Chapter 963: Yan Wang

As Daji's cultivation level increased, Zu An began thinking about preparing the items she would need for her breakthrough. After all, he couldn't wait until the last minute to scramble for preparations when she was on the verge of a breakthrough.

After Daji reached the sixth rank, she could no longer rely solely on Vitality Fruits for breakthroughs and upgrades as she had before. Each rank advancement now required various auxiliary materials.

"What a crooked merchant!" Zu An secretly grumbled about the designers of the Valkyrie System. It was clearly designed to milk money, just like the online games from his previous life.

Grumbling aside, preparations still had to be made.

For Daji to break through from the sixth to the seventh rank, she would need 5 pieces of Wuyang Jade, 10 Azure Wolf King's Fangs, 30 Azure Fire Flowers, and 20 Nine-Headed Pheasant Feathers.

Among these, Wuyang Jade was unheard of even by the imperial physicians. However, they did offer a suggestion: the Yunzhong Yu family, who dealt in jade throughout the land, would most likely know its whereabouts.

Considering the Purple Frost Divine Milk that Mi Li needed as well, it seemed that even if the emperor didn't assign him the task, he would have to make a trip to Yunzhong Prefecture.

As for the remaining items like the Azure Wolf King's Fangs, although valuable, they weren't exceptionally rare, and he should have a chance to acquire them.

Thinking of these things, Zu An unknowingly drifted off to sleep.

He had originally wanted Daji to sleep next to him, claiming it was for her to closely observe every movement of Golden Eleven so she could imitate her more accurately later. He repeatedly promised that he wouldn't do anything, just lie on the same bed, and they could even have a blanket between them. After all, merely looking at a great beauty like Daji was enough to lift one's spirits.

To his surprise, Daji rejected his proposal without hesitation.

This left Zu An quite dejected. He wondered why Daji, despite having no soul, was so resistant to him, her master. Logically, no version of Daji should possess the characteristics of a chaste woman. A seductive fox should be her true nature. Shouldn't she be shamelessly trying to seduce him, only for him to then sternly refuse her?

...

Over the next few days, Zu An trained Daji day and night to help her more accurately mimic Golden Eleven's movements and appearance. The results were increasingly promising.

One day, Pei You and Gao Ying came to find Zu An. Pei You said, "Brother Zu, in a few more days, we'll reach Yi City. Shall we go into town together then and see the northern girls?"

They had been traveling by boat for a while now, and even the most homebody individuals were almost bored sick. Everyone was eager to get ashore soon.

Zu An chuckled wryly, "It seems you can't stop thinking about the northern girls." After all, they were only showing this genuine side of themselves because they considered him one of their own.

At this point, Gao Ying said gravely, "Yi City is the territory of the King of Yan. It wouldn't be good if we caused any trouble there and offended him."

"The King of Yan?" Zu An was a bit puzzled. After all, he hadn't been in this world long enough and still lacked knowledge of many common facts.

Gao Ying kindly explained, "The King of Yan is the emperor's uncle. His fiefdom is Yi Prefecture, and its administrative center is Yi City. Because his territory is often plagued by bandits and frequently disturbed by the Demonic Cult, the imperial court permits him to train an army to suppress the Demonic Cult and bandits. He's considered a powerful vassal king."

Zu An's expression shifted. Because of Yun Jianyue and Qiu Honglei, he already considered members of the Demonic Cult as his own people. Thus, he was particularly interested in hearing news about them.

"Does that King of Yan often achieve military merits by eliminating many members of the Demonic Cult?" Zu An probed.

Gao Ying shook his head. "Over the years, the King of Yan has indeed suppressed many bandit groups and captured many members of the Demonic Cult. Unfortunately, members of the Demonic Cult are like weeds; they grow back with the spring wind. Many in the imperial court speculate that the King of Yan is too tyrannical, only understanding warfare and not conciliation, which is why the Demonic Cult and banditry keep resurfacing."

Hearing that the King of Yan and the Demonic Cult were evenly matched, Zu An felt a sense of relief.

At this moment, Pei You said, "We're just going for some drinks with courtesans. How could we possibly offend the King of Yan? Brother Gao, you're overthinking it."

Gao Ying thought the same and stopped trying to dissuade them. Moreover, having been cooped up on the river for so long, he also wanted to go out and relax.

Zu An, meanwhile, thought of Daji's breakthrough materials. So he tentatively asked, "By the way, have you heard of Wuyang Jade, Azure Wolf King's Fangs, Azure Fire Flowers, or Nine-Headed Pheasant Feathers?" He had once considered asking Xiao Jianren about these items, but meeting him as Golden Eleven so soon would be too conspicuous. Who knew if he might turn around and report it to Zhu Xiechixin and the emperor? Furthermore, Xiao Jianren was only familiar with the Embroidered Brothel's library, not a professional pharmacist. He might have had an impression of some special treasures, but might not have known much about more common medicinal herbs.

Gao Ying and Pei You were different. They had grown up in prominent aristocratic families and had seen many resources. Perhaps he could get some clues from them.

As expected, Pei You replied, "I haven't heard of Wuyang Jade, but I've vaguely heard of Azure Wolf King's Fangs, Azure Fire Flowers, and Nine-Headed Pheasant Feathers. Among these, Azure Wolf King's Fangs and Nine-Headed Pheasant Feathers are relatively common and can be found in many black markets. Azure Fire Flowers might be a bit trickier; I heard their origin is in the demon territories, so you should be able to find them in cities close to the demon lands."

"Black markets?" Zu An was a bit surprised.

Gao Ying explained with a smile, "Due to the war with the demon race years ago, the imperial court officially prohibited market trade with the demon race and other surrounding groups. Even when border trade was occasionally permitted, the quotas and conditions were extremely strict. However, market demand still existed, which led to the emergence of black markets. Here you can find specialties from various races. The closer you get to the border, the more prevalent the black market atmosphere. Later, many illicit human goods were also traded there, and black markets became increasingly developed, even appearing frequently in the interior."

Zu An frowned, "Why didn't I see any in the capital?"

Gao Ying replied, "The capital is the nation's premier city, and the Embroidered Envoy's headquarters are there. Who would dare to conduct such business right under the emperor's nose? So, naturally, there are no black markets in the capital. Yi City, which is ahead, is also a large city and a transportation hub, not too far from the Northern Wilderness. Unless something unexpected happens, there should be black markets there."

Zu An's eyes lit up at the news. "Then I really must go check out Yi City."

Pei You laughed heartily. "Brother Zu, you truly are one of us. But this time at the brothel, we won't be as accommodating as we were at the Crimson Sleeve Pavilion last time. It'll be a competition of individual skill to see who can win over the beautiful courtesan."

Zu An: "???" I said I was going to the black market; when did I say I was going to a brothel?

At this point, Gao Ying let out a faint sigh. "Brother Pei, do you know what I admire most about you?"

Pei You was taken aback. "Is it my cultivation talent? Or my handsome looks?"

Gao Ying shook his head with a strange expression. "No, it's your confidence."

Pei You wasn't foolish and naturally understood the playful teasing in the other's tone. "Hmph, Yi Prefecture is in the north, and the girls here appreciate heroes, unlike in the capital where literary talent is highly valued. I think with my appearance, I still have a certain level of competitiveness."

His words weren't false. A young master from an aristocratic family, handsome and refined, would indeed attract much attention outside.

Gao Ying chuckled. "If the girls of Yi Prefecture truly appreciate heroes, how could you possibly compare to Brother Zu?"

Hearing him say this, Pei You showed no sign of discouragement. "It doesn't matter if I can't compare to Brother Zu, as long as I can compare to you."

Gao Ying: "..."

A few days later, the boat docked at the Yi City pier. Gao Ying and the others requested leave from Sang Hong to explore the city. Since the boat needed considerable time for resupply and the people on board had been cooped up for so long on the water, Sang Hong was quite understanding and readily agreed.

Zu An had originally invited him to rest in the city together, but he declined. This was because of his special status; he didn't want to have too much interaction with the King of Yan and the officials of Yi Prefecture. Thus, he remained on the boat.

"Lord Sang is incredibly disciplined," Gao Ying remarked admiringly after the group disembarked.

"If he weren't like that, he wouldn't have gained such a great reputation in previous years. All the court officials fear him and privately call him Sang the Tiger," Pei You added.

Zu An deeply agreed. He had witnessed Sang Hong's methods in Brightmoon City before. When he didn't act, he remained still; when he did, it was with thunderous force. If the Chu family hadn't had his sudden divine intervention, they would likely have been eradicated long ago.

Suddenly, he noticed that the path they were taking was becoming increasingly secluded. He couldn't help but ask, "Aren't we going into the city?"

"What's so interesting in the city? Today, I'm taking you to a truly fun place," Gao Ying said with a mysterious look.

---

*Note: There was a minor bug in yesterday's chapter. After consuming that number of Vitality Fruits, Daji's cultivation level should have advanced to the fifth stage of the sixth rank. It has been corrected.*