The King of Urban Mercenaries

"This is your identity card. Infuse it with your True Qi, and it will become uniquely yours. You’ll need it to exit the city gates; without it, you cannot leave or enter the city."

Lin Fei nodded. This object could detect your True Qi; once you input True Qi, this stone-made identity card would emit light. Others wouldn’t be able to use it. Such magical items belong to the Upper Realm; the Lower Realm doesn’t have them but has developed technological power instead.

In the Upper Realm, a world fraught with danger, people’s strength is incredibly powerful. Yet, the strong do not fear such places, driving countless people to scramble to become stronger, thus making the entire Upper Realm even mightier.

When Lin Fei entered the royal city, the man suddenly noticed the sword behind Lin Fei’s back, furrowing his brow. After Lin Fei left, he immediately sent someone to go to the City Lord Mansion.

As for Lin Fei, he observed the city, where every household was busy. At their doorsteps, they dried various demon beasts’ pelts or meat, along with herbs. From this, Lin Fei could see that this city seemed very humble.

However, upon arriving at the commercial area, he found it bustling with people, with constant cries for selling and buying pelts and Golden Cores of various demon beasts.

One might wonder about the difference between human Golden Cores and demon beasts’ Golden Cores. Demon beasts’ Golden Cores, also known as Demon Cores, are easy to differentiate; the aura emanating from them makes it easy. Humans absorb pure Heaven and Earth Qi, with their True Qi naturally filled with the essence of Heaven and Earth.

Demon beasts, on the other hand, absorb Heaven and Earth Qi tainted with Demon Energy, thus forming Golden Cores imbued with Demon Energy. Moreover, various Golden Cores have different auras or colors, sometimes not appearing alike. Human Golden Cores are rarely found; when cultivators die, their Golden Cores dissipate and shatter.

Though special circumstances exist, they are rare.

Lin Fei noticed that the area predominantly consisted of merchants. They came to places near demon beast forests to collect pelts or Demon Cores and various herbs, completing transactions with payments, forming a cycle.

Being a small city, Lin Fei arrived at the tavern, took out gold, the common currency in the Lower Realm, which, despite being precious metal, has lesser use in the Upper Realm due to more valuable things like Demon Cores.

Along with other rare minerals, elixirs, herbs, or materials, countless things make the Upper Realm’s currency gold for ordinary folks. However, in terms of preciousness, gold cannot match Demon Cores; for lodging, gold suffices.

Lin Fei was led by the attendant upstairs to a spacious room with only bedding, a bed, some tea, porcelain cups, and nothing else, being simple.

Lin Fei didn’t require anything else; he closed his eyes, quietly sensing the Heaven and Earth Qi to soothe his experiences of the past days in the demon beast forest.

Upon waking, it was dusk. The sun shone on the dusky clouds; the sky was uniquely splendid, fiery red and golden, truly beautiful.

Below, the forest, city, and buildings were all enveloped in golden light, becoming a stately spectacle. Lin Fei went downstairs to the tavern and ordered two side dishes and a jug of wine, curious about Lower Realm wine, reportedly fiery according to Zhang Fan.

Lin Fei poured a bowl of wine and took a sip.

"Pfft! Damn! So spicy!" As soon as he swallowed, he felt a fiery sensation, immediately spitting it out in amazement.

His reaction provoked laughter around him. These were regular folks slaying demon beasts, everyday walking a line between life and death, possibly losing their lives due to a sudden beast attack.

"Hahaha, a delicate young lady indeed! Saying the wine’s spicy? Hahaha!" One rough man said, lifting a wine jug and chugging heartily, spilling wine on his chest, and continuing with the same boldness.

Lin Fei stood up, grabbed the wine jar, and drank as well. Though not drinking much, his action won applause from diners around.

"Good! Impressive! Didn’t expect you to have some boldness for someone looking tender!" The brawny man approached Lin Fei and sat down.

"Hehe, I just arrived and am unaccustomed," Lin Fei replied casually, not explaining further.

The rough man didn’t ask more, not being nosy, knowing they had no time for others’ privacy.

So, he and Lin Fei exchanged glances and burst into laughter.

But the atmosphere was short-lived—broken by a group entering!

Soldiers arrived, seven or eight, surrounding Lin Fei, led by the middle-aged man who opened the city gate for Lin Fei.

"What might the officer mean by this?" Lin Fei asked.

The middle-aged soldier spoke, "Our City Lord wishes to invite you to the City Lord Mansion. Please don’t disappoint our City Lord!"

"What makes your City Lord interested in me? I haven’t met him, have I?"

"Haha, coincidentally, our City Lord doesn’t know you either, but he recognizes the sword behind your back. Not just our City Lord; we all know that sword, so please visit the City Lord Mansion with us!" the middle-aged soldier said.

Lin Fei furrowed his brow; was it the sword causing trouble? He found it in the demon beast forest, knowing it needed explanation.

"Fine, I’ll go with you." Lin Fei said nothing more, following the middle-aged man to the City Lord Mansion, pondering the sword’s connection.

Finally, Lin Fei arrived at the City Lord Mansion; the sunset’s afterglow turned the entire city golden, filled with a regal aura. Approaching the magnificent City Lord Mansion, uncertain of what might unfold next...