Two days later, Land of Gathering Demons Camp.
Land of Gathering Demons Camp was at least two hundred li from the nearest town in a straight line. Mountains stretched endlessly along the route, swamps were everywhere, and the camp was nowhere near any major trade route. It had always been sparsely populated.
But now, Land of Gathering Demons Camp was brightly lit and filled with laughter. Dish after dish of food covered the long tables, and vat after vat of wine stood open. The aromas of wine and meat spread across the mountains and wilderness like firelight. Inside the tents, cups clinked as young men gazed red-faced at the girls they admired, while old men reached agreements with smiles that did not reach their eyes. Several streets lined with all kinds of goods made the place look just like a small market town.
Outside the camp, who knew how many beasts prowled through the darkness, their eyes glowing green as they drooled with hunger? They could only pace beyond the fences and walls.
The annual opening of Land of Gathering Demons was not merely a time to seek treasures. It was also a gathering for the powerful clans of the northern lands. There were nearly five hundred people in the camp, representing more than forty powerful clans. Although they were merely military families with supervisory authority, their influence was considerable. As the middle-ranking military merit class directly facing the lower-level Bai Bao and commoners, each family was practically a local lord—a petty emperor capable of commanding tens of thousands.
However, unlike Liang Kingdom's excellent waterways and trade networks, Qi Kingdom was vast and rich in resources, so its powerful clans did not interact as closely. An event like Land of Gathering Demons, with no entry requirements and a fixed schedule,