Chapter 4: The Zhongjin Family (Part 1)

Luo Zhan stepped forward and said, “We’re professionals passing by. Who are you? Is there something you need?” He spoke in a calm tone. In any city of professionals, outsiders would always be questioned and registered as a precautionary measure. Having been to many cities, everyone understood this rule.
The burly man sized up the three of them several times, puzzled, as they seemed quite ordinary. The only thing that surprised him was their overly luxurious robes, which, upon closer inspection, turned out to be made from the skins of high-grade mutated rune beasts, with tiny runes glowing on them.
“The Zhongjin Family, Senior Saint Master, Jin Dabi.”
Guo Shier couldn’t help but say, “Your nose isn’t that big either.”
Jin Dabi quickly explained, “It’s the wall with ancient runes! Nothing to do with the nose!”
Guo Shier seemed to remember something and chuckled twice, his face showing amusement. Nodding, he said, “Oh, Jin Dabi, what a nice name! Haha, hahaha!”
Jin Dabi’s face turned dark. He realized the young man across from him must be mocking him, but he couldn’t react immediately. He shouted, “Who are you? Register!”
Guo Shier also knew his behavior wasn’t appropriate. Holding back his laughter, he said, “Wandering professional, Seventh-Level Altar, Guo Shier.”
Eagle Demon stepped forward and said, “Wandering professional, Fifth-Level Altar, Eagle Demon.”
Luo Zhan also said, “Wandering professional, Fifth-Level Altar, Luo Zhan.”
Jin Dabi’s legs turned weak, and he almost sat down. The professionals behind him also showed shocked expressions. There were only six altar-level professionals in the entire Zhongjin Family, with the highest being at the Second-Level Solid Altar level—those were the family’s ancestors. These three in front of him were all at least at the Fifth-Level Altar. They might not know other things, but they understood very well what kind of power altar-level professionals possessed.
“Elder… uh, ancestors… the three ancestors…”
Jin Dabi was speechless, terrified. He was relieved he hadn’t reacted angrily or insulted them earlier; otherwise, he didn’t know how things would have ended.
Guo Shier smiled and said, “Dabi…” He felt awkward saying that, so he changed his tone and said, “Xiao Jin, are there any clothing stores or shops around here? We just arrived on the Zhongjin Continent and didn’t expect it to be so hot. We don’t have any replacement clothes. Could you take us there?”

Jin Dabi was overjoyed at the favor shown to him; he hadn’t expected Guo Shier to be so kind. He repeated, “Yes, yes, senior. I’ll take the ancestors there. Please!” He signaled his subordinates, and immediately two professionals rushed forward—one toward the front and the other into a side alley.

Guo Shier knew this was to send someone back for a report. With three ancestors-level professionals arriving, it was likely no family would feel unafraid.

Jin Dabi led the way with great respect, while Guo Shier and the others followed leisurely behind. Guo Shier asked, “Xiao Jin, is your family the only one here?”

Jin Dabi, who was even taller than Guo Shier, slightly arched his back as he replied carefully, “Yes. This is one of the three main cities in the Zhongjin Continent. Our Zhongjin family is the only ruling family. Hehe, our family also has an affiliated continent, but most of our professionals are here.”

Guo Shier nodded and asked, “Could you introduce us to your family’s leaders?”

Jin Dabi replied promptly, “No problem. I’ve already sent someone to inform them.”

Ying Mo asked, “Dabi, how many professionals does your family have?”

Jin Dabi hurriedly answered, “Our family has 3,000 high-level professionals and 100,000 low-level professionals. Hehe, although we’re slightly behind larger families, we’re far stronger than ordinary families. We have six altar-level ancestors.”

Guo Shier was secretly surprised. “Six altar-level professionals? That’s quite powerful.” He didn’t know that the highest rank for altar-level professionals in the Zhongjin family was only at the second level of the altar. For ordinary families, having two or three altar-level professionals already made them very strong. Many ordinary families didn’t even have one, and having just one virtual altar professional was already considered good.

Jin Dabi said proudly, “Yes. In Jin City, we have one altar-level ancestor in charge.”

Ying Mo and Luo Zhan showed a hint of disdain. After returning from the Great Abyss Pool, they had realized that there were countless altar-level professionals in this world, so six of them really wasn’t anything special.

Guo Shier sighed inwardly. He understood Ying Mo and Luo Zhan’s thoughts. With their broader perspectives, they no longer feared such families. But back at the North Talisman Gate, the highest rank was merely that of a senior master. In the Zhongjin family, they could only do patrol work and menial tasks—there was no comparison at all. If they had just left the North Talisman Gate, the strength of the Zhongjin family would have made them look up to them in awe.

They soon arrived at a large shop, where someone was already waiting at the door to greet them—members of Jin Dabi’s patrol team who had rushed over to inform them. The family had long established a rule: no neglect should be shown toward external altar-level professionals. In this world, for those with altars, their altar served as a pass, ensuring they were treated with respect by any family, unless they were enemies; no family would neglect them.

Accompanied by the shopkeeper, Guo Shier and the others selected several sets of light and elegant clothes to replace their leather robes. Actually, they weren’t hot in their leather robes, but they looked too unusual—just like wearing thick cotton clothes in the middle of summer while others wore shorts and tank tops; it was unattractive even if it wasn’t hot.

The clothes here were made from a very special material, woven from the silk spun by a gold-eating spider. It possessed metallic properties yet was extremely soft. This was the first time Guo Shier had seen such material. Being someone with a collecting habit, he immediately asked to purchase large quantities upon seeing it.

In fact, the amount of this material produced in the Central Gold Continent each year was extremely low, and its price was very high—beyond the reach of ordinary professionals. Since Guo Shier and his group had such significant influence, they were given this material as a gesture of goodwill.

When Guo Shier proposed buying large quantities, the shopkeeper showed a hint of hesitation. Guo Shier didn’t press him and took out a jade talisman, handing it to the shopkeeper. “Here’s a list of materials. Take a look. If you need anything, exchange it for this material. By the way, what’s the name of this material?”

The shopkeeper held the jade talisman but replied before even having time to examine it: “It’s a famous spider silk material, also known as gold silk satin.”

Guo Shier was surprised. “What? Pig feed? Damn, it’s so ugly. Gold silk satin… that name is barely decent.”

After taking a closer look at the jade talisman, the shopkeeper was stunned. Although he was a low-level Great Sage, most of the materials listed on the talisman were unfamiliar to him, and the few he recognized were extremely rare and precious. Wiping sweat from his brow, he realized he couldn’t make a decision and said with a wry smile, “Elder, I… can’t decide. We need to consult our family’s patriarch.”

Guo Shier nodded. “Okay, have your family’s patriarch come then.” With his strength, he could easily summon the patriarch of the Central Gold Family without having to visit in person.

Jin Dabi said carefully, “The patriarch… will be here soon. Please wait a moment.”

Guo Shier said, “Shopkeeper, bring out all the gold silk satin you have in stock. Hehe, this is the first time I’ve seen such a unique material.”

The shopkeeper agreed and immediately sent someone to the warehouse to fetch a pile of fabrics. There were about a hundred pieces of fabric, all stored over the years, most of which were high-quality gold-threaded satin. Due to their exorbitant price, they didn’t sell well, whereas the lower-grade gold-threaded satin sold out every time it arrived.

Guo Shieru picked up a piece of gold-threaded satin and spread it out on the counter. Even Eagle Demon, who never cared about fabrics, couldn’t help but exclaim, “It’s incredibly delicate—beautiful!”

On the silver-colored fabric were countless faint rune patterns woven in strict patterns. Upon closer inspection, they turned out to be tiny rune arrays, each only the size of a fingernail, densely covering the fabric. With the power of the soul, these rune arrays could provide defensive effects, comparable to those of the leather from advanced mutated rune beasts.

What was most remarkable was the softness of the fabric—even the silk Guo Shieru had seen in his past life paled in comparison. It felt as smooth as flowing water, giving off a very comfortable sensation.

The shopkeeper explained, “This kind of fabric can only be woven by master rune craftsmen. Since gold-eating spiders produce limited silk each year, the silk spun by just over twenty of them is enough to make one piece of gold-threaded satin, so its production is extremely low.”

Guo Shieru asked, “Is it by enclosing the gold-eating spiders in insect rune tokens to collect their silk?”

The shopkeeper nodded. “Yes, it requires the skills of an insect rune master to create them.”