"Why are you in such a hurry? I still have lots of questions to ask."
Chen Chen was puzzled. People always say that 'it's better to live shamelessly than to die with pride', but the two-tailed fox was in such a hurry to die, not even Zhang Ji could compare in willpower.
"I won't answer any of your questions." The two-tailed fox replied with despair.
Chen Chen gazed into the distance upon hearing its reply. The contours of a city gradually came into his focus.
It was the first large city that they had passed by on their way, the Blue Wind City. It was one of the great cities under the jurisdiction of the Ji State.
"Little doggie, you can count as a beauty among the canines; what would you think if I find a few horny male dogs for you to mate with once I get to the Blue Wind City?"
Chen Chen gazed at the big city in the distance, his tone of voice serious.
After hearing Chen Chen's words, the two-tailed fox almost exploded with fury, as it began staring back as if it was looking at the devil.
As a demon fox, if it mated with dogs, it would be a big shame when meeting its ancestors, even in death!
After a long moment of silence, it finally spoke with resentment, "My name is Hu Xian'er. I have no idea what your brat brain is filled with, the questions that you asked made you look very stupid, but the tactics that you learned to deal with demons were so vicious!"
"My brain is filled with great wisdom, what does a demon like you know? Oh, right, little doggie, what should I feed you with? Don't tell me it's humans."
"I am Hu Xian'er, of course I eat meat!"
"Do you eat bones?"
"I am a fox, not a dog! I don't eat bones!"
"Alright, doggie."
"..."
...
Upon stepping into Blue Wind City, the scenery that greeted Chen Chen was far more boisterous than he had imagined.
As one of the important stations on the route to the Ji State, many talented youngsters had made their stop in the city, in the hope that they might find someone who would accompany them during the journey.
"Big brother, Blue Wind City is teeming with people! It's so many times larger than Shichuan County!"
Zhang Ji rode his horse while looking around, with awe and surprise written all over his face. He also looked a little afraid due to the fact that people wouldn't recognize him as a villager who was visiting the city for the very first time.
"Haha, it's alright." Chen Chen replied in a casual tone. Although Blue Wind City was huge, he still wasn't particularly fascinated.
No matter how glamorous it may have seemed, it was no match for the huge metropolises in his past life.
Hu Xian'er rolled its eyes at Chen Chen. The brat was obviously a peasant too, but he wanted to pretend as if he had traveled far and wide. This fact made Chen Chen seem quite annoying in Hu Xian'er's eyes.
"Big brother, looks like the nearby taverns are all fully occupied, where should we go?"
Zhang Ji glanced around, and couldn't help but worry when he saw that all the taverns were crammed with people.
"Of course to the most high-class place in Blue Wind City. There you go, see the tallest building over there? That's where we're going."
Chen Chen said with high spirits as he pointed at a seven-storied, large-sized wooden building in the distance.
He was no longer poverty-stricken these days, he felt confident wherever he went.
"The Spring Breeze Pavilion!" Zhang Ji was a man of cultivation now, so he could see the signboard of the tavern at first glance. The moment he saw the magnificent sight of the tavern, he became filled with anticipation.
At that moment, a voice loaded with sarcasm echoed in the distance, "The Spring Breeze Pavilion isn't a place that normal countrymen can afford. Spending a day there for as little as possible will cost you at least a thousand taels."
Chen Chen looked over his shoulder upon hearing the voice. On the second story of the tavern at the roadside, a group of people were eating at a table. The person who was speaking was leaning against the railing of the second story, looking at Chen Chen's group with amusement.
Chen Chen scowled at the sight of the person, and muttered underneath his breath, "It only costs a thousand taels a day, and there are people who can't afford it? How is everyone so broke?"
"You!"
The person on the second story grew so furious that he spat his wine from his mouth, but before he could speak, Chen Chen and his travel companions had already taken off.
...
"Big brother, is a thousand taels a day… really a small sum?"
A few moments later, Zhang Ji couldn't help but query.
Chen Chen's manner of speaking was so blatant it was frightening, which made Zhang Ji doubt his existence. Although it wasn't that he couldn't afford to pay a thousand taels a day, he wouldn't be willing to squander the money if it was only for the expenditure for a single day.
"Of course it's a small sum, it's just a thousand taels, can that even count as money? Zhang Ji, it's not that I like to make comments about you, but it really is time for you to adapt to your new identity. What's the most important thing when you're out here in the world? It's reputation of course! Reputation, do you get me? It means that even if someone doesn't know you, they can't help but think that you're cool the moment they meet you! That's reputation!"
As Chen Chen spoke, he wrapped the two tails of the two-tailed fox, and loosened the restraints on its body. He then bound its neck with the Demon-binding Vine instead.
Zhang Ji couldn't really understand Chen Chen's words. He was the son of a rich family in a county town, how would he know intricate things like such? It was after all, the first time he had ever been to a huge city like Blue Wind City.
"Don't say anything later, just watch me. You should start learning the ways of things from now on, and don't embarrass yourself when you're out here."
After Chen Chen finished speaking to Zhang Ji and the rest of the squad, he flashed a quick smile of satisfaction while he finished up dressing the two-tailed demon fox up to somewhat mimic the appearance of a dog.
At that moment, a few people in the group nodded eagerly. Honestly speaking, they felt rather jittery as it was the first time they had ever been in a city as big as such.
"You're a countryman yourself!" Hu Xian'er grumbled with displeasure.
Chen Chen slapped Hu Xian'er hard on its buttocks when he heard its words. Fiercely, he then muttered, "If you dare speak a word while we're having our meal later, I'll tell all the demons that I meet from now on that a fox demon named Hu Xian'er mated with dogs!"
Hu Xian'er went silent right away.
There was nothing it could do, the brat it was dealing with was a cruel one.
...
A few moments later, the squad finally arrived at the Spring Breeze Pavilion with their carriages.
To the left of the Spring Breeze Pavilion, there was an enormous empty area which was fully occupied with carriages. Without exception, all the carriages were extremely luxurious, making the three carriages that Chen Chen brought appear way too frugal and plain in comparison.
"Tsk, there's a parking lot, not bad."
Chen Chen chuckled softly at the sight of the numerous rows of extravagant carriages.
Right as he finished, the security guards standing in front of the parking lot of the Spring Breeze Pavilion began to approach their carriages.
The guards grew deep frowns when they saw the relatively shabby carriages that Chen Chen and the others brought.
Their parking lot wasn't a place where just any passer-by could park their vehicles. Only the people who spent money at the Spring Breeze Pavilion could utilize this parking lot.
"You guys..."
One of the guards was about to kick the group out, when Chen Chen dismounted his horse chivalrously, and told Zhang Ji, who was beside him, "These countrymen probably haven't traveled far before, the carriages that they use are so pompous, it's too attention-seeking. But I get it, after all, how much money could these people have? They're probably from families of limited connections, no one would really pay attention to them even if they had swagger..."
"Huh? Hmm… yes, big brother, you're right."
Zhang Ji was wearing a baffled look, but went along with Chen Chen subconsciously.
The faces of the guards immediately changed when they heard his words, and their frowns turned into smiles right away.
"My lord, you are…?" The guard in the lead attempted to get his head around Chen Chen's identity.
After all, the man's manner of speaking was shocking, and they couldn't help but be curious.
Unexpectedly, Chen Chen waved his hand at them, and replied solemnly, "Don't ask what you shouldn't, unless you wish to invite fatal disasters upon yourself!"
The guards shuddered violently upon hearing Chen Chen's threat. Although they didn't know the identity of the young lord in front, they felt that he was someone remarkable.
Without saying another word, Chen Chen tossed out several gems.
"Park our carriages at the VIP lots, and take good care of them."
"Huh? What lots?" The guards picked up the gems, looking very perplexed.
Chen Chen scowled once again, and sighed softly, "What a petty place, you don't even know what VIP lots are. Fine, just get a few men to look after my carriages."
"Yes… yes sir!"
At this point, the guards were sweating profusely. In their minds, they had assumed this young man to be someone from an extraordinary background, whom they couldn't afford to offend.
In the meantime, they couldn't help but feel sorry about themselves. Although the Spring Breeze Pavilion was a top-notch premise in Blue Wind City, it wasn't even worth mentioning in the face of real big shots like the young lord ahead...