Whew!

Li Hen City has arrived.

The towering city walls are a full seven to eight hundred feet high. This was clearly not the work of a single generation. In such a wide-open space, within the Longchuan Canyon, it’s a rare and auspicious site.

The Yingfeng Valley claimed by Lin Miao probably occupies less than one-tenth of this city.

The surroundings are endless mountain ranges, and the underground water system here is well-developed. Despite the northwestern drought, even during the spring flood season, melted snowwater from the mountains can quickly drain away through underground rivers.

That’s because the terrain here is naturally quite elevated.

If we consider altitude, the location where Li Hen City was built is higher than West Gate Town and even higher than Dongshan City.

If it wasn’t situated at a corner, the entire city might seldom see sunlight throughout the year.

A fine place indeed.

Yet surrounded by mountains, a grand canyon lies on one side of the city. It seems like a lock, blocking the entry and exit of people.

Who built this city is unknown, and it’s said the first City Lord was a person by the name of "Old Man of Sorrow."

With exceptional martial arts cultivation, at least at the level of a Heavenly Lord.

He founded the city by opening mountains and building walls; legends of "Old Man of Sorrow’s" bloodline descendants are still circulated within the city. However, survival for these people may have long since erased memories of their ancestors, and they dare not tell outsiders about it, as that would invite mortal peril.

As each mighty leader falls, their countless wealth gets divided, and secrets fade away in the river of history.

Li Hen City has existed for at least a thousand years, surviving through several dynastic changes. It remains standing strong, though various forces contend for control over this city of desire.

This is also a city of freedom.

Here, there are no laws, but some established rules. Simply put, whoever has the strongest fists makes the rules.

Generally, the three major forces uphold order within their own territories. Anyone who dares challenge this is courting trouble.

Within the territories of the three major forces, as long as you don’t stir up trouble, you’re generally safe. But if you step outside these zones or into adjacent areas, safety is uncertain.

Without ability, skill, or courage, don’t come to Li Hen City.

After entering the city.

Lin Miao and his group went to the Snow Mountain Sect’s base in Li Hen City, which is a mountain goods store. The last time he came, he kept his identity hidden.

This time, he brought Lianxin and Liansuo along and sat in a carriage branded with the Snow Mountain Sect’s emblem. Naturally, they stayed at the Snow Mountain Sect’s base.

Lianxin and Liansuo are both inner courtyard True Transmission disciples of the Snow Mountain Sect, and their status is naturally much higher than those outside disciples doing tasks outside.

The Snow Mountain Sect, being a top-tier sect, is indisputably the number one sect in the northwestern martial arts world of Da Li.

Officially, Snow Mountain Residence is just a mountain goods store; in reality, it’s also an intelligence station.

Even before Lin Miao set out, word had already been sent for arrangements and reception. The person in charge of Snow Mountain Residence is a man in his fifties.

This sharp-looking man is surnamed Yu, though his actual name is unclear. Outsiders habitually call him "Dazui." He serves as a steward in the Snow Mountain Sect’s outer courtyard and was considered ruthless in his youth, offending nobles in the Yue side and being exiled here.

He has been presiding over the business of Snow Mountain Residence in Li Hen City for seven to eight years now.

He recognizes Lianxin and Liansuo and seems quite familiar; being acquaintances makes things much easier.

"Miss Lianxin, is this the one you and Miss Liansuo mentioned?" Having arranged accommodations for Lin Miao and others, Yu Dazui called Lianxin out and quietly asked.

"Hmm."

"This is indeed our Snow Mountain Sect’s financial backer. The sect has long instructed us to serve him carefully, but we don’t know what hobbies he has..." Yu Dazui asked cautiously.

He’s just an outer courtyard steward, and the sect unexpectedly sent the prettiest pair of twin sisters from the inner courtyard to a minor physician from Da Li. Originally, he didn’t understand it, but upon learning this physician brings the sect millions of silver income.

Moreover, it’s not just a one-time thing; there will be income every year.

This makes it understandable. For such interest, let alone one pair of twins, even another pair wouldn’t matter.

Though Lianxin and Liansuo have decent abilities, they fall short compared to the top ten disciples in the inner courtyard. They merely benefit from having pretty faces.

Trading a pair of twins with not-so-high abilities for annual incomes of millions of silver, such a deal is definitely profitable for the Snow Mountain Sect.

Yue Country is originally famous for its beauties. While twin sisters like Lianxin and Liansuo might not be common, they’re not particularly rare either.

"My master doesn’t have any particular hobbies, just one: he likes cleanliness and prefers bathing. Just remember to prepare hot water for him every day. As for his diet, Miss Ling Yu’Er will handle it."

"That young lady just now, she’s responsible for cooking?"

"She knows how your people work," Lianxin said, "Uncle Dazui, don’t worry, she won’t trouble your subordinates. If your people can’t, she’ll personally take over."

"Understood."

"The expense for everything about my master at the Snow Mountain Residence..."

"Rest assured, we won’t charge a penny," Yu Dazui immediately said. He’s their financial backer, eating and drinking; the Snow Mountain Sect can’t let others look down, right?

"Alright, my master usually dislikes being surrounded by people. If anything comes up, he’ll give direct instructions, without hints or the like," Lianxin continued.

"Got it."

"Bring me the recent intelligence briefing on Li Hen City. I want to see it," Lianxin instructed.

"Understood, I’ll go right away."

"The mother-daughter pair who traveled with us, a little later, provide them with some clothes, food, and more silver, then find an opportunity to secretly send them away without anyone knowing they entered the city with us." Lianxin recalled Mu Yun and her daughter who had followed them into Snow Mountain Residence.

"Miss Lianxin, what’s the background of that mother and daughter?"

"Don’t ask questions you shouldn’t. Stop asking." Lianxin reprimanded.

"Yes, yes, I understand."

...

"Young Master."

"Come in." Lin Miao turned around and saw Lianxin walking in with a stack of papers in her hand.

"This is the intelligence briefing from Li Hen City for the last half month, Young Master, please take a look." Lianxin extended her hand, handing over the neatly arranged briefing.

"Have you reviewed it?"

"I’ve gone through it." Lianxin nodded.

Lin Miao nodded, took the briefing, and started browsing through it sheet by sheet.

The happenings in Li Hen City were also conveyed to him by Si Miaoxue through Yue Mei’Er, so he had a rough understanding.

However, some things in the past few days were unclear to him, so upon reaching Li Hen City, he needed to first understand the situation.

Regarding the suitor selection at the embroidery house, they initially agreed to choose one among the top three, but the first place was Zhuang Cheng from the embroidery house, the second place was Shen An, the young Sect Leader of the Green Blade Sect, while the third place was not clearly identified, although he was exceedingly handsome. Each of the three had their strengths and weaknesses.

Zhuang Cheng was an insider from the embroidery house; his mother, Zhuang Rong, was even one of the higher-ups of the embroidery house, so keeping it within the family was indeed a reasonable choice.

But Zhuang Cheng was a dissolute young man, and the embroidery tower his mother was in charge of was a Soul Captivating Cave; he had grown up in the embroidery tower, and it was unknown how many women he had been involved with.

This generation’s embroiderers were pure and spotless, and marrying someone like Zhuang Cheng would be akin to a beautiful flower planted in dung.

Simply put, Zhuang Cheng was unworthy of Baili Yuyao.

Ranked second was Shen An, the young Sect Leader of the Green Blade Sect; his status matched well with the embroidery house, and Shen An himself had no bad reputation. Moreover, he was of similar age to Baili Yuyao, and when together, they were a perfect golden couple.

Furthermore, after the martial arts contest, Shen An stayed in Li Hen City, expressing his determination to marry Baili Yuyao.

Wherever Baili Yuyao appeared, he would surely follow, acting as the protector.

As for the third-ranked Lin Bei, he appeared rarely; after the contest, he vanished, and news of him in Li Hen City was scarce.

Most people believed Lin Bei had no intention of marrying into the embroidery house; he participated in the suitor selection contest solely for the house’s high rewards.

Now, everyone believed the embroidery house should choose between Zhuang Cheng and Shen An, but the choice was difficult.

That’s because the current embroider mistress found the decision challenging.

Choosing Zhuang Cheng meant ruining her daughter’s lifetime happiness. But if she didn’t choose him, the embroidery house might face internal division, as Zhuang Cheng’s mother had already attempted a coup once.

Baili Bingyun didn’t immediately decide, merely suggesting further observation, as Zhuang Cheng’s past actions were indeed worrisome.

The nature of one’s child is naturally clear to a mother; even if Zhuang Rong pressed harder, she wouldn’t be in the right. Zhuang Cheng’s bad habits couldn’t be changed, and why would Baili Bingyun marry her daughter Baili Yuyao to him?

Therefore, Baili Bingyun proposed a year as a term; if Zhuang Cheng could change his bad habits within a year, she would consider giving him a chance.

This way, the matter was successfully postponed until a year later.

The internal conflict within the embroidery house was temporarily settled.

Meanwhile, news spread that an expedition team from Heaven-Dominating Tower ventured deep into Longchuan Canyon, discovering and bringing back the Celestial Essence Fruit.

The Tower Leader of Heaven-Dominating Tower, Nie Tian, directly broke through and advanced to the Celestial Essence level using the fruit’s medicinal power.

This news shook Li Hen City, especially with the news of the Celestial Essence Fruit, a treasure coveted by numerous Meridian Passage Realm experts.

A single Celestial Essence Fruit could increase the success rate of advancing to the Celestial Essence level by thirty percent; if refined into a pill as a primary ingredient, the effects might be even better, fifty, sixty percent, or potentially higher.

However, ever since the Pill Saint’s attempt at the saintly rank, no one had been able to refine Celestial Essence Elixirs.

Even the Meridian Opening Elixir, which aids breakthroughs to the Meridian Passage Realm, had few capable of refining it; when available, it could be sold at sky-high prices.

Alchemy Dao, as a branch of medical dao, has waned; its heritage is fragmented, so when acquiring any heavenly material treasures, consuming them directly is preferred. Alchemy is challenging due to scarce pill masters, and rare recipes and ingredients.

Currently, only some low-grade pills, such as Strengthening Foundation and Nourishing Essence Elixir, Bone Stretching Elixir, Life Breathing Elixir, are still being made by some.

However, these pills are also quite expensive, beyond what ordinary people can afford.

At auctions, any appearance of high-grade pills always fetches high prices because such items are now priced but unavailable.

No one can refine them; consuming one means one less pill.

With Nie Tian achieving the Celestial Essence rank, the structure of Li Hen City was altered once again; both the embroidery house and Heaven-Dominating Tower now had Celestial Essence level experts, leaving the Skull Association as the third contender. The Skull Association’s leader, Ho Feng, supposedly issued orders to obtain a Celestial Essence Fruit to aid his breakthrough!

At this point, news spread that Heaven-Dominating Tower would auction off a Celestial Essence Fruit externally...