Viewing Incense

To the northwest of the Wasteland, dark clouds pressed down, blotting out the sky and sun. Paired with the howling blizzard, everything between heaven and earth was obscured, like a moonless, starless night.

Amid the howling, a spark of light flared as a black Langya Flying Boat descended from the sky.

Mu Zhiqiu stood in midair, his eyes sharp as a hawk's as he scanned the surroundings. After confirming there were no unusual circumstances, he gave a slight bow toward the cabin.

"Master Chu Ye, we have arrived."

A moment later, the Langya banner at the flying boat's prow fluttered in the wind. A halo of light spread outward, like a slowly inflating bubble, pushing back the wind and snow, silencing the howling, and enveloping the entire vessel.

From within the cabin, an old man in a fur hat and a heavy fur cloak emerged, stepping onto the deck.

The old man appeared to be in his eighties, his steps somewhat unsteady, his back slightly hunched, and the age spots on his face particularly prominent. Only his eyes remained bright and piercing.

He walked to the prow, surveyed the surroundings for a long time, and remained silent.

Mu Zhiqiu couldn't help but speak.

"Master, forgive my impertinence, but you truly didn't need to come in person. The cold here is too severe. Even with barriers, it will seep into the body. You have not yet entered Dao. If this cold invades you, there may be lasting consequences."

Chu Ye shook his head and let out a long sigh.

"I had to come myself. I don't believe what they say—that the Soul Lantern has gone out.

Though it is a fixed rule that when a person dies, their lamp goes out, that applies to others. Langya Academy has done research over the years; the Soul Lantern is not infallible.

That old brother of mine had talent rarely seen in this world, knowledge as vast as the ocean. Even if he hasn't entered Dao to this day, I believe that if he wanted to fool the Soul Lantern from afar, it would be effortless.

I must come to the place where he fell and see for myself. I must confirm it with my own eyes."

The old man waved his sleeve, and before him appeared an Incense Altar. On it sat a Three-legged, Double-eared Beast Cauldron, flanked by Soul Banners and Coiled Dragon Candles. Before the altar lay a stack of Golden Talisman Paper, radiating immense power.

Chu Ye gestured to Mu Zhiqiu.

"Come. You have cultivated Body Tempering and Internal Cultivation of Martial Intent, so your Yang energy is abundant, warding off all evil. Lend me your Yang energy—this will be the most reliable method."

Mu Zhiqiu knelt on one knee and gave a slight nod. Chu Ye formed hand seals with one hand and flicked his fingers with the other. In an instant, sparks flew from Mu Zhiqiu's shoulders, igniting the two Coiled Dragon Candles. A blazing flame rose from the top of his head, setting the stack of Golden Talisman Paper on the altar ablaze.

Chu Ye took the burning Golden Talisman Paper, picked up a bundle of incense sticks, lit them, and inserted them into the incense burner. Then he produced a folding fan and tossed it into the flames.

Wispy smoke, carrying ash, swirled above the altar. As the Golden Talisman Paper wrapped around the burning fan, and the incense sticks burned halfway, the circling smoke and ash slowly transformed into a twisted human face, wailing in agony.

The blurry face shifted with the smoke, gradually coalescing into a human form. Vaguely, one could make out the figure of a hunched old man.

Chu Ye's expression tightened, and a glimmer of hope appeared in his eyes.

"I knew it—he couldn't have fallen so easily..."

But the next moment, the Golden Talisman Paper and incense sticks burned rapidly, nearly consumed in an instant. The smoke and ash reached their limit. The increasingly clear phantom of the old man slowly collapsed to the ground. He braced himself with his hands, let out one last agonized cry, then fell with a crash, motionless.

At that moment, the flames died out, and all the smoke scattered.

The last spark of hope in Chu Ye's eyes dimmed as well.

"He's really gone... How is that possible? How could he just be gone like this..."

Chu Ye's body swayed, struck hard by the blow. Mu Zhiqiu quickly supported him and helped him back into the cabin.

At the entrance of Jinlan Village, a man in a form-fitting outfit and a conspicuous vermilion cloak stepped out of the mist, holding a scroll in one hand.

He put away the scroll and glanced back, his gaze carrying a hint of gravity.

"What exactly happened in the Wasteland? Even the Jinlan Mine has undergone such a drastic change. If not for the Danqing Calligraphy bestowed by my lord, getting in would have cost me a tremendous price."

He looked around, sensing the Strange Power permeating the air. He took out a Jade Talisman and hung it around his neck. The talisman's power flowed out, almost alive, sinking bit by bit into the skin of his chest with a faint sizzling sound.

When the phenomenon ended, he was completely isolated from the outside world.

The benefit was that he wouldn't be corroded; the drawback was that he couldn't practice his daily cultivation here, and any expended power couldn't be replenished.

Before long, someone spotted him and immediately went to report to the Village Chief.

Seeing the Village Chief being supported by Er Han as he slowly approached, the man quickly put on a smile, stepped forward briskly, and clasped his hands in a respectful bow.

"This junior, An Yue, pays respects to the Village Chief. A year has passed, and you are still as spirited as ever, undiminished by time."

The Village Chief's face was full of warmth and kindness, his expression almost matching Er Han's beside him.

"General An, a year has passed. I trust all is well. Why have you come so early this year?"

"I happened to be on official business. I figured it wasn't too far to take a detour here, so I came first. Otherwise, I feared that after finishing my duties, I might miss the trade deadline and break my word to you, Village Chief—that would be unfortunate."

"Ah, I see. But the goods are still a little short. Will General An wait a few days, or take them now? If you take them now, I'll make up the shortfall next year."

"Then I'll wait a few days. A few days won't make a difference." An Yue replied casually.

"Very well, then. General An, please wait a few days. Our conditions here are humble; I hope you won't mind." The Village Chief turned to look at Er Han. "Go, arrange the best resting place for General An."

Er Han grinned foolishly and nodded.

"Grandpa, don't worry."

A moment later, Er Han led An Yue to an Earth Den at the foot of the mountain, smiling with simple-minded cheer.

"General An, rest here. The hay inside is the driest and thickest—it's really comfortable. I wanted it, but Grandpa wouldn't let me have it."

"..."

An Yue hesitated, opening his mouth but saying nothing, standing there speechless. Watching Er Han's mix of envy and politeness, he could only clasp his hands in thanks.

After settling An Yue, Er Han went back to report, finally unable to hold it in.

"Grandpa, haven't we already mined enough Jinlan Ore?"

"What the hell do you know." The Village Chief smacked Er Han in annoyance. "We agreed on a set time, and that's the time—not a day off, never once. This year, he came before we even ate our Yellow Millet Cake."

"Uh..." Er Han was confused.

"That kid's up to no good. Says he's on official business, afraid of wasting time, yet he's willing to idle here for a few days. Does he really think I don't know how strict their laws are? How dare he waste time like this? And besides, you know what it's like outside the village—how did he even get in?

He's got no damn official business. The place he's supposed to be on duty is right here!

Remember this: when he's around, don't say a word. If you can't talk, act like you're mute."

Er Han nodded solemnly.

"Grandpa, don't worry. I swear I won't squeeze out a single fart, and if I have one, I'll hold it in."

Until mealtime, Er Han didn't come out, avoiding any contact with that An Yue altogether—no risk of saying the wrong thing. But he still had to eat.

As for An Yue, he stayed outside the whole time, never once going into the Earth Den to rest. Coming from the bustling Great Qian, he thought he could endure hardship well enough, but once inside the den, he found it not only low and cramped—barely room to straighten his back—but the so-called dry hay was dry enough, sure, but no one said it was clean. There were even sheep droppings in it...

He simply couldn't stand the murky air mixed with fermented sheep dung, so he preferred sitting outside.

When the village started serving meals, An Yue looked at the food, his eyes flickering. Without changing expression or missing a beat, he joined the line, even pulling out a clean ceramic bowl he'd brought himself.

Some people were curious, but they only watched; not a single one asked a question.

Soon, he received a bowl of thick soup made from Jinlan Mushrooms. One sip down, and his expression shifted slightly.

Jinlan Mushrooms were a fine thing. Fresh ones, even in Great Qian, only a very few people ever got to eat occasionally. If he could mooch some, he wouldn't miss the chance.

But the preparation was noticeably different from last time. Just from the taste, it was better by more than a little. Feeling it out a bit, the essence inside seemed easier to absorb, and more of it was being utilized.

He looked up at Yu Ziqing standing behind the big pot. He hadn't seen him on his last visit, and among those burly aunties, the lean Yu Ziqing really stood out.

An Yue held his bowl, sipping the thick soup in small mouthfuls, but his gaze kept sweeping over the villagers.

He also saw Yu Ziqing, after finishing serving everyone, take a wooden bowl and head back to his own Earth Den. He didn't pay him too much attention, continuing to observe the others.

Yu Ziqing returned to the Earth Den and set the wooden bowl in front of Old Yang.

"You're not eating?" Old Yang asked casually.

Usually, Yu Ziqing would bring the meal back, and the two would eat together in the den.

"Someone's come from outside. It's for the Jinlan Ore trade, from Great Qian. I asked Er Han—he arrived a few days early. You eat first. I'll go back to the kitchen later and grab something; there's bound to be leftovers."

With just a few words, Old Yang understood why Yu Ziqing had only brought back one bowl today.

"Alright, I won't go out these next few days."

When he saw that man, Yu Ziqing knew he'd be noticed. The change in the food here, the new cook, the unfamiliar face—many changes in the village were tied to him. That wasn't a secret.

If he brought back two bowls now, it would definitely draw more attention. He wasn't going to gamble that the other party wouldn't figure out there were two mouths to feed in the den.

Though it wasn't a secret in the village, anyone who knew the truth wouldn't blab—that was the village's rule.

A few days was very limited time. As long as no one dug too deep, the odds of bluffing through were high.

The key was to hide as much as possible any clues the other party might latch onto, and for what couldn't be hidden, at least delay the discovery.

He didn't know if this An Yue was sent by Old Yang's enemies.

But better to be cautious and assume he was.

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