Entering the city

Three days later, Huang Xiao arrived in Huaqing City with Xuanzhenzi.

Along the way, they had encountered quite a few people from Jianghu, all converging on Huaqing City.

Only after arriving in Huaqing City did Huang Xiao discover that there were even more people from Jianghu here than he had imagined. People carrying sabers and swords were everywhere, leaving some of the city's ordinary residents on edge. Still, perhaps because this was the Huaqing Sect's territory, these people from Jianghu had not stirred up trouble. Especially now, with the grand birthday celebration of Bai Tianqi, the Huaqing Sect's leader, anyone who actually caused trouble would have bitter fruit to swallow. After all, Bai Tianqi was a figure of some standing in the region.

"Master, should we find an inn to stay at?" Huang Xiao asked.

"Haha, Martial Nephew Qingxiao, of course we need an inn, but it seems a little late to start looking now." Hearing this, Hu Guyi could not help laughing.

"Uncle-Master Hu? Why is that?" Huang Xiao asked in puzzlement.

"Senior Brother Qingxiao, it's simple. The city is overflowing with people, all people from Jianghu who came from elsewhere. How could there be enough inns for them?" Hu Qingqing said with a smile.

"Then what should we do?" Huang Xiao asked.

"No hurry. Your martial uncle has already arranged everything. I reserved rooms a month ago, so you needn't worry," Hu Guyi said with a smile. "Senior Brother Xuanzhen, shall we go?"

"Junior Brother Hu, reserving rooms a month in advance must have cost quite a bit, hasn't it?" Xuanzhenzi asked.

"Not too much. I know the innkeeper. Whenever I visit the Huaqing Sect, I stay at his inn. It was a little more expensive than before, but still fair," Hu Guyi said.

"You've thought things through, Junior Brother Hu. Let's go to the inn first, then deliver our visiting cards in Huaqing City," Xuanzhenzi said.

"Sect Leader Hu, you've arrived! I'm terribly sorry." When the innkeeper of the Fortune Inn saw Hu Guyi enter, he hurried over.

"What is it? Old Gu, are there no rooms left?" Hearing this, Hu Guyi had a bad feeling.

"That's not it. It's just that so many people have come to the city lately that all the inns are packed. I'm afraid the fine rooms you requested are no longer available. I'll have to ask you to put up with a little inconvenience, Sect Leader Hu. There are still a few ordinary rooms," Shopkeeper Gu said.

"Old Gu, we've known each other for years. I reserved those rooms. How could you do this?" Hu Guyi asked, his brows creasing.

"Junior Brother Hu, as long as there are rooms, that's enough. Besides, I'm afraid we can't blame the innkeeper for this. With so many people coming to seek lodging, he has his difficulties too." Xuanzhenzi did not mind whether the rooms were superior or ordinary; having somewhere to stay was enough. In fact, even if there were no lodgings available, borrowing a place in a Buddhist or Daoist temple outside the city for a few days would pose no problem. Those who had left the secular world were not so particular.

Hu Guyi knew Xuanzhenzi's temperament. Since he had said so, Hu Guyi said no more. Besides, he understood Shopkeeper Gu's predicament.

"Qingxiao, I'm going out for a while. Unless you have something to do, don't wander about. There are many people from Jianghu in the city, and some trouble is inevitable," Xuanzhenzi said.

"Master, where are you going?" Huang Xiao asked.

"To deliver our visiting cards to the Huaqing Sect, of course," Xuanzhenzi said with a smile. "Oh, I'm going with Uncle-Master Hu. If you really want to go out, you can go with Dacheng. He has some experience in Jianghu. With him accompanying you, I can rest easy."

"Master, don't worry. I haven't traveled far much before, except to take the examinations, but that doesn't mean I know nothing," Huang Xiao said. "Master, we've come all this way, yet the Huaqing Sect won't even give us somewhere to stay. If Martial Uncle Hu hadn't prepared ahead of time, we wouldn't even have a place to put down our feet."

Seeing Huang Xiao complain, Xuanzhenzi smiled faintly. "Do you know how many sects have come to offer birthday wishes this time? Even with the Huaqing Sect's vast resources, they couldn't accommodate so many sects from Jianghu. Apart from a few powerful sects invited up the mountain, everyone else has to find their own lodgings."

"Master, why did you have to come and suffer through this? You could have just sent me," Huang Xiao said.

"I know you're still somewhat unhappy about it, but the Huaqing Sect is, after all, a major sect within a thousand li. Our Green Ox Gate cannot afford to offend them. However the Huaqing Sect treats its guests, we mustn't neglect the proper courtesies," Xuanzhenzi said.

It was not that Huang Xiao did not understand the reasoning. After all, this was the Huaqing Sect leader's grand birthday celebration. If the head of a sect did not come to congratulate him in person, it would inevitably give others grounds for criticism. Besides, once you offended the Huaqing Sect, could you still expect peaceful days within its territory?

After Xuanzhenzi and Hu Guyi left for the Huaqing Sect, Liu Dacheng and Hu Qingqing came to find Qingxiao, saying they wanted to go out for a stroll.

"Junior Brother Qingxiao, this is your first visit to Huaqing City, isn't it?" Liu Dacheng asked.

Over the journey, Huang Xiao and Liu Dacheng had gotten along quite well. At first, Liu Dacheng had held something against Huang Xiao. After all, when they first met, Huang Xiao had stared fixedly at Hu Qingqing, which had made Liu Dacheng very uncomfortable. Hu Qingqing had grown up with him; they were childhood sweethearts, companions of green plums and bamboo horses.

But on second thought, Huang Xiao was a Daoist, after all. Besides, this only further proved that his junior sister possessed natural beauty-anyone would be unable to resist another look.

Huang Xiao had no such complicated thoughts. Liu Dacheng was rather straightforward, much like Qinghe, so Huang Xiao was somewhat fond of him too.

"Yes. This is my first time traveling with Master," Huang Xiao answered.

"I've been here several times, a few more times than Senior Brother, even," Hu Qingqing said with a smile. "I'll lead the way today and take you around the city for some proper fun."

"That's right. Whenever Master visited the Huaqing Sect before, he always brought you along. I only came with him a few times, and I never got to look around properly," Liu Dacheng said with a smile.

"Senior Brother Liu, there are so many people from Jianghu in the city now. What if we run into trouble while we're out? Master isn't here, either. Perhaps we should wait at the inn?" Huang Xiao said.

"Senior Brother Qingxiao, you're too timid. Even if something happens, Senior Brother Liu is here. He's only a step away from the second-class realm. Even in Jianghu, few can match him. What is there to fear?" Hu Qingqing said.

"Junior Sister Hu, I'm nowhere near that formidable. Jianghu is full of crouching tigers and hidden dragons, with countless experts. My little bit of martial skill only puts me at the bottom. It's more than enough to protect myself, but I wouldn't dare hope for anything beyond that," Liu Dacheng said with a smile. Though his words were modest, he was rather pleased with himself. Whatever else might be said, reaching third-rate upper grade at his age, and nearing the second-class realm, meant that his aptitude for martial arts ranked among the best in Jianghu.

"Senior Brother Liu, don't be so modest. I truly admire your martial skills. Look at me-I have a year's worth of internal power cultivation at most. Who knows in what year of the monkey and month of the horse I'll have even half your ability?" Huang Xiao spoke sincerely, without any pretense.

"All right, let's go, let's go! Let's take a look around. What's so interesting about staying in this inn? Come with me!" Hu Qingqing said with a smile.

Neither Huang Xiao nor Liu Dacheng knew where to go in the city, nor what there was to do for fun. Hu Qingqing, however, looked here and browsed there, buying quite a few things along the way. Still, with Huang Xiao and Liu Dacheng helping carry them, buying even more would be no problem.