“`
Chen Mu jumped over the courtyard wall and saw a group of people lying on the ground beneath the tree.
There was one particularly bald man lying in the sun, his scalp shining brightly.
Chen Mu crouched down and searched for a while, actually finding several silver pieces!
What a great start!
He couldn’t help but look forward to checking the rest of the gang sprawled under the tree.
Unfortunately, before long, Chen Mu walked toward the inner courtyard with a face full of gloom.
After a few steps, he felt dissatisfied.
He turned back and dragged everyone lying under the tree out into the sun.
Then he placed the bald guy back in the shade and arranged him in a comfortable position. After all, the man had paid.
After that, he strode into the inner courtyard.
There were even more gang members lying all over the place.
A quarter of an hour later.
Chen Mu, carrying a Ghost Head Greatknife and looking profoundly distressed, left Dengjia Alley.
A gang leader without even a copper coin on him?!
His lackeys had more than he did!
He had sought Jie Jia for information, intentionally heading to the Bailang Gang leader’s headquarters.
He had hoped to make a fortune, but after all that busyness, he only ended up with four silver pieces and a few dozen copper coins.
“And they dare call themselves people of society?”
“I might as well stick to selling fish!”
“What a disgrace!”
Chen Mu was quite indignant.
It seemed that the Bailang Gang spot was finished.
A whole gourd of Mesmerizing Divine Incense wasted.
“Let’s hope this knife is worth something.”
Being the personal weapon of a gang leader, it should… perhaps be quite valuable.
But a gang leader without a penny doesn’t inspire much confidence.
…
Inside the Zuo Family mansion.
The patriarch of the Zuo family, Zuo Quan, was sitting in the main hall with a brooding expression.
“Fifty thousand silver pieces per household, that Qian Shan is really exploiting our misfortune,” Zuo Sheng said with an equally unpleasant expression.
“It’s extortion, but if the County Government Office doesn’t have an evil-warding artifact to suppress the unrest, no one will sleep peacefully,” Zuo Quan sighed.
“Especially since our Zuo family has already been plagued by evil spirits. Didn’t that Qian Shan also say that families like ours are most likely to attract evil spirits again?”
“Hmph! I think he has ulterior motives!” Zuo Sheng said coldly.
“Will he harm us?” Zuo Quan immediately grew worried.
“Father, we need to plan ahead,” Zuo Sheng said, narrowing his eyes.
“What do you suggest, Sheng Er?”
“Let’s move, to Nanyang Prefecture,” Zuo Sheng said decisively.
“Moving… I’ll think about it, think about it some more,” Zuo Quan was a bit hesitant, “Don’t we still have Qingfeng Observatory?”
“Qingfeng Observatory…” Zuo Sheng frowned deeply.
Qingfeng Observatory had a loud reputation, but it was unclear whether they truly had the capability.
He didn’t want to entrust his life to others.
“I still recommend moving,” Zuo Sheng said after some thought, resolute.
“Alright,” Zuo Quan frowned and pondered for a moment, finally nodding, “You focus on your martial arts practice, I will arrange everything.”
His son was obsessed with martial arts, practicing in secret from a young age and even fooling him.
Others thought he was a spoiled scion.
But who would have thought he actually had an astonishing talent for martial arts?
When their home was invaded by evil spirits the last time, his son showed his true power, revealing his strength to everyone.
He valued his already-beloved only child even more.
“We still need to play nice with that Qian Shan for now; we can’t afford to be the ones sticking our necks out,” Zuo Sheng said calmly.
“Sheng Er has thought this through,” Zuo Quan nodded in relief.
…
Chen Mu went out fishing every other day.
With the Red Falcon Shape Cultivation Technique, he wasn’t concerned about distance.
He switched to two larger bamboo baskets and kept changing his fishing spots up and down the Bailang River.
He had even formed partnerships with various restaurants, like Anle Square’s Eight Directions Tower.
He didn’t need to peddle his fish; he sold them directly to these restaurants.
After being busy for a month straight, he had saved over twenty more silver pieces.
He had to thank the turmoil and the skyrocketing prices.
Otherwise, he couldn’t have sold them for such high prices.
He didn’t bother with the Bailang Gang much anymore.
Robbing their money wasn’t as profitable as fishing on his own.
“If I can save up two hundred silver pieces, I’ll leave,” Chen Mu thought unwillingly.
If it weren’t for the evil spirits causing trouble, life in Qingshan County wouldn’t be so bad.
He could practice martial arts and earn money. There were no disputes and no trouble.
Spending his days at home, increasing his proficiency, and often treating himself to delicious rewards.
This truly fit Chen Mu’s ideal lifestyle.
“`
“What a pity…”
A month had passed, and ghosts still haunted the area from time to time.
Chen Mu had to start making early plans.
…
He was intent on leaving Qingshan City.
In addition to earning money by fishing, Chen Mu began to prepare for his long journey.
He made two sets of clothes from grey, durable and dirt-resistant fabric, paired with two sturdy pairs of cloth shoes, and prepared dried meat floss, jerky, and other preserved foods that were easy to store.
Whenever he had free time, he would wander around the cattle and horse market to the west of the city. He planned to buy a mount.
The distance from Qingshan County to Nanyang Prefecture was not short.
Traveling with a load of bags and bundles, having a means of transportation was essential.
That day, just as he left the cattle and horse market,
he saw a crowd gathered under the archway at the entrance of the marketplace.
There was a wooden board with many notices posted on it.
High price for purchasing donkeys;
Bulls available for breeding;
Ancestral horse hoof trimming…
Chen Mu experienced a déjà vu of looking at small advertisements on telegraph poles in his previous life.
At this moment, a large notice was posted in the middle, and a Government Official was standing in front of the wooden board, loudly making an announcement.
“The Qingfeng Observatory outside the city is constructing a prayer and sacrifice altar, and is now recruiting workers from the entire city.”
“Due to the ritual needs, laborers must be born in January, July, or December.”
“Those who are selected will immediately receive a payment of one silver or one hundred and twenty jin of white wheat as a home establishment fee.”
“They will be provided with three meals a day and ten copper coins. Those who are willing to work, hurry to the east gate to register.”
No sooner had the official fallen silent than a large crowd ran toward the east gate.
The cost of living was soaring, making life difficult.
The home establishment fee of one hundred and twenty jin of white wheat, plus three meals a day, was a very good job for the common folk.
Chen Mu stood on the outskirts of the crowd and listened attentively.
“A prayer and sacrifice altar?”
“Is this Qingfeng Observatory’s method of fighting against ghosts?”
“Did the County Government Office finally ask for Qingfeng Observatory’s help?”
Chen Mu was quite pleased.
Does that mean he doesn’t need to leave?
He very much wanted to see the outside world, yet he didn’t wish to leave his familiar environment.
This was probably why small characters always remain small characters.
Chen Mu shook his head to cast aside these messy thoughts.
If he had just arrived in this world, he certainly would have signed up enthusiastically like those commoners.
Now… the salary and benefits were a bit too poor for his liking.
Dodging the surging crowd on the street, Chen Mu hurried home.
He needed to find out more information from Jie Jia.
He had to confirm Qingfeng Observatory’s capability.
…
“I don’t know,” said Jie Jia indifferently.
Chen Mu looked at Jie Jia in surprise.
“Using a Magic Artifact comes with a price,” Jie Jia glanced at Chen Mu.
“Feng Ren’s strength is passable. But to protect the entire city, no matter the Magic Artifact, he can’t afford the price,” said Jie Jia calmly.
It wasn’t Chen Mu’s first time hearing about Magic Artifacts
but he had not expected that using them came with a cost.
“Do all Magic Artifacts require a price?”
“Can you go without eating?” Jie Jia counter-asked.
Chen Mu immediately understood.
Just as fuel cars need petrol, computers need electricity and people need to eat, Magic Artifacts have special abilities, but they require energy to work.
“What’s the cost of using the Evil-Repelling Mirror?” Chen Mu was curious.
Such an item belonged to the official distribution of Evil-warding Artifacts in Da Liang, and almost every city at the county level or above had one.
“I don’t know. It seems to be related to some kind of sacrifice,” Jie Jia said, uncertain.
“Different Magic Artifacts have all sorts of bizarre costs. Some need water, some need meat, some require lightning strikes, and others require burning…”
Chen Mu listened with great interest.
He was extremely curious about these items.
Originally, he thought he was in a mere world of martial arts.
But with the appearance of ghosts and Magic Artifacts, Chen Mu felt that this world held many more mysteries.
“Are they that picky?” Chen Mu said with a chuckle, “What else is there?”
Jie Jia clammed up, his eyeballs shifting towards Chen Mu’s money pouch from beneath his eyelids.
Chen Mu turned his head and went to practice the Sleeve Sword Technique.
After toiling for over two months, his Sleeve Sword Technique was about to reach the Third Rank.
As for information about Magic Artifacts, he could find out more when he had the chance.
For now, he wouldn’t let the old man take advantage of him.