Volume One: Autumn Festival Chapter Twenty-Two: Half a Day of Leisure

The night was heavy, and a grey mist swirled in the air. Above the city of Hun, a colossal black shadow loomed faintly. When the morning sun rose, the shadow that had lingered throughout the night descended, vanishing quietly into the city.

Jiang Wang rose early today, spurred by the wailing of Zhao Si.

"Why?!" Zhao Si barged into Jiang Wang’s courtyard, his face full of grief. "Everything was supposed to be set in motion so quickly, but after a full night's sleep, I still have no beautiful wife or concubine, no immense fortune, and everything is exactly as it was!"

Jiang Wang, bleary-eyed, looked at the weeping Zhao Si and said, "Be practical. Stop daydreaming and harboring wild fantasies. If you don't have the destiny for it, just honestly stick to your painting. I don’t even have a beautiful wife or concubine myself, so what are you thinking about?"

The door to the neighboring room opened, and Xiaoyu stepped out.

Zhao Si was devastated, wondering if his previous hypocrisy—constantly shouting that he only cared about painting—had been taken literally by the heavens. Even without a wife, what about the fortune? What about leaving his name in history? What about his status as a great painter?

Jiang Wang had hoped to sleep until he woke naturally, but now that Zhao Si had chased away his drowsiness, he took Xiaoyu and left the Marquis’s residence. While there was nowhere else of note to go, they could at least stroll along Qixia Street, even if there was nothing worth seeing there.

Old Xu’s tailor shop had opened early. It sat at the intersection of Qixia Street and Pinglan Street, though the shop technically belonged to Qixia Street. Only a clerk was present, as Old Xu had supposedly left the city on business and wouldn't return for several days.

Jiang Wang sat at the entrance of the tailor shop, listlessly watching the pedestrians on the opposite Pinglan Street. Xiaoyu glanced at Jiang Wang, then at the long sword in her hand, lamenting that her sword practice would be delayed today.

Having truly stepped onto the path of a warrior, she felt the *qi* flowing endlessly through her limbs. Every time she swung her sword, it carried the sound of tigers, leopards, and thunder, yet she still could not find a way to make the *qi* dwell within her to temper her physique. She had asked Shan Qiyu for advice, but he had been shocked by the inquiry.

In the second realm of martial arts, one could only initially perceive the existence of *qi* and perhaps coat it on the skin's surface. To let *qi* flow freely through the limbs was a feat reserved for third-realm warriors. He felt that Xiaoyu was not merely a martial arts prodigy; she was a monster. To strike with the power of a third-realm warrior while still in the first, and to reach the cultivation stage of a third-realm warrior upon entering the second—what must her true combat strength be?

Shan Qiyu had no desire to spar with her, fearing the shame of defeat, so he simply taught her how to guide the *qi*. Strangely, even though she performed every step correctly and could feel the *qi* being guided, it refused to adhere to her skin. She suspected that the current of energy Jiang Wang had infused into her was extraordinary, repelling all other *qi* between heaven and earth. Thus, she focused on guiding the energy given to her by her young master. Though she stood beside Jiang Wang, her spirit had long since wandered elsewhere, oblivious to her surroundings.

Jiang Wang stretched, loosening his stiff body. Compared to the silent Qixia Street, Pinglan Street was incredibly lively.

The tailor shop clerk handed Jiang Wang a cup of tea and remarked, "The City God Festival is in two days. I wonder if the shopkeeper will make it back."

Jiang Wang paused slightly. The City God was the greatest piece of evidence for the rumored existence of immortals in the world. Compared to the ethereal and elusive immortals, the records concerning the City God were the most detailed.

It was said that six hundred years ago, when demons first descended upon the world, the protection of the City God kept the common people from suffering a great catastrophe; it was a war that belonged only to demons and cultivators. The first Emperor of the Sui Dynasty had decreed that a City God Festival be held every autumn. It was the grandest temple fair in the Sui Kingdom, lasting for ten full days. Every City God Temple across the provinces would see unprecedented crowds, with the entire nation paying homage.

However, during the second war, the City God never appeared. In fact, there were no immortals in the world at all. Because that war was only a century ago, compared to the sparse records of the first, it was a time of complete devastation. In the aftermath, internal strife among nations and the fall of the elder cultivators led to a gap in historical knowledge, with many ancient texts being destroyed. Though only the legend of the City God saving the world remained, the temple fair had become a tradition.

The City God Temple in Hun City was built outside the city walls, though Jiang Wang did not know the reason why. In previous years, due to his illness, he had never experienced the festival, and it seemed unlikely he would participate this time either.

Watching the busy crowds on Pinglan Street, Jiang Wang noticed a young girl standing in front of a steamed bun shop. Her head was just taller than the four-layered bamboo steamer stacked on a stool. Judging by her height, she was about the age of a young maiden.

The girl stood on her tiptoes, picked up two buns, and stuffed them straight into her mouth, her eyes crinkling into crescents. The shop owner smiled and held out his hand, saying, "Three coppers."

The girl froze, then began searching her person for money. She pulled out a massive scythe and slapped it down in front of the owner, turning him deathly pale. He had thought she was someone who ate without paying, but to his surprise, the girl immediately handed over three taels of silver. Ignoring the owner completely, she gorged herself on the buns in the steamer. In almost no time at all, the four layers of buns were wiped clean.

With her great scythe in one hand and the last two buns in the other, she shouted a muffled greeting to the owner and scampered off with a grin.

Jiang Wang watched the scene in utter astonishment. The scythe in the girl’s hand was not an agricultural tool; it was much larger and looked far sharper. What surprised him more was where she had pulled it from. Recalling that Miss Shu had once produced a long spear out of thin air, he wondered if it was a cultivator’s supernatural ability. Could this girl be a cultivator too?

He watched in a daze as the girl, having just finished four full tiers of buns, turned and ran into an eatery. Before long, she emerged gnawing on a chicken leg, then strolled over to a pastry shop.

*She can really eat,* Jiang Wang marveled to himself.

As if he had discovered something incredibly interesting, he sat at the tailor shop entrance, his eyes fixed on the girl, watching with great relish. But the girl soon sensed something was amiss. Standing in front of the pastry shop, her cheeks bulging and pastry crumbs all over her face, she looked at Jiang Wang with a wary gaze. She was not captivated by Jiang Wang’s handsome face; instead, she gave a slight start, put on a fierce expression, and, protecting her food, hid the pastry boxes behind her back and hurried away from Pinglan Street.

A faint smile tugged at the corner of Jiang Wang’s mouth. Finding the bustle of Pinglan Street dull once more, he called out to Xiaoyu, bid the tailor shop clerk farewell, and returned to the Marquis’s residence.

To his surprise, he saw Master Tao standing at the front gate. Having likely waited for a long time, Master Tao pulled him aside the moment he saw him.

"Something strange happened last night," Master Tao lowered his voice. "The *wangliang* in the bronze mirror had been exceptionally quiet, showing no reaction to anything I did. But just after midnight, it seemed as if it had been terrified by something. The bronze mirror cracked, and I had to find an old vessel to temporarily house it. It remained terrified until dawn, only then returning to normal."

Jiang Wang asked suspiciously, "You didn't do anything strange, did you?"

Master Tao said, indignant and ashamed, "How can you think of me like that, Young Marquis? Hiding a demon is serious business!"

*Well,* Jiang Wang thought, *hiding a beauty in a golden house or hiding a demon in a golden house—it's only one character's difference.*

"I suspect there is a great demon roaming Hun City, or perhaps a great cultivator has arrived," Master Tao continued in a low voice. "The *wangliang* is low-level and inherently weak, so it is normal for it to be scared. But I heard that when the demon *Ao Yin* appeared on Pinglan Street, the *wangliang* was not this terrified. This shows that the great demon or cultivator from last night is terrifying beyond measure."

Jiang Wang’s expression turned solemn. *I was the one who killed the demon Ao Yin, but I won't say that.* However, the words the *Ao Yin* had spoken before it died surfaced in his mind. Could a truly powerful demon have come to Hun City?

"I will investigate this," Jiang Wang said. His heart was filled with both anticipation and trepidation. What could be more powerful than the demon *Ao Yin*? He did not even consider the possibility of a "great cultivator," as demons understood the terror of other demons better than anyone; only a formidable demon could frighten a weak one.

After parting with Master Tao, Jiang Wang returned to the residence, and Xiaoyu went off to practice her swordsmanship. He slumped back into his rattan chair. The exotic flowers and plants in the courtyard showed signs of withering, though by this season, they should have already faded. He didn't know what method the old butler used to keep them alive.

He noticed a bird land on the banyan tree by the wall. Looking closely, it resembled a crow, but was far more beautiful; he guessed it was a breed he had never seen before. He didn't bother to shoo it away, lost in thought about how to find the potential demon in Hun City. If he still possessed the power of the 'Mirage,' he would have sensed it easily, but now he was blind, unable to even feel the *qi* of heaven and earth.

To be powerful was truly great, but to be crippled was truly useless. He wondered if Master Tao had any methods for finding demons, but since Tao hadn't mentioned it, he likely had none. In truth, Master Tao assumed the Young Marquis was so powerful that he didn't need his help; because of the *wangliang* incident, he had already decided to stay indoors and wouldn't dream of helping find a demon.

However, after careful deliberation, Jiang Wang found a lead. He thought of Miss Shu. A true cultivator would naturally have the ability to track a demon’s aura. Without the slightest hesitation, he assigned the task of finding Miss Shu to Zhao Si.

Though Zhao Si was extremely reluctant, he stood at the intersection of Qixia Street and lamented, "I truly have such a fate."

He dragged his feet as he began to inquire about Miss Shu’s whereabouts throughout Hun City. It wasn't until dusk that he found her at the 'Half-Day Leisure' inn. He collapsed into a chair, dispirited, and said, "My young master has a serious matter to discuss with you. Please, accompany me to the residence."

Miss Shu’s first reaction was one of extreme caution. Although she was skeptical about whether Jiang Wang was a demon, why would he invite her to his residence when night had already fallen? What exactly was he planning?!