Chapter 215 - What of the old ways

“Jia” denotes beauty and excellence.The foremost of the five Confucian classics, The Book of Songs, states, “How magnificent the new, but how about the old?”

The meaning is, the beauty of a new marriage goes without saying, but how splendid should the reunion be?

Later generations often said “a short parting is better than a new marriage,” probably originating from this verse.

(Annotation 1)

Naming this city of Yang Country with “Jia” surely conveys good wishes from its founding and, in one way or another, highlights the city’s unique endowment.

Jia City has mountains and rivers, and picturesque scenery.

It is also rich in minerals and has delicious lake fish.

Though it still suffers from the scourge of fierce beasts, much like Fenglin City, they are mostly concentrated in the wilderness.

At least in towns and cities, people’s lives are relatively peaceful.

After leaving Qingyang Town, they traveled for a while, and the traffic of carriages and pedestrians on the official road gradually increased.

There wasn’t even a transcendent cultivator accompanying them for protection, suggesting that this part of the road was safer.

Shuanzi hadn’t visited Jia City often but fortunately hadn’t lost his way.

After paying the city entry fee and storing their carriage at an inn near the city gate, Jiang Wang and his two companions began wandering around the city.

Even though Jiang Wang never judged a book by its cover, he had to admit that the people nurtured by the local landscape were generally good-looking.

The men and women of Jia City were mostly above average in appearance.

If Lian Que were to appear here, he would undoubtedly be the undisputed ugliest in the city.

Unlike in Nanyao City, where he had quite a few strong competitors.

Jiang Wang’s primary purpose for this trip was to understand the situation of the Xi Family to determine his next actions and the extent of them in Qingyang Town.

After all, with his current cultivation, he might sweep through Qingyang Town, but he couldn’t ignore the martial forces of Jia City.

As a vassal state of Qi Country, having lost much of its sovereignty, Yang Country is indeed weaker than Zhuang Country.

For example, the lords of Zhuang Country’s major cities all have to possess Inner Mansion Realm cultivation.

The only one with the Peak cultivation of Ascending Dragon Realm, Dou Yuemei, got her position due to the contributions and sacrifices of her deceased husband, Sun Heng.

Furthermore, Dou Yuemei’s combat power is far beyond any ordinary peak of Ascending Dragon Realm.

After winning her Divine Skills in the battle at Jade Balance Peak, though her path ended, as a cultivator of God’s Inner Mansion, she stood a level above ordinary Inner Mansion Realm experts.

In fact, she became the strongest among the lords of Zhuang Country’s cities.

In comparison, the strength of the lords of Yang Country’s cities lags a bit.

For example, the City Lord of Jia City only has the cultivation of the Peak of Soaring Dragon Realm.

Of course, the Xi Family, rooted in Jia City for many years, couldn’t possibly have just one Peak of Soaring Dragon Realm expert.

Jiang Wang walked aimlessly, but his eyes and ears were keenly observing the city.

Capturing the true essence of things from details was something he learned during his early days, completing various missions with Ling He and Zhao Rucheng in a team.

After a while, the maid Xiao Xiao started having trouble keeping up.

Jiang Wang noticed her eyes were practically glued to a fabric shop, seemingly unable to tear herself away.

Yet she dared not speak to Jiang Wang about it.

Since it wasn’t a big deal, Jiang Wang smiled and said, “Shall we take a look inside?”

With her head lowered, Xiao Xiao said, “I want to make some new clothes for the young master…”

“It’s alright, let’s have a look,” Jiang Wang encouraged warmly, then turned to Shuanzi, “You should also pick some fabric for your wife, as a reward for accompanying me into the city and driving the carriage.”

Shuanzi, a rather big fellow, suddenly blushed, “I… don’t have a wife yet.”

As he said this, he stole a glance at Xiao Xiao.

Jiang Wang couldn’t help but chuckle, “Then take it for your mother.”

Though they hadn’t known each other long, Shuanzi knew Jiang Wang wasn’t the pretentious type.

Without further courtesy, he strode into the fabric shop, “Alright!”

With Shuanzi leading the way, Xiao Xiao felt less reserved and followed him into the shop.

Xiao Xiao and Shuanzi busily selected the fabrics they liked, while Jiang Wang casually looked around.

Listening to the idle chatter of those maids and young wives in the shop, these women, while picking over fabrics, were mostly discussing trivial household matters, garlic and chives, yet these talks could somehow reflect some aspects of the city.

With Jiang Wang’s hearing, if he concentrated, even those whispers were as clear as the sound of a gong or drum, and none would be missed.

A particular conversation piqued Jiang Wang’s interest.

“Hey, that young man looks unfamiliar, whose son is he?”

“Don’t let yourself have any delusions; with house servants and a maid in tow, he must be from a notable family.”

“Tsk, I just think he’s quite handsome, so I’m telling you about it.”

“Just average-looking, I guess.

He’s nothing compared to my young master Xi.

I saw him once that year, and he practically took my soul with him—it still hasn’t come back.”

“What ‘your’ young master Xi?

You’re already married.

Show some restraint!

He’s my young master Xi!”

“Tsk tsk, be realistic and take another look at this young master in front of us.

Could the young master from the Xi Family, who cultivates in the fairy valley, ever take a fancy to us?”

“Who knows, maybe he’s gone blind?”

The two of them whispered and joked, thinking it was their little secret, completely unaware that Jiang Wang had overheard everything.

Regarding the Xi Family’s young master they were discussing, who was much more handsome than him, Jiang Wang was most curious about which fairy valley?

Which sect, which gate?

A ‘young master Xi’ from Jia City who doesn’t require any prefix would naturally be the son of the city lord’s manor.

The sect where he cultivates and seeks the Dao largely determines the future potential of the Xi Family.

The rise and fall, glory and shame of a family, often hinge on one or two talented individuals.

At that moment, Shuanzi had already squeezed over with two pieces of colorfully patterned cloth, while Xiao Xiao had been indecisively picking and choosing, seemingly having a hard time deciding.

Jiang Wang walked over and asked, “Which one do you like?”

Xiao Xiao timidly said, “They all look nice, I don’t know which to choose.”

Jiang Wang laughed and said to the cloth shop owner, “These colors, give me one of each, and wrap them up for me.”

“No!” Xiao Xiao interjected.

“Master, that’s too much.”

“Aren’t you good at needlework?

Practice with these.”

Jiang Wang, who had once been well off in his childhood, later became friends with extravagantly spendthrift individuals like Zhao Rucheng and had long since stopped caring about worldly riches.

Now that he had entered the transcendent realm and his cultivation had greatly advanced, it goes without saying.

He insisted on buying the cloth, and the cloth shop owner even hired a carriage to deliver them to the inn where they were storing their luggage.

No sooner had they finished buying the cloth than noises from the street outside rose up.

“Ahh ahh ahh!

Young Master Xi has returned!!!”

“Where, where?

I want to go see, I want to go see, sisters, help me over!”

The screams, as contagious as they could be, rapidly spread to the ears.

Jiang Wang only felt a gust of wind sweeping by, and the entire cloth shop suddenly emptied.

The young ladies and married women, as if they had all become transcendent beings, disappeared in an instant.

He looked at the shopkeeper of the cloth shop, who merely shrugged his shoulders, apparently well accustomed to this: “Every time young master Xi returns to the city, it’s like this.”

Shuanzi and Xiao Xiao exchanged looks, but they didn’t seem normal either; instead, they looked a bit like country folks who had never seen the world.

Curious, Jiang Wang stepped out of the cloth shop and looked towards the man on horseback at the end of the long street, wondering what kind of man he was.

The man was dressed in a blue robe, with a straight nose and bright eyes, his presence distinguished.

Even the City Guard Army had to deploy around him, managing to keep back the city’s crazed women.

He held the reins in one hand, his steed pacing slowly, and wherever his gaze fell, there were continuous screams.

“Young Master Zi Chu!”

“Young Master Zi Chu, look at me!”

The noise was incessant.

Indeed, he was a charming figure.

And Jiang Wang noticed that the man’s aura was lengthy and unhidden, clearly indicating that he had opened the Heaven and Earth Gate and was a cultivator of the Ascending Dragon Realm.

“Old sir, do you happen to know where this young master Xi cultivates?

On which immortal mountain?” Jiang Wang casually inquired.

The cloth shop’s shopkeeper laughed heartily, seemingly taking pride in the information.

“East King Valley!”

Note 1: The author’s own conjecture.

It is not verified and doesn’t need to be taken completely seriously.

Also: The new virus is getting worse, and with the year’s end approaching, I didn’t have much desire or time to write.

I wanted to take a ten-day new year holiday, to also rest a bit.

But the editor gave me a small recommendation, and I’m worried that if I drop the ball on this update, there won’t be another recommendation, so I have to cancel my holiday and grit my teeth and work hard.

Everyone, keep up with your recommendation tickets and monthly votes…