It all started with one person becoming a shaman, but the Stand user...

"As for my phone, since I'm safe and secure, I can go anywhere in the world and come back whenever I want, so there's no need to rush to contact me."

The cheap phones we have now aren't very useful, and if they're good, they're just another burden on our household. Let's wait another two or three years. By then, there will be a type called a 'touchscreen phone,' which will be more common, and we'll buy one when the price drops."

Chapter 13 has been developed into a tourist attraction.

Normally, he would equip his Stand, Subspace Miasma, in the Stand slot. With a thought, he could swallow himself into the space inside, completely isolating himself from the outside world.

If he were to encounter an insurmountable danger, 99% of the methods in this world would probably be ineffective against him in that state.

At that time, he could disregard everything and drive the [sub-space miasma] straight out in one direction.

What kind of formation or encirclement could stop them?

Of course, this is a last resort to save your life, and the consequences can be extremely serious.

If he were to recklessly drive straight into the road, he would likely be unable to take care of anything he encounters along the way—houses, vehicles, or even people—and would inevitably cause indiscriminate damage and casualties, which is certainly not what he wants.

Therefore, it will never be used unless absolutely necessary.

"You silly child."

Qing's mother seemed to understand but not quite, and only muttered a reproachful remark.

However, she felt a little more at ease because of her son's unusual confidence.

Without asking any more questions, he took out two or three hundred yuan from his pocket, carefully stuffed it into the inside pocket of Qinghe Miao's coat, and pressed it firmly:

"Take it, but be careful with your spending. When you're out and about, don't always use your master's money."

Master Chai was also there to comfort them:

"Don't worry, the place we're going to is very safe. It's full of top people in the industry, so it's perfectly secure. I guarantee I'll bring Miaozi back safe and sound. Just think of it as letting the child go on a trip and broaden her horizons."

Amidst an atmosphere of reluctance and worry, Qing's father started the family's farm tricycle, which sputtered and puffed out black smoke as it took the master and apprentice to the county's train station.

Before entering the station, Qing's father gave him a series of detailed instructions, which didn't stop until they bought their tickets and entered the waiting room.

Qinghe Miao and his master, carrying their luggage, found a place to sit down.

In this era, airplanes and highways are still rare modes of transportation for ordinary people, and high-speed rail is an unheard-of concept.

The main long-distance transportation options are still green-skinned trains and long-distance buses, which makes train stations in various places the most crowded and noisy places where all kinds of people gather.

The smells of sweat, cigarettes, instant noodles, and cheap perfume mingled in the sweltering air. Migrant workers carrying woven bags, business travelers with briefcases, passengers with their families, and idle people with wandering eyes created a uniquely noisy scene at the end of the peak season at the train station.

Master Chai thought that Qinghe Miao was traveling far from home for the first time and might feel uneasy facing such a crowded and chaotic scene, so he specially spoke up to comfort her:

"Stay close, don't look around, and don't talk to strangers. Once you're on the bus, everything will be fine."

Little did anyone know that Qinghe Miao was not afraid at all; on the contrary, she missed the scene at the train station.

At the same time, it is inevitable to complain about the fact that the train system of this era was still incomplete and far from comfortable.

This contradictory state of mind can probably only be understood by a "returnee" like him.

Fortunately, neither of them were ordinary people.

Although Master Chai's cultivation level was not high, he had been traveling around the countryside for many years and had been making a living for most of his life. He was very experienced and could be considered a true "old hand" in the world.

Qinghe Miao is far more mature in mind than in appearance.

Throughout the journey, buying tickets, waiting for the train, squeezing onto the train, settling luggage, and dealing with occasional petty theft or unreasonable arguments on the train were all manageable for this master-apprentice duo.

Master Chai paved the way with his experience and a bit of the "toughness" of a countryman.

Each generation has its own experience. In this era, when you're out and about, you can't get away with just reasoning with people.

Therefore, Qinghe Miao will ensure that he does not cause any trouble.

Even if there were seemingly more civilized solutions from later generations, they would not speak of them indiscriminately.

It went smoothly, though.

The train rattled along eastward for a long time before I had to transfer to a bumpy long-distance bus in a major city.

Finally, I took a ride in a local private "black car".

And so, after several days of travel, the master and his apprentice finally arrived at their destination.

A mountainous area named for its three towering peaks, which can be seen from the east, south, and north, resembling a giant iron fork.

At this time, the mountain had been initially developed into a tourist attraction.

However, neither the roads leading into the mountains, the simple fences, nor the internal facilities were nearly as complete and convenient as they are in later times.

It still retains most of its original and rugged appearance.

Master Chai led Qing Hemiao to a spot on the gravel ground at the foot of the mountain, and looked up at the three green peaks that were faintly visible in the clouds and mist.

He turned and patted his apprentice's hair, which was slightly damp with sweat, and asked in a somewhat dry voice:

"Are you hungry after walking for so long? Would you like some water?"

Having traveled a long and winding road, neither of them were wealthy, and their travel expenses were limited.

Master Chai had the shrewdness of the older generation, saving money on everything except necessary transportation costs.

There are many sections of road between different pick-up points.

They all made it through sheer willpower, relying on their extraordinary stamina.

We also passed through some modern cities along the way.

I stumbled upon many foods that already exist now and that I will eat often in the future.

At this point, it's not something you can just buy casually.

The aroma wafted on the wind, making even Qinghe Miao swallow hard.

If you think about it, there are many things I haven't eaten in thirteen or fourteen years.

He remained calm about it.

In another five or six years, as the economy develops further and ordinary people's incomes increase, money will become less "valuable".

These foods can still be enjoyed.

In contrast, he would rather find a place to take a good shower.

Noticing that his Adam's apple bobbed slightly when his master asked the question, Qing Hemiao naturally understood his current embarrassment. He shook his head, his expression frank:

"I'm not hungry, and we still have water. Master, we need to hurry on our way."

Master Chai swallowed hard, his throat parched, and unscrewed the large insulated water bottle he carried with him. He tilted his head back and took a small sip of the lukewarm tea inside, smacking his lips as he said:

"Hmm, just bear with it a little longer. When we get there, we should be able to get something hot."

The old man was reluctant to spend money, and he couldn't even afford bottled mineral water along the way, drinking only the hot water he had obtained.

In comparison, he treated Qinghe Miao better, mentioning several times that he wanted to buy her some drinks.

But Qinghe Miao didn't care about this at all along the way and readily used the thermos.

This maturity and resilience beyond his years filled Master Chai with both pride and a bittersweet feeling.

After a short rest, Master Chai led Qinghe Miao up the mountain.

Instead of taking the repaired stone path leading to the main ticket office, they followed a worn path leading uphill.

When they reached a fork in the road halfway up the mountain, Qinghe Miao thought they would go straight up the mountain.

Unexpectedly, Master Chai changed direction, deviating from the main scenic area and turning onto a more secluded dirt road.

Qinghe Miao couldn't help but look back at the scenic area a few more times with a puzzled expression.

Seeing that Qinghe Miao kept casting his gaze toward the distant outline of the scenic area's mountains.

Master Chai thought he was just curious about the scenery on the mountain and reluctant to leave, figuring it was just childishness. He smiled and promised:

"Once we've finished our business, if we have enough time, your master will take you up the mountain to broaden your horizons."

Qinghe Miao shook his head again and looked away:

"It's alright, Master. Business comes first. I'll take you out to see the scenery in three to five years."

The master and disciple said no more, and their figures quickly disappeared into the lush green forest.

Chapter 14 Stone Flower

The road beneath our feet became increasingly difficult to traverse; it was an undeveloped rural dirt road.

But for the two who came from rural backgrounds and possessed extraordinary abilities, this was hardly an obstacle.

Master Chai's steps were steady and light, showing his years of Qi practice.

With Qinghe Miao by his side, sometimes they even used vines or tree trunks for support, making it easier to travel through the mountains and forests than on flat ground.

Soon, after passing through a dense pine forest, the view suddenly opened up, revealing a hillside with relatively orderly varying heights.

Scattered throughout are a dozen or so farmhouses, mostly constructed of a mixture of brick and stone, exuding the unique simplicity and sturdiness of this place.

Master Chai determined the direction and led Qinghe Miao straight to the edge of the courtyard, which was the largest, had the highest walls, and looked the most tidy.

A few steps outside the courtyard gate, Master Chai stopped, a rare hint of tension appearing on his face.

He first carefully patted off the dust and grass clippings that were stuck to his body, then straightened his slightly wrinkled collar, took a deep breath, and then stepped forward and knocked on the heavy wooden gate of the courtyard.

"Bang, bang, bang."

The knocking sounded exceptionally clear in the quiet valley.

A moment later, the sound of steady footsteps came from inside the courtyard, and with a creak, the courtyard gate was pulled open a crack.

A burly man from beyond the Great Wall, about twenty-one or twenty-two years old, appeared from behind the door. He was in the prime of his youth.

He wore a faded coarse cloth shirt, the lines of his muscles faintly visible beneath the fabric, exuding a fierce and rugged spirit forged in the mountains and wilderness.

Ignoring the slightly outdated hairstyle of this era, his facial features are quite handsome and masculine.

The man had sharp eyes. As soon as the door opened, he swept his gaze across Master Chai and Qing Hemiao outside the door like a wild beast.

There was a slight pause when it came to Qinghe Miao, a boy who was only a teenager.

"What do you want?"

The man who opened the door had a hearty voice typical of the area beyond the Great Wall, but he didn't immediately open the door.

Seeing this, Master Chai dared not delay. He quickly stepped forward, swiftly and smoothly forming a unique hand seal in front of his chest, then bowed slightly and respectfully introduced himself:

"I wouldn't dare trouble you to inform me. I am Chai Ningshen, a resident of Heishuitun, and a disciple of Lady Bai. I have come here on Lady Bai's instructions to pay my respects to Master Guan. I hope you will grant me this favor."

When the other person saw the hand seals that Master Chai had made, a look of surprise flashed in his eyes. He clearly recognized that this was indeed the etiquette of a legitimate shamanic disciple, and not some kind of charlatan.

His expression softened slightly, and he raised his hand to return a slightly different, more concise handprint.

Although the tone was still not particularly warm, it was much more polite than before:

"So you're Mr. Chai. My name is Deng Youcai. This gentleman... must be the young man that Bai Xianjia specifically mentioned?"

Master Chai looked at the young man in front of him, who was calm and composed, with a faint sense of Qi flowing through him.

Especially when he heard the other party introduce himself as "Deng Youcai", and then thought about where this place was, he immediately understood.

A glint of shrewdness flashed in his eyes, and his attitude became even more respectful:

"Yes, yes, it is indeed my disciple Qinghe Miao. You...you could you be Deng Youcai, or the Deng brothers from the residence of Grand Master Guan? Oh dear, my apologies for not recognizing you!"

I had long heard that several outstanding young talents had emerged from among the grandchildren of Grand Master Guan, and seeing them today, I can confirm that their reputation is well-deserved; they possess extraordinary bearing!

As he spoke, he quickly pulled Qing Hemiao over to his side:

"Xiao Miao, quick, call him Brother Deng. This is the grandson of Grand Master Guan, the most outstanding young member of our lineage!"

Qinghe Miao was very obedient. She stepped forward and bowed slightly, imitating her master, her voice clear and neither humble nor arrogant:

"Hello, Brother Deng."