The inner scenery of Zhenyue City unfolded within his field of vision.

The grid-like streets crisscrossed each other; the main street was fifteen meters wide, enough for four carriages to pass side by side. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

iron-leaf trees were planted on both sides of the street. Their trunks were as hard as iron, and their leaves never fell throughout the year, shimmering with a dark green luster under the sunlight.

These trees served as both greenery and backup defensive materials. Iron-leaf wood was three times harder than ordinary oak, making it more than sufficient for shields and city defense machinery.

Liu Zhenshan introduced the city as they walked, his tone calm yet carrying an irrepressible pride: "Five thousand defenders are stationed on the city walls year-round, equipped with ballistae, catapults, and Rolling Logs and Stones."

"Boiling Oil Vats are also set up at intervals along the wall. When the enemy attacks, the boiling oil is poured down... that sensation..." He smacked his lips.

Lin Feng looked up at the defenders on the city wall.

They wore yellow turbans and uniform-style leather armor, standing ramrod straight with spears in hand.

"The special unit of Zhenyue City is the Yellow Turban Army?" Lin Feng asked.

"Yes, a low-level special barracks, the Yellow Turban Strongman Barracks. It recruits Yellow Turban Army and Yellow Turban Strongmen, starting at level ten, and they are quite thick-skinned," Liu Zhenshan stated frankly.

Liu Zhenshan stated frankly.

Lin Feng complained inwardly; no wonder the Rank 3 Nightmare Tides around Zhenyue City before were all Yellow Turban Armies.

It turned out to be one family fighting another, the left hand hitting the right, and they even dropped equipment after the fight.

Liu Zhenshan continued his introduction: "The inner city is in the center, where the Lords Mansion, Council Hall, national treasury, and core warehouses are located."

"The inner city walls are forty meters high, the same height as the outer walls, serving as the final line of defense. The city gates are also of purple quality, the same standard as the East Gate."

"The East District is the commercial area, lined with shops: the Adventurers Guild, blacksmith shops, potion shops, and equipment shops—everything you need. Lord Lin, if you're interested, I'll have someone take you for a tour later."

"The North District is the storage and logistics area. Granaries, armories, and material reserves are all there. The barracks are also in the north; soldier quarters, training grounds, and stables take up half the area of the North District."

"The West District is the residential area where the subjects live. The houses aren't large, but they're enough. The streets are clean, and the security is good."

"The South District is the workshop area. Carpentry workshops and alchemy workshops are concentrated there. Most of the equipment produced by Zhenyue City comes from the South District."

Lin Feng looked in the direction he pointed, seeing the dense signs of the East District's commercial area. Figures moved to and fro like a woven fabric, and the noisy clamor of bargaining could be heard even from a distance.

He secretly marveled: Zhenyue City truly lived up to its reputation as Great Xia's stabilizing force in the South Pole Region.

Sixty miles of city walls, forty meters high, purple city gates, low-level special barracks, and perfect planning and management.

The gap between Fenghuo County and it was not just a little bit, but he wasn't in a hurry. Given time, he could also build Fenghuo County into something like this.

The two walked along the main street toward the inner city, with two rows of Zhenyue City elites behind them, their steps uniform and their boot sounds crisp.

Pedestrians and vendors along the road made way to both sides; some bowed their heads in greeting, some stopped to watch, and some discussed in low voices.

"Who is that? Deputy City Lord Liu is personally accompanying him?"

"Lin Feng of Fenghuo County, a Third Rank powerhouse. He only awakened over a hundred days ago. What were you doing when you were eighteen?"

"Moving bricks..."

"Well, he's a Lord while you're moving bricks. That sounds about right."

Liu Zhenshan turned his head and smiled: "Lord Lin, your reputation in Zhenyue City is no smaller than our City Lord's."

Lin Feng smiled and didn't respond.

The inner city wall appeared in view—forty meters high, made of bluish-gray giant stones, with "Zhenyue Inner City" carved on the purple city gate.

Guards in green armor stood on both sides, holding halberds, their gazes like torches.

The inner city streets were narrower than the outer city's but cleaner. The iron-leaf tree crowns were neatly trimmed, like silent sentinels.

The Council Hall was in the exact center of the inner city, a three-story stone building with dark red tiles on the outer walls and golden glazed tiles on the roof.

Two white marble pillars stood before the door, carved with coiled dragon reliefs, their heads raised and lifelike.

Liu Zhenshan pushed open the door and stepped aside to let Lin Feng enter first.

Lin Feng stepped inside, and the door behind him slowly closed, cutting off the noise from outside.

The first floor of the Council Hall was eight meters high, with a massive mural painted on the dome.

Zhenyue City stood tall on the wilderness, with a tide-like Nightmare army beneath the walls, while soldiers on the walls held spears and shields, their battle flags fluttering amidst the smoke.

The colors of the painting were intense and the brushwork was bold, as if silently proclaiming how many bloody battles this city had endured.

A man sat in the main seat. He appeared to be in his early thirties, with a resolute face, thick sword-like eyebrows, slightly sunken eyes, and a steady gaze.

He wore a suit of golden battle armor with complex patterns carved on the plates. His helmet was placed to one side of the desk, his hair was meticulously combed, and a few white hairs were visible at his temples.

He just sat there, not intentionally straightening his back nor leaning against the back of the chair, like a quiet mountain.

Zhenyue City's City Lord, Lu Dingchuan!

Lin Feng had seen him at the Lords Assembly. Of the nine Silver Seats, Zhenyue City occupied three.

City Lord Lu Dingchuan, vice city lord Liu Zhenshan, and another vice city lord.

But Lu Dingchuan rarely spoke. Most of the time, he just sat silently in the first row of Silver Seats behind the Gold Seats, occasionally nodding or shaking his head, never arguing with anyone.

Sitting to Lu Dingchuan's left was a man about forty years old, with a lean face and a short beard, wearing purple battle armor and a silver-white belt.

He was slowly drinking from a cup of tea, his gaze sizing up Lin Feng from over the rim of the cup.

Sitting to the right were two men and one woman. Closest to the main seat was a woman in her early thirties.

She wore a plain white dharma robe, her long hair pinned up with a silver hairpin. Her face was gentle, her eyes carrying a faint sense of compassion, and she held a silver-white staff with a gemstone at the head that emitted a soft, warm light.

Beside her was a man about forty years old, in black light armor, carrying twin swords. His face was cold, and the corners of his mouth were habitually turned down slightly.

On the outermost side was a man about forty years old, wearing heavy black iron armor, with large-knuckled hands.

Liu Zhenshan first cupped his fists toward Lu Dingchuan in the main seat, then turned to face Lin Feng.

"City Lord, Lord Lin has arrived."

Lu Dingchuan stood up and walked down from the main seat.

His pace wasn't fast, but every step was steady, his boots making almost no sound on the stone slabs.

He walked up to Lin Feng, extended his hand, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly: "Lord Lin, we met at the Lords Assembly. Time was tight then, so we didn't have a chance for a deep conversation. It's a pleasure to meet you today."

Lin Feng shook his hand: "City Lord Lu is too kind. After that brief meeting last time, I have been looking for an opportunity to ask for your guidance in person."

Lu Dingchuan released his hand and pointed to the chair on Liu Zhenshan's right: "Sit, let's talk sitting down."

Lin Feng nodded and sat down on the left side along with Liu Zhenshan.