"Here we are. This is the craftsman's shop."
At the entrance of the old street by the Niangniang Temple, Wang Daoxuan pointed ahead and said, "The renowned craftsmen of Xianyang all gather here. Even those who run workshops from their homes will surely have a storefront in this place."
Li Yan turned his head to observe his surroundings, lost in thought.
In this world, various handicrafts were exceptionally advanced. With the court's opening of maritime trade, long-distance commerce flourished, and large workshops in coastal provinces sprang up like mushrooms after rain.
The status of merchants was rapidly rising. From the rumors he had heard, Li Yan deduced that much of the turmoil in the court stemmed from this very shift.
As Master Zhang had said, the Zhou family, seeking stability, had withdrawn all their forces. Their eight great guardians had gone into seclusion, and even their escort agency had stopped taking jobs.
Moreover, the people monitoring them had suddenly withdrawn that morning.
With this development, Li Yan no longer needed to feign illness. Under Wang Daoxuan's guidance, he set out to find someone to craft the Great Cloud Thunder Drum.
The Guanzhong region had a long history of drum music, with nearly every area boasting its own unique traditions. Coupled with Chang'an's annual Drum King Competition, numerous folk music troupes thrived, and drum makers were plentiful.
Of course, ordinary shops could not produce the Great Cloud Thunder Drum.
Fortunately, Wang Daoxuan knew a craftsman of the Mysterious Gate.
The trio proceeded forward and soon arrived at the largest shop. A signboard above read "Hearsound Pavilion" in bold characters. Inside, the walls and racks were adorned with drums of all sizes and types.
"Is Old Brother Wan here?" Wang Daoxuan asked the young assistant who greeted them.
The assistant clearly recognized Wang Daoxuan. He bowed respectfully and nodded. "The shopkeeper is out but will return shortly. Please wait a moment, Master Wang. I'll fetch some tea."
With that, he turned and entered the back room.
Sha Lifei leaned in and whispered, "Look at their attitude. Those scoundrels at the City God Temple can't compare—each one looks down on others with their dog eyes."
Due to Wang Daoxuan's past struggles, he had often been mocked by shopkeepers near the City God Temple. Sha Lifei, unable to stomach it, had gotten into a few arguments with them.
Though helping the Spring Breeze Shadow Puppet Troupe with their ritual had earned back some reputation, it clearly hadn't spread far, and no major business had come their way.
Wang Daoxuan gave a wry smile but didn't refute.
If he feared the words of others, he wouldn't have spent over a decade pursuing the Dao in obscurity.
Soon, the assistant returned with tea. Seeing Li Yan inspecting the drums on the wall, he eagerly introduced them. "Sir, our drums are the finest in Xianyang. Ten-faced gongs, Qin-Han war drums, Weiqi gongs, ox-drawn drums, dragon-turning drums… we can make them all. Many famous troupes have custom-ordered from us…"
As he spoke, Li Yan suddenly frowned and turned around.
He caught a scent—a mix of the pungent odor of various livestock, yet blended with the fragrance of incense, unmistakably a kind of divine aura.
Sure enough, an old man approached from the street. Clad in a black robe, he was hunchbacked, with white hair and a weathered appearance. Yet his hands bore thick, prominent knuckles, with veins bulging like iron plowshares.
Behind him followed a man with an honest, simple face.
As they reached the shop's entrance, the old man's ears twitched. He chuckled heartily. "Which fellow Daoist graces us today? Oh, it's Master Wang…"
Though addressing Wang Daoxuan, his eyes fixed on Li Yan.
Wang Daoxuan smiled. "It's been a while, Old Brother Wan. Allow me to introduce—"
"No need," the shopkeeper, Old Wan, interrupted, looking at Li Yan with a nod. "Yesterday, Brother Li made a name for himself at the arena. I was watching from below. Breaking sorcery with true words—truly marvelous!"
Li Yan was momentarily surprised but quickly realized that Old Wan, likely possessing the divine power of hearing, could discern such things even in a noisy crowd.
"You flatter me, Senior," Li Yan said, clasping his hands in respect.
Old Wan nodded, hesitated, then couldn't help asking, "What treasure does the young brother carry? Why is its malevolent aura so strong?"
Li Yan's interest piqued. "What did you hear, Senior?"
Old Wan sighed. "The clash of weapons, the wails of living souls, the prayers of incense…"
It was Li Yan's first encounter with someone possessing divine hearing. Since Old Wan had already sensed it, he saw no need to conceal it. He took out the Demon-Subduing Saber Tassel from his chest.
"A Three Talents Demon-Subduing Coin—fine craftsmanship!" Old Wan's eyes lit up, but he didn't take it. After a careful look, he shook his head. "The exorcism knot's technique comes from beyond the pass. Either the maker was injured, or it was done carelessly. Otherwise, I wouldn't have heard a thing."
Li Yan quickly asked, "Does Senior have a solution?"
Though the Three Talents Demon-Subduing Coin Tassel was valuable, it was inconvenient at times, primarily because it couldn't fully conceal its aura.
According to Wang Daoxuan, a good magical tool should be like a heavenly treasure—unremarkable when dormant, revealing its divine might only when activated.
Old Wan didn't answer immediately. Instead, he turned to Wang Daoxuan. "Master Wang, I've watched you pursue the Dao single-mindedly for years. Now, your fortunes have turned—congratulations."
"What brings you here today?"
"To help Brother Li make a drum."
"Oh? Do you have the blueprint?"
All were insiders, so there was no need for secrecy. Li Yan handed over the blueprint for the Great Cloud Thunder Drum.
Old Wan flipped through it, then nodded in realization, smiling. "So it's the legacy of the old War Drum King. Back then, his martial dark energy struck the drum, shaking Chang'an. Its reappearance is cause for celebration."
Li Yan gave a thumbs-up. "Senior's insight is remarkable."
"Remarkable? Hardly."
Old Wan shook his head with a smile. "The difficulty of this drum lies in the materials. It requires top-quality wood and leather to withstand dark energy without breaking. Though not a ritual divine drum, the cost is far from low."
Sha Lifei quickly asked, "How much will it cost?"
Old Wan pondered for a moment. "The leather is manageable—fine rhinoceros hide will do. It used to be rare, but since the maritime ban was lifted, sea merchants somehow brought in several shiploads, and the price is reasonable. I've acquired some through contacts."
"As for the drum body, jujube wood will suffice, but to endure dark energy, it must come from an ancient tree grown in a sacred mountain's spiritual vein. I have a suggestion."
"Since the young brother has entered the Mysterious Gate, you know the importance of magical tools. Given the rarity of the materials, why not make it a magical tool outright? It could even complement the Three Talents Demon-Subduing Coin. Infused with the ancient charm of Qin and Han, it would surely be a potent evil-suppressing artifact."
"Please elaborate, Senior."
"With thunderstruck jujube wood as the material, it can serve both purposes."
"I happen to know a treasure hunter who knows where to find it, but the mountains are full of fierce beasts, and he lacks skilled companions. If you're willing, you could join him to retrieve it…"
"Oh!" Before he could finish, Sha Lifei exclaimed, "Senior Wan, you're not being fair! After all this talk, you just want free labor, don't you?"
Old Wan frowned, displeased. "Free labor? If you get that thunderstruck jujube wood, won't that cover the cost of your materials?"
Sha Lifei wasn't convinced. "How big is this thunderstruck jujube wood?"
Old Wan paused. "Not small."
Sha Lifei spread his hands. "There you go. The lion's share is yours. If it was easy to get, why tell us?"
Old Wan seemed stumped, staring at Sha Lifei for a moment. "Fine. If you can retrieve it, I'll make the drum for free."
Sha Lifei clasped his hands. "Senior, you're generous!"
As the two haggled, Li Yan and Wang Daoxuan stayed silent.
This was their agreed-upon plan. With Sha Lifei's thick skin—capable of scraping oil from a corpse—he was the least likely to lose out in negotiations.
After a while, they settled the terms and left the shop.
Just as they exited the old street, a commotion erupted across the way. Outside a tavern, several people were shouting and fighting.
One side wore black warrior robes with leather belts—the White Ape Gang. The other group, drenched in sweat, was dressed like laborers.
"Where's our pay? Where's our money?"
"Who the hell owes you? Go ask your foreman!"
"The foreman said you didn't pay!"
"Hah, for this little work, we never paid before!"
Words failed, and they came to blows.
The White Ape Gang members were burly, with dragon and phoenix tattoos peeking from their collars, glaring fiercely.
But once the fight started, the laborers beat them until they howled in pain.
Martial artists!
Li Yan immediately understood.
Local gangs like the White Ape or Iron Blade relied on more than just protection fees and tolls to survive. They controlled gray industries—casinos, loans, brothels, human trafficking, illegal salt trade—dipping their hands in every profit.
When they hired workers, they often didn't pay. The foremen, unwilling to bear the loss, passed it onto the laborers, who were too afraid to demand payment, leaving the matter unresolved.
Now, these laborers were likely martial artists in disguise, stirring trouble over these small disputes.
"Call for backup!"
"We'll skin them today!"
Humiliated in public, the White Ape Gang's thugs were furious.
Soon, a dozen disheveled men ran over, wielding sticks and short blades, cursing loudly.
The laborers showed no fear, charging forward.
The street descended into chaos.
Li Yan and the others seized the chance to slip away.
Along the way, they saw more unrest—human traffickers beaten black and blue, a gambling den set ablaze, even a death.
Sha Lifei clicked his tongue. "Old Zhang's move is ruthless. The Zhou family may be in seclusion, but their followers still need to eat. Those troublemakers are bound to stir something up."
Li Yan pondered, then shook his head slightly. "The Zhou family isn't foolish. They must have a counterplan. The city will likely be chaotic for a few days."
"But that's fine. While the Zhou family is distracted, we'll handle our business and then go into hiding, waiting to see what we can catch."
With a plan in mind, the trio returned to the Inquiry Hall.
This trip to find the thunderstruck jujube wood would involve all three, and they would take their important belongings, using the chaos to slip out of the Zhou family's sight…
*(End of Chapter)*