Chapter Two: East, West, South, North
Two jade rings, one large and one small, covered with floral patterns, lay quietly in Pang Ming's palm. As Pang Ming cast a spell, the jade rings flew up, rotating continuously horizontally and vertically, until a pointer appeared at the axis, pointing in the direction Pang Ming was heading.
A few days ago, thieves broke into Zuan'en Tower, the repository of magical artifacts in Kongyun Mountain, and stole an incense burner. Zuan'en Tower is a five-story building in Kongyun Mountain, constructed of white stone, and houses many precious magical artifacts. These artifacts were mostly left behind by the past elders of Kongyun Mountain. Rather than weapons to protect the sect, they are more like mementos left by their predecessors, and therefore are cleaned periodically. This morning, when Pang Ming went to clean, he found that something was missing from the cabinet. After asking the sect leader, he learned that an incense burner left behind by Elder Xiang Wan was missing.
The theft at Zuan'en Tower indicates that thieves were able to break into the core area of Kongyun Mountain undetected, which is truly alarming. The sect leader ordered Pang Ming to conduct an immediate search and do everything possible to recover the stolen goods. The sect leader himself investigated within Kongyun Mountain to see if anyone was colluding with outsiders.
The incense burner still bore traces of its original spell. Pei Xuanzhen found another magical artifact on Zuan'en Tower: the object-finding compass. Because the artifact was imbued with the magical power of its former owner, the compass, once it recognized the power, could point to the direction closest to it. After Pang Ming used the compass to identify the location, he followed its direction and left Kongyun Mountain, quickly arriving at the capital of an outer dynasty.
The capital city under the emperor's feet was much more bustling than Changhe Town in Kongyun Mountain. The main street in the city was wide enough for two carriages to travel side by side, and there were stalls set up by ordinary people on both sides of the road, with pedestrians walking around. There were two-story buildings on both sides of the street, and the shops across the street were bustling with people, noisy and lively, which even Pang Ming found attractive.
Although Changhe Town has a few hundred households, the streets are usually deserted. Sometimes, Pang Ming could hear the echo of his own footsteps echoing as he walked through the alleys during the day. Most of the alleys were very narrow, only wide enough for three people to walk side by side. Furthermore, the walls were taller than a person, so even in summer, walking through the alleys occasionally brought a slight chill. Since entering the capital, Pang Ming had been surrounded by people of all kinds, dressed and speaking in various ways. Even the peddler pushing his cart past him spoke in a dialect he didn't quite understand, making him feel somewhat uncomfortable.
However, these were minor matters. The bigger trouble was that the rules of the cultivation world stipulated that unless ordinary people were in danger, one should not use magic or magical artifacts in public. He had originally intended to secretly take it out and hide it in his sleeve, but he discovered that the compass needle had malfunctioned after entering the capital. The compass no longer pointed steadily in one direction, but instead vibrated and swirled back and forth within a certain area. Pang Ming walked along the street, looking at the scenery of the capital while thinking about how to repair the compass, but he himself was not very familiar with magical artifacts like compasses. Fortunately, he remembered that Elder Chen Duan's disciple, Senior Sister Yu Qiao, now ran an antique shop in the capital and was most skilled at crafting magical artifacts. Although he knew the name of the shop, he didn't know its location, and he couldn't understand most of the people in the city's dialect. Not knowing who to ask, he wandered around the city. Then, an unexpected stroke of good luck occurred. While Pang Ming was anxiously walking on the street, he ran into his old friend, Zhou Wei, who was buying tea by the roadside.
When Pang Ming went up to greet him, Zhou Wei was completely unprepared. The moment he turned around and saw Pang Ming, the tea in his bowl was so shaky that it almost spilled. It was only thanks to Pang Ming's quick action that the owner was able to breathe a sigh of relief.
Zhou Wei was the last disciple of Xiang Wan, the former sect leader of the Kongyun Mountain Medicine Sect, while Pang Ming was the disciple of Ji Zhen, the current sect leader. Three years ago, the ninety-seven-year-old Master Xiang lamented his old age and inability to accomplish anything, so he decided to leave Kongyun Mountain and return to his hometown in Juxia to live out his remaining years. However, Zhou Wei had not yet completed his apprenticeship at that time, so Xiang Wan took Zhou Wei with him. Pang Ming and Zhou Wei had grown up together in Changhe Town since childhood, and had lived next door to each other at Menggu Academy, becoming very close. Since Zhou Wei left with Xiang Wan, they had rarely seen each other. Meeting him on the street today made Pang Ming very happy. He hurriedly asked Zhou Wei what he was doing there, and seeing that his face was slightly pale, he quickly asked him how he was feeling lately.
It wasn't convenient to talk in the crowded streets, so Zhou Wei ordered another bowl of tea and pulled Pang Ming to sit against the wall at the far end of the tea shop. He explained that he had come with his master to visit an old friend, and since his master was currently discussing Dao with his old friend, he couldn't sit still and had come out for a walk. As for his pale face, Zhou Wei explained, "I've been cultivating outside for the past few days, not eating or sleeping properly. I encountered a malevolent spirit on the road and fought it, but it escaped. I'm very depressed, and I haven't felt well since this morning. So my master didn't arrange anything else for me and just let me come out for a walk to recover. And you, how did you end up here? Were the elders following you?"
Pang Xiang realized that the intrusion into Kongyun Mountain was of great importance, especially since the stolen item belonged to Elder Xiang Wan. If the elder found out, he might blame Kongyun Mountain for its negligence, which would inevitably dampen the elder's good intentions. Therefore, he didn't tell Zhou Wei the truth. He only said that he had brought a new magical artifact given to him by his master to hunt ghosts, but the artifact broke halfway there, and he was about to go to Yu Qiao for help.
Zhou Wei thought about the streets he'd explored in the east of the city, but hadn't encountered any antique shops. He advised Pang Ming not to go there, lest he waste time and cause trouble. The two chatted about recent events. Seeing that Zhou Wei still looked unwell, and after finishing two bowls of water, Pang Ming advised him that if he was truly tired, he should go home and rest. Zhou Wei laughed heartily, saying they could get together again during a festival, and then left.
Following Zhou Wei's suggestion, Pang Ming took the western route. He tried asking a few people, struggling to understand what the kind-hearted folks were saying. After a while, he found an antique shop with a plaque that read "Yu Yun". Pang Ming looked around outside the shop for a while, and only went in when he saw that no one was inside.
As soon as Pang Ming stepped across the threshold, a dark wooden table with two chairs was placed to his left. Behind it, against the wall, was a large wooden shelf displaying several jade vases in varying heights. To his right, a few paintings hung simply. Pang Ming knew a little about painting, and the one closest to him, with its meticulous brushwork and lustrous colors, depicted a spring mountain scene vividly before his eyes. However, the most eye-catching feature of the shop was the enormous counter that reached to the ceiling. Pang Ming walked lightly, his shadow blocking the light until the old shopkeeper, who was sitting behind the counter looking at bracelets, noticed him.
The old shopkeeper, dressed in simple, antique clothes, sat on a stool. His hair was loosely tied up, with some strands falling out, half gray and half white. He had a long face and slightly narrow eyes. When Pang Ming looked up, he noticed that the old man had some thick hair growing on his chin. Then Pang Ming looked down at the emerald bracelet on his hand and said, "Ah Qiao, a customer is looking for you."
Behind the counter, there were two doors on either side. The wooden door on the wall opposite the paintings was pushed open, and a tall young woman walked out. She looked very much like the old shopkeeper, except that her eyes and face were slightly rounder, a feature inherited from her mother who had tragically died young due to evil spirits.
"Yuanbei's here, please have a seat." Yu Qiao gestured for Yuanbei to sit down, then deftly locked the door and placed the key beside her father. "You really are a rare guest. Usually, only Tianguang occasionally comes to my shop to see if I've received any antiques or paintings. The painting she brought to me last time, asking me to help sell it, I've already sold it, and the money is here. Why don't you take it back to her?"
"Let's just wait for her to come and get it herself," Pang Ming said with a smile.
Yu Qiao is a rogue cultivator from Kongyun Mountain. Originally a disciple of Elder Chen Duan of Kongyun Mountain, she was the most proficient in various magical artifacts. Six years ago, when fifteen-year-old Pang Ming was studying at Menggu Academy in Changhe Town, he was often punished by Chen Duan for his poor handwriting, and Yu Qiao was always there to comfort him. Yu Qiao originally hoped to inherit her master's mantle, but before she completed her apprenticeship, her father fell while collecting antiques, and ever since, walking even for a short time would cause him to tremble. As the only daughter in her family, she decided to return home to care for her father, thus becoming a rogue cultivator. Rogue cultivators are mostly responsible for collecting information about evil spirits for various sects, for which they receive payment. However, this involves contact with evil spirits and carries risks. The capital city is the most bustling place in the world, and many pieces of information, large and small, were sifted through by Yu Qiao and sent to Kongyun Mountain, solving many problems for the cultivators there.
Since the shop was currently empty, Yu Qiao picked up the compass and began to ponder it. However, after studying it for a long time, she still couldn't figure out what was wrong with it. This compass was originally an old item kept at Zuan'en Restaurant. Chen Duan had found it by chance while reminiscing about people at Zuan'en Restaurant and discovered its use, which is why it wasn't just a decoration. When Chen Duan redesigned the compass, Yu Qiao was right beside him, but seeing the needle just hovering in a fixed direction, she really didn't know what it meant.
"Yuanbei, have some tea first." Suddenly realizing that she couldn't let the guest sit idly, Yu Qiao picked up the teapot on the table and poured Pang Ming a cup of tea.
"Senior sister, have you ever seen Changqi?"
“Zhou Changqi?” Yu Qiao thought carefully. “He shouldn’t have come to the shop before. I don’t go out much, and I don’t seem to remember anything that happens outside. What’s wrong? Did he come with you? Back in the academy, you two were inseparable.”
"No, that's not it. I ran into him in the city, and I was thinking that if he came, he might visit you first."
"Perhaps it's because Master is by his side that he didn't walk more than a few steps. This matter is rather difficult to handle. I can't figure out the trick in a short time, so I'll have to make you wait a while."
"Then I'll go out for a walk first. I apologize for the sudden visit, Senior Sister." Pang Ming stood up, and Yu Qiao didn't see him off any further, only telling him to be careful. However, when they returned to the antique shop as the sun was setting, both of them were completely bewildered.
Yu Qiao let Pang Ming sleep in the back room for the night, while she continued her research in the study. She made no progress that night, and when she woke up the next morning, she found the compass needle had returned to normal, remaining stationary in one direction. She was still completely baffled.
Her father knocked on the study door and beckoned her to come out and open the shop.
Yu Qiao returned the compass to Pang Ming and told him the truth. Pang Ming didn't mind and thanked his senior sister and the old man for taking him in for the night. Old Mr. Yu told him not to be polite and that he could leave after having breakfast.
"This compass is pointing southeast. If it's just a few streets away, there are shops and stores all over there. A few more steps and you'll be near the residences of royalty." Old Mr. Yu sat at the table, squinting as he examined the compass. The old man used to be a wandering cultivator, but he abandoned the profession after finding the battles with evil spirits too dangerous. However, he remained very interested in the spells and artifacts of cultivators.
Pang Ming placed the rice porridge that Yu Qiao had ladled out onto the table. He heard Yu Qiao say, "A customer came to the shop recently. He has dealings with the family of one of the emperor's princesses. When I was getting something for him in the back, I overheard him talking about how the princess recently took a fancy to a handsome man and brought him directly to her residence to be her male concubine. This was told to the prince consort, and since then, he's been staying at my customer's house. Yuan Bei, you should be careful too. Don't let yourself get kidnapped by other princesses on the street and never come back."
The three of them laughed. Yuan Bei remarked that he looked rather dull and foolish, and there was no way he would attract attention just by standing on the street. After dinner, Pang Ming went out and followed the compass to search the eastern part of the capital. Unfortunately, he eventually ended up near the residence of a high-ranking official.
There were several mansions here, surrounded by a dozen or so servants on all sides, their gates stretching for several streets. Pang Ming, disguised as a passerby, was stared at by several people as he walked past. If a carriage passed by, the servants would push him far to the side of the road, forcing him to stand against the wall until the carriage had passed before he could move. Watching the tall, powerful horses pulling lavish carriages past him, Pang Ming didn't pay much attention, only showing curiosity about the means of transportation. After all, they didn't even need horses for training, let alone carriages.
After his initial curiosity subsided, he followed the pointer's direction, searching through the streets and alleys until he finally located a mansion with a sycamore tree that two people could barely encircle. Pang Ming was too far away to see more than the branches of the sycamore extending into the courtyard; he was completely obscured from view. Although he couldn't see it, from a distance close to the core, Pang Ming used wind magic to hear the footsteps of servants moving back and forth in the courtyard. Unable to use magical artifacts now, attempting to climb onto the roof using magic would easily draw attention; the only high place in the capital was the city gate tower.
The location has now been pinpointed, and Pang Ming plans to wait until evening before making his move. Ever since the item was lost, he has been preoccupied with one thing: he just wants to finish this quickly so he can return to Kongyun Mountain and report to the sect leader.
With people coming and going on the streets and the park bustling with activity, when will the right opportunity finally come?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
