Chapter 11 The Breezy Residence (Please collect! Vote for tickets!)

"Hey, Gui, are you there?"

"…"

"Are you there? Hey, this kid, you wouldn't have fallen asleep again, would you?"

"Shut up!"

Zhao Rong, frustrated by stubbornness, "Oh, you're awake. How can you sleep? In your condition, in your condition, how can you sleep?!"

"I did not sleep!"

"Then answer me this, where are the Taiching Four Mansions in Wangque Continent?"

"Du You City."

"Where is Du You City?"

"The farthest north of Wangque Continent."

"Isn't the farthest north of Wangque Continent Great Li?"

Gui thought for a moment and then slowly said.

"The Great Li your teacher mentioned should be the mountain kingdom below the northernmost Wangque Continent, while Du You City is the largest Cultivator city atop the mountains of Wangque Continent, located at the Great River Estuary."

"As for the Wangque Continent, I do not know much about it, after all it's just one of the smaller three provinces in the Xuanhuang Realm. In the past, there were only a handful of families and forces there that could capture my attention."

"Moreover, thanks to your blessing, I still haven't figured out exactly how long I have been asleep."

"There are already too many things that seem strange to me now, such as the Confucian's seventy-two academies, which did not exist before I left the Xuanhuang Realm."

Zhao Rong touched his nose and pretended not to hear its complaints, curiously asked, "I remember you once mentioned the Du You Ji family. Is this Du You the same as Du You City? And who are the Ji family?"

Gui scoffed.

"Hah, the Ji family? Just a wasteful family hiding under their ancestors' blessings."

"The Du You Ji family is a branch of this family in Wangque Continent; they first established Du You City, but then they started to slowly fade out of sight. I do not know whether they are still in Du You City now."

Zhao Rong tentatively asked, "Do you have a grudge against the Ji family?"

"Hah, they do not deserve it."

Probably so, Zhao Rong thought to himself.

Although Gui had never been forthcoming about its identity, Zhao Rong could somewhat sense the "heights" it had once reached, and any family that could hold a grudge against it and was acknowledged to have their ancestors' blessings, must be terribly powerful.

And these could very well be the enemies he would face in the future.

He sighed and pushed open the carriage window.

In sight, the tall city walls of Qianjing grew increasingly closer.

"Aren't you supposed to go to Longquan Mountain? Why are you heading back?"

Gui was somewhat puzzled.

"To get a token of trust," Zhao Rong replied calmly.

…

Longquan Mountain, with its serpentine ridges and rugged peaks, was surrounded on three sides by a lake and located amidst boundless green waves.

In the Great Chu dynasty, it has always been regarded by ordinary people as a "Blessed Land," enveloped by mountains and water, with scenic lakes and forests and secluded springs.

Tales of the supernatural abound here.

This place was indeed extraordinary.

Because it was one of the Immortal crossings atop the mountains of Wangque Continent - the location of Longquan Crossing.

It also served as a marketplace for mountain-dwellers, acting as a hub for trading and communication among Cultivators within the surrounding nations.

At the moment, Zhao Rong was standing in front of a three-story building with carved beams and painted rafters at the peak of Longquan Crossing.

Looking up, the signboard read "Qingfeng Residence."

According to what Zhao Kuo had said, this was the business run by the Mountain Immortals called Qingfeng Pavilion, responsible for selling ferry tickets, Immortal treasures, and pawning Cultivators' belongings.

Zhao Rong, carrying a bookcase on his back, was full of vigour.

The journey up the mountain had been a revelation for him.

The terrain of Longquan Mountain was complex and intricate, such that ordinary people could easily get lost. However, Zhao Rong had lit a Guiding Talisman provided by Zhao Kuo at the foot of the mountain, a charm capable of breaking barriers and finding paths. It was as though a bright lantern was leading the way, allowing Zhao Rong to ascend the mountain without hindrance.

Moreover, Longquan Crossing was quite bustling today, with a never-ending stream of passersby.

Along his way, Zhao Rong saw many peculiar and eccentric individuals.

There was a gaunt old man with the face of a child, bizarre in appearance.

A tall woman clad in azure, carrying a sword and brimming with heroic vigor.

A free-spirited scholar with flowing sleeves and bare feet.

And a noble young master surrounded by dozens of guards and maidservants.

Zhao Rong straightened his clothes, took a glance back at the broad, bustling street behind him, and then proceeded towards Qingfeng Pavilion.

The main hall on the first-floor was bright and spacious, with white jade pillars at each corner, complex bas-reliefs etched into the walls, and luxurious furnishings arranged tastefully. Directly ahead were three counters, each with staff attending to customers, and beyond them, a staircase leading to the second floor.

There were quite a few guests inside Qingfeng Pavilion at the moment, some queuing up at the counters, others drinking tea and chatting in the resting area.

A pretty maid by the door, seeing a customer come in, quickly stepped forward to greet him.

"Welcome, young master, to our establishment. On the first floor, we deal with matters concerning the Qingfeng Crossing boats; on the second floor, we sell treasures from the Immortals; and on the third floor, we have a pawn shop."

Zhao Rong explained his purpose and was then led by the maid to a somewhat less crowded counter on the first floor.

He thanked her, declined her offer to help with his book chest, and calmly waited in line.

Before long, it was Zhao Rong's turn.

He stepped forward and handed over his boarding Mystic Token to a beautiful matron behind the counter.

The matron took the Mystic Token and examined it closely.

"You are heading toLihuo Country, young master? According to the information we've received, the next ferry will arrive the day after tomorrow."

"I'm not going to Lihuo Country anymore. I would like to ask if I can exchange this Mystic Token for a ticket to another destination?"

Zhao Rong asked, not feeling the least bit embarrassed, and then added, "Or is it possible to get some Spirit Stones back?"

The matron's eyebrows rose as she sized up the scholar in green before her. When her eyes briefly swept over the book chest on his back and caught sight of a flag with the words "Linlu" written on it, her eyes suddenly narrowed.

"Young master, once sold, boat tickets from Qingfeng Pavilion cannot be refunded. However, you may exchange them for other Qingfeng Pavilion boat tickets, simply by paying the difference depending on the distance. May I ask where would you like to go?" she inquired, then tentatively asked, "Linlu Academy?"

Zhao Rong placed his hand on the pair of Jade Tokens at his waist and nodded, his expression unchanged.

Yesterday, in the Bamboo Forest cemetery, he had thought long and hard and ultimately decided to visit Taiching Four Mansions and return the white Mystic Bird Jade Token to her in person.

He wasn't going there with any luck or hope of her forgiveness...

Alright, Zhao Rong admitted that there might be a slight hope, but certainly not much!

He had hurt her deeply before, so it would be normal if she couldn't forgive him.

Zhao Rong simply wanted to return the white jade to its rightful owner and settle a karmic debt, as after all, the jade was left to her by his mother, her Aunt Liu, and Zhao Rong had no right to take it away.

What to do next would depend on the situation.

Therefore, Zhao Rong had made another trip to Qianjing yesterday to fetch a letter from the Imperial College, preparing to deliver the State Preceptor's letter to Linlu Academy on the way.

He remembered Teacher Fang laughing heartily upon understanding his intention, saying "A good student indeed," and along with the letter, he gave him a flag inscribed with the words "Linlu" to be placed on his book chest, saying that Linlu Academy had some renown both on and off Wangque Continent, and it might deter some petty criminals, thus avoiding unnecessary trouble on the road…

"Young master, to go to Linlu Academy, you can disembark at one of two places: Tranquility Inn in Great Li or the end of the ferry's northward journey, Du You City. Where would you like to alight?"

"Du You City," Zhao Rong declared with a wave of his hand.

"Very well, young master, your original ticket was for standard class, costing twenty Lower Grade Spirit Stones. Now, exchanging it for a standard class ticket to Du You City comes to a total of thirty-one Lower Grade Spirit Stones. You will need to pay an additional eleven," said the matron.

Zhao Rong's eyelids twitched.

He reached into his chest to feel around.

His expression changed.

Oh no, he was one short!