Yan Changlan had an excellent memory. He remembered every word and sentence spoken by Ye Shu, not daring to be the least bit careless.
After listening, Ye Shu said, “There’s no time to lose. We should pack up and head down the mountain.”
Yan Changlan had no objections. However, besides two sets of clothes he had changed out of, he had nothing else, so he just followed Ye Shu, occasionally lending a hand.
Ye Shu collected some ripe medicinal herbs into his Hunyuan Pearl, and then took the remaining Hunyuan Water he had mixed and poured it into the mountain spring where he usually fetched water. This was his small way of giving back for the few months he had lived there.
Yan Changlan naturally noticed these actions and was quite astonished. However, after the initial surprise, he didn’t mention a word about it—he felt that such a significant secret must be kept, as any leak would be inappropriate.
Ye Shu then said to him, “Cultivators can store items using low-grade magical tools like a Qiankun Bag. I have something similar on me.”
Yan Changlan nodded upon hearing this.
Even so, it was precious enough that it couldn’t be mentioned to others.
Afterwards, the two of them descended the mountain.
Since many people in the city recognized Yan Changlan’s appearance, Ye Shu used an invisibility spell for both of them and quickly investigated the location of the City Lord Yan’s remains. Before long, they heard that the City Lord Yan’s body was placed in the public mortuary in the west of the city, guarded by the city guards, awaiting further examination by the imperial court before being buried in a prime feng shui location.
However, Yan Changlan couldn’t stay in the city for long and didn’t want his father’s body to remain exposed. Thus, he and Ye Shu stole his father’s body under the cover of night. They quickly fashioned a coffin from freshly cut wood and buried him in the mountains outside the city, erecting an unmarked tombstone.
To prevent wild animals in the mountains from digging up the coffin, Ye Shu set up a confusion formation near the grave using fragments of jade bottles that were still somewhat effective, which he found near his hut. Outside the formation, he also created another layer of protection using stones and wood, thoroughly concealing the grave.
Yan Changlan experienced the power of the maze formation and became even more grateful to Ye Shu.
Ye Shu said, “Brother Yan, say a few words to the City Lord, then we must leave.”
Yan Changlan took a deep breath, nodded slightly, and knelt before the unmarked tombstone.
Ye Shu turned and walked away, waiting at the mountainside. After thinking for a moment, he took out some medicinal herbs and began to prepare a concoction.
When Yan Changlan came down from the mountainside, Ye Shu held a bowl of medicinal paste and said, “You should change your appearance before we leave.”
Yan Changlan naturally followed Ye Shu’s advice.
Ye Shu used the medicinal paste to alter Yan Changlan’s appearance, transforming him from a spirited young man into a frail and sallow youth from a poor family. He then had him put on ill-fitting, ordinary clothes, and only then was he satisfied.
Immediately after, the two walked along the edge of the mountain, heading towards the county city where Yan Bei’s old friends lived.
As for the uproar caused in Mingshan City by the disappearance of the City Lord Yan’s body, it was not something they concerned themselves with.
…
Yan Changlan now has nothing left, and all the expenses on the way were paid by Ye Shu. This made him quite uneasy, so whenever they camped in the wild, he would go hunting in the mountains. No matter what animals he caught, he would offer the best cuts of meat to Ye Shu as a token of gratitude. Additionally, he took it upon himself to handle the roasting. Although his initial attempts were barely edible, with practice, the taste improved significantly, and he no longer let Ye Shu handle the cooking.
Seeing his dedication, Ye Shu accepted his goodwill.
After about twenty days, they finally arrived at the Wei County.
Yan Bei’s close friend, who was well-known in the martial world, was Wei Youxu, the master of Qinghe Sect. His skill with the “Breaking Cloud Palms” was formidable, and at his current age, he was considered a senior figure.
Qinghe Sect was a top-tier martial sect. Although it didn’t have the centuries-long legacy of some older sects, it had risen prominently in recent decades and was quite prosperous.
According to Yan Changlan, Wei Youxu and his father Yan Bei had adventured together in their youth. Later, Yan Bei settled down and was recruited by the imperial court to become a city lord, while Wei Youxu married the daughter of a top martial artist and became a renowned hero in the martial world. As a result, Yan Bei and Wei Youxu gradually had less contact, although they exchanged letters during holidays. They rarely met in person to avoid any potential concerns.
Yan Changlan said, “Father always praised uncle Wei’s character highly. He shouldn’t betray me.”
Ye Shu pondered, “It’s wise to be cautious, but excessive suspicion isn’t necessary either. Since you’re seeking refuge, bringing me along might not be appropriate. Instead, you should visit him alone, and I’ll find a place nearby to rent. If anything happens, I can respond quickly and assist you.”
After the betrayal by Yan Xi, Yan Changlan had some reservations in his heart. So, he found Ye Shu’s reasoning reasonable. Although he felt it wasn’t ideal for his friend to be alone, he agreed.
He said, “If there’s a need, I’ll come to invite brother Ye when the time comes, and I hope brother Ye won’t refuse.”
Ye Shu replied, “Of course.”
After they agreed, they inquired about the location of Qinghe Sect.
Once they found out, Yan Changlan and Ye Shu stayed in an inn. Yan Changlan wrote a letter to be delivered, while Ye Shu asked the innkeeper if there were any nearby rental accommodations, selecting one closest to Qinghe Sect.
Qinghe Sect had a decent reputation in the martial world. With the letter sent, the innkeeper dutifully delivered it to the sect.
Within less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a middle-aged man hurried out from Qinghe Sect, his face betraying a hint of anxiety, and arrived at the inn where Yan Changlan stayed.
Ye Shu was the first to notice and promptly retreated.
Soon, there was a knock on the door. Yan Changlan opened it and met the middle-aged man, recognizing him from the portrait his father had shown him—it was Wei Youxu.
Wei Youxu scrutinized Yan Changlan carefully upon seeing him, his face displaying some suspicion. “Are you… my nephew Yan Changlan?”
Yan Changlan removed the disguise from his face with water, then respectfully greeted Wei Youxu, “Nephew Yan Changlan pays respects to uncle Wei.” His voice was restrained, with a hint of choking emotion. “Our family has suffered a tragedy, my father… passed away.”
Wei Youxu hurriedly helped Yan Changlan up. “Nephew Changlan, please rise quickly! Such misfortune has befallen brother Yan Bei; it must have been tough on you. You need not worry; I had a close bond with your father. With me here, I will surely protect you!”
Yan Changlan hurriedly expressed his gratitude and followed Wei Youxu back to Qinghe Sect. He was touched by Wei Youxu’s sincere invitation, but he had no intention of staying long at Qinghe Sect.
It was common for brothers bound by the ceremony of eight salutations to take in each other’s orphaned kin. If Yan Changlan hadn’t known that the culprit was a cultivator, he might have felt at ease staying at Qinghe Sect now. However, now that he knew, how could he bring trouble to Qinghe Sect? Even though he had come here out of necessity, he chose Qinghe Sect because it was at the intersection of the Nan River and the Bei River, with a bustling flow of people. Although cultivators were different from ordinary people, they wouldn’t dare cause trouble in such a place as they would in a remote town like Mingshan City. Moreover, even a cultivator at the Qi Refining Stage wouldn’t be able to contend with top-tier martial artists who were already on guard, and Wei Youxu was undoubtedly capable of such defenses. Otherwise, even if he starved to death, Yan Changlan would never have come to Qinghe Sect.
However, cultivators were still cultivators, and Yan Changlan wanted to leave as soon as possible, hoping not to alert the cultivator named Li.
Fortunately, Wei Youxu’s association with Yan Bei was not widely known, not even by Yan Xi. Even if Li searched everywhere for his trace, he might not be able to find Qinghe Sect.
After Yan Changlan followed Wei Youxu into Qinghe Sect, Ye Shu also found lodging in a nearby alley.
There weren’t many advantages here, and the accommodations were quite simple, but there was one thing—enough tranquility—that made it suitable for him to stay.
A day or two later, Yan Changlan sent word out, saying he hadn’t found an opportunity to borrow money yet and needed to wait a bit longer.
Ye Shu didn’t mind.
Since they were looking for a gathering place of cultivators and needed to find leads, this was also an opportunity. While Yan Changlan could discreetly inquire within Qinghe Sect, Ye Shu intended to visit bookstores and libraries in the city during the day, gathering information from travelogues, legends, and essays.
As for Yan Changlan’s concerns about the cultivator named Li pursuing them, Ye Shu didn’t worry much—if Li happened to come during this time, he could simply kill him, relieving Yan Changlan of a burden.
So, for the next few days, Ye Shu went out during the day to search for bookstores and libraries, returning at night to practice cultivation, continuously gathering his spiritual energy and pressing it into the spiritual dew… After the recent journey, life had become much quieter lately.
…
Zhihua Bookstore.
Ye Shu stood in a corner, flipping through an old book. One line in particular caught his attention—it mentioned a swordsman who, on his way home, encountered an old Taoist priest who drove away ghosts and left behind a farewell song.
The song mentioned several place names, and the techniques employed by the old Taoist were akin to magic…
While Ye Shu pondered, he suddenly heard a female voice—
“Wei Ying’er, I heard your family has recently taken in a destitute?”
Ye Shu paused slightly.
His senses were sharp; the voice came from a cosmetics shop about a dozen steps to the right of the bookstore. Despite its softness, he heard it clearly. He focused on words like “Wei,” “recently taken in.”
Then, another voice, mocking, chimed in: “I heard you’re engaged to that destitute? Are you here at the Xiangzhi Pavilion to prepare your dowry?”
In the next moment, a clearer, higher-pitched voice spoke: “What engagement? It was just a joke my father made when I was young, almost set an engagement. You have no right to ruin my reputation! Even if there was an engagement, who would marry a destitute?!”
Hearing this, Ye Shu furrowed his brows slightly.