菠萝漫画

“I’m already close to Ink Forest Prefecture City, and such things are still happening? It seems… the situation in Ink Forest Prefecture City is not as peaceful as I imagined!”

Not until he was far from that barren mountain did Su Changkong recall the tragic and bizarre corpses, his expression growing even more serious.

The area around Ink Forest Prefecture City was probably not so calm, and he realized he still needed to proceed with caution!

Hurrying until dusk, Su Changkong noticed more travelers around him, including merchant caravans, armed escorts, and groups of plainly dressed pedestrians. From time to time, there were soldiers in armor patrolling nearby on horseback, making it clear to Su Changkong that he was nearing Ink Forest Prefecture City!

“Finally, I’ve arrived!”

Indeed, as he continued forward, the outline of a city appeared before him, with tall city walls standing firm, exuding a sense of solid history.

This was the bustling Ink Forest Prefecture City!

Nearly thirty feet tall, the city walls rose majestically, built of black rock, and at the city gate, fully-armed soldiers in silver armor stood guard, as travelers came and went in an endless stream.

According to Su Changkong’s knowledge, the permanent population of Ink Forest Prefecture City was over a million, not including the merchants and travelers that place among the largest cities on Blue Planet in ancient times!

Su Changkong followed the crowd into the city, with the guards at the gate only briefly glancing at his face before moving on.

Once inside, the wide streets were busy with speeding carriages, and Su Changkong saw numerous tall buildings and residential areas. As it was evening, many of the buildings were adorned with numerous lanterns and festive lights, shining brightly and catching the eye.

In Clearwater City and Black Iron Manor, when night fell, people generally retired early to rest, preparing for the next day’s work.

However, in Ink Forest Prefecture City, the evening was lit with brilliant decorations, and the night markets were bustling, becoming a time of revelry and indulgence for many, lasting until late into the night before gradually quieting down.

Coming from Clearwater City to Ink Forest Prefecture City, Su Changkong felt like he’d moved from the countryside to a great city—a completely different world!

“First, I’ll find an inn to stay in, gather some information about Ink Forest Prefecture City, then rent a place to begin working on the Qi-Blood Pill,” he decided.

Su Changkong was in no hurry. After strolling the streets for a while, he finally stopped at the entrance of an inn called “Pine Moon Inn” and entered.

Inns, places with a large flux of people and a mix of good and bad, were where information flowed swiftly—a perfect place to gather news.

Su Changkong rented a room at Pine Moon Inn, washed away the fatigue from days of travel, and sat down in a corner of the lobby on the first floor. He ordered some dishes and quietly listened to the conversations of other guests while they dined.

“Hahaha! Three days ago, some sea pirates were raiding. Sikong Zhan, the Young Gang Leader of the Giant Whale Gang, personally took to the sea and sunk over a hundred pirates along with several ships into the Blue Rain Sea!” “Have you heard… Yesterday, near the outskirts of Ink Forest Prefecture City, more rotten corpses in tragic states were discovered. It’s rumored that it’s the work of Demon Monsters, not humans…”

In the inn’s lobby, many guests gathered in groups at their tables, drinking wine, eating meat, and chatting about various recent events in Ink Forest Prefecture City.

Su Changkong listened quietly, indeed learning quite a bit. In the evening, a waiter brought hot water to his room, and Su Changkong rewarded him with some silver, inquiring about some basic information concerning Ink Forest Prefecture City and gained a lot.

In the blink of an eye, Su Changkong had spent five days at Pine Moon Inn. Over these five days, he had gained a fundamental understanding of Ink Forest Prefecture City!

In Ink Forest Prefecture City, the one figure not to be provoked was the Magistrate of Ink Forest Prefecture City.

Magistrate Gong Yulong not only had the power to command tens of thousands of elite soldiers of Ink Forest Prefecture City, but he was also from a prominent family, with the support of the Gong Family, a powerful family rooted in Ink Forest Prefecture City for over a hundred years!

Beyond that, one of the largest gangs in and around Ink Forest Prefecture City, the Giant Whale Gang, also posed a formidable force not to be trifled with. The Giant Whale Gang was strong and extensive, its disciples spread throughout the Martial World of Ink Forest Prefecture, dominating the nearby Blue Rain Sea and controlling maritime trade to amass a fortune daily.

And the Gang Leader, Sikong Yong, was even more a top-level master of Ink Forest Prefecture’s Martial World. A martial arts prodigy, he took over the position of Gang Leader of the Giant Whale Gang in his youth. Competent in both civil and military affairs, he had managed to keep the rampaging Sea Pirates of the Blue Rain Sea in line, with no one daring to confront his might!

Though he had not appeared publicly for several years, his reputation remained undiminished.

“First, I’ll go to Wanling Pavilion to see if I can buy the necessary ingredients for the Qi-Blood Pill, then I’ll look for a suitable residence,” Su Changkong thought to himself.

Wanling Pavilion was a property of the Wan Family in Ink Forest Prefecture City. The Wan Family had deep roots in the city, mainly engaged in commerce. Wanling Pavilion was similar to a shopping center where one could purchase weapons, bows, clothes, and medicinal ingredients.

In a small place like Clearwater City, most of the ingredients required for the Qi-Blood Pill recipe were simply not available. Su Changkong’s main purpose in coming to Ink Forest Prefecture City was to acquire those ingredients and entrust someone with Alchemy to produce the Qi-Blood Pill, using it to enter the Qi-Blood Realm!

After tidying up, Su Changkong inquired the location of Wanling Pavilion from passersby and made his way there..