C29. Encounter On the Street
Three months flew by.
The refugees outside Yuzhou City had long since dispersed; the government drafted them in to work on the river dams. Though it was tiring work, they were able to make a living, and they could even receive government-issued crop seeds and return to their hometowns come next spring.
The north wind brought flurries of snowflakes.
The snowflakes were as small as wisps of cotton blown by the wind, melting before they even touched the ground.
Chen He did not bother with an umbrella. Like the people on the streets, he tucked his hands into his sleeves and put up a fur collar, covering half his face.
The market for new year’s goods was immensely packed with people, each close enough to rub shoulders. Many had taken their hats off and were haggling with the hawkers, exuding all sorts of impure Qi. Had there been any cultivators present, they might have frowned and left the scene at once.
Chen He followed the crowds, completely unperturbed. When a man carrying a chicken bumped into him, he even looked at the chicken with interest. It was a very lively rooster that would have pecked viciously if its beak had not been bound.
That which was full of life would decline once all its life was gone.
It would seem that this chicken was being sent for slaughter, rather than being used for morning calls.
Chen He shrugged. Then the crowd pushed him to a fishmonger’s stall, and he squatted next to it, looking at this fish and that.
Along with him were two children in old coats, their eyes wide with excitement.
After being busy for a while, the fishmonger looked his way. Ho, what was with this youngster? He did not look like someone who had never eaten fish in his life. Perchance, had he never seen a live fish before? His fresher goods had all been purchased by the servants of the rich families; perhaps, with a bit of hoodwinking, this inexperienced youngster would fall for it and buy the rest, bucket and all!
“Look here, they’re the best Yellow River carps! Even if you’re not buying them to eat, it’s an auspicious thing to get!”
Nonsense, these fish weren’t from the Yellow River, and they won’t even live until this afternoon.
Chen He dusted his sleeves off, leaving without a care.
When he came to the next street, the streams of impure Qi became thinner. There were piles of New Year paintings, gold-foil paper, firecrackers and such, and vendors who made sugar paintings and sold cakes and snacks. The street was full of children, and Chen He did not mind even if a few of them bumped into his legs.
Exploring the sights of the world and observing the Qi of all living beings were good ways for followers of the Beixuan Sect to advance to the next stage of cultivation.
Chen He had no interest in pretending to be a beggar, but going shopping was not too bad. Plus, he had important business out here today.
Senior Brother had left in the morning, saying something about concealing his identity and going to the Heluo Sect’s cultivators’ market to buy something.
Since there were many powerful cultivators there, Senior Brother was not bringing him, and he could take up to three days. Before Shi Feng left, he allowed Chen He to go outside and secretly ordered the dummies to protect him.
Chen He held up the five taels of silver given by his senior brother, zoning out.
Even after spending so long in Yuzhou, he had only ever brought a handful of copper coins on him every time he went out.
In times like these, two taels of silver could feed a family of three for half a year. Chen He was stupefied after receiving such a large sum of money, then dashed out to buy something as a New Year’s present for his senior brother.
When he actually hit the streets—
After looking into the tea shop, he shook his head. Next year’s spring would bring new tea leaves already. Yuzhou did not produce tea leaves, so the common people would only be able to obtain the common stuff.
Couplets? Forget it, those words were not good enough even for him.
The antiques store? He did not even have to step inside!
Chen He mulled it over as he walked.
The streets were crowded with people. A Daoist monk holding a turtle shell rushed onwards, crashing straight into the unaware Chen He!
After many years of cultivation and martial arts training, Chen He had enough time to avoid him, but presently he sensed that this young Daoist monk had a sort of vitality that set him apart from regular people.
A cultivator!!
Chen He stopped at once, bowing his head and crying out as he pretended to be a frail young master who was knocked to the side.
He thought this cultivator was in such a hurry because he was either being hunted or travelling as fast as he could, and would show no care for mortals. Unexpectedly, the Daoist monk stopped in his tracks and came to help him up, apologising, “Very sorry, I am in a hurry to capture demonic beasts, this is a matter of life and death!”
Chen He’s eyelid twitched. Such explanations were as good as having none, the mortals would think he was a lunatic.
Having thought this, Chen He feigned shock, pushing the Daoist monk away.
“You, you should go see a physician! What demonic beasts could there be in such peaceful times with the heavens watching! People should not speak of such nonsensical things!”
“He’s a liar!” shouted a child who was chewing on a stick of candied haws. “Big brother, my daddy says those monks and priests who say your house has demonic energy and say people are headed for great disaster are all liars!”
“…”
Heheh, society’s outlook was so good during times of peace!
Bemused, Chen He covertly prepared to escape. Although that was a bit of an injustice to the kid who had ‘stood up’ for him, that Daoist monk who was about his age had a peaceful aura; he was not a demonic cultivator, so there would be no danger.
“You misunderstand! I accidentally bumped into this young man…”
The Daoist monk turned to look at Chen He, who did not manage to run away in time. His eyes became wide and round as he saw Chen He’s face from the side.
“IT’S YOU—“
He shouted so loudly, everyone on the street fell silent!
Everyone looked around for the source of the sound, confused. What was this, had someone run into their enemy?
“Why is it you?” The Daoist monk pointed at Chen He in horror, his eyeballs about to fall out.
Chen He’s scalp went numb. To prevent people from gathering round to watch, he sprung off one of the bamboo poles nearby, jumping to the rooftops high above. He called out, “This is a feud of the martial world, come with me if you’re a man of justice.”
Without a second thought, the Daoist monk ascended to the rooftops to give chase.
They moved about agilely, disappearing in the snow.
The street was in a commotion, with some people applauding—in this prosperous time, there were many men of justice in the martial world. The scholarly ones carried swords, while the warriors frequented the taverns. Stories about all sorts of heroes and villains were most popular in the teahouses and liquor shops.
Likewise, masquerading as a martial arts master was the number one choice for impromptu battles in the cultivation world: go somewhere without people before fighting!
It had been three months since Chen He came to Yuzhou. He had not just been seeing the sights when he came outside after cultivation; he had mapped all of the city, from all roads major and minor to the alleys and corners, even the city gates, the marketplaces, and the government offices.
He circulated his spiritual energy within, running on the roof tiles soundlessly. Then he realised the other person was not chasing blindly, but was just as familiar with the roads as he was. Chen He frowned.
If this was someone from that restaurant in Yunzhou City who had only seen him once, and they could still recognise him after so many days, even after he had changed clothes and had his face half-concealed by a fur collar, that would be quite the feat.
—maybe he had gotten the wrong person!
Chen He headed for a dead-end alley, then came down from the roof and waited for the other person to appear.
Contrary to his expectations, the Daoist monk did not perform any sneaky attacks, instead strolling in leisurely with a mocking expression.
“Fate loves to meddle with men, how does it feel to return to square one after striving for a lifetime?”
“…”
Chen He glanced at the dummies hidden in the roof’s shadow. He looked up and said sincerely to the Daoist monk, “Daozhang[1], did you mistake me for someone?”
“Chen He, you think I won’t know if you have dummies hiding next to you?”
This time, Chen He was truly stunned.
His name was not much; there were probably people who escaped from the fire at the Chen family residence in Yunzhou. But the dummies Senior Brother left him were at least Golden Core-level, and this Daoist monk was at the same level of cultivation as himself, at the end of the stage but without a Golden Core…was he hiding his true cultivation base?!
What was his purpose?
The Daoist monk laughed icily, “I thought you were in Yunzhou and was overjoyed at not having to see you, but who would’ve thought you would come to me on your own, so be it! So you’ve already subjugated the Stone-borne Flame and came here to show off?”
Chen He was stumped. He could not help but say, “Sir, we have had no grudges in the past or present, why are you being so pushy?”
“Quit acting dumb, we’ll have a boatload of grudges in future! Haven’t you been annoyed at me your whole life?” The Daoist monk flicked his duster, saying derisively, “Leave those dummies aside, we’ll fight one round first.”
As soon as he finished, a gust assaulted him from behind.
Four Golden Core-level dummies held him down, awaiting Chen He’s orders.
“How shameless of you!” the Daoist monk growled. He did not look like a villain, but he had a round face that looked rather childish, and it gave people the urge to pinch his face.
Chen He circled around him twice, giving a very staged cough.
“Fellow Daoist, you said you were on your way to catch demonic beasts and it was a matter of life and death, why don’t you go do that first?”
The Daoist monk suddenly went red, saying awkwardly, “It’s not exactly a matter of life and death. Right now I am only a random disciple of the Heluo Sect, I’ll be extremely poor if I don’t catch demonic beasts and sell them for money.”
“The Heluo Sect?” Chen He echoed. So he was related to Elder Long-Brows!
The Daoist monk stared at Chen He, the uncertainty in his gaze all the more apparent. Suddenly, he seemed to think of something.
“No, at this point in time you didn’t have the power to steal the clambeast pearl…you’re not, you—” The Daoist monk came to a realisation and bowed deeply. “Dear gods above[2], I did mistake you for someone else.” So he was the only one who had been reborn. Chen He not burning Yunzhou City down was not him being reborn, but some other coincidence.
Chen He said tiredly, “Daozhang, I’m not dumb.” Who was he trying to fool?
The Daoist monk looked very conflicted.
The problem is—you’re not dumb, how are you not dumb, this isn’t how it’s supposed to be!
It was common knowledge that Grandmaster Liyan of the demonic Dao was a muddleheaded person who did not even remember the year he was in before he took the clambeast pearl. Before cultivation, this demonic grandmaster had been a dumbass, alright? A dumbass!
And the Stone-borne Flame could not cure diseases of the mind, either!
“I will have a boatload of grudges with you? I have been annoyed at you all my life?”
“Dear gods above, this is what the predictions said!” the Daoist monk replied calmly. “Today, I couldn’t help but come after you after meeting you in the city! I thought you would have sensed something upon seeing me and started a fight, but I didn’t realise you knew nothing! Indeed, I have been acting brashly!”
“…”
There was love at first sight and things preordained by fate, but he had never heard of hatred at first sight before!
Chen He shuddered.
“Daozhang, you better go see a physician!”
The dummies struck the Daoist monk unconscious with merciless elbow strikes.
***
Though he had told his junior brother he was going shopping at the cultivators’ market, Shi Feng went in the opposite direction of the Heluo Sect’s territory. Before evening, he had arrived at a vast residence in the outskirts of the capital city.
In the snow, it was difficult to tell if the red silhouette was anything more than an illusion.
C29. Encounter On the Street
Three months flew by.
The refugees outside Yuzhou City had long since dispersed; the government drafted them in to work on the river dams. Though it was tiring work, they were able to make a living, and they could even receive government-issued crop seeds and return to their hometowns come next spring.
The north wind brought flurries of snowflakes.
The snowflakes were as small as wisps of cotton blown by the wind, melting before they even touched the ground.
Chen He did not bother with an umbrella. Like the people on the streets, he tucked his hands into his sleeves and put up a fur collar, covering half his face.
The market for new year’s goods was immensely packed with people, each close enough to rub shoulders. Many had taken their hats off and were haggling with the hawkers, exuding all sorts of impure Qi. Had there been any cultivators present, they might have frowned and left the scene at once.
Chen He followed the crowds, completely unperturbed. When a man carrying a chicken bumped into him, he even looked at the chicken with interest. It was a very lively rooster that would have pecked viciously if its beak had not been bound.
That which was full of life would decline once all its life was gone.
It would seem that this chicken was being sent for slaughter, rather than being used for morning calls.
Chen He shrugged. Then the crowd pushed him to a fishmonger’s stall, and he squatted next to it, looking at this fish and that.
Along with him were two children in old coats, their eyes wide with excitement.
After being busy for a while, the fishmonger looked his way. Ho, what was with this youngster? He did not look like someone who had never eaten fish in his life. Perchance, had he never seen a live fish before? His fresher goods had all been purchased by the servants of the rich families; perhaps, with a bit of hoodwinking, this inexperienced youngster would fall for it and buy the rest, bucket and all!
“Look here, they’re the best Yellow River carps! Even if you’re not buying them to eat, it’s an auspicious thing to get!”
Nonsense, these fish weren’t from the Yellow River, and they won’t even live until this afternoon.
Chen He dusted his sleeves off, leaving without a care.
When he came to the next street, the streams of impure Qi became thinner. There were piles of New Year paintings, gold-foil paper, firecrackers and such, and vendors who made sugar paintings and sold cakes and snacks. The street was full of children, and Chen He did not mind even if a few of them bumped into his legs.
Exploring the sights of the world and observing the Qi of all living beings were good ways for followers of the Beixuan Sect to advance to the next stage of cultivation.
Chen He had no interest in pretending to be a beggar, but going shopping was not too bad. Plus, he had important business out here today.
Senior Brother had left in the morning, saying something about concealing his identity and going to the Heluo Sect’s cultivators’ market to buy something.
Since there were many powerful cultivators there, Senior Brother was not bringing him, and he could take up to three days. Before Shi Feng left, he allowed Chen He to go outside and secretly ordered the dummies to protect him.
Chen He held up the five taels of silver given by his senior brother, zoning out.
Even after spending so long in Yuzhou, he had only ever brought a handful of copper coins on him every time he went out.
In times like these, two taels of silver could feed a family of three for half a year. Chen He was stupefied after receiving such a large sum of money, then dashed out to buy something as a New Year’s present for his senior brother.
When he actually hit the streets—
After looking into the tea shop, he shook his head. Next year’s spring would bring new tea leaves already. Yuzhou did not produce tea leaves, so the common people would only be able to obtain the common stuff.
Couplets? Forget it, those words were not good enough even for him.
The antiques store? He did not even have to step inside!
Chen He mulled it over as he walked.
The streets were crowded with people. A Daoist monk holding a turtle shell rushed onwards, crashing straight into the unaware Chen He!
After many years of cultivation and martial arts training, Chen He had enough time to avoid him, but presently he sensed that this young Daoist monk had a sort of vitality that set him apart from regular people.
A cultivator!!
Chen He stopped at once, bowing his head and crying out as he pretended to be a frail young master who was knocked to the side.
He thought this cultivator was in such a hurry because he was either being hunted or travelling as fast as he could, and would show no care for mortals. Unexpectedly, the Daoist monk stopped in his tracks and came to help him up, apologising, “Very sorry, I am in a hurry to capture demonic beasts, this is a matter of life and death!”
Chen He’s eyelid twitched. Such explanations were as good as having none, the mortals would think he was a lunatic.
Having thought this, Chen He feigned shock, pushing the Daoist monk away.
“You, you should go see a physician! What demonic beasts could there be in such peaceful times with the heavens watching! People should not speak of such nonsensical things!”
“He’s a liar!” shouted a child who was chewing on a stick of candied haws. “Big brother, my daddy says those monks and priests who say your house has demonic energy and say people are headed for great disaster are all liars!”
“…”
Heheh, society’s outlook was so good during times of peace!
Bemused, Chen He covertly prepared to escape. Although that was a bit of an injustice to the kid who had ‘stood up’ for him, that Daoist monk who was about his age had a peaceful aura; he was not a demonic cultivator, so there would be no danger.
“You misunderstand! I accidentally bumped into this young man…”
The Daoist monk turned to look at Chen He, who did not manage to run away in time. His eyes became wide and round as he saw Chen He’s face from the side.
“IT’S YOU—“
He shouted so loudly, everyone on the street fell silent!
Everyone looked around for the source of the sound, confused. What was this, had someone run into their enemy?
“Why is it you?” The Daoist monk pointed at Chen He in horror, his eyeballs about to fall out.
Chen He’s scalp went numb. To prevent people from gathering round to watch, he sprung off one of the bamboo poles nearby, jumping to the rooftops high above. He called out, “This is a feud of the martial world, come with me if you’re a man of justice.”
Without a second thought, the Daoist monk ascended to the rooftops to give chase.
They moved about agilely, disappearing in the snow.
The street was in a commotion, with some people applauding—in this prosperous time, there were many men of justice in the martial world. The scholarly ones carried swords, while the warriors frequented the taverns. Stories about all sorts of heroes and villains were most popular in the teahouses and liquor shops.
Likewise, masquerading as a martial arts master was the number one choice for impromptu battles in the cultivation world: go somewhere without people before fighting!
It had been three months since Chen He came to Yuzhou. He had not just been seeing the sights when he came outside after cultivation; he had mapped all of the city, from all roads major and minor to the alleys and corners, even the city gates, the marketplaces, and the government offices.
He circulated his spiritual energy within, running on the roof tiles soundlessly. Then he realised the other person was not chasing blindly, but was just as familiar with the roads as he was. Chen He frowned.
If this was someone from that restaurant in Yunzhou City who had only seen him once, and they could still recognise him after so many days, even after he had changed clothes and had his face half-concealed by a fur collar, that would be quite the feat.
—maybe he had gotten the wrong person!
Chen He headed for a dead-end alley, then came down from the roof and waited for the other person to appear.
Contrary to his expectations, the Daoist monk did not perform any sneaky attacks, instead strolling in leisurely with a mocking expression.
“Fate loves to meddle with men, how does it feel to return to square one after striving for a lifetime?”
“…”
Chen He glanced at the dummies hidden in the roof’s shadow. He looked up and said sincerely to the Daoist monk, “Daozhang[1], did you mistake me for someone?”
“Chen He, you think I won’t know if you have dummies hiding next to you?”
This time, Chen He was truly stunned.
His name was not much; there were probably people who escaped from the fire at the Chen family residence in Yunzhou. But the dummies Senior Brother left him were at least Golden Core-level, and this Daoist monk was at the same level of cultivation as himself, at the end of the stage but without a Golden Core…was he hiding his true cultivation base?!
What was his purpose?
The Daoist monk laughed icily, “I thought you were in Yunzhou and was overjoyed at not having to see you, but who would’ve thought you would come to me on your own, so be it! So you’ve already subjugated the Stone-borne Flame and came here to show off?”
Chen He was stumped. He could not help but say, “Sir, we have had no grudges in the past or present, why are you being so pushy?”
“Quit acting dumb, we’ll have a boatload of grudges in future! Haven’t you been annoyed at me your whole life?” The Daoist monk flicked his duster, saying derisively, “Leave those dummies aside, we’ll fight one round first.”
As soon as he finished, a gust assaulted him from behind.
Four Golden Core-level dummies held him down, awaiting Chen He’s orders.
“How shameless of you!” the Daoist monk growled. He did not look like a villain, but he had a round face that looked rather childish, and it gave people the urge to pinch his face.
Chen He circled around him twice, giving a very staged cough.
“Fellow Daoist, you said you were on your way to catch demonic beasts and it was a matter of life and death, why don’t you go do that first?”
The Daoist monk suddenly went red, saying awkwardly, “It’s not exactly a matter of life and death. Right now I am only a random disciple of the Heluo Sect, I’ll be extremely poor if I don’t catch demonic beasts and sell them for money.”
“The Heluo Sect?” Chen He echoed. So he was related to Elder Long-Brows!
The Daoist monk stared at Chen He, the uncertainty in his gaze all the more apparent. Suddenly, he seemed to think of something.
“No, at this point in time you didn’t have the power to steal the clambeast pearl…you’re not, you—” The Daoist monk came to a realisation and bowed deeply. “Dear gods above[2], I did mistake you for someone else.” So he was the only one who had been reborn. Chen He not burning Yunzhou City down was not him being reborn, but some other coincidence.
Chen He said tiredly, “Daozhang, I’m not dumb.” Who was he trying to fool?
The Daoist monk looked very conflicted.
The problem is—you’re not dumb, how are you not dumb, this isn’t how it’s supposed to be!
It was common knowledge that Grandmaster Liyan of the demonic Dao was a muddleheaded person who did not even remember the year he was in before he took the clambeast pearl. Before cultivation, this demonic grandmaster had been a dumbass, alright? A dumbass!
And the Stone-borne Flame could not cure diseases of the mind, either!
“I will have a boatload of grudges with you? I have been annoyed at you all my life?”
“Dear gods above, this is what the predictions said!” the Daoist monk replied calmly. “Today, I couldn’t help but come after you after meeting you in the city! I thought you would have sensed something upon seeing me and started a fight, but I didn’t realise you knew nothing! Indeed, I have been acting brashly!”
“…”
There was love at first sight and things preordained by fate, but he had never heard of hatred at first sight before!
Chen He shuddered.
“Daozhang, you better go see a physician!”
The dummies struck the Daoist monk unconscious with merciless elbow strikes.
***
Though he had told his junior brother he was going shopping at the cultivators’ market, Shi Feng went in the opposite direction of the Heluo Sect’s territory. Before evening, he had arrived at a vast residence in the outskirts of the capital city.
In the snow, it was difficult to tell if the red silhouette was anything more than an illusion.
