"Northern East, are there any legends?"
Zhang Tian sat in his chair, his gaze fixed on Hu Bayi. He was unaware of some of the so-called legends of the Northeast.
He also wanted to hear them.
"It is said that in the Northeast, in the Greater Khingan Range region, there is a burial ground filled with many precious treasures, and even Yin-Yang secret techniques."
"No one knows about this. The most widespread legend is about weasels demanding recognition. Folk tales say that if someone asks you if it's human, and you say yes, they will be offered incense and sacrifices."
"If you say no, they will turn into weasels and take your life."
Hu Bayi spoke eloquently.
Zhang Tian listened with great interest.
Especially Hu Bayi's hoarse voice, telling the story of weasels demanding recognition, had a unique charm.
It was as if a storyteller was recounting a tale.
Soon, Hu Bayi finished recounting all the stories of the Northeast.
Tales of zombies, weasels demanding recognition.
Tales of the Ban Shan Dao Ren, and the Xie Ling Li Shi, he told Zhang Tian everything.
Zhang Tian was left dazed.
However, one thing Zhang Tian could discern.
That is, in the Northeast, there was a large tomb, which even contained zombies. There were also Taoist priests guarding it, it was very mysterious.
"Alright, Old Hu, you tell stories well. You have the potential to be a street storyteller."
Zhang Tian chuckled. Hu Bayi waved his hand.
"These are all told to me by the villagers. I know my own speaking skills, I can't do that kind of thing."
Hu Bayi said, as he lay on the bed, lost in thought.
Zhang Tian glanced at Fatty.
Good heavens, this guy was hugging a mirror and sleeping soundly.
His demeanor suggested he wished he could melt into the mirror.
"Alas, the world is vast and full of wonders."
With a sigh, Zhang Tian stopped looking and sat cross-legged on the ground.
He intended to review his Qimen Dunjia once more.
Zhang Tian's cultivation techniques, talismans, and Qimen Dunjia were all things he figured out himself. To have reached this point was, frankly, a stroke of immense luck.
To achieve mastery without a teacher was already difficult, let alone to have explored and cultivated it oneself with some success.
Soon, time passed.
Three days later.
The ship smoothly docked.
Wu Tianzhen's ship did not dock with Zhang Tian's. They headed directly to the nearest hospital.
Ah Ning had fainted in the tomb and had not yet woken up, while Fatty's hand had been scratched by a zombie.
Naturally, they needed medical attention.
Wang Banyue was also quite unlucky. He had been injured and hospitalized in the Lu King's Palace last time, and now, after only a few days, he was hospitalized again.
Meanwhile, Zhang Tian and his group also disembarked.
The expert team, each with a somber expression.
From initial excitement to current silence, it had only been a few days.
"Comrade Hu, Brother Zhang, we're leaving now. Contact us if anything comes up."
Professor Chen said, and they turned to leave.
They did not linger at all, a stark contrast to Professor Chen's previous lively demeanor.
"Little Fox, goodbye."
Shirley Yang waved to Little Fox. Little Fox gave a meow, and then Shirley Yang left.
"Speaking of which, boss, is that how foxes call out?"
Fatty questioned Tuan Tuan's cry.
"What, stinky, you disagree? You piece of trash, call Tuan Tuan something too."
Little Fox glared at Fatty. Fatty pouted, not bothering to argue with this guy.
"At least it's not speaking human words."
Hu Bayi interjected. Little Fox had almost spoken human words earlier, but thankfully Fatty's stinky hand had promptly covered its mouth.
Otherwise, their secret might have been revealed.
The few of them walked on the pier. Zhang Tian hailed three rickshaws.
They were the old-fashioned human-powered carts.
The kind pulled by Xiangzi.
As they sat in the carts, Zhang Tian looked into the distance.
"I feel like I've learned enough."
Suddenly, Zhang Qilin, in a nearby cart, spoke slowly.
"Mm, if there's an opportunity, I'll find you a pot and get some medicinal herbs for you to try."
Zhang Tian nodded. As for a furnace, that was a dream, definitely not.
However, a pressure cooker seemed available.
Alchemy in a pressure cooker, any problems? No problems, as long as it doesn't explode.
Zhang Qilin nodded and continued to paddle.
He spoke little, his abilities stronger than his words, so naturally, there was less conversation.
"Phew, fresh air, Fatty likes it."
Fatty stretched lazily in the cart.
"Gentlemen, what's in your backpacks? They're so heavy?"
The young rickshaw puller was sweating profusely.
He kept glancing at Zhang Tian's backpack.
At five mao per person, Zhang Tian's load was equivalent to three people.
"Just some stones. How about this, you pull us to where the taxis are, and I'll give you ten yuan."
Zhang Tian said.
The young man's eyes lit up instantly.
"Alright, sir, please hold on tight!"
He said, picking up his pace. Ten yuan for one trip was more than he earned in a month.
He knew that one of these rickshaws cost only two hundred yuan. If he saved enough money, he might be able to work for himself.
"Sir..."
The other rickshaw pullers looked at the people in their backseats.
Fatty, seeing this, was a bit stingy.
"Here's five yuan, pull Fatty well, and I'll give you another two."
Although he was a ten-thousand-yuan household, Fatty still couldn't change his old habits.
"Alright."
Hearing there was money, the man pulled even faster. Although not as generous as Zhang Tian, seven yuan was still a lot.
Finally, Hu Bayi and Zhang Qilin also gave ten yuan. They were not short of money anymore.
Soon, they arrived at the courtyard.
At the entrance, two people were waiting. They were messengers. In this era, there were no mobile phones for chatting, so there were messengers.
These two had clearly been waiting for some time, their faces somewhat disheveled.
Seeing Zhang Tian arrive, they handed him two envelopes and then turned to leave. They were only responsible for delivering letters, nothing else.
He looked at the two letters.
One was from the Xie family, and the other was from his own mother.
"Son, where have you been gallivanting? If you don't come back soon, believe it or not, I'll break your leg (Love, Mom)."
Looking at the envelope, Zhang Tian shivered and quickly threw it aside.
Had he looked at this envelope? No, it must have been snatched away by a dog.
"Boss, your envelope fell."
Fatty picked up the envelope Zhang Tian had discarded.
"Get lost!!!"
Zhang Tian froze instantly.
Then he looked at the other letter.
"Brother Zhang, hello. I am from the Xie family, Xie Yuchen. If you receive this letter, let us meet at Gulou on November 20th."
"I hope Brother Zhang can do us the honor."
After reading the letter, Zhang Tian frowned slightly.
He had been curious when the Xie family gave him the complete map earlier.
After all, Zhang Tian could tell that Xie Yuchen also wanted this map.
Now, Xie Yuchen had sent a letter.
It was clear that this guy must have encountered something, which caused such a long delay.
"The 20th, there are ten days left, no rush."
Zhang Tian was not in a hurry, and then led everyone inside.
"Hehe, Daddy, where will Tuan Tuan live?"
"Tuan Tuan wants a new house too!"
Little Fox, breathing in the long-lost fresh air, seemed very happy.
"You'll live with Little Turtle."
Zhang Tian said without hesitation.
"Kacha!"
Little Turtle on the backpack showed a happy smile. Thinking of living in a dirt burrow with the fox, Turtle Master was very pleased.
Little Fox looked at the frightening-looking Little Turtle and immediately lost its composure.
"Tuan Tuan thinks Tuan Tuan would rather live outside."
Little Fox said, and it ran to the crooked-necked tree.
"Boss, you're quite stingy."
Fatty said with a smile.
"This is a test for it. Alright, everyone go back to your rooms first. Later, Fatty will take Little Fox to buy groceries, and Old Hu, we'll go study some techniques."
Zhang Tian said. Fatty looked at Little Fox.
"Boss, me and it?"
"Scram, scram, Fatty doesn't want to!"
Fatty looked bitter. He couldn't argue with that foul-mouthed creature.
Zhang Tian ignored Fatty's grumbling.
Instead, he and Hu Bayi went into the house.
Zhang Qilin also returned to his room.
Inside, Zhang Tian and Hu Bayi studied techniques together, and Zhang Tian also reviewed his Qimen Dunjia.
Zhang Tian found that the most important aspect of Qimen Dunjia was practice.
Without practice, there would be no progress. This was a lesson Zhang Tian had learned in the tomb.
"Old Hu, we plan to set up a stall on the street tomorrow."
Zhang Tian suddenly said.
Hu Bayi was somewhat bewildered.
"Boss, what do you mean?"
"Set up a stall, tell fortunes!"
Zhang Tian uttered four words, his eyes becoming serious.
If he wanted to improve, he had to frantically increase his proficiency and understanding of Qimen Dunjia, otherwise, he would not break through.
It was like street fortune-tellers. Some did it for money, and some did it to gain more insight.
Only by gaining more insight, by predicting more people, by seeing more destinies, could one grow.
"I'll go with you."
Hu Bayi said without hesitation. Zhang Tian nodded, thus making plans for the next day.