Nashan jerked his hand back in fright. He had never seen a beast like this before and was instinctively a little afraid.
Zhao Hao could not help laughing. "Junior brother! Just think of it as a puppy and you won't be scared. It might be a pet." The man leading the beast barked a command, and it obediently lay down, rumbling in its throat. Nashan rolled his eyes at the sight.
Nanadun said, "Boss, shall we find somewhere to stay first, then discuss what to do next?"
Li Qiang smiled. "Well, Nanadun, you're the local here, so I'll leave the arrangements to you fellows. Paben, keep an eye on Ben. Don't get separated." Paben hastily agreed.
Ben was even more astonished than Nashan. Holding the Crystal Origin Bow, he had been so dazzled by everything since entering the city that he no longer knew where to look. Paben pulled him along, and the two chattered away without stopping.
Tange hurried over from a distance and came up beside Nanadun. "Commander, Kankanqi and I can't go back anymore. I secretly contacted a friend in the Grand Military Department. He told us that whatever we did, we mustn't report to the army. The Grand Military Department has already branded us traitors. Ah! I never imagined it would turn out like this."
Nanadun said angrily, "How can they do that? No, I'm going to the Grand Military Department to demand an explanation!"
Tange sighed. "Commander, you've already been listed as an officer killed in action. How would you explain yourself if you went back?"
Kankanqi's face was gloomy. Suddenly, he said, "I won't be a traitor, but I'm not going back either. Boss, I'll follow you. I have no home to return to anyway. Tange, let's go with the boss."
Li Qiang said calmly, "Kankanqi, you fellows should stay with us for now. There's still room to resolve this. I have some ideas. Once we've settled down, we can discuss them."
Kankanqi had great faith in Li Qiang. "All right. I'll do as you say, Boss."
"There's a very famous underground lodging house here. Boss, shall we rest there?" Tange asked.
Almost without thinking, Li Qiang cried, "No... no... we're not going! I hate staying underground. Haven't you had enough of it yet? Somewhere higher up would be best. I'd feel much better!"
Back in the Black Prison, Li Qiang had sworn that he would never enter another cave if he could help it. The Black Prison really had frightened him. He thought, If I go underground again, I'll be a ground rat in every sense of the word.
Seeing everyone's fierce stares, Tange realized he had said the wrong thing and hastily changed the subject. "Oh! I just remembered. There's an eating house here, right over there, in that pale red building. Hmm! I remember they have something that ought to be called a soup or a thick broth-I don't know how to translate the word. It's delicious! Shall we all try some?" He wore an ingratiating smile.
Nashan had wanted to keep a stern face, but the word "delicious" nearly made him drool. He opened his mouth wide and cried, "Boss... uh... Master, let's have something to eat. Little Na's hungry."
Hearing "Little Na" without warning, Kankanqi laughed so hard that he staggered. "Little Na... hahaha... hahahaha... you... forget it... I'll just laugh myself to death."
Nashan had not made everyone laugh, but the sight of Kankanqi laughing until tears and snot streamed down his face set them all roaring.
Nashan said innocently, "Why are you laughing? Tell me so I can laugh too." Clutching his stomach, Kankanqi pointed at Nashan, unable to speak.
A wave of sorrow swept through Li Qiang. He knew everyone was taking this chance to vent their pent-up resentment and discontent. Forcing a smile, he said, "All right, let's have a feast to celebrate our new lease on life!"
Nashan was the first to shout his agreement. "Great!" He charged ahead, and everyone ran toward the red building, laughing and joking.
Since it was not mealtime, the entire dining hall was empty. Tange called over a waiter. Seeing that every member of the group looked fierce, and that most had a red mark on their foreheads, the waiter had no idea what sort of people they were. He answered Tange's questions carefully, not daring to show the slightest neglect.
Amid the bustle, a group entered from outside. They were yellow-skinned people like Li Qiang, and they looked a little startled when they saw his party. Yellow-skinned people were very rare on the Tanbang Continent; their main concentration was on the Western Continent.
Paben quietly told Li Qiang that they seemed to have come from the Western Continent. They did not look like traveling merchants, but rather like a delegation.
There were some twenty people in the group, fifteen or sixteen of them dressed as warriors. Their armor was extremely unusual, with black intertwining vine patterns running from their heads down their backs and gleaming deep-blue ripples across their chests. Their exceptionally muscular arms were bare, and their wrist guards extended to their elbows. Black cloaks set off their tall figures. Long saber hilts protruded above every shoulder, making them look fierce and formidable.
The four men in front seemed to be their captains. Their armor was the same style as the warriors', but its color was different: all brilliant red, as dazzling as fire.
Neither group spoke. They regarded one another coldly. Li Qiang remained seated, steady and unmoving. He knew their master had not yet arrived.
Zhao Hao, Han Jin, Nashan, and Zhao Zhi stood before them. Zhao Hao's presence was particularly different. His cultivation had advanced enormously, and merely standing motionless, he made the warriors facing him feel somewhat overwhelmed. They all felt an urge to draw their weapons.
Li Qiang's expression shifted. He sensed an expert entering. Sure enough, a thin, frail-looking middle-aged man came through the door. "What are you doing? You still haven't checked... hmm... who are they?"
The leading man in red armor said softly and respectfully, "Chief Steward, we don't know which country on the Western Continent they come from. They all seem to be experts. I'll go and ask at once."
The middle-aged man noticed Zhao Hao and was inwardly startled. He knew this man's power was about equal to his own; he was definitely an expert. His expression immediately grew a little tense, but his manner at once became much gentler. "Greetings. May I ask which country on the Western Continent your delegation represents? Allow me to introduce us first. We are the delegation from the Ladu Kingdom."
Following his old jianghu habits, Zhao Hao cupped his fist in greeting. "I've long admired you. Long admired you."
Li Qiang snorted with laughter behind the table. "What have you long admired?" He stood up. "We're only here to eat, and we aren't from the Western Continent. Is there a problem?"
Only then did the chief steward realize that Li Qiang was their leader. Zhao Hao flushed. "Master."
The warriors were shocked. This young man was actually his master. The chief steward was about to speak again when two young women entered. One said, "Uncle Aji, the young lady wants to know what's going on. Why haven't you come out yet?"
The chief steward smiled wryly. "There are people here. We haven't finished asking about them yet."
Clear footsteps sounded outside, and three women and one man entered. All the warriors dropped to one knee and called in unison, "Welcome, Mistress!" Chief Steward Aji watched Li Qiang and the others nervously, afraid they might make a move.
The delegation's mistress had arrived.
Li Qiang was intensely curious. He watched her without blinking to see just what she looked like.
She appeared to be in her twenties, with fair skin and lively, bright eyes. A blue crystal coronet held her black hair in place, and she wore a flowing pale-yellow gown. Her expression was serene and refined. "We're all here to eat. Let's not disturb them," she said, her voice gentle and pleasing.
Beside her stood a masked man in blue, who followed her closely in silence. He appeared to be an expert bodyguard.
Chief Steward Aji said to her, "Your subordinate feels it would be best to remain cautious. I hear the Fan Kingdom's experts have already arrived. If..."
She smiled faintly and said gently, "Does that mean we're to do nothing at all?" Chief Steward Aji dared say no more and withdrew to one side.
Li Qiang also called his people over to sit down and eat. He was considering whether to strike up an acquaintance with the newcomers. They had come from the Western Continent and might know about sea agate. This young woman seemed quite approachable.
Tange introduced the dishes. "This is emerald crisp. It's delicious. Hmm, this is sweet tooth root. It's extremely sweet! Careful it doesn't catch in your throat."
Nashan pulled a long face. "It's no good, no good. The food back home tastes better. Do they have braised pork here? Best of all would be a big flatbread stuffed with meat, dipped in sauce. Ah, I haven't had that in ages. I really miss it."
The meal was nearly over, and Li Qiang was growing secretly anxious. He could not find an opportunity to speak with the other group.
Several waiters carried over a large covered platter and carefully set it on the table. They said something to Tange in a babble, then withdrew.
Tange smiled. "This is the most famous specialty here. It's called 'Baji.' I don't know how to translate it either."
Nashan said delightedly, "Such a big platter! This is bound to be satisfying. Old Na will go first."
When the lid was lifted, the platter proved to be full of pale-green wriggling worms, each as thick as a finger and as long as a palm. Nashan let out a miserable howl and leaped high into the air. The warriors sprang to their feet with a clatter, drawing their long sabers and looking over.
Tange, Nanadun, Kankanqi, and Ben were all practically drooling. Kankanqi picked up a worm and put it in his mouth. There was a loud smack, and his face filled with bliss. "Crisp and tender. A superb worm!"
Nashan retched. "Boss... I'm going to strangle that wretch Tange... urgh..."
Li Qiang saw the waiters carrying the same sort of large platter to the delegation's table. Could they dare eat these worms too? he wondered.
Li Qiang was quite bold by now, but the chorus of smacking sounds was still hard to bear.
Nashan, Han Jin, and Zhao Zhi had long since reached their limit and rushed outside. Only Zhao Hao remained, gritting his teeth. If Li Qiang did not leave, neither would he.
Ben and Paben seemed to enjoy them very much too. Ben grabbed several at a time and tossed them into his mouth, eating with great relish. Li Qiang watched the delegation's platter. Who would have thought that, when its lid was lifted, a roasted fragrance would drift over, whetting the appetite? Li Qiang asked Tange curiously, "Oh? Theirs are cooked?"
Seeing that only a few worms remained on the platter, everyone reached out at once. Tange snatched the last two and held them in his hand before smiling. "Boss, people from the Western Continent like them roasted. We all prefer eating them raw. Don't grab..."
While Tange was talking, Kankanqi snatched the worms from his hand and tossed them into his mouth with the speed of thunder that left no time to cover one's ears.
Tange's hand closed on nothing. Hearing two smacks from Kankanqi's mouth, he cursed, "You've eaten so many and it's still not enough? You..." A torrent of words Li Qiang could not understand poured out.
Kankanqi listened unconcernedly, looking perfectly happy and comfortable, which left Tange utterly frustrated.
Suddenly remembering something, Tange quietly said to Li Qiang, "Boss, we're in trouble..."
Li Qiang smiled. "What, do you want another platter?"
Tange smiled bitterly. "No. I don't have any money. How are we going to pay the bill? All I could think about just now was eating. Boss, what do we do?"
Zhao Hao overheard him and took a gold ingot from inside his robe. "This should be enough, shouldn't it?"
Tange picked up the gold and examined it, then shook his head. "What is this? We can't use it to pay here."
Zhao Hao was dumbfounded too. It was the first time he had heard anyone ask what gold was, and he had nothing to say.
Li Qiang was startled. Without money, wouldn't they be eating without paying? That was not his habit. He hurriedly asked, "What does the money here look like? Tange, are crystals valuable here? Can we exchange crystals for it?"
Tange said, "Perhaps, but who has any crystals? Ordinary ones won't do. They have to be good quality."
Li Qiang casually took out a piece of yellow heavy stone. Even in the cultivation world, it counted as a high-grade immortal stone.
Tange had never seen a high-grade crystal like this. He picked it up and examined it from every angle, then asked doubtfully, "What sort of crystal is this? I've never seen one before. I don't know if it can be exchanged for money."
Zhao Hao took it and looked it over. He had never seen one either. After it had passed around everyone, not a single person recognized the crystal. Li Qiang was stumped.
Li Qiang smiled bitterly. "The low-grade crystals were all made into weapons in the Black Prison. All I have here are high-grade crystals. How can none of you have seen one like this?"
Suddenly, he thought of someone and called, "Nashan... Nashan... get in here!" Without thinking, he had shouted.
Those warriors were extremely devoted to their duty. At Li Qiang's shout, they sprang to their feet again with a clatter, weapons ready.
Nashan charged inside. Seeing the warriors' tense expressions, he shouted too. "Boss, are we going to fight? Count me in!" Han Jin and Zhao Zhi swept in close behind, one on either side.
Under the direction of the four red-armored captains, the delegation's warriors immediately formed a defensive formation, closely shielding their mistress.
Li Qiang thought they were being far too cautious. He scolded with a laugh, "Nashan, who asked you to fight? I called you because I need something." Nashan gave a disappointed "Oh" and came over. Having just learned a few paltry fighting tricks, he spent all day with his fists raised, looking ready to stir up trouble. He was always itching to throw his weight around and let others know that he, Nashan, was not to be trifled with.
Covering his bald head, Nashan asked, "Boss, what is it?"
Zhao Hao could not help asking, "Junior brother, why are you covering your head?"
Kankanqi laughed. "He's afraid the boss will hit him..." Everyone burst into laughter.
"Boss, look, Old Kan's bullying me. You have to stand up for me..." His aggrieved expression made them laugh even harder.
Their table was lively and noisy. By comparison, the delegation's table seemed much quieter and more subdued. Its mistress appeared to pay considerable attention to Li Qiang's party, frequently glancing their way.
Li Qiang held out his hand. "Hand over the crystals!"
Almost reflexively, Nashan jumped back and blurted, "What crystals? I don't have any..." Suddenly, he flushed and took a leather pouch from inside his robe. He opened its tightly fastened mouth and emptied all the crystals onto the table, saying somewhat apologetically, "Ah, I spent too long in the Black Prison. I'm too sensitive about crystals. Heh, heh..."
This time, nobody laughed at him. In the Black Prison, a struggle over one good crystal usually left several people dead or injured. They could all understand Nashan's reaction.
Looking at the dozen or so crystals on the table, Li Qiang was deeply moved. He knew Nashan truly trusted him. These might be all the crystals Nashan possessed. He asked Tange, "Are there any here we can exchange for money?"
Tange exclaimed in admiration, "Old Na! I never knew you had so many treasures hidden away! Haha, these should fetch quite a bit of money."
Nashan said generously, "You're the quartermaster. You keep them."
Nanadun said only one thing. "There's more to Old Na than meets the eye." He knew that when Nashan had been the boss of the Black Prison, he had killed quite a few people to seize crystals. Now he had actually given them all away without the slightest reluctance. Nanadun truly had to see him in a new light.
Tange called over a waiter and took out a crystal, saying something to him. The waiter kept shaking his head.
Paben translated for Li Qiang. It turned out that the waiter would not accept crystals in exchange. Their voices grew louder and louder. Clearly embarrassed and angry, Tange seized the waiter by the collar and began roaring at him.
The delegation's mistress quietly said a few words to Chief Steward Aji. He nodded, came over, and took hold of the waiter. He handed him something resembling a Jade Pupil Slip and said something. The waiter nodded, bowed, and withdrew. Tange stood red-faced, looking toward Li Qiang at something of a loss.
Chief Steward Aji bowed slightly and returned without saying a word. Li Qiang knew that Aji had paid their bill. None of them felt good about it, but the gesture was kindly meant, so they could not refuse.
Li Qiang sighed inwardly and stood, giving a slight bow toward the delegation. The young lady nodded in acknowledgment, returning the courtesy. The two looked as though they were exchanging silent riddles.
Li Qiang said, "Let's go!"
Once outside, Li Qiang asked, "Tange, where can we exchange crystals for money? Take me there." That young lady had put Li Qiang at a disadvantage and firmly gained the upper hand. He had never lost out over something like this before. After leaving, he could not help feeling a little annoyed and was eager to settle their financial problem first. He added, "Nanadun, do any of you know people here? I want to find out exactly what this delegation from the Ladu Kingdom is doing. And what's this Fan Kingdom business?"
Paben suddenly interjected, "I know where to exchange money..."
Li Qiang suddenly understood. Paben had been a merchant! He kept treating him as nothing but an interpreter. Smiling, he said, "Good. Paben, lead the way. Nanadun and Kankanqi, go gather information and agree on a meeting place. Everyone else, follow Paben so we can solve our big money problem."
After discussing it with Tange, Paben led everyone into a narrow alley.
As it turned out, crystal transactions in the Bangqining Kingdom had to be conducted through state-established trading houses. Anyone caught trading privately would not only have their crystals confiscated but also face a heavy fine. However, the trading houses paid extremely low prices, so every city had a black market. It was a hugely profitable trade, as were weapons, protective equipment, and rare treasures from the Western Continent.
Paben warned everyone, "In a moment, when we reach the underground marketplace, be careful. It's a place where no one exercises any control, and people get killed over the slightest thing. Let's not cause trouble!" He was timid. Although he had once taken a spiritual pill refined by Li Qiang and his body was now exceptionally strong, his fearful, trouble-shunning nature was deeply rooted.
They entered an inconspicuous little house. Paben made three hand signs and quickly spoke three sentences. The wall opposite the door slid open soundlessly, revealing a red curtain of light behind it. Li Qiang recognized it at once as a defensive wall. Someone inside asked questions, and Paben answered carefully. Before long, the light curtain abruptly vanished, revealing a dozen fully armed burly men pointing Spine-Piercing Spears at them.
A member of the Green Tribe walked out. Tange froze briefly, then rushed forward and hugged him excitedly, shouting and jumping with obvious joy. The two babbled on without stopping, tears streaming down Tange's face. All the burly men lowered their Spine-Piercing Spears and withdrew.
Tange brought the man before Li Qiang. "Boss, this is my elder brother, Tanda. I've finally found my family. Brother, this is Li Qiang, the man who saved my life."
Tanda stepped forward and performed a forehead-touching salute, saying gratefully, "Are you from the Western Continent? Greetings. Tange is my only family. Words cannot express my gratitude for such a great kindness. Whatever you need, I will do everything I can."