Chapter 39: 39 Disappearance

Three days later, in the morning, Song Cheng glanced at his panel.

【Add Points: 26 points】

A 6.4% probability to deduce the superior cultivation method for the Xuanwu True Strength.

He decided to wait.

Because a 6.4% probability was already not low; it had reached a point where he could wait with peace of mind.

In fact, it hadn't taken much time all in all, at least compared to his infinite lifespan of "Chang Sheng Bu Lao," this bit of time didn't even count as a "drop in the ocean."

It was too short.

"Live peacefully in a safe environment, preferably living for a few decades without anything happening."

"Hide six or seven parts of one's strength to deal with risks; reveal three or four parts of one's power to gain influence."

Song Cheng silently admonished himself.

Counting his previous life and this one, he was already over forty years old; he had already passed the age of being "hot-blooded, impulsive, reckless, and disregarding consequences."

After having breakfast at the Dining Hall with his wife, he instructed Tong Xiaoniangzi in sword practice for a while, then took a large basin, soapberry, and dirty clothes, scooped a little water into it, and began to wash the clothes while sitting in the courtyard.

As long as you don't have maidservants or attendants, you have to do these chores yourself.

Tong Xiaoniangzi had intended to do the laundry, but Song Cheng snatched the chore away from her.

Song Cheng truly couldn't bear to watch his wife practice the sword until she was exhausted, only to have to do these miscellaneous chores as well.

Besides, he had plenty of strength, and furthermore, back at Huichun Hall, washing clothes and chopping wood were his tasks.

There weren't many dirty clothes: two sets of cloth shirts, trousers, and socks, Tong Niangzi's silk undergarments, and his own undergarments.

Song Cheng scrubbed them one by one, first carefully rubbing out the stains in the soapberry water, then changing to clean water to rinse; when he touched the silk undergarment, he felt a faint, lingering scent of debauchery on it.

Ever since the couple became Martial Artists, their vigor in bed had naturally become much fiercer.

He stroked it with his hand and felt the silk on the undergarment had wrinkled; it was clearly very old—he knew that Tong Niangzi only had this one silk undergarment.

She hadn't been willing to buy another one afterward.

Because silk products were truly expensive.

They couldn't afford them.

Thinking of this, he really did want to marry the Young Miss.

He would provide the Young Miss with "power support" and "risk contingency plans," and also occupy a "matrilocal husband slot" for her, so the Young Miss wouldn't have to worry about "getting married" anymore.

The Young Miss, in turn, would give him a "safe environment," "connection support," and "financial support."

Each taking what they needed; even a "nominal marriage" would do.

Before, his chances were very slim, but now with Ling'er assisting, there was still hope.

If it really didn't work out, then he would open a medical clinic with his wife and find some other way to make a living.

But first, he had to leave the county town and go to a larger city.

While Song Cheng was thinking, his hands didn't slow down; he quickly hung up the clothes, trousers, and socks, then stretched his arms slightly and said, "Wife, I'm going to fetch some water."

There was a well in the residence, and everyone had to fetch their own water.

Although Song Cheng's family only had two people, they used a lot of water.

Martial Artists naturally bathed often, and he needed water even more for sharpening his blade.

By the way, his blade was almost sharpened; compared to the Fine Blade from Tanghe Village, this blade not only had a different material but also had a strange indentation on the hilt, though he didn't know what it was for.

Seeing Song Cheng pick up the shoulder pole, Tong Niangzi stopped her sword practice and said, "I'll go."

"You keep practicing." Song Cheng especially hoped his wife would race against time to practice martial arts and raise her realm as soon as possible.

Tong Niangzi asked curiously, "Why aren't you practicing?"

Song Cheng said, "Who says I'm not practicing? I'm just practicing when you can't see me."

In those unknown fragments of time, he had practiced bitterly for who knows how long and shed who knows how much sweat to achieve today's accomplishments, alright?

Who says he wasn't practicing?

Don't go around slandering an innocent person for no reason, alright? Tong Niangzi squinted at him and said, "Fine, fine, fine, you are a monster, not something we mere mortals can compare to."

Song Cheng said, "I really practiced."

"When?"

"When you weren't looking."

"Get lost."

Song Cheng carried the shoulder pole with two empty buckets and went out the door.

Tong Niangzi sighed softly and thought to herself: 'My husband is probably getting arrogant, isn't he? After all, that wandering Ghost he fused with probably has some background; he must be slowly digesting that person's power.'

But that person's power would be digested sooner or later, so he still had to work hard himself.

Tong Niangzi felt that her man was clearly very slack.

As the thought flashed by, she took a deep breath.

She had to catch up to her man's progress as quickly as possible; later, if her man didn't step up, then she, Tong Jia, would just have to become strong and protect her man.

Song Cheng arrived at the well, where there happened to be family members of other guards and servants.

"Little Song is here to fetch water again," an older family member said. "Your wife is really lazy."

Other family members who knew better said, "It's not that she's lazy; it's that Little Song snatches the work away. He's just doting on his wife."

Another family member gossiped with a smile, "You guys don't know, do you? Last time Little Song went to Biliu Courtyard, the courtesan even sat on his lap and was ready to give him a red envelope, but he didn't take it."

"Why?"

"They say Little Song is afraid of his wife, so he spent the money but didn't play with the courtesan. My son said it's become a joke at Biliu Courtyard." The family members fetching water were mostly old women or married women, who often loved to gossip. As for Song Cheng, such a "prominent figure," they had long been gossiping about him in secret.

Song Cheng didn't mind and smiled, saying, "Auntie, isn't a wife meant to be doted on? Besides, coming out to fetch water is a good way for me to relax."

He still quite liked this kind of calm, ripple-free atmosphere of life.

This atmosphere is much better than in the village.

If he could, he felt that the first hundred years of his "longevity" should be spent in such a peaceful and ordinary atmosphere; after accumulating strength and completing his development, he would then go elsewhere.

But first, he must find a "safe environment."

The reason he could not stay in the deep mountains before was precisely because the deep mountains were not a "safe environment."

And Shanghe County, honestly speaking, is not safe.

Compared to Tanghe Village, it is only a matter of sooner or later.

Without a doubt, this world possesses the worldview of "Infinite Hell," yet it has more variables and strangeness. Song Cheng was just thinking this when a noisy sound suddenly rang out in the corridor outside the courtyard, buzzing; it was the sound of many people's footsteps and conversations mixed together.

Song Cheng put down the water bucket and walked over to take a look, only to see the Steward, Ling'er, and several guards and servants walking together, talking quickly about something.

"What's wrong, Steward Wang?" Song Cheng asked politely.

The Steward waved his hand and said, "Young man, focus on your cultivation; these matters are not for you to manage for now."

In his eyes, Song Cheng was just a little kid in the Force Realm; although he had potential, it had not yet erupted.

The other guards also glanced at Song Cheng casually; although they had drunk wine together, they had not had much interaction since. Their views were actually the same as the Steward's.

But while they were the same, Ling'er was different.

Ling'er shouted, "Song—cough, cough—Song Cheng, why don't you come along?"

Song Cheng scanned them and saw that Ling'er's eyes were hiding anxiety and a bit of panic.

The Steward said, "Why should Little Song come? One more or one less doesn't matter."

Song Cheng shook his head and said, "Miss Ling'er, I am drawing water; I just finished, and I have to cultivate when I get back, so I won't come."

Ling'er nodded, and the group hurried away into the distance again.

Song Cheng squinted and watched the backs of the group.

He always felt as if the wind had started to blow.

After chopping wood, sharpening his blade, and eating at the Dining Hall in the afternoon, Ling'er ran over hurriedly and said directly, "Mr. Song, the two guards who were supposed to return from their rotation are missing. They were the two guarding outside Tanghe Village; they should have returned to the manor last night, but there has been no sign of them until now.

Everyone discussed it and decided to send people to take a look."

Song Cheng wanted to say "Don't send anyone," but with the words on the tip of his tongue, by what right could he stop others from investigating? What if it wasn't what he thought? Ling'er suddenly said in fear, "Is it possible that the Ghost Disaster has spread?"

Song Cheng said, "It is possible, or it might not be, but since they are delayed, something must have happened; it is either bandits or the Ghost Disaster. Miss Ling'er, you should still talk to them and give them a warning: if they see that the situation is bad, they should retreat immediately."

Ling'er said, "The Steward has said as much, but they must investigate. Those two guards have family living here; no matter what, we must give those two families an explanation."

In the blink of an eye, two more days passed.

The entire Ruyi Chamber of Commerce was shrouded in an ominous atmosphere.

No clues had been found regarding the death of Guard Captain Shi, and that person was still lying in the government's mortuary.

And now, the guards sent to investigate the disappearance had also failed to return as promised.

It was as if they had sunk into the sea; once sent out, they were gone.

Inside the Chamber of Commerce, the atmosphere was incomparably heavy, and the Young Miss happened to be away.

At this time, four people who could be considered high-level figures of the Chamber of Commerce were sitting together: the Steward, the Chief Accountant, Ling'er, and a Jin Realm expert who remained behind.

The four sat in one place, yet were incomparably silent. East of the city.

Although the sunlight was bright, it seemed to carry a haze, with an inexplicable chill.

A group of gorgeously dressed young women were chirping and fluttering as they headed out; these were the young women from Biliu Courtyard.

They were invited by Young Master Zhao and were heading to a manor in the suburbs.

It was early spring, and the flowers were just blooming; it was the perfect time for an outing.

"Traveling with courtesans" had always been a matter that scholars and refined gentlemen delighted in talking about.

Young Master Zhao was the youngest son of the master of the Water Bird Martial Arts Hall.

His older brother practiced martial arts, so he studied literature; at this time, he had invited some good friends to go play in the countryside together.

The courtesans walked out of the city gate, met up with Young Master Zhao, and went off into the distance, talking and laughing all the way.

Not far away, a wooden sign was stuck in the ground, with the two characters for "fur" written on it.

The man holding the sign was smiling and shouting, "Come on, take a look, newly made furs."

Young Master Zhao and the others were originally taking the courtesans south, where there were green hills and clear waters, but upon seeing the man with the sign shouting to the north, they suddenly stopped and turned toward that man instead.

Young Master Zhao walked over and suddenly felt his six senses blur; a strange thought occupied his mind completely without him knowing, making him forget that he was supposed to be on a spring outing.

He lowered his voice and said, "We are going to the Extreme Bliss World."

The man with the sign smiled and said, "Alright, it has long been prepared for you all. Everyone stay here for a moment, and follow me into the mountains shortly."

The courtesans and Young Master Zhao's friends were all extremely excited.

They had come here precisely because they were tired of their ordinary lives and wanted to experience some novelty and excitement.

Thus, the group waited patiently.

By evening, there were a few more people behind the man with the sign.

The group turned and headed away, gradually disappearing into the fog that had risen at some unknown time.

(End of this chapter)