The Martial Saint Started from Scavenging

Having dealt with the Black Wind Demon, Ye Sheng didn't linger at all and immediately turned and left the canyon.

He didn't even bother to loot the battlefield; the most important thing now was to leave this place of trouble as soon as possible.

When Ye Sheng returned to the entrance of the Narrow Gorge, Lin Qingxue was waiting there anxiously, pacing back and forth.

She supported Ye Kai, who was still unconscious, with both hands, her small face filled with worry and unease.

She heard the commotion in the canyon clearly, and it scared her so much that she wanted to rush in to check several times, but she remembered Ye Sheng's instructions and forced herself to hold back.

"You...you're back!"

When Lin Qingxue saw Ye Sheng emerge from the canyon, she was initially delighted, but when she saw Ye Sheng's pale face and a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth, her heart immediately clenched.

"Are you injured? Where are they?"

"It's all resolved."

Ye Sheng said calmly.

Upon hearing this, Lin Qingxue gasped.

They were all taken care of? Those were dozens of ruthless thugs! And just like that… he took them all down by himself?

She looked at the boy in front of her, feeling both shocked and terrified.

What kind of monster is this person?

"Let's go, we can't stay here any longer."

Ye Sheng didn't give Lin Qingxue much time to be shocked. He took Ye Kai from her hands, put him back on his back, and continued on his way without looking back.

Lin Qingxue snapped out of her daze and quickly followed. This time, the way she looked at Ye Sheng had completely changed.

If before it was just gratitude and vigilance, now there is an added layer of deep fear.

The rest of the journey went exceptionally smoothly. With the bandits no longer pursuing them, the two traveled at a brisk pace and finally emerged from the endless Black Wind Ridge by evening of the second day.

When they stood at the foot of the mountain and saw the outline of the magnificent city on the distant plain, they both breathed a sigh of relief.

Qingyun City, we've finally arrived. It's a magnificent town, far surpassing Blackstone Town. The city walls are dozens of meters high, built from an unknown type of dark blue-green boulder, gleaming with a cold and solid luster in the afterglow of the setting sun.

Every hundred meters along the city wall, there is a towering watchtower, where soldiers in standard armor patrol back and forth, maintaining a tight security.

A wide moat, like a jade belt, encircles the entire city. Beneath the massive city gates, crowds throng and vehicles flow in a constant stream, creating a scene of bustling prosperity.

"We've arrived."

Looking at the familiar city before her, Lin Qingxue's eyes revealed excitement, and the fatigue and fear of the past few days were swept away.

Ye Sheng was equally excited; this was the first time he had ever seen such a prosperous city.

The two then followed the crowd toward the city gate. The closer they got, the more they could appreciate the grandeur of the city.

At this moment, two long queues formed at the city gate. One queue consisted of well-dressed merchants and sons of noble families, who held special jade tokens that allowed them to enter the city almost without inspection.

The other line was even longer, consisting of ordinary people and traveling merchants dressed in plain clothes. They had to undergo strict checks by the city gate guards and pay a hefty "entry tax" before they could enter.

"Let's go that way."

Lin Qingxue pointed to the less crowded line, then took out a piece of jade pendant from her bosom that she had given to Ye Sheng before, representing the Lin family's identity.

However, Ye Sheng stopped her.

"No," he shook his head. "We can't go in together."

"Why?" Lin Qingxue asked, puzzled.

"Your identity is too conspicuous," Ye Sheng explained. "You're a young lady from the Lin family, while I'm dressed like this and carrying a sickly person. Don't you find it strange? It's easy to attract the attention of those with ulterior motives."

He knew very well that since the Blood Pact Merchant Guild could set up an ambush in Black Wind Ridge, they must also have spies in Qingyun City.

By disguising himself and wearing an unfamiliar face, he was unlikely to be discovered as long as he kept a low profile. However, if he were to flaunt his presence in public with Lin Qingxue, the young lady of the Lin family, it would definitely arouse suspicion from those with ulterior motives.

Lin Qingxue was incredibly intelligent and immediately understood his concerns.

"Then... what should we do?"

"You go in first," Ye Sheng said. "I'll take my brother and queue up to go in. We'll meet up in the east of the city after we get in."

"But... they won't let you in if you don't have a travel permit or are unregistered."

Lin Qingxue was somewhat worried. She already had a guess in her heart that the Ye brothers might be refugees fleeing from war.

The "registration" system of the Da Yuan Dynasty was strictly hierarchical.

In a small place like Blackstone Town, people like Ye Sheng, who are "migrants" without household registration, can buy temporary travel permits with money. But in Qingyun City, the management is much stricter, and it's impossible to sneak in.

Upon hearing Lin Qingxue's words, Ye Sheng did not deny his status as a homeless person, but confidently said, "I have a way."

As he spoke, he pulled out a token from his pocket and continued, "I'm now a member of the 'Blood Pact Merchant Guild,' so I guess the guards should recognize this."

Lin Qingxue looked at Ye Sheng, opened her mouth, but ultimately said nothing. She simply nodded and replied, "Okay, then be careful. I'll wait for you at the Yue Lai Inn in the east of the city."

After saying that, she no longer hesitated, took the family's exclusive jade pendant, and walked alone toward the "VIP passage".

When the soldiers guarding the city saw the Lin family jade pendant in her hand, they immediately showed respect and let her pass without even asking any questions.

Ye Sheng watched Lin Qingxue's figure disappear into the city gate before turning his gaze away.

Then, he found a secluded corner, smeared his and his brother's faces even dirtier, then carried Ye Kai on his back and walked to the back of the long line of civilians, silently joining the queue.

The procession moved very slowly. The guards at the city gate were conducting extremely strict checks.

They not only checked everyone's travel permits and goods, but also used a special mirror to look at each person.

Ye Sheng observed that the mirror emitted a faint white light when it shone on some people, but had no effect on others.

He guessed that the mirror was probably used to detect martial artists or cultivators.

When it was Ye Sheng's turn, a guard who looked like the captain stopped him.

"Halt! Travel permit!" The guard looked him up and down, his eyes filled with undisguised disgust and contempt.

Ye Sheng didn't speak, but slowly took out the iron plaque engraved with the words "Blood Pact" from his pocket and handed it over.

The guard captain, who had initially looked impatient, suddenly grabbed Ye Sheng's hand when he saw the iron plaque, especially the pattern drawn with blood-red cinnabar. He pulled Ye Sheng aside to a secluded corner, lowered his voice, and asked in a tone that was both awe-inspiring and tense, "You...you are a member of 'Blood Pact'?"

Ye Sheng didn't answer, only staring at him with those cold, expressionless eyes. This silence was more oppressive than any answer.

The guard captain instantly broke out in a cold sweat. He was just an ordinary city gate guard; how could he dare offend a behemoth like the Blood Pact Merchant Guild?

"M-Sir, please, please." He immediately put on a fawning smile, bowing and scraping as he said, "I was blind and did not recognize your greatness. I have offended you, sir. I hope you will forgive me."

As he spoke, he was about to let Ye Sheng pass.

"Wait a minute," Ye Sheng called out to him.

"Is there anything else you need, sir?"

"I'm on a mission and don't want anyone to know my identity, so I'm disguised," Ye Sheng said calmly.

The guard captain immediately understood: "Understood, understood! I understand! Don't worry, what happened today is known only to heaven, earth, you, and me; no third person will ever know!"

"Hmm." Ye Sheng nodded, then tossed him a small piece of silver. "This is a reward for you."

A warning followed by a reward. This method of managing subordinates was something Ye Sheng mastered without a teacher.

The guard captain was overjoyed to receive the silver coins and repeatedly expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you so much for your generous gift, sir! Thank you so much, sir!"

And so, carrying his younger brother, Ye Sheng walked into Qingyun City, one of the most prosperous cities in the Eastern Region, without any inspection or payment, under the "respectful" gaze of the guard captain.

The moment I stepped through the city gate, a completely different atmosphere from that outside the city rushed towards me.

The wide, clean cobblestone streets are lined with shops, restaurants, and teahouses, bustling with activity.

The air was filled with the aromas of various foods and a faint scent of cosmetics. Compared to Shuilongdu and Heishi Town, this place was worlds apart.

Ye Sheng carried his younger brother on his back as they walked down a bustling street, but he felt out of place with everything around him.

He had no interest in appreciating the bustling street scene, but instead, as agreed with Lin Qingxue, he headed straight towards the east of the city.

He had to find Lin Qingxue as soon as possible and get those two medicinal herbs. He sensed that his younger brother's body was about to give out.