Leaving Daluo Palace, they descended Cuiluo Mountain.
The group first made a trip to the nearest county, Xiuyue County.
Ever since Daluo Palace was established, there had been virtually no room for Demons and Ghosts to survive in Xiuyue County.
This area of influence then gradually expanded to Chongguang County, Wuhe County, and Changping Prefecture.
By now, even in the neighboring Pingjiang and Bai Shi Prefectures, news of innocent commoners being slaughtered by Demon Fiends had become rare.
The group traveled by carriage along the official roads, going from Xiuyue County Town to Chongguang County, following the Yongding River north, and then arriving at the Wanling River. They spent the entire journey enjoying the sights, having a wonderful time.
After making a wide loop, they arrived once again in Changping Prefecture.
Previously, Taoist Yi Hong had been stationed in Changping Prefecture. Later, after the surrounding Demons and Ghosts were all cleared out, Taoist Yi Hong passed on the position of Observatory Master to an Inner Sect Disciple.
When the group reached Changping Prefecture, Gu Zhao took some time to visit the Daluo Temple.
A few Inner Sect Disciples were collecting Incense and cultivating diligently. They were also healing the sick and injured for the people of the Prefecture City and helping the weak within the prefecture.
As for the occasional rogue Demons and Ghosts that appeared to harm people for Soul Refining, the several Inner Sect Disciples in the temple, with their combined two hundred-plus years of Dao Practice, were more than enough to deal with them.
Gu Zhao confirmed that none of them bore any Evil Qi and, satisfied, transferred a sliver of True Qi to each of them as a reward.
...
This trip lasted nearly a month. They had made an almost complete circle around Cuiluo Mountain and had now returned to Xiuyue County.
"Time flies so fast!" Chen Zhi exclaimed with a sigh.
They had walked through bustling prefectures and seen the surging rivers. They had fished by the Yongding River and picked mushrooms on Chongguang Mountain. They had eaten at the grand restaurants of Changping Prefecture and drunk the specialty fruit juices of Wuhe County.
There were two carriages.
Gu Zhao rode in one with Zhuo Qingyan, the Silk Embroideress, and Bai Ke. Ye Ruyan, Miaoyun Princess, Bi Yingying, and Chen Zhi were in the other.
Two Outer Disciples drove the carriages. Along the way, they received a great deal of guidance from Gu Zhao, Ye Ruyan, and the others. Although their limited talent prevented them from ever cultivating Taoist True Qi, their Martial Arts had improved significantly.
"It’s not so bad, it’s only been a month." Miaoyun Princess didn’t feel the same way. "Sometimes we go out for half a year at a time, or spend half a year in seclusion."
Chen Zhi shot her a dark look but said nothing.
’What was a twenty-year-old girl supposed to say to a two-hundred-year-old crone? Especially when that crone had a better figure and more delicate skin than her own.’
The carriage moved slowly along the stone-paved roads of Xiuyue County. Then, the women noticed many people bypassing their carriage, all heading toward the northern part of the county town.
"What’s going on?" the Silk Embroideress asked curiously.
Bai Ke’s ears twitched slightly. "It sounds like an opera troupe from Yongzhou crossed the Yongding River to tour Jiangzhou. A rather famous one, at that."
A flicker of understanding crossed Zhuo Qingyan’s eyes. She activated her Magical Power, and a nostalgic smile touched her lips. "It really is the Futai Opera Troupe."
Gu Zhao looked at Zhuo Qingyan. "You know them?"
"They’re a very famous opera troupe from Yongzhou, based in Shide Prefecture, just across the Yongding River. They tour Jiangzhou every few years. I heard their performances when I was alive, too," Zhuo Qingyan said with a gentle smile.
"Really? Really?" Bai Ke looked at Zhuo Qingyan. "Are they good?"
Zhuo Qingyan pointed outside. "Their reputation precedes them. Every time they come, they bring newly written operas. Just look at the crowd outside, and you’ll know."
"Then they must be very good," Bai Ke said, understanding.
The conversation in Gu Zhao’s carriage could also be heard in the other one.
In fact, they had been traveling like this the whole time. Although they were in two separate carriages, they had been chatting the entire way as if they were sitting face-to-face.
Hearing this, Ye Ruyan smiled and said, "Then shall we go have a listen, too?"
Chen Zhi asked curiously, "With so many people going, will we be able to get a seat?"
Bi Yingying had more experience than her. "When a famous opera troupe like this comes to perform, they always have private rooms on the second or even third floor. The regular seats might be gone, but there will definitely be private rooms available."
Ye Ruyan nodded in agreement.
She was also a regular patron who often traveled to different places to listen to music. The reason she joined Daluo Palace was because of a conflict between an actor and a rival.
"Then let’s go have a listen," Gu Zhao said. "We can see how it differs from the Dingxiang Theater in Changping Prefecture."
They had spent their trip eating, drinking, and having fun in several counties and prefectures, which naturally included listening to operas. After all, it was one of the few relatively elegant forms of entertainment in those times.
Hearing Gu Zhao’s words, the two Outer Disciples gently pulled on the reins. The two carriages then turned around and headed toward the theater in the eastern part of Xiuyue County.
Xiuyue County had two theaters, one in the east and one in the west.
Aside from the resident troupes, traveling opera troupes that came to Xiuyue County would perform at one of these two theaters, and of course, they had to give the theater a cut of the profits.
This way, whichever theater could attract better troupes from out of town would increase its own income and also retain customers, ensuring steady revenue on normal days.
The Futai Opera Troupe had a good relationship with the Yingchun Theater in the east, so they always performed there when they came. This time was no exception.
As the two carriages pulled up to the theater’s main entrance, two quick-witted attendants came forward to greet them.
The two Outer Disciples were burly, with sharp glints in their eyes—they looked like formidable characters at a glance. The two attendants, moreover, immediately recognized the Daoist Robes they were wearing.
"They’re Daoists from Daluo Palace!"
One attendant went forward to welcome them, while the other hurried back to call the Shopkeeper.
Xiuyue County bordered Daluo Palace and was arguably the closest county town to it, aside from Cui Mountain Town. Most of the prominent people in the county had been to Daluo Palace to offer Incense and ask for a Talisman.
Even the Shopkeeper of this very Yingchun Theater had once gone to Daluo Palace to request a Profound Grade Celestial Spirit Talisman for protection.
A moment later, the theater’s Shopkeeper came out. Although he didn’t recognize Gu Zhao and his companions, he still respectfully invited them into the theater and found them the largest private room.
"This way, please!"
"Thank you." Gu Zhao casually pressed a silver ingot into his palm.
"This is too much! Far too much!" the Shopkeeper exclaimed, trying to return the silver ingot.
Gu Zhao waved his hand. "Then just send over some snacks and tea."
"Yes, yes, of course!" The Shopkeeper put away the silver ingot and carefully backed out of the private room.
Just as he turned to leave, he heard the two Outer Disciples from Daluo Palace also bow as they exited the room. "Sect Leader, we’ll be waiting at the door. Please let us know if you need anything."
Hearing this, the Shopkeeper nearly stumbled.
’Sect Leader?’
’The masters of Daluo Palace’s branch temples are called either Observatory Master or abbot. As for Sect Leader... there’s only one of those!’
The Shopkeeper swallowed hard. He had seen Gu Zhao, a young man accompanied by seven great beauties and with two Outer Disciples acting as his coachmen, and had assumed he was the spoiled descendant of some senior Elder from Daluo Palace.
He had even been thinking that if he served them well, he might be able to curry favor and gain some benefits for himself.
’But to think he’s actually the Sect Leader of Daluo Palace traveling incognito?’
The Shopkeeper decisively abandoned his little schemes. He broke into a trot and headed for the theater’s kitchen to personally supervise the snacks and alcohol that were about to be served.