Chapter 109
In the velvety blackness of the moonless night, a horse-drawn carriage made its unhurried descent along the rugged, winding path leading down from the higher elevations of Kunlun.
The rhythmic clop of the horse's iron-shod hooves against the uneven stone road punctuated the stillness, while the creak of the carriage's wooden wheels echoed faintly against the craggy cliffs flanking the trail.
"So, are you truly a disciple of Kunlun?" the coachman asked, his deep voice barely above a murmur as his dark, glittering eyes caught the reflected image of an arrow path symbol, akin to a guide - visible to him alone.
With a subtle tug on the reins, he channeled a gossamer stream of white energy pulsing from his body into the powerful haunches of the dray horse straining between the shafts.
Beside him on the driver's bench sat his passenger, a shrouded figure clad in flowing black hanfu robes, who had elected to ride outside rather than within the confines of the curtained carriage interior.
"The Steed Vigor?" the passenger murmured, his crimson eyes glowing faintly as he observed the coachman's energy transferring into the laboring horse in a shimmering mantle of vigor.
The coachman's eyes widened in surprise, the winding trail ahead reflecting twin dark pools in his dilated pupils as he shot a sidelong glance the man.
"So you're aware of it, truly an amazing skill, isn't it?" he chuckled lowly, quickly refocusing his attention on navigating the final treacherous switchbacks as they emerged onto the grassy plateaus below.
Arriving at last on a broad, well-trodden cobblestone path easily wide enough to accommodate two carriages abreast, the bright silver disk of the large moon shone unimpeded, its brilliant light rendering the coachman's aura of exertion fully visible as it gradually faded.
The night air carried the rich, loamy scents of fertile soil and new spring growth.
"How are things nowadays?" asked the keenly interested the passenger or no one other than Ji Wuye, who had been closely observing both the coachman's enigmatic occult skill as well as his peculiarly reflective eyes.
Like Ji Wuye himself, the coachman was evidently a survivor of the harrowing Tower challenge - one who had been compelled to kill people in the 5th floor challenge just to stay alive. Ji Wuye was unsurprised to discover he possessed such an esoteric magical skill.
"The jianghu is in turmoil. Many criminals have appeared..." the coachman's words trailed off as the carriage began rolling smoothly forward, a myriad of reflected memories flickering across the surface of his narrowed, focused eyes while the corners of his lips twitched almost imperceptibly.
"Not just farmers or commoners, but heroes and soldiers too. Violence and lawlessness are everywhere these days."
He made a soft clucking noise, urging the horse into a slightly brisker pace while Ji Wuye's crimson eyes detected a strange, blurred radiance wavering in the far distance as he carefully listened.
"Basically, it's a mess out there," the coachman continued in a solemn tone after a momentary pause. "With the empire's situation so unstable after the Emperor's order, and our sudden emergence from that hellish Tower, people like us are truly fortunate to find safe harbor under the protection of the righteous sects...
"At least they have a reputation for honor and justice that they have so far managed to uphold. They truly live up to their lofty titles," he said.
As Ji Wuye scrutinized the coachman's pondering countenance and contemplated his stark depiction, a maelstrom of thoughts began to churn within his own mind while his crimson gaze returned to the cobble stone road unspooling before them.
'So in the aftermath, the majority of the smaller, unaffiliated sects have been absorbed into, or rather turned into, unorthodox and evil factions, it seems?' Ji Wuye mused inwardly.
'To begin with, those minor sects already suffered from dwindling discipleship even before the Tower emerged. It is mere fortune that their sect still had enough remaining disciples to persist until now after the 5th floor challenge.'
Most of the survivors culled from those minor sects were likely either the Patriarch, Elders, or the rare talented disciple.
With the catastrophic appearance of the Tower, the commissions and tasks that once sustained those sects had abruptly evaporated - leaving their already meager coffers and resources depleted as the sects found themselves unable to maintain their facilities or support their members.
Not to mention the fates that had befallen their former patrons and customers - some had emerged from the Tower newly empowered, while countless others had perished, failing to clear the challenge.
But those who had gained power...
'The true crux lies in the nature of the 5th floor's challenge,' Ji Wuye pondered soberly, his expression flickering in the moonlight like a sculpted mask as the carriage trundled onwards.
That 5th floor challenge - unleashing the primal, unbridled ids and basest urges of every challenger through the corrupting influence of the War Drum.
Once those dark, hedonistic yearnings had been allowed to surface and experienced firsthand, it became arduous for even the most people to fully bring them to heel once more.
Their minds and spirits irrevocably tainted by the intoxicating freedom of their unrestrained psyches.
The coachman shifted his gaze back towards Ji Wuye, curiosity glinting in his dark eyes. "What about you, young hero? What is your purpose for leaving the Kunlun?"
Snapped out of his brooding reverie, Ji Wuye paused for a moment before answering with a single, succinct word. "Money."
"I see...money, huh?" the coachman replied, giving Ji Wuye's form a searching once-over - taking in his sleek black hanfu robes and the dark, diaphanous veil partially obscuring his features.
Noting the conspicuous absence of a jian at the young man's waist, the coachman's wary gaze seemed to ease somewhat. "You mean the kind that comes from more...unorthodox pursuits, am I right?"
Ji Wuye remained impassively silent, his crimson eyes glittering like twin rubies beneath his veil as the carriage continued trundling across the moonlit grasslands.
…
The journey passed in quiet contemplation until at last they crested a small rise - revealing a blazing constellation of lights amidst the shadowy fields ahead.
Another village, this one clearly larger and more prosperous than the modest Kunlun Qiuxiu they had departed, bustled with activity despite the late hour.
Bobbing lanterns hung from nearly every edifice, their flickering illumination spilling out onto the streets where crowds of people streamed in and out of the town-like village's bustling thoroughfares.
Reining the horse to a halt at the outskirts, Ji Wuye and the coachman both paused, taking in the lively scene.
"Thank you, Uncle," Ji Wuye said politely, cupping his hand with a slight bow of his head. "Please feel free to either wait here or return to Kunlun Qiuxiu tomorrow to collect your payment."
The coachman sighed, giving a acquiescing wave of his hand. "Be careful out there, young hero. The Jianghu we knew has changed - and not for the better by the sound of it."
Ignoring the older man's ominous warning, Ji Wuye strode forward into the brightly-lit streets of Tianji Village, quickly finding himself buffeted by the colorful crowds surging all around.
Everywhere, women and men in exaggerated, opulent attire brushed past - their lavish clothing seeming more fitting for the Imperial palace than a rural village.
The heady, cloying perfumes of jasmine and rose hung thick in the air as scantily-clad courtesans in scandalously revealing hanfu robes sashayed by, their curvaceous figures tantalizingly exposed by the audacious slits in their clinging silks that offered glimpses of toned legs and shadowed cleavages.
"Oh my, hello handsome~" a husky feminine voice purred from one of the painted beauties as Ji Wuye tried to make his way through the press of revelers. "Looking for some company on this fine evening?"
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