As the sun disappeared beyond the horizon, the night sky filled with a tapestry of stars. Tonight, the moon was absent, but the eight ever-bright stars cast their steady glow, illuminating the world below. Ahead of Rain and his group lay a small town nestled between two towering mountains. The mountains rose high, their peaks lost in a haze of clouds, creating a breathtaking backdrop for the town.
The town's stone walls glistened softly under the starlight, their smooth, marble-like texture hinting at the abundant white stone found in the surrounding mountains. Rain guessed that this stone, unique to the White Stone Mountains, gave the town its distinctive look.
Lu Jing turned to his father. "Father, are we staying in town tonight?"
Her father shook his head. "No, after we have dinner in the town, we'll take a boat to reach Wutan City."
The town was situated in a strategic location: mountains framed its eastern and western sides, while a river bordered the north. The only entry road was from the south. The river flowed from the west, splitting as it reached the town—one branch veered north, leading to Wutan City, a 12-hour journey by boat, while the other flowed eastward for about eight hours to Chi Town. From Chi Town, travelers could continue on to the capital city.
Rain took in Zhou An's father's guidance with gratitude, glad to know more about the area, especially since this was his first journey so far from home.
Zhou An's father turned to him. "Is the plan all right with you, Grandmaster?"
Rain nodded. "It's fine, but please, don't call me 'Grandmaster.' Let's avoid drawing attention."
As they reached the town gates, a guard stepped forward to stop them.
Manager Zou stepped up. "Is there an issue, sir?"
The guard looked them over. "The town's quite crowded at the moment. After the Black and White Holy Sect announced they were recruiting disciples, and with the discovery of new martial arts ruins in the Black Swamp, travelers have been flooding in. So, the Mayor's ordered no riding inside the town limits."
Zhou An's eyes widened. "Martial arts ruins?"
"Yes," the guard replied. "Found about a week ago. It's not been fully explored yet due to the dangers of the Black Swamp."
With that, the group dismounted, each taking the reins of their horses as they entered the bustling town. Rain quickly saw the challenge ahead—the streets were swarming, making it nearly impossible to move without bumping into someone.
Zhou An's father sighed. "Finding a place to eat in this crowd might be a struggle."
Zhang Yue suggested, "Sir, we could head to the northern harbor and take a first-class boat. They serve food onboard."
Rain nodded in agreement and continued forward, guiding his horse. Over the noise, he overheard Lu Jing's father and Zhou An's father whispering to each other about the expense. Taking a first-class boat would drain their funds, leaving little for accommodations in Wutan City. Manager Zou joined them quietly, reassuring them that the Zhang family would cover the costs.
The group navigated through the crowded streets for nearly an hour, a journey that would typically take just fifteen minutes. When they finally reached the harbor, Rain took in the sight: ships of all sizes, from single-story vessels to grand five-story ones, glowed against the night sky, casting reflections on the river with the mountains surrounding them like silent guardians.
Following Manager Zou,As they reached the boy, he greeted them enthusiastically. "Are you all planning to sail to Wutan City on the *Sun Ship*?"
"Yes," Manager Zou replied.
The boy continued, "We offer three types of rooms. First-tier rooms cost 100 gold, second-tier rooms are 50 gold, and third-tier rooms are 20 gold."
Manager Zou raised an eyebrow. "The rates seem to have doubled. Last I checked, first-tier, second-tier, and third-tier rooms were priced at 60, 30, and 15 gold."
The boy nodded apologetically. "Due to the ruins, a flood of warriors has arrived in town. Some less honorable ones have taken to robbing ships on the river, so we've increased our guards. The additional security has raised the cost."
Rain, eager to settle into a quiet space to contemplate the technique fragments he'd obtained, was ready to pay when the boy added, "If any of you are martial artists, we offer a discount for protecting the ship in case of an attack."
Lu Jing's father looked intrigued. "How much of a discount?"
The boy replied, "Gathering Strength Realm warriors get a 30 percent discount, while Master Warriors receive 50 percent."
Rain spoke up. "What about Grandmasters?"
The boy looked a bit startled. "For a Grandmaster, it's free—a first-tier room at no charge."
Rain nodded and released a pulse of his aura, the force pushing those nearby back slightly. "So, I get a first-tier room for free, then?"
The boy's eyes widened. "I… I can't confirm that myself; I need to call the captain." He reached for a rope by the ladder and tugged it, ringing a bell on the ship. Moments later, another boy, similar in age, appeared. "Feng! What's going on?" he asked.
"Bo, call the captain," Feng replied urgently. Sensing the seriousness in Feng's tone, Bo quickly disappeared to fetch the captain.
A few moments later, a sturdy man approached. Rain, observing his demeanor and the energy emanating from him, guessed he was a Master Warrior.
The captain surveyed the scene with a steady gaze. "Feng, what's going on here?"
Feng pointed to Rain. "This sir says he's a Grandmaster Warrior."
The captain scrutinized Rain with a skeptical look. "Are you joking, boy?" He assumed, based on Rain's youth, that it couldn't be true.
In response, Rain stepped forward, his foot barely touching the ground before he was suddenly standing on the ship's railing in front of the captain. The captain, who had just seen Rain on the ground a moment ago, stumbled back, stunned.
Leaning forward slightly, Rain looked the captain in the eyes. "Now, tell me—am I joking?"
The captain, a Master Warrior himself, hadn't even registered how Rain moved. Shock gave way to fear as he realized that if Rain had intended to kill him, he wouldn't have had a chance to react. Quickly, he bowed deeply. "Grandmaster, I'm terribly sorry for not recognizing you."
Rain nodded as the captain remained bowed until Rain said, "You can stop."
Straightening, the captain composed himself. "Grandmaster, please follow me. I'll take you to your room."
Before following, Rain gestured to his companions. "Give my group whatever rooms they want, at the old price."
The captain nodded. "Feng, you heard the Grandmaster—book the rooms for his friends."
With that, Rain followed the captain toward his room, leaving his companions in astonishment and admiration.