Wushan Mutual Market.
The rainy night was clamorous.
Torrential rain lashed the dense forest, knocking down withered leaves one by one. Carried by the mountain wind, they battered against rocks and trees.
Patter, patter—it went on without end.
The mutual market, which had begun to take shape, now had a far clearer outline than before.
It already resembled a proper town.
City walls two zhang high rose on all four sides, with dozens of watchtowers standing along the narrow ramparts.
Bright firelight shone from within the towers, faintly illuminating several guards clad in armor.
Some were from the Xiao Family, while others were from the Mountain Tribe.
Inside the city walls.
Most of the roads were still dirt mixed with gravel. Only one main road running north to south had been paved with mountain stone.
It was roughly five zhang wide and polished very smooth. Washed by the rain, it faintly reflected the firelight.
Two hundred shops of all sizes lined both sides, their heights staggered in an orderly arrangement.
Behind the storefronts stood square yet spacious warehouses, some of whose doors bore red paper notices.
Several lines had been written on the red paper.
Names such as "Youzhou Red Rock Trading Company" and "Wumeng Mountain Old Li Tribe" were written there.
Clearly, these warehouses had already been claimed by various trading companies or members of the Mountain Tribe.
Beyond the shops and warehouses were several open areas, where rainwater had collected in hundreds of pits of varying depths.
Quite a few laborers bent over to clear gravel from the pits, rain pouring onto their gleaming backs.
Crystal droplets glittered everywhere.
Xiao Jinghong stood atop a small hill outside the mutual market. Barefaced, she gazed from afar at the bustling scene within, satisfaction showing in her eyes.
Several months had