120: Crescent City

On the afternoon of the sixth day, after many twists and turns, the fleet finally arrived at the destination of this trip—Star Moon City.

As the Great Qian Dynasty's third largest great city, second only to the Imperial Capital and Jiangnan Prefecture, Star Moon City was situated within a massive natural bay on the continent's eastern coastline; its magnificent grandeur far exceeded Qin Feng's imagination and was in no way comparable to West Lake City.

Before even fully entering the port, that towering silhouette had already occupied his entire field of vision. The walls, rising into the clouds, were like a grey-black Dragon, winding and undulating along the coastline and mountain terrain, with no end in sight. Atop the walls, arrow towers and bunkers stood in numbers, banners fluttered, and the figures of soldiers in bright armor patrolling could be faintly seen, exuding a solemn and inviolable Aura. It was said that when the iron hooves of the northern barbarians charged south with unstoppable force, they had crashed against Star Moon City until they were bloodied and bruised, unable to conquer it for a long time, eventually returning in defeat; the sturdiness of its city defenses could be seen from this.

The port area was even more staggeringly busy. Masts of ships large and small were like a forest, and the shadows of sails covered the sky; from delicate fishing boats to massive ocean-going vessels, everything was present. The docks were a clamor of human voices, with the chants of laborers, the cries of merchants, and the rumbling of carriage wheels interweaving into a boisterous urban symphony. People of all kinds shuttled through, including dark-skinned sailors, gorgeously dressed merchants, Martial Artists wearing sabers and swords, and even some overseas foreign merchants in exotic attire with high noses and deep-set eyes.

People from the Star Moon City branch of the Four Seas Merchant Guild had already received the carrier pigeon message and had been waiting at the docks for a long time. Seeing the "ten thousand seas" slowly come to shore, especially seeing the traces left by battle on the hull (the Four Seas Merchant Guild flags were still hanging after leaving Black Reef Island), the branch manager hurriedly brought people to welcome them.

The cargo handover proceeded exceptionally smoothly. When the last crate of goods was steadily unloaded and stored in the branch warehouse, although Steward Liu's face was still pale as he leaned on the stretcher, he still let out a long sigh of relief, a smile of heavy burdens being lifted appearing on his face.

He signaled the stretcher-bearers to bring him before Qin Feng, struggling to stand up to salute, but was held down by Qin Feng.

"Young Master Qin, this time... this time it's all thanks to you and everyone from the Hundred Flowers Pavilion! If not for you all, this batch of goods would certainly not have arrived safely. My Four Seas Merchant Guild would not only have suffered heavy losses but would also have offended the major client here in Star Moon City; the consequences would have been unimaginable!" Steward Liu's voice was weak but filled with gratitude. "Although... although it is heartbreaking that some manpower was lost, the mission was completed after all, and the den of the Black Reef Island pirates was destroyed. Once this matter spreads, my Four Seas Merchant Guild will surely gain great fame!"

For the Four Seas Merchant Guild, which was working hard to expand and urgently needed to establish prestige, this was undoubtedly a shot in the arm.

"Steward Liu overstates it; it was just my duty, a win-win situation." Qin Feng gave a slight support, his tone calm.

At this time, Captain Zhang Yuan came over to ask for instructions: "Young Master Qin, the cargo has been unloaded; shall we set sail back tomorrow morning?"

Qin Feng pondered briefly and shook his head: "No rush. Since we have arrived at this Star Moon City, how can we pass the door without entering? We will rest here for a day and set sail back the day after tomorrow."

He also needed time to further recover from his injuries, and more importantly, he wanted to see this famous great city with his own eyes... Stepping into Star Moon City, the sight before him made Qin Feng deeply realize what "flourishing prosperity" meant.

On both sides of the bluestone main street, wide enough to accommodate ten carriages side-by-side, shops stood in numbers and banners fluttered. Silk shops, jewelry stores, restaurants, teahouses, martial arts halls, pharmacies... every trade and profession was present, with a dazzling array of goods, many of which were even overseas rarities rarely seen in West Lake City.

People flowed like a weave, jostling shoulder to shoulder. Besides the common people of the Qian Kingdom, one could also see northern merchants in leather hunting gear with fierce Auras, Southern Border women wearing brightly colored long skirts and veils, and some Hu merchants from the Western Regions with high noses and deep-set eyes, leading camels with tinkling bells. The air was a mix of various smells—the aroma of freshly baked flatbreads, the scent of cosmetics on women, the bitterness of medicinal herbs, and the rich, unique fragrance of overseas spices.

The city layout was orderly, with "Heavenly Street," which ran through the north and south, and "Vermilion Bird Avenue," which ran east to west, as the main arteries, dividing the urban area into the Palace City, Imperial City, Residential Wards, and other regions. The Palace City was located on the northwestern heights of the city, overlooking the entire city; it was where the city lord and the core of military and political power were located, heavily guarded, and ordinary citizens were not allowed to approach. The Imperial City surrounded the Palace City and was the gathering place for major government offices, noble estates, and high-level academies.

While Qin Feng and the others mainly moved in the southeastern commercial district and Residential Wards. Not only were there branches of large-scale forces like the Four Seas Merchant Guild and the Hundred Flowers Pavilion here, but there were also countless small and medium-sized merchant guilds, escort agencies, and handicraft workshops, full of vigorous life and vitality.

Walking among it, Qin Feng could clearly feel the majestic Bloodline and deep heritage of this city. The Spiritual Qi was also several times denser than in West Lake City; clearly, a high-grade Spiritual Vein was hidden underground. Cultivating here would yield twice the result with half the effort.

He even saw a "Cultivation Market" specifically selling Medicinal Pills, weapons, and Cultivation Technique Secret Manuals, as well as some figures with deep Auras who were clearly experts entering and leaving it.

"As expected of the Empire's third largest city, it truly hides dragons and crouches tigers," Qin Feng thought to himself. Here, a Grand Martial Master did not seem particularly conspicuous; occasionally, he could even sense a few obscure but powerful Auras, which were existences at least at the Martial King level.

He took Xiao Chun, Ji Ruxue (whose injuries had not yet healed and who still followed in silence), and Zhao Mang, whose injuries were slightly lighter, for a stroll through the city. Xiao Chun found everything novel, her large eyes full of excitement. Ji Ruxue, however, still vigilantly observed the surroundings; her killer instinct made it impossible for her to fully relax in any unfamiliar environment.

Qin Feng stopped in front of a grand Medicinal Pill Pavilion, looking at the Medicinal Pills displayed in the window that emitted a dense, treasure-like glow; among them, there was no lack of Earth Rank quality, and the prices were naturally staggering. This further strengthened his thought of making money and increasing his strength as soon as possible.

In this great city where the winds and clouds from all directions gathered, crises and opportunities coexisted. The victory at Black Reef Island was only the beginning; the threat of a Late Stage Martial King was like a sword hanging overhead, and this vast world also provided him with more possibilities for Breakthroughs and becoming stronger.