The next day, Chen Xiao and Du Rong moved out of the inn.
Hanshan City was densely populated, with a wide variety of residential options. The central district, located near the lake, had an extreme contrast in rental prices, some were astonishingly cheap, while others were exorbitantly expensive. The lower-priced housing was intended for ordinary people, while the expensive ones catered to cultivators.
In some ways, Hanshan City resembled a modern metropolis from Chen Xiao's past life. While there were many long-time residents, the city was also highly transient. Many people came and went, especially cultivators who preferred short-term rentals. They would stop in Hanshan City to rest and recuperate, then venture back into the vast mountains beyond the city for training as soon as they found suitable companions.
Properties rented out to cultivators typically had large courtyards and multiple rooms, accommodating entire teams. In contrast, ordinary households had smaller residences with fewer occupants, and they did not require such spacious courtyards. After some consideration, Chen Xiao decided there was no need for them to live in the central district. Cultivators staying there were mostly traders looking to buy and sell goods near the lakeside commercial area, or seeking like-minded companions. Since neither was relevant to them, they opted for a different location.
They settled in a small residence at the foot of the mountain, away from the bustling city center. The house had four or five rooms and a modest courtyard. Conveniently, halfway up the mountain behind their new home was the teleportation vortex guarded by Zhishi Hall, keeping them within the cultivation world's orbit without being too exposed.
It seemed that a lone cultivator had rented the house before them, as it was well-furnished. There was no need for additional arrangements, they could move in right away with their belongings.
For ease of travel, Du Rong hired a carriage driver for Chen Xiao. Once they were settled, Du Rong took the carriage to the Wang family's estate to deliver a message, informing Boss Wang of their new address.
The Wang family had grown to trust Chen Xiao completely. Having the rare opportunity to associate with a cultivator especially one from an aristocratic background, thrilled the younger generation. The elders, understanding the rigid hierarchy between immortals and mortals, regarded Chen Xiao with reverence and caution. However, the younger members, unaware of the true distance between themselves and a cultivator, eagerly boasted to their friends about their family's newfound connection.
These young nobles came from similarly wealthy merchant backgrounds, their families holding influence in Hanshan City. Bold and reckless, they were fascinated by the aloof and mysterious Chen Xiao. Under the pretense of needing his expertise to examine their homes, they eagerly sought him out. Fortunately, Du Rong had anticipated such situations and had discussed a strategy with Chen Xiao beforehand. Taking charge of handling visitors, Du Rong's cold, imposing demeanor and the sharp aura he exuded as a former martial artist were enough to intimidate and deter these trouble-seeking youths.
Though unsuccessful in their attempt, the thrill of the encounter left the young nobles exhilarated. Upon returning home, they couldn't resist sharing their "adventure" with their families. Naturally, the elders reprimanded them for meddling with a cultivator. However, after scolding them, the parents couldn't help but feel intrigued.
The younger generation failed to grasp the significance of their brief interaction with a noble cultivator, but their elders understood all too well.
Hanshan City's exposure to cultivators fueled the aspirations of its people. The city boasted larger academies and better teachers than ordinary settlements, giving its children a higher chance of developing their talents. Occasionally, a passing Immortal Master might even take an exceptional child as a disciple.
However, cultivation was a double-edged sword. The path was fraught with uncertainty, and there was no guarantee of success. Moreover, with Hanshan City's large population, competition was fierce. The noble families and their affiliated clans had their own selection processes, favoring children within their circles over those from ordinary schools, unless they displayed extraordinary talent.
In some ways, the children of Hanshan City had fewer opportunities than those from a place like Fancun. At least in Fancun, every few years, there was a formal selection for entry into an immortal sect. In contrast, Hanshan City was entirely under the jurisdiction of the Han family, led by City Lord Han Yuanchun. Powerful immortal sects, aware of the risks of offending the ruling family, would never openly recruit disciples within his domain.
Because of these circumstances, wealthy families with connections would go to great lengths to associate with noble cultivators. Their goal was to secure a place for their children among the affiliated disciples of prestigious families, giving them a chance to cultivate alongside those with real prospects.
Now, with an unexpected shortcut appearing before them, how could they not be tempted? These people were unaware that Chen Xiao was merely a lesser-regarded noble scion forced to seek his own path. Even if they knew, it wouldn't have changed their approach, after all, even an unimportant aristocrat still had access to higher social circles and connections that could be leveraged.
Having money wasn't enough, without the right channels, wealth alone meant nothing.
As a result, Chen Xiao's residence soon became unexpectedly lively. He found it odd; he had assumed that the impact of Boss Wang's case, especially since the results hadn't been particularly spectacular, would take much longer to gain traction.
Chen Xiao remained inside, reading, while Du Rong handled the influx of visitors. Though they weren't speaking directly to the master himself, the fact that they were dealing with an attendant of an Immortal Master made them cautious and respectful.
One by one, they arrived bearing generous gifts, having inquired about Boss Wang's reward as a benchmark, they came prepared with similar or even greater offerings, hoping to persuade Chen Xiao to visit their estates. Their eagerness baffled Du Rong, who was too wary to accept the overwhelming sums they offered. Instead, he simply recorded their names and sent them away.
To their dismay, even attempting to throw money at the problem proved ineffective. Only a true aristocrat could be this indifferent to wealth, they thought as they departed, deeply impressed.
Once the last visitor left and the courtyard gate was shut, Du Rong hurried into Chen Xiao's room, slightly flustered. Holding the list of names, he strode in quickly. "Master, take a look at this. So many people came today," he said urgently, surprised at how calmly Chen Xiao continued reading. "They even made it clear they were willing to pay upfront."
Chen Xiao raised an eyebrow, taking the list from Du Rong's hands. He examined it carefully, it contained the names, addresses, and occupations of the visitors, all affluent individuals. The message was clear: these people had money, and they weren't shy about it.
Chen Xiao studied the list for a long moment before letting out a soft chuckle. "Uncle Rong, these people don't have pure intentions. I fear looking at houses is just an excuse, what they truly want is to give me money."
Du Rong was puzzled. "Is there really such a good thing in this world?"
Chen Xiao shook his head. "No. They're after the status of a noble family's descendant. All they want is a ladder to the heavens."
Hearing this, Du Rong immediately understood. He was a little incredulous. "These people want to use your connections to establish ties with an immortal cultivation family? But, Master, you're just…" Just someone borrowing an identity, not truly a noble heir.
Chen Xiao exhaled slowly. "You know that. I know that. But they don't."
The room fell into a brief silence before Chen Xiao snapped out of his thoughts. "Uncle Rong, have a seat. There's no one else here, no need to be so formal with me."
At his words, Du Rong suddenly realized something, his attitude toward Chen Xiao had subtly changed. In the past, he had merely fulfilled his duties, maintaining the proper distance between employer and subordinate. But now, he found himself genuinely respecting this young master. Standing while speaking to him had become second nature.
He sighed inwardly, youth was truly formidable. Taking a seat to Chen Xiao's left, he asked, "Master, what should we do next?"
Chen Xiao shook his head. "Money given without reason burns the hands. We must never touch it."
Right now, he was merely keeping up appearances, capitalizing on others' preconceived notions. Even if the truth was exposed in the future, no one could hold it against him, after all, he had never claimed this identity himself. He was simply using the noble family name for convenience, but if he accepted their money, it would become outright fraud.
Chen Xiao would never allow his reputation as a feng shui master in this new world to be tainted in any way.
Du Rong frowned. "Then should we refuse them all?"
Chen Xiao chuckled. "One mustn't stop eating for fear of choking. There may be some who genuinely need their homes adjusted."
Though he said this, he knew that, in the early stages, those coming to him were not truly seeking feng shui services, they had ulterior motives. But so what? That didn't stop him from treating them as if they were genuine clients.
He instructed Du Rong, "Uncle Rong, I'll have to trouble you these next few days. Look into these people's backgrounds and pick out those who aren't desperately trying to forge ties with noble families. We'll visit them first."
Rather than rejecting them outright and raising suspicion, it was better to treat them all as real clients and conduct proper feng shui evaluations. Once they saw tangible results, their desire to curry favor would fade, and they would start valuing his expertise instead.
Following Chen Xiao's instructions, Du Rong created a schedule, prioritizing households without school-age children. Chen Xiao visited them one by one, maintaining a refined and distant demeanor. He ignored their flattery and remained indifferent to their attempts at ingratiation. Apart from his consultation fee, he accepted no other gifts.
At first, many of them felt slighted and left disgruntled. But when they saw how meticulous and dedicated this supposed noble heir was in adjusting their homes, a faint sense of guilt crept in.
Before long, once they witnessed the astonishing effectiveness of his feng shui adjustments, they realized how foolish they had been. They had wasted their opportunity to build a genuine connection with an extraordinary individual. By the time they tried to invite him as a guest again, they could no longer even catch a glimpse of him.
So many people regretted their actions at once that it piqued the curiosity of others. Soon, everyone, whether they needed feng shui adjustments or not, came knocking at his door.
But by then, Chen Xiao had become more reserved. Not just anyone could request his services anymore. And because of this, his reputation only soared higher, making him one of the most sought-after figures in town.