It has already been a few days since they left the Mura Village and just a day away from Crystal City.
Along the way, Roland has continued talking to him and telling him about his family in Crystal City. He has a wife and a five-year-old daughter.
He met his wife in Crystal City when he moved there. They fell in love and married. To better support his family, he decided to become a traveling merchant. He stayed in the Mura Village when he was on his way to the Royal City of Ember. Unfortunately, the Red Claw bandits appeared and took more than half of his merchandise just a few days before he met him.
Because of that, he decided to go back to Crystal City and will just rent a shop to continue his business.
"The Crystal City is not as big as the Royal City of Ember, but it is a good place." He said. "If you don't have any place to go, you might want to settle there."
He smiled and shook his head.
"I will stay for a few days and then continue with my travel." He replied. "I'm planning to go other places instead of staying here in the Ember Kingdom."
Roland looked at him curiously. "Well, you might want to visit the Xuézhě Kingdom. For the likes of us who are not meant for cultivation, you might want to become a scholar instead. You look smart."
He just chuckled when he heard him. Although he was unable to cultivate, his consciousness is stronger than the rest. This allowed him to understand the profoundness of martial art skills he had seen in the past which confused cultivators of the same age.
After one more day, they have finally arrived in Crystal City. Roland had invited him to meet his wife and daughter.
"You can stay here for a few days if you want to." Alicia, Roland's wife, offered. "I heard that you are traveling alone."
"I appreciate the offer, but I'd rather not intrude." He smiled. "I'll just roam around and look for an inn to stay in while I stay here in the city."
After thanking Roland and his wife, he decided to look for a place to stay. He still has some money that he can use to pay for a room for a few days.
The Crystal City is a bustling place. It was like a small version of the Royal City of Ember. There were shops selling different herbs and grains. There were also some that sell talismans and antiques. Restaurants and bars were also abundant.
It was not difficult for him to find an inn. It was a two-story building. The first floor has a restaurant and a bar.
"How much is a room for a day?" He asked the man in the reception area of the inn who was fixing something behind the counter.
He didn't raise his head to look at him when he answered. "Five silver coins a day inclusive of breakfast, lunch, and dinner."
His heart jerked when he heard of the price. He only has around thirty-five silver coins with him.
"How much is a room without the meals?" He sighed and asked.
The man finally raised his head and looked at him curiously. "Three silver coins a day."
He paid nine silver coins in total for three days. The man gave him a key for a room on the second floor of the building. He then went back to what he was doing.
The room was not that big, but it was enough for him. He put his things on top of the side drawers and laid on the bed.
It was the first time his back met the comfort of a bed after leaving his clan. He felt safe and let his consciousness drift away.
The sky is already dark and the stars brightly lit when he woke up. He can already hear his stomach grumbling too. So, he took a shower and went down to the restaurant below.
He ordered a simple meal that only cost eighteen copper coins. The restaurant was full of people and he could see some cultivators too. Near his table was a group of cultivators from the same family or sect because they all have the same symbol embroidered on their robes.
"I heard that the Royal Envoy visited the City Lord." The short man said. "A few days ago, the Crown Prince Ōji has come out from seclusion and his cultivation level has broken through to the low level of True Martial Realm making him the youngest royal member to achieve this cultivation at a young age of only eighteen years old. King Guówáng has decided to organize a martial competition to celebrate this."
"That's what I also heard." The man with a long face and distinct mole on his forehead said. "The crown prince is known to be a genius in fire cultivation and have already reached an amazing level that no one among his peers from the surrounding kingdoms can beat him in battle."
"And now that he has broken through to True Martial Realm, I wonder how strong he is now." Replied the other man with a round face. "Our young master will participate in tomorrow's selection organized by the City Lord to choose the young cultivators who will join him in the Royal City. There are only ten slots to fill."
Migo listened attentively to the group while eating his meal slowly. It seems that right after he left the Royal City, the Crown Prince broke through and the news has been spread.
During his time in the Royal City of Ember, he has heard a lot of things about the Crown Prince. He was a genius in cultivation since he was a kid. He broke through to the Martial Realm at the age of ten and rapidly advanced his cultivation. When he left, the Crown Prince was already at the High Level of Martial Realm Heavenly Layer and was in seclusion.
"I heard that the City Lord has already secured a slot for his son. And to be fair, he also provided the three largest clans in the city – Shuǐ Clan, Gimo Clan, and Cruz Clan – a slot each. So, there are only six remaining slots available. This will be given to the other clans and groups in the city." The only woman in the group said.
"You are partly correct, Trisha." The man with a round face said after drinking the beer in his hand. "However, the Shuǐ Clan, Gimo Clan, and Cruz Clan is still allowed to choose some of their young cultivators to join the selection and secure a slot."
"Even the City Lord will surely allow his disciples to participate." He continued.
"But I am confident that the young master will also be able to get a slot. He is already at the low level of Martial Heavenly Layer." The woman named Trisha said.
"Let's all go back and now prepare for tomorrow." Said the man with the long face. "The young master needs our support during the selection."
The group had finished their meal and alcohol and left the inn.
Migo felt excited about the selection that will be conducted the next day. Despite being unable to cultivate, he has always been fascinated by the world of cultivation. Watching cultivators fight was something he was looking forward to.
He finished his meal and also left the inn.
It was still early in the night, so he decided to walk around the city. People were still busy and there are still many shops that were open. There was also a free market area where people can buy different goods that they have at low prices.
Although he doesn't have any plan to buy anything, it's still nice to see the items being sold in the night market. There are different herbs, pills, weapons, and armors being sold. There were also jewels and jade ornaments. Some were selling talismans and antiques. He was able to see some shops that sell low-level martial art skills too.
Tomorrow's selection resulted in a large number of people arriving from small towns and villages around Crystal City. Even if they cannot participate, watching cultivators fight already excites them.
This also helped boost the sales of the shops in the city.
"Don't con me, old man." He heard a young man saying to an old vendor. "I will give you a gold coin for this."
"Young man, this talisman allows you to infuse divine energy that will transform into a sword attack when released. This can be used three times." Explained the old man. "I can give this to you for three gold coins."
Everyone near them was just watching and listening to their conversation. Some just decided to ignore what was happening and leave.
He heard a couple of people whispering that the young man was a cultivator from one of the three largest clans in the city. He was unreasonable but no one wants to intervene in fear of offending the young man's clan.
The young man grabbed the talisman from the old man's hand and threw him a gold coin. It was a disc shape talisman that has three sword symbols engraved on it.
Migo remembered reading a book about low-level talismans and one of them is the Three Sword Strike Talismans. Only Martial Realm practitioners can use that talisman because it requires divine energy to be infused and stored within it.
When the energy is released, it transformed a third of the stored divine energy into a powerful sword attack that can get the enemy caught off guard. Just like what the old man said, it can be used three times.
Creating talismans was not easy, especially offensive and life-saving ones. Three gold coins for a Three Sword Strike talisman is already cheap. Buying it for a gold coin is definitely unacceptable.
"Please young man." The old man begged on his knees.
Still, no one stepped in to intervene.
"Sir, it's better to be kind than to take advantage of other people." Migo was unable to control himself and said as he approached the two of them.
People were shocked when they heard him. Some just sighed and shook their head. An ordinary young man facing a young cultivator, nothing good will come out from this. Especially that the young cultivator was from a large clan.
"And who are you?" Asked the young man glaring at him.
"I'm just a nobody." He answered while helping the old man to stand. "It just aches me to see that people like you, born in a good family and have the means to get whatever you want, still take advantage of others."
When the young man heard him, his face became dark, and threw a punch, striking him straight on the face. He crashed with the old man's items and fell to the ground.
"No one dares to embarrass me, Tochi Gimo, as you did." The young man said. "You are not even a cultivator. You're trash."
The people around them already knew that this would happen. But they were surprised that an ordinary young man will say that to a cultivator. They gave way to the young cultivator who left with the talisman after glaring at him for the last time.
After that, people just shook their heads and went back to what they were doing as if nothing happened.
"Are you okay, young man?" Asked the old man worriedly when he saw that his face dripping with blood.
"I'm okay." He politely said although he was still a little dizzy. He was lucky that the other party did not use divine energy when he punched him, or else he will already be dead.
He slowly stood up, wiped the blood on his face with the white cloth provided by the old man, painting it in red. He looked at the mess. The old man's goods were scattered on the ground.
"Thank you for standing up for me, young man." He heard him say.
He shook his head. "I think I even made it worse. Let me help you with your things."
"You're so kind."
He helped him grabbed his things on the ground, placed them in boxes, and packed them neatly. He learned of the old man's name, Diu. Everyone called him Old Man Diu.
"Thank you for your help." Old Man Diu said. "I think I'll call it a night."
"Is there anything else that I can help you with?" He asked.
The old man smiled and shook his head. "That's alright. I have everything packed anyway. Just accept this as a sign of gratitude."
Old Man Diu handed him a small rectangular talisman. "This is an Earth Wall talisman which will create a shield that can protect you from any attack below the Martial Realm. Although this can only be used once."
He was very familiar with this talisman as all the young cultivators below Martial Realm in their clan were given a number of Earth Wall talismans for protection.
He politely accepted it and thank the old man. The old man then left the free market.
Although he was yet to visit the other shops, he also decided to leave the free market and go back to the inn he was staying.
The man in the reception area did not even bother looking at him when he entered the building. Inside his room, he checked his face in the mirror. He was thankful that although the young man was a Martial Realm cultivator, he only threw a regular punch.
A punch using divine energy will surely make his head explode. He smiled at his expression in the mirror, a hint of helplessness can be seen in his eyes.