Corpse Retriever.

Chapter 370

Li Zhuiyuan stretched out his finger and gently traced a circle around the pot in the picture, then said:

"You're not allowed to eat anything from this pot. Save it for me; it'll be useful."

The next moment, the scene in the picture changed. The pot lid was put on, most of the firewood under the pot was removed, and the cooking was changed from a high flame to a low flame to keep it warm. The woman bowed respectfully to the side.

There was no crying or fussing, no discontent; it was incredibly docile.

The woman knew very well that even if she ate it, it would most likely only satisfy her cravings, and in the end, the boy would still drain her body dry.

But a simple "useful" carries a completely different meaning.

If the soul in the pot is useful, then it means the "chef" is also useful.

Next, when the boy needs to cook more difficult ingredients, the chef's treatment and abilities will inevitably be improved. This is the real ladder to his progress.

The "Evil Book" is an extremely evil entity.

But after a year of adjustment between the two sides in the hands of the boy, the "Evil Book" had already figured out who was truly evil.

Li Zhuiyuan casually flipped through the pages of the book with his fingertips.

When I first acquired this wordless book, it gave me the feeling of being both ancient and dignified.

However, after I merged the "Evil Book" with it, or rather, after I imprisoned the "Evil Book" on the first page, the style of the book, which was originally righteous and awe-inspiring, became more and more strange.

The evil book has gradually transformed from a "chief prisoner," "prison tyrant," "prison guard," and "prison head," and currently, it is trending towards becoming the "Imperial Prison" under its own control.

Originally, the person would consume the "Evil Book" and then draw the energy needed for deduction from it.

The losses involved are actually very large, and the conversion efficiency is also very low.

Moreover, this relegated the wordless book to a secondary role.

Now, if his guess about his "heavenly merits" is correct, then the function of the wordless book will be rapidly enhanced.

When you encounter powerful opponents while navigating the world, you can create opportunities to include them in your book, like collecting excerpts.

Then, the "Evil Book" will complete the rough and fine processing.

Take, for example, the vengeful spirit of Li Hongsheng in this pot. It has been overcooked and plucked by the evil book until it is mushy and falls apart with a single sip.

If you take it out yourself, it's simply the perfect material for "evil magic" and "forbidden" purposes.

Things that I knew I couldn't do or touch before, I can now try as long as I'm out of the woods.

A special light shone in the boy's eyes.

The woman in the book glanced up one moment, then lowered her head again the next, trying her best to make herself look even more pitiful.

The boy's gaze frightened even the "Evil Book".

It's not a change in temperament, nor is it self-abandonment and depravity, but rather a long-suppressed nature that has finally been able to rightfully tear off its disguise.

You should know that the reason Li Zhuiyuan chose to enter the Xuanmen sect and come to this dangerous other side of the world from an ordinary person was because he found it... interesting.

The basement of my great-grandfather's house was full of martial arts manuals from reputable schools.

Even Wei Zhengdao's "The Righteous Path to Subdue Demons" – just by looking at the title, you'd think he had the typical thick eyebrows and square face.

But if you eat the same flavor too much or for too long, everyone will get tired of it and want to try something new.

If Li Zhuiyuan hadn't read it word for word and enjoyed it immensely, how could he have known that Wei Zhengdao described these "evil taboos" in such great detail?

The boy closed the blank book, turned his head, and looked out the dark window.

Wei Zhengdao was still unaware of the method by which he ingested the "evil spirits".

All I can draw out right now is resentment.

However, there is now a new area available for me to experiment and play in. As for harming the harmony between heaven and man? Go ahead, you can offset it by deducting my merit points.

The three of them, Tan Wenbin, touched Chen Xiyuan's flute, all of which were at the third level of brightness. Roughly calculated, their combined merits were at least equivalent to those of Chen Xiyuan, a successor of the Dragon King's sect.

However, in terms of contribution in the previous wave, he single-handedly led Yu Tiannan's "resurrection," which successfully prevented the catastrophe caused by the leak from the Yu family. Conservatively speaking, he should take 80% of the credit for this wave.

The remaining 20% ​​was not enjoyed by Chen Xiyuan alone, but was distributed among all the people who participated in blocking the gate and traveling along the river according to their contributions.

Furthermore, when blocking the door, he had Tan Wenbin and the others participate as well. Moreover, he first "persuaded" the old dog to block the door, and then personally revived the ferocious beast to help. He should rightfully take the lion's share of the credit for blocking the door.

However, the result was that the amount of merit gained by his entire team was barely equal to that of Chen Xiyuan.

Combining the difficulty and completion of Zhao Yi's own river crossing with Chen Xiyuan's rough-and-ready river crossing habits, I not only faced greater difficulties, but also meticulously planned, eliminated all evil, and strived for perfection every time, leaving no loose ends.

On the surface, as inheritors of the Dragon King's lineage, the oil stains his team received did indeed match their status, but in reality, only heaven knows how much merit they had accumulated above their heads.

Not only could he deduct money by using evil magic and taboos, Li Zhuiyuan even suspected that as long as he was outside the Langwai region, he could deduct money from anyone he disliked or whoever he suspected had stolen his things...

There's no need to find a reason, no need to make an excuse, and no need to even care about manners; you can just barge in directly.

The boy recalled his grandfather's words: "Young Marquis Yuan, I have money, lots of money. Spend it as you please..."

Li Zhuiyuan murmured, "Heavenly Dao, I have merit, I have plenty of merit, you can deduct as much as you want."

Out of caution, we need to conduct small-scale experiments to prove this hypothesis.

Li Hongsheng's vengeful spirit is his own experimental subject in the taboo against evil magic.

The Zhou and Ding families, on the other hand, are test subjects for my other endeavor. When I go to them for revenge, I can deliberately be more unrestrained, bolder, and more reckless.

Let's start with Li Hongsheng's vengeful spirit, but not here; we'll have to wait until we get home.

The taboo of evil magic requires a lot of preparation beforehand, and it is easy to cause a stir and be noticed outside. It is most suitable to do it in one's own temple in Nantong.

Even if the evil energy overflows the temple, firstly, there is the good fortune of the patriarch to suppress it, secondly, there are Grandma Liu and Uncle Qin to guard it, and finally, there is Qing'an under the peach grove to provide cover.

This environment is practically a holy land for heretical cultivators.

Li Zhuiyuan looked at the moon outside the window:

"Do you think I should... thank you?"

……

As dawn broke, Li Zhuiyuan, who was lying in bed, opened his eyes.

Habitually turning one's head to the side.

What catches the eye is a pair of long, slender legs.

Chen Xiyuan sat on her bed, her legs bent, one hand hugging her knee, the other supporting her chin, just looking at herself.

His eyes showed concern and heartache.

She came in quietly and got into her bed without making a sound. She was even sitting on the bed, propped up by her legs, so as not to make the slightest noise that might disturb her sleep.

This means that she could kill herself silently.

Chen Xiyuan: "Little brother, you're awake?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Mm."

The boy sat up. He couldn't be bothered to dwell on Chen Xiyuan's sneaking into his room so early in the morning; he simply considered it gratitude for her not killing him.

Chen Xiyuan: "I slept very little last night because I had a lot on my mind."

Li Zhuiyuan: "You, are you scheming?"

Chen Xiyuan: "Yes, I'm worried that you'll be indignant, worried that you'll do something stupid, worried that you'll become possessed by demons, worried that you'll become disillusioned with the world and go down the wrong path."

Li Zhuiyuan: "You don't need to worry about any of that."

Chen Xiyuan: "Really? Little brother, you mustn't be lying to me."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Yes, there's really no need to worry about that."

There's no need to worry about whether something will happen again once it has already happened.

Chen Xiyuan: "You sleep so well. You slept almost all day yesterday. I thought you couldn't sleep, so I came here early this morning to talk to you and give you some advice. I didn't expect you to be sleeping."

Li Zhuiyuan slept for a little over an hour to readjust his sleep schedule.

The purpose is to make it easier for me to see Ah Li when I wake up after going home.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Pull your legs back."

Chen Xiyuan: "Oh, okay."

Li Zhuiyuan got out of bed and went to wash up.

Chen Xiyuan followed her over, leaned against the bathroom door, and asked, "Are you leaving Luoyang tonight?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "No, tomorrow night."

Chen Xiyuan: "What a coincidence, me too."

When the boy finished brushing his teeth and washing his face, Chen Xiyuan handed him the towel hanging next to him.

Li Zhuiyuan: "This is for wiping feet."

Chen Xiyuan: "Oh, sorry."

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

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

Li Zhuiyuan: "Confucius Temple, Qinhuai District, Nantong City".

Chen Xiyuan: "Little brother, I may not be very smart, but I'm not stupid either."

Li Zhuiyuan: "You and Tan Wenbin exchange contact information. After I return to Nantong and take care of some things, I will come to Hainan to find you if time and conditions permit."

Chen Xiyuan: "Remember to bring a big truck."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Yes."

Chen Xiyuan: "But why don't you want me to go to Nantong?"

Li Zhuiyuan washes towels.

Chen Xiyuan: "I really want to pay my respects to Madam Liu. I was raised by my grandfather in his courtyard since I was a child. Madam Liu was always involved in every quarrel between my grandfather and grandmother."

Li Zhuiyuan hung the wrung-out towel on the wall.

Chen Xiyuan: "I'd also like to meet the Qin family's little sister. I asked Lin Shuyou, and he said that the Qin family's little sister is very beautiful and very quiet and gentle."

Quiet and gentle?

When Lin Shuyou came to Nantong, it had been a year since he had met A Li. At that time, A Li had begun to recover thanks to him.

If it were Tan Wenbin or Runsheng, they would never have described Ah Li as "quiet and gentle." When they first met Ah Li, they could feel a clear sense of pressure and fear emanating from her.

Li Zhuiyuan: "You and Lin Shuyou are very close?"

Chen Xiyuan: "Tan Wenbin is too cunning, it's exhausting to chat with him; Runsheng is so boring, he either doesn't talk at all or he just chokes when he does."

Lin Shuyou is a really nice person; I can really connect with him.

Li Zhuiyuan discovered that Lin Shuyou seemed to be able to maintain good relationships with every foreign team.

That's normal, after all, Ayou can 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?"

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 I walked out the door, I happened to see Grandma Yao carrying a tray, on which everything from her headscarf to her clothes to her boots was neatly folded.

The word "just right" here doesn't really mean "just right." After Grandma Yao finished her work, she sat in the room with the door open, waiting for me to come out.

Instead of giving the newly made clothes to Xu Fengzhi or Xu Mofan herself, she tactfully gave them to her son-in-law.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't care about such rules, but it was Grandma Yao's habit.

Her son, Yao Nian'en, said that his mother's spirits have improved a lot lately.

Perhaps it's because, in Grandma Yao's eyes, the time she spent living in the Liu family was the most cherished and beautiful period of her life.

Serving the young master reminded her of how she used to serve the eldest daughter.

Grandma Yao: "It's just a coincidence, the clothes were just finished."

Li Zhuiyuan only glanced at it, but he knew that this job was not easy.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Grandma, you've worked so hard."

Grandma Yao: "It's just a small job, nothing to worry about."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Grandma is getting old. While she's still healthy, she should go out and see more of the world. Jiangsu has a rich cultural heritage and many scenic spots. Would you like to travel, Grandma?"

Grandma Yao was stunned by his words, tears welled up in her eyes, and her hands trembled uncontrollably. She asked instinctively:
"Where in Jiangsu is the most fun place?"

"Nantong".

Chen Xiyuan: "..."

Grandma Yao: "Is it...okay?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "I'll go back and ask if there are any vacant rooms at home. If there are, Grandma can come and stay at our house, which will save us the expense of accommodation."

Grandma Yao took a deep breath and reached out to support herself against the wall next to her to maintain her balance.

An overwhelming sense of joy was washing over him; he could finally see the young lady again.

Whether or not to invite Grandma Yao over, Li Zhuiyuan would have to go back and consult his grandmother's opinion, although she would certainly agree to give him face.

Furthermore, ever since my wife started enjoying playing cards with Liu Jinxia and the others, she has changed a lot.

Li Zhuiyuan glanced at Chen Xiyuan.

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

Li Zhuiyuan: "Put it in my room first."

Chen Xiyuan: "Wait for me."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Mm."

After Chen Xiyuan left, Li Zhuiyuan went downstairs and outside by himself.

Then, with a "whoosh," Chen Xiyuan jumped out of the window.

"Little brother, your sister told you to wait for me."

"It's more convenient to wait downstairs."

"That's true."

Chen Xiyuan raised her head and looked at the roof.

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

A large vat of peanuts, one by one, were slowly savored. The whole night passed, and not even half of them were gone. The second bottle of wine was still unopened.

Xu Fengzhi looked down at Li Zhuiyuan standing below.

He happily popped three peanuts into his mouth, indulging in a lavish treat!
Li Zhuiyuan bowed slightly to Xu Fengzhi as a greeting, then turned and walked out of the alley.

As Chen Xiyuan walked, she bent down and whispered:

"Little brother, did you tell him your identity?"

Sister Chen intermittently regained her sense of humanity.

"Ah."

Chen Xiyuan: "Then he must be very happy. During the battle of defending the goal, Senior Xu was mocking the two from the Tao family and the Ling family while praising Dragon King Qin and Dragon King Liu. I was so happy to hear that."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Did you also praise Dragon King Chen?"

Chen Xiyuan: "It seems like I mentioned it, and even gave it a compliment."

The Chen family of the Dragon King is known for its pure and upright traditions, upholding the orthodox style of the Dragon King's clan.

However, the Chen family has produced three dragon kings in history, who were either extremely powerful or extremely mediocre. Therefore, most of the time, the successors of the Chen family could not make much of a splash when they traveled the river.

In addition, the Dragon King Chen's ancestral home is located on an island. Although he did not deliberately hide from the world, he was essentially semi-hidden from it, so they rarely appeared in the world of martial arts.

This is completely different from the time when Dragon King Qin and Dragon King Liu were at their peak.

Firstly, both families have always been high-profile; otherwise, the romance between the young master of the Qin family and the young lady of the Liu family wouldn't have become common knowledge and attracted widespread attention.

Secondly, when it comes to fulfilling their responsibilities within the martial arts world, the Qin and Liu families have always been duty-bound to take action and are willing to make sacrifices.

People of Mr. Xu Fengzhi's age probably grew up listening to stories of the Qin and Liu families in the martial arts world. He himself even witnessed the tragic love story of Dragon King Qin and Dragon King Liu on the Yangtze River.

The reason why Liu Yumei has been able to keep her two declining families afloat until now is probably not only because of her special luck and the fact that the old lady herself can still wield a sword, but also because there are many admirers of the Qin and Liu families in the martial arts world, such as Master Xu Fengzhi.

If any powerful force dares to openly exploit the dwindling population of the Qin and Liu families, they might not even know which force it is. At that time, how many voluntary helpers will suddenly emerge from the Qin and Liu families, whose numbers are already dwindling?

Even the most delicious soup shouldn't be consumed continuously.

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

He raised his hand halfway, then scratched his head instead.

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

The proprietress appeared behind the boss and whispered in his ear.

Narrowing passage:
"Eek~~, the swan didn't even glance at our toad today~"

Li Zhuiyuan ordered one serving each of steamed buns, fried dough sticks, soy milk, and tea eggs.

Chen Xiyuan ordered five portions, and also ordered two extra bowls of meatball soup. The soup base was a mixed soup, one bowl contained vermicelli, and the other contained instant noodles.

During this time, seeing the tempting color of the fried dough, Chen Xiyuan asked the owner to cut her another pound to try.

The small breakfast table between the two of them was filled to the brim.

Li Zhuiyuan took a sip of soy milk and asked Chen Xiyuan:
"Why are you eating so little today? Do you have a poor appetite?"

Chen Xiyuan nodded: "I was worried about you tonight, so I didn't have much of an appetite. I'll just eat something light to tide me over."

Li Zhuiyuan had seen Chen Xiyuan's actual appetite. The appetite of a martial artist is boundless, which is why there is an old saying that the poor study literature and the rich practice martial arts.

Chen Xiyuan: "I usually only eat a lot at the beginning and end of a wave. Most of the time, I eat about the same as an average person."

Li Zhuiyuan remembered that Uncle Qin also had this ability. Uncle Qin did not eat much at home, even less than ordinary rural people who needed to work in the fields.

The boy understood the principles behind it, but because he himself did not practice martial arts, he did not know how to explain and teach it in a down-to-earth way.

"Today, can you teach me a class on how to control and maintain the body's metabolism?"

While chewing on the fried dough, Chen Xiyuan asked in confusion, "Don't you understand it well? You've explained the principle."

Li Zhuiyuan: "They can only understand if you explain it to them."

If they can understand the principles just by me explaining them, then I'll just give them the ready-made martial arts training methods and let them practice on their own.

The truth is, Runsheng and the other two don't have that ability. They can train and teach them moves and experience, but they can't help them improve their internal strength.

Chen Xiyuan: "Okay, leave it to me. I'll press the three of them into my domain and exert force to compress their internal organs. They should be able to comprehend it soon."

Li Zhuiyuan glanced at the wall clock. They knew very well that unless Chen Xiyuan suddenly changed her personality and wanted to kill them, they would be safe in the hotel. So at this time, Runsheng and the others should still be sleeping.

After they wake up, they will receive professional lessons from Teacher Chen.

That's really professional. If Chen Xiyuan were to just talk about her insights, the effect would probably be very poor. Directly applying pressure to the internal organs would actually make it easier for them to absorb the information.

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

Chen Xiyuan ate a lot, but it wasn't binge eating. She ate very politely and properly, but she just kept eating.

After finishing their meal, Chen Xiyuan went to pay the bill.

After the boss announced the number, Chen Xiyuan's first reaction was that the boss had miscalculated.

After the shop owner calculated the bill again, Chen Xiyuan finally paid.
He sighed:
"The prices in Luoyang are really affordable."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Mm."

Chen Xiyuan waved the banknotes in her hand and said:
"After I started frequently leaving the islands by the light of a lamp and walking along the river, I gradually discovered that the same amount of money felt like two different currencies in Hainan and inland."

After leaving the breakfast shop, the two returned to the alley.

On the way, they ran into Tan Wenbin and two others who were out having breakfast together.

"Xiao Yuan".

"Brother Xiaoyuan."

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

Tan Wenbin: "Ayou, go buy it and we'll go back with Brother Xiaoyuan first."

Li Zhuiyuan: "No need, there's no rush. Let's finish eating first and then come back."

The boy worried that if he brought it back, he wouldn't be able to eat it anymore.

After the two passed each other, Li Zhuiyuan said to Chen Xiyuan, "Later, you can talk about the theory first."

Chen Xiyuan: "But I don't know how to talk about theory."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Then let's talk about Qingbuliang (a type of sweet soup), Wenchang chicken, and Lingshui sour rice noodles."

Chen Xiyuan: "The purpose of saying all this is..."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Tell them to digest their breakfast early, so that the room won't be crowded later."

After returning to their hotel room, Li Zhuiyuan parted ways with Chen Xiyuan and took the tray to the rooftop.

"Senior Xu, your clothes are finished. Would you like to try them on?"

"No need to try anymore. She can sew up Mo Fan's chest, so her eyes are the ruler."

"Then I'll take it to Senior Xu's room."

"No rush, Xiao Yuan... cough... Zhui Yuan, come here for a moment, come to my side."

Li Zhuiyuan walked up to Xu Fengzhi.

As a new day begins, the area downstairs gradually becomes lively.

The crackdown on prostitution actually ended yesterday.

However, because the gang leader in charge of the area had his legs broken by Chen Xiyuan, the massage parlors in the alley did not receive the notice to resume work and production immediately.

Just yesterday, people here noticed that the massage parlors across the street had reopened and were doing business normally. After inquiring, they learned that the storm had indeed passed.

So today, the alley is unusually noisy. People who went back to visit relatives have all returned, and everyone has started a big cleaning, as well as buying paper, massage oil and toiletries.

Xu Fengzhi spread his hand downwards, closed his palm, and turned it into a single finger.

At first glance, he looks like an old man who is being disrespectful for his age, still "selecting concubines" at this moment.

In reality, as Xu Fengzhi focused his finger, the light and shadow in front of him began to distort and tremble.

Li Zhuiyuan's gaze narrowed slightly as he saw flashes of gunfire alternating between them.

At first glance, it doesn't seem particularly complicated, but upon closer inspection, its profound mystery becomes apparent.

The Xu family spear technique emphasizes bold, sweeping movements and unstoppable advance, yet it conceals a hidden depth. While it appears to be a spear, in reality, the intent behind the spear always precedes the action, with the intention controlling the spear.

This marksmanship is extremely difficult to learn; to improve it, one must cultivate a strong mindset.

After the performance, Xu Fengzhi coughed several times.

He had just revealed to the young man his deepest understanding of the Xu family's spear technique, without holding anything back. It can be said that even among the Xu family's own descendants, except for a very few outstanding individuals, this kind of inheritance is something that cannot be enjoyed.

Although he knew that the old lady of the Liu family's choice of the young man before him must mean that he was extraordinary, and he had even tested him last night to confirm it, Xu Fengzhi still asked with some concern, faced with his brief and profound expression:
"Did you remember that?"

"remember."

"Did you understand?"

"understood."

"Last night I instructed Mofan to memorize all the basic techniques of the Xu family spear technique, and I will give them to you later. Zhuiyuan, will you be able to learn them when you come of age?"

"I can learn it."

"Then... is it possible to improve?"

Li Zhuiyuan fell silent.

Xu Fengzhi's eyes were filled with expectation.

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head: "It's hard for me to improve right now. The Xu family spear technique requires not only unwavering faith, but also the composure to put away the spear as if it were the end of life. I lack both of these qualities now."

Xu Fengzhi looked astonished. This young man had actually understood his hidden intent regarding the gun.

The old man laughed and said, "That's because you're still young. When you reach the top, your gun will surely sweep across the land."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Senior Xu, I can only try my best not to disappoint your expectations and thank you for passing on your knowledge."

Xu Fengzhi waved his hand: "What favors or not? In the end, I'm the one who benefited the most. The old lady must have her reasons for letting you, an outsider, shoulder the responsibility of two powerful families."

As for me, I simply shamelessly hitched a ride.

Xu Fengzhi fell silent, and Li Zhuiyuan also remained silent.

After a while, Xu Mofan came up.

Xu Fengzhi: "Put the clothes down, you can leave now."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Yes, Senior Xu."

As Li Zhuiyuan passed by Xu Mofan, Xu Mofan took out a gun manuscript sewn together with thread and handed it to Li Zhuiyuan.

Li Zhuiyuan reached out and took it. Xu Mofan said, "It's inappropriate for someone to follow another Jiang family's spear technique while practicing my Xu family's spear technique."

Li Zhuiyuan smiled at Xu Mofan.

Xu Mofan: "You may temporarily live under someone else's thumb, but you must cultivate a resilient character. No matter how high the mountain, your spear will be as high. Otherwise, you will find it difficult to achieve great things in the end."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Mm."

Although Xu Mofan's words were unpleasant, he was indeed pointing out the essence of the Xu family's spear technique.

After Li Zhuiyuan left, Xu Mofan walked up to Xu Fengzhi.

Xu Fengzhi: "In the end, I was too soft-hearted and they succeeded."

Xu Mofan: "Each takes what they need. Besides, it's just a gun technique manual."

Xu Fengzhi: "No matter what, although there was no formal apprenticeship ceremony or formal recognition, the spear technique was ultimately given out."

Xu Mofan: "If my uncle were to take him as a disciple, his seniority would be much higher than mine."

Xu Fengzhi: "In the last wave, you fought alongside the Tan group. It's fate that you're staying in the same hotel now. Regardless of whether this young man can master marksmanship or truly develop the skills and style, he's no longer a complete outsider."

Mo Fan, if we meet again on the river in the future, I don't ask for your help or assistance, but if conditions permit...

Xu Mofan nodded and said, "Uncle, I understand. Don't worry, I won't deliberately try to kill him."

Xu Fengzhi smiled and reached out to pat Xu Mofan on the shoulder.

Child, your uncle doesn't mean you shouldn't kill him.

Rather, as long as you don't kill him, he might spare your life out of consideration for our past relationship.

At least, it gives you a second chance to admit defeat.

He inherited the legacy of the Twin Dragon Kings, understood the true meaning of his own spear technique in one go, possessed a variety of mysterious methods, and had a frighteningly calm temperament.

This wasn't because Xu Fengzhi had a biased view of Qin Liulong's family; rather, he genuinely believed that there were very few people on the river who could keep that young man in check.

In Xu Fengzhi's view, this young man will most likely become the Dragon King of this generation and restore Qin Liu's prestige.

The old man simply hoped that his most beloved and cherished descendant would not become a stepping stone trampled on the path of the current Dragon King.

"puff."

Suddenly, Xu Fengzhi coughed up a mouthful of blood, and several of his acupoints were pierced by the chaotic gun intent within his body. He collapsed to the ground.

Xu Mofan quickly reached out and picked him up, trying his best to transfer his internal energy to help Uncle Ping recover from his injuries.

"Uncle, your body is exhausted and your life is nearing its end."

"Child, don't waste your energy. I'm going to sleep tonight anyway."

Xu Fengzhi, with his back to Xu Mofan, revealed a look of horror.

Just this slight reminder has caused me to suffer such a strong backlash for helping my younger family member cross the river.

Just how much karma is this young man carrying?

Xu Mofan: "Uncle, I've contacted my family, and they want to come to Luoyang."

Xu Fengzhi: "Don't let them come."

Xu Mofan: "Yes, I rejected them."

Xu Fengzhi: "Good for you to refuse."

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 the unfinished wine. "I want to drink to my heart's content for the last time I drink in my life. I want to finish it all!"

After leaving the rooftop, Li Zhuiyuan did not return to his own room. His room was next to Tan Wenbin's, and the boy did not want to witness the "torture" they were suffering.

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

It's the weekend, and Grandma Yao's two grandsons are sitting on either side of the desk, engrossed in writing their test papers.

The scroll is... "The Secret Scroll of Tracing Ancestors".

Li Zhuiyuan promised to send them the papers regularly, but Tan Wenbin would have to arrange it after he returned. Grandma Yao had her son, Yao Nian'en, find the papers in various bookstores.

These days, firstly, there's a weak awareness of copyright, and secondly, everyone has limited resources. When it comes to supplementary teaching materials, even those in the same city like NT, everyone just gets a set and takes it back home. Either the school prints it themselves, or they write the questions on the blackboard for the students to copy down and do.

The reason why "The Secret Scroll of Tracing Ancestors" sells well in Nantong is mainly because the author listed on the scroll is a provincial champion. Parents and students are willing to spend money to buy it, mainly for good luck.

The two children were clearly skipping grades and struggling with their studies and homework. Suddenly, they looked up and saw Li Zhuiyuan standing in front of them. In that instant, the hardships of life became tangible to them.

Since he had nothing better to do, Li Zhuiyuan simply sat down next to them and explained the problems to the two brothers.

The two brothers tried their best to follow Li Zhuiyuan's train of thought, becoming more and more engrossed in listening.

Li Zhuiyuan discovered that these two brothers were indeed academic geniuses.

Grandma Yao's daughter-in-law passed by and saw this, but instead of coming in, she cut some fruit and poured some tea. She tiptoed in, put the tea down, and then carefully retreated.

After finishing the explanation, the two brothers breathed a sigh of relief and continued to look down at the questions.

Li Zhuiyuan, holding a teacup, walked to the next room while drinking.

Grandma Yao is 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 go on a trip, but for safety's sake, he wanted to go with her so that he could look after her. As a result, he was scolded by his grandmother.

In Grandma Yao's eyes, it was only proper etiquette for her son-in-law to come to her house as a guest, and she and her two grandsons were there to greet him. However, she also had her own selfish motives.

If she were to take her son and grandson to Nantong to meet the young lady herself, then she would truly be insatiable.

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

"do not know."

Daughter-in-law: "Mom, is the travel agency reliable?"

"Reliable."

Daughter-in-law: "Which travel agency was it again?"

"do not know."

Daughter-in-law: "Mother, why are you bringing so many needles, thread, and fabric with you on your trip?"

Grandma Yao glared at her daughter-in-law with annoyance and said:

"If you keep nagging, I'm going to tell my son to beat his wife."

Daughter-in-law: "Mother, I'm just worried about you."

"Then you're not allowed to give money to your family anymore."

The daughter-in-law immediately lowered her head and shut her mouth.

Grandma Yao smiled.

Although the journey has not yet officially begun, and it is even uncertain whether it will eventually begin, her happiness has already arrived.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't go in to disturb them. After estimating the time, he returned to the room next to his own.

Pushing open the door, Lin Shuyou was lying on the floor in a perfectly standard "大" (big) shape.

His skin was completely red, and he was soaked in sweat, as if he had just undergone torture.

Tan Wenbin vomited in the bathroom, and the sound was incredibly loud.

Runsheng sat on the bed, looking perfectly normal, but white steam was constantly rising from his head, like water boiling.

It is evident that Teacher Chen's teaching method is quite simple and crude.

When the three fully accepted the instruction and offered no resistance within her domain, Chen Xiyuan was able to manipulate them at will in all sorts of unimaginable ways.

Literally...to speak frankly and openly.

But since they were his partners, Li Zhuiyuan checked their bodies one by one, afraid that one of them might be accidentally damaged by Chen Xiyuan.

Fortunately, although it was incredibly painful and agonizing, none of the organs were damaged.

After letting them rest, Li Zhuiyuan left the room.

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

Her hair was wet; she had just taken a shower.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Thank you for your hard work."

Chen Xiyuan: "You're welcome. Hehe, this is the first time I've realized that I can't just be a music teacher at a school."

Li Zhuiyuan: "You should just focus on teaching music."

In other words, Runsheng and the other two are exceptionally strong; ordinary people couldn't withstand the intensity of Chen Xiyuan's teaching.

Chen Xiyuan: "They should be able to grasp this level in a few more days. Little brother, you are so good to your friends."

This means that once she gets home, Aunt Liu's workload will be greatly reduced, and the grain at her great-grandfather's house won't be consumed as quickly anymore.

At noon, Li Zhuiyuan and Chen Xiyuan went together to pick up Pan Zi, Lei Zi, Liang Jun, and the older brother of Chen Xiyuan's student from the hospital.

Although the problem was caused by eating mushrooms, it is considered a "work injury." Not only do I not have to pay for medical expenses, but I also continue to receive my salary and various subsidies.

After being discharged from the hospital, everyone went to eat Luoyang's water banquet together. The soups and dishes had a strong pepper flavor, which was quite enjoyable for everyone who had just recovered from a serious illness.

After the meal, Li Zhuiyuan saw Pan Zi and the others off to the car arranged by their work unit to return to Nantong. The car was filled with local specialties and nutritional supplements given by their work unit.

Panzi and Leizi have already planned who will receive these things when they get back.

The two young men, barely adults, were oblivious to their brush with death. In fact, if they hadn't been involved with Li Zhuiyuan, they might have lost their lives from the food poisoning. Instead, they felt they were getting a good deal by receiving wages, subsidies, and gifts while lying down.

Liang Jun invited Li Zhuiyuan to ride back to Nantong with him, but Li Zhuiyuan declined, saying that a friend of his was holding a funeral and he would have to stay an extra day.

Then, Li Zhuiyuan received the condolence money from Liang Jun, Pan Zi, and Lei Zi, out of respect for him.

Li Zhuiyuan did not refuse and accepted it.

Xu Mofan's merits are distributed in full; since he's wealthy, let him distribute more.

After all, buying merit with money is really no different from getting something for nothing.

When they met up with Chen Xiyuan, Chen Xiyuan was carrying a fishing net bag containing two cans of malted milk powder, two large bags of biscuits, and some Luoyang specialties.

Chen Xiyuan: "I told him I wouldn't go back with him. A friend's elder is about to pass away, so he took some of the supplements his company gave him and sent them to me."

As night fell, when the cold-faced Xu Mofan opened the door after hearing a knock, he was handed a large bag of nutritional supplements and three sets of condolence money.

The three donations were formally wrapped in envelopes, on which were written the names, hometowns, and birth dates of Pan Zi, Lei Zi, and Liang Jun.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Please accept my condolences in advance."

Xu Mofan was stunned for a while before finally accepting the envelope containing the funeral gift and, as a filial son, returning the gift to Li Zhuiyuan.

Li Zhuiyuan reached out his hands to help her up.

In rural areas, the return of gifts at funerals is usually just a token gesture; the bereaved son simply holds the arms of the mourner and slightly bends his knees.

But whether Xu Mofan genuinely didn't understand or did it on purpose, he truly knelt down honestly.

Along with the boy who had never practiced martial arts, he was pulled by his arm and stumbled.

After returning the gift to Li Zhuiyuan, Xu Mofan took the net bag of tonics handed to him by Chen Xiyuan.

Chen Xiyuan: "It was a gift from my friend, so that Senior Xu can use it to nourish his body."

One offered condolences, while the other urged for recovery; seemingly unrelated, yet they occurred harmoniously.

Moreover, the person's name, place of origin, and date of birth were written in circles on the malted milk powder can with a black pen.

Originally, it wasn't there, but Li Zhuiyuan added it for Chen Xiyuan to make it easier for the host to register "favors".

Xu Mofan returned the gift to Chen Xiyuan.

Chen Xiyuan imitated Li Zhuiyuan's actions and helped Xu Mofan up by the arms.

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

He can't get down!
Then, Chen Xiyuan raised her arm and forcefully lifted Xu Mofan to stand up straight.

Chen Xiyuan: "You're too kind. It's enough that you meant it."

Xu Mofan nodded and carried his things back to his room.

Chen Xiyuan winked at Li Zhuiyuan.

Whether Xu Mofan did it intentionally or unintentionally, as his older sister, she has to help her younger brother get revenge.

Xu Fengzhi sat on the edge of the bed, holding a sharp gun barrel and trimming his beard and hair.

He saw what happened at the door.

Xu Mofan knew that at such close range and without a gun in his hand, he could not possibly be a match for Chen Xiyuan.

He was simply surprised that the heir of the Dragon King Chen family would treat one of the young followers in Tan's team so well.

He had brought the boy there unintentionally, which proved that the boy had not practiced martial arts. If he had really wanted the boy to embarrass himself, the boy would not have just swayed his body a few times.

But Miss Chen seemed unable to bear seeing this young man suffer even the slightest loss, and went to such lengths to protect him.

Xu Fengzhi smiled slightly, noticing the doubt in Mo Fan's eyes.

But shouldn't it be expected that they have a good relationship?

After all, the two of them are a perfect match.

Li Zhuiyuan and Chen Xiyuan walked in.

A short while later, Tan Wenbin, Runsheng, and Lin Shuyou also came in.

Some people sat, some stood, and they waited quietly.

Waiting for the old man to fall asleep, waiting for the old man to pass away peacefully.

There was no sadness in the room, for the deceased had no regrets.

Xu Fengzhi changed into new clothes and looked at everyone present.

"Drawing and sheathing a gun should be like life itself—no regrets, even in death! Hahaha!"

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

This is the second and last time.

The last time was about giving myself an explanation; this time it's about giving myself an explanation for the world I see.

I'm so lucky!
Without much lingering affection or another word of advice, Xu Fengzhi lay down, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, fell asleep, and passed away.

It happened earlier than originally expected.

It's possible that he suffered a backlash for giving advice to his younger relatives during the day, which shortened the time, or it's possible that Xu Fengzhi deliberately caused his death to come prematurely.

Since there are no regrets, why linger? In any case, we will all be asleep forever.

Xu Mofan began burning paper money in front of the small offering table that had been set up long ago.

Chen Xiyuan offered incense first, followed by Tan Wenbin, and Li Zhuiyuan was the last.

No one went to the incense shop, mainly because they felt Xu Fengzhi was worthy of the honor.

Even if one's family background is lacking, one can make up for it with passion.

Indeed, the body lying on the bed showed no abnormalities whatsoever; on the contrary, it was given an almost imperceptible halo of light.

After a very simple mourning period, Xu Mofan placed Xu Fengzhi in the coffin.

The coffin was bought from a nearby coffin shop; it was the most expensive one in the shop.

Xu Mofan carried the coffin on his shoulder and walked out of the room. The maid Xia He followed beside him, carrying a white candle, while the others followed behind.

When I passed by the hotel reception, I saw wreaths, funeral couplets, and offerings.

Grandma Yao stayed there alone. 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."

Grandma Yao: "Please accept my condolences."

Stepping out of the hotel and out of the alley, Xu Mofan began to use his movement techniques to increase his speed as he reached the main street.

Li Zhuiyuan was carried on Runsheng's back, and everyone else followed.

The burial site is on Mount Beiman, at the exit of the back gate of the Yu family ancestral home.

Of course, the exit is now gone, completely blending into the surrounding environment.

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

His face was pale, as if the injuries he sustained at the Yu family's ancestral home had not only failed to improve but had actually worsened.

Zhu Yiwen's old servant and page were helping Yu Xiangu tidy up her clothes.

Unlike the heavily made-up and flower-adorned woman I saw at the main gate of the Yu family that day, today Yu Xiangu was dressed in plain white, appearing dignified and elegant.

The scholar had already dug a pit in the ground.

I dug up two, exactly the same size.

In one of the pits, a coffin had already been placed, containing the clothes of Yu Xiangu's husband. Soon, Yu Xiangu would lie down in it and be buried with her husband who had died on the river.

Yu Xiangu: "This old fellow knows how to be lazy. He simply lay down in a coffin and was transported here. He's too lazy to even take a single step."

When Yu Xiangu reached out and patted Xu Fengzhi's coffin lid, she was stunned for a moment, then raised an eyebrow and cursed:

"What the hell? We agreed to close our eyes together, and you jumped the gun!"

Xu Mofan placed Xu Fengzhi's coffin into the pit.

Yu Xiangu: "I have to go too, otherwise I'll leave too much behind. But, Yiwen, before I go, I must remind you, you're not allowed to take out my body and braise it!"

Zhu Yiwen shook his head and laughed, "Grandma, I am a bit of a beast, but not to this extent."

Yu Xiangu then pointed to Xu Fengzhi lying next door: "Old man Xu, you're not allowed to either!"

Zhu Yiwen: "I know, I know, you can go in peace, Auntie."

Yu Xiangu walked to the end of the coffin, turned around and leaned against it, her gaze sweeping over her surroundings, and sighed:
"You were the one who said that the best things in life are: to be born in Suzhou and Hangzhou and to be buried in Beiman."

Your words have come true; today, your wish has come true.

We clearly agreed that you would light the lamp again after we got married and we would live happily ever after, but you insisted on earning that kind of merit again, and ended up disappearing without a trace.

I've resented you my whole life, and even today, I still resent you.

You've wasted my entire life.

After saying this, Yu Xiangu closed her eyes, leaned back naturally, and fell into the coffin with a "bang".

Zhu Yiwen personally went down into the pit, and while closing the coffin lid for his great-aunt, he quipped:

"A man's mouth is a lying ghost. He resented his whole life and even wanted to be buried with her after death. You knew what kind of person this man was back then, Auntie. You even kept a widow's life for him. You were just being hypocritical."

"boom!"

The coffin lid was kicked.

From inside came the voice of Yu Xiangu cursing: "You little beast, your aunt hasn't even breathed her last yet!"

Zhu Yiwen: "I know, I know. You just pretended to be nonchalant and fell down. Are you now lying in the coffin tidying up his clothes that you messed up?"
Or should she hug his clothes and say, 'I've finally come to find you?'

"She's really shy; she was too embarrassed to do this in front of us, so she did it secretly by herself in the dark coffin."

"Bang!" "Bang!"

"Oh dear, my dear aunt, please stop kicking it! This coffin isn't from our family. I got a discount from the local coffin shop when I bought it. You can tell it's not sturdy at all, and it can't withstand a few more kicks from you."

I've hammered this nail in for you, so you might as well put an end to your life now, so you don't feel suffocated later when there's no air.

"I'm already old, an old woman. My great-uncle died young. If you go to see him with a swollen, purple face, he'll probably run away the moment he sees you."

There was no sound from inside the coffin.

Zhu Yiwen pressed his ear to the coffin lid, listened carefully for a while, and then nodded to confirm that his great-aunt had passed away on her own.

Zhu Yiwen tapped his knuckles on the coffin lid and laughed:
"As soon as he heard that he would leave you because you've become ugly, he immediately died. Oh dear, no wonder my grandma said you've been giving away your whole life."

After leaving the pit, everyone took turns shoveling soil back in.

They didn't set up any formations or restrictions, and the coffins were just ordinary ones. This was their idea: after lying down, they hoped to return to dust as soon as possible.

Having spent their lives wandering the world, seeing and eliminating countless evil spirits, they knew that keeping a corpse fresh for a long time was not necessarily a good thing.

There was no grave mound or tombstone.

At Xu Fengzhi's burial site, Xu Mofan inserted a wooden gun.

Zhu Yiwen inserted many scrolls into the soil of Yu Xiangu's coffin.

He drew all of these in the last two days, things like "May we be a pair of lovebirds in heaven," "The ends of the earth may be reached," and "Though I have no wings to fly with the phoenix..."

He used his own blood to paint and his vital energy to fill his brush.

After being exposed to wind and rain, these paintings will sink into the soil, eventually seeping into the ground, passing through the coffin, and creating a series of beautiful illusions.

This is why, even though Xu Mofan's injuries have almost fully healed, I am actually weaker.

To put it bluntly, Auntie said she died for the common people, but from Zhu Yiwen's perspective, he was the one who dragged Auntie down.

When he showed signs of cannibalism at a very young age, his whole family treated him like a madman and thought he was a failure.

At that time, no one could have predicted that they would later defeat their contemporaries and gain the right to lead the family through the martial world.

Only my great-aunt, while cursing herself for being disgusting, felt sorry for her seeing her starving and accompanied her on a journey of hundreds of miles to find the graves of the most wicked and evil people in life, so that she could dig up graves and find food for herself.

He still remembers that scene: his great-aunt pinched her nose with one hand, disgusted, while using the other hand to sprinkle salt on his rotting body parts.

The most painful thing about being a madman is that when you need to be normal, you've forgotten how to act normal.

Xu Mofan left, accompanied by his maid, his figure disappearing into the night.

Zhu Yiwen continued burning paper money.

As he was cooking, he reached into the offerings and took the braised food, then started eating it.

I ate while crying, not from sadness, but because it tasted so good.

As he was eating, he looked at Runsheng and handed him a smoked pork hock.

Runsheng stepped forward, took the food, and squatted down to eat with him.

Zhu Yiwen: "Is it delicious?"

Runsheng nodded.

Zhu Yiwen: "I still have a lot of smoked gaga there."

Runsheng continued to eat intently.

Zhu Yiwen: "It's rare to meet someone who shares the same interests. 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? Are you afraid I'll find out where you live? Sigh, my big pork hock has really been wasted."

Runsheng: "I'll go to your house, kill you, and then all the meat in your house will be mine."

Zhu Yiwen: "After you kill me, remember to smoke me. Don't waste me. I usually like strong flavors, so put less salt in when you marinate me."

Runsheng: "Okay."

After the two people finished eating the offerings, the funeral for the evening came to an end.

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

After Li Zhuiyuan and the others returned to Yaoji Hotel, they did not continue to rest or sleep.

Tan Wenbin paid for everyone's room and board and expenses, except for Grandma Yao's treasured tea, which was difficult to value and he couldn't afford to pay for.

With this matter settled, the group planned to return to Nantong overnight, and as usual, they rested while the vehicles continued to run.

Chen Xiyuan stood still, holding her flute, and played a farewell tune as she watched the pickup truck drive away.

Tan Wenbin, who was driving the first car, turned to look at Lin Shuyou and asked, "Shuyou, you didn't tell the other teams our home address, did you?"

Lin Shuyou shook his head: "No, I'm sure I don't."

The road conditions were good, and there were no roadworks or traffic jams. The following afternoon, as they entered Nantong, Lin Shuyou, who was on shift driving, shouted:
"I'm home!"

It wasn't until the pickup truck turned from the highway onto the village road leading to Siyuan Village in Shinan Town that I saw the girl in the red dress standing on the second-floor terrace of my great-grandfather's house from a distance.

At that moment, Li Zhuiyuan silently said in his heart: I'm home.

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

The driver was so sleepy his eyes were practically closed, and his breathing was almost snoring, until he saw the thick wavy stack of final payment bills, at which point he suddenly perked up and asked:

"Young lady, are you going back to Luoyang? I'll be waiting for you here!"

The young woman waved to the driver: "Sir, you can go back by yourself."

Holding a jade flute, the girl walked into the village path with a curious gaze.

No matter how she asked, Lin Shuyou wouldn't tell her the address the day before yesterday.

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 included their home addresses.

Now, we need to carefully search the village to find out exactly which house it is.

Chen Xiyuan saw a peach grove, blooming so beautifully in a season that didn't belong to it.

Hehe, it's not hard to find.

"Little brother, your big sister is here!"

(End of this chapter)