Twin Dimension Yin-Yang Mirror: Attaining immortality through the martial path
Chapter 240 - 210 Arrogant and Presumptuous, Madam Chen

Chapter 240: Chapter 210 Arrogant and Presumptuous, Madam Chen

At dawn.

Zhou Ping’an got up early, and together with Lin Huaiyu, the two went to the Herbal Garden to collect the "Seven-Colored Pill" that had been refined.

Nine pills.

Old Man Qing didn’t keep a single one for himself.

He was weary in spirit but felt extremely good at heart.

After handing over the "Seven-Colored Pill," he smiled broadly and shooed them away.

"This old bag of bones can’t take much tossing around...

You two go and come back quickly. I’ll be watching the house, and there shouldn’t be a problem for a short time," he said.

Zhou Ping’an pondered for a moment and then understood the meaning behind Old Man Qing’s words.

After all, the old man had depleted too much of his lifespan...

Over the years, his True Qi had scattered and lost its nourishment, leaving him unable to advance any further.

Although he had healed his body and was able to use True Qi, if it came to a true life-and-death struggle, he would be a hero for only three minutes.

At a critical juncture of life and death, he might be able to burst forth with his original strength, which was the attack of someone in the Gang Qi Realm, at the Eighth Level of Mortal Refinement.

Like a burning torch, once he finished fighting, his lifespan would be exhausted too.

Of course, if he didn’t fight with all his might and managed his True Qi carefully, the impact on his lifespan wouldn’t be too significant.

That was the meaning of being safe for a short time.

"Don’t worry. As long as we get through this tough time, we’ll have a real foundation to stand on.

We won’t have to worry about others plotting against us or targeting us anymore," he reassured.

Seeing the worry deep in Lin Huaiyu’s eyes, Zhou Ping’an was quite confident and comforted her.

...

To exchange pills for cultivation, they must make this trip, and the sooner, the better.

The Third Miss is currently stuck at the juncture between achieving Perfection of the Five Viscera and Condensing Qi into Dan.

She couldn’t advance even an inch.

It wasn’t that she couldn’t continue her cultivation; she was just unwilling to give up her strong foundation and easily form a Qi Pill.

Knowing there were more advanced methods of solidifying pills, who would just give up and settle for less?

Consolidating the Qi-Blood of one’s entire body into True Qi.

The accompanying Sword Qi was of a quality several times stronger than ordinary True Qi.

In terms of combat strength, there was simply no comparison.

At the same level.

Different cultivation techniques at the True Qi Realm might allow one to determine victory or defeat in just one encounter.

Someone cultivating Sword Pills could easily slay someone who was cultivating ordinary True Qi.

"Mhm!"

Lin Huaiyu nodded vigorously.

In truth, she did not dare to go to Cloud Water Heavenly Sect alone to complete this bounty.

It would have been fine before.

But now that they had openly broken with the Guangyun Lin Family and even killed the favored child of Fang Yu, a True Disciple of Cloud Water Sect.

This enmity was substantial.

If her whereabouts were discovered by the enemy.

It was likely that even if she learned the "Canghai Sword Codex" and completed the trade, she would not be able to return home.

"This operation must be covert, sneaking up the mountain quietly."

The two discussed briefly, then changed into ordinary attire common among the people of the Jianghu and donned hats with wide brims...

They prepared two inconspicuous brown horses, hung their bags on the saddles, and sneaked out the side door without alerting anyone else.

They managed to keep this from other Offerings and Guardian House Servants, but they couldn’t keep it from those close to them.

Little Jiu’er sobbed silently, with tearful eyes.

She clung to Zhou Ping’an and wouldn’t let go.

"Listen, girl, if you can’t bear to see your sister leave, why are you holding on to me?"

Seeing the strange look in Lin Huaiyu’s eyes that was both smiling and not, Zhou Ping’an was sweating profusely.

"Look, what’s this?"

He could only bring out his "trump card."

He flipped his palm and produced a piece of exquisitely rich and fragrant white chocolate.

Seeing that Little Jiu’er didn’t reach for it, he quickly unwrapped it and stuffed it into her mouth.

"Um..."

The chocolate melted in her mouth, soft and delightful.

The little girl’s eyes widened immediately.

It was a strange taste she had never experienced before, yet it was incredibly fragrant and sweet.

"Tasty, isn’t it! I have another bag of it here."

Zhou Ping’an said with a smile, taking out a small bag with assorted chocolates.

There were also various kinds of milk candies and peanut crisps—enough to make Little Jiu’er’s eyes shine.

It was that simple to deal with children.

If one piece of candy didn’t solve the problem, then give a few more.

"Brother Ping’an, are you going to buy me candy?" Little Jiu’er asked, looking up innocently.

"That’s right. I’ll not only buy lots of candy but also some delicious pastries that you’ve never had before," Zhou Ping’an promised.

In his heart, he thought that children in this world were quite pitiable, with nothing like the abundant play and food varieties of the modern world.

The most delicious things they had ever tasted were just a few snacks.

Should he bring out a game console next time? Or give her a phone...

No, that wouldn’t be good. If the little one got into the habit of playing and became nearsighted, that would be disastrous.

It had to be gradual.

"Just spoil her," Lin Huaiyu said, not hiding her irritation as she glanced at Zhou Ping’an, soothed her sister for a few moments, then turned and left.

The two left through the West City Gate and rode off swiftly...

They stopped the horses for a rest along the way, allowing them to eat some grass and drink water, before continuing their journey.

Their stamina and Qi-Blood were robust, so they weren’t afraid of getting tired.

What they feared was that the horses couldn’t withstand such a strenuous pace.

By evening, they arrived at the Li River Ferry.

There were gang members collecting money here...

Zhou Ping’an and his companion did not wish to cause further trouble, choosing instead to pay the fare and take the boat across the river, believing that avoiding problems was better than creating one.

He knew that once they left Qingyang Territory, most of these numerous gangs would have some connection with the Official Government.

If they stirred up trouble, they might end up leaking news of their journey.

Then they would attract endless entanglements from enemies.

Zhou Ping’an remembered the extortionate leader who had demanded money with great audacity, knowing that he was from the Green Chi Gang was enough.

...

There were no incidents when they took the boat.

After two consecutive days of smooth travel, with the wind at their back and the water in their favor...

They set off before dawn and stopped to lodge and feed the horses when dusk was falling.

On the road, they encountered many raggedly dressed refugees with families.

There were also wealthy families and officials, rushing about.

The farther north they traveled, the more apparent the chaos became.

From time to time, someone would cry out in alarm, "The Red Lotus Bandits are coming."

"Run for your lives."

"I heard that Qingyang City is prosperous, with tall and sturdy walls that can hold back the bandit army..."

"Don’t go there, Guangyun County City no longer allows refugees to pass through. They’ve been killing people in droves. It’s a dead end for anyone who goes there.

Better to cross the river and enter Qingyang Territory... It’s close to Black Mountain. If we really encounter the bandit army, we can hide in the mountains. At least we’ll have a chance to survive," an old man wearing a square scarf yelled hoarsely, leaning on his cane.

"This isn’t good."

Lin Huaiyu suddenly turned back.

The two were leading their horses along. They had just heard the third group of people, persuading and prompting these refugees to cross the river and head towards Qingyang Territory.

Once could be coincidental, but encountering it repeatedly meant there was definitely something amiss.

"Is it the power of the Red Lotus Army? Or is it an idea from Guangyun County?"

"It’s nothing to worry about, just some refugees. I have a way," Zhou Ping’an reassured as he released his spiritual power, indeed hearing some people subtly directing the refugees towards Qingyang Territory.

Perhaps it was because he had easily dealt with the Mansion Soldiers sent by the Guangyun Faction last time that the county had become somewhat cautious.

Or maybe they wanted to use these ant-like refugees to draw the Red Lotus Bandits into dividing their forces and heading to Qingyang.

He couldn’t tell the exact situation just yet.

But there was no need for concern.

For other cities, the passage of refugees would undoubtedly be a huge problem.

Feeding them was difficult, but ignoring them wasn’t an option either. Killing them would result in a severe blow to their reputation and could lead to official oppression turning citizens into rebels.

Who knows, maybe at any moment, someone would sever their head and present it to the Red Lotus Bandits, betraying the city.

However, for Zhou Ping’an, no matter how many refugees there were, he could afford to feed them all.

In his mirror space, there were mountains of white rice and flour...

Even if tens of thousands more came, it wouldn’t be too much pressure on him.

What’s more, if they ran out of food, he could buy another batch.

In this world, food might be scarce, and you couldn’t always buy it even if you had money.

But purchasing from modern society wouldn’t be a problem at all.

Due to technological development, the labor involved in farming is minimal, and the yield per unit of land is extremely high.

Even though most wilderness areas are threatened by attacks from ferocious beasts, food is still in surplus.

Generally, those with even a modest wealth do not wish to eat old grain, preferring to enjoy the sweet taste of rice fresh from the current season’s harvest.

Zhou Ping’an had anticipated the difficulties he might face in this world long ago.

He had Tang Tang mobilize her family contacts to purchase large quantities of supplies as a precaution.

Therefore, he was not the least bit flustered.

...

What are refugees?

They are civilians, farmers, and also potential soldiers.

While others shun these people for being too numerous to support, for him, the more the merrier.

As long as his strength improves, he can immediately recruit soldiers, control a city, and observe how the world changes from the sidelines.

When the opportunity arises, whether to support the imperial court or to start an uprising...

Gathering power, achieving True Martial status.

Then he could transform from a humble snake into a soaring dragon.

No longer would he need to live in constant fear of uncertainty.

Nor would he need to continually fend off enemies from all sides.

At that time, it’s others who would worry about him attacking, not him who would worry about being targeted for revenge...

"Let’s go, we’ve got important matters to attend to."

Zhou Ping’an looked back at Lin Huaiyu once more, and the two leaped onto their horses, galloping towards the towering peaks ahead.

...

Closer with every glance, yet still out of reach.

Not until the day had turned toward dusk.

Did the two finally arrive at the foot of the vast, continuous mountain ranges.

Seeing the cluster of buildings at the base of the mountain, they both exhaled a long breath of relief.

"We’ve finally reached the base of Floating Cloud Mountain. We can rest in the town tonight, head up the mountain tomorrow, handle our business, and then hurry back as early as possible."

With Old Man Qing holding down the fort at Qingyang Lin Mansion, there should be no issues.

But this matter was ultimately not entirely safe.

He hadn’t forgotten.

When he killed Tian Shouyi, the defender of Qingyang City, and Xiao Yunhe, the Managing Elder of the Lishan Sect, he had learned some news.

Xiao Yunhe had not stationed himself in Qingyang City just for idleness, nor had he clashed with the Qingyang Lin Family without cause.

Especially Xiao Yunhe, who was said to be plotting something with Tian Shouyi and was laying the groundwork for Yin Wushang, a True Disciple of the Lishan Sect.

What exactly did they plot?

Since Xiao Yunhe was dead, there was no way to inquire further.

But whatever their reasons for coming to Qingyang City, they had died without making a sound in the end.

If he were the True Disciple of Lishan, he certainly would not leave the matter unattended.

Yin Wushang would likely already be on his way.

Or perhaps, he had already arrived in Qingyang City...

This issue, after all, was a hidden danger.

Not to be ignored.

Besides this, one couldn’t predict what kind of reactions the Guangyun Lin Family would have after suffering such a huge loss.

This was also why Zhou Ping’an and Lin Huaiyu were in such a hurry to learn the "Canghai Sword Codex" and return as quickly as possible.

...

"Madam Chen, it is your good fortune that this young master has taken a fancy to you.

That sickly scholar is not worthy of you," said a young man clad in brocade as they were about to enter the town.

Not far ahead, several people rushed out in a panic, running and crying.

A young scholar, pale-faced, gasping for breath.

By his side, a beautiful and voluptuous woman is rushing along, clutching a child in her arms.

Behind them, pursued by several robust servants dressed in green, laughing maliciously as they reached out to block their way.

A brocade-clothed young man sat atop a tall horse, waving a folding fan with a smile full of mockery, eyes taunting like a wolf eyeing a rabbit: "Refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit... Cut down the scholar, smash the brat to death, and have Madam Chen wash up and sent to my room."

"Are we really going to turn a blind eye to this and bear it?" Lin Huaiyu’s eyebrows slanted sharply upward, as his eyes flashed with a cold light.

To witness such an event at the base of Floating Cloud Mountain in broad daylight was astonishing.

"Bear it my ass?" Zhou Ping’an was equally astounded.

They had seen plenty of misery on their journey...

But to encounter someone as arrogantly callous and inhumane as the brocade-clothed young man before them was a first for him.

What’s even more outrageous was that...

Inside and outside the town, dozens or hundreds of onlookers pointed and gossiped, yet not a single one lifted a hand to help the scholar and his family.

...

Seeking Monthly Pass.