Within the magnificent Hot Springs Pass stand six towering cylindrical towers, each over 100 meters tall, majestically reaching into the clouds.
From the location of these towers, Sun Fei clearly sensed even more powerful magical fluctuations, radiating outwards in layers like ripples on water. Their power was no less than the magical elemental gathering effect formed by a Five-Star Class mage's full-force burst. The reason for the unusually active magical elemental fluctuations within Hot Springs Pass seemed to be due to the influence of these six circular towers.
"Could this be the legendary Mage Tower?"
Sun Fei quickly discovered that the six mage towers were arranged in a regular hexagonal pattern in the Hot Springs Pass. This arrangement was very familiar to Sun Fei, as it clearly formed a giant magic circle, subtly releasing a strange, transparent, and invisible barrier that inverted Hot Springs Pass within it. However, the power of this barrier was extremely weak, and most people could not sense it at all, presumably because the giant magic circle was not being fully activated.
"I see... The entire city sits atop a giant magic circle that was built long ago. Even the four city walls are part of that magic circle. If an enemy invades, the power of the mage towers and the mages within the city can be used to activate this giant magic circle. Once the barrier is strengthened, it might be able to hold off powerful martial artists, and might even have some counter-attacking power, who knows."
Sun Fei gradually figured out many things.
Only then did he realize, in a daze, that he had imagined the world to be far too simple. The accumulation of thousands of years of survival of the fittest made the world far more wonderful than he had imagined. The city wall of Hot Springs Pass alone shocked Sun Fei. However, this also gave Sun Fei a flash of inspiration, and he thought of a perfect way to rebuild the defenses of Chambord City.
Following Angela and Jima's laughter all the way, Sun Fei was amazed and his eyes were opened wide.
Hot Springs Pass up to its reputation as the economic and cultural hub of the empire's northern region, with a population dozens of times larger than that of Chambord City.
As noon approached, the streets became increasingly crowded. Vendors, performers, mercenaries, caravans, and all sorts of people appeared before our eyes. The crowd was dense, shoulder to shoulder, with shouts and laughter filling the air. People from all walks of life were present.
The two girls skipped and jumped, never having seen such a bustling scene before. They lingered there, reluctant to leave. Whenever they saw something unusual, they couldn't help but buy it amidst their laughter and exclamations. Around noon, when the three of them found a tavern called Ivy to rest, Sun Fei realized that his storage ring was almost full.
Ivy is a tavern popular Hot Springs Pass the lower classes of Wenquanguan, frequented by all sorts of people from all walks of life. Among them, the most frequent customers are naturally the mercenaries who come and go. Sun Fei specifically chose such a place, hoping to get clearer information from these men who have traveled all over the country.
Of course, what surprised Sun Fei even more was that the food provided by the tavern finally allowed Sun Fei to experience the charm of otherworldly cuisine. He no longer had to endure the monotonous and unchanging flavors of the King of Chambord. The noisy and bustling atmosphere made Sun Fei feel as if he had returned to his university days in his previous life, when he and a few friends would hang out in the seemingly dirty but delicious dog food stalls near the school's market, drinking beer and shouting without restraint.
Sun Fei took a small sip of rye beer. It had a slightly sour taste, but the liquid felt pleasant as it went down his throat. He let out a satisfied sigh and then his gaze swept over everyone in the pub.
The tavern was mostly filled with men who looked like mercenaries, wearing worn but intact leather armor, which gleamed from frequent polishing. Their voices were like thunder, and they gathered in small groups, bursting into laughter every now and then. Some would drink beer while taking the opportunity to grope the buttocks of the voluptuous barmaids passing by, followed by another round of laughter. These men had their own small groups, and upon closer inspection, one could see various badges on their bodies or weapons, indicating their identities. Although Hot Springs Pass did not allow troops from vassal states to enter the city, these mercenaries seemed to be an exception. Sun Fei keenly observed that almost every mercenary carried a weapon.
Compared to these mercenaries, Sun Fei and his two companions, both in their attire and the unintentional aura they exuded, seemed completely out of place in the tavern's atmosphere. From the moment Sun Fei led Angela and Jima into the tavern, curious glances constantly swept over the three of them, or more precisely, over the two young girls. Jima and Angela's pure beauty injected a unique charm into this tavern, which was characterized by its rugged and unrestrained atmosphere.
"Hey, you two beautiful and kind ladies, let me, old Sangdun, invite you for a drink!"
"Oh my god, I've seen an absolutely stunning Goddess! Oh ha ha, let's have a drink! Such a beautiful lady is a rare sight at Ivy Tavern!"
Every now and then, an enthusiastic and impetuous fellow would raise his iron cup from afar, laughing heartily as he greeted them.
At this moment, Angela revealed her elegant and warm side. When she received these kind invitations, she would smile, pick up her cup, and take a sip in return amidst the mercenaries' laughter. She showed no shyness or embarrassment, but rather revealed an innate elegance.
Sun Fei was surprised to find that his fiancée's innate affability seemed to have an effect not only on animals, but also on these reckless and fierce mercenaries. They seemed to be infected by it, and their attitude towards Angela was very kind and friendly. Sun Fei could see that it was a friendliness that came from the depths of these seemingly rude mercenaries' hearts, just like treating their own family.
"That's really strange. Could it be that Angela possesses that legendary aura of dominance befitting a protagonist?"
Just as Sun Fei was secretly laughing, the wooden door of the tavern was pushed open, and two figures, one tall and one short, appeared in the doorway.
"Haha, look who's here, old York, when the hell did you get back from the capital?"
"Haha, just got back and couldn't wait to come to Ivy Tavern for a drink and see the old buddies..." The tall figure at the door answered while glancing around, finally leading his thin companion to Sun Fei's table and saying, "Young man, may I sit here? All the other tables are full."
Sun Fei smiled slightly and pushed over two wooden stools, "Please sit down."
"Thank you so much, young man..." The tall, burly man named York was overjoyed and plopped down on the floor.
Sun Fei felt the light dim suddenly, as if a mountain had loomed in front of him. This guy was incredibly muscular, even more Barbarian than the Barbarian of the Diablo World. He was probably in his thirties or forties, with a striking fiery red beard, giving off a bold and straightforward first impression. His companion, on the other hand, was much thinner, with slightly darker skin, but he was quite handsome, even deserving of the description "handsome." However, Sun Fei soon noticed that this thin, dark-skinned young man seemed a bit shy. He mostly kept his head down, occasionally raising it to reveal a shy smile. His teeth were snow-white, and he had two small dimples at the corners of his mouth, like a sunny young man.
"Hey, buddy, two big glasses of premium rye beer, quick, quick..." the burly York shouted impatiently, banging on the table.
His words were like a series of muffled thunderclaps in the tavern. The other mercenaries, clearly used to this, burst into laughter. One of them shouted, "Premium rye brew? Old York, you struck it rich after your trip to the capital..."
"Hehe, made a little bit... just a little bit." The burly man seemed a bit simple-minded, scratching his forehead and chuckling, as if he had indeed made a fortune.
"That won't do. Now that you've made money, you have to treat us all to a drink," someone egged on.
"Alright, alright, one glass for everyone... Rye beer is fine. With so many people, I can't afford to buy you a premium rye beer." The burly man was very enthusiastic and readily agreed.
Upon hearing this, the crowd in the tavern erupted in cheers, creating another uproar.
Beside the burly man, the dark-skinned, thin, handsome young man tried his best to stop him with his eyes, but to no avail. He could only shake his head shyly and helplessly, looking like a middle-aged man who was disappointed in his son.
Sun Fei chuckled to himself.
He had actually been carefully observing the two of them. They were a rather strange mercenary duo. It was clear that neither of them was very strong. The burly man was probably a peak One-Star Class warrior, while the thin, dark-skinned boy was even lower than One-Star Class. But strangely, the heightened sensitivity to power and danger he possessed in [ Barbarian Mode ] told Sun Fei that this shy-smiling dark-skinned boy harbored a greater danger. Moreover, the boy carried an aura that Sun Fei found very familiar, as if he had seen him somewhere before.
"Hey, old York, did you see anything interesting in the capital this time? Tell us all about it," someone in the tavern asked loudly.
"Alright. Hehe, speaking of recent major events in the capital, the most anticipated is undoubtedly the Martial Combat Competition among the 250 vassal states. With less than 10 days until the start, 80-90% of the vassal state teams have already arrived at the outer camp of the capital, and the ten most powerful first-class vassal states are all present." The burly man greedily took a sip of fine wine before continuing, "This time, the major chambers of commerce, money exchanges, and casinos in the capital have offered astonishing odds, attracting countless nobles and merchants who are betting heavily on this Martial Combat Competition..."
"Stop, stop, old York. We all already know what you're talking about. What's so strange about it? Everyone in the empire knows that the final victors will definitely be those powerful first-class vassal states," someone retorted.
"You wouldn't believe it, but there might be some unexpected developments in this Martial Combat Competition," the burly man said with a smile and a shake of his head. "Just a few days ago, it was said that an incredible young master suddenly emerged from among the King of the vassal states. In a battle atop Twin Tower Peaks, he easily defeated Golden Sun Knight Chris Sutton, one of the ten Judgment Knight of the Imperial Knights' Hall, and the news caused a sensation throughout the entire capital."
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