Chapter 95: Gain is Fortune, Loss is Fate

Sixteen days later, outside Juntian Prefecture in Yizhou, a man with a loosely tied topknot and a blue robe was making his way. It was Ji Yuan, who had been meandering leisurely on his journey.

When Ji Yuan first left Ning'an County, he had packed some undergarments and two outer robes. The grey set had ripped at the armpit two days prior, so he had been wearing the blue one ever since.

These two robes had surprisingly grown on Ji Yuan, much like a well-worn undershirt from his previous life. It was very old, worn for many years, and held no monetary value, yet it was so comfortable that he loved wearing it at home and never once considered discarding it.

Likewise, Ji Yuan had no intention of discarding the grey robe. He was even pondering whether to buy a sewing kit to try and mend the tear under the armpit himself.

At that moment, Ji Yuan still carried his grey satchel and oil-paper umbrella. The Green Vine Sword was strapped to his back as he walked along at a leisurely pace. The wooden box, which contained precious golden silk nanmu wood in his previous life, had long since been pawned for three hundred copper coins in a previous county. In this life, it was simply a good material for scholar's desk ornaments, but its small quantity prevented it from fetching a high price.

Juntian Prefecture loomed closer, and naturally, the flow of people on the main road increased. Besides horse-drawn and ox-drawn carriages, there were quite a few solitary travelers like Ji Yuan.

As one of Yizhou's twelve prefectures, Juntian Prefecture actually possessed no distinctive features; it was rather unremarkable. It paled in comparison to the renowned Chunhui Prefecture in Jizhou. Even though it had once produced Zuo Kuangtu, the 'world's foremost madman,' his reputation was confined largely to the martial arts world, and many years had passed since then.

Compared to Ji Yuan's previous life, this world was one where memories faded more easily. The limitations on information dissemination and storage were sufficient to make a renowned martial arts master from decades past vanish without a trace.

With the decline of the Zuo family, most of the younger generation in the martial arts world nowadays are even unaware that there was once a supreme master arrogant enough to proclaim himself a Sword Immortal. Even fewer people can 'unearth old records' to delve into the past; perhaps only a small handful of storytellers still remember some classic old tales.

As he approached the city gate, the clamor from within repeatedly assailed Ji Yuan's eardrums. For days now, whether due to the Samadhi True Fire or the slight increase in his magical power after its tempering, Ji Yuan had a recurring illusion that his eyesight had improved slightly. He was attempting to use his vision to discern any true enhancement, but unfortunately, everything remained a blur.

"Steamed buns, get your steamed buns! Freshly baked and hot! One copper coin each!"

No sooner had he entered the city than a vendor carrying his goods on a pole walked past the city gate. The vendor's cries drew Ji Yuan's gaze, and through the blur, he could discern that the man was not short.

He happened to notice that while the man's qi wasn't demonic, it possessed a unique quality. After a moment's thought, he quickly hurried a few steps to follow.

"Excuse me, elder brother, may I have two steamed buns?"

"Coming right up!"

Hearing a customer, the vendor promptly set down his pole and waited for Ji Yuan. He then lifted the cover of his specialized bun container, and a plume of hot steam rose, creating the distinct impression of freshly removed steamed buns from a steamer.

"Here you are, esteemed sir. You seem to be from outside the city. Our steamed buns and flatbreads are made with great care and are truly delicious."

Ji Yuan inhaled the buns' aroma, nodded as he accepted them, paid, and took a bite. He immediately praised the vendor, saying, "Excellent taste!"

The vendor smiled, hoisted his pole, and continued on his way, calling out his wares as he walked.

However, Ji Yuan, still munching on his bun, followed close behind, walking alongside the vendor and eating, which puzzled the seller carrying his pole.

"Pardon me, esteemed sir, but why are you always following me?"

"Oh, I'm new to Juntian Prefecture and don't have anywhere particular in mind, so I thought I'd walk with you. How far do you typically walk each day with your pole, my friend?"

The esteemed sir's reply amused the bun seller; he had never encountered such a customer before.

"I carry my pole and sell buns at midday and in the evening. When business is good, I sell out after just half a street. But when it's slow, I've had days where I walked through nearly half the prefecture city."

"My, elder brother, you certainly have strong legs!"

"Heh heh, just trying to make a living! Steamed buns! Fresh from the oven!"

After every few sentences of conversation, the vendor would suddenly shout his wares. A short while later, Ji Yuan had finished his two steamed buns and pulled out two more copper coins, indicating he wished to buy more.

"Elder brother, two more!"

"Ah, esteemed sir, are you following me just because you like them hot?"

"Hahaha, precisely!"

Ji Yuan chatted idly with the vendor, asking about the Zuo family while also subtly probing into the vendor's personal situation.

A half-hour later, the vendor grew a little anxious. This esteemed sir was still trailing him and had already consumed at least a dozen steamed buns.

His appetite wasn't extraordinarily large, but the repeated purchases of two buns at a time, all while casually chatting as they walked, was beginning to feel unsettling.

"Esteemed sir... these are my last two buns. What if I just give them to you?"

At a street corner, in front of a shop selling scholar's desk ornaments, the vendor spoke with a cautious, ingratiating smile, clearly worried that Ji Yuan would continue to follow him even after eating the buns.

As if he had been waiting for those very words, Ji Yuan immediately smiled.

"Haha... that would indeed be kind, but wouldn't that be taking advantage of you, my friend? How about this: I'll write a few characters for you instead?"

"Eh?"

"But you must save those buns for me, and you must faithfully wait for me right here!"

"Uh... alright!"

While the vendor was still somewhat dazed, Ji Yuan, without taking the buns, walked straight into the neighboring shop. The shop owner, who had been reading an essay, quickly offered a warm greeting upon seeing Ji Yuan enter.

"What can I show you, esteemed guest? We have fine inkstones and wolf-hair brushes, renowned fragrant ink, and paperweights..."

"Excuse me, shopkeeper, how much for a single sheet of Xuan paper?"

The shopkeeper seemed taken aback.

"You only wish to buy one sheet, esteemed guest?"

"Yes, how much for one sheet of Xuan paper?"

The shopkeeper's enthusiasm visibly diminished, and he returned to the counter.

"A standard one-foot sheet of ordinary Xuan paper made from flower and wood pulp is two copper coins. Larger sheets are more expensive. Finely crafted Xuan paper from qingtan bark is significantly pricier, it would be..."

"That's fine, shopkeeper, just the most ordinary one..."

A single sheet of paper was worth two buns – what a coincidence. Ji Yuan took out three copper coins and placed them on the counter.

"Shopkeeper, may I use a brush from your shop to write a few characters?"

The shopkeeper cast a quick glance at Ji Yuan, then surveyed him from head to toe. He took a sheet of Xuan paper, placed it on the counter, and only took two copper coins. He then gestured towards the brushes on the rack beside him and the inkstone, saying:

"I, too, am a scholar. Please, feel free to use them, esteemed guest!"

Ji Yuan smiled, pocketed his remaining copper coin, then picked up the brush, inhaled the ink's fragrance, and carefully dipped it into the inkstone. Standing by the counter, he then began to write on the one-foot sheet of Xuan paper.

With a twist of the wolf-hair brush, a line of characters formed: the four bold characters 'Evil cannot overcome righteousness' were written in a single, fluid stroke.

"Thank you very much!"

Ji Yuan returned the brush, then took the paper, blew on it to dry the ink, and exited the shop. The shop owner, mouth slightly agape, stood stunned for a moment before quickly rushing out after him. The characters Ji Yuan had just written were extraordinarily good, quite astonishing; only a true calligraphy master could produce such work!

When Ji Yuan emerged from the shop, sure enough, the vendor had already run off with his pole. Ji Yuan merely stood still, glancing at the distant street corner, with no intention of giving chase.

"Heh... I truly have too much time on my hands..."

As Ji Yuan murmured to himself, the shop owner, lifting the hem of his robe, ran out from the shop.

"Esteemed guest! Esteemed guest, please wait!"

"Esteemed guest, I have excellent qingtan Xuan paper in my shop; I could offer you some. I wonder if you would be willing to leave behind a piece of your calligraphy!"

Ji Yuan turned to look at the shopkeeper's expectant face and casually handed over the paper, its ink still wet.

"This one is for you. How about returning the two copper coins to me?"

"But... how can I do that!"

The shopkeeper, overjoyed, carefully accepted the paper, cradling it in his hands for a closer look. The more he examined it, the more he admired it, even feeling as if he could perceive a profound artistic conception within the characters.

"The two copper coins!"

"Oh, oh, oh, esteemed guest, please wait, please wait!"

The shopkeeper quickly hurried back to the counter to retrieve the money, but instead of two copper coins, he grabbed a small handful of silver fragments and rushed out of the shop, offering them to Ji Yuan with both hands.

Ji Yuan smiled and casually accepted the silver. He didn't decline or insist on merely two copper coins; he wasn't so rigid.

"Alright, that's fair!"

With that, he walked away without looking back, not even knowing the name of the shop. The shopkeeper, though, still couldn't bring himself to brazenly ask Ji Yuan to write anything more or to leave his signature.

Then, with a beaming smile, he returned to the shop to savor the four bold characters on the one-foot Xuan paper. The more he looked, the more profound they seemed, and he felt an overwhelming urge to copy them.

"This calligraphy must be mounted! It absolutely must be framed!"