341: The missing old Wu

Qingshan County has arrived!

As the sound rang out, the tiger-like and leopard-like exotic beasts let out strange chirps, their white whiskers at the side of their noses twitched, shaking the accumulated snow in the mountains to fall, and their steps stopped.

Then, the entire convoy creaked and groaned in the snow, slowly coming to a halt. Afterward, figures jumped down from the front, and the crunching sound of footsteps on snow arose.

A figure respectfully bowed to the largest and most exquisite carriage in the middle and reported.

"Old Ancestor, Qingshan County has arrived."

After the words fell, an old cough came from inside the carriage.

"Cough, cough."

After the cough, there was a sound of phlegm, similar to a broken wooden bellows.

"Qingzhu."

This voice carried a kind of Death Qi of an old person on the verge of death, and also a harsh hoarseness.

"Here."

A faint voice sounded.

Fang Qingzhu, who was sitting at the back of the convoy, lifted the curtain of the carriage, then her graceful figure flickered, appearing in the snow. She performed a Junior's 禮 towards the carriage, but her tone was light and distant.

"Old Ancestor is looking for me?"

"That night ferry you mentioned, is it right here?" Inside the carriage, the coughing sound softened, carrying a strange oppressiveness.

Fang Qingzhu's clear eyes flickered, and her lips were slightly pursed.

"Fang Qingzhu, Old Ancestor is speaking to you. Hesitating like this is truly disrespectful. Don't act like everyone owes you something."

Just then, a sharp reprimand sounded.

From behind the Old Ancestor's carriage, a woman in elaborate dress opened the curtain, revealing her face.

She was wearing a green gauze skirt, with a pointed chin and long, narrow eyebrows, appearing quite strong-willed.

And from behind the opened curtain, a middle-aged man's face also appeared. He expressionlessly glanced at Fang Qingzhu, frowning, but did not speak.

At this moment, from behind the curtains of the other carriages, faces appeared. There were men, women, old and young, all dressed in luxurious clothes, with extraordinary Qi, numbering about a dozen people.

These people either had indifferent expressions or looked like they were watching a show.

Fang Qingzhu's willow-leaf eyebrows twitched slightly. She turned her face slightly, glanced at the woman who spoke so harshly, and then at the frowning middle-aged man behind the carriage. Her expression remained unchanged.

The woman was her elder sister, named Fang Mingyue!

The middle-aged man was her father, named Fang Tangjing.

Fang Qingzhu was already accustomed and numb to their attitudes.

Her Family was like strangers to her, simply because she was a concubine daughter who had lost her mother and was ostracized everywhere by the Family.

As the saying goes, a small temple has strong winds, and shallow water has many turtles.

Fang Qingzhu was already tired of the Fang Family. When she was trapped on the night ferry, she asked Little Squirrel to seek help from her Family, but Little Squirrel was beaten away, and no one cared whether she lived or died. Now, the Old Ancestor who supported this Family was on the verge of death, his time was near. After exiting his Death seclusion, he heard about her experiences after she had just returned to the Fang Family and suddenly showed concern for her, an inconspicuous concubine daughter who had been in the Fang Family for years.

Afterward, Fang Qingzhu understood that the Old Ancestor was actually concerned about the night ferry that had trapped her.

That night ferry seemed to have a significant origin!

The Old Ancestor, whose time was near, seemed very interested after hearing about it, as if there was a way on that night ferry to extend his life.

It happened that a great change occurred in Shu Land, and the news spread to the Central Plains, causing a stir. The news that the Luck of Shu Land was recovering and various Heaven And Earth Treasures would appear was widely spread in the Jianghu. Therefore, this Old Ancestor of the Fang Family personally came here.

She did not tell others about her experiences in Qingshan County.

But these people even used the little guy by her side.

Facing the Old Ancestor's question, Fang Qingzhu knew that hiding it would be useless.

"Replying to Old Ancestor, yes!"

"It's just that Qingzhu was carefully recalling the last place the night ferry appeared, but was interrupted by Sister Mingyue's reprimand, and for a moment, I can't quite remember it clearly. After all, with this heavy snow, many terrains are covered. I hope Old Ancestor will not be angry."

Fang Qingzhu shifted her gaze to the Fang Family Old Ancestor's carriage and said so.

When Fang Mingyue heard this, she habitually reprimanded with an open mouth.

"Oh, you! You are clearly quibbling—"

She was about to say more.

Then, a cough from the Old Ancestor came from inside the carriage.

At the same time, her father Fang Tangjing's reprimand came from behind Fang Mingyue.

"Shut up!"

At this shout, Fang Mingyue, who was accustomed to being overbearing, changed her expression, then quickly got out of the carriage, adopting a different, obedient demeanor.

"Old Ancestor, I am at fault, Mingyue was impolite."

"Please, Old Ancestor, punish me."

The Fang Family Old Ancestor merely spoke slowly, "We are all Family, speak nicely."

Saying that, his tone turned towards Fang Qingzhu, who was standing outside the carriage, "Qingzhu, since you can't quite remember for now, take your time, there's no rush. First, settle down in Qingshan County below and search slowly."

After these words were spoken, a meaningful remark from the Old Ancestor was heard from inside the carriage,

"I heard that a prominent figure emerged from this Qingshan County. Do you remember what we heard two days ago when we entered Shu from Tianxiong Pass? A Zhonglang General came out of this small place and shone brightly on the demon front line in Shu Land, becoming a Martial Treasure Realm expert, with the potential to become the next Town Demon Envoy. It's just that I don't know why the imperial court sent a new one. I heard there's a contention between the two sides, but I don't favor this young man. After all, this young man has only recently advanced to the Martial Treasure Realm, and even if the Town Demon Envoy sent by the imperial court has not reached my Realm, he is probably not far from me. Even if both are Martial Treasure Realm, the difference between them is beyond ordinary imagination."

"However, it seems this Qingshan County is a land of spiritual essence. Hehe, perhaps it is also my blessed land!"

Inside the carriage, the Fang Family Old Ancestor spoke at such length, and he no longer coughed. He offered his judgment on what he had seen and heard at Tianxiong Pass.

Fang Qingzhu's heart tightened slightly upon hearing this.

Hearing that person's name again, she felt a sense of daze.

The first time she saw that person on the night ferry, it was a long spear descending from the sky, like a divine weapon, leading them out of their predicament.

Later, Chen Yuan broke through the Heavenly Gate and fought with the Human Demon, and then he became the Zhonglang General of Shu Land. She had witnessed that person walk out of Qingshan County and step onto a larger stage.

After several months passed, when she heard Chen Yuan's name again, he was already famous in Shu Land, having established a formidable reputation there, and had advanced rapidly, becoming a Martial Treasure Divine Ability user.

When Fang Qingzhu first heard this, she was shocked. During the time she spent with Chen Yuan, she knew he was no ordinary person, but she never expected that with the changing situation in Shu Land, his rise would be so astonishing.

But upon hearing the Old Ancestor's words, she couldn't help but feel indignant and a little worried for her former acquaintance's situation.

She had also heard the rumors!

However, before her thoughts could drift, a powerful chirp from an exotic beast sounded, pulling her back.

The convoy restarted, the wheels rolling, easily moving through the deep, unpopulated mountains. The Fang Family convoy was preparing to enter Qingshan County.

"Tengteng"

The muffled rumbling sound advanced rapidly. Passing through this mountain forest, the scenery suddenly brightened, and soon, a county town standing amidst the white snow appeared at the foot of the mountain.

Outside the county town, a large river flowed eastward!

And at this moment, inside Qingshan County, at a corner of an alley next to Jiazi Alley.

Several Night Watchman who had finished their rounds and laborers who had started their work early looked at the tightly closed stall door.

"What's wrong with Old Wu?"

"He didn't set up his stall again today!"

The old man who, for several years, regardless of spring, summer, autumn, or winter, hot or cold, always lit his stove and warmed his turbid wine in the early morning mist, had not set up his stall for two days.

"No, what if something happened?"

"Quick, go look!" (End of chapter)