pertwk Chapter 2341 The Great Shaman Who Threads the Needle
Chapter 2341 The Great Shaman Who Threads the Needle
Chapter 2341 The Great Shaman Who Threads the Needle
In his memory, the great shaman came and went like the wind, without any fixed abode. Ten years ago, he did not have a fixed residence in Heishui City. He only rented a small courtyard in the suburbs, which was very close to Hongya Road.
By the time He Lingchuan recovered from his fall from the cliff after encountering the sand leopard, the great shaman had already gone on a pilgrimage.
“Someone saw him at the market about ten days ago,” Liu Baobao said. “He bought two strings of pork and several kilograms of good wine.”
The meat sold at the local market is pierced with a small hole and tied with dried iris rope, called a "string". It usually weighs about three ounces. Once the buyer pays, they can take it home.
Liu Baobao, being understanding, said, "Young Master, do you want to go find him? Every time the Great Shaman shows up, people flock to him. So he set a rule for everyone: you can go to Tiaoma Lane to find him after 11 PM until dark. Only one person can be seen at a time. He will not receive anyone if it is too early or too late."
He Lingchuan glanced at the sky and saw that the sun was already setting in the west; the hour of Wei (1-3 PM) was almost over.
He quickly asked another question:
"A strange city has appeared on Red Cliff Road. Has your business been affected?"
"Of course!" Liu Baobao's face fell when she mentioned this. "We have two teams of people and goods worth several thousand yuan. We were supposed to transport them to Pingcheng in the next couple of days. If we were late, we would have to pay a lot of money. Now, the strange city is blocking the Red Cliff trade route and won't let us pass. There are also monsters that have come out to eat people. Who would dare to go there?"
He paused for a moment and then said, "We're considered lucky. More than two hundred people from the Yangdu Trading Company next door went on a business trip and never returned, along with their goods. Now the Yangdu Trading Company is losing both goods and people, and the victims and their families are blocking the door. They've already lost so much that they're about to pawn their pants."
Have the authorities gone to investigate?
“I saw it. Both groups we sent to negotiate never returned. They’re mobilizing troops now.” Liu Baobao pointed to himself and then to his two companions in the distance. “Today, the prefect even came to discuss logistics with us, saying that reinforcements will be here soon.”
He sighed: "The people in the city have been very worried these past two days, wondering if the monsters will attack Blackwater City."
"When monsters attacked in the past, the authorities handled it quite well, right?" He Lingchuan flew here from the northwest, and judging from the scenes of people's lives he saw along the way, other places were far inferior to Shen Kingdom.
“Not bad, really not bad. The routes that Liu Jishang usually takes rarely involve encountering demons or bandits, which is much better than the former Yuan Kingdom.” Liu Baobao sighed. “However, I heard that the monsters this time are particularly fierce. I wonder if the authorities can handle it.”
Only then did he belatedly realize:
"Oh, young master, you've come here because of this monster? There have been more cultivators in the city these past few days, and I've overheard several discussions about that strange city."
He Lingchuan looked at him with a forced smile: "You know too much."
Liu Baobao had often heard him say this before, so she wasn't afraid; instead, she felt a sense of familiarity: "Alright, alright, I won't ask anymore."
He Lingchuan then asked, "Has anything unusual happened to Hongya Road and Panlong Ancient City in recent years?"
The desert turned into grassland, and the raging gales disappeared, bringing ordinary humans closer and closer to the Panlong Ruins.
“What could be wrong with these two… Oh!” Liu Baobao suddenly remembered something, “The natural stone bridge at the entrance of Panlong Ruins, where it intersects with the plain, suddenly broke a long time ago.”
The Panlong Ruins are located at a pass on the Chipa Plateau, and the only connection between them and the plain is the stone bridge.
He Lingchuan said "Oh," and then added, "So the only option is to fly in?"
“Even birds and bird demons can’t get in,” Liu Baobao muttered. “I heard that the ruins have been protected by a barrier, making it difficult for birds to enter.”
He Lingchuan nodded. Liu Baobao looked at him, hesitant to speak.
In fact, his connection with He Lingchuan only lasted until the last time He Chunhua and Nailuotian were tricked into entering Panlong Ancient City for the second time. After that, He Lingchuan went to Shanjin Plain, and He Chunhua returned to the capital and started his extraordinary mode. Both father and son were too busy to care about the old friends in Blackwater City. Thus, Liu Baobao's life returned to normal.
Later, He Chunhua established his kingdom and became king. The whole country knew that there was only one prince, He Chunhua's second son, He Yue.
So, what about He Lingchuan?
According to official sources, Young Master He unfortunately died in battle during his trip to Panlong Ancient City. Liu Baobao had no reason to doubt it. It was just a pity that he was unlucky. If Young Master He hadn't died, he would have had the opportunity to become Crown Prince He.
Who would have thought that he would actually meet He Lingchuan today!
The sudden resurrection of someone who had been dead for over a decade was a significant visual and psychological shock to Liu Baobao.
He Lingchuan seemed to hear his thoughts, and then smiled and said:
"I see your friend has been waiting upstairs for a long time. You go ahead and do your work. We'll have drinks together when you have some free time."
"Okay, okay." Liu Baobao had just turned around when suddenly everything went dark and a cacophony of noise filled her ears.
He was momentarily stunned, rubbed his eyes, and looked up to find himself slumped over the table, surrounded by the other businessmen who were drinking.
So he was asleep just now and had a strange dream?
"You're awake?" my friend laughed. "You passed out after only two drinks; it gave us all a fright."
"Suddenly feeling sleepy. No problem, come on, let's add two more dishes!" Liu Baobao waved his hand with a hearty laugh, but in his heart he wondered why he would dream of Young Master He for no reason. That was an old friend from so long ago.
……
Shortly after, He Lingchuan and the other two walked out of the tavern.
Dong Rui reminded him from behind, "Hey, it's past 1 PM. Should we go check out that Youhua Old Shop first?"
"No need. The most valuable contract inside has already been taken away by Sun Hongye."
Even so, when they passed by Youhua Old Street, He Lingchuan still subconsciously glanced into the shops.
Nothing special, the shop owner was dozing off behind the counter.
He also glanced at the attic; the paper door had no holes.
Back then, Sun Hongye discovered the special paper on this door—the Blade's Edge Harbor contract that Qing Guo forced Bailie to sign.
It was this contract he left for He Lingchuan that gave He Lingchuan, who had nowhere to go after plotting against Narakuten, the idea of traveling thousands of miles eastward.
Then came the management of the Yangshan Islands, the travels to the Shanjin Plain, and many other subsequent events.
Only then did the Nine Nether Emperor and his Cangyan Empire come into being.
For He Lingchuan, this opportunity, this pivotal moment in his life, was once hidden away as a windowpane in an inconspicuous, dilapidated shop in a remote border town.
At the time, he lamented the unpredictability of life, but after talking with Liu Baobao, He Lingchuan understood.
What are coincidences in this world?
Before Sun Hongye arrived, the great shaman Zhaomandu may have already visited this shop.
and so--
He Lingchuan sighed:
"Let's go to Tiaoma Lane."
I wonder if he will be able to find answers to all his questions in Tiaoma Lane.
Tiaoma Lane is an old lane that existed before Blackwater City was expanded. He Lingchuan's original self also played hide-and-seek here when he was a child, but he never saw such lush green moss at the end of the lane.
Environmental changes are truly deeply embedded in every corner of this world.
(End of this chapter)