The return journey went smoothly. As they neared Ningxi Commandery, the landscape gave way to thousands of li of barren wasteland that was completely devoid of civilization, human, or Shaman.

Wei Yuan wasted no time upon returning to the realm of Qingming. He immediately set off once more for the capital of Bianning after grabbing the immortal silver. This time, he brought Xu Wenwu along and gave him the blue steed to ride. Even before they reached the city, Wei Yuan already spotted the military supply convoy trudging along the road.

Shipping the goods already even though they hadn’t received payment? Sun Chao’en must have been doing quite well these past few months. Yue Qilin trusted him implicitly as well.

After handing the immortal silver to Sun Chao’en, Wei Yuan did not even stop for a drink of water before setting off on the return journey. Xu Wenwu, who had been expecting a banquet, some songs and dances, and even a night’s stay, was deeply disappointed as a matter of course.

He had thought that his master was finally starting to introduce him to the world of officialdom, and that he would be starting right off the bat as a vice administrator, a fairly high-level position. Within a commandery, a vice administrator ranked second only to the commandery administrator. Although a vice administrator held little actual power, it was by no means an insignificant status. Should anything happen to the commandery administrator, the vice administrator would have to take over...