jdhmnovel Chapter 174 At the entrance of Panyun Market, Xia Liangbai
Chapter 174 At the entrance of Panyun Market, Xia Liangbai
Xia Yuhui, who was inside the cave, did not rush to leave. He was like a steady mountain, quietly waiting inside the cave.
Before long, the gentle breeze and the bright moon flew into the cave from outside like two nimble arrows.
"Reporting to Master, Akagi Yoshiten did not follow the crowd like others. Instead, he moved into a cave dwelling opened by the Guiyun Sect, seemingly preparing to go into seclusion."
"It seems that old fox has realized I'm eyeing him covetously," Xia Yuhui sighed helplessly.
Akagi Yoshiten kept hiding from him like a turtle, leaving him with no way to make a move.
After thinking for a while, Xia Yuhui decided not to get entangled with him anymore. Now, Jinling County had undergone earth-shattering changes, and he had to quickly return to take charge of the overall situation.
As for his previous promise to go to Jinling County with Jin Shengguang, he had already denied it a few days ago and sent him a communication talisman.
He originally intended to assassinate Akagi Yoshiten, but it seems he can't do it now, so he can only go back alone.
After deciding to return, Xia Yuhui spent the time it takes for an incense stick to burn to pack up everything in the cave like autumn leaves being swept away by the wind, and then quickly left the market.
Arriving outside the market, Xia Yuhui greedily inhaled the fresh air and, facing the gentle breeze, sped towards Jinling County.
Once they were some distance from the market, Xia Yuhui summoned Lion Rock Roar, sat on its broad back, and ran away as fast as lightning.
One month later, in Panyunfang Market, Jinling County
At this time, Panyun Market was as bustling as ever, with crowds of people everywhere. Caravans would even migrate from thousands of miles away to bring their goods to the market to sell and make a fortune.
When these caravans entered the market, the Jin family not only charged them a head fee, but also a merchant fee.
At this moment, a Xia family caravan was slowly approaching from afar. The entire caravan resembled a winding dragon, consisting of more than 20 cultivators and over a dozen iron-backed oxen.
The leader was Xia Liangbai, the 21st in the Xia family generation. Because of his three spiritual roots, he successfully broke through to the seventh level of Qi Refining a year ago.
Sitting upright on the back of a blue-green horse, Xia Liangbai, with his handsome face and elegant demeanor, looked at the envious gazes cast upon him by the rogue cultivators around him, and a sense of pride welled up in his heart.
The Liang generation has truly caught up with the family's golden age. Not only is their monthly salary one or two times higher than it was a decade or so ago, but the number of spiritual objects on the family's contribution list has also increased like mushrooms after rain.
This is why, in recent years, the cultivation speed of the Liang generation cultivators has advanced by leaps and bounds like a rocket, far surpassing that of the Yu and Guang generations back then.
As soon as the caravan arrived at the market gate, Xia Liangbai leaped off his azure horse with the lightness of a bird and strode to the two Jin family cultivators guarding the gate. "Fellow Daoists, we are transporting some spirit rice this time. This is the fee for entering the market."
After saying that, he threw out more than a dozen spirit stones.
Jin and Huo readily accepted the dozen or so spirit stones, counted them, and then put them directly into their storage bags.
However, he did not let the Xia family members in. Instead, he exchanged a knowing smile with Jin Hecheng beside him, and gave him a sly look.
Immediately afterwards, the two went straight to the Xia family's caravan and said, "Excuse me, Fellow Daoist Xia, we must inspect your goods. If there are other valuable items besides spirit rice on the Ironbacked Bull's back, handing over this amount of spirit stones alone may not be enough. What do you think?" Jin and Huo said with a forced smile.
He had been guarding the gate for the past few years and had long harbored resentment towards the Xia family.
Every day, a group of Xia family cultivators would strut around in front of the market, their arrogance even surpassing that of the true overlords of Jinling County, which made him resentful.
Therefore, he was going to find an excuse to make things difficult for these arrogant fools.
Xia Liangbai had long since seen through this man's ill intentions, but he knew that the Jin family was powerful and the Xia family was no match for them. So he chose to be patient and silently made way for him.
Jin and Huo were secretly delighted that the Xia family had bowed down so easily, and a smug smile appeared on their lips.
He approached a fierce bull and ruthlessly threw the sack off its back.
The sack, like a deflated balloon, fell to the ground with a "plop," and the spirit rice scattered all over the ground like a shower of flowers.
"What are you doing! Are you looking for trouble?" The Xia family cultivators around him instantly bristled and shouted angrily.
"Why are you all so agitated? I just wanted to confirm whether there were other goods inside?" Jin and Huo still wore that disgusting, smug smile, as if they hadn't done anything wrong.
“Yeah, does your Xia family not even let us investigate this?” Jin Hecheng chimed in, trying to intimidate them.
These inflammatory words were like flaming fires, instantly igniting the anger of the hot-tempered Xia family cultivators. They could no longer contain themselves and took out their magical artifacts from their storage bags.
"Come on if you want trouble! The Xia family isn't one to back down from a fight!"
"You two Jin family scoundrels, do you dare to fight me fairly!"
Upon seeing this, the two members of the Jin family were immediately frightened and retreated slowly like startled birds, but they still continued to argue, "What do you want to do? Do you want to start a war? This is Panyun Market, our Jin family's territory. Do you believe that our Jin family will make your Xia family's shops close down?"
"Alright, stop!"
Xia Liangbai, like a steady mountain, strode forward and gently waved to the Xia family cultivators, signaling them to put away their magical artifacts.
As the leader of the caravan, Xia Liangbai held immense prestige, and the Xia family cultivators, though unwilling, could only obediently put away their magical artifacts.
After seeing his clansmen put away their magical artifacts, Xia Liangbai turned around, his face ashen, and said to Jin and Huo, "Fellow Daoists, may we be allowed to enter now?"
At this moment, Xia Liangbai felt like a volcano was erupting in his heart. He could have easily investigated these sack-like objects with just a gentle release of his divine sense, but they were deliberately making things difficult for him, clearly there to cause trouble.
However, he forced himself to suppress his anger, and at the same time, he silently advised himself, "Taking a step back will open up a whole new world."
When Jin and Huo saw Xia Liangbai, the leading cultivator, speak, their arrogant and domineering attitude vanished like a receding tide, replaced by a fawning and obsequious demeanor. However, their words remained as obsequious as ever: "Fellow Daoist Xia Liangbai is indeed reasonable, unlike some people who are cowardly as mice, afraid to take action, and only know how to bluff with their magic weapons."
Upon hearing this, the group of hot-blooded young Xia family cultivators behind him were immediately enraged. However, under Xia Liangbai's sharp gaze, they eventually fell silent.