Chapter 70: The Scroll in Hand
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation.
The storage pouch of Fire Dragon Immortal wasn’t particularly spacious, yet it held a surprising amount of items. Beyond a small set of tools for talisman crafting, the rest consisted of luxurious goods like silks, pearls, and jade stones.
With a sweep of her divine sense, Yu Zhao quickly identified a scroll emitting a faint spiritual energy ripple amidst the clutter.
The scroll, about the length of an arm, had a greenish-gray rod and exuded a subtle fragrance. Fire Dragon Immortal likely recognized the scroll’s significance, which explained his reluctance to part with it.
Yu Zhao retrieved the scroll from the storage space but didn’t open it immediately. Instead, she looked at the two men sprawled on the ground, lost in thought.
The trembling Fire Dragon Immortal and County Magistrate Jia seemed to sense her penetrating gaze and shrank further into themselves.
“You, who can’t bear to leave your worldly riches and pleasures—let me send you on your way.”
Before Fire Dragon Immortal could grasp the meaning of her words, a burning pain erupted in his dantian, as though it were ablaze.
“No!” he howled.
His complexion turned deathly pale as he curled into a ball like a cooked shrimp, his cries filled with despair and resentment. Gradually, his spiritual energy seeped out, and his appearance aged rapidly. Strands of white hair sprouted along his temples, and his once-vibrant face withered with age.
County Magistrate Jia watched in horror as Fire Dragon Immortal transformed from a middle-aged man to a frail, elderly figure right before his eyes. The sight overwhelmed him with terror, and a yellow puddle spread beneath him.
Shutting his eyes tightly, he mumbled repeatedly, “Immortal, spare me… Immortal, spare me… Immortal, spare me…”
Just as he was convinced death was near, a commotion erupted outside the central hall.
“Master! Master! Something terrible has happened!”
The sound of hurried footsteps followed the frantic shouting. Several servants and the steward barged in, their expressions fraught with panic.
“Master, what… what happened to you?” one servant asked, helping the trembling County Magistrate Jia to his feet. The magistrate’s dazed expression shifted to disbelief as he realized he was still alive.
The immortal was gone?
One servant hesitated before speaking, “Master, and that old man…?”
Glancing at the white-haired, unconscious Fire Dragon Immortal, the magistrate’s eyes darkened with hatred and malice.
“Just a fraud—lock him up in the dungeon until further notice!”
“Master, forget about that fraud for now! There’s a bigger problem!” the steward exclaimed anxiously.
“Hmph! What trouble could arise under my jurisdiction?” County Magistrate Jia sneered.
The elderly often say that surviving a calamity brings fortune. If Jia Zhengde could escape death at the hands of an immortal, surely his luck was bound to improve.
“Master, your treasury—everything in it has flown away!”
“What?!”
The magistrate stared at the steward in disbelief, unable to process what he had just heard.
“Flown away? What nonsense is this?”
The steward, desperate, stomped his foot and ordered two servants to drag the magistrate outside. Pointing skyward, he shouted, “Master, look!”
One glance was all it took.
County Magistrate Jia collapsed to the ground once more, his face ashen.
It was over—utterly over.
The valuables stored in his treasury—spirit beads, gemstones, and exquisite fabrics—had formed a neat, orderly procession, rising from the treasury into the sky. The dazzling display snaked upward, resembling a dragon coiling through the clouds.
Now, every resident in the city could see how much wealth County Magistrate Jia had extorted during his tenure.
Not only would he lose his position, but his life itself was in grave peril.
…
Pawnshop
The small courtyard was surrounded by twenty to thirty people, leaving no room for anyone to slip through. Yet, it was eerily silent.
Wang You Cai and Shopkeeper Qian had their shackles removed. However, seeing that Yu Zhao remained quiet, neither dared to speak, though they were brimming with questions.
Why was the immortal sitting so still? Could she be waiting for the county magistrate to come to her?
Just then, a shadow descended from above.
The two men blinked, and when their vision cleared, they saw that Yu Zhao now held a scroll in her hand.
Wang You Cai exclaimed, “The family heirloom!”
He instantly recognized it as the Wang family’s treasured scroll—the Immortal Scroll!
Shopkeeper Qian recognized it too.
Exchanging glances, both men’s reverence for the immortal grew even deeper.
Yu Zhao paid no attention to their reaction. Her focus was entirely on the scroll in her hand. Though it remained closed, she could feel a subtle resonance between it and herself.
She guessed her arrival in this small town might have been driven by an instinctive call from the scroll.
Taking a deep breath, Yu Zhao slowly unfurled it.
Moments later, her expression shifted as she silently confirmed her thoughts.
The scroll depicted a scene of an immortal bestowing teachings. A woman in a cyan Daoist robe stood in front of an imposing mountain gate, imparting wisdom to her disciples.
This woman bore an uncanny resemblance to Yu Zhao, with only one distinct difference—a crimson mole at the corner of her right eye.
Yu Zhao traced the painted mole with her fingertip, her bright eyes glinting with a mysterious light.
Who was she?
What connection did she have with Yu Zhao?
For the first time, Yu Zhao felt a deep urge to uncover the truth about her origins.
She had always believed her parents had perished in the chaos of war, leaving her to wander alone.
But now, staring at this painting, it was hard to convince herself there was no link between her and the woman in the scroll.
If her mother was also a cultivator, why would she abandon her?
And who was her father?
A thought struck Yu Zhao, and her gaze locked onto the mountain gate in the background of the painting.
At its center stood a stone tablet, with three large characters faintly visible.
She studied them for a long time before discerning the first two words: Water Cloud.
“Water Cloud?”
She whispered the name to herself. It seemed she would need to visit the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion next.
This unexpected clue to her lineage made her trip worthwhile.
“I’m taking this painting,” Yu Zhao said to Wang You Cai. “Prepare another heirloom for your family.”
Wang You Cai offered a bitter smile.
He wasn’t upset about losing the painting. When he had revealed Yu Zhao’s identity earlier, he’d hoped to use the scroll to save his life and perhaps build a connection with the immortal.
After all, how many people could boast of speaking face-to-face with an immortal? Even princes and nobles rarely had such fortune.
But Yu Zhao’s last words stung. How was he supposed to leave another heirloom for his descendants when he had squandered his family’s wealth?
As he thought of his past gambling and financial ruin, Wang You Cai clenched his fists, wishing he could slap himself for his foolishness.
Suddenly, someone bumped into his shoulder.
Turning, Wang You Cai saw Shopkeeper Qian struggling to his feet, limping as he did.
“Stop dwelling on it. The immortal is gone,” Shopkeeper Qian said.
Wang You Cai looked toward Yu Zhao’s seat. Sure enough, it was empty.
For reasons he couldn’t explain, an overwhelming sense of loss engulfed him, like a heavy weight pressing on his chest.
Heavy?
Instinctively, Wang You Cai reached for his chest.
Spirit beads?!
A large pouch of spirit beads!
Tears flowed uncontrollably as he turned to the spot where Yu Zhao had sat and kowtowed three times.
“Thank you, Immortal, for saving my life twice. I vow to honor you with a lifelong shrine in gratitude for your kindness!”