A Familiar Face

I'm finally no longer a barbarian!

A while later, a handsome young man wearing water-blue robes exited the store, the masculine angles of his face covered by a confident smile. His long hair fluttered behind him, lending him an extraordinary aura.

Ye Tian had transformed, and he now looked like a young master from a wealthy family.

Identity Token first, then an inn. There are still six days until the Scarlet Guard examination, Ye Tian thought, stepping out into the streaming river of people.

After asking around, Ye Tian soon got directions to the Identity Token agency, and after spending a few pieces of silver, he had finished his first task.

This Identity Token would help him in his future travels throughout the continent, necessary during many steps along the way.

With that done, Ye Tian started looking for an inn.

It turned out that there were way too many inns in Blood Jade City, so Ye Tian randomly picked one named The Good Choice.

Ye Tian was rather amused by the sign outside the establishment and headed inside.

Immediately, an attendant approached.

"Welcome, young prince. Will you be dining or finding a room?" the attendant asked warmly.

"A room, please," Ye Tian replied calmly.

At these words, the attendant grew even more enthusiastic, quickly explaining: "Young prince, we have four ranks of rooms. The first is 100 tael per day, the second 50 tael, the third 10 tael, and the last 5 tael. Which would you like?"

Expensive! Ye Tian thought with shock. A hundred silver tael was enough to support a normal family for three months, but here it was only enough for a single day.

I only have three thousand tael; I cannot waste money! Ye Tian thought for a moment and finally said to the attendant: "Give me the 5 tael room."

The Ye Family Village was still the strongest village in their area and Ye Tian's status naturally meant he could have all the silver he wanted, but the metal was still heavy and inconvenient for travel, so Ye Tian had only brought three thousand tael.

"Of course… guest," the attendant slowly replied, disdain flashing in his eyes as his enthusiasm melted away, calmly leading Ye Tian to check into his room.

Ye Tian smiled and shook his head in amusement, not bothered at all by this little attendant.

Soon, Ye Tian was led to his room. The simple box held only a bed and a small closet.

Simple and crude! Ye Tian smiled bitterly at his room, turning to the attendant and ordering a couple of dishes. On food, Ye Tian did not scrimp and he quickly spent a couple dozen tael.

The attendant left with a disdainful look, indifferently taking his order before leaving.

While the attendant's attitude wasn't that great, he was still an efficient worker, quickly returning with the ordered food.

"Please enjoy. If this guest needs anything, I will be downstairs," the attendant said calmly, leaving and closing the door.

Ye Tian rubbed his nose at the practicality of the servant. In one quick exchange, he'd been demoted from young prince to guest.

Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, Ye Tian turned to the food. Obviously, the city food far surpassed the meals in the Ye Family Village. Only this truly deserved to be called food.

Ye Tian cheerful enjoyed his meal, the highlight of his city experience so far.

It wasn't that Ye Tian was picky but rather that the Ye Family Village was too poor. Back home, they really only had seasonings of salt and oil and nothing else.

The Ye Family Villagers also weren't that great at cooking, so for the past sixteen years, he had been eating simple food. Although they often hunted fresh game, without seasoning or cooking skill, the meat was always dry and unpleasant.

After finishing his meal, Ye Tian sat crosslegged on his bed facing the night sky, beginning his cultivation.

With his Green Martial Spirit, Ye Tian's gains were astonishing. Spiritual Qi flooded into him, quickly absorbed and transformed.

Ye Tian could feel his True Qi growing as he circulated it through his meridians.

After breaking through to Level Ten, Ye Tian no longer knew the path forward. His ten Principal Meridians were all developed, and Ye Tian didn't know what came next.

He could only diligently circulate his Qi through the Great Circle and gradually widen his foundation.

White Cloud Town only ever had the one Martial Master and he was now dead. Ye Tian's only hope of learning the secret to Martial Master lay with the Scarlet Guard. This was why he had left his home to come to the city.

…

The next morning, Ye Tian once again woke with the first rays of the sun.

Fine light shot forth from his opening eyes.

Ye Tian stretched with comfort, stepping to the floor, his body filled with power and energy.

After enjoying another beautiful meal, Ye Tian left the inn and began to wander the city.

Blood Jade City was very prosperous with restaurants, inns, brothels, gambling dens, fighting arenas, auction houses, and all kinds of establishments. With so many entertainment options, Ye Tian was spoiled for choice.

After wandering around the whole day and eating a large meal at a restaurant, Ye Tian finally wandered over to a barracks. A group of four Level Seven Martial Artist Scarlet Guards stood at attention by the door, upright in their red robes with their eyes gleaming like knives.

"The Scarlet Guard camp! This is where I will take my test in five days!" Ye Tian murmured to himself, heart filled with anticipation as he examined the heavily-guarded compound. This was his first step on his journey to explore the Shen Zhou Continent.

One of the Scarlet Guards soon spotted the loitering Ye Tian, frowning and calling out: "What are you doing? This is the restricted Scarlet Guard Camp. No loitering! On your way!"

As the guard cried out, he repressed Ye Tian with killing intent.

Ye Tian was surprised. Even though the Scarlet Guard had the same cultivation level as his father, it was instantly clear that Ye Meng was no match for this man.

"Hehe, Liu San, it's just a kid. Calm down."

"Yes, who would dare to disturb our Scarlet Guard in Blood Jade City? The child probably dreams of joining the guard; let him look."

"Unfortunately you must be at least Level Seven to join the Scarlet Guard. Kid, cultivate diligently and come back in twenty years! Haha!"

The other three guards laughed.

Ye Tian smiled and turned to leave when he spotted a man exiting the Scarlet Guard Camp.

The middle-aged man wore the same scarlet robe uniform, but his breast was embroidered with the black head of a intimidating wolf.

Ye Tian immediately identified the Martial Master expert.

The four guards stiffened, smoothing out their expressions and calling out respectfully: "Honored Centurion!"

The middle-aged man was the leader of a hundred troops and a true Martial Master expert, nothing like the feeble Wang Xu.

And to his surprise, Ye Tian recognized the man.

"En!" The Centurion nodded towards the guards and turned, his eyes brushing over Ye Tian for a moment before he paused with disbelief.

"Level Ten Martial Artist? So young? How's that possible?"

The others might not have been able to see through Ye Tian's cultivation level, but Ye Tian couldn't hide himself from the fully-fledged Martial Master. The Centurion immediately identified Ye Tian's incredible strength, to the man's wide-eyed amazement.

It wasn't that he was strong; after all, there were many Level Ten Martial Artists in the Scarlet Guard, but Ye Tian was clearly not even twenty. There was no one in the entire city who equaled him at his age.

The Centurion stirred from his shock, walking over to the young man and smiling as he spoke: "Little brother, what's your name? Why have you come here?"

The four guards glared in wide-eyed shock. When had the great Centurion ever been so kind or paid attention to a random child? This child clearly had an extraordinary status.

The four Scarlet Guards were now examining Ye Tian with great curiosity, and the man who had scolded him was now filled with regret, praying that Ye Tian wouldn't lodge a complaint.

But the Scarlet Guard was worrying too much. Ye Tian paid the man no mind as he turned to the Centurion, smiling as he spoke: "Honored Li, I've seen you before!"

"Oh?" The Centurion smiled. As an officer of the Scarlet Guard, he had his own fame in Blood Jade City, and being recognized wasn't uncommon.

Ye Tian knew the expert had forgotten him, so he explained: "Honored Li, a year ago, I saw you at the Ye Family Village."

That was right. This was the same man who had come to the Ye Family Village all those months ago, the powerful expert Li Tian.

"En? The Ye Family Village…" Li Tian echoed, some regret flashing in his eyes as he remembered the tragedy that followed. That year, he and his subordinates had been attacked by a beast stampede outside the Ye Family Village, with only half of his men surviving.

After that day, Li Tian had been punished by his superiors and demoted. Although he was still a Centurion, he was restricted to the city camp to manage internal business, no longer given command of a company.

As he thought back, Li Tian was filled with regret. He blamed himself for his greed that had led to such a miserable end.