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Chapter 26: Pang Hemu Encounters an Immortal
🕑 Added 2025-02-16 14:12:16 +0000 UTCThree days had passed, yet the heated discussions surrounding the bronze cauldron had not died down. However, inside Taxue Xunxian Pavilion, things had already settled, and the shopkeeper, master craftsmen, and clerks had all resumed their daily work.
Only after his heartache subsided did Pang Hemu remember to pay attention to other matters. The head shopkeeper quietly informed him that, for some unknown reason, all the goldfish in the Feng Shui pond had died, and the water had splashed out, leaving a large area of the shop floor wet.
Amidst the earlier chaos, the head shopkeeper had the presence of mind to act swiftly, disposing of the dead fish and cleaning up the water immediately. He suspected that the owner might have secretly tampered with the cauldron, so he took care of the aftermath to prevent any further trouble.
Upon hearing this, Pang Hemu instructed the head shopkeeper to keep the matter to himself. Then, he turned and went straight to find Chen Xiao.
This incident showed him Chen Xiao’s true abilities. Any lingering sense of superiority he once held vanished entirely. He no longer saw Chen Xiao as just another lowly clerk under his management but as someone truly extraordinary.
Keeping his promise, Pang Hemu promoted Chen Xiao to Third Shopkeeper, allowing him to come and go as he pleased. He wasn’t assigned any specific duties, he could sell from any shelf in the store at will.
Besides the promotion, Pang Hemu also fulfilled his promise of a generous reward. The heavy pouch of gold coins was more than enough for Chen Xiao to live comfortably without working for the rest of his life.
For anyone else, such a lavish reward would have been overwhelming, enough to inspire undying loyalty. Yet, Chen Xiao accepted it with remarkable calmness. Pang Hemu was both astonished and unsurprised, after all, if he possessed such extraordinary skills himself, he too wouldn’t be concerned with mere wealth. The future held boundless possibilities for Chen Xiao. A premonition told him that this young man wouldn’t stay in his shop for much longer.
To show his respect and sincerity, Pang Hemu invited Chen Xiao to sit on the luohan bed in the living quarters of the main shop. Chen Xiao had changed out of his uniformed work attire, now dressed in a deep green silk robe. The saying "clothes make the man" proved true, his refined appearance and demeanor had undergone a complete transformation.
After offering tea, Pang Hemu politely asked, “Why did all the goldfish in the pond die? Does it have something to do with the activation of the bronze cauldron that day?”
Chen Xiao nodded. “Yes. The cauldron’s energy was too domineering, and the store’s Feng Shui field couldn’t withstand its force. The goldfish died as a result. They served as the Feng Shui anchor for the ‘Gold and Jade Abundance Formation.’ Unless they die naturally, their sudden death signifies a disruption in the shop’s Feng Shui.”
Pang Hemu’s expression subtly changed. Having personally experienced the impact, he couldn’t ignore the power of Feng Shui any longer. If the store’s Feng Shui could react to an immortal’s relic, even if it failed to resist, it still proved its effectiveness. That meant Chen Xiao’s claims about attracting wealth weren’t just empty words.
As a seasoned merchant, Pang Hemu naturally valued any method that could help him amass fortune. Without hesitation, he asked, “What should be done about it?”
Chen Xiao replied, “This time, it was a direct clash of energy fields. Now that the cauldron is gone, the dispersed energy will quickly realign. I’ve already added new goldfish to stabilize the Feng Shui field. The ‘Gold and Jade Abundance Formation’ remains intact, so you needn’t worry. In the future, if you notice anything unusual, I can make the necessary adjustments.”
This was precisely why powerful figures valued Feng Shui masters so highly. Feng Shui and fortune were constantly shifting, nothing remained unchanged forever. As the saying goes, ‘thirty years east of the river, thirty years west,’ illustrating the cyclical nature of fate.
Whenever an issue arose, a Feng Shui master was needed to make corrections. Thus, maintaining good relations with a skilled master was a priority for many influential people.
Pang Hemu nodded. “With you here, I feel reassured.” In truth, his regard for Chen Xiao deepened even further.
After some thought, he continued, “That day, the energy turbulence was intense, and many people were injured. If we ever acquire another immortal artifact in the future, how should we handle such a situation? No matter how much money I have, if I have to keep paying for injuries, it will become unsustainable.”
While encountering an immortal’s artifact was exhilarating, the injuries it caused were certainly not. Fortunately, the physicians had arrived quickly that day, providing proper treatment, and each injured person received compensation. Thanks to this, no serious disputes arose.
But Pang Hemu was overthinking things. The likelihood of him stumbling upon another immortal relic in his lifetime was slim. Even if an object with strong energy fields entered the shop, it wouldn’t necessarily disrupt the store’s Feng Shui so easily. Otherwise, specialized Feng Shui shops in his past life wouldn’t have been able to operate at all.
Chen Xiao chuckled and said, “You needn’t worry. The dramatic reaction that day occurred because I approached the cauldron using a specific sequence of steps, essentially provoking and stimulating it. That’s why the store’s Feng Shui reacted so strongly.”
Pang Hemu was astonished. “Feng Shui can truly distinguish between provocation and normal presence?”
Chen Xiao confidently said, "Exactly. Once the shop's energy field forms, everything within it falls under its domain. The pond acts as the formation’s core, and the bronze cauldron posed a threat to its existence, how could it not resist?" After a brief pause, he added, "If the cauldron had been moved into the shop under normal circumstances and placed anywhere but the formation's core, nothing would have happened. Even if a powerful energy field were introduced, at most, there would be minor turbulence, perhaps a small gust of wind, but nothing anyone would notice as unusual."
Pang Hemu sighed in amazement. "Truly, there’s no end to wonders. This is an eye-opener for me."
It had been a long time since Chen Xiao had a proper discussion about feng shui with someone, so he couldn’t help but elaborate further. "And that’s not all. Both the cauldron and the shop’s energy field are imbued with righteous, yang energy. But if an object carrying yin or malevolent energy were introduced, the reaction would be even more interesting. Opposing forces would cancel each other out, competing to see which one could outlast the other."
Pang Hemu immediately grasped the implication. "So, if someone harbored ill intentions, they could sneak an object filled with yin or malevolent energy into my shop, disrupting my feng shui and directly ruining my fortune?"
The world was full of intelligent people. Chen Xiao had merely made a passing remark, and Pang Hemu had already deduced one of the more insidious ways feng shui could be exploited. Chen Xiao hesitated for a moment before nodding. "It’s not impossible."
Pang Hemu’s expression turned anxious. "This time, Boss Sheng’s scheme failed. But what if he tries this method next? No one can keep an eye on the pond every second, even lions take naps!"
Chen Xiao chuckled. "If he really managed to obtain such an artifact, it would have to be an immortal relic, something on par with the bronze cauldron, to be effective. If he’s actually willing to sacrifice such a treasure just to sabotage you, I’d have to admire his resolve."
Pang Hemu thought about it and burst into laughter. Just as the two were chatting, a shop assistant came rushing in, looking flustered. After glancing at Chen Xiao, he turned to Pang Hemu and urgently said, "Master! The fish pond in the shop, it’s shaking again! You need to come see this!"
Even though Pang Hemu hadn’t said anything outright, everyone in the shop had sharp eyes, especially since they had personally helped arrange the setup. They all knew that the bronze cauldron, the underground channels, the copper pipes, and the pond were somehow connected. Though they kept quiet, their hearts were filled with awe toward these mysterious forces—and toward Chen Xiao as well. The proof was clear: aside from Pang Hemu, who insisted on familiarity, no one else in the shop called him by his childhood nickname anymore.
No sooner had Chen Xiao finished speaking than another incident occurred, leaving him feeling as if he had been slapped in the face. He stood up, but before he could react, Pang Hemu, who now saw the feng shui pond as a treasure second only to the bronze cauldron, was already more anxious than him. He leaped to his feet and dashed out of the main hall. "What?! Who dares touch my golden… my goldfish pond?!"
For someone with a slightly chubby build, Pang Hemu somehow managed to sprint at the speed of a professional athlete. Even though Chen Xiao was worried as well, he couldn't help but marvel at how physically impressive the people in this world were.
Chen Xiao followed a step behind and reached the front hall, where Pang Hemu was circling the pond anxiously. As soon as he saw Chen Xiao, he waved him over. "Xiao Han! Come check this out, what’s going on?!"
The pond trembled like a water glass at the onset of an earthquake, sending ripples across the surface. The goldfish that Chen Xiao had placed inside not long ago were now flailing wildly, thrashing like fish hauled up in a net during a bountiful harvest. Their frantic struggle made it seem as if some great disaster was imminent, as if they were desperately trying to escape to survive.
Chen Xiao frowned in thought, then suddenly turned his gaze outward. His heart clenched. Without hesitation, he strode out of the shop.
In the distance, at the end of Antique Street, a figure approached. Dressed differently from before, he wore a deep indigo robe, wide-sleeved and flowing. His steps seemed unhurried, yet in the blink of an eye, he had already reached the entrance of Taxue Xunxian Pavilion. His speed was so astonishing that none of the people on the street even noticed someone passing by.
Chen Xiao was struck speechless, frozen in place.
Pang Hemu, seeing him rush out, hesitated before following. As soon as he stepped out of the shop, his gaze landed on the extraordinary-looking man standing before them. The sheer pressure emanating from the stranger made Pang Hemu instinctively avert his eyes after just one glance. But then, a delayed realization hit him, and he quickly stole another look at the man’s robe.
The embroidered patterns along the robe’s edges… why did they look so familiar?
They were almost identical to the "Treasure Pattern" found on the bronze cauldron that had been taken away just a few days ago! The imprint that Master Qi had made from the cauldron had been the last proof of Pang Hemu's possession of an immortal artifact. He had stared at it just last night for a long time, there was no way he could be mistaken.
At that moment, Chen Xiao’s earlier words replayed in his mind. The "Treasure Pattern" was closely tied to the immortals. And someone wearing such a robe… there was no doubt.
This man was an Immortal Master.
Pang Hemu’s breath caught in his throat. Just three days ago, they had seen off one Immortal Master, and now, another one had arrived. For an ordinary merchant, encountering an immortal was something he could hardly dream of. But the reality of it? Having faced near devastation just from meeting the last one, his reaction was more fear than excitement.
He nervously mustered the courage to look up again, carefully studying the young man's face. His features were strikingly youthful, his demeanor otherworldly, completely untouched by the mundane world. Compared to the cultivators in the county city, he was in an entirely different realm.
For the first time, Pang Hemu felt like the elusive true Immortals he had spent his life yearning for had suddenly appeared before his eyes. It was a feeling of overwhelming joy and disbelief, so intense that it almost didn’t seem real.
