Fish Sea, one of the few large lakes in the Vast Desert, lay along the core route of the southern trade road.
Fish Sea City, built on the shores of the lake, was also one of the few prosperous places in the Vast Desert.
Whether passing merchants or resting bandits, all liked to relax here.
Especially the bandits, who already lived lives where tomorrow was never guaranteed. Many of them threw all their earnings away here, further fueling the city's prosperity.
However, to maintain that prosperity, Fish Sea had established certain rules that did not exist elsewhere. They could not restrain everyone, but keeping most people in line was enough.
Fish Sea City's lord, Bai Bazheng, was a veteran Nine Apertures expert. He had extensive connections and could speak with several Outer Scenery bandits of the Vast Desert. Coupled with the benefits he offered them,
he had managed to occupy such a prosperous place with the strength of a Nine Apertures martial artist. That alone showed his considerable skill.
Fish Sea, already bustling with people, had become even livelier over the past few days.
Bands of bandits poured in as if they had arranged it beforehand.
Even though the larger groups had been stationed at the oasis outside the city, the flow of people within the city had still surged. Inns and brothels were completely packed.
The reason for this was that An Guoxie, the most prized disciple of Ze Luoju, the "Vast Sea Evil Blade," and the Thirty-sixth-ranked expert on the Human Ranking, had been killed by a young monk.
Since Crying Old Man was still battling an old monk, while something had also happened on Hale's side, Ze Luoju had gone to help his fellow disciples and had no time to pursue the monk himself. Thus, he had