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

Chapter 196 The White Fox Awakens!

Xie An's deeds had long been spread throughout the surrounding areas of Wuqiao Town.

Everyone praised him and was proud that Wuqiao Town had produced a man named Xie An. The villagers who had initially objected to Xie An, an outsider, settling in Wu Temple gradually let go of their prejudices.

"Thank you, sir."

"Thank you for your hard work, Grandpa."

"It is truly a great honor for Wuqiao Town to have Master Xie preside over the Wu Temple."

"..."

The villagers who lined up one by one bowed and greeted Xie An.

Xie An was not arrogant and responded one by one.

However, when Xie An saw that there were endless people coming to greet him, he quickly found an excuse to walk away, and then he had an idea.

absorb.

hum!
As strands of invisible power flowed into the brain, the muscles and bones of the whole body slowly stretched and relaxed, giving a feeling as if bathed in the spring breeze.

The whole process is very smooth.

Even if he absorbed four thousand strands of faith energy in one breath, he would not feel any discomfort.

Compared to absorbing the immortal energy and fairy energy, it was much more comfortable. It was as if these faith energies were my own.

After the absorption was completed, the data on the panel also changed.

[Currently available Immortal Qi: 7200 strands.]

A sudden increase of four thousand!
More than ten pieces of white pupa stone.

The distance to the ten thousand strands needed to advance the fetal breathing technique is getting closer and closer.

Xie An felt relieved, and turned his head curiously to look at the magnificent Wu Temple in front of him, and the long line of villagers who were queuing up to enter the temple to worship their ancestors.

"Why do I feel like this ancestral hall has an inexplicable connection with me? This is a feeling I've never had before."

Previously, no matter whether it was the immortal energy or the fairy energy, the connection would be cut off after absorption.

But this Wu Temple is different.

After absorbing the energy of faith this time, the bond was not broken and could still be vaguely felt.

"Can I come here again and again to absorb the energy of faith in the future?"

Thinking of this, Xie An was delighted: If he could gather thousands of strands of Faith Qi during the annual festival every year... the benefits would be enormous. Even if he did nothing, by the next year's annual festival, he could gather enough to advance his Fetal Breathing Technique to the level of Undying Qi.

Moreover, as Wuqiao Town develops, the Wu Temple becomes increasingly popular. The amount of faith energy that can be absorbed will likely increase. By the time an annual sacrifice is held, it might be possible to absorb more than 10,000 strands...

Wu Temple is a good thing.

Xie An made up his mind to take good care of the ancestral hall.

"Thank you, brother. You've worked hard just now." Chen Lei, who had just finished the finishing work of the annual festival, came over and wiped the sweat from his forehead while complimenting him.

Xie An bowed and said, "Brother Chen has worked hard."

Chen Lei chuckled and said, "Brother Xie, you're embarrassing me by saying that. Previously, the annual sacrifices were all presided over by Elder Li. Now that Elder Li has passed away, I was worried that things would go wrong at the Wu Temple. Now it seems the results are even better than when Elder Li was here. This is all thanks to Brother Xie."

This is not false.

Everyone can see clearly whether the effect is good or not.

Xie An said modestly, "It's all thanks to Brother Chen's help. I'm working at the Demon Suppression Division and am very busy. I'll need Brother Chen to take care of this place in the future."

"Of course it's my duty." Chen Lei said in a humble tone, "I'll take care of the Wu Temple during normal times. If it's a festival or something, Brother Xie can take charge."

Chen Lei was extremely willing to make friends with this fifth-rank general through the link of Wu Temple.

If it weren't for this Wu Temple, Chen Lei would probably never have been able to make friends with a big shot like Xie An in his life.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Brother Chen. If you have any questions, please come to the county town to find me anytime."

After some pleasantries, it was time for the banquet.

According to Wuci custom, the annual sacrifice is accompanied by a banquet. One person from each family comes, pools some money, and then enjoys a lively meal, chatting and drinking together to strengthen their relationships.

Xie An naturally took the chief seat, and countless villagers came up to toast him, showing great respect for him. Xie An was grateful for the trust his fellow villagers had given him, and he would drink every time they toasted him.

The atmosphere is enjoyable.

After three rounds of wine, five flavors of food.

A beautiful village woman suddenly walked up to Xie An, acting shyly and wanting to speak several times but not daring to, which made many people laugh.

"Huagu, you're usually quite talkative, but why are you so silent in front of Master Xie?"

"Huagu is one of the few educated women in this town, and she's considered a scholar. Everyone, please don't be like this. Listen to what Huagu has to say."

"Hahaha."

The villagers don't have so many polite words, they speak frankly and directly.

Xie An noticed that Huagu was a little afraid of him, so he smiled and said, "Just say what you want to say."

"Thank you, sir." Huagu bowed and then said, "I wanted to get the villagers to raise money to set up a school, but it never worked out. I would like to ask sir to take the lead and get everyone to raise money to set up a school.

I've counted hundreds of children in this town who are of school age. However, due to their poverty, they don't have the opportunity to learn to read..."

Xie An immediately looked at this village woman with admiration.

In troubled times, it is really great for a woman to have such insight.

Xie An glanced around and found that the lively scene suddenly became quiet and everyone was looking at him.

Obviously everyone was looking forward to the opening of the school, but some people who had no money just lowered their heads.

Seeing Xie An didn't say anything, Hua Gu felt very disappointed, but didn't dare to express it, so he lowered his head and said, "Sorry to bother Mr. Xie."

"and many more."

Xie An called Hua Gu, and Hua Gu realized that things might be turning around, so he immediately turned around and looked at Xie An with anticipation.

Xie An said, "Life is not easy for everyone. The only way for children to succeed is to learn martial arts and study. Compared to studying, martial arts training is much more expensive. Setting up a school is indeed a good thing that will benefit the people. At least it will give everyone something to look forward to."

As soon as these words were spoken, countless people turned around and looked at Xie An with fiery eyes.

Xie An slowly stood up and said, "It is indeed difficult to raise money per head. Some families are so poor that they have difficulty making ends meet. It is not appropriate to ask them to raise money. In this way, the funds for the school will be entirely voluntary. Those who have money will contribute money, and those who don't have money will contribute more labor. I will take the lead and donate 10,000 taels."

hiss!
Everyone in the audience gasped.

Ten thousand taels!

Too arrogant!

Many of those present had never seen so much money in their lives.

But for Xie An, who had a huge sum of 120,000 taels, it was just a drop in the bucket. He thought that drinking water should be remembered from its source, and he could not just absorb everyone's faith and ignore their development.

Besides, my roots are here. Maybe if Wuqiao Town develops well, I can absorb more faith.

This investment is worthwhile both publicly and privately.

"I am indebted to Madam Li, and Mr. Li just passed away. The name of the school is Li's School. This matter will be organized by Chen Lei. Huagu, you can read and write, so you can help Chen Lei to do it." Xie An immediately took out a thick stack of silver bills and stuffed it into Chen Lei's hands.

Huagu was overjoyed and knelt on the ground to express his gratitude, "Thank you, Master!"

Countless people followed suit and bowed down.

"With Master Xie here, our Wu Temple will have a bright future."

"A great judge has emerged from my Wu Temple."

"..."

Xie An felt the Taoist talisman in his mind vibrate slightly again.

Although no more faith energy was detected, Xie An knew... that his decision was right.

It's like planting a small sapling here, which may grow into a towering tree in the future and bring you great benefits.

……

There was a heavy snowstorm on New Year's Eve.

Xie An drove his carriage out of Wuqiao Town and headed towards the county town.

The carriage was filled with bottles and jars, which were bacon and pickled vegetables sent by the villagers, as well as some homemade wine.

Xie An really didn't need these things, but he couldn't resist the enthusiasm of his fellow villagers. If he refused, they would inevitably accuse him of being snobbish, so he had no choice but to accept them.

The white fox curled up in Xie An's arms, yawning continuously.

There was plenty of game in town, and while it wasn't as delicious as lemmings, it was still a nice change of pace. So, Bai Hu had been living with Xie An in the countryside for a while, enjoying a carefree life. He'd often go to the mountains to hunt small animals.

"It's been a while since I've been home. Today is New Year's Eve, and according to the custom of previous years, I have to rush back to stay up with everyone."

Xie An raised his whip and hit the horse's back.

Just after leaving Wuqiao Town, we heard the sound of hurried horse hooves coming from afar.

"The Demon Suppression Division is investigating a case. Outsiders, please stay out of the way!"

"The Demon Suppression Division is investigating the case. Get out of the way immediately."

Although it was dark, the voice sounded familiar.

"Liu Chun?"

Xie An shouted.

Ouch!
Lu Lu!

Liu Chun, the leader, reined in his horse, dismounted, and approached Xie An. "General Xie, I finally found you."

Xie An had asked for leave before, so Liu Chun came to see him, so something must have happened.

"Captain Liu, what's the matter?"

Liu Chun was breathless and extremely anxious. "Something terrible has happened. A huge water monster has appeared in the Hongze Lake area under the jurisdiction of Zhao Chasi, and it has just massacred a village. After the news spread, Deputy Chief Zhou Xuan and the Inspector General were furious. They demanded that the Demon Suppression Division deal with it immediately, otherwise, everyone will be severely punished."

Xie An was stunned. He hadn't seen Wei Haoran and Zhao Qing'er for a long time. At that time, Xie An felt that something was wrong. He didn't expect... something really happened.

"Where are Wei Haoran and Zhao Qing'er?"

"He's seriously injured! He's currently receiving treatment in Daze Township. Deputy Director Chen rushed there overnight and asked me to inform the General Director."

Xie An was shocked when he heard this.

Wei Haoran had reached the seventh level of martial arts a long time ago, and Zhao Qing'er was about to break through to the eighth level. How could they be seriously injured?
This water monster seemed unusual. Furthermore, Li Hao's public rebuke was a serious problem. If this matter wasn't handled properly, it could very well upset the balance between the two factions within the Demon Suppression Division. If Chen Tie, Wei Haoran, and Zhao Qing'er were all dismissed and investigated by Li Hao, the entire Demon Suppression Division would be dominated by Li Hao alone.

It was like a set of dominoes. If one link collapsed, the whole plan laid by the eldest princess would collapse. And the second-rank official position and dukedom that he had been looking forward to would also be lost.

This won't work...

Xie An jumped off the carriage and told a demon-suppressing guard behind Liu Chun, "Send the things in this carriage to Xie's house."

"Yes, Master Souji."

Xie An took the reins of the demon-suppressing guard's horse and mounted it. "Captain Liu, let's set off for Daze Township immediately. You can tell me the details on the way."

drive!
drive! !

……

Daze Township.

This place is close to Hei Ze County and adjacent to Hongze Lake. It is also from here that the Huai River begins to slow down its flow, with deep waters, a wide river, and fertile fields stretching for hundreds of miles.

A small sampan boat was sailing on the Huai River.

The snow is white and the water is sparkling.

Xie An stood at the bow, inserted a slender bamboo into the water, and rowed the boat southward. White Fox stood at the bow, looking around vigilantly, acting as a pilot.

Xie An opened his five senses early and drove the boat towards a small island on the edge of Hongze Lake.

According to Liu Chun, the massacre was caused by a large lizard, and the small island ahead was the lizard's lair. After the massacre, Zhao Qing'er and Wei Haoran took fifteen demon-suppressing guards aboard a boat to the island, attempting to destroy the lizard. However, all fifteen of the demon-suppressing guards died, and Wei Haoran and Zhao Qing'er were seriously injured and fled.

However, according to the information provided by Liu Chun, Wei Haoran and Zhao Qing'er fought with the lizard for dozens of rounds before being defeated.

Xie An estimated that the four-legged snake should be equivalent to the strength of an eighth-level martial artist.

I can handle it myself.

Besides, as the head of the Demon Suppression Division, he should express his stance when something happens. If he really can't win, he can just run away... At least if others find out, he can say he tried his best.

Otherwise, it would be unpleasant to be accused of dereliction of duty by Li Hao.

quack.

The white fox suddenly cried out excitedly and raised its paw to point forward.

Xie An looked up and saw a small island appear in his sight.

"I saw you, but don't scream. Come to the shore immediately and get on my shoulder." Xie An scolded the white fox, and the white fox quickly ran to Xie An's shoulder.

After docking and tying the rope, Xie An jumped onto the island.

He gripped the Demon-Suppressing Knife tightly, activated the Mingyu Gong, and leaped into the forest.

The white fox only felt the sound of wind in its ears, and the strong wind blew up the hair on its body.

fast!
Ridiculously fast!

Xie An opened his five senses and did not see any large beasts along the way. To be safe, he went to the highest point of the island and took in the whole picture.

The island was small, only two miles in circumference, and its highest point was only a hundred meters above the water. There was a small valley on the east side of the island.

Xie An slowly approached the valley and saw a huge lizard in the valley.

Similar to a lizard, but much larger.

It was over ten meters long and extremely powerful. It was currently resting at the foot of the mountain wall, growling from time to time.

In my previous life, the largest Komodo dragon was only a little over three meters long. This one was five times that size. It even had scales on its body. No wonder even Zhao Qing'er couldn't handle it.

Xie An practiced the fetal breathing method, concealing his breath and coming to a distance of 20 meters from the four-legged snake. He hid behind a rock and observed it carefully. At the same time, he opened his five senses to observe the four-legged snake.

Twenty meters is exactly the peak distance of the five senses.

Xie An clearly saw a noticeable wound on the lizard's abdomen, but it was not fatal, and there were also many shallow wounds on the four corners.

It should be caused by Wei Haoran and Zhao Qinger.

The weapons of the two seventh-level martial artists were unable to kill this big guy, which shows that the opponent's defense is very amazing.

The wound on its abdomen was obviously very deep, which showed that the abdomen was its weak point.

If you want to do it, go for the big guy's belly.

Unfortunately, Xie An didn't have time to bring his heavy bow. Otherwise, he could have shot the opponent's eyes directly.

After repeatedly using his Qi sense to confirm the opponent's aura, Xie An felt relieved, as he was probably at the level of an eighth-level martial artist. However, he did not dare to be careless. Even if this beast was comparable to the level of a human eighth-level martial artist, it was not certain that it could exert the combat power comparable to a ninth-level human martial artist.

To be on the safe side, Xie An did not act in a hurry. Instead, he searched the island first to make sure that the big guy had no companions before returning to his original place.

Xie An said to the white fox, "You act as bait. Lure it over here, and I'll secretly chop open its belly."

The white fox shook his head frantically, indicating that it was too dangerous.

Xie An said: "When I came here, I felt that something was wrong with this area of ​​water. If the battle makes too much noise, it might attract other water beasts. I must kill it with one blow so that it can't cry for help. That's the safest way.

It's big, so it can't be fast, and there's no way it can catch up to you."

The white fox's head was still shaking like a rattle, gesturing to show that the other party was too big.

Xie An said: "Ten lemmings."

The white fox hesitated, and finally couldn't resist the delicious taste of the lemmings, so he wrote a number on the ground: 15.

"make a deal!"

Fifteen lemmings, only a little over ten taels of silver, too cheap.

In order to appease the white fox, Xie An patted its head and said, "Don't worry, if you are in danger, I will take action. At most, I will cause a commotion, but I won't let anything happen to you."

The white fox pointed at Xie An's mouth and then at Xie An's heart, making gestures to indicate that you must keep your word.

Xie An was speechless.

I am already very afraid of death.

Unexpectedly, this white fox is even more afraid of death.

"Okay. I'm a man of my word."

The white fox finally felt relieved, then rushed out and bared its teeth at the lizard.

The lizard heard the sound, glanced at the white fox, then chose to ignore the white fox and continued to lie down and rest.

The white fox bared its teeth for a while, but was ignored. Finally, it angrily slid back to Xie An, spreading its paws to show that it had done its best.

Xie An felt really pissed off.

You are such a dishonest helper.

It might expose me.

Xie An said patiently, "You keep harassing it by throwing stones at it. Its patience has its limits."

Encouraged by Xie An, the white fox went out again and threw small stones at the lizard. The scales on the lizard's skin were extremely hard, and the small stones were not even enough to tickle it.

The lizard ignored the white fox and lay on the ground to rest.

This time the white fox was patient and kept throwing stones, mud and grass.

Endless.

The lizard was finally annoyed by the little guy and suddenly looked up and glared at the white fox, trying to scare it away. The white fox retreated slightly and continued to throw.

A lump of mud hit the lizard's eyes.

hee hee~
The white fox even danced and shook its butt towards the lizard.

Extremely arrogant and provocative.

More than an hour passed.

The lizard finally couldn't stand it anymore. It suddenly roared, jumped up, and crawled towards the white fox quickly, opening its bloody mouth and trying to bite the white fox to death.

The white fox was so frightened that it ran away.

But... he ran in the wrong direction, not towards Xie An.

Xie An: “…”

I really want to strangle this foodie.

Fortunately, the little white fox realized its mistake and turned back. Perhaps it was also thinking about the delicious taste of the fifteen lemmings, so it quickly adjusted its direction and ran towards Xie An.

it is good!
Xie An clenched the Demon-Slaying Knife.

The Mingyu Gong has reached the nineteenth section, the beginning of winter!
The seventh level of internal energy was also pushed to its limit by the water drop internal energy method.

Just waiting for that knife!

This island made Xie An feel uncomfortable. There might be other water beasts. Killing them with one knife was the safest way.

Boom boom boom!
The lizard's four legs stomped on the ground, causing it to tremble and sending sand and rocks flying. A massive shadow loomed over Xie An, its power astonishing. It was getting closer and closer.

Finally, when the lizard passed by Xie An two meters away, Xie An suddenly activated the concealing effect of the fetal breathing technique, and the Demon-Suppressing Sword in his hand suddenly swung out with an unparalleled sharp edge, slashing towards the lizard's abdomen.

Phew!

The first slash penetrated the pre-existing wound in the lizard's abdomen, the four-foot-long blade completely entrenched in its flesh. Xie An pulled the blade forward with all his might, while the lizard darted backward, their combined potential energy transforming into the force of the knife cutting through flesh.

Well!
The lizard let out a sharp hiss, and its body slowly slid down. When it finally hit the ground, its entire abdomen was cut in half. A large amount of internal organs and intestines fell to the ground with a clatter.

One knife, dead!
Apart from a hoarse roar, there was no other movement.

All of this was within Xie An's calculations.

Clang!

Xie An sheathed his sword and went to call the white fox, only to find that the white fox had jumped into the internal organs, dug out a large piece of snake gall, and then ate it in big mouthfuls.

Xie An was shocked and immediately went over to pick up the white fox. "Hey, this thing has an unknown origin and might be poisonous. How could you eat it directly... Spit it out quickly."

The white fox refused to spit out anything, so Xie An opened its mouth and was about to scold it when he heard the white fox say, "Big brother."

I'm good...

Xie An was startled.

Can the white fox talk?

(End of this chapter)