The old shopkeeper had his own ways of dealing with people. He personally placed the twenty taels of silver into Li Qiuchen’s hands and said solemnly, “Brother Chu, if you hadn’t acted this time, the old patriarch likely wouldn’t have made it through this trial. Everyone in the Zhao family is endlessly grateful to you. Originally, the eldest madam wanted to come over and toast you, but I saw that funeral face of hers and thought it too inauspicious, so I didn’t let her come.”
“You’ve seen what things are like at home—an utter mess, without the slightest propriety. Later, come to my place, and I’ll make fresh arrangements for you.”
“You are too kind.”
Li Qiuchen smiled. “It can only be said that the Zhao family is blessed with deep fortune and virtue, and the old patriarch was not fated to die. If I hadn’t gone to your place today, I certainly wouldn’t have come along. And if the old patriarch truly had been possessed by evil, I might not necessarily have had a way to deal with it. In my opinion, rather than thanking me, you’d be better off hurrying to burn incense for the City God and the Earth God. Perhaps this was some hidden merit your family accumulated at some point, and it just happened to be used today.”
“Yes, yes, yes! Brother Chu, what you say truly makes sense.”
Thinking back on it, the old shopkeeper also felt a surge of lingering fear. How could there be such a coincidence under heaven? There must have been a deity lending a hand behind the scenes.
Deities had their incense offerings, and mortals ought to have their benefits too.
The two did not conflict. Thanks still had to be given where they were due.
Li Qiuchen thought to himself that it really might not have been a coincidence.
Who, with nothing better to do, would stuff an immortal pill down your family’s old patriarch’s throat?
What he swallowed was an immortal pill—so what was it that he spat out?
He was very interested in the secret behind this.
The prerequisite for that interest was that the Zhao family’s matter had not exceeded the limits of his own abilities.
Li Qiuchen only wanted to bully the weak.
If he later discovered traces of a Foundation Establishment cultivator’s involvement behind this affair, he would definitely run as far away as possible.
But that was rather unlikely.
Because Qingshitai had already been turned over three feet deep and combed through once by a certain archery-loving fellow.
They said the person in this world who understood you best was your enemy.
No one knew better than Li Qiuchen just how terrifying that bastard’s paranoia was. He had done absolutely nothing, merely hidden outside Qingshitai and watched the commotion from afar, yet that man had chased him for hundreds of li, to the point that the crotch of his trousers had nearly split at the seams from running.
Facts proved that his conjecture had been correct. Qingshitai had been scraped cleaner than a plate licked by a dog.
For Li Qiuchen, this environment was extremely comfortable.
They said people couldn’t always live inside their comfort zone.
Interpreted the other way around, that meant you could absolutely spend most of your time inside it.
If you had never bullied the weak, how could you know just how delightful it was?
After leaving the Zhao residence with the silver, Hu Hai’er burped repeatedly while questioning his entire life.
“Xiaohe, you’re way too amazing! Have you practiced martial arts or something? Old Master Zhao was already like that, yet you could still hold him down.”
“You’re making a fuss over nothing.”
Li Qiuchen chuckled. “Have you ever seen a black bear that stands more than a zhang tall and can snap a great tree with one slap?”
“No.”
I haven’t either, but that doesn’t stop me from bragging to you.
“There are plenty of frightening things in the mountains… You think I’d dare carry this much money in my pocket if I didn’t have some skills?”
Li Qiuchen proudly puffed out his chest. “I’m not just boasting. Don’t look at me and think I’m small—even you and your father together wouldn’t be able to get close to me!”
“Of course! My dad doesn’t know shit.”
Hu Hai’er had earned money today and broadened his horizons, so he had not the slightest doubt about Li Qiuchen’s boasting.
“Brother Hai’er, let me tell you, about the two of us going to the Zhao family banquet today—you mustn’t tell anyone when you go back.”
“Why not?”
“You know what it means to never reveal your wealth?”
“I know! My dad says that too.”
“We have to keep a low profile.”
“Got it!”
After returning to the cart inn, Hu Hai’er was, unsurprisingly, beaten by his father, who scolded him for disappearing all day.
Just like yesterday, Li Qiuchen joined the gambling game, played for over half a shichen, lost a dozen or so copper coins back and forth, then lay down to sleep without the slightest change in expression.
Not long after he closed his eyes, he heard someone softly calling beside his ear.
“Chu Xiaohe, Chu Xiaohe…”
Li Qiuchen sat up and saw two young scholars standing before him. He thought to himself, Sure enough, it’s you two.
In the current Qingshitai, these two were the only ones who seemed somewhat improper.
How should he put it? Feeding Old Master Zhao an immortal pill was not something ordinary bad people could really do.
“Who are you? Why are you looking for me?”
The white-robed scholar standing on the left smiled. “Don’t be afraid. We’re not bad people. We’ve come to ask for your help. When the time comes, there will be benefits for you.”
I know you’re not bad people, but I am.
No, wait—how could I say that about myself? I’m not either!
Li Qiuchen did not say much. He followed the two of them out of the cart inn and to an inn in town.
Not long after he sat down, the two of them brought over the dazed and muddleheaded Granny Liu as well.
“Madam Liu, may we trouble you to invite out that Immortal? We would like to meet him.”
“Ah?”
Granny Liu was completely confused, her face blank. “What Immortal?”
“The one you invited this morning.”
“I don’t know him.”
The two scholars looked at each other.
So you don’t even know whom you invited?
The white-robed scholar exchanged a glance with his companion, then spoke comfortingly. “Then I’ll invite him. Madam, you don’t need to do anything. Just close your eyes.”
After soothing Granny Liu, he took out from behind him a leather drum of ancient design, with copper coins tied to its back, and gently shook it.
Along with the swishing sound of the copper coins, the atmosphere in the air seemed to undergo a subtle change.
The lamplight swayed, yin winds gusted, and Granny Liu, whose eyes had been tightly shut, suddenly opened them. A pair of serpent pupils looked toward the two men before her.
The Immortal had arrived.
The Immortal took one look…
“Don’t go!”
The black-robed scholar beside him was quick-eyed and quick-handed. He stepped forward and grabbed Granny Liu’s arm, pulling a semi-transparent apparition out of her body.
“What are you doing?”
The apparition transformed into a long, narrow-faced man dressed in splendid robes. In a panic, he tried to break free from the scholar’s grasp. “What the hell are you grabbing and tugging me for? Let go!”
“Immortal, don’t panic. We bear no ill will!”
“Let go of me first!”
“Listen to me…”
“Let go!”
As soon as the black-robed scholar released his hand, the long-faced man hurriedly jumped aside and looked at the two of them in alarm and uncertainty. “What are you two trying to do?”
“Eighth Master Chang?”
“Eh?”
The white-robed scholar cupped his hands and smiled. “Students Wang Su and Du Qian pay respects to Eighth Master Chang. Last night, when the two of us paid a visit to the Earth God, we heard your honored name from him.”
Hearing that they had learned his name from the Earth God, the wariness on Eighth Master Chang’s face eased somewhat. He frowned and said, “Students from the county school? I’ve never met either of you. Why are you looking for me? If you’re asking about those Yaoshi remnants, I’m not with them and don’t know anything.”
Wang Su shook his head. “The two of us came here on our teacher’s orders to complete an assignment. There are some difficulties involved, so we wished to ask a local for help.”
“What are you trying to do?”
“Some time ago, a demonic practitioner caused chaos in Qingshitai and was later exterminated by the troops of the Garrison Office. The reason the two of us have come this time is to create an illusory realm here, to provide the students of the county school with a place to temper their minds.”
“What?”