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The southern land is very mountainous.
Although not as many mountains as the Southwest Province, it is also surrounded by hills.
Right now, Qiao Mu was walking in a valley surrounded by hills and ravines.
The valley was covered in mist, looking like a fairyland at first glance.
"I rember this place is called ‘Fallen Wood Valley’, where Qiao Mu died," thought Qiao Mu.
Obviously, this valley had not been walked through for a long ti, with a thick layer of fallen leaves covering the valley floor, making a crunching sound when stepped on.
Qiao Mu did not stay long in this Fallen Wood Valley, but continued walking with mountain bandit Zhang Kui and others.
After passing through the valley, the scenery quickly changed, and the view gradually opened up.
Among the swirling clouds and mist, the faint outline of a village could be seen.
This used to be the hideout of mountain bandits including Wang Songhe, but now it is nearly deserted.
The houses of the village were scattered on the hillside, with a few houses emitting thin wisps of smoke, while most of the houses were vacant.
As one approached, it beca apparent that the inhabitants of these houses were elderly people with white hair.
"Zhang Kui? Is that you, Zhang Kui? I heard you went to Southwest Province, but you finally returned today."
A middle-aged hunter with a grim face and holding a steel fork walked out, relieved upon recognizing Zhang Kui’s face:
"The young ones all followed Wang Songhe to Yan City. In the village, only us old folks who are tired of trouble remain."
"With your return today, the village seems lively once again."
These mountain dwellers, also known as bandits, originally were just common folks fleeing heavy taxes or holessness.
If given a choice, who would want to live in a valley?
When City Lord Guo died, and Wang Songhe took over Yan City, the mountain bandits gradually left the mountains and settled in Yan City over a period of two years.
Among them, there were also a few mountain people who were not willing to move again.
"Excited? It might be several tis more exciting than usual," Qiao Mu turned around and looked behind him.
"Li Changshi, how do you find this place?"
Li Changshi carefully looked around and nodded with approval.
"Wang Songhe is indeed a clever person. This place is similar to the Black Mountain in the Southwest Province, both being good places for seclusion."
"If this village expands a bit more, it wouldn’t be a problem to accommodate tens of thousands of mountain people."
Mount Dong is located to the east of Yan City, not too far from the city.
Wang Songhe was a knowledgeable villager from the mountains. He chose this secluded place with mountains and water, which was truly a suitable place to live.
Two years ago, this mountain village was filled with thousands of bandits, but now, most of the houses were empty.
It was perfect for the mountain people of Black Mountain Village to live in.
After all, if tens of thousands of mountain people suddenly appeared and squeezed into Yan City, it would cause a big commotion.
"Not only the mountain people from Black Mountain Village, but also those from Peach Blossom Villa, might be able to settle here," suggested Li Changshi.
Taking Peach Blossom Villa along while fleeing was naturally to find a suitable place to settle.
"Makes sense, but I have a good idea for a location," Qiao Mu nodded and stepped into a deserted Taoist temple in the village.
This Taoist temple was located in the center of the village.
In other words, the whole village was built around this deserted Taoist temple.
The daoist temple was quite big, with over ten main and side halls. However, it was in ruins with broken walls everywhere, only the Immortal Statue in the main hall remained intact.
Behind the altar in the main hall, there was a statue of a man in white robes holding a wooden staff, with a plaque that read "Immortal Qingmu".
"Immortal Qingmu…" Qiao Mu whispered, lowering his gaze.
He later learned that this Immortal Qingmu was actually the first creator of the Incense Symbol of Divine Fire.
Qiao Mu was puzzled as to why there was a daoist temple dedicated to Immortal Qingmu in this deserted place, as he was unsure of the reason.
"This ‘Immortal Qingmu’ is probably not a cultivator from the Xuantian Sect, otherwise the temple wouldn’t be abandoned."
"But if this ‘Immortal Qingmu’ is a cultivator from another Immortal Gate, why was this temple built in Nan Province?"
In the Jiu Province, each of the Nine Immortal Gates occupied a separate region, clearly divided from each other.
If one crossed into another gate’s territory, like Qiao Mu did when he crossed on a paper boat, they might face suppression from the local Immortal Gate.
Qiao Mu walked closer to the altar and gazed at the incense burner on it.
There were several half-burned incense sticks in the burner, and the bottom of the burner was filled with ash.
There was not much dust on the altar, clearly indicating that soone had recently cleaned it carefully, in stark contrast to the ruins outside the main hall.
"It seems that even now, there are still villagers here at this old temple praying to gods and immortals," Qiao Mu said softly.
This temple has long been in ruins and has lost its mystical charm, the Immortal Statue here has no connection with the real ‘Immortal Qingmu.’
So whether there are worshippers or not at this temple, it actually doesn’t make a difference.
"This Immortal Statue has been here for ages, Mr. Qiao, don’t overestimate their devotion," bandit Zhang Kui said casually.
"Praying to gods is simply about seeking peace of mind. Whether they truly believe and are devout is questionable," bandit Zhang Kui added.
"If they were truly devout, they wouldn’t have co to the mountains like us," he continued.
Qiao Mu nodded and casually tossed Immortal Qingmu into the courtyard.
The Immortal Statue was a stone figure, falling with a thud in the overgrown courtyard, raising a circle of dust.
Qiao Mu’s two fingers ford a sword, unleashing an invisible three-foot energy from his fingertips, shaping into a sword. As his fingers moved, he wrote a few words on the plaque of the Taoist temple.
Peach Blossom Villa.
"It’s called Peach Blossom Villa, but this place is so run-down even a peach tree is missing," Qiao Mu shook his head.
"Ah, no need to be so particular," the bandit Zhang Kui said loudly, "Wherever the Qiao family mber is, that’s Peach Blossom Villa."
The other martial artists nodded in agreent.
Peaches and plums do not speak, yet a path is ford.
Why bother with a peach blossom forest as evidence for the so-called Peach Blossom Villa?
After settling the villagers in Black Mountain Village, the bandit Zhang Kui tried to find out the whereabouts of Wang Songhe from the bandits staying in the mountain stronghold.
But they had no idea, only knowing that Wang Songhe had beco the lord of Yan City, and they had no information about the rising South King in recent months.
"It seems like we need to go and explore Yan City," said the bandit Zhang Kui.
Yan City was both Wang Songhe’s forr territory and considered Qiao Mu’s initial resting place.
"Visiting Yan City wouldn’t hurt," Qiao Mu said while gently stroking the fat cat lying on his shoulder, reminiscing in his gaze.
"I once had a close friend who died in that place. Many years have passed, but I still rember his final words of wisdom to
before he passed away."
"Mr. Qiao Pianxin, do you have old acquaintances in Yan City too? That must be a tale from many years ago," Zhang Kui asked with curiosity.
Qiao Mu pondered for a mont and held up two fingers.
"Twenty years, perhaps? Or was it two hundred?" Zhang Kui fell into deep thought.
The elderly Qiao Pianxin of the Qiao family looks young, with only his long hair turning gray. No one knows how old he is, but everyone knows he must be quite old.
Even if you give him a thousand brains, he still cannot link the Qiao Pianxin in front of him with the Qiao Sen from the old Qiao family.
Even if he guesses for two thousand years, he still cannot guess this outrageous answer of two years.
………………………………
Mount Dong is not far from Yan City, just half a day’s journey for ordinary people.
For the current Qiao Mu, it naturally won’t take much ti.
When he arrived at Yan City, it was still early in the day, not even noon yet.
But there was already a long line outside the city gate, with tens or even hundreds of people.
"In just two short years, when did Yan City beco so lively?" Qiao Mu wondered.
When he arrived in Yan City, the city had just experienced a famine. Many houses in the outer city were empty and the inner city was very quiet.
"Yan City is not lively, you’ve entered the wrong city gate," said a traveler with a straw hat and a long sword at his waist.
"The north gate is always bustling and crowded, while the south gate is much better."
"Farrs coming to the city for market, passing rchants, usually use the south gate."
"Those coming through the north gate are mostly martial artists from various places, like you and ."
The traveler with the hat and sword nodded at Qiao Mu and smiled.
"Brother, did you co to Yan City on purpose? Did you investigate about Yan City before coming here?"
The traveler with the hat and sword clearly noticed Qiao Mu’s identity as a martial artist and tried to start a conversation.
Although Qiao Mu was now wearing loose robes, his physique was well-proportioned, with broad shoulders and bright eyes, truly looking like a skilled martial artist.
"A few years ago, I visited Yan City. How did I not notice the difference between the two gates?"
"It’s all because of that mber of the Qiao family…" As he said this, the mysterious man in a cloak suddenly noticed the chubby cat on Qiao Mu’s shoulder, and he was slightly surprised.
"Are you perhaps related to the Qiao family?" he couldn’t help but ask.
"Indeed," Qiao Mu casually replied.
At this mont, Qiao Mu was already queuing up to enter the city gate.
However, right next to the city gate, there was a large crowd gathered, with a tea house full of guests nearby, even the tables outside were filled with custors.
"These people lingering here are causing the city gate to be congested."
Qiao Mu followed the crowd’s gaze.
All eyes were fixed on a line of characters on the wall of the city gate tower.
The writing on the wall was clearly carved with a sharp tool, not very neat but full of power and done in one go.
"The murderer is Qiao family’s Qiao Sen!"
The storyteller in the teahouse slamd the table and shouted out the seven words written on the city gate tower.
"Oh Qiao Sen, using a long spear as a pen, dipping it in the blood of City Lord Guo, wrote these words on the city gate tower, then left in a grand manner."
"Two years later, the bloodstains on the city wall had faded away, only the words remained, preserved until today, allowing us to catch a glimpse of the forr glory of Qiao family mber Qiao Sen."
"Great!" The teahouse custors cheered.
"Our Yan City is one of the first places on the land of Jiu Province where the footsteps of Qiao family mbers appeared."
"Qiao family mbers ca from the Hero Island overseas to the land of Jiu Province, chose our Yan City, perhaps because they saw the talented and spiritual people here."
"That’s true."
In the crowd, a thin young man erged and said loudly:
"We have arrived at Yan City. Just looking at the city gate is not enough. There is also the Qiao family’s old residence in the outer city area, which used to be the ho of the Qiao Mu Qiao Lin Qiao Sen family."
"If you want to go to the Qiao family’s old residence, follow ."
Goodness, it has turned into a tourist attraction now… Qiao Mu thought to himself, but when his eyes fell on the thin young man, he was slightly surprised.
His mory had reached the point of never forgetting, and the appearance of the young man guiding him did indeed vaguely resemble soone from his mories.
"This is the forr residence of City Lord Guo’s mansion. It’s Ah Cheng, the household servant I knocked out and pretended to sleep two years ago. He has really grown up."
Qiao Mu’s gaze shifted slightly.
Perhaps it was his gaze that caught the attention of the young man Ah Cheng, who looked up.
"Sir, coming to Yan City and not visiting the Qiao family’s old residence would be a waste. Co with us."
"No," Qiao Mu waved his hand.
"I know that place well, it’s empty and there’s nothing interesting to see."
Young Ah Cheng was surprised, his eyes fell on Qiao Mu’s face and the fat cat on Qiao Mu’s shoulder.
He used to live in the outer city near the North Gate, actually just found an abandoned old house to stay in after the famine.
Strictly speaking, it wasn’t exactly the Qiao family’s old ho, the original owner of the house had long disappeared.
Qiao Mu looked around, gazing in all directions.
The surrounding houses were grand, the streets were smooth, and the passersby were not only nurous but also more lively than the inner city of Yan City that he rembered.
That makes sense.
Wang Songhe used to hold a high position as a minister, overlooking the entire Great Yan Imperial Court. With his abilities, it was easy for him to beco a minor city lord.
Two years passed, and with the mountain people moving into Mount Dong outside the city, Yan City beca much busier than before, which was only natural.
The young man Ah Cheng pondered for a mont, then his gaze shifted away from Qiao Mu, without insisting further:
"In that case, we will leave first."
The crowded crowd parted slightly, and Ah Cheng led the way, walking away.
The traveler with a sword and hat, who had spoken to Qiao Mu before, also left with him, but not without glancing at Qiao Mu intentionally or unintentionally before departing.
Qiao Mu didn’t suspect anything.
He didn’t rush to leave, but stopped at the teahouse entrance to get a bowl of tea and stand there listening to the storyteller.
"It’s been a while since I heard the storyteller praise . Why not stay a bit longer to listen?"
Qiao Mu thought for a mont, then took out a silver coin from his bag, weighing it before tossing it to the storyteller on stage.
"Storyteller, let
tell you the story of the young hero Qiao Mu, your love to hear."
"Okay, okay, okay." With a generous tip from a guest, the storyteller naturally smiled broadly.
"This ti, let’s start with Qiao Mu eting a dandy on the road…"
The storyteller was skilled, with a lively tone, and could win applause when getting to the exciting parts.
Qiao Mu also beca engrossed in the story, his heart stirred once again.
"It’s been a long ti since I heard…heard soone ntion the na ‘Qiao Mu’."
Perhaps because he was getting old, Qiao Mu, revisiting his old haunts, began to feel inexplicably lancholic.
Generation after generation of Qiao family mbers appeared, generation after generation died in battle, his na had changed countless tis.
People always say the Qiao family mbers value honor over life and death, like the sa person through generations. The reputation of the Qiao family mbers is illustrious, but how many people now rember the na "Qiao Mu"?
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