Chapter 83
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Chapter 83: A Chance Encounter in the City
Yunshan City.
A crowd had gathered at the south gate, pointing and murmuring about a bounty notice affixed to the city wall.
Wang Chen, poised to enter the city, halted and cast his gaze over the throng, settling on the prominently displayed bounty orders.
"Lu Zhisheng, a wandering ascetic from Liangshan Temple (suspected), with a high-level Qi Training cultivation. A reward of one thousand spirit fragments or two hundred contribution points for information leading to his whereabouts. Capture him alive or bring his head for three thousand spirit fragments or five hundred contribution points!"
This bounty clearly targeted both sect disciples and Loose Cultivators.
A strikingly lifelike portrait dominated the notice, depicting a man with large ears, a round face, a straight nose, a square mouth, thick eyebrows, and piercing eyes, all framed by a prominent bushy beard that exuded a fierce and intimidating aura.
The resemblance was at least eighty percent!
Wang Chen was well aware.
This portrait was undoubtedly crafted with care based on the description provided by the Spirit Plant Hall disciple he had spared.
This outcome was entirely within Wang Chen’s expectations.
He had not killed the disciple out of mercy.
Rather, it was to avoid leaving direct witnesses.
The guards investigating the family massacre would inevitably harass the bystanders and farmers present at the scene.
Given the guards’ notorious nature, they would not let anyone off without extracting their pound of flesh!
Wang Chen had no desire to drag these innocent people into his troubles.
He was not afraid of exposure; without Lu Zhisheng, there were still Wu Song, Lin Chong, Yan Qing…
A hundred and five generals to consider!
Thus, upon seeing the bounty orders, Wang Chen merely smirked and moved on without lingering.
As he entered the city, he distinctly felt that the defenses of Yunshan City had been significantly tightened.
The Wei Hall guards were rigorously scrutinizing everyone passing through the gates.
They paid particular attention to Loose Cultivators, even going so far as to inspect their storage bags!
This was a grave breach of etiquette.
After all, many cultivators harbored secrets within their storage bags, things that should never see the light of day.
But the Wei Hall guards were unyielding, and the Loose Cultivators seeking entry had no choice but to endure the indignity of the search.
As an Outer Sect Disciple, Wang Chen was spared this humiliation.
Otherwise, he would have turned on his heel and left immediately.
However, the recent string of misguided actions by the Yunyang Sect left Wang Chen with a sense of impending doom!
Upon arriving in Yunshan City, Wang Chen’s first stop was a talisman shop, where he purchased a batch of talismans and talisman ink.
Though Talisman Making was not as costly in spirit stones as pill refining or weapon crafting, becoming a true talisman maker required gradual accumulation of experience; without extraordinary talent, one could only rely on relentless practice to improve.
Despite his unique advantages, Wang Chen’s success rate in Talisman Making was still far from impressive.
The experience points for Beginner Talisman Making can only be increased upon successful crafting of talismans.
He had already exhausted the talisman paper and talisman ink he had previously purchased.
He planned to dedicate another one or two months to advancing his Beginner Talisman Making skills to an advanced level, or even to master-level!
By then, he could earn a substantial amount of spirit stones solely through this craft.
"Brother Wang Chen!"
Just as Wang Chen stepped out of the talisman shop, he heard a clear, cheerful voice calling from beside him.
He turned his head and saw a beautiful young woman.
The woman was dressed in a long gown, holding the hand of a little girl with twin buns in her hair, Little Ya.
What a coincidence!
Wang Chen was delighted. "Lady Chen, Little Ya!"
It was indeed Lady Chen and her daughter.
Lady Chen curtsied gracefully to him. "Young Master Wang, it has been a long time."
"Yes."
Wang Chen felt a wave of nostalgia. "How have you both been lately?"
Lady Chen had sent him several gifts through Little Ya before.
Although they were just simple things like peaches and wild vegetables, these gestures deeply touched Wang Chen.
To be honest, he hadn’t really done much to help them.
Yet they always remembered him.
Perhaps it was because, living in the city surrounded by strangers, they felt a sense of familiarity with him.
Lady Chen chatted with Wang Chen for a while by the roadside.
It turned out that earlier in the year, the Xie family in Yunshan City had opened a new embroidery shop, recruiting skilled embroiderers.
Embroidery is also one of the many arts in cultivation, and Lady Chen happened to be skilled in this craft.
So, she applied for a position at the Xie family’s embroidery shop and brought her daughter, Little Ya, to settle in Yunshan City.
Wang Chen was surprised. "What about your spirit fields?"
"They have all been transferred to others."
Lady Chen explained, "I sold the house too."
The Xie family’s embroidery shop provided food and shelter, which was the main reason she decided to give up her family business.
After all, living conditions in the city were much better than in the countryside!
Wang Chen sighed. "That sounds good."
He spoke sincerely.
Lady Chen was fortunate to start working in the city before the new local head took office, avoiding further exploitation.
She was truly lucky!
Wang Chen was genuinely pleased for the mother and daughter.
However, since he wasn’t particularly close to Lady Chen, who was also a widow, their conversation didn’t last long.
Before parting, Wang Chen bought a skewer of candied hawthorn for Little Ya.
Seeing the little guy’s face light up with a smile greatly lifted his spirits.
Next, Wang Chen headed to the Four Seas Trading Association.
After a thorough selection process, he purchased a technique known as "Thousand Illusions Hand."
This was a specialized skill for deploying miniature weapons.
When mastered to its highest level, it could unleash hundreds or even thousands of hidden weapons like flying locust stones, plum blossom darts, and thunder stones all at once!
Wang Chen spent one hundred and fifty spirit fragments on this technique.
However, his intention wasn’t to expand his expertise in hidden weapons.
By the time he finished shopping, it was nearly noon.
Wang Chen found a nearby tea house, selected a seat by the window, and summoned a waiter to order a pot of high-grade spiritual tea and two plates of snacks. He satisfied his hunger while eavesdropping on the conversations of nearby tea patrons.
These small, two or three-story tea houses were ubiquitous in Yunshan City.
Their affordability made them a favorite among low-level cultivators, with many regulars frequenting them.
They enjoyed gathering to chat, treating the place as a leisurely retreat.
After his initial visit, Wang Chen made it a habit to stop by the tea house whenever he had business or shopping in the city.
He relished hearing the local rumors and gossip.
The latest news was often overheard there.
As he was finishing his plate of spiritual rice pastries, he unexpectedly heard them mention "Lu Zhi Monk"!
"Who knows about Liangshan Temple?"
"Who can know? Although the Buddhist sect is considered a minor path, forest temples are scattered across the five continents."
"And what about the Qiantang River? I’ve never heard of that!"
"Hehe, if I knew, I would go announce it!"
"Announce? Just knowing the person’s background isn’t enough; you need to know where this poet monk is staying now!"
"Isn’t he called the Mad Monk?"
"Whether poet or mad monk, he is a truly heroic figure. I heard that…"
"Shh, how dare you say that!"
"What do I have to…"
"Ahem!"
At that moment, the tea house manager approached, coughing loudly at a group of chatty customers.
He pointed to the "Speak with Caution" sign hanging on the post.
A few customers awkwardly closed their mouths.
The atmosphere in the tea house was no longer as lively as before.
Wang Chen smiled, tossed thirty spirit fragments onto the tea table, and then stood up to leave.
As he departed, he didn’t forget to take the remaining pastries with him.
Pe551
Thanks for the chapter (＾3＾♪