Chapter 236: Songyang Prefecture Branch Office

His original weapon was a massive axe, as thick and heavy as a door panel, so this large wooden club felt weightless to him.

He held the spiked club in one hand, slapping his other palm twice. "Come here," he challenged.

He Lingchuan gripped his long saber and took a deep breath.

Was countering this mountain-like opponent with skill against brute force, and agility against sheer mass, truly the best approach?

He executed the Swallow's Return movement technique, like a swallow skimming water. With a low crouch, he was instantly before Meng Shan, thrusting his long saber straight at the opponent's instep.

No one's instep could be heavily protected; if this strike pierced through, Meng Shan's mobility would surely be impaired.

The light from above suddenly darkened.

"Whoa!"

He Lingchuan yelled loudly and sat up.

Lingguang, the medicine ape, who was busy eating melon, was startled, its paw trembling and the honeydew melon falling to the ground.

It picked it up, glancing at He Lingchuan with a resentful look. In this freezing weather, such sweet melon was hard to come by.

He Lingchuan was drenched in sweat. He reached up to touch the back of his head, where he still felt a faint ache from Meng Shan's blow.

That was truly a mountain-crushing blow he couldn't avoid, sending him flying out of the arena amidst the crowd's gasps. The pain felt as if the back of his head had been split open.

Before being forced out of the dream, he even heard a crisp *pop* from inside his head.

The sound was not loud but chilling.

He Lingchuan knew that, aside from being forcibly roused, there was only one other circumstance in which he would unnaturally exit a dream:

Death.

Blast it, his skull really got caved in!

That fellow Meng Shan truly struck viciously!

A true professional skull-cracker.

Seeing him touching his head, breathing heavily, and staring blankly, Lingguang couldn't help but ask, "Are you alright?"

This was purely out of concern for its employer; after all, He Lingchuan's deathly pale face and cold sweat could only mean he had experienced a nightmare.

"A nightmare," He Lingchuan muttered grumpily after a moment of feeling queasy. "I dreamed I was killed."

Meng Shan truly lived up to his reputation as a monster who could fight Commander Xiao to a draw; even Xiao Maoliang was once suppressed by him. He Lingchuan, despite using every technique he had, was still sent flying, so his defeat was by no means unjust.

The pride and arrogance he'd felt after defeating Gouzi were instantly shattered by Meng Shan.

His preconceived notion of using agility to counter clumsiness? Utter nonsense—it was completely unworkable.

He probably wasn't the first to attempt this strategy; countless others before him had tried the same approach, and without exception, they all lost.

Meng Shan was indeed vicious, but he was also truly a formidable opponent.

He Lingchuan clapped his hands decisively. *Clap*. "For now, he'll be my target."

So far, he had been killed four times in his dreams.

He chuckled, half-afraid he'd get addicted.

"Oh, well, that's nothing then." Nightmares weren't an illness requiring treatment, so Lingguang changed the subject. "By the way, your foundation-building cultivation is complete. These past few days, I've been searching for ingredients for the next stage of Yin-Yang Powder according to your formula. I've checked almost nine pharmacies, and… they're very expensive and scarce."

The secret to He Lingchuan's rapid cultivation growth was his consumption of Yin-Yang Powder.

In short, it was the power of money.

Now that the first stage of the Ziwei Art was complete, the Yin-Yang Powder formula also needed to be adjusted. Stronger medicinal properties typically meant a higher price tag.

He Lingchuan was already mentally prepared for this. "How much more expensive?"

"It's roughly four times the original price," Lingguang said, holding up a small plant. "The main expense is the Lingguang Grass. It's the primary ingredient for the Yin Powder, and we can barely find any in Dunyu pharmacies — only enough for half a month's supply. You'll need to figure out a solution for the future."

Scarcity naturally drove up the price.

The small plant was a light grey, almost translucent, but bore two blueberry-like fruits, looking very fragile overall.

"Four times..." He had been mistaken; he hadn't actually been prepared for this. "Buy it."

During wartime, material transport was bound to be affected. Goods heading to Xiazhou would certainly prioritize military supplies. Beyond that, the only things that would entice merchants to risk travel were Xiazhou's specialty products, which continued to rise in price inland.

As for a rare commodity like Lingguang Grass, it would likely be difficult to obtain in Dunyu right now.

The 100,000-tael banknote was still in his storage ring; He Lingchuan had to cash it. Just a few days ago, his only problem was spending more than he earned. Ah, how he missed those days.

He Lingchuan yawned. "Where are my father and the second brother?"

"They went to attend the opening of Songyang Manor," Lingguang replied, tilting its head. "Only you, Master, have slept until now. It's almost midday."

He Lingchuan instantly sobered up. "Huh? Songyang Manor's new branch is opening today? Wasn't it tomorrow? No, the day after tomorrow? They've only just arrived in Dunyu! Doesn't a new storefront need time for renovations?"

And why hadn't his father called him to go with them?

Remembering his promise to Li Fubo to attend the Songyang Manor branch opening, He Lingchuan quickly washed and changed, checked the progress of his broken saber as usual, and hurried out the door.

He had only been in Dunyu for a few days, yet he already noticed a significant decrease in people in the streets and alleys. Either families kept their doors shut, or shops along the street remained closed, and a sense of desolation permeated the early spring air.

Everyone had been terrified by the news of the Xunzho army's invasion of Xiazhou.

Dunyu's main street was long and wide, with a constant flow of pedestrians. He Lingchuan urged his carriage forward, not paying much attention to the shop signs on either side of the street.

No need to look.

Soon, he smelled a strong scent of gunpowder smoke.

"It's just ahead."

After another forty or fifty paces, the ground was covered in red firecracker remnants that scattered everywhere with the wind.

Two servants were holding brooms, sweeping the street.

He Lingchuan alighted there. Looking up, he saw the signboard emblazoned with the three gilded characters: "Songyang Manor."

The shop's facade was remarkably grand; even the door panels were made of mahogany. The four doors, when joined, formed an intricate carving of a forest of pines with cranes.

Many people gathered around, captivated by the door panels, especially the children, who watched without blinking—

This picture could move.

Strictly speaking, the carved pine trees within the image would sway with the northern wind, perfectly evoking the "sound of pines." As they swayed, the immortal cranes perched on them would frequently flap their wings, and fish in the pond by the forest's edge would leap from the water, creating ripples.

It was no less impressive than a shadow play.

He Lingchuan knew this was mostly the work of an illusion array, but the carving on the door panel was exquisitely detailed and constantly showcased Songyang Manor's power—an illusion array consumed energy every second it existed.

Therefore, Songyang Manor's Dunyu branch, which had just opened today, was the most dazzling establishment on the entire street. Customers streamed in and out, chatting and laughing, with foot traffic at least ten times that of neighboring shops.

However, when He Lingchuan saw this scene, he knew he was late.

There were no servants or carriages at the entrance, indicating that the dignitaries who had come to offer support had already departed, leaving only common folk still lingering to follow the trend.

How could a nightmare make him sleep until midday?

He Lingchuan entered the shop and asked the bustling attendant, "I'm from the Governor-General's Residence. Is Grand Craftsman Li Fubo here?"

The attendant was about to speak when a voice from behind called out, "Young Master He!"

He Lingchuan turned and exclaimed, "Oh, isn't that Steward Zhao?"

It was Steward Zhao who had received him at Songyang Manor in Shihuan City and facilitated the trade of the purple gold pestle for tungsten gold. He Lingchuan hadn't expected Marquis Songyang to bring him north, nor had he seen him during the journey.

He was probably too engrossed in his cultivation to notice external affairs.

Steward Zhao's signature squinting smile reappeared. "You're here! Grand Craftsman Li and the Marquis were just mentioning you."

He Lingchuan scratched his head. "My family members have already been here, right?"

"Yes, yes, General Manager He and Young Master He the Second just left. You're practically right on their heels."

He wondered if that was just a figure of speech.

Steward Zhao continued, "The Marquis will be delighted to see you. This way, please."

He Lingchuan followed him towards the back rooms, glancing around. He noticed that the layout of this new branch was similar to the main headquarters in Shihuan City, with a dazzling array of goods. Many ingenious items were displayed in the front hall to pique customers' interest.

He then realized that Songyang Manor had actually refined certain toys into magical artifacts. Seven- or eight-year-old young masters who walked in couldn't take their eyes off them, insisting that adults buy them.

When the fathers inquired about the price, they were inwardly aghast, but still had to pull out their money pouches under their sons' eager gazes.

The back hall, however, consisted entirely of private rooms.

These rooms were specifically for business discussions and treasure appraisals.

As He Lingchuan passed by, he noticed that most of the seven or eight private rooms were already occupied.

Steward Zhao led him further back and up a ladder to the attic.

Signs of recent renovation were everywhere, and He Lingchuan could smell pine wood.

The attic was a small, quiet space, with a zither placed by the window.

As soon Lingchuan entered, Marquis Songyang gracefully emerged from behind a curtain, smiling as she said, "Young Master He has arrived."

The room was warm as spring. She emerged in a white gown, its collar and sleeves adorned with gold speckles, and a palm-width, subtly patterned golden belt cinched her waist, making it as slender as a willow branch.

What might have been a gaudy and seductive golden belt on anyone else, on her only exuded charm, never vulgarity.

"My sincerest apologies," He Lingchuan said, handing over a packaged gift and lying through his teeth. "Something came up, and I'm late."

"No matter, it's good that you're here; you bring splendor to my humble abode," Li Qingge said, accepting the gift and handing it to a maid behind her to put away without opening it on the spot.

Both understood this was just a gift, not important.

"Your opening was incredibly fast! I thought it would take at least half a month from acquiring the storefront to renovation and grand opening."

Li Qingge led him to a seat by the window. "I thought so too, but once I stepped into this shop, I saw it was fully equipped. There was hardly any need for extensive planning, which certainly saved time."

A maid served tea. He Lingchuan took a sip; it was refreshing upon first taste. The hot tea felt incredibly comforting once swallowed, leaving a sweet aftertaste and a faint floral fragrance in his throat.

He couldn't help but exclaim, "Good tea!"

"Your esteemed father praised it in the same way just now," Li Qingge said with a smile. She waved a hand, and another maid presented an exquisite box. "This is Jasmine Dragon Pearl. A portion has already been prepared for you."

"Who's giving gifts to whom now?" he remarked, though he accepted the gift without ceremony.

The two chatted for a while before Li Qingge brought up the progress of the broken saber's repair. "Li Fubo told me the repair speed is slower than expected."