Chapter 230: Northern Star Draw And Add Lu Chen Secret Method
Perhaps noticing the mocking gaze of Tian Xuan Saint, Yu Xiaoquan’s expression turned solemn, and he said,
“Master wants to see us. He said Zhang Xuling found a talented person in Wuqing County with prospects of becoming a Martial Dao Grandmaster, and wants to bring him to pay respects to the mountain, and is asking for an opportunity to go to West Mountain and enter the Grandmaster Record!”
Hearing the two words ‘Master’, Tian Xuan Saint then restrained her emotions, her expression solemn as she nodded.
The two then one after the other fell into【 Mist Gauze Heavenly Law】, quickly heading toward the County Yamen.
The remaining Pounding House Gang Members only dared to move after a long while, exchanging glances, then looking toward Landlord Guan’s corpse on the ground.
“Should we collect the body?”
“Did the Immortal Master tell you to collect the body?”
“No, no…”
“Leave it here, don’t bother. Even if some wild dog drags it away, it’s better than us taking initiative.”
“Landlord Guan is dead, what should we do now?”
“Divide the small valuables, scatter the possessions… go throw in with Huang Xing, Landlord Huang!”
“Yes, yes, go throw in with Landlord Huang!”
At these words, everyone suddenly woke up.
Right!
Landlords come and go, but Gang Members are ironclad.
No Landlord? Just switch to another!
Last time, after Zheng Shicheng was blown to death alive by the Guo Lu Society and other gangsters, didn’t the Wanlong Pounding House gang members do exactly that?
Those on duty continue on duty, those slacking continue slacking.
Switch allegiance, call someone else Landlord, the sun rises as usual!
Thus the crowd all set off together, all strong men, their figures swift, disappearing in five or six breaths.
Leaving only one corpse, eyes lifelessly staring at the sky, rolling covered in dust, like filth in a gutter, no longer noticed by anyone.
……
After entrusting the Guardian Deity Tian Xuan Saint, Chen Shun’an no longer stayed in the water cave, reached out and summoned, grasped the Qi-eating Insect and shook it, gave some top-quality food to Silver Scholar, Jin Lin Mei, and other demonic fish, then directly broke through the waves, went ashore and returned to Wuqing County.
Silver Scholar, Jin Lin Mei, Golden Head Overlord—these two fish and one insect had been treasure hunting in the water recently, but their harvests were meager, bringing no good news to him.
Mainly the shallow water areas of Three Forked Road and Banye Ferry Crossing, after years of net-casting by fishermen, the two fish and one insect had searched for many days, basically finding nothing good left.
To have greater gains, they had to go to the deep water areas of the Canal, or even various water marshes and Great River.
But such waters were all dangerous places, and with the current strength of the two fish and one insect, Chen Shun’an was still somewhat uneasy.
After all, immortals and mortals coexisted, who knows if these places hid demons like the great demon in Funiu Water Marsh.
Better to wait until Chen Shun’an achieves Grass Talisman Perfection, upgrades Divine Aspect·Ran Yi Fish to four legs, able to cleanse the mortal bodies of water spirits and enlighten them!
As for Tun Mengzi, the Linked Iron Lock forging was nearly done, already saddling and practicing.
Tun Mengzi had actually found two lone Grand Canal Porpoises outside again, one old and one young, though slightly inferior to prime adult Grand Canal Porpoises on broken ice across the river, but even mosquito legs are meat, more or less able to provide some wish for Chen Shun’an.
This way, this batch of porpoise group reached ten in number.
Especially…
Chen Shun’an didn’t need to worry about food or various supplies for this porpoise group.
All covered by Wuqing Stick Bureau, by Lu Jing!
……
Chen Shun’an raced back to Wuqing County like lightning, and when he arrived at the disaster victims’ location, he saw no sign of Scholar Ma.
A quick inquiry revealed that two hours ago, Scholar Ma had been called to the County Yamen by yamen runners, situation unknown.
Looking at the disaster victims in front of him who were properly building the ‘Dark Fire Cave’, Chen Shun’an’s expression was slightly ugly.
Now in Chen Shun’an’s eyes, these County Yamen and public offices were like depths of water and fire, lairs of tigers and dragons, treacherous places.
Those immortals turned demons actually wore official robes, topped with feathers.
Judging cases by day as parental officials, roaming wilds at night as immortals among demons.
If as Tian Xuan Saint said, throughout the entire Changbai Sacred Dynasty, any official with ranked position was basically a shaman immortal.
That His Majesty the Emperor lived nine hundred years, the reason lay in the riddle.
He himself was a great demon of profound cultivation, merits shaping creation, able to suppress the full court of civil and martial immortals!
Sacred Dynasty ruled men with demons!
And wouldn’t treat men as men, but as demons!
So…
Pit!
Giant pit!
Chen Shun’an couldn’t help cursing loudly in his heart.
Fortunately he, Chen Shun’an, always acted cautiously, in this era where even martial heroes wanted to kill corrupt officials, still upholding the simple value of ‘better one less thing than one more’, rarely going to any County Yamen or government offices.
Workplace backed by water station.
And among the presidents and consuls of Five Rivers Branch or even Water Merchant General Association, there were no lack of red-hat merchants, eating from both official and merchant sides, with court background, probably hiding quite a few immortals.
In family background, he was the son-in-law of Zhang Village in Wuqing, now even calling Tongzhou Zhang Family’s noble daughter Zhang Xiangling his youngest aunt.
How was he, Chen Shun’an, not a proper ‘immortal generation’ with red roots?
No matter how distant or vague the connection, Chen Shun’an could find a way to make it concrete and stable!
Moreover…
Chen Shun’an suddenly thought of something, his gaze profound.
Since from famous mountains and great marshes above, to towns, villages, and ditches below, all were immortals’ wild grazing grounds.
Let alone Cave Heaven Blessed Lands, probably any place with spiritual Qi and Dao Rhyme, one by one, were occupied pits.
Sacred Dynasty’s national fortune over nine hundred years, long past the founding days with plenty of radish pits, even more pits than people.
Long past the time of lying on merit ledgers sucking blood till bowls overflowed.
Now, more people than pits.
So, the Capital City water well Chen Shun’an yearned for, Giant Horse, Boundless, Grand Canal and other Five Rivers areas, even various water marshes and oceans, probably all claimed, belonging to some immortal as their dojo.
After all, just Wuqing County wells below hid water-suppressing Stone Rhinoceros, iron chains locking unknown things, and vast underground dark river after the water bottom cave.
“So, landlords like Zhao Guangxi are actually just nominal? Merely earning gold and silver in the mortal world, stabilizing water supply for Capital Region folks, the true controllers probably in Five Rivers Branch… could it be Zhao Guangxi’s father-in-law, Fierce-eyed White Tiger Xie, the Xie family?”
“Then these wells probably aren’t mere mortal wells producing only turbid water, fresh water, sweet water, but spirit wells, immortal wells… only immortals can to some extent pierce【 Mist Gauze Heavenly Law】, possessing some means to extract treasures and gather spirits?”
“Or rather, us water carriers’ very act of shouldering poles to sell water is one of some immortal’s cultivation methods?”
“Good thing I, Chen Mou, didn’t rashly seize a water well landlord position, but followed water station rules… otherwise before figuring out these situations and Sacred Dynasty’s depths, occupying a well and upgrading to Ninth-rank Divine Position, I’d likely catch some immortal’s eye.”
Chen Shun’an just refined it front foot.
Huh? Why did my water well mysteriously disappear?
Let me see what’s going on…
Rear foot targeted.
Then Chen Shun’an would be dumbfounded.
“But to fully occupy a water well, the method is simple… can’t beat them now, so join first! As long as I breakthrough to Martial Dao Grandmaster, or become an immortal, naturally I can get on the chessboard, divide profits, become an interest class.”
“Water station business seems deeply tied to Ao Shan Daoist Academy, and Tongzhou Zhang Family is even one of Ao Shan Daoist Academy’s main peaks. Shortcut seems on Zhang Family.”
Chen Shun’an silently pondered.
Realizing he needed to fully leverage his ‘son-in-law’ advantage!
As Chen Shun’an was thinking, a familiar aura, from several li away, entered Chen Shun’an’s intent range.
His expression shocked, figure instantly vanished from the spot.
Only to see on the clear and cold long street, a disheveled, dazed human figure staggering along.
Scholar Ma’s eyes were vacant, foot slipped, whole body falling to the ground.
Chen Shun’an grabbed his hand, steadying him.
“Oh oh, it’s Brother Shun An.”
Scholar Ma brought his face close to Chen Shun’an, as if discerning, his originally scattered unfocused eyes instantly refocused.
Like waking from a dream, eyes gained clarity, the dazed look on his face lessened.
“Scholar Ma, you encountered…”
“Nothing.”
Scholar Ma interrupted Chen Shun’an, scooped up a handful of snow from the ground, rubbed it to wash his face and wipe body filth, while walking forward,
“County Magistrate Wang invited me to view snow and drink tea, said some intimate words, no harm.”
Chen Shun’an was silent for a moment.
Scholar Ma had changed somewhat.
Aura changed, body too.
Then, under Chen Shun’an’s surprised gaze, Scholar Ma bought two thin plank coffins, and for himself and his wife, purchased a set of shrouds, then hired people to help carry these things back to the tenement.
Many residents in the tenement, seeing this scene, curiously came over, but after a simple glance, no longer paid attention, went about their business.
Households with elders often kept coffins ready, an extremely normal thing.
Scholar Ma and his wife, childless, preparing their own aftermath was natural.
Instructing his wife to brew a cup of Gao Sui tobacco for Chen Shun’an, Scholar Ma invited Chen Shun’an to sit on the bed.
Scholar Ma calmly said,
“Brother Chen, Ma Mou is about to die.”
Chen Shun’an said nothing.
In his gaze, Scholar Ma’s chest had a hole, pitch black inside, heart gone.
Heartless people could still cling to life?
Probably only immortal seeds like Scholar Ma could.
But with heart gone, person’s aura and body naturally lightened a few taels.
Yet Scholar Ma seemed unaware he had no heart, even unclear on the various events at the County Yamen earlier.
He only remembered being invited by County Magistrate Wang to White Tiger Hall, drinking tea, viewing snow, appreciating a few of County Magistrate Wang’s ink treasures.
Normal scholar gathering.
Just…
Scholar Ma seemed vaguely aware something was off with himself.
Even pre-sensing his death approaching.
Scholar Ma gestured Chen Shun’an to wait a moment, went to the lame desk, took out a brush, an inkstone, an ink stick.
Weather piercingly cold, inkstone even brush tip covered in fine ice.
Scholar Ma, without strength to bind a chicken, ground a bit and was already panting.
“Let me grind the ink for you.”
Chen Shun’an came over, took the ink stick, circulated qi and blood, filling the room with spring warmth, steaming fog forming outside.
“Really envy Brother Shun An for practicing martial arts, strengthening the body not to mention, no suffering summer scorch or winter cold.”
Scholar Ma took the brush full of pine soot ink, breathed on it, smiled somewhat enviously at Chen Shun’an,
He wrote fluidly, nearly a thousand characters.
Then, Scholar Ma faintly said,
“Brother Shun An was nagging in Ma Mou’s ear some time ago about being plagued by ‘Yin Dregs exhausted, Corpse Qi extinguished’, right?”
“This method, Ma Mou referenced Brother Shun An’s《 Meat Flying Immortal》, discovered some hidden flaws therein, revised and supplemented, then combined with various Daoist classics to create, called《 Northern Star Draw and Add Lu Chen Secret Method》, perhaps able to pass this pass.”
