PFC Chapter 311 Rules
Chapter 311 Rules
Li Wudao stood at the entrance of the alley, his brows slightly furrowed.
The three characters "Ghost Cry Alley" were faded and mottled, as if they had been carved in with a knife, and they gleamed with a cold light under the moonlight.
He glanced inside.
The alley was deep, with towering old walls on both sides, covered with unknown vines.
Every few feet, a dim yellow lantern hangs on the wall, its wick made of some kind of oil, its light flickering and illuminating the alleyway.
The ground was paved with bluestone slabs, and withered yellow weeds grew in the gaps between the slabs.
A night breeze blew by, swirling up a few fallen leaves and making a rustling sound.
In the distance, the faint cawing of crows could be heard, though it was unclear where they came from.
"quack--"
The cry was particularly jarring in the quiet night, making one feel uneasy.
Li Wudao secretly grumbled to himself.
Couldn't we have found a more legitimate place to meet?
Why did they have to choose this godforsaken place? It's like they're doing something shameful.
He shook his head, and without hesitation, stepped into the alley.
"Da! Da!"
Footsteps echoed in the empty alley.
One at a time.
The sound of the hammering against the bluestone slab was exceptionally clear in the quiet night.
A night breeze blew by, and the vines on the walls on both sides swayed gently, casting menacing shadows.
The dim yellow lanterns swayed, casting his long, distorted shadow on the wall, as if countless ghosts were lurking in the shadows.
If an ordinary person came here in the middle of the night, they would really feel a chill down their spine.
Li Wudao, however, remained calm and composed, walking with ease.
He walked along, keeping an eye on his surroundings.
On the walls on both sides of the alley, you can occasionally see some strange graffiti, and even a few deep claw marks, as if they were made by some ferocious beast.
The air was filled with a damp, rotten smell, mixed with a faint stench of blood.
Li Wudao frowned slightly, but continued walking.
We walked for about fifteen minutes.
Suddenly, the view ahead opened up.
The alley has come to an end.
Around the corner was a small open space.
In the open space stood a dilapidated wooden house.
The wooden house looked quite old; the walls were crooked, and the thatched roof was mostly rotten, revealing the dark beams inside.
A few wooden stakes leaned precariously against the eaves, as if they might collapse at any moment.
A lantern hung in front of the house, much brighter than those in the alley, illuminating the surroundings.
Under the lantern, in front of the tightly closed wooden door, stood a group of people.
There were about ten people, divided into several groups.
There were both men and women, mostly young people, dressed smartly and with an extraordinary air about them.
Each person was accompanied by one or two elderly or middle-aged men who appeared to be attendants. Their demeanor was calm and composed, clearly indicating that they were all practitioners.
Li Wudao's eyes narrowed slightly.
Judging from the looks of it, these people are all here to see Old Knife Handle.
He walked forward without making a sound.
Those people quickly noticed him, and their eyes all swept over him.
There was scrutiny, vigilance, curiosity, and indifference.
A young man in his early twenties stepped forward first, cupped his hands in greeting, and smiled:
"Brother, are you also here to see Old Knife Handle?"
He was fair-skinned, dressed in an exquisite brocade robe, with a jade pendant hanging at his waist, clearly indicating his distinguished background.
He had a smile on his face, but there was a hint of smugness in that smile.
Li Wudao nodded.
The young man's smile widened as he introduced himself, "I am Xie Buruo, a direct descendant of the Xie family of Kunzhou. May I ask your name, sir?"
"Li Wudao."
"Brother Li, are you a local? Who did you study under?"
Xie Buruo's eyes lit up, and he continued to ask, "Have you been here before? What's Old Knife Handle's temper like? Are there any taboos?"
He bombarded me with a series of questions, like he was checking my household registration.
"Nice to meet you."
Li Wudao frowned slightly, speaking sparingly.
It's always best to be cautious when you're out and about.
Xie Buruo paused for a moment, noticing his pale expression, clearly unwilling to talk further, and gave an awkward smile:
"Well... alright, Brother Li, please do as you please. I was being presumptuous."
He stepped aside, and as he turned around, a sinister glint flashed in his eyes.
He was naturally unhappy that he had lost face in public.
In the corner, an elderly man in a gray robe approached and lowered his voice:
"Young Master, that brat dares to be so cold to you, should this old servant..."
He secretly made a throat-slitting gesture.
Xie Bu Ruo shook his head:
"No need. This isn't Queensland. Let's not create any unnecessary trouble before we figure out the details."
The old man nodded and stepped aside.
The atmosphere returned to its previous cold silence.
Li Wudao stood quietly to the side, observing the group of people without making a sound.
Judging from their clothing and demeanor, these people are indeed of extraordinary birth.
Standing on the left are a young couple.
The man was handsome and dashing, and the woman was stunningly beautiful. They were dressed in luxurious clothes and wore fine jade pendants around their waists.
Behind the two stood an old man in black robes, whose aura was profound, indicating he was at least at the peak of the Martial King realm.
On the right are three young men, dressed in different but exquisitely made clothes, clearly from prominent families.
Each of them was accompanied by one or two middle-aged men who looked like attendants, their eyes sharp and clearly not to be trifled with.
The most eye-catching figure was a girl in black in the corner.
She was about seventeen or eighteen years old, extremely beautiful, with eyebrows like distant mountains and eyes like cold stars, exuding a cool and aloof temperament.
She stood alone in the shadows, without any attendants or conversation, as if she were out of place with her surroundings.
As if sensing Li Wudao's gaze, she glanced at him slightly to the side.
His gaze was as cold as frost, devoid of any emotion.
Then, it was moved away.
Li Wudao was taken aback.
His first impression of this girl was somewhat similar to that of Jiang Churan.
He withdrew his gaze and continued to observe.
At this moment, the man in the elegantly dressed couple spoke, his tone full of impatience:
How much longer do we have to wait?
The woman beside him also frowned and said:
"Exactly. We've been standing here in this cold wind for half an hour and haven't seen a single ghost. That old knife-wielder has quite the airs!"
A young man nearby chimed in:
"That's right. I, Shen, have never been treated like this at home."
The other person sneered:
"Brother Shen, this is not your home. If you want to enter Luanshi City, you have to abide by its rules."
"you!"
The group started talking back and forth, and the tension gradually escalated.
The attendant beside him quickly tried to calm him down:
"Young master, please calm down and wait a little longer."
"Miss, don't worry, it should be almost midnight."
Li Wudao listened quietly, gradually piecing together the origins of these people.
Besides the Xie family from Kunzhou, there were also people from Yongning Prefecture, and others who came from even farther away.
The one who came from the farthest place was Yunzhou, which was 50,000 li away. He set off two months in advance.
Their purposes were also different.
Some, like him, were going to the black market in Chaotic Stone City to try their luck;
Some were doing it for their family business; it was said that although Luanshi City was chaotic, it had all sorts of rare materials that couldn't be bought outside.
There were also a few young people who were simply driven by "curiosity" and "excitement," wanting only to broaden their horizons.
Li Wudao shook his head secretly.
These pampered scions of wealthy families probably think of Chaotic Stone City as some kind of fun place.
In that place, Martial Kings roam everywhere, and only Martial Venerables have the power to protect themselves.
With their limited cultivation, if they actually went inside, they probably wouldn't even leave behind any bone fragments.
Just as I was thinking, suddenly—
"Squeak-"
The dilapidated wooden door slowly opened.
A gaunt old man walked out of the door.
He was thin and wore a patched-up coarse cloth jacket and a greasy leather skirt around his waist.
His face was etched with deep wrinkles, but his eyes were exceptionally sharp, gleaming with a cold, piercing light under the lamplight.
It was Old Knife Handle.
He swept his gaze across the crowd, his eyes sharp as knives, scraping across each face.
The crowd immediately fell silent.
Old Knife Handle didn't waste any words and went straight to the point:
"You know the rules, right?"