7

"Hey, why do you think the Ji family is treating us so well?" After a long time, Lin Kai couldn't help but ask. If it was on Earth, he wouldn't have thought about it too much, but this was a rather medieval world. Other than the presence of extraordinary beings, the overall technology of this world seems to be extremely primitive. He couldn't understand why, in such a backward world, the Ji family's policies for their servants were so progressive. Matter of fact, they seemed even more generous than in his previous world.

"Ehh..." Bo Qin scratched his nose in embarrassment. Just like Lin Kai, he had no clue. But since the younger boy was asking him, he couldn't ruin his image as the senior, could he?

"I don't know the details, but from what I've heard, the Ji family seems to be the only one that gives out this kind of treatment." He paused briefly before continuing. "At least, I haven't heard of the Long or Cao families offering anything like this."

"The Long family and the Cao family..." Lin Kai muttered to himself before asking, "Can you tell me more about them?"

Bo Qin blinked in surprise, his half-closed eyes opening fully as he turned toward Lin Kai. "You don't know about them?" he asked, puzzled.

In Qinglong City, it was hard to find anyone who didn't know of the Long and Cao families. There was even a saying that a newborn's first words would be "Long" and "Cao." Although clearly an exaggeration, it showed just how powerful and influential these families were. After a moment's thought, Bo Qin slapped his forehead in realization. "Ah, I forgot! You aren't from this city, are you?"

He still remembers the day they joined the Ji family. Out of the six recruits, Lin Kai had stood out. Unlike the rest of them, who looked like beggars, Lin Kai had a certain air of calmness and composure. He didn't pay any attention to him due to his nervousness and excitement about joining the Ji family, but now that he thought about it, this seemed to be the case.

Clearing his throat, Bo Qin straightened his back and assumed the posture of a storyteller. "I don't know everything, but I'll tell you what I've heard and throw in a few rumors that I think are true."

He began his tale slowly, savoring the attention.

"It was about seven hundred years ago, or so they say, that Qinglong City was established. Back then, this entire area was a dense forest, teeming with wild beasts. The only major cities nearby were Baiyun City and Wushen City. Because of the vast distance between those two, this place was created as a midpoint—a trading post."

Pausing for breath, Bo Qin glanced at Lin Kai to make sure he was following before continuing. "The Long family from Wushen City and the Cao family from Baiyun City worked together to build this town. Over time, it grew from a small trading outpost into the bustling city it is today."

"And the Ji family?" Lin Kai cut in, his curiosity piqued. He vividly remembered the day he accidentally joined the group applying to serve the Ji family. At that time, someone had mentioned that the Ji family had only recently arrived in Qinglong, less than a month ago. It hadn't seemed significant then, but after hearing about the centuries-old dominance of the Long and Cao families, Lin Kai realized there must be more to the story. How could such ancient powers allow a new family to carve out such a large piece of land for themselves?

"That..." Bo Qin let out an awkward chuckle, clearly uncomfortable with the question. Just like Lin Kai, he had no idea. Everything had happened so fast that no one seemed to know much about it.

"I don't know," he admitted with a sheepish smile. "Things happened so quickly, and before we knew it, the Ji family was here. No one really has the full story."

"I see." Lin Kai nodded, not surprised by the answer. He hadn't expected much from Bo Qin, who was, after all, just a former beggar.

"But I can tell you about the other two families!" Bo Qin added quickly, eager to redeem himself. With a smile, he launched into the next part of his story.

"Just like the Ji family, the Long and Cao families also recruit servants, but their methods are completely different. It's all about connections there. They don't just take anyone off the street. Only long-serving, trusted servants—those who've worked for over fifteen years—can introduce new recruits. And even then, the treatment is much harsher. They have to take care of their own meals, and there are no days off. If someone wants to take a leave, they have to make up for it by doing extra chores beforehand."

"Hmm..." Lin Kai nodded thoughtfully. That seemed more in line with what he expected from this world. The Ji family's treatment of servants was clearly an anomaly, and as for why they were so lenient, no one seemed to know.

The conversation continued for a long while after that. Bo Qin grew increasingly excited, enjoying the opportunity to talk about anything and everything. He loved being listened to, as it made him feel important, and Lin Kai, who appeared ignorant of the world, was the perfect audience. Whether Bo Qin's words were true or not, Lin Kai accepted them without question, seemingly valuing every piece of information shared with him.

---------

Lost in conversation, the two of them didn't realize how much time had passed. By the time Bo Qin finally stopped talking, the sun was already setting, casting long shadows over the ground.

"Would you look at that? It's almost night." Bo Qin's voice sounded more casual now as if he had run out of things to say. However, Lin Kai had no intention of keeping the conversation going any longer.

If it hadn't been for his curiosity about the world, Lin Kai would've walked away hours ago. Listening to Bo Qin ramble on all day about trivial things left Lin Kai both amused and frustrated. He had learned little, if anything, new about the city. For a moment, he even wondered if his understanding had somehow deteriorated rather than improved.

"I'm heading back," Lin Kai said abruptly, standing up with a sense of urgency. He wanted to escape as fast as possible.

But just as he turned to leave, Bo Qin's words stopped him in his tracks.

"Say... do you want to check out the night market with me?"

It was a seemingly simple question that made Lin Kai hesitate for a long time. He had the same thought in the morning but had to give it up because he didn't have any money. Now that Bo Qin was offering to go with him, Lin Kai reconsidered.

After a brief moment of thought, he nodded in response. "Sure, let's go."

Bo Qin's face lit up with excitement. Without another word, he rushed to his room, cleaned his face with water, and returned looking a bit more refreshed. "Alright, let's head out."

----------

"See where the Ji family is located?" Bo Qin pointed behind them once they stepped outside the stone walls of the Ji family compound.

"The Long and Cao families are situated in the heart of the town, but the Ji family occupies the outskirts. This land used to belong to the Long family until about a month ago." As they walked along the stone road towards the town, Bo Qin continued sharing what little he knew.

"Interesting," Lin Kai murmured. His thoughts, however, weren't focused on the family dynamics. Instead, his mind kept drifting to the market and how he might acquire something valuable.

Since he had no money, the first thought that came to his mind was to steal the items that he could absorb. But after thinking for a moment he shook his head. Just because he now has the strength of Eighth Grade Martial Artist doesn't mean he was invincible. Who knows just how many powerful people might be roaming there? What if the person selling the item turned out to be someone just like him, someone hiding his strength? In that case, Lin Kai wouldn't have tears to cry even if he wanted to.

The next thought that came to his mind was earning money. It hadn't crossed his mind earlier because his strength had been lacking, but now that he was stronger…

"Do you know any way to make money?" Lin Kai asked with some hesitation. He was still wondering what excuse to give Bo Qin if he asked 'why'.

But, to his surprise, Bo Qin simply stared at him for a moment before bursting out laughing. "If I knew how to make money, would I have been living as a beggar?"

His blunt response instantly shattered any hopes Lin Kai had. If even someone like Bo Qin, who had grown up on the streets, didn't know, it was going to be a long, difficult journey ahead for him.

The rest of the walk was quiet, with neither of them speaking again. Soon, they arrived at the market.

The scene before them was bustling, much like a market on Earth. A small, exquisite fountain made of white marble stood at the entrance, surrounded by a ring of wildflowers. Below the flowers stretched a stone road leading to various intersections, with wooden lamps lining the sides and casting a soft, hazy glow over the town.

Lin Kai stood silently, gazing at the dreamlike sight. No matter how many times he saw it, he couldn't help but feel spellbound.

"Let's go." Bo Qin's voice pulled him from his thoughts as he patted Lin Kai's shoulder, motioning for him to follow.

They began to stroll through the market, but unlike what Lin Kai had imagined, there were no street vendors or small stalls. The only shops in the market were exquisite wooden buildings. This dashed Lin Kai's hope of picking up treasures from small stalls like he had read in novels on Earth. 

"What's that?" It was when the two of them came across a small wooden shop with numerous herbs and some small animal cubs that Lin Kai couldn't help but stop. He never got the chance to explore this world because of joining the Martial Arts Hall. So when he saw that there were small animal cubs, especially one of which was a four-eared fox; Lin Kai couldn't help but stop in his footsteps.

"The Sky-Stepping Fox," Bo Qin said casually, glancing at the animal.

"...." The old man in the shop was excited at first when he saw two potential customers. But upon seeing their robes that symbolize their status as Ji family servants, he closed his eyes, no longer paying attention to these poor bastards.

"Hmm..." Looking at those bright beautiful eyes, Lin Kai wanted to pet it but held back this intrusive thought of his. Instead, he turned around and looked at the numerous herbs placed on the shelves. Some of them were glowing, giving off hazy blue light. 

As his hand reached out to touch one of the herbs, his face suddenly stiffened, his eyes narrowed, and his heart began to race.

In front of him appeared a familiar window, with a new message:

[Absorb Moonlight Grass?]

[Yes/No]