Qingshan County Town was one of the countless counties that fell under Donghai Prefecture.
Although not particularly prosperous compared to the prefectural capital, it remained the political, commercial and martial center for the surrounding villages.
Naturally...
The Yamen was stationed here.
In theory, the Yamen existed to uphold the law, settle disputes and suppress criminals.
In reality...
Most constables had long become little more than ornaments.
The influence of the local gangs had taken root over several generations. Silver flowed into the wrong hands, officials turned a blind eye, and as long as taxes continued reaching the court above, few cared what truly happened inside the county.
Power had its own rules.
Qingshan County was divided into five districts.
The Eastern District housed merchants, craftsmen, physicians, scholars and families with relatively stable occupations. Courtyards lined clean streets, while small businesses filled every corner. Compared to the rest of the county, this was one of the safest places to live.
The Western District was the complete opposite.
It was the slums.
Narrow alleys twisted between dilapidated houses, gambling dens operated openly, and underground markets flourished beneath the protection of various gangs. Robberies, extortion and disappearances occurred so frequently that the common people had almost grown numb to them.
The Northern and Southern Districts served as the county's primary entrances and exits.
Large markets surrounded the gates, attracting caravans from nearby villages every day. Countless shops, inns, restaurants and trading pavilions gathered there. Several martial halls had also established branches, where children could pay to test their martial talent or enroll as disciples.
Finally...
There was the Central District.
Also known as the Inner City.
Only influential families, wealthy merchants, Yamen officials and martial experts possessed the qualifications to reside there.
Rumours even claimed that a Xuan Gang expert had secluded himself somewhere within the Inner City.
Whether the rumours were true...
Very few people knew.
...
The carriage gradually approached the southern gate.
Long queues had already formed before the entrance as guards carefully inspected everyone wishing to enter.
Unlike ordinary villages, entering the county required proof of identity.
The carriage driver calmly produced several wooden identity slips.
The guards examined them briefly before nodding.
"Pass."
The carriage rolled through the gates without further delay.
Lou Feng curiously observed everything around him.
"Master..."
"Why do they check everyone?"
Lin Sheng calmly replied,
"To distinguish citizens from vagrants."
"In this dynasty, every registered commoner possesses an identity slip."
"It records their name, place of registration and household."
"Without one..."
"...you're considered a vagrant."
Vagrants occupied the lowest social class.
Most were refugees driven from their homes by famine, war or demonic beasts.
Without official registration, they possessed no legal identity.
They couldn't purchase land.
Couldn't open businesses.
Couldn't even remain inside a county for long without risking arrest.
Lou Feng frowned.
"Can't they simply register?"
Lin Sheng looked toward the crowds entering the city.
"They can."
"But registration isn't free."
"It costs ten taels of silver."
Lou Feng inhaled sharply.
Although he had never possessed much money, he still understood what that amount represented.
One steamed bun cost only seven to ten wen.
One tael of silver equaled one thousand wen.
Ten taels...
Were enough to support an ordinary family for well over a year.
For starving refugees...
It was an impossible sum.
Lin Sheng's voice remained calm.
"The dynasty uses that price as a filter."
"Those who can afford registration usually have stable occupations."
"Those who cannot..."
"...remain outside the system."
Lou Feng fell silent.
Only now did he truly understand why so many desperate people eventually joined gangs.
For some...
Crime wasn't their first choice.
It was simply the only door left open.
The carriage continued deeper into Qingshan County.
Bustling streets gradually unfolded before them.
Passing through the Southern District, the carriage gradually slowed as it merged into the bustling streets of Qinshan County.
Vendors loudly advertised their goods from both sides of the road while the aroma of freshly steamed buns, roasted meat and medicinal herbs filled the air. Merchants pushed wooden carts loaded with grain, cloth and ironware, their voices blending with the sounds of bargaining customers.
Several martial halls stood prominently along the streets, each displaying large wooden signboards before their entrances. Groups of children and youths could be seen training with wooden sabers and spears under the watchful eyes of stern instructors, while parents stood outside discussing tuition fees and future prospects.
Lou Feng looked everywhere with curiosity.
Compared to the quiet Su Village, this place was incomparably lively.
The carriage continued deeper into the county until the surroundings gradually changed.
The number of shops decreased, the roads became noticeably cleaner, and the houses on both sides of the street transformed into spacious courtyards surrounded by neatly maintained gardens. Even the pedestrians appeared better dressed than those they had encountered near the city gate.
"This is the Eastern District," the carriage driver explained respectfully.
"Most merchants, physicians, scholars and wealthy commoners live here."
"It is much quieter than the other districts."
After travelling another quarter of an hour, the carriage finally stopped before an elegant courtyard.
High stone walls surrounded the residence while two ancient trees stretched their branches over the entrance. Beyond the gates, one could already glimpse a spacious courtyard containing flower beds, a small pond and several connected buildings.
Uncle Wang and Aunt Wang stared blankly.
Neither of them spoke for a long while.
"This..."
Aunt Wang's lips trembled.
"Are we truly staying here?"
Even Uncle Wang, who had travelled throughout the county during his years as a hunter, found it difficult to believe.
Such a courtyard was something ordinary villagers would never even dream of owning.
Lou Feng himself remained equally stunned.
Following Lin Sheng inside, the three of them immediately bowed deeply.
"Thank you, Senior."
"Thank you, Master."
Lin Sheng calmly looked at them before shaking his head.
"You misunderstand."
The three slowly raised their heads.
"I'm not allowing you to stay here."
Aunt Wang's expression immediately changed.
"Senior... if we've done something wrong—"
Lin Sheng interrupted her.
"This isn't temporary lodging."
"This is your home from today onward."
Silence filled the courtyard.
Uncle Wang remained frozen.
"Our... home?"
Lin Sheng nodded.
"I've already purchased this courtyard."
"From now on, no one will drive you away."
"No one will seize your property."
"You can live here peacefully."
The couple's eyes immediately reddened.
After living cautiously for so many years, they had never imagined such a day would arrive.
Before either of them could continue thanking him, Lin Sheng lightly clapped his hands.
The side doors opened.
More than ten servants immediately walked into the courtyard before respectfully bowing.
Six maids.
Four male servants.
An elderly steward.
Everyone waited quietly for instructions.
Lin Sheng pointed toward the Wang couple.
"These two will be the masters of this residence."
"From today onward, you will obey their arrangements."
The servants immediately acknowledged the order.
"We understand."
The Wang couple hurriedly waved their hands.
"No... no..."
"We're only villagers."
"We don't know how to manage servants."
The elderly steward smiled politely.
"Master Wang."
"Madam Wang."
"You needn't concern yourselves with household affairs."
"We will handle everything."
Only then did the two gradually calm down.
After ensuring everyone had settled properly, Lin Sheng quietly returned to one of the cultivation rooms prepared for him.
Closing the door behind him, he sat cross-legged before recalling everything he had learned from the City Lord's library over the past several days.
Although the City Lord himself lacked the courage to suppress the gangs operating throughout Qinshan County, the library contained surprisingly complete records concerning martial cultivation.
Most importantly...
It confirmed many of Crystal's previous deductions.
This continent truly differed from the Immortal Cultivation Continent.
The greatest difference lay within the human body itself.
Every person born on this continent naturally possessed an open Qi Sea, also known as the Middle Dantian.
Martial artists therefore never needed to open it through cultivation.
Instead, they continuously expanded and strengthened it throughout their entire lives.
Crystal quietly completed another comparison.
**•[Cross-continent analysis complete.
Middle Dantian naturally active from birth.
Meridian compatibility: 97.2%.
Overall environment significantly more suitable for martial cultivation.]•**
Lin Sheng nodded slightly.
The second major difference involved Astral Qi.
Unlike the Immortal Cultivation Continent, Astral Qi here remained remarkably stable. Maybe because of the more tame surronding Spiritual qi
Martial artists cultivated Internal Energy and transform it using the already open Qi sea to absorb surronding Spiritual energy transforming it to True Qi.
With the open Qi sea, the True Qi Realm only as 3 stages instead of 6, with the True Essence Realm having another 3.
His own foundation, formed using Five Elements Astral Qi gathered from the Immortal Cultivation Continent, might have some differences but he'll need to gather enough data.
Another discovery also caught his attention.
Spirit Jade.
These smooth jade stones naturally contained astonishingly pure spiritual energy. According to the records, they circulated almost exclusively among Xuan Gang experts and those above.
The description matched almost perfectly with the mysterious crystal embedded within the ancient teleportation altar.
"So that's what it was..."
Lin Sheng quietly murmured.
Finally, the library divided martial cultivation into three major paths.
The first was External Cultivation, focusing on tempering the physique through successive stages of strengthening the skin, muscles, tendons, bones, marrow and finally exchanging the blood.
The second was Internal Cultivation.
Everything from Internal Energy to Astral Gang belonged to the Innate Qi Transformation Realm.
Beyond Astral Gang...
Lay the Grandmaster Realm.
Unfortunately, even the City Lord knew only its name.
The third path was Martial Concept.
Momentum.
Intent.
Will.
The records ended there.
Whatever existed beyond Martial Will belonged to the Grandmaster Realm, and the county's archives simply lacked the qualifications to record such knowledge.
Lin Sheng slowly opened his eyes.
Although the information remained incomplete, one conclusion had already become obvious.
The Martial Continent possessed an astonishingly mature martial inheritance.
Compared to the Immortal Cultivation Continent...
Its understanding of martial arts had developed much further.