Chapter 1411: Chapter 1412: Inviting the Wolf into the House
Li Xiaobai turned his head and saw a young man dressed in luxurious clothing standing behind him. The youth wore a warm smile, gentle as jade, exuding extraordinary bearing—clearly the scion of a wealthy family.
“I don’t have any silver coins on me, so don’t even think of squeezing anything out of me!”
Just one look, and Li Xiaobai understood the gist of the situation. Protecting the large bags behind him, he spoke nervously.
“Uh… May I know your name, Brother?”
“No need to panic. I’m sure you’ve seen it—Tianfeng City is heavily guarded nowadays. Unless you can produce the proper documentation, everyone has to undergo strict questioning. My family’s young lady is kind-hearted and could not bear to see you anxious and troubled here. That’s why she sent me to invite you to enter the city with us.”
The young man’s eyes flashed with a hint of disdain, but his face remained friendly and approachable as he spoke.
“I’m Li Xiaobai. Who is your young lady?”
Li Xiaobai maintained a vigilant look, firmly guarding his large bags and bundles.
Seeing Li Xiaobai’s appearance, the disdain in the eyes of the young, luxuriously dressed man deepened further. Li Xiaobai’s simple clothing and his grubby, disheveled appearance, coupled with him dragging along massive bags instead of possessing a Space Ring, made him look like a proper country bumpkin.
And not just any country bumpkin—one of epic proportions. If not for needing those large bundles as cover, this kind of rustic type wouldn’t even warrant a glance from him on any other day!
“I am Yang Xiu. My family’s young lady is called Nangong Menglu.”
“We are here today to handle some business in Cangtian City. Upon seeing flustered folks unable to enter the city, my young lady felt pity and wanted to invite you to join us to resolve the matter.”
Yang Xiu pointed in a direction, speaking with a faint smile.
Following his gesture, Li Xiaobai saw that at the city gate, a team of carriages was undergoing inspection. Leading the group was a young woman, apparently arguing with the guards.
Seeing the scene, Li Xiaobai immediately understood. This wasn’t any act of genuine compassion but rather an attempt to bypass the guards using him and his large bundles to sneak through!
Still, Li Xiaobai himself was also struggling to find a way into Cangtian City. Having a wealthy young master like this guiding him would certainly save some trouble.
“So it’s Brother Yang. I trust you. Immortal Gods don’t lie to Immortal Gods. I’ll go with you!”
“But my bundles here contain important items and cannot be opened. If you can’t agree to that, I won’t go with you!”
Li Xiaobai appeared protective and nervous, though he was indeed uneasy. After all, the contents of those large bundles weren’t treasures, herbs, or materials from Demonic Beasts—they were actual people!
If discovered, he would instantly attract the attention of the city’s powerful cultivators. This action was risky and akin to walking a blade’s edge. However, if handled well, he could make his way into the city with the convoy.
“Rest assured, Brother Li. My young lady has always been considerate. Look, she’s already pleading with the guards on your behalf. As soon as you go over, we can enter the city!”
Yang Xiu was extremely enthusiastic, patting Li Xiaobai’s shoulder while encouraging him to proceed toward the city gates.
“Thank you, Brother Yang. Let me pack up, and I’ll go with you!”
Li Xiaobai’s face lit up with joy. As he moved forward, a golden battle chariot materialized beneath his feet, lifting the large bundles and heading straight for the gate. Yang Xiu, watching the golden battle chariot underfoot, couldn’t help but let his eyes gleam. Who would have thought such a country bumpkin possessed an item of this caliber? Perhaps he had underestimated Li Xiaobai.
“Brother, what treasures are hidden in those sacks of yours?”
Yang Xiu asked from behind.
“These are medicinal herbs I gathered outside the city; I plan to sell them inside the city.”
Li Xiaobai replied with a cheerful, carefree smile.
The two chatted and laughed as they approached the city gates, tossing all one hundred and fifty-plus big bags and bundles directly into the carriage.
“Miss, I’ve brought the person for you. We can leave now!”
Yang Xiu maintained a nonchalant demeanor.
“Alright, now that we’re ready, let’s enter the city. Is there anything else?”
Leading the group, the woman dressed in white clothing displayed a simple yet elegant style, though her remarkable aura could not be concealed. She turned toward the guards at the gate and inquired.
“Please forgive me, Immortal. This is by order of the City Lord. Recently, a mysterious force attacked and killed cultivators from the Pure Land and kidnapped several promising youths from within the city. The City Lord has taken this matter very seriously. We are only carrying out orders.”
The guard quickly waved his hands, explaining. While the convoy had been attempting to enter the city without inspecting their goods earlier, Nangong Menglu’s otherworldly aura didn’t sway the guards, who had strict directives to track every cultivator passing through the city gates.
Now, however, seeing Li Xiaobai toss his large bags onto the carriage, the guard finally relaxed. He recorded the scene using an Array Plate and allowed them to pass.
The wheels began to roll, and the convoy of carriages headed into the city.
Inside the carriage, the white-robed woman returned to her seat while the other cultivators remained next to the carriage, guarding the group.
“Our Miss truly has a sharp eye. She instantly saw through that country bumpkin for what he was. A few casual words from me and he eagerly tagged along. But his flying Magic Treasure is indeed impressive—if there’s a chance, we need to get our hands on it!”
Yang Xiu spoke with nearby cultivators, his eyes glinting with greed.
“Is that so? Then what do you think is inside the bundles in the carriage? Could there be valuable treasures?”
Hearing this, the cultivators nearby immediately perked up, stealing glances at the dim-witted youth trailing behind the convoy. No matter how they looked, he didn’t resemble someone wealthy.
“That’s hard to say… Let’s keep him under control for now and wait for an opportunity…”
Yang Xiu’s eyes briefly revealed a cold glint. He was already scheming to potentially murder and rob Li Xiaobai—the golden battle chariot was too precious to let stay in the possession of such an unsophisticated individual.
“Enough. He helped us out—how could we repay kindness with betrayal?”
“Behave yourselves. This is Cangtian City, not our territory. If trouble arises, you’ll bear the consequences!”
From within the carriage came a cold, detached voice, lightly reprimanding them.
“Understood!”
…
Li Xiaobai followed at the end of the convoy, observing their little interactions. A slight smile crept across his lips.
His goal was achieved. As the saying goes, “wealth invites attention.” By revealing a hint of his riches, these people wouldn’t let him go so easily. This was precisely what he wanted. A newcomer in the city, he lacked a place to stay. With a convenient meal ticket presenting itself, of course, he was delighted.
“Brother Li, what are your plans next?”
Yang Xiu came over with a congenial grin and pressed him with the question.
“I plan to find a shop to deal with my goods. Please thank Immortal Nangong on my behalf!”
Li Xiaobai scratched his head, wearing a sincere and honest expression.
“If you’re not in a hurry, why not join us later? There’s a banquet tonight, and my Miss hasn’t properly thanked you for your help.”
“Just medicinal herbs after all—I know many big households in the city who’ll buy them. Rare Earth won’t be lacking for you.”
Yang Xiu spoke cheerfully, entirely unaware of the sharp gleam that flickered within Li Xiaobai’s eyes.
“Alright, thank you, Brother Yang! Once I sell the goods at a fair price, I’ll make sure to repay you properly!”