Arrival at Qing Prefecture City

The next day.

In the morning, Zhou Ming had no idea what time it was. He did not have a watch, either.

So while the sky was still dark, he led his horse to wait at the east gate early.

Unfortunately, this horse was not Little Yellow.

Little Yellow had been sold by the innkeeper to some unknown swordsman.

After a long while, daylight finally broke.

The streets filled with people, and vendors began calling out their wares.

Five riders approached the eastern city gate from afar.

Before long, they stopped in front of Zhou Ming.

Chen Hao smiled. "Let me introduce you, Brother Zhou. These two are Fu Shan and Fang Yang, my colleagues."

Zhou Ming cupped his fists toward them. "I am Zhou Yuxi. Greetings, gentlemen."

Fu Shan sat atop his horse and swept his gaze over him before losing interest.

Fang Yang patted his belly, making the fat on his body jiggle. "Now we know each other."

The woman beside Jiang Jiang dismounted in a smooth motion.

The tall woman walked up to Zhou Ming, circled him three times, then nodded. "Li Mu, Jiang Jiang's close friend from the inner chambers."

Upon hearing that, Zhou Ming turned to glance at Jiang Jiang.

To his surprise, Jiang Jiang was looking at him too.

Drawing back his gaze, Zhou Ming said, "Zhou Yuxi. Greetings, Miss Mu."

At that moment, Fu Shan said calmly, "Lu Hao and Jiang Jiang said they wanted to bring you along. We have no objections, but once you get to the prefectural city, do not think of acting under our name."

Zhou Ming slightly raised his head and looked at Fu Shan.

Where did this guy get the nerve?

I need to borrow your name?

"Oh? That mouth of yours is still as foul as ever?" Li Mu sneered loudly.

Fu Shan's face darkened, and he immediately rode off ahead.

Not long after, the remaining five also mounted up and left the city.

They traveled at a leisurely pace, taking in the sights as they headed toward Qing Prefecture.

Zhou Ming discovered that the relationships among them were rather subtle.

Among the four colleagues, Lu Hao was effectively the mediator between Jiang Jiang, Fang Yang, and Fu Shan.

Li Mu said Fu Shan had a foul mouth.

Zhou Ming had not felt much about it before, but after spending time with him, he found that the man truly had a foul mouth.

No matter what everyone talked about, whether he agreed or disagreed, he always had to throw in a few barbs.

Whenever that happened, Lu Hao would step in to ease the atmosphere.

Fang Yang was a big fatty with a smile plastered on his face at all times. He did not talk much, but whenever he spoke, it was about some County Guard parasite committing heinous, heaven-defying crimes.

Then Fu Shan would step in and start ranting.

Yet Fang Yang did not give a damn about him, simply going his way while Fu Shan went his.

And Lu Hao, the mediator, would interrupt the two of them.

The two he observed the most were Jiang Jiang and Lu Hao.

Because he felt their relationship was somewhat strange.

"I say, Zhou Yuxi, can you stop staring? The two of them are not a couple. Lu Hao already has a wife and children—two big, chubby babies, even."

Seemingly seeing through Zhou Ming's little gossiping thoughts, Li Mu leaned over on horseback and whispered.

Zhou Ming whispered back, "He already has two kids? You really can't tell!"

"I met them once last year."

Zhou Ming asked curiously, "Then why does he follow Jiang Jiang around all day? I think Fu Shan is practically itching to punch him."

Li Mu covered her mouth and laughed. "Someone is eyeing his sister-in-law. How could he not keep watch?"

Zhou Ming froze.

The small doubt in his heart vanished like smoke.

I wronged Brother Lu.

Brother Lu isn't a simp!

Li Mu asked curiously, "Jiang Jiang said your talent is extremely high, but whenever I pressed her on exactly how high, she stopped talking. I satisfied your little curiosity, so in exchange, you have to answer me."

After thinking for a moment, Zhou Ming said calmly, "I do not know how you judge the level of talent. But I believe geniuses come in two kinds."

Hearing this, Li Mu pressed more than half her body close to Zhou Ming. "Tell me."

"Me, and geniuses."

Li Mu said irritably, "If you do not want to say it, then do not say it. Why put on such airs?"

Several days later.

After traveling leisurely, stopping and going along the way, the group came to a halt before a massive city.

Zhou Ming looked at the gigantic city before him, and his heart did not stir in the slightest.

He had seen skyscrapers before. This was nothing much.

Beside him, Fang Shan sighed. "One city gathers the geniuses of an entire prefecture. If one can get to know one or two of them, the road of martial arts will be a little smoother."

"I heard the top ten of the Qing Prefecture Martial Ranking have already laid out a banquet inside the city, inviting geniuses from all directions," Chen Hao said, slightly excited.

"How strong are the top ten of the Martial Ranking?" Zhou Ming asked Li Mu.

Li Mu gave him a surprised look.

Then she said calmly, "There are two Martial Rankings. We need not mention the Heaven Ranking; let us speak only of the Earth Ranking. In the Earth Ranking updated half a year ago, among the top ten, one had just entered Fifth Grade, while all the rest were Sixth Rank."

Damn!

After only half a year, there was already a Fifth Grade?

They had some substance.

I need to collect that debt from that little Jiang girl.

Hearing the two talk, Fang Yang seemed to grow interested.

"Brother Yuxi, are you planning to take the Martial Examination?"

Fu Shan sneered from the side. "Him? What level is he at?"

Zhou Ming ignored foul-mouthed Fu Shan. The man was not exactly bad; he simply could not control his mouth.

Zhou Ming nodded and said, "I do have that intention."

"Then allow me to say a few words. Brother Zhou, please do not take offense."

After rubbing his large belly, Fang Yang continued, "A realm is merely the outward appearance of a Martial Artist. Of course, if strength can crush everything, then let brute force smash all obstacles."

"But if you cannot suppress others with your realm, then what is tested is your martial skill."

With that, Fang Yang took the lead into the city.

Li Mu sighed. "If a martial technique can be cultivated to the pinnacle of perfection, why worry about being unable to defeat someone above one's level?"

Zhou Ming's expression turned strange. He had never felt that martial techniques at the pinnacle of perfection were all that powerful!

So he quietly asked, "Miss Mu, are martial techniques of the Fourth Realm really that powerful?"

Li Mu smiled. "I have never seen them either, so I do not know."

Thus, the group entered Qing Prefecture City one after another.

Upon entering the prefectural city, Zhou Ming clearly felt what it meant to be the seat of an entire prefecture.

The broad streets were all paved with smooth bluestone.

The shops on both sides of the road had people stopping within them, and business was booming.

Outside the shops, the vendors' stalls stood in neat rows, every seat occupied by diners.

Looking into the distance, luxurious mansions stood in sprawling clusters throughout the city.

The group led their horses along the street.

Before long, several shrewd young men gathered around them, asking whether they needed lodging or were looking for an empty courtyard.

Li Mu directly drove them away.

Lu Hao smiled. "I forgot. Now that we are in Qing Prefecture City, this is your turf."

Li Mu led her horse and smiled. "Enough. Follow me."

A moment later, the group arrived at their destination.

It was a quiet, ancient courtyard.

They pushed open the gate and walked inside.

Every residence within had its own small courtyard, in the same style as the place he had stayed at in the Dragon Soaring Escort Agency.

Li Mu took an exquisite purse from her waist and handed out keys to everyone.

She also pointed out which residence belonged to whom.

Li Mu and Jiang Jiang shared the most luxurious small courtyard, the first one visible upon entering.

The one on the far left was assigned to Fu Shan, while the one on the far right belonged to Fang Yang.

Lu Hao's and Zhou Ming's residences were beside the two women's, one on each side.

Zhou Ming entered his own courtyard.

It was clean and tidy. Quite nice.

After pushing open the door, he found everything inside fully furnished and ready for him to move in.