Qiwu was a small town located on the east side of Yongsheng, adjacent to the Zhongwu Mountain. Yongsheng was prosperous, thus Qiwu benefited as well. Small merchant caravans often took a rest in Qiwu to save on accommodation costs.
Since the Ghost Tomb was breached, regardless of its authenticity, there were plenty of goods bearing the name of the Ghost Tomb. The merchants were afraid of missing out on the opportunity and ran more diligently than usual. People from all walks of life also increased in number.
For example, today, four peculiar individuals arrived at the city gate.
The four of them were dressed plainly, with their faces covered by veiled hats, which made them look suspicious no matter how you looked at them.
The city guards were diligent in their duties. “Present your route permits*.”
*[Luyin] (路引) A pass during the Ming Dynasty that one must have if they were to leave their place of residence for hundreds of miles away. This is issued by the local government and serves as basically a letter of introduction or permit/pass.
One of them took off his veiled hat, smiling brightly. “Sir, we are just four wanderers. We don’t have the official route permits anymore.”
He held a limp and pitiful large goose in his arms, looking odd, but not like ruthless villains.
Seeing his remarkable appearance, the guard’s attitude softened slightly. “Take off your hats and report the name of your sect. Show me the sect certificate.”
A gentle voice sounded. “Shizun, were they always this strict before?”
This person’s voice was as clear as tea, very pleasant to the ears, making people unable to help but drop their guard. The guard shook his head, trying to hold his ground. “You martial people have caused a lot of chaos recently. The higher-ups have said that facial identification is necessary. We can’t overlook any missing documents.”
The person addressed as “Shizun” spoke up. Compared to his disciple from earlier, his voice carried a natural charm. He took off his hat while speaking slowly. “We are just passing through this place on official business…”
“The Hehuan Sect,” the young man holding the goose continued the conversation.
The “Shizun” trembled slightly, almost dropping his veiled hat. Without the veil, he revealed a pair of amber-colored phoenix eyes that were filled with a complicated gaze. “Su Si!”
“Come on, Senior, we are next to Yongsheng. These military men have seen and known all sorts of people. Although the Sect Master likes shy individuals like you, there’s no need to overdo it,” Su Si said with a cheerful smile.
The “Shizun” looked blank, speechless, and his words turned into a fit of coughing.
The guards were indeed well informed, but seeing the faces of the master and disciple, they were stunned on the spot. The disciple was more relaxed than the master and spoke with a playful tone. “Sir, can you let us pass?”
“Oh, uh… no, that’s not right. The sect certificate? Even if it’s the Hehuan Sect, we still need to see the seal…” The guard’s voice gradually faded away.
Just by looking at their faces, if they weren’t from the Hehuan Sect, they could only be from the legendary Immortal Sect. However, it was only the Hehuan Sect that compared itself to the Immortal Sect. They had never heard of any immortal sect calling itself the Hehuan Sect.
The disciple, with a polite and courteous manner, said, “We were involved in a melee earlier, and we lost our identification seals. However, we do have our proof of identity. Please take a look, sir.”
Then he turned to the person beside him. “Shizun, come.”
The veil was raised, and the white fabric fluttered slightly. The disciple grabbed his master and, with the veil partially covering their faces, took the initiative to kiss him.
However, Yin Ci didn’t really kiss Shi Jingzhi.
While using the veil to cover his face, Yin Ci angled himself. Their breaths intertwined, their lips almost touching, but still maintaining a hint of ambiguity. Shi Jingzhi, being deep-minded as he was, didn’t reveal any flaws and closed his eyes to cooperate.
For a moment, silence fell around them.
Even the notorious Hehuan Sect rarely engaged in such behavior in public. Their appearances weren’t like ordinary people’s, and their impact was particularly significant. The mere “proof of identity” caused people’s hearts to beat irregularly. The guards didn’t ask any further questions and silently made way for them.
After entering the city, Shi Jingzhi put his veil back on and spoke in a solemn tone. “Su Si…”
“Just based on your faces, regardless of which minor sect you borrowed the name from, it would still attract attention,” Su Si confidently stated. “It’s better to call ourselves the Hehuan Sect and divert their attention. Sect Master, life is more important than face!”
Shi Jingzhi: “No, I just wanted to praise you for being clever.”
Su Si: “…” He underestimated the average thickness of the faces in the Kushan Sect.
Yan Qing, who had his eyes closed pretending to be blind, was about to ask a question when Su Si shook his head with a pained expression, stopping him.
In recent days, they hadn’t been leading peaceful lives.
Thanks to Yin Ci hiding his true strength and the addition of Su Si, who had decent martial arts skills, Zheng Fengdao underestimated their speed and was left behind on Zongwu Mountain. However, after this battle, the Kushan Sect’s supplies were depleted, and they were completely unaware of the news outside. They had no choice but to mix in the city for a while.
There were certainly spies from the Ling Sect here, but being cautious wasn’t a bad thing. Pulling the delicate tiger skin of the Hehuan Sect made their actions much more convenient*.
*Clarity: This is referring to the idiom “asking a tiger for its skin”, which refers to seeking help or favor from someone powerful or dangerous, often with little chance of success.
For example, at the inn—the innkeeper silently arranged the most secluded rooms for them, to prevent any guest from being disturbed in the middle of the night.
Shi Jingzhi booked two rooms and hurriedly entered his own. He laid out a series of tools with a serious expression, intending to examine the failed spiritual medicine. Yin Ci felt that since the incident in Yuanxian Village, this fox had become inexplicably calm and not as easily teased.
Unlike when they first met, relying on that incident at the city gate, he could still enjoy a glimpse of the blushing tomato surnamed Shi.
However, the current Shi Jingzhi was much less interesting. He stood stiffly in front of the table like a statue, as if someone had taken possession of him. Several hours passed, and Yin Ci, feeling mischievous, decided to play a little trick. Taking advantage of Shi Jingzhi’s focused attention, he used qinggong to approach him and blew a cool breath on his master’s neck.
Shi Jingzhi trembled on the spot, and goosebumps ran from head to toe.
He couldn’t help but feel sorrow in his heart.
His disciple had been with him for quite some time, but he hadn’t seen much respect from him. Instead, his disciple’s ability to shamelessly thicken his skin had improved by leaps and bounds, wasting his beautiful and delicate appearance. However, when he thought about the blood dripping on his face during the fight, Shi Jingzhi felt that he couldn’t bring himself to get angry.
Since the incident at the Ghost Tomb, Yin Ci liked to come close, intentionally or unintentionally. At this moment, when this person tore off a mask of weakness and approached him once again, Shi Jingzhi sensed a faint taste of mutual reliance.
In life, everyone had their own motives. Perhaps Yin Ci hadn’t yet realized his own desires.
Whenever this thought came to mind, Shi Jingzhi would develop a strange sense of closeness, which also made him more tolerant.
“This elixir is most likely made from the sap of a certain plant, and it smells a bit like immortal wine. However, while elixirs heal injuries and immortal wine prolongs life, they share a similar origin but have distinct differences.”
Shi Jingzhi dipped his finger in the murky yellow liquid and cautiously licked it with the tip of his tongue.
“Now it seems that the elixir can only be used within Yuanxian Village and deteriorates once taken out. Furthermore, it can only treat acquired injuries… A’Ci, your meridian is congenitally defective, right?”
“Yes,” Yin Ci calmly lied without changing his expression.
His meridians weren’t congenitally defective. He had once wielded his inner force, killing countless people effortlessly. It was just that his body had inexplicably deteriorated for several hundred years, so using the term “congenital” wasn’t entirely wrong if he compared several hundred years of time to that of an ordinary person.
“No wonder the elixir has no effect on your meridians. If it were me, I would probably have to stay in the village and drink it every day to stabilize my condition.” Shi Jingzhi shook his head. “Judging from the attitude of that Goddess, this item isn’t as valuable as immortal wine.”
Implying that this thing wasn’t very useful, they still had to continue searching for the Shirou.
After tasting the elixir, Yin Ci’s interest diminished. The elixir had a mild taste, and its effects were short-lived. It couldn’t possibly be used to produce a highly toxic substance. However, since the elixir and immortal wine were vaguely related and had similar effects when it came to the Shirou, it was like a vine with three fruits. Yan Budu had handed over the “Yuanxian Village” vine to them, and it would be a waste not to give it a tug.
“Shizun, I remember there is a shrine of the Imperial Celestial in Yongsheng. After this ordeal, we might as well pay a visit?”
“Yes, but let’s first follow Yan Budu’s lead.” Shi Jingzhi put down the elixir and pounded his stiff waist.
Shi Jingzhi had been busy with bottles and jars for several hours, making him as stiff as a bench. Seeing his blurry state of mind, Yin Ci’s remaining sense of being an elder resurfaced. “Take it easy. I’ll go get two bowls of pear porridge.”
Unexpectedly, the fox deviated from his usual behavior and didn’t indulge in gluttony. He grabbed Yin Ci’s sleeve and said with a firm tone, “Don’t leave just yet.”
“Why?”
“Teach me qinggong.”
Yin Ci raised an eyebrow. “Shizun, it’s already late at night. Zheng Fengdao isn’t King Yama*. He won’t suddenly appear out of nowhere to take our lives.”
*One of the King of Hells that judge the dead.
The fox’s grip was still firm, and Shi Jingzhi’ tone became solemn. “Teach me.”
Yin Ci couldn’t resist him, yet he didn’t want to budge either. “What you lack is not comprehension but practice. I can teach you now, but you’ll need to practice for some time to fully grasp it.”
“I understand, but everyone’s life is one moment less with each passing moment, so it’s better to seize the opportunity.”
Yin Ci hesitated for a moment, but he didn’t refuse. He taught the most basic footwork. In any case, he gave this fox a taste, allowing him to ponder the theory on his own. As for formal practice, it wouldn’t be too late to start tomorrow.
Footwork was the foundation of qinggong and wasn’t complicated. However, for a novice like Shi Jingzhi, who lacked practical experience, it was still a significant challenge. No matter how talented one was, there were always things that couldn’t be rushed.
Shi Jingzhi himself understood this well. He didn’t expect to master it instantly, but he watched Yin Ci’s movements attentively, afraid to miss any details.
In the end, he let out a breath and spoke with a touch of emotion. “Thank you. I’ll practice for a while before sleeping… A’Ci, I still want to eat pear porridge.”
Yin Ci: “…”
He had gained an advantage on the front foot, but now Shi Jingzhi was acting coy and skillful on the back foot. Quite the master at taking advantage of a situation.
That night, Yin Ci cooked sweet porridge on a low fire, pondering for a long time—was it he who had been too lenient towards his cheap master or if Shi Jingzhi was just too clever and had accurately gauged his reluctance to refuse?
Shi Jingzhi always seemed to raise ambiguous questions in his mind. The porridge finished cooking, but Yin Ci still couldn’t come up with an answer.
Well, it was just a small favor. The porridge was ready.
The next day, around the hour of the tiger, Yin Ci turned over but couldn’t feel the warmth of his master. He instantly woke up and sat up.
Shi Jingzhi was still in the room. His cheap master was well-groomed, clearly having been up for a while. At the moment, Shi Jingzhi wore a long robe that billowed around him, but his feet were bare, with sporadic bloodstains on the soles.
He repeated Yin Ci’s movements over and over again, gradually shedding the stiffness of the footwork. The ground was cold, and the blood was slippery, but Shi Jingzhi didn’t make a sound as he moved back and forth.
The night before, Yin Ci had watched Shi Jingzhi practice before going to sleep. At that time, his movements were rough, and his steps were heavy. He could only be said to resemble the form but not the spirit. But this morning, he had already grasped seven parts of the spirit, still charging forward with determination.
Yin Ci focused his gaze and observed closely. Shi Jingzhi had secretly made some modifications to his footwork, precisely adjusting it to suit his own situation even better.
Shi Jingzhi was extremely focused and didn’t notice Yin Ci getting up. He remained expressionless, like a machine, constantly shuttling back and forth in the pool of blood, sending chills down anyone’s spine.
Perhaps there was no one in this world more suited to the label of “Monster Material” than Shi Jingzhi.
Yin Ci didn’t disturb his master and slowly lay back down, turning over and closing his eyes once again.
…When dawn arrived, he would teach him more attentively.
Unfortunately, things didn’t always go as desired. Demonic Lord Yin’s troublesome matters had coincidentally stuck to him just at this crucial moment.
At this juncture, the Jianchen Temple had closed its doors.
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