sjar Chapter 954 The White Walkers (1)
Chapter 954 The White Walkers (1)
Chapter 954 The White Walkers (Part 1)
It goes without saying that this kind of ranking competition, which is essentially a test, is definitely being watched by someone outside.
There are quite a few people.
If the goal of most schools of thought were simply to gain points and maintain their ranking, Han Yi wouldn't be so worried.
This ranking competition involves a total of thirty-six schools of thought. Without revealing their strength, they can just blend in and get into the top eighteen, thus securing a ranking and earning points.
However, the situation is different for the All-Encompassing School.
After a series of extremely complicated calculations by Chunhui Palace, the school of thought was severely lacking in points because it had not participated in the previous battles.
According to this haphazard calculation method, a school of thought needs to be ranked in the top ten at least to have any chance of being expelled.
For Han Yi
This is a bit tricky.
The problem is that, having just broken through to the Profound Realm, his soul at the Out-of-Body level, based on the incomplete "Four Seasons Demon Blade" from the Myriad Manifestations School, is insufficient to support him in traveling this far.
The strength doesn't justify it.
The competition for rankings also requires students to showcase the unique methods of their school of thought as much as possible.
The sheer brilliance of the top ten goes without saying.
Once you make it into the top ten, it's a minor issue if you're discovered to have used other methods. The key problem is...
The unusual strength is difficult to explain.
You're already a powerful expert whose physical body is close to the level of a Demon Lord, which is equivalent to a Demon Saint. You're meticulously hiding yourself, mingling and fooling around with some juniors. And you're even willing to infiltrate a third-rate minor sect from the very beginning...
No matter how Han Yi explained, even if he revealed his true purpose, which was simply to seek knowledge to become stronger.
If I told anyone, no one would believe me.
He would definitely be treated as a traitor and beaten.
At that point, let alone breaking free from their own constraints, even their lives would be uncertain.
After all, the Demon Saint Palace's resources... allow people to easily travel to another world without being detected...
By observing only a small part of the whole picture, one can get a general idea of its strength.
Moreover, Han Yi is currently in the enemy's stronghold, deep in their territory, and this is a risk we cannot take.
Therefore, the best solution is...
We need to find a way to cover up and expose the abnormality in our strength.
The best solution Han Yi could think of at the moment was actually the path of the Others in this world.
Han Yi's mind was a jumble of chaotic thoughts, flowing endlessly as he slowly walked down the stairs.
"Farewell, Master Han!" The waiter at the door greeted him with a smile, a damp towel draped over his arm.
"Okay. Put it in the tab."
Han Yi snapped out of his daze and nodded slightly.
"Alright! Take care, sir!" The waiter respectfully saw Han Yi out of the restaurant.
Stepping outside, one is greeted by a cacophony of noise.
The streets were bustling with traffic and crowds of people. Wine flags lined the streets, and teahouses and taverns were everywhere. The fragrance of various flowers and fruits wafted in the wind.
It is now late autumn, the sky is high and clear, the sun is shining brightly, and the exquisite and elegant pavilions and buildings in the distance stretch as far as the eye can see, crisscrossing and forming a prosperous and bustling scene.
Han Yi stood by the roadside. The street was filled with all sorts of people: ordinary citizens in plain clothes, young masters and ladies in fine robes, and martial arts practitioners carrying swords…
When these people passed by Han Yi, they would subconsciously hold their breath, slow their pace, glance at him, and then turn their heads away, not daring to look any longer, for fear of being noticed by him.
The look in their eyes, like that of the waiter in the restaurant, was a complex mixture of envy, fear, and terror.
In the dark corners of the streets, among those engaged in illegal activities and whose hands are stained with blood, the dominant emotion is fear.
Pure fear.
I was both afraid and terrified.
The Imperial City Guard of Da Ning was an organization similar to the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Sticky Rod Office, or the Six Doors, possessing the power to monitor both court officials and the martial arts world.
Han Yi was merely an insignificant constable who inherited the legacy of his ancestors.
But the skin on his body... is incredibly intimidating.
Han Yi had no time to pay attention to anything else. He walked slowly in one direction against the flow of people.
People walking on the road would scramble to make way for him when they encountered him.
The weird thing is.
Many eyes were focused on Han Yi, looking at all sorts of things, but no one paid attention to the scroll in his hand. His hand seemed empty, as if he was holding nothing but a wisp of transparent air.
Han Yi had already tested it.
Let alone just taking it, even if he brought up the Northern Lands and the Demon Saint Palace, the people opposite him acted as if they hadn't heard him and continued talking about other things and doing other things.
Faced with this situation, Han Yi could only sigh inwardly.
The methods of the Demon Saint Palace are truly mysterious and unpredictable. No one knows what method they used to make people in this world ignore the abnormalities of these people.
He strode forward.
Han Yi soon arrived at the West Market of Yujing.
Yujing.
The Shaolong Xiang clan established Daming and made Yujing their capital, which has been nearly three hundred years ago.
Initially, Yujing was just a small town, but after more than a hundred years of continuous repairs and expansion by the Xiang family, it now has a population of several million.
All industries are thriving, but the city is also a melting pot of all sorts of people. It is both a land of virtue and a city of intrigue.
The eastern part of the city was the most prestigious, being the residence of high-ranking officials and nobles, and was heavily guarded.
The West Market was for merchants. Located on the west side of Yujing, bordering the Hao River, it had numerous wharves and was the main trading place for bulk goods. Every autumn harvest, countless ships carrying grain and fodder passed by. The south side of the city was for scholars, and the north side for commoners.
These two areas have the largest population, comprising the vast majority of ordinary people. Aristocratic families, powerful clans, even martial arts sects, various gangs, and numerous forces from all walks of life all live here.
East city, west market, south scholars, north commoners.
Four horizontal and four vertical streets, large and small, hundreds of streets neatly divide the vast city of Yujing.
Jinxiu Trading Company.
Han Yi's destination in Xishi was this place.
The antique-style four-panel shop doors were wide open, revealing a counter shaped like the Chinese character "回" inside.
In the corner of the room are four vermilion supporting pillars, and a zigzag staircase supports the two-story pavilion.
Inside the counter, a young shop assistant was deftly wiping away fine dust with a cloth. Hearing footsteps, the shop assistant looked up and, seeing Han Yi enter, immediately put on a warm smile.
"Master Han is here? Please sit down and rest, have a cup of hot tea." With that, he quickly made tea and poured water.
"No rush. Where's your manager?" Han Yi walked in familiarly and poured himself a glass of water.
"He's inside," the waiter answered honestly. "I didn't go out today because I didn't have much to do."
"Alright. You go ahead and do your thing. I can handle this myself." Han Yi casually tossed two silver coins over and walked towards the back of the shop.
"Alright, alright!" The waiter beamed and hurriedly collected the money.
This Mr. Han is a really good person. Not only is he generous, but he also always speaks very politely, unlike others who are arrogant and domineering.
Inside the room, a man wearing a black fur raccoon hat and a bright yellow brocade robe reclines on a soft chair, a chicken claw dangling from his mouth as he leisurely sips hot tea.
It was Gao Jue, an old acquaintance of Han Yi and a member of the Iron Wing School.
When Gao Jue saw that it was Han Yi who came in, she lay back down, which was originally her position for getting up.
"All settled? Take your Uncle Yu for example, he seems kind and warm-hearted, but in reality... he's just so-so, not a good person at all."
"It's alright. At least we managed to get away with it. It's not enough to arouse suspicion," Han Yi said calmly.
"That's fine then. Of the three of us, your identity is the most troublesome," Gao Jue said with a wry smile. "You're just a fifth-grade sword demon, yet it's caused so much trouble..."
"There are always trade-offs. The Knife Ghost's combat power and rarity far surpass your Abacus Ghost," Han Yi said casually.
The ranking competition is a test, an assessment, not a real battle with the outside world.
The Demon Saint Palace couldn't just do nothing and throw people into a completely unfamiliar outside world.
The identity tokens received earlier serve as an entry point for participants to integrate into this world, and are also the first test given by the Holy Palace to the contestants.
The moment Han Yi arrived in this world, the incompetent 'Han Yi' of the past completely disappeared.
The two individuals had vastly different personalities and vastly different interpersonal skills.
Balancing these two aspects without arousing suspicion is a significant challenge.
Fortunately, the original owner had a powerful, cheap father.
He was said to be the former Jade Capital Divine Constable, a figure of considerable renown in both the martial arts world and the imperial court, known as the Iron-Pen Divine Constable, a master of martial arts.
There is such a connection. Han Yi used this as a reason to suddenly awaken to his true nature, work hard, and stage a story of a prodigal son returning home... so no one was surprised.
Even if the process is somewhat far-fetched, it can still be explained.
The original owner of this body didn't have many relatives or friends during her lifetime. Yu Wenqing was the sworn brother of the original owner's deceased father, so they were considered close.
If Han Yi can fool him and not arouse suspicion, then this hurdle can be considered safely passed.
Once the identity issue is resolved and the test is passed, rewards from the Holy Palace will be received in various ways.
The White Walkers are one of them.
If identity is the key for the Holy Palace to help participants build a network of connections, then the initial White Walkers are an important way for people to quickly integrate into the extraordinary system of this world.
Just like Han Yi's initial sword demon and Gao Jue's initial abacus demon, most of them originated from this.
However, Han Yi felt that there was something fishy about the rewards here.
If Gao Jue hadn't spent money, he might have just given up on a White Walker.
It's impossible to have White Walkers tailored to each other's strengths like it is now.
Han Yi even suspected that if he didn't pay, his status as a constable... might be in jeopardy.
He might end up like Han the butcher who slaughters pigs in the west of the city.
"More or less. Anyway, if a fight really breaks out, you can't expect to win against an ordinary brat." Gao Jue laughed. "The key is your identity. If you use it well and establish a foothold in the Imperial City Guard, it will be a great help in the upcoming missions."
"Maybe." Han Yi remained noncommittal, casually found a chair, sat down, and picked up some snacks from the table to eat.
On a small, square, vermilion-lacquered table, there was a black square box. The box was divided into eight compartments, with various snacks such as candied fruit, dried fruit, chicken feet, and melon seeds placed in the compartments. The colors were different, and the contents were dazzling.