Chapter 116: I Am a Person with Proper Identification

Half a month later, Lei Xiang appeared above a barren mountain. He knew that a city—the capital of the Jingyu Kingdom—lay five hundred miles ahead, but he was blocked by two figures.

Two men dressed as soldiers, with cultivation levels no higher than the tenth stage of Qi Refining, brazenly obstructed him, a formidable Golden Core expert. Lei Xiang felt a wave of frustration. "What is it? Do you have identification?" the soldier with the larger head asked, eyeing him askance.

It was evident that the Jingyu Kingdom was powerful; there were sentries even hundreds of miles from the capital. These guards possessed an overbearing sense of superiority, looking at everyone as if they were bumpkins coming to town. Lei Xiang, unhurried, opened his mouth and spat out a pale blue "jujube." This was his cultivator identity card.

Cultivator ID cards, which could only be applied for after reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, were divided into five ranks: purple, blue, red, cyan, and black, with purple being the most prestigious. They would be of great use should one ascend to higher realms in the future.

The two border guards were stunned at the sight of the blue "jujube." Having guarded this post for over a decade, they had never even seen a red ID, let alone the noble blue. Moreover, since Lei Xiang had successfully formed his Golden Core, there was a faint, hidden hint of purple within the blue of the card. The guards’ attitudes shifted instantly. "Please forgive us, Senior. The Jingyu Kingdom has explicit regulations: everyone entering our borders must register their identification. Otherwise, even if you were a Nascent Soul monster, you could not enter. Would you be willing to register your ID?"

Register?

Lei Xiang offered a bitter smile. Traveling north from the Dongyue Kingdom and crossing over a dozen countries of varying sizes, including the Colin Mountains, this was the first nation that required an ID check. If he registered, any future actions he took could be traced back to him by the Jingyu Kingdom. If he refused and used force, he was not arrogant enough to believe he could challenge an entire nation single-handedly.

"Very well, you may register it."

A flash of light emanated from the other guard’s hand, revealing a golden, book-like magical artifact. He flipped through several pages, stopped, and pressed Lei Xiang’s jujube-shaped ID into a specific slot. The page burst into golden light. The guard then pointed at his own brow, and the book recorded the time, location, and the guard's name. Having finished, he respectfully returned the ID to Lei Xiang. "Apologies for the delay, Senior. Please, proceed!"

Lei Xiang took back his jujube ID and swallowed it back into his body. "I need a map of the Jingyu Kingdom. Can you help me?"

The guard readily copied a map for him. From the ID, he knew this unassuming young man was actually a Golden Core master. He certainly wouldn't miss the chance to curry favor with such a figure.

Lei Xiang took the copied jade slip, nodded slightly, and tossed the guard a medium-grade spirit stone as a reward. Wishing to learn more about the kingdom, he asked for advice. The guard thought for a moment and said, "Senior, I am on duty today and cannot speak at length. Besides, I have been stationed here for years and am not well-versed in the affairs of the interior. I have an uncle who lives permanently in the imperial capital and holds some influence. You could go and ask him. My name is Zhang Ergou, and my uncle is Zhang Liao. You need only mention my name."

***

After parting with Zhang Ergou, Lei Xiang flew rapidly on his white jade bed. With his Golden Core cultivation, he reached the capital in five days. The journey had been peaceful, with no further checks. He descended outside the west gate of the imperial capital.

Seen from afar, the capital was impressive, but up close, it was magnificent. The walls were three zhang thick and seven zhang high, with five-zhang-tall gates, covering an area of a hundred miles. What was even more remarkable was that every brick shimmered with a translucent, crystalline light, as if the entire place were a massive crystal city. It was worlds apart from the small nations he had passed through in the Colin Mountains. According to the border guard, the Jingyu Kingdom was a subordinate of the Jingxuan Kingdom. If the capital of Jingyu was like this, what must the Jingxuan Kingdom be like?

Two rows of sturdy, imposing soldiers stood by the gate, supervised by a Foundation Establishment cultivator carrying a black sword. Though many people were entering and exiting, the soldiers did not conduct searches, which puzzled Lei Xiang. After a moment of thought, he walked into the city.

The sword-carrying leader glanced at Lei Xiang without expression. Just as Lei Xiang entered the gate tunnel, he felt his internal ID tighten, as if swept by a powerful ray. A "ding" sounded. The leader withdrew his gaze and turned to others. Lei Xiang had passed through successfully.

He quickly realized that the gate was equipped with a grand formation that automatically scanned ID cards. If one was registered, it would "ding," signaling the guards to let them pass. As for those below Foundation Establishment, they had no IDs and were, in principle, not allowed to enter the capital at all, unless they applied for a temporary permit under special circumstances.

Following Zhang Ergou's instructions, Lei Xiang navigated two turns and walked straight toward an inn. He sat in a corner and summoned the waiter. "Is your boss in? Zhang Ergou sent me to find him."

The waiter sized him up and smiled broadly. "Please wait, sir. I will go fetch our boss."

When the waiter returned with the owner, Lei Xiang was staring intently at a crystal stone in another customer's hand. "Are you the one looking for me, friend?"

Lei Xiang withdrew his gaze to see a friendly, round-faced middle-aged man. "You must be Zhang Liao. Your nephew, Zhang Ergou, referred me to you. I have some matters I need help with."

Zhang Liao smiled. "It is my pleasure. Please, this way, Senior." He led Lei Xiang to a private room on the second floor. After they were seated, Zhang Liao’s smile remained. "Are you looking for someone, Senior? Or perhaps you wish to purchase artifacts or materials? Please, state your request."

Lei Xiang promptly tossed him a medium-grade spirit stone. "I simply wish to understand the situation here. I hear you have extensive connections in the capital, so I am asking for your assistance."

***

Zhang Liao took the spirit stone, his eyes crinkling with even greater delight. "To be honest, I have lived for over fifty years. I may not have other talents, but when it comes to knowing the Jingyu Kingdom, no one compares to me. I am a native of this capital, and everyone comes to me for help with their affairs..."

It reminded Lei Xiang of the "fixers" in modern society. He quickly interrupted the garrulous Zhang Liao. "Enough. Since you are busy, let us get straight to the point. First, a side question: I saw customers paying with a type of crystal that resembles the stones on the city walls. What is that?"

"Ah, you might not know, but our kingdom is rich in 'Jingyu.' That is the jade you see on the walls. It is quite expensive abroad, so here, it is often used as a substitute for spirit stones. It is not very valuable, though—one low-grade spirit stone can be exchanged for ten units of Jingyu of equal weight."

"I see." Lei Xiang nodded thoughtfully. If he was not mistaken, this Jingyu was the primary material for creating 'Heavenly Crystal Bolts.' If he could acquire high-purity Jingyu, he could improve the power of his Heaven-Crystal Shells, making his 'Immortal-Shooting Gun' even more invincible. Of course, he could not let Zhang Liao know his true intentions.

"Very well. Now, give me a proper overview of the Jingyu Kingdom, focusing on the power distribution in the capital. Who are the people to avoid? The more detailed, the better. If I am satisfied, there will be further rewards."

Lying on the bed in the inn, Lei Xiang contemplated his next steps. According to Zhang Liao, the kingdom's pillar industry was the mining of Jingyu. The capital was a melting pot of various factions, all revolving around the crystal trade. The three largest factions, each backed by a late-stage Golden Core expert, were the Qingyun Mountain, the Jingyu Gang, and the Jade Buddha Temple. There were dozens of smaller groups, but after probing, Lei Xiang found that none seemed connected to the 'Tooth Eleven' organization. This did not surprise him.

If the headquarters of such an organization could be found easily, it wouldn't be 'Tooth Eleven.' Such a mysterious group was so secretive that even the heads of its branch offices were kept in the dark.

Still, Lei Xiang instructed Zhang Liao to report to him immediately if he heard of any strange or novel occurrences.