Chapter 426 Settling In

“This is the most famous strong liquor in Zhenbei City—Muhan Wine. During the Muhan Festival, everyone drinks it by the jugful,” Mo Qing said as he placed the wine jar in front of him, visibly nervous.

Chen Fei smiled and gestured casually. “Relax. I don’t have any ill intentions toward your group.”

Though the words were reassuring, Mo Qing still looked somewhat tense. He forced a polite smile and said, “We’re just small-time scavengers—unworthy of senior’s attention.”

“Small-time?” Chen Fei gave him a knowing smile. “From what I can tell, you’re not quite as ‘small’ as you claim. But I don’t care what you’re transporting. Just get me to Zhenbei City by tomorrow, and we’ll call it even.”

He paused, then added, “Haven’t asked your name yet.” As he spoke, he passed a skewer of grilled meat to Ji Wugou behind him.

Ji Wugou originally intended to act aloof, but with Mo Qing present—and her stomach grumbling—her pride crumbled. Blushing, she accepted the meat.

After all, her hunger had become unbearable. Back at the Ji Clan, she’d dined on rare delicacies from across the continent. But somehow, the roasted meat Chen Fei offered smelled divine.

She snuck a glance at Chen Fei, then quickly turned away, pretending nonchalance as she took a huge bite.

The flavor burst in her mouth, overwhelming her senses. She instinctively closed her eyes in satisfaction.

So good! So delicious!

“I’m Mo Qing, a Seeker from the West Camp branch in Zhenbei City. This is my first time leading a team,” Mo Qing said with a smile.

Chen Fei handed him a piece of grilled meat in return. “Since you brought me fine wine, I’ll return the favor.”

With a wave of his hand, a small pile of spiritual beast meat appeared in front of Mo Qing.

“Take these and share them with your team,” Chen Fei said warmly.

When Mo Qing saw the meat, he was utterly stunned. This wasn’t just food—it was precious treasure. It was worth even more than the spirit stones Chen Fei had casually tossed earlier. Even with money, spiritual beast meat wasn’t something one could easily buy—it was usually reserved for large sects who raised the beasts themselves.

“Many thanks, Senior!” Mo Qing was completely awed.

Chen Fei waved a hand. “Just call me Chen Fei. No need for the ‘Senior’ stuff.”

“Chen… Daoist Chen. I won’t disturb you any longer. The cold up here in the Northern Wastes is—”

He trailed off halfway through the sentence.

Because really, what cold? Chen Fei’s tent was practically a mobile fortress, warding off both cold and wind.

Chen Fei smiled. “Why don’t you first distribute the meat to your men as a token of goodwill? After that, let’s enjoy some wine and conversation—how about it?”

Mo Qing nodded immediately. “Then I’ll gladly accept your offer!”

—

Soon, Mo Qing returned after dividing up the meat. Even the normally reserved Qin Ba-tou was amazed. Without wasting time, the group got busy cooking the spiritual beast meat.

Its benefits weren’t just nutritional—it actively repelled the surrounding cold, making it an invaluable treasure in this harsh land. None of it could be wasted.

When Mo Qing returned to Chen Fei’s tent, Ji Wugou had already wolfed down three large skewers and still wasn’t full. She watched Chen Fei grill more meat with eager eyes.

Mo Qing sat down respectfully across from Chen Fei.

“No need to be so formal, Daoist Mo. I’m new around here. Why don’t you tell me about Zhenbei City?” Chen Fei asked.

Mo Qing immediately understood Chen Fei’s intent and began explaining.

“Since you asked, let me break it down for you: Zhenbei City has three major powers—Mo Wen Hall, Liuli Sect, and West Camp.”

He paused to glance at Chen Fei but, seeing no reaction, continued.

“Mo Wen Hall runs the pill trade. They control the herb routes across the Northern Wastes. Liuli Sect is filled with powerful cultivators—they focus on forging magical weapons and collect rare ores. As for West Camp… we’re a bit more mixed.”

“Lots of different people come through West Camp. It’s chaotic but freer than the other two. The three factions occasionally clash, but they usually settle things in the dueling arenas.”

It was obvious Mo Qing was quite fond of West Camp.

“With the world in chaos and evil cultivators spreading everywhere… what’s the situation in Zhenbei?” Chen Fei asked. “I also heard the Northern frontier has a lot of demonic beasts.”

“That’s actually one reason why the three forces in Zhenbei can maintain peace,” Mo Qing said. “Evil cultivators don’t have much ground to stand on here. The people of the North are tough—when things go wrong, they settle it with fists. As for demon cultivators, they’re everyone’s common enemy.”

He didn’t go into much more detail, but Chen Fei understood enough.

With the looming threat of demon beasts, internal conflicts were kept civil—resolved in public duels—so they could remain united against greater threats.

Still, that claim that evil cultivators had no foothold?

Chen Fei didn’t buy it.

More likely, they were just better hidden… and plotting something much bigger.

Not to mention the Calamity Beasts.

According to the Ghost King, they had originated in the Northern Wastes.

“By the way, has anything unusual happened recently?” Chen Fei probed. He knew Mo Qing’s group wouldn’t have the power or status to know about Calamity Beasts, so he had to ask indirectly.

“There has!” Mo Qing sighed. “The weirdest thing is the Muhan Festival this year.”

“There’s a rumor going around Zhenbei that if it doesn’t turn sunny during the Muhan Festival, disaster is sure to follow. And this year? Not a single clear day. Everyone’s on edge.”

He took a deep swig from his cup.

Chen Fei watched him carefully.

Sometimes, local folk tales weren’t wrong. There were indeed things here worth noting.

His current situation wasn’t exactly safe—especially with the curse mark that even the Ghost King couldn’t fully remove—but he had no intention of leaving just yet.

On the contrary, this might be the perfect opportunity to train.

If he didn’t get experience dealing with Calamity Beasts now, was he supposed to just panic when the real catastrophe arrived?

After a few more sips of wine, Mo Qing seemed to loosen up.

“Daoist Chen, do you have a destination in Zhenbei City?”

Though he asked about a “destination,” it was clearly an attempt to recruit Chen Fei.

Chen Fei smiled and shook his head. “Just wandering after leaving my sect. I ended up here after getting caught in a snowstorm and lost consciousness.”

“Finding your way in the Northern Wastes isn’t easy,” he added.

A simple explanation that also politely declined the offer.

Mo Qing took the hint. “It’s getting late. We’ll be heading to Zhenbei at dawn. I’ll let you rest, Daoist Chen. If you need anything, just ask!”

“Thanks,” Chen Fei nodded.

He didn’t expect to learn any earth-shattering secrets from Mo Qing—just the basics.

His top priority now was to get to Zhenbei City, find a safe place to rest, recover his qi, and then make his next move.