White Dragon City

The lockdown lasted a full three days.

For three days, Qingya County was under total martial law, with people coming door to door every day to search for bandits. It was not until dusk on the third day, when an order arrived from the valley, that Qingya County's lockdown was finally lifted completely.

At the same time, Chen Luo learned who the Important Figure in the mine tunnel had been.

The Third Prince!

Prince Ning had previously secretly killed a prince to keep this matter under wraps, but there were no walls that could keep out all wind. After Prince Ning seized the first opportunity, he sold the relevant information to the Third Prince in exchange for support from the Imperial Court. A prince who wanted to rebel had joined hands with another prince. That involved another layer of schemes and conspiracies, but it was no longer something Chen Luo, a mere Corpse Burier in a County Town, could meddle in. Nor could he understand what those people above were fighting over.

The Third Prince's arrival shifted all of Qingya County's attention.

Prefect Zhou no longer had the time to pursue the murderer and redirected all his energy toward the Third Prince.

Another day later, Prince Ning's order arrived as well.

The death of one son was glossed over by the two of them as though it were nothing. No one knew the exact reason, but those below knew better than to discuss it any further.

Jiang Danian began drinking with courtesans again.

Nineteen Young Master became a thing of Qingya County's past, as though he had never appeared at all.

Another Half a Day passed.

Qingya County's lockdown was completely lifted as well.

Chen Luo's Cultivation Seclusion officially came to an end.

"Time to go."

Chen Luo walked out into the courtyard and locked the gate.

He had waited in the city for several days, only truly relaxing after confirming that Prefect Zhou and the others had not traced anything back to him. He did not want to drag his master Crippled Ma and Third Uncle into trouble because of him.

In truth, if this newly appointed Prefect Zhou had truly investigated with care, it would have been easy to trace the matter back to Chen Luo. After all, Chen Luo had shown his face at the banquet that night and had even accepted Nineteen Young Master's "favor." From the perspective of solving the case, he had a motive.

The little tricks he used to conceal his identity might fool ordinary people, but a genuine master investigator would spot the problem.

Unfortunately, Prefect Zhou had not put any real effort into this matter. He shouted fiercely about catching the murderer, but his actual actions were mostly for show. Later, Jiang Danian told Chen Luo that Prefect Zhou's patron was the Eldest Young Master of Prince Ning's Residence, and Chen Luo understood the hidden currents at work.

The old street alley.

Chen Luo arrived at Crippled Ma's doorstep.

He had originally come to say goodbye, but the front gate was tightly locked. Junior Sister He's home was the same. Only after asking at the Sha Lake Gang's headquarters did he learn that Crippled Ma had left two days earlier. Qingya County's "rebellion" had changed more than Chen Luo's life; it had also changed some of his master Crippled Ma's views.

While he was still alive, he intended to go out and travel properly again, gathering some strength along the way so that if he encountered something like this next time, he would not be killed and turned into someone else's "merit."

Chen Luo could only express a little regret over that.

Afterward, he returned to the village to visit his Parents and Third Uncle, as well as his Little Sister, who had only just learned to call for Dad and Mom.

By the time all the trivial matters were Finished Dealing With, half a month had already passed.

Shangshui City was the Prefecture City that governed Qingya County. Both Qingya County and Yanhu County fell under Shangshui City's jurisdiction. Young people from these small counties who developed well would all head to Shangshui City in search of better prospects. The children of Old Man Liu and his wife, who had once sold noodles at the alley entrance, had also gone to Shangshui City to make their way.

However, Chen Luo's destination was not Shangshui City, but White Dragon City, the Provincial Capital of a neighboring prefecture.

The White Immortal Cave that Nineteen Young Master had mentioned before his death was near White Dragon City.

Chen Luo had paid a hefty price for this information. It was not as Nineteen Young Master had claimed, something one could learn simply by asking anyone.

The slanting sun sank in the west.

Dust billowed along the old dirt road, while a battered Donkey Cart laden with straw rolled onward.

Chen Luo lay sleeping in the straw like a beggar child as the Donkey Cart bought from the Farmer's family moved forward at an unhurried pace.

Murder and arson brought golden belts, Let Alone when the person he had killed was a wealthy young master like Nineteen Young Master. Chen Luo was therefore not short on money, and he had bought this Donkey Cart with Nineteen Young Master's savings. He was deeply grateful to Nineteen Young Master for "sponsoring" him with aptitude and wealth. Once he achieved the Dao and became immortal, he would definitely burn a few extra sheets of paper at his grave, so he could live more richly down below.

The Donkey Cart kept Moving Forward.

After crossing the prefectural border, the number of people gradually increased.

Traveling merchants who saw him all kept their distance.

In times like these, anyone who dared travel far alone was no simple character. For those doing business away from home, the greatest trial was this discerning eye. Those without such judgment had long since died in some remote nook of the mountains.

Two hours later, as the sky darkened, Chen Luo finally reached his destination.

White Dragon City.

Legend said the city was named after a white dragon that ascended to heaven. The founding emperor of the Yue Kingdom had risen to prominence from this very place.

"A Prefecture City really does have style."

Chen Luo sat up on the Donkey Cart and could not help sighing as he looked at the towering city walls in the distance. Qingya County's walls were like children's toys compared to them; anyone with a little martial skill could climb over them. But White Dragon City was different. Its walls alone stood ten zhang high, and numerous soldiers clad in fine armor patrolled atop them.

This was Chen Luo's first time facing a major city in this world. In his memory, even Jinling City from his Past Life had been only half as tall as this city.

If a Prefecture City was already like this, what kind of sight would the Capital City be?

As expected of a world with Supernatural Power. It could not be measured by the standards of an ordinary ancient society.

Many people were entering the city, and the line stretched for more than thirty meters. Chen Luo drove the Donkey Cart and obediently queued up behind them to enter.

Night fell, and torches lit up around the city gates.

Their brilliant flames illuminated the surroundings as brightly as day.

Prefecture Cities like White Dragon City did not impose a curfew. Only small County Towns like Qingya County, which lacked defensive capability, enforced such policies. From this alone, one could see the difference between a prefectural city and the local counties. They had greater confidence and greater strength.

Half an hour later, it was finally Chen Luo's turn.

The guards inspected him very carefully. They even turned over the straw on Chen Luo's Donkey Cart to check beneath it, and someone stepped forward to search him. As an old hand, Chen Luo naturally understood what the man wanted. While those around him were not paying attention, he swiftly shook a money pouch from his sleeve.

He had prepared this pouch before leaving home. It was filled with Copper Coins, specifically for situations like this.

"Go on through."

The guard assigned to search him accepted the pouch without a trace, gave Chen Luo a cursory pat-down, then waved him through.

"Now that's more like it."

The Yue Kingdom was still the same Yue Kingdom. It did not change merely because he had arrived in a Prefecture City; the people here were simply better at putting on an act.

Chen Luo grinned and drove the Donkey Cart, rattling and swaying through the city gate.

Once inside, his Field of Vision abruptly opened up. A bustling, prosperous market stretched before him, its dazzling lights filling his eyes. Even the streets beneath his feet were clean. From time to time, Errand Boys in Dark Robes came by to sweep and tidy them. Every few steps, he would see fragrant plants, their faint scent clearing the mind and delighting the heart.

The small vendors on both sides called out loudly to hawk their wares. They greeted everyone with boundless enthusiasm and did not look down on Chen Luo just because he rode a Donkey Cart.

To vendors, as long as they could make money, even if the customer was a beggar, they would greet him with a smiling face.