Ironheart City

Amon decided to change their itinerary at the last minute. He told the coachman:

"Rest in Ironheart City for a few days. I have some business to take care of. For every two days we stay, I'll give you one Silver Soul Coin as extra payment."

"Certainly, Lord Soul Master."

The coachman agreed happily. All he had to do was wait a little longer in a city that wasn't on the route, and he would earn a Silver Soul Coin every two days. It was easy and safe. With such generous terms, he would have gladly stayed for ten days or half a month.

"Great! The road has been boring enough already. Let's have some fun in the city for a few days!" Yan Jin raised both hands in support.

The coachman turned the carriage around, and it slowly made its way toward Ironheart City.

Ironheart City stood near the Ironheart Mountains. It was a medium-sized city, far more prosperous than Frostleaf City.

A long line had formed outside the city gate, made up of farmers and merchants waiting to enter.

Lei Yin had the coachman drive the carriage through the express passage on the other side.

A guard stopped them. "Show me your identification."

Lei Yin showed him his Soul Master badge.

"A Soul Grandmaster?" The guard eyed Lei Yin skeptically.

Soul Grand Masters this young were rare. Coupled with the carriage's lack of luxury, the guard instinctively found it hard to believe.

Soul Masters could use the express passage, and goods they carried below a certain amount were exempt from tax.

Moreover, by an unspoken rule, the guards at city gates generally did not inspect Soul Masters' carriages for contraband. This led some people to take risks and impersonate them.

Respectful yet firm, he asked, "My lord, could you please display your Martial Soul? There have been quite a few merchants recently impersonating Soul Masters to smuggle goods."

Lei Yin nodded. Soul Power surged, and amid peals of thunder, streaks of silver-white lightning appeared in his palm, radiating a dazzling light. Two yellow Spirit Rings floated quietly around him.

The guard hurriedly returned the badge and stepped aside. "My lord, please enter."

The carriage rolled into the city at an unhurried pace.

An older guard patted the shoulder of the guard who had conducted the serious inspection and said:

"Kid, don't be so impulsive next time. Luckily, that lord was reasonable. Not every Soul Master is so easy to talk to."

"We're just ordinary guards, earning this little bit of pay. There's no need to make enemies of Lord Soul Masters.

"Even if we catch an impostor, what good does it do us? The rewards we're supposed to receive have never been handed out.

"On the other hand, if you offend some Soul Master with a narrow mind, you'll be in deep trouble."

But isn't that our job...? the young guard muttered inwardly, saying nothing in response.

Yan Jin dashed toward an inn like an excited child. After gnawing on dry rations for several days straight, she was nearly sick of them.

She would not have minded in the past, when she had struggled to survive on West Street in Frostleaf City. But it was hard to return to hardship after luxury. After five years of good living, she had almost forgotten what it felt like to be satisfied just by having a single flatbread.

"Mr. Amon..." Lei Yin looked toward Amon.

"You go too. I have no need for you at the moment." Amon gave him a slight nod.

"Call us if you need anything. We'll come right away." With that, Lei Yin ran after Yan Jin. He was worried that his sister would cause trouble again.

This was not Frostleaf City, where brawls were treated as an everyday occurrence.

Amon found a street loafer and idly played with a Silver Soul Coin in his hand.

"I need a guide. Tell me where the mercenaries of Ironheart City usually gather. Also, introduce the more famous mercenaries to me."

The loafer looked at the Silver Soul Coin, then at Amon. Judging from his clothes and bearing, he could tell that Amon was not someone to be provoked.

He put away his unnecessary thoughts and improper greed, then said ingratiatingly, "Sir, please follow me. For the weight of that Silver Soul Coin, I swear I'll serve you with utmost devotion."

As he led the way, the loafer explained:

"There are two well-known mercenary groups in the city. One is the Ironheart Mercenary Group. It's the largest mercenary group, with more than ten Soul Masters. Including ordinary people, it has over fifty members in total.

"The other is the Jackal Mercenary Group, a relatively loose mercenary group composed of around ten Soul Masters.

"There is no hierarchy among its members, and they rarely mobilize everyone for a single job. Usually, teams of three or four Soul Masters take on and complete commissions.

"Besides that, there are several formidable lone mercenaries, all Soul Elders above level thirty."

Amon followed him to a tavern. After tossing the Silver Soul Coin to the loafer, he pushed open the louvered door and entered.

"You're truly generous, sir. I'll wait outside the door. Just give the word if you need anything. I'll serve you for the entire day."

The tavern was not as boisterous or noisy as Amon had imagined. It was even fairly quiet. Small groups sat at separate tables drinking, and they kept even their conversations low.

Amon walked up to the bar and placed a Silver Soul Coin on it. "Give me a cup of barley wine. Also, can you tell me how to post a commission for a mercenary group?"

The bartender placed the drink and change on the counter, then spoke softly:

"Go to the second floor. There's a mission board there. For one silver coin, you can leave a message on it. Write down the details of your job and your contact information. If any mercenaries are interested, they'll contact you.

"On another board, there is contact information for the major mercenary groups in the city. You can also approach a mercenary group yourself."

Amon pushed the change back to him and continued, "What if I want to hunt a specified kind of Soul Beast of a specified age?"

"A specified Soul Beast? Are you trying to obtain a Spirit Ring? That won't come cheap." The bartender accepted the money, thought for a moment, and answered:

"You can first post a bounty on the mission board for information about that type of Soul Beast. Then contact a mercenary group and arrange for them to accompany you to hunt it once there's news.

"You can also entrust the entire task to a mercenary group, including gathering information and helping you hunt it.

"The first option is relatively cheaper, but you'll have to verify whether the information is true yourself. If the information is wrong and you make a wasted trip, the mercenary group will still charge you.

"The second method costs much more, but it's more reliable."

Amon pinched his Monocle and chuckled. "Can I use both methods at once?"

The bartender fell silent for a moment. "If money is no concern, of course you can.

"But it's best not to trust mercenaries too much. You know how mixed a lot they are. Sometimes, they are the greatest danger to their employers.

"One more friendly reminder: keep your voice and footsteps down. There's a Soul Master upstairs with a bad temper who likes quiet. He hates being disturbed."

"Thank you for the warning." Amon nodded and headed up the eastern staircase to the second floor.

By a window on the north side of the second floor sat a young man who appeared to be in his twenties.

He had golden hair and wore an elegant yet simple hunting outfit. A golden iris adorned his chest, while the black fabric shimmered softly and looked extremely expensive.

The young man held a glass of red wine, taking delicate sips with the grace of a classical noble.

As he savored the wine, he admired the view outside. From this angle, the distant mountains resembled a crouching dragon. Clouds drifted across the sky, buildings within the city stood in orderly rows, and the sun hung high overhead, radiating boundless light.