“It’s suddenly empty…”
After dismissing all the disciples, the entire Shanwaishan and Miaqing Temple were empty and desolate. Wu Ming stretched lazily, a ray of light flashing over his body as he transformed into his original form, adorned in feathered robes and a starry crown.
“There’s still some time before the Great Tribulation of Immortals. Those fellows aren’t like me—they can’t directly interfere in the mortal world right now. I should go have a look at the Central Continent…”
With this thought, he vanished from Shanwaishan, traveling thousands of miles in an instant, from the overseas lands to the Central Continent.
At this time, a great empire stood on the Central Continent, known as “Great Zhou.”
However, this Great Zhou was completely different from the Great Zhou world he had previously known. Its ruler bore the surname Li, and the dynasty had been established for a hundred years. The people longed for peace, the land was fertile and prosperous, and the empire commanded respect from all directions. It was an era of grandeur, like flowers in brocade or fire boiling oil!
As a Daoist Sage, traveling naturally did not require the use of flight techniques. In an instant, he arrived at Qingzhu Prefecture, the starting point of the entire Great Zhou Western Chronicles.
…
“Are you certain this is the place?”
Ji Fu, clad in exquisite silk robes, attempted to conceal his noble demeanor, yet his innate elegance was difficult to mask. Following closely behind him was Zhu Si, dressed in the attire of a wealthy servant, strutting arrogantly down the street as pedestrians hurriedly made way.
“Master… absolutely no mistake!” Zhu Si replied respectfully, though his usual sleazy demeanor still lingered.
The two whispered as they approached a teahouse.
The waiter, a towel draped over his shoulder, immediately brightened and eagerly ushered the two to a seat, carefully wiping the table and chairs with the towel before inviting them to sit.
“Bring your finest tea! The water must be rainwater—failing that, snow-melt or spring water will do. If you dare serve us with bitter well water, you’ll answer for it!”
Zhu Si, now in a position of authority, fully embraced his role as a petty retainer, mimicking the imperious mannerisms he had seen in others with surprising accuracy.
“Of course! Of course!”
The waiter immediately assumed Ji Fu was the son of a noble house, bowing with a smile. “We have some prized snow water from last year’s heavy snowfall, which we’ve been saving. I’ll have it brought out immediately for the young master!”
Moments later, Ji Fu took a sip of tea, frowned slightly, then relaxed his expression. “Well, for a small town, this is passable…”
The waiter protested, “Our One-Flavor Teahouse is the finest for miles around. Master’s words are a bit harsh…”
“You don’t believe me?”
Ji Fu smiled slightly and casually pointed out several flaws. The waiter was stunned, rushed to the back kitchen, and returned shortly after, giving a thumbs-up. “Master, you’re truly an expert! Our master chef also said that this snow water lost its freshness after a certain time, so it’s not the best. And yet you detected it in one sip…”
Ji Fu smiled without replying, picking up a piece of pastry.
Seeing this, the waiter quickly retreated, giving the master and servant their space.
“This pastry is actually quite novel. Try some…”
Ji Fu nibbled on a few pastries while gazing down at the bustling crowd below, observing the scenery that was vaguely reminiscent of the Great Zhou world, yet entirely different. For a moment, he was entranced.
Zhu Si, however, cared little for such things. He devoured the food ravenously, even chewing and swallowing the tea leaves, prompting disapproving shakes of the head from onlookers.
After some time, when the teahouse had emptied of other patrons, Ji Fu finally whispered into Zhu Si’s ear, “This Zhang Tianxiang—is this where he is?”
“Exactly!”
Zhu Si perked up. “Reporting to Master, this Zhang Tianxiang is the protagonist of the first half of the Great Zhou Western Chronicles. Although he’s currently down on his luck, he’s about to rise in fortune. He’ll pass the scholar and provincial exams, then head to the capital and achieve great things!”
“Oh!”
Ji Fu gave a faint reply, showing little interest.
What truly mattered to him was the Core Temple! Or rather, the promise of the Reincarnators.
“If I complete the mission and earn enough merit, can I obtain anything I desire?”
A spark of hope flared in Ji Fu’s heart. “To transform a storytelling into an entire world—such a feat would even surpass the great powers of legendary immortals!”
After a month of investigation, he had fully accepted that this was not the same Great Zhou world he had known before, and his confidence in the Core Temple had grown significantly.
“This Zhu Si… although previously just a beggar, still has his uses…”
“Pity though… with so many people around earlier, I had no choice but to let him reveal everything he knew. Otherwise, I could have gained a greater advantage!”
As these thoughts passed through Ji Fu’s mind, his expression softened. “Eat slowly. If you need more, just say so. Also, repeat everything you know—don’t leave out a single word!”
“As you command, Master!”
Zhu Si replied, but his mind was racing. “In those few immortal estates, there might be cultivation techniques hidden… and there are also a few treasures. Should I mention them or not?”
Though he had once been a beggar, after following Ji Fu for so long and having his basic needs met, he now desired more.
“Hmph!”
Seeing this, Ji Fu silently picked up a teacup and slowly tightened his grip.
Crack! Crack!
With a crisp sound, porcelain powder began to fall from between his fingers.
“I’d advise you—without my shelter, do you think Wu Ling Daoist, Han Hu, and the others would have spared you?”
“Little servant deserves death! Little servant deserves death!”
Zhu Si, a coward at heart, immediately caved upon witnessing this display. “I’ve already told you everything I know… I just remembered a few more places that might be dangerous…”
He had personally witnessed his master’s strength.
Previously, it was Ji Fu’s martial prowess that had directly slain a group of bandits and gathered wealth and forged their identities.
Indeed, it was thanks to Ji Fu, along with Wu Ling Daoist and Han Hu, that the group had been able to settle down. His capabilities had intimidated the others, and he was chosen as the leader.
Now, the two of them were merely the vanguard, scouting ahead, while a large group waited behind.
In fact, as the certainty grew that this world was indeed the Great Zhou Western Chronicles, Zhu Si’s value had increased. Ji Fu was reluctant to take drastic action, for fear of pushing Zhu Si into another faction.
Wu Ling Daoist, in particular, had shown interest.
“He’s here!”
Suddenly, Ji Fu’s eyes narrowed.
Zhu Si followed his gaze and saw a young scholar in a green robe walking down the street. He was tall and handsome, seemingly no more than twenty years old, exuding a scholarly air with a hint of chivalry.
“This is the protagonist of the first half of the Great Zhou Western Chronicles—the one born under an omen, with a red dragon entering his arms, Zhang Tianxiang?”
Ji Fu murmured to himself, his gaze sharpening.
He hadn’t cultivated Daoist arts and couldn’t open the Celestial Eye, so he couldn’t see anything unusual. However, he reached into his sleeve and tore open a talisman.
Buzz!
A surge of magical energy surged forth, lingering around his eyes, instantly revealing a strange sight!
Above Zhang Tianxiang, a red dragon-like creature circled. It had two horns and four claws, its back lined with golden threads, exuding immense fortune and destiny.
Ji Fu was stunned, wanting to look closer, but his eyes suddenly ached, and the vision faded.
“This is… the Dragon’s Qi!”
He sat there, stunned, disbelief plastered across his face. “And this dragon’s aura is so strong… truly… truly…”
“What do you think, Master? I wasn’t wrong, was I? This person bears the Dragon’s Qi and is destined for great fortune. He is the key figure in the century’s great calamity… that storyteller said so!”
Seeing this, Zhu Si couldn’t help but smirk proudly.
“Silence!”
Ji Fu quickly covered his mouth, his voice icy cold. “This is a matter of life and death—how can you speak of it so carelessly?”
Born into imperial nobility, Ji Fu was especially sensitive to such matters. He fell into deep thought:
“This man possesses literary talent, and in his youth, he was fond of martial arts and chivalry—truly a man of both letters and sword. With such fortune, in times of chaos, he would indeed become a dragon!
“But the Great Zhou is still in its golden age. For someone to have such immense fortune is simply inconceivable…”
He seemed to recall something, and for a moment, he was lost in thought.
“Master! Master!”
Zhu Si’s voice snapped Ji Fu out of his trance. He turned his gaze downward.
From the street below came cries of grief. A woman in her twenties knelt on the ground before a red sandalwood coffin covered in white cloth. Beside her stood a small banner bearing the words “selling myself.”
Dressed in mourning clothes, she appeared delicate and pitiable.
As the saying goes, “To look charming, wear mourning.” The girl, already possessing six or seven points of beauty, now dressed in funeral attire, captivated the eyes of passersby.
Several rich young men approached, inquired about her, and then retreated in disappointment, cursing, “We’ve seen too many ‘selling myself to bury a father’ stories. Who would believe a ‘selling myself for revenge’ act? Nonsense! Nonsense!”
Not sure what rejection they had faced, they left in a huff.
“I’ll give you silver, little miss. Come with me!”
Of course, one rogue wasn’t deterred. He immediately stepped forward, attempting to grab the girl’s sleeve.
“Wait!”
Zhang Tianxiang, upon arriving and witnessing the scene, was about to intervene.
Slicing through the air came a flash of a blade, a streak of light that cut the sleeve in two before anyone could react.
The crowd was stunned as the suddenly acting young woman in mourning clothes revealed a long, black pair of shears in her hand—three feet in length, yet wielded with ease, as if it weighed nothing. It was clear that severing a head would be no trouble at all.
“I have trained in martial arts since childhood, and we still have hundreds of acres of farmland. If I only needed to bury my father, I could handle it myself…”
The young woman’s face was cold and expressionless. “I sell myself in hopes of finding a chivalrous hero to avenge my father’s death. If someone can accomplish that, I will willingly serve them as a servant or concubine. If you can take the life of that demon wolf, I will submit to your will. Otherwise, you must first ask my shears if they will allow it!”
“What a fiery temper, hehe… but that demon wolf is no easy opponent. Little miss, you’re just wasting your efforts…”
The rogue had already retreated several paces, shouting curses from a distance. The young woman remained expressionless, though her anger was evident.
“Leave!”
Seeing this, Zhang Tianxiang could no longer contain himself. He rushed forward, grabbed the rogue’s arm, and shoved him hard.
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