Chapter 44: Strange Tales of Peach Blossom Dock
“Oh, Immortal, please don’t misunderstand. Master Bai has no interest in fame or fortune…”
Constable Bai quickly explained.
“When Master Bai descended the mountain, a close friend of his had just passed the imperial examinations and come to Linxi County as magistrate. Upon hearing that Master Bai had returned from seeking immortality, he invited him to serve as patron and protect the peace of the region.”
“Occasionally when common folk face urgent difficulties, the magistrate is too busy to attend to everything, so Master Bai helps out.”
Speaking of Master Bai, the young constable’s face brimmed with pride.
“Your master?”
“Yes. To be honest with you two immortals, Master Bai and I are from the same branch, though I am of a concubine’s line.”
“When Master Bai was cultivating in the mountains, I was a servant boy sent by the Bai family of Qinggu to attend to him. Later, I descended the mountain together with him, so I’ve witnessed the grandeur of the sect.”
“I see.”
As they spoke, Constable Bai led them to a modest residence. A plaque hung above the main gate, inscribed with the characters “Bai Residence” in elegant, slender calligraphy.
The house was quite ordinary, even smaller than those of common local gentry. Some wall foundations and roof tiles showed signs of wear, appearing to have not been repaired for quite some time.
“This is Master Bai’s residence. Master has no love for grand mansions or fancy carriages, so his dwelling is not spacious. Immortals, please don’t be offended.”
Song Yan now felt quite favorable toward this Master Bai whom he had yet to meet.
He didn’t covet wealth, didn’t seek connections with the powerful, and spent his days busy handling affairs. Truly a kind-hearted patron who devoted himself to protecting the peace of the region.
“Immortals, please wait here a moment. When I came earlier, I already sent my men to the government office to notify Master Bai.”
Along the way, there were very few servants in the residence.
Constable Bai led them into the reception hall and ordered the servants to brew a pot of tea.
He didn’t understand the art of tea or how to appreciate it, so he just gulped down two mouthfuls.
Qin Ying didn’t drink the tea and still didn’t speak, merely holding a talisman in her hand and examining it repeatedly.
Song Yan noticed it seemed to be a life talisman.
“About the matter at Peach Blossom Dock, what do you know, Constable Bai?”
After a moment of hesitation, he decided to ask the constable first.
“Well… Master has told me about it. At some unknown point, Peach Blossom Dock became a dead village. People go in, but none are seen coming out.”
Bai Lei recounted everything he knew about Peach Blossom Dock.
But he really didn’t know much. It was all things Song Yan had already learned. His gaze drifted around the reception room.
To the left upon entering, there was a wooden cabinet that looked simple but was meticulously decorated and arranged, displaying some collectibles.
Song Yan thought to himself that this Master Bai Zimo, whom he had never met, had quite refined taste.
Visiting guests sitting here could see Bai Zimo and the entire row of collectibles behind him.
Celadon, clay figurines, wood carvings, paper dolls…
“?”
Paper dolls?
Song Yan’s gaze fixed on the paper dolls placed neatly on the cabinet, and a familiar feeling arose in his heart.
This small paper doll…
Why was it so similar to the paper dolls that appeared after he had slain three demonic cultivators outside Shiliang Town?
His confusion gradually faded.
Such paper dolls weren’t actually uncommon. They seemed to originate from a cultural tradition in Changping Prefecture, Chen Province.
For them to be displayed so openly here, they couldn’t possibly be items of demonic cultivators.
Moreover…
Are you kidding?
The person sitting beside him right now was a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator!
Even if that so-called Xinshan Hermit himself came, so what?
Song Yan was very clear that for missions like this, without the burden of outer disciples like himself and Li Qingfeng, Qin Ying at Foundation Establishment would likely have already completed the mission and been on her way back to the sect by now.
Inner disciples of Foundation Establishment stage from the six great sects, as long as they didn’t encounter peers of equal heavenly talent, could easily defeat other Foundation Establishment cultivators at the same level.
Since Senior Sister Qin hadn’t spoken, there must be no problem.
“…”
Song Yan remained silent. Constable Bai thought he still wanted to listen, so he continued.
“Oh, actually, it’s not that no one has come out alive. One person truly did, but he…”
“Oh? Where is that person now?” “Well… I wouldn’t know. It would be better to wait for Master to return and let him explain in detail.”
“All right.”
“There’s no need.”
Qin Ying suddenly spoke. “Junior Brother Li has arrived. There’s no time to waste. Let’s set off immediately.”
“Uh… very well.”
Bai Lei was taken aback but said nothing. These were all immortals; what right did he have to speak? When Master Bai arrived, he could explain then.
The two walked out of the Bai residence and saw the constables leading the plump Junior Brother Li Qingfeng over.
“Let’s go.”
“Heh heh.” Li Qingfeng wiped a bead of cold sweat and grinned at Song Yan. “That exhausted me.”
It was quite rare for a cultivator to sweat easily.
Qin Ying continued on her own. “A month ago, when we first received reports of the anomaly at Peach Blossom Dock, the sect judged it to be a minor matter, so I sent Junior Sister Gu Qingqing from our peak to investigate alone.”
“After half a month with no return and her life talisman showing no signs of distress, I thought she was simply indulging her playful nature or using the opportunity to visit her family.”
“But now more than a month has passed, and she still hasn’t returned.”
“?”
Song Yan and Li Qingfeng exchanged glances.
That was no small matter.
If the life talisman showed no signs of distress and the soul lamp remained lit, yet she inexplicably didn’t return to the sect, it meant she was either trapped somewhere or had betrayed the sect.
Even disciples who had abandoned the Great Dao and given up cultivation needed to complete numerous procedures at the sect before descending the mountain.
“No wonder…”
No wonder Qin Ying had seemed somewhat rushed earlier. Song Yan had thought the sect had sent her to lead two outer disciples without much patience. It turned out she was worried about her junior sister.
Li Qingfeng asked, “But Senior Sister, can’t life talismans be used for tracking?”
Qin Ying shook her head. “Junior Sister Qingqing has a Spirit-Sealing Secret Treasure on her. If her life is in danger, activating the treasure can completely seal away her spiritual energy signature and even her life force.”
“Although her life talisman hasn’t shattered, it can no longer track Junior Sister Qingqing’s location.”
“It seems she had already encountered a lethal threat earlier, and the Spirit-Sealing Secret Treasure has been activated.”
As they spoke, the three had left Linxi County.
Qin Ying summoned her flying sword and soared onto it alone.
“You two go ahead to Peach Blossom Dock. I’ll search the surrounding area for any trace of my junior sister and meet you outside Peach Blossom Dock shortly.”
“Yes, Senior Sister.”
Actually, not only Song Yan and Li Qingfeng, but Qin Ying also had many questions about this mission.
However, she figured the root of everything lay in this dead village, Peach Blossom Dock. To avoid any oversights, she decided to investigate the surrounding area alone.
Peach Blossom Dock was a village under the jurisdiction of Linxi County, named for the peach blossoms planted along the water’s edge.
Song Yan and Li Qingfeng stood at the entrance of the official road. A stone marker beside them was carved with the characters “Peach Blossom Dock” in crimson ink.
“Eh? Senior Brother Song, look over there…”
“…”
On the back of the stone marker, there seemed to be a figure lying there.
They exchanged a glance and walked over together.
Only when they got closer did they see the person’s tattered clothes, disheveled hair, and face covered in dried, cracked mud.
It was a beggar…