Chuzhou (Seeking Collection)

Shi Xuan looked up at the sound of his words, his eyes gradually clearing. However, he immediately began frantically examining himself from head to toe, then froze in place, his voice hoarse after a long moment. "It seems the Daoist master possesses true Magical Power and is a Land Immortal. I had thought you were some reclusive elder."

Shi Xuan said calmly, "This humble Daoist is far from being an immortal, merely possessing a little Daoist Magic. Mr. Liang should first answer my questions."

"If the Daoist master agrees to help me with one matter, I will tell you everything without reservation," Liang Shenglou said after a moment's thought, his eyes burning as he looked at Shi Xuan.

"Ha, Mr. Liang, do you think you have the right to haggle? I merely find it troublesome to use magic," Shi Xuan said with a smile.

Liang Shenglou tilted his head up slightly and stubbornly said, "Then please, Daoist master, proceed."

Shi Xuan shook his head, performed the Yu Steps, recited an incantation, and then pointed at Liang Shenglou from afar. Two beams of dim light shot from his eyes, landing precisely on Liang Shenglou's head. Liang Shenglou's eyes began to glaze over, and he subsequently lost consciousness, staring blankly at Shi Xuan. This soul-bewitching technique had an extra good effect on souls without the protection of a physical body.

Shi Xuan slowly opened his mouth and asked, "Tell me, did you gain anything else when you obtained the Longevity Treasury?"

Liang Shenglou answered word by word, "We also received a letter left by Guangyang Hermit."

"What did the letter say?"

"The letter stated that the Longevity Treasury is difficult to begin with, and that later generations must diligently cultivate the following few diagrams on qi circulation, as that is the true value of the 'Treasury.' It then mentioned that the opportunity to break through the body's barriers and shatter the void was approaching, so he would seek a secluded place to break through. Whether successful or not, he would not return to the mortal world, thus leaving the Longevity Treasury to prevent its loss. Finally, he left a verse: 'Bravely advance for thirty years, then seek the spiritual platform to find the mountains.'"

Shi Xuan questioned him several more times, and seeing that nothing was missed, he stopped. It seemed Guangyang Hermit knew little about what happened after ascending. However, Shi Xuan was not too disappointed; after all, he had his own complete plan. Obtaining information from Guangyang Hermit was an unexpected bonus, and not obtaining it was normal.

After Shi Xuan withdrew his technique, Liang Shenglou slowly regained consciousness. Seeing Shi Xuan standing calmly before him and recalling his dizziness, he trembled and asked, "What Daoist magic did you use on me?"

"Heh heh, just a little soul-bewitching technique."

"Good, good, good," Liang Shenglou said, utterly dejected, as if he had lost his parents.

Shi Xuan silently recited an incantation, waved his hand to disperse the black smoke, and said to Liang Shenglou, "Alright, since I have learned what I wanted to know, Mr. Liang, you are free to go. I will take my leave now."

Liang Shenglou suddenly lunged forward and knelt on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly. This had no substantial feeling for his soul, but rather expressed his attitude. He said hoarsely, "Please, Daoist master, avenge me! Please, Daoist master, avenge me!"

Shi Xuan looked at him and said, "I am burdened with many affairs, and I still need to cultivate. I dare not promise your matter."

Liang Shenglou continued to kowtow and beg, but Shi Xuan firmly refused.

Seeing that Shi Xuan was resolute, Liang Shenglou shouted loudly, "Aren't you Daoist practitioners supposed to be benevolent and act on behalf of heaven? Aren't you afraid of heavenly retribution for acting like this?!"

Shi Xuan sneered, "No one dictates that I must help you. My helping you is an act of kindness, and not helping is my duty. I have a clear conscience and do not need to be threatened with heavenly retribution. If you wish for revenge, go find that sliver of heavenly opportunity yourself. I bid you farewell!"

"Daoist master..." Seeing Shi Xuan float away, Liang Shenglou's soul called out a few times from the dark, damp corner before muttering dejectedly to himself, "Why? Why..."

After leaving the mountain forest, Shi Xuan sped towards the official road. Liang Shenglou's fate afterward would depend on heaven's will. If he could find a Place of Yin Energy in time and possessed a strong obsession, he might have a chance for revenge in the future. If his luck ran out and he dissipated, that would be his own doing. In any case, whatever happened next would be irrelevant to Shi Xuan.

One noon in early August, the sun blazed fiercely in a cloudless sky. Although Chuzhou was the prefectural capital, it was a notoriously hot place by the great river. There were few pedestrians on the official road at this time, and they all looked listless. The bustling crowds and heavy traffic of the morning and evening were long gone.

The city guards had already put on their straw hats and huddled in the shade of the city gate, cursing inwardly: That damned captain! Just because I won a few games of money from him, he assigns me to guard the city gate at noon. Not only is there no profit, but I'll probably have to spend money on medicine. I'm about to roast to death!

Just then, he saw a group of people approaching from afar on the official road. They appeared blurry under the sunlight. As they drew closer, he realized it was a young Daoist, with an ordinary face and a calm demeanor, possessing an extraordinary presence. The city guard originally intended to extort them severely, at least to recover the cost of his herbal tea for the day. However, upon seeing the young Daoist's extraordinary bearing, he hesitated. After all, guarding the city gate required dealing with so many people daily; those lacking discernment would offend the wrong people and suffer terrible fates. The remaining ones were naturally those with discernment and insight considered among the best in ordinary households.

After hesitating for a long time, the city guard finally mustered the courage to pinch himself as the Daoist approached. Although he couldn't be sure if the person was of extraordinary origin, it was better to be cautious. He quickly stepped forward and greeted him enthusiastically, only collecting two copper coins as an entrance fee before letting the Daoist enter the city.

Entering Chuzhou city, Shi Xuan saw wide streets, smooth roads, wine shops, inns, and various shops on both sides. Many phoenix trees were planted along the roadside, forming shady areas for escaping the heat. Although the weather was hot and there were few pedestrians, in Shi Xuan's eyes, among all the cities he had visited, only Yangzhou Prefecture was slightly better; all others were far inferior. Of course, the major cities of his previous life were not included in the comparison.

After leaving the dilapidated temple, Shi Xuan traveled intermittently, then took a boat upstream, spending nearly two months to reach the outskirts of Chuzhou. Although it took a long time, it was a pleasant journey.

After disembarking at Hanshui City, Shi Xuan spent another ten days walking to Chuzhou city. The main reason was to visit a famous Daoist temple between the two cities, but unfortunately, they were all charlatans who only knew how to perform minor tricks.

Now that he had arrived in Chuzhou city, Shi Xuan planned to rest for a few days, adjust his body and mind to their optimal state, and then set off for Tongxuan Mountain, fifty li northwest of the city.

Wandering around, Shi Xuan chose a "Yunlai Inn" because of its tranquil environment and the availability of private courtyards for rent, making it an excellent choice for a cultivator like himself.

"Guest, please follow me. The 'Heavenly Character Room Number One' is ahead," the inn's waiter said, leading the way. He was thin and short but looked nimble.

Shi Xuan nodded, inwardly amused. I never thought I'd have the chance to stay in the Heavenly Character Room Number One. After entering the inn's backyard, they wound their way through several turns to a secluded small courtyard with a plaque that read "Hexiang Courtyard." The waiter pointed to the courtyard and said, "Guest, this is our Heavenly Character Room Number One. There are no other courtyards around, so it's quite quiet. Moreover, there is a pond in the courtyard filled with lotus flowers, which emit a fragrance every summer."

As they spoke, Shi Xuan and the waiter had already entered the courtyard. Indeed, on the left side of the courtyard was a medium-sized pond, its surface covered with blooming lotus flowers. In the scorching heat, when people were tired and cicadas chirped, and other plants around seemed listless, the fragrance that wafted in was exceptionally refreshing.

After sending the waiter away, Shi Xuan returned to the courtyard. Beneath a large tree, smelling the faint fragrance of lotus flowers, he closed his eyes to rest.

For the next few days, Shi Xuan shuttled through Chuzhou city during the day, gathering information for his trip to Tongxuan Mountain in a few days, and also sampling the local delicacies of Chuzhou, such as the great river fish and steamed crab. At night, Shi Xuan would first practice his boxing, then engage in Visualization for Soul Strengthening, regulate his breathing, and circulate his qi, never neglecting his cultivation.

One evening, as Shi Xuan slowly strolled back to the inn, savoring the fragrant and delicious taste of the great river fish, he stepped over the threshold into the lobby. He heard hurried footsteps behind him, and soon a thin scholar bypassed him and walked towards the counter. The waiter saw this and quickly stepped forward to greet him, "Guest, are you here for a meal or lodging?"

The thin scholar stopped and replied, "Greetings, esteemed sir. I am here for lodging, a shared room." Although the scholar was thin, he was not short, standing about seven feet tall, only slightly shorter than Shi Xuan. His face was pale, but he was quite handsome, though his eyes were a bit dull and unfocused.

Upon hearing that he was requesting a shared room, the waiter's face immediately showed a hint of disdain. However, as people were coming and going in the lobby, he couldn't show his displeasure to the scholar, so he said kindly, "May I ask your esteemed name, and do you have your travel permit?"

The scholar did not notice the waiter's disdain and happily replied, "My surname is Ding, my given name is Mingde. My courtesy name... my courtesy name... I have not yet entered formal study, nor have I reached twenty, so I... I do not yet have one." He looked somewhat ashamed as he spoke and took out his travel permit from his huai to hand to the waiter.

The waiter took the travel permit. "Then, guest, please wait a moment. I will show the travel permit to the shopkeeper and then lead you to the shared room."

Ding Mingde nodded gratefully and stood aside to wait quietly. Since the shopkeeper needed to record the name, place of origin, etc., on the ledger based on the travel permit for future audits or official inquiries, it took quite some time. Ding Mingde seemed familiar with this process, so while waiting, he took out a paper-wrapped package from his bosom. Inside was a cold steamed bun.

Ding Mingde looked at the steamed bun with a hungry expression and muttered to himself with difficulty, "This is the last one. I have to go to Tongxuan Mountain tomorrow. Should I eat it tonight, or not?"

Shi Xuan, who was about to walk through the lobby into the backyard, suddenly heard the scholar mention Tongxuan Mountain. He walked back a few steps, let a man wearing a straw hat pass, and stood not far from the scholar, intending to hear what connection this scholar had with Tongxuan Mountain.