Chapter 33: A Dream Faintly Unaware

After hearing the full story of the incident, Ji Yuan, though still feeling a lingering sense of dread, couldn't help but crack a joke.

"I guess I'm the last unlucky one in this Ju'an Small Pavilion."

The old City God also chuckled.

"Hahahaha, Mr. Ji, you jest! Encountering you, Sir, it was that evil entity who had the bad luck!"

After saying this, the old City God looked at Ji Yuan, who was chewing on a bean paste cake, and hesitated for a moment before asking a question.

"May I ask where Mr. Ji comes from, and what brings you to my Ning'an County?"

Here it comes, the existential question!

Ji Yuan had anticipated this question, but he had no idea how to answer. He certainly couldn't talk about his previous life, and he himself wanted to know what had happened to this beggar before he became him. As for why he came to Ning'an County, it seemed he had nowhere else to go for the time being.

Ji Yuan smiled awkwardly, not knowing where to begin. This matter concerned his greatest secret, so it was better left unsaid.

The old City God saw that Ji Yuan merely smiled at the question and remained silent, understanding that he probably didn't want to elaborate.

"It's fine, Mr. Ji. If you don't wish to speak, then don't. You are unconstrained, natural, modest, and polite, and you have shown kindness to my Ning'an County. That alone is enough."

From Ji Yuan's perspective, the City God had invited him here partly to express gratitude and partly to probe his background, though the latter was somewhat optional.

"By the way, Mr. Ji, do you intend to reside permanently in my Ning'an County?"

This was a question Ji Yuan could answer.

"Unless there are other unforeseen circumstances, I will be staying temporarily in Ning'an County for a period."

Ji Yuan thought for a moment and felt it would be better to be more candid. Although he believed that an entity like the old City God should be able to see things clearly, he continued to add, just in case:

"In fact, I am not some accomplished master. It was merely by chance that I was fortunate enough to injure that evil spirit. There are many things I wish to ask the City God about."

"Mr. Ji, please speak freely."

Ji Yuan's first statement was directly ignored. An unassuming appearance without any visible spiritual power or divine light meant nothing, and accidentally injuring an evil entity by chance was still very difficult. That was an entity born from Earthly Fiend energy, not just any random wandering ghost or malevolent spirit.

"I wonder if the City God knows anything about the cultivation methods in this world? The kind for humans, that is!"

Ji Yuan asked nervously, specifically adding a clarification. After all, what truly captivated him in this world? Wasn't it these miraculous and magnificent things, this longing to fly, burrow through the earth, and achieve eternal life?

The old City God frowned and pondered seriously for a moment.

"I, Song, am merely the City God of a small county. The path of incense and golden body cultivation that I follow relies on the prayers and wishes of common people. I have no need for ordinary Qi-cultivation and immortal cultivation methods, so I naturally don't possess any precious true cultivation techniques. However, as for mortal martial arts, I do have some within my jurisdiction in the underworld."

Ji Yuan was immediately greatly disappointed. No cultivation techniques, then.

"However, while I don't have true profound methods, I do know a little about common ways of guiding Qi. But these methods are quite rudimentary, and I'm afraid they would be of no use to Mr. Ji, would they?"

How could they be useless? They're better than nothing!

"To be frank, I don't even possess such rudimentary techniques. If it's convenient for the City God, may I borrow them to read? And, yes, I'd also like to take a look at those mortal martial arts techniques!"

*'I've already done you a great service, so you wouldn't refuse such a small request, would you, old man?'*

Although Ji Yuan was blind, he stared motionlessly at the old City God, making the latter feel an inexplicable and strange sense of being watched.

"Ah, Mr. Ji, if you wish to see them, there's no difficulty at all. I will personally arrange for the books to be prepared and sent to Ju'an Small Pavilion."

Ji Yuan was delighted.

"Excellent, excellent! Thank you, City God!"

This old City God was quite approachable, and with a major concern partially resolved, Ji Yuan also wanted to ask about other things—matters difficult for mortals to know.

"City God, to your knowledge, what immortal abodes, sects, spiritual mountains, and great marshes exist these days? And, um, what qualifications or conditions do they require to accept disciples?"

Ji Yuan asked very humbly, while the old City God found it a bit strange. Why did Mr. Ji keep asking such common knowledge questions?

*'Could this person truly be, as he claims, not some great master?'*

However, regardless of the person's true origins, the fact remained that he had helped Ning'an County. So what if the questions were strange or about common knowledge?

The old City God relaxed, stroked his beard, and after some thought, slowly replied.

"My Ning'an County is a small, sparsely populated place, tucked away in a corner. We have very few sources of information from the outside world. To my knowledge, there are no immortal sect abodes within Desheng Prefecture, where Ning'an County is located. In the entire Jizhou region, the dominant power is only Jade Embrace Mountain. It is rumored that Jade Embrace Mountain even holds a Mountain Consecration Talisman, capable of bestowing divinity upon a mountain, though I do not know if this is true or false. Of course, there are certainly some minor sects and unorthodox practitioners in Jizhou. As for how they accept disciples, I, Song, genuinely do not know. And regarding matters of other prefectures and nations, please forgive my limited knowledge. There is a saying passed down in texts: 'In the deep clouds, the Immortal Cloud Island is unknown; the peerless sharpness lies in Long Sword Mountain...'"

Ji Yuan was still astonished by the mention of Jade Embrace Mountain. A Consecration Talisman? Bestowing mountain divinity?

"What about the Heavenly Court?"

Ji Yuan blurted out the question almost as soon as the old City God paused.

"Heavenly Court? I wonder what immortal abode Mr. Ji is referring to?"

The old City God frowned. It sounded like something very significant, daring to use 'Heaven' as a backdrop and 'Court' as its crown.

Ji Yuan immediately realized: there's no Heavenly Court here?

He had originally thought there would be a Heavenly Court, given the existence of City Gods and the mention of mountain god consecrations. But now it seemed there wasn't. So, the so-called immortals here were merely what mortals perceived as immortals, then?

He still needed to brush off the old City God's question.

"Oh, nothing. That was just a powerful immortal abode I once heard about, one that could also consecrate mountain and water deities. Please don't mind, City God..."

"I see. It must be extraordinary!"

*'Yes, indeed, extraordinarily so. It would scare you to death if I told you!'*

After evading the topic of the Heavenly Court, Ji Yuan asked many more questions about the cultivation world, covering topics like demons, monsters, and ghosts. By subtly probing, he gathered that there was no unified hell or similar entity apart from the various local City God's underworlds, and even their interconnectedness seemed vague and very weak.

Overall, while this information gave Ji Yuan some understanding of the cultivation world, it also raised more questions. Furthermore, the old City God's knowledge was indeed limited.

Ji Yuan frowned and pondered for a long time. His mind was a bit muddled, so he decided to set these matters aside for now. Worrying about such grand things when he was just starting out was pointless; it was better to understand other basics first.

After calming himself, Ji Yuan spoke again.

"I still wish to ask some foolish questions; I hope the City God will not laugh at me."

"Please speak freely. I, Song, will tell you everything I know!"

After so many questions, the old City God was growing accustomed to it.

"I would like to ask, what country are we in, what dynasty and era is this, and what is the situation in other countries? Also, how many dynastic changes have occurred throughout history?"

This question...

The old City God was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, and then his expression became inexplicably serious.

It was one thing for him to know nothing about strange mountains, immortal abodes, and cultivation matters, but now he was even asking about mundane things like dynasties and countries?

The former were indeed beyond the reach of ordinary people, but the latter would be known by anyone with a bit of education or even common sense.

Did Ji Yuan lack knowledge or common sense? From their previous interactions, the old City God knew that Mr. Ji was certainly not uneducated. He spoke clearly and logically, and his words and actions were polite. Furthermore, in their casual conversations, he had shown unique and insightful perspectives on many matters.

It was impossible to claim that such a person had never read books; it was just that his speaking habits were sometimes a bit peculiar.

Suddenly, the old City God thought of a possibility, and his body trembled slightly.

During Song Shichang's lifetime, when he was still an imperial official, he had once read a collection of strange tales about immortals and monsters. Although it was written by a mortal relying on imagination, the stories were fascinating and remained vivid in Song Shichang's memory to this day.

One story began with a sentence: "Awakening with a hearty laugh to play, oblivious that a thousand years passed in a dream!"

"City God, City God?"

Ji Yuan called out twice. Why had the City God spaced out? Had he asked too foolish a question?

"Ah!? Oh, oh, Mr. Ji, please allow me to explain!"

The old City God didn't even notice that he had unconsciously changed his tone of voice.