Due to the long journey and mental fatigue, Fang Wei lost track of time and slept deeply until the morning sun forced him awake.
He rose from the comfortable bed and looked at his foot, which had completely healed and returned to normal.
The previous day, just as he was about to take the Bone Mending Pill, his soul had suddenly alerted him to a profound danger. This prompted him to search his memories, where he discovered that a cultivation pill could be a deadly poison for mortals. Without Qi, their bodies were vulnerable, and even the unrefined Qi from an ordinary pill could quickly cause severe harm.
That was one of the reasons why cultivation families restrict their children from taking any pills before they start cultivating and reach the early stage of Qi Accumulation.
After realizing the potential danger, Fang Wei diluted the pill in water and submerged his foot in it for a few moments. To his surprise, this method proved effective.
For his head and other injuries, he followed the same process with a healing pill and treated himself with ease. After enjoying the delicious food and alcohol provided by the Inn nonetheless, he collapsed onto the bed, fully content.
...
Fang Wei looked out from his house and observed the neatly aligned short trees and the lush green garden encircling the boundary. The houses on either side of the street were uniformly structured. For a moment, he pondered the potential earnings of the Inn's owner from this business.
"Money is nothing compared to Immortality..." he muttered, then prepared to head out. His intention was to visit the Bamboo Merchants' branch in Moon Town.
Not due to his relationship with the Bamboo Merchants, but rather for other reasons, he set out to explore.
After leaving his house, he wandered through the town at a leisurely pace. Soon, a massive, exquisite pagoda came into view. With its five floors, each adorned with expensive items, it was a striking sight.
The building was named Bamboo Merchants.
Unlike other shops, Bamboo Merchants had guards stationed outside the entrance.
Fang Wei glanced at the building and nodded in appreciation of its beauty. The intricate and elegant design was too impressive to ignore.
He then proceeded to the entrance.
The guards, upon catching sight of him, froze in their tracks, too stunned to react.
Once Fang Wei was inside, one of the burly guards asked, "Hey, Brother Li. I think that person was the Second Young Master Wei, right? Why is he here in the Moon Town? Shouldn't he be at the Eternal Sect?"
The guard addressed as Li didn't respond. His breathing quickened, his back was drenched in sweat, and his face contorted into sheer horror as if he had seen a ghost. "Brother Shu, stay here. I'll be back soon!" the scar-faced guard said before rushing off in haste.
"What's going on with him? Not my concern," burly guard sighed, shrugging off the disturbance.
On the other side, once Fang Wei entered the building, every worker's gaze fell on him almost instantly.
The attention lasted only a moment before all the workers dropped to one knee, bowing their heads and shouting, "We greet the Young Master!"
Even the other customers cast respectful glances, inclining their heads slightly in acknowledgment.
Well, why wouldn't they? Fang Wei was the Second Young Master of the Bamboo Merchants, a colossal entity with power comparable to the Eternal Sect and the Holy Sword Temple. It was no exaggeration to say that his mere presence alone could instill fear without him uttering a single word.
Fang Wei glanced around and gave a curt nod. "Who is in charge here?" he asked, his voice as cold as ever.
Hearing his words, one of the older workers gulped and said, "Young Master Wei, the one in charge of this branch is Elder Ge. He is on the top floor at the mo–"
Before the old man could finish, a loud commotion erupted from above. A rotund figure, resembling a pig more than a man, descended the stairs and threw himself to the ground, proclaiming, "Ge Mo greets the Second Young Master!"
Fang Wei stared at the corpulent figure, momentarily at a loss for words. It was his first time encountering such a figure. "Stand up," he said coldly. "We need to discuss something."
Elder Ge, still sweating profusely, nodded and escorted Fang Wei to the finest room in the pagoda. Despite being a Qi Refining cultivator and one of the experts in Moon Town, he was effectively a servant within the Bamboo Merchants, especially in the presence of a legitimate heir.
Fang Wei engaged in some casual conversation, sampled premium alcohol, and received several High-tier pills as gifts—all without asking. He was treated like royalty by Elder Ge.
Although he found the excessive deference somewhat distasteful, it was not the main reason for his visit. After a while, having accomplished his objective, Fang Wei departed from the branch building of the Bamboo Merchants.
The fatty even urged him to stay as long as he wished, but Fang Wei found the offer irrelevant. His only goal was to resolve the current matter quickly and then leave Moon Town to begin his cultivation. He already knew the best place for that—the Dark Forest.
As he exited the pagoda, Elder Ge, who had been standing respectfully at the entrance, sighed in relief and muttered, "I knew it! This child was definitely concealing his cultivation. The bloodlust he's emitting and the constant sense of danger prove it! Sigh, the children of the Main Branch are indeed formidable..."
As the sun climbed higher in the sky, Moon Town remained as lively as ever.
Barely any mortals were seen in the town; everyone present either had the cultivation of Qi Accumulation or Qi Refining. The top experts of Moon Town could be counted on one hand, and all of them possessed the strength of Dantian Formation. Most were either in seclusion or seeking opportunities in the Dark Forest.
Due to being a neutral town not affiliated with any Sect, Moon Town was renowned as a gathering place for independent cultivators who sought to earn money by hunting demonic beasts in the Dark Forest.
After casually strolling through the town, Fang Wei arrived at a desolate street. Unlike the bustling areas, this street was almost deserted, with barely any cultivators around.
He stopped and spoke nonchalantly, "I've been waiting here for quite some time... Why don't you come out already?"
Initially, nothing happened. However, after Fang Wei remained in place, two figures, their faces obscured, emerged from both in front of and behind him, blocking his exit.
"How did you know?" a cold and powerful voice echoed through the silent street.