Feng Shui Chapter 104: How to Sleep

Tong Nuonuo was stunned. “What? That Immortal Master Li is still alive?”

Han Yuanzhi nodded. “Indeed. He’s from the barbarian tribes, and naturally possesses some rather unorthodox methods. When the Zhong family was ambushed and eliminated, he managed to escape. Later, during the civil unrest in Hanshan City, he was suspected to have appeared again, secretly taking revenge on the Zhong family.”

Otherwise, the Zhong family wouldn’t have been wiped out so quickly. The Han family had originally planned to slowly close the net and lure out others with ulterior motives.

“Because of his barbarian bloodline and the fact that he’s now wanted by the Zhishi Hall, he harbors even more hatred for the world. You must be especially cautious during your training journey,” Han Yuanzhi added, turning specifically to Tong Nuonuo. “Especially you, Immortal Master Tong. Your entire squad perished, and you're the only one left who can recognize Li. If you run into him, he might try to kill you for that reason.”

That Immortal Master Li was a cultivator at the ninth level of the Golden Core stage. If their group encountered him, they might not stand a chance.

Xi Yunqing’s expression was grave. “We will be careful. Thank you for the warning, Chief Steward Han.”

Tong Nuonuo still found it hard to believe, but since Han Yuanzhi had said it himself, he had no choice but to accept it. He followed Xi Yunqing in thanking him for the reminder, and the three of them left the Han family estate.

As they followed a small path leading out of the village, Tong Nuonuo muttered, “So he didn’t die after all... No wonder there’s been no word of the young Black-Eyed Beast.”

Chen Xiao, walking a few steps ahead, turned back when he heard him. “That’s true. Even if it was just a juvenile ferocious beast, if it had been captured, there would have been some rumors in Hanshan City.”

Then he asked Xi Yunqing, “Big Brother, where do you think he could be hiding now?”

Xi Yunqing replied in a low voice, “Hard to say. Hanshan City was chaotic at the time, it would have been easy for him to slip into the shadows. And once he disguised himself, tracking him down became even harder. More importantly, with so much time having passed, he may not even be in Hanshan anymore. Since he’s on Zhishi Hall’s wanted list, he can’t use boats or teleportation gates, so he’s likely still somewhere within the Gengsheng Minor Heaven Realm. He might’ve already crossed the mountains and entered the mortal lands.”

A chill ran down Chen Xiao’s spine. He turned to Tong Nuonuo and asked, “What kind of person is this Immortal Master Li? Any distinctive features?”

Tong Nuonuo thought for a moment. “He’s really tall, probably stands out even among the barbarians. He has high brow bones, deep-set eyes, double eyelids, and his eyes have a bluish tint. His nose is sharp, cheekbones pronounced, and his face very angular. His lips are full and thick. Brother Wu once said his ears were slightly pointed, but he always wore a hat, so I never saw them. I just remember his hair was a bit curly.”

Tong Nuonuo had a good memory and gave a very detailed description. Instantly, an image formed in Chen Xiao’s mind: a tall, exotic-looking man with sharp features, blue eyes, and curly hair.

He asked, a little surprised, “Do people from these other races look so different from us? Is that why they’re called barbarians?”

Tong Nuonuo paused, then nodded. “Immortal Master Li’s appearance is definitely unlike most people under the Luocheng Major Heaven Realm. But looks like this aren’t uncommon in other realms. It’s said that appearance is shaped by the environment of each heaven realm, so there’s a lot of variation. Still, the reason they’re called barbarians isn’t just because they look different, it’s because we’re not even the same species.”

Chen Xiao was confused, but Xi Yunqing explained, “By ‘different species,’ we mean that even if men and women from the two races were to mate, they wouldn’t be able to produce viable offspring.”

Understanding dawned on Chen Xiao. So there was a reproductive barrier—it really did mean they weren’t the same species.

Earlier, he had noticed how Tong Nuonuo and Han Yuanzhi casually used the term “barbarian” when referring to others. Even if they didn’t mean it with malice, the tone carried a sense of superiority. It reflected a common prejudice among the cultivators toward other races, something that felt jarring to someone like Chen Xiao, who came from another world. Now that he knew the root cause, it made more sense.

Chen Xiao sighed lightly.

Xi Yunqing said, “Don’t worry, Xiao-di. This journey won’t be dangerous. I’ll do my best to protect you.”

Chen Xiao looked up and saw Xi Yunqing watching him with warm eyes. The heaviness in his chest seemed to melt away. He smiled. “Mm, thank you, Big Brother.”

Not to be outdone, Tong Nuonuo piped up, “Chen Xiao, I’ll protect you too!”

As he spoke, he swung his mechanism box from his back to his chest and began rummaging through it, pulling things out and stuffing them into Chen Xiao’s hands. “Look! These are bombs I’ve been working on, way more powerful than the last batch. And this…”

He pulled out the weapon Chen Xiao had used during their previous battle. “You named this the ‘mechanism hand-bow,’ right? I’ve improved it, greater range, wider coverage, and no blind spots. I even replaced the power source, so the firepower’s a lot stronger.”

Chen Xiao scrambled to catch everything being shoved at him, hurriedly packing the deeper-colored violet orbs into his storage box. Then he inspected the hand-bow, which still looked exactly like a folded umbrella.

Tong Nuonuo pointed and explained, “See this hidden compartment here? Right in the center.” With a gentle flick of his finger, a concealed panel popped open. “This holds a spirit pearl. Because of the increased power, it’ll burn through a pearl in about fifteen minutes of continuous fire. Make sure to replace it in time, or it’ll stop working.”

Chen Xiao held the enhanced hand crossbow, utterly impressed by Tong Nuonuo. If you gave him a bit of uranium, would he even be able to make an atomic bomb?

He tucked the crossbow into the top compartment of his storage box, placing it right next to the Thunder Drawing Talisman. That position made it easy to access, something that could come in handy in a critical moment. He could tell that Tong Nuonuo was trying his best to prove himself. Even though he kept chatting with Chen Xiao, it was also his way of showing Xi Yunqing that he wasn’t someone who would drag them down.

The pressure radiating from Xi Yunqing was far too intense, and Tong Nuonuo had always been a bit afraid to speak to him. After being sternly reprimanded outside Chen Xiao’s room that one time, he’d become even more intimidated. If he weren’t so reluctant to part with Chen Xiao as a friend, Tong Nuonuo wouldn’t have tagged along, Fellow Daoist Xi was getting scarier by the day.

Along the way, only Chen Xiao and Tong Nuonuo conversed. At first, Tong Nuonuo was explaining the mechanisms he had built, but the conversation gradually shifted into casual chatting. Tong Nuonuo told Chen Xiao where his sect was and how his master had brought him up the mountain to begin cultivating.

Tong Nuonuo was born into an ordinary, impoverished family in the Zhongtian Realm of Taichen. One day, while he was outside scribbling on the ground, his future master saw him. Sensing his aptitude for mechanisms, the master examined his bones and tested his spiritual roots, then immediately took him as a disciple. From then on, all his cultivation needs would be covered by his master, lifting the burden off his family. Tong Nuonuo had no hesitation and followed him up the mountain.

He was still quite young at the time, not even old enough to attend school. If he had already been enrolled, the teachers there would have discovered his outstanding spiritual roots, and his master wouldn’t have had the chance to "snatch" him.

His master was a well-known rogue cultivator and mechanism master in Taichen. He had risen to fame late and didn’t care much for appearances, so he’d never found a disciple to his liking. At first, others looked down on him; later, he became the one who looked down on them. Tong Nuonuo was practically raised by this master, who not only found the most suitable cultivation method for him but also passed down his lifetime of knowledge. Aside from being a bit stingy with materials, the master had hardly any flaws. Tong Nuonuo was deeply fond of him.

After Tong Nuonuo shared his past, Chen Xiao took the opportunity to tell the story of Hanwa’s life. From the beast disaster in his childhood, to losing his parents while fleeing, then settling in Fan Village with his uncle. When he grew older, he joined a trade caravan to make a living, only to be gravely injured in a savage beast attack and nearly died. After that came his own transmigration into this world, how he healed himself, and how he found work on the Antique Street.

It was the first time Chen Xiao had ever spoken about these things. At first, Xi Yunqing simply listened with a cold expression, but once Chen Xiao began talking about his past, Xi Yunqing immediately recognized the value of Tong Nuonuo’s presence. If it had just been the two of them, Chen Xiao would never have spoken so openly.

Tong Nuonuo was fascinated by Chen Xiao’s experiences on Antique Street, so Chen Xiao picked out a few stories of treasure hunting, ones he had encountered himself or heard from others, and shared them. Of course, he also slipped in a small tale of how he stumbled upon a feng shui inheritance and began learning it. His storytelling was vivid, nine parts truth, one part fiction, and Tong Nuonuo had no reason to doubt him.

After hearing about his knack for treasure hunting and his exceptional talent in identifying ancient relics from immortals, Tong Nuonuo couldn’t help but say, “So if the world knew that a feng shui master had such an advantage when it came to treasure hunting, no matter what kind of expedition it is, they’d be scrambling to bring one along. Just that alone would make sure feng shui masters hold a high position in any team.”

Chen Xiao paused. Now that he thought about it, that did seem to be the case. But then Tong Nuonuo laughed and added, “But right now, there’s only one, you, and you’re out here adventuring with us. No one else has a chance to find out.”

Their conversation flowed easily as they walked, yet their pace didn’t slow. By dusk, they had already reached the edge of the savage beast territory. Beyond that point lay the land of fierce beasts. To ensure they were in top condition for what lay ahead, Xi Yunqing decided they would camp for the night.

This time, thanks to a box of spirit coins gifted by the city lord, Tong Nuonuo had finally managed to buy some rations. On the first night of their expedition, the three of them ate only some dry food and drank a bit of water, a simple dinner.

When night fell, Chen Xiao took the first watch, followed by Xi Yunqing, then Tong Nuonuo. But when Chen Xiao finished his shift and swapped with Xi Yunqing to get some rest, a problem arose.

Without Du Rong there to remind him, Chen Xiao had only brought one blanket. It was summer transitioning into autumn, so the nighttime temperature wasn’t unbearable, but the dampness from the dew quickly seeped into his body, making him cold all over.

How was he supposed to sleep like this?