Chapter 11: Tea House

The Human World

Qin Sang didn't know what "qi" in the *Netherworld Scripture* referred to, or if it was the same as the "true qi" and "internal force" mentioned by Bai Jianglan.

Broadly speaking, the *Netherworld Scripture* is divided into six levels.

Beyond cultivation, the *Netherworld Scripture* contains no extraneous words and discusses nothing else. Qin Sang couldn't determine whether it was an internal cultivation method or an immortal cultivation technique.

The section on the *King Yama Banner* described how to use that qi to control it, but this could only be attempted after mastering the first level of the *Netherworld Scripture*. The specific functions of the King Yama Banner, however, were not explained.

After reading the entire text several times, Qin Sang remained confused and felt a headache coming on. Seeing that it was already late into the night, he decided not to rush and went to rest instead.

The security at the Three Witches City gates was lax, and since both Qin Sang and Mingyue were wearing Taoist robes, they easily entered the city.

Before entering, Qin Sang looked back and saw that outside the city gates, a settlement had formed, stretching for more than ten *li*.

From the city gate outwards, the structures transitioned from two or three-story buildings to low stone houses, then to thatched huts, and finally, to open areas where people simply laid straw to make a home.

The outermost areas were crowded with countless refugees from the north; most didn't even have shanties to shelter from the wind and rain. Fortunately, Qin Sang observed several wealthy households distributing congee, ensuring the refugees had something to eat.

In recent days, Qin Sang had also noticed a clear increase in refugees at Qingyang Temple. He hadn't expected the ferry crossing to be so crowded, nor that so many people would be gathered outside Three Witches City. He wondered how they would manage to survive the cold winter.

The first thing they saw upon entering the city was a meat bun shop, its aroma wafting for miles. Qin Sang's eyes lit up with hunger, and he quickly pulled Mingyue inside. The two devoured a whole steamer of meat buns, feeling only half-full, before leisurely wandering through the city.

As it was an auspicious day, Daoist Jixin had two minor rituals to perform, which he could manage himself. Qin Sang requested permission from the Daoist priest and took Mingyue into the city for sightseeing.

At Qingyang Temple, Qin Sang had often chatted with patients and pilgrims, hearing about the reputation of Three Witches City on more than one occasion.

Now seeing it firsthand, from the perspective of his past life, Three Witches City naturally couldn't compare to a modern metropolis. However, in this era, it certainly lived up to its reputation as a formidable city.

The two conspicuously walked through the streets in their Taoist robes.

Mingyue had rosy lips and white teeth, and a charming appearance.

Although Qin Sang had the build of a farmer, Qin Sanwa had never experienced hardship as a child and was quite fair-skinned. Combined with Qin Sang's modern confidence and demeanor, and his generous spending, he hardly resembled an impoverished Taoist priest.

They were quite eye-catching walking together.

Many people along the way looked at them curiously. Qin Sang didn't mind, but Mingyue was a bit shy, following him closely. When she couldn't bear it anymore, she tugged Qin Sang's sleeve and quietly asked, "Senior Brother, where are we going?"

"First, let's find some good food..."

Qin Sang's eyes darted around, and whenever he saw unfamiliar food, he would buy it and share it with Mingyue. He spent money like water along the way, feeling no regret since it was all his enemy's money anyway.

Having followed the frugal old Daoist, Mingyue had never eaten so many delicious things. She was beaming with joy, skipping around Qin Sang, and gradually relaxed. However, she felt a pang of concern for Qin Sang's spending. "Senior Brother, you spent so much money today! Master said money isn't easy to earn. You should be more careful with it and save some for getting a wife!"

Qin Sang pointed to the pastry shop ahead. "Do you want to eat this?"

Mingyue clenched her fists and tapped them together. "Oh... just a little bit of that would be wonderful!"

Coming out of the pastry shop, Mingyue was holding a large package of pastries wrapped in oiled paper, saying she wanted to take them back to share with Master.

Eating and walking along, Qin Sang gained a deeper understanding of this world. It was then that he truly integrated Qin Sanwa's memories into his own.

After walking only a few streets, Qin Sang felt completely full. Along the way, he also noticed some business opportunities. With the stolen money as capital, diligent management could easily provide a comfortable living, but Qin Sang couldn't muster any interest in such ventures.

Chatting and laughing with Mingyue, they turned the corner, and a three-story wooden building came into view. The building stood by the inner river of Three Witches City, adorned with swaying willows. The sign above, bearing the characters "Honghu Tower," looked quite imposing, though it was actually a teahouse.

From within the teahouse, the occasional sound of the storyteller's gavel, followed by deafening exclamations and laughter, could be heard. Qin Sang knew this was due to the renowned storyteller performing inside.

He had come to the city specifically for this teahouse.

To gather information, one naturally seeks out places where people gather and chat. Qin Sang was particularly interested in legends of immortals and strange creatures circulating around Three Witches City, so he had deliberately inquired at Qingyang Temple and had already learned about Honghu Tower.

Honghu Tower was the most renowned teahouse in the southern part of Three Witches City. It had three floors, with tea prices varying, attracting all sorts of patrons from every walk of life.

Qin Sang sat on the crowded first floor, ordered a pot of tea, and listened to the storyteller on stage.

*Bang!*

The plump storyteller suddenly slammed the gavel, his cheeks quivering, and the teahouse instantly fell silent.

"Speaking of this, there's a past event that must be mentioned. Five hundred years ago, a great hero named Wang Bin was swayed by our Great Sui's ancestor, Emperor Shenwu... This person is a descendant of that very hero Wang..."

Qin Sang listened for a while. The storyteller, Liu Jingting, truly lived up to his reputation; his tales were full of twists and turns, captivating the audience, and even ordinary events became extraordinary when recounted by him.

However, his mind wasn't entirely on the story. He glanced around and then struck up conversations with the tea guests nearby.

The entire day was spent at the teahouse, and lunch was also eaten there. Qin Sang spared no expense, treating people to tea and befriending many 'friends,' skillfully guiding conversations to local legends of immortals and ghosts circulating in Three Witches City.

While Liu Jingting told stories on stage, a group of people below recounted old tales. Mingyue sat quietly to the side, guarding her pastries and listening with great interest, never growing bored even after sitting there all day.

It wasn't until the sun began to set that Qin Sang and Mingyue reluctantly left the teahouse. They met up with Daoist Jixin, who had finished his rituals, and by the time they returned to Qingyang Temple, dusk had already settled.

Before evening lessons, under the glow of an oil lamp, the master and two disciples sat around a charcoal brazier, sharing pastries.

Mingyue, nibbling on a piece of fruit, saw Qin Sang flipping through a Daoist scripture and suddenly asked, "Senior Brother, why were you asking those people about legends of immortals in the mountains all day? Do you also want to seek immortality?"

The old Daoist priest raised an eyebrow.

Qin Sang looked up and chuckled, "An immortal? Who wouldn't want to be one? It's a shame none of these legends are reliable."

"Master used to say that those who go into the deep mountains and great rivers definitely won't find immortals; immortal masters wouldn't stay in such desolate places," Mingyue earnestly warned, fearing Qin Sang might go astray. "Senior Brother, those legends are all fake, you shouldn't believe them."

Qin Sang's eyes lit up, and he looked at the old Daoist.

Daoist Jixin finished a piece of pastry, slowly wiped his hands, and scoffed, "Boy, if you're looking for an immortal destiny on Cuiming Mountain, I advise you not to waste your effort. Hurry up and get down the mountain to live an honest life, lest you break your Qin family's lineage."