Inside the Ruined Temple
Ever since Zhang Chen somehow brought in a large amount of Silver Coins, Xu Erniu began to loosen up, going into the city every day with Zhang Chen to buy meat, her face gradually gaining a healthy glow.
On this day, after the two had bought a large bundle of meat, they passed a tailor's shop. Xu Erniu stopped in her tracks, looking at the clothes inside the shop, unable to move her feet.
"Now's not the time to buy clothes, we'll talk about it later," Zhang Chen patted Xu Erniu's head. He still needed to wear these tattered clothes to spend lavishly, creating a contrast to lure the various people in the city into his trap. How could he change his clothes?
Although Xu Erniu's eyes were full of envy, she nodded obediently.
Time ticked by, and in the blink of an eye, another month had passed. By now, Zhang Chen had an additional ten thousand taels of silver in his possession.
Although he had the money, Zhang Chen still lived in the ruined temple. He spent lavishly every day, leading Xu Erniu into the city to splurge, drawing attention from various idle people in the city who secretly followed Zhang Chen and Xu Erniu. However, these people disappeared without a trace once they left the city.
After hundreds of people had been lost one after another, the various groups in the city recognized Zhang Chen's sinister nature. They began to hunker down, treating Zhang Chen as if they had seen the living King Yan, each avoiding him.
Seeing no one taking the bait, Zhang Chen no longer carried out his fishing operations. Instead, he chose a house in the village where the whole family had been abducted by Xiu Liu. Zhang Chen settled down there with peace of mind, beginning to recuperate.
Lately, Zhang Chen and Xu Erniu's lives were good, with plenty of beef and lamb to eat. However, to avoid drawing the attention of the Official patrols, Zhang Chen dared not take Xu Erniu to indulge in the taverns.
The two of them were considered well-known in the area. Eating some meat in secret was one thing, but if they were to spend big in the taverns, dining and wining every day, the Officials in Yangzhou City weren't clueless. They'd surely notice.
Today, Xiu Liu once again brought silver to Zhang Chen. This time, Xiu Liu inhabited the body of a peasant, appearing honest and unremarkable.
Xu Erniu sat under the eaves, licking malt candy. She glanced at Xiu Liu and then squinted, happily basking in the sun. She had grown accustomed to strangers frequently coming to see Zhang Chen.
"How much money have you saved?" Zhang Chen asked.
Xiu Liu responded in a low voice, "Thirty thousand taels!"
As he spoke, he took out the silver notes from his sleeve and respectfully handed them to Zhang Chen.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen gasped, never expecting Xiu Liu's dealings to be so substantial.
"That's enough money, you can stop now. Go buy a carriage. In a month, I want to go to Qingcheng Mountain. Come with me when the time comes," Zhang Chen instructed after a brief contemplation.
The journey to Qingcheng Mountain is thousands of miles long, with countless bandits and ruffians along the way. If it were just Zhang Chen and Xu Erniu on the road, they would encounter countless troubles. If Xiu Liu were to accompany them, it would spare Zhang Chen a lot of trouble.
Xiu Liu pondered for a moment upon hearing this, then cautiously looked at Zhang Chen, tentatively asking, "May I leave the Blood Puppet?"
Zhang Chen seemed indifferent, "As you wish."
Overjoyed, Xiu Liu couldn't bear to abandon the foundations he had painstakingly laid in Yangzhou City. The so-called Blood Puppet was actually Xiu Liu infecting his subordinates with a drop of his blood, granting them some abilities of the Blood God Child, thus becoming puppet avatars under Xiu Liu's control.
Xiu Liu went to make arrangements while Zhang Chen turned back into the courtyard and said to Xu Erniu, "We'll be hitting the road next month."
"Hitting the road next month?" Xu Erniu's face lit up with joy, "Finally, we're setting out. My dream of becoming an immortal is going to come true."
Zhang Chen smiled and returned to the house, pondering how to fuse his Yin Yang Qi and Five-Colored Divine Light. Only by integrating the Yin Yang Qi into the Five-Colored Divine Light could he truly resume the cultivation path.
Time flew by, and a month passed. Zhang Chen still hadn't found a way to merge his Yin Yang Qi with the Innate Five Elements Qi. On the day of departure, Xiu Liu was already waiting with a carriage outside Zhang Chen's door.
Zhang Chen and Xu Erniu changed into clean clothes. After months of recuperation, they both became plump and healthy, looking more human and no longer like skeletons.
"Young master, all kinds of preserved fruits, jerkies, and sunflower seeds are ready in the carriage. Do you have any other instructions?" Xiu Liu asked respectfully.
"There are many eyes and ears on the road, so don't call me young master; call me sir," Zhang Chen instructed.
Xiu Liu nodded, responding with a "Yes," then lifted the curtain of the carriage. Seeing half a carriage full of snacks, Zhang Chen nodded with satisfaction, "You've shown thoughtfulness."
Then Zhang Chen called Xu Erniu, who was full of joy, and they both boarded the carriage. With a snap of Xiu Liu's whip, the carriage slowly moved through the village.
Zhang Chen lifted the curtain to look at the village. Compared to its former liveliness, the village now seemed desolate and devoid of vitality.
Xu Erniu also lifted the curtain, looking at the retreating village with a hint of emotion in her eyes, "As we leave, who knows when we'll return? From now on, I'm going to be an immortal. I, Xu Erniu, am going to turn my life around and no longer be a beggar."