Chapter 11: The Teahouse

Qin Sang did not know what the "Qi" mentioned in the *Nether Scripture* referred to, nor if it was the same thing as the "True Qi" or "Internal Energy" that Bai Jianglan spoke of.

Broadly speaking, this *Nether Scripture* was divided into six levels.

Aside from the cultivation methods, the *Nether Scripture* did not contain a single word of fluff; it did not touch upon anything else at all. Qin Sang could not determine whether this was an internal martial arts manual or a technique for immortal cultivation.

When he reached the chapter on the "Yama Banner," it described how to use that "Qi" to control the Yama Banner. However, one could only attempt this after successfully completing the first level of the *Nether Scripture*. As for what specific functions the Yama Banner had, it did not say.

After reading the entire text several times, Qin Sang was still confused and felt a throbbing headache. Seeing that it was already late at night, he decided not to rush and went to rest first.

……

The guards at the gates of Sanwu City were lax, and with Qin Sang and Mingyue both wearing Taoist robes, they easily slipped into the city.

Before entering, Qin Sang looked back and saw that outside the city gates, a town had already formed, stretching for over ten miles.

From the city gates outward, it went from two- or three-story buildings to low stone houses, then to thatched shacks, and finally to people who simply laid straw on the open ground to make a home.

The outermost perimeter was crowded with countless disaster victims from the north. Most did not even have a shack to shield them from the wind and rain. Fortunately, Qin Sang had seen several wealthy households setting up porridge stalls along the way, so the victims were at least able to get a bite to eat.

In recent days, Qin Sang had clearly felt the number of disaster victims increasing at Qingyang Temple. He hadn't expected the ferry crossing to be so overcrowded, and with so many gathered outside Sanwu City, he wondered how they would survive this cold winter.

The first thing he saw upon entering the city was a meat bun shop with a scent that drifted for miles. Qin Sang’s eyes turned green with hunger. He hurriedly pulled Mingyue inside, and the two of them gulped down a steamer of meat buns, barely half-filling their stomachs, before wandering aimlessly through the city.

Today was an auspicious day, and Daoist Jixin had two ritual services to perform. They weren't major events like weddings or funerals, so the Daoist could handle them himself. Qin Sang had asked for permission and taken Mingyue into the city to sightsee.

At Qingyang Temple, Qin Sang had chatted with patients and pilgrims, hearing more than once about how grand Sanwu City was.

Now seeing it with his own eyes, from the perspective of his past life, Sanwu City naturally couldn't compare to a modern metropolis, but in this era, it was worthy of being called a majestic city.

The two of them walked through the streets, drawing attention in their Taoist robes.

Mingyue had red lips and white teeth, with a face that made people fond of him.

Although Qin Sang had the background of a farm boy, Qin Sanwa hadn't suffered much in his youth and looked quite fair-skinned. Coupled with the confidence and spirit of a modern man, and his very generous spending, he didn't look like a destitute, sour Taoist at all.

The two of them walking together were quite eye-catching.

Along the way, many people looked at them with curiosity. Qin Sang didn't think much of it, but Mingyue was a bit shy, following him step by step. When he couldn't take it anymore, he tugged on the corner of Qin Sang’s robe and asked in a low voice, "Senior Brother, where are we going?"

"First, let's find some good food..."

Qin Sang’s eyes wandered everywhere. Whenever he encountered food he hadn't seen before, he would spend money to buy it and share it with Mingyue. He spent money like water along the way; in any case, it was money stolen from his enemies, so he didn't feel the pinch.

Having lived with the stingy old Daoist, Mingyue had never eaten so many good things. He ate with a beaming smile, skipping along beside Qin Sang, and gradually loosened up. However, he felt sorry for Qin Sang, saying, "Senior Brother, you spent so much money today. Master says money is hard to earn; you should save it to marry a wife!"

Qin Sang pointed to a pastry shop ahead, "Do you want to eat that?"

Mingyue clenched his hands into fists and tapped them together, "Ah... just a little bit of that will be fine!"

……

Coming out of the pastry shop, Mingyue hugged a large package wrapped in oil paper, saying he wanted to take it back to share with Master.

Eating and walking along the way, Qin Sang’s understanding of this world deepened, and he truly integrated the memories of Qin Sanwa into himself.

After walking only a few streets, Qin Sang’s stomach was completely full. He also saw some business opportunities on the road; with the stolen money as capital, it wouldn't be hard to make a living with some diligent management, but Qin Sang couldn't muster any interest.

Chatting and laughing with Mingyue, they turned a corner, and a three-story wooden building came into view. The building stood by the inner river of Sanwu City, with weeping willows swaying nearby. The sign on the building read "Honghu Tower." It was quite imposing, and in reality, it was a teahouse.

From time to time, the sound of a gavel and deafening exclamations and laughter drifted from the teahouse. Qin Sang knew it was because of the rather famous storyteller inside.

He had come into the city specifically for this teahouse.

If one wanted to gather information, there was no better place than a spot for leisure and socializing. What Qin Sang wanted to know more about were the legends of gods and monsters around Sanwu City, so he had deliberately inquired at Qingyang Temple and had long since learned of Honghu Tower.

Honghu Tower was the most famous teahouse in the southern part of Sanwu City. It had three floors, with varying tea prices, and the patrons who came and went were of all kinds, encompassing every walk of life.

Qin Sang sat down on the first floor, where the crowd was densest, ordered a pot of tea, and listened to the storyteller on the stage.

*Bang!*

The chubby storyteller slammed his gavel down, the fat on his face trembling, and the teahouse instantly fell silent.

"Speaking of this matter, there is one past event that must be mentioned. Five hundred years ago, a hero named Wang Bin was subdued by the ancestor of our Great Sui, the Divine Martial Emperor... This person is a descendant of Hero Wang..."

Qin Sang listened for a while. This storyteller, named Liu Jingting, lived up to his reputation. His storytelling was dramatic and gripping; even ordinary events sounded extraordinary coming from his mouth.

However, his heart wasn't in it. His eyes darted around, and he began to strike up conversations with the patrons to his left and right.

He spent the entire day in the teahouse, even eating lunch there. Qin Sang didn't spare the silver, treating people to tea and making many "friends," using his conversational skills to guide them into talking about the local legends of gods and ghosts in Sanwu City.

While Liu Jingting told stories on stage, the group below told old tales. Mingyue sat to the side, guarding his pastries with both hands, listening with great interest, not finding it boring to sit there for the whole day.

By the time the sun began to set, Qin Sang and Mingyue reluctantly left the teahouse. Qin Sang purchased a large batch of daily necessities that the temple lacked, hired an ox cart to load them, and met up with Daoist Jixin, who had finished his rituals. By the time they returned to Qingyang Temple, twilight had already descended.

Before the evening lessons, by the light of an oil lamp, the three master and disciples sat around a charcoal brazier to share the pastries.

Mingyue bit into a fruit, and seeing Qin Sang reading a Taoist scripture, he suddenly asked, "Senior Brother, why were you asking those people about legends of gods on the mountain all day? Do you want to seek immortality too?"

The old Daoist raised his eyelids.

Qin Sang looked up and smiled, "Immortals, who wouldn't want to be one? It's a pity that none of these legends are reliable."

"Master said before that those who go into the deep mountains and great rivers definitely won't find immortals; immortal masters wouldn't stay in such godforsaken places," Mingyue said, earnestly advising him for fear that Qin Sang would go astray, "Senior Brother, those legends are all fake, don't believe them."

Qin Sang’s eyes lit up as he looked at the old Daoist.

Daoist Jixin finished a piece of pastry, wiped his hands in a leisurely manner, and snorted, "Boy, if you want to find a chance for immortality on Cuiming Mountain, this Daoist advises you not to waste your effort. Get down the mountain and live your life honestly, lest you cut off the incense lineage of your Qin family."