Counting the men at the gates, there were four who were just as strong as the former bandit leader, late-stage Soldiers, and three others who felt only slightly weaker! Wu Ling, however, seemed completely unphased as he approached the largest of the rough men and presented his identity jade.
"This sister has come with a few of her friends to visit her sect sisters in Bufa City," Wu Ling purred, letting his fingers linger on the forearm of the man who currently held his identity jade. "Our agreement still stands, doesn't it?"
"Keep your hands to yourself, witch," the rough man spat, flicking Wu Ling's delicate hand away before inspecting the identity jade. "You understand the rules of visiting Bufa City? You have permission to enter, but your friends have yet to earn the privilege. Until they do, their offenses will be counted against you as well should they commit any. Are you sure you want to bring in so many 'friends'?"
"This little sister's friends are true as gold," Wu Ling purred, holding out his hand to retrieve the identity jade. "None of us will cause any trouble in Bufa City. We just want to rest for a few days, trade a few things, and visit my sect sisters. We'll be gone before you know it."
"Very well," the rough man said, waving over a much younger man from the nearby guard station. "This little brother carries a spiritual tool that will mark you for the great formation. Mind the rules. If you break them, the formation will mark you for punishment, exile, or death."
"We understand," Wu Ling said, placing his left hand on the flat jade tablet held out by the young guard. A moment later, two spindle-shaped marks appeared on the back of Wu Ling's palm, reflecting his status as a second-stage cultivator. Once the remaining members of his party were similarly marked, the wooden gates were opened, allowing them to enter the bustling area that passed for an 'Outer City' in Bufa City.
In truth, Bufa City's outer city was a place where the simplest forms of trade took place. Mortals bringing goods from a number of outlying villages sold their products and produce to merchants in the city here, tributes were collected, and slaughterhouses processed beasts that were hunted in the forest nearby.
Unlike Silver Sword City's Outer City where hundreds of thousands of mortals and thousands of cultivators resided, there were almost no residences in the outer city of this city, only the necessary activities of commerce conducted with people from the outside world.
Wu Ling briefly reviewed the map that Warden Mu had provided before leading the group toward what had once been the largest of mine entrances to the long abandoned spirit crystal mines.
"There should be an alehouse near the entrance where we can stop for a meal," Wu Ling said, as they approached the looming maw of the entrance to the city proper. "You can all rest there while I seek out my sect's chapterhouse. I want to get a sense of the news and how things stand at the moment before we decide where to stay and how to move next."
"Are we really going into that cave?" Fang Lin asked, his skin crawling at the notion of going into such a dark, dank-looking space.
"We are," Wu Ling said with a teasing smile. "Why? Big Brother Fang isn't scared of the dark, is he? Do you need this little sister to hold your hand?"
"You, no, I, wait," Fang Lin sputtered, flustered by Wu Ling's bold approach. "I'm not afraid of a little dark cave," he said, trying to regain some of his usual bearing. "I just disdain to linger in places that are dank and shabby."
"Oh, I don't think you'll find it shabby," Wu Ling said, turning away from the flustered young lord and leading the way into the dark maw of the cave.
Once they entered, however, they found that the darkness shrouding the entrance was yet another formation. Inside the cave, a vast interior space had been carved out of the mountain. Smooth streets meandered chaotically among dozens of buildings, some of them grander and more prosperous than the ones you could find in Silver Sword City's Outer Wards.
Several tunnels branched off from the large space, each lit by dozens of colorful lanterns. Everywhere the young cultivators looked, people moved about, some rapidly and with purpose, others browsing from one shop to the next as though they were idling on a holiday.
Beyond the dazzling sight, the spiritual energy in the air seemed to hum and vibrate against the young cultivator's skin. Many of them instantly felt that cultivating here would be even faster than cultivating outside, perhaps giving as much as eleven days of benefits for every ten days of hard work.
"How can a place this wonderful actually exist?" Jin Wuya asked, overwhelmed by how energetic and nurturing the space felt. "And how come none of the large sects have banded together to seize this place?"
"As Brother Dahuo said," Wu Ling answered. "This place was once a spirit crystal mine. There are still fragments of broken crystals embedded in the ground, the walls and all over the place here. As to the sects seizing this place," he laughed darkly. "Never forget that the people who rule this place are at least as strong as outer sect Hall Masters, or even as strong as the Sect Masters of second-rank sects. Stay mindful of that and keep out of trouble and we should be able to enjoy a few peaceful days here before we move on."
"Right," Xiong Dahuo muttered, too quietly for anyone to hear. "This is a place where people are truly unrestrained in the pursuit of power. It's not good to poke the sleeping bear," he reminded himself, quickly falling back into line with the group as they sought an alehouse to have a meal and pass the time while Wu Ling met with his sect.
***
Elsewhere in Bufa City, a rotund man sprawled comfortably on several cushions while attractive young women poured wine and served him succulent roast meats. Of course, Gao the Glutton couldn't claim to have charmed the delightful beauties that lavished attention on him but as long as he spilled enough spirit crystals from his thick fingers, he never lacked for companionship.
"'S yer Fangtian Wong's hound," Gao said around a mouthful of meat as he regarded the physically imposing man standing before him. The aura of menace that radiated from the scarred Brawler was potent enough to approach Gao's own strength, separated only by the thinnest hair between the first and second stages. Whatever veneer of civilization the burly man had once carried as the proud disciple of a third-rank sect had been stripped away until only the rawest caged beast remained.
"Message," San said with a voice that sounded like he was gargling sharp rocks.
"Read it t' me," Little Boss Gao said, licking his fingers before fondling one of the serving girls. "Mah hands er busy."
San's brows lowered in anger and a dull red glow emerged in his eyes before he clamped down on the desire to strike out at the fat slob he'd been sent to report to. Gao the Glutton might only be an Early Stage Soldier but he was cruel enough and powerful enough to make it clear that anyone who harbored delusions about crossing stages to fight him would soon become the fat man's next meal. Until he managed to break through and become a Soldier in his own right, he could only choke down his pride and follow the orders he was given.
"Boss says, 'Sister Vixen' isn't a Bamboo Silk House Disciple," he croaked out. "Boss thinks she's based out of here. You still searching?"
"Search? Fer that lass? She's long gone," Gao said, waving his hand as though the notion of looking for the woman who had slaughtered Little Boss Nalan's entire group was an annoying mosquito buzzing near his head. "I'll talk ta' boss 'en we're done 'ere."
"You. Must. Help. Search," San insisted, throwing the message at the rotund man's face.
"Fine," Gao said, batting the parchment aside and resuming his fondling of the beauty in his lap. "But not till afta tha auction," he insisted. "Seven days. Till then, yer on yer own."
"Fine," San snarled, turning to storm out of the private room the glutton rented for what was sure to be an exorbitant price.
It had taken almost a month for San to recover from the wounds 'Sister Vixen' had inflicted on him and the crude care he'd received from the failure of an alchemist who served the Mountain's Bones gang hadn't done him any favors. His throat still burned with a fiery pain that could only be dulled by drinking chilled water or cold honeyed wine.
Since he couldn't force Gao the Glutton to move, he could only search on his own for the next seven days, but first, he'd find somewhere cheap to numb the pain in his throat with cheap wine.