Gateway of Immortality

Qin Sang was unsure what the qi referred to in the Netherworld Scripture meant, or whether it was the same as the true qi and internal force mentioned by Bai Jianglan.

Broadly speaking, the Netherworld Scripture was divided into six stages.

Apart from cultivation, the Netherworld Scripture contained no extraneous details and did not address anything else. Qin Sang could not determine whether it was a method of internal martial arts or a technique for immortality.

In the section on the Yan Luo Banner, it described how to control the Yan Luo Banner with that qi, but one could only attempt this after mastering the first stage of the Netherworld Scripture. The specific functions of the Yan Luo Banner were not explained.

After reading through it several times, Qin Sang remained confused and felt a headache coming on. Noticing that it was already late at night, he decided not to rush things and went to rest instead.

…

The City of Three Witches had a relaxed guard at its gates, and since Qin Sang and Ming Yue were both wearing Daoist robes, they easily blended into the city.

Before entering, Qin Sang looked back and saw that a town stretching over ten li had gathered outside the city gate.

Beyond the gate, there were several stories of tall buildings, low houses, stone rooms, and thatched huts. At the very edge, some had merely spread straw in the open to make a home.

The outermost area was filled with countless refugees from the north, most of whom had no shelter from the wind and rain. Fortunately, Qin Sang had seen a few wealthy households distributing porridge, providing the refugees with some food.

Recently, Qin Sang had noticed an increasing number of refugees at Qingyang Temple, and he hadn't expected the dock to be so crowded or the City of Three Witches to have so many refugees. He wondered how they would get through the coming winter.

The first thing they saw upon entering the city was a meat bun shop with a fragrance wafting for miles. Qin Sang's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly pulled Ming Yue inside. They devoured a steamer of meat buns, enough to fill them halfway, before leisurely wandering around the city.

It was an auspicious day, and Daoist Jixin had two rituals to perform. Since these were not major ceremonies like weddings or funerals, the Daoist could handle them alone. Qin Sang thus asked for permission and took Ming Yue into the city to enjoy the sights.

At Qingyang Temple, Qin Sang had heard many stories about the City of Three Witches from patients and pilgrims.

Seeing it with his own eyes, the city did not compare to modern metropolises, but in this era, it certainly deserved to be called a grand city.

The two of them, dressed in Daoist robes, attracted considerable attention.

Ming Yue, with his red lips and white teeth, was charming and attractive.

Although Qin Sang came from a farming background, he had not suffered much hardship as a child. He was relatively fair-skinned, and combined with his modern confidence and demeanor, he appeared quite impressive. He did not look like a poor Daoist monk.

Together, they made quite a striking pair.

Many people curiously looked at them as they walked, and while Qin Sang did not mind, Ming Yue felt a bit shy. He followed Qin Sang closely and, unable to bear it any longer, tugged at his robe and whispered, "Senior Brother, where are we going?"

"Let’s start by finding some good food…"

Qin Sang’s eyes darted around, buying any unfamiliar food he encountered and sharing it with Ming Yue. They spent money freely, as it was all from their enemies, so he did not mind.

Ming Yue, who had never had such fine food before, was delighted and bounced around happily beside Qin Sang. He eventually relaxed but was worried for Qin Sang, saying, "Senior Brother, you’ve spent so much money today. Master says money is hard to earn, so you should save it and use it to find a wife!"

Qin Sang pointed to a nearby snack shop. "Do you want to try something there?"

Ming Yue clenched his fists and tapped them together. "Ah… Just a little bit of everything will be fine!"

…

Upon exiting the snack shop, Ming Yue carried a large bundle of oil-paper-wrapped pastries, saying she wanted to take them back to share with their master.

As they ate and walked along the way, Qin Sang's understanding of this world deepened, effectively integrating the memories of Qin Sanwa into his own.

After just a few streets, Qin Sang was thoroughly full. He had also spotted some business opportunities along the way. With the capital acquired from his enemies, diligent management could easily ensure a comfortable living, but Qin Sang had no interest in pursuing it.

Chatting and laughing with Ming Yue, they turned a corner and came upon a three-story wooden building. The building stood beside the inner river of the City of Three Witches, surrounded by willows. The sign above read "Honghu Tower," a grand name for what was essentially a tea house.

Inside the tea house, there were intermittent sounds of the wooden clapper and deafening gasps and laughter. Qin Sang knew this was due to the renowned storyteller performing inside.

He had come to the city specifically to visit this tea house.

If he wanted to gather information, he needed a place for casual conversations and gatherings. Qin Sang was particularly interested in the legends of immortals and supernatural beings around the City of Three Witches. Therefore, he had made inquiries at Qingyang Temple and had already learned about Honghu Tower.

Honghu Tower was the most famous tea house in the southern part of the City of Three Witches. It had three floors, with tea prices ranging from high to low, attracting a diverse clientele from all walks of life.

Qin Sang sat on the bustling first floor, ordered a pot of tea, and listened to the storyteller on stage.

Bang!

The plump storyteller slammed the wooden clapper, his face quivering with the impact, and the tea house fell silent instantly.

"To tell this tale, one must mention an old story. Five hundred years ago, there was a hero named Wang Bin who impressed our Great Sui's founder, Emperor Shenwu... This man was a descendant of the great hero Wang Bin..."

After listening for a while, Qin Sang found that the storyteller, Liu Jingting, was indeed as renowned as his reputation suggested. His storytelling was captivating and dramatic, turning even mundane events into vivid and exciting narratives.

However, Qin Sang was not fully engaged. His eyes roamed around the room, engaging in casual conversation with the other patrons.

The entire day was spent in the tea house. They had lunch there as well, and Qin Sang generously spent money, making many friends and guiding their conversations towards local legends of immortals and supernatural beings.

While Liu Jingting continued to regale tales on stage and the crowd shared old stories below, Ming Yue sat on the side, protecting the pastries with his hands, thoroughly enjoying the day’s entertainment, showing no sign of boredom.

As the sun began to set, Qin Sang and Ming Yue reluctantly left the tea house. Qin Sang purchased a large batch of essential items for the temple and hired an ox cart to carry them. When they reunited with Daoist Jixin, who had finished his rituals, and returned to Qingyang Temple, dusk had settled.

Before the evening ritual, the three of them gathered around a carbon stove, eating pastries by the light of an oil lamp.

Ming Yue bit into a fruit and, seeing Qin Sang perusing a Daoist text, suddenly asked, "Senior Brother, why were you asking those people about the legends of immortals on the mountain during the day? Do you also want to seek immortality?"

The old Daoist lifted his eyelids.

Qin Sang looked up and smiled. "Immortals, who wouldn’t want to be one? Unfortunately, none of these legends seem reliable."

"Master once said that those who venture into deep mountains and remote places are unlikely to find immortals. Immortal masters don’t dwell in such desolate places," Ming Yue warned earnestly, afraid Qin Sang might be misled. "Senior Brother, those legends are false; don’t believe them."

Qin Sang’s eyes brightened as he looked at the old Daoist.

Daoist Jixin finished a piece of pastry, leisurely wiped his hands, and said, "Kid, if you want to seek fate with immortals on Cuiming Mountain, I advise you to save your effort and get off the mountain to live a quiet life. Otherwise, you might cut off your Qin family's lineage."

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