An Arduous Wait

On the other side.

Qian Qi, a burly man in black riding a tall horse, watched from afar. He witnessed Cheng Buzheng enter Yaoshan Town with his own eyes, and without a moment's hesitation, he turned around and headed back the way he came.

The moment the burly man in black turned his horse around and began his return journey, Cheng Buzheng, who had already entered the town, stepped out from a corner and quietly watched the man ride away.

He recognized this person; he was one of the mounted guards who flanked the Qian Family's caravan.

Cheng Buzheng silently turned and walked into the town. Nearly a full day of continuous travel had left him exhausted, and besides, this was definitely not the best time to leave Yaoshan Town.

He found an inn in a secluded corner of Yaoshan Town, filled his stomach, and then collapsed onto the bed, falling into a deep sleep.

At night, in the early hours of the morning.

In a secluded corner of an inn in Yaoshan Town, a short figure emerged.

Cheng Buzheng walked out of the town in the dark. Fortunately, the moonlight provided enough visibility to roughly make out the road. He followed the main road toward the county seat. He didn't know how many times he tripped and fell along the way; the journey that should have taken one hour ended up taking a full three.

By the moonlight, Cheng Buzheng saw three large characters carved above the city gate: "Ping'an County." At this moment, he looked disheveled, his clothes covered in dirt, and even his face was smeared with mud.

At a glance, he was no different from a little beggar, the only distinction being the mud-stained bundle he held in his hand.

Seeing the city gates tightly shut, Cheng Buzheng knew that a youth looking like a beggar would not be able to convince the guards to open the gates and let him into the county seat.

Only the powerful clans of the county or high-ranking officials possessed such a privilege. As for ordinary people, the guards wouldn't even pay them any mind; unless the money was right, they wouldn't even glance at you for a pittance.

Cheng Buzheng knew there was no chance of entering the county seat now. He would have to wait until the Mao Hour for the guards to open the gates. He calculated silently in his heart; there was roughly another hour to go.

The night wind was bone-chillingly cold, forcing him to tighten his clothes as he looked for a place to shelter from the wind.

Before long, he found a recessed area in the city wall that could block the night chill. He crouched in a corner and waited quietly for the gates to open.

He did not know how much time had passed. Cheng Buzheng silently endured the night air, his entire body shivering from the cold.

Suddenly.

"Creak. Creak."

The sound came from the city gate. Cheng Buzheng looked up. Because he had been crouching for so long, he struggled to stand up and stretched his limbs. Although his face was still a bit stiff, he could at least walk.

At this moment, the Golden Crow had not yet risen.

He walked slowly toward the city gate and found that some elderly women selling vegetables and an old man selling charcoal were already lining up to enter.

As time passed, the line moved forward. Before long, it was his turn. After a brief inspection by two guards, he was allowed inside.

Cheng Buzheng knew that the conduct of these guards was no different from those in the town; every copper coin could potentially be snatched away. Therefore, he had long since hidden his money in the lining of his shoe soles, which was the only reason he had been spared.

This money was his usual pocket money, which would hopefully last until the Immortal arrived; otherwise, he would be forced to beg for a living.

To meet an Immortal, one must at least keep their clothes clean and their appearance tidy, ensuring there is nothing that might cause the Immortal any displeasure. Cheng Buzheng could only do the best he was capable of; as for the rest, it would have to be left to fate.

The Golden Crow rose, and the sky began to brighten.

Cheng Buzheng wandered through the county town, eventually finding the cheapest inn available. Although it was located in a corner of the town and was quite crude, the price was comparable to the inns in Yaoshan Town.

It could be called a fair price.

Cheng Buzheng opened his room door and unwrapped the bundle stained with dirt. He placed the clean clothes and shoes, three porcelain bottles, and a freshly washed writing brush onto the bed.

After fetching some hot water and finishing his wash, he took the brush and the three porcelain bottles from the bed. Looking at his clear reflection in the wooden basin, he opened the bottles, dipped the brush into the pigments, and began to paint his face.

By now, the sky had fully brightened, and Cheng Buzheng had finished his disguise.

Cheng Buzheng's originally sallow complexion had become remarkably fair, and his sword-like eyebrows now looked heroic and imposing. His entire face was completely different from before; unless someone who knew him well looked very closely, they would never recognize him.

The pigments in the porcelain bottles were essences he had extracted from medicinal herbs. They could not be washed off with plain water; only a specially formulated solution could remove them.

Cheng Buzheng's purpose in doing this was to prevent anyone from the Qian Family from recognizing him. Given Qian Zhe's mean-spirited nature, if he were to spot him in the county town, the consequences would be unimaginable!

If that happened, it wouldn't just be trouble for him; his own family would be implicated as well. It is always better to be safe than sorry.

After tidying up his belongings, Cheng Buzheng lay on the bed, lost in thought, and drifted into a deep sleep before he knew it.

By evening, the setting sun shone through the window, casting golden light across Cheng Buzheng's face.

His sword-like eyebrows twitched slightly. A moment later, he opened his sleepy eyes, glanced at the sky outside, and felt a pang of hunger. After tidying up, he stepped out of the inn.

Many vendors were shouting at the top of their lungs on the streets, creating a bustling and lively scene. Along both sides of the street were numerous stalls selling steamed buns, flatbreads, and wontons.

Cheng Buzheng bought two of the cheapest flatbreads to satisfy his hunger.

Afterward, he strolled around the county town, slowly familiarizing himself with the layout to ensure he was fully prepared.

He knew that the arrival of an Immortal in the county town would surely cause a huge sensation. Over the next few days, he would walk through the town once in the morning and once in the afternoon. Fortunately, the town was not large, so there was plenty of time.

Cheng Buzheng ate only flatbreads for his three daily meals, trying his best to spend as little money as possible so he could hold out for a longer period. Although the inn's fees were not high, they added up over time!

Otherwise, he would be forced to sleep on the streets, where he would likely be driven out of town by the bailiffs. After all, at this critical moment with the Immortal's arrival imminent, the officials were concerned with maintaining appearances and would not care about the life or death of a beggar.

When the critical moment arrived, he would have no time to earn money. At his current age, even if he did earn money, he wouldn't be able to keep it. It would be like a child carrying gold through a busy market—a sure way to invite disaster.

One morning.

While strolling and deep in thought, Cheng Buzheng walked down the main street and said to himself:

"With the money I have left, I can only afford seven days at the inn, and that's not even counting the daily cost of flatbread...

Sigh. I wonder when the Immortals will descend!"

Although he felt distressed inside, his expression remained as stagnant as a pool of dead water, without a single ripple.

Suddenly, cries of alarm erupted from the distance.

"The Immortals are here! The Immortals have really come!"

In an instant, the crowd surged, everyone looking toward the distant sky.

"It really is an Immortal! I saw one ten years ago!"

"I'm going to become an Immortal's disciple!"

Almost everyone's face was filled with intense excitement, and they began to chatter fervently.

Cheng Buzheng looked up and gazed at the distant sky. He saw a White Jade Boat that had originally been only a zhang in size, but as it drew closer, its form grew larger and larger.

He finally let out a sigh of relief.

They're finally here. If they hadn't come, I would have been out on the streets soon!

PS: Setting out my bowl, politely asking for the three essentials (please add to library, please recommend, please vote).