Remould the Glory of Sword Art

In the Dachu Southern County, Lingqu City, the early morning streets were bustling with people, and the cries of vendors were incessant.

The corner bun shop.

A young man wearing a bamboo hat attracted quite a few glances.

Seeing a young adventurer of the Jianghu was not uncommon.

This young man was pushing a wheelchair, and the red-dressed girl sitting in the chair was petite and lovely, with pink cheeks. She would definitely be considered a beauty if placed in the South Border... but that wasn't the primary reason for the attention they garnered.

In front of them were more than a dozen steamer baskets full of buns.

A thick stack, even more than what several grown men ate.

"Is that necessary?"

Xie Xuanyi of course noticed these looks, helplessly pushed his bamboo hat down, and muttered quietly, "Like a starving ghost reborn."

"Necessary, how is it not necessary?"

Jiang Huang retorted indignantly, "Ever since I followed you to the South Border, I've gone three days starving nine meals... After this meal today, who knows how long I'll need to go hungry again."

"..."

At that, Xie Xuanyi had nothing to say.

He waved over the waiter, paid plenty of Silver Taels, and added ten more steamer baskets. After Jiang Huang had her fill, they even packed some to go.

The little one was thoughtless, quick to anger, and quick to calm.

Truth be told, Jiang Huang had never been angry with Xuanyi from the start. Even through the hard times in the South Border, she seldom complained.

After pushing the wheelchair back to the inn,

Jiang Huang, well-fed and satisfied, soon fell asleep.

Xie Xuanyi, as always, set up the protective talisman array patterns before closing the door and leaving.

Lingqu City, near the South Border, was remote but protected by the Dachu Royal Family. The evil cultivators of the South Border couldn't cross the boundary, so there was peace and prosperity year-round, much better than in the Northern County… In fact, before the depletion of Primordial Energy ten years prior, Northern County had also experienced prosperity.

One hundred and eight garrison commanders, guarding the Northern frontiers, and beyond the Great Wall, except for blizzards, all disasters and calamities were repelled.

It's just a pity that times have changed.

Moments later, Xie Xuanyi came to a halt in front of a tea house, its large banners fluttering in the wind, emblazoned with the words "Fangyuan".

"Finally arrived, Fangyuan Square."

The reason for choosing Lingqu City as a resting place,

was not just because it was close to the South Border and convenient for travel.

It was also because...

Years ago, Xie Xuanyi had been here.

In the vast Dachu Dynasty, with its abundant resources, places like Yuzhu Town were barren and ignored.

The vast majority of regions had their "owners".

The so-called "owners"… were not the official ranks granted by the Dachu, like the City Lord of Ta'an City.

Take Qing State as an example.

The three major powers of Qing State, the Chu Family, Jiang Family, and Baihua Valley, each dominated a region…

The royal power was extensive, yet it could not cover every inch of land. Various feudal lords, noble families, and Immortal Sects that sprung from royal power held resources for cultivation and control over cities and populations in their hands.

They were the real masters of the vast territories divided under the great Dachu.

And in Dachu, in more than ninety percent of populated places,

there was a "Fangyuan Square," and while almost no one knew who was behind Fangyuan Square, nearly everyone knew

that Fangyuan Square was a place for doing business,

that Fangyuan Square did business with everyone.

Xie Xuanyi pressed his bamboo hat down and stepped briskly into the tea house. Perhaps it was midday, but there wasn't much business in the tea house, cold and empty, the majority of seats separated by screens, and nearly all those drinking tea, much like Xie Xuanyi, wore bamboo hats or veiled caps to hide their faces.

He slapped down two pieces of broken silver and a talisman paper imbued with the righteous energy of Daoist Sects at the counter, then chose a seat by the window to sit in silence and wait.

Before long,

a waiter brought tea, bowing courteously, "Esteemed guest, the shopkeeper invites you to meet on the second floor."

A moment later, Xie Xuanyi was in an elegant room on the second floor.

"Are you an 'Array Pattern Master' from the Daoist Sect?"

Though it was daytime, the room was dim.

Across the long table, a flickering dim lamp burned. The manager of Fangyuan Square in Lingqu City was not the same person as ten years ago; this time it was a sharp-looking middle-aged man who, with delicate fingers, was touching the talisman paper and softly saying, "This Haoran Talisman from the Daoist Sect is of good quality… Fresh ink stains, did you draw this just now?"

The manager eyed the young man before him.

"I chanced upon it."

Xie Xuanyi said indifferently, "How much is it worth?"

The manager chuckled upon hearing this.

"By itself, it has limited value."

The manager said earnestly, "What a pity. If you were an Array Pattern Master, the price would be much higher."

Xie Xuanyi looked up slightly, peering at the middle-aged man through his bamboo hat.

He knew,

that he was invited to the second floor to meet with the manager of Fangyuan Square precisely because of the Daoist talisman he had put down earlier.

However… the attempt to probe by Fangyuan Square was much too evident.

"Have the business rules of Fangyuan Square changed?"

Xie Xuanyi spoke expressionlessly, "If I were not an Array Pattern Master, would you refuse to do business with me?"

"That is not the case, I beg you, do not be angry."

The manager hurriedly apologized, "It's just that these days, there is a big deal in the making… A certain generous patron wishes to complete a full 'Sword Qi Tolling Bell Array,' requiring high-quality standards and willing to pay a great price. Upon hearing the news, Fangyuan Squares in various states and counties are all hurrying to prepare. Many Array Pattern Masters are eager to give it a try, but unfortunately, none of the talismans they have produced meet that patron's standards."

"..."

Xie Xuanyi narrowed his eyes and patted the table coolly, "Let's talk about this talisman first."

The manager sat up straight and spoke earnestly, "What do you want?"

"I want a complete map of the Dachu Dynasty, a map of Da Li, and a list inventorying all the major sects, noble families, and feudal lords."

Xie Xuanyi said solemnly, "The disciples who qualify for the Heavenly Pride List should all be on the list; the more complete the information, the better."