Chapter 140 - The Lay of the Land

Zhang Bai wilted under Ao Wen's intense gaze. Part of him felt that her accusation was unfair, he really did prefer staying here to the Golden Lamp where his family usually stayed on the occasions that they weren't hosted at the Lord Mayor's manor. At the same time, he couldn't deny that the friendly atmosphere and the even friendlier hostesses were part of why he liked coming here so much.

"Wen, you don't have to make things hard on Brother Zhang on my account," Feng Xi said lightly, leaning closer to Ao Wen as though staking her claim. "Brother Zhang, why don't you introduce us?"

"Right, where are my manners," Zhang Bai said, guiding the group over to the table with the burly man and the game of dice. "Everyone, I have a few friends from Turning Leaf that I'd like to introduce you too, it's their first time in Lantern City so I hope you'll help me show them a good time during our stay," he said with a charming smile, once again showing the confident demeanor of a young lord. "First, this is Soldier Tang Jin of Turning Leaf's Tang family," Zhang Bai said, smiling slightly at the expressions he saw around the table when he introduced Tang Jin as a Soldier. "Next is Understudy Feng Xi of Turning Leaf's Feng family," he continued before finally turning to Ao Wen. "Finally, this is Alchemy Novice Ao Wen though I would caution you all that Novice Ao's alchemy standards are on par or greater than most Independent Alchemists and potentially some Master Alchemists," he said, wanting to ensure there were no misunderstandings about Ao Wen's capabilities. 

"All of them are second-stage cultivators?" the young woman hugging Zhang Bai's arm said in wonder. "Does that mean that you've also broken through?" 

"Ah, ha ha, yes, I've also managed to become an early-stage Soldier, though compared to my friends my talent feels sorely lacking," Zhang Bai confessed in embarrassment. 

"Damn it, Bai, how am I supposed to win my money back from you if you've become a bloody Soldier?" the burly man groused. "Maybe I have a chance with this little friend Ao?" 

"I don't gamble," Ao Wen said simply, declining the invitation. She had over a hundred small spirit crystals after doing work for the City Lord and a few other cultivators before leaving Turning Leaf, but until she became an Independent Alchemist, it was unlikely she'd be able to make any money selling elixirs or working as an Alchemist in Lantern City. Alchemist Wai Dan had made it abundantly clear how much the Alchemy Consortium enforced its rules against independent practice by Alchemy Initiates and Novices like herself. Since that was the case, she'd only be able to make money working as a loose cultivator while at the same time needing to spend lavishly on her Alchemy to advance her practice and prepare for the Independent Alchemist exam. There was no way she could afford to gamble away what little money she had on games of dice. 

"Well if we can't dice we can at least drink," the burly man said, gesturing at his companions to make room at the table for Zhang Bai and the rest of the group. "Since Zhang Bai here is so bad at introductions, let me introduce myself and my men. You all can call me Brother Gau," he said, pointing a thick thumb at his chest. "Those are brothers Ji, Shu, Qipian, Qizha, and Yanwu," he added, pointing at each of the rough looking men around the table without bothering to introduce any of the women present. "As long as you're friends of Zhang Bai, you're welcome to drink with us."

"Actually," Tang Jin inserted, no longer able to suppress the rumbling of his stomach. "Before we drink, we were hoping to have a meal."

"Ha, I like this one!" Brother Gau said loudly. "Everyone, sit, sit. Jiu," he continued, calling out to the proprietor, a squat and balding mortal well into his forties. "Our new friends have had a long trip, bring out your best for them!" 

"Of course Brother Gau," the old man said with a deep bow. "Guests make yourselves at home, just let Old Er take care of everything." 

Once everyone had joined the table, Zhang Bai took a long drink of the pungent local beer and tried to put a bit of space between himself and the young woman who clung to his arm. A few moons ago he wouldn't have minded the intention and would likely have brought the young woman back to his room at the end of the night for a bit of additional fun. Now though, in front of Ao Wen, Fang Xi and even Tang Jin, it felt more than a little awkward to be receiving such brazen attention and affection in public. "So, Brother Gau," Zhang Bai said, hoping to move attention away from his present circumstances. "What news is there since the last time I visited?"

"Oh, so you didn't come because of the news?" the burly man asked. "The Lord Mayor has gone hunting with the Vulture King," he explained. "Someone is out there with a blade, notching the ears and tail feathers of beasts to imitate the mark of the Vulture King and making it look like the Vulture King is expanding his kingdom with all sorts of strange new beasts, some of which are terrifyingly powerful. The Darkwood is more dangerous now than it's been since the Lord Mayor formed a pact with the Vulture King to protect the city."

"Is someone trying to attack Lantern City with beasts?" Feng Xi asked. Spirit Beasts reproduced and matured much faster than Spirit Folk did. Whenever the local population of Spirit Beasts grew too large, an internal struggle between dominant beasts became inevitable. If the local towns were lucky, that struggle would result in the deaths of many spirit beasts and the current equilibrium between Spirit Folk and Spirit Beasts would be maintained. The thing that everyone worried about was that the conflict among Spirit Beasts would be non-lethal and that the losers would be driven from the territory of the winners. In such cases, the losing group of beasts could form an overwhelming Beast Tide as they sought to claim new territory to settle in. Such tides easily overwhelmed mortals and posed a serious threat to first and second stage cultivators. If someone was trying to provoke a Beast Tide in Lantern City then the entire town and all of the surrounding villages were in danger! 

"Maybe," Brother Gau said with a shrug. "The Loose Cultivator's Association has been posting bounties for slaying beasts with a false notch and they pay pretty well. Only problem is that the beasts that have been found with false notches are nasty to tangle with. None of them are weaker than late-stage Brawlers and they fight like demons," he added with a shudder. "Old Ping's crew lost four before he gave up on earning quick crystals with the bounties and a lot of other people are feeling the same way about it. For a pair of Soldiers though, you and your friends probably have a decent chance of cashing in."

"I'm sure someone's been injured by one of these beasts," Ao Wen said, inserting herself in the conversation. "Have any of them developed strange illnesses? Are more people than usual getting sick in Lantern City?"

"Why would injured people get a strange illness?" Brother Gau asked. "From what people say, the beasts are more ruthless and aggressive than normal spirit beasts but that's all. It's not like the people they injure are turning into red-eyed berserkers or anything. Who's ever heard of a beast that can spread diseases like that?"

"Be glad that you haven't," Ao Wen said, her amber eyes darkening with memories. "As wicked as these beasts with false notches sound like they are, it doesn't sound like they're a world ending catastrophe. It could even be an opportunity," she added with a smile. "What do you think, should we spend some of our time in Lantern City hunting these fierce beasts?"