

Weighing the silver in his hand, Wu Ming could not help but sigh inwardly.

If he had not become a martial man, then no matter how difficult his family's circumstances were, even if he went knocking on doors, he might not have been able to borrow more than a hundred copper coins. Unless they were so desperate they were nearly starving to death, Clan Head Wu Qu might perhaps have offered a little grain to help them weather the hardship.

But the moment he became a martial man, there was no need to borrow anything at all. Once Wu Yang and several other relatively wealthy households learned of his straitened circumstances and his need for money, they immediately took the initiative to send congratulatory gifts. Casually gathered together, they amounted to seven or eight taels of silver.

"All right, then I'll take the money for now."

Once Wu Ming understood where the money had come from, he no longer refused it.

"On this trip, follow your Uncle Qu. Listen more, watch more, speak less, act less. Listen carefully to your Uncle Qu's advice. He has been through it before and can help you avoid suffering some losses. Though you've trained into a martial man, you must still be cautious in all things. The city is not like the village."

Wu Qi put the money into a cloth pouch, hid it inside Wu Ming's clothes, and tied it securely. Then he earnestly instructed Wu Ming. Though he was not a martial man, he had seen his share of storms over the years. He was not worried about much else; he only feared that Wu Ming, young and hot-blooded after becoming a martial man, might cause some trouble in the city.

Fortunately, Wu Ming had always taken after him in temperament. Though young, he was exceptionally steady. And with Wu Qu accompanying him into the city this time, Wu Qi did not have much worry left. He merely passed on some of his experience in dealing with people and matters.

"Don't worry, Father. I understand."

Wu Ming answered.

Had he not awakened the Mystery of the Womb, he would have been nothing more than a seventeen-year-old youth, truly ignorant of many things. But now that he possessed the memories of his previous life, he was in effect a man who had lived two lives. Though the circumstances of this life differed greatly from the last, with martial arts and Demons, one thing remained the same wherever he went: the complexity of the human heart.

When traveling outside, he would naturally remain vigilant. Aside from his own family, even Clan Head Wu Qu had only ninety percent of his trust.

"All right, off you go."

Hearing Wu Ming's words, Wu Qi knew that his son was intelligent and steady, so he finally set his mind at ease.

Liu Shi came over from the side. She had already nagged several times since early morning, and seeing that Wu Ming was about to leave, she approached, intending to say a few more words. But footsteps suddenly sounded beyond the fenced courtyard. Wu Qu had arrived.

"Uncle Qu."

Wu Ming immediately went out to greet him.

Wu Qu waved at Wu Ming, then looked toward Wu Qi and Liu Shi, who had followed him into the courtyard. "Third Brother Qi, Third Sister-in-law, no need to see us off. It's still early. I'll take Ming'er into the city to familiarize him with the road. If all goes smoothly, we'll be back after noon."

Seeing this, Wu Qi and Liu Shi each stopped. The elderly couple naturally trusted Wu Qu quite a bit.

"Let's go."

After giving Wu Qi and Liu Shi a slight nod, Wu Qu led Wu Ming toward the outskirts of the village.

It would not quite be accurate to say this was Wu Ming's first time leaving the village. But even when he had occasionally gone out before, he had only moved about within a radius of one or two li, or gone to the nearby river more than a li away to fetch water and wash clothes with Wu Yu.

This time, he was leaving Wu Village far behind and heading to Jingye City. In terms of the havoc caused by Demons, the city was undoubtedly safer. But in other respects, it was far more chaotic than the village. In a world where strength reigned supreme, those who used force to flout the law were everywhere. Some powerful martial men simply turned a blind eye to the laws of Yong Country.

Though Yong Country had the Cautious Punishment Division to supervise all ranks above and below, when a martial man flew into a rage, blood could flow for ten li. It was impossible to keep everything fully under control.

These were the things Wu Qu chatted about with Wu Ming along the way.

After leaving Wu Village and walking two or three li, their view opened up considerably. A broad road appeared ahead, one of Jingye City's official roads. Looking farther ahead, they could vaguely see patrolling soldiers stationed along it.

Wu Ming had thought the world beyond the village would be fraught with danger, but after walking this stretch of road, he found it quite safe. As Wu Qu put it, under normal circumstances, the area within twenty li of Jingye City was relatively safe, and calamities were rarely seen.

Both were martial men. To accommodate Wu Ming, Wu Qu did not walk too quickly, but even so, the journey of a little over ten li passed in the blink of an eye. Soon, a vast and magnificent city stretching across the horizon appeared in Wu Ming's sight.

The city walls were at least ten zhang high, immensely imposing to behold.

"This is Jingye City."

Gazing at the distant city walls, Wu Ming could not help but draw in a soft breath.

This world truly differed greatly from his previous life. At the very least, the scale of Jingye City and the size of its walls already far exceeded the capitals of those ancient dynasties from his former life. Yet Jingye City was merely one of Yong Country's fifty-four cities.

Ordinary mortals likely could not have built a colossal city like this. Even the materials would have posed a problem. Clearly, many things in this world lay beyond his understanding from his previous life, beyond the scope of his knowledge.

Beside him.

Seeing Wu Ming stare blankly up at the city walls, Wu Qu smiled faintly. Back when he had first achieved something in martial arts and come to Jingye City for the first time, he too had been like Wu Ming, awed by the towering grandeur of this giant city, standing dazed beneath its walls for a long while.

Once upon a time, he had even imagined that he would surely carve out a place of his own within this majestic giant city. But the hardships he encountered later had made him see reality for what it was.

Surely,

the Wu Ming of today, gazing up at this city, carried some of the same drive and aspirations that Wu Qu had once possessed. He simply did not know how far Wu Ming would go in the future, or whether he might have even the slightest chance to establish a residence and open a manor within this city.

At the city gates.

Several dozen soldiers clad in armor stood holding weapons. Their cold, sharp spears faintly exuded Baleful Intent. The people entering the city cautiously submitted to inspection at the side. Those entering and leaving moved in silence, everything orderly, and no one dared make trouble.

Wu Ming and Wu Qu were inspected as well, but they were quickly allowed into the city.

"Is Jingye City's guard always this strict?"

Only after entering the city did Wu Ming quietly ask Wu Qu. Seeing the tight security outside, he had suspected that something might have happened, but Wu Qu's reply eased his concerns.

"Jingye City's guard is naturally strict. It is this way every day. It is not only to guard against vicious bandits with bounties on their heads, but more importantly, to prevent Demons and other evil things from slipping into the city."

Wu Qu nodded slightly in response, then said, "All right, the Seven Martial Alliance branch hall is just ahead."

The Seven Martial Alliance's business spread throughout Jingye City and touched every aspect of life, so its branch halls could be found all over the city.

After following Wu Qu into the city, Wu Ming passed through only three or four streets and turned two or three corners before arriving before a sprawling courtyard. Outside hung a highly conspicuous plaque reading: "Seven Martial Alliance Outer Hall."