Chapter Sixteen: Fang City

“Stop right there. What are you two doing?”
At the city gate, the guards halted the two figures about to enter.

“Ah, we are merchants here to sell rare treasures.”

“Treasures?”

“Yes, exactly. Like these, all meant for sale.” One of them opened a small cloth pouch, revealing rings inlaid with gemstones that sparkled in a spectrum of colors, exuding an air of opulence.

“Ah, do the two of you have proof of entry and exit?”

“Here it is.”

“All right, no problem. Please, come inside.”

Thus, Shen Chang’an and Zheng Xin entered Fang City. Along the way, Zheng Xin kept glancing curiously at Shen Chang’an, asking, “Daoist, where did you get so many gemstones?”

Shen Chang’an shot her a look, then suddenly smiled and tossed three or five rings into her hand.

“If you like them, I’ll give you a few,” he replied carelessly. These were simply products of modern craftsmanship, not natural gemstones, and back in his world, they were common enough to be found by the handful. In this world, however, no one could discern their true nature—at least, ordinary folk could not.

Shen Chang’an had never cared for wealth; even after losing his luggage, he managed just fine, mainly because he kept such things close at all times.

Zheng Xin was delighted, but her expression quickly changed as she asked, “Daoist, you didn’t steal these, did you?”

Shen Chang’an chuckled, “No, I bought them myself.”

“You’re usually so stingy, barely willing to eat a proper meal, but suddenly you’re flush with wealth?” Zheng Xin wondered aloud.

Shen Chang’an shrugged and snorted softly, “I’m just frugal, not stingy. Besides, money is merely an external possession—so long as it’s enough, that’s all that matters.”

He only wished to spare himself unnecessary trouble as he wandered this world. If he had to earn his travel expenses here, he might as well spend a year working instead of hunting monsters.

“Hey, Daoist, so generous—why not give me all your worldly possessions?”

Shen Chang’an laughed. “Isn’t the daughter of the Hall Master of Loyalty and Righteousness Hall supposed to be above such concerns?”

Zheng Xin snorted, “Loyalty and Righteousness Hall belongs to Zheng Hu Yi. What’s that got to do with me?”

Shen Chang’an shrugged, “Fine. If you like, I’ll leave some for you when I depart.”

Zheng Xin beamed, patting Shen Chang’an’s shoulder. “Daoist, you’re worthy of my admiration.”

To blend in, Zheng Xin was dressed in men’s clothes, which drew little attention.

“Ah…” Shen Chang’an sighed helplessly. “Now that we’re in Fang City, let’s visit a tavern, sit for a while, and see what news we can gather.”

“Alright, let’s go.” Having received Shen Chang’an’s promise, Zheng Xin eagerly led the way. They soon found a large-looking tavern and entered, eating while gathering information.

They had barely sat and begun ordering when Shen Chang’an overheard the conversation at the neighboring table about Fang City’s master, Lord Fang, and perked up.

He signaled to Zheng Xin to handle the ordering, then focused his attention on the nearby conversation.

Since mastering the entry-level Shangqing Sensation Method, Shen Chang’an could freely channel his internal spiritual power. Previously, his spiritual power either surged naturally or followed fixed routes when casting spells.

Now that he had achieved the entry-level insight, he could manipulate his inner power at will.

He directed his spiritual energy to his ears, concentrating his attention, and easily caught the sounds he wished to hear.

“Lord Fang is truly remarkable—he even managed to invite that esteemed guest.”

“Well, it is the third anniversary of Fang City’s founding after all. It must be grand.”

“Speaking of which, Lord Fang really built everything from scratch. To see such a grand city rise from nothing is astonishing.”

“Who could have imagined, living here as we once did, that we would someday enjoy such prosperity?”

“It’s all thanks to Lord Fang. Now we don’t even have to work to live well.”

As Shen Chang’an listened quietly, Zheng Xin tapped him. “Hey, Daoist, look below.”

Shen Chang’an was momentarily taken aback, then looked down to see a luxurious carriage passing by, surrounded by two rows of people, all excitedly shouting, though he had no idea what for.

“What’s this?”

“I’m not sure. They say the person in the carriage is a master, but no one knows what kind of master. I asked around and couldn't get a straight answer.”

Shen Chang’an watched with a slight frown, feeling uneasy. He was about to retrieve the Jade Medallion of Zhonglong, but the carriage moved out of range before he could act.

Seeing him take out the jade medallion, Zheng Xin was surprised. After so long together, she knew what it was and asked, “Is there something wrong with that person?”

Shen Chang’an put down the medallion and rubbed his temples. “I don’t know. Just now, when I looked over, my temples throbbed and I felt something was off, so I wanted to check.”

With his spiritual power, Shen Chang’an’s senses were sharper than most. If he felt uneasy, there was likely something amiss.

“It might not be a demon, though,” Zheng Xin said. “Last time you felt uneasy, it turned out to be a band of robbers surrounding us.”

Shen Chang’an nodded. “Perhaps it’s just an important figure who triggered my alertness. But what sort of master could it be? A sword master?”

“I don’t know. Others are vague, just saying a master is coming.”

“How odd…” Shen Chang’an frowned. “If no one knows what kind of master, why all this excitement?”

Looking around, he saw true excitement on their faces. Yet when Zheng Xin asked, they gave only vague answers.

“So strange…” Shen Chang’an frowned but didn’t dwell on it. This person was unrelated to him, and his main purpose was to eliminate the calamity here.

“Snakes, insects, rats, ants—what exactly are they?” He opened the ancient beast-skin book, noticing the illustrations had become more solid, emitting a faint heat. Clearly, he had come to the right place.

“They must be in Fang City, but where exactly?” Shen Chang’an looked at the vast city, realizing how difficult it would be to find a hidden demon among its populace.

“Ah, what a headache…” He rubbed his temples as the food arrived. He decided not to think further, sitting down to eat with Zheng Xin.

But after only a few bites, Shen Chang’an frowned and put down his chopsticks.

“Daoist, why aren’t you eating?” Zheng Xin asked.

He looked at her. “Do you think this tastes good?”

Zheng Xin glanced at her bowl of pork ribs, laughing, “It’s not as good as the biggest tavern in Lin’an, but it’s decent.”

Shen Chang’an snorted, “It’s pig feed—no, not even pigs would eat this.”

Zheng Xin was taken aback. In her memory, Shen Chang’an was not like this. Normally, he was very frugal with food, never wasting anything regardless of taste.

He had explained that his hometown once suffered severe food shortages, with famine and destitution. Later, a sage appeared, inventing rice that could feed countless families, gradually improving their lives.

Thus, Shen Chang’an cherished food, believing waste was disrespectful to the sage who had saved so many, and never allowed it.

“Huh? Daoist, why the sudden change?” Zheng Xin wondered.

Shen Chang’an waved her off, speaking softly, “Let’s go—find an inn and eat some dry rations.”

“But, Daoist, we finally made it to Fang City. You want me to eat dry rations? I’ve been craving these dishes—let me eat my fill first.”

Shen Chang’an laughed, “I never thought Miss Zheng would be interested in other people’s leftovers.”

“Leftovers…?” Zheng Xin was startled, staring at the pristine dishes, not quite understanding.

“Daoist, what are you trying to say?” she asked, frowning.

Shen Chang’an sighed. “What am I saying? If you could see the food as I do, you’d understand. The vital essence in these dishes has already been drained—you’re eating nothing but someone else’s scraps.”

“Vital essence?” Zheng Xin was confused.

Shen Chang’an waved her off. “Let’s talk elsewhere.”

Zheng Xin realized he was wary of eavesdroppers—after all, if he could overhear others, so could they overhear him. She didn’t fully understand about the essence, but now felt uneasy and quickly put down her bowl. “Waiter, the bill!”

The waiter came over, surprised to see so much untouched food.

“Is the food not to your liking, sirs?”

Shen Chang’an waved his hand gently. “Something urgent came up. Please pack it for us.”

“Certainly. Please wait while I fetch a food box.”

Zheng Xin watched Shen Chang’an in confusion. Once the waiter left, she asked, “Didn’t you say the essence was gone? Why pack it?”

Shen Chang’an replied quietly, “This tavern is busy and prosperous. If we refuse to eat, claiming the food is bad or problematic, it will attract attention. Someone might suspect I see through the food’s nature, causing trouble.”

He wasn’t afraid of trouble, but worried about alerting his target. If they escaped, who knew if the beast-skin book would provide another clue? If not, Shen Chang’an would have no way to pursue them.

The waiter soon returned with a food box, and the two of them left quickly.

“Does Loyalty and Righteousness Hall have a branch here?” Shen Chang’an asked.

Zheng Xin shook her head. “No. Life in Fang City is too good—everyone wants in, but Loyalty and Righteousness Hall can’t match Fang City’s wealth, so they have no branch here.”

“Can’t match the wealth?” Shen Chang’an looked at Zheng Xin in confusion.

She nodded. “Everyone here relies on Lord Fang. He assigns trivial tasks each day and hands out heaps of silver. No one knows where his money comes from, but he single-handedly supports the whole city.”

“Think about it—they have plenty of money without working. Why would they join Loyalty and Righteousness Hall? The hall can’t recruit locals, and even bringing people from outside would be pointless—once they realize they don’t need to work for pay, who would still want to?”

Shen Chang’an frowned, then asked, “Has Fang City ever suffered a plague of rats? Have you heard of such an event?”

Zheng Xin thought for a moment. “I think so, but Lord Fang spent a fortune to resolve it.”

“Resolved?”

“Yes, I haven’t heard of any rat plague since.”

Shen Chang’an’s mind raced with possibilities, yet he kept dismissing them. Only a glimpse of Fang City’s reality showed, and it was enough to make him uneasy.

“So, has there ever been a case of mass disappearances?”

“None… Not even minor disappearances. Now that you mention it, Fang City’s security is remarkably good.”

Shen Chang’an laughed coldly. Not a single person missing—in this ancient setting, Fang City’s security was likely dozens of times better than the capital of Da Qian.

“Snakes, insects, rats, ants—what on earth are these creatures…?”