Chapter 82

July 14, overcast.

Xu Jin rose before dawn, finished his morning cultivation promptly, and headed for the Jinshan County market.

Holding a bundle of steaming hot pork buns, Xu Jin strolled through the market, shoving them into his mouth one by one.

So fragrant—soft on the inside, distinct chunks of meat, chewy, grease dripping from his lips.

Thinking of the greasy, muddy buns from his past life, Xu Jin felt this world wasn’t so bad after all.

Of course, mainly because he couldn’t go back.

Soon, the items in Xu Jin’s hands grew in number.

He bought a silver phoenix-eye hairpin—last time he had no silver, so he bought his sister a wooden one.

For his father, he bought two pairs of cloth shoes, a jar of aged liquor, braised chicken, peanuts, and his sister’s favorite pastries.

He’d planned to buy clothes for Jiang Er, but couldn’t gauge her size well.

So he didn’t buy anything—he had plenty of silver now; tomorrow he’d take his sister to a tailor’s shop and get her several proper outfits.

The gloomy sky suddenly began drizzling, the rain cold and sharp.

Seeing an umbrella shop nearby, Xu Jin rushed in. “Shopkeeper, two umbrellas.”

“Umbrellas?”

The shopkeeper frowned, looking at what Xu Jin pointed at, then suddenly said, “You mean ‘cheng hua’?”

“Cheng hua?”

A few minutes later, Xu Jin left the shop with two umbrellas, watching as he opened them above his head—they truly looked like blooming flowers.

Beautiful. And the name sounded nice too.

Left shoulder bearing a large bundle, right hand holding a cheng hua, Xu Jin walked toward the city gate in his Xunxing Guard Captain’s uniform, heading for Xu Family Village.

Xu Jin preferred regular clothes, but his father Xu Dajiang had long dreamed of him wearing this official garb—saying that if Xu Jin paraded through Xu Family Village in it, he’d be able to walk sideways with pride.

Satisfied. Done.

At the eastern gate of Jinshan County, ten city guards spotted Xu Jin in his Xunxing Guard Captain’s uniform and hurried forward to salute, even drawing the attention of their own squad leader.

Though both were squad leaders, the Xunxing Guard Captain of the Jinshan Dao Academy ranked one level higher than city guards.

In wartime, a city guard squad leader under the Chen Guo Dao Academy’s Xunxing Guard Captain was subject to direct command—this was codified in Chen Guo’s military law.

“My lord!” Qu Hui rushed over, bowing deeply. “Are you returning home? May I send someone to carry your belongings?”

Xu Jin lifted his cheng hua higher, speaking slowly. “Just visiting home. No need.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Jin smiled strangely.

A familiar face.

Before Xu Jin had ignited his star, after sneaking out of the Dao Academy to perform a star-summoning ritual, he’d encountered this city guard squad leader patrolling during a city-wide hunt for demons. Xu Jin had claimed to be a Dao Academy disciple—the man had been warm at first, but when he learned Xu Jin hadn’t ignited his star, he turned cold and had him dragged back to the academy.

But Xu Jin held no grudge—it was only human nature.

Besides, the man hadn’t mistreated him; that was already better than most.

Yet meeting again now, with time and circumstance changed, brought a quiet sense of reflection.

“My lord, you look familiar to me,” Qu Hui said, still not quite placing him.

“Squad Leader Qu, I’m Xu Jin, disciple of the Dao Academy.”

“Hm? Ah?”

Instantly, Qu Hui stared at Xu Jin in shock—he remembered. His face flushed with shame, then quickly shifted to awkwardness; he bowed hastily. “Qu Hui greets Senior Brother Xu. Whatever you need, just say the word.”

“No need. Don’t let me delay your duty. Just visiting home. Goodbye!” Xu Jin waved and walked out of the city.

Qu Hui stood frozen, uneasy.

Would Xu Jin hold a grudge?

He’d ignited his star barely a short while ago and was already a Xunxing Guard Captain—his future as a Flag Master was certain. If things went wrong, he’d be Qu Hui’s direct superior.

Qu Hui was already scheming how to mend their relationship.

But Qu Hui didn’t know—Xu Jin hadn’t given the matter a second thought. He’d already passed through the city gate, cheng hua in hand.

Outside the city, past the rain-soaked street vendors still hawking their wares, Xu Jin prepared to quicken his pace.

Suddenly, his steps slowed.

Just now, he’d felt a gaze—sharp as a sword—fixed on him.

“Coincidence… or something else?”

Xu Jin hesitated, turned his steps, sank his mind, and plunged into the Lower Star Palace, where the Mingji Star Pattern he’d just inscribed that morning glowed.

Inside the Lower Star Palace, the Mingji Star Pattern shimmered with starlight—and in that instant, Xu Jin’s perception of the outside world doubled.

Old Qi had said it would normally take Xu Jin two or three days to successfully inscribe the Mingji Star Pattern.

Last night, Old Qi had spent over an hour guiding star energy into Xu Jin’s Lower Star Palace, but hadn’t succeeded—said two or three more tries would do it.

But after Old Qi left, Xu Jin entered the Star Lamp and began inscribing the Mingji Star Pattern himself.

Though intricate, the pattern had been drawn dozens of times under Old Qi’s guidance—Xu Jin had memorized it. He’d inscribed it over a hundred times inside the Star Lamp, and could now do it flawlessly within it.

This morning during morning cultivation, he’d practiced for half an hour inside the Star Lamp, then moved directly to inscribing it in his Lower Star Palace.

First try—success.

Then, star energy flowed continuously—each repetition stronger, faster. Half an hour later, the Mingji Star Pattern was fully inscribed.

This was Xu Jin’s little surprise for Old Qi.

But before he could give Old Qi the surprise, the newly inscribed Mingji Star Pattern gave Xu Jin one of his own.

After successful inscription, Xu Jin became far more sensitive to changes in his surroundings—or even the subtle shifts in the Dao.

A breeze stirred; every leaf on a tree trembled, one leaf detached and fell—he instantly noticed it. A strange, intuitive sensation.

Earlier that morning, while strolling the market in his Xunxing Guard Captain’s uniform, he’d keenly sensed all kinds of glances—fearful, reverent, envious—but most dared not stare directly.

Now, leaving the city, a single piercing, unwavering gaze fixed on him—made him suspicious.

In a flash of thought, Xu Jin turned toward a fish stall. “Old man, how much for these greenfish?”

“My lord, the big ones are thirty cash, the small ones twenty.”

"My lord, the large ones are thirty wen, the small ones are twenty."

“Auntie, how much for this squash?”

“Three cash each.”

“Good.”

When he held a squash in hand, Xu Jin’s eyes turned cold.

Something’s wrong.

He’d switched stalls several times while buying, yet that fixed gaze remained—occasionally shifting, but never leaving him.

As he turned, he spotted its source.

A dark-skinned young man, selling a few fish—familiar, but he couldn’t place where he’d seen him before.

As soon as he approached, Xu Jin confirmed: this black youth was trouble.

Because as Xu Jin drew near, the youth grew tense, even holding his breath.

Because Xu Jin had come over, the black youth grew extremely tense, nearly holding his breath.

Following me?

“Boss, how much for your fish?” Xu Jin asked, shifting the bundle and cheng hua to one hand.

“Twelve cash each—take any.” Jiang Sheng’s voice trembled as Xu Jin approached.

"Twelve wen apiece, take any you like." Seeing Xu Jin approaching, Jiang Sheng’s voice stuttered.

As he reached for a fish, Xu Jin’s right hand flashed out—gripped Jiang Sheng’s nape like a chicken, lifted him effortlessly, and pulled him close.

While pretending to pick out fish, Xu Jin’s right hand shot out like lightning, gripping Jiang Sheng’s nape, then lifted him up as if he were a chick and pulled him close.

Beneath the rain, Xu Jin held his cheng hua, shoulder to shoulder with Jiang Sheng, walking toward the eastern gate—no one noticed them, thinking them friends.

At the eastern gate, Qu Hui saw Xu Jin approaching and his heart lurched.

Is this kid, full of youthful arrogance, here to settle a score?

In an instant, Qu Hui decided: endure.

Must endure.

No matter what, endure.

As Qu Hui braced himself for humiliation—ready to take even a beating—Xu Jin suddenly tossed the bundle at him. “Squad Leader Qu, mind holding my bundle? Find me a room.”

Just as Qu Hui had built up his courage, bracing himself to endure Xu Jin’s wrath, Xu Jin suddenly tossed the bundle at him: "Qu squad leader, could you please get me a room and watch this bundle for me?"

Learning Xu Jin wasn’t here to cause trouble, Qu Hui was overjoyed—he snatched the bundle and personally escorted Xu Jin to the tower room, though he glanced curiously at Jiang Sheng, who was being held close.

Learning Xu Jin wasn’t here to cause trouble, Qu Hui was overjoyed; he quickly took the bundle and personally led Xu Jin to the castle atop the city wall, though he glanced curiously at Jiang Sheng, whom Xu Jin had draped an arm around.

“Why are you tailing me? Who sent you?” Xu Jin asked bluntly.

Seeing Jiang Sheng hesitate, Xu Jin clamped his hand over his mouth and began snapping his fingers one by one.

Jiang Sheng, a strong, ordinary man, was helpless in Xu Jin’s grip.

On the third finger broken, Jiang Sheng, drenched in cold sweat, nodded frantically.

Xu Jin released him, eyes icy.

“It was Deng Longshu—the former Tianhe Gang incense master. He suspects you killed his nephew Deng Hu and wants revenge!” Jiang Sheng blurted out without hesitation.

"It’s Deng Longshu—he’s the former incense master of the Tianhe Gang. He told me to keep watch on you, suspecting you killed his nephew Deng Hu and seeking revenge!" Jiang Sheng immediately named Deng Longshu.

His life? Not worth risking.

To spare a life? Absolutely impossible.

Deng Longshu!

Xu Jin’s gaze turned cold—he remembered.

After he killed Deng Hu, it was this Deng Longshu who wiped out the family next door.

He had wanted to kill him before, but had no trace of him.

Now he had come to him on his own.

“Where is he? Can you lead the way?”

“Yes, yes, yes!”

As Jiang Sheng hurried to answer, he trembled and warned, “Master Xu, Deng Longshu has been at the seventh level of Meal the Mist for a long time—you alone won’t be able to handle him.”

Jiang Sheng knew Deng Longshu—he would never spare Jiang Sheng if Deng Longshu killed Xu Jin.

On the other hand, if he cooperated with Xu Jin, there might still be a chance to live.

When seeking survival, the government was slightly more reliable than lone cultivators.

“I know. I’ll call for backup—you lead the way!”

“Fine! He told me to find him in the west city after you leave.”

“Lead the way!”

After descending the city tower, Xu Jin still held Jiang Sheng close, but added to Squad Leader Qu Hui, “Squad Leader Qu, please go to the Commandant’s residence and find Lu Xianbing—tell him I’m occupied in the west city and ask him to come quickly!”

Xu Jin gave this instruction both to reassure Jiang Sheng and to ensure caution.

Hearing he could connect with the Commandant’s eldest son, Qu Hui was overjoyed—he replied and hurried off.

Meanwhile, Xu Jin, left hand holding an umbrella, right arm around Jiang Sheng like a close brother, strode swiftly through the rain toward the west city!

(End of Chapter)