This is a small town, called Qingniu Town, although it's actually just a larger village. Only those rustic folks living in the nearby mountain valleys, lacking in sophistication, keep calling it "Qingniu City," incessantly muttering about it, according to Zhang Er, who had been a gatekeeper for over a decade.
Qingniu Town is indeed small. The main street runs east to west, known as Qingniu Street, and there's only one inn, the Qingniu Inn, situated at the western end of the elongated town. Therefore, if travelers passing through don't wish to camp outdoors, they must stay there.
Now, a carriage that clearly traveled a long distance enters Qingniu Town from the west, swiftly passing by the gate of Qingniu Inn without stopping, and continues on until it reaches the other end of the town, stopping in front of the Spring Fragrance Tavern.
The Spring Fragrance Tavern isn't large, somewhat outdated even, but it exudes a quaint charm. Since it's lunchtime, there are still many patrons dining inside, with almost every seat taken.
Stepping down from the carriage are a chubby man with a round face and a slight mustache, along with a dark-skinned boy of about ten. People recognize the chubby man as "Fat Han," the proprietor of the tavern, but nobody knows the boy.
"Hey, Fat Han, this dark kid looks a lot like you. Could he be the son you secretly had with someone else?" someone suddenly jests.
This remark provokes a burst of laughter from the onlookers.
"Phew! He's my nephew from my own family, of course, he'd resemble me a bit," Fat Han retorts, not at all angry but rather somewhat pleased.
These two are none other than Han Li, who traveled for three days to arrive at the town, and his nephew, referred to by others as "Fat Han."
Fat Han exchanges greetings with a few regulars before leading Han Li to the back of the tavern, into a secluded courtyard.
"Little Li, rest well in this room. Recharge your energy, and when the steward from the inner gate arrives, I'll call you over. I need to go out for a bit, to greet a few regulars," Fat Han kindly instructs Han Li.
With that, he hurriedly heads out, though he seems somewhat uneasy when he reaches the door, issuing another reminder.
"Don't wander off. The town is crowded, and you might get lost. It's best to stay in the courtyard."
"Yes," Han Li obediently replies, and only then does Fat Han leave with genuine peace of mind.
Feeling very tired, Han Li immediately collapses onto the bed and falls into a deep sleep, surprisingly without any of the shyness typical of a child in an unfamiliar place.
By evening, a servant delivers dinner, which, though not lavish, is still appetizing. After finishing, another servant clears the dishes, and shortly after, Fat Han comes in.
"How was the food? Feeling a bit homesick?" he asks.
"Yes, a little," Han Li replies obediently.
Fat Han seems satisfied with Han Li's response and proceeds to engage him in some casual conversation, boasting about some interesting experiences he's had. Gradually, Han Li loses his sense of restraint and starts chatting with him, laughing and talking.
And so, two days pass in this manner.
On the third day, just as Han Li finishes dinner and waits for Fat Han to come and tell him some tales of the Jianghu, another carriage stops in front of the tavern.
This carriage, gleaming black all over, is drawn by a rare yellow steed, clearly attracting attention. But what's most eye-catching is the small triangular black flag fluttering on the carriage's side, with a rusted "Xuan" character in silver with a red border, exuding an indescribable air of mystery.
Seeing this flag, any experienced hands in the vicinity would know that an important figure from the "Seven Profound Gate," one of the two major powers in the area, has arrived.
"The Seven Profound Gate," also known as the "Seven Absolute Gate," was founded by the illustrious "Seven Absolute Master" two hundred years ago and once dominated the Mirror Province for decades, even extending its influence to several neighboring provinces in the entire Yue Kingdom. However, since the passing of the "Seven Absolute Master," the power of the Seven Profound Gate has declined, gradually squeezed out of the capital city of Mirror Province by other sects. A hundred years ago, the sect was forced to relocate to the most remote area of Mirror Province, Xianxia Mountain, where it took root and became a third-rate local power.
There's a saying that goes, "A skinny camel is still bigger than a horse." After all, the Seven Profound Gate was once a major sect, and its potential is not to be underestimated. Upon arriving at Xianxia Mountain, it immediately seized control of more than a dozen small towns, including Qingniu Town, boasting a few thousand disciples under its banner, making it one of the most prominent local powers.
The only force that can rival the Seven Profound Gate in the area is the "Wild Wolf Gang."
The precursor to the Wild Wolf Gang was a group of marauding horse bandits within Mirror Province. After several crackdowns by the authorities, some of the bandits accepted the amnesty offered by the government, while others formed the Wild Wolf Gang. However, the brutal and bloodthirsty nature of the bandits, as well as their willingness to fight, persisted, making the Seven Profound Gate often at a disadvantage in conflicts between the two.
Although the Wild Wolf Gang controls more villages, they don't engage in business activities, and their wealth is far from matching that of the towns under the Seven Profound Gate's control. The Wild Wolf Gang has been provoking conflicts between the two sides frequently lately, which has been a headache for the current head of the Seven Profound Gate, becoming one of the main reasons for the continuous recruitment of inner disciples by the Seven Profound Gate in recent years.
A man in his forties, with a lean figure, jumps down from the carriage. He moves briskly, displaying obvious martial prowess, and seems familiar with the place, striding directly to the room where Han Li is located.
Seeing this man, Fat Han immediately steps forward and bows respectfully.
"Elder Wang, why did you personally come to bring someone?" Fat Han asks respectfully.
"Hmph!" Elder Wang snorts coldly, his expression full of arrogance.
"The roads have been unsafe lately, so security needs to be tightened. The elders ordered me to come personally and receive the newcomer. Enough chitchat, is this the child you're recommending?"
"Yes, yes, this is my nephew from my own family. I hope Elder Wang will take care of him on the way," Fat Han says.
Seeing the impatience in the man's expression, Fat Han quickly takes out a heavy pouch from his person and discreetly hands it over.
Elder Wang weighs the pouch in his hand, and his expression relaxes slightly.
"Fat Han, you know how to do things! I'll take care of your nephew on the way. It's getting late; let's hurry and set off," Elder Wang says, with less impatience now.
