Chapter Two: Green Bull Town

Chapter Two: Green Bull Town

This was a small city, but actually, it was just a slightly larger town called Green Bull Town. Only those who lived in nearby mountain gorges and lacked exposure called it "Green Bull City."

Indeed, Green Bull Town wasn't large, with its main street, Green Bull Street, running east to west. There was only one inn, the Green Bull Inn, situated at the western end of the elongated town. Thus, travelers unwilling to spend the night outdoors had no choice but to stay there.

Now, a carriage that had obviously traveled a long distance entered Green Bull Town from the west, swiftly passing the front of the Green Bull Inn without stopping, and continued speeding to the other end of the town, stopping in front of the entrance to Spring Fragrance Tavern.

Spring Fragrance Tavern wasn't particularly large and looked somewhat outdated, but it possessed an ancient charm. Since it was lunchtime, the tavern was bustling with diners, nearly full to capacity.

A round-faced man with a small mustache and a dark-skinned boy, about ten years old, got off the carriage and strode confidently into the tavern. Some of the regular patrons recognized the chubby man as the tavern's manager, "Fat Han," but no one knew who the boy was.

"Old Han, that dark-skinned kid looks a lot like you. Don't tell me he's a son you had behind your wife's

 back," someone suddenly joked.

This remark triggered a burst of laughter from the nearby crowd.

"Spit! This is my cousin's son, of course he resembles me a bit," Fat Han wasn't angry but rather seemed quite proud.

These two were none other than Eli Mason and his Uncle Thomas, who had just entered town after three days on the road.

Fat Han greeted a few familiar faces, then led Eli to the back of the tavern, into a secluded small courtyard.

"Little Eli, rest well in this room to regain your strength. When the internal affairs manager arrives, I'll call you. I need to step out for a while to greet some familiar guests," Fat Han pointed to a room in the courtyard and kindly instructed him.

After speaking, he turned and hurriedly walked out.

At the door, he seemed a bit worried and gave one more instruction.

"Don't wander around. There are too many people in the town, and you might get lost. It's best not to leave the courtyard."

"Okay!"

Seeing Eli obediently agreeing, Fat Han finally left with peace of mind.

Once Fat Han had left, Eli, feeling very tired, collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep without a hint of the usual fear a child might feel in a strange place.

In the evening, a servant brought dinner. Although it wasn't lavish with meat and fish, it was still quite tasty. After finishing his meal, another servant came in, took away the leftover dishes, and then Fat Han nonchalantly entered the room.

"How's the food? Do you miss home a bit?"

"Yeah, a little," Eli appeared very well-behaved.

Fat Han seemed satisfied with Eli's response and began to chat with him about some household matters, boasting about some of his past interesting experiences. Gradually, Eli felt less restrained and began to laugh and chat with him.

This routine continued for two days.

On the third day, just as Eli finished his dinner and was waiting for Fat Han to come and tell him a story about the martial world, another carriage stopped in front of the tavern.

This carriage was shiny black, driven by a rare yellow horse, one in a hundred. Most striking was the small black triangular flag attached to the carriage frame, bearing the character "Xuan" in silver with a red border, naturally exuding an indescribable air of mystery.

Seeing this flag, any seasoned traveler within hundreds of miles would know that an important figure from one of the local dominant forces, the "Mystic Gate," had arrived.

The "Mystic Gate," also known as the "Seven Extremes Gate," was founded two hundred years ago by the renowned "Seven Extremes Sage" and had once dominated the state of Jing for decades, even infiltrating several neighboring states. At its peak, the sect's fame spread throughout the entire country. However, after the death of the "Seven Extremes Sage," the Mystic Gate's influence drastically declined, eventually being ousted from the capital of Jing State by a coalition of other sects. A hundred years ago, the sect was forced to relocate to the most remote part of Jing State, the Mount Xianxia, where it took root and became a third-rate local power.

As the saying goes, a lean camel is still bigger than a horse. The Mystic Gate, once a major sect, still had significant potential. Upon arriving in Mount Xianxia, it immediately took control of several small towns including Green Bull Town, boasting three to four thousand disciples, and became one of the two local hegemons.

The only local force capable of contending with the Mystic Gate was the "Wild Wolf Gang."

The Wild Wolf Gang originated as a band of horse thieves within the Jing State boundary, known for their fierce and bloodthirsty nature. After several government crackdowns, part of the gang accepted official amnesty, while the rest became the Wild Wolf Gang. However, the ruthless and daring spirit of the horse thieves continued to be passed down, and as a result, the Mystic Gate often found itself at a disadvantage in conflicts with the Wild Wolf Gang.

Although the Wild Wolf Gang controlled more towns, they lacked management skills, making their territories far less prosperous than those under the Mystic Gate. Envious of the Mystic Gate's wealthier domains, the Wild Wolf Gang frequently instigated conflicts between the two, which greatly troubled the current leader of the Mystic Gate and was a major reason for the sect's continued recruitment of internal disciples.

A lean man in his forties, obviously agile and well-acquainted with the area, quickly stepped off the carriage and headed straight for the room where Eli was staying.

Eli's Uncle Thomas immediately greeted the man with great respect.

"Protector Wang, what brings you here in person?"

"Hmph!" Protector Wang snorted coldly, a proud look on his face.

"The roads have been unsafe recently, and we need to strengthen our defenses. The elders ordered me to come and pick up the recruits personally. Enough talk, is this the

 child you recommended?"

"Yes, yes, this is my cousin's son. Please take good care of him on the road," Fat Han, seeing Protector Wang's impatient expression, quickly pulled out a heavy pouch and discreetly handed it over.

Protector Wang weighed the pouch in his hand, his expression slightly relaxed.

"Fat Han, you know how to handle things! I'll take care of your nephew on the road. It's getting late; we should get going."