Chapter 19: Night Meeting Liu Bang

Night.

The lodging arranged by Xiao He for Yu Lin was located on the west side of the residence, a quiet wing.

The furnishings inside were simple.

A low wooden bed, covered with a fine bamboo mat, topped with a layer of plain cloth.

In the corner stood a bronze Bo Mountain burner, with curling smoke rising—burning mugwort used to repel insects.

At this time, mosquitoes were plentiful and terrifying.

Especially in places like Sishui Commandery, which is full of swamps and forests.

Fortunately, as long as Yu Lin slightly released his Qi, no mosquitoes would approach him.

He sat cross-legged on the bed, closed his eyes, regulated his breathing, and entered cultivation.

Just this cultivation made him feel something was off!

"Huh?"

"So thick?"

As he circulated the Lian Qi Method, the Qi between heaven and earth surged like a tide!

Its concentration far exceeded modern times, almost more than triple what he experienced cultivating at the Civil Affairs Bureau!

Qi rushed through his meridians; each circulation expanded the vortex in his dantian by a fraction!

What originally required several hours of cultivation to saturate his body was now cut down to just half an hour!

"Could it be... because Xu Fu, using the 'Speak It Into Being' method, exchanged for the Lian Qi Cultivation, which hasn't been long?"

"Doesn't this mean... I've arrived at an earlier point in history, not another world?"

"Or maybe not; perhaps it's a parallel world where true cultivation is possible."

After furrowing his brows in thought for a moment, Yu Lin shook his head and stopped pondering.

With too little information known, thinking about it would be pointless.

He got off the bed and walked outside.

The time was roughly seven o'clock; in modern terms, many office workers would just be getting off work and heading home, while some laborers might still be overtime.

Yet in Pei County, every household had already fallen into darkness.

Frogs croaked, insects chirped, the frost moon shone like snow.

"Get something to eat."

Yu Lin's dinner consisted of a bit of fish, meat, and millet rice—enough to fill Xiao He, but for him it was just a snack between his teeth.

He also felt embarrassed to eat more.

After all, this era is inherently one of scarce resources.

So he planned to go catch some wild game to eat.

Saying it, he did it.

Yu Lin walked out of the courtyard, stepping in the moonlight as he ran toward the mountains and forests outside Pei County.

But.

Just as he stepped out of the city gate, he sensed someone behind him seemingly following; he pretended to bend down to pick something up and glanced back.

Hmm.

It was Liu Bang.

Yu Lin didn't know why Liu Bang was following him, but he acted as if he didn't notice and walked straight ahead.

Until they reached the thicket.

With a thought, a pair of night-vision goggles appeared on his nose bridge.

Yu Lin leapt lightly, his form vanishing like a ghost into the night.

Liu Bang crouched in the bushes, eyes wide, rubbing them hard—where did the person go?!

He sprang from the undergrowth, rushing to the spot where Yu Lin had just stood, looking around.

Under the moonlight, the grass was flat, not a single footprint—like that person had vanished into thin air.

"Ghosts?!" Liu Bang swallowed, a chill running down his back: "Did Lord Xiao bring back a ghost?!"

The more he thought, the more frightened he became; he turned to run: "No, I must hurry and tell Lord Xiao..."

"Don't rush off."

A cold hand suddenly landed on his shoulder.

Liu Bang's whole body stiffened, he slowly turned his head——

Yu Lin stood behind him, wearing a meaningful smile.

"This, this esteemed sir..." Liu Bang forced a laugh, sweat beading on his forehead: "I, I wasn't intentionally following you; I just... took a wrong turn! I'm leaving now, I'm leaving!"

Yu Lin said nothing, merely tossing the four wild pheasants he held in his right hand into Liu Bang's arms.

"Handle them."

Liu Bang fumbled to catch the wild pheasants, stunned for two seconds, then realized—this was making him do manual labor!

He didn't dare refuse, so he honestly squatted, pulled out his personal dagger, and began plucking feathers and bleeding them. While busy, he stole glances at Yu Lin.

Yu Lin sat aside, casually picked up a branch, and snapped his fingers——

"Pfft!"

His fingertip suddenly ignited a small flame.

Liu Bang's hand trembled, nearly cutting himself: "Sir, do you also know immortal arts?!"

Actually, it was a lighter.

Yu Lin didn't answer, merely lit the fire and said lightly:

"You followed me—what do you want?"

Liu Bang's eyes flicked, and he forced a smile, saying:

"I'm just seeing that you, sir, are new to Pei County, unfamiliar with the place, and I'm afraid you'll get lost!"

Yu Lin gave a half‑smile: "Oh? Then why were you scared enough to run just now?"

Liu Bang stammered: "It's just... I thought I ran into a ghost..."

"Of course people run when they see a ghost—to save their lives!"

"But seeing you like this, I reckon you're a truly skilled master, not a ghost!"

Yu Lin shook his head, too lazy to expose him, and pulled a small bottle from his waist, tossing it to Liu Bang:

"Sprinkle it on, for seasoning."

Liu Bang took the bottle, opened it, sniffed, and his eyes lit up:

"So fragrant! What is this?"

It's actually thirteen-spice.

Yu Lin brought it intentionally; he couldn't shortchange his own palate.

"Spice," Yu Lin replied casually.

"Consider yourself fortunate."

"Yes, yes, thank you, sir, thank you, sir!" Liu Bang hurriedly nodded and sealed the bottle again.

He went to the nearby stream to prepare the pheasant.

Skillfully gutting the pheasant, he washed it clean with stream water, then hopped back.

He deftly skewered the pheasant with a branch, placed it over the fire, turning it now and then for even cooking.

The fire crackled, fat dripping onto the coals sizzled, and fragrance filled the air.

Especially the spice—it was truly aromatic.

Liu Bang, having lived so long, was tasting this scent for the first time!

It made one want to swallow one's own tongue!

He swallowed, stole a glance at the eyes‑closed Yu Lin, his mind a whirl of thoughts.

But he still didn't speak.

Until the pheasant was done.

He then whispered, "Sir, the chicken is ready."

"Mm." Yu Lin opened his eyes, grabbed one and tore into it greedily.

Seeing Liu Bang's hesitant look, he simply picked another and tossed it to him:

"Stop staring, just eat."

"Alright, thanks for the treat, sir!"

Liu Bang took the roasted chicken and bit off a huge mouthful.

The meat was crisp outside, tender inside, and the spice blossomed on his tongue, making his eyes light up.

"Mmm! This flavor..." he mumbled, his mouth full of meat.

But as he kept eating, he paused, a sorrowful expression appearing.

Yu Lin, seeing this, asked casually:

"What's with that expression? Not tasty?"

"No, no, no—it's just that thinking I won't be able to taste this again later... makes me feel very uncomfortable..." Liu Bang smiled sheepishly.

He gnawed the drumstick, stole glances at Yu Lin, and couldn't help asking:

"Sir... what kind of deity are you?"

Yu Lin swallowed the chicken in his mouth:

"Do you think I'm a demon or a ghost?"

Liu Bang chuckled: "No way! I just think... you don't seem like an ordinary person."

Yu Lin retorted: "Then what do you think I resemble?"

Liu Bang thought a moment, lowered his voice: "Could it be... the legendary Qi Refining Master?"

Yu Lin raised an eyebrow: "You know the Qi Refining Master?"

Liu Bang nodded mysteriously: "I've heard people say they can soar through the heavens, vanish into the earth, Longevity not aging!"

"Then the seafaring Xu Fu is one!"

Yu Lin neither confirmed nor denied, but suddenly asked: "Do you want to learn?"

Liu Bang's eyes lit up, then he scratched his head and laughed: "I'm a rough sort; I could never master this. But... if you're willing to teach me a few moves, I, Liu Ji, will gladly serve you as ox or horse!"

Yu Lin waved his hand: "I can't teach you."

"My teacher said that the external transmission would break my leg."

He took another bite, chewed leisurely, then suddenly asked:

"What do you usually do in Pei County?"

Liu Bang grinned: "Just passing time—drinking, gambling, teasing kids. Recently I became a pavilion chief; life's fairly comfortable."

"Just a bit poor."

Yu Lin nodded: "Never thought of doing something big?"

Liu Bang was startled, then burst out laughing: "Big things? What could I possibly do? Farming's too tiring, there's no path to officialdom, so I just scrape by!"

Yu Lin stared at him for a few seconds, then said meaningfully:

"Perhaps... you might truly accomplish something great in the future."

Liu Bang blinked, not understanding what he meant, and just smiled and said:

"Even if we little guys could achieve great things, in the eyes of those big shots, it's nothing more than a trivial matter!"

"As long as we have food and clothing for life, that's enough to be content!"

"Hmm." Yu Lin merely nodded, threw the clean chicken bones in his hand into the fire, stood up and said:

"Having eaten and drunk my fill, I'm off."

He leapt lightly and vanished from Liu Bang's sight.

Liu Bang's eyes were full of envy:

"If I could learn a bit of skill........."