Chapter 189: Chapter 78: Revisiting an Old Place

「Mozhou Road, Yuanning County.」

A hundred years ago, a demon-slaying operation conducted here by Feng Miao, Wang Ping, and Cheng Ji cost every person in the county seat their life, leaving the entire city in ruins.

The incident also indirectly triggered turmoil throughout Mozhou Road, resulting in millions of casualties and shattering countless families.

A century has passed, and no one here remembers what happened all those years ago. All that remains is a marked ruin to the north of the county seat, now merely a prime spot for children to go exploring.

Time makes everyone forget...

The new county seat also has a pavilion to its south, but this area is now crowded with buildings, a far cry from the dilapidated Yuanning County of a century ago.

Closer to the county wall are various buildings for tax collection and city defense. Behind them lie teahouses and inns, and in the alleys further back, there are even brothels.

Outside the outermost teahouse, the air—dry from the sea breeze—was thick with yellow dust kicked up from the main road. A young waiter cursed the damnable, sand-filled wind under his breath, but his face instantly broke into a wide smile when he looked up and saw a customer.

"What can I get for you, sir?"

The waiter’s eyes took in a young Jianghu Traveler dressed in simple, gray, practical attire. As he spoke, he instinctively glanced at the dust-covered saber hanging from the man’s waist.

"A cup of tea."

"Right away, young hero, one moment..." The waiter deftly wiped the table clean, and after acknowledging the man, he hurried back into the teahouse. In his customary sing-song voice, he called out, "One honored guest, a pot of fine tea!"

The "young hero" the waiter referred to was Wang Ping, who was traveling in disguise. He had used the power of a Wood Spirit to alter his appearance and was using an identity prepared long ago by Qianmu Temple’s internal affairs. The name registered with the Daoist Scripture Hall was Liu En, a Practitioner who had just mastered his family’s saber arts. He was on a clandestine escort mission, tasked with delivering something to an inn in Sea City, located in Hu Mountain Country.

Before long, the waiter emerged from the shop again, carrying a steaming teapot.

"Your tea, sir." The waiter set down the teapot. Just then, another person sat at the adjacent table. From his attire, he appeared to be a wealthy young master traveling for pleasure, accompanied by an attendant.

As the waiter went to serve the new customer, Wang Ping picked up the teapot, took out an empty bowl, and began to pour. Just then, Yu Lian poked her small head out from his left sleeve. She flicked her tongue, caught the scent of the tea, and her mood immediately soured.

’The smell of spices is so strong. Why isn’t it plain tea?’

Wang Ping paid no mind to Yu Lian’s complaint. ’A teahouse here sells tea to combat weariness,’ he thought. ’The leaves are bound to have invigorating spices and even salt. A pot like this won’t be cheap.’

The first sip of tea took Wang Ping back to his journey to Hu Mountain Country, back when he was still in the Qi Cultivation stage. He gazed toward the distant river. The tree he once hid in was long gone, replaced by a row of houses. And in the hidden alleys behind them were brothels.

He glanced toward the city wall. Its location was the same, but it was now much taller. Merchants came and went through a dedicated passage, while the gate guards simultaneously urged the common folk to move faster and inspected the merchants’ cargo.

’What a picture of a flourishing, prosperous era. It’s completely different from a hundred years ago. But this prosperity hides unseen scars—the bones buried beneath the brothel stages outside the city, the stench of rot that often drifts from the river, and the extortion of taxes in broad daylight.’

’That kid at the next table has noticed you,’ Yu Lian communicated to Wang Ping in his Spirit Sea. ’I think he’s sizing you up. He has a faint killing intent.’ Her voice held a trace of excitement, as if she had discovered a new toy.

’Yes, I noticed.’

Wang Ping replied without any change in expression. With a subtle flick of the fingers holding his teacup, a ’Sickness Talisman’ imbued with a luck-stealing aura shot into the young master’s body, guided by his thoughts. Just then, the young master glanced at the saber on Wang Ping’s waist, tossed down a silver fragment, and quickly departed, likely to find reinforcements.

However, by the time Wang Ping finished his tea at a leisurely pace, the young master had yet to reappear.

By the time the sun was high in the sky, the lines at the city gate had thinned out. Wang Ping then walked over at a pace appropriate for a Jianghu Traveler. When the guards at the wall saw him present his identity token from the Daoist Scripture Hall, they swallowed their demand for an entrance fee. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

The city was even more bustling inside. The inns near the entrance were packed with people. At the garrison office adjacent to the wall, a few soldiers at the door must have been joking about something, as their loud laughter carried all the way to the distant market, making some people turn their heads to look.

Wang Ping went to the market, as was his custom, and bought some fresh shrimp for Yu Lian. As he walked along the county’s main street, he discreetly scattered a few weed seeds to monitor for anyone tailing him.

As they neared the city gate, Yu Lian asked curiously, ’What will happen to that young master?’

’His latent affliction should be acting up by now. If he seeks treatment immediately, he might survive. But he’ll also have to give up his debauchery, or his life will be in danger.’

’How interesting. Let’s check up on him when we come back this way.’

’Alright!’

The two left the county seat, chatting idly. The main road outside was much wider than before, bustling with pedestrians. Most were villagers from the surrounding area, with a merchant caravan or two mixed in.

Wang Ping stuck to the coastal route. Half an Hour later, the number of people on the road began to dwindle.

Before nightfall, Wang Ping saw the fishing village he remembered. Not much had changed. The houses were tidier, the fishing boats moored at the shore were larger, and the nets hung out to dry were in better repair. In the village center, a group of residents had gathered to chat.

The sight of Wang Ping in his Jianghu Traveler attire made the villagers wary. They stopped talking to size him up, and a few of the sturdier fishermen began to eye their harpoons.

’There’s nothing wrong with that,’ he thought. ’A life at sea has made them wary of all strangers.’

Yu Lian’s voice was soft in his mind. ’Their emotions are so vibrant. This is true human nature. If one could maintain this kind of humanity, perhaps even a madness like Batu’s could be suppressed.’

’But with such strong emotions, you can’t even enter a meditative trance. How can you cultivate?’

’So, is worldly cultivation the wrong path?’

’Engaging with the world is part of cultivation, but after cultivating, one must transcend it. Otherwise, it’s all for nothing.’

’Ugh, that sounds hard.’

After their brief exchange, they fell silent. Wang Ping passed through the village square and found a vacant campsite on the outskirts. He gathered some dry firewood, lit a fire, and began toasting his rations.

’Are you trying worldly cultivation?’

’I’m just giving it a try. It feels... nice. Some of these feelings remind me of things from a very, very long time ago.’

’I can sense that. Maybe we can try engaging with the world more in the future. Try out different identities.’

’Excellent idea!’