Chapter 19, Meal List, Building a Motorhome

Noon, at the South Street Inn.

Qingyu yawned comfortably as she came downstairs. She had been busy all night yesterday and didn't get up until noon today to catch up on her sleep.

Wen Chuan and Qin Tianshu were already sitting in the lobby of the inn.

Wen Chuan sipped his tea, while Qin Tianshu sat opposite him reading a book. Beside him was Qin Tianshu's large book basket, with a painting inserted in it, making it quite conspicuous.

Qingyu leisurely strolled over and sat down next to them. "How is Zhang Xuan?"

Qin Tianshu turned a page of his book, saying as he looked at it, "He's in the painting. Cai Cai is with him, but he's still the same, half-dead."

Wen Chuan put down his teacup, tapped the kettle with his slender fingers, and naturally poured Qing Yu a cup of water. "I'm afraid we still need to study that painting."

Qingyu took the teacup and asked in confusion, "That painting is very strange. We can't let Zhang Xuan stay in the painting forever."

Qin Tianshu chuckled and slammed the scroll on the table. "That's still considered good. The most troublesome are the Demon Suppression Pavilion and the Prefect's Mansion."

He said irritably, "I woke up this morning to find two groups of people nearby, which made it impossible for me to sleep well at all."

Qin Tianshu has a problem: he either doesn't sleep at all, or once he falls asleep, he can't wake up in the middle of the night, otherwise he just can't fall back asleep no matter what.

He felt despair the moment he opened his eyes in the morning. Even if those two groups meant him no harm, he could continue sleeping. But as soon as he closed his eyes, the words he had read during the day would start arguing in his head, making him toss and turn. He only slept for two hours this morning before getting up.

Qingyu: "I know, to be honest, I didn't sleep well either. I woke up once because of them. What do they want? Do they want a painting? Do they want someone?"

Wen Chuan nodded. He was wearing a moon-white outfit today, and for some reason, this color suited his handsome appearance better than white. He smiled calmly and said, "A steward just came to the governor's mansion and said that the governor wants to see us."

He looked at Qingyu, "Bring the painting."

Qingyu gave a light, disdainful snort; she knew it.

"Come and take it if you want it."

A painting depicting so much killing—are they going to take it and enshrine it?

Qin Tianshu: "A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime."

Wen Chuan raised an eyebrow, smiled, and said gently, "Then smash the jade disc, and no one will be able to find us."

Qingyu frowned. What about Zhang Xuan?

Before she could speak, her fingers touched the flower-shaped wooden carving at her waist. Qingyu paused, then smiled knowingly, "Have you found a new container?"

If this spiritual energy needs a different container, it would be best to use a new object, but there is no wood here for Wenchuan to carve.

Qin Tianshu raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over Wen Chuan and Qing Yu for a moment, then smiled politely, “…Friends who speak in riddles in front of their friends—are not good people.”

Qingyu: "Yes, yes, you really are a person."

Qin Tianshu: "Yes, yes, you are not a person."

Qingyu: "I wasn't human to begin with."

Qin Tianshu: "Then I was originally..."

...What a strange conversation...

Wen Chuan smiled helplessly, stopped Qin Tianshu who was about to argue with Qing Yu, and told him his plan.

As the two were talking, Qingyu stood up leisurely.

"Why--"

She casually smoothed her skirt. Perhaps because she had been busy all day yesterday and had rested for half a day today, she changed into a white and pink gradient dress when she got up. Her black hair was half-tied up with a jade hairpin, which looked like a semi-circular headband. Two or three flowers bloomed on the warm jade, with delicate textures and lifelike appearance. Most of her black hair was loose and smooth at the back of her neck.

She smiled brightly, her beauty captivating. "I'm hungry, I'm going to order some food."

The inn they chose was on South Street. The owners were an elderly couple. Business was usually so-so, and because of the recent murder case, there were hardly any people on South Street during the day, let alone this inn. Even the waiter had been given a day off, leaving only the two elderly owners to look after the inn.

Qin Tianshu was talking to Wen Chuan when he heard her say that. He raised his hand and said, "Order more, I'm hungry too!"

Qingyu waved her hand and left, indicating that she understood.

...

Wen Chuan: That's about it, but I need some time.

He can transfer the power of the painting to other things, and then give the painting to whoever wants it. However, he doesn't have any new objects on hand, and it will take him a day or two to complete the process of summoning the spirit.

Qin Tianshu nodded in thought, "A new artifact?"

"...Why don't we just make something to put things in!"

"How about turning it into a spatial artifact?"

"Get a bigger one."

“Perfect, Zhang Xuan can stay inside.”

Qin Tianshu was in high spirits. He had noticed that the stage in the painting was divided into sections, which seemed perfect for storing things.

Wen Chuan remained silent, calmly watching him gradually increase the difficulty level.

Finally, the gentle-looking young man looked at him sincerely, smiled, and said, "Okay, I'll help you out."

Qin Tianshu: "..."

He doesn't know how to summon spirits, and of course he's not good at spatial magic either...

"What do you mean by 'helping out'?"

Qingyu returned from ordering at the counter and happened to overhear their conversation.

She sat down and looked at Wen Chuan curiously, "What are you going to do, assist Qin Tianshu?"

In Qingyu's eyes, there are very few things that Wenchuan doesn't know.

Wen Chuan smiled without saying a word, while Qin Tianshu clicked his tongue twice and turned to Qing Yu to tell her his thoughts.

"this--"

Qingyu blinked hesitantly. Qin Tianshu's idea was great, and she was very tempted.

In an instant, their eyes met—

Qin Tianshu: Right? You should persuade Wen Chuan to do it.

Qingyu: Why don't you go? I agreed, you go.

Qin Tianshu: The idea I proposed, your role is to guide, and Wen Chuan is responsible for implementation.

Qingyu: Then I disagree.

Qin Tianshu: You're sick.

Qingyu: Oh, you just found out.

Wen Chuan watched the two of them winking at each other, then lowered his eyes, took a small sip of tea, and waited for the dishes to be served.

Meanwhile, in the painting.

Lying on the ground, Zhang Xuan looked like a ghost. He weakly raised his hand and placed it on the soft feathers of the chicken lying on the ground.

"Cai Cai, cough cough—have those guys—cough cough—forgot about me?"

"Coo coo coo—" I don't know.

Zhang Xuan: "Cough cough—say it twice."

"Coo coo coo." Okay.

Zhang Xuan: "Call out a few more times—cough cough—aren't you hungry?"

"Cluck cluck cluck." Oh right, the chick is hungry.

"Goo goo ga!" Is anyone there?!

"Goo goo ga—" I'm starving! I'm starving! The chicken is dying of hunger!!!

...

"Oh right, we're eating now, Zhang Xuan and Cai Cai are here too."

Qingyu put down her chopsticks and said that when she was ordering the food, she suddenly remembered Zhang Xuan and Cai Cai from the painting, so she specially ordered an extra dish.

Qin Tianshu: "Pack him up and send him in later. That kid is fine inside the painting, but he vomited blood as soon as he came out."

The painting has now returned to its original state, a vast expanse of white. They were all afraid that Zhang Xuan would die of loneliness inside, so they specially threw Cai Cai in to keep him company.

Qingyu frowned; this was getting on her nerves all day long.

Wen Chuan: "We need to find a healer."

Zhang Xuan's poison was caused by spiritual energy, which ordinary doctors could not easily cure; they could only find a cultivator who specialized in medicine.

Qin Tianshu: "In Danzhou, apart from the Demon Suppression Pavilion, there shouldn't be any medical cultivators."

Qingyu chimed in, “This is simple. Zhang Xuan is the governor’s guest, and he is the prime minister’s son. Both morally and logically, the Demon Suppression Pavilion of Danzhou should give him face.”

When Zhang Xuan was injured in Qingshui, the people from the Demon Suppression Pavilion stayed with him for half a month to recover, let alone now.

Wen Chuan: "But that painting is still a bit troublesome."

The things that several people had worked on all night couldn't just be given away like this. He put down his chopsticks, carefully considered Qin Tianshu's words, and then looked up to continue.

“Summoning spirits is simple, but creating the space takes too long; I need more time.”

Wen Chuan wasn't one to force himself, but since he was going to do it, he might as well do something big. Zhang Xuan was a patient now and needed a suitable environment.

However, summoning spirits and spatial magic require the inclusion of living beings, all of which take time.

Qin Tianshu turned his gaze to him, "How fast is it at the earliest?"

Wen Chuan: "Three days."

This also includes the construction of new objects.

Qingyu was stunned. Today is July 11th, three days, which means that the earliest they can reach is the 15th.

She murmured, "On the fifteenth of the seventh lunar month, the gates of hell open."

Qin Tianshu: "So what if it's Ghost Festival? This is a festival in Fengdu. In Danzhou, it's just a matter of burning more yellow paper."

Fengdu, according to unofficial historical records, is a ghostly place located in Qingzhou, near the easternmost Taishan Mountain, which is also the legendary entrance to the Yellow Springs. It is full of ghost cultivators and is beyond the reach of the human world. The Ghost Festival is their festival on the 15th of the seventh lunar month. In the mortal world, people usually just burn some yellow paper to commemorate their relatives on this day.

Qingyu: "I know, but I fought with Shen Dongsheng last night."

She paused, then looked at Wen Chuan and Qin Tianshu and said, "It's true that he's weak, but I've noticed that the Dao he cultivates is a bit strange. It's not the Dao of Ghosts, but it's somewhat similar."

Wen Chuan became somewhat interested after hearing her say that, "I've heard that only those who die by chance can become ghost cultivators..."

Qin Tianshu smiled, poured himself a bowl of soup, and said leisurely, "What kind of righteous path can someone who can guide Sang Yue to kill and study the art of rebirth and resurrection cultivate?"

"Never mind, let's not talk about this anymore."

After Qingyu finished eating, she put down her chopsticks and said formally, "To summarize the mission: pack up the food for Zhang Xuan, meet the governor but don't draw anything, ask the Demon Suppression Pavilion for medical and cultivation skills, and build a new artifact to attract spirits."

She blinked and looked at Wen Chuan and Qin Tianshu from left to right. "That's all, right? Did I forget anything?"

Qin Tianshu raised his hand, "We can contact the governor to get in touch with the Demon Suppression Pavilion. The two sides must be connected."

Wen Chuan nodded, "Building new objects requires wood and space, so it would be best if someone could help me."

"very good--"

Qingyu gently patted the table and stood up. The girl smiled and said, "Then let's begin now!"

...

In the painting.

Zhang Xuan sat cross-legged, with a food box and a storybook that Qin Tianshu had given him to keep him from getting bored.

The boy ate his meal slowly, while Cai Cai ate vegetable leaves next to him.

Zhang Xuan patted its head. Although the boy's face was still pale and bluish, at least his appetite had been satisfied.

He looked up and exclaimed, "Good heavens! A meal and a book have taken away all my money!"

The boy's lips were a deep purple as he chewed his food, letting out a satisfied sigh. He had to admit, the food was quite delicious. He fed himself the vegetables, muttering to himself as he ate.

"This meal is quite expensive, let's eat slowly, I need to go out and vomit blood later."

The governor's residence.

The scholar in blue robes remained neither humble nor arrogant, facing the governor directly.

"Greetings, Your Excellency."

"I didn't bring the painting because it would have been useless."

"I would like to trouble you, Governor, Zhang Xuan needs a physician."

"Your Excellency's words are too serious. After all, we have never said outside that the serial killings are related to your son."

“I am just an ordinary scholar, why would I risk my life to deceive you, sir?”

Qin Tianshu looked up at Governor Shen, his eyes filled with ambition and determination.

"We will present the complete scroll in three days."

...

South Street, inn.

Qingyu tossed a large purse onto the counter, making a crisp "thud" sound.

"Shopkeeper, I need to rent a very large carriage, the kind with four horses!"

Wood element.

"Thump!"

"Shopkeeper, I need to buy some timber. Pack it up and send it to my truck."

Furniture store.

"Thump!"

"Boss, your furniture is really well made. I want this, this, this, and that piece from that area, and that piece too. Pack them up and send them all to my car."

Porcelain shops, flower shops, clothing shops, jewelry and jade shops, herbal medicine shops, market stalls...

"Thump!" "Thump!" "Thump!" "Thump." "Thump."...

...

Dusk, an open space on the outskirts of Danzhou.

Wen Chuan was polishing the wood, with countless things in front of him.

The most eye-catching thing is a large book basket, a large carriage, and four horses panting.

Qingyu jumped down from the carriage, clapped her hands, and counted the things on the ground.

"Pots and pans, beds, desks and chairs, clothes, hats, shoes and socks..."

Qingyu stroked her chin, pondering what to buy tomorrow.

Wen Chuan kept whittling the wood without stopping. None of them rested all afternoon. The boy even changed into a black outfit so that he could easily chop, cut, and join various things.

He got up to get his things, and while he was at it, he glanced at Qingyu, who was earnestly counting the items on her fingers. He then looked at the things scattered on the ground and couldn't help but sigh that it was absolutely perfect to have Qingyu go shopping.

"I'm back!"

Qin Tianshu, carrying a scroll, ran all the way here. The scholar, unusually, bent over and panted, saying, "You've gone way too far to find this open space."

He put the painting into the book basket. "I really envy Zhang Xuan. That kid just stays in the painting and enjoys himself."

Qingyu: "Did you take him to see a doctor?"

Qin Tianshu: "Don't even mention it. I waited all afternoon at the governor's mansion, only to be told by the Demon Suppression Pavilion that there are very few medical cultivators to begin with. They used to have two in Danzhou, but one died of old age, and the other was a deputy envoy who is currently on a mission in another city."

He spread his hands and said helplessly, "I was so angry that I went straight to their door and made Zhang Xuan vomit blood in a dramatic way. They were frightened and probably weren't lying. They said that the earliest they could wait for the deputy envoy to return to Danzhou was after the Ghost Festival in July."

Qingyu sat on the wood, one leg propped up high and the other dangling precariously. The girl dusted off her dress, rested her hands on her knees, and said nonchalantly, "Then let's wait until after the Ghost Festival. By the time that doctor returns, our things should be ready, and we can still cure him."

By then, the painting would probably have already been given away. If things got really bad and a fuss broke out, they would tie up the healer and use him to cure Zhang Xuan's poison.

Wen Chuan ignored them; he rarely lost focus when he was doing something. "Qing Yu, hand me that hammer you have."

"Okay, okay—"

"Heavenly Book, release Zhang Xuan for a moment."

"What are you going to do? That kid came out vomiting blood."

“My spiritual energy is special, similar to that of a medical cultivator. If I transfer some spiritual energy to him, he will be fine for a while and will have the strength to wield his knife and help me chop wood.”

Perfect timing, Zhang Xuan's Blood Moon Blade can absorb blood, so it won't be wasted.

Qin Tianshu: Wen Chuan, you—you're still as good at getting things done as ever.

In a short while.

With a pen in his mouth and a sketch in his hand, Wen Chuan assembled the wood according to the design, while also directing Zhang Xuan, who was standing next to him, to chop wood.

Zhang Xuan, his face pale, was surrounded by blue spiritual energy. He numbly swung the Blood Moon Blade. If the blade stopped working, Wen Chuan would withdraw some of his protective spiritual energy. Zhang Xuan would spit out a mouthful of blood, and the Blood Moon Blade would regain its strength.

Qingyu was squatting among a pile of things, carefully organizing the various items she had bought that day—she still had to buy more tomorrow, what a daunting task!

Around the open space, Qin Tianshu held up a scroll and waved it around to create an illusion, determined to prevent others from spying on them at night.

The scholar's selfish thought: May the person who kept him awake this morning sleep soundly in his fantasy world tonight! (Ventically)

And another one, oh, Cai Cai is quietly staying next to Wen Chuan. It hasn't seen its gentle owner much these past two days, and the little chick misses him a bit.

"Coo coo coo".

Watching them busy, Cai Cai, the little yellow chick with its bright black eyes, thought, "Unsurprisingly, the adults are going to be busy for three days."