The rain stopped.

This rain washed away the blood and resentment from the ancestral home of the Yu family, leaving the air much fresher.

Xian Gu Yu turned her head, looking out at the main gate of the Yu family.

Earlier, the Earth Dragon’s movements had caused the passage in and out to collapse.

Xian Gu Yu couldn’t help but sigh, “Alas, they’re all gone.”

Among those buried alive were some of her old friends. Just a few days ago, they had met in Luoyang city, exchanged playful jabs, engaged in a few friendly bouts, and shared several drinks.

Xu Fengzhi slapped his thigh, unconcerned, “Isn’t that what they deserve? The Dragon King’s Court is not a place you can just come and go as you please. They came under the pretense of saving the Yu family, labeling themselves as righteous Jianghu figures, but secretly they were taking and grabbing. We could turn a blind eye to that. But if they saw the evil creatures suppressed by the Yu family run rampant, about to harm the world, and then they just slipped away, that’s inexcusable. In essence, how is such behavior any different from those demonic beasts that usurped the Yu family?”

Xu Fengzhi liked to speak loudly.

Tao Wanli and Ling Zhuxing, who were lying on the steps, one yawning and the other picking his ear, completely ignored him.

Xian Gu Yu said, “If Yi Wen hadn’t been here, I wouldn’t have been sure if I would have chosen to stay.”

Xu Fengzhi replied, “Judge by actions, not intentions. Besides, it’s even harder for the younger generation to choose to stay.”

Tao Wanli chimed in, “Exactly!”

Ling Zhuxing added, “That’s right!”

Xu Fengzhi snorted at them. These two stayed, but not voluntarily; they were clearly bound by their two juniors through karma. Despite being under the Dragon King’s Court, they were shamelessly opportunistic, making them both annoyed and amused.

Xian Gu Yu plucked the flower from her head, rubbed it between her fingers, and the petals floated down to the ground.

Xu Fengzhi asked, “What’s wrong? Isn’t it pretty?”

Xian Gu Yu replied, “Before, although I knew I was getting old, I still thought about putting on makeup. Now that I truly don’t have many days left, I find this flower too flamboyant.” A dying person is better suited for simplicity than for extravagance.

Xu Fengzhi said, “Anyway, I think it was worth it.”

Xian Gu Yu agreed, “Indeed.”

Around them, some other elderly people also chimed in:

“More than worth it, it’s a huge gain.”
“A massive profit.”
“Adding this to my epitaph makes this life not in vain.”

Although they looked very old, their true age was much greater than they appeared. They had at most one or two years left to live. Today, they had burned their vitality in a passionate battle, stopping an invasion of evil creatures for the people behind them, and at the end, they were fortunate enough to witness the Dragon King’s splendor. It was truly worth it. It wasn’t just the Dragon King who had the habit of vindicating themselves before death; everyone had this need.

The scholar Zhu Yiwen walked over and handed Xian Gu Yu a piece of braised meat. “Grand-aunt, have some meat to replenish your strength.”

Xian Gu Yu shook her head, turning her face away as if the meat repulsed her. “Yi Wen, you eat it. Your grand-aunt here can’t enjoy such a treat.” This child was quite normal when he was little, but at some point, he developed a liking for eating “dirty meat” while reading. While he wouldn’t go so far as to kill innocent people for it, his standards for preparing this “dirty meat” became increasingly high. He even once blasphemously said at a lantern lighting ceremony, “Once the lanterns are lit and we’re on the river, we’ll never worry about teeth sacrifices again.”

The scholar didn’t insist. He took a large, satisfying bite himself; he was truly hungry.

The bald man raised his hand and called out, “Give me a piece! I need to replenish my strength.”

The scholar tossed him a pair of braised ears. Their size and outline definitely weren’t from a pig.

The bald man caught them without hesitation, popped one into his mouth, and chewed with a crunching sound, commenting, “It’s tasty, but not fatty enough, so it’s not as fragrant. It would be great if they were my old uncle’s ears; my old uncle has a big, fatty head, so they’d be really flavorful braised.”

The scholar replied, “Next time, for sure.”

The bald man said, “There won’t be a next time. Although I don’t know where my old uncle died, if a member of my Feng family dies outside, they’re definitely stripped and dismembered; there’s no way they’d leave a complete body.”

The bald man’s uncle’s “sinews” were currently in Runsheng’s backpack behind him.

Runsheng, seeing them eat with such relish, couldn’t help but swallow. However, he didn’t step forward to ask for any.

The scholar casually rummaged through his bamboo basket, waiting for Runsheng to come over himself. The bald man, Feng Xiong-lin, was just playing along and making a show of “cultivated elegance,” but the scholar could tell that Runsheng genuinely loved to eat. For the scholar, it was a refined hobby; for Runsheng, it was an instinct.

Just then, Tan Wenbin stepped forward and addressed everyone, “Everyone, although the main gate is blocked, this Yu family ancestral home has a back door, located in the southwest corner. You’ll see it when you go there. Pass through the stone gate and through the tunnel, and you’ll reach the outside. It’s safe all the way, no danger. Finally, let me say one more thing: Since I started my Jianghu travels with the lamp, I’ve seen and heard quite a lot, but today, to have met and fought alongside all of you is truly one of the greatest fortunes of my life. Everyone, may we meet again!”

After the announcement, Tan Wenbin called Runsheng and Lin Shuyou to prepare to leave; they still had to find Brother Xiao Yuan. Chen Xiyuan naturally wanted to follow. Tan Wenbin spread his arms, blocking Runsheng and Lin Shuyou behind him, and let Chen Xiyuan come forward to lead the way.

Tao Wanli, lying on the steps, spoke, “Miss Chen, may I have my Jiuhua Seal back?”

Beside him, Ling Zhuxing echoed, “That’s right, and my Julei Whip too, please return them both.”

Chen Xiyuan replied, “You already agreed to give them to me.”

Tao Wanli said, “At the time, I thought I was going to die, so those worldly possessions seemed meaningless.”

Ling Zhuxing added, “But now we’ve survived this catastrophe, so we still need them for protection.”

Chen Xiyuan insisted, “Since they were given to me, they’re mine now.” These were treasures she had “found” for her little brother; now that they were in her hands, how could she return them?

Tao Wanli said, “Miss Chen, I can exchange other treasures as compensation for you. I truly have no choice; this Jiuhua Seal is simply too important to me.”

Ling Zhuxing added, “If Miss Chen wants anything else, I would not be stingy, but this Julei Whip perfectly matches the cultivation method I practice. Without it, I’ll be limping when I walk from now on.”

Chen Xiyuan held up the dizi in her hand and said very sincerely, “You can try to take them back.”

Tao Wanli: “…”

Ling Zhuxing: “…”

It was the two old men who first said, “There’s no hope; let’s find a dignified way to die.” So, at the last moment, they truly used their secret arts. Now, they were paralyzed all over and couldn’t even stand up on their own. How could they fight?

Immediately, Tao Wanli looked at Tao Zhuming, while Ling Zhuxing glanced at his own Ling Wuxing.

Tao Zhuming smiled wryly, “I can’t beat her.”

Ling Wuxing said, “Me neither.”

Tao Wanli suggested, “You two can go together.”

Ling Zhuxing retorted, “Two against one, ganging up on her.”

Tan Wenbin, Runsheng, and Lin Shuyou spread out behind Chen Xiyuan. Zhao Yi also consciously moved closer to Chen Xiyuan, his pipe bobbing in his mouth. The scholar wiped the oil from his lips and didn’t move. The bald Feng Xiong-lin was only concerned with holding his mirror and checking his hairstyle. Xu Mofan disassembled his long spear and put it into his pack.

Tao Zhuming pointed and laughed, “Elder, it seems they have the numerical advantage.”

Ling Wuxing said, “It’s us who are about to be ganged up on.”

The most crucial thing was that their group seemed to have always believed there would be a reversal and hadn’t unleashed their full power at the last moment. Therefore, their overall condition was significantly better than their side.

Chen Xiyuan then asked sincerely again, “Are you going to fight or not?”

Tao Zhuming shook his head, “No fight, no fight. Please don’t blame Miss Chen; our elder is suffering from senile dementia.”

Ling Wuxing added, “I still owe Miss Chen a life. Why don’t you trouble yourself, Miss Chen, and take our elder in?”

Tao Wanli and Ling Zhuxing immediately puffed up their beards and glared in anger.

Chen Xiyuan turned and left with her group.

Zhao Yi cupped his hands and said, “Brothers and elders, the scene was chaotic just now. One of my subordinates lost control of his secret art and is now nowhere to be found. I need to go retrieve him, so I’ll take my leave first. See you on the river in the future!”

All the younger generation returned his salute, and even the elders sitting on the steps straightened up as much as possible and nodded to Zhao Yi. Face and respect are earned through one’s own actions. Of course, Chen Xiyuan raising her dizi to the two elders of the Dragon King’s family was also another form of respect.

Zhao Yi waved, motioning for the Liang sisters and Xu Ming to follow him. He had to find Chen Jing and, even more importantly, his little ancestor.

Watching them leave and gradually disappear into the misty rain, the scholar used the meaty bone in his hand to dab some wet black mud from the ground, opened a blank page, and drew on it. The painting depicted Tan Wenbin, Runsheng, Lin Shuyou, and Li Zhuiyuan. It wasn’t detailed but highlighted their distinctive features. The scholar released his hand, and the drawing drifted down in front of Tao Zhuming and Ling Wuxing.

That day at the museum, although their attention was mostly on Chen Xiyuan, they had also glanced at Li Zhuiyuan’s situation. One person was missing from that group, and as they remembered, it was a young boy with some talent in formations.

Tao Zhuming exclaimed, “That’s outrageous.”

Ling Wuxing declared, “Impossible.”

The scholar himself also nodded. The three of them had suspected earlier that another river-walking team had been hidden in the shadows, orchestrating the turning point of this wave. The sudden appearance of the old dog, the ferocious beasts that burst from underground, and even the final arrival of the Yu family’s Dragon King were not their doing.

But no matter what, it was unlikely to be that young boy. Who among normal people would light a lamp before coming of age? It was said that someone in the Yu family had done so, but that was a demonic beast, not a human. Furthermore, the “Mr. Tan” just now said he was a “lamp-lighter” traversing the Jianghu, meaning he was the head of this team. And when their group first entered the battle, before Zhao Yi took command, they clearly all followed “Mr. Tan’s” orders. So, that young boy should have just been a dispensable extra. Or perhaps he had already died in an accident after entering the Yu family’s ancestral home. This meant that the potentially existing “mysterious team” still hadn’t revealed any traces to them.

Tao Zhuming mused, “However, that group’s strength is indeed impressive. They must be a group of Jianghu commoners, not to be underestimated.”

Ling Wuxing added, “So, they first pledged allegiance to the Yu family, then attached themselves to Miss Chen, and also won over Zhao Yi early on. This indeed aligns with the actions of people from a common background – they have sufficient strength but temporarily lack the corresponding vision and need guidance.”

The scholar commented, “A very coherent explanation.”

Tao Zhuming and Ling Wuxing reached out simultaneously, but Tao Zhuming was quicker, grabbing the painting and tucking it into his pocket. The scholar silently took out another piece of meat, originally intended for Runsheng, and took a bite. Sometimes, if an explanation for something is too coherent, it often means there’s a problem, perhaps it’s an explanation deliberately “made” for you to see. But frustratingly, they had no clue about it. All three made up their minds that after they returned, they would use their networks to investigate the past of “Mr. Tan” and his group. They were all people of the river; it was impossible for there to be no information about them in the Jianghu.

Xu Mofan helped Xu Fengzhi up. Xu Fengzhi was still thinking about what “Mr. Tan” had said earlier; he had said he was a “lamp-lighter traversing the Jianghu,” not “river-walking.” But Xu Fengzhi didn’t think he was old and confused, mistaking the robust young man’s use of the “Qin Family’s Dragon Observation Method.” Moreover, in the subsequent battles, he deliberately tried to watch a few more times, only to find that each time the robust young man was about to exert great power, his vision would coincidentally be obscured by other things. Xu Fengzhi initially thought that the Qin family member worshipped the Dragon King Chen family’s river-walking, but he didn’t expect them to worship “Mr. Tan.” There must be something problematic here.

But Xu Fengzhi didn’t intend to bring it up, not even to Xu Mofan, who was helping him. Since the person wanted to conceal their identity, they must have their reasons. The reappearance of the Qin family on the river was already a major event that would shock the Jianghu; he wouldn’t help conceal it, but he certainly wouldn’t cause trouble for them either. In those years, the core disciples of the Qin and Liu families left their clans, unleashing their boundless heroic spirit! And this Jianghu had been gasping for breath ever since.

Xu Mofan said, “Uncle Master, my spear art has gained much insight from the previous battles.”

Xu Fengzhi replied, “Then after we leave here, let’s find a place to stay in Luoyang first, and you can properly digest it.”

Xu Mofan asked, “But Uncle Master, you…”

Xu Fengzhi said, “Jianghu men and women are buried in the Jianghu. I don’t have that obsession to rush home day and night and die in my own bed. Heh, if I wasn’t afraid of dirtying the place myself, I’d shamelessly stay here and make it my grave, it’s so spacious.”

Xu Mofan commented, “Uncle Master is open-minded.”

Xu Fengzhi declared, “A spearman should be open-minded.” Saying that, Xu Fengzhi glanced at Tao Zhuming, Ling Wuxing, and the scholar huddled together. “You are different from them. Don’t learn from them; you’re not on the same path.”

“Mofan accepts your teachings.”

Xu Fengzhi then turned to the others and said, “Alright, the young ones, those with good legs and a bit of strength, come and lend a hand to ‘transport’ us old bones out.”

All the elderly people were helped up, and the group began to head towards the back door. But they didn’t take the shortest diagonal path; instead, they followed the central axis. Leading the way were Tao Wanli and Ling Zhuxing, each supported by their juniors, and the group was guided by them. Continuing this way would lead them to the “Earth Dragon,” which was the direction the Yu family’s Dragon King last departed. Xu Fengzhi knew that the two old men were probably planning to let their juniors get another glimpse of the Dragon King. Opportunity sometimes relies on such encounters, and one must be deliberately thick-skinned. This Yu family Dragon King appeared in a very special way, most likely only able to exist for a short period. Such beings usually tend to leave something behind for the young. Xu Fengzhi didn’t say anything about this, because he himself also really wanted to see the Dragon King again.

When they arrived, the original site of the Yu family’s ancestral hall had transformed into a towering dragon tower. Below the tower, the Yu family’s Dragon King knelt there, motionless, his back to everyone. At the top of the tower, a blue flame burned, resembling a dragon’s eye.

Tao Wanli and Ling Zhuxing said nothing, simply nudging their respective juniors forward. Tao Zhuming and Ling Wuxing stepped forward, preparing to salute the Dragon King. They had intended to take a few more steps forward to shorten the distance between themselves and the Dragon King, but as soon as they took a step, the blue flame on the tower began to flicker, and an invisible force started to repel them. This force was not strong, in fact, it could be said to be very weak, but it was clearly the will of the Dragon King. Tao Zhuming and Ling Wuxing naturally dared not defy it. After taking half a step back, they completed their salutes.

After they finished, the scholar walked forward. He also wanted to take a few more steps, but the result was the same. After feeling the repulsion, the scholar immediately retreated and politely saluted. Next was Feng Xiong-lin; he also tried it, then, with a憨厚摸了摸头, retreated and saluted. Finally, it was Xu Mofan’s turn. Everyone was staring at his back. The young people before him had all been “eliminated,” so wasn’t he the most hopeful? However, no miracle occurred. The Dragon King treated everyone equally, without any favoritism or distinction between different ranks. This meant that the Dragon King did not wish to receive guests, and in fact, had no thoughts on anything outside.

The elders understood and collectively saluted again. Then, everyone quietly left, not daring to disturb or act presumptuously anymore. It was time to go; they couldn’t stay here any longer, lest there be further complications.

After seeing the stone gate, everyone entered the tunnel. The old folks who had “taken their leave early” before had run so far, yet still couldn’t avoid being buried alive. Coupled with the Dragon King’s current “presence,” no one harbored any other thoughts. For instance… blocking the stone gate after exiting and then applying various formation seals to prevent the evil creatures inside from escaping through the back door. In the past, it was entirely possible someone might have done this, completely sealing off those still lingering inside. But now, bathed in the Dragon King’s glory, regardless of age, everyone behaved very properly.

After walking a long distance in the tunnel, Tao Wanli was the first to let out a wail: “My Jiuhua Seal…”

Ling Zhuxing groaned, “Stop yelling, you’re giving me angina.”

Xu Fengzhi laughed, “Hahahaha!”

Ling Zhuxing glared at Xu Fengzhi, annoyed, “What are you laughing at? You don’t have many days left to live.”

Xu Fengzhi retorted, “What’s wrong? Can you two still live a rich and vibrant life?” His impending death was Xu Fengzhi’s greatest comfort. This interference with the karma of river-walking likely wouldn’t be counted against him, and he was grateful to heaven for granting him such a “most dignified” way to die. As for those two old geezers, they wouldn’t die. Although severely injured and heavily overdrawn, they had a strong foundation and could still live for quite a while. But Xu Fengzhi didn’t believe they truly feared nothing. He estimated that they would likely go into seclusion or retreat after returning, cutting off contact with the outside world to minimize karmic influence.

Tao Wanli said, “That Chen family girl is indeed formidable. If no one can rein her in, I fear she might truly repeat the old precedent of the Chen family Dragon King.”

Ling Zhuxing added, “Indeed. By the way, Wuxing, don’t you still owe that Miss Chen a life?”

Ling Wuxing replied, “Yes, I do.”

Ling Zhuxing pressed, “A life debt is greater than the heavens, how exactly should you repay it? How about you offer yourself to her?”

Ling Wuxing stammered, “Me.”

Ling Zhuxing retorted, “Are you suggesting me then?”

Ling Wuxing said, “But, I can’t beat her.”

Ling Zhuxing spat, “Bah, I didn’t tell you to use brute force, kid.”

Ling Wuxing mused, “Miss Chen is indeed excellent. In fact, that day, I didn’t go for the kill; I held back.”

Ling Zhuxing encouraged, “Work hard. I heard her grandfather wants to recruit a live-in son-in-law.”

Ling Wuxing asked, “Me? Live-in?”

Ling Zhuxing explained, “Discuss it. The second child can take your surname, that’s all. One must learn to be flexible. The other party is also a Dragon King’s family, so you’re not at a disadvantage.”

Ling Wuxing pondered, “That’s not impossible.” He wasn’t coveting the Chen family’s Dragon King legacy, nor was he thinking about an alliance through marriage. He was simply amazed by Chen Xiyuan’s figure as she weaved back and forth through various battle zones earlier.

Tao Wanli glared at Ling Zhuxing and cursed, “You two, big and small, are dreaming in broad daylight! My Jiuhua Seal and your Julei Whip, though they are the finest objects in this world, does that Chen family girl really lack such things?? This is not something she herself wants; she probably acquired them to give to someone.”

Ling Zhuxing asked, “Give to whom?”

Tao Wanli replied, “Who else? Give to a pauper.”

Ling Zhuxing was confused, “A pauper?”

Tao Wanli explained, “Is the drama of a noble young lady falling for a down-and-out scholar so rare? Some noble young ladies just have a soft spot for that, they like to ‘adopt’ a little brother.”

Ling Zhuxing swore, “Damn it, who’s so lucky?”

With a sour taste, everyone exited the tunnel and came outside. After brief farewells, everyone dispersed. Messages had to be sent back to families and sects, and the young people still needed to seize the opportunity, while the feeling was fresh, to go into seclusion and digest their insights.

Xu Mofan carried Xu Fengzhi on his back, with the graceful maid at his side holding his spear.

Xu Fengzhi said, “Mofan, the wound on your chest is too wide. You need to find a place to stitch it up quickly. If you drag it on too long, it might damage your foundation.”

“Understood, Uncle Master. Once we enter Luoyang city, I’ll find an old tailor shop.”

“Your wound will scare the tailor to death. You’d better go to a hospital.”

“Hospitals are troublesome. Anyway, Xiahe is good at soothing people’s emotions, it’ll be fine.”

The maid by his side nodded.

Xu Fengzhi asked, “Doesn’t Xiahe know how to sew herself?”

Xu Mofan replied, “The one who was good at needlework didn’t make it out of the Yu family.” During the night at the Yu family ancestral home, he was ambushed by an old man. Although he eventually managed to pierce the old man’s chest with his spear, pinning him to the wall, his team lost two people in the process.

Xu Fengzhi let out a sigh, saying, “Alas, at night, I shouldn’t have stood there doing nothing. I should have gone specifically to fight those shameless old bastards.”

Xu Mofan asked, “Is Grandma Immortal also not leaving Luoyang?”

Xu Fengzhi replied, “Yes, from her expression, she plans to be buried here too.”

Xu Mofan suggested, “Then, Yi Wen and I will build two adjacent graves for you both, to be neighbors?”

Xu Fengzhi said, “She had a husband, but he died young.”

Xu Mofan then asked, “So Grandma Immortal still wants to be buried here?”

Xu Fengzhi replied, “Just move her husband’s grave here; it’s not troublesome. It’ll be a memorial tomb. Her husband died on the river as a ‘lamp-lighter’ back then; his body was never found.”

Xu Mofan then asked, “Uncle Master, do you think I’ll also die on the river like that someday?”

Xu Fengzhi: “If it’s a death like today, it’s not bad.”

When those ferocious beasts burst from underground, Zhao Yi already knew where the person surnamed Li was. Then, Zhao Yi tried to think for a moment where Chen Jing might go, and immediately yelled in fright, “Quick, the person surnamed Li might be in danger!”

Everyone rushed to the empty demonic beast graveyard. On a stone slab in the center, Li Zhuiyuan sat, and beside him lay the unconscious Chen Jing.

Zhao Yi exclaimed, “You scared me to death, Li! A-Jing doesn’t recognize anyone when he’s going berserk. He didn’t hurt you, did he?” Earlier, Zhao Yi recalled the Yu family’s Dragon King issuing a “burial” command to all the demonic beasts, and immediately realized that Chen Jing might also be affected and return to this burial ground. The person surnamed Li hadn’t practiced martial arts; if the berserk A-Jing had gotten close to him, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Li Zhuiyuan said, “I’m fine. When A-Jing reached me, he just fainted due to severe injuries.” In fact, the truth was that when Chen Jing jumped down here, although he was covered in wounds, he still had some strength left. Chen Jing’s first reaction was to attack him, but halfway through, Chen Jing strangled his own neck, stopping himself, and finally, right in front of Li Zhuiyuan, he knocked himself unconscious. However, Li Zhuiyuan felt there was no need to describe such details to Zhao Yi.

“I’ve already dealt with his cultivation deviation, but the demonic beast bloodline he swallowed this time was of too high a status and has completely merged. So, he can no longer rely on devouring other demonic beast vitality to increase his strength.”

Zhao Yi replied, “I understand. It’s enough, far exceeding my expectations.” During the previous battle, A-Jing was like a headless fly, darting through the evil creatures. Although he severely taxed his body, he actually managed to survive. This was enough to show how formidable Chen Jing’s current strength was.

“Little brother, here you go!” Chen Xiyuan handed the Jiuhua Seal and Julei Whip to Li Zhuiyuan.

Li Zhuiyuan took them and asked, “Where did these come from?”

Chen Xiyuan replied, “Someone gave them to me.”

Li Zhuiyuan commented, “You certainly have influence.”

Chen Xiyuan smiled, “It’s because they were generous.”

“Thank you, I like them very much.” Li Zhuiyuan’s face showed a very happy smile. After Chen Xiyuan also smiled contentedly, the young man lowered his head to examine the two artifacts, putting away his expression.

Li Zhuiyuan asked, “Are the others still in the ancestral home?”

Zhao Yi replied, “They’ll probably head towards the old site of the Yu family ancestral hall along the central axis to try their luck first. If they’re unlucky, they should be in the tunnel by now.”

Li Zhuiyuan handed the artifacts to Runsheng for safekeeping, then jumped down from the stone slab, clapped his hands, and said, “Let’s go too.”

Everyone arrived at the dragon-shaped tall tower. Yu Dibei still knelt before the tower, motionless. Li Zhuiyuan walked in front, with Zhao Yi half a step behind him on one side, and Chen Xiyuan on the other. But as they walked, Chen Xiyuan stopped.

Chen Xiyuan said, “There’s a repulsive force targeting me.” Immediately, Chen Xiyuan noticed that Li Zhuiyuan and Zhao Yi were still standing in front of her. She asked in confusion, “Don’t you two have it?”

Zhao Yi shrugged, pointed to the blue flame at the top of the dragon-shaped tower, and said, “My ancestor is protecting me. My surname is Zhao.”

Chen Xiyuan then asked, “What about little brother?”

Zhao Yi replied, “That’s a bit too presumptuous of a question for you.”

Chen Xiyuan then said, “Then I’ll wait for you here.” Tan Wenbin and the others also felt the repulsion and all stopped, no longer advancing.

Li Zhuiyuan and Zhao Yi walked behind Yu Dibei. They said nothing, simply standing there and waiting, unable to distinguish whether the person before them was Yu Tiannan or Yu Dibei. Logically, the dream should have ended by now, because although Yu Dibei’s body had been transformed and enhanced by the old dog, it still couldn’t bear the Dragon King’s power for too long. Unless Yu Tiannan was willing to completely shatter Yu Dibei’s body. But that seemed impossible. Yu Tiannan knelt here in repentance; how could he cause harm to another Yu family member in the process of repenting?

At this moment, Yu Dibei slowly turned around. A powerful pressure immediately fell upon Li Zhuiyuan and Zhao Yi. On Yu Dibei’s face, there were two dried streaks of blood tears. However, the words he spoke next were very contradictory to his current aura. “Brother Yuan, Brother Yi.”

The dream, in fact, had already ended, and Yu Tiannan had already departed. It was just that the group of people had come over earlier, and Yu Dibei didn’t dare to react, so he could only continue kneeling, making them believe that the Dragon King was still there.

Zhao Yi stroked his chin. It was normal for Yu Dibei to call him “Brother Yi,” but when did he start calling the person surnamed Li “Brother Yuan”? He remembered they weren’t that close, and “Brother Yuan” was even before “Brother Yi.” Li Zhuiyuan knew why this was; it was because Yu Dibei still remembered what had happened in the memory.

Yu Dibei looked up at the blue flame atop the tall tower and said, “In the daze when I first woke up, I think I heard someone tell me that this flame he left behind could burn for another ten years.”

Zhao Yi took a breath, then slowly exhaled. That was the last message from his ancestor’s residual spirit. He had actually seen it earlier; that flame was just a self-manifestation of the Zhao family’s core technique. Although still majestic, it truly was just this one flame left. Zhao Wuyang’s spirit had already dissipated. The reason he and the person surnamed Li could enter without being repelled wasn’t “ancestral blessing,” but because both he and the person surnamed Li had practiced the Zhao family’s core technique, and would be accepted by this flame.

Zhao Yi knelt before the tall tower and kowtowed. The Jiujiang Zhao family was gone, so there were naturally no Zhao family rituals. Zhao Yi used the most traditional and simple way to send his ancestor on his final journey. Li Zhuiyuan stood by, unmoved. When he had delivered Zhao Wuyang’s residual spirit to Yu Dibei, he had already bid farewell to this commoner-born Zhao family Dragon King.

After finishing his kowtow, Zhao Yi stood up and said with an infinitely dejected tone, “Li, my ancestor is truly gone. Now, I am truly alone in this world.”

Li Zhuiyuan remained unmoved.

Yu Dibei’s eyes showed guilt: “Brother Yi, I’m sorry…”

Zhao Yi looked at Li Zhuiyuan: “So, what method did you use to train Runsheng and the others? I also want my people to experience it, okay, my little ancestor?”

Yu Dibei: “Uh…”

“Huh?” Zhao Yi said, somewhat incredulously, “Li, why are you agreeing so readily this time?”

Li Zhuiyuan replied, “You deserve it.”

Zhao Yi said, “That’s truly an honor. Then I’ll go back to Jiujiang first, settle things, and then contact you. To Nantong?” Zhao Yi looked at Yu Dibei, “A-Bei, the village affairs have your grandfather and them; they’ll take care of it. You’ve finally gained freedom. How about this, I’ll take you to Jiujiang for a trip first, have a good time, and then take you to Nantong together, because Nantong really doesn’t have much to offer.”

Yu Dibei said, “Brother Yi, thank you.”

Zhao Yi replied, “Don’t mention it, you deserve this too.”

Yu Dibei looked at Zhao Yi, then at Li Zhuiyuan, and smiled, “Brother Yuan, Brother Yi, I don’t want to leave here.”

Zhao Yi asked, “You don’t want to leave Luoyang?”

Yu Dibei replied, “I don’t want to leave here. I want to stay in the Yu family ancestral home.”

Zhao Yi exclaimed, “Are you crazy?”

Yu Dibei said, “The evil creatures here need someone to continue guarding them.”

Zhao Yi pointed to the flame at the top of the tower and said, “My ancestor said this fire can burn for ten years.”

Yu Dibei replied, “But if I’m not here, I’m afraid they will continue to stir. I need to be here, watching them, scaring them.” The dream had ended. Yu Dibei now only had the aura of a Dragon King, but he had long lost the strength of one. However, this aura was enough to fool others; at such close range, even Li Zhuiyuan and Zhao Yi couldn’t discern the truth, let alone the evil creatures trembling before the Dragon King’s presence.

Zhao Yi said, “First, this flame and the Earth Dragon tower are enough. If you’re really worried, you can come back here every once in a while to check, there’s no need to stay here constantly. What’s the difference between that and being in prison? Also, your Brother Yuan and I are both skilled in puppetry. We can custom-make a puppet for you and transfer your aura to it. Anyway, staying here, you’re just a scarecrow.”

Yu Dibei replied, “But I genuinely want to stay here. In that dream I had, I felt ‘his’ deep attachment and debt to this place.”

Zhao Yi said, “You are you, he is he. You don’t need to atone here for what he did.”

Yu Dibei replied, “They’re inseparable, Brother Yi.”

Zhao Yi looked at Li Zhuiyuan, reminding him, “Li, why don’t you say something? Tell him that with this Earth Dragon Tower and the flame aura left by my ancestor, the evil creatures here won’t be able to escape for at least ten years.”

Li Zhuiyuan said nothing. Yu Dibei had experienced Yu Tiannan’s life and felt Yu Tiannan’s emotions in the dream. As he said, they were inseparable.

Zhao Yi said, “You were in prison in the village before, and now you’re going to a different prison, A-Bei. Really, life doesn’t have to be like this. You’re free now, even though you bowed to that crazy woman Ming Yuwan as your Dragon King, but… right, Li, is Ming Yuwan dead?”

Li Zhuiyuan replied, “Dead.”

Zhao Yi asked, “Are you sure?” Zhao Yi then said, “Then A-Bei, you are truly completely free.”

“But, I really like it here.” Yu Dibei pointed to the devastation around them. “In my heart, I remember its former beautiful appearance.”

Li Zhuiyuan asked, “Have you decided?”

Yu Dibei replied, “Yes, I’ve decided.”

Li Zhuiyuan said, “Ten years from now, when this flame extinguishes, the suppression of this Earth Dragon Tower alone might be a bit unstable.”

Yu Dibei said, “These ten years, I will read, study, and cultivate here. I believe that in ten years, when this flame extinguishes, I will be capable of lighting new flames. After all, ever since I was little, my grandpa and the others always said I was a genius.”

Li Zhuiyuan replied, “The reason you learn the Yu family’s things quickly is because that old dog sealed Yu Tiannan’s perspective and memories in your mind since your birth. That’s why your comprehension and learning efficiency for Yu family’s techniques are so high. But what the Yu family excels at is beast taming; as for mechanisms, formations, and feng shui, although the Yu family has inherited traditions, they are not the mainstream. As for this Earth Dragon Tower, although it was activated by Yu Tiannan, it was a geomantic ley line that was sealed when the Yu family built their ancestral home here, requiring only the Dragon King’s power to activate. So, have you seen him learning these in Yu Tiannan’s memories? Or, in his river-walking and suppressing the Jianghu, have you seen him use related methods?”

Yu Dibei was stunned. Clearly, no. Under the premise of limited lifespan, even a Dragon King cannot master all methods.

Yu Dibei murmured, “Then what should I do…”

Li Zhuiyuan said, “Ten years from today, open the door, and I’ll help you readjust it.”

Yu Dibei stepped back two paces and performed the Yu family’s clan salute to Li Zhuiyuan. Li Zhuiyuan did not turn aside this time, accepting it fully. After Yu Dibei finished his salute, Li Zhuiyuan said, “Ten years from today, I will return the salute.” Yu Dibei smiled.

Li Zhuiyuan turned and left. Zhao Yi stepped forward and patted Yu Dibei’s shoulder, “In ten years, when you open the door, I’ll definitely be standing there too.” Yu Dibei smiled even more happily. He genuinely wanted to stay here, but thinking about seeing Brother Yuan and Brother Yi in ten years, he immediately felt that his life here suddenly became more beautiful and full of anticipation. “Brother Yi, that day, I’ll be waiting for you and Brother Yuan to visit my home. I’ll tidy this place up as much as possible, so it won’t be as messy as it is now.”

In fact, when Zhao Yi said he would also come, it wasn’t out of an insistence that he and Li Zhuiyuan would come together, but because he was afraid that the person surnamed Li might not be able to make it.

Zhao Yi said, “Ten years from now, if your Brother Yuan comes, you’ll have to leave here and see the outside world for real, wander around.”

Yu Dibei heard this and his gaze once again swept over the sealed areas behind the ancestral home. Zhao Yi didn’t force Yu Dibei to agree. Ten years from now, if the person surnamed Li came, Zhao Yi didn’t believe the evil creatures here would have any possibility of continuing to exist. What the person surnamed Li had said earlier, about him coming to adjust the grand formation in ten years, was clearly meant for him, the person surnamed Zhao, to hear!

Zhao Yi turned and jogged to catch up with Li Zhuiyuan. Chen Xiyuan, seeing them return, immediately asked curiously, “What did the Dragon King say to you?” She was far away, and with the blue flame on the high tower and Yu Dibei’s own lingering Dragon King aura, the interaction between Li Zhuiyuan, Zhao Yi, and Yu Dibei earlier appeared completely different from Chen Xiyuan’s and Tan Wenbin’s perspective, like the two were devoutly listening to the Dragon King’s teachings.

Zhao Yi said, “The Dragon King is gone. It’s Yu Dibei now, and he’s going to stay here for ten years to guard the evil creatures. We’ll come back in ten years.”

Chen Xiyuan exclaimed, “Ten years? That’s terrifying.” Anyway, Chen Xiyuan couldn’t imagine what it would feel like to spend ten years in an underground world with a group of evil creatures.

Li Zhuiyuan said, “Let’s go. He’s very tired. Let him close the door and rest early.”

Chen Xiyuan waved at the magnificent figure of the Dragon King and shouted with a smile, “See you in ten years!” If you two are coming, then I, this young lady, must also come. Just thinking about you two having a gathering so deep underground, and not knowing what you’re saying or doing, she was already itching with curiosity.

Yu Dibei stood beneath the tall tower, watching Chen Xiyuan wave at him with a sincere smile. The young man’s face unconsciously turned red. She was the first girl in this world to formally exchange clan greetings with him. Her kindness and beauty made him feel, at the time, that the outside world must be beautiful, otherwise how could it have nurtured a girl like her? The once vague good feelings, like a spring gushing from underground, though merely accumulated there without any dispersion, failing to become streams or rivers, were enough to reflect the most beautiful moonlight from the heavens.

As Li Zhuiyuan and the others passed through the stone gate, the stone gate slowly closed. Walking in the tunnel, with every step they took, the tunnel behind them was gradually filled by the surrounding earthen walls, step by step. This was Yu Dibei closing the door, and also him seeing them off. When everyone walked out of the cave entrance, the ground and the entrance rumbled, completely merging into one.

The sky brightened.

After Lin Shuyou came out, he began to look around, searching for Yu Da. Earlier, he had told Yu Da to lead the Yu family members out of the tunnel and wait for him here, but now, not a single person was to be seen.

Tan Wenbin said, “Don’t worry. Look here, these are lion hairs, so many of them. They must have been left intentionally. It’s likely the village’s Grandfather Lion and Grandfather Leopard came here, and then took Yu Da and the others back to the village.”

Lin Shuyou breathed a sigh of relief, “That’s good.”

Zhao Yi pulled out two cigarettes, bit one himself, then flicked the other, which spun past Lin Shuyou and was caught by Tan Wenbin. “Li, you know, just one mistake almost wiped out an entire Dragon King’s Court. The things in this world are truly hard to fathom.” After speaking, Zhao Yi looked up at the sky and exhaled a smoke ring.

Li Zhuiyuan said, “You care a lot about Yu Dibei.” The old Zhao Yi wasn’t like this; he was good at strategizing and very pragmatic. But earlier, under the high tower, the words Zhao Yi said to Yu Dibei clearly came from genuine emotion.

Zhao Yi said, “When it comes to people, some are worth cherishing.” Liang Yan showed a dignified smile, and Liang Li wore a sweet expression. The sisters were actively echoing their leader’s words.

Zhao Yi then said, “Right, A-You?”

Lin Shuyou turned his head grumpily, not wanting to talk to him.

Zhao Yi reached out, forcibly slung his arm around Lin Shuyou’s shoulder, and asked, “Come on, tell me, brother, how far have you progressed with your Linlin?”

“Go away.”

“Is every reunion like meeting for the first time on a blind date?”

“Go away!”

“Hahahaha!”

After laughing, Zhao Yi looked at Chen Jing, who was being carried on Xu Ming’s shoulder. He had to go back, first to heal Chen Jing, then to get everyone else’s condition sorted out. Next, he would have to go to Nantong, see Old Tian, and then attend class. Time was tight; he was mainly worried that if he went too late, he might find Nantong empty, being told that the person surnamed Li had gone to Hainan.

“Li, when are you leaving to go back?”

Li Zhuiyuan replied, “The day after tomorrow.”

Zhao Yi said, “Then I won’t go to the village. You go. I’ll have Chen Jing return to Luoyang often in the future, visit that village, or simply take on a name like Grandfather Wolf.” Zhao Yi continued, “I’m going back to Jiujiang first to treat our Grandfather Wolf’s injuries. Oh, and when you get back to Nantong, remember to say hello to god-grandma for me, and tell her that next time I go, I’ll bring her more of that tea she bought in Jiujiang.”

Li Zhuiyuan said, “No need to bring the tea.”

Zhao Yi replied, “It’s not for you to drink anyway.”

Li Zhuiyuan said, “Grandma Liu won’t bear to drink it herself; she’ll give it to our old lady.”

Zhao Yi said, “Then I’ll go pick some good tea in the mountains myself, put it in the same packaging box, and give it to my god-grandma for her to give to the old lady as a favor.”

Zhao Yi then asked, “What do you want? I’ll get that too.”

Li Zhuiyuan replied, “Besides tea, what else can you get?”

Zhao Yi boasted, “Lots! I live off the land and the water now. Sometimes I honestly feel like I’m much richer now than I was in the Zhao family. Li, why aren’t you answering?”

Li Zhuiyuan replied, “Because I know it’s fake.”

Zhao Yi retorted, “Fine, you think I’m poor and can’t be squeezed for anything? Li, I never thought you were this kind of person!”

Li Zhuiyuan said, “You’ve always known.”

Zhao Yi deliberately glanced at Chen Xiyuan next to him, then waved, “Let’s go!” Without delay, Zhao Yi took his people and left directly.

Chen Xiyuan commented, “They left very quickly.”

Tan Wenbin explained, “Mainly because we and the former ‘Outer Team’ no longer need to be formal with each other.”

Chen Xiyuan asked, “You’re that familiar already?”

Tan Wenbin replied, “Former ‘Outer Team,’ as in ‘previous.’ So there’s no need for formalities.”

Lin Shuyou walked over to a large burlap sack that Xu Ming had placed on the ground when Zhao Yi and his group left. Upon opening it, it was filled with various valuable materials from demonic beasts. Due to limited capacity, only the essence was taken. Tan Wenbin came over, took a look, and sighed, “The Outer Team was still too polite.”

Lin Shuyou re-wrapped the sack and hoisted it onto his shoulder. Tan Wenbin said, “A-You, carry it well and take it back. Little Brother Yuan has already waived the tuition fee, so this will be our Outer Team’s miscellaneous expenses.”

Chen Xiyuan asked everyone, “By the way, are you hungry? I’m so hungry.”

Li Zhuiyuan said, “Let’s go, time for some soup.”

It was still the street opposite the hospital, still that same soup shop. There were many soup shops on the streets of Luoyang, but Chen Xiyuan insisted on coming to this particular one. In her words, a sense of commemoration was also a seasoning that could be blended into the soup.

At this time, the soup shop had passed its busiest morning hour. The proprietress was tidying up bowls and chopsticks among the outdoor tables. Seeing Runsheng, Lin Shuyou, and the others appear, she immediately smiled. For such big eaters, serving two of them was almost equivalent to a whole morning’s business. When she saw Chen Xiyuan walking up behind them, the smile on the proprietress’s face didn’t fade. Instead, she walked into the shop and called out to the boss who was slicing meat in the back kitchen: “Yo, old toad, hurry up and come out and see, the swan has arrived!”

The boss tilted his head and said to the proprietress, “What’s with the morning craziness?” No sooner had he spoken than the boss saw Chen Xiyuan walk in, and the corners of his mouth couldn’t help but turn up, getting higher and more exaggerated, because the proprietress’s fingers were pinching the soft flesh at his waist, twisting hard.

Li Zhuiyuan ordered a bowl of meat soup, a portion of meatballs, and a bottle of Haibi. The young man sat alone at a table. This was because Chen Xiyuan wanted to compete with Runsheng and the other two in terms of how much they could eat. Chen Xiyuan’s real appetite was huge; after all, even without opening her domain, she could still win an arm wrestle against Lin Shuyou. The last time she only ordered one bowl was because she didn’t know if it suited her taste, and then she was interrupted by a Yu family member coming to the door, which affected her appetite. If she really let loose, she could genuinely compete.

Now, the competition had already begun. The familiar atmosphere and scene replayed, with the boss and his wife, plus two working aunties, gathering around the table to cheer them on and count bowls. After finishing his meal, Li Zhuiyuan left the table, and just like last time, sat alone at the entrance of the soup shop. Last time, he sat here and saw a girl with a jade flute hanging from her waist, walking lightly towards this place. Now, that light-footed girl had eaten her twelfth bowl.

However, it wasn’t as if he hadn’t seen anyone. Xu Mofan, carrying Xu Fengzhi on his back, with a maid following behind, walked here. Xu Fengzhi had never met Li Zhuiyuan, but Xu Mofan had seen him at the museum. According to the conclusions reached by Tao Zhuming and the other two, the young man in front of them was a dispensable extra. It now seemed that he had not died in some accident in the Yu family ancestral home; he had been found by “Mr. Tan.”

Xu Fengzhi asked, “What’s wrong?”

Xu Mofan replied, “This young man is one of Mr. Tan’s people.”

Xu Fengzhi said, “What a coincidence, I didn’t expect to meet again so soon. Maybe we can even have a drink together.”

After entering the city, Xu Mofan wanted to find a tailor shop to stitch up the wound on his chest. Who knew that after asking several shops, either the head tailor wasn’t in, or they had a headache and couldn’t work, or they had heart problems, and Xiahe didn’t even dare to try to soothe their emotions. Xu Mofan, with rich experience in river-walking, knew that this wasn’t bad luck; it was too good. The end of each wave was often when his own merits were at their strongest. If he wasn’t so lazy and deliberately wandered around more outside, he would always find a “catalyst” more suitable for his recovery. From questioning the previous tailor shop, Xu Mofan learned that in the alley ahead, there was a very small tailor shop where an old lady named Yao was known for her excellent craftsmanship.

On the way back, Tan Wenbin gave the young man a brief report on what he had seen there and the reactions and personalities of various people. Li Zhuiyuan’s gaze fell on the package the maid was holding. Xu Mofan had, in an open-field skirmish, stabbed an old man to death with his spear. Although it was a bit tricky, the old man happened to have a small sword from Ding Luoxiang embedded in his body. But no matter how tricky someone else was, it wasn’t as outrageous as his own trickery.

At this moment, Chen Xiyuan walked out of the soup shop. “Little brother, I won!”

Li Zhuiyuan asked, “Was the winner decided so quickly?”

“Yes, because the boss ran out of meat in the back kitchen, and he gave me the last bowl, so I ate one more than them.”

“Congratulations.”

“Hehe, it’s probably because my luck is better than theirs now.”

Chen Xiyuan also saw Xu Mofan and Xu Fengzhi ahead. She felt nothing towards Xu Mofan. From her perspective, she wouldn’t even give a good look to anyone who had besieged her in the museum that day. Oh no, it seemed Tao Zhuming actually did return something. However, Chen Xiyuan greatly respected Xu Fengzhi. The old man had a righteous character and truly possessed the courage and responsibility of a Jianghu senior.

In Xu Mofan’s eyes, the situation seemed somewhat complicated. He hadn’t expected Chen Xiyuan to continue staying with Tan and his group after the first wave ended. Xu Fengzhi, however, motioned for Xu Mofan to put him down, then staggered forward and asked, “May I ask, Miss Chen, is the taste of this soup shop truly very good?”

Chen Xiyuan smiled, “It’s very good, but we’ve eaten it all.”

Xu Fengzhi said, “No matter, good soup is worth waiting for. I’ll just wait until tomorrow.”

Chen Xiyuan replied, “Then Senior Xu should get up early tomorrow to drink the first broth.”

Xu Fengzhi said, “That’s for sure. I don’t plan to sleep for the next few days. Anyway, in a few days, I’ll have plenty of time to sleep.”

Chen Xiyuan asked, “Senior Xu, aren’t you going to think of other methods?”

Xu Fengzhi replied, “I’ve lived enough, and I’ll die peacefully. No regrets.”

Tan Wenbin walked out and cupped his hands to Xu Fengzhi, “Senior Xu, why are you here?”

Xu Fengzhi replied, “Bringing my Mofan here to stitch up his chest.”

Li Zhuiyuan remembered when he examined the old man’s corpse, he judged that before the old man died, he had plunged his hands into the gun-wielder’s chest. But even with serious injuries, Xu Mofan still managed to fight until the very last moment during the guarding phase. Sure enough, none of these river-walkers who survived the guarding were simple.

Chen Xiyuan said, “Oh, you’re here to find Grandma Yao.”

Li Zhuiyuan got off his chair and said, “I’ll take them over.” Tan Wenbin nodded. Li Zhuiyuan led Xu Mofan and the two others into the alley. The recent crackdown on prostitution hadn’t ended, so the alley was still deserted. In front of Grandma Yao’s tailor shop, people sat chatting and cracking melon seeds.

When Li Zhuiyuan appeared, Grandma Yao immediately stood up, instinctively wanting to call out “Little Brother-in-law,” but seeing the outsiders following him, she swallowed the address. Xu Mofan and Xu Fengzhi looked very much like a combination of taking an elder from home to the hospital. Grandma Yao mainly noticed clues on the maid’s clothes behind, guessing that their identities were not ordinary.

Li Zhuiyuan said, “Grandma Yao, they need a hotel. Can you help arrange it? Also, their clothes are torn; please help mend them.”

Grandma Yao replied, “Alright, no problem, please follow me.” Grandma Yao would certainly do her best to fulfill the little brother-in-law’s requests. And the reason Li Zhuiyuan so readily brought Xu Mofan over was also to allow Grandma Yao to receive this fresh merit.

Xu Fengzhi wasn’t particular about living conditions, and since his Mofan needed a few days to calmly digest his insights, he simply decided to stay here. At this moment, Xu Mofan, led by Grandma Yao, had already entered her workshop. Originally, Xiahe was also going to follow, preparing to provide emotional comfort to the old lady. Xu Mofan glanced at the expensive needles and threads in the workshop, then told Xiahe to wait outside. Grandma Yao first threaded the needle, while motioning for Xu Mofan to unbutton his shirt. The exposed wound was terrifying, but Grandma Yao’s expression remained unchanged as she calmly stitched it up.

Li Zhuiyuan was about to return to his room but was called into the room by Xu Fengzhi. The old man didn’t find any problem, but wanted to ask Li Zhuiyuan for help in discussing two matters. Passing by the tailor shop window downstairs, Xu Fengzhi already knew what kind of artisan Grandma Yao was. He wanted to ask Li Zhuiyuan to help negotiate whether Grandma Yao could make him a new set of clothes within two days.

Xu Fengzhi said, “The price is negotiable.”

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head, “No money. Just ask Xu Mofan to plead for it.”

Xu Fengzhi chuckled, “Hehe, what’s free is the most expensive. It’s not easy for my Mofan to earn some merit; I can’t spend it like this.”

Li Zhuiyuan said, “If he spends a little, he’ll feel a little better.”

After hearing this, Xu Fengzhi no longer objected and changed the subject: “The second matter is to ask for her opinion on whether I can borrow a place to die. It won’t take too long. I’ve already chosen my burial spot, and Mofan will take me there to be buried. I just want to lie down for that short while when I pass away.”

Li Zhuiyuan said, “No problem.”

Xu Fengzhi asked, “Aren’t you going to discuss it? It’s someone else’s house; it wouldn’t be good to dirty it.”

Li Zhuiyuan replied, “If Senior Xu truly became a ghost here, it would instead be a blessing for this place.”

Xu Fengzhi couldn’t help but laugh, pointing at Li Zhuiyuan, “You, young man, are truly interesting. Mofan said you’re very talented in formations?”

“Alright.”

“Though everyone has their specialty, my Xu family still has some formation texts. I will instruct Mofan to give you some in the future.”

“Too valuable, I can’t accept them.” Li Zhuiyuan felt that since they weren’t his specialty, the Xu family’s formation texts wouldn’t be of much use to him.

“Just accept them generously when the time comes.”

Li Zhuiyuan poured Xu Fengzhi a cup of tea. Grandma Yao had indeed arranged everything very thoughtfully for his sake; the tea in the room was the same as Grandma Liu’s. These things, Grandma Yao usually wouldn’t bear to use, saving them for special guests.

“Senior Xu, have some tea.”

“Mm, good.” Xu Fengzhi took the teacup, took a sip, and was stunned. Although he knew that the tailor must have had a Jianghu background before, he truly hadn’t expected that the tea the tailor drank was even better than what he used to drink at home.

Xu Fengzhi asked, “Do you know which family this one used to work for?”

Li Zhuiyuan replied, “A prominent family.”

Xu Fengzhi lowered his head and took another sip of tea. “By the way, at such a young age, why did you decide to worship someone else to traverse the Jianghu?”

“Sometimes, life isn’t entirely up to the individual.”

“Indeed.” Xu Fengzhi put down his teacup. “What’s the name of the obviously bulky one?”

“Runsheng.”

“What’s his surname?”

“Lu.”

“Lu Runsheng?” Xu Fengzhi’s brow furrowed. Li Zhuiyuan realized that Xu Fengzhi had already detected Brother Runsheng’s cultivation method. However, the old man didn’t make a fuss, and even Zhao Yi and Tan Wenbin hadn’t realized that Runsheng’s Qin family background had been discovered. It seemed that after he returned this time, he would have to find a way to help Brother Runsheng hide during battles. The proportion of knowledgeable opponents he encountered was growing, and a too-distinctive cultivation method could easily be recognized.

Xu Fengzhi’s brow smoothed out, and he said, “I’m truly sorry, I haven’t even asked for your name yet, young friend.”

“My surname is Li, and my name is Li Zhuiyuan.”

“Zhuiyuan… a good name.”

Li Zhuiyuan took his leave and exited the room. The young man was tired; he really wanted a good sleep now. Mainly because he had had nosebleeds several times in the Yu family ancestral home, frequently on the verge of exhaustion, even though there were Ming family members he could use for replenishment. But this constantly accumulating fatigue still couldn’t be eliminated. Just thinking that he would be too lazy to get up again after falling asleep, Li Zhuiyuan simply walked towards Grandma Yao’s workshop.

Xiahe stood at the door. Seeing the young man approach to knock, she was afraid of disturbing the treatment of her young master’s wound inside, so her fingertips trembled as she tried to signal the young man to “be quiet.” But the next moment, Xiahe was stunned to find that all her fingers suddenly cramped. The young man, seemingly unaffected, stood at the door and knocked.

“Come in.”

Li Zhuiyuan pushed the door open and walked in. Inside, Xu Mofan sat on a chair, half of the wound on his chest already stitched. Li Zhuiyuan relayed Xu Fengzhi’s idea to Grandma Yao. After listening, Grandma Yao was about to agree, but Xu Mofan spoke first: “Please fulfill this request, name any conditions.” Grandma Yao quickly waved her hand and said, “What conditions? It’s my duty, my duty.” How could she ask for any conditions from him for something the little brother-in-law asked her to do? However, this also triggered the conditions for Grandma Yao to receive more merit compensation.

Xu Mofan said, “I owe you two favors.” The message delivered, Li Zhuiyuan exited the workshop and closed the door. Xiahe put her hands behind her back and watched the young man leave.

Returning to his room, Li Zhuiyuan took a bath, changed clothes, and lay down on the bed. Sleep came quickly, and he was soon asleep. When he woke, it was already dark. Li Zhuiyuan sat up in bed, his gaze sweeping around. The bulging backpacks and large burlap sacks were all his gains from the Yu family. Being surrounded by these things indeed gave him a sense of security. Xu Mofan’s stitching must have been long finished. On this floor, one room was like a black hole, able to evade sensory penetration from the outside. It must be Xu Mofan in seclusion, having set up a room to prevent disturbance. This method was crude, but perhaps this was Xu Mofan’s style; he wanted the outside world to know he was in seclusion, so no one would be so blind as to disturb him.

The room door was pushed open, and Chen Xiyuan walked in with a bowl of noodles, her face a little pale. “Ah, little brother, you’re awake?” Chen Xiyuan put down the noodles in her hand, retreated, and when she returned, she was carrying another bowl of noodles. “These noodles are delicious, try them.” Li Zhuiyuan first went to wash up, then sat back down, picked up his chopsticks, and began to eat the noodles.

Chen Xiyuan said, “Tan Wenbin, Runsheng, and Lin Shuyou went to that village and haven’t returned yet. Tan Wenbin told me beforehand that if there were many regulations to help set up, they might not come back tonight. I went to the hospital at noon; most of the people poisoned by mushrooms that time have woken up and will be discharged soon. In the afternoon, I went to the vegetable patch where I fainted with you last time and found the kind old couple who helped us, as you told me. I used my domain to give them a massage, relaxing their muscles and promoting blood circulation, and I also played the dizi for them all afternoon.”

Li Zhuiyuan understood why Chen Xiyuan’s face was a little pale; she had put a lot of effort into improving the health of that old couple in the afternoon. Chen Xiyuan said, “By the way, when I came back, the old couple insisted on seeing me off. On the village road, someone who had been drinking was driving a tractor and drove straight towards the three of us. I knocked him and the tractor into the river. He wasn’t seriously injured, but he broke both his legs. Little brother, do you think I was a bit heavy-handed?”

Li Zhuiyuan replied, “He brought it on himself.”

Chen Xiyuan said, “Yes, that’s right, just breaking a few legs, it’s not a big deal.”

Li Zhuiyuan asked, “A few pairs?”

Chen Xiyuan said, “Uh-huh. On the way back to the alley, I happened to see a few tattooed thugs collecting protection money at a massage parlor. The women inside said they couldn’t do business these days and wanted to delay payment. As a result, those thugs started hitting people, dragging one of the women out by her hair to warn other massage parlors that this was the consequence of playing tricks. When they walked out of the alley, I used my flute to break their legs. That’s not too much, is it?”

“Next time, remember to call the police first.”

“Oh, okay, I’ll remember that.”

Li Zhuiyuan finished his noodles and put down his chopsticks. Tan Wenbin and his group were arranged by him to help out in that village, considered official business. Chen Xiyuan, on the other hand, was free to act. As a result, she specifically went to repay those who had helped her. Moreover, this path and trajectory were indeed quite comprehensive. In the past, such things would be disguised as various coincidences and accidents. With Chen Xiyuan, the Heavenly Dao could even simplify its accounting; it could simply let her do it. This also indirectly showed that Chen Xiyuan, to some extent, was highly favored by the Heavenly Dao.

“By the way, there’s something I don’t understand.”

“Speak.”

“I tried my best, thinking of helping the old couple with their disabilities, not to completely resolve it, but at least to alleviate it. But I played the dizi for a long time, yet they didn’t seem to receive too much merit from me. Anyway, it was much less than I intended to give.” Li Zhuiyuan caught a key point and asked, “Can you quantify merit?”

“Merit certainly can’t be quantified, but one can roughly measure a person’s merit perception, barely enough for a reference.”

“How do you do that?”

“It’s still thanks to it.” Chen Xiyuan pointed to the dizi in her hand. “My dizi looks entirely green, but in fact, it has four colors.” Chen Xiyuan made a hand seal and slid her finger over her dizi. The inside of the dizi emitted a faint glow, indeed reflecting four different shades of green. “When I was little, I kept pestering my grandfather for a dizi. My grandfather then cut down the shade bamboo from the graves of my Chen family ancestors and three Dragon King predecessors, took the essence from the middle sections, and forged this dizi.” To satisfy his granddaughter, the Chen family elder actually cut down the grave bamboo of the four most prestigious ancestors in the family’s history. No wonder this dizi was so effective when hitting people. Not to mention the manufacturing process, just the raw materials alone were something many top forces in the Jianghu couldn’t even gather, because it required at least three Dragon Kings to have emerged from the family.

Chen Xiyuan said, “This four-colored dizi can broadly correspond to a person’s four stages of fate and luck. Little brother, I’m talking about fate and luck. Strictly speaking, fate and luck and merit are two different things, but they have a strong responsive connection. So every time I finish river-walking, I like to use it to roughly measure how much merit I have left. After I activate its specific state with a hand seal, look, just like now, people can hold it with their hand. If only the first section lights up, it means their fate and luck are ordinary, like most ordinary people. If two sections light up, it means their fate and luck are good, and they are likely to encounter good things recently. If three sections light up, it means their fate and luck are very good; such people succeed easily in whatever they do. If four sections light up, it means their fate and luck are prosperous, and heaven and earth work together with them when the time comes. Every time I finish a wave, I touch it, and all four sections light up. From another perspective, this is because we have new merit blessings. And I like to spend merit lavishly, so before the next wave comes, I will definitely drop to three sections lit. Sometimes, if I deliberately want to achieve something, I spend even more, and it becomes only two sections lit. But I have never dropped to only one section lit. So, this is how I check my wallet.”

“What about you now?”

Chen Xiyuan’s fingers, very formally, grasped the middle of the dizi from top to bottom. The next moment, all four sections lit up.

Chen Xiyuan said, “But today, I wanted to give more merit to that old couple, hoping that merit could create some miracles to further improve their health and make their lives happier and better. But after giving for an entire afternoon, my merit is still like this, no sections missing. Is it because my idea is a bit too demanding?”

Li Zhuiyuan caught a crucial point and asked, “Can you quantify merit?”

“Merit certainly cannot be quantified, but one can roughly gauge a person’s merit perception, barely enough for a reference.”

“How do you do that?”

“It’s still thanks to it.” Chen Xiyuan pointed to the dizi in her hand. “My dizi looks entirely green, but in fact, it has four colors.” Chen Xiyuan made a hand seal and slid her finger over her dizi. The inside of the dizi emitted a faint glow, indeed reflecting four different shades of green. “When I was little, I kept pestering my grandfather for a dizi. My grandfather then cut down the shade bamboo from the graves of my Chen family ancestors and three Dragon King predecessors, took the essence from the middle sections, and forged this dizi.” To satisfy his granddaughter, the Chen family elder actually cut down the grave bamboo of the four most prestigious ancestors in the family’s history. No wonder this dizi was so effective when hitting people. Not to mention the manufacturing process, just the raw materials alone were something many top forces in the Jianghu couldn’t even gather, because it required at least three Dragon Kings to have emerged from the family.

Chen Xiyuan said, “This four-colored dizi can broadly correspond to a person’s four stages of fate and luck. Little brother, I’m talking about fate and luck. Strictly speaking, fate and luck and merit are two different things, but they have a strong responsive connection. So every time I finish river-walking, I like to use it to roughly measure how much merit I have left. After I activate its specific state with a hand seal, look, just like now, people can hold it with their hand. If only the first section lights up, it means their fate and luck are ordinary, like most ordinary people. If two sections light up, it means their fate and luck are good, and they are likely to encounter good things recently. If three sections light up, it means their fate and luck are very good; such people succeed easily in whatever they do. If four sections light up, it means their fate and luck are prosperous, and heaven and earth work together with them when the time comes. Every time I finish a wave, I touch it, and all four sections light up. From another perspective, this is because we have new merit blessings. And I like to spend merit lavishly, so before the next wave comes, I will definitely drop to three sections lit. Sometimes, if I deliberately want to achieve something, I spend even more, and it becomes only two sections lit. But I have never dropped to only one section lit. So, this is how I check my wallet.”

“What about you now?”

Chen Xiyuan’s fingers, very formally, grasped the middle of the dizi from top to bottom. The next moment, all four sections lit up.

Chen Xiyuan said, “But today, I wanted to give more merit to that old couple, hoping that merit could create some miracles to further improve their health and make their lives happier and better. But after giving for an entire afternoon, my merit is still like this, no sections missing. Is it because my idea is a bit too demanding?”

Li Zhuiyuan replied, “It’s also possible that although that old couple may seem pitiful in the eyes of outsiders, they themselves feel that they are living very happily.”

Chen Xiyuan said, “Oh, right, they are indeed very warm and optimistic. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have put my pity on such a high pedestal and neglected their most authentic side.” Chen Xiyuan river-walked alone, and she could indeed fully enjoy the merit after each wave. She could use it however she wished. And this method of measuring luck with the dizi was akin to another perspective beyond divination and physiognomy. However, this perspective was not replicable, as the materials for this dizi were simply too rare. It should be a unique measuring system belonging to itself.

Li Zhuiyuan said, “Let me try.”

Chen Xiyuan replied, “No need to try, little brother. You’ve been sleeping since you came out of the Yu family ancestral home. There’s no place for you to consume merit, which means your luck right now must also be all four sections lit. There’s no doubt about it.”

Li Zhuiyuan held out his palm. Chen Xiyuan still nodded, smiling as she placed her dizi in the young man’s palm, letting him grasp it. The dizi, which had been glowing with all four sections lit in Chen Xiyuan’s hand, suddenly dimmed, like a burnt-out wick.

Chen Xiyuan exclaimed, “Huh? How is that possible!”

Li Zhuiyuan withdrew his hand. Chen Xiyuan made another hand seal, her fingertip stroking the dizi, then handed it to the young man again. Li Zhuiyuan reached out and grasped it again, but the dizi remained unchanged, not a single section lit. This seemed to imply that the young man’s luck was even worse than that of an ordinary person, and as for merit…

Chen Xiyuan switched to her own hand to hold it. In an instant, all four sections of the dizi lit up. This meant that the testing method was correct, and the testing equipment was functioning normally. Chen Xiyuan asked in surprise, “This shouldn’t be happening. Little brother, you just finished river-walking, how could not a single section light up? How could there be no merit left?”

Li Zhuiyuan’s eyes were lost in thought.

Chen Xiyuan said, “Could it be that this dizi of mine can only be used by me? It’s my first time inviting someone else to try it. No wonder such a problem occurred. Hmm, it must be like this.”

Li Zhuiyuan said, “I do have merit. Although it cannot be specifically measured, I have used river-walking merit many times before, either actively or passively.” Not to mention the distant past, just recently, when he was eating rat-meat supper by the Yangtze River in Nantong, he made a gesture to the big white rat, and it immediately took a big step towards transforming into a human. Wasn’t that the most direct proof of the existence of merit?

Chen Xiyuan said, “Well, of course. If you didn’t have merit, little brother, how could you have made such tremendous progress through river-walking?”

“Brother Xiao Yuan, we’re back!” Tan Wenbin, Runsheng, and Lin Shuyou pushed the door open and walked in. After helping their grandpa with village affairs, the three of them chose not to stay overnight in the village, but rushed back overnight. “Brother Xiao Yuan, grandpa is very capable at managing the village; Yu Da and the others are already adapting to human life.”

Li Zhuiyuan said, “Brother Binbin, you all hold this dizi.” Although they didn’t know what this was for, Tan Wenbin and the others obediently did as they were told. As soon as Tan Wenbin’s hand gripped the dizi, three sections of brightness appeared. This indicated that Tan Wenbin’s luck was very good at the moment; everything he did would be easy and smooth. Next was Lin Shuyou; when he gripped the dizi, three sections also lit up. Finally, Runsheng also had three sections lit.

The young man reached out again, grasping the dizi, and the light instantly vanished. Chen Xiyuan cried out in surprise, “This… what in the world is going on? This shouldn’t be happening, why is it like this?”

According to traditional understanding, only a team’s lamp-lighter can control the team’s merit distribution. Merit initially falls entirely on the lamp-lighter. And the followers of the lamp-lighter need to receive their next stage of distribution from the lamp-lighter. Zhao Yi had said many times that he was generous because he was willing to share merit with his companions, instead of keeping a large share for himself. But the current situation was that he couldn’t even light a single section. This indicated that in the dizi’s unique evaluation system, his luck was even worse than that of ordinary people, and as for how much worse… that was still unknown. And Tan Wenbin, Runsheng, and Lin Shuyou could all light three sections, indicating that they had merit blessings. This traditional merit distribution system seemed to have become completely distorted when it came to him?

If this line of thinking was correct, then perhaps when he used to think he had merit to use, it was because, without his knowledge, he had been using the merit of his companions? The fact that he could bind his companions with red threads indicated that they completely trusted him without reservation, so the “money in their wallets” was naturally completely open to him, allowing him to draw from it freely without needing to ask. If all the above assumptions were true, it would mean one thing:

The Heavenly Dao had never bestowed merit upon him!