Light Cultivation
Eps. 325 — Provincial Capital
"So how long can I not move like this?" Jian Chen asked after Lily explained at length.
"It won't be long, maybe a few hours..." The girl shrugged her shoulders.
At least Jian Chen could move when morning came, he admitted he did not expect to be like a crippled person. Jian Chen simply could not imagine how if that heavenly fruit reacted while it was fighting.
Jian Chen then reunited with Manager He after replenishing some of his inner manpower, Jian Chen intended to go to the capital of the Sand Dragon Province.
"Young man, I suggest you don't go there. The capital hasn't been okay lately..."
Jian Chen frowned, he could see the seriousness of Manager He in his words just now. "Can you explain what you mean isn't okay..."
"Young master, must have heard about the many foreigners who came to this province after the case of the desert palace? The capital is the one that negatively impacts all other cities..."
Manager He said that the provincial capital located not far from the desert palace became a nest of criminals there because indeed those who targeted the palace were not on average good people.
The problem was that the criminals were not from the Dragon empire alone but from the Qilin empire as well as the Phoenix empire. The capital that was once a prosperous and peaceful place had turned into the hell of the Sand Dragon province.
The average native would be employed by even enslaved foreigners, the social gap there would be obvious even if Jian Chen had just entered the city gate.
"From what I've heard, all the trouble in this place comes from that desert palace, right?"
Manager He nodded. "I also think so, young master, once this province was very harmonious despite the limitations of water and food, the inhabitants were very peace-loving but all changed since a caravan found the desert palace."
Jian Chen stroked his chin, he seemed to have to do something to the palace. Jian Chen asked a few more questions before ending his meeting with Manager He as well as saying goodbye to him.
"What's your next goal today, looking for clues about that Shio?" Lily asked from the side, the two were walking away from Yanghai city.
"We go first to the capital before going to the desert palace, there are things I have to do to that place." Jian Chen then started to float his body.
"You're looking for treasure or something?"
Jian Chen shook his head softly, "I am not the same as those looking for treasures, I intend to destroy the palace."
Lily sneered, "You must be trying to help the people around here, usually you're always meddling in other people's problems."
Jian Chen did not reply, he did intend to change this province for the better or at least the situation returned to its original state. Jian Chen might not have any connection with the Sand Dragon province but he could not allow the evil here to reign supreme.
After all, hearing the word slavery Jian Chen was already ambitious to solve this problem, he feared that slavery was expanding even to where he lived.
Jian Chen and Lily then continued on their way by flying towards the Capital.
***
Lily could have flown faster like lightning but she did not foam doing so because Jian Chen could not possibly catch up to her.
"If my calculations aren't wrong, we'll be there soon..." From the end of the horizon, Jian Chen then faintly looked at another city that was not not a provincial capital. "That's it, we've arrived."
Jian Chen and Lily landed not far from the border gate, she saw countless queues of people entering the city.
A moment Jian Chen realized there was something odd about the people lining up especially their appearance.
The average of them had a shabby appearance, shabby as well as dirty clothes, what attracted Jian Chen the most was a pair of chains tied on their hands, necks, and legs.
From a single glance Jian Chen realized that they were slaves, while in the front row he saw a merchant holding the chain.
"Isn't slavery forbidden in your empire? Why do they do it so blatantly?" Lily muttered softly as she clucked repeatedly.
"Watching them breaking the law in front of city officials suggests the city's situation is more severe than we thought." Jian Chen sighed, he had to admit the situation was worse that Manager He had told him about.
The slaves were not in good condition, whether it was female slaves and male slaves were all in a position of concern with their thin looking bodies.
Not only that, in some of the other slaves there were bruises and lashes, obviously they had been tortured. The slaves also did not ask the people around them for help, some resigned while others were afraid to ask for help.
From their distinctive faces, they were the inhabitants of this desert. Jian Chen only regretted the natives who became slaves of the nation of foreigners in their place of residence.
Besides the debt that can make a person a slave, there are factors that make them in such a position, especially kidnapping or other crimes.
"Are you going to help them?" Lily asked as she watched Jian Chen continue to stare at the slaves.
"I don't know but I'm gonna change something in this town..." Jian Chen turned his face away, choosing to continue his steps of entering the city border while Lily followed him shortly afterwards.
The guards immediately confronted Jian Chen and Lily to see his identity, they seemed like they were going to check every single person who entered let alone Jian Chen wearing the sword sheathed on his waist.
Seeing the golden card Jian Chen took out made the two guards become disinclined at Jian Chen, on the other hand their gaze fell on the girl beside the young man who stunned them over Lily's beauty.
"Do you know where the slave market is?" Jian Chen asked the guard.
"Ah, do you want to buy slaves as well?" One of the guards asked back while occasionally glancing at Lily.
Jian Chen was silent for a moment before nodding slowly. "I hear this town is the source, if I know where they sell slaves."
"You can buy them at the Rajawali Malam Shop, they will open at nightfall, the slaves there are much better than other shops."
Jian Chen had a hard time hiding the frown on his forehead, he had not expected it to be more common than he thought.