Ziwei Immortal Path

Chapter 124 Qinghuan Inn
"What? Only one room?"

Xu Boyang stood at the front desk of the inn, staring at the fat, mustachioed innkeeper with an embarrassed look on his face. He turned around and saw the noisy front hall of the inn, and the bustling second floor with its carved beams and painted buildings, with people coming and going. It was true that the business was booming and the money was flowing in.

Still wondering:
"You have such a big inn with so many rooms, how come there's only one left? Boss, are you trying to cheat me by raising the price because I'm from outside the city?"

"Sir, please don't be angry. This is the peak season. Yuchuan City is overcrowded and it's hard to find a room. I have no choice. I originally had four rooms left, but unfortunately, three of them were reserved by a gentleman. So there is really only one room left. As for the price, to be honest, it's the same for everyone in the four alleys and eight streets. It has increased by 30%."

The shopkeeper leaned on the counter with one hand and said with a smile,

"Sir, our Qinghuan Inn has been in Yuchuan City for many years. My master is an honest businessman with a good reputation. Besides, we are a small business and we are honest to everyone. Look, there is only one room left. Book it as soon as possible, otherwise it will be gone soon."

Xu Boyang was furious when he saw him openly raising the price and still making such a high-sounding excuse. He turned around and motioned Ding Xuelian to step aside, and whispered,
"Miss Xuelian, this guy is sharp-tongued and sharp-tongued. You can tell he's sharpening knives. There are inns all over the street. Let's go to another one."

Ding Xuelian's face flushed slightly, and he muttered softly:
"Master Xu, if it were any other time, it wouldn't be a problem. But you know my eldest brother previously instructed us to stay here. If we move to another place, Yuchuan City is so big, I'm afraid he won't be able to find us in the future."

"This is not difficult."

Xu Boyang had been escorting people since he was a child, and he had seen all kinds of people and encountered all kinds of things. He turned back and took out the gold and silver bags he had prepared from his sleeve pocket, counted thirty pieces of linen, placed them on the counter, and pushed them over.
"Shopkeeper, I'm truly sorry. I have to stay here, but it's just that there are two of us with three children, and one room is cramped. Besides, there are differences between men and women, which is really inconvenient. If there were an extra room, I would definitely stay here. Could you please accept a little money and leave a letter for us?"

"You reward a beggar?"

The shopkeeper glanced at a small piece of cloth on the counter and said unhappily,

"What can thirty hemps do in Yuchuan City? It's just enough to buy a bowl of porridge! Where did you come from, you outsider? You look down on others and bully them too much! If you don't want to stay, just leave! Stop making noise!"

"Blinded your eyes!"

Xu Boyang's face darkened, he slapped the counter with his left hand, and grabbed the shopkeeper's collar across the counter with his right hand, and shouted in a low voice,
"Who are you calling dog-eyed? Say it again if you have the guts!"

"Oops..."

The shopkeeper was just an ordinary person, so he had no idea how to dodge. He was caught by Xu Boyang in one fell swoop. Unable to break free, his face turned pale and he screamed in panic:

"W-what do you want to do?"

In an instant, the entire noisy front hall of the inn suddenly became quiet. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked towards the counter.

"Mr. Xu, calm down..."

Ding Xuelian's face turned pale, and she hurried over, took his arm, and whispered,

"When you are out, please calm down, sir."

Xu Boyang was still furious. He felt that this man was cunning and sarcastic, and he simply deserved to be punished. However, considering that he was just a mortal, he was afraid that if he hit him hard, he would kill him and cause trouble for no reason. So he let go of his hand, lowered his head and looked around. He snorted coldly and shouted in a deep voice:

"Boss, you'd better watch your mouth. Don't be a dog that can't spit out ivory. If you think it's too little, just say it directly. Don't be sarcastic. Can you speak properly?"

The shopkeeper was freed and quickly stepped back. Unexpectedly, he showed no fear at all. As soon as he was free, he raised his eyebrows and said angrily:

"Sir, who's being unreasonable? This is Yuchuan City, home to Taoist priests. Gentlemen should speak with words, not with fists. You're a newcomer, and you didn't even notice who owns this inn? Even if you're a Taoist, you can't just attack the mortals of Yuchuan City."

"Besides, this is not a question of money. Does my master need this little money?"

"Who cares who owns your hotel? Do I have to find out who owns it just because I'm paying to stay here?"

Xu Boyang snorted coldly. He was extremely disgusted with this person and did not want to get entangled with him anymore. He just wanted to solve the problem quickly, get away from this place, and find another place. He said in a calm voice and with patience,

"Stop talking nonsense. I'm too lazy to talk to you. How much gold and silver do you want for a letter?"

The shopkeeper smiled:

"Excuse me, sir, if you are staying overnight, we welcome you. If you want something else, I apologize for not being able to accompany you."

"you…"

Xu Boyang did not expect that the shops in Yuchuan City were so arrogant and unreasonable. They refused to accept money even though it was offered. He was not a reckless person and would not do anything to bully the weak. He had just made a move to scare the shopkeeper, but he did not expect that the shopkeeper was fearless. He seemed to be well-informed and had a big family to support him. He was immediately in a dilemma. He thought that he could only spend money, so he said,
"Okay! In that case, let's get the upper room! How much is it?"

The shopkeeper was taken aback. Unexpectedly, Xu Boyang suddenly showed weakness. He was caught off guard for a moment. Seeing that he was not joking, he said reluctantly,
"One ounce of silver for one night, no bargaining!"

Xu Boyang laughed out of anger. It was as expected. It was indeed a shady inn. From childhood to adulthood, he and his father Xu Shaoliang had stayed in all kinds of inns. A night in an ordinary village inn would only cost twenty to fifty mahjong, while a luxury inn in a big town would only cost one hundred mahjong, at most two hundred mahjong.

I didn't expect that the inn in Yuchuan City would charge one tael of silver, which is equivalent to one thousand pieces of linen. It is ten times more expensive. It is simply too shady.

If nothing unexpected happens, I will have to live here for a full two months, which will require a total of sixty taels of heavy silver. If this amount were in Fengqing, I could easily buy a decent house that is neither too big nor too small, where I could live for the rest of my life and even leave it to the next generation.

At this moment, Xu Boyang had not used gold and silver for many years. To be honest, he was in charge of Fengqing Town at home and was not short of money. However, he had developed a habit of frugality from years of escorting and he really couldn't stand this unscrupulous businessman, which made him furious and angry.

"Mr. Xu, let me do it."

Ding Xuelian lowered her beautiful head and stepped forward and spoke softly.

Seeing that he agreed to stay, the girl from the Ding family was secretly happy, but a little shyness appeared on her pretty face. After all, the three Lingxi friends would be sent away in a few days, and then they would be alone in a room. Whether they could be together under the moonlight or have a passionate love affair at that time depended entirely on their own ability.

She had been spoiled since childhood and was not bad in talent, so she thought highly of herself and looked down upon all the young men from aristocratic families around her. But since she first saw Xu Boyang, her eyes lit up. She felt that this slightly intimidating young monk was tough and resolute, and had the spirit of a real man. He satisfied all her fantasies about a husband. It was a pity that his family background was not so good.

But ever since she learned that this young man had inherited the Taoist tradition of "Langfeng Peak", her heart softened instantly and her whole body became hot. This match made in heaven was right in front of her. Wasn't this her ideal husband?
In Qingshen, cultivation is everything.

"This person has a bright future, which is obvious to all. It's not only my father's instruction, but also my own expectation. So, I have decided to take this person!" Ding Xuelian clenched her hands, bit her lip and swore secretly.

"Shopkeeper, we need to stay in this room for a long time. I will pay you ten days' rent first, and then another ten days' rent after the expiration date, and so on. You have ordered. Here are ten taels of silver. If your eyesight is not good, please weigh it."

"Young lady, you are so open-minded. You don't need to look. I can tell where the silver is just by touching it. The best Baihua silver will definitely not be short of weight."

The shopkeeper looked at the beautiful Ding Xuelian with a smile on his face. He put the money into the counter and turned around to take out two copper keys and handed them to her. Xu Boyang deliberately walked into the hall to avoid being heard by the shopkeeper. He watched her pay the money with her head down and took the keys. He waited for her to come back before speaking:

"Miss Ding, then you should take the children upstairs to rest. They've been so exhausted on the journey, and we really haven't given them a good rest. Don't hurt the children. I'll order a table of delicious food later so they can recover."

Ding Xuelian was slightly startled: "Master... aren't you going up with us?"

Xu Boyang smiled:
"No need for that. Miss Ding is no stranger to my home. I've been here for years, so I can stay anywhere. And, with all due respect, how can a single man and a single woman like you and I share a room? You're a young lady, unmarried, and Boyang, as a guest official, cannot dishonor your reputation. You can take the child and rest. I'll go somewhere else."

"Mr. Xu, how can this be possible?"

Ding Xuelian only realized at this moment that Xu Boyang was planning to part ways. He was shocked and said, "Mr. Xu, Yuchuan is not like Fengqing. It is a gathering of heroes and hidden dragons and crouching tigers. You and I have important responsibilities. It is best... not to separate. Otherwise, I would rather... not live here anymore."

Xu Boyang said with a guilty conscience:

"Don't worry, girl. I'm nearby and won't go far."

In fact, he had just suddenly shown weakness in the name of his intention to go his separate ways. What a coincidence, he could use this high-sounding excuse to secretly go find Wolf Mo Changge without anyone noticing. Otherwise, Ding Xuelian would be by his side day and night, so how could he find an excuse to leave?

"Sir, Xue Lian grew up in Qingning Bay. He's well-educated and well-mannered. He's not a person who corrupts morals, nor is he a fickle person. I don't want a man and a woman alone in the same room."

Ding Xuelian lowered her head, her beautiful eyes filled with tears, and two tears fell in a daze.
"But Xue Lian knows that he is insignificant and the clan's affairs are of paramount importance. He must act swiftly in times of urgency. Xue Lian's cultivation is low, and he only hopes that you can protect him by his side. Otherwise, if there is any mistake on this trip, Feng Qing will be in jeopardy if you and I are harmed... Xue Lian will never be able to redeem himself..."

"This... Miss Xuelian, don't cry. Why is it necessary? I'll be waiting nearby and won't go far..."

Xu Boyang didn't expect that such a cheerful girl would burst into tears because of such a small thing. Her expression was sad and her eyes were tearful, which didn't seem fake. He was extremely distressed for a while.

As expected, a woman who can cry is the most pitiful. This tactic of playing hard to get stumped Xu Boyang.

Just when things were getting awkward, a familiar voice came from behind.
"Boyang? You live here too?"

Xu Boyang turned around and saw Fei Wenyu, Fei Wenlong, and Lu Yangxian standing at the door leisurely. He suddenly woke up as if from a dream, as if he had been pardoned. He strode over and said with a smile:

"Huh? Brother Fei, you guys live here too?"

"Yes, we didn't have many places to stay along the way. This place is a bit expensive, but it's not bad. Brother Lu arrived earlier and has already booked three rooms. We just came back from the competition venue, 'Disha Jiugongtai'. Listen to me, this place is really huge..."

As soon as Fei Wenyu saw Xu Boyang, he couldn't stop talking and started talking to him. Xu Boyang asked in surprise:

"You have booked three upper rooms?"

"Yes, the three of us will each have our own room and won't disturb each other. Mr. Xu, what a coincidence. We just separated at the city gate this morning and now we meet again." Lu Yangxian came over and said with a smile.

Fei Wenlong smiled and bowed, "That's great. We are all from the same sect. Master Xu has a high level of cultivation and a wide circle of friends. We are staying in the same room, so I can ask him for advice."

For a moment, Xu Boyang felt that these two people were not as bad as Fei Wenyu said, at least not at this moment. The sudden appearance of the three people was like a lamp in a dark room and a timely help!

"It's easy to talk about."

Xu Boyang was overjoyed, cupped his hands and smiled,

"Brother Wenyu, it's just right. The inn is short of rooms and there's only one left. I'll stay with you so I don't have to go out and look for another room. This way, Miss Xuelian will be relieved."

Fei Wenyu chuckled: "That's okay, it's just right for us to talk."

Ding Xuelian had just controlled Xu Boyang completely, but he didn't expect Fei Wenyu and the other two to come down like divine soldiers from heaven. The offensive he had worked so hard to build was instantly thwarted. He was stunned for a moment, and after a moment, his heart was dead. He lowered his head to wipe away his tears, pulled the three Lingxi people, and whispered,
"That's even better, Master Xu. Xue Lian... will go up first. Please keep your promise and don't go too far."

Xu Boyang felt relieved and said, "Miss Ding, please do as you please."

On that day, Xu Boyang, Ding Xuelian, the Fei brothers, and Lu Yangxian, each with their own ulterior motives, checked into the Qinghuan Inn in Dongpu Lane, south of Yuchuan City.

All four rooms are the best rooms in the inn. There are flower halls inside and outside the rooms, and inner rooms inside. The furniture is complete and simple and elegant. Outside the windows is the backyard garden. The rooms are connected in a line. Xu Boyang secretly made a plan and let Fei Wenlong and Lu Yangxian live in the middle as a barrier.

As soon as Ding Xuelian entered the room, he closed the door and invited the three Lingxizi to go into the inner room to rest. Then he went to open the window. With a flick of his hand, a red light flashed from the storage bag, and a thumb-sized red kite landed in his palm. He pursed his red lips and blew gently.

The red kite flapped its wings instantly and flew out of the window. In a moment, it disappeared into the sky.

She made another move, and a vermilion sandalwood box flew out and landed on the table in the room. It opened by itself, and six lifelike paper figures jumped out, jumping on the table and playing with each other.

Ding Xuelian smiled when he saw this, and he clasped his hands together. A red light flashed, and six little men immediately jumped down from the table. They swayed, and with a few leaps, they climbed up to the beams and disappeared.

After she finished casting the spell, she hummed softly and muttered to herself:
"Xu Boyang, you are my guest, but you don't know my tracking skills. It's really ironic. Humph, I have already taken a fancy to you, but you are still pretending to be noble. Let's see how you can escape from my Five Finger Mountain."

At this time, Xu Boyang was sitting in Fei Wenyu's room, listening to his vivid description of the venue of the "Earth Demon Nine Palaces" competition. He was amazed and said:
"You said this platform is actually floating on the Linghuai River. It's really unbelievable!"

"Boyang, you don't know. I've taken a closer look. This Earthly Fiend Nine Palaces Platform is not simple. It connects heaven and earth, and secretly corresponds to the number of the nine bends of the Linghuai River. In addition, the Nine Palaces Platform appears to have nine stages, but in reality, there are more. Each stage has eight surfaces, all created using the Eight Palaces method. Counting this way, the Nine Palaces Platform is actually seventy-two stages, which also contains the number of the seventy-two Earthly Fiends of my Taoism. No wonder it is called this."

After hearing this, Xu Boyang's expression changed slightly and he asked, "Is this some kind of powerful magic formation?"

Fei Wenyu smiled triumphantly and said:
"Of course! It must be a formation, otherwise it wouldn't contain so many mysteries!"

Xu Boyang nodded: "That's most likely a Huangting-level magic array."

Fei Wenyu smiled mysteriously and said with his spiritual consciousness:
"That's too low. I asked that idiot Lu Yangxian to give some spirit stones to the Huaiyou cultivator on duty. I asked around and found out that this is just the Earthly Origin-level 'Earthly Evil Nine Palaces Platform' on the Linghuai River, and the Heavenly Origin-level 'Heavenly Gang Absolute Peak Strike' atop Yunxiao Peak. Together, they form the Purple Mansion-level mountain defense formation, the 'Heavenly Gang Earthly Evil True Martial Formation' that protects the entire Yuchuan City!"

Xu Boyang was taken aback, then burst out laughing. "Fei Wenyu, you're so clueless about big things, but you're so clever about small things. You've even managed to get all these secrets out! You're quite capable!"

Fei Wenyu laughed:
"What kind of secret is this? This is the Purple Mansion Formation. It's the best. Unless the Demon King is reborn, or the Buddha descends, the witch demon descends, the Dragon King leaves the sea, or the saint returns to the human world, who in the world can break it?"

Thanks to my book friends 13-Dimensional Space, Lanting, Yuzi, and 5957 for their monthly tickets! It’s the end of the month, so friends who have tickets can vote!
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(End of this chapter)