Transmigrated into a Grandpa, Embracing the Laid-Back Life

Chapter 414: Entering the Capital - Qingya Zhai

The carriage rumbled over the muddy ruts of the uneven official road for the last stretch of mud, and ahead, the imposing city wall of the Great Xing capital—crouching on the horizon like a prehistoric beast—finally revealed its formidable outline against the autumn dusk.

The wall was built from massive blocks of bluish-gray stone, weathered by the passage of years, its surface scarred with dark traces of sword strikes and axe blows. Under the setting sun's blood-red afterglow, the entire city exuded an indescribable weight and desolation.

At a fork in the official road, the carriage slowly came to a halt.

Elder Qingquan lifted the carriage curtain and stepped out. His patched gray cloth robe rustled in the autumn wind. He did not look at the distant capital but instead cast his gaze toward the north.

"I'll take a turn up north. An old friend lives there," Elder Qingquan said, pulling the stopper from his gourd and tilting his head back for a swig of strong liquor. The pungent aroma of alcohol instantly spread through the cool air. He casually wiped his mouth, his tone as casual as if he were just visiting a neighbor's house. "You go into the city and handle your business. When you're done, use the communication talisman to contact me."

"Master, please be careful in all things." Su Ming stood by the carriage, cupping his hands in a respectful bow, performing a proper junior's salute.

"Worry about yourself," Elder Qingquan said with a light chuckle.

The moment the words left his mouth, without forming any hand seal or a flicker of spiritual light, his slightly stooped figure, under Su Ming's watchful gaze, turned into a faint wisp of green smoke without any warning. A gust of wind blew, and the smoke dissipated completely, as if the man had never been there.

Su Ming stood still, sensing the aura that had vanished without a trace in the surrounding air. A flicker of reverence passed through his eyes. This was the skill of a Golden Core stage grandmaster—control over the world's spiritual energy so refined it had returned to simplicity.

for days to the side of the road, near an abandoned tea shed. He casually untied the reins looped around the Yunnan horses' necks and lightly patted their rumps. The two horses, now free, snorted and galloped off toward the distant wilderness.The carriage was too conspicuous. In this capital, where power struggles and spies lurked

sense that the already thin ambient spiritual energy in the air was now heavily

was the

destiny had converged here, forming an invisible, natural grand formation. Under this Dragon Qi's suppression, any cultivator's spellcasting power would be greatly diminished, and the

he had before, he completely sealed off the liquid-like, deep-pool-like spiritual energy in his Dantian, turning it into the tiniest trickle that flowed slowly through the hidden pathways of his meridians. His heartbeat began to slow, his body temperature dropped slightly, and his pores closed tight,

Peak at Repair Hall had vanished. In his

the flow of people, made his way toward

defense soldiers in iron armor gripped their spears, their eyes scanning every person entering the city like hawks. On

moving slowly with the crowd. His peripheral vision swept over the wanted posters on the

Although five years of wind and sun had blurred the ink, the big characters were still

Su Ming, former Hanlin Academy Compiler, suspected of colluding

change in the

Back then, to cover up their embezzlement of military funds, the Yongchang Marquis Manor had viciously framed him—an insignificant compiler with no connections—as a traitor. He had thought

obsession of the Yongchang Marquis Manor, or some kind of

grievance deep in his heart again. In an extremely ordinary tone, tinged with a hint of fawning, he offered the inspecting

This humble one is here to visit relatives in the