Chapter 134: Strange Items of the Otherworld

"Wow, it’s so lively here!"

Having entered Dongwu City, Lin Li strolled leisurely down the street, taking in all the sights of the capital with a curious expression.

The flat, blue-bricked streets were lined on both sides with rice shops, taverns, theaters, and small workshops. There were also brothels, where colorfully dressed, flamboyant women stood at the entrances, soliciting customers.

In the open spaces along the road, numerous vendors sold all sorts of small trinkets from their stalls. Their skin was dark, likely tanned from years of doing business under the hot sun.

The street stretched on before him, leading toward a quieter part of the city, yet it remained crowded with pedestrians.

The crowd of pedestrians bustled to and fro. Some hurried along carrying goods on shoulder poles, others drove horse-drawn carriages laden with cargo, and still others guided sturdy water buffaloes pulling flatbed carts.

’It really feels like I’ve traveled back to ancient times... But this world isn’t as backward as I imagined.’

Lin Li stopped in his tracks to examine the streetlights that were beginning to illuminate the roadside.

He wasn’t seeing things. Here in the ancient-looking Dongwu City, the streets were lined with objects that looked just like the streetlights essential to modern cities back on Blue Star.

These streetlights didn’t seem to be powered by electricity.

Lin Li focused his Perception and discovered that the streetlights were emitting faint Spiritual Energy Waves.

’It’s a Spiritual Energy Wave. It seems the energy source powering these lights must be Spiritual Energy.’ Lin Li stared at the brightly glowing streetlights, his face a picture of astonishment.

The sky was gradually darkening. Soon, night would fall completely.

In addition to the streetlights pulsing with Spiritual Energy, the shops along the road also began to glow with bright lights.

The vendors setting up stalls in the open areas, in spots where the streetlights didn’t provide enough illumination, pulled out objects from beneath their counters.

These objects resembled desk lamps, each topped with a clear, sparkling crystal.

When he saw the vendors take out these items, Lin Li watched them intently, wondering what they would do next.

’There aren’t any buttons! Are they going to use Spiritual Energy to activate these lamp-like objects?

That can’t be right. If that were true, would that mean every single one of these vendors has awakened their Spirituality? That’s just too unbelievable.’

As Lin Li watched, the vendors who had taken out the desk-lamp-like objects lifted them up and gave them a few good shakes.

Then, the clear crystals atop the desk-lamp-like devices in the vendors’ hands lit up, glowing brightly like light bulbs.

’So they really are lamps! But the way to turn them on is certainly unusual.

You have to shake them a few times to turn them on. I wonder if you have to shake them again to turn them off?’

As Lin Li watched the vendors place the glowing lamps on their stalls, he found himself curious about how to turn them off.

Just as he was wondering if he should buy one of the strange lamps to examine, he heard the urgent clatter of hoofbeats from behind.

CLIP-CLOP, CLIP-CLOP, CLIP-CLOP...

Hooves pounded against the bluestone-paved road, making a resounding noise.

"Make way! Everyone, make way!"

Seeing the group of riders galloping toward them, the pedestrians on the street quickly scattered to the sides.

"Young Master, he’s over there." The servant, Xiaoliu, had remarkably sharp eyes. He had instantly spotted Lin Li in the crowd, who was still staring at the vendor’s lamp, and immediately spoke to Zhou Tianci beside him.

"Finally found him." A fire of rage was building inside Zhou Tianci. He looked in the direction Xiaoliu pointed, then immediately pulled on his reins, slowing his horse.

"Whoa..."

CLOP... CLOP... CLOP...

Hearing the commotion, Lin Li turned to see a group of five men on horseback, all staring at him with sharp, intense gazes.

The leader of the group was a man of about twenty-six or twenty-seven. He had a slender build, a handsome face, and was dressed in magnificent brocade robes. His expression was furious.

’These look like the same people from the city gate,’ Lin Li thought, observing the five men on horseback. ’They seemed to know Miss Zhu and her party.’

Zhou Tianci didn’t need to speak. His servant, Xiaoliu, voiced his master’s thoughts for him.

"Hey, you! What’s your relationship with Miss Zhu? Why were you in the same carriage as her?"

Lin Li frowned at Xiaoliu’s interrogation.

"Are you deaf? I’m talking to you!" When Lin Li remained silent, Xiaoliu’s tone grew even nastier.

"And who are you? Why should I have to answer your questions?" Lin Li replied coolly.

Xiaoliu and his companions were stunned. They hadn’t expected this refined, scholarly-looking young man, who didn’t appear particularly strong, to respond with such a cold attitude.

Accustomed to swaggering about, they were instantly enraged and began to berate him.

"Do you have any idea who we are, kid?"

"You’ve got some nerve, talking to us like that..."

"Looks like you won’t be talking unless we teach you a lesson first, is that it?"

"Young Master, this punk doesn’t know his place. Let us teach him a lesson!"

After bombarding Lin Li with a torrent of threats, Xiaoliu and the others turned in unison to look at Zhou Tianci, who had remained silent.

Though they talked a tough game, they were still Zhou Tianci’s servants.

They wouldn’t dare make a move on this guy they found so grating without a direct order from their master.

Lin Li was generally good-natured, but that didn’t mean he was a pushover. As the vicious servants berated him for no reason, his own anger began to flare.

The silent Zhou Tianci raised a hand, signaling his servants to calm down.

He then urged his horse forward until he was right in front of Lin Li. A smirk played on his lips as he spoke, his tone anything but friendly.

"Listen here, kid. You’d better be smart about this. When I ask you a question, you’re going to answer it truthfully.

What’s your name? Where are you from? And what is your relationship with Miss Zhu?"

Faced with Zhou Tianci’s threatening three-part interrogation, Lin Li looked back at him, his face devoid of expression, and replied coldly.

"My name, where I’m from, and my relationship with Miss Zhu... why should I tell you any of that? Who are you? Who the hell do you think you are?"

...