ca-book Chapter 97: New Dungeon - Funeral City, Arrival at Worry-Free City!
Chapter 97: New Dungeon - Funeral City, Arrival at Worry-Free City!
[You have illuminated the void fragments of the City of Funerals!]
With nothing else to do, Li Qingchen once again ventured into the lawless area.
After several twists and turns, the new map that has been unlocked this time is called Funeral City.
This place differs from the famous Baidi City by only one character, but the scenery and danger within are worlds apart.
You have arrived in Funeral City, a lawless land and one of the most prosperous cities. All the citizens are involved in the funeral industry: making paper money, weaving wreaths, sculpting paper figures, and selling coffins; every household makes a living through this clandestine business.
You enter the City of Funerals, filled with curiosity about everything here.
You choose to just browse around.
While strolling around, you stumble upon a funeral procession. Such scenes are commonplace in the city of funerals and are nothing unusual.
Curious, you stepped forward to observe, your eyes immediately drawn to a coffin of exceptional condition in the middle of the line.
You suddenly feel a blow to the back of your head.
Suddenly everything went black, and you fainted on the spot.
When you wake up, you find yourself inside a coffin, a completely sealed, dark place.
You cry out to heaven and earth, but no one answers; the breath within the sealed coffin fades away.
You suffocated to death.
Damn, what do you mean by "opening the door and killing"? I just entered the new map and got killed by someone, like killing a chicken.
Li Qingchen could only say that the familiar feeling had returned.
Undeterred, he immediately tried to summon the Ghost General for protection.
You attempted to summon the Ghost General...
You have been suppressed by the True Lord of the City of Funerals.
[Your summoning failed. Do you wish to continue?]
Summoning failed...
Summoning failed...
"The summoning failed here, how about back to Moon Bay?"
Li Qingchen muttered to himself, deciding to change maps to avoid the suppression.
[With the help of the Void Fragment, you have successfully teleported back to Moon Bay.]
You are attempting to summon the Ghost General again.
[The True Lord of Blessed Mind will turn a blind eye to your behavior.]
You have successfully summoned the Ghost General!
"That's good. As expected of the traitorous Lord, he's still quite useful," Li Qingchen said with satisfaction.
[The True Lord of Blessed Mind is angry about your thoughts!]
"You actually managed to read my mind?"
Li Qingchen was startled and immediately felt uneasy.
Having your thoughts read is like being naked in public!
He quickly realized that this was all because of the contract he had signed with the True Lord.
He realized that this was because of the contract he had signed with them.
[The True Master of Blessings and Mind tells you not to be alarmed or overly concerned with trivial matters.]
You commanded the Ghost General to ambush and kill the lone believers at Moon Bay.
[The Ghost General has successfully killed a follower!]
[Hint: The Ghost General's cultivation level has increased!]
[The Ghost General has successfully killed a follower!]
[The Ghost General has successfully killed a follower!]
[The Ghost General has successfully killed...]
Freed from the suppression of the True Lord of Baishicheng, the Ghost General instantly found himself in his element, his combat power reaching its peak. He was invincible in killing believers, taking them down one by one with ease.
Li Qingchen finally got to experience a smooth and stress-free game of slicing through vegetables.
Unfortunately, the good days were short-lived, and trouble soon came knocking.
[Recently, Moon Bay has been gripped by fear and rumors. It is said that outlaws are secretly attacking and harming devout believers, causing numerous deaths and injuries, and creating widespread chaos. The Moon Bay City Lord is furious and vows to find the mastermind behind this!]
"This is bad."
Upon seeing this text, Li Qingchen exclaimed, "Oh no!"
as predicted--
The detectives at Moon Bay have discovered that you are the mastermind behind the Ghost General.
[You are wanted throughout the city; your wanted poster is plastered all over the streets!]
The righteous citizens of the city have discovered your whereabouts.
You've been reported!
You summon the Ghost General, preparing for a final battle against the enraged Lord of Moon Bay.
[The Ghost General is no match for the City Lord; he has been severely wounded!]
[You were caught in the crossfire and died!]
Looking at the black screen notification, Li Qingchen felt extremely frustrated.
It doesn't matter if he dies; he has enough resurrection attempts, and he can start over after using one.
However, the Ghost General was seriously injured and needed to rest for a long time to recover his combat strength. He was unable to fight in the short term, which was a huge loss.
Li Qingchen used up his resurrection attempts.
You've been resurrected!
You secretly arrived in the city of funerals, just in time for the city's memorial festival. The entire city was flocking to the cemeteries to pay respects, the air thick with the smoke of incense, and many people were visiting graves to sweep the tombs.
You have chosen to go to the cemetery with them.
The area is shrouded in smoke, making it impossible to distinguish east from west.
You overheard people at a memorial service saying that this place has been haunted lately, and that something unclean seems to be lurking in the smoke.
You feel a sense of unease and prepare to leave.
[As you walk along, you are suddenly attacked by a demon emerging from the smoke.]
You drew the Myriad Laws Sword, and it trembled.
[You've been scratched by a demon in the smoke, and your body is filled with smoke.]
You are dead!
"This path won't work either," Li Qingchen clicked his tongue.
When you arrive at a new map, there will be some locations to choose from.
Li Qingchen had just slaughtered the entire Three-Eyed White Lion Secret Realm, so he had no shortage of resurrection opportunities.
You can try and fail with complete confidence.
[You've learned your lesson. This time you bypassed the foggy area, and you weren't ambushed. You've finally arrived in the City of Funerals.]
You notice a job posting in front of a paper doll museum.
[If you click on this job posting, you may have the opportunity to become an apprentice paper maker at the Paper Doll Museum.]
How will you choose?
You choose to accept the notice and go inside to take a look.
You met your enthusiastic boss, who exclaimed what a pity. He had seen your delicate skin and handsome appearance and was even thinking of turning you into a paper doll, but he never expected you to have the idea of becoming his apprentice. It's both a pity and not a pity.
Li Qingchen thought to himself, "Good heavens, everyone on this map is a lunatic!" Luckily, he made the right choice, otherwise he would have died again and wasted time.
The boss tells you that if you become a paper craftsman, you'll have a stable job in the funeral city.
Your job is a nine-to-five routine, making paper effigies every day. You're busy when there's a funeral, and idle when there isn't. This job won't make you rich, but it's very stable.
The boss tells you that the funeral parlor gets quite lively at night, and there might be a lot of orders. He asks if you can accept working overtime...
Li Qingchen's face darkened. "I'm already playing games, and I still have to work for you?"
The owner said that there are always restless dead people wandering around funeral parlors, and his shop offers food and lodging, providing temporary protection.
Li Qingchen thought to himself, "Okay, a real man can bend and stretch. I'll try working first."
However, things took an unexpected turn.
It wasn't as simple as he thought.
The labor of making paper offerings is mentally and physically exhausting. You become distracted and accidentally prick your finger with a tool, thus incurring a curse and dying with resentment.
[While you were making the paper figure, you felt exhausted. The paper figure you made was substandard, and it strangled you. You are dead.]
[While you were making paper figures, you felt exhausted. The paper figures you made were substandard, and one of them ran away from the shop. The shop owner was furious, and he beat you to death.]
Li Qingchen was utterly speechless. So, I'm just supposed to die? Why do they have to chase after me to kill me?!
However, it wasn't without its gains.
You've mastered the art of paper crafting! You can now manipulate paper figures to serve you. The cost of paper figures is very low, and their abilities depend on your skill.
You've received a can of dog food. Zombie dogs especially love this food. If you feed it to the zombie dogs, you might be able to get them to do things for you.
The reason they received dog food was because Li Qingchen had just finished making a paper figure and, in order to test its abilities, sent the paper figure to the grave to retrieve offerings.
You've acquired some scrap wood. This wood is of poor quality, prone to rotting when damp, and is the lowest grade material for forging coffins; it's generally not worth using.
[You have obtained some high-quality wood. This broken wood is of excellent quality, not easily spoiled or rotten, and can resist insect bites. It is a decent material for forging coffins and also has a calming and sleep-inducing effect.]
[Tip: You can sell this wood to the coffin shop next door; they have a lot of orders right now and urgently need high-quality materials.]
In this way, on the way to Wuyou City, Li Qingchen continued to conquer Baishi City while feeding the Ghost General the wine brewed from the demon cores he had obtained earlier, in order to speed up his recovery of strength.
…………
Three days passed in the blink of an eye, and it was noon.
The Winged Caravan moved in a grand procession, steadily approaching the territory of Worry-Free City.
Dark clouds surged in the sky, thick black clouds sweeping across the heavens at a visible speed, creating a majestic and ominous atmosphere, as if the clouds were pressing down on a city and threatening to crush it.
When the city finally came into view, Li Qingchen discovered that it was nothing like the extravagant and luxurious place that people had described. Instead, it was filled with a chilling coldness and a sense of ruthlessness.
The entire section of the city wall was pitch black, cold and solemn.
The city walls were lined with defensive fortifications, and bows, crossbows, spears, and halberds were all aimed at the dark sky.
Thunderclaps occasionally echoed at the four corners of the city.
Lightning bolts intertwined along the city's corners, forming an impregnable lightning barrier that was easy to defend and difficult to attack.
It is obvious that such a tight defense is all prepared to resist the griffin clan's attack on the city.
Li Qingchen looked around and found that only Wuyou City was covered with dark clouds, while the rest of the place was sunny.
"I never expected that the Lord of Wuyou City would have such means, able to forcibly manipulate the celestial phenomena, draw dark clouds to gather lightning, and then use the power of magic treasures to connect the lightning to protect the city."
Li Qingchen thought to himself:
"In this way, if the griffin clan forces an attack on the city, they will suffer heavy casualties and pay a terrible price."
Suddenly, several ferocious lion roars echoed from the distant horizon, startling the crows at the city corners into flight. They hurriedly flew over the city walls, scrambling to escape this oppressive place.
Xu Xinyao looked at the dark clouds overhead that blocked out the light of day and unconsciously frowned.
Under the cover of strange celestial phenomena, Worry-Free City became even more mysterious and unpredictable.
Mo Wangchuan said, "It seems that City Lord Hong has made thorough preparations this time and is determined to annihilate the Griffin Clan in one fell swoop."
The winged convoy finally entered the city slowly, stepping into this desolate paradise where daylight and night are reversed.
…………
No matter how strange and ominous the celestial phenomena may be, they cannot suppress the rampant desires and greed within Worry-Free City.
Dark clouds obscured the sun, making midday feel like night.
However, inside Worry-Free City, the long street was already brightly lit.
The streets were filled with the sounds of gongs and drums, and the scent of rouge permeated the alleys.
The stench of money, the aroma of wine, the scent of ink, and the fragrance of cosmetics mingled together.
Vendors from all walks of life hawked their wares along the streets, while restaurants, gambling dens, and brothels were bustling with people.
Normally, people on the continent of China, bound by etiquette and morality, can take advantage of this eternal darkness to completely shed their pretenses and let their ambition, greed, and evil thoughts grow and spread unchecked.
The city of carefree living is the best fig leaf for desire.
In this city, as long as you are willing to hide your face, you can disregard etiquette and indulge yourself to the fullest.
The tallest building in Worry-Free City is called the Heavenly Pavilion.
It stands nine stories high, overlooking the entire city.
The attic, from the first to the eighth floor, was filled with extravagance and decadence, with wine, women, wealth, and power lingering in the air.
Countless powerful and wealthy people who came here attracted by its reputation would often become captivated by the beauty and extravagance of the four floors, losing all motivation to climb higher.
Not to mention the other five upper levels, which offer what kind of blissful experience.
And on the top floor of the Heavenly Pavilion.
On the solitary pavilion, a man dressed in black stood leaning against the railing.
He is none other than Hong Weiyang, the lord of Wuyou City.
He gently swirled the wine in his glass, the crimson wine inside resembling fresh blood. He took a small sip, looked down at the crowd below the city, and smiled intoxicatingly.
The crowds below the city were thronging, filled with laughter, and accompanied by various lights, like an endless scroll painting, or like a fairy wearing a shimmering silk robe.
Those who become deeply entangled in it will only surrender their bodies and minds, and then rush headlong into the torrent of desire—
Who can blame them when that torrent was built from centuries of fine wine?
And this entire city, steeped in desire, is his people, his possession.
Worry-Free City is far from the capital, far from the emperor, and the laws of the court are practically meaningless.
In this place, the strong are respected, force sets the rules, and strength is everything.
However, City Lord Hong Weiyang personally established an ironclad rule:
Outside the city, fighting and strife are fought, and one is responsible for one's own life and death; inside the city, private fights without cause are strictly prohibited, and the wanton slaughter of civilians is forbidden.
In the past, some outside thugs, relying on their power and arrogance, insulted the city lord in public after drinking, smashed brothels and shops, openly challenged the city's rules, and threatened to ignore the ban on violence.
The next day, the gang of thugs were all killed, their bodies chopped up and fed to the dogs. The leader's head was hung high on the city wall, his death a gruesome sight, to serve as a warning to the entire city.
From then on, no matter how powerful the external forces were, no one dared to act recklessly in Worry-Free City.
This is how he manages this paradise.
In this lawless place, only violence can maintain order.
As the lord of Worry-Free City, Hong Weiyang had long been numb and weary of this extravagant life of nightly revelry.
When a person's threshold is raised, they are prone to becoming depressed.
But today, his smile was genuine, full of joy.
"With so many capable cultivators gathered here this time, we will surely be able to wipe out these despicable beasts in one fell swoop."
Looking at the forces continuously advancing into the city, Hong Weiyang said with satisfaction.
At this time.
A subordinate emerged from the shadows of the attic and said respectfully:
"Reporting to the City Lord, the Winged Caravan is about to enter the city."
"Oh? Mo Wangchuan arrived rather quickly."
Hong Wei's smile deepened. "The Crimson Wrath Divine Arrow that he's been longing for is with me. He certainly won't miss this opportunity. Issue my order to prepare a grand feast and immediately invite the entire Winged Caravan to a banquet."
The arrival of the Winged Car Team first put Hong Weiyang at ease.
Mo Wangchuan's archery skills were unparalleled in the wilderness, and his reputation was renowned.
Hong Weiyang had witnessed and experienced its power firsthand many years ago.
In his view, although Mo Wangchuan had not reached the legendary level of breaking through all laws with a single arrow, he had already firmly established himself among the top archers in the world, and his combat power was truly overwhelming!
Among the biggest forces that came this time, the Winged Racing Team firmly occupied the top three positions!
Also.
Besides Mo Wangchuan, the Winged Team's bravery and fighting prowess should not be underestimated!
A team composed entirely of archers is undoubtedly the natural enemy of the griffin clan!
When the topic of Mo Wangchuan came up, after many years, their reunion ignited Hong Weiyang's competitive spirit.
He wondered if, without that unexpected event that hindered the imposing man's progress, he would still be confident of defeating him.
…………
"The Winged Caravan has entered the city!"
Someone shouted, and the atmosphere in the city was instantly ignited.
The arrival of the Winged Caravan instantly attracted the attention of the entire city.
Everyone knows that the Wing Racing Team is a highly sought-after club, a major financial backer with plenty of money.
Mo Wangchuan was a steady and reliable person. Under his leadership, the Winged Car Team acted in a disciplined and meticulous manner and spent lavishly.
In addition, the Winged Caravan has long maintained business dealings with Worry-Free City and has never oppressed local merchants, maintaining a mutually beneficial relationship with various businesses in the city. Its reputation has long been established.
Restaurants, gambling dens, brothels, and trading companies throughout the city were all eager to establish friendly relations and cooperate with the Winged Car Team.
Also.
The various factions traversing the vast wilderness constantly walk on the edge of life and death, accompanied by killing and constant pressure.
When this pressure accumulates, and one learns that there is a city of desires ahead where one can indulge in unrestrained desires, it generates boundless motivation.
Today is the day to release this pressure.
Tonight is the time for revelry.
Even someone as composed as Mo Wangchuan couldn't help but feel a slight stirring in his heart and a ripple of emotion when he looked at the enchanting scenery before him.
Li Qingchen couldn't help but wonder, what's the difference between this place and the high seas of my previous life?
This is a huge silver-painted ground!
Glancing sideways, he saw Xu Xinyao beside him slightly frowning and raising his hand to lightly cover the tip of his nose.
"What's wrong? Can't you stand the smell?"
"It wasn't a problem before, but since I cultivated my sensory abilities, my five senses have become increasingly acute, and I find these extravagant and turbid things particularly disgusting. I'll get used to it in a moment," Xu Xinyao replied, waving his hand.
At that moment, someone came to visit.
A moment later.
Mo Wangchuan said to the two men, "Young masters, you may stroll around the city for a while. I need to go and meet City Lord Hong Weiyang first."
"This is an invitation from the Heavenly Court Pavilion. You two can use this to go directly to the eighth floor of the Heavenly Court Pavilion."
Upon entering the city, a servant from the Heavenly Court Pavilion quickly delivered an invitation to the city lord's banquet.
After giving his instructions, Mo Wangchuan turned and went to his appointment.
After Mo Wangchuan left, Xu Xinyao finally adjusted to the surrounding atmosphere, his eyebrows curved into a smile, and he said:
"Hehe, after all these years, Worry-Free City is still as lively and prosperous as ever, unchanged!"
He patted his chest and confidently promised, "Tonight I'll take you to eat, drink, and have fun, exploring every corner of the city, tasting all the delicacies in the world. I guarantee you'll fall in love with this bustling city and never want to leave!"
"It's a pity you're penniless now, what are you going to use to treat us?" Li Qingchen said casually, undermining his words.
"Not now, but soon."
Xu Xinyao beamed with pride, "My father did business here in his early years, secretly supporting several old shops and businesses, all of which are Xu family assets. I only need to reveal my identity, and I can take silver and supplies at will, without a care in the world. After enduring the hardships of the wilderness all the way, today I can finally indulge myself. Fine wine, delicious food, and the pleasures of the marketplace—I'll have it all arranged today!"
Having said that, he quickened his pace, gripping Li Qingchen's sleeve tightly, as if afraid his benefactor would leave alone. Li Qingchen allowed him to lead her along.
As the two were walking slowly along the street, dust suddenly billowed up on the long street ahead, and the rapid, deafening sound of horses' hooves filled the air.
A group of shrewish servants in fine clothes galloped wildly through the streets, shouting and driving away passersby.
"Get out! All of you get out!"
"Those who block the way will die; those who don't want to die, get out of the way now!"
The rider on horseback lashed out with his whip at the civilians who couldn't dodge in time, and cries of agony and the sound of flesh being torn open rang out one after another.
The streets were thrown into chaos, with passersby scattering and fleeing like frightened birds.
The entire city fled in panic, except for a frail little girl of six or seven years old, who was knocked to the ground by the chaotic crowd and fell to the ground in the middle of the street, unable to move.
Passersby sighed with regret and discussed the matter, but no one dared to intervene.
"Poor child, at such a young age, he's probably going to die."
"Who dares to interfere? These are members of the Zhao family, top nobles in the city. We can't afford to offend them."
"The law of the jungle prevails; in Worry-Free City, the lives of ordinary people are simply not worth mentioning..."
The wicked servant spurred his horse at full speed, coming within a few feet of the girl, his hooves about to trample her.
Just as Xu Xinyao was about to step forward to save the girl, the space beside him suddenly disappeared. Li Qingchen flashed and instantly appeared in the middle of the street, blocking the girl's path.
The next moment, the horse that was about to trample the child suddenly let out a mournful neigh, its hooves buckled, and it collapsed to its knees.
Caught off guard, the wicked servant fell to the ground in a sorry state, his face filled with terror and confusion, completely unaware of what had happened.
"good!"
"Young hero, what skill you have!"
"Well done! I've finally gotten my revenge!"
"What are you all so happy about? He's undoubtedly offended those rich kids. So eager to show off, humph, I wonder how well he'll fare!"
Some people on the street were already cheering quietly, some were secretly jealous, and others were full of fear, secretly worried that this young man had offended the powerful and wealthy and would definitely suffer a terrible end.
Amidst the chaos of the streets and alleys.
Li Qingchen gently bent down and picked up the bewildered and helpless little girl.
The little girl blinked her big, bright eyes, staring blankly at the young man before her. Instinctively, she offered him her favorite candied hawthorn, saying in her childish voice:
"Big brother, thank you for saving me. Here, have some candied hawthorn."
Li Qingchen paused for a moment, then gently took a bite of the sweet and sour candied hawthorn, a faint, gentle smile spreading across her lips.
"Thank you for the candied hawthorn."
On the street, there were horses, slaves, youths, and children.
Because the young man in the blue robe appeared so suddenly, no one knew how he had appeared abruptly in front of the little girl, nor did anyone see what strange technique he used to make the sturdy horse prostrate on the ground.
However, none of this matters; no one will pay attention to these things, and no one wants to pay attention to them.
Spectators usually want to see the spectacle, not the intricacies.
Look, isn't that group of young men on horseback coming over?
When the disheveled servant saw the master arrive, he couldn't help but show a look of fear on his face.
His falling off the horse like that was undoubtedly a disgrace to his master.
He had seen the fate of useless servants: having their nails pulled out, being soaked in salt water, having their noses cut off, having their ears scraped... it was excruciating, worse than death.
Thinking of this, the evil servant shuddered and then turned his gaze fiercely to the boy.
It's all this kid's fault for courting death!
"Die!" the wicked servant roared as he charged toward Li Qingchen!
The wicked servant roared and was about to charge forward with his whip when he heard a shout of "Stop!" and immediately stopped. It wasn't that the servant was bad; it was simply that he knew that voice all too well—so well that it sent chills down his spine. He immediately knelt and bowed, saying, "This subordinate is incompetent; please forgive me, young master!"
About fifteen or sixteen people rode up on horseback, led by a young man dressed in a purple robe, exuding an air of wealth and nobility.
He didn't even glance at the wicked servant who dared not raise his head, and said indifferently, "Get out of here, Yang slave, this is none of your business."
Yang Nu didn't know why his master was being so approachable this time, and without thinking too much, he thanked him repeatedly and retreated with his head bowed.
However, he had only retreated a short distance when a knife pierced his chest, killing him instantly without even letting out a scream.
"Useless lackey!"
The one who drew their sword and made the call was the rider closest to the purple-robed youth.
This man was named Chang Guang. Due to his years of martial arts training, his arms were strong and powerful. He was able to lift a giant alchemy cauldron, which made him look up to by the spoiled young men. He was also very ambitious. After several twists and turns, he finally became the close henchman of the purple-robed youth and became his accomplice. During this period, he became even more arrogant.
Chang Guang, already burly, became enraged, his veins bulging and his bulging varicose veins becoming fully visible.
Chang Guang snorted coldly:
"Young Master Zhao, please allow me to go out and meet this scoundrel. Give me half an incense stick's time, and I will bring him his head!"
The man known as Young Master Zhao is Zhao Jingtian, the only son of the Zhao family, the most powerful noble family in Wuyou City.
Legend has it that during the riots in Wuyou City, Zhao Kai, the head of the Zhao family, and Hong Weiyang, the city lord, quelled the riots together.
Afterwards, the two supported each other, resorting to violence to combat violence, and their friendship became extremely deep.
In the chaos, the head of the Zhao family even used his body as a shield, taking several blows for Hong Wei. After miraculously surviving, he was naturally hailed as the number one hero of Wuyou City, wielding immense power that no one dared to challenge.
Influenced by his father's power, Zhao Quan's status among the纨绔子弟 (sons of wealthy and powerful families) was second only to Hong Weiyang's son, Hong Liquan.
What annoyed the onlookers was...
These two seemed to have inherited their fathers' friendship; no one had ever heard of any conflict between them, but rather they were extremely compatible.
Its influence can be found in gambling dens, brothels, taverns, and martial arts schools.
Those wicked servants who bullied the weak and feared the strong were almost all subordinates of these two.
As for the rule that the Lord of Worry-Free City must not cause trouble?
That's all set up for outsiders; these spoiled brats aren't even included!
Even if Hung Wai-yeung really wanted to hold someone accountable, he would only give them a symbolic punishment because of his father's connections.
For these spoiled brats, that's no big deal at all!