Chapter Fifty-Eight: What Does It Mean to Truly Establish Oneself?

That night, the watch was divided among three: the first was Lü Shengyang, the second was Little Black, and the third was the ghost leech mosquito, whose presence was known only to Wu You.

The remaining two slept soundly. Lü Shengyang and Little Black sat across from each other, wide-eyed, keeping vigil through the silent hours. Lü Shengyang’s purpose was simple—he was on guard against pursuing enemies and other potential threats from wild beasts. Little Black and the ghost leech mosquito, however, fixed most of their attention on Lü Shengyang himself. At the slightest sign of hostility toward Wu You, he would face their most savage onslaught.

Lü Shengyang was, in fact, aware that this sinister black dog was keeping him in check. Oddly, the sense of threat he felt from the dog now far surpassed what it had displayed before. Was this dog also hiding its true strength? He shook his head to rid himself of such absurd thoughts—best not to dwell on the supernatural.

Yet, throughout the night, he couldn’t help but steal glances at the dog from time to time. To tell the truth, aside from the blood flood serpent described in ancient records, this was the most uncanny creature Lü Shengyang had ever seen.

...

The night passed without incident.

Wu You woke feeling refreshed by the now-cold embers of the campfire. The lively conversation the night before had at least provided him with some basic information about this world.

Animals here were much the same as on Earth, though the variety seemed richer—Earth, for example, had no such thing as a blood python. Other than the great serpent that locals called the “blood flood serpent,” which the system had classified as an aberrant entity, there were no credible accounts of immortals, demons, or monsters.

Of course, the imagination of humankind knows no bounds. All kinds of religious worship remained common, including things reminiscent of ancient sacrificial rituals—such as offering living children to the river god—just as in old China. True scholars scoffed at such things. As for those at the top, some still took care to guide the masses’ beliefs in such matters, ruling them as much through the spirit as through the sword. The clearest examples were the monarchs of each dynasty.

Just as in ancient China, they called themselves the Son of Heaven, governing the people on Heaven’s behalf. The appearance of the blood flood serpent must have shattered many worldviews.

Culturally, the similarities were striking; the script, though slightly different, was still a kind of pictograph close to Chinese characters. Language posed no barrier either. Wu You could not believe there was no connection between this world and Earth.

Lost in thought, Wu You pulled out his toothpaste, toothbrush, and other items from his backpack. This time, he had abandoned all useless burdens, bringing only the essentials for survival. Without the space-wasting snacks of little use, his backpack was like a true treasure chest.

Yet, it made for a comical scene.

While searching for a stream to wash up, Wu You ran into little Ji Haoxuan, who was also cleaning his teeth with willow twigs and salt. The boy became convinced that Wu You had been poisoned, and, grabbing Wu You—his mouth still foaming with toothpaste—dragged him frantically toward Lü Shengyang, crying out for the old master to use his internal energy to expel the poison from the hero’s body.

When the misunderstanding was finally cleared up, Ji Haoxuan’s cheeks burned with embarrassment. But he also grew deeply curious about toothpaste and toothbrushes.

Wu You’s endless supply of novel tools led Lü Shengyang and Ji Haoxuan, in private, to conclude that his family must have been a grand clan of craftsmen before they retired from the world. The reason for their seclusion, they reasoned, was likely tied to this as well. Over two hundred years ago, the land of Shenzhou was in even greater turmoil than it had been a decade ago. A powerful family skilled in strange arts and technologies would have been highly coveted by those vying for the throne.

But now, with the Ji lineage nearly extinct, and Yan Fengluo gone, Lü Shengyang had long abandoned any thought of aiding the Ji family in reclaiming the world. All he hoped for was that Ji Haoxuan could grow up safely, continuing the family line, so as not to betray the late emperor’s kindness.

The mind’s ability to fill in the gaps is boundless. Wu You hadn’t even needed to explain—Lü Shengyang and Ji Haoxuan constructed their own narrative. But it wasn’t so far-fetched; after all, to them, Wu You’s worldliness was beyond their understanding. They were, after all, “ancients,” with no television, comics, or online novels, and no concept of transmigration or alternate dimensions.

...

Leping City of Bing Province sat nestled with its back to the Tianyun Mountains and its face to the Tiansha River—a city blessed by both mountains and water, renowned for its auspicious geography. Remarkably, during the chaos that gripped the world, it had been spared much of the turmoil. Of course, this was because the city was the private garden of the millennia-old Liu family.

That day, three travelers and a lean black dog arrived at the city gates.

By now, Wu You had shed his outdoor jacket for a coarse hemp robe that Lü Shengyang had somehow acquired along the way. Both Lü Shengyang and Ji Haoxuan had likewise changed into similar garb and even altered their appearances slightly. With thousands coming and going from Leping City each day, the three attracted no notice from the city guards.

After paying three coppers for the entrance fee, they entered, finally beholding the city’s authentic ancient charm. Wu You gazed about in wonder, marveling at everything he saw.

The buildings were generally no more than two stories high, most houses along the streets being brick-and-wood structures. Yet, the city’s layout was orderly and tidy, nothing like the chaos he had expected.

Street performers, shopkeepers, vendors, and crowds strolled to and fro in a constant flow. Some shouldered their wares, calling out as they moved. The main thoroughfare was wide enough for four carriages to pass abreast, and here and there people led horses or drove carts at a leisurely pace.

Though the city was noisy, it was alive with vitality and ancient charm.

After wandering the city for a while, the three came upon a five-story tavern—the highest building in the city.

This grand establishment, named “Springview Tavern,” was one of the few tall buildings in town. Yet, there were few diners inside. When the three entered, despite their coarse clothing, the waiter greeted them warmly.

“Welcome, sirs! Would you prefer a table in the main hall or a private room? Uh, about the dog...”

He stopped short, startled by Little Black’s fierce appearance.

“The main hall will do. The dog doesn’t bite,” Lü Shengyang replied. If you’re dressed as a commoner, you have to act like one. Asking for a private room in such clothes would only arouse suspicion.

The waiter hesitated, but led them to a table.

The food was simple, contrary to Wu You’s imagination of endless delicacies. He couldn’t read much of the menu, but listening to Ji Haoxuan recite the names, he felt uninspired. Most dishes were boiled vegetables and steamed meats, which left Wu You disappointed.

Still, since there were few customers, their food arrived quickly. The quality of the ingredients was good enough that the fare was not unpleasant.

“Master Luo, what do you think someone needs to establish himself in a new place?” Wu You asked.

They had already decided on aliases for their journey. Wu You kept his own name, while the other two, following his suggestion, took the names Luo Guanzhong and Su Shi.

Lü Shengyang pondered Wu You’s question, guessing that perhaps the Wu family was preparing to leave their reclusive life and settle in the outside world.

“If you want to put down roots in a foreign land, you must first have a place to live and a means to support yourself,” the old man said. “A home for shelter, and a livelihood for sustenance.”

“But those two are not enough. For an ordinary family, perhaps so, but for a family like yours, young master Wu, self-preservation is also essential. To that end, you need information, influence, and strength.”

Lü Shengyang’s words enlightened Wu You. So, the system’s aim might be for him to establish some influence here, too?

Then his thoughts spiraled. Why had he come to the Eastern Domain? Why had he been given a mission to establish himself? What was the meaning of the sudden appearance of aberrant entities? Was there a connection to Earth? Did the Myriad Beasts Mountain space have anything to do with this? If there are four domains, what of the other three?

Damn, so many questions—his mind was a jumble.

Once again, seeing Wu You lost in thought, Lü Shengyang sighed quietly.