Smack!
Hogg couldn't suppress his rage as he listened to Marz's report. He slammed his hand onto the desk, instantly shattering the wooden surface into splinters.
“What exactly do these vermin want?! Who gave them such gall?!”
His roar was so loud it could be heard by the maids cleaning outside the tower.
The night before last, eight of the thirteen teams assigned to purge the Blood Moon Cult’s strongholds and members were hit by explosive attacks. Aside from Napa’s situation, which was slightly better, the other teams suffered severe losses, with nearly half of their members killed or wounded.
But what truly infuriated Hogg was the civilian toll—over two thousand people were affected, with massive losses in housing and property. And those were just the current figures; the number would likely climb once the missing were accounted for.
Rescue efforts were still underway, and in a few specific districts, nearly a third of the area had been leveled.
The Outer City had a total of thirty districts, housing over a million people, and it was now in utter chaos. Even the districts that hadn't been attacked were gripped by panic, and small-scale protests had broken out earlier in the day. Once panic spread, a full-blown riot was only a matter of time.
After pacing back and forth several times, Hogg issued an order to Marz.
“Draft ten teachers of Rank 5 or higher from the Royal Martial Arts Academy to reorganize the purge teams. The members must be at least Rank 3. Disband the original units and select new members from the Imperial Guards. Also, assign Angela to the purge teams.”
Marz’s pen paused for a moment as he was recording. He replied cautiously, “Teacher, will mobilizing the Imperial Guards without authorization cause unnecessary misunderstandings?”
“There are no misunderstandings. If anyone has an objection, tell them to come see me directly. How is Napa?”
“He’s not in any grave danger. His internal injuries have mostly healed, but the magic power in his body is chaotic. It will take some time for him to fully recover.”
“I see...”
After a moment of silence, Hogg abandoned the plan to keep Napa on the purge teams.
“Have him handle civilian relief and the aftermath. While he’s at it, have him investigate where the Blood Moon Cult got so many explosive magic crystals. He will be in full charge of Intelligence for the time being.”
“Understood, Teacher. Are there any other arrangements?”
“Get me a new desk. Make sure it’s a sturdy one.”
Marz blinked, glanced at the wooden desk that had been reduced to dust, and nodded blankly.
...
Inner City, King's Avenue.
As one of the central streets of the kingdom's capital, this place was always bursting with inexhaustible vitality. Besides the various shops along the road that stayed open late into the night, stalls lined both sides of the pedestrian walkways. Shopkeepers shouted enthusiastic invitations to passersby, children darted through narrow gaps like fish to hawk various trinkets, and merchants from all over the continent joined the fray, searching for new business opportunities.
In recent days, the boisterous atmosphere had grown even more intense. The quinquennial festival of the Royal Martial Arts Academy was about to begin, drawing a massive influx of nobles, merchants, and travelers from abroad. Their arrival added even more life to the already prosperous streets.
Yet, amidst this exceptionally lively street, a strange pocket of tranquility appeared.
A young man walked slowly along the stone path, his curious gaze constantly taking in his surroundings, while even more gazes were drawn to him. Wherever he went, pedestrians would stop to watch or study him closely.
Beyond his handsome features, the most eye-catching thing about him was the cyan robe he wore. It was completely different—or rather, entirely out of place—compared to the ornate or simple attire of the people around him. The garment looked as if it were a natural creation; even the most fastidious noble couldn't find a single flaw in it.
Li Yuan walked forward slowly, completely indifferent to the stares of others. His eyes were captivated by the bustle of the city—since he had stepped onto the path of cultivation, it had been a long time since he had felt this relaxed.
Three days ago, after closing his shop and finding a place to stay in the Inner City, he had spent the last few days touring the area as a traveler. He had changed into his long-neglected Daoist robe and was thoroughly enjoying the simple pleasures of being ordinary again.
He had found the pleasure he sought, but there was one small problem—he was almost out of money.
Indeed, the hundreds of gold coins he had diligently saved over the past two years of business had been mostly spent in just three days. What remained was barely enough for a meal. Of course, as a cultivator at the Mahayana stage, he could easily forgo such expenses, but... one had to eat something while living in this world, didn't they? If one only ate to sustain biological functions, wouldn't the long road of immortal cultivation lose much of its joy?
In truth, the vast majority of his expenses had gone toward food and drink. He had sampled the delicacies of this world and found the experience quite good.
Though the prices were indeed steep, the food had a unique flair, covering the full spectrum of flavors—sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy. If possible, he wanted to try the cuisines of other regions in the future.
But the most urgent matter now was making money... Li Yuan didn't want to be the hero who was defeated by a single penny. As he mused on this, he realized he had arrived at the main entrance of the Memorial Plaza.
This was the largest plaza in the kingdom, built to commemorate the heroes who resisted the demon invasion eighty years ago. In the center of the plaza stood five massive stone monuments, engraved with the names of all the heroes.
After thinking for a moment, Li Yuan stepped into the plaza and walked over to the souvenir stalls. He found an empty patch of ground, sat down cross-legged, and took five peace talismans from his storage space, lining them up one by one.
These peace talismans were little toys he had made back in the Kyushu Continent when he had just entered the Tribulation Transcendence stage. Their primary function was to calm the mind and soothe the spirit, with the added benefit of blocking a single full-strength strike from an early Soul Transformation stage cultivator. At the time, he had made them as gifts for the disciples of his friends; these five were the leftovers. He brought them out now just to see if he could form a karmic connection with someone.
Time passed minute by minute. The crowds flowed past him like a river, but not a single person was willing to stop in front of Li Yuan. Most only cast curious glances before being drawn away by the merchandise at the neighboring stalls.
After two hours of no interest, even someone as patient as Li Yuan felt a bit embarrassed. However, these things couldn't be forced. A karmic connection depended on fate; if he tried too hard, it might backfire... and while he didn't fear karmic backlash, being too pushy would make him seem petty.
Right then, a familiar voice suddenly rang out.
“What are you doing here?”
He looked up to see Setis and a handsome young man who bore a resemblance to her, both looking at him with curiosity.
He gave them a smile and said, “As you can see, I'm street vending.”
“Street vending?”
She looked suspiciously at the items on the ground. There was no introduction, no sign, and not even a basic price. This stall was truly one of a kind.
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