Heaven rewards diligence; he fought his way through chaos to become a saint.

Chapter 123 Mr.

Wucheng!

The two characters are written with vigorous strokes, conveying a sense of boldness.

We disembarked.

It was clear that porters around the area were carrying sacks of grain and cloth, hurrying along, their shouts, laughter, and the sound of oars paddling through the water all blending together, creating a lively scene.

Stepping through the city gate, a peaceful atmosphere unfolds.

The streets are wide and paved with smooth bluestone slabs, wide enough for four horses to ride abreast. The houses on both sides are arranged in a staggered manner, mostly two-story pavilions with upturned eaves.

The street was lined with shops and signs, and the blacksmith's signboard swayed in the wind. Inside the shop, the clanging of hammers and the sparks flying could be heard.

The restaurant's doors were wide open, and diners came and went in an endless stream, the aroma of wine mingling with the fragrance of food wafting far and wide.

The signs of various martial arts schools are particularly eye-catching, and teenagers often swing their fists and kicks at the entrance, their shouts crisp and powerful, attracting passersby to stop and watch.

The streets were bustling with people: vendors carrying loads, doctors with medicine baskets, martial arts practitioners dressed in tight-fitting clothes and weapons at their waists, and women leading children.

"This is only the outer city. The outer city is a mixed bag, mostly inhabited by ordinary people."

Shen Yixi explained, "The inner city has three top sects: Ba Yue Sect, Po Jun Sect, and Lie Yang Sect, as well as a number of smaller sects, most of which are established by disciples of these three sects."

"Precisely because this place is teeming with experts, I believe that if the world descends into chaos, no force will dare to launch a direct attack on Martial City. Even if dynasties change, with this sacred land here, martial artists across the land will not cause trouble here. Therefore, this place should be a good place for the next hundred years."

"If there's anything wrong with it, it's that the internal power dynamics are complex and you can't easily offend anyone. Because the martial arts traditions here are ancient, and many of the people here are descendants of the founding martial artists of the Great Qian Dynasty, many of whom followed the Martial Saint and settled here. Therefore, the power of the families here is far beyond that of ordinary places. In other words, they are old-established noble families. But no one can predict the fate of a family. They can also decline. With the accumulation of countless generations of martial artists, some new martial arts families have also emerged."

"The complexity of power has its advantages; outsiders dare not cause trouble here easily, and those seeking refuge can survive in the cracks."

"Moreover, the Shen family are merchants, just doing business. No important people will make things difficult for us. What we really need to be wary of are those other families who are outsiders like us. They will see us as competitors."

"There are quite a few outside families here, most of whom live in the outer city. This is because the land in the inner city is vast but not for sale; it belongs to those who migrated here in the early years. Outsiders can only live in the outer city, and even then, no one sells the houses; if you want to live there, you have to pay to rent them. Many people consider it a great honor to own a house in the city."

Ye Ci nodded.

Indeed, the Shen family is the richest in Songjiang County, but that may not be the case here. However, the wealth of this old man, Shen Wanzhou, is probably still greater than that of most outsider families.

otherwise----

Thinking of what Shen Yixi said on the way, that she could easily spend tens of thousands of silver dollars, she must have some wealth.

However, this made him feel embarrassed to ask, otherwise he would be suspected of prying.

Ye Ci nodded in agreement, then casually asked, "Can I join one of the three major sects?"

This matter is very important to Ye Ci, and it has taken about a month to get here.

In fact, after mastering the Transformation Realm, I never neglected my cultivation.

Whenever I have time, I practice the Embracing Mountain Seal. As long as I exert my strength without releasing it, I can increase my proficiency.

Once the Embracing Mountain Seal reaches the second level, his strength will increase again.

Shen Yixi raised an eyebrow: "Joining one of the three major sects should be possible. I studied at the Capital Academy for a few years in my early years and made friends with people from Wucheng. As a native of this place, I only need a recommendation qualification, so it shouldn't be a big problem."

"Moreover, you've reached the Transformation Realm in just one year. With such talent, it shouldn't be difficult for you to join a sect."

"Oh? You have friends like that?"

Ye Ci felt that she had always lacked friends since she came to this world.

Shen Yixi paused, then explained, "Back then, my family relied on the connections of the Prefectural Governor to get me into the capital to study. My father told me to spend money as much as possible so that I could get to know more prominent families."

"Later, I returned to Songjiang and was unwilling to use these connections. I just wanted to live a peaceful life in my own little corner. Now that I have left Songjiang, I have nothing to lose in terms of face. It's just a matter of asking for favors. So, leave the matter of joining a sect to me."

Ye Ci nodded slightly. He understood Shen Yixi's mindset; who wouldn't want to stay at home as a pampered young lady?

After all, people are generally better off without needing to ask others for help.

With her help, we didn't need to worry about things like recommendation letters.

At the dock, the two couldn't find the Shen family's merchant ship, so they had to inquire about Shen Wanzhou's residence.

Although it was Shen Yixi who arranged it, she heard that she found a close friend to rent the place, so she didn't know exactly where it was.

Fortunately, the outer city was mostly inhabited by locals who had seen many outsiders and were quite friendly in giving the two directions.

Soon, the two found a four-courtyard house, which was larger than the surrounding mansions and seemed to be quite expensive.

Upon entering and seeing some familiar faces, I realized I had found the right place.

Shen Wanzhou couldn't help but sigh when he saw Ye Ci.

Shen Xin was overjoyed to see her niece and Ye Ci, and quickly called for someone to prepare hot water for them to take a bath and wash away their fatigue.

During this process, Ye Ci learned that they had been escorted all the way by Senior Brother Qi Wang, and he had returned home once they arrived at their destination.

It turns out I missed out on Senior Brother Qi.

Shen Wanzhou wouldn't hide anything for Qi Wang, and directly told him the whole story about how Qi Wang shot Song Rongyi to death with an arrow.

This piqued Ye Ci's interest in Qi Wang.

Archery God?

Afterwards, Shen Wanzhou inquired about the matter in Songjiang, and Ye Ci told him everything in detail, which gave the old man Shen quite a fright.

"This matter is quite troublesome. No matter what, Zhang Guan died at your hands, and I'm afraid it can't be resolved peacefully."

Ye Ci nodded: "I have considered this matter. Marquis Jianwu is only a newly appointed marquis. Although he has some power, it is limited. He cannot make all the decisions in the world by himself. Otherwise, Zhang Guan would not have been demoted to Songjiang."

"Moreover, the Great Qian Dynasty was founded on military strength, and in the end, it was mutually restraining with the sects. Many people in the court were also related to the sects. If one could truly gain a foothold in the sect, one would naturally have people helping one in the court."

"Besides, I've already run so far away. By the time he finds me, who knows when."

Shen Wanzhou pondered: "What you say is true, but we must be careful. I will try to find out more about the Songjiang matter and see if your reputation has spread."

Afterwards, Ye Ci ate a meal, rested for a while, and then continued practicing the Embracing Mountain Seal.

Perhaps due to the fatigue of the journey, coupled with the fact that the Embracing Mountain Seal is indeed far more physically demanding than ordinary cultivation methods, after two hours, I felt somewhat tired.

The moonlight is bright and clear, and the starlight adorns the night sky.

He looked into the void.

[Heaven bestows its ordination, Heaven rewards diligence, with unwavering focus, all laws will naturally arise]

[Supernatural Power: Mountain Embracing Seal, First Level (4683/5000)]

After catching his breath, he planned to go and rest.

Just then, footsteps sounded again, and looking in the direction of the sound, they saw Shen Yixi coming with a lantern.

The girl changed into a moon-white ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), still without makeup, but her beauty was still captivating.

"Master Ye, a carriage will come to pick you up tomorrow and take you to the Ba Yue Sect."

Her voice was clear and crisp, but it also carried a hint of weariness.

Unexpectedly, she didn't rest after returning; instead, she went to contact a sect for him. Ye Ci cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Miss Shen. I didn't expect you to go to so much trouble, even going so far as to arrange for me to join a sect."

"You are welcome."

Shen Yixi blinked, her eyelashes trembling slightly: "It's just that I can't go with you tomorrow. Now that we're here, there are many things to take care of. The old man and I may not be at home for the next few days, so someone else will have to accompany you."

"Thank you anyway. By the way, is the Ba Yue Sect you mentioned one of the three major sects?"

Shen Yixi nodded slightly and chuckled, "Yes, if you master the Core Formation and become an inner disciple, even the marquises of the imperial court won't touch you."

"The retainer my grandfather invited has already mastered the Transformation Realm at such a young age. His future is limitless. The Shen family will have to rely on you in the future."

After laughing, she changed the subject, and like Wei Ting, she performed a scholar's bow, her face becoming more serious: "I have not yet truly thanked you for the matter of Songjiang County."

"I admire what you did before, and I thank you on behalf of the twenty-odd defenseless scholars of Wenyuan Hall."

"Sir, you are a man of great righteousness."