I am about to die of old age, and I have awakened the character of longevity.

Chapter 127 Culprit, please get on the road!

The one who came was a white-haired old man leaning on a cane, and a bearded man with a hunting bow hanging around his waist.

The two were very familiar with Ah Qi, and it was obvious that Chen Qing had indeed paid great attention to maintaining good relations with the villagers since taking charge of this place. After learning from Ah Qi that the person in front of them was Xie An, the head of Baiyu Hall, the two villagers were surprised and excitedly stepped forward to greet Xie An.

In fact, Xie An had only come here a few times before, and he didn't know these two villagers. However, because of Chen Qing's relationship, the villagers also showed special respect to Xie An, the hall master.

After some pleasantries, the white-haired old man said, "Thank you for coming, Master. I'm the village chief here, and this is my son Zhao Shan... ahem."

As he spoke, the old man began to cough violently.

Xie An asked Ah Qi to boil some water and pour some hot tea for the old man. "Old village chief, there's no rush. Take your time."

Zhao Shan hurried over to pat his old father's back to help him calm down.

It took a long time for Village Chief Zhao to catch his breath. "Xiaoshan, you go ahead and talk."

"Yes." Zhao Shan bowed to Xie An and then continued:

A little over a month ago, Zhao Shan had taken three hunters into the mountains to hunt. It had been a clear, sunny day, a perfect hunting day, but soon after they reached the mountain, they were hit by a storm, forcing the four of them to rest for the night in the supply cabin.

The villagers of Gupo Village have relied on hunting and gathering herbs for generations. Aware of the dangers of Dayin Mountain, they never ventured deep into the mountains, relying instead on hunting and gathering herbs on the outskirts to eke out a living. Therefore, they built several thatched huts on the outskirts for supply storage. Hunters and herbalists could hide in these huts in case of bad weather or wild animals, providing shelter.

That day, Zhao San and three other hunters took turns to keep watch.

But I heard a strange roar outside the house.

Two of the hunters went out on guard together and ended up screaming.

Another hunter rushed out after hearing the screams and never came back.

At that time, Zhao Shan was so scared that he hid in the cellar and trembled, and he could hear the monster's "jiejie" sound.

Fortunately, the monster didn't notice him.

At dawn the next day, Zhao Shan ran out to see that his three companions had been sucked dry.

Zhao Shan was so frightened that he ran down the mountain, but not far away he heard the sound of a bell. Thinking it was someone, he went to ask for help, but he met a withered old man.

Zhao Shan breathed a sigh of relief when he saw someone, and then followed the old man down the mountain.

Zhao Shan chatted with the old man and learned that he was from another village and had originally intended to go to the village to buy medicinal herbs, but had lost his way and was stranded in the mountains. So Zhao Shan enthusiastically took the old man to stay overnight at his home.

Having said that, Zhao Shan swallowed his saliva and his face turned pale.

Xie An gave Ah Qi a look, and Ah Qi understood and filled Zhao Shan's cup of tea.

Xie An asked, "What happened next?"

Needless to say, Xie An also guessed that there was something wrong with this old man.

really.

Zhao Shan said, "At first, my father and I were very happy, thinking we could help the villagers sell a large amount of medicinal herbs. These days, it's hard for herbalists to make a living. So, my father gave the old man a house to stay in. He also called the villagers together in the name of the village chief and had them go to the old man's yard one by one to discuss selling the herbs.

At first, everyone was happy. But after a few days, something was wrong. People kept disappearing inexplicably in the village.

We thought something had happened to the villagers in the mountains, so we dispersed our forces to search for them. We also reported this to Chen Xiangzhu, who was very helpful and took the initiative to lead his cavalry into the mountains to look for them.

But… later on, more and more villagers disappeared. When we looked into it, we realized… that all the missing villagers had been to the old man's yard. We later told Master Chen Xiang about this, and he went to see the old man… and then the cavalry camp was attacked.”

After telling all the details, Zhao Shan was so scared that he almost lost his soul. His face was pale and he felt a little guilty.

The attack on the cavalry camp was such a serious matter that it could not be concealed. The surrounding villagers already knew about it.

Xie An held the teacup in his arms and began to think carefully.

He had a keen feeling: the attack on the cavalry camp might be related to Chen Qing's visit to the old man. Maybe Chen Qing discovered something he shouldn't have during their meeting with the old man, and then... the old man silenced him?

All the problems lie with this old man.

After a while, Xie An asked, "How many villagers are missing?"

Eh.

Village Chief Zhao said, "About thirty or so. Almost one disappears every day..."

Zhao Shan is the old man I met a month ago, and the time matches.

Xie An asked again, "When did Chen Qing go to see the old man?"

Zhao Shan said, "About three days ago."

The timing is right too.

Ah Qi had said in the hall before that starting from three days ago, horses in the cavalry camp were inexplicably eaten and turned into mummies, and some soldiers were also eaten.

This old man!

Xie An had already sensed the crux of the problem. "Village Chief Zhao, could you describe the old man's appearance?"

Village Chief Zhao said, "That old man was hunched over, probably in his seventies or eighties. His face was haggard and wrinkled, and his skin was very pale, a sickly silvery color. His voice was a little hoarse and sinister. But the old man explained that it was a problem with his throat, so I didn't think much of it. Now it seems... there might be something wrong with this old man."

No bark-like face?
Not a bronze corpse?

Xie An was unable to judge for a moment and asked, "Where is the old man now?"

"I live in the courtyard. As usual, I meet with herbalists from various households every day to discuss the price of the herbs. The prices are quite high, and many villagers are rushing to my door. I can't stop them."

Xie An weighed the pros and cons for a moment, "Old Village Chief Zhao, you stay here. Ah Qi, take good care of the old village chief.

Brother Zhao Shan, please show me the way."

Zhao Shan hesitated and looked at his father.

Village Chief Zhao said, "Master Chen Xiang has protected the village all year round. Now that the cavalry battalion is in trouble, we villagers should be conscientious and help if we can. Moreover, if the bandits from Dayin Mountain come down, we villagers will have no way to survive. We can only rely on Master Xie. Go."

Zhao Shan then nodded in agreement and led Xie An on the way.

When leaving the house, Village Chief Zhao used a cane and limped a few steps, repeatedly admonishing, "Master Xie, be careful."

"Don't worry, old village chief, I know my limits."

Xie An thanked the old village chief and hurried out.

Wow!

Outside, there were lightning and thunder, dark clouds covered the sky, and heavy rain poured down.

There was a thick layer of puddles on the ground, and when you stepped on them, a large amount of fine water splashed out.

Xie An was not in a hurry to meet the old man, but asked Zhao Shan to lead the way and watch the house from a distance.

Even on rainy days, there were always several villagers waiting in line at the gate of the house.

The house looked particularly hideous under the heavy rain.

After staring for a while, Xie An said, "Brother Zhao Shan, could you take me to your home first and change me into some villager clothes?"

Zhao Shan readily agreed.

When they entered Zhao Shan's house, Zhao Shan ordered, "Awei, go get me a set of my clothes."

Avi?

Xie An couldn't help but look at the young woman sitting under the eaves sorting herbs. She had a pretty face, but her hands were covered with calluses from years of rough work.

Overall, she was a very polite and simple woman. When she met Xie An, she knew how to greet him, then took out some clothes and asked Xie An to change into them in his room.

After changing his clothes, Xie An refused Zhao Shan's request to stay for tea. Instead, he said, "Brother Zhao Shan, I have a few words to ask A Wei alone. Is that convenient?"

Zhao Shan said, "Of course it's convenient, but my sister is rather shy. Thank you, Master, for your patience."

Ah Wei, this is Chen Xiangzhu's boss, Xie An, the head of Baiyu Hall. Xie An is a humble person. Just answer whatever he asks you. Don't be rude."

After giving the instructions, Zhao Shan went out and waited.

"My humble servant greets Master Xie." Awei said politely.

Xie An looked up and down at the pretty girl in front of him.

When Zhao Shan and Village Chief Zhao came to the camp to look for him, they hadn't mentioned Awei and Chen Qing's affairs. This didn't make sense. Xie An thought... Awei and Chen Qing might be having a secret affair that they hadn't made public.

Village Chief Zhao therefore didn't know...

However, it takes ten months of pregnancy to give birth to a child, and I don’t know how Chen Qing hid it.

In general, Xie An needs to confirm it.

After recovering from his shock, Xie An asked, "Awei, are you and Chen Qing dating?"

brush!
Ah Wei was horrified when she heard this. She thought her superior Xie An was here to accuse her of something. She knelt on the ground in fear and said, "Thank you, Master, for your forgiveness. This is all my fault. I'm marrying above my station."

really……

For some reason, Xie An felt particularly distressed watching this woman defend Chen Qing so much. He hurriedly helped Awei up, "Miss Awei, please don't do this. I'm not here to blame you. Chen Qing regards me as his elder brother, so I treat him like a younger brother. Stand up and talk." Hearing this, Awei finally breathed a sigh of relief. After standing up, she panicked and apologized, "Master Xie, don't worry. I know I'm marrying above my station. I will never bother Master Chen Xiang again, let alone bring shame to her or ruin her future."

She knew that Chen Qing was the son of the leader of the Tiger and Wolf Sect. In this world, it was a very shameful thing for Chen Qing to fall in love with a village herbalist.

Xie An felt desolate and couldn't bear to say anything for a moment.

However, Chen Qing was seriously injured and he probably didn't have much time left.

I can’t say it anymore...

"Miss Awei, how does Chen Qing treat you?"

Awei was timid and didn't dare to look at Xie An's face. "Chen Xiangzhu treats me very well. He also said... he also said that when I achieve something and get the approval of his father, he will marry me home in a grand ceremony. I know that I am of humble origin and unworthy of Chen Xiangzhu, and I have never thought about these things. I just feel sorry for Chen Xiangzhu.

In the past two years, Chen Xiangzhu has had a very hard life and he has always worked very hard.

He practiced diligently, patrolled diligently, and mingled well with the surrounding villagers. During festivals, he would bring gifts of food to the villagers and even treat them to meals. He was completely different from the previous incense master.

I know him, everything he does is to get his father's approval..."

Xie An was heartbroken when he heard this. Fearing he would waste time, he interrupted and asked, "Did you know that the cavalry camp was attacked?"

A Wei gritted her teeth and finally looked up at Xie An for the first time, "I know, Master Chen Xiang...how is he?"

Xie An felt very uncomfortable when he saw Awei's expectant eyes, but he still said, "He is injured. I'm afraid he doesn't have much time left. He is in the hall now. I will ask Zhao Shan to take you to the hall to see him for the last time."

pat.

Avi suddenly collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down her face, crying loudly.

This frightened Zhao Shan who was outside the door. He hurried in, hugged Awei and asked what was going on.

Xie An didn't hide anything and told the whole story. He then took out his hall master's token and handed it to Zhao Shan. "Brother Zhao Shan, there's something wrong with that old man. I can't get away. Take my token and bring Awei to the hall entrance immediately. Let Awei and Chen Qing meet. If anyone dares to stop us, take out this token and tell them what I said.

Go quickly! "

Before Zhao Shan could think about it, Awei didn't even put on a warm coat. She wiped her tears, rushed out of the room, and ran through the puddles.

When she ran to the door, Awei seemed to remember something. She turned around suddenly, knelt down in the puddle, and kowtowed to Xie An, "Thank you, Master Xie!" Zhao Shan also knelt down to express his gratitude.

Xie An said, "By the way, Awei, your child is still alive. Chen Qing has done a great deed. More than fifty brothers are willing to protect the young master Chen with their lives. They have already arrived at the hall. Go quickly and reunite with your family."

Bang!
Awei kowtowed to the ground three times in a row, her forehead was broken.

"Thank you for your great kindness, Master!"

Then, Awei ran out of the door like crazy, and Zhao Shan followed closely behind.

Even after everyone ran away, Xie An could still hear Avi's desperate crying.

Eh!
Xie An sighed deeply, and suddenly he had an indescribable feeling.

He never thought that such a thing would happen in front of him and involve him.

The stable development environment has been disrupted.

This made Xie An very uncomfortable.

But Xie An also knew that this was something he could not escape.

It's not like he hadn't thought about it before. He shouldn't get involved in this mess. At most, he could just leave Qingwu County and find a safe place to grow up.

But he has lived in this place for thirty-four years.

This land, the friends around me, the disciples, the subordinates... are all living people.

How could Xie An give it up so easily?

He himself is a flesh-and-blood person.

Isn't the purpose of practicing martial arts to protect yourself?

Isn't martial arts meant to be used?
"Let's go and see how strong this old man is. If he can be killed, then kill him. If he can't be killed, then call someone else."

Now Xie An has reached the peak of the Chongxue realm. With the help of health-preserving exercises and the Chongshan Knife, he can even compete with masters who have just entered the martial arts world.

This was already a truly extraordinary level of strength. Looking across the entire Qingwu County, he was considered a top-tier expert.

Strength gave Xie An strong confidence.

In addition, if it is really impossible to kill.

Then just ask for help.

Chen Qinglang, Meng Hu...Old Master Tang.

Can’t you kill a mere old man?

After making up his mind, Xie An walked out of the gate, faced the rain and came to the house not far away, followed the crowd in line, and moved forward one by one. Taking advantage of this gap, Xie An heard the villagers in the line talking about the good things about the old man.

It’s simple, the price is high and the quantity of medicinal materials purchased is large.

Some villagers came out of their houses and took the silver and money, with smiles on their faces.

Such a smile seemed out of place with the miserable scene in the cavalry camp.

On one side is blood and fire, on the other side is a smile.

It's very ironic.

Finally, it was Xie An's turn.

The villagers behind him were still urging him, "Hurry up! I still have to wait to get the money to go home."

Xie An came to his senses, stepped over the threshold and entered the yard.

The yard is not big, with two osmanthus trees planted in it, and a few chickens and ducks standing in the corner, soaked like drowned rats, with confused looks in their eyes.

Entering the yard, Xie An opened his five senses and looked around vigilantly.

I saw an old man busy sorting medicinal herbs in the hall.

He had indeed purchased a large amount of medicinal herbs and was sorting them. On the table next to him were a number of shiny silver ingots used to purchase the herbs.

Looking closely at the old man, he was no different from what Village Chief Zhao had described.

There is indeed skin without bark.

but……

Xie An, who had developed a sense of energy early on, found that this old man... had no vitality at all.

In other words, this is a dead person.

At the same time, the white Taoist talisman in Xie An's mind was shaking slightly.

"Five strands of immortal energy detected!"

Five strands...

so much!
Could it be that this old man is a zombie that is more powerful than the bronze corpse?

In any case, if we compare the amount of dead energy.

The bronze corpse is a wisp.

This old man is Wulu.

Its strength is almost five times that of the bronze corpse.

Xie An estimated that he could be killed.

I don’t know if this old man has any extraordinary skills or if he has any accomplices.

Xie An took all these into consideration.

At this moment, the old man glanced at Xie An and asked, "Where are your herbs?"

Xie An recovered and said, "I have too many herbs to carry by myself. If you are not busy, you can come to my house. The herbs at home are piled up like a mountain."

When the old man heard about the mountain of medicinal herbs, his eyes lit up. "Don't deceive me. If you make me go on this trip in vain, I won't let you off so easily."

Xie An smiled and said, "Of course."

The old man was smiling, not noticing anything unusual, and immediately called out to the outside, "We're not accepting herbs today, come back tomorrow."

The villagers outside the door heard the sound and left in anger.

The old man took care of the herbs again, then picked up the silver ingot on the table and said to Xie An, "Lead the way."

Xie An extended his hand and said humbly, "Please go on your way, old man."

(End of this chapter)