Chapter 00171: Songyang Prefecture
# Songyang Prefecture
Chapter 171
Novel: After the Immortals Disappeared
Chapter 171: Songyang Prefecture
This time, there were no new experiences in the dream; Hu Min and A Luo were not present either.
He casually wandered around Panlong City before returning to his small room to practice archery and sword techniques.
Meditating and adjusting his breath in the dream did not enhance his cultivation in reality.
However, the proficiency gained from honing martial skills synchronized with reality, and once awake, he could not lose it.
When He Lingchuan confirmed this, he was overjoyed, for it meant he had at least twice the time of an ordinary person to practice martial arts—reality plus dream.
He had also heard of the tale of the Yellow Millet Dream, where someone fell asleep while cooking yellow millet and ended up dreaming away half a lifetime.
He hoped that one day in the Panlong Dream could be infinitely extended until all his techniques were perfected.
However, such thoughts were wishful.
No matter how much he desired it, he seemed to only linger in the dream for a little over ten hours.
He Lingchuan also noticed that his ability to enter and exit the Panlong Dream had become regular, seemingly starting from the moment he intruded into the Immortal's cave.
In the months prior, he had only entered the dream twice.
Of course, all of this began with the Broken Blade.
But what exactly did the Divine Bone Necklace do to the Immortal's cave? The latter immediately closed, while the Panlong Dream began to open frequently to He Lingchuan.
Oh, and there was also the black talisman obtained from Lu Yao, which he had also fed to the Divine Bone Necklace.
What was this? A reward?
In other words, from now on, any strange items he found would have to be tasted by the Divine Bone first?
...
The next morning, a palm-width layer of snow covered the ground, and the weather was particularly cold.
The Zhu family sent an invitation, inviting the He family to attend Zhu Xiuer's cleansing banquet tonight.
"It shouldn't be so rushed, but Lord Zhu knows that Steward He won't stay in Shihuan City for too long; time is of the essence," the messenger also stayed behind.
This person, surnamed Liu, was an assistant.
Zhu Xiyan had taken his long-lost granddaughter home and then sent an assistant to the inn for the He family to command.
The term "assistant" means someone who helps others with tasks.
They are not exclusively employed by the Zhu residence but are well-connected in Shihuan City, dealing with officials and commoners alike.
Matters that are inconvenient for wealthy families to handle are often entrusted to assistants.
When outsiders come to Shihuan City, their needs are usually food, drink, entertainment, trade, and social visits.
Experienced assistants ensure everything is handled properly.
Such people also exist in Heishui City, referred to as errand runners.
The Zhu family knew that He Chunhua was unfamiliar with this place, so they specially found a versatile person to assist, which was quite thoughtful.
He Chunhua initially wanted to go out for a stroll, but before he could take a step, Steward Mo sent several visiting cards.
Madam He wondered, "Zhu Xiuer just returned home last night; how did someone know our master has arrived in Shihuan City today?"
He Chunhua waved his hand, "It's not surprising; I had someone register at the government office yesterday."
He was now a local official, and unless summoned by edict, he could not enter the capital privately.
Even when coming to Shihuan City, he had to report immediately; otherwise, the consequences would be severe.
Assistant Liu smiled, "This is the emperor's footstep; news travels fast. The first-tier families knew last night that the new steward of Xiazhou had helped Lord Zhu find his granddaughter; the second-tier families probably only learned this morning; those who received the news after this evening are all from the third-tier families and below."
It seems this set of rules applies everywhere.
He Chunhua and his wife were tied up with matters, so He Lingchuan tossed a silver ingot to Assistant Liu: "I just arrived in Shihuan; take me around."
Assistant Liu accepted the silver and patted his chest: "With me here, young master can treat Shihuan as his own backyard!"
As soon as they left the inn, Mao Tao sprang out from somewhere, wanting to follow He Lingchuan: "Young master, where are we going to play?"
The prosperity of Shihuan City had already made him eager.
"First, we have to handle business."
He Lingchuan said to Assistant Liu, "I heard Shihuan is famous for its craftsmanship. My beloved sword is broken, and I need to find a skilled craftsman to repair it; it’s quite difficult."
Finding a workshop in Shihuan City was easy, but finding the most skilled craftsman was challenging for him as an outsider.
This was when the assistant came in handy; Assistant Liu immediately smiled, "No problem, young master, follow me!"
The carriage was already waiting at the inn's entrance.
The carriage was made of redwood, without exaggerated carvings on the exterior, but the interior was very comfortable.
The three big men could sit opposite each other without feeling cramped.
As the carriage moved, Assistant Liu introduced, "Shihuan is one of the alternate capitals, with renowned craftsmen everywhere and various schools of craftsmanship, but the best among them is Songyang Prefecture."
Songyang Prefecture? The other two expressed they had not heard of it.
"Songyang Prefecture is also a Daoist sect, established for over fifty years. The first generation of the prefecture master was a prince awarded by our Great Yuan's founding ancestor. He established the sect with his official status, and his disciples are particularly skilled in weapon forging, which is very popular among military officers and the upper class."
So, Songyang Prefecture took the upper-class route and had half an official background; no wonder it could stand undefeated in the competitive Shihuan City.
He Lingchuan realized this but laughed, "I always thought Daoist sects were hidden deep in the mountains, shrouded in mystery. I didn't expect them to open right in the marketplace."
"What you’re talking about is the Immortal Sect! Only appearing in legends," Assistant Liu casually replied, "Now there are only Daoist sects. The lofty Daoist sects, aside from a few with a long history, don’t put on airs. Although both Immortal Sects and Daoist sects possess divine abilities, do you know the difference?"
"Go ahead and tell me."
These assistants were indeed seasoned; they could chat about anything.
"In the past, immortals flew with swords, soaring high, indestructible, able to take a person's head from a thousand miles away. Who wouldn’t worship them?" Assistant Liu pointed to the sky, "Now look at the martial artists and sorcerers; at most, they have some divine abilities. They bleed when cut, die when their heads fall, and rely on four hooves to run out; they haven’t achieved immortality, can’t defeat the royal court’s army, and still scramble for royal titles… To say something disrespectful, they are no different from ordinary people."
Mao Tao nodded repeatedly, "That makes sense."
If one is not strong enough, they will fall from their pedestal.
He Lingchuan's heart stirred as he recalled the corpse in the Immortal's cave at Xianling Lake, once again curious about its cause of death.
They looked out the carriage window; the streets of Shihuan City were much wider than those of Heishui City, and they were far cleaner.
The main road was even paved with blue stone, wide enough to accommodate at least ten carriages side by side.
Shihuan is a hub for both land and water; half of the capital's supplies must be transferred here, making commerce very prosperous.
As He Lingchuan looked around, the buildings were densely packed, not lacking in luxurious mansions.
In addition to the usual establishments like taverns, restaurants, and gambling houses found in every city, Shihuan City also had many entertainment venues.
He Lingchuan saw a shop with a wooden sign that read in large red characters "Maze of Bewitchment," which was particularly eye-catching.
"What is that?"
"A maze," Assistant Liu explained to the two newcomers, "These are formations set up by sorcerers and monsters for guests to play in, some even equipped with illusion formations, featuring flowers, birds, insects, and fish, which are very popular among young ladies."
He chuckled, "There are also specially made formations called 'Soul-Dissolving Arrays,' where there are songs and dances, specifically for us gentlemen to enjoy. They are in high demand and require reservations in advance. I've seen guests stay inside for two days, refusing to come out."
Mao Tao asked curiously, "The illusion formations are all fake; how can they compare to the brothels where you can touch and feel?"
"You don’t understand; sometimes not being able to touch is the best," Assistant Liu winked, "The women in the illusion formations can be as beautiful as you want, as noble as you want, as innocent as you want, and as charming as you want, as long as you pay. The brothels can’t do that, right?"
Mao Tao listened, lost in thought, wishing he could jump out of the carriage right now to experience it.
At this moment, the carriage turned from the main road into a secondary street.
Although it was a secondary street, it was as wide as the main road in Heishui City, with shops on both sides having at least four large doors, their signs polished to a shine.
"This entire street is lined with shops from the Craftsmanship Sect," Assistant Liu opened the door, "The old shop of Songyang Prefecture is here; it has been established the longest."
He Lingchuan got down and took a look; indeed, it was impressive.
"How many shops does Songyang Prefecture have in Shihuan City?"
"Two," Assistant Liu added, "There are three more in the capital."
After saying this, he led He Lingchuan and the others inside.
The interior of the shop was elegantly arranged, but all the walls were decorated with weapons, giving it a unique character.
In the center of the hall stood a bronze cauldron, reaching up to Mao Tao's shoulder, where passing guests often stopped to admire.
He leaned forward to take a look; the bottom of the cauldron featured a miniature landscape with mountains, rivers, and a pastoral bridge.
What was rare was that white mist floated near the mouth of the cauldron, which in the cauldron represented clouds.
He curiously exclaimed, "Oh? There are fish in the river, and they actually move!"
Fortunately, he had sharp eyes and could see something moving in the river at the bottom of the cauldron.
Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be swimming fish.
Assistant Liu introduced, "This is the treasure of the old shop of Songyang Prefecture, the landscape in the cauldron. It was created forty years ago."
He Lingchuan also praised, "So lifelike."
"This is a living scene," Assistant Liu smiled, "We living people can even go inside. I’ve been in to visit; the scenery is quite enchanting."
Other guests nearby also expressed their amazement.
The old shop of Songyang Prefecture was divided into three parts: the front for display, the middle for storage and negotiation, and the back had a large space for forging.
Assistant Liu walked in with familiarity and quickly found a manager named Zhao, introducing He Lingchuan to him: "This is the eldest son of the new Xiazhou steward, Lord He, who has come to your esteemed shop to repair his treasured sword. Young Master He has sought many craftsmen but has not succeeded."
"It must be an extraordinary item; please take a seat," Manager Zhao immediately invited the two to sit and served tea, then turned to find someone.
This person was in his fifties, with bright eyes and dark skin.
"This is the chief master craftsman of Songyang Prefecture, Li Fubo."
Li Fubo did not engage in idle chatter with He Lingchuan; he took the broken sword and slowly drew it from its sheath, the blade's cold gleam instantly illuminating his brow.
His apprentice placed a wooden board on the ground, and Li Fubo swung the sword, making a feint.
Nothing happened; the wooden board remained intact.
Mao Tao could not help but touch his nose, but Li Fubo returned the broken sword to its owner: "You try."
(End of Chapter)