Translator: AnubisTL
On this journey to Qingzhou, Li Qing was not rushing day and night but rather traveling as if on a leisurely tour.
Passing through several cities along the way, it took more than ten days to finally approach the border of Qingzhou.
"Master Li, Jingyang City is just ahead," the coachman's voice came from outside the carriage, reminding Li Qing that they were nearing the territory of Qingzhou.
Jingyang City, the southernmost city in Qingzhou, was not particularly prosperous, but in the barren land of Qingzhou, such a city was considered quite affluent.
Hearing this, Li Qing lifted the carriage curtain and looked ahead at the city looming in the distance.
The carriage rolled along the official road, kicking up a trail of dust. Behind it, a young tiger cub was running wildly, following the carriage.
As they were about to enter the city, to avoid the disturbances caused in previous cities, Li Qing decided to call Fan Tong back into the carriage.
He placed his fingers to his lips and blew a clear, long whistle.
"Roar!" Upon hearing the whistle, the tiger cub quickly reacted and sprinted toward the carriage.
As it ran, dust and sand swirled around.
Though still young, it already carried the imposing aura of a fierce tiger, startling the horses and making them restless.
The coachman struggled to control the agitated and frightened horses, and it wasn't until the tiger cub leaped into the carriage that things calmed down.
After days of traveling, the tiger cub's once silky fur had dulled and was now covered in dust.
Li Qing's eyes showed a hint of helplessness and disdain as he patted the dust off the tiger cub. With each pat, a cloud of dust fell.
"Roar!" the tiger cub let out a soft growl.
"Behave yourself once we enter the city this time. Don't cause any trouble like you did in those other cities!"
At this, Li Qing couldn't help but recall the incident a few days ago when they passed through a wealthy city. The tiger cub, catching the scent of donkey meat being sold by the roadside, couldn't resist and charged out.
Li Qing, who had been practicing his martial arts at the time, didn't react quickly enough, and the tiger cub burst out of the carriage.
The sight of a tiger on the loose terrified the entire street, and the vendor selling the meat was so frightened that his legs gave out, and he couldn't move.
Li Qing had to pay dozens of taels of silver to settle the matter. Fortunately, it didn't escalate further. If it had been labeled as a case of letting a tiger harm people, it would have been a serious problem.
"Roar!" The tiger cub rolled over, exposing its belly in a gesture of submission.
Qingzhou, Jingyang City.
Although it was considered quite prosperous within Qingzhou, it still fell short compared to other cities in Maple Country.
The sparse activity at the city gates indicated that this city saw few merchant caravans.
Li Qing simply handed a few coins to the guards at the city gate, and without even a routine inspection, they smoothly entered the city.
The streets were nearly empty, with only a few shops open for business.
However, these shops were guarded by burly enforcers, sitting like gatekeepers at the entrances.
Before the carriage had gone far, the sound of a fight broke out on the street.
"Damn it, you blind fool! How dare you steal from me? Today, I'm going to break every one of your fingers!"
Hearing the commotion, Li Qing lifted the curtain of the carriage and saw two men brawling in the street. One of them was holding a brick and had already smashed the other's head, causing blood to flow.
This scene left Li Qing somewhat speechless. They had just entered the city, and the guards at the city gate were still within sight. Yet, such a thing could happen.
Bold and fierce, the local customs were indeed rough! This was Li Qing's first impression of Qingzhou.
Fortunately, even in Qingzhou, where martial arts were highly valued, there was no situation where Inner Strength practitioners were everywhere and Outer Strength practitioners were as common as dogs. At least with his current level of Outer Strength in the Martial Path, he could easily protect himself in this area.
"Keep going. Let's find an inn in the city to settle down for the night, and we'll leave tomorrow," Li Qing said calmly from inside the carriage.
After all, the carriage from Shengtian exuded an air of wealth, and as soon as they entered the city, many eyes were secretly sizing up the carriage Li Qing was riding in.
Even the coachman felt quite nervous and somewhat uneasy.
As they traveled further into the city center, they finally saw some signs of life. Shops were open for business, and vendors and laborers were bustling about, making deals.
The carriage stopped beside a grand building on the street.
Dragon Gate Inn!
Lifting the curtain and stepping out of the carriage, Li Qing was momentarily stunned when he saw the name of the inn, then smiled and said, "Let's go and see what makes this Dragon Gate Inn so extraordinary."
As soon as he finished speaking, the tiger cub also rushed out of the carriage.
Its striped fur and the "king" pattern on its forehead clearly indicated that it was indeed a tiger!
The moment Fan Tong appeared, many of the eyes that had been sizing up Li Qing's carriage quickly looked away.
At the same time, there were a few gasps of surprise, and all thoughts of mischief were immediately dismissed.
Although the newcomer was clearly wealthy and noble, it was also obvious that he was not to be trifled with.
Anyone who could keep a young tiger by their side was undoubtedly a formidable figure, a true dragon crossing the river.
Carrying the tiger cub, Li Qing entered the Dragon Gate Inn and could clearly feel the scrutinizing gazes sweeping over him and Fan Tong.
"Roar!" Fan Tong let out a loud roar, as if it too had sensed the eyes on it.
"Guest, are you here for a meal or to stay the night?" The shop assistant approached with a smile, showing little fear. Clearly, he was a well-experienced individual.
"Two of your best rooms!"
With that, Li Qing tossed two silver coins to the shop assistant.
Upon receiving the money, the shop assistant's smile widened even more, and he led Li Qing upstairs.
"Guest, you're not from Qingzhou, are you?"
Li Qing raised an eyebrow. "What makes you say that?"
The shop assistant answered honestly, "Hehe, these past few days, the Black Demon Gang and the Lei Family in Jingyang City have been in a fierce conflict. The news has spread throughout Qingzhou, and no one wants to enter the city at this critical moment."
"But don't worry, as long as you stay at our Dragon Gate Inn, you'll be absolutely safe. Both the Lei Family and the Black Demon Gang have to give our inn some face."
An inn with such influence?
Li Qing nodded and said, "That sounds interesting. Tell me, why are they in conflict?"
"I heard that it seems the Black Demon Gang intercepted a very important treasure that the Lei Family was transporting. I'm not entirely sure what it was, but then a fight broke out."
Upon hearing this, Li Qing could only remark that Qingzhou truly lived up to its reputation. Just upon entering the city, he was already witnessing such a spectacle.
"Alright, sir, these are the two rooms. If you need anything, just let me know."
"Oh, and by the way, it's best not to go out at night unless it's absolutely necessary. You wouldn't want to get caught up in any trouble!"
With those final words, the shop assistant swiftly headed downstairs.
(End of the Chapter)
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