Chapter 9: Departure

Upon entering the courtyard, Ye Lu and the others immediately noticed the large living creature lying beside a cluster of low buildings near the side entrance.

There lay a vigorous, entirely blue ox with sturdy horns, its size two or three times larger than any ox Ye Lu remembered. It was calmly chewing on dry grass. Not far behind it stood a cart frame, tightly loaded with numerous items.

Ye Lu saw that even their large water jars were securely fastened on the cart, with the jar openings bound by wide, special dry grass leaves to prevent water from spilling during the journey. Big and small jars were piled atop the cart bed.

He observed that the cart bed was less like a plank and more like an oversized carriage. The colors of the carriage and the bed were different, indicating the carriage was likely added later—probably by Uncle He Qi, anticipating their flight from famine.

The village craftsmen worked quickly, Ye Lu thought instinctively.

Next, Ye Lu opened the carriage door, revealing what could be considered a miniature cabin. Over half of the carriage floor was padded with thick dry grass, which looked familiar—he recognized it as stalks and leaves of millet. Above that lay some fluffy fabric, and the carriage ceiling was covered with a large piece of coarse blue cloth, likely housing clothes.

Such a spacious bedding area was just right for the three of them to sleep. Elsewhere were jars of varying sizes filled with grain freshly harvested that day, and some empty spots likely reserved for Ye Lu and the others to pack smaller items themselves.

“Dao Ye, your uncle is impressive,” the Ghost Scholar glanced around, quickly grasping the village’s style of fleeing famine—leaving no grass unturned. He nodded knowingly and turned to Ye Lu with admiration. Indeed, Uncle He Qi had even gathered food for his nephews.

Ye Lu knocked on the carriage door, signaling that they should settle down.

The Ghost Scholar was just joking. He then turned and entered the cabin, understanding the essentials of escaping famine. From now on, it was up to them. Besides, the Ghost Scholar was famously sharp-minded.

Ye Lu and the two strong helpers followed the Ghost Scholar’s lead, bustling in and out of the cabin.

“Wait… are you really taking this old table?” Ye Lu looked at the worn table before him. It must have been made in his childhood. He never expected the Ghost Scholar to bring even this along.

The Ghost Scholar said nothing but gestured for the helper to come over. The man obediently sawed the table legs to the same short length with a nearby sickle, turning the tall table into a low one that fit perfectly inside the carriage.

The Ghost Scholar nodded approvingly.

The helper lowered his head, not daring to look at Ye Lu, and carefully lifted the low table into the carriage. With grain jars inside, the table would help secure them and prevent breakage.

“Are you really taking all these tattered cloths too?” Ye Lu, withdrawing his gaze, saw the Ghost Scholar gathering the worn fabrics from the bedding. He frowned and asked.

“The poor have a rich road, Dao Ye. You’re used to luxury, but look at what your uncle packed for you. Haven’t you noticed the village’s style? Take everything, understand? What if you need it suddenly? Where else will you buy it?” The Ghost Scholar kept packing, his reasoning sound and unceasing.

Ye Lu was left speechless.

He watched the Ghost Scholar swiftly and mercilessly pack all sorts of items from the house—seasonings, leftover grain—everything tidied up spotless. Ye Lu recognized a small jar in the Ghost Scholar’s hand, the same used previously to hold phantom pearls. Phantom pearls had to be wrapped in phantom beast skin before being placed inside jars. Now, the food was first wrapped in oiled paper, then covered with coarse cloth and neatly packed for easy access.

Though the Ghost Scholar seemed puzzled earlier, after just a few glances, he had blended right in, while Ye Lu felt somewhat out of place.

After a long look inside, Ye Lu found even his phantom food had been packed early by the Ghost Scholar into the carriage, leaving only an empty bed. Well, no sleep tonight.

He touched his forehead, expressionless.

Then, he saw the Ghost Scholar carrying a tree root, hollowed out in the middle and filled with soil. It looked freshly dug from the ground. Wait, Ye Lu recalled that their garden had been completely cleared.

“Surely you’re not taking this too?” Ye Lu gently tried to stop the Ghost Scholar’s thorough sweep. It couldn’t be—they were fleeing famine, but not to the extent of carrying away the passing soil.

“The soil along the road might be different from our village’s soil. Take it—maybe we can grow something new,” the Ghost Scholar replied confidently, his argument reasonable. “Besides, the blue ox is strong enough to pull it.”

Before Ye Lu could raise his hand, the Ghost Scholar grinned and handed the old root to the helper, who obediently tied it to a corner of the carriage and planted a few seeds nearby. Other scattered items were already tied along the edges. The miniature cabin had transformed into a moving small mountain.

The blue ox continued to calmly chew dry grass. Some of the thick bedding grass was also its fodder, but mostly it was millet stalks dried into hay. Only by eating this phantom-powered hay could half-phantom beasts sustain their terrifying energy consumption.

By the time all was packed, dawn was breaking.

Despite Ye Lu’s efforts to stop the sweeping, he failed to halt the village’s thorough looting. Looking back, not a single piece of wood remained inside or outside the house.

In stark contrast, the Ghost Scholar’s smiling face betrayed his satisfaction. Ye Lu could tell at a glance how pleased he was.

“…Fine,” Ye Lu gave up decisively. Perhaps their current strength was too weak; with no access to space or phantom power, relying almost solely on physical strength, surrounded by stronger people, the Ghost Scholar’s paranoia of being harmed made him want to prepare for everything.

Ye Lu had grown used to it; after all, it wasn’t harmful.

“It’s time to go. The villagers are probably gathering at the village entrance,” Ye Lu said, mimicking the motions he remembered. He pulled the rope, slowly getting the blue ox to its feet, and hooked the carriage behind it.

The other two climbed aboard. Ye Lu drove the cart forward toward the village gate.

The helper sat beside Ye Lu, excitedly watching him steer. From the start, he had been fascinated by the blue ox. The Ghost Scholar paid him no mind and entered the carriage himself, since he could see ahead by simply drawing back the curtain.

When the three arrived at the village entrance, it was brightly lit, torches packed densely. Several half-phantom beasts like Ye Lu’s ox were there, including donkeys. Observing the villagers’ luggage, Ye Lu realized the Ghost Scholar hadn’t exaggerated—the few families’ loads were surprisingly similar to theirs.

The oxen dragged what looked like small mountains in slow procession.

Ye Lu’s sharp eyes caught a familiar tall and burly figure at the rear of one cart: He Qi, looking cheerful. Beside him stood a silent He Si. He Qi seemed to have been searching for Ye Lu’s group and greeted them enthusiastically on sight.

After Ye Lu nodded in response, He Qi relaxed.

Finally, Ye Lu took in the scene at the village entrance. The prosperity of He Village was evident. Aside from the phantom beasts like oxen and donkeys forming an outer ring, ordinary carts were placed in the middle section. Perhaps the regular beasts were more skittish and safer in the center.

Ye Lu also noticed five or six black dogs sniffing about near the entrance, mostly clustered around a certain tarred cart. An old, stooped man was driving it, and the dogs occasionally jumped up to rest on the carriage frame.

These dogs were remarkably intelligent. After Ye Lu’s awakening, his sensitivity to phantom power deepened, and he could clearly sense that the leader among the dogs radiated phantom power comparable to that of the oxen and donkeys.

But these were not the most eye-catching.

Ye Lu quickly scanned the scene but soon focused on the most prominent and spacious ox cart at the front. Its wooden panels bore a color remarkably similar to the ancestral hall—black and red—with intricate carvings of various plant motifs.

The cart was actually third in line, not the first.

Several village elders and sorcerers gathered in front of this ox cart. Sorcerers He and Shi wore grave expressions. Nearby, He Lan solemnly held up a bronze mirror.

At first glance, the bronze mirror seemed ordinary, its surface deep and still, much like the one Ye Lu had seen at his awakening. Yet, Ye Lu knew better—in his vision, the mirror was a concentrated embodiment of phantom power. It continuously radiated phantom energy, forming a protective circle that shielded everyone present.

“Please, Lady Bronze Mirror,” Master Shi whispered.

He Lan carefully lifted the mirror and placed it inside the ox cart. Ye Lu clearly saw the protective phantom power circle move with her actions. Once inside, the carvings on the cart’s surface seemed to take effect, immediately softening and soothing the phantom energy shield.

The shield became more enduring and gently enveloped the entire caravan.

A repositioning ritual? Ye Lu thought. Probably this would be the practice for the journey ahead. It was his first time witnessing such a scene. The entire ritual oozed mystery and wildness, a raw, arcane atmosphere unique to this world.

Afterward, only Master He, Uncle He San, and others remained, along with… Ye Lu’s gaze turned to the center of the group, where all eyes were instinctively drawn: a jade-like phantom plant.

A Yellow Fierce Grade—Green Millet.

The green millet was housed in an enormous ceramic jar.

What caused Ye Lu to frown was the drastic transformation of the green millet. Compared to its pre-awakening state, it was now much smaller, especially against the backdrop of the large jar, barely a third of its former size. The top of the plant no longer bore ears but resembled delicate seedlings.

Its size was just right to fit inside the carriage.

“Please load the phantom plant onto the cart!” Master Shi slowly commanded.

At his words, two guards standing by tensed their muscular arms and lifted the ceramic jar with great effort, carefully placing it inside the carriage. The entire process used no phantom power, relying purely on physical strength.