Song Qian Ji said seriously: “No, outer sect workers still receive spirit stones, but I don’t have a single one here!”

Is “I don’t have any” something to be proud of? Why stand tall with your chest out? The white lights were furious.

True Person Hantian was nearly killed by their glares, cowering under wheat stalks with his hands covering his head.

Some wanted to negotiate, but Song Qian Ji ignored them:

“Which of you is Xian Jianchen’s master?”

He could now distinguish these white light clusters by their outlines and voices.

He knew which were thousand-year-old ancestors and which were elders who had freshly died just two or three hundred years ago.

Three white lights on the left wailed in grief at his words, shaking their heads and sighing:

“He came from the outer sect, how could he have taken a master? He was entirely self-taught!”

“So your master is Xian Jianchen, no wonder you’re so domineering and disrespectful to elders!”

“It was precisely because this unruly aberration Xian Jianchen appeared that the outer sect rules became more strict. Who would have thought he’d take a disciple and have that disciple cause another scene at Huawei Sect? The sect was fated to suffer this calamity, alas.”

Song Qian Ji hadn’t expected that Xian Jianchen’s name not only subdued the living but also the dead souls—truly a passport for both the living and the netherworld.

But outside he had borrowed Xian Jianchen’s influence, while here he had to bear Xian Jianchen’s blame.

He patiently explained: “I’m not his disciple. I’m more reasonable than him. There’s no fate, only cause and effect, the cycle of the world.

My domain has beautiful scenery, fragrant wheat fields, and treatment far more generous than the outer sect. I’ve never stipulated that you must work every day to rest, nor are there punishments for incomplete work—it’s all benefit and no harm to you…”

Despite these words, Song Qian Ji knew clearer than anyone: once a competition system was established, as soon as one person started accumulating points, the others would have no choice but to compete.

Sailing against the current, not advancing means retreating. Either lie flat together or race a hundred boats.

After the white lights discussed among themselves, the Huawei Founding Patriarch finally spoke: “The point system is voluntary, with no coercion.”

Song Qian Ji smiled happily: “No problem. Venerable elders, this junior hopes everyone will soon come to terms with this, and your hearts will feel much better.”

After speaking, he deliberately bent down, parting wheat stalks to greet: “Elder Hantian, they may lack ambition, but you’ll certainly take first place. I await your performance.”

As soon as Song Qian Ji finished speaking, he immediately disappeared from the center of the wheat field.

True Person Hantian cried out in distress, scurrying away with his head covered. A series of collision sounds echoed through the wheat field.

…

“He’s awake! Senior Brother is awake!”

Song Qian Ji opened his eyes. Three heads were clustered together, their anxious expressions identical.

“See, I told you he was fine,” Lin Feiyuan immediately moved aside. “Look at his steady breath and rosy complexion—he was just in meditation.”

Meng He Ze helped Song Qian Ji up. “Senior Brother, how do you feel?”

“I’m fine.” Song Qian Ji patted Ji Chen’s head: “Don’t cry.”

It was early morning. Dust clouds rose from Huawei Mountain’s main peak, covering half the sky, and blocking the sun.

The Seven Wonders Treasure Ship broke through the smoky dust, steadily sailing toward Thousand Channels County.

Song Qian Ji briefly recalled: that Yuan Qingshi had abandoned Huawei Floating City and hastily fled. Meng He Ze and the others naturally escaped.

Then Xian Jianchen appeared, and he entered his domain while his body was found and moved onto the treasure ship.

Meng He Ze said: “After the fake Huawei City shattered and disappeared, the Huawei Mountain area suddenly shook violently with rolling boulders.”

A breeze arose, the dust scattered, and they could see the sun.

Song Qian Ji narrowed his eyes, looking toward Huawei Mountain.

From a distance, the main peak’s top was unusually flat, a section lower than the surrounding peaks, as if someone had sliced it level with a sword through the clouds.

He seemed to know what Xian Jianchen had done.

Something that hadn’t happened in his previous life.

Meng He Ze followed his gaze: “Those who harm others get struck by lightning. Huawei Sect is now severely weakened, and in disarray—they won’t have time to trouble us for the next few years.”

Everyone on the ship laughed, except Song Qian Ji: “When you were trapped in Huawei Floating City, did you kill anyone?”

Lin Feiyuan impatiently said: “Of course—”

“Of course not,” Ji Chen answered simultaneously. “We discovered those mortals were unarmed and without cultivation. I couldn’t bring myself to harm them. Brother Meng had to lead everyone to escape. If they had all been cultivators, preferably like Friend Zhao Ren, it would have been much easier.”

Lin Feiyuan was stunned. Having left Huawei Sect behind, he had removed his disguise, revealing his true appearance.

Meng He Ze lowered his head: “This time, I couldn’t help Senior Brother Song.”

Song Qian Ji smiled, patting his shoulder: “No, you all helped me. Thank you.”

Meng He Ze was surprised: “Thank me?”

A corner of the faint shadow in Song Qian Ji’s heart was wiped away.

No one was following his old path; no one was forced to make choices like he had in his previous life.

The cold wind no longer cut to the bone. He detected the faint scent of spring in the air, as if seeing spring breeze sweeping across Thousand Channels’ fields, tender green shoots sprouting from countless seeds.

“Back to Thousand Channels!” He waved his hand, accelerating the Seven Wonders Treasure Ship.

All disciples cheered together.

This trip to and from Huawei Sect couldn’t be called a narrow escape from disaster, merely a false alarm. Song Qian Ji looked around, seeing young faces filled with joy like they were rushing home for the New Year.

But one discordant voice broke in: “Stop the ship, let me off.”

The atmosphere suddenly chilled.

“Brother Lin, why is this?” Ji Chen asked with concern.

Meng He Ze snickered: “What’s wrong with you now? Why the temper tantrum?”

Song Qian Ji walked to Lin Feiyuan’s side, seeming to have a premonition: “You’re not coming back with me?”

Lin Feiyuan stared toward Huawei Mountain, not looking at him: “What would I go back for, to continue being your dog?”

Meng He Ze’s expression changed drastically but was stopped by Song Qian Ji’s raised hand.

Ji Chen pulled him away, beckoning everyone else to retreat.

“One dog isn’t enough? How many more dogs do you want? You have dogs guarding gates, dogs setting formations, dogs taking care of your food and lodging—what would you keep me for? I have no skill except killing, and your Thousand Channels do not need me to kill. I’m useless to you. Do you expect me to hide in Thousand Channels as a tailor for my entire life?” Lin Feiyuan grinned, showing his canine teeth.

“Don’t talk like that!” Song Qian Ji was typically gentle, but now his tone was unusually stern, almost scolding.

Lin Feiyuan wasn’t afraid of him and sneered: “I’ve always talked this way—it’s not the first time you’ve heard it!”

“Saying this doesn’t hurt me but hurts yourself,” Song Qian Ji looked at him.

For some reason, Lin Feiyuan suddenly became angry: “But I’m used to it! You know I’m different from them. They were by your side when they knew nothing, had done nothing!”

He pointed toward Meng He Ze and Ji Chen’s backs, seeming to be angry at Song Qian Ji, but more at himself: “Why did you save me? You can’t save me! You might save one person, but can you save everyone in the world?”

“I never thought about saving everyone,” Song Qian Ji said softly. “I just… didn’t want to see you die.”

Lin Feiyuan was stunned, blinking his eyes with what seemed like tears flashing through them.

The treasure ship sped through clouds and mist as they stood in confrontation by the vermilion railing. Lin Feiyuan took a deep breath and looked up at the sky.

“Life and death are fated, wealth and honor heaven-sent. Don’t concern yourself with me.” After speaking, he leaped off in a single bound.

If Song Qian Ji had reached out to stop him, he certainly could have held him back, but he only said softly: “Don’t die.”

Lin Feiyuan mounted his sword, his figure quickly vanishing.

Meng He Ze rushed to the railing, shouting twice: “Hey!”

Layer upon layer of clouds, with no echo in response.

Ji Chen muttered to himself: “He just left like that? The clothes he promised to tailor aren’t finished yet. What about the cat he was raising?”

Meng He Ze fumed: “I’ve always said assassins are ungrateful wolves that can’t be tamed. Let him go! It’s not like we can’t manage without him!”

Ji Chen looked at Song Qian Ji with some worry: “Senior Brother Song, you…”

“I’m fine,” Song Qian Ji waved his sleeve. “Let’s go.”

The Seven Wonders Treasure Ship disappeared into the clouds, leaving no trace.

Lin Feiyuan turned his sword around, flying toward the chaotic Huawei Mountain.

Thousand Channels lost a tailor but remained Thousand Channels full of hope.

Once Lin Feiyuan left Thousand Channels, he could only return to being the “Assassin Leader” who struck during the chaos.

…

Before Song Qian Ji’s treasure ship reached Thousand Channels County, news of Huawei Sect’s calamity had already spread across the continent.

Wei Ping was in a good mood, chopping fish meat and pig liver, mixing a bowl of cat food, calling over the lazy cat sunbathing on the steps.

Whether it was Ji Chen’s sister, Meng He Ze’s parents, or Lin Feiyuan’s cat, he took meticulous care of them all.

Though Song Manor was empty of people, Manager Wei remained busy.

More and more people were migrating to Thousand Channels, and like most places in the world, swindling merchants, troublemaking hooligans, and fighting cultivators began to appear.

Wei Ping converted the former temple into a prison and court, assigned Xu Kanshan and others to publicize laws and regulations, strengthened city patrols, and designed a questionnaire for Zhou Xiaoyun, Ji Xing, and others to distribute.

Only those who passed the test could receive Thousand Channels household registration cards to officially settle down.

Newly arrived rogue cultivators regardless of their realm, and ordinary people regardless of their wealth, all had to answer the questions.

This measure, far from discouraging immigration enthusiasm, attracted even more people wanting to start a stable new life.

The stray cat had been raised to sleek glossiness at Song Manor, walking proudly with small steps, approaching the bowl to leisurely enjoy its meal.

When it finished eating, Wei Ping tried to reach out to pet its fur. The cat alertly jumped away, baring its teeth fiercely, emitting a weak growl from its throat.

“Ungrateful white-eyed cat!” Wei Ping laughed angrily, making an indirect jab: “A little freeloader dependent on others, still showing attitude with me.”

He had no time to quibble with the cat and pushed open the door.

Song Qian Ji’s group would arrive tonight. Wei Ping planned to go to Thousand Channels Market to pick some fresh meat and prepare Thousand Channels Sixteen-Spice Roast Meat to welcome them back.

Thousand Channels Market was lively and bustling with crowds.

“Manager Wei, good news!” Xu Kanshan came running in a hurry, shouting all the way.

Wei Ping stood at the meat stall, selecting meat while smiling: “Who on this street doesn’t know about the Huawei Sect affair? Shopkeeper cut me a lamb shoulder.”

“Not that—this time it’s your good news!” Xu Kanshan said breathlessly.

“Immortal Official Song is eating roast lamb tonight?” The stall owner’s knife fell, cutting off the most tender piece: “Congratulations in advance, Manager Wei.”

Congratulatory voices rose from surrounding stalls. In the Thousand Channels Market, Wei Ping had the best reputation.

Wei Ping smiled embarrassedly and pointed to a beef tenderloin: “I want this too… what good news could I possibly have?”

Xu Kanshan said happily: “A letter from your family—they’re coming to Thousand Channels to find you!”

Wei Ping’s smile gradually disappeared.

“The messenger just now said your relatives will arrive tonight!” Xu Kanshan waved an envelope addressed “To Wei Ping, Personal.”

Wei Ping packed the fresh meat and said flatly: “Both my parents are dead. What family do I have?”

Xu Kanshan was stunned, immediately changing his expression and cursing loudly: “What kind of swindlers dare to trick us! I shouldn’t have let that messenger get away!”

Wei Ping took the envelope: “It’s fine. I’ll handle it.”

Early spring was approaching, and the coldness in the wind gradually dispersing.

Wei Ping walked through Thousand Channels Market, and everyone he met face-to-face smiled at him:

“Hello, Manager Wei.”

“Manager Wei, what else are you buying today?”

Wei Ping returned their smiles.

This was the market he had built with his own hands and poured his heart into; every merchant household knew him.

Immortal Official Song was the small statue secretly enshrined at home; Manager Wei was the person who patrolled, bought groceries, and managed affairs daily.

Far more people in Thousand Channels County had seen Manager Wei than had seen Immortal Official Song.

Wei Ping loved Thousand Channels Market, Song Manor, and Thousand Channels County.

“Such bad timing,” Wei Ping murmured. “To avoid delaying dinner, I’ll do anything necessary.”