Chapter 776: Homeless in the Early Years

Chen Changsheng glanced at her and asked, "You seem rather happy?"

The person who called herself Qin Chuan paused for a moment before answering, "Naturally, it's a joy to have a traveling companion."

Chen Changsheng smiled and nodded. "Let's head up the mountain."

Dressed in men's clothing, Qin Chuan gave a slight nod and watched Chen Changsheng take the lead.

Whenever Chen Changsheng wasn't looking, her gaze would settle entirely on him.

She wondered how there could be such a perfect coincidence.

At the same time, she kept gazing at him, as if trying to carve his figure and face into her mind.

Because over the passing years, the Mister's appearance had faded in her memory.

"Where are you from, brother?" Qin Chuan asked.

"Not far from here, just down in Qingshan City," Chen Changsheng replied. "I figured I'd come see the commotion. What about you?"

"Lin—" Qin Chuan paused, then changed her words. "Do you know of Water's End City, brother?"

Chen Changsheng glanced at her. "I visited it once or twice in my earlier years."

Emotions surged in Qin Chuan's heart, but she smoothly said, "Water's End City is thousands of miles away. To think you have traveled so far."

It was as if she were asking a question to which she already knew the answer.

"I liked to wander in my earlier years, so I've been to my share of places," Chen Changsheng said. "Besides, aren't you the same? You still made it all this way."

Qin Chuan smiled. "I only came here on business."

"It's a long journey either way. There's no real difference, is there?" Chen Changsheng chuckled.

Qin Chuan stared blankly for a second, then nodded.

She took a step forward to catch up with his pace and asked, "Are you staying in Qingshan City temporarily, brother?"

"Hmm..." Chen Changsheng thought for a moment. "I suppose."

But a moment later, he corrected himself. "This Chen's home is here now."

"Now?"

"Yes."

Chen Changsheng explained, "A person who loves to wander as much as This Chen rarely has a place to rest his feet. Over the years, only Qingshan City has felt somewhat close, so I have made it my home."

Qin Chuan was momentarily stunned. "Then... what about your home from your early years?"

"In my early years, I had no home," Chen Changsheng said.

"No home?"

"Right."

When I was in Qiuyue Fang, did that count as having a home?

Chen Changsheng thought about it. In truth, it didn't count. He had merely stayed there for a relatively long time. As for the Daoist temple, it had never belonged to him.

Qin Chuan pondered for a moment before suddenly saying, "Brother Chen must have experienced a turbulent youth."

"What makes you say that?" Chen Changsheng asked.

"They say people of the jianghu make the Four Seas their home, but in truth, most simply have no choice. Yet someone like you, Brother Chen, who truly has no home, is rare. Having a home at least gives a person something to hope for. Having no home at all is what is most agonizing."

"Perhaps This Chen prefers it this way?"

"Could anyone truly prefer that?"

Qin Chuan asked the question.

Chen Changsheng opened his mouth to say something, but then suddenly paused.

It seemed...

Qin Chuan wasn't wrong.

If someone had a place to return to, who would willingly wander the world?

But that seemed like an incredible luxury—for Chen Changsheng, an incredible luxury.

He was different from those in the jianghu who wandered either to make a living or because they bore grudges and ambitions. He just walked aimlessly, like a stray dog, forever without a place that would take him in.

And that was indeed the truth.

Seeing him suddenly pause, Qin Chuan called out, "Brother Chen?"

Chen Changsheng snapped back to reality and replied, "It's nothing."

Qin Chuan hesitated. "Did I ask something I shouldn't have?"

Chen Changsheng shook his head. "Not at all. This Chen just suddenly remembered some things."

Qin Chuan nodded, and after that, she didn't press the matter any further.

Chen Changsheng asked, "Back to you, then. Do you roam the jianghu? Or what is it you do?"

Qin Chuan said, "I roam the jianghu, but it's not as a martial master or anything like that. I just go around gathering information for people and selling what I know. That sort of thing."

Chen Changsheng understood. "In that case, you must know a great deal?"

Qin Chuan laughed. "Not that much, really."

Chen Changsheng paused for a moment before asking, "I actually have a few things I'd like to ask about. I wonder if you might know."

Hearing this, Qin Chuan said, "It will cost money."

"How much?"

"Depends on what you're asking."

"It's about the Southern Yan Sect on the mountain."

"Hmm... you'll have to be more specific."

"Is there someone else behind the Southern Yan Sect?"

Qin Chuan paused at those words. "Brother Chen has also noticed?"

Chen Changsheng glanced at her. "So it is true?"

"I'm not entirely sure yet."

Qin Chuan said, "It looks like Brother Chen and I came here for the same reason."

"A coincidence?"

"A coincidence."

Qin Chuan gave a warm smile, and the two of them soon fell back into conversation.

"What do you know so far, Brother Chen? According to our guesses, the one standing behind the Southern Yan Sect is highly likely the King of Wei."

"The King of Wei?"

Hearing this, Chen Changsheng shook his head. "This Chen feels it might not be the King of Wei. The Southern Yan Sect's power is extraordinary; it is not something the King of Wei could control."

He paused and asked, "You just said, 'our'?"

"Hmm..." Qin Chuan said. "I wonder if Brother Chen has ever heard of White Night?"

"What is that?"

"A group of people," Qin Chuan said, looking at Chen Changsheng. "People out in the bright light of day, yet hidden in the dark."

"Selling information?"

"Yes," Qin Chuan said. "There are thousands upon thousands like me. We look like nothing special in our daily lives. We might be shop hands, beggars on the street, constables in the Magistrate's Office, or even government officials..."

"That sounds quite impressive."

"You've really never heard of it, Brother Chen?"

"This Chen has had little contact with such things over the years."

"I see."

Qin Chuan took another look at Chen Changsheng and asked, "Are you very busy, Brother Chen?"

"Not exactly," Chen Changsheng said. "It's just that I frequently have to visit certain places. I have no choice."

"Where to?"

Chen Changsheng cast a glance at her.

Qin Chuan realized her slip and chuckled. "Apologies. I am so used to prying for information that I inevitably ask too much. I was presumptuous, asking what I shouldn't have."

"It's fine."

Chen Changsheng looked up, his gaze falling on the Earthen Towers built on the mountain. Notably, this Southern Yan Sect was made up of one Earthen Tower after another; at first glance, it looked like a bandit stronghold.

Chen Changsheng couldn't help but remark, "This Southern Yan Sect is quite unique."

He had initially expected to see grand halls or something similar.

Qin Chuan explained, "These Earthen Towers are easy to defend and hard to attack. They are much more useful than those grand halls, even if they do look like a bandit camp..."

Chen Changsheng nodded, then asked, "By the way, who is publicly in power over this Southern Yan Sect right now?"

Qin Chuan paused before saying, "Rumor has it that it's someone who is neither man nor woman."

"A eunuch?"

"I'm not entirely sure. This person has never shown their face; it's only a rumor."