Collecting Supplies

After using up too many talismans, Bai Yujun went to the Chunyang Palace's temporary station in the county town to collect supplies.

When they had parted ways in the county town before, it had not yet been so devastated. Today, however, the area outside the town was covered in crude shelters, heads packed together as far as the eye could see—refugees who had run out of food. The nobles and County Magistrate inside the town were terrified, afraid the starving refugees would rise up in rebellion in desperation. After much discussion and mutual buck-passing, they finally set up several porridge sheds, giving the refugees a mouthful to eat so they would not be forced to take desperate risks.

The county town gates had long since been shut. Only when porridge was distributed would soldiers be sent to block the gates and carry food outside.

Bai Yujun had missed the opening of the gates and could only wander through the shelter district.

All in all, the shelter district was a complete mess. Ruffians and hooligans ran rampant; robbery and theft were commonplace, and some even murdered people in broad daylight for money and food while everyone else pretended not to see.

Women with even a little beauty could only sell their bodies in exchange for a bit of dry food so their children could have something to eat. Women suffered most in chaotic times. There were plenty of bastards who pulled up their trousers and left without paying; those women could only curse loudly and accept their bad luck.

People from wealthy city households came to buy children. Boys and girls could be sold for a few dozen copper coins, and there was no shortage of those selling their sons and daughters. Rather than starve to death outside the city together with their families, it was better to become someone's servant or maid and at least survive. No one knew what would happen to the children after they were bought—whether they would be resold to beggar bosses, their limbs broken and voices poisoned mute before being thrown by the roadside to earn money, or whether the girls would be sold into brothels. But what else could they do? With starvation looming, they might as well gamble on it.

During this time, someone set their sights on Bai Yujun.

"Yo~ what a pretty young lady. Why not come have some fun with Second Master?"

A group of hooligans surrounded Bai Yujun, spouting filthy words. Not everyone in this world recognized Chunyang robes, especially when a beauty as enchanting as a demon appeared before them—how could they possibly restrain themselves?

"Scram."

It was a single, icy word. Resentful energy clung to their bodies; they had surely taken lives before. Bai Yujun simply felt it had nothing to do with a snake and could not be bothered to interfere.

"Young Lady's got quite the temper—a little chili pepper, too. I like it. The hotter, the better, hahaha~"

There was no need to draw her blade. She raised her leg and kicked viciously.

One could imagine how strong a twelve-meter-long serpent was. When such tremendous force was concentrated into a single kick, the condition of the person struck was easy to picture. The man spun through the air for more than ten meters, knocked over several people, then splatted onto the ground. His ribs were kicked broken, jagged bone fragments piercing his heart and lungs. Blood foam spilled from his mouth as his entire body convulsed; he clearly would not live.

Her hands struck left and right, her slaps cracking like thunder as she sent several ruffians flying into the shelters, where they collapsed unconscious.

"They really had that coming."

Shaking her head, Bai Yujun saw that the town gates had just opened for the busy work of distributing porridge. She headed straight for them.

The gate guards saw her robes and did not dare stop her. Once inside the town, she went directly to Chunyang's temporary station in the city.

The person in charge of the temporary station was a senior disciple, a great beauty surnamed Wei. When assignments had been distributed in the county town, Bai Yujun had received her talismans and medicine from this woman.

"Senior Sister Wei, I'm here to collect talismans and medicine." As Bai Yujun spoke, she set down her Book Box, casually picked up a pastry from the desk, and stuffed it into her mouth. Mung bean flavor. It would have tasted even better if it were made of meat; snakes liked meat.

Senior Sister Wei, who had been writing with her head lowered behind the desk, looked up with a smile.

"Junior Sister Bai, it's been a long time. Nothing major happened on your side, did it? If you have any trouble, just tell me."

Senior Sister Wei was a senior disciple. Any troublesome demons, ghosts, or monsters were dealt with by her. Those who could become senior disciples never had low cultivation.

After thinking for a moment, Bai Yujun recalled the Ghost Cultivator in black.

"I encountered a Ghost Cultivator who controlled fierce ghosts. A man. His cultivation did not seem very high, and his magic tool was a black triangular flag. Mm... I fought him in Nan Family Town, and afterward he fled south."

At the words "Ghost Cultivator," Senior Sister Wei's expression turned grave.

"Did you see clearly whether that Ghost Cultivator had any distinguishing marks? Something about his collar, sleeves, or manner of dress, for example?"

"I did not see clearly, but I can remember his aura. If I see him again, I will definitely recognize him."

"The world is in chaos, yet those petty villains are reveling in it and committing every evil deed. Next time you see him, show no mercy—kill him outright! If you cannot win, remember to send me a message. This is a Communication Talisman. Tear it apart if anything happens, and I will hurry over as quickly as possible."

Bai Yujun happily accepted the triangular-folded talisman. This was good—if she could not win, she would fire the Cloud Piercer, and thousands of soldiers and horses would come to meet her. Beaming, she tucked it into her clothes.

Senior Sister Wei then took out a stack of talismans from behind her and called for hired helpers to carry in several bundles of medicine and two bottles of pills from the rear courtyard.

After confirming everything was correct, Bai Yujun signed and pressed her fingerprint, then packed the items neatly into her Book Box. Fortunately, she had eaten quite a bit of smoked meat and freed up plenty of space, or there truly would not have been room. Then she suddenly remembered something.

"Senior Sister Wei, why is the imperial court so slow in providing disaster relief?"

At that, Senior Sister Wei shook her head and sighed, helplessness on her face.

"The court was informed long ago. But many people do not want the disaster to end too quickly. Once the famine passes, there will be many more great clans in this region with ten thousand mu of fertile land."

"..."

Bai Yujun was speechless.

The longer the disaster lasted, the more those powerful nobles stood to gain. They could buy fields cheaply, hoard goods for profit, and collect the court's disaster-relief funds as well. With profit before their eyes, who would want the disaster to end too soon?

Dazed and muddleheaded, she walked out of the station and looked up at the blazing sun pouring down heat like mad. She always felt Heaven wanted to roast something. At any rate, it had better not roast the snake.

She did not run into Xu Ling or Yang Mu. Aside from Senior Sister Wei, there were only a few hired helpers at the station. There was no point staying, so she might as well continue patrolling her assigned area. After saying goodbye, she unhurriedly carried her Book Box toward the town gates.

A chaotic clatter of hooves came from ahead. Townspeople who failed to dodge in time were met with angry curses and whips from the riders. It was utter pandemonium.

Seeing those dandies on horseback, Bai Yujun finally understood what it meant to ride spirited horses in fresh, bright clothes. They wore the finest silk, yet despite their young age, a heavy viciousness clung to them. They galloped wildly and laughed aloud, truly carefree and exhilarated. Unfortunately, the half-starved townspeople suffered for it. Those with quick legs hurried aside, while the elderly and children either fell over or were whipped until their backs were blue and purple.

Bai Yujun stepped to the side of the road to yield. She could not be bothered to start a conflict.

The hooves thundered past. Those dandies raced away, leaving behind only a mess across the street and countless low muttered curses.

The street gradually returned to normal. The stallholder selling sundries cursed as he picked up his scattered goods, while the beggars returned from the alleys to their former spots to beg. Unfortunately, the broken bowl that had already been chipped at the edge had now split completely in two.

Watching the dandies vanish into the distance, Bai Yujun felt deeply envious. Look at how carefree and unrestrained their lives were.

The sun was still as scorching as ever. Fortunately, a sunshade had been fitted atop her Book Box, sparing her the pain of the blinding direct rays.

"This sun is going to bake the snake to death..."

The Sect Master had said that to attain profound cultivation, one had to strain one's sinews and bones and starve one's flesh and skin. Seated meditation and cultivation were certainly important, but one must not forget that reading ten thousand books was not as good as traveling ten thousand li. She wondered whether that old man had also wandered everywhere beneath the blazing sun during years of great drought when he was young.

The land was suffering from a great drought, and cultivators had limited abilities. The ones best suited to disaster relief were actually the mortal imperial court. So long as the court mobilized, dispatched supplies, and distributed medicine and grain, surviving the famine would not be difficult. The difficulty was that, apart from the Emperor, no one was willing to throw money into the mouths of refugees. Even if the money belonged to the court, to certain people, whatever belonged to the court belonged to them.