Beware Of Chicken v7c54: A Praiseworthy Accomplishment

We attempted a stroll through Dueling Town, though our progress was somewhat hindered. It soon became clear that our presence was causing a considerable stir. Every head turned as we ambled by, a spectacle amplified by the dragon casually trotting alongside us.

Fortunately, the townsfolk exhibited more curiosity than fear. While a certain nervousness was palpable, Washy’s amiable demeanor, even for a dragon, likely eased their jitters. His eyes, when fully open, possessed a round, almost fish-like quality, lending him a remarkably puppy-like air.

Washy was, admittedly, a very cute dragon. This was, of course, not something we’d ever voice to him; in our eyes, he was our valiant warrior, a creature of nobility and profound presence – a charming reptile!

Despite the outward calm, the situation was somewhat awkward for everyone involved. Our intended exploration of local life and town operations devolved into little more than an exhibition of people gawking at us. We therefore retreated to an upscale restaurant boasting a splendid viewing balcony, allowing the town to return to its normal rhythm. The restaurant’s staff had initially hesitated to let Babe ascend the stairs, concerned about his ability to navigate the descent. However, our cultivator’s renown and a talisman from the Azure Jade Trading Company swiftly settled their reservations.

Once afforded a proper vantage point, the perspective offered was truly striking. Meimei, Xiulan, and I positioned ourselves at the balcony’s edge, while Washy, Babe, and Suyan became engrossed in the menus.

“What a shame it is that Lord Magistrate and Lady Wu aren't here to witness this splendid sight,” Meimei remarked with a smile, her gaze sweeping across the surroundings. She was currently holding Zhuye, giving Suyan a moment of respite.

“I believe he will certainly gain some inspiration,” I concurred, taking in the panorama.

During my previous visit, the town was still in the process of recovering from a fierce cultivator conflict. The prevailing atmosphere had been somber, the populace subdued and uncertain. Even the unscathed sections of Dueling Town exuded a certain listlessness, as if their potential remained largely untapped. According to Xiulan, the population had been predominantly transient, drawn solely for the tournament. Those who remained scarcely outnumbered the inhabitants of Verdant Hill, a remarkably small populace for the expansive Grass Sea region.

There had simply been insufficient enticement to encourage long-term residency.

This situation underwent a dramatic transformation with the arrival of thousands of cultivators seeking permanent settlement, accompanied by their numerous servants. Consequently, individuals who had previously been temporary visitors found compelling reasons to stay year-round. Dueling Town had unequivocally shed its former status as a mere town and was poised to become the newest city in the province.

This influx of people necessitated a rapid and comprehensive restructuring of the entire town. I could barely recognize the place, despite having been here less than two years prior. The town metamorphosed from the slightly peculiar, manufactured ambiance characteristic of resort destinations into a vibrant hub of activity. The repairs I recalled had acquired just enough weathering to appear organic, and new construction had reshaped the skyline. The entire locale, much like the towering mountain at its heart, pulsed with a palpable energy.

However, the most significant transformation was evident in the public works. Pristine, and crucially, flowing water now graced every street. Residents filled their canteens from wall-mounted spigots, found respite near ornate fountains, and children, in particular, reveled in what appeared to be a purpose-built splash area. One of the wider channels even contained a submerged water wheel, its vigorous flow sufficient to operate a nearby mill.

The gardens, previously concentrated near the cultivators’ district, had expanded exponentially, blanketing the town in verdant splendor. Citizens diligently tended to vegetables in their backyards and adorned poles with baskets of vibrant flowers, which, augmented by glowstones, provided continuous illumination to the streets after dark.

The overall effect was breathtakingly beautiful, further enhancing the majestic presence of the mountain at the town’s center.

“Was this by deliberate design, or did the populace simply begin implementing these changes organically?” I inquired of Xiulan.

“A bit of both, really, but the majority stemmed from a collaborative effort between the Dueling Peaks Restoration Commission and the town itself, with the primary concepts originating from Gou Ren and Delun. Their justification was that as the Dueling Peaks Restoration Commission, their purview extended to the town surrounding the peaks,” she explained, a smile gracing her lips as she surveyed the scene. “Though it proved somewhat less amusing for the town magistrate. He was rather taken aback when Huizhong assigned this responsibility to him—he typically prefers to remain uninvolved in cultivator affairs and is usually content to let Huizhong manage matters, merely providing his formal approval. Most believe

“The magistrate is actually in charge of the town. He wasn’t entirely prepared for Huizhong to make him our point of contact. He just kind of… agreed to everything. Gou Ren also has rather extreme ideas of what magistrates can accomplish. I think I saw the man’s soul leave his body when he realized how much work he was going to have to do now. He got it done eventually, but I was getting rather worried for his health by the end….”

“That’s pretty funny. Though I suppose when you think Teacher is the norm, it makes sense,” I said, shaking my head. Everyone else chuckled. Really, thinking competent government officials were the norm was the power of the Lord Magistrate. “Still, you guys have done an amazing job.”

I turned to Xiulan, my words full of admiration. Man, I don’t think I could ever do something like this myself…

“It has been a very interesting time,” Xiulan agreed. “Everything is changing so much, and not just on the surface. And so much of it is thanks to you. Your words reached people’s hearts, Jin.”

I paused and blinked at her warm smile. “My words?” I asked, confused.

“You told them if they broke something, they had to fix it. That was the bridge,” Xiulan continued on. “The Grand Ravine Sect makes the ropes for the cranes. The Framed Sun Sect has done half the store signs you can see. The Rumbling Earth Sect is repairing roads. The people they helped… so many continued to speak with them. Continued to work with them—and look, you see there?”

She gestured and I turned to look where she was pointing. Her finger was directed at a pottery studio located not too far away. There, an obvious cultivator was standing outside, talking to an old man. The woman had a lovely butterfly hairpin. “Yinxia Qiao is there, to learn how to make pottery herself. She treats old potter Shu like her grandfather. They changed their maker's stamp to a butterfly, just this year.”

I paused. “It can’t have had much of an effect,” I murmured.

Xiulan reached out, and squeezed my hand. She looked out over the town.

“We were trying so hard to be cultivators, to distance ourselves from the mortals because we were so close to them. We wanted so much to be something more. To stride in the heavens and seize them, when we knew we couldn’t. We were told the powerful cared little for the opinions of their lessers. That the great heroes acted, and everyone else had to accommodate them.” She turned back to me, her smile having never wavered. “And then the most powerful man we have ever known walks among those people out there. He lets the dirt stain his clothes, and he bows his head before those ‘lessers’ because he harmed them. How could we ever say it was the domain of the weak, of those lesser to us, when one so high above helps without hesitation?”

I felt my face heat up, and I searched for something to explain it away. This wasn’t… this was accomplishment. I hadn’t helped that much…had I?

Xiulan’s warm smile changed to something teasing.

“Look at this, so quick to praise others, yet he cannot take praise himself! I think we have to work on such a weakness, don’t we, sister?” Xiulan asked.

Meimei pressed in from the side. “Fix it? We must exploit it mercilessly,” Meimei said with a devilish grin. “Look! He's very cute when his face goes red!”

My face was burning red. It was at most.

“Oh? You are right. A most comely expression. I shall have it on his face as much as possible,” Xiulan said, leaning closer and sandwiching me between Mei. They bumped fists behind my back, and then both of them started poking me in my sides, trying to provoke more of a reaction.

I crossed my arms and turned my nose up. “You shall both regret earning the ire of this Great Expert,” I growled.

Both of them burst into giggles.

“Hmph,” I grumbled to myself.

Tianlan’s voice came, sounding like butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth.

“Goodness.”

There was nowhere to retreat to, not even my own mind. Bombarded from all sides, I staggered back to the table and slumped over it, hoping that this show of defeat would end this ruthless assault. I looked up to Washy. The dragon looked back at me.

“You’re an absolutely amazing cook, boss; your creations are genius,” Washy said, a massive, shit-eating grin on his face.

“Nonsense,” Babe said.

Suyan reached out, and then hesitantly patted my shoulder. I appreciated the gesture. But then I realized that it was to get close enough to twist the knife.

“Of all the Masters this Su Suyan has served, Master Jin is the best, and there is no contest; if possible, this one would serve you for the rest of her days,” Suyan said sincerely… but I saw the slight upturn of her lips.

The maid tossed the ball in the air.

“Dada Bes’!” and Zhuye dunked it.

I sighed.

The bees also buzzed something. I caught the word 'honey' before I tuned them out along with Xiulan, Meimei, and Tianlan’s laughter.

Tianlan, though, I truly hated.

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Post-lunch, our group adopted disguises. Suyan retrieved Washy’s jar, transforming the dragon into a fish, while Mei and I shed our outer garments, causing Suyan’s ears to vanish. Babe, an ox, required no alteration to blend in with the other bovines ambling through the streets. Xiulan offered a cheerful farewell, returning to her own responsibilities for the time being.

With our new appearances, we ventured into the town.

This time, we passed by with hardly a notice. A few cultivators cast bewildered glances our way, but they were merely indulging in idle curiosity. Such gawking was to be expected.

As we walked, I had a specific destination in mind.

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Ye Shun’s brow furrowed in deep contemplation. He felt a strong urge to seek out this Master Rou, to witness firsthand the prowess of someone so far above his own level, and to futilely attempt to gauge their strength.

A companion had mentioned that the man had entered a restaurant accompanied by the Grand Marshal. Ye Shun had waited, but as far as he knew, the man never emerged.

For a fleeting moment, he detected a subtle presence, yet the throngs outside the establishment obscured his vision. The only other figure that drew his attention was a maidservant, whose narrowed eyes were reminiscent of a monstrous being he had encountered previously in Pale Moon Lake City.

However, this woman exhibited no beastly characteristics. Her squint appeared to be merely a facial trait. Furthermore, it was one thing to serve a Lord Magistrate, but another to imagine a powerful fox-maid attending to a prosperous farmer—a highly improbable scenario.

Unlikely.

Thus, Ye Shun returned to his estate, his current frustration mounting.

He settled down to meditate, aiming to cleanse his mind of these vexing emotions. A clear state of thought was essential for his upcoming meeting with fellow unaffiliated cultivators that evening.

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Finding the place was an easy task. This particular street had undergone significant transformation, yet the shop itself remained unchanged.

It was the very establishment I had inadvertently demolished during my initial visit. A modest, family-run business situated on the city's outskirts.

This was the first shop within the town to be restored by a cultivator.

Commerce appeared to be flourishing, with the shop bustling with customers. Chaoxiang stood at the entrance, engaging with patrons and negotiating prices with a broad smile. His wife, presumably, worked behind the counter, diligently packaging purchases for the clientele.

The final individual assisting at the counter was also engaged in packing orders—albeit at a much slower pace, carefully counting items and gradually learning the workflow.

Ning, now two years older, was experiencing a growth spurt, transitioning from childhood to the awkward, gangly phase just before adolescence.

Ning’s eyes widened as she spotted me, her expression shifting to one of delighted surprise.

“Mister Freckles?” she inquired, her face breaking into a radiant smile.

“Hey kiddo,” I responded warmly.

We spent a delightful period conversing with the family, enjoying a wonderful afternoon in Dueling Town.

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Edited by: Massgamer, BargleNawdleZouss,