Chapter 252 - 150: "Five Pieces, Not One Less.

Chapter 252: Chapter 150: "Five Pieces, Not One Less.

...

Soon—

Not long after it vanished, the Nine-Five Dragon Carriage reappeared in the same spot. In full view of the onlookers, it began laying the track again. The starting point was still Mortal City, with Copper Pipes sinking into the ground one after another.

Fast and efficient.

It sparked a wave of discussion, as no one knew where the track was headed.

Judging by the direction, it was heading deep into the Jiangbei Wilderness.

「Five hours later.」

Night had fallen. The Nine-Five Dragon Carriage came to a stop, for the eternal night was about to descend. Chen Fan quickly fashioned a Ghost Fire, placed it beside the carriage, and stepped out to stretch his limbs.

It was a Level 1 Ghost Fire.

Its range wasn’t very large, but it was enough to move around in.

’I’m still not used to this.’

Chen Fan stretched in place, his gaze fixed on the darkness beyond the Ghost Fire’s light. In all this time, it was his first night spent out in the open.

He could delegate other tasks to people, but laying this railway was something he truly had to do himself.

He had been busy for a full five hours, laying 150 kilometers of track in one go with hardly a break. It seemed like a long distance, but in reality, they were still within the Jiangbei Wilderness.

He hadn’t even left Jiangbei yet.

Another 170 kilometers of construction were needed to reach the border between Jiangbei and Jiangnan.

The southernmost part of Jiangbei was a vast desert. South of the desert lay a great river, and Jiangnan was on the other side.

He didn’t plan to cut straight through the desert.

Even though it was the shortest route, the desert terrain was too difficult for laying the Copper Pipes.

This route angled toward the eastern side of Jiangbei, bypassing the desert, crossing the great river, and then heading straight for Jiangnan.

Normally, people traveling from Jiangnan to Jiangbei wouldn’t pass through the desert, as neither regular carriages nor Skeleton Horses could traverse the sand.

They all went around the desert to the east and then crossed the river to get to Jiangbei.

Lame Monkey had already started a fire and was boiling a pot of soup over it.

Hey Hey lay nearby, looking around with curiosity. The fear in its eyes was replaced by a hint of excitement about the outside world.

This was Hey Hey’s first time leaving Nameless Mountain and venturing into the outside world.

Since its illness was cured, Hey Hey hadn’t been so timid. However, a lifetime of cowardice had left its mark, and it still wasn’t very brave.

That’s right. He had brought Hey Hey along as well.

And since he’d brought it, it naturally had a purpose.

...

「At daybreak.」

Chen Fan set out once again to lay the track. As he passed a Mortal Realm station, he used a Sound Transmission Talisman to contact Wang Kui, who was standing guard back in the Realm.

After confirming that nothing unusual had happened in the Mortal Realm the previous day, he continued his work with peace of mind.

This day, he worked for six hours, laying another 170 kilometers of track. He finally stopped by a bridge where many merchant caravans were passing through. A great river separated Jiangbei and Jiangnan, and this river was spanned by several bridges.

These bridges were all Buildings.

They were not man-made.

And they were sturdy enough.

At its widest points, the great river stretched seventy to eighty meters across, while at its narrowest, it was only ten to twenty meters. Here, where they stood, the water was forty meters wide.

The toll for this bridge was also the most expensive.

Each crossing was charged per head, at a cost of five Ghost Stones per person.

The bridges downstream were cheaper, but they required a detour. Caravans in a hurry would take this bridge, while those with time to spare would use the ones downstream.

But this was understandable. A bridge spanning a forty-meter-wide river would naturally cost more to construct than one spanning a ten- or twenty-meter-wide section, so its toll would be higher.

Physically and mentally exhausted, Chen Fan grabbed a quick bite to eat, then collapsed inside the Nine-Five Dragon Carriage and fell into a deep sleep.

In two days, he had built 320 kilometers. It was no small project, and it was utterly exhausting.

They made camp on the spot.

It wasn’t the rainy season, so the area wasn’t too dangerous. Besides, they had the protection of the Nine-Five Dragon Carriage.

...

Soon.

Day broke.

Chen Fan stepped out of the Nine-Five Dragon Carriage and walked to the riverbank. He gazed at the turbulent waters of the Yangtze River flowing downstream, its stirred-up sediment turning it a murky Yellow.

He glanced over at the nearby Bridge.

Caravans were already crossing the great bridge, traveling from Jiangnan to Jiangbei.

They paused for a moment upon seeing the Nine-Five Dragon Carriage. Then, upon noticing him, they hastily halted their caravans to bow in respect. He gave a slight nod in return.

Eight out of ten caravans coming to Jiangbei were headed for Mortal City.

Even if they didn’t recognize him, they would recognize the Nine-Five Dragon Carriage.

In fact, even someone who had never seen it before would know it was the Nine-Five Dragon Carriage. A magnificent carriage pulled by nine Flaming Dragon Horses was something only Chen Fan possessed in all of the Four Areas Jiangbei. It was instantly recognizable.

He didn’t have a Building Blueprint for a "Bridge."

There was currently no place in the Mortal Realm that required a Bridge anyway.

’I’ll have to get a Bridge Blueprint when I get the chance.’

Soon—

He walked up to one of the guards on the Bridge and said softly, "Go and get your Patriarch. Tell him Chen Fan of the Mortal Realm is here to discuss a matter with him."

His route needed to cross this Bridge.

Naturally, he had to negotiate the fees with the faction that controlled it.

"Yes, sir!"

The guard’s expression shifted the moment he heard the name "Chen Fan." With a look of utmost respect, he agreed, then hastily took out a Sound Transmission Talisman to contact his Patriarch.

A short while later, an old man in a long robe appeared, striding quickly toward him, surrounded by an entourage.

"Domain Lord Chen."

His voice arrived before he did.

The old man at the lead strode forward, his face wreathed in smiles. "Domain Lord Chen, your reputation precedes you! I truly mean it. I was unaware you would be gracing us with your presence. Please forgive me for not coming out to greet you sooner."

"Please!"

"Domain Lord Chen, I’ve already instructed my servants to prepare a feast at my residence."

Chen Fan returned the gesture with a cupped-fist salute and a smile. "That’s very kind of you, but let’s skip the meal and get down to business. May I ask which faction you represent?"

"The Jiangnan Shui Family."

The old man smiled. "Our surname is Shui, and for generations, we have lived by the water. We can’t really be called a faction; we simply make our living from the water."