The Drunken Moon Palace was teeming with people. Mu Chen and his group waited for a while but didn't get a seat. So Gao Ren led them to the third floor where they were lucky and found a window seat. The four of them sat down at the table and Gao Ren ordered the drinks. Although the three had united against Mu Chen, none of them wanted to get drunk early in the afternoon, so he opted for some non-alcoholic drinks.

"The Drunken Moon Palace serves some of the best beverages in the city," Gao Ren said. "This one is the most popular―they call it Blood Nectar. Come on, have a taste." Gao Ren said, offering the three of them glasses filled with red-colored liquid.

Li Kun took a sip and his eyes brightened. In just a few more gulps, he finished drinking. "So refreshing! I want one more," he said.

"One more for me too." Xia Ping smacked his lips, finishing his glass.

Mu Chen hadn't even touched his glass, but Lin Kun and Xia Ping had already finished theirs. Gao Ren filled Li Kun and Xia Ping's glass with more of the red-colored drink.

Mu Chen also took a sip of the drink. It looked like blood but tasted nothing like it. It was thick in consistency, but it was due to the spiritual qi. Once inside the mouth, it would spread throughout and turn light as air. Its tangy and sweet flavor didn't leave any aftertaste, making you want to drink it again.

"It tastes nice." Mu Chen said, "What is it made from?"

"It's made from the extract of the red devil fruit," Gao Ren said, "Because of its deep red color, it is called Blood Nectar."

"Red devil fruit?" Li Kun said. He picked up his glass again, but sipped the drink slowly, savoring it unlike before. "Never heard of it."

"Because it's imported from the Central Continent." Gao Ren said. "Moreover it's difficult to harvest the fruit. The vine on which the fruit grows is very poisonous. The skin of the fruit is also very poisonous. Only the flesh—"

"P-poison?" Xia Ping almost spat out the mouthful he had just swallowed.

"Brother Ren, are you trying to kill us?" Li Kun coughed.

"It's already too late to regret." Gao Ren grinned. Then, without waiting for their reply, he said, "Like I was saying, only the flesh of the fruit is safe to eat. It's very tasty and rich in spiritual qi. But it's also very delicate. Once the skin is removed, you have to consume it soon, or it will be ruined. The shipment arrives only once every year. We are lucky to be able to taste it."

"Brother Ren, you almost gave me a heart attack." Xia Ping sighed.

"The Ming Dynasty has traded with the Central Continent?" Li Kun said, impressed. "I thought the central continent is rich in resources? What can our Southern Continent give them?"

"We don't trade with them directly–the Heavenly Treasure Pavillion does." Gao Ren said, "It is limited to medicinal herbs and some other raw materials—things like spirit stones are welcomed everywhere. To be honest, I don't understand why the Pavilion even bothered coming to this continent. I don't think it is very profitable for them to have established here."

"Huh? The Pavillion came from the Central Continent?" Mu Chen, Li Kun, and Xia Ping were surprised to hear this little piece of information. They knew the Pavilion had a lot of influence but didn't expect their origin to lie in the Central Continent.

"Indeed." Gao Ren nodded, taking a sip from his goblet.

"What is the Central Continent like, Brother Ren?" Xia Ping asked, "Have you been there?"

"Been there? Haha! How can it be so easy?" Gao Ren shook his head. "Have you heard about the Dividing Sea?"

The three of them shook their heads.

"The Dividing Sea is like a natural moat for whoever wants to cross over the continent," Gao Ren said. "You cannot fly over the sea. If you try, you will be subjected to extreme pressure, forcing you into the sea. Your only choice is to use a ship. But it's difficult to guarantee your safety. The sea is plagued with terrifying sea beasts that are eager to make a snack out of you. It is much easier to reach the faraway Northern Continent than the Central Continent."

"Then what about those rumors? Are they true?" Li Kun asked, "Is the spiritual qi there truly dense? I heard there are treasures at every step…"

"Brother Kun, do you really believe all those rumors?" Gao Ren chuckled, "Most of them are exaggerated. The Central Continent is indeed very rich in spiritual qi and treasures—but it's also very dangerous."

"How come?" Xia Ping said.

"Our Southern Continent is very large, but it is deficient in spiritual qi. It's very difficult for ordinary humans to cultivate, so there are fewer cultivators and the average cultivation level is low. With limited means to travel between regions, it's harder to explore, and most cultivators are stuck in the region they are born in," said Gao Ren. "Although this situation is not very desirable, it also has its benefits."

"Which is?" Xia Ping said.

"It's peaceful here." Mu Chen said.

"Exactly!" Gao Ren said. "There have been very few large-scale conflicts among cultivators. Scuffles do happen, but their scope is limited."

"And there is also the Ming Dynasty―strong enough to quell any conflict." Li Kun added.

"Yes...there's that." Gao Ren coughed. "In contrast, the Central Continent is quite small. I heard it is just a quarter the size of the Southern Continent. But it's several times richer in spiritual qi. So even the average person could cultivate, giving rise to several powerful families and sects over time. But the small size of the continent means competition is even more intense. Everyone wants the best spirit veins, they want the best resources…it's easy to run into a conflict..."

Mu Chen, Li Kun, and Xia Ping sighed. From what Gao Ren said, it seemed that the Central Continent was like a giant prison where only the fittest survived.

"Anyway, the secret realm is at hand. You should be more concerned about it." Gao Ren said.

"What's there to worry about?" Li Kin said. "There are not many who can best us in the same generation."

"You guys don't understand," Gao Ren said, in a low voice, "It's not that simple."

"What are you saying, Brother Ren?" Li Kun said, "Is there something we don't know?"

"I—"

"Nobody moves!" Someone shouted. It came from outside. Mu Chen was distracted and looked out of the window. Several people had gathered in the square in front of the building. They were whispering amongst themselves, throwing cautious looks at the group of people who were dressed in uniforms.

"You! Check there!" The leader of the group dressed in silver armor issued instructions. "You...in there...you.."

The men split up and entered neighboring buildings. Mu Chen saw several guards approach their building and disappear below.

"What's happening?" Li Kun, who was sitting opposite Mu Chen, looked at the scene. "Hey! Are those guards? Are they looking for someone?"

Xia Ping, who was sitting beside Mu Chen, became curious and struggled to get a better view. "Ah! Someone must have annoyed them," Xia Ping said. "They...look strong."

"I hope it's not someone from our city..." Li Kun shrugged. "What were you saying, Brother Ren?" Li Kun leaned back into his seat and turned towards Gao Ren, only to discover that his seat was empty. "Brother Ren?" Li Kun looked around. "Where did Brother Ren go?"

Mu Chen and Xia Ping were surprised. Gao Ren wasn't anywhere to be seen.

"Wasn't he sitting here, just a moment ago?" Mu Chen frowned, he had been distracted by the commotion outside and didn't notice Gao Ren's disappearance.

"Maybe he went to the bathroom?" Xia Ping said.

"Let's wait for him." Li Kun said. Mu Chen, Li Kun, and Xia Ping continued to enjoy their drinks. As they drank, a few guards passed by their table.

"They seem to be looking for someone." Li Kun whispered after the guards did a round trip to the stairs.

Mu Chen looked outside the window. One by one, the guards were returning from the building and reporting to their leader. Judging from their shaking heads, it was evident that they had not found the person they were looking for. Disappointed, the leader led his men with him. With the disappearance of the royal guards, the crowd slowly dissipated.

"Sir, would you like something else?" Since they had finished their drinks, one of the servers approached them.

"Umm…" Li Kun looked at Mu Chen, uncertain. "Bring us some snacks to eat." Li Kun told the waiter. The server nodded and went to get their order.

"Ah! Where did Brother Ren disappear?" Xia Ping said. "He...did he forget about us?"

"Let's...just wait for him while we eat." Li Kun muttered. But Gao Ren didn't come back even after they had finished eating.

"Looks like Brother Ren is not coming back." Li Kun said. Mu Chen and Li Kun looked at each other, suspicion brewing in both their minds.

"Let's leave." Li Kun stood up. Mu Chen and Xia Ping followed suit. Seeing that they were leaving, the server brought them their bill. Li Kun received the bill and froze.

"Ah! Brother Kun, what's wrong?" Xia Ping looked at Li Kun who stood rooted at the spot.

"Has―has there been a mistake?" Li Kun was staring at the bill in shock. He looked at the server incredulously, "We just ordered a few drinks and some snacks."

"Yes, Sir." The server replied politely, "This is the bill. You ordered our specialty drink…" The server went ahead and gave a breakdown of the bill.

When they came out of the Drunken Moon Palace, Li Kun and Xia Ping's faces were crestfallen while Mu Chen's was awkward.

"Damn! It's outrageous!" Li Kun cursed, indignant. "This is pure daylight robbery!"

"Sorry, I should have paid for my drink..." Mu Chen said, embarrassed. After sharing his allowance with Zhou Mei and Ningxue, there wasn't much left for himself. Li Kun and Xia Ping had to foot his bill. Worse, none of them had any Ming Dynasty's currency that was used in the city. They had to pay using spirit crystals, but the exchange rate was horrible.

"Forget it, Brother Chen," Li Kun waved his hand, "it's not your fault. Brother Ren said it was his treat, but disappeared."

"Who...who would have thought that just a few drinks and snacks would cost so much?" Xia Ping sighed.

"Gao Ren did say it was imported…" Mu Chen said.

"Speaking of Brother Ren..." Li Kun whispered, "Do you think those guards were looking for him?"

"What?!" Xia Ping cried out, "They were after―"

"Shh!" Li Kun covered Xia Ping's mouth with his hand. "Keep your voice down."

"Well, he disappeared around the same time when the guards came in," Mu Chen said. "But it might just be a coincidence."

"I hope so." Li Kun sighed, letting go of Xia Ping, "I will see if I can contact him." Li Kun took out his sound transmission token and sent a message. After waiting for a while, there was no reply. Li Kun could only shake his head in negative.

"So what now?" Xia Ping said. "Brother Ren was going to show us around."

"We need to find a place to stay. There are still several days for the secret realm. We can use this time to better equip ourselves. I am sure we can find some good quality equipment or talismans." Li Kun said. "I think Brother Ren said workshops are in that direction…"

"I want to buy some talismans. I wonder if we can get a talisman with Heavenly Dipper Art." Xia Ping said, his eyes shining with expectation.

"Good luck with that," Li Kun laughed, "I doubt the Ming Dynasty would let others use their art. But we should be able to find other ones, better than those available in our city." Talismans were always in great demand. They were easy to operate, yet allowed one to use a variety of magic arts, without having learned them. Their only disadvantage was they were difficult to make―the maker had to be proficient in the art being inscribed, and they were consumable.

The trio walked down the street, three pairs of curious eyes reveling in the scenery. Unlike the Falling Stones city, the Ming Dynasty had invested a lot of time planning and building their capital. The streets were wide and large with pavements for people to walk on. Decorative trees and vegetation had been planted along the center of the street, dividing it in two, allowing for two-way streets. Every building had its yard and there were even signboards with directions for travel. Guards in uniform strutted around every other corner. Although they were allowed to use movement techniques, most people chose to walk or use a carriage. But occasionally, you could see some cultivators flying over the buildings. They were the officials who were on their errands.

"A lot of cultivators have come for the secret realm." Mu Chen observed. It was easy to identify newcomers like themselves―they were the young ones who were looking everywhere curiously.

"Yeah, I wonder how many talents the Ming Dynasty has managed to entice." Li Kun said. "They still haven't told us the conditions. I would hate to go back empty-handed." Besides the initial requirements that had been mentioned in the decree, Sir Chen hadn't given them any further information. Those who were keen understood the things wouldn't be as simple, but the lure of the secret realm was just too strong.

"As long as it is not too unreasonable―I doubt many people would decline," Mu Chen said, "especially after coming here from so far away." It had taken them a month of travel in the flying ship to reach the capital. Without a ship, the return journey would take magnitudes of time longer. Who would want to waste so much time for nothing? Many cultivators would be reluctant to leave and would instead agree to conditions they wouldn't have in the normal situation.

"Look!" Xia Ping exclaimed. They had come next to a building whose style looked vaguely familiar. It took a while for Mu Chen to realize it was a branch of the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion. Just, this branch was several times bigger than the one in their city. Several people had gathered next to the wall and were whispering excitedly.

"Why is there a crowd here?" Li Kun craned his neck trying to get a better look. A few people in front of them moved, letting them see what the fuss was about. A notice for an auction had been pinned to the wall.

"It's an auction! And it's about to begin!" Xia Ping said.

"Brother Chen, look!" Li Kun pointed out at the bottom of the notice, "There will be many items and treasures from the Central Continent. How about we go check it out?"

"Let's go," Mu Chen said. They didn't have any plans for the day, and an auction seemed like a good way to kill time.

"I will go get the tickets. Maybe we will be able to get some rare treasure." Xia Ping hopped ahead and squirmed through the crowd. Minutes later, he emerged waving three tickets in his hand. The trio followed the crowd down the aisle towards the auction hall.