Chapter 10: His Fame Spreads Through Wei City!
“Daoist Master Yanchu’s gone mad! Quick, someone restrain him!” a panicked onlooker shouted.
Bang!
Someone behind him kicked him hard, knocking him to the ground.
“Are you blind? Daoist Master Yanchu just eliminated an evil spirit and rid the people of a menace!”
“That’s right! Daoist Master Yanchu is truly a Daoist master of Wei City. Having him here is a blessing for all of us!”
Many of those present were local townsfolk. Daoist Magistrate Xuancheng of Qingyun Temple was known for being upright and often helped people dispel evil.
And now the current abbot, Daoist Master Yanchu, was a gifted and accomplished young man. Many had heard of how he once drove out a spirit for the third young lady of the Chen family.
He was truly someone with real skill.
Especially after witnessing that ghostly paper effigy reveal its true form upon death, no one doubted any longer that Li Yanchu had been performing an exorcism.
“That’s right! It was I who invited Daoist Master Yanchu here to specifically deal with ghosts and monsters. If not for him, that foul spirit might’ve taken my life!” the innkeeper said, still shaken.
In an instant, everyone turned admiring gazes toward Li Yanchu. Even the man who had shouted that he was crazy quickly changed his tune. As long as I apologize fast enough, no one will kick me again!
The county constables and officers soon arrived, with Fang Qinglan among them. She had been assisting Head Constable Wang in tracking down fugitives, never expecting that her own elder sister had nearly been harmed.
“Are you alright?” Fang Qinglan asked anxiously.
“I’m fine, all thanks to Daoist Master Yanchu. He just slew a ghost and saved my life!” the innkeeper replied.
She had truly been terrified earlier. That suffocating, oppressive feeling still lingered within her.
“Thank you, Daoist Master Yanchu,” Fang Qinglan said sincerely to him.
Originally, she’d invited him to stay at the Taiping Inn simply for peace of mind. She hadn’t imagined her sister would actually end up in real danger. Most unexpectedly, Li Yanchu had displayed such divine bravery, directly slaying the ghost!
“How should I thank you?” Fang Qinglan asked. She could see the post-battle fatigue beginning to settle over Li Yanchu.
Li Yanchu replied with a chuckle, “I’m just glad that no one was harmed.”
Fang Qinglan was momentarily speechless. After a pause, she nodded, then gave Li Yanchu a grateful look. If something had happened to her sister, she would’ve carried the guilt for the rest of her life.
“How could I let such a beautiful innkeeper die at the hands of some ghost?” Li Yanchu joked.
Surprisingly, the innkeeper didn’t snap back as usual. Instead, she smiled sweetly, her thoughts unreadable.
At that moment, a tall, lean middle-aged man with an air of authority stepped out from the county office and walked toward them. He cupped his fists[1] respectfully to Li Yanchu and said, “You must be Daoist Master Yanchu. I am Wang Chongshan. Though we haven’t had the chance to meet before, today’s display confirms what I’ve long heard: you are truly a master of the Dao.”
One of the two head constables of the county yamen...
Li Yanchu returned the gesture. “You’re too kind, Head Constable Wang. I’m just an ordinary Daoist.”
“For someone so young to be able to slay such a sinister ghost… You’re truly impressive!” Wang Chongshan praised.
Li Yanchu noticed that Wang Chongshan’s demeanor was warm and courteous, seemingly intent on befriending him. He didn’t come across nearly as stern as the rumors suggested.
“From the traces of battle in the courtyard, your blade methods are superb and your martial skill remarkable. I must admit, even I find myself inferior. May I be so bold as to ask, are you cultivating the Six Yang Saber Art?”
“Head Constable Wang, you have a keen eye. Indeed, I am,” Li Yanchu replied.
Wang Chongshan nodded, the joy in his eyes plain to see. Such profound martial ability at such a young age truly impressed him.
“In the past few days, four young women have gone missing. I suspect it’s no coincidence, it’s very likely connected to the ghost you just destroyed. Daoist Master Yanchu, your actions tonight are nothing short of a great service to the people,” Wang Chongshan said sincerely.
Hearing this, Li Yanchu smiled faintly. Right after he slew the paper effigy, the sound of the Great Dao echoed in his mind, “Merit earned: 500 points!”
Including the two hundred merit points he had previously spent for conferring yin virtue, Li Yanchu now had a total of six hundred merit to his name.
Head Constable Wang remained for a while, asking detailed questions about what had happened, then took his leave from the Taiping Inn.
With that, the rest of the night passed without incident.
***
The next day…
At first light, Li Yanchu rose to practice the cultivation methods in The Yellow Court Classic. This Daoist method had played a crucial role the night before, so he couldn’t afford not to take it seriously.
However, even after he exited his meditative state, the spirit qi in his dantian hadn’t grown much. The progress was simply too slow. Thus, Li Yanchu decided to visit the apothecary again to buy more materials to refine a Revitalizing Pill.
The weather was clear and bright, brimming with vitality. All evil had been dispelled.
At this time, Yanchu came to the inn’s main hall for breakfast. One perk of staying here was that meals were included. Because of all the commotion the night before, the innkeeper hadn’t invited him to share her private meal today.
There weren’t many guests in the hall at the moment. But everyone who saw Li Yanchu immediately bowed to him, their eyes filled with admiration. Some young noble ladies, who had arrived early in Wei City to attend the Qingyi Temple Festival, were even sneaking glances at him from behind fans.
“You useless thing!” the innkeeper’s voice suddenly rang out as she chased after a large white cat.
Li Yanchu chuckled at the sight. That was her pet cat, Jade, a big troublemaker who frequently messed up her room. No one knew where it had disappeared to last night, but it had returned early this morning, only to knock over her rouge box right away.
“Meow! Meow! Meow!”
The large white cat named Jade darted around the inn's main hall, with the innkeeper chasing after it, waving a feather duster in hand. Meanwhile, Li Yanchu sipped his porridge, thoroughly enjoying the show. The sight of the innkeeper’s voluptuous bosom bouncing as she ran was truly captivating, especially while in motion.
Li Yanchu found himself a little dazed. That mature allure was something no young girl could compare to; it was alluring enough to leave a man parched and tongue-tied.
“Ah!” The innkeeper, annoyed after her precious Pingkang Rouge[2] was knocked over, was in the middle of chasing Jade when she suddenly slipped and began to fall right beside Li Yanchu.
He had been enjoying the show, admiring her graceful, seductive movement, only to find her suddenly toppling toward him. Instinctively, he caught the curvy, full-figured innkeeper in his arms.
“Huh!? It feels soft,” Li Yanchu murmured in surprise.
The innkeeper blushed instantly and gently pulled herself away from his embrace. “Th-thank you.”
Li Yanchu chuckled. “What’s this? Since yesterday, you’ve been awfully polite. Could it be that you were moved by my heroic rescue? Your heart was secretly swayed, and now you're thinking of repaying me with your body?”
The innkeeper blinked, then scoffed, “I’ve eaten more salt than you’ve walked in roads[3], and you still dare flirt with me, you little brat?”
As she spoke, she rolled her eyes at Li Yanchu. Yet in that moment, she exuded irresistible charm.
Ah, now that’s the innkeeper I know... Li Yanchu thought, smiling as he returned to sipping his porridge without saying more.
Mmm... If she wants to repay me with her body, it isn't out of the question. She is very pretty, he muttered under his breath.
Just then, the departing innkeeper suddenly froze, her delicate earlobes turning slightly red. At the entrance stood Fang Qinglan, gripping an iron sword.
“Good morning, Miss Qinglan,” Li Yanchu greeted with a smile.
But to his surprise, Fang Qinglan, who had shown him clear admiration just the night before, was now suddenly cold and distant.
What’s going on…? Li Yanchu was a little puzzled.
At this moment, Fang Qinglan gave a faint snort, then turned and walked away without a word.
1. 拱手 (cupped hand or cupped fists), is a traditional Chinese ceremonial gesture or salute used for greeting or showing respect. It involves bringing together the index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger of both hands, with the palms facing inward or downward and the thumbs of each hand interlocking. One hand is placed over the other, and generally, the left-hand covers the right one for men and is reversed for women. ☜
2. Pingkang Ward, located in the eastern section of Tang Dynasty Chang’an, was far more than a red-light district, it was a dynamic center of culture, politics, and elite social life.
While known for housing high-class courtesans (known as Pingkang ji), it was also home to aristocratic residences, positioned near government offices and examination centers. The courtesans of Pingkang were not only trained in beauty and entertainment but were often highly educated and artistically talented, serving as companions to nobles, scholars, and officials.
Its strategic location—close to the Eastern Market, the Imperial City, and major government ministries—meant Pingkang became a crucial space for social networking, information exchange, and political maneuvering. It even hosted numerous provincial envoy residences (进奏院), further cementing its role in bureaucratic life. ☜
3. This is a Chinese proverb 我吃过的盐，比你走过的路都多. The speaker is telling a younger person that they’ve been through more in life, so they know better—often used to assert authority, offer advice, or shut someone down with a bit of sass. ☜
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