The Ghostly Deities’ Office wasn’t particularly busy, and the few people who passed through seemed to be in a hurry. When they saw Han and his companion, they were surprised but didn’t bother to question them.
After walking for a while, they arrived at a courtyard where someone was already waiting. An elderly man in a white robe sat on a chair, with a young man standing respectfully beside him.
"Old Ye."
"Ah, it's District Head Lu," the old man chuckled.
Lu Qingmo smiled wryly, "You’re always joking around."
"Why the hurry? You couldn’t wait to discuss something face-to-face?"
"It's not urgent, but it's important. Are you willing to listen?"
"Of course! At my age, there’s not much time left, so any matter I can hear is one less I have to deal with." The old man got up and gestured toward a young man beside him. "Xiao Fang, please entertain our guest."
Lu Qingmo and Han stepped out of the room, as the matter to be discussed was rather confidential.
The young man beside the old man smiled at Han and nodded.
"Yuan Fang."
"Nice name," Han nodded in respect.
"Han," Han replied.
"Are you from Black Cloud Town, Brother Zhou?"
"Yes, I’m affiliated with the Ghostly Deities' Office there."
Yuan Fang seemed thoughtful. "It seems Brother Zhou is quite strong."
After all, the government didn’t keep people who were of no use.
Han felt that Yuan Fang had misunderstood something. He was only in the Ghostly Deities’ Office in Black Cloud Town because there were too few cultivators there, and also because of some backdoor connections with Lu Qingmo…
But thinking about it, it wasn’t wrong to say that Han was indeed relatively strong in Black Cloud Town.
"Since you’re in the city, if you have time, it would be my honor to show you around," Yuan Fang offered with a smile.
Han shook his head. "I’m afraid I have matters to attend to, so I may have to disappoint you, Brother Yuan."
Yuan Fang’s face showed a hint of regret. "What a pity."
At that moment, a servant entered with tea, offering it in a very polite manner. The two men chatted for a while, and their conversation seemed to flow quite smoothly.
"Who is the elder you spoke of earlier?" Han asked, curious.
"That’s my teacher, Old Ye. He’s also the District Head of the Ghostly Deities’ Office in Tianyue County."
Han’s eyes widened. "The three giants of Tianyue County, huh?"
And according to Lu Qingmo, Old Ye was also from the State Taoist Temple.
"Is Brother Zhou a disciple of Lu Qingmo?" Yuan Fang asked, evidently aware of Lu Qingmo’s reputation.
"No, I’m just learning under Aunt Mo," Han shook his head.
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Yuan Fang nodded, showing no sign of surprise or change in demeanor.
After a while, Lu Qingmo returned, but Old Ye was no longer with him.
"Senior Lu," Yuan Fang greeted with a bow.
Lu Qingmo simply nodded, his demeanor cool and detached, and then addressed Han.
"I have some things to take care of, you can walk around the city if you like, but be sure to return by evening."
Han couldn’t help but smirk internally. Where else would he go? After all, it was clear Lu Qingmo trusted him, but his words were as distant as ever.
"The bustling world can’t blind my eyes!" Han muttered to himself.
Yuan Fang smiled and offered, "How about I show you around the city, Brother Zhou? It’s your first time here, and you could use a guide."
Han didn’t refuse, and Lu Qingmo said nothing, as usual.
Although Lu Qingmo treated Han well, he was still rather aloof.
The bond between Han and Lu Qingmo had deepened after the events in the secret chamber, but when it came to public life, Lu Qingmo maintained a certain distance.
Outside the Ghostly Deities’ Office, Han briefly shared his thoughts with Yuan Fang, and they soon set off in a specific direction.
Along the way, they encountered a man who mocked Yuan Fang, indicating that their relationship wasn’t exactly cordial. However, it was a small interruption, and they quickly moved on.
Their destination was the Wanxing Commerce Guild!
"Now, this is impressive!" Han marveled, his eyes widening at the sight. It was even grander than the Ghostly Deities’ Office.
"Of course," Yuan Fang smiled. "This is the largest commerce guild in the entire Qi kingdom, with branches in every city from Yu Jing to all the counties. It even has affiliates in the Eastern Zhou and Southern Chu kingdoms."
Han was stunned. "Its power is truly vast?"
A commerce guild that spanned multiple kingdoms—this wasn’t just wealth; it signified immense influence. Otherwise, it would’ve been broken apart long ago.
The world today was dominated by three kingdoms: Eastern Zhou, Southern Jin, and Western Qi, where Han was from. And to the north, there was the vast grassland.
These were facts Han had learned from his memories, though he had spent most of his life in Black Cloud Town and had never truly encountered matters beyond the Qi kingdom.
At the entrance, a stunningly beautiful hostess greeted them with a graceful bow and a sweet voice.
Once inside the guild, the scene became even more extravagant. More stunning women, with swaying hips and alluring smiles, approached to offer their services.
"Truly, Wanxing Commerce Guild knows how to entertain."
However, Yuan Fang waved his hand, signaling for them not to be bothered, and the hostess quickly retreated.
"Brother Zhou," Yuan Fang lowered his voice, "Items related to Daoist arts are strictly prohibited from public sale within the Qi kingdom."
Han frowned. "But what about you and me? We’re from the Ghostly Deities’ Office."
Yuan Fang nodded. "Indeed. The ban doesn’t apply to us."
The first floor of Wanxing Commerce Guild was vast, with various items displayed for sale. Just as Bai Ruoyue had told him, Han could see various martial arts techniques for sale, all available for exchange with gold and silver.
One entry-level cultivation technique was priced at ten taels of silver, while the Taibai Martial Arts Academy charged fifteen taels for one technique, plus a four-month coaching period.
Han suddenly realized how fortunate he was to have a teacher like Lu Qingmo.
There were pills, martial arts techniques, weapons, valuable antiques, paintings, jade, and jewelry…
"Where are the spiritual herbs?" Han asked, noticing something missing.
"Spiritual herbs are not like pills," Yuan Fang explained, "They're harder to acquire and require a reservation at the Wanxing Commerce Guild."
Yuan Fang’s voice lowered further, "Wanxing Commerce Guild surely has them, but they don’t display them for sale. Instead, they sell them through other methods to maximize their profit, such as through the occasional Wanxing Trading Fair."
"The Wanxing Trading Fair is where you’ll find countless treasures—items useful even to Bone Refining cultivators, and even higher-level items."
This made Han reflect on the uniqueness of Black Cloud Town. Its warriors, once they entered Black Mountain, would often come into contact with spiritual herbs. But outside of places like Black Cloud Town, many ordinary cultivators might never get the chance to see one in their entire lives.
On the second floor, most of the items were displayed in booths, but there was one room in the corner—this was their target.
"Second Young Master Yuan."
The guards at the door of the room recognized Yuan Fang, but their faces turned awkward when they saw him.
"This is my friend, a fellow of the Ghostly Deities’ Office," Yuan Fang explained.
But the guards still blocked their way.
Han’s heart raced. Was the plotline he was familiar with about to unfold?
"Why are you blocking us?" Yuan Fang frowned.
"Someone’s inside…" one of the guards whispered.
"When did the rules change, allowing only one guest at a time?" Yuan Fang’s face suddenly darkened, and his anger began to surface.
"Yuan Hua, that brat!" Yuan Fang growled.
"Yuan Hua, get out here!"
Yuan Fang pushed past the guards and entered the room, leaving Han confused.
Yuan Hua?
"Who are these two?" one of the guards asked, but Yuan Fang didn’t answer.
Han, with his usual curiosity, couldn’t help but wonder how these two were related.
