Chapter 9: The Perils of Ignorance

Before long, the trio and their feline companion arrived at the county city of Dragon Python County.

Their first task was to find a clothing shop for Iron Pi Pi. The girl's clothes were still stained with grease from yesterday, and it was high time for her to change.

After picking out clothes and leaving the shop, the sky was still bright, though darkness was fast approaching. Glancing upward, Wang Zhenyu suggested, "Let's find an inn and stay for the night. We can set out early tomorrow."

Luo Xingchen shook his head. "No need. We'll wait until we're out of Dragon Python County."

Though he had lived in this world for a hundred thousand years, habit had not become second nature. Luo Xingchen still disliked the ancient, rustic living conditions. For sleep, nothing was as comfortable as his soft, spacious bed. His mobile palace was too large to display within the city, so he would wait until they were outside to bring it out.

Luo Xingchen was from the Supreme Qi Guiding Sect, a man of the immortal gates. Considering her own hopes to rely on his recommendation to join the sect, Wang Zhenyu found herself unable to argue with him.

From entering to leaving the city, they encountered none of the Dragon clan associates whom Luo Xingchen had slain earlier. Perhaps the Dragon clan’s young master, newly married, was reluctant to leave home. That certainly made things easier for Luo Xingchen.

Soon after leaving the city, all traces of human presence vanished. Luo Xingchen found a suitably spacious spot and produced his mobile palace. Wang Zhenyu was astonished to see a palm-sized object transform in a blink into a huge house.

"Is this an immortal art?" she gasped, much as Iron Pi Pi had when she first witnessed it. Even having seen it once, Iron Pi Pi could not suppress her surprise.

"What immortal art? It's just a trivial trick, nothing worth mentioning," Luo Xingchen replied with a modest flourish.

"Come inside," he said, approaching the door, which swung open of its own accord.

"Welcome home, Master~~" A small figure, Bu Liu, appeared.

Luo Xingchen and Iron Pi Pi were accustomed to this, but Wang Zhenyu was startled, unsettled by Bu Liu’s ghostly emergence.

Iron Pi Pi greeted her happily, "Sister Bu Liu!"

The joy was genuine, for she knew delicious food awaited her.

"Hello, Pi Pi," Bu Liu replied with a smile, then turned to Wang Zhenyu, "Another guest! Welcome!"

Luo Xingchen introduced her to Wang Zhenyu, whose face still showed traces of shock. "This is Steward Bu Liu—you can think of her as the spirit of this house."

Recovering somewhat, Wang Zhenyu greeted her and stated her name. Then curiosity took over. "Bu Liu? What an odd name. Why is she called that?"

Luo Xingchen said nothing but produced paper and pen. He wrote a capital W, then a lowercase w.

"Do you recognize these characters?" he asked.

Iron Pi Pi and Wang Zhenyu stared at the two similar, differently sized symbols for a long while, then shook their heads.

"Illiteracy is frightening. Let me teach you something new," Luo Xingchen said, shaking his head.

He pointed to the capital W. "Repeat after me: Da Bu Liu!"

"Da Bu Liu!" both girls echoed eagerly, happy to learn something new. Who knew—it might be some profound script from immortal arts.

He pointed to the lowercase w. "Now say: Xiao Bu Liu!"

They repeated after him, then paused in sudden realization.

"Senior, is this Sister Bu Liu's name?" Iron Pi Pi, no fool herself, quickly grasped the point, as did Wang Zhenyu.

"Exactly. That is her name," Luo Xingchen nodded.

Bu Liu smiled, though there was a hint of resignation in her expression.

"So that's it," Iron Pi Pi and Wang Zhenyu nodded in understanding. Though they still didn’t know what those strange characters meant, they had learned the origin of the spirit's name, and gained two bits of knowledge—not a bad deal.

Luo Xingchen called them for dinner. Iron Pi Pi wasn’t very hungry, yet still managed to eat five large bowls of rice and numerous dishes.

Wang Zhenyu, seeing Iron Pi Pi’s astonishing appetite for the first time, was taken aback.

After the meal, Bu Liu guided Wang Zhenyu to select a room and explained how to use the various amenities. The advanced, comfortable facilities shocked Wang Zhenyu’s worldview, just as they had Iron Pi Pi the night before.

So this was the true foundation of the immortal gates—indeed extraordinary, beyond the imagination of ordinary people!

Sneaking away from home in search of immortal fate had truly been the right decision! Wang Zhenyu felt as if she could already see herself soaring across vast new realms, and her resolve to join the immortal gates, learn supreme immortal arts, and become a great power grew stronger.

Midnight.

She claimed her daily lagging-behind reward for the new day and drew a lottery—still nothing.

Though a little disappointed, Luo Xingchen didn’t mind. There would be plenty more chances.

He went to bed.

The night passed in silence.

The next day, Luo Xingchen slept until midday again. Iron Pi Pi still showed no signs of hunger, so they had a simple lunch.

He packed away the mobile palace and continued on their journey, not hurrying, but traveling in a leisurely, sightseeing manner.

"Hey, isn’t that the handsome young man from the Supreme Qi Guiding Sect I met yesterday?!"

A delighted voice rang out from behind. The sound of a carriage drew near.

The three turned to look. Up front was a pockmarked, hunchbacked driver; behind him, the curtain was lifted and a head poked out, smiling brightly at Luo Xingchen.

It was none other than yesterday’s proprietress. Her attire was similar to the previous day, though her red robe was now pink, and her neckline was as daring as ever, the valley deep and unfathomable.

The hunchback, whether out of fear or something else, was quick-witted; as they approached, he stopped the carriage without needing a word from his wife.

"Yesterday you three left in such a hurry, we never got properly introduced. I am Su Wu. May I know this young man’s name?"

She ignored Iron Pi Pi and Wang Zhenyu, and didn’t even mention the hunchback.

Luo Xingchen didn’t hide his identity. "My name is Luo Xingchen," he replied, then smiled, "What’s this—did the proprietress miss me so much she couldn’t sleep and chased after me?"

"You’re a thousand times more handsome than my useless husband. Missing you so much I couldn’t sleep is only natural," Su Wu laughed, her bosom heaving once more.

"But I’m not chasing you. I’m on my way to the capital to join my sister—it’s just a coincidence to meet you here."

"Oh, I see," Luo Xingchen nodded, waving his hand. "Well then, let’s meet again if fate allows!"

Just as he was about to turn away, Su Wu called out, "Please wait, young man!"