Celestial Official!

Yan Chen left Huacai Tower and had not taken more than a few steps when he saw in the distance, in the sky, what looked like trailing fire lines, rushing straight toward him.

Before long, a flying shuttle appeared out of thin air, pressed its escape light, and slowly descended in front of the Yanxuan Palace.

A white-faced Taoist priest dressed in a black and red robe emerged from the crowd. He was smiling as he dusted off his sleeves and walked towards them.

Upon seeing the newcomer, Yan Chen bowed respectfully from afar and said:

"Greetings, Senior Brother Wang!"

"Junior brother, there's no need to be so polite; it makes us seem distant!"

Wang Fu strode over, first squinting at Yan Chen for a moment, then bursting into laughter, patting him on the shoulder, and saying with considerable emotion:

"In less than a month, he has reached the second level, and now, with the favor of Manager Zhu, he has been promoted to manager. On the long road to advancement, Junior Brother has already taken the first step!"

Upon hearing this, Yan Chen was quite surprised and asked with a smile:

"Senior brother, your information network is so extensive, could it be that you also understand the profound mystery of calculating cause and effect?"

After a few playful remarks, Wang Fu showed no displeasure, only managing a wry smile:

"Junior brother, please don't flatter me. I was sent here by Steward Zhu to specifically guide you!"

As they spoke, the two boarded the flying shuttle.

Inside the pavilion, Wang Fu seemed to recall something, glanced at Yan Chen's ordinary cotton robe, shook his head, and said:

"I almost forgot, now that you are the manager of Cui Shu Lou, you don't need to be bound by your mortal status. It's time to change your clothes."

As they were talking, Wang Fu raised his hand and took something out of his sleeve, handing it to Yan Chen.

Yan Chen looked at it and saw that it was a bamboo box, about a foot square, with distinct edges and corners, an ancient texture, and a faint scent of sandalwood.

"May I ask, senior brother, what is this...?"

"Junior brother will understand once he sees it!"

Yan Chen took the bamboo box with both hands and found it to be quite heavy. He was secretly surprised, as it would not feel like ordinary clothes.

In the blink of an eye, Yan Chen raised his hand and pressed the clasp of the box. With a gentle pry, the lid loosened with a "click".

A quick glance revealed a dark blue Taoist robe, neatly and securely stacked among the piles.

There were also many gold and jade ornaments and pendants on the side, which made people dazzled and unable to resist at first glance.

Yan Chen withdrew his gaze, and said with some hesitation:

"Senior brother, aren't these a bit too expensive?"

Wang Fu shook his head and smiled:

"In the past, as a mortal, my junior brother was not very clear about the details. Now that he has reached the second level and has become a talent, his understanding must also be raised accordingly."

As he spoke, he dusted off his black and crimson Taoist robe and said:

"In our Jade Sleeve Sect, the rules are strict and the boundaries are difficult to cross. Therefore, all our duties, food, clothing and daily necessities must be in accordance with the regulations and must not be transgressed."

"Similarly, if one's status changes, all other benefits will naturally increase accordingly. This is simply one's duty, nothing more to say. Junior Brother, just enjoy it with peace of mind."

Yan Chen listened to these words and found a different kind of meaning in them.

As the other party said, he has mastered both Qi and Li, making him a "talented individual".

In other words, before this, those ordinary laborers who toiled away in the engineering college might not even be considered "human."

It's like cooking meat in a cauldron or burning fuel in a raging fire.

What countless people perceive as "shining and giving" is nothing more than filling the stove, becoming firewood to cook other people's meals.

"I do not wish to be fuel for the furnace, nor do I deign to eat the meat in the cauldron. If one day I reach the pinnacle of the Great Dao... I only seek a world where all things under the frosty sky can return to freedom."

Yan Chen suppressed his emotions, smiled, and bowed respectfully, saying:

"Junior brother, I have learned a great deal. Thank you for your guidance, senior brother!"

……

……

The flying shuttle, carrying the escape light, hovered outside the Lower Nine Courtyards for a short while. After a brief descent, it transformed into a streak of fire and returned to the Melting Gold Valley.

Inside the small courtyard of the common servants.

The weather was freezing cold, and the water was frozen solid, smooth as a mirror, reflecting a radiant light.

crunch--

Yan Chen pushed open the wooden door, his wide sleeves fluttering, and slowly walked out of the room. He came to Bing's side and gazed down at her.

Then one saw a well-fitting dark blue Taoist robe, its wide sleeves drooping gently in the wind, the folds of the robe rippling like water, a jade sash around his waist, and jade pendants jingling as he walked.

Another jade hairpin was seen, binding the Taoist bun. Combined with his handsome appearance, he was originally very otherworldly. However, some strands of hair fell down and drifted around his temples, adding a touch of "humanity". He seemed less refined and more casual.

He was a handsome young man who bravely crossed the sea of ​​suffering in the mortal world!

"In any case, at least he's starting to look like a 'spiritual practitioner'."

Yan Chen only glanced at it for a moment before looking away.

Looking back at the commoners' quarters, he murmured:

"I paid a month's fee for the Dharma service, but didn't stay for the full term. It's a pity."

Shaking his head, he finally left the courtyard and strolled down the mountain path.

As dusk approached, the sky grew dark.

The mountains on both sides rose and fell, as if draped in a thin veil, concealing their outlines, all of which were taken into Yan Chen's eyes.

Before I knew it, I had reached the end of the path—

The outline of the gate and walls of the Forging Institute, like a lurking beast, became clearer in the dim twilight.

Even as the workday was drawing to a close, the forging workshop was still bustling with activity. Dozens of ordinary workers were busy with their duties, like ants on a hot pan, working tirelessly without a moment's rest.

Yan Chen stood outside the courtyard gate, his hands unconsciously behind his back, gazing intently in the direction of the sword furnace.

Suddenly, I seemed to see a young man squatting beside the sword furnace, fanning the fire or getting up to move iron materials, working up a sweat and his face flushed.

In the blink of an eye, the area was completely empty, without a single person in sight.

Yan Chen exhaled a long breath, flicked his sleeves, and turned to look at another furnace opening.

That surprised him slightly.

"Why haven't I seen Senior Brother Li? Could it be that he also paid for 'labor' in preparation for breaking through to the second level of Qi Refining?"

Thinking of this, Yan Chen still had doubts, but he had no interest in staying any longer.

He glanced up at the billowing smoke from the sword furnace, then turned and headed down the mountain.

However, at that moment, the bronze bell in the courtyard rang out, its sound vibrating and humming.

The servants immediately stopped what they were doing, put their bamboo tallies in their pockets, and lined up to receive their wages.

They were grumbling about things like "what to eat tonight," "how hard and tiring the work is," and "how difficult the martial arts are to practice."

Suddenly, one of the sharp-eyed servants caught sight of a figure outside the courtyard gate and rubbed his eyes to take a closer look.

Then they saw the figure with flowing sleeves slowly descending the mountain. It didn't look very clear, yet it seemed familiar.

Suddenly, the servant seemed to realize something, opened his mouth, and was about to shout something.

But then, a scream suddenly rang out from the sky!

This caused all the ordinary servants to look up and gaze around.

Then, in the dark sky, a dark shadow could be vaguely seen rushing by, and in the blink of an eye, it had reached the end of the path outside the courtyard.

There, a figure seemed to sway in the wind, with a straight and tall figure and a calm and unrestrained gait, quite different from the ordinary servants of the Nine Academies.

The dark shadow hovered around it, seemingly dropping something, before letting out several hissing cries, then soaring into the sky and disappearing into the distance.

In the blink of an eye, the figure completely disappeared into the darkness, becoming impossible to see.

Discussions arose among the commoners.

Who was that person just now?

"Why does he look so familiar? I think I recognize him?"

"Don't flatter yourself. Who else besides the senior brother who is the deacon in the valley has such demeanor and bearing?"

……

……

That night.

The slippery path leading down the mountain.

Looking up, the black clouds swirl and billow; looking down, a chilly wind blows; the darkness contrasts with the white frost, and snowflakes fall.

Yan Chen, dressed in a dark blue Taoist robe, walked alone along the salt-frost path, the hem of the robe swaying as he walked, the moonlight behind him, exuding a unique air about him.

With his wide sleeves flowing, he held a crimson edict in his hand.

That was delivered by the black crow just now.

Receiving this imperial edict demonstrates his "legitimate" status as the manager of Cui Shu Lou.

Not to mention Cui Shu Lou, even the entire Xu Chun Fang and the surrounding wealthy gentry, no one would dare disobey the manager's word.

"No wonder people like Xu Hui rack their brains and schemes to try and seize the opportunity to rise to power."

"Judging from this edict, the manager of Cui Shu Lou wields considerable power."

Thinking of this, Yan Chen felt not excited at all, but rather became even calmer.

There must be a demon in the abnormal situation.

If the position of manager were truly so desirable, why would people like Xu Hui be so envious and covetous?

Not to mention the students of the Taoist academy, even the children of the local clans would not be easily let go.

Before leaving, Senior Sister Zhu said that being a "shopkeeper" was a tough job, but now that I think about it, it seems to have a deeper meaning?

"In other words, Cui Shu Lou is not very important in the eyes of most of the villagers."

"Then why does Senior Sister Zhu care so much about it, and even personally promote the manager?"

"Could there be some hidden secret that cannot be told to outsiders?"

In the blink of an eye, the path beneath my feet had come to an end.

Yan Chen suddenly stopped and looked up into the distance.

In the dim light of the night, Xuchunfang was already brightly lit and bustling with activity.

The brightly lit stilted buildings stand side by side, like lanterns hanging on the cliff face, connected by winding stone steps. It seems that you can lift them all up by just grabbing one end and pulling hard.

The surrounding shops were crowded, with banners and awnings lining the streets, and the place was bustling with people and noisy.

Yan Chen stepped into the market, just like before, and struggled forward along the narrow path.

Every now and then, street vendors would see Yan Chen's extraordinary demeanor, standing out like a crane among chickens, and would greet him.

Among them, Yan Chen even spotted an acquaintance.

It was the same person who, when he first came to the market, claimed that the Qi-regulating pills he had came from the Cui Shu Lou and asked for five hundred coins.

At this moment, the man had long forgotten Yan Chen, but he still said that his pills came from Cui Shu Lou, and that he had obtained them by chance when the previous manager stepped down.

Yan Chen listened to the other party's explanation, but instead of leaving immediately, he asked:

"I've heard that the pills from the Emerald Comb Pavilion are all 'top-quality,' and are only sold to wealthy merchants and even ordinary martial artists in the surrounding area. What channels do you have to obtain these pills?"

Upon hearing this, the man glanced at Yan Chen from head to toe and whispered:

"Qi-regulating pills, five hundred coins each. Buy them and I'll tell you."

Yan Chen had no time for idle chatter. He raised his sleeve, took out five bright red Buddhist coins, and tossed them in front of the stall.

The stall owner immediately beamed with joy and happily put it away.

I just wanted to make up some random stories to fool the person in front of me.

Unexpectedly, when she looked up, she suddenly met Yan Chen's calm and unwavering eyes, and her whole body trembled inexplicably.

He dared not show his joy immediately, and could only reluctantly take a bottle of "Qi-regulating pills" and hand it over.

Yan Chen casually took it, and before he could ask any questions, the stall owner began to speak to himself:

"So that you may know, my elixir has a special origin, all thanks to a friend of mine."

"He had some connections with the Zhao family, one of the three major families in the market. Whenever the Zhao family disposed of the ruins of Cui Shu Lou... pills and spiritual medicines of lesser quality, he could always manage to squeeze out a little bit of them."

"I'm only able to sell these kinds of pills from time to time because of this advantage."

Yan Chen frowned and said:

"The quality isn't that good?"

The stall owner shook his head repeatedly and said:

"Please don't misunderstand, sir. The so-called 'poor quality' is just an excuse. These pills are actually no different from those sold in Cui Shu Lou."

"I myself am a cultivator who has circulated my energy six times. Do you think I wouldn't know whether this pill is effective or not?"

Upon hearing this, Yan Chen understood.

He was new to the place and was not yet familiar with the operating rules of Cui Shu Lou.

But based on the few words spoken just now, one can roughly guess what it was—

It's highly likely that someone exploited a loophole in the rules, embellishing the pills and elixirs within the Cui Shu Lou and secretly transferring them elsewhere for personal gain.

"The three major surnames... local bullies?"

Yan Chen stood up straight, his gaze fixed on the towering Cui Shu Lou, which stood out like a crane among chickens.

His eyes sparkled, as if they held stars.

……

……

Cui Shu Lou (翠梳楼).

Second floor, the main meeting hall.

The candlelight was dim, and two middle-aged men in fine clothes sat before the long table.

One of them was short and stocky with an ordinary appearance. A mole on the corner of his mouth added to his somewhat vulgar air.

The other person was slightly taller, with a handsome appearance and two long wisps of beard hanging down his chest. Although he was an ordinary person, he had a certain air of otherworldly grace.

They were the heads of the Huang and Zhao families, two of the three major surnames.

They were respectively called "Huang Zaiyuan" and "Zhao Qingyun".

Opposite the table sat several other people, all of whom were teenagers.

Judging from their robes and attire, they were all disciples of Danlan Valley.

At that moment, the girl who was in the lead said in a slightly displeased tone:

"Two patriarchs, Cui Shu Lou is under the jurisdiction of Dan Lan Valley and Rong Jin Valley. Although it is a property under the jurisdiction of Yu Xiu, it is still under the control of Yu Xiu!"

"The manager hasn't even taken office yet, and you're already overstepping your bounds and rashly handling inferior pills. Isn't that going too far?"

"Miss Yu, you're being too kind!"

Huang Zaiyuan, with his strong local accent, chuckled and said:

"The situation inside Xuchunfang is complicated, and Cuishulou has many mundane affairs. Our actions this time are also to make it less hard for the manager when he takes office."

"It was meant well, how could it have been misunderstood by Miss Yu? It's truly inexcusable!"

The young woman surnamed Yu did not give up, pressing him further:

"If that's the case, why not wait until the manager takes office and then check and deal with the inferior and superior pills in person? Wouldn't that be better?"

"In my opinion, could it be that someone is trying to take advantage of the situation, to fish in troubled waters, and to do something so despicable right under the nose of the Jade Sleeve Sect?"

"Nonsense!"

The table trembled violently, and the middle-aged man with a long beard named Zhao Qingyun suddenly stood up.

His gaze sharpened as he swept over the girl surnamed Yu, and he said coldly:

"We know that you are all mortal disciples of the three lower academies of Danlan Valley, and you have only been ordered to come to Xuchunfang this time."

"Therefore, we were very modest just now, firstly out of respect for the tradition of Yuxiu, and secondly to accommodate your lack of worldly experience and understanding of the intricacies of the matter."

"But you must not speak nonsense and slander us as 'filthy and despicable' people!"

"You should know that during the time that Cui Shu Lou was without a manager, the burden of all matters, big and small, at Xu Chun Fang rested on the shoulders of our three major families!"

Zhao Qingyun's expression was sinister, and he no longer possessed any of his former air of otherworldly grace.

He said, enunciating each word clearly:

"We, the three major clans, have all been granted the seal of office within the valley and are hereby ordered to assist the manager in managing the affairs of the market."

"Unless the manager arrives in person at this moment, it's not up to outsiders to tell us how to handle the affairs of Cui Shu Lou and even Xu Chun Fang!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than the door suddenly opened.

Everyone was slightly taken aback and looked over.

Then a young man dressed in a dark blue Taoist robe, with clear eyebrows and handsome features, walked into the hall.

He bowed to the crowd and said with a smile:

"My name is Yan Chen, the newly appointed manager of Cui Shu Lou. I greet you all."

……