Chapter 243: Hugestone City
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
The Storage Ring shimmered when Zhang Ruochen touched it. A Blood Pill appeared in his hands. He gave it to Han Xue and she swallowed it.
Blood Pills were made from the blood of savage beasts. They contained a great amount of heat and heavy Spiritual Qi.
You could feel its heat just holding it in your hands.
Han Xue felt like she had swallowed a flame. The Blood Pill penetrated into her blood and spread through her body like fire. She no longer felt cold or hungry.
Zhang Ruochen smiled. “Good stuff, right?”
Han Xue was surprised by its magic. She nodded. “Wow, absolutely!”
“Do you regret asking people to help you bury your mother with 10 Blood Pills?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
Han Xue shook her head. “No.”
“Good!”
Zhang Ruochen patted her head and clasped her petite figure in his arms. He stepped into void space in the direction of the Red Spider Vessel.
They arrived at the ship warehouse.
Under Zhang Ruochen’s control, the Red Spider Vessel flew up over the vast river and left Lin’an County Town.
The Red Spider Vessel was so enormous that it could not fit into the Storage Ring. Zhang Ruochen hid it beneath the river and left a mark. Then he took Han Xue to Hugestone City, the biggest city on the Square Commandery’s southern border.
The Red Spider Vessel could kill martial arts legends in the Heaven Realm. Zhang Ruochen thought it might be useful in the future.
Hugestone City was only 250 kilometers away from Lin’an County Town. It only took him two hours to get to the great city, without even breaking out his fastest speed.
Compared to Lin’an County Town, Hugestone City was huge. It had towering city walls and a large population. Even in winter, many warriors rode savage beasts and rushed about on the wide streets. There were nobles in gorgeous carriages, followed by crowds of servants and royal guards.
There was a large income gap in this city. Rich people could obtain resources, unlock the Sacred Mark and practice their Martial Arts. Yet, even if the poor had talent, it was not easy for them to develop themselves in comparison to princes, commandery princesses, and nobility descendants.
The rich got richer, while the poor got poorer.
The Poisonous Spider Club enjoyed a powerful influence in Square Commandery. But everyone could see that the Martial Market Bank still controlled half the economy with its banks, stores, and Coliseums spread throughout every city, big and small.
Wearing a metal mask and a plain white coat, Zhang Ruochen held Han Xue’s hand. They went straight to the Martial Market Bank.
Zhang Ruochen assumed that the Poisonous Spider Club would know about the deaths of Hua Minggong and Mu Qing soon. He needed to be very cautious.
He had several vital and dangerous tasks to deal with, so he decided to help Han Xue settle down first.
As a medium level commandery, the Square Commandery was 10 times more powerful than the Yunwu Commandery. Even if the other eight commanderies of the Nine Western Prefectures joined forces, they could not defeat Square Commandery.
The national strength of a commandery was decided by the number of superiors living within it.
There were only a dozen Heaven Realm warriors in Yunwu Commandery.
According to the Martial Market Bank statistics, there were 132 warriors at the Heaven Realm in Square Commandery. In terms of national power, an inferior commandery could not compare at all.
The top city in the southern border of Square Commandery, Hugestone City had a population of more than a million. Naturally, there were many martial arts masters living here.
Arriving at the Martial Market Bank, Zhang Ruochen took out his School of the Martial Market internal student token. The royal guards outside the gate immediately knelt to salute him and rushed into the Bank to report to the deacon of the Bank.
The deacon of the Martial Market Bank in Hugestone City was an elder at the Completion of the Earth Realm named Zhao Jing. After examining Zhang Ruochen’s token, he invited him into a warm room and ordered the maid to serve them some hot tea.
As a student of the School of the Martial Market, he enjoyed special treatment. An internal student could benefit in any branch of the Martial Market Bank and even extract a certain amount of coins for expenses.
Treatment for internal students was as follows: Free meals and accommodation in the Martial Market Bank restaurants, half-price concessions for purchasing practice resources in the Martial Market Bank stores and VIP seats in the Coliseum of the Martial Market.
Zhao Jing smiled. “I was once an Outer Palace student at the School of the Martial Market. Unfortunately, I was not talented enough to enter the Internal Academy, so I work as a deacon in Hugestone City. It’s embarrassing, junior fellow apprentice Zhang.”
He hadn’t reached the Earth Realm before turning 30. He wasn’t qualified to practice in the Internal Academy. It was his life-long regret.
Zhao Jing had attained the Initial Stage of the Earth Realm at the age of 35.
Now, he was 80 years old and with his present cultivation at the Completion of the Earth Realm, breaking into the Heaven Realm was nearly hopeless.
Zhang Ruochen smiled. “Actually, I’ve come here to ask for your help, elder brother Zhao.”
The appellation of junior fellow apprentice and elder brother brought the two of them much closer.
“We work for the Martial Market Bank,” Zhao Jing said with a smile. “Don’t be so polite. If you need any help, just tell me; I’ll do it immediately.”
Zhang Ruochen pointed to Han Xue. “Please send someone to escort her to the Devil Martial City and hand her over to a student at the Internal Academy named Duanmu Xingling. Just tell her that the girl is Chen Ruo’s disciple. Then, ask Duanmu Xingling to take care of her for a while.”
Zhang Ruochen had thought it over carefully. He had decided to ask Duanmu Xingling to look after Han Xue instead of Huang Yanchen.
Han Xue was submerged with anguish from losing both her parents. Duanmu Xingling had an excellent character. Maybe she could help Han Xue to overcome her sorrow and pain and dissolve her dark childhood from her mind.
Besides, Zhang Ruochen was sure that Blackie would be playing with her.
Blackie’s background was a mystery, but it was very proficient in many things. Not only could it embattle; it could also refine pills and weapons. He assumed Blackie would discover that Han Xue had a Thousand-bones Physical Quality and teach her some techniques. He hoped Blackie could help build a foundation for her future.
Zhao Jing shivered when he heard the name Chen Ruo. He fixed his eyes on Zhang Ruochen with honor and agreed hurriedly. “Piece of cake. I’m going to send a batch of Spiritual Crystals to Devil Martial City today. We can bring her along.”
“Thanks for your help, elder brother Zhao!” Zhang Ruochen made a bow with his hands folded in front.
Warriors often deposited their silver coins and Spiritual Crystals in various branches of the Martial Market Bank. When it reached a certain amount, the Martial Market Bank would dispatch a master to escort the silver coins and Spiritual Crystals to its headquarters in Devil Martial City.
External and internal students of School of the Martial Market frequently took the escort mission and in reward, they received merits.
After sending Han Xue away, Zhang Ruochen hinted to Zhao Jing with his eyes.
Zhao Jing got it and immediately led Zhang Ruochen into a Secret Room. He dismissed all the royal guards and servants.
With a serious look, Zhao Jing saluted Zhang Ruochen. “Your Excellency, please accept my apology.”
Zhang Ruochen nodded. “Don’t be so polite, elder brother Zhao.”
Zhao Jing shook his head and smiled bitterly. “Please forgive me for not knowing about your status and claiming to be your elder brother. I really feel ashamed of how impolite I’ve been recently.”
It was known to all that Zhang Ruochen was the Secret Disciple of the Silver Gowned Elder Hall Master. Zhao Jing was only a deacon. How dare he offend Master Lei’s Secret Disciple?
Zhang Ruochen smiled. “Since you were a student at the School of the Martial Market and also my predecessor, I shall call you elder brother Zhao.”
Zhang Ruochen was a pleasant person. He did this to allow Zhao Jing to feel closer to him. Zhao Jing smiled. “You are worthy of being Master Lei’s Secret Disciple. I admire you very much. You have some important matters to take care of in Hugestone City, right?”
Zhang Ruochen nodded. “Since you are the deacon of Hugestone City, I think you are very familiar with Square Commandery. Have you ever heard of a man called the Army-guarding Marquis?”
“The Army-guarding Marquis!”
Zhao Jing was surprised. “Huo Yundu is the Army-guarding Marquis. He is one of the members of Square Commandery and the younger brother of the Square Commandery Prince. Huo Yundu is an influential man. His martial cultivation has reached the Heaven Realm and over 300,000 troops on the southern border are also in his command. Did he offend you? Should we report it to the Martial Market Bank and ask the Manager take care of him?”
Huo Yundu was quite arrogant to annoy Master Lei’s Secret Disciple. Did he want to die?
Even if he was a martial arts legend of the Heaven Realm, so what?
Master Lei could give an order and have Huo Yundu killed immediately, if he wanted.
Zhang Ruochen shook his head. “Let’s not kill Huo Yundu at the moment. I have something to investigate. I have one more thing to ask you. Is there a Black Market in Hugestone City? Where is it? I need to go there.”
Zhao Jing counseled, “The Black Market in Hugestone City is powerful, especially the Poisonous Spider Club. Even the Martial Market Bank is under its suppression. The principal of the Poisonous Spider Club in Hugestone City is Mu Qing. He is a strong warrior of the Heaven Realm and controls a Red Spider Vessel. He is referred to as the head of Black Market in Hugestone City. Unless it’s necessary, you’d better not venture into the Black Market.”
Zhang Ruochen smiled. “If I didn’t have important things to deal with, I wouldn’t go there. I have a sense of proprietary. Please tell me the location, elder brother Zhao.”
Zhao Jing knew that as Master Lei’s Secret Disciple, Zhang Rouchen possessed a powerful strength to save his life. As long as he didn’t bump into Mu Qing, he wouldn’t encounter any danger. He stopped trying to persuade him.
Zhao Jing didn’t just disclose the location of the Black Market to Zhang Ruochen, he also sent a warrior from the Martial Market Bank as a guide to take him to the Black Market.
Without guidance, it was very dangerous for a stranger to walk into the Black Market alone.