Chapter 20: Buying Slaves

"Wait. You said Di Li's daughter made these? You found Li'er and her daughter?"

Feng Li exclaimed as Long Junjie's words became understood.

"Not Di Li. She apparently died at the bottom of a cliff in 10 Thousand Beast Forest. She managed to give birth though and the Fire Wolf King found and raised the baby with his family. They named her Leng Ling.

She's amazing. She has a much higher cultivation than me and is both an Immortal grade refiner and artificer. She refined the Fire Poison Elixir that Feng'er needed for us and has created all sorts of equipment. Some of which are completely new in concept such as this bracelet.

It has many functions and because she holds the Mother bracelet she can add new functions to them as she likes. Whatever she adds to hers, updates the rest of them accordingly.

Ling Ling had recently started learning arrays when we moved her into her residence. So I imagine she'll start shocking us with those soon too."

"That's amazing Big Brother! I really want to meet her!"

"She certainly sounds impressive, Jun'er. How did you find her?" (Long Hu)

"She found us. We had run into a White Snake looking for the Holly Berry Fruit. We were struggling to kill it. Feng'er had already collapsed on the ground heavily injured when she heard us fighting and intervened."

"She killed a White Snake by herself? She's that strong?" (Feng Li)

"She didn't need to. She just stepped between us and spoke to the snake. Gave it some pills and it left. Then she came to talk to us. By the way, Ling Ling is officially titled the Beast Princess by the beasts of 10 Thousand Beast Forest. They love her. They even crowned her as we were leaving the forest."

Long Junjie pulled out the memory stone he had in his bracelet and started the memory of Leng Ling being crowned. His parents and sister were amazed at the scene.

"She's very beautiful. She looks just like Li'er." (Feng Li)

"She's even more beautiful in person."

Long Junjie gazed warmly at the image of Leng Ling kissing the hummingbirds gently.

"How have the Fu Family taken having the First Miss back in residence?" (Long Hu)

"She isn't in the Fu Family Residence. She bought her own residence close to mine. The old Mu Family Residence to be exact. It's perfect for her requirements since she brought a lot of her beast friends and her adopted siblings with her.

The wooded area in the back is suitable for them to live in while they are in beast form and she has plenty of courtyards inside the residence for when they reach Deity level. Quite a few of them are close to it.

Especially her wolf siblings. They have a special contract that allows them to improve their cultivation as she does and hers to improve as they do."

"I didn't hear any reports that a large number of beasts had entered the city!"

Long Hu was concerned on hearing that.

"You wouldn't have. She has a special space that allows to her cultivate inside. Her beasts lived in there for the entire journey in. Other than the ones who chose to let us ride them along the way."

"She has the Phoenix Ring?! I thought it was lost with Li'er. Thank goodness. That explains her excellent skills in refining and artificing. Although from what you said, she's even more talented than her mother. Li'er was still only at Advanced grade artificing and Godly grade refining 15 years ago." (Feng Li)

"I think that's what she called it, yes. If there was a level above Immortal grade for them, I'm pretty sure she would be capable of it. Ling Ling's talent seems endless. She was already at Natal Advanced when we first met."

"""What?!"""

"My feelings exactly. I'm going to have to work hard to catch up to her level if I don't want to be left behind. By the way,have you noticed my level now? Since meeting Ling Ling and receiving her pills and drinking her Celestial Water, we've all upgraded quite a bit.

Hui'er and Feng'er have both advanced to Natal Primary and I've just reached Natal Intermediate. That Phoenix Ring is a treasure for closed door cultivation. When she lets us in it that is. Time flows much faster inside."

Long Hu examined Long Junjie's cultivation level carefully. He was amazed at just how fast the changes were. Two whole levels in such a short amount of time. His son was now almost the same strength cultivation as himself.

"Well done son. I'm impressed with your growth."

...

A short time later Long Junjie, Fu Bohai and Hu Feng stood outside of Leng Ling's residence trying to work out how to get in. Every time they took a step into the gate,they rebounded off.

"What is going on? Why can't we enter?" (Fu Bohai)

"I don't know. Didn't Sister Ling'er just start learning arrays? Maybe she succeeded in setting one up?" (Hu Feng)

"Let's just contact Ling Ling and let her know we're outside."

Long Junjie activated the holographic communication function of his bracelet. His expression soft as Leng Ling appeared in his vision.

"Hi. Ling Ling, we're outside. How do we come in?"

"Oh! You're here? Just a second. You can come in now."

Long Junjie looked hesitant at the gate before carefully stepping through. This time, he came through successfully followed by the others. Leng Ling met them as they came into the front entry.

"Here. Put these on. You will be able to enter and exit freely with these. Blood them so they will recognize you as the owner please."

Leng Ling handed Fu Bohai and Hu Feng a blue opal ring each and then handed Long Junjie the fire opal dragon ring. They were quick to follow instructions. Leng Ling's equipment were always good stuff.

"What are these?"

"Keys to the array. They allow you permanent entrance through the array and are needed to move any further than where you are standing. The keys are arranged according to status of the wearer.

Sapphires indicate staff of the residence. Yellow for servants, blue for guards and red for head servants and guard captains. Quartz indicates temporarily approved guests that are restricted for various areas.

Opals indicate permanently approved guests or people living in the residence. Milk Opals for my beast friends and family. Blue Opals for you two. Fire Opals belong to the Residence Owner. Brother Junjie gets a Fire Opal since we have a marriage contract."

"Oh wow! This is quite clever, Ling Ling. I may need to get you to set up something like this for my residence."

"That's easy enough, Brother Junjie. I can set up the same array and use the same keys for it for us four. Although I'd use different keys for your staff and guests to my own, so they don't get confused. Any idea what stones and colour codes you would prefer for your residence?"

"Hmmmm use emeralds for my residence. Just keep the same colour codes. Maybe rubies for the permanently approved guests other than these two. Although, that would only be my parents and sister. And just use a white quartz for the temporary guests?"

"I can do that. Let me get my staff situation settled and then I can make a start on your residence array in a few days. It would stop any further unwanted visitors at least. This way, your staff won't get hurt again."

"Ugh, I'm so jealous! Is there a smaller version of this array for courtyards instead? I don't have my own residence yet." (Fu Bohai)

"I can arrange something for you, I guess, Brother Bohai. It wouldn't be anywhere near as complicated as this one if it's just for a courtyard. Shall I key it to your ring as well? Or would a separate ring work better for you?"

"Just key it to the same one. It's easier. You can choose the other rings." (Fu Bohai)

"That's fine. What about you, Brother Hu?"

"Yeah, do the same for me too, please. It'd be nice to prevent annoying pests from entering."

"All right. I'll get on to your courtyards once I'm done with Brother Junjie's residence."

The four of them left then to search out appropriate servants from the slave market.

...

The Eastern side of the Southern Quarter of the Capital was luxurious. It was the main shopping zone for the nobility and the rich families of the capital. Large buildings built in expensive materials lined wide, paved streets that were decorated with expensive blossoming trees.

The Capital City was sectioned off according to use. Royal Family and higher nobility resided in the Northern Quarter. Both Long Junjie and Leng Ling's residences were located in that quarter. Where as the Fu Family's and the Hu Family's residences were both located more in the Northern side of the Eastern Quarter.

The Eastern Quarter were where the less rich or lower nobility resided. The Western Quarter contained the homes of the common citizens of the city. The Southern Quarter was the commercial quarter for the capital. Restaurants, markets, and the barracks of the general law enforcement forces were located there. The Western side of the Southern Quarter was where the poorer citizens shopped. The Eastern side of the Southern Quarter entertained the richer citizens. The entry into the Capital City was located smack bang in the center of the Southern Quarter between the two sides where those citizens who where neither rich nor poor would shop.

The slave market that Long Junjie was escorting Leng Ling to was located on the Eastern side of the Southern Quarter and was owned by the Tang Family. The building was built with white marble and decorated with rosewood furniture. Green and silver trimmings could be seen here and there tastefully.

Leng Ling approved of the style at least, even if she didn't like the idea of the products inside. As it was, she could only accept that it was the reality of the time and world she was living in now.

"Is this the slave market you spoke about, Brother Junjie? It looks reputable at least."

"Hmmmm? Yes, it is where I get all my servants and guards from. The Tang Family at least treat the slaves respectfully. They are well fed and trained for the various responsibilities that servants are required to do. None of them are mistreated in any way."

"All right then. Since I've never been to a slave market before, please guide me."

Long Junjie nodded and waved his hand towards a young man in green, greeting him in a teasingly familiar tone.

"Young Master Tang. We have some business for you. You'll be happy after today, promise."

"Haaaa! Since when were you in need of more servants, Jun'er? Your residence is like a well oiled machine by now, isn't it?"

"It's not for Jun'er this time, Tao'er. But for my little cousin, his fiance. Ling'er, this is the Young Master of the Tang Family, Tang Tao. We all grew up together. Tao'er, this is my cousin, Leng Ling. Aunt Di Li's daughter. We met her 10 Thousand Beast Forest and bought her back. She needs both servants and guards for her residence and she's going to need a lot. She bought the old Mu Family Residence." (Fu Bohai)

"Ah?! Wait! She's Uncle Bai's daughter? But she isn't a Fu?" (Tang Tao)

"I grew up in 10 Thousand Beast Forest. I have my adopted family's name. I have no intention of taking the Fu Family name. As for the man you call my Father, I have never met him or anyone else in the Fu Family other than Brother Bohai and his banshee of a sister." (Leng Ling)

Tang Tao had to admit that she was beautiful. Even more than the other ladies listed in the top beauties of the Capital. His cheeks blushed slightly as she studied him with crystal blue eyes. Long Junjie's face turned dark at the sight and pulled Leng Ling closer to him and wrapping an arm around her waist in a possessive manner.

"Hey! Hey! I say Tao'er. Don't fall in love with her. I know Ling'ers beautiful but she's still Jun'ers fiance, you know!" (Fu Bohai)

"I was only appreciating Miss Leng's beauty, Jun'er. Relax. I won't try to steal her from you."

Tang Tao rolled his eyes at Long Junjie's childish response. Inwardly, however, he was amazed to see his cold childhood friend even touching a female let alone behaving in such a way.

"Heehee, Jun'ers personality is completely different in Sister Ling'ers presence. He's turned into quite the jealous type. You should see the glares he gave the other men while traveling back anytime anyone even looked at her. I'm surprised he hasn't tried to make her wear a scarf to cover up yet."

Hu Feng laugh was suddenly interrupted with coughing as a wave of wind blew his hair into his mouth and continued to hold it there. Tang Tao looked around confused at where the wind was coming from.

"Sister Ling'er! Sister Ling'er! Mercy please! I won't joke about it again!"

The wind stopped just as suddenly as it appeared as Tang Tao's eyes opened wide. Listening to Hu Feng's words the wind had come from Leng Ling but he could feel no cultivation on her.

"Don't you know Jun'er already tried that, Feng'er? It was just after that idiot tried to assault her in the tavern that time. But who can make Ling'er do what she doesn't want to?" (Fu Bohai)

"Ah that's true. Jun'ers only able to hold her now, because she allows it." (Hu Feng)

A splash of water hit the pair of them then. Long Junjie's face was even darker since Leng Ling had removed his arm from her waist and moved away from him.

"I'm confused. I don't feel any cultivation from Miss Leng but she created that wind just now?" (Tang Tao)

"Ah, I'm wearing a special equipment that hides my cultivation level." (Leng Ling)

"But... Jun'ers number one on the under 25 list. I can't understand. Or is it just that he can't bare to force you to do anything?" (Tang Tao)

Fu Bohai and Hu Feng both smacked their foreheads at that question.

"Tao'er, I'm no longer number one. There's no way I can beat Ling Ling in a spar." (Long Junjie)

"Changing the subject, can we get down to business now? I need 10 maids, 10 manservants, 1 head maid, 1 head manservant, 1 accountant, 5 cooks, 10 general workers, 2 captains and 50 guards. All should be of the highest quality. Can you handle that, Young Master Tang?"

Tang Tao's mouth dropped open at her list before dollar signs sparkled in his eyes as he rubbed his hands together. Leng Ling was waving a black card in his face.

"Not a problem! Not a problem! How soon do you want them?"

"As soon as possible. Try to find staff that are not weak mentally. They will be working around a large number of beasts. I do not need weak knee'd pansies."

"Beasts? Are they your pets?"

"No. They are my friends and family. Didn't Brother Bohai already say it? We met in 10 Thousand Beast Forest. I grew up there. One or two members from every beast tribe sent someone with me when I left the forest. They mainly reside in the wooded area of my residence but they often come in as well. It is their home and anyone who insults them, insults me."

"Yeah, um, we should mention that Ling'er is the official Beast Princess of 10 Thousand Beast Forest." (Fu Bohai)

"One.. one or two from each tribe... how the. No wonder you bought the old Mu Family Residence. How the heck did you get that many Beasts into the city?!"

Tang Tao stumbled. There were at least 100 different beast tribes in 10 Thousand Beast Forest. One or two beasts from each tribe meant she could have several hundred beasts in residence.

Leng Ling lifted a finger to her lips with a slight smile and tilted her head to the side in a cheeky manner.

"That's my secret!"