Chapter 431 Entering the City

Chen Fei listened to the Seekers’ conversations and couldn’t help but show a faint smile.

Ji Wugou, on the other hand, looked utterly disdainful. Although she didn’t fully understand what “drinking flower wine” meant, her sharp instincts easily picked up the lewd undertones from the crude laughter and suggestive expressions of the group.

She instinctively looked up at Chen Fei. Seeing the faint smirk at the corner of his lips, a strange sourness welled up inside her. She glanced down at her own flat chest and pouted.

“What? You want to go too?” Ji Wugou couldn’t help but snap.

“Huh?” Chen Fei had been reminiscing about the days back in Yellow Mist City, when he and his brothers ran trade routes together. Those times were long gone now—he didn’t even know if any of them were still alive.

Caught off guard by Ji Wugou’s sudden question, he was momentarily puzzled.

“Hmph! All men are the same! Disgusting!” Ji Wugou scoffed coldly. Seeing the surprised look on his face, she took it as silent admission and snorted.

Chen Fei didn’t bother indulging her. He simply withdrew his hand.

The white-haired wind had almost completely died down, and with the warmth from her magic item, Ji Wugou no longer needed extra help. But the loss of that warm sensation made her visibly uncomfortable. She puffed her cheeks and stared at Chen Fei with a childish sulk that was oddly cute.

“Stop acting crazy,” Chen Fei said coldly.

Perhaps due to the extreme weather, the area outside Zhenbei City wasn’t crowded—something that brought visible joy to Qin Batou and the others.

Fewer people meant faster processing into the city. Now that Old Wang had lit the fire with his filthy jokes, everyone was itching to hit the brothels and “relieve the stress” of their hard journey.

“Stop right there!”

At the city gate, a middle-aged man in armor embedded with magical arrays blocked their path with a stony expression.

“Greetings, Commander Xu! These are our travel permits and border crossing credentials. Please take a look,” Mo Qing quickly pulled out the necessary documents and handed them over, not daring to slack in the slightest.

Though Mo Qing had previously told Chen Fei about the three major factions within the city, Zhenbei City actually had a fourth force that operated independently:

The Zhenbei Military.

The Zhenbei Military only had one job—to guard the city. They answered to no faction and showed no favoritism. Their organization was so tight-knit and disciplined they were practically a sect of their own. Since they didn’t meddle in outside affairs, they were often overlooked—but no one who had ever visited Zhenbei City dared underestimate them.

If you offended one of the three great clans, you might still leave alive.

But if you pissed off the Zhenbei Military, you’d be lucky to die quickly.

Xu Zhenping, the officer, received the documents. Though his face remained stern, his tone softened slightly.

“Weather’s been strange lately. That you made it here through the white-haired wind… that’s something.”

Mo Qing chuckled and replied politely, “We actually arrived just outside the city yesterday, but the darkness forced us to camp for the night. We didn’t expect to get hit by the storm this morning.”

After confirming that all documents were valid, Xu Zhenping nodded and waved them forward.

“Alright, you’re clear to enter. Standard procedure: if you have any surplus supplies you don’t need, you can sell them to the Zhenbei Military at favorable prices.”

“Understood,” Mo Qing said, then gestured behind him. “We’ve already prepared the goods.”

“Good. Proceed.”

With that, a smaller gate beside the massive city entrance opened. Mo Qing led the group inside.

Chen Fei was following the group when Xu Zhenping’s sharp eyes suddenly locked onto him.

“Wait!”

As soon as he spoke, the soldiers standing motionless around the gate exploded with bloodthirsty killing intent. Clearly, they were seasoned warriors.

Old Wang and the others, being closest to them, immediately froze in place, not daring to move a muscle.

One wrong twitch, and they’d be greeting the cold edge of a blade.

Mo Qing, seeing Chen Fei was being singled out, rushed forward. “Commander Xu, this is one of my trusted men, he’s—”

Before he could finish, a blade was already at his throat. Xu Zhenping smirked. “Do you take me for a fool?”

Mo Qing had never experienced such a situation. Xu’s earlier stern demeanor was one thing—but now his killing aura burst forth, backed by a peak Yuan Realm cultivation base. Mo Qing was completely overwhelmed.

Chen Fei, however, remained calm. “Commander Xu, what is the meaning of this?”

“Oh, no particular meaning. Someone just wants to meet you… Fellow Daoist Chen.” Xu Zhenping said with a fake smile.

Chen Fei’s eyes narrowed slightly. His mind raced.

Though the man hadn’t spoken his full name, he clearly knew who Chen Fei was.

But how?

He had just left the Ghost King Hall. How had word of him spread so fast?

He glanced at Ji Wugou. Had the Ji Clan already made their move?

No… If it were the Ji Clan, it wouldn’t be the Zhenbei Military waiting at the gate.

Another possibility—the demon clans.

If Xing Zheng was still alive, then the news of Jiuyao’s death might have spread. Northern Territory was the domain of Tian Zeng, after all. But… the Zhenbei Military and the demon clans had a blood feud. They wouldn’t be working together.

“What are you thinking, Fellow Daoist Chen?” Xu Zhenping asked, narrowing his eyes.

“I’m thinking whether I should just kill you right now,” Chen Fei replied flatly.

At that moment, all the Zhenbei soldiers turned their heads in unison, their killing intent spiking so high that even Yuan Realm experts would feel their legs weaken.

But Chen Fei stood there, completely unfazed.

He wasn’t bluffing.

He was seriously considering whether it was worth the risk to just fight his way back into the wilderness rather than get dragged into some deadly trap inside the city.

But was it worth it?

Xu Zhenping, rather than getting angry, actually smiled. “As expected of Fellow Daoist Chen. But don’t worry—we mean no harm.”

Right. Says the man with a blade at someone’s throat.

Ji Wugou tugged at Chen Fei’s sleeve from behind, clearly signaling not to trust him easily.

Chen Fei nodded. “Since you’ve already exposed my identity, fine. Let’s go. I’m curious who wants to see me.”

Dangerous? Yes. But hiding now wouldn’t help. If someone wanted to target him, they’d find a way—even if he snuck into the city.

He’d already assessed his current strength. Even with some limitations, he could still put up a fight if things went south.

Xu Zhenping waved his hand. The soldiers simultaneously sheathed their blades in perfect unison.

“Fellow Daoist Chen, this way please,” Xu said, stepping aside. Then, with a deep voice, he bellowed,

“Open the central gate!”

Mo Qing’s eyes widened in surprise.

The central gate? That was extremely rare. It was only opened for highly honored guests!

Even Chen Fei was slightly surprised. “That’s not necessary. We can just go through the side gate.”

Xu Zhenping shook his head. “I’m just following orders. Please don’t make things difficult for me.”