Translator: AnubisTL
Xunjiang City, located near the former Imperial Capital of Maple Country, was a bustling hub with a constant flow of people.
Tea houses and taverns were filled with shadowy figures.
Street vendors' calls echoed through the air as merchants and peddlers hustled to make a living. This ten-li-long street alone vividly captured the vibrant, brightly lit spectacle of the mortal world.
"Mortal world, it's been a long time," Li Qing murmured, gazing at the bustling, lively central street.
After years of seeking the Immortal Path, returning to the mundane world stirred a subtle emotion within him.
After years of pursuing the Immortal Path, he now felt as though he had been transported to a different era, gazing at this street filled with the scent of everyday life.
Though the spiritual energy in this region was thin, making it a true barren land, Li Qing felt no discomfort. Instead, he found himself thoroughly enjoying the experience.
"Here, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief," Li Qing exhaled deeply, the pressure of being pursued by the Heavenly River Sect easing to its lowest point.
He strolled through the crowded streets with a relaxed, carefree gait.
Occasionally, petty thieves would reach for the storage pouch at Li Qing's waist, hoping to snatch it like a purse.
Of course, if the former Grandmaster of the Martial Dao were truly robbed like that, it would be a laughingstock.
Li Qing subtly brushed away the thieving hands, leaving behind a trace of Transformed Strength. Moments later, the force erupted, causing the thief's hand to swell grotesquely. It would take at least a hundred days for it to recover.
"Big brother, would you like to buy a pair of straw sandals?"
As Li Qing walked, a little girl with pigtails stared at him with bright, clear eyes.
She carried a small basket on her back filled with straw sandals. In her hands, she held a pair of meticulously crafted ones, offering them to Li Qing.
Li Qing paused, then looked down at his cloth boots. After a long journey, these ordinary boots were naturally worn and could no longer withstand the force of Grandmaster Li's steps!
In truth, with his current physical strength, no ordinary footwear could endure his power.
He had to consider refining a pair of Magic Artifact-grade shoes in the future; otherwise, no amount of ordinary shoes would be enough to replace them.
"Alright! I'll buy them!" Li Qing said with a wry smile.
The little girl with two pigtails, her eyes sparkling like black gems, immediately rummaged through her basket and handed him a pair of straw sandals that looked like they would fit.
"Big brother, try these on. If they don't fit, you can exchange them for another pair."
The girl was remarkably sensible and perceptive. Li Qing tried them on casually and found they fit perfectly.
Clearly, she had honed her skills through years of selling straw sandals.
"How much for these?"
"Just three copper coins!" The girl blinked her gem-like eyes, looking at Li Qing expectantly.
Li Qing instinctively reached for his pocket, but quickly realized he had no worldly wealth on him!
He remembered with embarrassment that after entering the immortal cultivation world, during his time as a spirit mine worker for the Liu Clan, his storage pouch had been quite cramped. So, he had simply discarded all his gold and silver into the World of Eternal Night.
The little girl watched Li Qing's movements, as if she had realized something. Her lips pouted slightly, and her eyes welled up with tears.
"Big brother, it's only three copper coins."
As she spoke, she began to count on her tiny fingers, as if calculating how long it would take to make a pair of straw sandals. If she didn't sell them today, she might have to go hungry again.
Li Qing couldn't bear such a sight. His heart softened slightly, and he reached into his storage pouch, pulling out a white jade porcelain bottle usually used for storing pills.
Of course, he wouldn't simply give the entire bottle to the little girl, as that would bring her trouble.
Instead, Li Qing broke off a small fragment of jade, about the size of his thumbnail. He then refined it with his own spiritual energy, smoothing away its sharp edges.
In no time, a piece of top-grade jade emerged, its texture smooth and its quality exceptional.
"Here, use this as payment for the straw sandals!"
Li Qing, who had already put on the sandals, slipped the small piece of jade into the little girl's palm with a gesture so subtle that no one else noticed.
The little girl, clutching the Jade, gasped in surprise. Her mouth widened so far she looked like she could swallow an entire egg!
"Big brother, this is too precious," she stammered.
Li Qing simply smiled, patted her head, and said, "Take it. Don't let anyone see it, understand?"
As he spoke, he scanned the street with his spiritual sense, erasing the memories of several passersby who had witnessed the exchange.
"Huh? What was I just about to do?"
"Ugh! Why did I suddenly doze off?"
"It's like a ghost! I was just..."
"..."
After ensuring no one had noticed him giving the little girl a piece of top-grade Jade, Li Qing turned and continued exploring the city.
"After the Marauders were repelled, Maple Country moved its capital north, but a large portion of the population remained in the south, adding to its prosperity and wealth."
"I wonder how many of my old friends I'll still recognize."
As he spoke, Li Qing thought of his parents. When the Marauders invaded, all the villagers of Crouching Ox Ridge had fled south with him.
Back then, he had single-handedly held off an entire cavalry of Marauders, and even sent them off with a final parting blow before leaving.
Now, having entered the Immortal Path and returned to the mortal realm, he couldn't help but feel a pang of nostalgia, longing to see his parents.
But he had also incurred the wrath of the Heavenly River Sect, a colossal Cultivation Sect!
He feared that if his mortal ties were traced back to him, it would bring disaster upon his family.
"Fate dictates our path, whether in the Jianghu or the Immortal Path," Li Qing murmured, his eyes dimming slightly. He turned and walked away, abandoning his search for his parents.
But soon, shouts of alarm erupted from the crowd lining the street: "Look, a dragon!"
"I can't see clearly through the swirling clouds, but it does look like something's flying!"
"It's so fast! It just zipped past!"
Li Qing, squeezed among the throng, couldn't help but look up.
The Serpent-Head Spirit Boat!
The Heavenly River Sect's party had actually pursued him here!
Li Qing clenched his fists, but remained motionless, blending seamlessly into the crowd without betraying any sign of alarm.
Meanwhile, in the sky above Xunjiang City, the Heavenly River Sect's party, having just passed over the mortal city, immediately turned back.
"The Celestial Compass has pointed back!"
"The Demon Lord is hiding in this mortal city! What shall we do?"
"Senior Brother Yang's sect seems to have a rule against revealing our presence in mortal cities."
(End of the Chapter)
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