Chapter 27
Part 1
Dawn broke as Gouzi stirred from his slumber. He looked at Wen Heng and Lian Wushang, huddled by the cart door, as if pumped full of adrenaline. “What’s wrong with you two? Why are you looking so down?”
Wen Heng and Lian Wushang yawned. “Probably didn’t sleep well.” It wasn’t just that they hadn’t slept well—they hadn’t slept at all.
The two had chatted nonstop all night. Lian Wushang hadn’t realized he could talk so much. Wen Heng was the same—while he was usually concise with Gouzi and Old Wen, in front of Lian Wushang, he felt he could out-chatter the vegetable vendors on the street.
Lian Wushang stood up and stretched lazily. “I’ll definitely get to bed early tonight.” He’d already been suppressing his true self since arriving in the Spirit Realm, and now his old ailment had flared up again. Plus, they were in the territory of a cultivation sect—here, he was no different from an ordinary person. If he tried to absorb any spiritual energy now, he’d inevitably attract unwanted attention. Forget it, better to just endure it.
Wen Heng also felt a bit drained. He pondered for a moment, attributing it to the lack of proper rest these past days.
Gouzi hastily wiped his face and ate some food he’d begged for yesterday. He was eager to drag Wen Heng and Lian Wushang to report to the Qingcheng Sect. But after taking just a few steps, Gouzi remembered something crucial: “What about the cart?”
They weren’t locals. What if the cart got dragged away after they left?
“I’ll cast a barrier.” Lian Wushang waved his hand, and the cart with the peculiar canopy vanished from the dead-end alley. Wen Heng and Gouzi stared in awe. No matter how many times they witnessed it, Lian Wushang’s skill never ceased to amaze them.
Finally able to relax, Gouzi muttered as he walked: “Soon I’ll have a proper job too, ahahaha! Ah Heng, Mr. Lian, then we won’t have to run around like this anymore.” Gouzi’s mind was now filled with visions of a happy future.
“Gouzi, you go report to the Qingcheng Sect first. Wushang and I will stay outside for now.”
Wen Heng told Gouzi, who immediately exploded: “What? Why aren’t you coming?!”
“I need to handle our identity documents. Once that’s sorted, I’ll meet up with you,” Wen Heng explained. “Besides, I’m slow and methodical—not as nimble as you. You go in first to build connections. Once you’re settled in, I’ll join you. That way, I won’t hold you back.”
“What’s this talk of holding each other back…” Doggie grumbled discontentedly, but then conceded, “True. Old Wen always said don’t put all your eggs in one basket. I’ll go check it out first. If things look good, you can come in later.”
Doggie led Lian Wushang and Wen Heng to the northern mountain gate of the Qingcheng Sect. Sure enough, two new Taoist novices had replaced the ones at the White Jade Bridge. Gouzi beamed as he raised his wooden pass to greet them, with Lian Wushang and Wen Heng following behind.
“You must be Li ErGou, who registered yesterday. Wenhua and Wenxin already told us about you. I’ll take you to report to the steward first,” the disciple said cheerfully, not at all like the other cultivators who carried themselves with such lofty airs.
“Thanks, thanks.” Gouzi turned back and waved at Wen Heng and Lian Wushang. “You guys go ahead. I’ll be back tonight.”
The young disciple looked at Wen Heng and the others. “What’s the matter? Aren’t these two joining our Qingcheng Sect?”
Gouzi chuckled cheerfully, “Ah Heng and the others need to handle their identity documents. They’ll join us once that’s sorted.”
Hearing this, the two Taoist disciples nodded. They stared at Wen Heng and Lian Wushang, their expressions—well, how to put it—seemed utterly dismissive.
Wen Heng could tell the two disciples were quite enthusiastic toward Gouzi, but not particularly welcoming toward him and Wushang. Weng Heng scratched his nose. “Is it because I’m not as smooth as Doggie?”
Lian Wushang frowned slightly. Only after they’d turned a corner did he speak. “Doggie has Leopard by his side. He’ll be fine.” Weng Heng glanced at Lian Wushang. True enough—Lian Wushang was a cultivator. Perhaps he’d recognized Leopard as a demon beast at first glance.
Wenheng had already inquired yesterday: an identity document cost twenty-eight copper coins. He and Er Gouzi needed fifty-six coins to obtain theirs. Fifty-six coins felt like fifty-six mountains, crushing down heavily on Wenheng’s shoulders.
Wenheng and Lian Wushang walked along Qingcheng Town’s clean streets. Lian Wushang was fine—he looked like an ordinary person. But Wen Heng? He was a gaunt, sallow-faced beggar. Walking down the street, he was practically an eyesore! Before long, he’d already caught several disapproving glances.
Wen Heng sighed. “It’s so unfair. When Doggie goes out, people sympathize with him. But when I show up, everyone looks at me with nothing but contempt. This looks-obsessed world…”
It’s not just about looks—it’s about physique too. Doggie’s frail, while Wen Heng is tall and sturdy. Visually, Doggie looks far more pitiable than Wen Heng.
Lian Wushang chuckled. “Come on, let’s go get some new clothes.” If they were going to play charlatans, they couldn’t very well be in rags.
To his surprise, Wen Heng followed Lian Wushang all the way to the pawnshop. Lian Wushang plucked the jade hairpin—now turned to wood—from his hair. Wen Heng grabbed his wrist. “Wushang, what are you doing?”
The wooden pin transformed back into a lustrous jade hairpin in Lian Wushang’s hand. He smiled faintly. ” I left home without money. The only copper coin I had, I gave to you. Now, the only thing I can pawn is this hairpin. It’s fine. I’ll pawn it for now. When you have money, you can redeem it back.”
Wen Heng stared at Lian Wushang in shock. “You didn’t have to do this for me. You’re used to this hairpin. I can manage like this.”
Lian Wushang smiled faintly. “I’m not asking for anything in return, and I can always redeem it later. You need new attire now—my spells won’t do you any good.”
Indeed, they were useless. His spiritual energy brimmed with vitality, an irresistible temptation to the current Wen Heng. Any spiritual energy he channeled was simply absorbed by Wen Heng.
Lian Wushang handed the hairpin to the plump shopkeeper: “Shopkeeper, take a look. How much silver would this pin fetch?” Lian Wushang’s hairpin was certainly no ordinary item, but he didn’t want to pawn it for too much, lest the redemption price become prohibitive. Therefore, he deliberately made the pin appear as if it were just an ordinary one.
Even so, it was a piece with substantial water content. The plump shopkeeper eyed Lian Wushang, then Wen Heng. Seeing they were clearly penniless, he offered a bargain price even though the hairpin could fetch ten taels: “One tael.”
“Fine.” Lian Wushang declared in front of Wen Heng. “Write up a receipt. I intend to redeem it.” The plump shopkeeper snorted. “Cash on delivery. When you come to redeem it, it won’t be just one tael. Think carefully.”
“Yes/No!” Lian Wushang and Wen Heng’s voices rang out in unison. Wen Heng was genuinely flustered. It wasn’t that he felt Lian Wushang had hurt his pride or anything like that, but rather that he felt Lian Wushang was being treated too unfairly. Clearly a person of noble birth, he had been following him through wind and rain, sleeping rough, and now had even pawned the most valuable item on his person—the hairpin.
How could he ever repay this debt of gratitude!
The plump pawnbroker had no desire to haggle with two penniless vagabonds. He tossed a liang of silver onto the counter with a flourish. Lian Wushang snatched the coin and yanked Wen Heng out of the cramped pawnshop. Wen Heng kept turning back, wanting to retrieve Lian Wushang’s hairpin. He couldn’t shake the feeling that once they left this pawnshop, getting that pin back onto Wushang’s hair would be nearly impossible.
“Stop fussing.” Standing at the pawnshop entrance, Lian Wushang’s eyes crinkled with a gentle smile. He spoke softly, “I only pawned it temporarily. Sooner or later, you’ll be able to get it back for me. Besides, this isn’t for nothing. When you establish your own sect someday, I’ll be the highest-ranking person in your order.”
Lian Wushang’s voice flowed like a stream over pebbles, like a breeze through leaves. Wen Heng felt warmth spread through his entire world.
“Alright, I’ll become the richest man in the world someday. When that day comes, you can pick any treasure you want.” Wen Heng solemnly swore to Lian Wushang, “If I ever found a sect or school, your status would surpass mine.”
After saying this, Wen Heng felt something suddenly bind him and Lian Wushang together.
Lian Wushang’s eyes widened abruptly. The Way of Heaven! The consciousness of the Heavenly Dao had materialized—Wen Heng had just sworn an oath to it.
![Flying Dust [Fei Chen]](https://novels.space/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/9k.png "Flying Dust [Fei Chen]")
