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

Chapter 289 An octogenarian seeks a son for a large sum of money
Bai Zhaocai is toasting Sister Liu.

When his wife planned to visit the temple in Huangping Township, Sister Liu warned her that the nuns at the temple were not good people and that no pregnant woman who went to Huangping Township to pray for a safe delivery had ever given birth safely!
Bai Zhaocai is a very obedient person. He listens to what Master Bai says, and since Sister Liu is a well-known midwife in the surrounding area, he will definitely take her words to heart.

Later, the Hundred Infants Pagoda in Huangping Township was demolished, and all the sordid things in the temple were exposed and brought to light. Only then did people realize that the temple was an evil temple, and the nuns inside were the fake monks and Taoists of the famous brothel, the Red Apricot Nunnery!

Bai Zhaocai kept this kindness in his heart, and later, when his children gave birth, he always hired Liu, the midwife.

During holidays and festivals, he would also send people to visit Sister Liu, who lived alone all year round, with gifts.

For some reason, I haven't seen Sister Liu for the past few years; it's as if she's vanished into thin air.

Hearing Bai Zhaocai's concerned inquiry, Sister Liu smiled and said, "Over the years, my mother-in-law and I have been practicing medicine and helping people, preparing medicine and administering acupuncture, and passing on the 'Sutra on the Rewards of Good Deeds' to future generations. We have been doing this for many years."

Xu Qing had sharp ears and overheard their conversation from afar.

Practicing medicine to help the world and preaching to save people?
Xu Qing wasn't surprised that Sister Liu could do these things, but could that old woman who harmed Xuan Yu really have such good intentions?
Even if you beat Xu Qing to death, he still wouldn't believe it!

Meanwhile, the old woman who was drinking tea suddenly noticed something. She turned her head and saw a pale-faced young man staring at her expressionlessly while picking his nose.

The old woman's origins are unknown; whether she is human or demon is still uncertain. Even with his Heavenly Eye and Yin Pupil activated, Xu Qing could only see the black and white energy flowing through her.

When the old woman noticed something was wrong and looked over, the darkness in Xu Qing's eyes instantly receded like a receding tide.

What are you looking at? Haven't you ever seen a handsome young man before?

Xu Qing glared at the old woman, then flicked his little finger to the side. Although this behavior seemed extremely rude, this vulgarity was precisely what concealed his motive of spying on her.

Sister Liu noticed Xu Qing at this moment. She pulled the old woman closer with great joy and said with a smile, "Grandma, this is the young teacher who gave me the childcare manual."

The old woman's eyes lit up, and she looked Xu Qing up and down with intense gaze, but she couldn't see anything unusual.

The old woman, refusing to believe in superstition, revealed black and white energy in her eyes. At the same time, Xu Qing felt the Heaven-Concealing Technique operating wildly within him. All the complex celestial secrets ultimately transformed into blue sky and white clouds, which finally formed four large characters in the sky—

Unremarkable.

"Grandma, you can't have designs on a handsome young man like me. That's disrespectful to your elders and immoral!"

"."

Ignoring Xu Qing's frivolous words, the old woman went straight to the point: "Young man, I have a question for you. Who wrote that childcare manual, and who gave it to you?"

Xu Qing chuckled lightly and said calmly, "Is this how you usually ask questions, old man?"

Seeing that the situation was getting out of hand, Sister Liu quickly tried to smooth things over, saying, "My mother-in-law is straightforward and has always been like that; she's actually very kind-hearted. Mr. Xu is a scholar and values ​​etiquette, which I understand. You see..."

The old woman frowned and said stiffly, "Scholar Xu, I was indeed somewhat rude. Now I sincerely ask for your guidance."

Xu Qing had a lot on his mind. He took a sip of tea and instead of answering, asked, "The old man must have a reason for wanting to find the person behind the conservation manual, right?"

"Why don't you tell me what you think? If it makes sense, I'm happy to be the middleman."

The old woman pondered for a moment and said, "This matter concerns a heavenly secret. It is of great importance and cannot be easily revealed. It can only be told when we see Him in person."

Xu Qing pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked, "I personally handed the prenatal care manual to Sister Liu. How could the old lady be so certain that the manual was written by someone else, instead of feeling that I wrote it?"

"Otherwise, it would be the same if the old man told me what happened."

The old woman, with drooping eyelids, glanced at Xu Qing with a hint of disdain and said, "The Childbirth Manual contains many women's private matters, as well as methods for protecting infants and assisting in childbirth. How could a man like you know these things?"

"Scholar, stop talking nonsense. I have endless benefits to offer you. Just tell me about that person, and I will repay you in return."

Benefits? Xu Qing recalled how Xuan Yu had been tricked out of her life, so how could she believe this old woman's nonsense!

"Unfortunately, I don't know this person. I picked up the childcare manual on the road. I don't understand it, so I just tossed it to Sister Liu. She's a midwife, so she'll definitely be able to understand it!"

Sister Liu knew that Xu Qing didn't want to tell the truth. When the childcare manual was in Xu Qing's hands, he explained it very clearly.

If Xu Qing weren't a man, Sister Liu would have thought he was a disciple personally taught by the Goddess of Life Preservation!

"Alright, I can't explain this to a young man like you. But remember, we might meet again someday. When that happens... hehe."

The old woman chuckled enigmatically, then turned to leave.

But when she turned around and saw the dancers on stage lifting their cheongsams to reveal their thighs and small pieces of fabric, she couldn't help but frown.

"How dignified!"

No sooner had the old woman finished speaking than Xu Qing's cheers came from behind her: "You danced so well, men love watching you!"

Seeing that the two were not getting along, Sister Liu could only sigh and helplessly follow the old woman away.

At the banquet, Boss Liu anxiously grabbed Xu Qing's arm, saying, "Let's go back! There's nothing good to eat here. I've recently learned a new opera, and I'll sing it for you when we get back."

With all his strength, how could Boss Liu possibly move Xu Qing, who was as heavy as an iron block?

"No way! After we finish watching this show, you can sing for me when we get back, wouldn't that be better!"

Reluctantly, Boss Liu sat down. During the meal, she couldn't help but glance at the stage. When she saw the dancers in their cheongsams with slits up to their thighs, Boss Liu's face flushed crimson. She spat, "What's the difference between these clothes and being naked? I wonder which shameless tailor made them."

Xu Qing, with his sharp ears, overheard Liu Su'e muttering and casually remarked, "It was made by the embroiderer."

An embroiderer?!
Liu Su'e's almond-shaped eyes widened; this crazy girl was too much!
Before Liu Su'e could think further, Xu Qing continued, "This dress is called a cheongsam. I had the embroiderer make it. If Boss Liu wants it, I'll have the embroiderer make a few more for her another day."

"Pah! I won't wear this!"

Liu Su'e's ears burned; the cheongsam was almost slit up to her armpits, she wasn't that bold!

The funeral banquet started in the morning and lasted until night.

There was a little incident during the nightclub. One of the dancers on stage got so excited that she ran up to the ancestral tablet of the Bai family patriarch and started swaying her hips.

The audience had never seen such a spectacular show before. The old scholars, the literati, and some distinguished guests all said it was indecent, but their eyes couldn't bear to look away for even a moment.

Bai Zhaocai was secretly delighted. Normally, who would want to stay at a funeral banquet for long? The guests would have left by nightfall.

But today's funeral banquet was different. These guests, who originally planned to just go through the motions, casually remember the deceased, and then leave, were first tempted by the delicious food on the table, then entertained by the funeral opera troupe, and most importantly, there was such an eye-opening finale.

A funeral banquet was transformed into an experience reminiscent of a royal imperial feast.

No, even a royal banquet can't compare!

Before the banquet was over, many people approached Xu Qing to ask how much money he had spent on this anniversary funeral banquet.

Most of these people were servants and followers, but there were also young masters, gentry, and wealthy merchants who came alone to inquire.

"Manager Xu, my grandfather passed away early. His generation was very poor and he never enjoyed any happiness in his life. I really can't bear to see him suffer like this. Could you please arrange a funeral banquet for him with the same lavishness as today's?"

"May I ask how many years it has been since the old man passed away?" "Let me calculate carefully. It's been about twenty years."

"."

Is your family holding a funeral banquet on your 20th anniversary?

Xu Qing's mind went blank. Without even thinking, he knew that the young master in front of him, carrying a cricket jar and playing with the insects, was definitely trying to use his grandfather's name to hold a funeral banquet for his own amusement.

"Then you'll have to wait your turn. My shop prioritizes those in a hurry, and we arrange the order according to the anniversary of the death. Your 20th anniversary will mean you'll have to wait until next month at the earliest."

"Next month? That's too long. My grandfather was always impatient; I'm afraid he couldn't wait that long!"

Xu Qing glanced at the stubborn man and said, "Even funeral banquets have to be held on auspicious days and times. This is the rule of the funeral industry."

"I can add money!"

Do your family members know about this?

"."

Xu Qing was too lazy to waste words with these spoiled brats who were just making a fuss. He called over the coffin room staff and assigned them the funeral banquet arrangements, while he would simply leave it to them and only handle orders with ready-made corpses.

Xu Qing always understood that all the business development in the funeral industry was for one purpose: to build the reputation of the mortuary, attract more customers, and receive more corpses!
All other things are merely necessary means to achieve the goal, nothing more.

Xu Qing wouldn't bother with these matters too much. He only needed to make a start, and the entire Mourning Gate would continue to operate for him. All he needed to do was cultivate continuously and improve his rank.

Unlike spirit creatures like the Nine-Lives Cat, which are born from the creation of heaven and earth, zombies can only ensure the continued existence of the funeral shrines, temples, and shrines they establish by constantly elevating their 'lowly' status and climbing step by step to the highest point, reaching the legendary immortal realm of the Corpse Immortal.

In other words, as long as he remains in the secular world, his spirit will continue to be worshipped there.

Humans are born and die; this is the fundamental principle of the universe.

Funeral processions at the Mourning Gate, childbirth at the Baosheng Temple—Xu Qing's Dao is built upon life and death. One must know that there are no major issues between life and death; beyond that lies annihilation and chaos. But isn't annihilation also a form of death?
Where there is death, there will be new life.

As Xu Qing walked back to Jingxia Street, the only shadow behind him sometimes appeared fierce, and sometimes compassionate.

But when he stepped out of the shadows and his body was bathed in moonlight, his naked figure on the ground returned to its normal human form.

It seems like just an insignificant speck of dust in the mundane world.

Ziyun Mountain, Baosheng Temple.

An old woman and a young woman appeared outside the temple gate.

In the stillness of the night, a crescent moon casts its light across the sky.

The old woman's eyes sparkled as she looked at the temple in front of her, her expression a mixture of anticipation and excitement.

It was an indescribable expression, like a lost soul in the desert hearing the sound of water in the distance; or a terminally ill patient encountering a renowned doctor specializing in the disease.

The deities in Baosheng Temple seem to be the old woman's life-saving remedy.

Xu Qing, who was far away in the coffin shop, suddenly froze and didn't move.

In the courtyard, under the peach tree, Boss Liu, unaware of the inside story, continued to sing his new opera for Xu Qing.

When Liu Su'e noticed Xu Qing staring blankly into space, she thought that this blockhead had finally come to his senses and realized her worth.

On the old peach tree, two red ribbons swayed in the wind, and the silhouette of a woman in a peach-red dress sat on a branch, listening with great interest to Liu Su'e singing opera.

At Baosheng Temple, the statue of Baosheng Niangniang, who usually had lowered her eyes and brows, suddenly opened her eyes.

Beneath the altar, the old woman, her hands resting on her cane, looked up and gazed at Him.

Beside them, Sister Jin had already been led out of the incense hall by Sister Liu, and even the little willow fairy kept in the incense hall was lying at the feet of the statue, drooping her head, having prematurely entered hibernation.

After opening his eyes, Xu Qing immediately activated the Blood Lake Dharma Realm, enveloping the entire incense hall.

As the old woman felt the rich incense and merit within the Dharma realm, her already vigorous eyes became even brighter.

Xu Qing used the statue of the deity in Baosheng Temple as a medium to surround the temple with his divine sense, but he did not find Xiao Shiyue's figure.

"Young lady, what are you looking for?"

"The old woman asked."

Who are you calling "big girl"?

The Goddess of Childbirth's eyes turned cold, and she asked in a chilling voice, "Where have the maidens who protect childbirth in my temple gone?"

The old woman laughed and said, "You mean the ghost girl outside the temple? I did encounter her on the mountain path we came from, cultivating by breathing in the moonlight in a clear place. I even gave her some guidance and gave her a method of absorbing qi suitable for ghosts to cultivate."

Looking at the smiling old woman, Xu Qing thought of Xuan Yu again.

Sweet words conceal a dagger; a smile hides a knife.

Perhaps it was under that smile that Xuan Yu chose to trust the other party, only to be betrayed and lose his life.

Xu Qing isn't buying that stuff anymore!
With two hundred thousand incense offerings from the Blood Lake clutched in his hand, Xu Qing's other hand held a jade ruyi that began to tremble and chime softly.

As the incense formed a chain of shackles, surrounding the old woman from all directions, a wave of energy unlike any other magical power suddenly surged forth!
Xu Qing felt the surging power of merit and magic like an endless river, but it vanished in an instant.

It was as if everything that had happened before was an illusion, while the chains were indeed a foot away from the old woman.

Xu Qing's heart sank. The Baosheng Temple's Dharma Realm is most effective against evil spirits, and the old woman was clearly not among them.

Even so, within the Dharma Realm, ordinary gods and cultivators are no match for him.
Xu Qing pondered whether or not to use all the Blood Lake incense in his hand.

The old woman in front of him seemed to have seen through his thoughts and said strangely, "I have no grudge against you, so why do you hate me so much? These incense sticks are the fruits of your labor accumulated over many years. Are you really willing to throw them away?"

As Xu Qing raised the jade ruyi, the hundreds of thousands of merit incense sticks in the blood lake were instantly drained and poured into the ruyi. The old woman's eyelids twitched wildly, and she hurriedly shouted, "Wait! How can you be so temperamental, junior? If I have done anything wrong, just tell me, otherwise I will not hold a grudge against you without knowing why."

Xu Qing forcibly suppressed his urge to fight to the death and said, "My Baosheng Temple is dedicated to protecting life and safe childbirth. Did you come here because you want to give birth?"

"."

The old woman was silent for a moment, then suddenly sighed and said with some melancholy, "I have nowhere else to go, and I would like to ask you for a favor."

An octogenarian widow, who had been widowed for many years, had nowhere else to turn and asked the Goddess of Life Protection for a favor.

Is this really not a case of someone praying for a child?

(End of this chapter)