Chapter 407: Huangzhou Intelligence

Leaving Meng Jingzhou’s company had truly brought a remarkable turn of fortune.

Along the road toward the neighboring city, Lu Yang valiantly fought off a band of mountain bandits, rescuing two young ladies from a wealthy house; having bidden farewell to the pair as they showered him with endless gratitude, he righteously declined their proposal to marry into their family, departing as swiftly and lightly as a passing cloud.

Later, running across a highway robbery in progress, Lu Yang struck to assist. The young mistress of the escort agency was deeply moved, confessing that this was her very first time leading an escort mission; had it not been for Lu Yang’s timely intervention, the failure of the convoy would have dealt a devastating blow to her agency's reputation. Appreciating his extraordinary martial prowess, she invited him to join them, offering him the position of Chief Escort.

Predictably, Lu Yang declined this as well.

Finally, Lu Yang chanced upon a young lady who had set up a martial tournament stage to choose a husband, widely inviting heroes from all walks of life and proclaiming that she would wed whoever could defeat her.

At this sight, Lu Yang quickened his pace and hurried past.

"I had long heard that the women of the Desolate Province possess a great heroic spirit, frequently traveling abroad, and today I have finally witnessed it."

The people of the Desolate Province were bold and unconstrained, and its women were no exception; unlike the majority of Central Plains maidens who remained sequestered in their boudoir chambers, the women here engaged in pursuits largely identical to those of men.

Previously, with Meng Jingzhou always by his side, Lu Yang had never found the opportunity to see it.

"What a pity. Old Meng is short on fortune; he won't be able to see this sight," Lu Yang mused, secretly rejoicing in Meng Jingzhou's misfortune.

"Though it is also true that the public security of the Desolate Province leaves much to be desired. One rarely encounters so many mountain bandits and escort raids in other regions."

Having safely navigated these trials of beauties, Lu Yang successfully arrived at the nearby city. Built from colossal masonry, the city loomed crude and uninhibited, bearing a style reminiscent of the Demon Suppressing Pass, yet distinct in its own right.

"Yuanshan City."

Looking up, Lu Yang softly muttered the city's name before stepping through the gates.

The Falling Coin Chamber of Commerce offered information for sale; to understand local affairs, the most expedient method was to purchase an intelligence dossier from them.

However, the Falling Coin Chamber of Commerce did not dare vend just any piece of information—intelligence regarding the Five Great Immortal Sects, and particularly the Dao Asking Sect, was something they never sold.

The news of Yun Zhi defeating her peers at the Grand Tournament of the Five Great Immortal Sects, and incidentally defeating the masters of each immortal sect along the way, fell strictly outside the Chamber’s sellable registry.

Lu Yang noted that the world knew exceptionally little of his Eldest Senior Sister’s existence; unless one possessed highly particular channels, even Yun Zhi's name remained unknown. Even those aware of her existence merely regarded her as an ordinary disciple of the Dao Asking Sect, devoid of any remarkable traits that might catch another's eye.

Lu Yang surmised this was partly because Eldest Senior Sister rarely struck, and partly because the Chamber of Commerce lacked the courage to sell such knowledge.

As for information regarding the other four immortal sects, the Chamber would occasionally dispense bits and pieces.

For instance, the headcount of the Hanging Temple had reached a historic high, now exceeding twelve members in total.

For another, the Abbot of the Hanging Temple, in his quest to comprehend the true essence of Buddhist Dharma, had begun practicing the Silent Zen; he now only beat people up and spoke no words.

Regarding the Imperial Court, the Chamber was selective in what it sold.

For instance, the news of the Daoist Priest Buyu being locked in the same cell as the Minister of Justice, prompting the entire Ministry of Justice to relocate their offices, was completely omitted from the Chamber's wares.

Upon arriving at the Chamber, Lu Yang purchased the most comprehensive intelligence dossier of the Desolate Province, and the very first entry left him utterly astounded.

"The daughter of the Desolate Province Governor held a birthday banquet. The Governor issued invitations, requesting various factions to send representatives to offer blessings and congratulatory gifts. At the banquet, young talents from all factions exerted every ounce of their ability to win a smile from the Governor's daughter, fully displaying their potential. Currently, the Governor of the Desolate Province is suspected of accepting bribes, and the various factions are suspected of bribing a person of influence; all parties have been arrested."

The Chamber had thoughtfully appended relevant legal statutes and typical case studies at the end as a warning.

"The newly appointed Governor of the Desolate Province has assumed office and delivered a speech titled 'Rectifying the Unhealthy Practices of the Desolate Province,' requiring all officials of the province to study it diligently."

"The Barbarian Coming-of-Age Ceremony was held as scheduled. Mangu, a youth of the Barbarian Race, survived seven days in the wasteland and hunted nearly a hundred Golden Core stage demonic beasts, claiming the championship."

"So that kid Mangu only claimed he was returning home to visit relatives, when he was actually participating in the Barbarian Coming-of-Age Ceremony," Lu Yang realized in sudden enlightenment. He had not seen Mangu for some time and had wondered why a family visit would take so long.

He had heard of the Barbarian Coming-of-Age Ceremony before; it required the soon-to-be-adult barbarians to be cast into the most perilous wastelands. Surviving there for seven days constituted passing the rite, but hunting demonic beasts within the wasteland earned a higher evaluation, with rankings determined by the quantity and quality of the beasts slain.

"To think the Barbarian Race still preserves this tradition," the Immortal Fairy remarked with slight surprise. This was a tradition she had left behind for the ancient Barbarian Race back when she shielded them; she had not expected it to endure to this day.

"The Grand Tournament of the Corpse Driving Sect has concluded. The victor is named Huang Ming, just eighteen years of age, with a cultivation at the early Golden Core stage, who has been accepted as a closed-door disciple by the Sect Master. The runner-up is named Zhao Po, also just eighteen years of age, at the early Golden Core stage."

Lu Yang lingered on this piece of intelligence for a few extra seconds. Achieving the early Golden Core stage at just eighteen years old represented an extraordinary talent; even within the Five Great Immortal Sects, such a cultivation speed was rare, second only to himself and Meng Jingzhou.

"Two geniuses; a great era is truly dawning," Lu Yang sighed in contemplation. Had these two been placed in the golden age of antiquity, they would have been fully qualified to serve as stepping stones for the Immortal Fairy’s rise.

"The Valley of Seven Emotions has developed a new type of curse. Anyone afflicted by this curse will hear the buzzing of mosquitoes in their ears whenever they sleep or enter secluded cultivation; covering one's ears offers no relief, rendering the cursed individuals extremely irritable."

"The Valley of Seven Emotions... I recall it is also a first-rate sect of the Desolate Province, specializing in curses," Lu Yang murmured to himself, possessing scant knowledge of this particular sect.

"The bounty for the Man in the White Paper Hat (true name unknown, true identity unknown) reached one million spirit stones. The Man in the White Paper Hat split himself into two individuals, faked his own capture to claim the bounty, and departed merrily. The Desolate Province authorities have now raised the bounty to two million spirit stones."

"A rising star of the culinary world, the 'One More Time' Barbecue Shop, has established roots in the Desolate Province. There are currently thirty branches across the province, with business proving exceptionally roaring. According to the shop's introduction, they love barbecuing and hope to spread the flavor of barbecue throughout the entire province, planning to open even more shops."

"The Corpse Driver's Home, the Qingming Chain Inn... why are there advertisements in here?" Lu Yang felt a prickle of annoyance. He had paid good money for intelligence, so why was it laced with advertisements?

In truth, the "One More Time" Barbecue Shop was also an advertisement, but since Lu Yang pocketed sixty percent of its profits, he chose not to take issue with it.

"Why is there no intelligence regarding battles at the Unity stage?"

Lu Yang had not let his eyes be blinded by the dazzling array of Desolate Province news; he still remembered that his purpose in buying the dossier was to find clues regarding the horde of living corpses from Jianshi Village.

"Oh, found it. There really is a single record of a Unity stage clash from two months ago."

"Let me see what happened... Two Unity Stage True Monarchs suffered a breakdown in their relationship, filed for divorce, and engaged in a fierce brawl over child custody."

Lu Yang: "..."

Lu Yang rubbed his brow in sheer exhaustion, wondering if there was any possibility that the horde of living corpses had simply lost their way and wandered off.