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Chapter 341 Stop Trying
Mr. Wanderer's tongue stretched out even longer.

His face was filled with embarrassment.

"My lord, please don't tease me." Mr. Piaodang shook his head with a wry smile, then stood up, hovering three feet in the air, and bowed respectfully to Xu Yuan with his fists clasped: "Thank you for saving me, my lord."

Xu Yuan stopped joking: "How did you end up in this thing's hands?"

"This thing has been plotting against me for quite some time now," Mr. Wanderer slowly recounted the grievances between them.

The story begins in Wangxiang Village.

Life was tough in the mountain villages, and they could only rely on merchants to come and go, exchanging the products produced in the mountains for various daily necessities.

Old Man Bai and Mr. Piaodang had been looking for a reliable person to act as a channel of communication between the village and the outside world.

Mr. Drifting often took action to rescue people who came from outside the mountains.

On one occasion, he ruined the mother spider's plans.

It thought it had caught the man, but he was rescued by Mr. Drifting.

Over the years, Mr. Piaodang and Old Man Bai have secretly rescued and investigated more than ten people, but they all gave up in the end for various reasons.

On the contrary, Xu Yuan actually helped Wang Xiangcun and made the matter happen.

But after that incident, the mother spider held a grudge against Mr. Wanderer.

However, Mr. Drifter himself was quite strong, and with the help of Wang Xiangcun, the mother spider was no match for him.

But today the mother spider is extremely fierce, and her strength has increased dramatically.

The female ghost beneath Mr. Drifting was controlled by the mother spider today, which is why he was caught off guard and fell victim to her trap.

The mother spider intended to devour Mr. Drifting, but fortunately, Xu Yuan returned to the mountain and saved his life.

The paper house was burned to the ground, revealing Mr. Piaodang's crooked tree.

But the tree itself looks pitiful.

It was also burned and struck by lightning.

The surface was scorched and dry.

Mr. Drifter hung himself back up in the tree, but the branch snapped with a crack!
Mr. Drifting stood there stunned for a long time, looking lost and dejected.

Xu Yuan said apologetically, "I wasn't paying attention just now..."

Mr. Wanderer waved his hand: "How can you blame the master? Alas, I have been lingering here for decades, it's time for me to leave..."

Xu Yuan said, "Come with me to Wangxiang Village first."

Mr. Wanderer waved his hand again: "The village is a place where people live, and I... am not suited to live in the village. Please go ahead, sir."

He floated blankly beneath the tree, but the tree could no longer support him and collapsed completely with a crack.

Mr. Wandering said quietly, "I have truly become... a wandering ghost."

Xu Yuan wanted to offer some words of comfort, but he saw that Mr. Piaodang had already turned his back and drifted away into the deep mountains.

Xu Yuan was a little worried, so he followed and asked, "Where are you going, sir?"

Mr. Drifter remained silent, then suddenly increased his speed.

Xu Yuan gave chase.

Mr. Drifter turned around helplessly and said, "Don't worry, sir, I have somewhere to go."

"really?"

"It's true."

Mr. Piaodang bowed to Xu Yuan again to say goodbye, and Xu Yuan did not follow him.

The distance from Mr. Piaodang's crooked tree to Wangxiang Village is very short; Xu Yuan arrived in just half an incense stick's time.

Zhang San's father was about to close the village gate when he saw an evil spirit rushing towards him from afar. He exclaimed "Yo-ho!" and lit his pipe: "There are still some blind fools who dare to cause trouble in our village?"

Xu Yuan removed the mud from his face and waved to Zhang Sanba: "Uncle Zhang, it's me."

Zhang San's father was overjoyed. He still remembered the matches Xu Yuan had given him as a token of respect, which had greatly enhanced his reputation in the village.

"Come in quickly."

Xu Yuan entered the village and asked, "Is Uncle Bai here?"

“I’ll take you to him.” Zhang San’s father closed the village gate, smoking his pipe as he led Xu Yuan into the village.

Halfway there, we encountered Old Man Bai.

Old Bai was still dressed the same.

The feathers on the cloak that had been cut off in previous battles have all been replaced with new ones.

After some time apart, the old mountain runner had actually gained some weight. "Lord Xu." Old Bai stood up properly, clasped his hands in front of him, and bowed to Xu Yuan.

He was the "village head" of Wangxiang Village, which was his official title.

Xu Yuan's rank is much higher than his.

Zhang San's father blinked, somewhat puzzled.

In the past, no one among the veteran mountain runners had ever taken the title of "village head" seriously.

Countless officials sent by the imperial court to collect taxes have died in the mountains!

When they met again this time, Xu Yuan did not put on any airs of an official.

Why be so respectful to old man Bai?

Old Bai didn't take the government seriously, or perhaps he had some animosity towards the government in the past.

Because when the government enters the mountains, they only exploit everyone.

It's already a miracle that we've survived in the mountains, and you guys want to come and cut us down again?

However, the Qihetai Association truly helped Wangxiang Village.

Even other villages in the mountains have seen their lives improve significantly because the township government regularly purchases mountain produce at fair prices.

That's how people in the mountains are. Your wealth, power, and glory outside the mountains have nothing to do with me.

But I'll only submit to your discipline if you can really give me benefits.

Xu Yuan waved his hand and said, "We've been through thick and thin together, there's no need for such formalities."

Old Bai didn't argue, but he made up his mind that this would be the rule from now on.

"Did you return this time, sir, because of that dragon?"

Xu Yuan said goodbye to Zhang San's father and went back with Bai Laoyan.

He revealed his purpose on the way, but regarding the dragon, he only said that it had its own troubles and had never fallen into depravity or betrayed him.

Old Bai's rather strange eyes darted around, and he asked in confusion, "Pig-squeak Rock? I haven't heard of any strange phenomena over there..."

Xu Yuan was even more puzzled: Could it be that the Miao people had made a mistake?
If Miao people encounter some great evil spirit in the mountains and it uses a strange skill similar to "dragon spitting out a clam", they will definitely be deceived.

You think you've seen it, but it doesn't actually exist.

But now that we're already in the mountains, we have to go and see for ourselves no matter what.

"I'm going to Pig Cry Rock tomorrow, you'll be my guide."

"Alright," Old Man Bai readily agreed.

Xu Yuan also told Old Man Bai about the crooked tree he had saved on the road but accidentally burned down, and finally said, "Mr. Piaodang said he has a place to go—where could he go?"

Old Bai's eyes showed a strange look as he said, "Copper Coffin Cliff."

Xu Yuan knew this place; it was a sheer cliff seven hundred feet high. Below it flowed a turbid river with a rapid current.

It is said that there are hundreds of drowned ghosts in the river.

There are dozens of ancient bronze hanging coffins on the cliff.

Each hanging coffin contains an ancient zombie.

It is said that these ancient zombies will open their coffins and exhale every seven days.

The corpse energy exhaled by dozens of ancient zombies would shroud a thick, bluish-black fog within a ten-mile radius.

Anything that accidentally wanders into this place will turn into a zombie within five steps!
This is also one of the most dangerous places in the vicinity.

No one has been there for many years.

Old Man Bai continued, "The female corpse lying in the tallest bronze coffin was moved there by Mr. Piaodang seven or eight years ago."

That old devil just wouldn't go.

Now that's bad, Old Ghost has nowhere to go but to become someone's live-in son-in-law.

After Bai Laoyan finished speaking, he couldn't help but let out a strange, loud laugh.

Xu Yuan was stunned for a long time. What do I have to feel guilty about?

I'm doing this for Mr. Wandering.

Even though Mr. Piaodang has been dead for many years, he still can't shake off his pedantic habits; someone has to give him a push.

Since you're already dead, why bother trying?

(End of this chapter)