"Cangyun Great Kingdom, Jinzhong City, in the northern region of the Glazed City…"
Early the next morning, Jiang Chen committed every route on the jade slip's map to memory.
After leaving Peacock Sacred Mountain, Jiang Chen kept a low profile. Once he passed beyond the main city of the Glazed City, he activated the Heaven Kun Flowing Light Escape. His speed increased by at least two or three times over what it had been before.
The sheer burst of velocity lifted Jiang Chen's spirits considerably. Though he remained deeply worried about his father's whereabouts, the situation was what it was — worrying alone would accomplish nothing.
All he could do now was investigate as quickly as possible, find out where his father was, and bring him home.
"Father, I hope Heaven watches over you and keeps you safe. Wait for us to be reunited. As for Mother — if she was forced to leave, I will seek justice on your behalf no matter what. No matter how powerful her family is, no matter how extraordinary they may be, I will not stand by and do nothing!"
Jiang Chen was no longer the man he had once been. His strength had surged to astonishing heights, and his standing in the Upper Eight Domains was now among the very highest.
Young Master of Peacock Sacred Mountain. Future ruler of the Glazed City.
With credentials like these, no one anywhere would dare overlook him.
From the main city of the Glazed City to Cangyun Great Kingdom, the journey would have taken Jiang Chen at least three to five days at his old speed. Now, in just a day and a half, he had already crossed into Cangyun Great Kingdom's territory.
Under the dominion of the Glazed City, the number of kingdoms and cities, large and small, was in the hundreds. Major kingdoms and major cities numbered at least several dozen.
A single great kingdom or great city was comparable in strength to a third-tier sect. Some of the top-tier kingdoms were even on par with second-tier sects.
Of course, kingdoms and cities that matched second-tier sects could be counted on one hand.
And Cangyun Great Kingdom, tucked away as the Glazed City's most important northern bulwark, was one of those rare kingdoms that rivaled a second-tier sect.
Jinzhong City was the Royal Capital of Cangyun Great Kingdom.
In terms of prosperity, Jinzhong City was in no way inferior to the capital of the Chi Ding Empire in the Mid Region — it was even more flourishing than Tai'a City, which Jiang Chen had passed through back in the day.
Upon entering Jinzhong City, Jiang Chen encountered very few security checks along the way.
Since he was entering from within the Glazed City's own domain, the inspections were considerably more relaxed.
It was only after stepping into Jinzhong City that Jiang Chen truly grasped just how much influence the Glazed Pagoda exerted over the entire Glazed City.
Right in the core district of Jinzhong City, three towering pagodas stood tall — exact imitations of the Glazed Pagoda, scaled down to one-third of the original size. The Three Glazed Pagodas had been faithfully reproduced here.
"Looks like Cangyun Great Kingdom still feels a very strong sense of belonging to the Glazed City. That's a good thing." Jiang Chen took in the prosperous atmosphere of Jinzhong City. Though it couldn't compare to the Glazed City's main city, aside from that, this was the most flourishing city Jiang Chen had ever set foot in.
The Flying Horse Inn, in the bustling Jinzhong City, was at best a second-tier establishment — the kind where traveling rogue cultivators came and went with some frequency.
Its location, too, was in a relatively remote corner of Jinzhong City. But it was precisely that remoteness that had allowed the inn to carve out a sizable plot of land, giving the Flying Horse Inn a fairly spacious compound.
Jiang Chen arrived at the Flying Horse Inn's entrance and cross-reached the map in his mind one more time. "The intelligence outpost Brother Ji mentioned — this is the place."
Jiang Chen's current outfit was plain and unremarkable. His disguised appearance was that of a thoroughly unremarkable rogue cultivator, so when the inn's attendant spotted him, there was no excess warmth in his greeting.
"Looking for a room? Heaven-rank suites run three thousand Holy Ling Shi per night — a five percent discount for stays of three days or more. Earth-rank suites are one thousand Holy Ling Shi per night, same five percent discount for three-day stays. Standard rooms are three hundred Holy Ling Shi per night, also five percent discount for extended stays."
The attendant rattled off the prices from memory with practiced ease, though his face held none of the warmth that might be called professional courtesy.
Jiang Chen smiled faintly. "I'm looking for someone."
The attendant's brow creased the moment he heard that. "Bounty tasks are handled over there."
The Flying Horse Inn was part inn, part intelligence hub — it also took on tasks for commission and completion.
"I'm looking for Niu Wu."
"Niu… you're looking for Shopkeeper Niu?" The attendant blinked, then a mocking expression crept onto his face. "Our Flying Horse Inn gets at least ten or eight warriors a day who come looking for our shopkeepers. But, well… in most cases, our shopkeepers don't actually know any of them. You're looking for Shopkeeper Niu — don't tell me you're here to mooch off him too?"
It was obvious that, judging from Jiang Chen's appearance, the attendant didn't believe he was someone who had any right to see Shopkeeper Niu.
Judging people by their looks — that was a common affliction.
Jiang Chen merely smiled, taking no offense. His eyes swept past the attendant toward the area behind the counter, searching for someone who looked like they might actually be in charge.
Just then, a middle-aged man dressed in a steward's attire emerged from a doorway behind the counter, having overheard the attendant's cheeky remarks. The steward frowned. "Xiao Wang, there you go running your mouth again. How many times have I told you — don't be glib with the guests, and certainly don't be sharp-tongued."
The steward looked fair-skinned and clean-shaven, with a quiet, refined air about him — not an unpleasant presence at all.
"My friend, this attendant is new here. He doesn't quite know the rules yet." The steward-like middle-aged man nodded toward Jiang Chen in apology.