Chapter Nineteen: The Upper and Lower Water Cities

Tong Jin stared intently at the corner of the box. There, the only adult Corpse-Sinking Poison Ant was curled up, motionless. Even more bizarrely, its body was flickering with a faint, dim luster.

Enduring the sharp pain in his chest, Tong Jin sat up slightly and placed the stone box flat to observe the poison ant more closely. "Could it be… is it evolving?" Tong Jin muttered, his face a mixture of confusion and pleasant surprise.

The poison ant in the box could not answer his question; it simply remained curled in the corner, still as a statue. Conversely, the other poison ants, which had been circling Tong Jin, showed no intention of returning to the stone box, as if the box no longer belonged to them.

Tong Jin shook his head helplessly. After fumbling in his robes for a long time, he found a cloth bag that could temporarily contain the insects. He opened the bag, and the highly spiritual ants all scurried inside of their own accord. Once they were all gathered, Tong Jin exhaled, tightened the bag, sealed the stone box, and then called for the others waiting outside to enter the room.

At Tong Jin’s request, Nan Rongyao immediately ordered someone to craft a new stone box, replicated exactly from the previous one in size and material.

"Little brother, I am quite curious. What exactly are these creatures you are raising? I was truly shocked when I saw the corpses of those bandits that day," Nan Rongyao finally asked, unable to suppress his curiosity any longer.

Tong Jin answered candidly, "These are exotic insects passed down to me by an elder; they are called Corpse-Sinking Poison Ants." He did not mention the name of the Ghost Physician, referring to him as an elder instead—a testament to the fact that, in his heart, the Ghost Physician had become like family.

"Corpse-Sinking Poison Ants!?" Nan Rongyao exclaimed.

Tong Jin smiled faintly. "I hope you will keep this a secret, Patriarch Nan Rong. These poison ants are far too ferocious; I would never use them unless absolutely necessary."

Nan Rongyao nodded thoughtfully. "We are all family here; you may rest assured, little brother. But you must keep these ants well-managed. It would be a great tragedy if they were to fly out and harm our own people one day." He then gave a helpless smile.

It was not that Nan Rongyao had never heard of the Corpse-Sinking Poison Ants; the sight of the bandit corpses that day was more than enough to make him want to keep a respectful distance from them. If he didn't truly regard Tong Jin as one of his own, he would have undoubtedly used any means necessary to exterminate these highly toxic creatures to prevent future trouble. After all, living in close proximity to such dangerous things was not exactly comfortable. Fortunately, he had known Tong Jin for some time, and he trusted both him and his ability to control the insects.

Due to Tong Jin’s condition, the caravan’s journey was temporarily delayed in Shangshui City. Although Tong Jin felt guilty and repeatedly suggested continuing the journey with him resting in the carriage, Nan Rongyao insisted that he recover for at least ten days before making further plans.

During these ten days, Tong Jin remained bedridden. With two young maids hovering around his bed, he did not feel lonely. In his spare time, Tong Jin would flip through several ancient texts. Through tireless study, he gained new insights into the cultivation and training of exotic insects. Meanwhile, he checked the two stone boxes daily. The adult ant undergoing evolution remained still, while the dozen or so ants in the new box grew larger and stronger with each feeding of his blood.

One of the ancient texts contained a passage in inconspicuous, fly-like script that had been added later. Tong Jin was unsure if it was the handwriting of the Ghost Physician, but whoever added it was certainly a master of the craft. The text described a hypothesis: through a special form of cultivation and secret techniques, one could attach a portion of their own consciousness to an exotic insect, thereby achieving a spiritual connection between human and insect.

Tong Jin searched the text meticulously many times but found no follow-up. He could not help but feel disappointed, yet these notes left by his predecessors had qualitatively broadened his horizons and ideas.

Finally, ten days passed. Tong Jin requested to resume the journey again. After some consideration, Nan Rongyao decided to depart the following day. He reasoned that the next leg of the journey could be traveled by water, avoiding the jolting of the carriages, and that the caravan’s top expert, the elderly man in black named Nan Rongzhan, was gradually recovering his eyesight after the bandit encounter.

Shangshui City and Xiashui City were neighboring cities, situated north and south of each other. Shangshui City, located to the north, was a mandatory stop for merchants and travelers heading south. Xiashui City, to the south, served as a ferry terminal for those transferring to water routes, and it was also the port where goods from the south were unloaded for transport to the north. As hubs for north-south commercial transportation, both cities had become contested strongholds. After years of infighting, they were now under the control of two local factions: the Qingcang Sect and the Wind and Thunder Gang. In exchange for maintaining order, they collected fees from merchants based on the volume of goods transported. As both cities continued to flourish, their importance in regional commerce grew, and the two factions rapidly developed into massive, unshakeable entities.

After a ten-day delay, the Nan Rong family’s caravan set off once more. Those in the caravan who had been injured by the bandits had largely recovered, with the exception of Tong Jin, who lay in the carriage, grimacing from the jolting.

Less than half a day after heading south, the caravan reached Xiashui City. Tong Jin had been unconscious when he was brought into Shangshui City, so he was puzzled to see the grand display of fee collection at the gates of Xiashui City. It was only after the two maids chattered on with their explanations that he understood the rules of these two cities.

The Nan Rong family’s caravan clearly traveled this route often. After smoothly completing the entry procedures, the caravan members exchanged familiar greetings with the Wind and Thunder Gang members who controlled the city.

"Patriarch Nan Rong, who is this?" one of the leading gang members asked, pointing to Tong Jin lying in the carriage.

Nan Rongyao hurriedly approached with a smile and whispered, "This is my nephew. He has suffered from a strange illness since childhood, and I am taking this opportunity to bring him south to seek a cure."

The leading gang member asked only as a matter of routine and nodded. "The Nan Rong family truly has no shortage of talent; even a sick man looks this extraordinary." With that, he turned away and ordered, "Let them pass! Let them pass!"

The Nan Rong family’s caravan rumbled slowly over the ancient stone pavement into the city. No one noticed that in a corner by the city gate tower, two shifty-eyed men were watching every move they made.

"Well?" one of them asked.

"The person in the carriage seems to be the kid the Pavilion is looking for," the other replied.

"Good, this is a major contribution. You go notify the Pavilion Master immediately; I will follow them into the city to keep watch." As the first man spoke, he blended into the crowd, disguised as a passerby.