“This place is called Jiguanshan. This humble Daoist is Jiang Tingyue. I act in the stead of the local mountain god, guarding the lands within a radius of three hundred li.”
The curtain of water in the air dispersed, and the young man slowly spoke.
“A nation has its laws, and Heaven has its rules. As the mountain god, I cannot lightly interfere in mortal karma. Now, at the foot of the mountain, remnants of the Medicine Master are gathering believers, their intentions unfathomable. I would like to ask the two of you to take action and help me investigate the truth behind this.”
“If you can eliminate the villains and save the ignorant common folk from their suffering, I will naturally reward you. If the villains have deep and wide connections behind them and the matter proves difficult to handle, you may also return and inform me, and we will seek another method.”
Extremely straightforward—so straightforward that Li Qiuchen felt a little overwhelmed by the favor.
To sum it up in one sentence: the big shot couldn’t conveniently make a move, so you do the job for the big shot, and afterward there’d be a red envelope.
Although the person before him called himself a mountain god, and his level and bearing did indeed seem extraordinary.
In other respects, however, he was unexpectedly full of humanity.
And he himself had also said he was “acting in the stead” of the mountain god.
There was a great deal of information contained in that, but what Li Qiuchen wanted to ask even more right now was: why us two?
Actually, the answer had already been demonstrated just now.
The work you two did last time was good. The big shot was very satisfied.
He pondered silently for a moment and was just about to speak…
“Gah-gah-gah-gah—”
Instead, the white crane couldn’t hold back and cried out first.
Li Qiuchen wished he could smash this stupid bird to death with a rock. Did you have no damn idea what kind of noise you made?
Although its beak had recovered, the moment it got anxious, it still went gah-gah-gah.
“That is acceptable.”
Unexpectedly, Jiang Tingyue actually understood its gah-gahing and nodded. “However, as far as I know, the elders of your family have all ventured deep into the Primordial Wilderness and no one knows when they will return. If you do not wish to intervene in this matter, that is fine as well. I can ask a friend to send you home.”
Li Qiuchen widened his eyes and looked at the stupid bird.
Although he had known the stupid bird’s origins were not ordinary, he had not expected its family background to far surpass his own imagination.
It was not some nimble little spirit from the mountains at all. From Lord Mountain God’s tone, at the very least it had to be from some cultivation clan or the like.
“Gah-gah!”
The white crane decisively shook its head.
If nothing were happening, that would be one thing. But now that heretical demons and unorthodox evil-doers were committing crimes, how could it simply wash its hands of the matter?
“Very well.”
Who knew what agreement Jiang Tingyue had reached with it? He turned his head to look at Li Qiuchen and said, “If you have any questions, you may ask me directly.”
I was about to speak, but this stupid bird cut in first.
Li Qiuchen hurriedly asked, “Senior Mountain God, I would like to ask you how we should determine whether these Medicine Master remnants are doing evil. And if we discover that they are, with our meager strength, how are we supposed to contend against them?”
What he truly wanted to ask was—these so-called Medicine Master remnants, did merely possessing the Medicine Master’s blessing count as being a remnant? For example, someone like me?
But once he asked that question, whether he lived or died would become hard to say.
Although this Lord Mountain God seemed quite easy to talk to, his temper was not exactly good.
Back then, Jiao Potian had merely cursed him once…
Jiang Tingyue looked deeply at Li Qiuchen and said softly, “The so-called remnants of the Medicine Master are those who harm others for their own benefit and willingly fall into depravity. They have received grace yet refuse to strive upward, delighting in leisure and hating work, stealing others’ lifespans and claiming them as their own. They do not know how to restrain their minds, blindly indulging the greed in their hearts. Sooner or later, they will suffer qi deviation and bring calamity upon the innocent living beings of an entire region.”
“As for your lack of strength, then do not confront them head-on. Find a way to gather information and ascertain the origins and background of these Medicine Master remnants. As long as you are within three hundred li of Jiguanshan, burn incense, pray, and call my name, and you will be able to contact me. At that time, someone will naturally come to eliminate demons and uphold the Dao.”
The big shot was quite reasonable. All they had to do was gather intelligence.
Li Qiuchen relaxed slightly.
In truth, he really wanted to ask for some benefits, such as cultivation methods, treasures, spirit pills, miraculous medicines, and so on.
Even the King of Hell wouldn’t send hungry soldiers to war.
But considering that his own background was not exactly clean, he did not quite dare to say it.
When the leader gives you a chance to perform, that is your good fortune.
If you don’t do it, plenty of people will.
“Gah-gah! Gah-gah!”
Li Qiuchen was too embarrassed to speak, but the white crane did not have the slightest bit of embarrassment.
“That is acceptable.”
Jiang Tingyue nodded and summoned the young girl in white. “Take him to bathe and change clothes.”
Bathe and change clothes for what?
Li Qiuchen looked blankly at the stupid bird.
The stupid bird cast him a disdainful look.
What did that mean? You’re looking down on me for being dirty?
It wasn’t like I had a choice. I only had this one set of clothes, with nothing to change into.
You don’t even wear clothes, so what right do you have to look down on me?
Li Qiuchen felt inexplicably aggrieved, but in this situation, he had no way to lay hands on the stupid bird. He could only shoot it a “just you wait” look and obediently follow the young girl in white away.
After leaving the cave abode and arriving at the foot of the mountain, the young girl in white raised her hand and scattered the mist. A hot spring carved out from the mountain wall appeared before Li Qiuchen.
Li Qiuchen was still pondering whether he should simply undress directly or politely ask her to leave first before undressing, when he saw the young girl in white break into a smile. His vision went black, and he knew nothing after that.
In a daze, he heard someone giggling beside his ear. “A little brat dressed like a beggar, and he still knows to be shy.”
“He hasn’t even grown all his hair yet… so cute…”
You’re going too far!
Killing someone only makes their head hit the ground!
How can I, Li Qiuchen, a dignified man, endure such humiliation…
Li Qiuchen suddenly shuddered and woke from his dream. He only felt that every pore on his body was open and refreshed, and the grease and grime on him had been swept clean.
When he opened his eyes, he discovered that he had actually returned to the place where he had previously sat in meditation, looking as if he had never moved at all.
However, the unusual fragrant floral scent on his body, along with the new clothes he had been changed into, all proved that what had just happened had absolutely not been a dream.
Li Qiuchen stood up and walked to the lakeside. By the moonlight, he lowered his head to look.
The handsome youth in a blue-green Daoist robe before his eyes left him stunned for several seconds.
Who the hell was this?
He turned his head and found that the stupid bird had also widened its eyes, staring fixedly at him as though looking at some rare spectacle.
Who the hell are you?
I dunno!
Li Qiuchen thought to himself, What exactly did those two young ladies in white do to me while I was unconscious?
Where are the actual scenes? Why can’t even I, the person involved, watch them?
Even his hair had been trimmed properly.
With his current appearance… even if Li Qiuchen explained to others that he was not a young master from some wealthy household, they might not necessarily believe him.
His personal level of education was low, and he could not think of any suitable words to describe it.
He could only say… he was rather dashing and handsome.
At that moment, Li Qiuchen also noticed that there was now a plain greenwood bracelet on his right wrist.
A magic treasure?
He swept his gaze over it, and his heart instantly bloomed with joy.
It was not a magic treasure, but it was as good as one.
This was a storage bracelet!
Senior Jiang really understood.
Although he said he could not interfere in mortal karma, within the limits of what was permitted, he had still done his utmost to provide Li Qiuchen with quite a bit of convenience.