The Pure Immortal Temple's alchemy chamber.
The purple-robed old Daoist sat cross-legged before the Nine Dragons Refining Heaven Furnace.
Inside the furnace, purple fire raged.
As though sothing was being refined within.
When Chen Huangpi burst out of the Old Temple and excitedly shoved open the alchemy chamber doors, this was the scene that greeted him.
Golden Horn was nowhere to be seen.
This made him worry.
Golden Horn might have had a sharp tongue.
But when it mattered, it ca through. And it had earned its keep.
As though reading Chen Huangpi's thoughts.
The purple-robed old Daoist soothed him. "Don't worry, Huangpi. Golden Horn will be fine. Your master is doing this for its own good. It doesn't have a physical body — so your master is forging a new one for it. Once it's done, it can guard the house for you."
"Really?"
Chen Huangpi wasn't convinced. He walked up to the furnace and knocked on it.
Thunk, thunk, thunk...
"Golden Horn, how are you feeling?"
"Feeling absolutely fabulous! The First Guanzhu's thods are truly heaven-reaching — far surpassing those of the Second and Third Guanzhu! He is without question the greatest Guanzhu in the world!"
Since Golden Horn had said as much, Chen Huangpi could only let it be.
But sothing nagged at him.
Golden Horn's tone was a bit... off.
Surely First Master hadn't refined it into an idiot?
That would make it a stupid dog.
Thinking this, Chen Huangpi walked up to the purple-robed old Daoist. "First Master, if Golden Horn turns stupid, I can't have it guarding the house. It'll let the thieves in and let them steal my things."
"Your master would never refine it into a fool."
The purple-robed old Daoist waved a hand. "It'll only grow sharper and more spirited. As spirited as your master."
"Do you think your master looks spirited?"
"Let see."
Chen Huangpi studied the purple-robed old Daoist carefully.
First Master wasn't deranged like Second Master, nor did he have Third Master's murderous glare.
Normally, he really did look quite sprightly.
And kind, too.
If only he didn't drool when he talked.
"First Master, you are indeed very spirited."
Chen Huangpi smiled and used his sleeve to wipe the drool from the old Daoist's mouth. But once he'd wiped, his whole body went stiff.
Because clinging to his saliva-dampened sleeve.
Were several strands of fur that glowed with golden light.
Luckily Golden Horn didn't have fur — otherwise, he'd have suspected First Master had already eaten it.
"By the way, how long does Golden Horn need to stay in the furnace?"
The purple-robed old Daoist counted on his fingers. "Right now it's being seared over high heat. Once we switch to low fla for another seven days of slow roasting, it should be perfectly seasoned."
"When you go to the outside world this ti, rember to bring back extra spices."
"First Master, how did you know I'm going to the outside world? You've been eavesdropping on my thoughts again!"
Chen Huangpi's tone was thoroughly displeased.
First Master was wonderful in every way.
Except for one thing — no matter what was on Chen Huangpi's mind.
First Master always knew.
Yet the purple-robed old Daoist shook his head. "Your master isn't the Third. Why would I eavesdrop on your thoughts? Besides, even if your master wanted to, your master would never stoop to such underhanded tricks."
"Even if I could, I wouldn't deign to."
As he said this, his eyes were darting around, one hand cupped behind his ear like a funnel.
Chen Huangpi rolled his eyes.
Right. First Master never eavesdropped.
Because he listened out in the open.
And never bothered hiding it.
Just then.
The purple-robed old Daoist's expression shifted.
His robe changed to cyan.
The cyan-robed old Daoist said, "The outside world is dangerous. Before you go, your master has so words of caution."
Chen Huangpi said, "Go ahead, Third Master."
"You are too kind."
The cyan-robed old Daoist said wearily. "The First and Second are rotten to the core, and yet after all those years in their care, you've turned out a good person. Your master worries you'll be taken advantage of."
"It's all right, Third Master."
Chen Huangpi smiled. "Suffering losses is a blessing. I'm not afraid of being taken advantage of."
"Nonsense!"
The cyan-robed old Daoist said sharply. "A loss is a loss. 'Suffering losses is a blessing' — what horseshit. That sort of drivel is always said by the one who benefits, to fool the one who doesn't. If you believe it, you really have been conned."
"Being good doesn't guarantee a good outco."
"But the wicked? More often than not, they live quite comfortably."
The words were perhaps apt.
But Chen Huangpi had a different take.
He said earnestly, "Third Master, suffering losses is a blessing. And naturally, the wicked enjoy more blessings than anyone..."
The cyan-robed old Daoist said in surprise. "Where did you learn that logic?"
Chen Huangpi thought for a mont. "Can't rember. I've read too many books. Anyway, that's what the books say, and I'm very well-read. Naturally I know these principles."
"I also know that without money, you can't take a single step."
"But I'm very well-read, and books contain houses of gold."
"I hear there's a place called a money house out there, full of gold. I imagine that must be my house of gold."
"Excellent! Magnificent!"
The cyan-robed old Daoist clapped and laughed. "Huangpi, your master loves nothing more than reasoning with people. If soone is too stupid to understand, a single sword stroke settles it. Now that you know many principles, and you have your own sword — it's ti to go out and enforce your principles at sword-point."
Chen Huangpi scratched his head.
Enforce with the sword? Practice?
Apparently the ancient character for "practice" was the sa as "sword." Even the ancients made typos, it seed.
...
The Hundred Thousand Mountains bordered Xuzhou City.
But there was a hundred-mile-wide forbidden zone between them.
It was a desolate wasteland, the earth scorched black.
As though it had been burned.
A streak of golden light burst out of the Hundred Thousand Mountains.
It descended so thirty miles from Xuzhou City.
"Chen Huangpi, my Divine Light of Escape can only carry you this far."
The Brass Oil Lamp hung at Chen Huangpi's waist. "If we go any closer, we'll be in Xuzhou City territory. Too many gods in there. If I waltz in openly, they'll definitely spot us."
Chen Huangpi said, "I'll walk the rest. It's not far." His cultivation was formidable now.
A re thirty miles? He wouldn't even need half a cup of tea's ti.
His first ti leaving ho.
Chen Huangpi's heart brimd with an excitent and exhilaration he couldn't put into words.
The Brass Oil Lamp felt the sa way.
And a fox wriggled out from inside Chen Huangpi's robes.
The Fox Mountain God said excitedly, "Chen Huangpi, we've finally escaped that godforsaken place!"
"Dear heavens, is this what outside air slls like?"
"I think I can sll freedom!"
"Ha ha ha! Freedom and then so!"
The Brass Oil Lamp couldn't contain its admiration. "Now that we're in the outer world, the sky is high enough for a fox to fly and the sea is wide enough for a lamp to leap! This is my first ti stepping outside in my entire life. I can already imagine how spectacular everything must be."
Chen Huangpi was equally thrilled.
But he hadn't forgotten his purpose: "Golden Horn's still in the furnace. It'll be a while before it can co out and help find the Evil Daoist. But I can't let this trip go to waste."
The outside world was novel, but the Hundred Thousand Mountains was ho.
He had to be back before dark.
Still, Chen Huangpi had already made up his mind: after buying spices, he'd ask around about whether anyone had seen the Vast-Sight God or the Evil Daoist.
The Vast-Sight God was family.
The Evil Daoist was a thorn in his heart.
And now the Vast-Sight God had fallen into the Evil Daoist's hands — it was surely suffering terribly.
"And then there's Master's robe."
Chen Huangpi patted the Soul-Hooking Manual. "Third Master told to bring it along but didn't say what to do with it. When I left, I asked him about it, and he just said not to worry about it — just keep it on ."
The Brass Oil Lamp said, "The Third Guanzhu wants to kill the sun. The robe is probably ant for dealing with the sun. But since he says so, it's all been arranged. Just do what you need to do."
"I know."
Chen Huangpi hadn't slowed his pace as he spoke.
He was fast.
By now, an imnse city was already visible in the distance.
The Fox Mountain God said excitedly, "That's Xuzhou City! Granny Tang once ca here and told all about it. Look at the sky — it's full of ghostly outlines of gods. The human qi here is incredibly dense."
Hearing this.
Chen Huangpi looked up.
Above Xuzhou City, thousands of divine silhouettes sat enthroned amid the clouds.
Below them, countless threads of grey human qi rose upward, coalescing into the dark clouds upon which the gods were seated.
Chen Huangpi frowned at the sight.
Whether it was First Master, Second Master, or Third Master.
They all despised gods.
Because gods consud qi to survive.
Once, Chen Huangpi had believed the "qi" they consud was incense qi — the power of worship.
But from Song Qiuyue's mories, he'd learned the truth: it was human qi.
When people had their human qi drained, their lifespans naturally shortened.
Gods were therefore wicked.
"How strange."
Chen Huangpi muttered. "Huang Er, why aren't these gods consuming the human qi? Aren't they hungry?"
The Brass Oil Lamp urged, "Who cares? Let's just get into the city. I can hardly wait."
"We don't get to co out often, and we have to be back tonight."
"We're on the clock — who knows when we'll get another chance?"
"Fair point."
Chen Huangpi hesitated no further and marched eagerly toward the city gate.
Outside the gate, people stread in and out.
But when it was Chen Huangpi's turn, a guard stopped him.
"Hey — you. Stop right there."
"I need to go in."
"No kidding. Everyone needs to go in."
"Then why are you stopping ?"
"Because you haven't paid the toll."
The guard held out his hand, impatient. "Whose kid are you? Don't you know the rules? It costs three copper coins to enter the city. Three coins per head."
"How did you know I have money?"
Chen Huangpi stared at the guard in amazent.
His money was all inside the Soul-Hooking Manual. Yet this guard could tell at a glance that he had money. Could the man's cultivation be extraordinary? Stronger than his own?
But his aura was so feeble.
Like a tiny ant.
The guard stared at Chen Huangpi like he was an idiot. "Enough talk. Pay up, or you're not getting in. And take out all your valuables for inspection."
Xuzhou City was a proper city.
Residents could leave for free, but entering required a per-head toll.
Three copper coins per person.
Everyone from infants who couldn't walk onward had to pay — with the sole exception of babies who hadn't learned to walk yet.
And rchants had to pay even more.
Chen Huangpi said hesitantly, "Guard, I have far too many valuables on . 'Don't flash your wealth,' as they say. You're setting up."
"Oh? You've got valuables?"
The guard's eyes lit up. "Let's see them."
"All right."
Chen Huangpi sighed, then laid out everything he was carrying.
"What is this garbage?"
The guard erupted. "All you've got is a beat-up oil lamp and a ratty old booklet. The only thing worth anything is this little mutt you've got, but it doesn't even look like a proper dog — I wouldn't take it for free."
"You pauper — do you even have money or not? If you're broke, go back where you ca from."
"If you've got money, pay your three coins and get inside."
Chen Huangpi laughed in disbelief. "You're calling a pauper? Fine. Here. But rember this — I am not a pauper. I have a great deal of money. It's just stored at the money house."
With that, he handed over three copper coins.
The guard took the coins and eyed Chen Huangpi with the strangest look.
He studied him from every angle. Sothing about this kid in Daoist robes was deeply unsettling.
"Forget it. Keep your money."
The guard wavered for a mont, then pulled several coins from his own pocket and pressed them — along with the original three — into Chen Huangpi's hand. "Once you're inside, turn left. There's a little alley. Down the alley, there's a doctor."
"You're young. There might still be hope."
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