Arriving in Ruin City

Heavenly Empress, Hua Qiang and Huo Qingtong arrived at the Ruin City.

The morning light pierced through the clouds and shone upon this majestic city.

The city walls soar into the clouds, with massive stones fitting together seamlessly, their surfaces adorned with mysterious, interwoven patterns.

The walls are thick enough for a horse-drawn carriage to pass through, and their majestic grandeur is overwhelming.

At this moment, the city gates were wide open, and a large crowd surged forth.

On both sides of the street, vendors shouted their wares and tried their best to attract customers.

There were merchants from the Central Asian countries pushing carts and carrying loads full of rare and exotic goods, and dark-skinned witch doctors arranging mysterious herbs, all using their unique dialects to attract customers.

The warriors were the most eye-catching, including bold knights clad in heavy armor, wielding long spears, and riding magnificent horses with glossy coats.

Some even rode on flame-covered mythical beasts and winged swift Gale Eagle, strode with imposing grandeur.

The streets of the city were like a boiling river, with the aroma of aged wine wafting from the taverns, and diners drinking, playing drinking games, and making a ruckus.

The storyteller in the teahouse slammed his fist on the table as he recounted extraordinary tales of the martial world, drawing cheers from the audience.

The street corner opera troupe performs singing, recitation, acting, and acrobatics; their sung voices, with their exaggerated facial expressions, soar to the heavens.

The city hall is located in the center of the city, with vermilion gates, golden tiles and flying eaves, and stone lions guarding it with fierce eyes, showing its majesty.

At the city gates and in the streets and alleys, one could see everywhere ragged, disheveled, listless, and lifeless vagrants and beggars.

These are from nearby villages, or people who have come from other places.

They were attacked by monsters, or by people who cultivated demonic arts who ravaged and massacred villages, forcing them to leave their homes, become displaced, and flee everywhere.

Standing before the bustling city gate, Hua Qiang gazed at the chaos before him, a strange sense of familiarity welling up within him, as if he had been instantly transported back to the chaotic base in the Lower Realm.

The same hustle and bustle, the same lack of order—it seems that no matter where you go, the chaotic nature of the world never changes.

He shook his head helplessly, took Huo Qingtong's hand beside him, and the two walked slowly through the city side by side.

The Red-headed Eagle flapped its wings and soared into the sky, disappearing into the vast expanse of the heavens in the blink of an eye, leaving only a black dot.

This Red-headed Eagle is exceptionally intelligent. It is used to being idle all day long and is nowhere to be found. No one can figure out where it wanders off to.

But as soon as Huo Qingtong whistles, the Red-headed Eagle will swoop back like an arrow released from a bow, obediently landing and fulfilling its duty.

Despite its wildness, it remains within a controllable range, which makes things easier.

Hua Qiang and Huo Qingtong walked slowly along the street. All around them were passersby of all kinds. Vendors carrying loads shouted their wares, merchants hurried along the way, and playboys swaggered through the streets. On the side of the street, there were destitute people sitting on the ground, covering their faces and weeping.

The vivid yet complex tapestry of human life unfolded before their eyes, leaving the two deeply moved.

I had assumed that this Sacred Spirit Continent, a legendary land where everyone is born into the Saint Realm, must be a place of tranquility and peace, where people live in peace, prosperity, and happiness.

Reality, however, delivered a harsh slap in the face, with chaos and noise devoid of any semblance of tranquility. People would frequently roll up their sleeves, grab weapons, and engage in fights on the streets and alleys, with violence flying everywhere.

Hua Qiang frowned deeply, his heart filled with annoyance, but he was too lazy to get involved in this pointless dispute.

As I turned the corner, several ragged beggars came into view.

They knelt or lay prone, begging with mournful cries, their faces filled with sorrow and fawning.

Only one little beggar stood out, his small body huddled in the corner, motionless, like a clay sculpture.

The tattered clothes she wore were so worn that their original color was no longer discernible, hanging in tatters on her thin, bony body.

Her hair was disheveled, like a clump of withered grass, wantonly obscuring her sallow and sunken face.

Only his eyes were astonishingly clear, like a spring of pure water, untouched by any impurities.

The little beggar stared intently at the chipped and broken bowl before him, without uttering a word. Unlike others who would kowtow and beg passersby, he remained unmoved, even by the enticing aromas wafting from the nearby food stalls.

Hua Qiang, however, keenly sensed her weak and trembling aura, the kind of powerlessness that only comes from extreme hunger.

Occasionally, someone would take pity on them and casually toss them some food. The little beggar would quickly grab it, stuff it whole into his mouth, give a mumbled thank you, and then return to his statue-like state.

Hua Qiang's curiosity was instantly ignited. In this well filled with greed, desire and scrambling, there was such an extraordinary little beggar, like a lotus blooming alone in the mud, stubborn and quiet.

He gave Huo Qingtong a wink, and the two of them slowed down and stopped not far from the little beggar, determined to find out what was going on.

What exactly makes this child so stubbornly persistent despite being in such a difficult situation?

Is it an inherent arrogance, or is there another hidden reason?

Hua Qiang stroked his chin, his gaze fixed on the little beggar, already lost in thought.

The surrounding noise continued, but in Hua Qiang's world at this moment, only the thin figure in the corner became clearer.

Hua Qiang couldn't resist walking over, squatting down in front of the little beggar, and then softly asking, "Are you hungry?"

The little beggar glanced at Hua Qiang, then at Huo Qingtong standing behind Hua Qiang, before looking away and nodding.

"No money?" Hua Qiang asked, a question that made him want to slap himself.

The little beggar looked up at Hua Qiang again and wondered if this handsome Eldest Brother had something wrong with his head.

If I had money, would I need to stay here and starve?

She nodded quite seriously.

"Are you begging?"

This time, the little beggar looked at Hua Qiang seriously for a few moments, confirming with his eyes...

Hua Qiang could read two words in her eyes... idiot.

He also felt that his question was inappropriate, but he couldn't help asking it because he really wanted to help him correct this wrong way of begging.

The little beggar was very polite and answered Hua Qiang's question again with a nod.

"That's not how you beg. You won't get anything by begging like that. You should learn from other people and see how they beg."

The little beggar glanced at the beggars around him, suddenly realized what was going on, and immediately put it into practice, saying to Hua Qiang, "I'm hungry, I haven't eaten for days, can you give me something to eat?"

Then he stared longingly at Hua Qiang.

Hua Qiang was both amused and exasperated, and said, "You... with this tone and this way of begging, do you really think you can get anything?"

The little beggar said very seriously, "I can't embarrass my master, that would be very shameful!"

"Ha! You've got some backbone when you beg!"

"Of course, my teacher taught me that one should have backbone, one should have one's own stance and principles!"

Hua Qiang couldn't help but chuckle. If he really had any backbone, he wouldn't be begging. He has hands and feet; he wouldn't starve himself!

Huo Qingtong couldn't help but chuckle, but she forced herself not to laugh out loud.

How could I, a mere mortal, have such leisure to teach a little beggar how to beg? I'd be better off spending that time in a hotel room and relaxing...