NFBE Chapter 557 The Stormy Tower
Chapter 557 The Stormy Tower
An irresistible, rich aroma wafted through the air. Following the scent, Shen Xu saw a large, steaming pot on a street stall.
The pot was bubbling with all sorts of oddly shaped ingredients. The stall owner, a chubby middle-aged man, was calling out in a heavily accented voice, "Come and try the 'Hundred Flavors Pot'! A fusion of flavors from all over the world! I guarantee you'll want to come back again and again!"
The stall was surrounded by people, and in Shen Xu's mind, stalls with long queues usually didn't taste too bad, so he joined them.
After spending the exorbitant price of a Nourishing Essence Pill to buy a bowl of mixed soup, Shen Xu took a bite with great anticipation, and the result...
"It tastes awful!" Shen Xu frowned.
Looking at the many people around him who were behaving the same way, and seeing the meaningful glances from others, Shen Xu realized that he had probably been deceived.
"Boss, did you put the wrong ingredients in this soup?" someone couldn't help but complain.
"Guest, is this your first time visiting Jiuqu City? People who come to Jiuqu City for the first time usually don't like my soup, but if you come and drink it a few more times, you will definitely fall in love with it."
"And I really did use special ingredients from the Nine Regions, even the city lord praised them! Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to keep this stall open!" The stall owner said with a simple and honest smile.
Upon hearing this, Shen Xu looked around and indeed saw some cultivators who could tolerate the smell drinking it with relish.
After hesitating for a moment, Shen Xu took another bite, "Uh..."
He couldn't taste anything good in the soup, but adhering to the principle of not wasting food, he forced himself to drink the whole bowl despite feeling nauseous.
But for some reason, after finishing that bowl of soup, Shen Xu suddenly felt that the unfamiliar and mixed smells in Jiuqu City had faded a bit, and even the surrounding energy seemed to be more docile towards him.
"Good stuff!" Shen Xu's eyes lit up. It could actually help people from other regions quickly integrate into Jiuqu City.
But he really couldn't force himself to drink a second bowl despite feeling nauseous.
Eight-tenths of the time, I came to stay as a guest.
Shen Xu ordered several so-called regional specialties, preparing to refresh his taste buds.
Those who are qualified to come to Jiuqu City are generally not short of money, so prices here are not cheap.
He only ordered a few dishes and spent dozens of Nourishing Yuan Pills, and most of them didn't taste very good. If he weren't already flush with cash, he definitely wouldn't have been such a sucker.
Fortunately, the shopkeeper pointed out where he should go to gather information, which was one of the few places that satisfied him.
The Wind and Rain Tower!
As the largest intelligence organization in Ningzhou, Shen Xu had heard of its great reputation in his previous life, and its tentacles extended throughout Ningzhou.
It can be said that there is no intelligence that Fengyulou doesn't have, only intelligence that you can't afford.
The witch said that the Blood Fiend Palace even bought the blueprints for the Seven Luminaries Sect's protective formation from the Wind and Rain Pavilion, and also sold many locations of the Blood Fiend Palace's blood pools.
Unfortunately, they had always remained hidden in the shadows, and Shen Xu had never seen any of their people in either of his two lifetimes. However, he never expected that they would be able to openly set up a branch in the Fengyu Tower of Jiuqu City.
The shopkeeper said that Fengyulou has a very good reputation and the information they provide is basically accurate, but it has only one drawback—it's expensive!
But for Shen Xu, the price wasn't a problem. He felt that what he wanted wasn't that important, and how much more expensive could it be?
"Ten thousand! Why don't you just rob us!"
Inside a quaintly decorated pavilion, Shen Xu cursed the middle-aged man's ancestors in his mind after hearing his quote.
"Guests, please don't worry. Our Fengyulou restaurant has always been honest and fair in its dealings with both young and old."
A place where ordinary people can live a peaceful life is naturally not worth that much price, but your requirements are really too demanding. There is only one place in the entire Ningchuan region that meets the requirements.
Scarcity drives up prices, so naturally, they're not cheap.
"Are you sure the place you mentioned meets my requirements?" Shen Xu asked again to confirm.
"A secluded, remote, livable place with strong constraints on cultivators, and ideally with powerful protectors."
If I'm not mistaken, young man, you're looking for a shelter for your family members. Our Fengyulou has taken on similar cases before, and so far, no one has complained about our services.
If you're willing to spend a little more money, we can send someone to accompany you to that place for a firsthand experience.
She spent a long time in that place, and I'm sure she can be of great help to you, young man.
"How many Nourishing Essence Pills do you need?" Shen Xu was somewhat tempted.
"It's not expensive, only three thousand. We don't cover her food and lodging."
After Shen Xu left, a man in black robes appeared and asked with some concern, "Wouldn't it be too risky to let Miss Liu go back with a stranger?"
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. People who want to settle down in Ningchuan will definitely not dare to cause trouble."
And do you really think Miss Liu is so easy to mess with? It would be dangerous for her to stay in Jiuqu City.
And it wasn't easy for me to finally find a sucker to legitimately send that big shot back. It was so difficult for me.
"I think it would be best to report this to our superiors," the man in black suggested.
"Alright!" The middle-aged man nodded.
……
Following the vague information left by the organization, Liu Xianchu continued to navigate through the intricate alleyways.
All sorts of clothes were drying on both sides of the alley, and occasionally wet droplets would fall on her shoulders.
A child screamed and ran past her legs, followed by a woman in a variegated apron who kept scolding him.
She even saw a strangely styled shrine at the entrance of a small courtyard, with incense smoke curling upwards, unlike any kind of worship ceremony she knew.
The rumbling in her stomach made her feel increasingly tired.
She knew she needed to eat quickly, but at the same time she also needed to get the message to the organization member who lived in the "small alleys" as soon as possible.
She had already visited no fewer than three small streets and alleys today, but still hadn't found that person.
This filled her with despair; if she couldn't deliver the message before sunset, her assessment would be a complete failure.
And she will once again miss the opportunity to become a true member of the organization.
Suddenly, she spotted a steamed bun stall at the alley entrance. The steamer was emitting thick, white steam that looked very tempting.
Liu Xianchu couldn't help but swallow hard.
Since we can't complete the task, let's eat something!
The spicy shredded meat in the steamed bun was mixed with a special vegetable, and the slightly strange flavor made her frown slightly, but it also had a wonderful sense of exotic flavor.
"Coming to Jiuqu City was definitely the right decision!" Liu Xianchu immediately bought several more and began to savor the flavors.
"Xuan Yue, you have failed this test."
"You're not the right fit for our organization. I want you to go back to where you came from!" the man shrouded in black robes said coldly.
"Huh?" As the sun gradually disappeared on the horizon, the half-eaten bun in Liu Xianchu's hand rolled on the ground and spun several times.
"Lord of the Dark Pavilion, I beg you, please give me another chance. I promise I will work hard... This was just an accident. I promise I will complete the mission next time." Liu Xianchu wiped away imaginary tears with a pitiful expression.
"I can give you another chance, but on one condition."
"Lord Dark Pavilion, please say the word, I will do anything you ask, whether it's climbing mountains of knives or plunging into seas of fire."
"It's not that serious. Based on your performance these past few days, we all agree that even if you become a member of the organization, you probably won't be able to adapt to the complex situation in Jiuqu City."
Therefore, we have decided to assign you a special task. If you can complete this task, you will automatically become a member of our organization.
"Xuan Yue guarantees to complete the mission!" Liu Chuxian's eyes were full of anticipation.
"Great! Seeing how motivated you are, I'm relieved."
Recently, a guest wanted to experience life in Biwei City, and the organization hopes you can take this opportunity to help him become a resident of Biwei City.
It would be even better if a branch pavilion could be established in Biwei City.
Crescent Moon, I know this task is very difficult, but as long as you complete it, you can directly become the leader of the organization in Biwei City, completing in one go the path that ordinary people take decades or even hundreds of years to complete.
The task is arduous, but the future is bright. The organization's future depends on young people like you to shoulder the responsibility.
“But…” Liu Xianchu wanted to say something.
"There are no buts. The organization's mission is an ironclad rule. No member can refuse unless you give up becoming a member of the Wind and Rain Pavilion."
He will be waiting for you in the pavilion early tomorrow morning. I hope you will not let the organization down.
After the man in black finished speaking, he turned and left the alley, leaving behind a reluctant Liu Xianchu who took out a steamed bun from the paper bag and took a big bite.