Senior Brother is Quite Reasonable (Scratch That)

As an Old Iron Seal, Jiang Beiran had visited many villages and towns near the Returning Heart Sect, but Gather Wealth Village, where they were headed this time, was not among them.

Although Jiang Beiran had never been there in person, he had recorded all the information about the surrounding villages and towns.

Gather Wealth Village was one of the more populous villages in this JB District, with over 1,200 households and more than 7,500 people. Many households had four or five children.

In this era without surveillance, child abduction happened daily, and the local government couldn't handle it all. Official documents regarding missing children piled up in warehouses, gathering dust.

Therefore, the government usually welcomed sect disciples to act as vigilantes. As long as they didn't go too far, the officials would turn a blind eye.

After planning the route and packing the necessary items, Jiang Beiran's training team officially set off, heading down the mountain.

Upon reaching the foot of the mountain, Jiang Beiran noticed that his five junior sisters were unusually excited, looking around as if everything was new and fascinating.

Fortunately, Jiang Beiran had already established sufficient authority, preventing the five girls from getting too out of hand.

As cultivators, Jiang Beiran and his group traveled much faster than ordinary people. In just one hour, they had crossed the vast grassland and reached their first planned stop, Sunset Glow Town.

Before entering the town, Jiang Beiran once again warned his five junior sisters not to run off. They repeatedly nodded in agreement, their expressions very sincere. Only then did Jiang Beiran nod and lead them into the small town.

"Freshly steamed buns! ~~ Sweet persimmons! ~~ Not bitter! ~~ If they're bitter, you can exchange them!"

"Radishes like pears! ~~ Spicy ones for exchange!"

"Sweet! ~~ Candied hawthorn!"

It was dusk, the liveliest time of day on the streets, with vendors shouting to hawk their wares, each voice louder than the last.

"Millet, sorghum, mung beans, white flour porridge with five grains! ~~ Sweet buns, pea buns!"

Finally, amidst a vendor's shout, Yu Guimiao could no longer control her craving and called out, "Report!"

"Speak," Jiang Beiran replied.

"I want to eat those pea buns," Yu Guimiao said, pointing to a stall filled with steamers.

"Alright, how many?" Jiang Beiran nodded.

Hearing Jiang Beiran agree so readily, Yu Guimiao was taken aback. She had expected her usually rigid senior brother to refuse, or at least not agree so easily.

Senior brother is actually quite reasonable most of the time.

She thought to herself, then held up two slender fingers and said, "Two will be fine."

"What about you all, do you want any?" Jiang Beiran turned to look at the other junior sisters.

The remaining two sisters from the Yu family immediately said they did too. Liu Zijin also chimed in, saying she wanted to try. Only Fang Qiuyue remained silent.

Jiang Beiran nodded after collecting the answers and walked to the stall. "Boss, how much for a Pea Bun?"

Seeing a customer, the boss happily lifted the steamer lid. "Hot Pea Buns, one copper coin each."

"Good, I'll take eight," Jiang Beiran said. He took a Blue Coin Pouch from his waist and counted out eight copper coins, handing them to the boss.

Because the Universe Ring could only be used by cultivators, Jiang Beiran generally did not easily display it in front of others to keep a low profile. For this reason, he carried all the necessary baggage and pouches.

"Alright, eight Pea Buns!" After taking the money and shouting, the boss skillfully wrapped the eight buns in a Lotus Leaf and handed them to Jiang Beiran. "Please take it, sir. Come again if they're delicious!"

Nodding, Jiang Beiran walked back to his five Junior Sisters with the Lotus Leaf package.

Yu Guimiao took off her Sun-scorched Cloth, sniffed, and said with anticipation, "Wow, it smells so good." She then reached out to grab one.

But Jiang Beiran raised his right hand, dodging Yu Guimiao's "hungry tiger pounce."

"Don't rush. Eat them when we get to the inn. Put on your Sun-scorched Cloth first."

With a reluctant "Oh~," Yu Guimiao instantly crossed out the thought "Senior Brother is quite reasonable" in her mind.

Jiang Beiran quietly put the Lotus Leaf package into his Universe Ring and led his five Junior Sisters toward the inn.

As they walked, Fang Qiuyue suddenly felt something was wrong. She had been accustomed to being the center of attention since childhood, always the brightest star in everyone's eyes wherever she went.

But now, walking on the bustling street, no pedestrians even glanced at her. Even the vendors hawking their wares didn't look her way.

'Something's wrong!'

Thinking this, Fang Qiuyue couldn't help but glance at Jiang Beiran. She knew that this situation must be the work of this "Cowardly Senior Brother."

'It seems my feeling that Sister Zi Jin is different from usual wasn't a hallucination. He must have done something to the Straw Hats or the Sun-scorched Cloth.'

'But... what could he have done to make us completely unnoticeable? This Cowardly Senior Brother really has some clever tricks when it comes to being cowardly.'

Although she realized Jiang Beiran must have tampered with the Straw Hats or Sun-scorched Cloth, Fang Qiuyue didn't intend to expose him. She herself disliked the lustful gazes men cast at her, which made her uncomfortable. This current feeling of being ignored was novel.

'Forget it, I'll let this Cowardly Senior Brother off for now. I'll settle the score with him when we return to the sect.'

"Bang!!"

"Clang!" "Clang!"

Just as Jiang Beiran was looking for the inn, a series of cracking sounds suddenly came from ahead.

Immediately after, an incredibly sharp and harsh voice rang out.

"You dare set up a stall here without paying rent!? Are you tired of living?"

Looking toward the source of the sound, they saw a Tofu Pudding stall completely overturned. A middle-aged man with a full beard glared resentfully at the people who had flipped his stall.

"Hah? You dare glare at me? Screw you!" one of the youths in blue cloth clothes yelled, kicking out at the middle-aged man.

"Ah!" The middle-aged man, struck on the head, cried out and shouted, "The government wants our rent, and Liu Sandao also wants our rent! We only do this little business, where do we get so much money for you!"

"Heh, you dare talk back? Beat him!"

With that, several youths swarmed forward, raining punches and kicks down on the middle-aged man.

The surrounding vendors watched silently, some even stepping back a few paces, as if they were long accustomed to such events.

"This is too much!"

At this moment, Fang Qiuyue cried out in anger, about to draw her White Rainbow Sword.

Simultaneously, three options appeared before Jiang Beiran's eyes.