Chapter 5: Finally Here

An elderly gentleman in the audience, still half-asleep, added, "Next time, let's go to a different theater. Don't pick one called 'Immortal-Picking Terrace.' Are immortals peaches, that you can just pluck them easily?"

Liu Baobao chuckled, "This place was originally called 'Star-Picking Terrace,' but later the owner thought the character for 'immortal' would be better for business. It's usually what you lack that you name yourself after."

He Lingchuan narrowed his eyes slightly. "Oh, is Blackwater City lacking immortals?"

"Not at all, not at all! With Lord He in Blackwater City, that's more than enough!" Liu Baobao quickly replied. "Immortals? What are they? Flimsy things of legend, only fit for storybooks. Who would ever lack them?" He quickly changed the subject. "So, shall we switch to Lord He's 'Mount Dingdao'?"

"Fine." With his own father's name brought up, how could He Lingchuan refuse? He leaned back, half-closing his eyes as he lay on the soft couch. The middle-aged man waved away the surrounding attendants, then quietly asked him, "Are those nightmares bothering you again?"

"Pshaw! How could that be!" He scoffed, denying it. "Uncle Hao, let's just watch the play."

Uncle Hao, the middle-aged man, didn't argue and stood silently to the side.

The famous performer's skill was remarkable, drawing continuous applause from the audience. He Lingchuan watched for a while, then his gaze drifted to the wisps of smoke curling from the incense burner, and he unconsciously gripped the divine bone necklace on his chest, lost in thought.

For over a month since replacing the original body, life in Blackwater City could only be described as comfortable, especially after the initial torment of waking up with bloodied holes all over him.

Jinzhou is located in the northwesternmost corner of the Wren Kingdom, with Blackwater City just ten li from the border, serving as the Wren Kingdom's gateway. While that sounds impressive, this geographical position meant Jinzhou wouldn't receive much attention from the monarch, especially since there had been no wars for several years. However, the advantage was also that the mountains were high and the emperor was far away.

The He family was effectively the local overlords on their own turf. As the Prefect's eldest son, He Lingchuan could command whatever he wished in Blackwater City and even throughout the entire Qiansong Prefecture. The standards for his daily life—food, clothing, housing, and travel—could be summed up in three words: the very best. The delicacies on his table, the trinkets in his hands, and his daily income—while not necessarily rare treasures from all corners of the world—were luxuries many wealthy individuals from the interior couldn't even dream of.

The original He Lingchuan had grown up to sixteen in such a carefree environment. How to put it? He Lingchuan's assessment of the original body was that he had a bad temper and was somewhat arrogant by nature. The fellow was usually full of youthful exuberance, fond of hunting with falcons and hounds. Otherwise, he wouldn't have met with such a serious accident on Mount Hulu. Although this body had now healed, its new occupant had no intention of resuming the original owner's hobby.

For the past month or so, He Lingchuan often recalled his experience at the bottom of the cliff, wondering if the murderer who had wiped out the leopard demon clan would pursue him to Blackwater City. Yet, as time passed, everything remained calm, both inside and outside the city. Beneath the surface of this pleasant life, there always seemed to be an undercurrent. This made him, an ordinary wage earner who was only ever "blessed" with hard work, feel uneasy while enjoying the scent of privilege.

He Lingchuan took a couple of sips of the warm wine, then suddenly felt a bit stuffy and gestured for Uncle Hao to open the window.

As soon as the window opened, a blast of cool air rushed in. People on the second floor shivered involuntarily, and papers from tables in the neighboring private boxes were swept downstairs; two of them were even small banknotes, immediately sparking a scramble below.

No one paid attention to the commotion downstairs, and Liu Baobao merely tightened his collar. He Lingchuan took a deep breath, chasing away his minor discomfort. Just then, the performance downstairs concluded. He led the applause, happily exclaiming, "Excellent! A reward!" With that, he casually unfastened the jade pendant from his waist and had someone take it down as a gratuity.

With a leading patron setting the example, the atmosphere reached a crescendo, and the audience downstairs also generously opened their purses.

Outside the window was Blackwater City's main street, and as the window opened, the bustling sounds drifted in with the wind. He Lingchuan glanced out, seeing the street teeming with activity, a constant flow of traffic. The main street, which had been widened three times, could accommodate eight standard carriages abreast, but at this moment, there wasn't even a two-foot-square gap.

"So busy already?"

Uncle Hao, standing beside He Lingchuan, responded, "It's already August, and merchants are rushing to pass through before the Red Cliff Trade Route closes, to transport their last batch of goods before winter." This was the personal guard Lord He had assigned to his beloved son after the Mount Hulu incident, to prevent any further accidents.

He Lingchuan nodded. Blackwater City, though seemingly desolate, is located on the edge of the Coiling Dragon Desert. It's a crucial thoroughfare, connecting the western kingdoms to the interior of the Great Wren Kingdom, as it's a mandatory checkpoint on the famous Red Cliff Trade Route. Desert trade has always been perilous, with unpredictable weather and frequent bandits, and the Coiling Dragon Desert is particularly notorious. It took countless predecessors, with their sweat and lives, to discover a relatively safe passage through the Coiling Dragon Desert: the Red Cliff Trade Route.

However, the center of the Coiling Dragon Desert undergoes a significant change in September, making even the Red Cliff Trade Route unsafe then. Therefore, experienced merchants must pass through early, carefully planning their dates, so they can still significantly raise prices and profit during the months the Red Cliff Trade Route is closed. While other places experience their busiest season around the New Year, Blackwater City's peak is right now.

With wealthy merchants flocking in, all businesses were thriving. Street vendors' cries echoed continuously, and there wasn't even a vacant spot at the inn's watering troughs. The taxes collected by Blackwater City over the past two months must be quite substantial, he thought? He Lingchuan snapped back to reality, realizing he was actually fretting about his father's affairs, and couldn't help but find it amusing.

Just then, someone from downstairs requested an audience with Young Master He. This was an informant sent by a local gang known as the Red-White Path. After coming up, he bowed but remained silent, merely glancing left and right.

He Lingchuan waved a hand, and the servants immediately retreated ten paces away. Liu Baobao, also perceptive, found an excuse to stroll off to another private box. Only Uncle Hao remained standing in place.

"Speak. What is it?"

The fellow had been sent by his altar master, who reported that two travel-stained outsiders had just entered the Zhuzhi Tavern, seeking information about something. Blackwater City, being a transportation hub, saw travelers from north and south as numerous as fish crossing a river. Naturally, the best places to inquire about news were the local taverns, tea houses, and brothels, so these two foreigners weren't wrong in their approach. However, they were clearly unaware of the local unique ecosystem. Organizations like the Red-White Path, despite constantly claiming "it's not easy for brothers to earn a hard-won penny," actually controlled one of the most lucrative local businesses: alcohol. The two unlucky individuals happened to walk into a tavern frequented by Red-White Path members.

"Investigating an injured sand leopard?" Hearing this, He Lingchuan felt his heart clench. "And they specified it's to be found near Blackwater City?" The trouble had finally arrived.

"Precisely." The gang member glanced at him, then quickly lowered his head. The Young Master's veins were throbbing on his forehead, looking furious. "Both of them had foreign accents; the gang members said they sounded like people from eastern Wren. The liquor seller told them sand leopards live in the Western Mountains, very far from here. They didn't argue, just said anyone with information should find them, and that there would be a generous reward regardless of whether the target was alive or dead."

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