Bamboo Mound

After only a cursory glance, Ning Chang made his decision. At two taels of silver, buying such a large map was definitely not a bad deal.

Of course, it doesn't matter if I lose money; it's just a small amount of ordinary silver.

"This is it, two taels of silver. Check it, keep the change."

He rolled up the map, placed two silver coins on the counter, and turned to leave.

"Hey! Sir!"

Just as he was about to leave, the shop owner called out to him.

"Huh? What's wrong?" Ning Chang turned around in confusion.

The shopkeeper had finished verifying the money and put it under the counter.

He was bowing and smiling, rubbing his hands together as he said, "Hehe, this gentleman is very generous; he must be someone who will make a fortune."

"However, this map is quite large, and I'm sure it's inconvenient for you to carry. Our shop can cut the map to size for free, which will make things easier for you!"

"Um... okay."

After a moment's thought, Ning Chang agreed with his boss.

After all, once he left the city, he would only look at it once before tearing it apart, leaving only the journey to the capital of Wangzhou.

The map scroll was put back on the counter, and the person chatting with the owner also skillfully took a few steps back and stood aside.

Then the shopkeeper found two smooth stones, a wooden ruler, and a short dagger in the back room.

He spread the map out from the beginning, weighed the edges down with stones, then casually placed the wooden ruler on it, and with a swift stroke of his short dagger, a cut appeared on the map.

I didn't think much of it when I only looked at a little bit before, but now that it's spread out, I realize that the counter can't even fit 20% of that map!

Although the boss had a measuring tool, he didn't use it at all. He simply sketched a line on the map and immediately swung his dagger.

However, the cut-out map pieces were all symmetrical, each about half a meter in length and width. They were stacked together with the help of the person next to them, and there was not a single abrupt thing about them!

"That's a really good technique!"

As I marveled, the words in my heart blurted out.

"Hehe, that's right! If I can't even cut a map evenly, then all the money I've put into running this shop for over thirty years has been wasted!"

The boss, his hands still busy, replied with a smile, his face full of pride.

The people who were helping to stack the maps also burst out laughing.

Before long, the boss arranged the cut maps in order, bound them together into a book, and then handed them to Ning Chang.

After accepting the map, and seeing the shopkeeper continue chatting, Ning Chang turned and left the general store.

He did not intend to inquire about the Wang Zhou Kingdom sect in this city.

After all, it's a small border town with no spiritual energy fluctuations, so you can't ask them anything.

"Next, let's go to the capital of Wangzhou. We'll rest and recuperate there and then ask about the direction of our sect."

"However... it's difficult if there are no sects within or around this country."

Soon, after leaving the fields of Lingcheng, he took out the map to confirm the direction again, changed his clothes, and hurried north.

Although the map is large, it does not contain any records of special locations. The mountains are only marked with their boundaries and names, and the rest are just cities and villages.

Along the way, Ning Chang crossed mountains whenever he encountered them and avoided entering cities, continuing straight along the road.

This is no desolate area. Any spiritual treasures found in the mountains have already been taken by others, so going up here again would be a waste of time.

The city doesn't need repair, so there's no need to enter. Just look at the city name and compare it with the map to avoid going the wrong way.

Wangzhou was indeed quite large; Ning Chang could travel to three or five cities and countless villages in a single day.

Even so, it still took him a full thirteen days to reach Wangzhou City!

Although it was noon, Ning Chang found an inn and went to sleep for a while.

Although he didn't feel physically tired, the rapid movement over the past thirteen days had already made him dizzy and unable to see clearly.

Even by noon the next day, Ning Chang was still somewhat disoriented when he woke up, and his steps were slightly unsteady.

When I got downstairs, I called the waiter over and ordered some side dishes and a pot of wine. Then I sat down at a small table against the wall.

When the food and wine were served, he ate some food casually, and occasionally pretended to drink while pouring half a pot of wine into his spatial bag.

Finally, he pretended to be very drunk and lay face down on the table, listening to the conversations coming from other tables.

He already had a bad voice, so he always maintained the habit of not drinking alcohol. This time, he was just pretending to drink for the sake of acting.

As for having a clean face without any flushing from alcohol, not everyone blushes when drinking, and besides, it's not something you can fake physiologically.

This is the restaurant closest to the main gate of the capital, with an inn upstairs and located on the main road of the capital. With such good attributes, it would be hard for it to fail!

Therefore, even just staying for one day cost one or two taels of silver!

However, it's also a good place to gather information... "Probably."

Ning Chang thought so.

"At least that's how it's written in novels. You just find a restaurant, sit down, and all the information you want will come to you."

He even went to great lengths to act drunk in order to make himself seem less suspicious.

He suddenly came up with the plan when he went downstairs, and then, while acting, he ate food and pretended to drink.

Only after lying down did I relax and begin to listen to the sounds inside the restaurant.

"...When it comes to grandeur, it has to be Master Zhang!"

"...That's such a loss! I had an upset stomach yesterday and couldn't go!"

"Me too! Those were six whole plays by Mr. Lin!"

"Um... gentlemen, who is this Mr. Lin you're talking about? What's so special about his acting?"

"Hmm~ Judging from your appearance, you're new to this capital city, so it's normal that you're unfamiliar with it. Since I'm happy, I'll explain it to you."

"You old man! We didn't even get to see the show, and you're making us happy!"

At this point, the noise inside the restaurant decreased significantly, as if everyone was waiting for the man to continue.

Ning Chang, however, unconsciously frowned.

It wouldn't hurt if this person talked about Mr. Lin, the opera singer; he wasn't interested in that.

However, because of what he said, three cultivators at a table not far away, who were at the Spirit Fusion Realm, also stopped talking.

He also hoped that during their conversation, some information would be revealed, or that they could find some places to go.

Just as he was pondering, the man who had been called "Old Deng" started speaking again, mimicking the tone of a storyteller.

"Mr. Lin's real name is Lin Yumeng, and she is one of the most famous actresses in Wangzhou City!"

"With a fair complexion and striking good looks, she was born with a beautiful voice, and her singing, recitation, acting and martial arts were all superb."

Everyone present, without exception, remained quietly in place after listening to her music, still savoring the experience even after an hour had passed.

"It's also because I'm not well-educated. Even if I could critique all the actors in Wangzhou, I still wouldn't be able to explain the merits of Mr. Lin's singing."

"However, to hear Mr. Lin perform, you not only need some money, but also a bit of luck!"

"It's true that the Evergreen Theater has shows every day, but when Mr. Lin will perform depends entirely on her mood."