Book 3: Chapter 1: Hidden Master Under a Rock |
Yin Hu stood at the edge of the forest and stared at the sprawling buildings that stretched before him. They were slightly elevated upon a hill that overlooked much of the lands outside of the gargantuan walls of Yellow HearthStone City. A deep frown graced his face, hands held behind his back, and a slight shake of his head every once in a while made his thoughts clear to the rest of their party.
What he saw displeased him greatly.
“P-Patriarch? Shall we head into the city?” Zhong Da asked in another attempt to get the party moving. “People are starting to notice our presence having stood here for so long.”
Yin Hu knew that Zhong Da was right. It made sense in all the normal ways one would think.
A strange group of wealthy looking robes standing at the edge of the forest, hidden by the shadows, posing like cultivators and staring down the city before them. Anyone would rightfully worry that they might be Demonic Cultivators scouting the land out after all the hubbub surrounding Lou Feng and IronArch City. He couldn’t blame them for it.
Yet, he stayed silent and kept watching.
There had to be at least a hundred thousand souls outside of the walls of Yellow HearthStone City. Living in the depths of squalor. Straw and mud huts, mud for roads, animal feces and bodies littered every corner. Yin Hu could notice rats scurrying through the tightly packed homes, not a single sign of a cat anywhere. He didn’t notice any wells or sources of potential clean water except for the large river that cut through the center of the city, but was otherwise inaccessible for nearly a few miles down the road due to the natural makeup of the land.
No guards or soldiers patrolling. All the cultivators hovered above the city walls on elevated, floating towers. The people looked hungry, their eyes searching for any advantage they could find, and they came in groups.
Then there was the stench.
She had openly admitted to copying Yin Hu after she had seen him do the same thing during their body purification process.
Yin Hu had tried to give her a spurt or two of his favorite bottle, but everyone had been adamant it wasn’t a good idea after seeing him pull it out of his rice bag. Zhong Da had ended up asking Wu Xui for one of her bottles and gifted Jun and Shui with one each. Much to Shui’s disappointment.
He knew that all his items were overpowered, it was his greatest advantage afterall, but they could take advantage of it… unless it could potentially ascend the girls.
Maybe it wasn’t the smartest thing to give them hyper-powered cologne? I can figure that out later…
Yin Hu shook his head. He did not want to go in there. Everything hinted that it would likely be a horrible decision to make. One that screamed potential for danger, chaos, and likely trouble for his girls to deal with. There were just too many people packed like sardines. Worse yet, it didn’t seem like there was any form of order established by the local government to keep people safe.
All of his Hu Clan members could take care of themselves, but that didn’t really matter to him.
What type of leader puts his peoples in these types of situations anyway? Not him. Preventative measures were better than any cure remained his motto and would continue to be so for the foreseeable future. Can’t cry about spilled milk if the milk carton is made out of titanium and the cap is closed shut.
Then again, how were they supposed to recruit from within the city itself? There had to be double the amount of people within the protection of the giant walls, that dwarfed all the buildings, that they could recruit from.
Yin Hu blinked as he noticed a man with his five and two children strolling through caked mud.
They dressed well, laughed, had fat on their cheeks, and even paused so their little kids could hand a couple coins to beggars that thanked them profusely.
“Zhong Da,” Yin Hu pointed toward the couple. “Isn’t that strange? Out here in what amounts to the slums of the city.”
The one-armed man stepped forward and put his hand over his eyes, squinting hard to pierce through so many people. “I don’t see what you’re pointing toward, Patriarch.”
“The couple with two kids. Just gave the old man with red and white hair a silver coin, dressed in clean, but faded blue and white robes.”
“Oh! I see them–” Zhong Da coughed as he choked on his spit.
Yin Hu turned to look at Zhong Da. Never had he seen him cough, sniff, have a runny nose, or choke on anything before. It was so strange that Wu Xui lunged to check on him with a face filled with indecision and confusion. Jun and Shui got closer to check on the young man next to him.
“Patriarch,” Zhong Da cleared his throat after the hacking fit of coughs and his back being smacked. “I think I understand what you are pointing at. That couple looks too rich to be in this area, just casually strolling, don’t they?”
Yin Hu nodded.
“Do you see that man they gave a silver coin to when all the other beggars got bronze coins?”
Yin Hu nodded again.
Zhong Da turned to face him with a serious expression. “He’s stronger than me. As strong as Hu Rong. Maybe even stronger, I can’t tell from such a distance accurately.”
Wait what?! A hidden master? Already?! I haven’t even entered the city yet and we encountered one–
“Good evening, Sirs and Madaams. Would you spare an old man a coin?”
Hu Jun and Hu Shui shouted. Zhong Da and Wu Xui pulled out their weapons and stepped in front of the girls and Yin Hu.
Yin Hu, on the other hand, slowly turned his head around. Face dead stoic. He had gotten a handle of not reacting to things that rightfully would have had him jumping. He turned to see that same old man they had pointed out standing before them with his hands held out together. Begging them for coin. A smirk on his sharp features that made him look like a wily fox.
“Coin is meant for those that cannot get their own,” Yin Hu said as he looked down his chin at the literal hidden master. He stepped into his Ancient Being persona without a single hitch. “My clan member tells me you are powerful. More powerful than even he is?”
The old man’s smile was insufferable. “Your clan member? I can tell the face of a Zhong from a thousand miles away. That insufferable look of righteousness taints even the most dastardly amongst them. So, unless you happen to be Zhong An, I doubt he is a member of your court.” he turned toward Zhong Da. “Tell me, not a Zhong, have you heard the latest rumors of your amiable Zhong Patriarch? I doubt you have or you wouldn’t be here right now.”
“What? What happened to Zhong An?”
Yin Hu decided not to stop the trail of the conversation. He had heard much about this Zhong An and how great of a force he was for the betterment of the world. Even if he happened to fail Zhong Da during the chaos that supposedly happened seventy years ago.
“Don’t know, huh?” the old man’s smile only grew wider. “Guess you’ll keep not knowing… unless a hearty donation finds its way to the Beggar’s Clan of the Angry Turtle.”
They all watched the man disappear before them just as quickly as he appeared the first time.
Yin Hu extended his senses to the same exact spot he had seen him the first time and found him there. Already finding another middle class level wealthy person strolling by to give him a second large silver coin. Though he never lost the giant, insufferable smile that looked to be his trademark look. Just like Yin Hu’s trademark was the stoic, emotionless ancient being persona.
He looked back at the wide-eyed and slack-jawed Zhong Da, being held closely by his wife.
Shit… Now we have to go into this mess.