Chapter 166: Unable to Find Out?
Compared to Huang Xiaolong and Fei Hou, Zhao Shu and Yu Ming were much more composed and calm.
It was not like they had not seen Imperial cities grander than Duanren Imperial City.
Take the Asura’s Gate headquarters for example. The Asura City itself had walls higher than this!
“Sovereign, shall we go in?” Moments later, Zhao Shu spoke.
Huang Xiaolong snapped out of his daze, and taking a deep breath, he nodded and said, “Let’s go in!” As he lifted his foot towards the gate of Duanren Imperial City, Huang Xiaolong could not help but feel his blood boil with anticipation and excitement.
Duanren Imperial City!
Herein lies his goal!
Huang Xiaolong desperately wished he could roar at the top of his lungs to the entire city: “Duanren Imperial City, I, Huang Xiaolong, have come!”
Huang Xiaolong’s group followed the large crowd entering Duanren Imperial City, but when they were at the gates, they discovered each individual needed to pay one hundred gold coins as an entry fee.
One hundred gold coins!
One hundred gold coins were enough to support a common household’s expenses for a year in most of the kingdom.
Walking along the Imperial City’s expansive streets, Huang Xiaolong observed the surrounding shops as he strolled along in a leisurely manner.
The streets were built wide and spacious, approximately three to four hundred meters wide, and Huang Xiaolong noticed that these wide streets were paved with the same type of Bright Marble Stone.
Bright Marble Stone was a kind of extremely hard stone in Martial Spirit World, even tougher than the Starlight Stone used to build Cosmic Star Academy’s main square. Of course, the cost of these streets was much more than the price of Cosmic Star Academy’s square.
One piece of Bright Marble Stone cost one thousand gold coins. The seemingly endless rows of streets within the Imperial City that spanned countless li were all paved with the same Bright Marble Stone. How many millions, tens of millions, or even hundreds of millions of gold were needed to build all of this?!
These streets in the Imperial City that were paved with Bright Marble Stone emanated a kind of stately aura: domineering, wealthy, and brilliant, representing an empire without being garish.
Even with the endless stream of carriages moving up and down the Imperial City, the streets did not feel crowded at all.
After roughly two hours of sightseeing, it was already noon.
Passing through a place called ‘Unforgettable Intoxication’ Restaurant, Huang Xiaolong’s footsteps halted as he watched the crowded entrance of the restaurant and the endless bustle of customers. He looked over at Zhao Shu, Yu Ming, and Fei Hou and said, “From the looks of it, this restaurant doesn’t seem bad. Should we go inside and try something?”
“Yes, Young Lord!” The trio answered in unison.
In public, Zhao Shu too referred to Huang Xiaolong as Young Lord, like Yu Ming and Fei Hou.
Hence, the four of them walked into Unforgettable Intoxication Restaurant.
There were three floors to the restaurant, and when Huang Xiaolong went inside with Zhao Shu, Yu Ming, and Fei Hou, no empty table was available. They proceeded up to the first floor. Although there were a few places available, all of them were meant for two people, and Huang Xiaolong’s group was four.
“Let’s go up to the second floor.” Huang Xiaolong said.
However, when the four of them were about to climb the stairs up, two restaurant workers blocked their path, courteously explaining, “Several Guests, pardon our interruption, but our restaurant’s second floor is reserved. Only Guests who hold Duanren Empire’s Baron and above noble title can go up to the second floor.”
Though the words spoken sounded courteous, it did not hide the condescending disdain in their eyes. Zhao Shu and Yu Ming’s eyes sharpened as they looked at the two workers.
Yu Ming then exerted invisible pressure onto them.
In the space above Unforgettable Intoxication Restaurant, a violent tempest gathered, spiraling like a tornado, whistling about angrily.
Suddenly, it felt as if the entire space of Unforgettable Intoxication Restaurant solidified, and the noisy restaurant quieted down in the blink of an eye. From the ground floor, to the first floor, and even to the second floor, every pair of eyes were looking at Yu Ming with fear swimming behind the irises.
Under the pressure exerted by Yu Ming, the two ‘small’ restaurant workers nearly had their breaths cut off on the spot. Horrified, their legs gave out and they fell to their knees just as their words ended.
“This is... so strong! That middle-aged man is definitely at Xiantian Ninth Order, or maybe even at Xiantian Tenth Order. He must be someone who is infinitely close to a terrifying Saint realm existence!”
“Who are those four people? It seems like that middle-aged man is that young man’s guard?!”
The experts of Duanren Imperial City and other kingdoms on the second floor whispered amongst themselves, feeling the overwhelming pressure coming from Yu Ming.
In Duanren Imperial City, Xiantian experts were not uncommon, but that did not include Xiantian Seventh Order warriors and above. Xiantian First to Third Order warriors were classified as early-order Xiantian; Fourth to Sixth Order warriors were mid-order; and the Seventh to Ninth Order experts were referred to as high-order.
An early order Xiantian realm expert’s status and identity was undoubtedly different from a high-order Xiantian realm expert.
Amongst the most talented imperial princes of Duanren Empire, even Duan Wuhen was still only a Xiantian Tenth Order expert.
While everyone was still alarmed by the scene, a middle-aged man that appeared to be the restaurant owner was seen running up the stairs anxiously with two bodyguards tagging along behind him. The two bodyguards were also Xiantian experts, but they were merely at the Xiantian Second Order.
Arriving on the first floor, the restaurant owner nearly prostrated before Yu Ming, inquiring with utmost politeness what seemed to be the problem.
After finding out the reason, the restaurant owner apologized to Huang Xiaolong, Yu Ming, and the other two people profusely. His complexion paled tremendously, and he wished he could stab the two workers to death.
“This Young Master, we will immediately arrange a private room on the second floor for you.” The restaurant owner said as he led them to a room on the second floor.
Huang Xiaolong initially did not intend to force their way up to the second floor, but Yu Ming acted too quickly by releasing his oppressive aura which resulted in the current situation.
At this moment, he could only go along with the restaurant owner’s ‘kind’ intention and courtesy with Zhao Shu, Yu Ming, and Fei Hou by going up to the second floor private room.
Since those things already happened, then he may as well enter the Imperial City in a high profile manner!
After all, it would be impossible for Huang Xiaolong to maintain a low profile even if he wanted to with the Imperial City Battle in ten days’ time. Since there was no helping it, attracting some attention now did not make much of a difference.
Of course, as someone possessing the Primordial Divine Black Dragon martial spirit who was representing Luo Tong Kingdom and the Cosmic Star Academy in this Imperial City Battle, there were bound to be people from the Duanren Imperial Family and other forces paying attention to him even before this.
Leading Huang Xiaolong’s group up to the second floor, the restaurant owner ushered them into private room number three. There was a total of twelve private rooms on the second floor.
The lower number the room was, the more distinguished the guests identity. Above all, room number one was reserved specifically for Saint realm experts, but it was usually empty during the year.
If the restaurant owner knew there was a Saint realm expert amongst the four people, he would have brought them to private room number one so quickly that it would have looked like his butt was lit on fire.
Unforgettable Intoxication was one of the biggest restaurants in Duanren Imperial City, but only during the opening day would a Saint realm expert visit. Hence, private room one had been left empty since the last Imperial City Battle.
The private room number three that they entered was lavishly decorated, similar to a small scale mansion.
As they each took a seat, Huang Xiaolong instructed the owner to serve their famous dishes and wine and indicated him to leave. Nodding respectfully, the restaurant owner left the room.
While Huang Xiaolong was being ushered into private room number three, in private room number two sat a young man wearing a golden brocade robe who appeared to be in his mid-twenties. The young man was... beautiful, albeit exhibiting a somewhat devilish charm. Especially so, in his eyes there were reflecting golden lights every time they moved.
The young man raised his right hand and lightly beckoned the guard behind him, “Go and check that person’s identity–I want to know all four people’s background in one hour.”
“Yes, Young Master!” That guard replied with the utmost respect and backed out of the room.
Long slender fingers drummed on the table surface softly, forming melodious notes as they moved.
At this moment, a beautiful young woman in her mid-twenties, same as the young man with skin so supple and moist as if dew was glistening on them, was sitting beside the young man and laughed, her tinkling peals of laughter were akin to marbles falling onto a bowl, teasing the ears. The two lumps of flesh at the front quivered endlessly like they could escape anytime from their bonds.
The woman’s lips curved charmingly as she laughed, red lips moved as she said, “I didn’t expect our Heartless Young Noble [1] would one day show interest in another person.”
The young man maintained a placid expression on his face, “You, Zhao Wuji, are more interested in them than I am.”
Zhao Wuji continued to laugh coquettishly as she looked at the young man, her entire body seemed to lean onto him with the two lumps of flesh pressed against him, “You’re wrong this time around, I’m more interested in you than anyone else.”
The guards inside private room number two swallowed nervously.
But the young man, Heartless Young Noble, pushed the woman away without any feeling, “I’m not interested in you.”
The smile on Zhao Wuji’s face became ever more brilliant hearing that, “That’s the very reason I’m interested in you.”
A short while later, the guard that left earlier returned, reporting to the young man, “Young Master, we’ve found out. That black-haired young man is called Huang Xiaolong, the representative for Luo Tong Kingdom and Cosmic Star Academy for this year’s Duanren Imperial City Battle. His strength is at the peak late-Tenth Order!”
Zhao Wuji snickered with contempt, “Just a peak late-Tenth Order little brat, such an unattractive man, this aunt has no interest whatsoever.”
At this time, the guard continued with his report, “However, this Huang Xiaolong is only seventeen this year!”
“Seventeen-years-old!” Heartless Young Noble and Zhao Wuji were stunned, and then their faces turned ugly.
A seventeen-year-old peak late-Tenth Order warrior?!
“How can this be? Impossible! How could a seventeen year old reach peak late-Tenth Order?!” Zhao Wuji blurted out in shock.
According to her knowledge, even the leader of the five big families of Duanren Empire, even Duan Wuhen who was an Imperial Prince did not advance to peak late-Tenth Order at seventeen!
“I have not spoken falsely!” The guard went on, “Subordinate verified Huang Xiaolong’s age, and his martial spirit is a Primordial Divine Dragon, a top grade twelve martial spirit!”
“Top grade twelve martial spirit, Divine Black Dragon!” Once again, Heartless Young Noble and Zhao Wuji were shocked.
But in the next moment, Heartless Young Noble frowned; even if this Huang Xiaolong possessed a top grade twelve martial spirit, his cultivation speed would not be this fast!
He too possessed a top grade twelve martial spirit and a wealth of cultivation resources from his clan and yet, his cultivation speed was not as terrifying as Huang Xiaolong’s.
Obviously, Zhao Wuji too thought of this point as a shimmering light flitted in her eyes.
“What about the other three people?” Heartless Young Noble questioned that guard.
Being asked directly, the guard quickly continued, “One of the three is called Fei Hou, the Junior Brother of Luo Tong Kingdom’s Marshal Haotian, but both Fei Hou and Haotian call Huang Xiaolong, Young Lord. The strange thing is, Huang Xiaolong comes from a Luo Tong Kingdom small family, and his background is common and ordinary.”
A knowing light flickered in Heartless Young Noble’s eyes, “This Huang Xiaolong has another identity!”
Otherwise, it would be impossible for someone from an ordinary background to have Marshal Haotian referring to them as Young Lord! Zhao Wuji nodded her head in agreement.
“And the remaining two people?” Heartless Young Noble pursued.
The guard hesitated a second before admitting, “The other two, Subordinate is unable to find anything as of yet.”
“Unable to find it out?!” This stumped Heartless Young Noble.
Note:
[1] Heartless Young Noble is a nickname.