Returning to the city.
Chen Jichuan did not head to the Lul Family Martial Arts Hall.
He had already moved out of the Lul Family Martial Arts Hall back in June, three months ago.
Initially, the arrangement was to stay with the Lul Family for a year—food, drink, and martial arts training provided.
But Chen Jichuan had never been the kind to rely on others.
While practicing martial arts and honing his skills,
he simultaneously learned the language and writing of this world and, through Lul Peng's introductions, went to the city's Renchuan Medical Hall to borrow books—
With the Insight Skill that allowed him to see human anatomy with clarity, learning medicine was practically effortless.
Once he understood the theory, his diagnoses proved to be accurate in every case.
The name "Divine Doctor Chen" began to spread widely.
With a reputation established,
and actual skills to back it up,
earning money became simple.
In just two months, Chen Jichuan made nearly a hundred taels of silver. With some wealth accumulated, he stopped depending on the Lul Family and used eighty taels to secure a Goulan (entertainment venue) in the southern part of the city. He adapted stories, tunes, comedies, and operas from his previous life and reimagined them to fit the prominent figures and events of Great Yann and Lingnan.
Chen Jichuan was born into a "Constable Family" in this life and had some knowledge of government dealings and officialdom. Using his "Divine Doctor" status, he befriended the wealthy and influential, and they mutually upheld each other's reputations.
The Goulan, named "White Jade City," was an overnight success.
From its opening to the present,
within just three short months, it had already brought Chen Jichuan over one hundred taels of silver in profit.
It might not seem like much, but consider this: while Chen Jichuan, as the "Divine Doctor," earned a lot, even two months of practice wouldn't bring in over one hundred taels. For the average resident of Langning Mansion, their annual expenses would barely exceed ten taels. In recent years, with unrest plaguing the world and the price of rice climbing, even a stone of fine white rice cost just two taels of silver.
The income from "White Jade City," having deducted labor and bribes, was entirely Chen Jichuan's net profit.
Truly, it could be called making money as fast as rolling in gold.
...
Returning to the Goulan.
The atmosphere was bustling.
This "White Jade City" took up a significant space. By the main entrance hung "banners" and "plaques," and on the flagpole hung a "back support."
The plaques were made of silk, with golden lettering inscribed upon them, reading—
Heavenly White Jade City, with twelve towers and five castles.
The immortal strokes my head; I shed worldly bonds and attain longevity.
A rather clichéd bit of borrowed poetry, but Chen Jichuan felt no shame in it. The success of "White Jade City" had been greatly aided by this poem's popularity.
He headed straight to the backstage.
"Doctor Chen."
"Master Chen."
Along the way,
some familiar spectators greeted Chen Jichuan, and he responded with a smile.
Once he reached the backstage dressing room,
"Master."
"Master."
The crowded space, packed with performers both big and small, echoed with greetings for Chen Jichuan.
He returned a few words and called for the deputy leader, Lul Xiong, to give instructions: "For the next six months, I won't be spending much time in the city. Tomorrow, come with me to visit the officials and elites of the city."
It had been almost a year since he entered the world of Great Yann.
In the real world, almost a day had passed.
It was time for him to report to the overseer, Qian Lai.
That wouldn't take long,
but in reality, Chen Jichuan still needed to search for and extract Spirit Stones, as well as begin training in the 'Iron Bull Skill' and 'Jade Belt Skill.' This meant he couldn't focus on his Goulan for the time being.
From now on, he would divide his time into two halves.
Every year, he might have to spend six months away from Great Yann.
For this,
Chen Jichuan had long been prepared.
When establishing the Goulan, he specifically brought Lul Peng's eldest son, Lul Xiong, along to manage "White Jade City." Lul Xiong was steady and adaptable. Moreover, his father was an experienced figure with extensive connections and a strong sense of loyalty.
Managing the Goulan posed no challenge for him.
"The world is not peaceful these days. Master, where are you going? Why not let Lul Rong take a few of the boys to accompany you? If it's a long journey, I'll ask my father to escort you," Lul Xiong suggested after a moment's hesitation upon hearing Chen Jichuan's decision.
Since Lul Peng's defeat a year ago, the Lul Family Martial Arts Hall had seen a significant decline in popularity, and the family's circumstances had worsened considerably.
Lul Xiong and Lul Rong had relied on their father's connections, working odd jobs like guarding merchant goods or escorting wealthy families, just to avoid idling away their resources.
But such work—
firstly, required pleasing employers, and the pay wasn't great.
Secondly, it was dangerous, as they were constantly braving the threat of highway robbers, risking their lives.
So when Chen Jichuan invited him to manage the Goulan, Lul Xiong readily agreed.
It was both prestigious and comfortable, with a generous salary.
Once dressed as a martial artist,
he now donned fine clothing. Great Yann didn't impose strict dress codes,
but Lul Xiong nonetheless felt gratitude and cherished the opportunity. When he heard Chen Jichuan planned to leave the city, he couldn't help but worry in these unsettled times.
"Not far."
"I'll handle it myself."
Chen Jichuan smiled at Lul Xiong.
Lul Xiong, perceptive as he was, understood that Chen Jichuan wasn't just being modest and realized that this task might not accommodate additional companions. Thus, he didn't press the matter: "Then Master, take care on the road and remember to carry weapons for protection."
"Got it."
Chen Jichuan nodded in agreement.
Over the next two days,
Chen Jichuan brought Lul Xiong along to visit the officials and clerks across Langning Mansion and Xuanhua County. He also had Lul Xiong set up a banquet, inviting constables and various heads of departments and discreetly handing out silver to build connections.
On the third day,
inside the courtyard he'd just acquired, Chen Jichuan shut the door, disappearing from view.
...
A dim gray haze.
A heavy mist.
When Chen Jichuan opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was water droplets gathering at the top of a cliff and dripping down, one after another, with a 'drip, drip' sound. Then his vision took in the fog that enveloped the surroundings, faint glimmers of light from phosphorescent stones battling with the darkness, creating an oppressive atmosphere.
"Black Prison."
Chen Jichuan sat up.
He immediately noticed the frailty of this body. Compared to the upright posture he'd developed in the Great Yann world, his back here struggled to stay straight. Looking down at his hands, they were still the same pale and sickly hue.
This gave him a sense of disorientation, discomfort, and a wave of intense revulsion.
In this past year,
he had led an extremely fulfilling life in Great Yann—
learning martial arts,
learning speech,
learning writing,
learning medicine,
and single-handedly building a prosperous Goulan to finance his martial arts training.
Every day, he would rise at dawn, only sleeping when the moon hovered high and exhaustion finally took over.
The sudden return to the Black Prison,
left him momentarily disoriented,
and he could not tolerate it.
But all these feelings,
faded away the moment his eyes landed on Chen Shaohu, sitting nearby, propping his head on his hand as he struggled to stay awake.
The sense of a world apart vanished,
and the revulsion dissipated as well.
"No matter how wonderful Great Yann is, it's ultimately false."
"No matter how awful Black Prison is, it's what's real."
Chen Jichuan's heart settled, as if dust falling gently to the ground.
He stretched his limbs, easing his body, which had been lying dormant for an entire day and night. He moved as gently as possible, but the faint stirrings were enough to rouse Chen Shaohu.
"Huh?!"
Chen Shaohu tensed instinctively, but upon realizing it was his fourth brother, he relaxed and broke into a delighted smile: "Fourth Brother, you're awake!"
"Mm."
"Awake now."
Chen Jichuan smiled at Chen Shaohu. "Did you not sleep at all?"
"..."
Chen Shaohu stared back at his fourth brother, hearing a stream of unintelligible words, his face blank with confusion.
It took a moment before Chen Jichuan realized—
he had just spoken in the Langning dialect from the Great Yann world.
He'd spent so much time in Langning Mansion, where daily conversations were carried out in that dialect, that he had instinctively reverted to it after returning to reality.
Catching himself,
he quickly switched back to Yongfeng County's language and repeated the question.
This time, Chen Shaohu understood and rubbed his eyes, replying, "I was watching over Fourth Brother, must've dozed off at some point."
Chen Jichuan had entered the Great Yann world last night,
after a full day of hectic activity with Chen Shaohu. Chen Shaohu, who had been practicing "Fire Control" all day, was already mentally exhausted, and it was no wonder he couldn't hold out.
Seeing Chen Shaohu's slight expression of guilt,
Chen Jichuan patted him on the shoulder and smiled, "It's fine. What could possibly happen to me while I'm asleep here?"
With that,
he stood.
Judging by the density of the mist, there were still about thirty minutes left before roll call.
"Nothing on the schedule today, right?"
While stoking the fire to cook, Chen Jichuan asked Chen Shaohu.
"No."
"Same as usual."
Chen Shaohu shook his head.
The Black Prison was like that—unchanging, leaving no room for hope or joy.
And entering the depths of this rocky cave only exacerbated the despair.
Seeing his fourth brother awake, Chen Shaohu felt much more refreshed and, with a glint of curiosity in his eyes, asked, "Fourth Brother, what's that world like?"
"What's it like?"
Chen Jichuan lifted his head, noticing the light in Chen Shaohu's eyes, brimming with wonder and yearning.
Chen Shaohu had entered Black Prison at the age of ten.
Back then, he was still young. Now, all his memories of the normal world were likely fuzzy at best.
He knew there was a sun outside—blindingly bright—but he could no longer recall what it felt like to have sunlight warm his skin.
He knew there were stars at night, twinkling across the sky, yet the starry scenes in his memories had become vague and blurred.
He knew of white clouds.
He knew of four seasons.
He knew of...
All of which were absent from Black Prison.
"Great Yann—"
"It's like the Great Chu and Yongfeng before."
"The sun is big, the people are plentiful, and the winds are gentle."
Chen Jichuan, with his natural eloquence, recounted the sights he had seen in Great Yann, weaving them together with nostalgic fragments of Yongfeng County—the rivers, mountains, and all manner of beauty.
In the past, he seldom spoke of these things,
because he didn't know when he could leave Black Prison.
But now, things were different.
And seeing the curiosity in Chen Shaohu's eyes, he couldn't bear to let him down.
He spoke for a considerable time.
Eventually, after cooking and eating,
he paused, noticing that Chen Shaohu's eyelids were drooping with stubborn resistance, and chuckled, "Go get some sleep. I'll tell you more tonight."
As those words fell,
there was no response. Upon closer inspection, Chen Jichuan realized that Chen Shaohu had already fallen asleep mid-conversation.
...