"Good, Blue Silver Empress... Ultimate Grandson, welcome to Balak City. With these tokens, you will be able to enter and exit the city without any issues. If you wish to get missions, enter the Spirit Hall of the City. Right now, aside from the Heaven Dou City overseeing the skirmishes, the Spirit Hall acts as an impartial information center. The missions to deal with the Silvers Kingdom will be present there.
There is no need to fear the leak of information regarding missions. This war is based on rules and even if the war of spirit masters is hidden and more dangerous, it will be handled by these two behemoths."
Ah Yin glanced at Ja Sun. It was as he had speculated a few days back. The situation regarding the spirit masters seemed too strange.
Tokens, restrictions, and the addition of spirit hall. The missions, too. The more Ah Yin thought, the more she started to feel that the war was a clever ruse to pull smoke over the eyes of the public.
"Lord Spirit Sage, that is to say, that despite holding these tokens, the initiative to take missions is handed entirely over to us?" Ja Sun inquired.
Lin Long nodded calmly and tapped his finger, "Of course, you may only take missions to achieve your rewards. But you also have to hurry. The rewards are limited. The list is updated daily in the Spirit Hall."
Ja Sun and Ah Yin nodded and Lin Long finally let the two of them leave. The duo exited the wall and entered the city.
"Spirit Sage just to clear our intentions..." Ah Yin mumbled.
"What about it?" Ja Sun inquired.
"Nothing. I won't go to the spirit hall. You'll take care of finding the mission. I'm tired, let's first find an inn."
"Sure," Ja Sun shrugged. Their appearance, surprisingly, did not attract any attention for they weren't the only ones with cloaks and masks covering them. The streets were littered by paranoid spirit masters all around!
The Balak City was known for its military background so the city's infrastructure was quite consistent. The walls were painted white and the roofs painted blue, or fashioned out of blue-colored cobblestones. The streets were extremely neat and spacious with many soldiers taking a round of the area.
"This one looks good," Ja Sun stood in front of an establishment where a jade plaque hung. Three words were carved on its surface with extremely bold lines— Rising Jade Inn.
Although the entrance was in uniformity with other buildings, the entrance was extremely lavish. Golden carpets, glimmering pillars, beautiful vases filled with flowers, and the lady over at the reception barely wearing anything.
"Lord, would you like to book a room?" The receptionist smiled sweetly. She knew that people with such outfits could only be spirit masters so she leaned slightly forward and let her ambitious breasts hang low with the deep ravine all but visible. Ah Yin's lips twitched behind the mask as Ja Sun suddenly slapped the counter.
"This fool! We're at an Inn! If not a room, what should I book, you?!" Ja Sun's enchanting green eyes fell over her body as the woman gulped. She seemed slightly dazed after being scolded but quickly looked down which also helped Ja Sun realized that not only this was a love hotel, but it also provided its local products if asked... in a professional manner.
"Lord, I... I apologize for my lack of common sense. Let me call—" The woman hastily replied but Ja Sun waved his hand.
"What is the grandest room of this establishment?"
"It's the Violet Concubine's Entrance, Lord."
"Good. Book that for three months."
The woman's eyes widened in shock and so did Ah Yin's. Out of all the pass he had made, this one seemed the most indirect but she couldn't help and glare at the back of his head. Of course, if she didn't know Ja Sun for a year, she might have even believed that this meant something.
"That, please Lord, let me call the manager. I am not allowed to agree to reservations for this long."
"Go," Ja Sun uttered.
The woman left hurriedly, and Ja Sun took his time to observe her plump back.
'They really know fashion,' Ja Sun mumbled. As dangerous as he may be, his first night in his previous world was cockblocked by his master and then he died without being able to do anything about it. A nineteen-year-old revolutionary dying a virgin. At the hands of the cockblocker itself. This was poetic for Ja Sun.
This also made him interested in this matter but not to the point of losing his reason.
"She is rather beautiful. Are you sure you don't want to book her?" Ah Yin inquired in a calm tone as Ja Sun glanced at her.
"Say, Ah Yin, do you smell that?"
"What?" Ah Yin instantly turned cautious and her body tensed up.
"The smell of your burning envy?" Ja Sun's words stunned her before a chill spread out of her body. A couple sitting on the chair near the viewing area instantly shivered and glanced at Ah Yin fearfully but Ja Sun remained calm the entire time.
"Ah, Sir. How may I assist you?" A man in brilliant robes and shot black hair walked alongside the previous receptionist.
He had a sharp face and a calm smile. His glanced lasted on both of them before he focused somewhat on the Vajra Gauntlet.
"Violet Concubine's Entrance. Three months. How much?" Ja Sun remained concise.
"The room is fitted with 1000-year-old rosewood beds and incense made of 1000-year-old Pink Queen. Not only that room itself is the entire top floor of the inn. If Sir wishes to book it for three months we might have to charge extra than usual since our other customers won't be happy."
"What's the guarantee that your customers might still intrude?" Ja Sun inquired.
"Zero, Sir. This fine establishment is owned by the Crown Prince. Nobody dares cause trouble."
"Oh," Ja Sun raised his eyebrow before gesturing at the girl next to him, "My partner thinks that she is beautiful. Is she available for the next three months?"
Ah Yin's lips trembled at the moment. She did say that... but the context! The context is absolutely different!
"I'm afraid that our employees cannot be occupied for that long, Sir." The man shook his head and bowed politely.
"That's quite a shame. What of the room?"
"It is still unoccupied. The total bill will be—"
"Wait!"
A hasty voice instantly broke the conversation. The manager frowned and looked towards the grey-haired youth huffing and puffing. He looked towards the two cloaked figures and then the manager before speaking up, "Brother, can I speak to you? I promise I won't take too much of your time!"
Even though he sweated and looked wretched, Ah Yin and Ja Sun gazed at the man with a slightly dumb expression behind their masks.
"What is it?" Ja Sun finally uttered and broke out of his surprise.
"Brother, I need to rent the room. It is my anniversary. Please consider choosing another room. Of course, I know you were here first, but I'm requesting it sincerely. Help another brother out."
The man bowed and explained as Ja Sun and Ah Yin looked at each other.
"What's your second grandest room?" Ja Sun finally looked at the manager and a bitter expression finally touched the manager's face.
"It is the Red Concubine's Entrance, Sir."
"First, book the Violet Concubine's Entrance for this fine brother... consider it an anniversary gift from one brother to another," Ja Sun pointed out.
What are the chances that he will meet Oscar again?!
Well, when Ja Sun thought carefully, the chances were high. Almost every spirit master was attracted to this war presently.
Hearing Ja Sun's words, everybody was stunned but Oscar looked the most affected. His eyes moistened and he glanced at Ja Sun with slightly reddened eyes.
"What a brother!" The man sighed loudly, "Compared to you... my actual brothers... sigh. Thank you. I won't stand the ceremony. I don't know you or your face but..." Leaning forward, Oscar whispered into Ja Sun's years, "But if you see me next time and need my help, just say the words— Brothers from another mother; One tofu and one spice."
Ja Sun nodded calmly.
Oscar hurriedly left but not before quickly looking back and shouting, "Brother, my name is Oscar! I'm a spirit master, too. I can really be of help so don't you fret in acquiring my assistance!"
"Well," Ja Sun looked at the manager, "How much is the total?"
"A day of reservation for Violet Concubine's Entrance costs 300 gold coins. The reservation of Red Concubine's Entrance costs 50 gold coins a day but for three month period, we will have to charge 5000 gold coins out of which half the amount is needed to be paid upfront."
"Good," Ja Sun looked incomparably grand. And he was. The ring he looted from the fire dragon girl actually had a lot of coins!
Once the process was completed, the Manager let the receptionist lead the two of them to the second-highest floor after signaling something. All the time, the woman in front tried her hardest to once again incite Ja Sun's interest. Her method was rather subtle but too much of it already made Ja Sun lose all his interest in her.
After all, it's not like he'll actually get to bang her in the room. Not with Ah Yin present. So why should he let himself get carried away?
*Click*
With the door shut in front of her, the receptionist's shoulders slumped slightly and she returned. Meanwhile, Ah Yin instantly cornered Ja Sun while removing her mask. The coldness practically oozed from her body. Of course, she also knew that her apparent reaction would barely affect Ja Sun in the way she wanted.
"What is all this about?" She growled and eyed Ja Sun like a predator.
"Guess," Ja Sun slipped away before skipping over and completely exploring half the floor fashioned as the Red Concubine's Entrance.
Aside from an incomparable living room and lavish bedroom, the bathroom was practically a mini swimming pool!
"Just... tell me," Ah Yin finally groaned, the mask of anger receding as she revealed a troubled expression. This was clearly related to their preparations for the war. However, she knew by now that somehow... she couldn't match Ja Sun's mysterious experience in this area.
"First of all, I wanted to book a large enough room where I can practice my technique. Secondly, this place will probably be visited by many stressed spirit masters. Of course, local brothels are probably having their best year, ever. But you just saw that Tofu Man. We met him again because we chose this inn."
"Why do we need to meet with spirit masters?"
Taking a step towards Ah Yin, Ja Sun raised his index and prodded Ah Yin's forehead as she stepped back with a glare, "To form connections. Even if you master Heart Separation Control to a divine extent, you are still a control-type spirit master. Compared to existences of the same level as you, you are bound to fall short.
Remember your journal? You're trying to cover your weaknesses alone. However, each spirit master can only have nine spirit rings, 18, in some cases. So, regular spirit masters can never truly cover their entire weaknesses. If you cannot do it alone, the answer is to share the burden."
"No," Ah Yin sat on a chair and rejected the notion instantly.
"I wouldn't offer this if it wasn't already in practice," Ja Sun shrugged, "Besides, you trust me. If you think about it practically, even if you don't trust someone else with your life, you can still achieve a lot more with a group."
Ah Yin frowned, "I don't trust you."
"And it's sweet that you think this," Ja Sun snickered before sitting in front of her, "You might not believe this, but I don't trust others easily."
"Oh, I believe it," Ah Yin mocked.
"But I trust you."
Ja Sun's next words stunned Ah Yin for a moment. At the moment, his expression was sincere, "And you're the second one I trust with my life."
"... Who's the first?" She inquired.
With a scoff, Ja Sun mocked, "Wouldn't you like to know, plant girl? And that nickname, Blue Silver Empress. My god!"
"What about you? Ultimate Grandson?"
"The terror of all grandfathers. They will lock away their granddaughters and their wives at the hint of my presence!" Ja Sun proclaimed before knocking the table lightly.
"Do you know the best way to trust someone else?" His eyes were glowing at this moment.
"What?" Ah Yin finally sighed.
"A leap of faith. There are no good or bad people. There are only comrades and enemies. So, instead of finding good people that might escape at the slightest whiff of trouble, we will use this war to find the most dangerous of men and women that will stick around. If we can't find them, then we'll get Oscar. He's our back-up."
"And what if you're betrayed?"
Ja Sun chuckled, "There are two steps, in this case, Cutie. First, plan the most stunning end for the traitors. Two, find another group to trust."
Stunned, Ah Yin inquired, "Find another group? Despite being betrayed?"
"What good is life in being alone? Scare villagers at night? Become a nightmarish legend for others? Dying alone? Not for me.
Trusting others makes life interesting. It proves that you're not broken and cannot be broken. To easily lose your trust means losing not to your opponents, but to yourself."
"It's easy to say this. Have you ever been betrayed?" Ah Yin inquired sharply.
"Eh, here and there. The list goes on."
"What happened to them?"
"Aside from the last four, I killed everyone."
"And the last four?"
"My teacher took care of them," Ja Sun replied with a confident smile.
For some reason, Ah Yin felt a sliver of pity when she looked at Ja Sun's current expression. The cause was unknown and she didn't wish to know more about it. Instead, she gripped Ja Sun's shoulder and smiled coldly.
"Now, what was that all about?"
"What?"
"Asking that receptionist for me."
"I don't judge, Ah Yin. Clearly, you must feel something for a girl or with a strapping man like me by your side, how could you stay calm this entire time?"
Ja Sun pointed out with a calm smile, "Besides, you might not believe it, but I would like you even more if you happen to be open to women."
Her grip tightened as Ah Yin gave an angered smile full of ferocity, "I believe you."
"Ah Yin."
"Yes?"
"You're hurting me."
"Am I? Then scream a little."
***
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