Chapter 994: Chapter 121: Journey North

The half incense stick time after Xie Xuanyi left.

Jiang Huang stood silently by the riverfront of Carp Tide River, leaning on the stone railing, obediently gazing into the distance, waiting quietly.

The young girl’s hands held her cheeks, her innocent face watching the distant river, suddenly turned silent and solemn, a trace of flame-red swept through her clear eyes.

She was lost in thought, staring at the black-clothed figure at the end of Carp Tide River.

The waves of Carp Tide River suddenly became quiet, the tide no longer roared, and the waves turned delicate.

“Swish.”

The sound of a flying sword breaking through the air faintly emerged from the void.

The red flame in Jiang Huang’s eyes vanished instantly, and by the time Xie Xuanyi returned to the riverfront, the young girl had already become her innocent self again.

…

…

Leaving Lichao City, heading north, along the route taken south years ago.

Jiang Huang didn’t want to travel via sword control.

Thus, Xie Xuanyi bought a carriage, driving himself as the coachman, taking the little one first to Taian City, then to Fengsui City, finally out of Qingzhou Pass, heading straight for the Northern County territory… The population became sparser, and the environment turned desolate. In the past, Northern County had a period of prosperity; after several garrison commanders were deposed, many cultivators left.

Returning to a familiar place.

Yet it lacked the bleak taste of past wanderings.

Xie Xuanyi didn’t need to wear the [All Living Beings] anymore.

Jiang Huang also needn’t worry about her identity being discovered, as during the previous flight to Qing State, due to the split of her divine soul, she spent her days in a daze, missing many sights.

The two, one big and one small, truly like “siblings,” traveled northbound, walking and stopping along the way. Although Chen Jingxuan was busy handling the trivial matters of the Imperial City, he paid attention to Xie Xuanyi’s journey. On the way out of the pass, the Imperial City Department did not obstruct at all. In a way, this was the highest form of “concern,” as inspection at Great Chu City has always been strict, but given Xie Xuanyi’s current identity and status, he just needs to reveal his identity truthfully… But the lack of inquiries during the journey indicated that the Black Scale Guards had already given a heads-up, and throughout the northward journey, the Book Tower was closely following Xie Xuanyi’s path.

Finally.

The two returned to Yuzhu Town.

“Is this Baiyi sister’s home?”

The carriage stopped not far from the entrance of Yuzhu Town, Jiang Huang observed the small town in the distance through the gap in the bamboo curtain.

“…Yes.”

Xie Xuanyi did not expect, that the once dilapidated and lifeless Yuzhu Town, had now improved significantly.

Even from miles away, the cries of peddlers selling could be heard, groups of load-bearers in thick coats… The coats of these people bore the Deng Family’s household seal.

Hadn’t the Deng Family already moved out of Northern County?

Xie Xuanyi casually released a strand of Divine Thought and heard the following conversation.

“The master instructed, this batch of goods is very precious and must be delivered safely, without fail.”

“Do you remember the price?”

“I remember! Only sell for one coin, not more!”

Divine Thought swept swiftly.

These load-bearers carried baskets filled with common southern foods.

To keep warm, each basket had the most common Taoist talisman, [Jade Cold], attached, emitting waves of coldness… For Xie Xuanyi, these talismans were just playthings crafted effortlessly, but to the common people outside, these talismans were considered the miracles of the Immortal Master.

These foods were transported from the south of Great Chu, traveling thousands of miles to be delivered to the Yuzhu Town market.

Sold for only one coin, naturally not for profit.

“Deng Chicheng…”

Xie Xuanyi thought, recalling the father of Deng Baiyi who lived in the Imperial City, understanding it all.

Born and raised here.

If one achieves great success, they do not forget the hometown folks.

“Baiyi sister’s town is quite lively, unlike how you described it as dilapidated.”

Xie Xuanyi donned a conical hat, drove the carriage into the small town, and strolled around the market.

Jiang Huang bought a frozen pear, holding it in her palm, took a big bite, and mumbled: “I thought… this small town wouldn’t exist anymore…”

“Neither did I.”

Xie Xuanyi chuckled in silence.

The previous ruin of Yuzhu Town resulted from demon troubles and chaotic turmoil.

Now that Yin Mountain had been uprooted by himself, the garrison commanders had gradually returned, the bleak scenery of Northern County would soon improve.

However…

Yuzhu Town transformed into its current state.

Mainly because of the full support of that “Master Deng” who lived in the Imperial City.

A while back, Xie Xuanyi actually chatted with Chen Jingxuan about Deng Chicheng——

Back then, he promised Deng Chicheng to return to the Imperial City and settle down.

With his relationship with Chen Jingxuan, Deng Chicheng possessed the strongest and firmest backing in the Imperial City, almost free from trouble.

Xie Xuanyi assumed this “Master of Yuzhu Town” would choose to live a peaceful and idle life.

Unexpectedly, an old steed in the stable.

Chen Jingxuan actually closely monitored the movements of the Deng Mansion group. After the chaos in Qing State, Deng Baiyi became the disciple of Tang Fengshu, and the old man Deng’s status also “rose with the tide,” he was always waiting for Deng Chicheng to ask the Book Tower for help.

But to everyone’s surprise.

After going to the Imperial City, Deng Chicheng alone, began a new career, he was quite gutsy, even though he had a very strong network, he never contacted the Book Tower, perhaps afraid of consuming the limited favors from his daughter’s side, relying on his “business acumen” over the years, he set up a bookshop business in the Imperial City, earning quite a bit of silver tael…

The bookshop business had limited profit.

But Deng Chicheng sold more than books…also talismans…

Every once in a while, he would send a letter to his treasured daughter, requesting the unused talismans from Deng Baiyi’s pen practice.

In the midsummer heat, while the house was scorching, the bookshop sold the [Jade Cold] talisman, and if one bought it and hung it on the beam of the mansion, it could keep it cool for seven days. There were many wealthy households in the Imperial City, and the talismans from the bookstore were not expensive, and of excellent quality, more practical than those of Fangyuan Square.

In the winter, he would sell [Charcoal Furnace], a talisman that could melt snow and dispel cold.

Gradually.

The business of Deng’s bookshop became prosperous.

In reality, the talismans from Fangyuan Square weren’t expensive to begin with.

Taoist talisman masters are extremely hard to find.

This was not something the common people used as a trinket.

Deng Chicheng sold his own daughter’s talismans, what could this Great Square Master do to intervene? If there are no surprises, Deng Baiyi would be the next “Array Master” of the Taoist… How could the [Jade Cold] talisman drawn by a master-level figure not be good? Who would hang it on the beam for cooling?

Of course.

Deng Chicheng was not foolish.

He did not sell talismans to just anyone who wanted them, knowing they were rare.

The primary business of a bookstore is book sales, only those who bought enough books were qualified to buy these talismans. For those wealthy families, they would spend quite a lot in bookstores, perfectly fine to buy these as well.

Faced with this situation, Chen Jingxuan could only laugh and cry, choosing to turn a blind eye.

Old Deng was willing to do so, then let him be.

Gradually, Deng’s bookshop made quite a bit of silver tael, but compared to the Imperial City’s nobility, this was truly minor, more or less hard-earned money.

However.

It was all Deng Baiyi’s hard-earned money.