Red Dust
The pattering light rain rippled bursts of ripples in the small river. Exactly like crisp silver bells, ding dong resounding.
On the wet bluestone slab road, a figure pushed a Wooden Cart. The wheels waded past the green moss between the slab crevices, from time to time bumping and shaking. A suit of blue clothes in the hazy fine rain pushed the cart leisurely advancing.
"One horse left the Xiliang border~
Cannot help but bursts of tears sprinkling on the chest.
Blue are mountains green is water colorful world~
Xue Pinggui exactly seems like a lone goose returning..." (Note 1)
The blue clothes' Singing voice echoed between the misty rain Alleyways. Clear and loud, sweet and melodious... He raised his head, letting the rainwater roll down from his neck, yet not avoiding in the slightest. Seemingly his whole person had already immersed in the lyrics, both eyes bright like stars.
At the same time, on that Wooden Cart piled full of firewood, a red-clad figure's eyelashes slightly trembled, slowly opening his both eyes.
Taking the lead to reflect into his eyes, was the azure sky covered with faint rain clouds. Rainwater fine and dense like needles beat on his face, bringing traces of cool intent. On both sides were the continuously retreating white walls and gray tiles, and the verdant green willows by the bank lightly dancing with the wind.
Here is... where?
Seeing this picture, Chen Ling absent-mindedly thought he transmigrated back to a certain Jiangnan water town in the modern era. But along with consciousness gradually restoring clarity, he remembered he himself just now was still in the pale white flower cluster in the Gray World.
Here is the Red Dust Domain?
How did he come in?
In Chen Ling's heart was full of blankness. He rubbed his head, slowly sitting up from the firewood pile. Once exerting force still could feel the weakness in his body.
"Yi? You woke up?" A voice transmitted from the side, "Sorry ah. Originally I wanted to carry you on my back, but because I still have to pull firewood, so could only wrong you lying on top of it..."
Chen Ling turned his head. The one speaking was a young man wearing a blue long gown. At this moment currently pushing the Wooden Cart, looking at himself with a face full of apology.
"You are..."
The young man raised his head, saying with a smile, "Xiaosheng Li Qingshan, don't know which theatrical troupe brother is the lead role of?"
"Lead role? I am not any lead role."
"Brother must be joking, your makeup, is clearly exactly a Clown! Look at your attire, red-clad Clown... hm... strange, which Opera Script's role is this?" Li Qingshan carefully sized up Chen Ling, between his eyebrows surfacing doubt.
Chen Ling blanked. He like thinking of something, immediately came down from the Wooden Cart, running towards the small river on the side.
"Brother? Brother!"
Li Qingshan's shouting sound transmitted from behind. Chen Ling had already quickly stepped onto the small Stone Stool used for washing clothes on normal days, lowering his head looking towards the river water.
The corner of the Great Crimson Theatrical Robe floated on the water surface. A familiar face stained with White Ash, clearly reflected above the water surface.
Damn it... this thing actually is still here??
Chen Ling's face instantly became ugly looking. He once again perceived inside his body. Regardless whether it's Spiritual Power or skills, at this moment were all sealed by this smear of White Ash, inside his body completely empty.
"Brother, you currently still cannot randomly run around. I see you have low blood sugar, otherwise also wouldn't faint in the back mountain..." Li Qingshan hurriedly chased over from behind, kindly supporting Chen Ling, "You look, how ugly your face is!"
Chen Ling's eyebrows tightly locked. He turned his head asking: "What place is this?"
"Ah? Here is Willow Town."
"Red Dust Domain?"
Li Qingshan blanked for a bit, "Otherwise what?"
Chen Ling's guess was not wrong. His gaze revolved around the four surroundings. This small town and the small town when he and King of Clubs set off were different. According to what King of Clubs said, towns like this inside the Red Dust Domain had over a hundred... Such a big place, where should he go find Master and the other people?
"Brother, I see you are hungry to the point of confusion." Li Qingshan saw Chen Ling's face pale, couldn't help but open his mouth, "Like this, you first follow me back to eat something, first raise the blood sugar up then talk... Come, I support you up."
Chen Ling didn't let Li Qingshan support him, himself then stood up. He gazed at Li Qingshan for a moment, nodding:
"Okay, then many thanks."
He alone by himself, first time coming to the Red Dust Domain, was unfamiliar with everything here. If he could inquire some news from this native's mouth, then saves him having to again run to other places. Of course more importantly... he truly was hungry.
White Ash swallowed Spiritual Power, also draining his physical strength dry. At this moment's Chen Ling was currently in a state of stomach rumbling with hunger. Now four limbs lacking strength perhaps was also this reason.
Li Qingshan once again pushed up the Wooden Cart, while advancing, while asking:
"Brother, you haven't said what you are called."
Chen Ling touched this face, after pondering for a moment, still opened his mouth: "Lin Yan."
Due to Formless being sealed, at this moment he had no way to change into Lin Yan's face. Fortunately here after all is the Red Dust Domain, fundamentally no one recognized him. So using which face should not be a big problem.
"Lin Yan." Li Qingshan muttered reading it twice, "Which theatrical troupe are you from?"
"What is a theatrical troupe?"
"You don't even know theatrical troupes?" Li Qingshan astonishedly looked towards him.
"My hometown's position is relatively remote, haven't heard of these before..."
"No wonder. So your Clown is also self-taught? Then that's exactly the same as me." Li Qingshan patiently explained, "Red Dust Main City, you always know right?"
Main City... also exactly a place similar to Aurora City?
Chen Ling slightly nodded, "Heard of it, but don't understand."
"Red Dust Main City, is the most prosperous and most splendid city inside the Nine Great Realms! There gold is everywhere on the ground, everywhere are heavenly kings and superstars. Randomly walking out a singer or star from inside, going to other Realms are all existences capable of causing a sensation... Do you know Tian Yingjun? Exactly that superstar who sings "Stars". A few days ago she held a concert in the South Sea Domain. Hasn't started yet, the scene then excitedly fainted over a hundred people!"
"Among them also lacks no famous star actors. For example teacher Chen Xiangui, I grew up listening to his opera from a young age." Li Qingshan's both eyes were incomparably bright,
"To sum up, the people most possessing world influence, basically are all there...
Golden tickets and colored silks forever fly and dance in the Red Dust. Twenty-four hours all have people singing and dancing cheering. There has never lacked wealth and pursuit. That is the center of human art and wealth!"
Chen Ling's eyebrows frowned increasingly tighter. He had no way to imagine what the Red Dust Main City Li Qingshan depicted exactly looked like... After all listening to it, it truly is a life of luxury and dissipation, completely heaven and earth difference with Aurora City.
"Seems a bit off topic." Li Qingshan also felt himself the more he spoke the more excited he got. After lightly coughing two sounds, continuing saying,
"In short, the Red Dust Main City's entertainment consortiums, in order to continuously create 'stars' to attract traffic and popularity, also will send people to the small towns outside the city to find suitable seedlings. As time passes, they simply exactly built up local theatrical troupes inside the small towns. On one hand is operating the small town's entertainment industry. On one hand is also in order to supply fresh blood to the Red Dust Main City...
In every case having a bit of ability, young people wanting to engage in this industry, basically all will join the theatrical troupe. Just in case becoming famous, money and power also will follow coming. When that time comes not only oneself, the whole family all can follow turning over!
If having a bit better luck entering the Red Dust Main City, becoming a superstar of the Main City and even the Human Domains, then that is generations upon generations all following bathing in the light!"
Chen Ling fell silent.
Dida—— Dida——
Jiangnan's rain was not cold. Falling on Chen Ling's Great Crimson Theatrical Robe, also falling on the muddy bluestone slab road surface... The transpiring water vapor smudged into mist on the ground. Chen Ling quietly looked at the mist rising from the mud, as if seeing the human world's Tumultuous Secular World.
...
Note 1: Taken from Peking Opera "Red-Maned Fierce Horse"