Chapter 137 - 136: Northern Plains Cultivators, Liiu Family Marketplace

Chapter 137: Chapter 136: Northern Plains Cultivators, Liiu Family Marketplace

The Cyan Feathered Eagle’s enormous body slowly descended onto a temporary landing spot just outside a Marketplace in Northern Wilderness County. The dust it kicked up carried the area’s unique, desolate scent as it rushed toward them.

Lu Zhao and the seven or eight other Bixia Sect Outer Sect Stewards with him leaped off the eagle’s back one by one.

As soon as they landed, they saw a young Cultivator dressed in the drab, gray uniform of a Servant Disciple already standing by, hands clasped respectfully.

"You must be weary from your journey, Brothers!" The Servant Disciple saw them land and immediately stepped forward, bowing. He spoke very quickly. "My name is Wang Wu. I was ordered by Brother Qin to await your arrival. The Communication Talisman has been sent; Brother Qin is waiting for you all inside the Marketplace."

Lu Zhao and the others gave a slight nod, their gazes habitually sweeping over their surroundings.

The landing spot was on the edge of the Marketplace, offering a wide, open view. They could clearly see the silhouette of the Marketplace in the distance, enclosed by high stone walls.

The entrance to the Marketplace was bustling with people, and the clamor of the crowd could be faintly heard even from a great distance.

The group followed Wang Wu toward the Marketplace entrance. The closer they got, the clearer and more jarring the cacophony of voices became. A long line of people snaked toward the entrance, waiting to get in. The attire of the Cultivators in the line caught Lu Zhao’s attention—it was the typical garb of Northern Plains County Cultivators!

As he led the way, Wang Wu introduced the area with a hint of the pride befitting a Sect Disciple. "Brothers, this is the only decent Marketplace in Northern Wilderness County. It’s run by the local, and only, Foundation Establishment Clan—the Liuu Family."

"Although this place is remote and desolate, its main advantage is its proximity to Nine Prosperity Ridge. All sorts of Demon Beast Materials are quite abundant here. The few large shops in the Marketplace are always buying, and their prices are reasonably fair."

"If any of you Brothers need anything, you might want to take a look around."

Lu Zhao’s interest was piqued, and he made a mental note. ’One can never have too many Demon Beast corpses for creating Refined Puppets.’

After passing through the incredibly crowded main gate of the Marketplace, the scene before him confirmed Lu Zhao’s suspicions.

The streets were narrow, lined with a dense array of shops and street stalls. The flow of people was shoulder-to-shoulder, and at least thirty to forty percent of the Cultivators bore the distinct characteristics of Northern Plains County.

Some looked exhausted, others had wary eyes, and some carried the fierce air of desperate outlaws. They mingled with the local Cultivators, making the atmosphere of the entire Marketplace feel exceptionally tense and chaotic.

Wang Wu led the group through a series of twists and turns, avoiding the most crowded main street, until they arrived at a relatively quiet courtyard deep within the Marketplace.

The courtyard gate was shut tight. Standing guard at the entrance were two Mid-stage Qi Cultivation Cultivators with steady auras, dressed in the uniforms of Liuu Family guards.

"Brother Qin is inside." Wang Wu stepped forward and spoke a few words to the guards in a low voice. After the guards inspected the Identity Tokens of Lu Zhao and the others, they opened the courtyard gate.

The courtyard was simply furnished. A handsome young man stood in the center with his hands clasped behind his back.

He looked to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, and his Cultivation had impressively reached the Qi Cultivation Peak. There was a faint, almost unnoticeable trace of fatigue in his features, but his gaze remained sharp.

Seeing Lu Zhao and the others enter, a gentle smile appeared on his face. He quickly walked over to greet them. "Junior Brothers and Sisters, you’ve had a long journey!"

"I am Qin Feng, the Steward from the General Affairs Hall assigned to this post. I’m responsible for all matters in Northern Wilderness County. It was impolite of me not to greet you personally. Please forgive my discourtesy."

"You’re too kind, Brother Qin." Lu Zhao and the others clasped their hands and bowed in return.

Qin Feng led everyone into the main hall to take their seats. Servants had already brought out Spirit Tea.

He was clearly a busy man, so after a few pleasantries, he got straight to the point.

"Junior Brothers and Sisters, you’ve come a long way, so I won’t waste time with formalities. The mission you’ve been summoned for concerns the interests of the Sect, as well as the stability of a corner of the Chen Country’s Cultivation Realm." As Qin Feng spoke, he took a Jade Scroll from his Storage Bag. With a surge of Magical Power, a massive, illuminated map of Northern Wilderness County and its surrounding areas materialized in the air before them.

He pointed his finger to a thick, winding line on the map that ran from the northeast to the southwest. "This is the ’Desert Trade Route,’ an important passage connecting Yani Country with our Chen Country’s Northern Wilderness County."

"Yani Country, which is surrounded by the Nine Prosperity Ridge, is rich in Demon Beast Materials, Spirit Ores, and even some unique Spirit Grasses. Most of these resources flow into our Chen Country through this route."

Qin Feng’s finger traced along the trade route, pressing firmly on several key points. "These locations—be they treacherous mountain passes or Spiritual Energy Nodes—are where the Bixia Sect and the Liuu Family have jointly established temporary outposts."

"Your mission, Junior Brothers and Sisters, is to be stationed at these outposts. You will rely on the Spirit Vein Arrays to deter the Tribulation Cultivators along the route and ensure the trade route remains largely unobstructed."

He paused, a look of helplessness and gravity on his face. "Originally, although Tribulation Cultivators would occasionally appear on this route, the situation was still manageable."

"Dammit... it’s all because of this goddamn turmoil in Northern Plains County!" Qin Feng’s voice was laced with anger. "The Foundation Establishment Ancestor of the Northern Plains Zheng Family is nearing the end of his Lifespan. The other major Foundation Establishment Clans are getting restless, sending their vassal families to attack the Zheng Family’s forces. This has caused a large number of Northern Plains Cultivators to flee their homes and flood north into this Northern Wilderness County."

Qin Feng’s gaze swept past the window to the noisy Marketplace outside, his tone heavy. "You all must have seen it when you entered the city. The Liuu Family Marketplace is now overflowing with people, most of whom are refugee Cultivators from the Northern Plains. If it’s like this inside the Marketplace, what do you think it’s like outside?"

"Those Cultivators have lost their livelihoods and have no clan to restrain them. Many of them have grown desperate and turned to banditry!"

"Now, in Northern Wilderness County, especially along the Desert Trade Route, the number of Tribulation Cultivators has skyrocketed. Their methods have become increasingly ruthless, and merchant caravans have suffered heavy losses. As a consequence, the prices of goods like Demon Beast Materials have begun to fluctuate."

"If this continues, it won’t just affect the Sect’s income; it could destabilize the very foundation of this region."

When Lu Zhao heard the words "Northern Plains County" and "Zheng Family," his heart skipped a beat, but his expression remained calm.

Feigning curiosity, he asked, "Brother Qin, has the situation in Northern Plains County really deteriorated to this extent?"

Qin Feng sighed. "Deteriorated? That’s an understatement! The entire Northern Plains County has been beaten into a pulp."

"The Cultivators who escaped are either Wanderers whose clans have been destroyed or disciples of minor families that have lost power. Every one of them is either burdened by a blood feud or has nowhere else to turn, so their temperaments are inevitably extreme. When these people flood into the Northern Wilderness, they become the greatest source of instability."

Hearing this, Lu Zhao’s mind raced. He wanted to ask for more details, but then he reconsidered. ’I’m just a newly arrived Outer Sect Steward. Showing excessive interest in Northern Plains County would seem deliberate and might even arouse unnecessary suspicion.’

He suppressed the unease in his heart and simply nodded, saying in a serious tone, "I see. The situation is indeed grim."

Seeing the grave expressions on everyone’s faces, Qin Feng offered some reassurance. "But you don’t need to worry too much. Your mission is primarily about ’deterrence’ and ’warning.’"

"Rely on the outpost’s Array, hold your ground, and wait for reinforcements. If you encounter a large group of Tribulation Cultivators or a powerful enemy you can’t handle, just send a message immediately. Generally, those Tribulation Cultivators won’t dare to attack Sect Disciples."

"The Sect also has a Junior Foundation Establishment Master stationed here, and the Liuu Family will send people to coordinate patrols."

"As long as the outposts aren’t lost, the trade route can maintain basic operations."

"Once the situation in the Northern Plains stabilizes a bit, or the Sect sends more manpower, things will naturally improve."

He then went over a few more precautions and contact methods before concluding, "For today, Junior Brothers and Sisters, please rest well in the Marketplace and familiarize yourselves with the surroundings."

"The list of outpost assignments will be delivered to your residences later. We expect to arrange for you to travel to your respective posts in three days."

After nodding in acknowledgment, the group departed.