Chapter 4
The passersby showed no unusual reaction, clearly long accustomed to such sights.
"Indeed, the atmosphere is extraordinary," Li Mo couldn't help but exclaim.
Having seen various international metropolises in his past life, he still found it hard to suppress his astonishment upon arriving here.
Compared to those steel and concrete skyscrapers, this grand ancient city with its intricately carved beams and painted rafters was evidently far more spectacular.
A city that could accommodate five million people was a completely different concept from an ancient city that could hold the same number.
"Pass," the city guards, clad in armor and wielding sharp weapons, stood like iron towers, their silver armor gleaming in the sunlight.
The steward quickly handed over an iron token and paid the entrance fee of a tael of silver.
Thus, the carriage was allowed into the city, as if stepping into another world.
Li Mo found everything fresh and exciting, like a country bumpkin entering the city.
His pockets had swelled quite a bit over the past two days.
The meals provided by the ice-cube girl had somehow earned him over ten thousand taels in silver notes, and even a thousand taels in gold.
But upon entering this land where every inch was worth its weight in gold, Li Mo felt less extravagant.
"Young Master, we’ve arrived in Ziyang City, which is nothing like the county," the steward reminded quietly as he drove the carriage.
"I won’t be staying here for more than two days anyway," Li Mo chuckled.
This trip was a long one, and his father had insisted that the steward, who had watched him grow up, accompany him, indicating how much he had worried in the past.
It was a precaution against his unpredictable temperament, fearing he might attract trouble.
"You're right, Young Master," the steward sighed in relief, nodding repeatedly.
This troublemaking young master had changed quite a bit lately.
He could finally relax a little.
The carriage passed over a vermilion-painted bridge, crossing the dense cluster of boats below.
Not only was the city larger, but the residents also appeared different; there were noticeably more people dressed in fine silks and satins, and various luxurious carriages could be seen.
For instance, a carriage approaching from the opposite direction was pulled by four horses, their bodies a striking crimson, covered in scales.
The carriage itself was several times larger than the one Li Mo was riding in, adorned with gold and jade, exuding an ancient elegance.
"Cousin!" Suddenly, someone called from behind.
It was Wang Hu, his face beaming as he dismounted and rushed to the front of the carriage.
A young man stepped down from the carriage, tall and clad in a white brocade robe.
With long arms and a solid stance, he walked with a certain grace reminiscent of a dragon or tiger.
At his waist hung a badge inscribed with two characters: "Neimen" (内门, Inner Sect).
The Inner Sect of Qingyuan Sect!
The crowd's gaze on Wang Hu suddenly became more cautious.
Despite the number of people traveling together, only a few could enter the Outer Sect, let alone the Inner Sect.
The difference between the Inner and Outer Sects was like night and day; an Inner Sect disciple visiting a county would command respect from even the county magistrate.
"Xiao Hu, I figured you’d be arriving soon," the young man smiled, scanning the crowd before his gaze lingered on Li Mo for a moment.
"You’re new here, so I imagine you don’t know where to stay."
"I know a guesthouse owner well; why not go there?"
With a casual smile, the young man climbed back into the carriage.
"My cousin is Wang Hao, in his thirties, already an Inner Sect disciple."
"Staying with him, you won’t suffer any losses."
Wang Hu looked up proudly, as if it were he who had entered the Inner Sect.
The others naturally showered him with compliments.
In unfamiliar territory, having an Inner Sect disciple from Fulong Valley to guide them would save them a lot of trouble.
"What’s he looking at?"
Li Mo paused for a moment before realizing.
The young man wasn’t looking at him but rather at the cool girl beside him.
That made sense.
Even in the city, Ying Bing’s beauty remained undiminished.
Dressed simply, she still outshone the elegantly clad women of the grand city.
After a few days of feeding her, their relationship... must have progressed a bit, right?
They were no longer strangers, at least.
As these thoughts swirled in his mind, a tavern appeared by the canal.
Seven stories high, it exuded an air of luxury, showcasing the essence of this ancient city.
The sharp-eyed waiter spotted Wang Hao and immediately went to summon the manager.
The manager respectfully presented tea and began discussing matters with Wang Hao, while the others felt a bit awkward.
They had just seen it.
Even the most ordinary room here cost twenty taels of silver, and the better rooms were even pricier. With the Qingyuan Sect about to open its doors, the demand was high, and prices had risen.
"A hundred taels for a top room?"
Li Mo glanced over and walked straight to the counter.
There was no need to be stingy with this kind of money.
"Excuse me, two top rooms, please."
One for him, one for Ying Bing.
The steward and the others had just dropped off their luggage and returned to the escort agency.
"Sorry, sir, we don’t have many rooms left; those who came together can only share one," the clerk said apologetically.
"That’s fine."
Li Mo thought for a moment and nodded.
"Second floor, Qingmei Room, please take care of it."
Just as he finished paying, the clerk had just taken out the sandalwood room tag when Wang Hu sneered:
"Some people are just happy to have a place arranged for them. A hundred taels in Ziyang City doesn’t make you wealthy; having money here doesn’t necessarily mean you can get what you want."
Li Mo: "?"
He suddenly remembered.
This guy was the son of the leader of the Liuhe Gang in the county.
His own father was the county lieutenant, responsible for maintaining law and order.
With one being a rat and the other a cat, it was only natural that the two young men wouldn’t see eye to eye.
Meanwhile, not far away, Wang Hao returned to the anxious group of young men and women, feigning regret as he said:
"There are only thirteen top rooms left; since you’re all from my cousin’s hometown, you’ll have to make do."
"It’s no problem, we can squeeze in."
"Thank you, Brother Wang, you’re such a good person."
The group was overjoyed, expressing their gratitude repeatedly.
Li Mo couldn’t help but chuckle.
Who expresses regret while standing with their hands behind their back and chin raised?
In a man’s life, the three things he thinks about the most are:
1. Finding ways to show off.
2. That girl is really pretty.
3. That girl is really pretty; I need to find ways to show off in front of her.
Sure enough, Wang Hao then turned his gaze to Ying Bing and said:
"This young lady, since there aren’t enough rooms, I happen to have a private room here that’s usually unoccupied and is kept fairly clean."
"If you don’t mind, you could stay there."
His tone was quite confident.
This wasn’t the first time he had used this tactic; it worked like a charm on girls from small towns.
Didn’t he see the envy and jealousy in the eyes of the other rural girls nearby?
When someone of a higher status extends kindness, very few can resist.
"No rooms left?"
Ying Bing glanced at the manager.
"Indeed... um, indeed."
The manager felt a chill run down his back, wiping sweat as he nodded repeatedly.
Wang Hao was about to say something with a smile, but the next moment, his smile froze on his face.
The girl took the sandalwood room tag from in front of Li Mo and headed straight up to the second floor, to the Qingmei Room.
With a loud thud, the wooden door closed.
"Sigh."
Glancing at Wang Hao, whose face shifted from green to white, Li Mo instinctively found it amusing but couldn’t bring himself to laugh.
Looking for fun?
More like looking in the mirror!
Shaking his head, he too headed up to the second floor.
---
Chapter 4: Pure Yang Pill's Special Rebate
In the room, Li Mo finished unpacking, stretched lazily, and opened the window.
The river breeze blew in, revealing the mist-shrouded Qingyuan Mountain across the way, where he could vaguely see the neatly arranged buildings, like a silent giant overlooking the city below.
"The view up there must be even better," Li Mo murmured.
Having crossed over, how could he settle for being an ordinary person?
But given his current situation, he probably wouldn’t fare any better than Wang Hu at the entrance ceremony.
With the physique of a tiger or leopard, he had excellent potential.
Among his companions, he could be considered the most gifted.
New disciples were categorized into Inner and Outer Sect disciples based on talent, with even true disciples being selected through a process of elimination.
Clearly, having a good starting point meant encountering stronger individuals, leading to higher returns on investment.
Not to mention, if he were assigned to the Outer Sect, he would definitely never see Ying Bing again.
"By the way, my father mentioned there’s a familiar physician in the city, and his medical skills are quite good."
Li Mo turned back and said softly, "How about we go see him today?"
At the tea table, Ying Bing shook her head, sipping her hot tea.
"No need."
Li Mo sighed, "Just a visit could help alleviate your symptoms."
Ying Bing remained silent, lifting her gaze from the teacup, the steam swirling around her but failing to conceal her deep, captivating eyes.
She looked at Li Mo, as if trying to read something from his face.
"Since my father gave me the silver, I should at least report back to him."
"The Sanyang Medical Hall isn’t far; it’s just two streets away."
Li Mo deliberately frowned.
"Sanyang Medical Hall?"
Table of Contents
