Mu Chen strolled through the streets of the Royal City with a sense of leisurely detachment that stood in stark contrast to the frantic energy of the metropolis around him.
Undeniably, this was the heart of the Canglan Kingdom. It was a place of staggering prosperity, where the air hummed with the collective ambition of millions. The long, wide thoroughfares were a marvel of engineering, some stretching fifty or even sixty meters across to accommodate the endless stream of ornate carriages and spirit-beast mounts that trotted along the cobblestones.
If the quiet streets of Feather City were to be compared to this, the Mu family's home could only be described as a rural backwater, a tiny pond in the shadow of a vast ocean.
From time to time, figures in strange, exotic clothing passed by Mu Chen. The Canglan Kingdom's royal family ruled over thirty distinct counties, each housing numerous cities with their own unique customs and cultures.
The diversity was apparent in every corner, from the spicy scents of distant southern provinces to the heavy furs of the northern mountain tribes.
As they strolled about the city, a particularly striking figure pushed through the crowd. He was a muscular man, standing over two meters tall, his entire body covered in a layer of coarse, tawny hair. On his face, thick, tiger-like whiskers twitched with every breath he took.
"Oh, a beast man," Mu Chen remarked softly, his eyes tracing the man's powerful frame. This was his first time seeing a race that bridged the gap between human and beast so physically.
"Yes, and you'd better get used to it," Xiao Diao called out from his perch. The little mink was currently lying across Mu Chen's shoulder, sprawled out comfortably as if he were using the boy as a piece of high-end furniture.
"There are a myriad of such races out there, Mu Chen. Royal families even use these lowly hybrid races as slaves."
As the streets grew increasingly crowded, Mu Chen simply allowed himself to be swept along with the flow of the pedestrian traffic. The little mink on his shoulder was a constant companion, chattering non-stop about the different spiritual energies he sensed and the varying quality of the wine shops they passed.
After some time spent asking for directions from a few bewildered locals, they finally reached their destination: the Fragrance Restaurant. This was the specific establishment Ning Wang had suggested, known for its culinary excellence and its history of serving the kingdom's elite.
They stepped through the grand entrance and found the main hall packed with patrons, the air thick with the smell of roasted meats and expensive spices. Mu Chen scanned the room and saw no immediate seating.
"Let's go to the second floor," Mu Chen suggested, turning toward the stairs.
However, as his foot touched the first step, a restaurant waiter rushed forward with a look of practiced apology. He blocked the path politely but firmly, his eyes scanning Mu Chen's simple traveller's clothes.
"Little brother, my deepest apologies," the waiter said, bowing slightly. "But our second floor is strictly reserved for the nobility and those of official rank. The main hall is available for common guests."
Xiao Diao let out a sharp, mocking laugh that caused several nearby diners to look up. "Oh? Reserved for nobles? Tell me, does your second floor serve dragon meat and phoenix marrow, or do the chairs have golden spikes to tickle their pampered rears?"
"This…" Waiter didn't know how to reply to this, he found his vocabulary was insufficient.
Mu Chen simply shook his head at the mink's antics. "Never mind," he muttered. He reached into his robes and produced the dark gold token Ning Wang had given him, tossing it casually toward the servant.
The waiter caught the token out of instinct. As his eyes fell upon the emblem etched into the metal—the unmistakable sign of the Great Marshal—his expression underwent a drastic, almost comical change.
He sucked in a sharp, cold breath of air, his knees nearly buckling.
"My... my sincerest apologies!" the waiter stammered, his voice trembling with newfound terror. "I failed to recognize the Young Master's status! Please, forgive my blindness!"
Marshal status was just below King Lu, so obviously he was feeling fear and was praying that he didn't made anger to this esteemed guest. But seeing that Mu Chen didn't mind getting stopped which other nobles or young master would have, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
He immediately stepped aside, gesturing frantically toward the upper level. "This way, please! The best table is yours!"
The waiter respectfully led Mu Chen to the second floor, his previous hesitation replaced by a desperate need to please. He guided them to a prime seat close to a large window that overlooked the bustling main street. Once Mu Chen was settled, the waiter stood by the table with a smile plastered onto his face, his hands clasped together.
"Master, what dishes would you like to order today?" he asked politely.
"Bring your most top-quality dishes, the ones your restaurant is most famous for," Xiao Diao interrupted, his tiny paws crossed over his chest. "And the biggest jugs of the best wine available! Don't skimp on the vintage!"
The waiter noted the order with a frantic nod and hurried away, leaving the pair to enjoy the view.
...
While Mu Chen and Xiao Diao were beginning to enjoy their luxury meal, a very different scene was unfolding within the grand hall of the Duke's Mansion.
Duke Zhao Chen, the father of the unfortunate Zhou Pan, was a man currently boiling with a rage so intense it felt like a volcanic eruption was imminent. His eyes seemed to spit literal fire as he stared at the state of his son.
Zhou Pan was a pathetic sight; his left hand and right leg were simply missing, detached as if they had never existed. There were no bandages, because there was no blood to stop. More terrifyingly, the boy was mute, his mouth moving in silent, frantic circles.
An alchemist, known as Elder Wu, was currently examining the boy. His expression was one of profound seriousness, his brow furrowed as if he were engaged in a violent struggle with his own internal logic.
"Elder Wu!" Zhao Chen barked, his voice echoing off the marble walls. "How is his condition? Can he be cured? Tell me he can be made whole!"
Elder Wu slowly stood up and shook his head, looking utterly defeated. "There are no signs of internal energy damage, Duke. There is no curse, no lingering poison, and no residue of spiritual energy inside him that is destroying him from within. That is the problem."
Zhao Chen clutched his fists so hard that his knuckles turned a ghostly white. "What do you mean, that is the problem?"
"It is as if... as if he was always born this way," Elder Wu continued, his voice trembling slightly. "To restore him, ordinary medicine is useless. Perhaps only a legendary Heavenly Rank herb or a pill of the highest grade could rewrite his state back to what it was."
In this world, pills and herbs were strictly graded from one to six. Beyond that lay the Heavenly Rank—treasures so rare that let alone the Canglan Kingdom, even the Great Xia Dynasty would struggle to produce a single one. Even the super sects, those ancient organizations that ruled over hundreds of dynasties, would consider such an item a core treasure of their sect.
Zhao Chen's expression turned grave. How could he, a mere Duke of a vassal kingdom, compare his resources to a super sect? The realization of his son's permanent disability hit him like a physical blow. He looked toward the guards who had brought Zhou Pan back, his gaze narrowing.
Without warning, Zhao Chen surged his spiritual power. He extended a hand, and a suction force pulled the lead guard toward him. He gripped the man's throat and spoke with a cold, terrifying finality. "Don't resist. I will search your soul. If you fight me, you will die instantly."
Soul searching was considered a dark taboo in the cultivation world, an act of extreme mental violence that often left the victim a mindless husk. But in the world of the strong, who cared about taboos? Zhao Chen had heard the reports of what happened at the city gate, but the descriptions were so absurd that he refused to believe them. He had to see the truth for himself.
The guard, paralyzed by fear, didn't even attempt to resist. Zhao Chen's consciousness dived into the man's memories. As the Duke watched the scene play out—the tiny mink letting out a roar that shattered a Flame Tiger, and then the boy making a casual downward gesture—his face began to drip with cold sweat. By the time he reached the part where ten armoured guards were compressed into ten golden coins, a heavy drop of sweat fell from his temple to the floor.
He had never seen such power. It wasn't just strength; it was the ability to literally rewrite the definition of reality. How do you fight against that? How do you resist such force?
Zhao Chen's boiling anger cooled instantly, replaced by a bucket of ice-water realization. He let go of the guard and looked at his crippled son. He reached out, his hand hovering over Zhou Pan's head, and murmured a soft, broken sentence.
"I am sorry, Zhou Pan. Your father cannot avenge you this time. It was simply your bad luck that you crossed paths with such a monster."
Zhao Chen was depressed, a shadow of his former arrogant self, but he was a survivor. He knew that to attack Mu Chen would be to invite the total annihilation of the Duke's Mansion. This was a bitter truth he had to swallow.
...
Back at the Fragrance Restaurant, the mood was significantly lighter. Mu Chen had finished a mountain of high-quality delicacies, and Xiao Diao was on his second jug of premium wine, looking quite satisfied with life.
At that moment, the sounds of the restaurant below quieted as a figure strode in. Ning Wang, the Great Marshal, had arrived. The patrons in the main hall began to whisper frantically.
"The Marshal is here?"
"Wasn't he missing for months? There were rumours he was dead or poisoned, but he looks perfectly healthy to me!"
Ning Wang ignored the murmurs and walked directly to the second floor. He spotted Mu Chen and Xiao Diao by the window and approached with a respectful bow. "Young Master, I apologize for the delay. And I especially apologize for the inconvenience you faced at the city gates. I have already heard of the... incident."
He reached into his robes and took out a new token. This one was embedded with a brilliant golden hue, featuring the intricate design of two dragons entwined around a central sun.
This was the Double Dragon Token, a mark of authority that only a Prince or Princess of the royal bloodline was permitted to carry.
"It doesn't matter," Mu Chen said, looking at the ornate object. "But what is this?"
"It is a gift from King Lu himself," Ning Wang explained, presenting it with both hands. "The King was deeply distressed to hear that we failed to provide proper hospitality to our saviour at the gate. He asked me to give you this. With this token, you are granted total freedom of movement throughout the Canglan Kingdom. Furthermore... all food, stay, and wine you require will be provided free of charge, billed directly to the royal treasury."
The news of what had happened at the gate had spread like wildfire. Every Duke, Marquis, and Commander in the city was currently living in a state of high alert.
When King Lu was informed in the middle of his court session, he had fallen silent for a long time. Killing a noble's guards at the gate was a death penalty offense, but the King wasn't a fool. Did they have the power to punish someone who turned people into coins?
The King had looked at Ning Wang and asked, "Is he the same person who saved you from the assassins?"
When Ning Wang had confirmed it, the King's decision was immediate: hospitality was the only option.
Even Prime Minister Wu Feng, who had secretly wanted to eliminate the person who had disrupted his plan of an assassination, had turned pale. He realized he was lucky he hadn't made a move against Mu Chen, or he would have been the next to be erased.
Mu Chen looked at the token and took it, a genuine smile appearing on his face. "Oh? Free food and stay? That's incredibly nice. I never knew the outside world was so polite and generous."
Xiao Diao, who was in the middle of gulping down a large mouthful of wine, suddenly choked. He coughed violently, a black line appearing on his forehead as he stared at Mu Chen. "Mu Chen... they aren't being polite. They are absolutely, physically terrified of you!"
Ning Wang also felt his mouth twitch. He chose his words carefully. "King Lu is... concerned. If the Young Master felt any further inconvenience, he knows that the survival of the Canglan Kingdom might become an open question."
Mu Chen didn't seem to mind their words, his eyes fixed on the free token. "Polite or terrified," he mused, "it's all the same in the end. It still means free best snacks."