The Immortal Ascension

Chapter 100: Jiayuan City

Lan Province ranked eighth in size among the thirteen provinces of Yue Country, but in terms of prosperity, it was second only to Xin Province, placing it at the top. Located in the southern part of Yue Country, it boasted fertile land, countless waterways, lakes, and canals, along with consistently favorable weather, making it exceptionally suitable for rice cultivation. As a result, it was the nation's foremost grain-producing region.

Jiayuan City, situated in the central part of Lan Province, was not the provincial capital but was indisputably the largest city in the region. The Xianglu Grand Canal, which traversed Yue Country from north to south, ran straight through the heart of the city. Additionally, several other major land and water routes converged here, making it a critical transportation hub and a vital artery for trade. The countless merchants and travelers passing through each year greatly stimulated the local economy, so it was no surprise that Jiayuan City had become the largest city in the province.

In Jiayuan City, cart companies, docks, and boat households were abundant, scattered throughout the city. The number of cart drivers, laborers, and boatmen engaged in this trade was as numerous as the hairs on an ox—tens of thousands in total. Sun Ergou was one such man who made his living at the docks.

True to his name, Sun Ergou had a crooked brow and slanted eyes, with the rough, thuggish appearance of a rogue. However, thanks to his knack for reading people and flattery, he had managed to climb his way up to become a minor gang leader at the docks, overseeing dozens of laborers and porters who made a living by carrying goods and luggage for passing merchants.

Thus, when Sun Ergou arrived at the small dock early this morning, several of his underlings hurried over and greeted him respectfully:

"Good morning, Second Master!"

"Second Master is here!"

...

Hearing these titles, Sun Ergou couldn't help but feel a bit smug. After all, being addressed as "Master" was proof that he was a man of some standing here. So, he put on his most dignified airs, responding to his subordinates' greetings with nothing more than a disdainful snort from his nose.

"What 'Second Master'? He's just a dog—Ergou!"

"Yeah, a two-legged dog, putting on airs like a man!"

"Hahaha! Hahaha!"

...

A wave of mocking laughter, dripping with sarcasm, reached Sun Ergou's ears without the slightest attempt at concealment.

Upon hearing this, his face darkened instantly, and his mood soured in an instant.

He slowly turned his head toward the group of several dozen men standing on the other side of the dock, his gaze settling on a burly, dark-skinned man. A flash of resentment flickered in his eyes.

If there was one person in Jiayuan City that Sun Ergou hated the most, this dark-skinned man would undoubtedly rank in the top three. If someone told him that he could make this man vanish from the world in exchange for all his wealth, Sun Ergou might hesitate for a moment. But if the price were halved, he wouldn't think twice before agreeing—though, given his penchant for drinking, gambling, and whoring, his so-called "wealth" wasn't much to begin with.

No one remembered the dark man's real name anymore. At the docks, people either called him "Black Master" or simply by his nickname—"Black Bear." He was the leader of another small gang, the Iron Fist Society, and held a position similar to Sun Ergou's in the Four Peace Gang. As such, he had also been assigned to oversee another group of laborers at this dock.A single mountain can't tolerate two tigers, let alone this tiny dock. From the very beginning, the two gangs had been at odds, and after several conflicts over competing for merchants, their relationship worsened even further. Now, whenever they met, members of both gangs would either mock and curse each other or shove and jostle, stopping just short of outright violence.

If the underlings were like this, then it went without saying how things stood between Sun Ergou and Black Bear, the biggest beneficiaries of the business here. The two men found each other utterly intolerable. However, as minor gang leaders with some status and standing, they were aware that their respective gangs—the Iron Fist Society and the Four Peace Gang—were allied against a larger gang, the Poison Dragon Gang. Thus, although both wanted to drive the other out and monopolize the dock, they had no choice but to forcibly restrain themselves for the time being. Their pent-up frustrations and anger, however, found an outlet through the verbal clashes of their subordinates, which became a daily morning ritual for the two men.

Sure enough, without waiting for Sun Ergou’s signal, a few quick-tongued men from his side immediately fired back without hesitation.

"Do you know what the dumbest animal is?"

"A bear!"

"And what’s the dumbest kind of bear?"

"Of course, it’s the black bear!"

"Hahaha..."

Black Bear, who had initially been listening to his own men mocking the other side with a smug expression, turned livid upon hearing this. Sun Ergou, on the other hand, burst into laughter and patted the shoulders of these subordinates approvingly as encouragement.

Black Bear’s men refused to be outdone and unleashed a torrent of filthy insults. Sun Ergou’s side naturally didn’t hold back either—after all, they were all tough men, so who was afraid of whom? They retaliated with the most offensive and vulgar words they could muster.

As their leaders, Sun Ergou and Black Bear sat to the side, watching coldly. They were men of some standing, after all, and couldn’t possibly stoop to joining such a shrewish shouting match.

Just as the two groups were getting hoarse and spittle was flying everywhere, one of Sun Ergou’s men suddenly exclaimed, "A boat’s coming in!"

This immediately silenced the nearly hundred burly men who had been enthusiastically trading insults, and they all turned their heads toward the river. After all, gleaming silver was far more enticing than momentary verbal satisfaction.

But when the men got a clear look at the boat docking at the pier, their excitement waned. It was just a Flat Leaf Skiff, which could carry at most three or five merchants—hardly a big business opportunity.

This was hardly surprising. The dock was small, dilapidated, and located in a remote area, so large ships rarely came here under normal circumstances. Only during peak trading seasons would larger vessels, unable to dock elsewhere, be forced to land here.

Once the small boat had docked, two people disembarked. One was a plain-looking young man of about seventeen or eighteen, while the other was a giant who stood more than two heads taller than an average person.

The young man wore an ordinary blue robe, with a small yellow bird perched on his shoulder. The moment he stepped off the boat, he began looking around curiously, like a country bumpkin visiting the city for the first time. The giant, on the other hand, wore a bamboo hat and a green robe, his face obscured, giving him an eerie appearance. He followed closely behind the young man, never straying more than a step away, like a servant or attendant.The young man and the giant were none other than Han Li and Qu Hun, who had traveled nonstop for three months before finally arriving at Doctor Mo's hometown.

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(End of chapter)