There's a noodle shop called Jiu's in Qingshi Town.
The owner's surname is Chen. He looks to be in his early twenties and has no cultivation. No one in town can say what year he arrived. The oldest resident, Grandma Sun, says he looked the same when she was a child, and that he'd already been selling noodles when her father was a child.
When people ask his age, he says twenty-four, and he says it very seriously.
One rainy day, a girl covered in blood stumbled into his shop. That night, the people pursuing her died. Their blades shattered all over the ground, but the people themselves were unhurt and bled not a drop. It was as if someone had reached out and gently erased them from the world.
Chen Jiu crouched on the ground and stared for a long time. He said only two words: "That's strange."
He remembers grabbing the rolling pin, but no matter how hard he tries, he can't remember what happened after that.
The next day, Old Guo, the night watchman, arrived with a whole jar of wine. He glanced at Chen Jiu and said:
"From now on, if you can avoid using your power, don't use it."
Chen Jiu asked why. Old Guo opened his mouth, then suddenly coughed up blood and managed to force out four words:
"I can't remember."
Only later did Chen Jiu gradually realize that there were certain things in this town one shouldn't ask too much about.
Each time certain people used their power, they had to trade something for it.
And it seemed he had already made many such trades.
