Chapter 3943 Meeting an Old Friend in a Foreign Land
However, no one even moved after the boy shouted. The dignified man and the others didn’t pay him any attention. In fact, none of the surrounding experts even looked at the boy.
In an instant, the boy’s expression grew ugly with embarra.s.sment. He was enraged, but he was unable to direct the surrounding experts.
“Xiu-er, that’s enough. Don’t lower yourself to the level of vulgar people. We still have to see the emperor. After all, stone-heads won’t change their minds; rotting wood cannot be carved,” said the elder inside the carriage.
After the elder said that, the boy pointed at Long Chen. “The world is filled with opportunities for learning and encompa.s.ses a wide array of paths, not limited solely to the martial arts. Only ignorant people like you would lack respect toward others in their hearts.”
The boy then urged the donkey on, leaving Long Chen feeling enraged. However, seeing that it was just a child, Long Chen held himself back. Otherwise, he’d have long since slapped this boy and taught him what respect was.
“I’ll leave today’s matter as it is. But next time, I, Zhu Yunwen, will personally experience your skills to see what makes you dare to be so arrogant,” said the dignified man coldly.
“I am arrogant? Hahaha, interesting! Were you raised by that old thing? Even when covered in fur, do you see others as monkeys? Who could be more arrogant than you? What? You need others to clear the way for you just to walk through the streets? Do you refuse to walk in a crowded street? Why must people get out of the way so you can show off your grandeur? I heard that you are some crown prince, huh? Hehe, someone with your conduct, there’s no way you can ever be a decent crown prince in your lifetime,” said Long Chen indifferently.
“Just who are you?!” raged Zhu Yunwen.
“Who I am isn’t important. You will learn who I am very soon. Don’t worry, I won’t be leaving the Vermilion Bird Empire in the short term. I trust that it won’t be long before we meet again.” Long Chen ignored the crown prince and walked deeper into the city.
While Long Chen displayed indifference on the surface, he was actually grumbling angrily inside. However, he was also a bit confused. This crown prince was not surnamed Yu, not having the same surname as Yu Qingxuan. Just what was going on?
Entering the city normally required registration. However, after this disturbance, no one dared to stop Long Chen, afraid that he would also slap them. Thus, they just let him through.
“Crown prince, should I send someone to follow him and investigate his background?” asked one of the Supreme experts by Zhu Yunwen’s side.
Zhu Yunwen shook his head. “No need. This guy seems like an expert that disdains to lie the most. If he says that we’ll be meeting again soon, we definitely will. Everything will become clear next time.”
“True, he really has the guts to publicly criticize Philosopher Sun. Hehe, that was satisfying. I almost cheered him on,” laughed a female expert.
“He isn’t from the Vermillion Bird Empire and so doesn’t understand the philosopher’s status. Just like the saying ‘a newborn calf isn’t afraid of a tiger’, he just doesn’t know how big of a calamity he just provoked,” said another expert.
“The Philosopher Inst.i.tute really is loathsome. All they know how to do is fight using their tongues. They just argue and argue. It’s annoying.”
“The most hateful thing about them is their att.i.tudes. They all act better than us. They don’t even have much learning, yet their arrogance has ascended beyond the heavens.”
“Even though they will all drop dead with a single slap, we have to endure them. Peh!”
When the Philosopher Inst.i.tute was mentioned, they all started to complain because they disliked the Philosopher Inst.i.tute. However, they were also powerless to do anything to them.
…
As Long Chen entered the capital, he found that Vermilion Bird City was even larger than he had imagined. The city itself had five lakes, four mountains, nine creeks, and eighteen mountain streams. Moreover, although the buildings looked disordered, in truth, they were built according to a special formation.
From the sky, Vermilion Bird City looked just like a giant seal, and at the heart of the seal was a divine bird mark with flame-like designs around it. This divine bird was naturally the Vermilion Bird.
The buildings themselves were very old. However, they gave off a lively feeling, as if full of youthful energy, akin to a bird spreading its wings and about to leap into flight.
“This formation is amazing. Furthermore, I’m only seeing the surface. Who knows what is hidden underground? If Xia Chen was here, he would definitely be interested.” Long Chen eyed the buildings. Even as an amateur who only knew a bit about formations, he could see that Vermilion Bird City was a terrifying grand formation. Its power would be unimaginable if it was activated.
Inside the city, Long Chen found that the general atmosphere was very refined. There were many scholars walking around. Curiously, they had cold indifference toward the cultivators despite not being one. The contemptuous glint in their eyes suggested a profound disdain for those on the path of cultivation.
Long Chen was very curious about that. The immortal world was one where martial might was respected, so why would the Vermilion Bird Empire care more about learning?
He saw groups of three to five scholars all around, pointing at the rivers and mountains, discussing facts, having discussions, reciting poetry, or even singing. They seemed very carefree.
They were in the teahouses and wine shops. Thus, Long Chen was particularly conspicuous as he walked through the streets in his black robes with a giant saber on his back. Some of those scholars even pointed at him behind his back with disdainful expressions.
Long Chen smiled faintly, not feeling angry. Who didn’t know how to talk about people behind their backs? Also, who has never been talked about like this? Long Chen never cared about such a thing.
On the other hand, he was quite interested in the Vermilion Bird Empire’s history. He noticed that this place was filled with culture, and the roads were steeped in history.
Even the small stores on the roads looked as if they had immense history behind them. The stores on the main path actually had nothing to do with cultivation, contrary to most cities. Here, it was like he was back in the mortal world’s Phoenix Cry Empire, and this feeling actually made him feel sentimental.
“Sorry, people with weapons can’t enter here.” Long Chen was about to walk into a calligraphy store when he was stopped by the shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper looked at him disdainfully, which made Long Chen’s expression turn odd. The Vermilion Bird Empire was truly interesting. A little shopkeeper actually dared to stop him.
Long Chen smiled and didn’t enter. From outside, he saw that while the shop was small, it actually had quite a few impressive wares. Artistically, they were very profound.
Long Chen wanted to buy a few, but with the shopkeeper’s att.i.tude, he couldn’t be bothered to. Anyway, there were plenty of other stores.
Of course, there were some with better att.i.tudes. When Long Chen saw some ornaments with beautiful craftsmans.h.i.+p, he wanted to buy some. But then, he learned that buying things in the Vermilion Bird Empire required him to use the empire’s currency. As a result, Long Chen was left dumbfounded.
It was no wonder so many shopkeepers had directly driven him away. It seemed that they could tell that he had no money and couldn’t be bothered to waste time on him.
Suddenly, the sound of a zither rang out and Long Chen heard someone crying out. “It’s starting, it’s starting! The Zither Sect’s fairies are starting to play music!”
In an instant, a sea of people charged toward the end of the street. Long Chen was then carried by the flow of the crowd and arrived at a giant plaza.
The heart of the plaza was a mountain, with spring water flowing down from the peak. The babbling brooks caused a dense mist to flow down and cover the plaza in an air of mystery.
In front of the mountain was a platform with eighteen beautiful women in white dresses. They were sitting and playing their zithers.
“Liao Yuhuang?”
When Long Chen saw one of them in particular, he was startled. He hadn’t expected to meet someone he knew here.