I was forced to cultivate immortality when I just wanted to lie down

Chapter 172 Providing a Retirement Support for My Godmother

Good and evil will be rewarded in the end, and we only strive to come early and late.

Boatman Zhang Da passed away peacefully. After watching his revolving lantern, Xu Qing obtained a pearl hidden in an old clam.

The Hidden Pearl Pill, of medium grade, is about the size of a fingernail; it is more like a pearl from an oyster than a pill.

This elixir is quite interesting. Whether one is dead or alive, as long as one presses the elixir under their tongue, they can conceal their abilities and transform into the appearance of an old man. If the elixir is removed, the person holding the elixir will immediately return to their original state.

Xu Qing casually pressed the cinnabar pearl under his tongue, then took a mirror and looked at himself. He discovered that his hair, including the fine corpse hair, had turned into a color like frost and snow.

Looking at his eyebrows and eyes, he was exactly like a kind-faced old corpse from a mountain village.

What is this, some kind of old man's medicine?
Who would have thought that a hunched old man would be a strong and healthy young zombie?

After putting away the medicine for the elderly, Xu Qing turned to look at the boatman's corpse.

The matter of boatman Zhang Da was not over yet. Shortly after he was brought to justice, his tongue was cut out during his trial.

The one who cut out the tongue was none other than Xue, the constable who had abandoned Zhao Zhonghe and his nephew and ordered the boats to return to the riverbank.

Xu Qing surmised that Yang Hong and Zhou Heng, a constable from Tianjin Prefecture, were the masterminds behind the case. Xue, the constable who cut off the boatman's tongue, must have been instructed by these two. Since the boatman was illiterate, he would not confess to Yang Hong or Zhou Heng once he became mute.

When all the clues come together, a case of collusion between officials and criminals, and the oppression and harm of the innocent, is presented to Xu Qing.

If an ordinary person were to encounter this situation, they would surely die.

Although the Wu brothers were scholars, they were powerless against these unscrupulous and ruthless officials and bandits.

Xu Qing shook his head slightly. He wasn't worried about the safety of the Wu brothers. Both Wu Zhiyuan and Wu Yaoxing had amulets given to them by Hu Baosong. Even if they fell into the river, as long as their luck wasn't too bad, they wouldn't be in any serious trouble.

Before Wu Wencai's departure, Xu Qing was studying the talismans of the cave heaven. At that time, he drew many talismans and gave a few to the two brothers.

Those talismans were not much worse than Hu Baosong's, and were even much better.

For ordinary people, Xu Qing and Hu Baosong, who secretly helped out, were like supermodel assistants.

As for how far the two Wu brothers, who have been 'favored', can go, that depends entirely on their own fate.

If one could die an unnatural death even with such a fortunate opportunity, then it could only be said to be fate.

Ultimately, Xu Qing is just a zombie. He won't leave Tianjin until he has the ability to protect himself. If the Wu brothers fail to return safely from this trip, the most he can do is collect a few more corpses in Tianjin, nothing more.

The streets of Jingxia were bustling with people coming and going. One day, Master Yizhen, the Taoist priest from the coffin shop on the street, suddenly came to visit.

The female Taoist priest was depressed for several days because of Hu Baosong's matter. Today she finally made up her mind to return to the Wulao Temple to devote herself to cultivation.

"Don't worry, Senior Sister, I will take good care of Senior Hu's coffin shop."

Yi Zhen smiled, called Jin Luan, and prepared to leave.

The rooster looked back several times as it took a step, clearly reluctant to leave.

It can eat and drink well in Xu Qing's place, but if it returns to the Five Elders Temple, it can only eat millet and coarse grains to get by, apart from catching insects by itself.

These days seem endless.

Looking at Jinluan's appearance, Yizhen felt both annoyed and helpless. It was like taking a child to play in the street, only to have the child linger in front of the candy stall and refuse to leave.

“Junior Brother Xu, I think this chicken likes you quite a bit. Otherwise, I’ll give it to you. You can decide whether to stew or boil it as you see fit.”

Xu Qing flatly refused. Ever since that stupid chicken slept for half a month last time, its appetite has increased more than tenfold.

You don't know the value of firewood and rice until you're in charge of the household. Chickens like this should be released to find their own food, so they don't have to beg for food every day.

The streets below the well were bustling with people. Xu Qing had seen off quite a few people, both living and dead. Just as he was seeing off the female Taoist priest, an unfamiliar female guest turned in from outside.

Xu Qing had some impression of this person. Huang Xiaoliu had once told him about something, saying that someone had sent a maidservant to Wu's wife, who worked at the wallpaper shop next door.

I heard they came from the Jiangnan region.

The maid delivered some newly made paper offerings to the shop, and Xu Qing, having nothing better to do, tried to get information out of the maid.

Under the influence of the official's authority, the maidservant was like a criminal being tried in court. In no time, she spilled the beans, revealing where she lived, why she was a maidservant, and why she became a maidservant in the Wu family.

After getting the answer he wanted, Xu Qing put away his official airs and showed a kind smile, saying, "So you are a member of the family of Lord Yin of Jiangnan. In that case, your young master Yin is Wu Wencai, the nephew of Sister-in-law Wu?"

The maid shook her head and waved her hands, her eyes reddening with anxiety.

Master Yin had warned her never to tell outsiders about family matters, yet she has made a grave mistake!
Xu Qing smiled and said, "Don't worry, this is something only heaven, earth, you, and I know. I definitely won't tell anyone else."

The maid didn't know how she left the coroner's shop. She felt as if she had lost her soul. The shopkeeper, Manager Xu, was like a judge from the underworld. She couldn't help but feel afraid and blurted out everything she knew.

Inside the coroner's shop, Xu Qing chuckled as he played with the paper ingots in his hand.

Standing nearby, Xuan Yu asked curiously, "Since the Wu family boy has recognized the official as his godfather, why doesn't he just come back and overturn his uncle's case?"

Xu Qing put down the gold ingot and shook his head, saying, "That official surnamed Yin is a subordinate official of the Ministry of Rites in Jiangnan. He may have some authority in Jiangnan, but he doesn't have much official prestige in Tianjin."

"Moreover, the Wu family's case was personally adjudicated by the Prefect of Tianjin. If there is a real injustice, where will the Prefect's face be? If I'm not mistaken, it's not that Wu Wencai is unwilling to come back, but that Lord Yin knows the problem here, which is why he let him focus on preparing for the imperial examination next year. Once Wu Wencai has an official position, the situation will be different."

After a pause, Xu Qing smiled and said, "There are many talented people in Jiangnan. Wu Wencai was able to get into the top three in the autumn examination in Jiangnan this time. If he can study hard, he can at least get a position as an official when he goes to the capital to participate in the metropolitan examination and the palace examination next spring."

These are nothing compared to what he might achieve. If he were to encounter a powerful figure in the capital and receive a promotion, well, then the landscape of Tianjin would likely change dramatically.

Xuan Yu was confused, but it was happy to hear that Wu Wencai seemed to have a good chance of turning things around.

“I knew Wu Wencai was destined for great things from the beginning, and now it seems that I was right. His ability to be flexible and adaptable in recognizing relatives alone is a testament to his talent.”

Lord Yin of Jiangnan only had one daughter but no son. Wu Wencai's actions left Xu Qing in awe.

The only thing he's unsure about now is Wu Zhiyuan, who is still nowhere to be found.

Wu Zhiyuan was quite talented in literature, and his ability to study and take exams seemed to be much better than Wu Wencai's. However, he was not as shrewd as Wu Wencai in dealing with people and situations.

Upon hearing Xu Qing praise Wu Wencai's ability to recognize relatives, Xuan Yu pondered for a moment and said, "Does Master Xu also wish to recognize a godparent?"

"."

Xu Qing's gaze was distant. Hu Baosong, who had wanted to be his godfather last time, was now just a handful of dust.

However, it seems he actually did adopt godparents before!
Xu Qing glanced sideways at Liu Youdao's memorial tablet on the altar. Recognizing a dead man as one's master—that's a kind of flexibility, isn't it? "Xuanyu, would you like to come with me to formally establish a godparent relationship?"

Xuan Yu's eyes lit up; it sounded like a lot of fun.

"Whom does Xu Xianjia want to recognize as a godparent?"

Xu Qing stood up, straightened his clothes, and answered irrelevantly: "My good teacher once adopted an old willow tree as his godmother in Shitou Village, Xiangyin County. After that, he took Liu as his surname and named himself Youdao."

"I understand! Xu Xianjia is going to Xiangyin County to recognize that old willow tree as her godmother!"

"."

Xu Qing glanced at Xuan Yu, raised an eyebrow, and said, "Xiangyin County is a thousand miles away from here. If we want to get there, we have to leave Tianjin. I've heard that there are many ruthless zombies there. If I go to find that old willow tree, would Xuan Yu dare to come with me?"

As soon as Xu Qing finished speaking, Xuan Yu, who had been itching to make a move, immediately fell silent.

"There are actually willow trees in Tianjin too."

"We won't worship the willow tree today." After teasing the cat, Xu Qing was in a great mood.

"If we don't worship the willow tree, what should we worship? Should we go and worship the officials?"

"That's something only ordinary people and ordinary cats would do. Are you an ordinary cat?"

"No!" Xuan Yu shook its head in denial, then looked up at Xu Qing: "Then is the Xu Immortal a mortal?"

"Only those who keep common cats are common people. Does Xuan Yu think I'm a common person?"

"..." Xuan Yu's eyes widened, her cat-like mind racing.

"Xu Xianjia is no ordinary person."

"That's more like it! Who would go out of their way to become relatives with an official? That's despicable!"

At this moment, Wu, the talented scholar who was studying diligently in Jiangnan, suddenly shivered.

I wonder if my adoptive father saw my aunt when he passed through Tianjin, or if he brought back news that he was still alive.
Jingxia Street.

A stiff figure and a cat closed the shop door. Xu Qing walked ahead, while Xuan Yu followed beside him, stumbling along the ground.

When Xu Qing arrived at the coffin shop, he glanced at the empty shop and the rattan chair in the corner that was covered in dust, and felt a strange feeling in his heart.

He took out a dust-cleansing talisman and stuck it on the pillar. The next moment, an invisible wave spread throughout the entire shop, and all the dust and cobwebs were instantly swept away.

Passing through the front shop, you arrive at the courtyard, where there is a peach tree that is as thick as two people can hug.

Peach trees in the secular world have short lifespans, rarely living past a hundred years, but this peach tree in the coffin shop looks like it has lived for at least five hundred years.

Beneath the lush peach tree was a stone table with a chessboard carved on it. Xuan Yu jumped onto the stone table and stared at the unfinished game on the chessboard for a while.

It wasn't watching a game of chess; cats don't know anything about chess. It was just trying to control its paws, which were about to get out of control.

I really want to play with the chess pieces in front of me, preferably push them all to the ground one by one!

Xuan Yu tried its best to suppress its inner demons, and only when it heard Xu Qing speak did it come to its senses.

"Xuan Yu, come quickly and help!"

Xu Qing set up an offering table, took out incense and candles, and tied a red ribbon to the peach tree in front of him as a medium for connecting the dots. In addition, Xu Qing pulled out the weeds around the peach tree.

Xuan Yu followed suit, biting a grass stem and pulling it out with all his might.

Although it didn't know what Xu Qing wanted to do, it felt that there must be a reason for it to do so!

After weeding, Xu Qing fetched a ladle of water and poured it at the base of the peach tree. Although Xuan Yu didn't like water, he still obeyed, holding a small teacup in his mouth and ceremoniously pouring it at the base of the peach tree.

After finishing all this, Xu Qing stood in front of the offering table, which was decorated with snowflakes, a crooked-necked phoenix, pork head meat, and even a raw marinated fish.

Xu Qing cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, and Xuan Yu followed suit, half-squatting and half-standing beside Xu Qing, bowing towards the peach tree in greeting.

After the marriage ceremony was completed, Xu Qing suddenly spoke up: "Peach Fairy, today Xuan Yu and I cleaned your immortal abode and presented you with clothes as a token of our gratitude. If you do not reject us, Cat and I wish to use red silk as a pledge and pure dew as our offering to formally invite you to be our godmother. We only hope that you will protect Xuan Yu and me on our path to immortality, ensuring a smooth and untroubled journey. Even if we encounter difficulties, we hope you will protect us and bring us good fortune."

"If it is indeed effective in the future, Xuan Yu and I will always be filial to our godmother, offer incense to her, and take care of her until her death."

As soon as Xu Qing finished speaking, the sound of peach branches trembling suddenly rang out in the quiet, windless courtyard. Xuan Yu looked up and saw two peach leaves falling. One drifted down in front of it, while the other landed on Xu Qing's shoulder.

Xuan Yu stretched out her cat paw to hook up a fallen leaf, and said with great joy, "I heard that as long as you become godparents, your godparents will protect mortals from disasters. Now the Xu family is about to face the tribulation of lightning 500 years ago. I think godmother will also secretly protect the Xu family to get through the tribulation smoothly."

As soon as Xuan Yu finished speaking, the red silk tied to the peach tree in front of him suddenly fell off on its own, and even the yellow incense that was half-burned on the offering table went out.

"."

Xu Qing glanced sideways at Xuan Yu, who was speaking recklessly.

The latter paused for a moment, then said, "It seems the big peach tree doesn't want to be our godparent anymore."

Xu Qing raised an eyebrow upon hearing this and said, "Peach Fairy is reasonable. We pulled weeds and watered it, so why would it refuse us?"

"Furthermore, the coffin shop has now been handed over to me by Daoist Yizhen. Old Hu also said that after his death, I would inherit the shop."

"Since that's the case, the coffin shop is our home, and Tao Xian grew up in our home, so she's more or less related to us. If she's not related at all, then she's just an unwelcome guest barging into our home!"

"Immortal Xuanyu, what do you say we should do when we encounter an uninvited guest? Should we dig it up or burn it?"

The peach tree, which had been silent until now, began to tremble again, whether out of fear or anger, it was hard to tell.

However, judging from the red silk that rose without wind and flew back to hang on the peach branches, it seems that Peach Fairy was quite happy to be their godparent.

After the worship ceremony ended, Xu Qing and Xuan Yu felt a connection between themselves and the peach tree, but when they tried to sense it more closely, they could not find the reason for it.

After Xu Qing and Xuan Yu completed the ancestral worship ceremony, Xu Qing packed up the offering table and left the coffin shop.

At this moment, a beautiful young woman dressed in a peach-red dress suddenly appeared beside the stone table with a chessboard carved on it in the coffin shop.

The woman glanced down at the extra red silk shawl on her body and said with some annoyance, "That young man from the Hu family is so foolish. How could he just give away his house to someone else like that? If he takes refuge here from disaster one day, won't I suffer the same fate as him?"

(End of this chapter)