Purple Mist Dao Master

Chapter 728 - 444 Golden Talisman City: Transformation!_2

There aren’t many listeners.But there is quite a bit of feedback.

Traveling this way, having a beautiful companion is surely much livelier than traveling alone.

Such is the case.

Two days later.

Yan Chuan arrived at ’Golden Talisman City’.

...

’Golden Talisman City’ is one of the twelve major cities of Hunxi Royal City. It is also a necessary passage from Nanxiong City and Nanyue Lake to Lishan. Passing through ’Golden Talisman City’ and traveling another two days will lead to Lishan, where the Lishan Sect is located.

"You both go on to the ’North Mansion’, I’ll enter the city for a stroll by myself." Yan Chuan instructed Ding Xiang and Lu Yuru to return to the ’North Mansion’, while he performed the ’Shoujin Suogu Skill’ from the "Nine Yin Scripture". By reversing its operation, his entire body inflated like a balloon, quickly growing from 1.8 meters to 1.9 meters. Yet his body did not thin down; rather, he became even sturdier, appearing broader than before. After rubbing his face and pinching his nose lightly, his facial features altered greatly, changing from delicate to rugged.

He then loosened his hair and changed his cloth outfit to animal skin, revealing muscles that seemed on the verge of exploding. He further activated the "Divine Light Scripture" quickly to grow a beard and even developed chest hair on his front—

"Brother Yan can even do this?"

Lu Yuru’s eyes kept scanning Yan Chuan up and down, her cheeks blushing slightly as if her thoughts wandered elsewhere.

Known as the ’Enchanting Demon’, Ding Xiang was more bold. Studying Yan Chuan from top to bottom and seeing Lu Yuru’s appearance like a love-struck woman, she couldn’t help but tease: "Senior Brother can transform his entire image, from delicate scholar one moment to wild man the next. Gentle as water before, now rough and unruly, changing multiple times in a day. If the flirty girls from Chuqiu Academy saw this, who knows how many pants they’d wet!"

"Junior Sister Ding!"

Lu Yuru’s face instantly flushed.

...

Golden Talisman City is quite special; although its permanent population is also less than a million, it is more than ten times more prosperous than Nanxiong City. Even the ’Feiyu Trading House’ and ’Wanshan Trading House’, which usually only have branches in King Cities, have exceptions with bases established here in this grand city.

"Among the twelve cities of Hunxi, Golden Talisman is the most special!" Outside the city gates, a young man greeted Yan Chuan: "Sir, you have a new face, is this your first time in Golden Talisman City? I’m your local guide. The city houses the Four Families, Three Sects, Thirteen Industries, Two Trading Houses, and One Divine Hall. Oh yes! And the ’Wanxiang Pavilion’ that just opened a few days ago, I’ve also been keeping track of it."

The young man welcomed Yan Chuan, speaking swiftly and courteously: "Being your first time here, I can surely help you quickly familiarize yourself with Golden Talisman City. If you’re satisfied with my service, a few taels of broken silver afterward would suffice."

Yan Chuan hadn’t formally entered Golden Talisman City and was already observing differences from Nanxiong City just outside the gates.

For instance, young men like this one are numerous outside the city gates. The existence of such ’local guides’ indicates there are enough outsiders to make this a potential industry.

Yan Chuan glanced at the Golden Talisman City. Being new to the place, having a guide was certainly a savior of effort and peace of mind. This young man was pleasing to the eye and not annoying in speech. Yan Chuan nodded: "Lead the way ahead!"

"Alright!"

The young man was delighted and quickly led the way.

Yan Chuan observed his movements and his Qi-Blood, easily noticing that he was still some distance away from reaching the Qi-Blood limit, let alone breaking that limit. His strength was quite ordinary.

The young man, quite familiar, introduced himself to Yan Chuan: "I’m called ’Bai Yang’, but everyone in the trade calls me ’Xiao Bai’. You may address me as you like, Sir."

Bai Yang led Yan Chuan to the city gate half-bowingly and of his own accord, took out two taels of broken silver from his own purse, handing it to the gate guard: "This is the entrance fee. This southern gate leads directly into the Inner City, one of its entry gates. The fee is extremely high here. Regardless of age or gender, it’s one tael of Silver per person. Golden Talisman City’s Inner City is not short on people or money; the gate tax is simply to keep ordinary folk out."

A tael of Silver as a gate tax!

It was evident that the so-called Inner City of Golden Talisman was indeed not lacking in people.

After entering the city, people indeed bustled back and forth. Although it wasn’t to the extent of shoulder-to-shoulder, it was no less bustling compared to Nanxiong City, where the gate tax was only ten copper coins.

This showed the attractiveness of Golden Talisman City.

Yan Chuan glanced at Bai Yang: "You paid the gate tax for me out of your own pocket. Aren’t you afraid I won’t pay you back?"

"Hehe!"

"Since you said this, Sir, you certainly won’t short me."

Bai Yang grinned: "We guides are in the service industry; it’s all about relationships. From another angle, think about it: If I were to ask you for money to enter the city without having done anything, it wouldn’t sit well with you. By paying in advance, you enjoy your time inside, and out of satisfaction, who knows, you might generously tip me enough for years!"

Bai Yang handling this job certainly wasn’t simple.

His honesty, in fact, was also his weapon and strategy.

Yan Chuan took out two taels of broken silver and tossed them to Bai Yang. "You mentioned the Four Families, Three Sects, Thirteen Industries, Two Trading Houses, and One Divine Hall earlier. Tell me more about them."

"You are generous, Sir!" Bai Yang delightedly accepted the two taels of Silver. Even though it’s only two taels and merely covering the initial outlay, judging by the manner in which this person gave money, Bai Yang knew he was dealing with someone who didn’t spare money and was generous, thus mking him more attentive as he introduced to Yan Chuan: "The Four Families, Three Sects are the dominions of Hunxi, controlling the Royal City. The Four Families are the ’Feng Family’ responsible for alchemy, the ’Fu Family’ for artifact refining, the ’Ao Family’ dealing in aquatic products, and the ’Chi Family’ cultivating spirit plants. The Three Sects are the ’Hunxi Palace’, ’Lishan Sect’, and ’Heavenly Seal Sect’."

"All Four Families and Three Sects have War God Ancestors. Heads of the Four Families are called ’Four Kings’, while the leaders of the Three Sects are called ’Three Ancestors’."

Yan Chuan knew about these.

However, what he didn’t know was about—

"The Four Families and Three Sects have numerous industries in Golden Talisman City, spanning various fields. Among them, the Golden Talisman, surprise weapons, Elixir Pills, aquatic products, Spirit Fruits, Spiritual Wine, real estate, Alien Beast materials, pawnshops, bounties, Martial Arts Hall, taverns, and brothels are collectively known as ’Thirteen Industries’.

Four Families, Three Sects and Thirteen Industries!

The Four Families and Three Sects govern Hunxi, permeating industries across different fields, truly covering all aspects. The so-called ’Thirteen Industries’ are actually the thirteen sectors most deeply engaged and highlighted by the Four Families and Three Sects.

"Two Trading Houses and One Divine Hall refer to the ’Feiyu Trading House’, ’Wanshan Trading House’, and ’Blood Shadow Temple’."

"Among them."

"The two trading houses have immense backgrounds, with industries rumored to spread across the entire continent. Behind them are either nations or experts surpassing War Gods. Even the Four Families and Three Sects hesitate to have ill intentions, resorting only to normal competition."

For the two large trading houses, Bai Yang wasn’t clear.

But Yan Chuan knew—

The highest tier in the Mountain and Sea Realm is the ’Yu Fang Dynasty’. Below them are the Thirteen Regions, such as the ’Mo Yin Continent’, containing three thousand King Cities, and three hundred countries, scattered over four continents. Within the Stairs City, the Mo Yin Continent divides into ’east, south, west, and north districts’ based on the location of these four continents. However, each of the four continents has individual names, such as the Tan Valley King City. The Hunxi Royal City is located on the South Continent, also known as the ’Tianzhu Continent’, where dozens of countries, hundreds of King Cities, and countless Martial Artists reside!

If the ’Feiyu Trading House’ and the ’Wanshan Trading House’, as Bai Yang stated, truly have industries sprawling over the entire ’Tianzhu Continent’, then their backing must indeed be significant.

At least, a city-level force like Hunxi Royal City, even with the combined effort of the Four Families and Three Sects, would struggle to orchestrate an operation of such magnitude and scale.

"Feiyu Trading House!"

"Wanshan Trading House!"

Yan Chuan was intrigued: "With continental-level trading companies having comprehensive goods and a plethora of materials, perhaps they possess resources that could make the seven Miracle Items in my possession integrate and upgrade."

The major trading companies!

There is hope!

Yan Chuan instructed Bai Yang: "Let’s first head to the two major trading houses nearby."

"The ’Wanshan Trading House’ isn’t far from here." Bai Yang was well-versed with the routes in Golden Talisman City, leading Yan Chuan towards the nearest ’Wanshan Trading House’.

He then continued the previous topic, introducing Yan Chuan to the ’Blood Shadow Temple’—

...