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

Chapter 347 Dynastic Change, Vast Family Fortune

On the second day of the second lunar month, a white horse is intoxicated by the spring breeze.

Two years have passed since the fall of the Dayong Dynasty, and the world no longer belongs to Dayong, but to the Emperor of Dayan, in the first year of Yong'an.

The emperor who ruled the Great Yan was none other than Zhu Huai'an, the former Prince of Beixiang, who had fled from Tianjin to the northern frontier.

Xu Qing arrived at the shop early in the morning and happened to bump into the proprietress of the incense and candle shop across the street, who came out to splash water to wash her face.

After many years, Mr. Cheng, who is nearly fifty years old, has some gray hairs at the ends of his head, but you can still see some of his former charm in his eyes and eyebrows.

"Oh my! Scholar Xu! It really is you. I thought it was you!"

Boss Cheng took back his words about dying outside.

"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back!" Boss Cheng said twice. Finally, he picked up the basin, leaned closer to take a look, and added, "It's been many years since I last saw you. Scholar Xu has matured quite a bit since then."

Xu Qing chuckled and said, "Boss Cheng has become even more charming. People say that even a middle-aged woman can still be charming, and I finally understand what that means today."

Boss Cheng rolled his eyes and spat, "Still so unreliable!"

However, the slight sense of distance between them dissipated after the two joked around like that.

"Come, sit in my shop. Tell me where you've been all these years. Have you gotten married? Have you met a nice girl? Why haven't I seen your nephew or niece? Are they still sleeping in?"

Boss Cheng is still the same Boss Cheng, full of gossip about the neighborhood.

Upon learning that Xu Qing lived alone, Cheng Caiyun's expression turned serious, a rare occurrence.

"You can't go on like this. People say that it's good to establish a household early and plant the seeds early. Do you think being a bachelor means you can live a carefree life?"

Boss Cheng spoke in the tone of someone with experience, as if admonishing a younger generation: "As the saying goes, 'An old tree withers from the roots and its branches rot first, and a person without a family business becomes weak from the waist down.' If you don't marry someone to keep you warm in bed, won't lying on the bed at night be colder than lying on a morgue?"
"To be blunt, sister, if you ever pass away, there won't even be anyone to mourn you with a broken bowl!"

Xu Qinghun said nonchalantly, "I have a cat, it can warm my hands and feet just the same."

"What nonsense! Can a cat be used as a wife?"

Just as Cheng Caiyun was about to say a few more words, she saw the middle-aged man in front of her casually pick up a candle, pretend to put it to his lips, but then seemed to remember something and put the candle back.

"Boss Cheng, the quality of your candles is getting better and better. The scent is even purer than before."

"Hey! It was that girl Yue'e who remembered your words and found the best candle maker in Xianzhou to set up her own workshop to make incense and candles."

"Not only did Yue'e have a master who made cinnamon candles, but she also followed the Tai'an镖 (bodyguards) all over the country. I don't know what method she used, but she brought back masters who made small blended incense, calming incense, sandalwood incense, and also seal incense and medicinal incense."

"Anyway, we have paper from all over the country! The paper in our paper-making shop, the yellow mounting paper in my shop, and the paper that is supplied free of charge to schools in and outside the county are all made in Yue'e's workshop."

"Ren Yue'e has really put in a lot of effort for the business on this street. But speaking of which, that young lady is now twenty-three, practically an old maid. I kindly tried to find her a match, and she gave me quite a scolding!"

"Sigh, that matchmaker was cursing me the other day! She said I was a gossip, that I couldn't even get a man into my daughter's bed."

As Cheng Caiyun was speaking, she suddenly stopped, looked Xu Qing up and down as if she had suddenly understood something, and her eyes narrowed instantly as she said:

"As the saying goes, 'Charity should not be allowed to go to outsiders,' Scholar Xu, I think Yue'e is the best."

"Stop!"

Xu Qing's face darkened and he said, "Why are you talking about the candle? Wang's younger sister said years ago that her brother's fate was unknown, and besides her parents, she and her brother depended on each other for survival. She would not get married if she could not see her brother come back alive."

"What does this have to do with me?"

"Alright, it's getting late. I still have to visit a few old friends, so I'll stop chatting with Boss Cheng for now."

Cheng Caiyun, clutching a handful of melon seeds, chased after the fleeing middle-aged man to the shop entrance, shouting:
"Don't run away! You'd better hurry up with your marriage! In a few years, when you're old and frail, if you want to have a baby, you'll probably have to go to the temple to pray to the Goddess of Childbirth!"

Xu Qing paused, turned around, and said irritably, "Boss Cheng, I'm not rushing you, but you're the one rushing me instead. If you're so capable, go find a good family for yourself first. If that doesn't work, I'll mobilize all my connections in Tianjin to find you a suitable match."

"Pah! Nonsense! Do you think I'm like you? I've been a widow for so many years, and all I have left is this reputation. It's something I'll take to my grave; it's not something you can just destroy like that!"

Xu Qing waved his hand behind him, no longer trying to undermine Boss Cheng.

He could probably tell that Cheng Caiyun might have a deeply unforgettable past, but since she was unwilling to talk about it, he wouldn't press her for details.

Some people and some things are perhaps meant to be buried in one's heart, buried for a lifetime, and finally buried in the coffin.

Xu Qing respects the choices of all neighbors.

Outside the paper offering shop, Li Tiezhu, who had been waiting for a long time, rubbed his hands together and eagerly approached Xu Qing.

Looking at the burly man who greeted him with a simple, honest smile, Xu Qing raised an eyebrow and asked, "Have you been cultivating diligently all these years?"

"Yes! I'm a Grandmaster now!" The burly man, who was a head taller than Xu Qing and whose chest resembled two double doors, patted his iron-like chest and seemed quite satisfied with himself.

Xu Qing narrowed his eyes, reached out and placed his palm on Tie Zhu's shoulder. The next moment, the tall and imposing man, who was eight or nine feet tall, showed a pained expression and shrank by two heads, almost falling to the ground.

Li Tiezhu looked at Xu Qing as if he were looking at a ghost.

Is this the kind of strength a human could possess?
"Grandmaster is nothing! Keep practicing!"

Xu Qingsong released his grip and said, "In my years of wandering, I have encountered many extraordinary individuals. There are countless martial arts masters in this world who live in seclusion. If a grandmaster leaves Tianjin, he would probably be devoured clean!"

"If you want to be a good shaman in the future, you should at least be on par with a cultivator with five hundred years of cultivation. Even those above the celestial level have their own realms. Don't let yourself be bound by the shackles of worldly people."

"It should be understood that whether one enters the Dao through martial arts or seeks immortality through the Dao, the purpose is to break free from one shackle after another and achieve transcendence."

"The path of martial arts has no end!"

After setting a long-term goal for Tie Zhu, Xu Qing then taught him all the martial arts techniques he had copied down beforehand, such as the Dragon Seeking and Severing Veins Technique, the Great Formless Skill, and the Crimson Cloud Hand.

Finally, Xu Qing asked again, "Have you learned the Red-tailed Monkey's Great Sage Equal to Heaven Staff Technique?"

Tie Zhu chuckled and scratched his head, saying, "I've practiced for several years, but I can only use about 30 or 40% of it. I always feel that my skill is lacking in the rest, so even if I learn it, I can't use it."

Xu Qing nodded and said, "That staff technique is extraordinary. If your skill is not enough, it means you haven't reached the required level. Remember, our school is different from other martial arts schools. A grandmaster is just the beginning. Only when you can fully demonstrate the Qitian Staff Technique will you be considered to have entered a new realm."

Tie Zhu wholeheartedly agreed. Before the unfathomable sect leader, he felt like a mere apprentice at a martial arts school. "This technique the sect leader gave me sounds familiar. I remember the rumors in the martial arts world: the Holy Master of the Heavenly Heart Sect possesses the invincible Meridian Severing Divine Skill, and also this Crimson Cloud Hand and Formless Skill."

Xu Qing laughed and said, "Since I dare to pass on the technique to you, it must be unclaimed. Just practice it with peace of mind."

"."

Li Tiezhu took a deep breath. He was no longer the silly Tiezhu he used to be, and he naturally understood Xu Qing's implied meaning.

"I understand! After my elder brother's death, the sect leader treated me like a brother, and I, Tiezhu, will never forget that! When I achieve success in my cultivation, I, Tiezhu, will do everything in my power to repay the sect leader!"

Xu Qing shook his head and sighed softly, "Don't talk about repaying me. As long as you and Xiao Liu manage the gang well, that's better than anything else. Also, if you ever cause trouble outside and show off your skills, don't say I taught you."

As Xu Qing left the paper offering shop, she hadn't taken two steps when a slender, graceful figure pulled her into the funeral clothing shop, and then casually reached behind her back to close the shop door.

"Hey! Why is the door closed in broad daylight? Open it quickly, it's not good if outsiders see us!"

Liu Su'e bit her lip, her almond-shaped eyes fixed on Xu Qing, wishing she could devour him alive!

Xu Qing sensed something was wrong and quickly reminded him, "Don't do anything reckless. I am the head of the Cat Immortal Hall, and you are a disciple who sweeps the hall. You are sent by Sister Tao San. We have a serious superior-subordinate relationship. You need to understand that!"

Liu Su'e chuckled, rolled her eyes at Xu Qing, and said, "Look how scared you are. If I didn't know you were a shopkeeper, I would have thought some heartless man who abandoned his family and business had come back."

Xu Qing breathed a sigh of relief. That's the downside of having an employee who used to be a leading actress; you never know when she's being genuine and when she's just acting.

"Calm down! I just went out to learn advanced experiences for a few years. Wasn't it all for the development of the branch? Did you think I, as the leader, had been living a carefree life all these years?"

Liu Su'e curled her lip and said, "What kind of leader or overlord would abandon his troops and go out to conquer the world alone? If something happens to him, he might never be heard from again."

Despite her complaints, Liu Su'e couldn't help but tear up when she saw Xu Qing's no longer youthful appearance.

The former pillar of the stage, whose hand Xu Qing had once lent a helping hand, pursed his lips, came closer, and said with some reluctance, "Look at you, you even have wrinkles around your eyes. You don't know how to take care of yourself."

"."

Xu Qing was the type of person who responded better to gentle persuasion than force, and he couldn't stand this. He quickly dodged the hand that was trying to touch his face with a handkerchief.

"Don't get physical. If you have something to say, say it. Otherwise, I'm leaving!"

"Brother Xu, you're just like that blockhead, so rigid and inflexible."

It was as if Liu Su'e's punches were hitting cotton, without any force. Helpless, she could only take out several thick booklets and hand them to Xu Qing.

"This is?"

“I have kept a record of every business, big or small, that the Immortal Hall has handled over the years, as well as the mistakes and merits made by the immortals under the branch hall. Since I am the immortal who sweeps the hall, I must take responsibility. I can’t let the hall that you worked so hard to build be ruined in my hands.”

Xu Qing casually flipped open a booklet, which contained detailed records of everything that had happened in the Immortal Hall over the past ten years, written in delicate, small handwriting.

There were two boxes full of these booklets.

"How could this Goda have committed so many crimes?"

Liu Su'e pondered and said, "Back then, when Immortal Hou left Monkey Mountain to travel and seek the Dao for more than ten years, the monkeys and their offspring suffered greatly. Therefore, even if some monkeys are of bad character and cause trouble, Immortal Hou always punishes himself by burning incense to cover for them."

Xu Qing's face darkened, and just as the idea of ​​making an example of someone arose in his mind, he heard Liu Su'e continue, "But Brother Xu, don't worry. This booklet is an old one from three years ago. Brother Xu, if you look at the new booklet from the last two years, you'll see that the guardian deities have already realized their mistakes and reformed."

Xu Qing opened the booklet and glanced at it. When he saw that the monkeys on Monkey Mountain had not only stopped causing trouble but had even accumulated many merit points, winning the Immortal Hall's rotating banner for two consecutive years, he wondered:

"Everyone says monkeys are naturally mischievous, so how come they've suddenly turned over a new leaf?"

Liu Su'e smiled and said, "Brother Xu, don't forget that our job as sweepers is to clear out the bad spirits inside the hall, as well as those ghosts and spirits from outside the hall, to maintain order inside and outside the hall. Dealing with these monkeys is naturally also part of my and Peach Fairy's duties."

"The Peach Immortal family and the Hou Immortal family made a three-point agreement: Monkey Mountain would be divided into two branches, one of which would be placed on Old Terrace Mountain and managed by Guan Dazhuang. The other would be placed on Medicine Emperor Mountain, which is adjacent to Moonflower Mountain, and supervised by White Fairy."

"The reason why Hou Xianjia can't manage his temple is because his monkey offspring are too close to him, making it difficult for him to discipline them strictly. But it's a completely different story with other immortals."

"During this period, any deities who violated the rules of the hall or whose conduct was lacking were disciplined by the immortals of other halls. They were either made to manage the medicinal fields of Yaohuang Mountain or sent to the homes of elderly people who had lost their children and grandchildren due to the war, where they would cultivate the land, harvest wheat, and pull weeds every night."

“The immortals who act as guardians can receive the incense offerings that are deducted from the immortals.”

At this point, Liu Su'e whispered, "Although there was some deduction, those reformed monkeys earned back the incense offerings lost by the temple guards through farming and other means."

"In the end, the guards not only improved the appearance of the hall, but also did not suffer any additional losses."

Xu Qing listened to Liu Su'e recount the process of renovating Monkey Mountain, remaining silent for a long time.

This pillar is quite skilled; if it were him, he certainly wouldn't have resolved the situation so gently.

"Perhaps we could find a private tutor for those monkeys and give them a proper lesson."

However, this private tutor must be proficient in both literature and martial arts!

After a moment of thought, Xu Qing suddenly recalled the image of a county magistrate who had cultivated the Wenxin Diaolong Technique.

It seems that once the Baiyun Cave matter is settled, it will be necessary to use Qimen Dunjia to find this former top scholar.

After greeting Boss Liu and preparing to leave the funeral clothing shop, Xu Qing glanced at the sky.

Well, the sun is already high in the sky!

He had planned to visit a group of old friends in Tianjin, but now, after a whole day, it's uncertain whether he'll even be able to walk out of Jingxia Street!

As they approached the coffin shop, Xu Qing looked at the smiling female Taoist priest and sighed softly.

As the saying goes, one should remain untainted by worldly dust and reveal one's true nature after washing away the superficialities. Yet, he found it difficult to even walk out of this one street.

Perhaps he shouldn't have gone to that temple fair that afternoon and brought back that cat.

"Second Master, Fourth Master, Brother Ruinian, it's not that I haven't come to see you these past two days since I've returned, but I'm just too busy with my family and business to get away."

Xu Qing sighed.

(End of this chapter)