Return to Xianyang

Wow!

Paper money rained down, fluttering in the wind.

The funeral procession moved slowly, the wind itself seeming to carry sorrow.

Although Li Yan's branch belonged to the Li Family Fortress's main lineage, his own line had dwindled, and he had no close elders.

Fortunately, with Wang Dao Xuan presiding and Sha LiFei running errands, along with help from neighbors and villagers, the Old Master's funeral was conducted with extreme solemnity.

Choosing the site, preparing the coffin, setting up the ancestral hall, burying the body...

Even the experienced village chief, Li HuaiRen, gave a silent thumbs-up to the entire process and spent a long time building rapport with Wang Dao Xuan.

As for Li Yan, he too, suppressed his grief and busied himself with tasks.

It seemed the only way to temporarily forget his sorrow.

With all his closest family gone, he was utterly alone in the world.

He had experienced this desolation once before in his past life, which was why, even though life was dull this time around, he stayed in the village to be with his grandfather.

On the night of the seventh day after his death, he had even activated his Spiritual Power to guard the whole night, hoping to catch a familiar scent of his grandfather, but alas, he sensed nothing.

Thus, after numbly completing the funeral rites, another month had passed.

It was now the eighth month of the lunar calendar, and the weather had begun to turn cool.

Rumble!

Accompanied by the muffled thunder of autumn, a light rain began to fall.

"The ritual for building the Divine Pavilion consumes quite a lot..."

Wang Dao Xuan held a brush and ink, sketching and writing. "Incense, candles, paper, ink, cinnabar... all these need to be offered at the altars of major Xuan Gate sects for at least five years. Of course, we have to spend money to buy them."

"These disposable magical artifacts are the least of it. To succeed, we'll need to borrow good Altar-Suppressing Magical Artifacts and find excellent spiritual apertures with good feng shui."

"The more famous the mountains and rivers, the more Blessed Grotto-Heavens there are, the stronger the gathering of Innate Firm Qi, the greater the chance of success. I know a Temple Keeper in Xianyang City's City God Temple. Through his introduction, we can hold the ritual at a Grotto-heaven Daoist site on Tai Bai Mountain, but the money still needs to be paid..."

Saying this, he gave a wry smile. "We in the orthodox Xuan Gate emphasize accumulating Hidden Virtue, but each step is a new challenge. The Dao requires money too."

Li Yan possessed the Great Luo Dharma Body, so he no longer feared his Preserving the Spirit dissipating.

Wang Dao Xuan, unaware of this, was naturally worried for him.

Seeing this, Li Yan shook his head. "Daoist Priest, there's no need to worry. My Spiritual Power is stable now. Let's take it slow. Rushing things will only do harm."

Splash!

Just then, the sound of a door opening was heard from outside the courtyard.

Sha LiFei, wearing a straw cape and a bamboo hat, arrived from the wind and rain.

"Good news, good news, it's finally over..."

His face was filled with joy. He carelessly tossed his straw cape outside the door and strode in, his face beaming. "I've found out! That Landlord Lu's concubine and Zhao Cheng suddenly sold all their land a few days ago. I heard they even swindled several families out of a deposit, and they've disappeared without a trace."

"This matter must be settled!"

"It should be settled..."

Wang Dao Xuan pondered for a moment and nodded. "Leaving behind a trail of deceit when they fled means they've burned all their bridges. Those people have likely left Guanzhong already. We just need to be careful."

It wasn't that they were overly cautious.

Anyone who dabbled in the Jianghu knew that to mobilize such a large force, with several major bandit groups from Guanzhong working for them, the mastermind behind it must be immensely powerful.

Crushing them would be as easy as crushing ants.

"It's good that the matter is over."

Sha LiFei was excited. "Being stuck in this village has driven me crazy! With the skills of you two, plus my connections, what's to stop us from becoming successful?"

"Why don't we head straight for Chang'an?"

The three of them had planned to start a business together, making a living from the Xuan Gate.

With Li Yan's cooperation, Wang Dao Xuan finally dared to accept some jobs.

Sha LiFei, on the other hand, was thick-skinned and glib-tongued, and familiar with all sorts of Jianghu rules, making him perfect for gathering information and taking on lucrative jobs.

Of course, making a living from the Xuan Gate wasn't that easy.

Just like in the Jianghu, you needed to make a name for yourself before people would seek you out.

"Chang'an?"

Wang Dao Xuan chuckled in amusement. "Do you know what kind of place Chang'an is? In the past, during the Tang Dynasty, it was a gathering place for Xuan Gate practitioners from all over the world, with countless extraordinary individuals. Magician Ye entered Chang'an alone and forged a great reputation that has been passed down through the ages."

"Even though the capital has moved north, Chang'an remains a vital center for the Xuan Gate."

"The orthodox Xuan Gate, Dharma Veins from various prefectures, unorthodox and evil sects, there are countless powerful figures. It's truly a place where dragons and tigers lie hidden. We're simply not qualified."

"Let's go to Xianyang."

Li Yan suddenly spoke, his gaze cool as he looked out the window.

"Daoist Wang's home is in Xianyang, I'm familiar with the area."

"Besides, I also have some things I need to figure out..."

Xianyang, the old street near the City God Temple.

These shops, which deal in incense, candles, and goods for funerals and weddings, are different from other businesses. They wait for customers to come to them; no one shouts on the street.

"Selling coffins, selling coffins, buy a big one and get a small one free..."

If anyone dared to shout like that, their shop would be smashed that very day.

Not only that, but even the way they spoke was particular.

For example, if someone came to buy a coffin, they had to ask who the order was for.

And once a coffin was ordered, even if it was to be kept for several years, it had to be stored well. The shop could not deliver it unless the customer notified them.

There were also other taboos that could not be casually violated.

As a result, business on this street was not very brisk, especially with the continuous rain these past two days. The familiar shopkeepers gathered to play chess and chat.

"Hey, have you heard? Wang Lao Nian is back."

"Didn't he die?"

"No, I heard he was out ordering a coffin and just happened to escape the disaster."

"That fool, he sure has dog-like luck."

"More than that, I heard he brought back two people. He's been asking around these past couple of days, trying to drum up some business."

"Heh, with his skills..."

The shopkeepers on the street spoke with mockery in their voices.

They were in a related business, so they considered themselves semi-insiders. They knew a lot about the Xuan Gate world and even had connections with some Taoists.

They could earn a commission by introducing business.

They knew Wang Dao Xuan was from the Xuan Gate, but their words of ridicule were increasingly harsh.

It wasn't out of any particular animosity, but rather human nature.

Mocking a down-on-his-luck Xuan Gate person made them feel better and speak with a bit more confidence.

A person passed by the entrance, holding an umbrella.

Hearing their conversation, he merely glanced coldly at them and paid them no mind.

The one who arrived was none other than Li Yan.

He had been back in Xianyang City for seven or eight days. They had briefly tidied up Wang Dao Xuan's old house and, after settling in, began gathering information everywhere.

Unfortunately, Xuan Gate business wasn't that easy to come by.

Important figures usually went directly to the Tai Xuan Orthodox Sect. Those slightly less prominent would have connections with rising Dharma Vein disciples.

And in many villages, there were local witches and shamans.

That was their territory, and unless they encountered something they couldn't handle, they wouldn't allow outsiders to interfere. It could easily lead to a mystical duel.

Xuan Gate conflicts were no less bloody than those in the Jianghu.

The only difference was that ordinary people rarely witnessed them.

Li Yan wasn't in a hurry. He spent his days frequenting various teahouses and restaurants, partly to inquire about anyone who needed help and partly to gather information on Zhou Pan of the Divine Fist Society.

In Chang'an City, the brothel where his father had died had already been reduced to ashes.

The only remaining clue was Zhou Pan, whose behavior had been suspicious at the time.

But Zhou Pan was not easy to deal with.

Not only had this old monkey's martial arts reached Transformed Strength, but he also had influence in both the underworld and legitimate circles in Xianyang City. He had a large group of disciples, and the street thugs all took their orders from him.

To force any information out of him, the right opportunity had to be found.

Lost in thought, Li Yan had already returned to the Asking Dao Pavilion.

"Business is here!"

Before he even entered, he saw Sha LiFei rushing over from the street.

Back in the small courtyard, facing their gazes, Sha LiFei said proudly, "How about that? It still takes me, Sha LiFei, to get things done!"

"There's an opera troupe from Huayin planning to set up a stage in Xianyang City. There's someone inside I'm acquainted with, and they need help from someone from the Xuan Gate."

Li Yan's eyes lit up, "A shadow puppet troupe?"

The troupes from Huayin were mostly Laoqiang.

Although Laoqiang and Qinqiang both originated from Guanzhong, they were not the same.

Qinqiang originated from the Western Prefecture, while Laoqiang came from the Eastern Prefecture. One was a traditional opera, and the other was shadow puppetry.

He had seen it once in Lantian County; it was quite interesting.

"Indeed."

Sha LiFei said with a beaming smile, "This job might not pay much, but as you know, the opera troupe members are all from the Liu Family. If we handle this well, won't our reputation grow?"

Wang Dao Xuan stroked his beard and said, "That's good. What do they want to do?"

Sha LiFei chuckled, "I heard they want to perform the ritual of Filling the Statues and Inviting the Gods."

Upon hearing this, Wang Dao Xuan's expression immediately changed, "We can't take this job!"