Bearing the blue sky

Chapter 302 Arrived quickly, left quickly

After traveling for more than an hour, the terrain ahead gradually opened up, and the woods on both sides turned into rolling farmland and villages.

But most of those villages were dilapidated, some with only a few crumbling walls remaining, others overgrown with weeds, and occasionally a few hunched figures could be seen working slowly in the fields.

"The villages here are also destroyed." Liu Jianjian looked at the ruins by the roadside, her voice lowered.

"The Red River Prefecture was destroyed even more severely; this place is considered better off." Zhu Ge sighed, "There are many demonic beasts and few people. Once the village is gone, it's gone. Sigh."

As she spoke, Zhu Ge looked at it more carefully, her eyes narrowing.

"This place—was destroyed by people."

Monsters eat people, but people also eat people!

Zhu Ge couldn't help but think about many things.

Although this place is not as miserable as the border regions, there are still people at the bottom struggling to survive.

"Human—" Liu Jianjian didn't say anything more.

The official road turned another corner, and ahead appeared a low mound, followed by a small town.

The city wall is not high. It is made of rammed earth. Over the years, wind and rain have eroded the wall, making it covered with cracks, like the wrinkles on an old man's face.

The city gate was wide open, with no soldiers guarding it. There were only a few old men squatting on the ground smoking pipes and squinting in the sun.

Zhu Ge slowed the snow wolf's pace, and the carriage slowly drove into the city.

The city is not large, and the streets are not wide.

Most of the shops on both sides were open, selling cloth, groceries, farm tools, and a few small restaurants.

There weren't many pedestrians on the street, but it wasn't deserted either. Occasionally, a few oxcarts would slowly pass by, with the drivers leaning lazily against the shafts, as if they were asleep.

"This place is actually quite lively." Liu Jianjian looked around. "It's much better than the villages we just passed."

"Because there are 'city walls' here." Zhu Ge said, "Although my cultivation level isn't high, at least it can block some things."

"For example, monsters, bandits, and—people who are starving."

Zhu Ge's gaze swept across the street and landed on a small restaurant with a faded wooden plaque hanging above its door.

The wooden plaque bore the five characters "Lao Ma's Noodle Shop," the writing blurred but still legible. A fragrant aroma of chili oil and vinegar wafted from the entrance, particularly enticing in the early autumn breeze.

"Let's go to that place and have a bowl of noodles." Zhu Ge felt hungry.

The carriage stopped in front of the noodle shop.

Zhu Ge got out of the car, and Liu Jianjian followed behind him. Zhu Sisi leaned on her shoulder, chewing mulberry leaves without stopping.

Upon entering the noodle shop, there were only four or five tables, and three of them were occupied by customers.

Behind the counter stood a lean old man, wearing a faded blue apron, kneading dough.

He moved quickly, turning the dough over and over in his hands, making a "thump thump" sound.

"Please have a seat, sir!" The old man looked up at Zhu Ge and greeted him warmly, "What would you like to eat? We have oil-splashed noodles, minced meat noodles, and biangbiang noodles, all authentic Qin-style dishes!"

"Two bowls of oil-splashed noodles, please." Zhu Ge's eyes were filled with a smile: "One bowl with extra chili, one bowl without."

"Okay!"

The old man shouted, slammed the dough onto the cutting board, and began to pull noodles.

Zhu Ge found a table by the window and sat down.

The window was open, and you could see the occasional pedestrian walking by on the street.

Liu Jianjian sat opposite him, propping her chin up with her hands, looking around curiously. Zhu Sisi leaned on her shoulder, unusually lifting her head to glance towards the kitchen.

"The noodles are here!" The old man came out carrying a large tray with two large, rough porcelain bowls on it.

The bowl contains wide noodles, topped with a layer of bright red chili oil, and garnished with a few pieces of bright green vegetables. Hot oil is poured over minced garlic and chili powder, sizzling as it is poured.

Knew it!

In times of chaos, good food is the best cure for a troubled heart.

Zhu Ge picked up her chopsticks, stirred it, and then put a piece into her mouth.

The noodles are chewy and springy, and the aroma of chili, the sourness of vinegar, and the spiciness of garlic intertwine in the mouth, creating a satisfying sensation that hits the taste buds.

He took a bite, then another, without saying a word, but his chopsticks never stopped.

Liu Jianjian also lowered her head and took a bite, then her eyes lit up: "So delicious!"

Zhu Sisi leaned on Liu Jianjian's shoulder, glanced down at the bowl of noodles, then turned her head away and continued chewing her mulberry leaves, putting on a cool and aloof look as if "mulberry leaves are the best in the world".

"Please enjoy your meal, sir!" The old man brought over another bowl of noodle soup and placed it on the table. "The noodle soup is free; feel free to ask for more if you're still hungry."

"Thank you," Zhu Ge nodded in thanks.

He was eating when two people came in from outside.

Walking in front was a middle-aged man wearing a silk robe, with a round face and a mustache. He was holding a folding fan in his hand, which he kept waving around even though the weather wasn't hot.

A thin assistant followed behind him, carrying a sandalwood box.

The middle-aged man looked around as soon as he entered, his gaze lingering on Zhu Ge and Liu Jianjian for a moment before shifting to the old man: "Old Ma, is my batch of goods ready?"

The old man put down the dough in his hand, wiped his hands, took out a small cloth bag from under the counter, and handed it to the middle-aged man: "Master Ma, this is this month's allowance. Please check it."

The middle-aged man took the cloth bag, weighed it in his hand, and his expression turned grim: "That's all?"

"Master Ma, this year's drought has resulted in a poor harvest; this is all we can manage to collect." The old man smiled apologetically. "As you know, fewer and fewer villages around here can deliver their grain."

"Short?" The middle-aged man sneered. "If it's short, then go find some more! I don't care what method you use, if it's still this number next month, you can close your noodle shop."

The old man lowered his head and didn't speak, his lips pressed into a thin line.

The middle-aged man tossed the cloth bag to his assistant behind him, turned around, and walked out.

Zhu Ge continued eating.

There are too many things in the world for him to manage.

It's impossible to meddle in everything.

The old man making noodles stood there, head down, his coarse apron covered in flour and oil stains, his fingers still clutching a small pinch of flour, his knuckles white.

"Shopkeeper," a nearby customer couldn't help but ask, "Who is that person?"

The old man looked up at the diners and sighed, "Master Ma, the biggest grain merchant in this town. He owns half the land in the entire county."

"He collects your share?"

"It's called a allowance, but it's really just protection money." The old man smiled bitterly. "He said he has connections in the city lord's mansion, and if we don't pay, the noodle shop won't be able to stay in business."

"Two years ago, an oil mill refused to pay, and that very night the oil mill caught fire and burned to the ground."

"Is nobody doing anything about it?"

"Take care?" The old man shook his head. "It's useless to complain anywhere."

The diner was silent for a moment, then asked, "How much does he charge?"

"Five bushels of grain a month, plus 30% interest," the old man said. "How much can my noodle shop earn in a month? He takes 30%, and the rest is barely enough to make ends meet."

He smiled again: "Never mind, let's not talk about it anymore. Please enjoy your meal, sirs, the noodles won't taste good if they get cold."

Listening to the two chatting, Zhu Ge lowered her head and continued eating her noodles.

A moment later, Zhu Ge finished eating.

"Master, aren't you going to do anything about this?" Liu Jianjian asked in a low voice as she finished eating.

Zhu Ge smiled upon hearing this and led Liu Jianjian out. After they got into the carriage, he said, "Don't you have divine sense?"

"Divine sense?" Liu Jianjian was taken aback, and then immediately extended her divine sense.

Zhu Ge had asked Liu Jianjian about it before.

After Liu Jianjian broke through to the third realm, the range that her divine sense could cover was quite large, at least this small town was no problem.

After Liu Jianjian covered it, she immediately noticed the abnormality.

They had already left the small town in a carriage, but in Liu Jianjian's consciousness, the shopkeeper was discussing things with the two of them in the kitchen.

One of the two men was the bully who had come to cause trouble and extort money earlier; he was Master Ma.

The other person was a customer who was answering questions from the shopkeeper.

The rest is quite simple.

The three people, each with a different expression, were discussing the same thing: Zhu Ge and his group.

"Damn it, that guy is supposed to be a martial artist, yet he has no compassion at all," the shopkeeper said angrily.

Master Ma smiled and said nonchalantly, "These martial artists who travel all over the country basically don't have compassion. They're not Confucian or Taoist people; only gentlemen have compassion."

The shopkeeper scoffed, "That's true, but it's a pity who knows when we'll see another outsider like this again."

.

The diner chuckled: "Don't worry, the newspaper's been making a big fuss about it lately, and a lot of people will be passing by here to submit their articles to the newspaper's branch. We'll make some money then."

Upon hearing this, Master Ma shook his head: "There's a second-realm spirit a little further on, and a corpse garden a bit further away. Even if there were people, they wouldn't go this way."

The three of them then began to chat.

Liu Jianjian, who saw all of this with her divine sense, was furious.

"How could these people do this!" Liu Jianjian exclaimed angrily. "They actually tried to take advantage of our kindness to harm us!"

"It's normal." Zhu Ge shook her head. "You'll get used to these things after a while."

"By the way, Master, how did you know?" Liu Jianjian asked again, "You clearly don't have divine consciousness!"

"Haha, what a coincidence!" Zhu Ge laughed. "Nothing happened before we came, but as soon as we arrived, Master Ma came to collect his money?"

"Why do the diners and restaurant owners insist on talking and interacting in front of us?"

"And during this process, you might not have noticed the subtle exchanges between them—"

Zhu Ge gave a brief explanation, then said, "So, we still need to consider these things more carefully. We can't rely on divine sense or cultivation for everything, otherwise we'll face endless troubles."

How did the fisherman in the straw raincoat die?

Too much reliance on divine sense!

As a result, Zhu Ge targeted him.

"I see—" Liu Jianjian nodded slightly, a look of realization flashing across her face, followed by admiration: "Master, you're so smart!"

"You, you." Zhu Ge smiled helplessly, but then suddenly looked ahead.

The official road turned a corner ahead, and the trees along the roadside gradually thinned out, revealing a wide, flat area.

A figure stood on the flat ground, facing the direction from which the carriage had come, as if he had been waiting for them.

He was a young man, dressed in a moon-white robe, with a long sword hanging at his waist. The scabbard was inlaid with a pale blue jade stone, which gleamed softly in the sunlight.

His hair was tied up with a jade hairpin, and his face was delicate, looking no more than seventeen or eighteen years old, but his eyes had a calmness beyond his years.

"Master, who is that?" Liu Jianjian narrowed her eyes slightly, her demonic aura flowing across her body, ready to make a move at any moment.

"I don't know." Zhu Ge raised an eyebrow. "But he's waiting for us."

The carriage stopped ten paces away from the young man.

Zhu Ge jumped out of the car, clasped his hands in a fist and palm salute to the other party: "Sir, what brings you here?"

The young man returned the greeting with a clean and crisp gesture: "My name is Liu Chengfeng. I was passing by when I heard that Master Tianji was here, so I came to seek his guidance."

"May I ask you something?" Zhu Ge raised an eyebrow. "I don't think I know you."

"Of course you don't know me, sir," Liu Chengfeng smiled. "But I have long admired your name."

"I admire you for defeating several prodigies in Qin territory, fighting against the Mo family's mechanics in the Corpse Garden, and writing the poem 'Only by destroying all decay can one find peace' in Xianyang City."

"You're quite well-informed," Zhu Ge nodded.

"The news about you, sir, spread very quickly," Liu Chengfeng said. "Especially the Human Race Daily, it has already reached further north. I read your article in the newspaper and was deeply impressed, so I came here specifically to exchange ideas with you."

"A sparring match?" Zhu Ge glanced at the sword at his waist. "Are you a swordsman?"

"Yes." Liu Chengfeng nodded: "He is also a sword cultivator in the three realms of immortality, and is currently ranked fifty-second on the 'Social Ranking'."

"Fifty-two?" Zhu Ge nodded slightly.

He knew the prestige of the top fifty on the "Imperial Ranking." Lin Zhi, Mingxing, and Yuan Shentong were undoubtedly monsters among monsters.

But those ranked in the top fifty are all genuine prodigies, capable of going toe-to-toe with the best.

"Sir, you seem somewhat disappointed?" Liu Chengfeng asked with a smile. "Is it because my ranking is too low?"

"No," Zhu Ge shook her head, "it's just that I think you came at the perfect time."

"Perfect?" Liu Chengfeng asked in surprise.

"I've been in quite a few fights lately, but mostly with demonic beasts, corpse monsters, and mountain spirits. I haven't fought with sword cultivators much yet," Zhu Ge said with a smile. "Perfect, I'll give it a try."

Upon hearing this, Liu Chengfeng's smile deepened: "Then I won't stand on ceremony."

He raised his hand and grasped the hilt of the sword.

When the longsword was drawn, there was no harsh metallic scraping sound, only a clear and melodious hum, like the wind passing through the gaps in the bamboo forest.

The sword is entirely silver-white, with a layer of pale blue light flowing across the blade, which gathers into a shimmering spot of light at the tip, like a firefly on a summer night.

"What a fine sword!" Zhu Ge exclaimed.

"The sword is named Azure Frost." Liu Chengfeng said, "It has been with me for ten years."

"Great name!" Zhu Ge clapped her hands in praise again, then asked, "Ten years? How old were you when you started practicing swordsmanship?"

"Seven years old," Liu Chengfeng said. "Seventeen this year."

At seventeen, he was listed as the fiftieth in the "List of State Affairs".

Zhu Ge nodded secretly.

This talent is indeed quite good.

"bring it on."

Zhu Ge gripped the Purgatory Star Staff tightly, assuming a starting stance: "Let me see your sword."

Liu Chengfeng did not hesitate.

The sword flashed, and his figure disappeared—not truly disappeared, but so fast that even an afterimage was left behind.

The tip of the sword was already three inches in front of Zhu Ge.

Zhu Ge dodged to the side, then swept the Purgatory Star Staff horizontally, the staff whistling as it struck Liu Chengfeng's waist and ribs.

Liu Chengfeng neither dodged nor avoided; with a flick of his wrist, he pressed down with the tip of his sword, striking the staff.

"bite""

With a clear sound, Zhu Ge felt a gentle force coming from the staff, which dissipated most of the force of his strike.

"What a cleverly chosen sword," Zhu Ge said.

"Sir, you reacted very quickly," Liu Chengfeng said.

The two exchanged a brief blow, each taking two steps back before launching another attack.

The sword light and the staff shadow intertwined, like a rain and a gust of wind falling simultaneously on an open ground.

Liu Chengfeng's swordsmanship was clean and efficient, with no unnecessary movements; each strike was aimed directly at the vital points.

His steps were light and rhythmic, as if he were playing a tune no one had ever heard before.

Zhu Ge's stick fighting techniques are more varied, sometimes fierce and sometimes gentle, as if imitating the flowing water and wind in the mountains.

The two fought for dozens of rounds, but neither gained the upper hand.

Liu Chengfeng suddenly sheathed his sword and retreated several feet away: "Sir, you truly live up to your reputation."

"You're not bad either," Zhu Ge said without batting an eye. "Your swordsmanship is better than I imagined."

"Sir, you haven't used your full strength yet, have you?" Liu Chengfeng asked.

Zhu Ge smiled but didn't say anything.

"Sir, then I shall unleash my sword." Liu Chengfeng narrowed his eyes: "This sword strike is my strongest sword technique."

"Come here." Zhu Ge stood holding a stick.

Liu Chengfeng closed his eyes and gripped the sword hilt tightly.

The pale blue light on the Azure Frost Sword began to condense and become denser, as if a thin layer of water was flowing on the sword, or as if the night wind was lingering in the night.

The air around him began to distort, as if being pulled by an invisible force field.

Then, he opened his eyes.

The sword thrust out flatly, without a clang, without the sound of it cutting through the air, and without even a gust of wind.

The sword had not yet arrived, but the intention had.

"Sword intent? Not bad." Zhu Ge neither dodged nor blocked. He took a step forward to meet the sword, gripped his staff in his right hand, and thrust it forward.

He rammed his body into the sword intent.

Just as the tips of the Purgatory Star Staff and the sword tip were about to meet in the air, Zhu Ge's Dawn Force also erupted at the same time.

A golden light emanated from his body, illuminating the air within several feet around him.

The tip of the staff met the tip of the sword.

There was no sound of collision; it was like two drops of ink falling into the same glass of water, silently blending together.

Then, the merging light began to expand and grow, transforming into a silent wave of energy.

The wind swept calmly across the ground, causing the fine dust on the road to rise slightly before settling back down.

Liu Chengfeng sheathed his sword and took a step back, his face slightly pale, but his eyes were bright.

"Sir, that strike you just delivered—were you already calculating the exact point of impact the moment I drew my sword?"

"I suppose so." Zhu Ge nodded: "My Heavenly Secrets Path is all about calculation."

"What if I hadn't struck that sword?"

"You wouldn't hesitate to strike," Zhu Ge said. "Because when you drew that sword, you didn't hesitate at all."

Liu Chengfeng was silent for a moment, then smiled: "It seems I didn't lose unjustly."

With that, Liu Chengfeng sheathed his sword. "I have other matters to attend to, so I won't disturb you any longer, sir."

"Where are you going?" Zhu Ge asked curiously.

That's way too fast!

Wait all day, have a fight, and then leave?

Young people are young people, they have so much energy!

Liu Chengfeng said, "I'd like to visit the branch office of the Human Race Daily and write a few articles there as well."

Zhu Ge looked at him and nodded: "Then be careful on the road."

"Take care, sir."

Liu Chengfeng turned and left, his posture upright and his steps light, and he soon disappeared around the corner of the official road.

So the carriage continued eastward.

The wheels rolled over the gravel on the official road, making a monotonous sound, like the pulse of the earth.

In the distance, a flock of birds took flight from the fields, scattering into a patch of black spots in the twilight.

The wind rustled through the roadside grass and trees, as if they were whispering something.

As he sat there, Zhu Ge suddenly felt a sense of disorientation.

"Liu Chengfeng, what a fine name! Coming on the wind, going on the wind."

"But who knows, how is this journey of life any different from riding the wind to and fro?"

Time flies like an arrow, and the days slip by like a shuttle.

Life is like a journey, as fleeting as the wind.

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