[Fantasy] The Song of the Six Dynasties (Complete) - 33

page views:1 Publication date:2023-07-23

Episode 11: The Taiquan Ancient Formation

Synopsis:

People from the Northern Three Dynasties and Hu people flocked to the Taiquan Ancient Formation like a bustling market. Shanghou mysteriously told Cheng Zongyang, "I heard Yue Pengju is inside the Taiquan Ancient Formation!"

Xu Junfang, who had boasted about the creation of the world in Canglan Town, vividly described the dangers within the formation. Upon entering, Cheng Zongyang realized that bringing experts like Wu Er and Shanghou might be useless, as the Taiquan Ancient Formation was essentially a high-tech futuristic city hidden underground. As long as one was familiar with the city's rules and could ride the "Nine Heavens Mystic Beast" at breakneck speed, no expert of level five or higher was needed. Just when everyone thought their journey was going smoothly, a mutated horde of beasts charged in!

Chapter 1:

Under the night sky, a Jade Spirit Fruit quietly sprouted from the soil, its curled branches slowly unfurling, the tender green leaves reflecting the brilliant starlight of the sky.

In the distance, a white deer raised its head, cautiously surveying its surroundings, then gracefully strode through the moonlit thicket.

The lake, like a silver mirror under the night sky, reflected the gentle eyes of the white deer. The deer lowered its head, its snout creating ripples on the water.

Suddenly, with a splash, a man emerged from the woods, a single-edged sword in one hand, his stubble unshaven, reeking of sweat and blood. The white deer took a step back, then nimbly leaped and disappeared into the undergrowth.

Cheng Zongyang didn't even look, but with a single stroke, he chopped down the jade spirit fruit blocking his path, flicked it aside with the back of his blade, and called back, "Here it is!"

Several mules filed out of the woods, all long-legged and strong, with jet-black fur and gleaming hooves the size of bowls, except for a drab, gray donkey among them, which looked utterly wretched.

Xiao Zi sat sideways on Black Pearl, her innocent and beautiful face enough to eclipse the stars and moon. A leather pouch hung beside her saddle, and Xue Xue lay on its opening, her round head peeking out. Old Zhu, sitting cross-legged on the donkey's back with his hands tucked into his sleeves, said smugly, "I told you, there's water at the foot of the mountain! See? My spittle is enough to fill a hole! What I say goes!"

Xiao Yaoyi, riding his white water horse, lazily asked, "Old man, have you seen any wild boars along the way?"

Old Zhu scoffed, "Where would wild boars come from in Lutai Mountain!"

"Do you know why?"

Old Zhu was taken aback. "Why?"

"You've blown it all out of proportion!"

Xiao Yaoyi spat, "With this path you've led! Four mules have fallen in three days, seventy percent of our salt and half our grain are lost! And you still have the nerve to spout nonsense!"

Old Zhu said sheepishly, "It's not entirely my fault. Wasn't it Little Cheng who led the way?"

Cheng Zongyang plunged into the lake, drank his fill, and then, shaking the water off his head, said irritably, "You old codger! One more word and you're out!"

"Are you in a hurry?"

Old Zhu quickly grabbed his water bag to fill it with water, saying, "I know you've had a hard journey, I haven't said anything, but it pains me to see you like this."

"I'm not going to argue with you. Just tell me when we'll get to Canglan!"

Old Zhu blinked, speaking in a pleading tone, "It'll take... five, six, seven, or eight days, right?"

Cheng Zongyang was so angry he almost laughed. When they set off from Lin'an, they had brought ten top-quality Hedong horses to speed up their journey. Upon reaching Yiling, Cheng Zongyang, considering the mountain roads, switched the horses to more capable mules. However, ever since entering Lutai Mountain, the journey had been anything but smooth. The paths Old Zhu led were all remote and treacherous trails that even mountain goats wouldn't tread, and two mules had already fallen on the first day.

Before entering the mountains, Cheng Zongyang had calculated that the round trip for five people would take a month and a half, and with Wu Er's gluttony, they would need at least four hundred jin of grain. Therefore, he used two mules to carry four shi of grain—and those were the two that fell. If it weren't for his quick reflexes in grabbing a stone, everyone

would be starving by now. Wu Erlang, a thin twig dangling from his mouth, arms crossed, humming a tune, strolled leisurely out of the woods, as relaxed as if he'd just finished a temple fair. Cheng Zongyang had witnessed this fellow's true colors during their journey through the Southern Wilderness; he was consistently lazy, cunning, and wouldn't even lift a finger to pick up an oil bottle that had fallen over—unless it belonged to Su Li's family. Getting him to do any work was harder than getting money out of his pocket.

"Pah!"

Wu Erlang spat out the twig, tugging at his clothes, "These clothes are nice!"

Cheng Zongyang felt an urge to roll his eyes again. He'd learned his lesson from the Southern Wilderness trip; no matter how beautiful or presentable the clothes, they were destined to be torn apart in the forest. This time, he'd prepared well in advance, making two sets of clothes from the sturdiest canvas, but Wu Erlang saw them and insisted on having one too. So, Master Wu swaggered around town in his denim mountaineering outfit, covered in pockets. Paired with hiking boots, he looked like he could be in a menswear advertisement.

Little Fox, that little devil, was no pushover either. Taking advantage of his sick status, no one dared to order him around. He refused to wear the knock-off denim outfit, sticking to his fine clothes that would make any girl swoon. Compared to him, everyone else looked like followers. But this guy had the ability to wear all white through mountains and valleys without a scratch or tear, looking brand new. No matter how cool he was

, everyone could only look on with envy. Just now, another mule had worn out its hoof. Two strong men and an old man were laughing at the mule, but no one lifted a finger. Cheng Zongyang had to butcher the mule himself, getting covered in blood. Now there were five mules left, carrying a bushel of grain, some salt, dried goods, three tents, and other luggage. If they lost any more animals, they'd probably have to use mounts to carry the goods.

Everyone had been without water for a whole day. Wu Er, undeterred by the smell, drank the blood to quench his thirst while Cheng Zongyang slaughtered the mule. After finishing, he wrapped up a large piece of mule meat, roasted it, and ate until he was stuffed. Only now did he emerge, picking his teeth.

Cheng Zongyang tossed an iron pot to Wu Er, "Go wash the rice!"

Wu Er glared at him, about to explode, but seeing Cheng Zongyang's expression, he swallowed back his anger, angrily fetched water, and began washing the rice.

Old Zhu, sensing the commotion, shrank behind the donkey, only to be dragged out by Cheng Zongyang. "Wash this piece of meat! Salt the rest! If you dare utter a sound, you'll be in for a smoke!"

Old Zhu muttered a few words, but obediently washed the meat and salted the rest that hadn't yet been wet. The little fox, too, suddenly became diligent, finding a rock by the lake and washing his clothes with a splash, shirtless.

Cheng Zongyang sprawled out on the grass by the lake, yelling, "You brat! Come here and massage my legs!"

"Yes!"

Xiao Zi responded crisply, and then with a "thump," a heavy bag fell off the mule's back. A dark, grotesque thing emerged, making a strange noise as it ran to Cheng Zongyang, waving its long arms and "thump, thump" massaging his legs.

Cheng Zongyang couldn't take it after only two blows, grabbing his legs and jumping aside. "Damn! This is for chopping meat!"

Old Zhu, who was washing meat, panicked upon hearing this. "Leave me a bite of dumplings!"

Wu Erlang said, "What's wrong with your eyes! Dumpling filling, my foot. Xiao Zi! Why are you acting like a woman? Washing them endlessly?"

Xiao Yaoyi shook his clothes, saying, "Second Master, I can't imitate your habit of not changing your underwear for half a year."

"Shut up, all of you!"

Cheng Zongyang propped up some branches, hung an iron pot on it, and then started a fire to cook.

As Cheng Zongyang struck a fire with a flint and steel, he chuckled to himself, realizing he'd truly become a nanny. He should have brought Qin Huizhi with him. However, things in Lin'an were just beginning to unfold; the money exchange, grain shops, real estate—each matter was complex and multifaceted. He needed a capable subordinate to oversee things, and among his men, besides Qin Huizhi, there was no one else who could shoulder the responsibility.

Qin Huizhi was untouchable, and Qi Yuan was irreplaceable; he wouldn't feel at ease until Qin Huizhi managed the affairs of Jiankang. Fortunately, relations between Jin and Song had been established. Since Wang Maohong had entrusted Zhang Shaohuang to deliver a message, at least until the famine subsided, Jin wouldn't take any major action.

As for the Song Kingdom, before his departure, he had specifically summoned Liu E—he was prepared to be ridiculed by that wretched girl, but she said nothing. His decision

to have Liu E serve him in bed wasn't out of lust. It was simply that her suppressed fear and sense of helplessness made him unable to bear it. Yue, that bird-like man, vanished without a trace, completely oblivious to the sense of abandonment Liu E felt from his irresponsible behavior.

For over ten years, Liu E had stayed with an emperor who had no blood relation to the Song dynasty, constantly worrying about the terrible consequences of the deception being exposed, while the perpetrator remained elusive. When he and Xiao Zi appeared one after the other, she clung to them like a lifeline, even abandoning basic decorum.

If he had ignored her, or continued to treat her with the respect due to an elder, he didn't know how intense her sense of loss would have been.

As he lay on the couch, watching the beautiful woman who had once belonged to Yue Fei, her eyes brimming with an unyielding joy and satisfaction, Cheng Zongyang truly didn't know whether he was being too shameless or too kind. He even wondered if Liu E's agreement to Jia Shixian's military campaign against Jiangzhou might be motivated by a desire to force Yue Fei's reappearance.

Cheng Zongyang carefully avoided touching upon the Song emperor's secrets. No one could bear the consequences of the Song emperor's true identity being exposed—not Liu E, not his own Panjiang Cheng clan, not even Jia Shixian and Gao Qiu.

Before leaving the Song state, he had given Jia Shixian, Cai Yuanchang, Han Jiefu, Shi Tongshu, and Gao Qiu each a substantial gift—the Panjiang Cheng clan's shareholders' meeting was intended to send a signal to these current and future high-ranking officials of the Song state: peace prevails, and everyone can prosper together.

Cheng Zongyang never believed that any truly important secret could be kept forever; even without the Black Demon Sea, there would be other people with ulterior motives. In Cheng Zongyang's view, what was truly important was not secrecy, but rather, preemptively defusing any potential dangers before the secret was revealed. I believe everyone here is intelligent. Even though the Black Demon Sea has obtained the secret of the Song Emperor's lineage, without their cooperation, they can't cause much trouble.

What truly worries Cheng Zongyang is another person: Qin Han, the Grand Marquis.

Unlike Guo Huai and others, Qin Han was banished from the palace long ago. For decades, he fought in the south and north, his path never intersecting with Yue Pengju's rise—his loyalty to the Song Dynasty became the Song's greatest hidden danger.

Cheng Zongyang didn't hide his apprehension towards Qin Han, and Empress Liu's reaction was exactly as he had imagined: she gave Qin Han a cup of poisoned wine. But Cheng Zongyang couldn't bring himself to kill this meritorious and innocent Grand Marquis without a clear explanation. In the end, he refused Empress Liu's decree to order his death, and instead, taking advantage of Qin Han's injury, under the guise of appeasing meritorious officials, he gave him a generous reward, and incidentally relieved Qin Han of his military power, sending him far away to take on a sinecure. Only

after eliminating this hidden danger did Cheng Zongyang set off with peace of mind. After finding the Crimson Sun Sacred Fruit and healing the little fox's injuries, he still had to traverse half of the Six Dynasties to reach the Han Kingdom and face the wrath of Third Master Yun and Sixth Master Yun. He hoped that Feng Yuan, Hamichi, and that high-IQ kid could acquire the copper mine at Shouyang Mountain, so he could present the Yun family with a grand gift to atone for his mistakes.

The girl's servants remained in Lin'an, under the supervision of Yan'er, her half-master, while Zhuo Yunjun headed north to Longque Mountain, heading to Longchi. He didn't know what the girl was plotting with all these arrangements, but Cheng Zongyang had a premonition that the good days of the Taiyi True Sect were probably numbered.

"Old man, now that we've passed Lutai Mountain and reached Canglan, how far is the Taiquan Ancient Array?"

"The Taiquan Ancient Array is in Canglan,"

Old Man Zhu said. "Canglan was originally a flat area in a valley; people entering and leaving the Taiquan Ancient Array had to stop there. As more people went, it became a town. The Taiquan Ancient Array is just outside the town."

Xiao Yaoyi said, "Didn't you say Canglan was a ghost town? How come there are still people living there?"

"That's a long story... Back in the day..."

Before Old Zhu could continue, Cheng Zongyang interrupted him, "Make it short!"

Old Zhu, who had a lot to say, swallowed his words, his face darkening. He grumbled, "Where doesn't the land thrive? There are people in that godforsaken place, the Southern Wilderness, so what's so strange about Canglan being habitable?"

Xiao Yaoyi asked, "Are all the residents of the town locals of Canglan?"

Old Zhu seized the opportunity to launch into a long explanation, "People from all over! The fog around Canglan lingers year-round; the locals call it 'fog miasma,' and passing through it is a life-threatening ordeal. Some people couldn't get into Taiquan in time, but refused to give up, so they had to settle in Canglan. Others were injured in Taiquan and couldn't cross the fog miasma to return, so they had to stay in Canglan permanently. Over time, all sorts of people ended up in the town, and there were no rules. Might makes right." The townspeople all understood the principle of "living off the land," meaning that if outsiders didn't come, there would be no Canglan Town. So, as long as they didn't provoke the townspeople, everyone lived in peace. (Advertisement break: Still relying on your hands? How can that be enjoyable? Forum reputation guaranteed! Healthy anti-premature ejaculation masturbation exerciser, real oral sex pleasure experience, hot recommendation! Maintain ejaculation sensation for 30 minutes, so pleasurable you'll faint! Fully automated masturbation with 12 different sex positions and vibration frequencies. Click to enter.)

Cheng Zongyang turned his head and said, "Wu Er, you've been wandering the world for so many years, haven't you ever been to the Taiquan Ancient Formation?"

Wu Erlang lazily replied, "Who wants to go to that godforsaken place? Kid, I'm unlucky to have met you. Not only did you go to the Southern Wilderness, but you also brought me along to Taiquan. Do you really think I'm your long-term handyman?"

If he had a choice, Cheng Zongyang would rather lead a dog than this beast, Wu Erlang. But the Taiquan Ancient Formation was fraught with danger, and he couldn't be without a henchman. Jin Wuzhu and Leopard Head remained in Lin'an to oversee the treasury, Lu Jing went north to Luoyang, and Qiu Shaojun and Cui Mao had to guard Yue Shuang, so there was simply no one else available.

He himself was only at the fifth level of cultivation; he'd be lucky to even take care of Xiao Zi. The old man's cultivation level was uncertain, and even if he had Wang Zhe's abilities, he was still unreliable and might fail him at any moment. Although Wu Er was a bit foul-mouthed, he was at least at the sixth level of cultivation; in a real crisis, he could risk everything. After considering everything, he became his only choice.

Cheng Zongyang said with a stern face, "Two gold coins a day, I'll give them to you when I return from Taiquan. Second Master, you're so poor you're practically selling your pants, if you don't take this opportunity to make some money, how will you marry Su Li?"

Wu Erlang said sullenly, "Boy, if you dare to fool Second Master, I'll beat you so badly even Zi'er won't recognize you!"

Xiao Zi laughed, "I'll give you four gold coins, how about you beat me?"

Wu Erlang said angrily, "Do you think Second Master is that kind of person? This piece of meat is mine! You, surnamed Xiao, dare to steal it!"

Xiao Yaoyi withdrew his hand, then casually spat on it, and then leisurely grabbed it under Wu Erlang's wide-eyed stare, burying his head in it and devouring it, all the while saying in a cheeky tone, "Delicious, delicious! Second Master, want a bite too?"

Before Wu Erlang could explode, Cheng Zongyang threw a wad of dirty clothes at the little fox's face, "Stop talking nonsense! Hurry up and finish eating, then wash these clothes!"

"Why should I wash Wu Er's clothes?!"

Wu Erlang chuckled. "Didn't you wash them clean? How about I give you an extra pair of underwear?"

Xiao Yaoyi quickly stuffed the clothes behind his back. "That's all! One more and I'll die for you!"...

The next morning, after leaving Lutai Mountain, they finally found the main road. Cheng Zongyang led the way with a mule, followed by Xiao Yaoyi on his silver-saddled white horse. One wore a drab gray canvas denim jacket, the other a fine silk robe, looking every bit the groom and his young master. However, there were two branches hanging beside Xiao Yaoyi's saddle, with several wet clothes fluttering in the wind, which Wu Er mocked, saying that the young marquis was riding a winged celestial horse, so cool it was almost flying.

Xiao Yaoyi only replied with two words: "Country bumpkin!"

Once on the main road, they gradually saw pedestrians, mostly burly men in tight-fitting clothes carrying bows and arrows, in groups of three or five, seemingly heading towards Canglan. When they met on the road, the江湖汉子 (jianghu men) showed no joy at meeting fellow travelers; instead, they were all on guard.

Neither the Song Kingdom nor Zhaonan had borders that extended beyond Lutai Mountain; simply put, this was lawless territory. Occasionally, Cheng Zongyang would witness fights, but not wanting to cause trouble, he would quickly avoid them. He had brought a large number of mules and horses this time, and although half were lost, he still had two horses, a donkey, and five mules—a considerable fortune. If Wu Er hadn't appeared to be a formidable fighter, someone would likely have already attacked.

From the second day onward, the surrounding scenery gradually became desolate. Trees became fewer and fewer, then disappeared, and even the grass became sparse. By the fourth day, not even grass could be seen; only bare red earth remained, making it a completely barren land. If they hadn't brought enough food and water, the desolation would have forced them to turn back long ago.

On the evening of the fourth day, the group finally reached Fuyu Mountain, where Canglan was located, and finally saw some greenery. Since they had to cross the misty miasma the next day, Cheng Zongyang decided to camp at the foot of the mountain and rest for the night.

Clearly, he wasn't the only one with the same thought. Before the sun had even set, four or five groups of people had already filled the small campsite at the foot of the mountain.

"Old man, didn't you say this place rarely sees anyone all year round? We've met quite a few people along the way,"

Old Zhu blinked. "Maybe it's market day in town?"

"What market day?" "

The townspeople need food, salt, and medicine. Canglan Town doesn't produce anything else, just guards an ancient formation called Taigu Spring. The people who stay in town rely on what they get from there to trade with outsiders for clothes and food."

"You're just talking nonsense. Do these men look like they're going to a market?"

"That's hard to say."

Cheng Zongyang was too lazy to argue with him. He found a sheltered spot, set up the tent, tied up the mules and horses, and then drove in wooden wedges, preparing to pitch the tent. Suddenly, someone behind him shouted, "This place has been taken by our Iron Horse Hall! Please find another spot!"

Old Zhu ducked his head and hid behind the donkey.

Cheng Zongyang, exhausted from a day's journey, was instantly enraged by the words. His face darkened, and he said, "First come, first served! Perhaps you should find another place?"

Several burly men in tight-fitting clothes approached with unfriendly expressions. The leader pointed a thumb to his chest and arrogantly declared, "I am Tie Zhongbao, the deputy leader of the Iron Horse Hall! Tell your master to come and speak!"

Cheng Zongyang was taken aback, realizing they mistook the little fox for their master. He had no interest in wasting words with them. Turning around, he neatly crossed his arms and said, "Please give your instructions, sir."

Xiao Yaoyi was even more decisive, raising his whip, "Wu Er! Beat him up!"

Tie Zhongbao roared and charged forward. But someone was faster. A burly man, like a tiger, leaped out from behind the young master, his body swaying sideways, directly slamming into the deputy leader, sending him flying backward.

Tie Zhongbao flew several feet, crashing to the ground with a thud, tumbling several times like a ball before landing in a muddy puddle, his fate unknown.

Wu Erlang stroked the tiger stripes on the back of his neck, his eyes gleaming with ferocity. Then, he suddenly stretched his neck and let out a deafening roar. The men from the Iron Horse Hall were terrified before they even made a move. Hearing the roar, their legs went weak, and they collapsed to the ground.

Wu Erlang's actions stunned everyone present. The gazes cast around them lost some of their greed and gained more fear. Most of those who dared to come to the Taiquan Ancient Formation were desperate criminals, and Canglan was a lawless, unregulated place. Seeing that this group included men, women, the old, and the young, they all harbored some ill intentions, but they restrained themselves when Wu Erlang made his move.

While Wu Erlang was making a scene outside, Cheng Zongyang didn't even look up. He found a good spot, drove wooden wedges into the four corners, set up the tent, and then, supporting Xiao Zi with one hand, took a small tin box from behind the Black Pearl saddle with the other, carried it on his shoulder, and put it into the tent.

Inside the tent was a damp-proof wolfskin mat. Xiao Zi kicked off her shoes, sat barefoot on the mat, and then spread her arms.

Cheng Zongyang collapsed like a broken tree, burying his head in Xiao Zi's lap, muttering, "Damn it, I'm exhausted..."

Xiao Zi gently massaged his head, "If you're tired, just sleep."

"How dare I sleep? That old man doesn't care about anything, and Wu Er only cares about eating his fill. The little fox is injured; he's just a pretty face, good for fooling people, but a strong wind could blow him over."

"Close your eyes and don't talk."

Cheng Zongyang lay on Xiao Zi's lap, his breathing gradually calming down.

Suddenly, Wu Erlang poked his head in. "Why aren't you cooking?"

Cheng Zongyang grabbed a boot and threw it at him. "Damn it!"

Wu Erlang caught the boot. "I was just asking."

Seeing Xiao Zi roll her eyes at him, he immediately patted his chest and said, "Old Cheng, you can rest! I'll take care of dinner tonight!"

Xiao Yaoyi crossed his arms and said in a cool tone, "Oh, Second Master is cooking? Did I hear that right?"

"Who said I was cooking? Kid, come on, watch Second Master!"

Wu Erlang glanced around and then swaggered toward a nearby tent.

There were only three people in that tent: an old man with two young men. When they saw him coming, they warily put their hands behind their backs and gripped their weapons.

Wu Erlang snorted, "Where's the one surnamed Tie? Let him come out and see me!"

The old man pressed the two young men behind him, then clasped his hands and said, "Your Excellency is wise, the Iron Horse Hall is in the west, and we are not of the same kind."

"Don't try to fool me, Second Master! Judging from your attire, aren't you of the same kind?"

The old man said with a smile, "No wonder Your Excellency has mistaken us. Although we, Baiqin Valley, and their Iron Horse Hall are both from the Tang Kingdom, the Iron Horse Hall is in Liangzhou. The Liangzhou Alliance ranks seventh among the four halls and eight societies, and its leader is Tie Xiongshan. This time, he is his nephew. Baiqin Valley is in Fengzhou, and we are not of the same kind as the outlaws."

Wu Erlang said, "Second Master, you have been to the borderlands. Where did you get the Liangzhou Alliance?"

The old man patiently said, "In recent years, the borderlands have been unstable, and various sects have formed alliances to protect themselves. The leader of the Liangzhou Alliance is the Danxia Sect, which is located in Liangzhou. I even met the Left Protector of the sect at Lutai Mountain. He will probably arrive tomorrow..."

The old man rambled on for a long time, finally persuading Wu Erlang. He snorted, "Since that's the case, I'll spare you this time!"

The three of them breathed a sigh of relief and quickly clasped their hands to send this plague away.

Wu Erlang came out empty-handed, and Xiao Yaoyi looked puzzled, "Second Master, what are you up to?"

"Just you wait and see!"

Wu Erlang stormed into the Iron Horse Hall camp with a fierce look on his face. A man stepped forward with a stiff upper lip, but before he could speak, Wu Erlang shoved him and sent him tumbling.

"Where did this scoundrel come from, daring to ride on Second Master's head!"

After being cursed by Wu Erlang, the men of Iron Horse Hall turned red in the face. These men were used to fighting, and although they were not as skilled as others, they would not let themselves be bullied. They exchanged silent glances—"Let's fight this bastard!"

Wu Erlang shouted, "If it weren't for the Left Protector's repeated pleas, Second Master would not have come to this godforsaken place! Daring to defy Second Master, do you think Second Master is easy to bully!"

Wu Erlang cursed and swore, completely unaware that the people around him were staring in astonishment. Finally, someone blurted out, "Invited by the Left Protector?"

Wu Erlang glared at him and said, "Second Master has an unbreakable bond with the Danxia Sect! The Left Protector's bond with Second Master is even more extraordinary. Anyone who has a grudge against the Danxia Sect, just go after Second Master! If you even flinch, Second Master isn't a hero!"

The men of the Iron Horse Hall all shouted, "We are from the Liangzhou Alliance!"

"The Danxia Sect is the leader of our Liangzhou Alliance!"

"This is a case of the flood washing away the Dragon King's temple!"

Tie Zhongbao, who had been lying there pretending to be dead, opened his eyes and cried out, "We're family! Big Brother!"

"You're from Liangzhou?"

"Brother, Liangzhou Iron Horse Hall!"

Wu Erlang exclaimed, "Oh dear! Brother, this! This! How can I explain this!"

He then began to kneel down, as if trying to topple a mountain of gold and jade pillars.

Tie Zhongbao quickly scrambled to his feet and desperately stopped him, "It was my fault for being blind! Don't blame me, brother!"

"No!"

Wu Erlang stepped back, his eyes red, and pulled open his sleeve, revealing his muscular arm. He picked up a bull-ear dagger, "My hand has offended you, brother! Today, I'll make amends with three cuts and six holes!"

Everyone hurriedly grabbed Wu Erlang's arm, "No! Absolutely not!"

Wu Erlang cried, "Don't stop me! Let me make amends to you, brother!"

Tie Zhongbao, tears streaming down his face, ripped open his clothes and patted his chest, saying, "Second Master! If you want to stab, stab here!"

With a clang, the dagger slipped from his hand. Wu Erlang, clutching Tie Zhongbao's arm, cried, "Brother!"

"Brother!"

"We became friends through this fight!"

"Say no more!"

Cheng Zongyang, oblivious to the scene, lifted the tent flap and came out to see Wu Erlang proudly carrying a cooked sheep, with the men of Tiematang wiping away tears as they saw him off. He exclaimed in astonishment, "This Wu Erlang! What a talent!"

Wu Erlang put the sheep down and said smugly, "Zi'er, try this roasted sheep from your master! There's not a blade of grass for miles around, you haven't had a hot meal in two days, have you?"

Xiao Yaoyi tore off a leg of lamb and handed it to Xiao Zi, then grabbed a piece for himself and began to eat heartily, saying, "Eat quickly! After you finish, you'll..." " Let's go! They said the Left Protector is behind! He's bringing dozens of experts from the Four Halls and Eight Associations, they'll be there soon! If we don't leave now, we'll be exposed."

Cheng Zongyang looked at the tent he had just pitched, and after a long while, he shouted, "I'll do it!"

Chapter Two

In the darkness, the jagged rocks looked like monsters. Old Zhu leaned over and looked at them for a while, then shouted, "This is it! Further ahead is the fog and miasma, we can't leave until dawn!"

The group stopped, and Old Zhu, while tying up the donkey, said, "I'm telling you, Second Master, you've really messed with me, there's not even a place to sit on this mountain..."

"If it weren't for Second Master, would you have been able to eat hot mutton?"

Wu Erlang also knew that he had gone too far this time, and shamelessly shouted, then crouched down next to a rock, and soon began to snore loudly.

After climbing the mountain all night, everyone was exhausted. Old Zhu squatted far at the back of the group, hands clasped in his pockets, leaning against the donkey and dozing off, while Xiao Yaoyi opened his bag and fed the mules and horses handful by handful of the little food left.

Cheng Zongyang gave him a thumbs up. Of all these people, Little Fox was actually the most thoughtful; Little Purple could also have thought of that, but she didn't care if all the mules and horses starved to death.

Cheng Zongyang spread the wolf-skin mat on the rock and said to Little Purple, "It'll be dawn in an hour or two, no more sleeping, sit for a while."

Little Purple looked up, "We can't see a single star."

"The old man said the miasma here is several miles deep; even during the day, you can't see your hand in front of your face. Only this path at the valley entrance leads to Canglan. This place is probably on the edge of the miasma."

Cheng Zongyang reached out and touched it; a thin layer of mist flowed between his fingers, feeling damp and cold.

"Hold my hand when we pass through the fog, don't get separated."

"No,"

Xiao Zi hugged her knees and said, "If I'm with you, how can you steal my kiss?"

"Hey!"

Cheng Zongyang said with a displeased look, "Don't make me sound so bad!"

"Who goes to Cuiwei Garden to steal food before leaving? "

"I'm going to say goodbye to Yue Shuang, okay?"

Cheng Zongyang said shamelessly, "I'll just treat her cold poison while I'm at it—you don't want Yue Shuang to freeze into an icicle, do you?"

Xiao Zi blinked, "Isn't it those Jingxi women?"

Cheng Zongyang was stunned for a moment, then suddenly said, "I'm going to help the little fox feed the donkey!"

With that, he jumped up and ran away in a flash.

Xiao Yaoyi grabbed a handful of grain and fed it to the mule, then patted the animal's neck. "Something seems off."

Cheng Zongyang raised an eyebrow. "You noticed too?"

Xiao Yaoyi said, "The Taiquan Ancient Formation might not see anyone for months, and we've encountered far too many people this time."

Cheng Zongyang also noticed the unusually large number of people heading to the Taiquan Ancient Formation, stroking his chin. "Could it be some kind of spectacle we stumbled upon?"

Xiao Yaoyi said, "Wu Er and I just went there, and most of the people were dressed like those from the Northern Three Dynasties. Song is the closest, but there weren't many people there. We didn't see a single person from Jin."

Cheng Zongyang thought for a moment. "Whatever the spectacle, it's fine to skip it. Once we get to Canglan, we'll go straight into the Taiquan Ancient Formation, find the Crimson Sun Sacred Fruit, and leave—hey, how about you?"

"My fifth and sixth brothers replenished my inner energy before we came. I'm not good at serious fighting, but I can manage to put on a show."

Xiao Yaoyi said eagerly, "You're not even going to watch the spectacle? Sage Brother, you have so little enthusiasm for life!"

"I'd rather save my life than have that kind of enthusiasm!"

Cheng Zongyang sized him up. "Little fox, haven't you been a womanizer for half a month and can't hold back anymore?"

Xiao Yaoyi pouted. "More than half a month? I haven't touched a woman since I left Jiangzhou!"

Cheng Zongyang was taken aback. "What have you been doing at the Jade Dew Pavilion? Could it be..."

Xiao Yaoyi sighed. "Sleeping during the day and digging at night, do you know how hard it is for me!"

"Damn! I felt something was off when Qiu said that the other day, but you changed the subject—what are you digging for in a brothel?"

"It's okay to tell you."

Xiao Yaoyi stroked Bai Shuiju's mane as he said, "In fact, Boss Meng didn't agree to the battle in Jiangzhou. I didn't get permission for the battle at Xuanwu Lake. When the situation looked bad, I directly led the Imperial Guards into the palace. It happened hastily, and the preparations were insufficient. In the end, Boss Meng cleaned up my mess and, together with my brothers, intercepted the Black Demon Sea's reinforcements, which is how we won the battle at Xuanwu Lake."

"When Commander Yue announced the disbandment of the Xingyue Lake camp, he said that no one was allowed to regroup without his order. So, Elder Meng kept everyone waiting for news from Commander Yue,"

Xiao Yaoyi said. "But we've already waited fifteen years. If we wait any longer, we'll miss our chance." Ming continued, "

After the Battle of Xuanwu Lake, I took Jiangzhou and planned to raise the Xingyue Lake banner to let the world know that Commander Yue's troops were still there. You may not know, but we brothers had a huge argument back then. This time, Fifth Brother and Sixth Brother are on our side, only Elder Brother and Fourth Brother disagree."

Xiao Yaoyi buried his face in the horse's mane and whispered, "Third Brother is gone, and Elder Meng himself couldn't control the five of us. In the end, we each compromised. Elder Meng agreed to the Xingyue Lake camp regrouping, but Jiangzhou nominally still belongs to the Jin Kingdom."

"The more we fought in the Battle of Jiangzhou, the more alarmed I became. Only later did I realize how brilliant Meng was. Without the Jin Kingdom's name, the Song army could have easily intercepted the river and attacked the city. Even if we had held Jiangzhou, our brothers in the main camp would have suffered heavy casualties."

Xiao Yaoyi sighed. "Brother Sage, you have no idea how anxious I was for news of you during those days in Lin'an. Especially after the Yun family turned against us, the aid supplies suddenly stopped. I almost vomited blood. Forget the Yun family's eldest daughter, I'd even marry the Yun family's old sow!"

Cheng Zongyang didn't laugh. In the Battle of Jiangzhou, if the Song army hadn't had some reservations, the outcome would have been very different.

"After the Song army retreated, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, but Boss Meng called me over and gave me a good scolding."

Xiao Yaoyi leaned against the saddle, a bitter smile tinged with self-reproach on his face. "Boss Meng is always like this. There are things he disagrees with, but if we all want to do them, he'll grit his teeth and lead us to finish them, then take the blame himself. This time, he scolded me partly because he was heartbroken by the casualties among our brothers, but more importantly, he was worried that our actions in seizing Jiangzhou had disrupted Commander Yue's plans."

Cheng Zongyang listened carefully, and upon hearing this, he couldn't help but ask, "Commander Yue has plans?" Xiao Yaoyi

replied, "Commander Yue hasn't revealed anything, but we guess he definitely has some arrangements. As for what those arrangements are,"

Xiao Yaoyi spread his hands, "only Commander Yue will know. By the way, Brother Cheng, after the battle of Jiangzhou, we brothers discussed it, and without a doubt, you deserve the most credit. Your grain supply operation is worth

more than the entire Xingyue Lake camp." "Wait a minute, you're getting off-topic. What does this have to do with you running around digging in Lin'an?"

"Don't rush, I'll get to it soon—Didn't Boss Meng scold me? After he scolded me, he told me that Commander Yue had revealed that he left something in Lin'an. Boss Meng, under the cover of the Pengyi Society, stayed in Lin'an for many years, searching everywhere Commander Yue had been, but he still couldn't find it. He only told me about this when I was coming to Lin'an, and asked me to keep an eye out for it."

"Boss Meng followed Commander Yue the longest and knows the places Commander Yue had been in the most detail. If even he can't find it, where could it be? I've thought about it carefully all the way here, and there's one place Boss Meng might have missed."

Xiao Yaoyi said, "Jade Dew Pavilion. When Commander Yue was in Lin'an, this was the brothel he liked to go to the most."

No wonder the little fox went straight to Jade Dew Pavilion as soon as he arrived in Lin'an; it turns out he was after Commander Yue's relics. Cheng Zongyang asked, "Did you find it?"

Xiao Yaoyi shook his head. "The people in the brothel change too quickly. No one has seen Yue Shuai in the brothel now. Xiao Wu and I searched the entire Jade Dew Pavilion, but we didn't find any clues."

Cheng Zongyang knew they had missed a place—the Maze Pavilion. Yue Shuai had indeed left something, but only a key of unknown use and a vague statement.

Xiao Yaoyi seemed to remember something and said, "But something's strange. There's a courtyard in the Jade Dew Pavilion that's supposedly been booked, but Xiao Wu and I went in, and there was no one there."

Cheng Zongyang was startled and quickly said, "Could it be the Pear Blossom Courtyard?"

He was referring to the courtyard where Li Shishi was. Xiao Yaoyi said, "No. It's another place, I heard it was booked by a high-ranking official."

Mei Niang! The thought popped into Cheng Zongyang's mind. First, she sought refuge at his residence, then he sent her back, and now he's using an empty courtyard as cover to secretly take her away—what exactly is Gao Qiu up to?

Xiao Yaoyi suddenly leaned closer and whispered, "Brother Sage, you're really good to Miss Zi. We brothers can finally rest easy."

"Nonsense!"

Cheng Zongyang said with a face full of grief and indignation, "I've been her slave, what more could you possibly want? I say, you damned fox! Where did you get that dog you sent her?!"

Seeing Cheng Zongyang's furious expression, Xiao Yaoyi was taken aback. "That little lion dog? That's a long story. Back then, Commander Yue wanted me to return to Jiankang, but I didn't want to. I cried and made a scene all day. Commander Yue's dog at the time had just given birth to a puppy, so he had to give it to me to send me back. I raised it for many years, but it never grew much. Since Miss Zi liked it, I gave it to her. What happened?"

Xiao Yaoyi suddenly remembered, "Right, Commander Yue warned me to be careful not to get bitten by that dog—Brother Saint, you weren't bitten by it, were you? That little guy's teeth are poisonous. If you get bitten, only the gill fluid of a certain fish in the Southern Wilderness can cure it. Commander Yue went to the Southern Wilderness to find that gill fluid."

Cheng Zongyang looked up at the sky speechlessly. He really had no reason to be bitten by that little bastard. Yue Niaoren abducted Bi Ji from the Southern Wilderness, most likely because she had been bitten like him.

The two talked and fed the mules and horses, unknowingly reaching the back of the caravan. Suddenly, Cheng Zongyang's foot made a "crunch," as if he had stepped on something. Then, they heard Old Zhu scream and jump up, clutching his foot.

Cheng Zongyang preemptively shouted, "A good dog doesn't block the way! Old Zhu, what do you mean by blocking my path!"

Old Zhu was about to speak when his eyes widened. He clutched his foot with one hand, pointed at Xiao Yaoyi with the other, and cried out "Hey, hey," as if he was too anxious to speak.

Xiao Yaoyi was bewildered. He looked around, then grabbed a handful of grain to feed Old Zhu's donkey.

"Don't feed it!"

Old Zhu's eyes were almost filled with tears as he choked out, "The grain..."

He lunged forward and hugged the half-empty grain sack.

Xiao Yaoyi said, puzzled, "I know this is grain. We're almost at Canglan. We'll buy more grain in town. These animals haven't had enough to eat for days. They'll lose weight if they're hungry any longer."

"Grain—it's precious!"

Old Zhu clutched the grain bag tightly, unable to speak from heartache.

"Feeding livestock is common during wartime, and I've never seen you cry like that. Fine,"

Xiao Yaoyi clapped his hands, "Anyway, you're the only donkey left. Feed it or not, it's up to you."

"Stop arguing! It's already dawn!"

Cheng Zongyang squinted, looking at the first hint of light on the horizon. "I'll lead! Xiao Zi, you follow me! Old Man, in the middle! Little Fox, fourth! Wu Er, you bring up the rear! Everyone, tie the reins of the mules and horses together! Don't get separated!"

Serving these gentlemen was more tiring than serving an entire army. After finally getting the group in order, Cheng Zongyang held the lead mule in one hand and Xiao Zi's arm in the other, heading towards the valley entrance.

Looking down from the mountain ridge, the entire valley was shrouded in thick fog, the swirling mist reaching the sky and obscuring the sun, seemingly merging with the white clouds high above. The edge of the fog was distinct, like a wall of mist standing at the rock that Old Zhu had examined the previous night.

Cheng Zongyang put his hand into the fog and immediately felt a chilling cold. The seemingly gentle fog was incredibly cold, its chill piercing to the bone. He carefully stepped into the fog, his body feeling as if immersed in ice water, and he couldn't help but shiver violently.

Cheng Zongyang quickly activated the Qi Wheel in his dantian to resist the corrosive cold of the fog. No wonder people regarded the Taiquan Ancient Formation as a perilous path; simply passing through this layer of fog and miasma was no easy task. Those with slightly lower cultivation levels and weaker constitutions would probably not be able to withstand this cold.

The further he went, the thicker the fog became, and after only a few steps, all that remained before him was a dense white fog. The mist, like flowing milk or coated egg white, completely blocked vision; one could even feel its sticky texture as one moved.

Suddenly, a soft "click" sounded, as if something had been crushed beneath his feet. Cheng Zongyang stopped alertly, his left hand wrapping the reins around his arm, then gripping the hilt of his sword.

A faint green light appeared in his vision, followed by another, rising slowly, its flickering light resembling the open eye of an invisible monster.

A cold sweat broke out on the back of his neck, trickling down his spine. Cheng Zongyang drew his longsword, pulled Xiao Zi behind him, and gripped the hilt of his sword with his right hand.

"Heh heh, it's phosphorescence."

Old Zhu's lewd voice sounded from behind. He had retrieved the grain sack, and his mood had improved considerably. He said, "There are at least eight hundred, if not a thousand, dead on this road. You probably stepped on someone's spine."

The old man's lewd laughter sounded surprisingly reassuring now. Cheng Zongyang spat and released his grip on the hilt of his knife. "Damn!"

The icy mist rushed into his nostrils like ice water, freezing his trachea and lungs until they ached. Cheng Zongyang circulated his internal energy to ward off the cold as he walked forward, calling out every now and then, "Old man! Little fox! Wu Er!"

As the fog thickened, the voices of the group seemed to be muffled by the cold mist, becoming distant and indistinct. Cheng Zongyang held Xiao Zi's hand tightly, and although he knew he couldn't see anything, he still tried to open his eyes wide, searching for even the slightest shadow in his field of vision.

A quarter of an hour later, the group had entered the core of the fog, where the dense fog even gave them a sense of buoyancy, as if they could swim in it with

a leap. Just then, a loud cry suddenly came from behind them. It was Xue Xue in Xiao Zi's arms, stretching her neck and barking wildly at the thick fog. A muffled rumble came from above, followed by Old Man Zhu shouting, "Good heavens! Falling rocks!"

Hearing the rumble getting closer and closer, but seeing only white fog, Cheng Zongyang didn't have time to think. He grabbed the dragon scale shield from the side of his saddle, covered Xiao Zi's head, and swung his long sword heavily towards the source of the sound.

The steel blade clanged loudly, and a heavy force struck down, making his entire arm numb. His internal energy suddenly choked, followed by a metallic taste in his throat; his meridians were injured. Cheng Zongyang roared, his severely damaged energy wheel accelerating abruptly. A ball of light shot through his injured meridians, striking the falling rocks.

The rocks finally changed direction, and then came the neighing of mules and horses beside him—the mule caravan had been struck by the rocks.

Cheng Zongyang hurriedly grabbed the luggage from the mules' backs, then heard the mules' cries as they plummeted downwards. He broke out in a cold sweat, realizing that his group was standing on the edge of a cliff.

Xuexue's cries grew more urgent. Cheng Zongyang swallowed blood, hoisted the luggage onto his shoulder, and dragged Xiao Zi along, desperately moving forward along the cliff face, avoiding the dangerous rockfall zone, shouting, "Watch out for the cliff! Wu Er! Little Fox is yours! Old Zhu, you've been here! What happened!"

Old Zhu cried out in a sob, "My dear donkey!"

Suddenly, a fierce and sinister aura pressed down from above, and a ferocious claw emerged from the thick fog, grabbing at Cheng Zongyang's face.

Cheng Zongyang slashed out with lightning speed, but the claw suddenly retracted. Xuexue's cries beside him abruptly stopped, and the monster let out a loud "gaa," followed by a flurry of feathers and a pungent, bloody stench as it pounced on Cheng Zongyang.

Cheng Zongyang held Xiao Zi in his arms, his twin blades flashing like lightning. He relentlessly cleaved through the thick fog, the demonic aura above growing ever denser, countless strange birds raining down upon him.

Cheng Zongyang felt as if he were trapped in a nightmare, fighting an unseen opponent alone in the dense fog.

He had planned to enter Canglan today, so he had specially changed into ordinary clothes, putting away his super-sturdy canvas jeans. But in no time, his new clothes were torn to shreds by the strange birds' sharp claws, his arms, shoulders, neck, and forehead bleeding profusely, the wounds burning with pain. Several times he almost gave up, but in the end, he gritted his teeth and persevered. No matter how dangerous the situation, he never let go of Xiao Zi.

Sight and sound were obscured by the thick fog, making it unclear whether Wu Er and the others had also been attacked. Fortunately, he had a helper. Although he couldn't see what was happening behind him, the eerie fluctuations in the fog carried waves of demonic energy, clearly indicating that the little bastard had revealed its true form as a three-headed demon hound, fighting the bird demons in the fog.

Suddenly, a sharp shout came from above, and a sword aura surged up like a bolt of lightning, its power terrifying, even cleaving the thick fog in two. Amidst the splattering blood, the strange birds screamed and flew away.

Cheng Zongyang leaned against a rock, holding Xiao Zi in his arms, his chest heaving like a bellows as he panted heavily.

On the rock above, a fiery red shadow flashed, then disappeared into the thick fog. Then an aged voice said, "It's actually a three-legged crow?"

A female voice said, "Three-legged crows are born of fire, but this foggy place is a cold and gloomy place. It's most likely a three-legged Heavenly Evil Crow."

Another voice said, "Fairy, there are people down below, should we..."

The woman said, "Don't worry about them, they might not be able to get out of this thick fog. Let's get to Canglan as soon as possible and find out what's going on."

The sound of their clothes rustling filled the air as they left the valley, and the thick fog closed up again.

Cheng Zongyang held Xiao Zi's slender body and whispered, "You brat, are you alright?"

Xiao Zi laughed, "You're so funny."

"Don't you have any humanity! I'm injured like this, and you're still funny!"

"I wasn't talking about you."

Cheng Zongyang asked in surprise, "You know those people?"

"I don't know them."

Xiao Zi chuckled, "But that woman has something very interesting on her..."

"Clang!"

The blade struck the rock, scattering a few sparks. Cheng Zongyang emerged from the fog, his upper body clothes almost torn to shreds, his exposed skin covered with crisscrossing claw marks and blood. Xiao Zi, however, was completely unharmed, not even a speck of blood on her.

The warm sunlight bathed her, giving Cheng Zongyang a sense of relief at surviving such a close call. He sat by the roadside for a while, calming his breathing, before finally looking down the mountain.

Before him lay a long, narrow valley, with a small town nestled in its center. A small river meandered past the town, spanned by a bamboo bridge. At the bridgehead stood a stone inscribed with the words "Canglan."

Having just emerged from the pitch-black fog, seeing this only sign of human habitation for miles around finally eased Cheng Zongyang's tense nerves. This was Canglan…

Half of the town was covered by dense forest, while the other half bordered the river. The buildings in the town were haphazard and scattered, giving the impression that they were wary of each other. As far as

the eye could see, the town was shrouded in an endless ring of fog, with only this small space in the valley illuminated by sunlight, a brightness that was almost moving.

Suddenly, a sound came from behind, and Xuexue emerged from the mist on her four short legs, a blood-dripping crow in her beak.

Cheng Zongyang grumbled, "You little bastard, how come you didn't fall to your death?"

Xuexue glared at him angrily, then jumped into her mistress's arms, looking aggrieved.

With a "rip," Xiao Zi tore a strip of cloth from Cheng Zongyang's clothes, tied it around the dying crow, and handed it to him.

"Five mules, two horses, and a donkey, for this dead bird? I've lost a lot of money."

Cheng Zongyang looked at his tattered clothes, tore them off, slung his backpack over his shoulder, tossed the crow into the mist, and, arm in arm with Xiao Zi, stepped onto the bamboo bridge.

Most of the houses in the town were made of bamboo and wood, crooked and dilapidated, and dust filled the streets, creating a desolate and decaying scene. But upon closer inspection, it became clear that although the town was small, it had everything it needed. The houses lining the street were all shops: rice shops, fruit shops, clothing stores, weapon shops… but most numerous were stalls selling various “Taiquan treasures,” at least a dozen in total.

Perhaps because he was the first to enter, there weren’t many pedestrians in the town. As Cheng Zongyang looked around, most of the items on the stalls were ancient mirrors for warding off evil, talismans for suppressing demons, strangely shaped bells, and ferocious-looking stone statues. They looked neither new nor old, some even looking like they had just been dug out of the ground, still covered in mud—although he had never seen what the Taiquan Ancient Array looked like, these things just didn’t have the right feel to them, exuding an aura of counterfeit from the inside out…

Seeing a sundial on the stall that looked like a complete child’s toy, which had also been artificially aged, Cheng Zongyang couldn’t help but ask, “Is this something from the Taiquan Ancient Array?”

The shopkeeper looked him up and down a few times and whispered, “Traveling merchant?”

Cheng Zongyang shook his head.

The shop owner immediately dropped his flattery and said dismissively, "Of course it's genuine, made by Taiquan, absolutely no fakes. There's only one left, take it or leave it."

Looking at the colorful array of items, Cheng Zongyang was greatly disappointed. Ever since he saw the remote control for the Spirit Flying Mirror, he had subconsciously believed that the Taiquan Ancient Array was connected to the world he had come from. Now, seeing this, his credibility was greatly diminished. If Taiquan only produced these kinds of things, then his trip had been a complete waste.

Reaching a street corner, he saw a small stall in the shade, with a dirty flag hanging beside it, nothing particularly interesting. However,

the words on the flag caught Cheng Zongyang's eye: "Canglan's Finest Delicacies!

" Cheng Zongyang's stomach immediately rumbled. He forgot all about those "Taiquan divine treasures," grabbed Xiao Zi, and said, "Let's go! Let's get breakfast!"

The stall only had two tables with six legs combined, and three stools supported by stones. The food on the stall was even less: a few grayish cornbreads, a pot of thin porridge with countable grains of rice, a bowl of salted radish, but a pile of fruit.

Cheng Zongyang was already half full after just one glance, but since this was the only breakfast stall on the street, he had no choice but to sit down and say to the stall owner, "One breakfast, please!"

"Coming!"

The stall owner came over with the food, asking solicitously, "Are you... a traveling merchant, sir?"

"No."

The stall owner immediately stopped smiling, put down the food, and walked away with little interest.

Cheng Zongyang took a bite of the cornbread and frowned. He wasn't a very picky person, but the taste of this cornbread was really not good; he could only say it was barely edible. Xiao Zi only ate a piece of fruit and fed both cornbreads to Xue Xue, but Xue Xue didn't like them either. She ate half a cornbread and then snuggled into Xiao Zi's arms, pretending to be dead.

Cheng Zongyang finished his food in a few bites. Although he was still hungry, he didn't want to eat anymore. He downed the rice porridge he had cooked and stood up, asking, "How much?"

"Four cornbread buns, two bowls of porridge, a dish of pickled vegetables, and a serving of fruit, totaling six hundred and ninety coins."

Cheng Zongyang could hardly believe his ears. "How much?"

The stall owner was used to his surprise. "Six hundred and ninety coins."

Cheng Zongyang pointed to the fruit he had just ordered and asked, "How much is this?"

"Two coins each. You ordered five, so that's ten coins."

The fruit wasn't very expensive, but the problem was that it was only ten coins. Where did the other six hundred and eighty coins go? You should know that this price was enough for a decent lunch in Lin'an, where prices were high.

The stall owner said, "A top-grade cornbread costs 150 coins, a bowl of fine congee costs 50 coins, and a dish of delicious pickled vegetables costs 80 coins."

"Top-grade cornbread? 150 coins each! Why don't you just rob someone?"

"Sir, you can't say that ,"

the stall owner said. "Our town doesn't produce grain. The grain you eat is all transported from outside. Sorghum flour costs one string of cash per jin, and wheat flour costs two strings of cash. I'm actually losing money."

Cheng Zongyang gasped. He had just done grain business and knew a bit about grain prices. Two strings of cash per jin of flour, one shi (a unit of dry measure) was 100 gold coins—a hundred times higher than the highest grain prices in Lin'an!

Just then, a sallow-faced man dragged his feet over, saying weakly, "Boss, a cornbread...and a bowl of congee..."

The stall owner picked up a cornbread, placed it on a plate, and served him the congee. The man wolfed down his food and drank the porridge, his face regaining some color. He took out a silver coin and a handful of loose coins, counting them out to make a hundred coins. He sighed, "Your prices are the most reasonable in the whole Canglan Town. I haven't eaten rice or noodles for seven days, relying entirely on fruits to fill my stomach. I really can't hold on any longer."

The stall owner said with a hint of pity, "If you can't stay here, go back soon."

The man smiled bitterly, "How can I go back empty-handed? Tonight is the opening time, I'll go again. If I really can't get in, I'll give up."

The stall owner didn't try to persuade him anymore. The man got up to leave, but Cheng Zongyang took out seven silver coins and threw them on the table, "Keep the change!"

He then quickly caught up with him, smiling and cupping his hands in greeting, "Brother..."

The man gave him a wary look, then turned and went into a shop.

Cheng Zongyang had originally wanted to inquire about Canglan's situation, but he was met with a cold shoulder. Just as he was wondering what was going on, the stall owner said, "New here, huh? There are all sorts of people in this town. If you just open your mouth, you might run into someone's taboo. If you don't want to cause trouble, keep your mouth shut and ask as few questions as possible."

Cheng Zongyang clasped his hands and said, "Thank you."

The stall owner said, "No need to thank me. I won't take your money for nothing. Here's an extra ten coins as a word of advice."

Cheng Zongyang smiled and took out a silver coin. "Then let me ask one more question: Are there any guides in town?"

The stall owner took the silver coin. "To enter the ancient formation?"

"Of course."

The stall owner shook his head. "These are all respectable houses in town. Who would want to go into that place for no reason?"

As he spoke, he pointed to the southeast corner. "Those down-and-out people over there will do anything. Go and ask them."

"Thanks!"

Xiao Zi hugged Xue Xue in her arms and teased her. Her beautiful eyes looked at the town, exceptionally bright. Cheng Zongyang said, "That old man's all talk and no action. I reckon he's only been here once or twice, probably decades ago. Since we're here, we should spend a little more money to hire a local as a guide, so we don't get led astray by that old man."

Xiao Zi said sweetly, "Boss Cheng is the best! Everyone listens to you."

"Don't give me that!"

Cheng Zongyang was already immune to her deceptively charming appearance and strode towards the shop next door.

Xiao Zi said, "Boss Cheng, the down-and-out guy is over there."

"Don't rush, let's buy some clothes first."

Xiao Zi laughed, "Boss Cheng is the most handsome! Bare-chested, carrying a backpack, and a shield on your back, what a cool outfit!"

"You brat, keep laughing."

Cheng Zongyang said, "Don't forget, you're still with me. If I look like a pile of cow dung, wouldn't it be you, this pretty flower, who's losing face?"

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