Chapter Fifteen: When in Trouble, Seek the Shop

This truly was a tragedy of human relations, Chen Xuan thought to himself, no wonder she had been so emotional during their earlier argument.

The great disaster could indeed turn people into creatures more terrifying than demons... but they were still human at their core. If Liu Shuyue drew her sword and charged at thousands of them, what kind of mindset would she have? It was hard to say.

To protect his client’s mental well-being, he felt an obligation to lend some assistance.

“I see. I have a second question... Could you take me to see where the disaster refugees are gathering?”

Liu Shuyue hesitated for a moment. “That’s possible, but...”

“The more detailed the understanding of the situation, the more effective the ability trade can be.”

“I understand...” She had no choice but to agree. “I’ll prepare a carriage for you.”

Half an hour later, the two arrived outside the city.

This was the first time Chen Xuan had the chance to fully observe Liu Shuyue’s world. Zhangwei was undoubtedly a large city, with two city walls separating the government offices from the outskirts. The ground wasn’t muddy but paved entirely with stone slabs. Shops lined the streets side by side, their hawking voices rising and falling. Pedestrians, porters, mules, and horses passed in endless streams. If he had to sum it up in one word, it would be bustling. The scene before him was reminiscent of the famous painting “Along the River During the Qingming Festival.”

That painting depicted the Northern Song capital Bianjing, yet Zhangwei was not the capital of the Great Qi dynasty. This indicated that although the sect remained distant from worldly affairs, various arcane arts and cultivation methods still profoundly influenced the region.

Beyond the city gate, the scenery changed drastically.

Patrolling guards could be seen everywhere along the official road, driving away and even beating any refugees who approached. About four or five hundred meters from the city wall, the muddy ground was dotted with countless tents, which from a distance resembled a crowded range of hills. Countless figures moved restlessly between the tents, their loud quarrels, shouts, and wails audible from afar.

“That’s the refuge camp,” Liu Shuyue said. “Two days ago, there were just over three thousand people; now it’s nearly seven thousand. But that’s far from the limit. Zhangwei sits at a critical northern choke point, surrounded by the winding Jiuqu River and marshlands. Most refugees fleeing the disaster converge here.”

Chen Xuan tried to approach for a closer look but was pulled back by her.

“Are you really going over there?”

“Yes, why?”

“...Then stay behind me.” She said this and stepped ahead, drawing the long sword from her back.

As outsiders neared, the restless crowd surrounded them, eyes burning with intensity. Chen Xuan momentarily felt as if they weren’t refugees but hungry wolves. Yet the fierce and restless glint in their eyes was quelled by the gleaming blade in Liu Shuyue’s hand. Their feet wavered for a long time but dared not step within five paces.

“These people don’t represent all the refugees...” the young woman quietly defended them. “They’ve been starving for too long.”

“Sir... please give us something to eat!”

“Honored guests, could you take in my child? Just a few cakes will do, I beg you!”

“When will we be allowed into the city?”

“Exactly! I have relatives in Chengzhou. Why won’t they let us pass!?”

Compared to those who wanted to snatch outright, there were more pleas and questions, their voices merging into a single chaotic chorus, nearly impossible to distinguish.

Suddenly, a heart-wrenching scream rose above the clamoring.

Liu Shuyue’s brow tightened, and she immediately turned toward a tent. No one dared block her path, all stepping aside.

The sound came from just ten meters away. A middle-aged man lay in a pool of blood, a short knife protruding from his waist. His wife knelt nearby, pale as death, while several young men hurriedly pushed through the crowd.

“Stop!” Liu Shuyue commanded.

Everyone froze in place, unable to move.

This time, Chen Xuan noticed he wasn’t included in the immobilization. Following Liu Shuyue, he stepped forward and saw that the men were clutching a cloth bag tightly.

She snatched it away and opened it. Inside were several strings of copper coins and some small silver pieces.

“Let go of me! That’s mine!” the leader of the robbers snarled.

“Please, spare me! I know I was wrong!” his companions trembled, begging.

Liu Shuyue had no interest in their pleas. She called the guards over and briefly explained the situation. The guards pulled out ropes, quickly binding the men. After a series of punches and kicks, they dragged the captives back into the city.

At that moment, Liu Shuyue returned to the tent with the money bag, intending to return the stolen silver to the woman.

But when they arrived, they saw the woman quietly lying atop the man’s body, lifeless. Her hands clenched the short knife, the blade driven inward into her own chest.

“Without her husband, she couldn’t survive.”

“Right, that money is useless to her now... Might as well share it with us! At least we can buy some cakes!” the crowd murmured greedily.

Liu Shuyue looked toward Chen Xuan, seemingly wanting to say something but hesitating.

Chen Xuan took the money bag. “I’ve seen enough. Let’s go back.”

Sitting in the swaying carriage, Liu Shuyue couldn’t help but say, “If there were enough food, these people wouldn’t be in such a state...”

Looking at her flickering gaze, Chen Xuan suddenly understood her initial hesitation and why she had defended the refugees so fervently. She wasn’t learning of the camp’s condition for the first time; she feared that after witnessing their disgraceful behavior, she might see them as hopeless villains and refuse any further aid.

“Isn’t Shen Fang distributing relief grain? Why hasn’t the refugees’ situation improved at all?”

Chen Xuan had seen a temporary wooden platform near the tent area, with several large pots set up—surely the prefect arranged a porridge distribution point.

“The amount is too small... They’re still distributing as if there were only three thousand people, and each person only receives one bowl of thin porridge per day. But the number of refugees is growing rapidly. This porridge is simply insufficient,” Liu Shuyue said helplessly. “I’ve already mentioned this to Shen Fang. He promised to increase the aid as soon as possible, but...”

Plans always lag behind reality.

Chen Xuan knew what she meant: even if the relief porridge was raised to feed seven thousand, the number of refugees might already have surpassed ten thousand.

“If they’re unwilling to increase the porridge, why not just let them move northward? Allow these refugees to pass through Zhangwei city in batches. It would be better than concentrating all the pressure outside the city gates.”

“Maybe to the prefect, that’s also a dereliction of duty—letting Qingzhou’s people roam without permits would leave a black mark on his record and harm his career,” Liu Shuyue said angrily. “But even so, he’s still the prefect of Zhangwei, a respected lord, and already better off than most. Even for such a small price, he refuses to pay.”

Back inside the shop, the young woman eagerly asked, “You’ve seen the situation. When can we trade abilities?”

Chen Xuan gestured for her to be patient.

Could the famine be resolved?

Of course.

But the solution wouldn’t mainly rely on abilities... rather, it would require money.

Yet he couldn’t be so blunt as to say that.

After all, he was running an ability shop.

After pondering for a moment, Chen Xuan picked up the scanner and aimed it at Liu Shuyue.

...

...

“Reporting to the prefect: the immortal master took that man just now and went outside the western city,” a subordinate reported truthfully to Shen Fang.

“Why take a lover to a place like that?” Tang Juncheng beside him was surprised. He had been at the Weiwutang earlier and personally saw the immortal master lead a young man to her lodging. Although the guards said the two didn’t return to the room and disappeared midway, this shocking discovery made everyone’s attitude toward the immortal master shift completely.

After all, she usually spoke with such icy coldness that no one dared approach within three steps.

“Those servants speak foolishly. Do you actually believe it?” Shen Fang shook his head with a smile. “If there was suspicion before, now I’m certain that man is not her lover.”

“Then who could he be?” Juncheng recalled the man’s strange attire when he appeared; there was no way he was a local. “Could he have come from the sect as well?”

“It’s said the Lotus Cloud Sect sends only one disciple to the various kingdoms every hundred years. That’s unlikely,” Shen Fang denied the guess. “But I’m sure the immortal master doesn’t intend to give up. That man’s status must be comparable to hers, so she doesn’t reject approaching him. She can’t handle this alone; she needs help.”

“The only person who can help a sect disciple... is an outsider,” Juncheng said with disgust.

Not only the Lotus Cloud Sect produces cultivators; countless others seek to peer into the heavens, but most stray onto evil paths and are unrecognized by the world.

Sometimes, they are even targets of joint eradication by Lotus Cloud disciples and government forces.

“Maybe in the end, settling scores will be a crime too,” Shen Fang sighed. “Such a pity...”

“What does the prefect pity?”

“Immortal Master Liu. It’s clear she genuinely wants to help those fleeing disaster.”

Juncheng glanced around, then lowered his voice and asked, “Is the current emperor really planning to deal with the immortal master?”

“It’s been five years... she remains on the fringe of central power, and no one can trust her,” Shen Fang said coldly. This was hardly a secret; any official concerned with politics and capable of reading imperial intentions had likely heard the rumors. For instance, in the northern Yue Kingdom, male immortal masters had become the queen’s close attendants, their immortal arts able to arm an elite army. Other princes were much the same, squeezing every bit of immortal power they could, except Liu Shuyue, who was an exception.

He had heard from his teacher, the current prime minister, that the emperor had scolded the immortal master more than once, accusing her of ingratitude and failing in her duties to assist the nation. Along with some rumors from neighboring countries, the prince of Qi would likely no longer tolerate her.

“So that’s why the prefect disagrees with her proposals?”

“At times like this, it’s wiser not to get involved with her at all. Otherwise, if the emperor blames her, we’ll all suffer.”

“But can saving the people be a crime?” Tang Juncheng hesitated.

“You’ve been my deputy for two years and still don’t understand?” Shen Fang sneered, though a tinge of sorrow lingered. “If they want to find fault, there’s always something to find. Saving people is good, but if it goes against imperial will, good deeds become bad. The immortal master is still a subject. As long as she is a subject, there are always ways to control her. After all, royal edicts cannot be disobeyed—that’s ironclad in the contract between the sect and the princes.”

He paused. “By the way, do you know where those forbidden outsider arts and secret techniques come from?”

Juncheng shook his head. “Please enlighten me, prefect.”

“I wouldn’t say enlighten. I only heard a rumor, and you should take it as just that,” Shen Fang said casually. “Some say they are derivatives of Lotus Cloud Sect’s immortal methods.”

Juncheng considered the connection and widened his eyes in astonishment.

The prefect exhaled deeply.

“Now, do you still think... whether saving the people is a crime matters?”

To the king, sect disciples were treasures that appeared once in a hundred years.

This was not mere rhetoric but fact—they were living treasures. Their limbs could be weapons; their immortal arts enhanced their power; their offspring were smarter and healthier than ordinary people.

To assist the nation was to assist the king.

For this matter, Shen Fang could only keep himself safe and stay as far away from the vortex as possible.