On the Way

After a few words with the shopkeeper, Shi Xuan brought Ding Mingde back to his small courtyard. Although they had planned to talk through the night, Ding Mingde was tired and hungry from his journey. Now that he was full and satisfied, sleepiness washed over him. After a brief chat with Shi Xuan, his eyelids began to droop uncontrollably.

Seeing this, Shi Xuan smiled knowingly, recalling his own experiences of attending classes after staying up all night. He quickly led Ding Mingde to the west wing to settle him in.

Returning to his own room, Shi Xuan didn't immediately begin his Visualization. Instead, he sat with his eyes closed, seemingly resting or cultivating. In reality, he extended his spiritual sense, warily observing the entire courtyard. Shi Xuan dared not be careless about the sinister gaze he had encountered earlier. Moreover, if someone were to come, he might be able to gather more information.

Unfortunately, the owner of that gaze did not come to probe Shi Xuan's courtyard that night. The entire courtyard was filled only with Ding Mingde's snores and the chirping of cicadas in the parasol tree, making the night peaceful and tranquil. After an hour of vigilance, Shi Xuan finally let down his guard and began his Visualization. During this time, whether on the road or in inns and restaurants, Shi Xuan had never relaxed his Visualization practice. Every day, he could feel his soul growing stronger, having reached the peak of the Soul Strengthening Stage, but he still hadn't touched the threshold of the Soul Departure Stage.

The moonlight was like water, and the night breeze was cool. After finishing his Visualization, Shi Xuan sat by the window, gazing at the night scenery in the courtyard and listening to various subtle sounds. This feeling was like being detached from the entire world, quietly observing it. To Shi Xuan, everything felt like a dream, but since he had arrived here, all he could do was strive forward.

For Shi Xuan's current cultivation level, a daily amount of sleep was still very necessary, especially with the trip to Tongxuan Mountain tomorrow, which required him to be well-rested. Shi Xuan had originally planned a specific itinerary, but Ding Mingde's appearance made Shi Xuan place Shuanghu Village as the first stop. Because he didn't understand the situation well, he needed to be extremely cautious. After a moment of relaxation, Shi Xuan went to bed.

He slept soundly through the night.

As dawn broke, a refreshing breeze blew. After his morning physical training, Shi Xuan ordered two servings of breakfast and then woke Ding Mingde. Tongxuan Mountain was fifty li northwest of the city. At Shi Xuan's pace, it would only take a few hours to get there. However, with Ding Mingde, who looked like a frail scholar, it would likely take a full day. Therefore, he woke Ding Mingde early so that whether they walked or hired a carriage, they would have ample time.

In the courtyard, under the parasol tree, beside the stone table, Ding Mingde sat opposite Shi Xuan, clearly not fully awake. Although his personality was somewhat bookish, he didn't have an arrogant attitude. He understood that he was merely freeloading Shi Xuan's food and lodging and cooperated by washing up before getting out of bed.

"Brother Mingde, I've already asked the waiter to call for a carriage. This way, we should arrive at Tongxuan Mountain by the beginning of Shen Shi. Do you think that will be enough time?" Shi Xuan asked.

Ding Mingde said gratefully, "Brother Zi'ang, thank you for your trouble. According to my cousin, the Head Steward will wait for me at Yuhua Pavilion for an hour at You Shi. We'll have plenty of time."

After the meal, Shi Xuan and Ding Mingde packed their luggage and went to the counter to pay their bill. Shi Xuan also gave the waiter an extra two taels of silver as a tip. The waiter's face turned red with gratitude, and he respectfully led Shi Xuan and Ding Mingde to the side entrance of the inn.

As soon as they stepped out of the side door, they saw a rather simple carriage. The two horses looked a bit old and worn out. The coachman was a middle-aged man with an honest face. Seeing Shi Xuan and Ding Mingde emerge, he hurried forward, bowing and scraping, "Two masters, are you heading to Tongxuan Mountain? I, Zheng Daniu, don't mean to brag, but I've been traveling this road for nearly twenty years. Riding in my carriage is both steady and fast."

"Yes, the waiter has already told you. If you drive well this time, besides the two taels for the carriage fare, I'll give you an extra five taels as a reward." Shi Xuan still had some spare money. Moreover, at the Major Heavenly Cycle stage, he only needed to eat enough to replenish his vital energy daily. He could hunt in the wild, so his need for silver wasn't as high as when he was in Xia'an City.

"Certainly, certainly! Two masters, rest assured, rest assured!" Zheng Daniu said happily, seeing that the income far exceeded his expectations. He then let the two men into the carriage and sat on the driver's seat, cracking his whip.

Zheng Daniu indeed did not brag. Although some bumps were unavoidable, the carriage was far better than any he had ridden in before. The fact that Ding Mingde only turned pale and didn't vomit was proof enough. Seeing that Ding Mingde lacked the energy to talk, Shi Xuan chatted idly with Zheng Daniu.

As expected of someone who had been driving carriages to Tongxuan Mountain for twenty years, much of what Zheng Daniu said, while not providing Shi Xuan with much new information, indirectly confirmed some of the things Shi Xuan had inquired about. For instance, people did indeed go missing on Tongxuan Mountain every year. Although it was rumored they were eaten by wild beasts, only a few had their remains found. It was also said that sounds like tiger roars could often be heard at night on Tongxuan Mountain, rumored to be from a strange beast.

Just as noon arrived, Zheng Daniu saw the sun high in the sky and said to Shi Xuan, "Master Shi, we've covered more than half the distance. It'll be about another hour or so to arrive. There's a tea stall ahead. It's afternoon now, why don't we stop there for some tea and food and rest a bit before continuing?"

Shi Xuan looked at the pale-faced Ding Mingde, thought about the remaining short distance, and nodded, "Then let's go and rest. It's afternoon now anyway."

The carriage traveled for another quarter of an hour before a simple tea stall appeared by the roadside. A small pavilion served as the kitchen, with a large awning set up outside. Five or six square tables were placed casually, and a banner with the word "Tea" hung there – that was the entire tea stall.

As soon as Shi Xuan's carriage stopped, a petite middle-aged woman with slightly graying hair came out of the tea stall. She said to Shi Xuan and the others, "Are you guests looking for tea? A large pot is only ten wen. We also have smoked meat, smoked chicken, and rice."

"Then bring a large pot of tea, and cut a plate of smoked meat and smoked chicken each. Fill up the rice. Is this money enough? The rest is a tip." Shi Xuan looked at Zheng Daniu and Ding Mingde, then gave the proprietress one tael of silver.

"Enough! Enough! Please, guests, sit inside." The proprietress was very attentive upon seeing such a generous customer.

Perhaps because it was August and the weather was hot, not many people were willing to travel far to offer incense and worship. There was only one other table in the entire tea stall with a guest. This guest was very burly, almost as tall as the proprietress even when sitting. He had thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a full beard, and his age was indiscernible. He wore an old Daoist robe, full of holes and stains. On his table sat a giant sword, a full double in width and five fen longer than the swords typically used by Jianghu figures. Besides that, there was a large pot of tea, a plate of smoked meat, and a few steamed buns that looked like he had brought them himself.

In addition, behind the tea stall, at the edge of the woods, a cloth curtain was hung, and several burly guards stood around. This was the entourage of a noble family's female members out for a stroll.

Zheng Daniu took some food and tea and returned to the carriage to enjoy them. One reason was to watch the carriage, and the other was that he felt his status was not worthy of dining with Shi Xuan and Ding Mingde.

Shi Xuan had originally intended for the three of them to have lunch together, but Zheng Daniu insisted. Shi Xuan didn't want to force him, so he and Ding Mingde ate the smoked meat with tea, casually chatting about Ding Mingde's plans to be a tutor in Tongxuan Mountain.

Although Ding Mingde had felt a bit dizzy from the bumpy ride, he regained his spirits upon seeing the food. He ate while excitedly talking about his future arrangements.

At this moment, the burly Daoist suddenly stood up. He was at least nine feet tall (one chi is about 0.23 meters), nearly a head taller than Shi Xuan. He picked up his giant sword and slowly walked behind Ding Mingde. He nodded expressionlessly at Shi Xuan. Shi Xuan didn't know what he wanted to do and watched him warily. The tall, strong, unusual man's gait and demeanor clearly indicated he was a master, though Shi Xuan was not yet capable of discerning his realm.

Ding Mingde was in the middle of an animated discussion when he suddenly felt a shadow fall over him. Shi Xuan opposite him was also smiling and looking behind him. He quickly turned his head and saw the burly Daoist standing behind him like a mountain pressing down. He involuntarily shifted closer to Shi Xuan.

The burly Daoist said coldly, "I am also going to Shuanghu Village in Tongxuan Mountain. I heard you two are fellow travelers, so I came to get acquainted." Whether he was deliberately putting on a cold expression or was genuinely not good at interacting with people, he appeared quite arrogant.

"Daoist, you are most welcome. Meeting on the road is fate. May I know your honorable name?" Shi Xuan asked, feeling somewhat wary.

"I am not a Daoist priest. This Daoist robe is just loose and comfortable to wear. My surname is Yan, and my master gave me the name 'Jujian' (Giant Sword)." Yan Jujian maintained his expressionless demeanor.

Shi Xuan inwardly scoffed at his master's naming skills, then introduced, "This is Mr. Ding Mingde. He is going to Shuanghu Village in Tongxuan Mountain to be a tutor. I... I am Shi Xuan. I was originally going to Tongxuan Mountain for sightseeing and happened to meet Brother Ding. We hit it off immediately and decided to travel together."

Yan Jujian scrutinized Shi Xuan and Ding Mingde, saying meaningfully, "I am going to Shuanghu Village in Tongxuan Mountain to find an old acquaintance."

Without asking for their consent, Yan Jujian sat down. Shi Xuan, wanting to see what this tall, strong, unusual man's intentions were, did not stop him. After some pleasantries, Yan Jujian began to inquire about Tongxuan Mountain from Ding Mingde. Although he was probing indirectly, he seemed genuinely poor at conversation, which Shi Xuan understood clearly. Only Ding Mingde, the bookworm, couldn't tell and was happy to have met a new friend, answering all questions readily. Shi Xuan secretly wondered if he, too, was seeking immortality.

However, when Shi Xuan tried to elicit information about Shuanghu Village in Tongxuan Mountain from Yan Jujian, he found that the tall, strong, unusual man mostly replied "Unclear" to Shi Xuan's questions, or simply ignored them.