They had just arrived in Fuyang County when they encountered the young woman attempting suicide by jumping into the river.

The awkward part was that Xu Qi’an and Mu Nanchí hadn’t yet found an inn to stay at. According to Xu Qi’an’s plan, they were supposed to settle in an inn first, and then deal with this matter.

But would the young woman believe the words of an outsider?

Thirty taels of silver was an enormous sum in her eyes; in fact, it was indeed a considerable fortune. Without showing something tangible, mere verbal promises wouldn’t be believed.

What if she lost hope again and jumped back into the river?

Therefore, giving her the silver in advance was to put her mind at ease. Once they found an inn, they could go and resolve the issue. Such minor civilian disputes no longer caused any sense of urgency for Xu Qi’an, who was accustomed to facing much greater challenges.

“Troubles are still matters to be dealt with. I once made a grand vow, wishing for no injustice in the world. I can’t manage things far away, but I can handle what’s right in front of me,” Xu Qi’an said, taking a sip of yellow wine.

“Now I understand another principle: doing good deeds alone can’t change the world, just as being a doctor can’t save a nation. To reduce injustice in the world, one must change the broader environment.”

Mu Nanchí rested her chin on her hand, her eyes sparkling with admiration. “Is that why the Buddhist grand vows are related to attaining fruition?”

Over this period, she had heard Xu Qi’an talk about many things, including the differences in cultivation methods of various systems, treating them as mere stories.

The Great Shang’s number one beauty was undoubtedly quick-witted, committing everything to memory.

“The grander the vow, the higher the fruition, but correspondingly, the difficulty also increases…” Xu Qi’an suddenly froze as a question occurred to him: What grand vow did Shen Shu make back then?

To this day, he could barely discern some of Shen Shu’s uniqueness – dual cultivation in both Chan Buddhism and martial arts, both at extremely high levels. Was Shen Shu considered a Bodhisattva or an Arhat?

This was a question he had never pondered before.

But whether an Arhat or a Bodhisattva, both were supreme fruition, which would surely leave traces. For example, if a certain ascetic monk made a grand vow:

“If only I could build vast houses by the thousands, to shelter all the poor scholars in the world!”

Then, the ascetic monk would undoubtedly have to take corresponding actions, such as frantically building houses and developing the real estate industry.

This would leave very obvious traces.

If he could know what grand vow Shen Shu had made back then, perhaps it would unlock the secrets surrounding Shen Shu and reveal the inside story of his dismemberment and sealing.

…

“Accompanied by a woman and a warhorse? Are you sure it’s a warhorse?” In the large courtyard, Zhu Er’s eyes suddenly lit up.

“That horse is exceptionally spirited, much larger than ordinary horses. Its body lines are truly irresistible,” the subordinate responsible for reconnaissance praised endlessly.

Warhorses were scarce commodities, something money couldn’t easily buy. With this year’s war between the court and the Shaman Religion, the Great Shang’s army had suffered heavy casualties, making warhorses even more sought after.

In Zhu Er’s eyes, its value was secondary; the key was its rarity.

It would be perfect as a gift for the County Magistrate.

These days, everyone loves horses, especially good ones.

Zhu Er pondered for a long while, then had a sudden inspiration: “Go, notify Constable Li. Tell him to bring a few brothers to the Shanyang Inn.”

…

The yellow wine of Fuyang County was indeed excellent, with an outstanding taste. Xu Qi’an, not knowing much about brewing, could only guess it was due to the water quality or the grains used.

Different lands nurtured different people, each place with its characteristics.

“When we leave Fuyang County, let’s buy a few jars of wine to take with us…” Mu Nanchí said with a delighted smile.

For her, the greatest benefit of traveling the world was being able to taste the delicacies and wines of various places, and appreciate different customs and sceneries.

Although they would occasionally encounter unpleasant sights along the way, dampening their mood, those experiences were also part of broadening their horizons.

The two put down their wine pots and set out together to deal with the young woman’s situation.

As they descended the stairs to the inn’s main hall, they suddenly heard hurried footsteps. Four constables and a group of fierce-looking men with brutish faces rushed into the inn.

The middle-aged man leading them wore the black uniform with the red trim of a chief constable.

This attire was all too familiar, giving Xu Qi’an an inexplicable sense of closeness.

The middle-aged chief constable swept his gaze around, looking at the inn’s attendant, and said in a deep voice, “Have any outsiders checked in today?”

The attendant immediately looked towards Xu Qi’an and Mu Nanchí: “Sir, these two are.”

The chief constable scrutinized Xu Qi’an and said, “Someone has accused you of raping a local woman. Come with us to the yamen.”

Me? Raping a woman? Xu Qi’an felt greatly slandered. If the great Xu Yinluo wanted to sleep with any young lady, they would be overjoyed and spread their legs willingly.

There was no need for rape.

Raping a local woman? The diners in the inn all looked over.

Hearing that an outsider had raped a local innocent woman, the diners immediately showed hostile expressions.

“Who accused me? Do you have any evidence?” Xu Qi’an was very familiar with the yamen’s arrest procedures. As he spoke, his gaze naturally fell on the group of burly men, focusing on one well-dressed, plump man among them.

In Xu Qi’an’s vision, this man was surrounded by a faint golden light, with a vague, small dragon image coiling and moving around him.

This made Xu Qi’an both happy and disappointed. He was happy because after being away for so long, he had finally encountered a Dragon Qi host. The disappointment was that this host’s Dragon Qi belonged to the scattered, minor type.

It wasn’t one of the nine crucial Dragon Qi.

The well-dressed middle-aged man snorted and said:

“My name is Zhu Er, and I’m the one who reported you to the yamen. Today, you rescued a woman who had fallen into the river by the bank, is that correct?”

Xu Qi’an nodded.

Zhu Er said indignantly, “Using the excuse of changing clothes, you took her to an old widower’s house and took advantage of the situation to rape her. She returned home and tearfully told me about this.”

As he spoke, he looked at the middle-aged chief constable and said, “Constable Li, you must seek justice for us common folk.”

Xu Qi’an suddenly understood, staring at him with a cold expression:

“So you’re Zhu Er, the one who set a trap for Zhang the Cripple, causing him to lose everything, and then forcibly took his wife, driving her to attempt suicide. I saw her pitiful state and helped her, giving her thirty taels of silver to repay the debt. What, did I ruin your plans?

“Hmm, is Zhang the Cripple’s wife with you now?”

He had a sudden realization. Due to the convergence effect of Dragon Qi and fortune, he would inevitably encounter those Dragon Qi hosts along his journey. It was just that the time scale couldn’t be controlled.

It might take a year, two years, or even longer.

Hearing this, the diners in the hall immediately understood.

Although he was an outsider, who among the county’s people didn’t know Zhu Er’s character, or that he had connections with the County Magistrate?

Compared to his words, people were more inclined to believe the outsider.

Constable Li maintained a facade of impartiality: “Enough talk. Come with us to the yamen. The County Magistrate has keen judgment and never wrongly accuses anyone.”

Suddenly, a loud neigh was heard, accompanied by screams.

Everyone rushed out of the inn to see several men struggling to subdue a fine horse in the spacious street. Two men were pulling on the reins, while another attempted to mount it.

But the mare executed a beautiful spin and backkick, sending the man flying. He lay on the ground, barely breathing, with blood seeping from his nose and mouth.

Zhu Er was both shocked and delighted. This horse was even more spirited than he had imagined. His greed intensified, and he shouted:

“Constable Li, he’s letting his horse run amok and hurt people. Add that to his crimes!”

Hearing this, Mu Nanchí put her hands on her hips and sneered, “Would it have hurt anyone if you hadn’t provoked it? You’re trying to steal the horse.”

Mu Nanchí was ignored by everyone due to her poor appearance.

Constable Li kept a straight face: “This horse is also an accomplice and must be taken away. He just whistled to control the horse and cause harm. Add that to his crimes.”

Zhu Er immediately smiled: “Constable Li’s judgment is godlike. Don’t you all agree?”

The men behind him burst into laughter.

Passersby on the street gathered around, pointing and whispering among themselves.

“Who is Zhu Er colluding with these corrupt officials to extort now?”

“Seems to be an outsider.”

“Oh, an outsider? Then he’s in for some bad luck.”

“Zhu Er has been running wild for too long, and no one can control him. At the beginning of the year, Manager Zhao of the silk shop was extorted for two hundred taels by Zhu Er. Dissatisfied, he went to the yamen to file a complaint, but the County Magistrate and Zhu Er were in cahoots. Zhao then went to Yong Province’s capital to appeal, but he was beaten and sent back. His shop was later taken over by Zhu Er.”

“Keep your voice down, or we’ll be in trouble if they hear us.”

“Hmph, if only our Fuyang County had a Xu Yinluo. Bullies like Zhu Er would have been executed long ago.”

This is the scourge of corrupt officials. In small places like this, they can completely oppress the common people and act tyrannically… Xu Qi’an, with his exceptional hearing, listened to the discussions among the people and was inexplicably reminded of Wei Yuan, who had once wanted to rectify the corrupt officials.

Constable Li snorted, “What are you standing there for? Cover the horse’s eyes.”

Once its eyes were covered, the horse would follow people obediently.

A constable immediately took off his uniform, shook it out, and ran towards the mare.

The mare kept backing away, but its reins were held firmly by two men, and it couldn’t break free.

It let out a long, continuous neigh.

“What are you neighing for? Keep it up, and I’ll chop you up,” the constable threatened as he tried to cover the mare’s head with his clothes.

But he didn’t succeed because a piece of silver shrapnel shot over, shattering his kneecap.

The constable immediately lost his balance and stumbled to his knees, then clutched his bloody, mangled knee and screamed.

He would be a cripple from now on.

The surrounding clamor immediately rose. The onlookers hadn’t expected this outsider to be so fierce, actually seriously injuring a yamen constable.

“You dare to assault and injure people!”

Constable Li’s brows furrowed as he drew his official saber.

“Constable Li, we’ll help you,” Zhu Er said with a cold smile, pulling out a narrow-bladed knife about the length of a forearm from behind his waist. His subordinates followed suit, drawing identical knives.

It seemed Xu Qi’an’s earlier action had made Constable Li and his men realize he had some skill. They didn’t immediately surround him, but instead gripped their weapons and slowly circled, inching closer with small steps.

When the distance between them was less than ten feet, Constable Li let out an angry roar and swung his saber with all his might.

He had some cultivation, and as his blade came down, it whistled through the air.

The others rushed in together.

Xu Qi’an raised his hand, casually snatching Constable Li’s saber. He reversed it and held it against the man’s neck, saying:

“Colluding with bullies and oppressing the people. Execute!”

The blade flashed, and a head rolled, eyes wide with shock.

Blood sprayed like a fountain.

The two constables and Zhu Er’s men looked terrified. The outsider’s earlier movements had seemed ordinary, with only two actions – snatching the saber and beheading. They couldn’t tell if he was truly skilled or if Constable Li had just been careless.

At this moment, Zhu Er saw the outsider turn towards him.

In that instant, terror exploded in his heart. His heart convulsed violently as he shouted:

“You dare kill a yamen constable? That’s a capital offense…”

Xu Qi’an ignored him, holding the blood-stained saber and steadily approaching Zhu Er.

Zhu Er retreated in horror, his hand holding the narrow knife trembling slightly. The next moment, the tension in his heart snapped, and he turned to run.

Thud!

Another piece of silver shrapnel shot out, shattering his kneecap.

Due to inertia, Zhu Er fell heavily to the ground. Then he saw a pair of black boots stop in front of his eyes.

Looking up, he saw the outsider coldly gazing down at him. “Bullying men and women. Execute!”

Another head rolled.

From Zhu Er’s corpse, a faint small golden dragon emerged, seeming to ride the clouds and mists, as if about to soar away on the wind.

Xu Qi’an took out a fragment of the Earth Book, aiming its mirror surface at the small golden dragon while silently reciting an incantation.

The small golden dragon transformed into fine golden light and was absorbed into the mirror.

All of this was invisible to the ordinary human eye.

The two constables and Zhu Er’s subordinates trembled in fear, their faces ashen, as their narrow knives clattered to the ground.

Xu Qi’an turned to look at them. “Accomplices to evil. Cut off their hands.”

Over a dozen arms fell to the ground.

More than ten men clutched their arms, screaming incessantly.

Having done all this, he led the mare and Mu Nanchí towards the end of the long street.

After a while, someone trembled and said, “Zhu Er is dead.”

He suddenly became excited and shouted:

“Zhu Er is dead!”

The silence was broken, and the crowd erupted.

Despite the extremely bloody scene, the bystanders on the street clapped and cheered, filled with excitement.

“That dog is finally dead.”

“Serves him right! Ran into someone he couldn’t bully, didn’t he?”

“He deserved worse than death, he deserved worse!”

“The outsider is a righteous hero.”

…

Outside the city, after rescuing the young woman, Xu Qi’an rode the mare, galloping wildly on the official road.

Mu Nanchí leaned against his chest, her body bouncing up and down as she spoke intermittently:

“Slow, slow down, you’re going too fast…

“Are we running away?”

Xu Qi’an, focused on riding, said, “What else? Wait at the inn for the County Magistrate to send troops to surround us, and then kill them all? We’re jianghu people now, doing jianghu things.”

Mu Nanchí panted heavily, “Jianghu things?”

“Kill a man every ten steps, leave no trace for a thousand miles, when it’s done, brush off your clothes and go, hiding both your body and name.”

Quick to avenge wrongs and right injustices, drawing swords to fight at the sight of unfairness.

This is the jianghu.

After saying this, he no longer paid attention to the Great Shang’s number one beauty. A strand of his primordial spirit sank into the Earth Book fragment. In the hazy mirror-like space, a slender golden dragon floated motionless in mid-air.

It seemed to be sealed by the Earth Book fragment, or perhaps in a state of slumber.

“My sensing range for Dragon Qi hasn’t changed, but I can now use the Earth Book fragment to increase this range. In the future, as I collect more Dragon Qi, will the range expand…

“Also, I now essentially have Dragon Qi with me, so my luck should improve. The wonderful times of picking up silver every day seem to be coming back…

“The fortune in my body has fully revived, long surpassing the realm of picking up money, so I had to use the methods of the Insect Clan to shield it.”

Although it was only a thin strand of Dragon Qi, Xu Qi’an was still extremely excited. The cultivation of the Seven Absolutes Gu was progressing well, he had collected two of the materials needed for the Soul-Summoning Bell artifact, and now he had successfully collected a strand of Dragon Qi.

The mission was progressing smoothly.

…

Four days later, the two arrived in a place called Ping Province.

Xu Qi’an led the mare, walking on the official road. Today the sun was shining brightly, and Xu Qi’an was in a cheerful mood.

Mu Nanchí sat on the horse’s back, flipping through the “Great Shang Geographic Records,” saying seriously:

“Ping Province is a good place. It’s rich in mineral resources and famous for its porcelain…”

As she read on, her face fell: “Unfortunately, there’s nothing good to eat.”

Nothing good to eat… Xu Qi’an suddenly felt disappointed.

“However, the women of Ping Province are particularly charming, beautiful without being vulgar, and passionate,” Mu Nanchí added.

Passionate, whether describing men or women, implies that they’re easy to seduce into bed…

Xu Qi’an’s eyes lit up, his mind flashing to images of brothels and pleasure houses.

What a great place!

“Look at you! I just mentioned it, and you’re all excited!” Mu Nanchí pointed at him, shouting.

Ah? It was a lie… Xu Qi’an immediately felt disappointed again.

As lunchtime approached, the two finally entered the city. Xu Qi’an stared intently at the young women on the roadside, only to find that most were quite ordinary-looking. Mu Nanchí arriving here was like coming home.

Suddenly, they heard the sound of suona horns playing a rhythmic tune, accompanied by deep but equally rhythmic drumbeats.

Turning to look, they saw a procession slowly approaching, with banners held high at the front: East Sea Dragon Palace!

At the center of the procession was a sedan chair without a roof, using curtains instead.

On a large chair covered with animal skins and soft cushions sat two women and a man: Niao.

Through the thin curtains, the young man’s handsome features were visible – sword-like eyebrows and star-like eyes. He had his arms around a woman on each side, a seductive smile on his lips.

He seemed to greatly enjoy having a woman on each arm, occasionally leaning down to whisper in their ears.

Most eye-catching were the two women wearing light, revealing clothes that hinted at their voluptuous figures.

They were at the most alluring age for women, with eyes like stars and eyebrows like painted clouds, their features exquisite.

They looked almost identical, but one was cold as frost while the other was languid and charming. Both were half-leaning against the man, wearing sweet expressions.

These two ripe peaches, either one taken alone, would be a top-tier beauty.

But as a pair, their significance was entirely different.

Xu Qi’an calmly averted his gaze. He keenly sensed the envy, jealousy, and hatred in the emotions of the surrounding passersby. Of course, his ability to sense these emotions had nothing to do with the fact that he was also feeling envious, jealous, and resentful.

What kind of jianghu force is the East Sea Dragon Palace? Twin sisters… Xu Qi’an muttered, unable to bear looking any longer. He led the mare away quickly.

…

After asking for directions along the way, the two arrived at the largest inn in Ping Province.

Ping Province was very wealthy, relying on its rich iron mines and porcelain, along with the canal transportation dock outside the city, making it commercially prosperous.

After reading the “Great Shang Geographic Records,” Mu Nanchí thought there was nothing good to eat here, but in fact, the market was full of various shops selling all kinds of specialties and snacks.

As the largest “Wealth Source Inn” in the city, it had an impressive three-story main building.

Behind it were several elegant courtyards, provided for wealthy guests, such as rich men like Xu Qi’an.

This inn had another notable feature. When guests staying in the elegant courtyards checked in, the attendant would present portraits of girls from the city’s largest brothel, “Celadon Pavilion.”

If a guest chose one, the inn would summon that girl for them.

“Oh, so the owner of the inn and the owner of Celadon Pavilion are the same person,” Xu Qi’an suddenly realized. Then, under Mu Nanchí’s icy gaze, he reluctantly handed the portraits back to the attendant, saying:

“No need, their looks are ordinary. I’m not interested.”

The inn attendant hurriedly took back the portraits, a thin stack. Hearing this, he glanced at Mu Nanchí.

“As you wish, sir. If you need anything, just let us know. There will always be someone waiting outside the courtyard.”

He turned away with a smile but curled his lip.

Compared to this old auntie’s looks, which girl from Celadon Pavilion wouldn’t be ten or a hundred times better?

This guest looked young, and though his appearance was ordinary, he seemed generous. How did he end up with a woman who was not only older but also without beauty?

Perhaps he had some strange preferences…

Of course, no preference was too strange. The inn attendant had seen gentlemen who liked pale, sickly young men. When guarding outside the courtyard at night, he had heard the heart-wrenching screams of those young men, truly making one’s posterior clench.

Xu Qi’an and the Great Shang’s number one beauty sat in the courtyard drinking yellow wine and enjoying lunch. At their feet was a small brazier, warming yellow wine infused with ginger strips and spices.

“It would be perfect if we had a clay pot egg now, to crack into the yellow wine and cook together…” Xu Qi’an suddenly remembered his father’s taste for yellow wine in his previous life.

At this moment, a woman wearing a dark blue long dress pushed open the courtyard door without permission.

She swept her gaze around and said coolly, “Sir, my master is to stay in this courtyard. I hope you can accommodate us.”

Her demeanor was arrogant, but her actions were still somewhat proper. She took out a gold ingot from her sleeve:

“This is compensation from my master.”

Xu Qi’an recognized the clothing she wore. It was from the procession they had encountered earlier on the street, the one carrying the “East Sea Dragon Palace” banner.

The man who seemed to be the palace master, with a pair of twin sisters in his arms.