Chapter 260: A Mere Gang Force Dares to be Called a Celestial Pride?

Haojin City was incredibly bustling.

The streets inside the city were wide and flat, spacious enough for four horse-drawn carriages to travel side by side.

The streets were lined with all sorts of shops: restaurants, inns, Weapon shops, Elixir shops, clothiers, and pawnshops—they had everything one could ask for.

Pedestrians bustled about, walking shoulder to shoulder.

The air was filled with a cacophony of lively noise.

Moreover, the majority of the people were actually Martial Artists, a testament to the flourishing martial culture.

The members of the Three Sects had originally planned to go their separate ways after entering the city.

But their recent encounter with people from the Jingyuan Sect had put all Three Sects on guard.

Thus, they didn’t split up after entering the city and stuck together instead.

The group walked through the city for about an hour before reaching a relatively quiet street.

Locust trees lined both sides of the street, their dense leaves and branches blocking out most of the sunlight.

Beside the road was an inn. A plaque hung above the entrance, bearing the two words “Hongyun Inn.”

The inn was a three-story building that looked quite old.

Two attendants stood at the entrance, dressed in gray short coats with white towels draped over their shoulders.

Seeing the group approach, one of the attendants immediately came forward to greet them.

“Sirs, will you be staying the night or just stopping for a meal?”

“Staying. We need fourteen of your best rooms.”

Qu Zhengliu pulled a silver ingot from his robes and handed it to the attendant.

“Right away! This way, please, sirs.”

The attendant took the silver, his face blooming into a wide smile, and led the group into the inn.

The inn’s main hall was spacious, with more than a dozen square tables covered in blue and white checkered tablecloths.

Against one wall was a counter, and behind it stood a Shopkeeper in his forties, clattering away on an abacus.

Seeing them enter, the Shopkeeper looked up and nodded at the group.

“Sirs, the rooms are ready. They’re on the third floor. Please, follow me,” the attendant said.

The attendant led the group upstairs.

The third floor had a long corridor flanked by guest rooms on both sides.

Wooden Tokens hung on the doors, inscribed with room numbers.

Zhang Su was assigned a room facing the street.

The room wasn’t large, but it was very clean.

From the window, he could still see the street scene below.

Zhang Su put down his luggage, walked to the window, and pushed it open.

A gust of fresh air, tinged with the scent of locust blossoms, rushed in to greet him.

He took a deep breath, feeling the fatigue from days of travel begin to dissipate.

‘After this Upper Sect selection, the people from the Three Sects will have to travel back together. That way, if we run into the Jingyuan Sect, we won’t be completely powerless to resist.’

There were still several days until the Upper Sect selection, and many disciples were planning to explore Haojin City thoroughly.

Haojin City was especially lively right now.

The Upper Sect had hundreds of subordinate factions like the Guiyuan Sect under its command.

Zhang Su had wanted to go look around as well, but Elder Zhong Wangji stopped him.

“Zhang Su, come with me to the Yao Family.”

Zhong Wangji said.

Zhang Su understood.

‘Elder Zhong wants to take care of business first, to secure my spot as a Named Disciple of Mixed Element Peak as soon as possible.’

After all, Zhong Wangji was carrying the Three-Thousand-Year-Old Ice Lotus.

‘He’s afraid that delays breed trouble, that something might go wrong.’

That Ice Lotus was the Guiyuan Sect’s ultimate treasure, a priceless artifact.

If anything went awry, he would be a disgrace to the Guiyuan Sect.

“Yes, Elder.”

Zhang Su nodded.

And so, Zhang Su followed Elder Zhong Wangji out of the Hongyun Inn.

The two of them headed west along the street, passed through several alleys, and arrived in an even quieter district.

Here, the streets were wider, the pedestrians fewer, and the buildings on either side far more imposing.

These were not ordinary shops and inns, but one grand estate after another.

Zhong Wangji led Zhang Su to a stop before one such mansion.

The mansion’s main gate was more magnificent than any they had seen before.

Two vermilion gates, each studded with nine rows of brass knobs, glittered in the sunlight.

A plaque hung on the lintel above, inscribed with the two words “Yao Mansion”—the calligraphy powerful and imposing.

Four guards stood at the entrance. Each was burly and well-built, with a long saber at his waist and a sharp, piercing gaze.

In Haojin City, every inch of land was worth gold.

Yet this mansion occupied an enormous area.

From the outside, one couldn’t see its boundaries; there was no telling how many courtyards lay within.

“We’re here. The Yao Mansion.”

Zhong Wangji took a deep breath and reminded him in a low voice, “Zhang Su, the Yao Family is no small matter. When we go inside, observe much and say little.”

Zhang Su nodded.

Zhong Wangji led Zhang Su to the gate of the Yao Mansion.

The guards’ gazes immediately fell upon them, sharp as knives.

“Who are you?”

the lead guard asked.

“We are from the Guiyuan Sect, relatives of the mistress of the Yao Family’s Fifth Branch.”

Zhong Wangji’s attitude was deferential, his tone polite.

“Do you have a calling card?”

the guard asked again.

“We do.”

Zhong Wangji took a calling card from his robes and presented it with both hands.

“Wait here.”

The guard took the card and went inside.

Zhong Wangji and Zhang Su waited outside the gate.

Time ticked by.

Zhang Su watched Zhong Wangji at the Yao Family’s gate. ‘Where is the dignified air of a Peak Master from the Guiyuan Sect? Back in the Guiyuan Sect, he is the master of Cyan Wood Peak. But here, he is merely an Elder from a minor, subordinate Sect. So this is the power and prestige of an Upper Sect! A single family like the Yao’s is enough to make a Martial Vein Master from the Guiyuan Sect act with such caution.’

Before long, the guard returned.

“The mistress of the Fifth Branch will see you.”

The guard’s attitude had softened somewhat.

“Thank you.”

Zhong Wangji cupped his fists in thanks, then followed the guard with Zhang Su, entering the Yao Mansion.

The moment he stepped through the gates, Zhang Su felt a change.

The architecture inside the mansion was even more exquisite than it had appeared from the outside.