Entering the Pass, Banquet (Seeking Recommendations, Seeking Follow-ups)

After roughly half a day, Xu Tianlong and Xu Haoyu, grandfather and grandson, arrived at Town South Pass from Tiannan City.

It was an enormous fortress city, dozens of zhang high, built entirely from black bricks that resembled metal. It stood majestic and imposing, like a colossal beast lying prone.

Towering mountains rose on both sides of the fortress city. The city had been constructed along the course of the mountain range, possessing the imposing momentum of a single man guarding the pass against ten thousand.

When Xu Tianlong and Xu Haoyu arrived nearby, they descended. With his white hair and youthful face, wide sleeves fluttering around him, Xu Tianlong looked like an immortal as he landed lightly on the ground. Xu Haoyu, on the other hand, simply plunged down and hit the ground heavily, kicking up a great cloud of dust. Fortunately, his body was strong, and he suffered neither shattered bones nor torn muscles.

This was the difference in their realms. As a Dou Zong expert, Xu Tianlong could mobilize Heaven and Earth Energy and stand in midair. Xu Haoyu, a mere Nine-Star Dou Shi, did not possess such ability.

However, relying on the Sky Stepping Steps, he had flown at breakneck speed all the way here and covered such a long distance through his own strength. That was no easy feat.

After getting to his feet, Xu Haoyu's breathing was somewhat hurried and he panted repeatedly, but his spirits were extremely high. This could be considered his first grasp of the ability to fly.

Xu Tianlong said with a chuckle:

"Good grandson, let's go. We'll soon enter the pass by following the official road. This is your first time at Town South Pass. It's quite lively inside, with a great number of mercenaries gathered here."

"Although Town South Pass has three hundred thousand Town South Army soldiers, once they are scattered throughout the Ten Thousand Mountains, they cannot achieve much. To better develop the Ten Thousand Mountains, registered mercenaries are allowed to come and go freely. They have made tremendous contributions to the prosperity of Town South Pass."

"Mercenaries need to prepare their own armor, weapons, food, and medicinal pills. That alone lets our Xu Family make a fine profit. The magical beast materials and other precious treasures they bring back from the Ten Thousand Mountains must also be sold to our Xu Family if they want to turn them into money quickly. Tsk, tsk. Town South Pass is one enormous cash cow."

Xu Haoyu had not understood much about this before, but after hearing Xu Tianlong's explanation, he immediately understood. Sending their own soldiers into the mountains came at a tremendous cost: those who returned alive had to be rewarded, while those crippled or killed required compensation.

Rather than that, it was better to send mercenaries into the mountains. Whether they lived or died had nothing to do with the Xu Family, yet all their gains would be harvested by the Xu Family.

What a clever method!

Xu Haoyu praised inwardly. As long as they maintained the right balance, this truly was a path to enduring prosperity.

No wonder the Xu Family's Second Elder and Third Elder—Xu Haoyu's second and third grandfathers—were stationed at Town South Pass year-round. This place truly needed to be watched carefully.

Although his grandfather Xu Tianlong was not stationed at Town South Pass and remained at the Xu Family ancestral grounds, each year, when Xu Yaozu, the Xu Family Patriarch and Town South King, calculated the remaining wealth, he gave the Grand Elder's branch an enormous share of the dividends. His grandfather had always kept that money, and after years of accumulation, it had become an astronomical sum.

Looking at it this way, the prosperity of Town South Pass was closely tied to his own interests. Xu Haoyu sighed inwardly. His peaceful, carefree life existed because others bore the burden.

Then Xu Haoyu said:

"Grandfather, I've spent all year within the clan, so I should take a look at this liveliness. Also, since we're here, should we pay Second Grandfather and Third Grandfather a visit?"

Xu Tianlong laughed heartily.

"We certainly should greet them. If we cause any commotion in the Ten Thousand Mountains, they won't have to worry."

Then Xu Tianlong led Xu Haoyu along the official road, and they soon arrived beneath the fortress city.

At the city gate, two rows of elite soldiers in heavy armor stood guard, holding long ge and great halberds.

Although no fee was required to enter or leave through the city gate, one had to present proof of origin and verify that one's identity was clean.

Xu Tianlong did not announce his identity. He simply took a golden token from his Storage Ring, upon which the character Xu was carved in a bold, flowing hand.

Upon seeing the token, both rows of elite soldiers became solemn, then respectfully ushered them inside.

Possessing this token proved that they came from the Xu Family. That identity was clean enough, and no further verification was necessary.

After entering the city, Xu Haoyu, walking beside Xu Tianlong, was instantly engulfed by a wave of noise. Looking to either side of the street, he saw countless shops and storefronts—blacksmith shops, grain stores, medicine shops, inns... they were everywhere.

Mercenaries clad in armor, or simply bare-chested and displaying bodies covered in scars, came and went openly, laughing and chatting.

Since arriving in the Dou Qi Continent, this was Xu Haoyu's first time witnessing such distinctive local customs. These mercenaries, who walked the edge of life and death and faced danger every day, truly possessed an indescribable boldness, whether men or women.

Seeing the bustling scene, Xu Haoyu could not help feeling a little restless himself. After wandering around for a while, he eventually visited a blacksmith shop and bought a large spear, a long saber, and a dagger.

This time, when entering the Ten Thousand Mountains, he could experience the life of a mercenary for himself and test his mettle against magical beasts. With Xu Tianlong protecting him, he would not face any danger. Gaining experience fighting magical beasts would bring nothing but benefits.

A little later, they headed to the City Lord's Mansion and met the Xu Family's Second Elder and Third Elder.

The Second Elder and Third Elder naturally gave Xu Tianlong and Xu Haoyu a warm welcome.

That evening, they gathered all the generals in the army and held a grand banquet for Xu Tianlong and Xu Haoyu, welcoming them and washing away the dust of their journey.

At the banquet!

At the Second Elder's prompting, the Third Elder finally voiced the doubt in his heart:

"Big Brother Tianlong, what exactly brings you here with little Haoyu this time? Even if you intend to arrange for little Haoyu to train in the army, he's still far too young."

As soon as those words were spoken, the other army generals pricked up their ears as well. More than half of them bore the surname Xu, while the rest had countless ties to the Xu Family. Naturally, they all wanted to know why Xu Tianlong had come.

Xu Tianlong laughed heartily, taking in everyone's curiosity. Then, with a proud expression, he said:

"I can't bear to let my good grandson suffer in the army. He is an alchemist and has been studying under Mister Li. He is already a Third-Rank Alchemist. This time, I brought him into the Ten Thousand Mountains to choose a fire-attributed magical beast, collect its flame seed, and refine it, so that he can attempt to advance to Fourth-Rank Alchemist."

Hiss!

The Second Elder, Third Elder, and all the other army generals sucked in a cold breath, staring at Xu Haoyu with shock written across their faces.

Xu Haoyu still looked so youthful and was only around ten years old, yet he was already a Third-Rank Alchemist. If this was true, his future achievements might even surpass those of his teacher, Li Fufeng, the Xu Family's chief alchemist.

Xu Haoyu remained entirely calm in the face of their stares. He had seen such looks many times before, so he naturally did not make a fuss over them.