Junior ! Do you know who my Uncle is !

The Caravan after four hours of travel finally entered The gates of the Capital.

Only a single word resounded in the minds of the ones who entered the capital.

"Beautiful"

The capital stood as a magnificent blend of fortress and city, its imposing walls rising tall and proud against the horizon. Adorned with intricate carvings and vibrant banners, the walls exude strength and grandeur. Towering guard posts dot the perimeter, their silhouettes casting formidable shadows over the bustling streets below. Despite its formidable exterior, the city's beauty is undeniable, its architectural wonders visible even from afar

The leader of the caravan was currently talking with one of the guards that processed the entry of all that step foot in the capital. Of course no single group would be able to execute such an operation, therefore the guards would be at the gate for 6 hours before switching their shift and letting the other guards process. There were a total of 300 guards with 75 guards per one of the four gates. This made it so there were 18 guards at all times. This led to the walls of the capital becoming one of the most secure places where no bandit could enter as all guards were at least adepts.

"Yet if one thinks about it then it's actually weird. Each gate has 18 at all times yet what about the remaining three? Could it be that some gates have more guards than the other yet why? Perhaps some areas are more dangerous than others resulting in the uneven allocation." Ling Xuan was confused as he could spot all the 18 guards that were meant to be here yet couldn't see the three guards that were supposed to be there as well. When he was reading the book detailing the capital he just accepted that the roles of the three were to monitor a gate for the entire day and that for the next day others would take the role. Yet now that he was here he realised that this was indeed not the case.

By now the leader of the caravan had completed the discussion with the guard and the caravan started moving again. As the caravan exited the check post Ling Xuan felt goosebumps appearing on his body. He had even started sweating!

"What is happening to me?!" 

Ling Xuan was surprised as he had never experienced this before.

"Wait no I have experienced this kind of thing once." 

Ling Xuan remembered.The day he met the stranger!

" This is fear! Someone is releasing their killing intent and targeting it onto me!"

Ling Xuan was surprised, who could be so powerful and also know him.

"This..Could this be the three guards of this gate! Yes this is possible! The three missing guards are actually hiding in the post! Yet why?" Ling Xuan was confused as to why the hidden guards had targeted their killing intent towards.

As he was contemplating the mystery he felt someone pat his shoulder. He turned and saw the leader of the caravan looking at him.

"Ah yes Senior, why did you tap on my shoulder?" asked Ling Xuan who did not expect the tap.

"Oh I saw that you were staring at the check post point and I realised that you felt the killing intent right?" The old man asked.

The shocked Ling Xuan spoke."How did you know?!"

The old man scratched his head and laughed awkwardly.

"Well you see everyone when they first enter this city will experience it. It's the guards way of saying 'know your limit in this place or die' those guards are at the Expert stage as well so it makes them more threatening to adepts as well who are the majority of the people."

As the old man saw Ling Xuan's enlightened expression he chuckled and continued.

"By the way the caravan will reach its final stop in the capital in a few minutes. We will disembark on the Southern Sector , do you understand, child?"

"I understand Senior."

"Very well then, I shall go now." 

The caravan leader moved his old body away to watch the Master of the beasts of burden control them. 

Ling Xuan sat on the floor of the caravan and remembered the city's layout.

The city was divided into five sectors. The East and West sectors belonged to the Army of the king whereas the North served as the commercial district where the Merchant's Guild had the highest influence than anywhere else. The South belonged as the residence to the people of the City, the population of the city was quite less as compared to the other cities thus one sector was more than enough for them. 

Finally the centre of the city belonged as the residence of the Royal Family. From the records that Ling Xuan had read it seemed that instead of a single palace, there were actually several smaller buildings belonging to the other members of the city with a large building belonging to the Dragon Palace where the King would meet with personnel he deemed 'rightful'.

"In any text I have read no mention of the actual residence of the king is mentioned, it can make one wonder whether the king actually is in the capital." Lin Xuan realised the reason as to why no enemy attack had ever occurred in the capital. After all, along with the fearsome legend of the Xia family's strength not only would attacking the capital be a very risky gamble but the chance of them wasting all that resource and in the end coming up empty handed served as another deterrent.

—----------------------------------------

Soon the caravan reached their destination and everyone including Ling Xuan went their separate ways.

Xiao Kang and his brother headed to the place of a friend of the clan to stay for the night as the Disciple Selections would begin 3 days from now.

Ling Xuan meanwhile went to look for an inn where he could stay as well.

The Southern Sector is composed of numerous buildings with the majority of them being inns.

"This is to be expected after all the land here is extremely expensive and only very rich clans can afford to have a residence here." Ling Xuan sighed as he remembered how broke he was currently. The only money he had currently was what he had got for escorting Cao Lao.

Ling Xuan walked to a nearby inn and entered it.

The inn was not too extravagant which meant that surely it would have cheaper prices right?

"One day will cost 100 silver taels." The manager of the inn replied.

This caught Ling Xuan off guard who had expected a way more moderate price.

"Can you give me a discount? After all, I plan to join the Disciple Selection and if I manage to get a place as one of the disciples of the sects then will this place benefit greatly!" Ling Xuan tried to convince the inn manager yet he didn't budge.

"Boy, many youngsters have come here and have said the exact same thing you are saying. I let a few of them in due to them having the required amount but I'll be merciful and reduce the price by 20 Silver Taels. This is the most I can do and if you don't have this much then you can leave this place!" The innkeeper gave his final offer.

Ling Xuan now was stuck between a rock and a cliff. He actually had 90 Silver Taels yet if he used it he wouldn't be able to afford the journey to the Eastern Sector!

Just as Ling Xuan was about to leave, a hand grabbed his shoulder.

As Ling Xuan looked back he saw a black clothed individual smile at him.

"Wait! Junior Brother Don't go, I will make the innkeeper allow you to have a room!" The black clothed individual spoke, his voice serene and calm.

"It's alright-" Ling Xuan wanted to say but the individual placed his finger on his lips to signal for him to be quiet and went to the innkeeper's desk.

"Oi Old Man!" The person called out to the innkeeper who hurriedly came over to the person.

"Ah..Yes what is it Sire?" The innkeeper asked while fidgeting his fingers.

"I want to know why you have not allowed this Junior over here a room!" He pointed to Ling Xuan.

"Well..You see, he didn't have enough money to afford one." The innkeeper nervously replied 

"Hmm, what was the price.?" The person asked.

"It wa-" As the Innkeeper was about to answer, the person raised his hand and spoke.

":I didn't ask you, I asked my junior!"

The innkeeper hearing this almost fell on the floor.

"Well the price he told me was-" Ling Xuan was about to answer when the innkeeper suddenly spoke out.

"Sire, how about your junior staying here free of cost!"

Hearing this, Ling Xuan was shocked. 'How powerful was this person that he could force the innkeeper who was bold before him yet almost nearing the point of fainting'.

"That's what I thought" The person smiled and turned back to Ling Xuan.

"Now how about I treat you to a free meal after all I'm sure you're tired after coming all the way from Glorious Flag right?" 

Hearing this Ling Xuan was shocked, how could this stranger know which city he came from unless!

"Now don't think I'm your stalker alright!" The stranger raised his hand, imitating surrender.

 "Then how do y-" Ling Xuan was about to ask when the stranger spoke.

"Because no youth whose arm can be so perfectly refined can cultivate any other technique than the 4 Pole Star technique and any youth who has reached the Adept Level of the technique can only be from the Ling Clan!" The stranger smiled while explaining.

"Wait, what does me being at the Adept Level correlate with me being in the Ling Clan? Can't someone in the Apprentice Level be a member of the Ling Clan as well?" Ling Xuan curiously asked

"Well it's quite simple, no intelligent person would send a mere apprentice to fight for a place among Adepts now would they?" The stranger revealed.

"I guess you are right." Ling Xuan realised.

Suddenly a thought occurred to Ling Xuan, weren't the chosen of the Ling Clan all in the apprentice rank.

"They are probably in the Adept Level as well, they have just hidden the fact." Ling Xuan accepted the explanation

"Now how about we sit down and talk while eating, you have to rest as well you know." The Stranger told Ling Xuan.

"Why is this person being so considerate towards me, can he be!?" Ling Xuan felt awkward.

As they sat down on one of the tables . The stranger ordered food and as Ling Xuan waited for the food, the stranger asked him a question.

"Do you know about Mythical Beasts?" 

"You mean the ones in folklore such as The Moonlight Sparkling Sparrow or The Great Earth Burrowing Mole?" Ling Xuan was curious as to why the person brought this subject up.

"Well yesn't" The stranger slyly smiled as he knew that he had succeeded in sparking the conversation.

Seeing Ling Xuan's confused expression , the Stranger added more.

"Well these Mythical Beasts are not in folklore but were once actual beings whose power was beyond the Grand Master Rank." The Stranger then waited for Ling Xuan to register his words.

Ling Xuan's eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

Only a single thought resounded 

"Time to see if I should've been an actor!"

Did Ling Xuan expect that there was a stronger realm above of course he did.

Heck he actually thought this was a Cultivation World with Immortals!

"Continue acting, it's the only way I can progress now!"

Ling Xuan acted surprised.

"How strong were these Mythical Beasts?" Ling Xuan asked, suppressing his excitement.

"Hmm our findings suggest that their weakest was comparable to 20 Grand Masters where their strongest was powerful enough to shape the continents to their desire." The Stranger said slowly as if thinking to himself.

"How could these beings be so powerful!" Ling Xuan asked after all if what the person was saying was true then that meant that the power of these beings were comparable to missiles to tactical nukes at the very least!

"Well inspection of the bones of such beings reveal that their very being was integrated with Qi allowing them to a certain level, control Qi itself." The Stranger's eyes shone with amazement as he recited the details.

As he was about to continue the food arrived and before Ling Xuan could say anything else, The Stranger had already started munching on the tender fries.

—----------------------------

After they had finished eating, Ling Xuan opened his mouth to ask, yet The Stranger had already gotten up and was about to leave.

"Wait, I haven't got your name!" Ling Xuan hurriedly said.

Hearing which The Stranger looked back and said.

"Ah! I must've forgotten, well my name is Shan Zhang! Goodbye my Junior!" Saying this Shan Zhang went away.

—---------------------------------------------------------------

As Ling Xuan returned to his room, he entered The Library and turned on the computer. After which he opened up the Want Generator.

"This is what I want!"

Ling Xuan typed in his request.

A Technique that makes one equivalent to Mythical Beasts.