Chapter 204: A Few Days’ Rest in Qingyun City

Chapter 204: Chapter 204: A Few Days’ Rest in Qingyun City

Chu Fan and Yun Xi set out on their journey once again.

All this time, he still couldn’t figure out what the Crown Prince was planning.

Strictly speaking, he was an enemy of the Long Royal Family, since he was the one who had killed Prince Fuling, Long Haixin, in the Secret Realm.

Not only had he killed Prince Fuling, but he had also slain the sons of many Hua Xu Empire nobles.

Of course, this had all happened within a Secret Realm. Aside from a few select individuals, everyone else had been silenced, so it was impossible for the news to have gotten out.

But one could never be too careful.

After all, who could guarantee that Yao Zhi and the others from the Heaven-Facing Sect wouldn’t break their word?

’Hadn’t he made the mistake of trusting Master Ni once before? It had nearly gotten him and Yun Xi surrounded and killed by the Six Sects and Eight Gates.’

He traveled and thought for an entire day but still couldn’t make sense of it.

At dusk, they arrived at the capital city of Qingyun State. Just as expected, soldiers at the gates were checking Passage Documents.

Since Chu Fan and Yun Xi weren’t from the Hua Xu Empire, they naturally had no such documents. Chu Fan had no choice but to present the Crown Prince Token.

The moment he showed the Crown Prince Token, the result was predictable. Every soldier at the gate knelt in salute, and even the garrison commander rushed over upon hearing the news.

"My lord, I was unaware of your arrival in Qingyun State. Please forgive my failure to greet you properly."

"It’s fine. I’m just passing through and plan to rest here for the night. I’ll be leaving early tomorrow, so please don’t alert anyone else."

Chu Fan was telling the truth, but the garrison commander interpreted his words completely differently.

’He’s just inspecting on behalf of the Crown Prince and doesn’t want to alert anyone else.’

"I will arrange for lodging at once and have a modest reception prepared. This way, my lord."

Chu Fan refused once again. He only used the Crown Prince Token for convenience. If they hadn’t been checking Passage Documents, he wouldn’t have even shown it. Why would he use it to take advantage of them?

Once inside the city, Chu Fan was surprised to find a branch of Mr. Hong’s Auction House.

Chu Fan didn’t know how many branches Mr. Hong’s Auction House had, but he did recall Liu Yicai mentioning that there were several in the Central Domain. He hadn’t expected to find one right here in the capital of Qingyun State.

Since this was friendly territory, Chu Fan naturally wouldn’t bother with an inn.

While the luxury of Mr. Hong’s Auction House was unparalleled in the Eastern Domain, here in the Central Domain, it was merely considered upper-middle tier.

The auction house’s service, however, had always been universally praised.

The greeters at the entrance were handsome men and beautiful women, all of whom welcomed guests with warmth.

As Chu Fan and Yun Xi approached the entrance, they saw numerous carriages parked outside, with a constant stream of guests coming and going.

Clearly, this branch was doing good business.

"Welcome. Are you two looking to purchase anything in particular? I can arrange for a shopping guide to assist you." A beautiful attendant approached them.

He had to admit, women’s fashion in the Central Domain was far more daring than in the Eastern Domain.

Her long dress featured a low-cut neckline, revealing the pale crescents of her breasts and a deep, alluring cleavage.

The skirt was slit high on the side, offering fleeting glimpses of a long, fair leg with every step she took.

Chu Fan said nothing more. He simply took out the piece of Mo Jade and handed it to her. "Take me to your shopkeeper."

The woman didn’t recognize the significance of the Mo Jade, but true to the service standards of Mr. Hong’s Auction House, she showed no hesitation. She led Chu Fan and Yun Xi inside, taking them all the way up to the shopkeeper’s office on the third floor.

The moment the shopkeeper saw the Mo Jade, he dismissed the attendant. After closing the door, he hurriedly bowed in salute.

"This humble one, Han Chuanguang, greets Lord Chu and you, milady."

"Oh? You know me?" Chu Fan said in surprise.

"Shopkeeper Liu informed us half a month ago that you and the lady would be coming to the Central State, my lord. He instructed us to provide you with the utmost hospitality should you pass through."

"That sounds just like Old Liu. It’s nothing, we’re just passing through. We were going to find an inn for the night, but we saw the auction house and decided to stop by. Just arrange a room and some food for us, that’s all we need."

"My lord, milady, every branch of Mr. Hong’s Auction House has a private residence reserved for you. It is only ever opened upon your personal arrival."

Han Chuanguang led Chu Fan and Yun Xi to a residence in the rear courtyard, drawing many curious looks along the way.

The branch had been open for two years, but this was the first time anyone had seen Shopkeeper Han act so deferentially toward a guest.

Many of the branch’s staff members speculated about Chu Fan and Yun Xi’s identities.

The Celestial Grade residence of Mr. Hong’s Auction House had indeed been prepared especially for him; Chu Fan knew it the moment he stepped inside.

Chu Fan had stayed in the Celestial Grade residence at the Shuoyue City auction house before. This one was a near-perfect replica, right down to the identical flowerbeds, pond, and pathways in the courtyard.

The living room, bedroom, study, and meditation room—even the furnishings inside were all the same.

"It feels like we’ve come home. Yun Xi, what do you say we stay here a few more days? We’ve been traveling for so long, you must be tired."

Yun Xi nodded.

Far from objecting to Chu Fan’s suggestion of staying a few more days, Han Chuanguang was overjoyed.

After giving them a tour of the residence’s amenities, he took his leave.

A short while later, Han Chuanguang returned with several maids bearing trays of fruit and pastries. He offered to leave the maids to wait on them, but Chu Fan politely declined.

After nightfall, Chu Fan resumed his meditation on the Dao of Cause and Effect.

The night yielded no new insights.

The next morning, after helping Yun Xi get ready for the day and seating her in the courtyard, he took out his iron spear and began to practice the Basic Thirteen Techniques of spear fighting.

While it was said that the principles of all weaponry shared a common root, a spear was ultimately not a sword.

For one, a spear was twice the length of a sword. It wounded enemies through the flexibility of its shaft and the sharpness of its head.

A spear wielder typically required immense arm strength. Spears were far heavier than swords, and that weight was an integral part of the weapon’s offensive power.

To master the spear, just as with the sword, one had to thoroughly master the Basic Thirteen Techniques until they became muscle memory. Only then could one integrate them into actual spear techniques.

He only had two ordinary spear manuals and the one he’d obtained in the Miracle Secret Realm, the *Wandering Dragon Spiritual Awareness Spear*.

Therefore, Chu Fan was left to comprehend it all on his own, becoming his own teacher.

He planned to follow the same progression as the Sword Dao: from Sword Qi, to Sword Gang, and finally to Sword Intent.

Chu Fan applied this same logic to his spear training. First, he would familiarize himself with the Basic Thirteen Techniques. Then, he would infuse his movements with True Qi, allowing the swinging spear to generate Spear Qi.

Next, he would increase his speed, transforming the Qi into a radiant glow, and then solidifying that glow into Gang.

Throughout the entire day, he swung the iron spear thousands of times, practicing those thirteen basic forms over and over again.

His aptitude for martial arts was extraordinary. By the end of the day, he could already perform the Basic Thirteen Techniques with ease.

In the process, he also gained a deeper understanding of the spear itself.

Watching him swing the long spear again and again, Yun Xi didn’t understand his ultimate purpose. She simply thought he was practicing so diligently in order to be a better teacher for Wen Ang.

"Take a rest," Yun Xi said with a smile. "If Wen Ang knew you, his master, were working this hard just to teach him the spear, he would surely be inspired to work a hundred times harder."

Chu Fan laughed. "If that boy doesn’t achieve greatness with the spear, I’ll kick him out of my tutelage."

"All bark and no bite. Would you really have the heart?" Yun Xi chuckled.