Half an hour later, Long Huang spotted the City Gates in the distance. The city seemed to breathe in the soft, lingering light of the setting sun. It was a place woven from petals and twilight. Above, the blue sky was painted gold by the evening sun, a few early stars pricking the deepening blue like distant lanterns. But it was the streets themselves that held the true magic.
Ancient, gnarled cherry blossom trees lined every canal and pathway, their branches so heavy with blossoms they formed a continuous, cloud-like canopy over the entire city.
The air itself was thick with their scent, a delicate, almost imperceptible fragrance of spring and subtle sweetness as a gentle evening breeze stirred.
"The air isn't as fresh, and the spiritual energy isn't as abundant as it is on the Archdevil Mountain Range," he mused.
"But oh boy, I am glad to be back," he added, taking in the stunning view of the City Gate.
Long Huang then made his way to the most popular treasure pavilion in Blossom City, where beast parts were bought and sold. Although the Azure Lotus also had a treasure pavilion, they deducted a percentage from most transactions, claiming it was for the betterment of the Sect.
As Long Huang walked through the streets of Blossom City, he noticed many eyes lingering on him.
"Wow! Since when did the Azure Lotus Sect get such a hottie?" said one woman, staring at Long Huang.
A man nearby scoffed,
"So what if he's good-looking? I bet he isn't that strong and is scared to fight, just look at him." Another man chimed in,
"Yeah, he probably hides behind women."
"What a waste of a good physique and looks."
The first woman shot back, "Hmp, jealous much?"
Ignoring their gossip, Long Huang continued on his way to the pavilion. After a few minutes, he arrived at the seven-story building named Treasure Jade Pavilion.
"A good day to you, dear customer! How may I be of service?" greeted an old man with a long white beard and a sly smile.
"Same to you. I want to sell some wild beast corpses," Long Huang replied.
"Oh, right this way, sir," the old man said, leading him into a room.
Upon entering, Long Huang noticed a large space furnished with some chairs and a table.
"What a strange room," Long Huang thought.
"Have a seat. Would you like some tea, sir?" The old man spoke, his voice gravelly with age, but before Long Huang could fully register his words, the door swung open.
In stepped a captivating woman, her golden hair cascading like a waterfall of sunlight, framing her delicate face. Her striking golden eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief, and her curvy figure moved gracefully as she entered the room. Her features seemed to stem from a certain clan, but Long Huang couldn't remember.
"Hi there, dear valued customer! How many beast corpses are you selling today?" she asked cheerfully, her voice smooth and inviting.
Long Huang found himself momentarily speechless, caught in the magnetic allure of her presence. His heart raced, and he shyly averted his gaze, feeling heat rise to his cheeks.
After a moment of awkward silence, he managed to reply,
"Um, I lost count after a while," said Long Huang as embarrassment washed over him, but his eyes still locked on the woman.
"Sorry, but I'm married," said the woman, almost as if it were a routine.
"Happily?"
"Careful boy, you're going to bite off more than you can chew."
"Plus I'm not into kids," said the woman with a soft smile.
At that moment, he wished he could explain that he was an adult—at least, if he considered both this life and his previous one. In his last life, he had his first girlfriend at 18 but only lived until he was 19, which left him feeling like a teenager at heart, as he hadn't truly experienced life. However, the enchantress before him made him want to cast aside that feeling.
"Okay, place them in the open space in front of us," the woman instructed.
"Okay,"
Long Huang agreed, pulling out all the wild beast corpses from his storage pouch.
"Metal Pecking Eagles, three of them...worth 300 gold notes."
"Red-spotted Wild Boar, teeth, paws...worth a total of 450 gold notes."
"Gold-striped Snake...worth 60 gold notes and 20 silver coins."
"Seven Treasure Poison Centipede...worth 100 gold notes and 10 silver coins."
The woman remained expressionless as she calculated the prices. However, the old man was stunned that a boy who looked like he lived off women and was merely an official disciple of the Azure Lotus Sect was capable of hunting such dangerous wild beasts.
Official disciples ranged from ages 14 to 16, meaning Long Huang was either 14, 15, or 16.
"Yin Spirit Tuna... Red Tiger... Yi!"
The woman's expression changed; she was visibly shocked. The Yin Spirit Tuna and the Red Tiger were beasts that nearly belonged to the demon category. Their defenses were incredibly strong, and even experienced cultivators at the peak of the Meridian Tempering Realm struggled to catch them.
Due to their rarity and strength, the price of the Red Tiger was significantly higher than that of other beasts in the same category. The Yin Spirit Tuna, being even rarer and residing in water, required immense strength to capture or even fish out.
And they weren't even native to the area, so it was next to impossible to see one, much less catch one.
"Red Tiger....worth 2,100 gold notes," the woman said after a brief pause. "Yin Spirit Tuna....2,800 gold notes." As she continued tallying the figures, she looked at Long Huang with astonishment.
2,100 and 2,800 gold notes? Long Huang was taken aback, realizing the Red Tiger and Yin Spirit Tuna were worth more than he had anticipated.
She added up the total worth of the other beasts Long Huang had also placed in the space, excluding Long Huang's Green-Eyed Tiger King, which had yet to show.
"That brings the total to 8,000 gold notes and 50 silver coins!" the beautiful woman announced.
8,000 gold notes and 50 silver! Long Huang's heart raced. His monthly allowance was only 20 silver coins! He had never carried more than 5 gold notes at one time.
Even then, the value of the Green-Eyed Tiger King had yet to be factored in.
"How about this: I'll give you a total of 8,000 gold notes flat," the woman proposed, a cunning smile on her face.
"Sure," Long Huang replied, not wanting to prolong the conversation. Soon, he received his pay.
"Oh, by the way, do you take parts from demon beasts?" Long Huang asked before leaving.
"Could it be that you have demon beast parts too?" the woman inquired, her gaze shifting toward the storage pouch at Long Huang's side.
"Yep," Long Huang replied as he slowly opened his storage pouch, revealing parts of the Green-Eyed Tiger King.
Immediately, a powerful aura emanated from the storage pouch.
"Green-Eyed Tiger King!" the woman exclaimed, looking incredulously at Long Huang.
She could hardly believe that an official disciple of the Azure Lotus Sect could kill a demon beast. It was known that such beasts were capable of fighting against Blood Tempering Realm cultivators, and there were even rumors of demon beasts destroying entire villages.
"We had a total of seven people. It took us a while to finish it, and even then, we lost someone," Long Huang stated, his words seeming to offer some comfort to the shocked woman.
As she looked at the materials, the woman's gaze was drawn to the Azure Lotus symbol on Long Huang's clothes. Finally, she steadied herself and offered a price, "10,000 gold notes!"
Upon hearing this, the old man in the room gasped. It was the first time he had encountered such a high bid for not even the complete corpse of a beast. But the woman knew that she could not trick Long Huang, given his connection to the Azure Lotus Sect.
The Azure Lotus Sect, led by the Chi family, along with the Zhao and Xin families, comprised the three most powerful groups in Blossom City. No shop could operate without their approval.
"Deal!" Long Huang replied with a smile. Though he appeared calm, he was laughing internally. Just then, the woman asked him something.
"If you don't mind me asking, what is your name?" she inquired.
"Long Huang," he answered. The woman and the old man were taken aback; Long Huang was well-known throughout the city and had recently been reported missing.
Without another word, Long Huang gathered his 18,000 gold notes, feeling the weight of his hard-earned fortune, and he strode confidently out of the pavilion.
"I can finally buy some resources to enhance my cultivation," he mused, a sense of purpose driving his steps.
"But first, I should pay a visit to an old friend." With that thought in mind, he made his way to Bo's Tailor Shop, a place he had frequented in the past.
As Long Huang pushed open the door, a bell tinkled overhead, announcing his arrival. An employee approached with a friendly smile, ready to greet a customer.
"Hi, d...." she started, but her words faltered as her eyes met his. Recognition dawning, her face brightened with a flush of embarrassment.