Chapter 2, Qingniu Town

As soon as this sentence was uttered, it provoked a burst of laughter from the people nearby

Han the Fat greeted a few familiar customers and then took Han Li to the back of the tavern, arriving at a secluded small courtyard

A horse-drawn carriage, clearly having traveled a considerable distance, entered Qingniu Town from the west. It swiftly passed in front of the Qingniu Inn without stopping and continued to race to the other end of the town, finally coming to a halt in front of the Spring Fragrance Restaurant.

"Yes, yes, this is my own nephew. I hope that Wang Hufa will take good care of him on the road." Seeing the man's expression grow somewhat impatient, Han Panzai quickly took out a heavy bag from his body and discreetly handed it over.

These two individuals are precisely Han Li and his third uncle, known to others as "Fat Han," who have just entered the town after traveling for three consecutive days.

The "Seven Mysteries Sect," also known as the "Seven Absolute Sect," was founded two hundred years ago by the renowned "Seven Absolute Master." It once dominated Jingzhou for several decades and even infiltrated several neighboring states, gaining considerable fame throughout the entire Yue Kingdom. However, after the death of the "Seven Absolute Master," the influence of the "Seven Mysteries Sect" plummeted, and it was jointly expelled from Jingzhou City, the capital of Jingzhou, by other sects. A hundred years ago, the sect was forced to relocate to the most remote area of Jingzhou—Cai Xia Mountain—where it has since taken root and settled, becoming a third-rate local power. However, after the death of the "Seven Absolute Master," the influence of the "Seven Mysteries Sect" plummeted, and it was jointly expelled from Jingzhou City, the capital of Jingzhou, by other sects. A hundred years ago, the sect was forced to relocate to the most remote area of Jingzhou—Cai Xia Mountain—where it has since taken root and settled, becoming a third-rate local power.

"Old Han, this black kid looks a lot like you. Could it be that he is your son born out of wedlock?" someone suddenly joked.

Upon seeing this person, Han Li's third uncle immediately approached respectfully and performed a bow, saying: "Guardian Wang, why have you personally brought someone here?"

Wang Hufa weighed the bag in his hand, and his expression relaxed somewhat

Hmm, I have been thinking a bit. Han Li appeared very obedient

Han Li saw his third uncle walk out of the house and, feeling very tired, collapsed onto the bed and fell into a deep sleep, showing no signs of the typical shyness that a child might exhibit.

Hmm

A round-faced, chubby man with a small mustache and a dark-skinned child of about ten years old got out of the car. The man, accompanied by the child, swaggered directly into the restaurant. Some regulars of the restaurant recognized the chubby man from the illustrations in the book and knew him to be the owner, "Fat Han." However, no one recognized the child.

Qingniu Town is indeed small, with only one main street running east to west, known as Qingniu Street. There is also only one inn, the Qingniu Inn, located at the western end of the elongated town. Therefore, if passing merchants do not wish to camp outdoors, they have no choice but to stay here

"Pah! This is my own nephew brought by my family, so of course he resembles me a bit." The chubby man was not only unperturbed but also somewhat pleased.

The roads have been quite unsafe during this period, and we need to strengthen our defenses. The elder has ordered me to personally lead the recruitment. Without further ado, is this child the one you wish to recommend?

Although the number of towns controlled by the Wild Wolf Gang is relatively large, their management is lacking, and their level of prosperity is far inferior to that of the towns under the Seven Mysteries Sect. The Wild Wolf Gang is quite envious of several relatively affluent territories belonging to the Seven Mysteries Sect, and has recently frequently instigated conflicts between the two, which has caused considerable distress for the current leader of the Seven Mysteries Sect. This has also become a primary reason for the repeated recruitment of disciples within the sect in recent years

The Chunxiang Restaurant is not large, and its decor is somewhat old-fashioned, yet it possesses a certain antique charm. As it is currently lunchtime, there are still many diners in the restaurant, making it nearly full to capacity.

The carriage is entirely coated in a glossy black paint, and the horse pulling it is a rare and exceptional yellow steed. Most strikingly, a small triangular black flag with a rusted character "玄" is inserted into the carriage's frame, featuring silver lettering on a red border, exuding an indescribable aura of mystery.

The only local force that can rival the Qixuan Sect is the "Wild Wolf Gang"

On the third day, after Han Li finished his dinner and was waiting for his third uncle to tell him stories of the martial world, another horse-drawn carriage stopped in front of the tavern.

Uncle San appeared quite pleased with Han Li's response, and soon began to engage him in some casual conversation, boasting about interesting people and events he had experienced. Gradually, Han Li lost his sense of restraint and started to share laughter and conversation with him.

This is a small town; in fact, it is merely a larger village, named Qingniu Town. Only those local villagers living in the nearby valleys, who lack exposure, incessantly refer to it as "Qingniu City". This is the heartfelt sentiment of Zhang Er, who has been a doorman for over ten years.

Han, you really know how to handle things! Your nephew will take care of himself on the way, it's getting late, so let's set off quickly

There is a saying that goes, "A dead camel is still bigger than a horse." The Seven Mysteries Sect was once a major sect, and its potential remains significant. Upon arriving at Caixia Mountain, it immediately took control of more than a dozen small towns, including Qingniu Town, and boasts three to four thousand disciples, making it one of the two true powerhouses in the region

When he reached the door, he seemed somewhat uneasy again and reminded, "Don't wander around, there are too many people in the town, don't get lost, and it's best not to leave the yard"

Upon seeing this small flag, any seasoned individual wandering within a radius of several hundred miles would know that an important figure from one of the two major powers in this area, the "Seven Mysteries Sect," has arrived.

The predecessor of the Wild Wolf Gang was a group of marauding bandits within the Jingzhou region, known for their acts of arson, murder, and plunder. After several crackdowns by the authorities, some of them accepted the government's amnesty, while the remaining bandits formed the Wild Wolf Gang and the Bookstore. However, the ferocity, bloodthirstiness, and daring spirit of these bandits were passed down, which is why the Seven Mysteries Sect often found itself at a disadvantage in conflicts with the Wild Wolf Gang

Seeing Han Li honestly agree, he finally felt at ease to walk out.

In the evening, a young servant brought in some food. Although it was not a lavish feast, it was still quite palatable. After finishing the meal, another young servant came in to take away the leftover bowls. At that moment, Uncle San leisurely walked in.

Hmph! Wang Hufa let out a cold snort, his face displaying an expression of arrogance

Thus, two consecutive days passed

Having finished speaking, he hurriedly turned and walked out.

"Xiao Li, you should rest well in this room and regain your strength. Once the steward of the inner door arrives, I will call you over. I need to step out for a moment to attend to a few familiar guests," said Han the Fatty, pointing to the side room in the courtyard and speaking to him kindly.

How is it? Is the food to your liking? Are you feeling a bit homesick?

A lean man in his forties jumped down from the carriage. This man moved swiftly, clearly possessing considerable skill, and seemed quite familiar with the area as he strode directly towards the house where Han Li was located