Li Zhuiyuan extended a finger and lightly traced a circle around the pot in the image, then said,

“You are not allowed to eat what’s in this pot. Keep it for me; it’s useful.”

The next moment, the scene in the image changed. The lid was placed on the pot, most of the firewood underneath was removed, changing from a raging fire to a slow simmer for warmth. The woman stood respectfully by the side.

There were no cries, no dissatisfaction, only extreme docility.

The woman knew very well that even if she ate it, it would likely just be to satisfy a craving, and in the end, the young man would still drain her dry.

But the phrase “it’s useful” carried an entirely different meaning.

If the souls in the pot were useful, it meant the “chef” was also useful.

Subsequently, when the young man needed to cook more difficult ingredients, the chef’s treatment and capabilities would undoubtedly improve. This was her true ladder of progress.

The “Xie Shu” (Evil Book) was an extremely malevolent entity.

But in the young man’s hands, after a year of adaptation, the “Xie Shu” had long understood who was truly malevolent.

Li Zhuiyuan idly flipped through the pages with his fingertips.

When he first obtained this blank book, it exuded an ancient, righteous aura.

However, after he integrated the “Xie Shu” with it, or rather, imprisoned the “Xie Shu” on the first page, the righteous book gradually took on a stranger, more unsettling style.

The “Xie Shu” had gradually transformed from “first prisoner” to “prison bully,” then “jailer,” and “warden.” Currently, it showed a tendency to evolve into a “Zhao Yu” (Imperial Prison) in his hands.

Originally, the “Xie Shu” would consume, and he would then extract the energy needed for deductions from the “Xie Shu.”

The loss in this process was quite significant, and the conversion efficiency was very low.

Moreover, it had relegated the blank book to a secondary auxiliary tool.

Now, if his speculation about his “Tiandao Gongde” (Heavenly Dao Merit) was correct, the blank book’s functions would dramatically improve.

When he encountered powerful souls “lang li lang wai” (in and out of the waves), he could create opportunities to collect them into the book, much like harvesting.

Then, he would let the “Xie Shu” handle the rough and fine processing.

For instance, the vengeful spirit of Li Hongsheng in that pot had already been charred, de-feathered, and stewed to mush by the “Xie Shu,” so tender that the bones would fall off with a light touch.

Taking it out would provide excellent materials for “xieshu” (evil arts) and “jinji” (taboos).

Previously, he knew there were things he couldn’t touch or do. Now, as long as he was “lang wai” (outside the waves), he could try them.

A peculiar gleam appeared in the young man’s eyes.

The woman in the book looked up a moment earlier, then lowered her head as the scene changed, trying to appear even more “I see you and pity you.”

The young man’s gaze even frightened the “Xie Shu.”

It wasn’t a change in temperament or a descent into depravity, but rather a long-suppressed nature finally shedding its disguise legitimately.

One must remember that Li Zhuiyuan had actively chosen to enter the Xuanmen (Mystical Gate) from an ordinary person to this dangerous other side of the world precisely because he found it… interesting.

In his great-grandfather’s basement were martial arts manuals and secret texts from reputable orthodox sects.

Even Wei Zhengdao’s “Zhengdao Fumo Lu” (Orthodox Demon-Slaying Record), by its very name, suggested a standard, upright appearance.

But one flavor, eaten too much and for too long, would bore anyone, making them want to try a new taste.

If Li Zhuiyuan hadn’t read Wei Zhengdao’s detailed descriptions of these “xieshu jinji” word for word with relish, how could he have known about them?

Closing the blank book, the young man turned his head to look at the dark night outside the window.

He still didn’t know Wei Zhengdao’s method of “eating xiesui” (evil spirits).

Currently, he could only extract grievances.

However, there was now a new area for him to experiment and play in. Harm heaven and people? Whatever, you can offset it by deducting my merit.

Tan Wenbin and the other two, their touching of Chen Xiyuan’s dizi (flute) brightened three segments. Roughly calculated, this alone should be equivalent to the merit Chen Xiyuan, a Dragon King sect inheritor, would gain from one “lang” (wave).

But in terms of contribution to the last “lang,” he alone orchestrated Yu Tiannan’s “resurrection,” successfully preventing the catastrophe caused by the Yu family’s leak. Conservatively, he should have received eighty percent of this “lang’s” merit.

The remaining twenty percent was not exclusively Chen Xiyuan’s but was distributed among all the “zoujiangzhe” (river walkers) who participated in blocking the door, according to their contributions.

Moreover, during the blocking, he had also sent Tan Wenbin and his group to participate. He first “persuaded” the old dog to block the door and personally resurrected the fierce beast to assist. He should naturally have the largest share of those twenty percent of the “blocking” merits.

Yet the result was that his entire team’s total merit was only barely on par with Chen Xiyuan’s.

Considering Zhao Yi’s own “langhua” (wave spray) difficulty and completion during his “zoujiang,” and Chen Xiyuan’s crude “zoujiang” habit, he not only faced higher difficulty but also consistently worked meticulously, eliminated evil thoroughly, perfected everything, and left no loose ends.

Superficially, as a Dragon King sect inheritor, the “oil stains” his team received did match their status. But in reality, heaven knew how immense the amount of merit accumulated above his head truly was.

Not only could he deduct it by playing with “xieshu” and “jinji,” Li Zhuiyuan even suspected that as long as he was “lang wai,” if he disliked someone or determined that a certain sect or family had stolen his things…

He could directly storm their homes without needing a reason, making excuses, or even minding his manners.

The young man recalled what his great-grandfather used to tell him: “Xiao Yuanhou, your great-grandfather has money, plenty of money, spend as much as you like…”

Li Zhuiyuan murmured, “Tiandao, I have merit, plenty of merit, deduct as much as you like.”

Out of caution, to prove this hypothesis, he still needed to conduct experiments step by step.

Li Hongsheng’s vengeful spirit was his test subject for “xieshu jinji.”

As for the Zhou family and Ding family, they were test subjects for another direction. When he went to seek revenge, he could intentionally be more unbridled, bolder, and more reckless.

He would start with Li Hongsheng’s vengeful spirit, but not here; he would wait until he returned home.

“Xieshu jinji” required a lot of preliminary preparations, and doing them outside could easily cause a stir and be detected. Only in his dojo in Nantong would it be most suitable.

Even if the evil energy spilled out of the dojo, firstly, there was his great-grandfather’s good fortune to suppress it, secondly, there were Grandma Liu and Uncle Qin overseeing it, and finally, there was Qing’an under the peach forest providing concealment.

This environment was practically a holy land for “xiexiu” (evil cultivators).

Li Zhuiyuan looked at the moon outside the window:

“Do you think… I should still… thank you?”

At dawn, Li Zhuiyuan, lying on the bed, opened his eyes.

He habitually turned his head.

What met his eyes were a pair of long legs.

Chen Xiyuan sat on his bed, her legs bent, one hand hugging her knee, the other propping up her chin, just watching him.

Her gaze held both tenderness and concern.

She had entered silently, climbed onto his bed silently, and even kept her “yu” (domain) active while sitting on the bed, fearing to make the slightest sound that might disturb his sleep.

This meant she could kill him silently.

Chen Xiyuan: “Little brother, you’re awake?”

The young man sat up. He couldn’t be bothered to dwell on Chen Xiyuan sneaking into his room early in the morning, considering it simply as gratitude for not killing him.

Chen Xiyuan: “I slept very little last night; my mind was busy.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “You, busy mind?”

Chen Xiyuan: “Yes, I was worried you’d be indignant, worried you’d get depressed, worried you’d be demonized, worried you’d become world-weary and fall into evil ways.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “You don’t need to worry about any of that anymore.”

Chen Xiyuan: “Really? Little brother, please don’t lie to me.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Yes, really no need to worry about those things.”

What had already happened, there was no need to worry about it happening again.

Chen Xiyuan: “You sleep really well. You slept almost all day yesterday. I thought you couldn’t sleep, which is why I came to talk to you and counsel you this morning. I didn’t expect you to actually be sleeping.”

Li Zhuiyuan had only slept for just over an hour, calibrating his routine.

His purpose was to ensure that when he woke up after returning home, he would see A-Li.

Li Zhuiyuan: “Move your legs.”

Chen Xiyuan: “Oh, okay.”

Li Zhuiyuan got out of bed to wash up.

Chen Xiyuan followed, leaning against the bathroom door, and asked, “Are you leaving Luoyang tonight?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “No, tomorrow night.”

Chen Xiyuan: “What a coincidence, me too.”

As the young man finished brushing his teeth and washing his face, Chen Xiyuan handed him a towel hanging nearby.

Li Zhuiyuan: “That’s for wiping feet.”

Chen Xiyuan: “Oh, sorry.”

Li Zhuiyuan took a towel himself and began to wipe his face.

Chen Xiyuan asked casually, “Where do you live in Nantong?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Fuzimiao, Qinhuai District, Nantong City.”

Chen Xiyuan: “Little brother, I may not be very clever, but I’m not that stupid.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Exchange contact information with Tan Wenbin. After I go back to Nantong and handle some matters, if time and conditions permit, I will go to Hainan to find you.”

Chen Xiyuan: “Remember to come in a big truck.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “I will.”

Chen Xiyuan: “But why don’t you want me to go to Nantong?”

Li Zhuiyuan rinsed the towel.

Chen Xiyuan: “I really want to meet Granny Liu. My grandfather raised me personally in his courtyard since I was little, and Granny Liu was always a hot topic in every argument between my grandpa and grandma.”

Li Zhuiyuan hung the squeezed-dry towel on the wall.

Chen Xiyuan: “I also want to meet the Qin family’s little sister. I asked Lin Shuyou, and Lin Shuyou said the Qin family’s little sister is very beautiful, quiet and gentle.”

Quiet and gentle?

When Lin Shuyou came to Nantong, it was already a year after he and A-Li had met. At that time, A-Li had already made initial progress because of him.

If it were Tan Wenbin and Runsheng, they would never describe A-Li as “quiet and gentle.” The first time they saw A-Li, they both felt clear pressure and fear from her.

Li Zhuiyuan: “Are you and Lin Shuyou good friends?”

Chen Xiyuan: “Tan Wenbin has too many schemes, it’s exhausting to talk to him; Runsheng is too quiet, either he doesn’t talk, or when he does, he’s very blunt. Lin Shuyou is really nice, I can chat with him.”

Li Zhuiyuan found that Lin Shuyou seemed to get along well with every external team.

This was normal, after all, A-You could even quickly become friends with Yu Da, who grew up in a pigsty.

Chen Xiyuan: “Little brother, you still haven’t answered me, why can’t I go to Nantong with you?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Have you had breakfast yet?”

Chen Xiyuan: “No.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Are you hungry?”

Chen Xiyuan: “I’m hungry.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Let’s go out for breakfast together.”

Chen Xiyuan: “Okay.”

As they walked out, they happened to see Granny Yao carrying a tray with a neatly folded turban, clothes, and boots.

The “happened” here wasn’t truly by chance. After Granny Yao finished her work, she had kept her door open and sat in her room, waiting for him to come out.

She didn’t personally give the new clothes she made to Xu Fengzhi or Xu Mofan but, with great discretion, intended to hand them over to her young master-in-law.

Li Zhuiyuan didn’t care for such rules, but it was Granny Yao’s habit.

Her son, Yao Nian’en, even said that his mother’s spirits had been much better recently.

Perhaps it was because, in Granny Yao’s eyes, the time she spent living in the Liu family was the most cherished and beautiful memory of her entire life.

Serving her young master-in-law reminded her of serving the young mistress back then.

Granny Yao: “What a coincidence, the clothes are just finished.”

Li Zhuiyuan just glanced and knew the work wasn’t easy.

Li Zhuiyuan: “Grandma, you’ve worked hard.”

Granny Yao: “Small work, just small work, it’s not hard.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Grandma is old. While your body is still strong, you should go out more to travel and see things. Jiangsu is rich in culture and has many attractions. Do you want to travel, Grandma?”

Granny Yao was stunned, tears immediately welled up in her eyes, her hands trembled uncontrollably, and she subconsciously asked,

“Jiangsu… where is the most fun?”

“Nantong.”

Chen Xiyuan: “…”

Granny Yao: “Can… can I?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “I’ll go back and ask if there are any spare rooms at home. If there are, Grandma can come and stay with us, saving on accommodation costs.”

Granny Yao took a deep breath, reaching out to steady herself against the wall.

A immense sense of joy surged through her; she could finally see the young mistress again.

As for inviting Granny Yao, Li Zhuiyuan needed to consult with the old lady at home, though the old lady would certainly give him this favor and agree.

Furthermore, his own old lady had changed a lot since she started enjoying playing cards with Liu Jinxia and her friends.

Li Zhuiyuan glanced at Chen Xiyuan.

Chen Xiyuan reached out and took the tray with the clothes.

Li Zhuiyuan: “Put it in my room first.”

Chen Xiyuan: “Wait for me.”

After Chen Xiyuan left, Li Zhuiyuan went downstairs alone and walked outside.

Then, with a “swoosh,” Chen Xiyuan jumped out of the window.

“Little brother, I told you to wait for me.”

“It’s easier to wait down here.”

“That’s true.”

Chen Xiyuan looked up at the roof.

On the edge of the rooftop, Xu Fengzhi was still drinking alone.

A large jar of peanuts, slowly savored one by one. The whole night, it wasn’t even half gone, and the second bottle of wine hadn’t even been opened.

Xu Fengzhi looked down at Li Zhuiyuan standing below.

Happily, he threw three peanuts into his mouth in a row, indulging himself extravagantly!

Li Zhuiyuan nodded slightly to Xu Fengzhi as a greeting, then turned and walked out of the alley.

Chen Xiyuan walked while bending down, whispering,

“Little brother, did you tell him your identity?”

Sister Chen was intermittently showing her human side again.

“Yes.”

Chen Xiyuan: “Then he must be very happy. During the Gate Battle, Senior Xu mocked the Tao and Ling families while highly praising Dragon King Qin and Dragon King Liu. Sister, I was so happy listening to it.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Did he also praise Dragon King Chen?”

Chen Xiyuan: “I think he mentioned it, and gave a brief compliment.”

The Dragon King Chen family was known for its pure family tradition, upholding the orthodox Dragon King sect style, which was publicly acknowledged in the martial arts world.

However, the Dragon King Chen line had only produced three Dragon Kings throughout history, who were either extremely powerful or extremely mediocre. Therefore, most of the time, Chen family inheritors did not make significant waves during their “zoujiang” activities.

Moreover, the Dragon King Chen ancestral home was located on an island. Although they didn’t deliberately avoid the world, they were semi-secluded, rarely appearing in the martial arts world.

This was completely different from the heyday of Dragon King Qin and Dragon King Liu.

Firstly, both families had always been high-profile; otherwise, the romance between the Qin family’s young master and the Liu family’s young lady wouldn’t have been known throughout the martial arts world, drawing collective attention.

Secondly, in fulfilling their responsibilities to the martial arts world, the Qin and Liu families had always been proactive, daring to act and willing to sacrifice.

People of Xu Fengzhi’s age probably grew up listening to stories of the Qin and Liu families in the martial arts world, and he himself had witnessed the “swan song” of Dragon King Qin and Dragon King Liu on the Yangtze River.

That Liu Yumei could sustain the two dilapidated family sects until now, besides the special binding of fate and the old lady’s ability to still wield a sword, was likely also due to the many admirers of the Qin and Liu sects, like Elder Xu Fengzhi, in the martial arts world.

If any major power dared to blatantly destroy their inheritance, that power itself might not even realize how many spontaneous helpers would suddenly emerge for the sparsely populated Qin and Liu families at that time.

Even the most delicious soup cannot be drunk continuously.

Upon seeing Li Zhuiyuan and Chen Xiyuan, the soup shop owner enthusiastically raised his hand. Before he could even greet them, he saw the two walk into a breakfast shop next door.

His hand, raised halfway, changed to scratching his head.

Soup shop owner: “Why is my head so itchy today?”

The proprietress appeared behind the owner, leaning close to his ear,

And mischievously said,

“Tsk, the white swan didn’t even glance at our toad today.”

Baozi (steamed buns), youtiao (fried dough sticks), doujiang (soy milk), and a tea egg — Li Zhuiyuan ordered one of each.

Chen Xiyuan ordered five of each, and additionally, two bowls of meatball soup. The soup base was a hodgepodge soup, one with vermicelli and one with instant noodles.

During this time, seeing the tempting color of the oil饼 (fried flatbread), Chen Xiyuan asked the owner to cut a jin (500g) for her to sample.

The small breakfast table between them was packed to the brim.

Li Zhuiyuan took a sip of soy milk and asked Chen Xiyuan,

“Why are you eating so little today? Don’t have an appetite?”

Chen Xiyuan nodded: “I was worried about you last night, so my appetite isn’t good. I’ll just eat a little to tide myself over.”

Li Zhuiyuan had seen Chen Xiyuan’s real appetite. The appetite of a martial artist, the stronger they are, the more boundless it is. Hence, there was a saying since ancient times: “poor study literature, rich practice martial arts.”

Chen Xiyuan: “Usually, I only really open up my appetite at the beginning and end of a ‘lang.’ Most of the time, I eat about as much as an ordinary person.”

Li Zhuiyuan remembered that Uncle Qin also had this ability. Uncle Qin’s appetite at home wasn’t large; he even ate less than ordinary rural people who worked in the fields.

The young man knew the principle behind it, but since he didn’t practice martial arts himself, he didn’t know how to explain and teach it in a down-to-earth way.

“Today, you give them a lesson, teach Lin Shuyou and the others how to control and maintain their body’s metabolism.”

Chen Xiyuan chewed on the fried flatbread and asked, puzzled, “Don’t you understand it very well? You’ve already stated the principle.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “They’ll only understand if you explain it.”

If they could understand just by him stating the principle, then he could just give them the ready-made martial arts techniques, and they could learn and practice by themselves.

But the truth was, Brother Runsheng and the other two didn’t have that ability. He could train and teach them moves and experience, but he couldn’t help them improve their internal cultivation realm.

Chen Xiyuan: “Alright, leave it to me. I’ll press the three of them into my domain and forcibly squeeze their internal organs. They should grasp it quickly.”

Li Zhuiyuan glanced at the clock on the wall. They knew that unless Chen Xiyuan suddenly had a drastic change of heart and wanted to kill him, he would be safe in the hotel. So, at this hour, Brother Runsheng and the others should still be sleeping.

And when they woke up, they would have to attend Teacher Chen’s professional class.

It was indeed quite professional. If Chen Xiyuan relied on verbal explanations to convey her insights, the effect would likely be poor. Directly applying pressure to their internal organs would actually make it easier for them to absorb.

Li Zhuiyuan quickly finished his breakfast and sat there waiting for Chen Xiyuan to finish.

Chen Xiyuan ate a lot, but she wasn’t gluttonous. She ate elegantly and gracefully, just continuously.

After finishing, Chen Xiyuan went to pay the bill.

When the owner quoted the amount, Chen Xiyuan’s first reaction was that he had miscalculated.

After the owner calculated it again, Chen Xiyuan paid and,

Sighed,

“The prices in Luoyang are really affordable.”

Chen Xiyuan fanned the banknotes in her hand and said,

“After I started ‘dengdeng zoujiang’ (lighting lanterns and walking the rivers) and frequently left the island, I gradually found that the same amount of money felt like two different currencies when spent in Hainan and the mainland.”

Leaving the breakfast shop, the two returned to the alley.

On the way, they met Tan Wenbin and the other two, who were coming out for breakfast together.

“Xiao Yuan.”

“Brother Xiao Yuan.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Eat breakfast quickly, we have something to do later.”

Tan Wenbin: “A-You, you go buy it and bring it back. We’ll go back with Brother Xiao Yuan first.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “No need, it’s not that urgent. Finish eating first, then come back.”

The young man was worried that if they brought it back, they might not be able to eat it later.

After they passed each other, Li Zhuiyuan said to Chen Xiyuan, “Later, you first explain the theory.”

Chen Xiyuan: “But I don’t know how to explain theory.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Then talk about Qīngbǔliáng, Wenchang Chicken, and Lingshui Sour Noodles.”

Chen Xiyuan: “The purpose of talking about these is…”

Li Zhuiyuan: “To make them digest their breakfast quickly, so they don’t get all squeezed up in the room later.”

Returning to the hotel room, Li Zhuiyuan and Chen Xiyuan parted ways. He carried the tray up to the rooftop.

“Senior Xu, your clothes are ready. Would you like to try them on?”

“No need to try them. She was able to stitch up Mofan’s chest, so her eyes are her measuring tape.”

“Then I’ll deliver them to Senior Xu’s room.”

“No rush, Xiaoyuan… ahem… Zhuiyuan, come over here for a moment, to this old man’s… my side.”

Li Zhuiyuan walked in front of Xu Fengzhi.

As the new day began, the downstairs gradually became lively.

The anti-prostitution crackdown had actually ended yesterday.

But because Chen Xiyuan had collectively broken the legs of the gangster boss who managed this area, the massage parlors in the alley didn’t receive the notice to resume operations immediately.

It was only yesterday that the people here noticed that the massage parlors in the opposite district had opened and were doing business as usual. Upon asking, they learned that the storm had indeed passed.

So, the alley was especially boisterous today. Those who had returned home to visit relatives were back, and everyone collectively started a thorough cleaning and purchasing paper, massage oil, and toiletries.

Xu Fengzhi spread his hand downward, then closed his palm, forming a single finger.

At first glance, it looked like an old man behaving inappropriately, still “selecting concubines.”

In reality, as Xu Fengzhi’s finger condensed, the light and shadow in front of him began to twist and shake.

Li Zhuiyuan’s gaze narrowed slightly. He saw flashes of spear shadows alternating.

At first glance, it didn’t seem very complex, but a closer look revealed its profound mystery.

Xu Family Spear emphasized broad and sweeping movements, charging forward fearlessly, but it contained exquisite subtlety. What appeared to be a spear thrust was, in reality, the spear’s “intent” leading each time, driving the spear with intent.

This spear technique was very difficult to learn, and to master it, one needed to temper their state of mind.

After the demonstration, Xu Fengzhi coughed several times.

He had just shown the young man his deepest understanding of the Xu Family Spear technique, without holding anything back. It could be said that this kind of transmission, even among the Xu family’s own disciples, only a select few elites could receive.

Although he knew that Granny Liu choosing this young man certainly meant his extraordinary nature, and he had tested and confirmed it last night, Xu Fengzhi still asked with some concern, given his brief yet profound demonstration,

“Did you remember it clearly?”

“Yes, I remembered it.”

“Did you understand it?”

“Yes, I understood it.”

“Last night, I instructed Mofan to transcribe all the basic forms of the Xu Family Spear technique. I’ll give it to you later. Zhuiyuan, when you come of age, will you be able to learn it?”

“Yes, I will be able to learn it.”

“Then… can you master it?”

Li Zhuiyuan fell silent.

Xu Fengzhi’s eyes were filled with expectation.

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head: “As I am now, it’s difficult to master. The Xu Family Spear not only requires a fearless conviction to charge forward but also the detached ease of sheathing the spear as life ends. I lack both of these currently.”

Xu Fengzhi looked astonished. This young man actually understood his deeply hidden spear intent.

The old man smiled: “That’s because you’re still young. When you stand at the pinnacle in the future, your spear will sweep all before it.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Senior Xu, I can only try my best not to disappoint your expectations, and thank you for your teachings.”

Xu Fengzhi waved his hand: “What gratitude? In the end, I’m the one who benefited greatly. Granny Liu allowing an outsider like you to shoulder two Dragon King sects must have her reasons. And I merely shamelessly hitched a ride.”

Xu Fengzhi stopped speaking, and Li Zhuiyuan also fell silent.

After a while, Xu Mofan came up.

Xu Fengzhi: “Put the clothes down, and you can leave.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Yes, Senior Xu.”

As Li Zhuiyuan passed Xu Mofan, Xu Mofan took out a handwritten spear manuscript, bound with thread, and handed it to Li Zhuiyuan.

Li Zhuiyuan reached out and accepted it.

Xu Mofan: “Practicing my Xu family spear, yet acknowledging another for your ‘zoujiang,’ is not appropriate.”

Li Zhuiyuan smiled at Xu Mofan.

Xu Mofan: “You may temporarily reside beneath others, but your character must be forged with resilience. As high as the mountain, so high must your spear be. Otherwise, you will ultimately struggle to achieve greatness.”

Although Xu Mofan’s words were unpleasant, he was indeed pointing out the essence of the Xu Family Spear.

After Li Zhuiyuan left, Xu Mofan walked in front of Xu Fengzhi.

Xu Fengzhi: “This old man, after all, was too soft-hearted and let them succeed.”

Xu Mofan: “Each gets what they need. Besides, it’s just a spear technique manual.”

Xu Fengzhi: “But no matter what, even without the ceremony of apprenticeship or an official title, the spear technique was, after all, given away.”

Xu Mofan: “If Uncle Grandmaster were to accept him as a disciple, his seniority would be much higher than mine.”

Xu Fengzhi: “In the last ‘lang,’ you and those people named Tan fought side by side. It’s also fate that you’re staying in the same hotel now. Regardless of whether this young man can master the spear technique, or truly understand its essence and style, he is no longer purely an outsider. Mofan, if you meet him on the river again in the future, I don’t ask you to look after him or support him, but, as long as conditions permit…”

Xu Mofan nodded: “Uncle Grandmaster, I understand. Rest assured, I won’t deliberately try to kill him.”

Xu Fengzhi smiled and reached out, patting Xu Mofan’s shoulder.

My child, your Uncle Grandmaster isn’t asking you not to kill him.

But if you don’t deliberately try to kill him, he might, out of the affection we share today, also spare your life.

At least, give you a chance to ‘dengdeng renshu’ (light lanterns and admit defeat) a second time.

With the inheritance of two Dragon King sects, understanding the true meaning of his spear technique in one glance, possessing multiple mysterious techniques, and an unsettlingly steady character.

This wasn’t Xu Fengzhi looking at the Qin and Liu Dragon King sects through rose-tinted glasses, but his genuine belief that in this generation on the river, there truly weren’t many people who could suppress that young man.

In Xu Fengzhi’s view, this young man would likely become the Dragon King of this generation, re-establishing the prestige of Qin and Liu.

The old man simply hoped that his most beloved and valued junior in the family would not become a stepping stone crushed on the path of the contemporary Dragon King.

“Poof!”

Suddenly, Xu Fengzhi violently spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. Several of his orifices were ruptured by the chaotic spear intent within his body, and he collapsed weakly to the ground.

Xu Mofan quickly reached out to embrace him, trying to transfer internal energy to help his grand-uncle stabilize his injuries.

“Uncle Grandmaster, your body is failing.”

“Child, don’t waste your energy. I’ll be sleeping tonight anyway.”

Xu Fengzhi’s face, turned away from Xu Mofan, showed horror.

Just a slight hint of warning like that had caused him such a strong backlash for helping his junior “zoujiang.”

How great was the karma this young man carried?

Xu Mofan: “Uncle Grandmaster, I’ve contacted the family. They want to rush to Luoyang.”

Xu Fengzhi: “Don’t let them come.”

Xu Mofan: “Understood, I refused them.”

Xu Fengzhi: “Good refusal.”

Xu Mofan: “Let me help you back to your room to rest.”

“No, I’m not going back.” Xu Fengzhi pointed to the unfinished peanuts and undrunk wine. “My last drink in life, I want to enjoy it to the fullest. I want to finish it.”

Li Zhuiyuan, after leaving the rooftop, didn’t return to his own room. His room was next to Tan Wenbin and the others’, and the young man didn’t particularly want to witness the “torture” they were currently enduring.

So, Li Zhuiyuan went to the room where Granny Yao and her family were staying.

It was the weekend today. Granny Yao’s two grandsons were sitting on either side of a desk, buried in their test papers.

The papers were… “Zhuiyuan Mi Juan” (Zhuiyuan Secret Scrolls).

Li Zhuiyuan had promised to send them regularly, which Tan Wenbin would arrange after he returned home. This set of papers was found by Granny Yao’s son, Yao Nian’en, in various bookstores.

In those days, firstly, copyright awareness was weak, and secondly, people’s conditions were limited. In terms of teaching materials, even in Nantong city, people would get one set, either printed by the school or written on the blackboard for students to copy and do.

The “Zhuiyuan Mi Juan” sold well in Nantong mainly because the named author was the provincial top scholar. Parents and students were willing to pay for it, primarily for good luck.

The two children were clearly studying and doing problems beyond their grade level, struggling painfully. Suddenly, they looked up and saw Li Zhuiyuan standing before them. Instantly, the hardships of life materialized before them.

Since he was idle anyway, Li Zhuiyuan simply sat beside them and explained the problems to the two brothers.

The brothers tried to follow Li Zhuiyuan’s思路 (train of thought) and listened with increasing absorption.

Li Zhuiyuan found that these two brothers were indeed “dushu zhongzi” (talented students).

Granny Yao’s daughter-in-law passed by, noticed them, but didn’t come in. Instead, she cut fruit and poured tea, tiptoeing in to place them down, then carefully withdrew.

After explaining, the brothers breathed a sigh of relief and continued to look at the problems.

Li Zhuiyuan held his teacup, sipping it as he walked into the next room.

Granny Yao was directing her son and daughter-in-law to help her pack her luggage.

Yao Nian’en dared not object to his mother’s sudden decision to travel, but for safety, he wanted to go along to look after her. However, Granny Yao firmly scolded him.

In Granny Yao’s eyes, her young master-in-law coming to their home as a guest, and her bringing her two grandsons to pay respects to him, was firstly a matter of proper etiquette, and secondly, she already harbored a bit of personal ambition.

If she were to take her son and grandsons to Nantong to see the young mistress, then she would truly be insatiable.

Daughter-in-law: “Mother, when are you leaving?”

“I don’t know.”

Daughter-in-law: “Mother, is the travel agency reliable?”

“Reliable.”

Daughter-in-law: “Which travel agency is it?”

“I don’t know.”

Daughter-in-law: “Mother, why are you taking so much needlework and fabric with you when you’re traveling?”

Granny Yao glared at her daughter-in-law irritably and said,

“If you keep nagging, I’ll incite my son to beat his wife.”

Daughter-in-law: “Mother, aren’t I just concerned about you?”

“Then you’re not allowed to give any more money to your maiden family.”

The daughter-in-law immediately lowered her head and fell silent.

Granny Yao smiled.

Though the journey had not officially begun, and whether it would even happen was uncertain, her joy had already arrived.

Li Zhuiyuan didn’t go in to disturb them. He estimated the time and returned to the room next to his.

Pushing open the door, Lin Shuyou was lying on the ground in a perfectly spread “大” (big) posture.

His entire body was red, soaked in sweat, as if he had just undergone torture.

Tan Wenbin was vomiting in the bathroom, the sound a complete mess.

Runsheng sat on the bed, seemingly normal, but white mist continuously rose from his head, like boiling water.

This showed that Teacher Chen’s teaching method was quite simple and brutal.

When the three fully accepted the teaching and offered no resistance in her domain, Chen Xiyuan could indeed manipulate them in all sorts of unimaginable ways.

Literally… “putting her heart into their stomachs.”

But since they were his companions, Li Zhuiyuan checked each of their bodies one by one, fearing that one of them might have accidentally been “broken” by Chen Xiyuan.

Fortunately, despite the extreme distortion and pain, their organs were all fine.

After telling them to rest, Li Zhuiyuan walked out of the room.

Chen Xiyuan was holding a fruit plate and eating with a toothpick.

Her hair was wet; she had just showered.

Li Zhuiyuan: “You’ve worked hard.”

Chen Xiyuan: “You’re welcome, hehe, this is the first time I’ve realized I can be more than just a music teacher at school.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “You should stick to teaching music.”

It was a good thing Runsheng and the other two were exceptionally strong; ordinary people couldn’t withstand Chen Xiyuan’s teaching intensity.

Chen Xiyuan: “They should be able to grasp this level in a few more days, little brother. You’re really good to your companions.”

This meant that after returning home, Aunt Liu’s workload would be significantly reduced, and the grain at Great-grandfather’s house wouldn’t be consumed so quickly.

At noon, Li Zhuiyuan and Chen Xiyuan went to pick up Panzi, Leizi, Liang Jun, and Chen Xiyuan’s student’s brother from the hospital.

Although their problems were caused by eating wild mushrooms, it was considered a “work-related injury.” Not only were medical fees waived, but their salaries were paid as usual, and they received various subsidies.

After discharge, everyone went to eat Luoyang’s “shui xi” (water banquet) together. It was a watery, peppery meal, which was quite enjoyable for those who had just recovered from a serious illness.

After the meal, Li Zhuiyuan saw Panzi and the others off, putting them in the car arranged by their unit to return to Nantong. The car was filled with local specialties and nutritional supplements from the unit.

Panzi and Leizi had already planned who to share these things with once they returned.

The two young men, barely adults, were indifferent to their brush with death. In fact, if not for their involvement in Li Zhuiyuan’s “langhua,” they might have lost their lives in this food poisoning incident. Instead, they felt that getting paid, subsidized, and receiving gifts while lying down was quite a profit.

Liang Jun invited Li Zhuiyuan to ride in the car back to Nantong, but Li Zhuiyuan refused, saying a friend’s family was holding a funeral and he needed to stay an extra day.

Then, Li Zhuiyuan received funeral money from Liang Jun, Panzi, and Leizi, given out of respect for him.

Li Zhuiyuan did not refuse and accepted it.

Xu Mofan received his full merit, he was rich, so let him give a little more.

After all, buying merit with money was truly no different from finding a pie falling from the sky.

When he met up with Chen Xiyuan, she was carrying a mesh bag containing two cans of malted milk extract, two large bags of biscuits, and some Luoyang specialties.

Chen Xiyuan: “I told him I wasn’t going back with him because a friend’s elder was about to pass away, so he shared some of the supplements his unit gave him for me to take.”

After nightfall, when the stoic Xu Mofan heard a knock and opened his room door, he was handed a large bag of nutritional supplements and three envelopes of funeral money.

The three envelopes of funeral money were formally wrapped, with Panzi, Leizi, and Liang Jun’s names, hometowns, and birth dates written on them.

Li Zhuiyuan: “My condolences in advance.”

Xu Mofan was stunned for a while, finally accepting the envelopes of funeral money and, as a filial son, returned the gesture to Li Zhuiyuan.

Li Zhuiyuan reached out to help him up.

In rural funerals, this gesture of returning politeness is usually just a formality: the filial son grasps the mourner’s arms and bends his knees slightly.

But it was unclear if Xu Mofan genuinely didn’t understand or was doing it intentionally; in any case, he very earnestly knelt down.

This even caused the young man, who hadn’t practiced martial arts, to stumble when Xu Mofan pulled his arm.

After returning the courtesy to Li Zhuiyuan, Xu Mofan took the net bag of supplements Chen Xiyuan offered.

Chen Xiyuan: “My friend sent these for Senior Xu to nourish his body.”

One offered “condolences,” the other called it “nourishing the body.” Seemingly unrelated, yet it happened harmoniously.

Moreover, on the malted milk extract cans, the person’s name, hometown, and birth dates were written in black marker, circling the can.

Originally, there were none, but to make it easier for the host family to record their “renqingbu” (ledger of social favors), Li Zhuiyuan added them for Chen Xiyuan.

Xu Mofan returned the courtesy to Chen Xiyuan.

Chen Xiyuan mimicked Li Zhuiyuan’s action, reaching out to support Xu Mofan’s arms.

Xu Mofan had just squatted a little when his expression suddenly froze.

He couldn’t go down any further!

Then, Chen Xiyuan lifted her arm, literally pulling Xu Mofan straight up.

Chen Xiyuan: “You’re too kind, the sentiment is enough.”

Xu Mofan nodded, carried the items, and returned to his room.

Chen Xiyuan winked at Li Zhuiyuan.

Regardless of whether Xu Mofan’s action was intentional or unintentional, as an older sister, she had to get even for her younger brother.

Xu Fengzhi sat on the edge of the bed, using a sharp spearhead to trim his beard and hair.

He had seen the scene at the door just now.

Xu Mofan knew that at such a close distance and without his spear in hand, he was no match for Chen Xiyuan.

He was just surprised that the inheritor of the Dragon King Chen family would be so kind to a follower in Tan’s team.

Earlier, he had unintentionally caused the young man to stumble, which also proved that the young man indeed hadn’t practiced martial arts. If he had deliberately intended to embarrass the young man, the young man would never have just swayed a few times.

But Miss Chen seemed unable to bear the young man suffering even the slightest loss, protecting him to such an extent.

Xu Fengzhi smiled slightly. He noticed the confusion in Mofan’s eyes.

But, wasn’t it natural for them to have a good relationship?

After all, the two of them were a good match.

Li Zhuiyuan and Chen Xiyuan walked in.

Soon after, Tan Wenbin, Runsheng, and Lin Shuyou also entered.

Some sat, some stood, waiting quietly.

Waiting for the old man to sleep, waiting for the old man to rest eternally.

In the room, there was no sorrow, for the deceased had no regrets.

Xu Fengzhi changed into his new clothes and looked at everyone’s faces.

“Drawing the spear and sheathing the spear should be like life, without regret in life and death! Hahaha!”

Xu Fengzhi laughed as he finished the last peanut in the ceramic jar with the last sip of wine.

This was the second and last time.

The first time was his own reckoning with himself, this time it was his reckoning with the martial arts world in his eyes.

His life was truly good!

Without excessive lingering or any further instructions, Xu Fengzhi lay down, closed his eyes, breathed evenly, fell asleep, and passed away.

It was earlier than originally expected.

Perhaps because the backlash he suffered earlier in the day from advising his junior had shortened his time, or perhaps Xu Fengzhi himself deliberately hastened his death.

Since there were no regrets, why linger? After all, it was all an eternal slumber.

In front of the already arranged small altar, Xu Mofan began to burn paper offerings.

Chen Xiyuan offered incense first, followed by Tan Wenbin, and finally Li Zhuiyuan.

None of them broke the incense sticks, mainly because they felt Xu Fengzhi deserved the full respect.

Even if one’s family background wasn’t sufficient, courage and pride could make up for it.

And indeed, the body lying on the bed showed no abnormalities; instead, it gained a faint, ethereal glow.

After a simple, unadorned period of “tingling” (leaving the body in state), Xu Mofan placed Xu Fengzhi in the coffin.

The coffin was bought from a nearby coffin shop, the most expensive one in the store.

Xu Mofan carried the coffin on his shoulder and walked out of the room. The maid, Xia He, followed at his side holding a white candle, and everyone else trailed behind.

As they passed the hotel front desk, they saw wreaths, elegiac couplets, and offerings displayed there.

Granny Yao stood alone, guarding the area. When she saw the coffin being carried out, she lowered her head and began to burn paper money.

Xu Mofan said to her, “Thank you.”

Granny Yao: “My condolences.”

Leaving the hotel and the alley, when they reached the road, Xu Mofan began to quicken his pace with a movement technique.

Li Zhuiyuan was carried on Runsheng’s back, and everyone followed suit.

The burial site was on Beiman Mountain, at the exit behind the Yu family’s ancestral home.

Of course, the exit was now completely gone, fully integrated with the surrounding environment.

Someone had arrived even earlier; it was the scholar Zhu Yiwen.

His face was pale, and the injuries he sustained in the Yu family’s ancestral home seemed not to have improved at all, but rather worsened.

Zhu Yiwen’s old servant and young attendant were helping Yu Xian’gu arrange her clothes.

She no longer wore the heavy makeup and fresh flowers seen at the Yu family’s main entrance that day; today, Yu Xian’gu wore plain white, appearing dignified and elegant.

On the ground, the scholar had already dug the graves.

He had dug two, both exactly the same size.

In one of the pits, a coffin had already been placed, containing the clothes and hat of Yu Xian’gu’s husband. Yu Xian’gu would lie directly in it later, to be buried with her husband who had died early on the river.

Yu Xian’gu: “This old fellow sure knew how to be lazy, just lay in the coffin to be transported over, didn’t even bother to walk a single step.”

When Yu Xian’gu reached out and patted Xu Fengzhi’s coffin lid, she first froze, then raised an eyebrow and cursed,

“What kind of nonsense is this? We agreed to close our eyes together, but you cheated and ran ahead!”

Xu Mofan lowered Xu Fengzhi’s coffin into the pit.

Yu Xian’gu: “I must go too, otherwise I’ll fall too far behind. But, Yiwen, before I go, I must remind you not to take my body, your great-aunt’s, out to be braised!”

Zhu Yiwen shook his head and smiled: “Great-aunt, Yiwen may be a bit of a beast, but not to that extent.”

Yu Xian’gu then pointed to Xu Fengzhi lying next door: “Old man Xu, you’re not allowed either!”

Zhu Yiwen: “Understood, understood. Rest assured, Great-aunt.”

Yu Xian’gu walked to the tail of the coffin, turned, and leaned against it. Her gaze swept around, and she sighed,

“You were the one who said it back then: the beautiful things in life are nothing more than being born in Suzhou and Hangzhou, and buried in Beiman. Your words came true. Today, your wish is granted. You clearly promised to ‘dengdeng’ a second time after marriage and fly as a pair with me, but you insisted on earning that ‘lang’ of merit, and ended up dying without a trace. I resented you my whole life, and even today, I still resent you. You, you delayed my entire life.”

After speaking, Yu Xian’gu closed her eyes, her body naturally leaned backward, and with a “bang,” she fell into the coffin.

Zhu Yiwen personally climbed into the pit, and as he covered his great-aunt’s coffin, he teased,

“A man’s words, a deceiving ghost’s! Resented him all your life yet want to be buried together after death. What kind of person was that man, Great-aunt, you weren’t ignorant back then, yet you remained a widow for him your whole life. You’re so duplicitous!”

“Bang!”

The coffin lid was kicked.

Yu Xian’gu’s cursing voice came from inside: “Little beast, your great-aunt isn’t dead yet!”

Zhu Yiwen: “I know, I know. You just pretended to be detached and fell in. Are you now lying in the coffin, tidying up his clothes and hat that you messed up? Or are you hugging his clothes, saying, ‘I’ve finally come to find you?’ You’re so thin-skinned, too embarrassed to do such things in front of us, so you secretly do it alone in the dark coffin.”

“Bang!” “Bang!”

“Oh no, my Great-aunt, please don’t kick anymore. This coffin isn’t from our house. The local coffin shop gave me a discount when I bought it, so it’s clearly not sturdy. It can’t withstand a few more kicks from you. I’ve nailed it for you. You should just end your life force yourself soon, to avoid suffocating later from lack of air. You’re already old, an old woman. My great-uncle died when he was young. If you meet him with a bloated purple face from holding your breath, he might run away at first sight.”

There was no sound from the coffin.

Zhu Yiwen put his ear to the coffin lid and listened carefully for a while, then nodded, confirming that his great-aunt had indeed passed away.

Tapping his knuckles on the coffin lid, Zhu Yiwen smiled,

“As soon as he heard you’d become ugly and wouldn’t want you, he died immediately. Oh, really, no wonder my grandma said you were always subsidizing him your whole life.”

After leaving the pit, everyone took turns with shovels, beginning to fill the earth.

No formation was laid, no prohibitions set, and the coffins were ordinary. This was their intention: after lying down, they hoped to quickly return to dust.

Having walked the Jianghu (martial arts world) all their lives, they had seen and eradicated countless evil spirits. They knew that prolonged preservation of a corpse was not necessarily a good thing.

No tomb mound was erected, nor a tablet.

At Xu Fengzhi’s burial site, Xu Mofan inserted a wooden spear.

On top of Yu Xian’gu’s coffin earth, Zhu Yiwen inserted many scrolls of paintings.

These were all painted desperately over the past two days: “in heaven, we wish to be birds with joined wings,” “the ends of the earth have an end,” “bodies without colorful phoenix wings”…

He used his own blood as pigment and infused the brush with his vital energy.

These paintings, after being exposed to wind and rain, would seep into the soil, then into the ground, passing through the coffin to create beautiful illusions.

This was also why Xu Mofan’s injuries were almost completely healed, while he himself became even weaker.

In short, Great-aunt said she died for the common people, but from Zhu Yiwen’s perspective, he was the one who dragged her down.

When he was very young and displayed a “man-eating” quirk, his entire family treated him as a madman, believing he was ruined.

At that time, no one could have predicted that he would later defeat his family’s generational competitors and earn the right to “dengdeng zoujiang” for the family in this generation.

Only Great-aunt, while calling him disgusting, would look at him, so hungry that she felt heartache, and accompany him for a hundred li to find the graves of those who had committed great evil in life, digging graves to find food for him.

He still remembered that scene: Great-aunt, pinching her nose with one hand in disgust, didn’t forget to sprinkle salt on the rotting corpse parts with the other.

As a madman, the most painful thing was that when you needed to be normal, you had already forgotten how to act normal.

Xu Mofan left, taking his maid with him, their figures disappearing into the night.

Zhu Yiwen continued to burn paper offerings.

As he burned, he reached for the braised meat among the offerings, took it, and began to eat.

He ate and cried, not out of sadness, but because it smelled so good.

As he ate, he looked at Runsheng and offered him a smoked pig’s trot.

Runsheng walked up, took it, and squatted down to eat with him.

Zhu Yiwen: “Tasty, right?”

Runsheng nodded.

Zhu Yiwen: “I have plenty more smoked ‘gaga’ (meat) where I come from.”

Runsheng continued to eat intently.

Zhu Yiwen: “It’s rare to meet someone with similar tastes. Give me your address, and I’ll send you some more.”

Runsheng shook his head and said, “Give me your address.”

Zhu Yiwen: “So cautious? Afraid I’ll know where you live? Sigh, this big pig’s trot of mine was truly fed to a dog.”

Runsheng: “I’ll come to your house and smash you to death. All your family’s meat will be mine.”

Zhu Yiwen: “After you smash me to death, remember to smoke me. Don’t waste it. I like strong flavors, so use less salt when curing.”

Runsheng: “Okay.”

After the two finished the offerings, it marked the end of the funeral for the night.

Before leaving, Zhu Yiwen deliberately glanced at Li Zhuiyuan, with a meaningful smile on his face.

After Li Zhuiyuan and the others returned to Yaoji Inn, they didn’t continue to rest or sleep.

Tan Wenbin settled everyone’s room fees and expenses. Of course, except for Granny Yao’s treasured tea; that was both difficult to appraise and unaffordable.

With their business concluded, the group decided to return to Nantong overnight, maintaining their usual routine of people resting while the vehicle did not.

Chen Xiyuan stood in place, holding her dizi, playing a farewell tune, watching the pickup truck drive away.

Tan Wenbin, who was driving the first shift, specifically turned to Lin Shuyou and asked, “A-You, you didn’t tell the external team our home address, did you?”

Lin Shuyou shook his head: “No, absolutely not.”

The road conditions were good; they didn’t encounter any road construction or traffic jams. The next afternoon, as they entered the Nantong area, Lin Shuyou, who was driving in shifts, shouted,

“We’re home!”

The pickup truck turned from the highway into the village road leading to Siyuan Village, Shinan Town. From a distance, they saw the girl in the red dress standing on the second-floor balcony of his great-grandfather’s house.

At this moment, Li Zhuiyuan silently whispered in his heart: Home.

More than two hours later, a taxi with a Luoyang license plate stopped at the entrance of Siyuan Village.

The driver’s eyes were narrowed with sleep, and he was snoring. Only when he saw a thick stack of the final payment did his spirits suddenly perk up, and he asked,

“Miss, are you still returning to Luoyang? I’ll wait for you here!”

The young lady waved to the driver: “Master, you can go back yourself.”

Holding a jade flute, the young lady walked into the village road with a curious gaze.

The day before yesterday, no matter how she asked, Lin Shuyou wouldn’t tell her the address.

But it didn’t matter. When she picked up her student’s brother from the hospital, she casually looked through Li Pan and Li Lei’s personal information, which contained their home address.

Now, she just needed to carefully search this village to find out which specific house it was.

Chen Xiyuan saw a peach blossom forest, blooming beautifully in a season that wasn’t its own.

Hehe, it’s not hard to find after all.

“Little brother, your sister is here!”