A couple of days later, Austin and a dozen girls from the beast race weaved through the mountains and into the open land.
After walking until their feet were sore and sweat drenched their backs, they arrived at the tall gates of a busy city.
As they entered the gates, Austin realized they were in the Sunrise City which was part of the Kim Kingdom. It was cleaner than a lot of the cities he had been to before but there were hundreds of people roaming the streets.
In between their bobbing heads, Austin caught sight of posters on the far wall that had his face plastered across them.
There were rewards listed below each of his portraits that were offered by different sects and clans in the East Mainland.
Austin's jaw dropped and his eyebrows pushed closer together in a frown.
'How did they find out what I look like? I wore that human-skin mask in the Purple Immortal's tomb so my appearance was not my own.
But that is my real face on those posters.
By now, my portrait could be everywhere in the East Mainland, ' Austin thought. He kicked his foot against the ground and grunted.
Wondering why he only saw his own face, he scanned his eyes across all the walls but he couldn't find Earth Hermit's portrait.
'Earth Hermit is notable in the East Mainland, so those sects and clans must not have offered a reward for his arrest in public. They must have set their men to look for him in secret.
I'm just a nobody which means the leaders of those sects and clans didn't have a problem posting rewards for my capture.'
Now on high alert, Austin transformed his appearance using the human-skin mask. He now looked like a completely different young man. After roaming the city for a while, he and the girls walked into a tavern and sat at a window seat.
The tavern was loud and full of people but Austin could still pick out conversations regarding him between the cultivators nearby.
"I saw that the leaders of many sects and clans are offering a handsome reward for clues regarding that Austin Lin. Have you gotten any leads on him?
It's insane. The leader of the Ji Family—one of the three prominent families—has offered a reward of one hundred million enlightening crystals for his capture. If I can locate that brat first, I'll be a rich man."
"That doesn't seem like a good deal to me. I think they should have offered more enlightening crystals.
After all, Purple Immortal's most valuable collections and the method to reach the Immortal Transforming Realm might be in that coffin that he stole.
He possesses priceless treasures. Even the powerful reclusive elders from the three holy lands and the three prominent clans who are living out their lives in seclusion want them badly. The bounty on his head should increase."
"But remember? Austin Lin was the brat who saved the princess in the beast race in the Dawning Mountains, Dawning Kingdom.
When he did that, Roc King and Flood Dragon King threatened to kill the members of Ji Family if they laid a hand on Austin."
"Well, you're right then. That coffin must contain extremely priceless treasures if the Ji Family is willing to risk its entire family for them. One hundred million enlightening crystals... That would be nice.
Oh! And I've been told that Austin stole Marcus Ji's most powerful magic treasure. That could also be a contributing reason in their hunt for him.
Humph! Austin has stolen too much. Now even the beast race will not be able to protect him."
"You have a good point. I also heard some powerful elders from the beast race are searching for Austin secretly.
I bet they have their eyes on Purple Immortal's coffin too. This kid has made a grave mistake."
The cultivators' conversations continued loudly over the scrap and clatter of silverware. It seemed everyone in the tavern had something to say about Austin and none of it was good.
Austin knitted his eyebrows and stared hard at his empty, sparkling plate. Not only was everyone after him but none of what he had heard made any sense.
'No one is supposed to know my name except for people from the Flame Holy Land.
However, from what I've heard, it seems like every cultivator in the East Mainland knows me now.
Who sold me out?
Was it someone at the base?'
Austin picked up one of his chopsticks and turned it in circles in his hand, mulling it over. Suddenly, Will's face popped into his head.
'Will has always wanted me dead. Is it possible that he was the one that stabbed me in the back?'
Austin was snapped out of his thoughts when he saw the looks of shock and horror on Peacock Princess's and her maids' faces. He'd been so consumed with the cultivators' opinions of him that he had entirely forgotten they were in his presence.
"Are they telling the truth?
Did you really take Purple Immortal's coffin with you?" Cheryl asked.
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