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

Chapter 408 The 50th Anniversary Celebration, Xu Qing's Aftermath

There's nothing a person can't accomplish if they have perseverance!
Xu Qing stayed in the East China Sea for about two years. During this time, the immortal disciples of the Immortal Hall came and went, each displaying their unique abilities.

This finally moved the temple's high priest, who recommended one student for admission.

It can be said that Shi Yue is the seed of hope for the entire Immortal Hall, and everyone hopes that she can make a name for herself in her studies.

After all, once Shi Yue learns the powerful supernatural abilities, the sect leader will definitely be able to learn them too. And once the sect leader learns them, all the disciples of the immortals will be able to benefit from them!
In the Blood Lake Dharma Realm, when Xu Laojiang received the notification that Shiyue had been 'admitted', he was greatly relieved.

At this moment, he felt as if he were watching his own child achieve great things.

Shi Yue's nickname before her death was "Guai Guai," and she remained well-behaved and sensible even after becoming a ghost.

Xu Qing knew the girl's temperament, so he did a lot of ideological work for her in the Blood Lake Dharma Realm.

The general idea is that you shouldn't be under too much pressure. Even if you don't make a name for yourself outside, you still have the Immortal Hall, and the sect leader will support you.

Xiao Shiyue was deeply moved, and she made up her mind that she would never go back until she had mastered her skills!

Here, Xu Qing finished dealing with the matters in the East Sea and turned around to head home, only to suddenly realize that his shrine was missing a deity.

"Strange, seven or eight days have passed, why hasn't the Qishan clan returned yet?"

Xu Qing attempted to deduce Qimen Dunjia, but to no avail.

He used the "asking for directions by throwing his shoe" method, and the shoe, as if drunk, wobbled and pointed wildly with its toes.

Xu Qing realized something was wrong. After all, Qishan was the mountain spirit of his Ziyun Mountain and the guardian deity of his Baosheng Temple. How could he just disappear like that?

"Sect Leader, Fellow Daoist Qishan has gone missing because of the master of the Demon Orb Temple. Why don't I go back to the temple and demand an explanation?"

Xu Qing looked at Lu Xiu, who had volunteered, and shook his head, saying, "The master of the Demon Pill Temple is unpredictable. I have tried to divine the whereabouts of the Qishan clan through divination, but I have failed. If you also make a mistake, how can I save you?"

"Why don't I go and inquire myself?"

Lu Xiu smiled and said, "Sect Leader, there's no need to worry. I seem to have some connection with the master of the Demon Orb Temple. I doubt he'll do anything to me."

origin?

Xu Qing was puzzled. How could a former top scholar, born into a mortal family, have any connection with the immortals and gods of the upper realm?

Lu Xiu did not hide anything and immediately revealed the news that the owner of the Demon King Temple claimed he was the reincarnation of Emperor Wenchang.

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Xu Qing looked like he'd seen a ghost. One minute Zhao Zhonghe had become the God of Wealth, and now you, a mere instructor at the Immortal Hall, have also become a deity?
Seeing Xu Qing's strange expression, Lu Xiu shook his head and sighed, "The talk of immortals is nothing but ethereal nonsense. Even if I were truly an immortal, that would be a matter from my past life, and it has nothing to do with me, Lu Xiu!"

After saying that, Lu Xiufu added, "Compared to becoming an immortal or an ancestor, I would rather follow you, Master, and do what I can for the world."

The Wenchang Emperor calls himself "Master" and wants to follow him in his spiritual practice?
This is truly turning the world upside down!
Anyone else would have changed their attitude and refused at this point, but Xu Qing is a very stubborn person.
Thinking that he might as well take advantage of the opportunity, he happily accepted the offer.

Lu Xiu was unaware of Xu Qing's quirky sense of humor, and simply assumed that the gentleman was indeed a free-spirited and unconventional person, and that this kind of unconventional demeanor was exactly what he admired.
Watching Lu Xiu leave, Xu Qing turned to the accompanying immortals and asked them a soul-searching question: "Which of you is a reincarnation of an immortal or god? You'd better step forward yourself, or I'll find out!"

The red-tailed monkey and the other immortal disciples looked at each other, all wondering who the hidden immortal was.

"Fellow Daoist Chiwei is as radiant as ever today."

"No, no, no, Fellow Daoist Bai's strategies are truly brilliant, far surpassing mine!"

Beside him, the mourning horse also followed suit, exchanging compliments with the two boys, He Xin and Ru Yi.

The immortals were all courteous and respectful to each other. In the end, almost as if by telepathy, they all turned their gazes to Xu Qing.

Why are you all looking at me like that?

Bai Qiuyu asked cautiously, "May I ask which great deity the sect leader is the reincarnation of?"

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Xu Qing's face fell, and she said in a displeased tone, "You call yourself an aunt reincarnated? Why don't you just say I'm your uncle reincarnated?"

"Is the sect leader really not a god?"

Xu Qing scoffed, "Gods are high above, detached from the mortal world, and cannot bear to see human suffering. You've followed me for so long, how could you not recognize who I am?"

The immortals exchanged glances and, after a brief exchange in the void, felt even more strongly that their sect leader was no ordinary being.

"Please wait, Master! I will draw your sword!"

"I will lead the horse and stirrups for the sect leader!"

Beside them, He Xinruyi also accompanied them, intending to protect the sect leader.

Xu Qing was too lazy to pay attention to these immortals. He took the reins and led the funeral horse around, while Xuan Yu sat quietly on the horse, enjoying the surrounding scenery.

The immortals' hearts stirred, but their gazes fell on the black-clad girl on horseback.

Putting aside the sect leader's background, what level of deity must Lady Qingqing be to make the sect leader personally lead his horse and put it down?

Seeing this, Xu Qing frowned and adopted the authority of a sect leader, saying, "There is no difference between immortals and gods and humans. Those so-called sacred orders vary from person to person. Gods are also human."

"Just as there are times when emperors in human dynasties are blinded by lust, there are also times when the God of Heaven does not employ the wise."

"In the end, whether it's a human or a ghost, a god or a demon, it's all just an appearance. Demons can disguise themselves as ghosts, evil can turn into demons, and gods can also fall into demonic ways."

"You need to distinguish right from wrong, and more importantly, understand your own hearts and minds. Don't think that just because some gods have the title of immortals or gods, they are incapable of making mistakes and are supremely holy and enlightened."

"If one has such thoughts, one is likely to stray far from the right path!"

Xu Qing had saved countless people and seen all the ways of the world. In his eyes, the things of immortals and gods were not so special. The so-called humans, gods, and ghosts were just names to draw a line, but they could not distinguish between good and evil, right and wrong.

Just like constables in the yamen, who are responsible for apprehending criminals and thieves and patrolling for public order, collusion between officials and bandits is also common.

This is how the government has always acted; even the immortals and gods in the Heavenly Palace cannot escape it.

Judging social status by one's social standing is one thing, but judging moral character by one's social standing is another.
That would not only be far from the Dao, but also far from the realm of biology!

The immortals were startled and never mentioned immortals or gods again.

Not long after, Lu Xiu returned with news of the Qishan clan.

The master of the Demon Pill Temple did not say much, only that he had given the Qishan clan a great fortune, which would not harm the Qishan clan.

Xu Qing pondered for a moment, then put the matter out of his mind for the time being.

Although he couldn't pinpoint Qishan's location, he could sense through the Blood Lake Dharma Realm that the other party had not been harmed.

Xu Qing couldn't think of a proper solution for the Qishan clan, who had committed heinous crimes and would inevitably be punished by the laws of heaven sooner or later.

The authority over a dozen famous mountains and great peaks has been so great since the establishment of the upper realm order that not only has no one ever committed this crime, but no one has even dared to think about it!

The crime of privately refining the power over mountains and rivers is far greater than the crime of privately establishing licentious shrines and worshipping without the permission of the imperial court.

Enjoying incense offerings in a wild temple is already a capital offense. Before the path to heaven is severed, one will be punished by heavenly lightning and perish both body and soul!
In other words, the Qishan clan took advantage of a loophole and only began refining the authority of famous mountains and great peaks after the Tongtian Road was cut off. Otherwise, they would have been dragged to the Demon-Slaying Platform and beheaded a hundred times when they were refining the first Qishan!
As a celestial being, the master of the Demon Orb Cave could not possibly be unaware of the seriousness of the crimes committed by the Qishan clan.

Since the other party can say that they are giving the Qishan clan a great fortune, it is most likely related to a way to resolve the Qishan clan's crimes.

Xu Qing pondered for a long time, but still couldn't come up with a solution.

"The master of the Demon Orb Temple is, after all, a renowned righteous god. He must have a solution that addresses the problem. Why should I worry?"

Hai Hui, the mastermind, had plenty of experience in committing crimes, so Xu Qing, trusting the judgment of professionals, didn't give it much thought. But then again, why did he feel this inexplicable unease?

Xu Qing pondered for a moment and concluded that the reason he felt uneasy was because there were fewer bodies being carried out during his time away from Tianjin.

He might feel at ease once he has performed a few more rituals to help the dead find peace.

Jinmen Prefecture, Linjiang City.

Two years later, the elderly shopkeeper Xu, now in his seventies or eighties, has returned to this land.

On the day they returned, all the funeral parlors in Tianjin, including all the funeral businesses on Jingxia Street, posted signs announcing their 50th anniversary and a 50% discount on all funeral supplies.

Moreover, it's a limited-time promotion. If anyone is planning a funeral, it's best to do it within this two-week period. Once the promotion is over, it won't be easy to get the same discount again!

Shopkeeper Xu's posters were everywhere, offering unprecedented discounts, but they only attracted mostly negative reviews.

The people of Tianjin had long known that Xu from Jingxia Street was a scoundrel, but they never imagined he would be so far removed from humanity!

Why do you offer discounts during a major holiday, instead of earlier or later?
Xu Qing then asked, "What kind of festival is May 5th?"
It's the Dragon Boat Festival!

Wherever the character "祭" (sacrifice) is involved, it's his domain!

The men and women of Tianjin dared not speak out against him, for he was the man who had attended the funeral of the founding emperor. Who would dare to criticize him?

Despite their inner unease, on the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, when everyone was buying incense, candles, and paper boats, long queues formed in front of Xu's various shops.

After all, Manager Xu's incense, candles, and paper offerings are really cheap!

Xu Qing had only been back for two or three days when the funeral industry in Tianjin was bustling again.

Regardless of the number of corpses, Xu's Shop's reputation remains as strong as ever.

During this time, after learning that Xu Qing had returned, the Wu brothers made a special trip from the capital to catch up with him.

The three had not seen each other for many years, and when they met again, they were all elderly people with graying hair and missing teeth.

"Look at you all, so old, why aren't you living in Beijing to retire? Why are you coming here looking for me?"

Wu Wencai, whose eyesight was failing, craned his neck and tried to get closer to Xu Qing, as if trying to see his face clearly.

"It's precisely because we're so old that my brother and I couldn't wait to come find you. Why are you blaming us, you old codger?"

Wu Wencai spoke without holding back.

Wu Zhiyuan had already lost most of his teeth, and he continued indistinctly, "Wencai is right. I don't know what you've been busy with all these years, and you haven't come to see us to reminisce about the old days. If we don't come to find Brother Xu now, when we can no longer walk or leave the house, we will really have no chance anymore!"

Xu Qing paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "It was my fault. I apologize to both of you brothers. Next time, I will definitely visit you in the capital."

In this life, it's rare to find someone who cares about you. He has no lifespan, yet he overlooks the fleeting, ephemeral life of a mortal.

The two or three years that had passed since I sent Shiyue to become an apprentice were barely a blink of an eye in my life.

But for the Wu brothers, it truly meant the length of their remaining lives.

"I've heard that Brother Xu met a good man early in his life and has a pair of lovely twin grandsons?"

Seeing Xu Qing nod, Wu Wencai's eyes lit up and he said, "My family's younger generation of grandchildren are all of marriageable age. Why don't you arrange a marriage between our two families, Brother Xu? Wouldn't that make us brothers even closer?"

Xu Qing thought of Shi Yue, who hadn't grown taller in decades, and Jin Li Tong'er, who hadn't changed his appearance in hundreds of years, and realized that there was no way this marriage could be arranged.

Wu Zhiyuan joined in the commotion, seemingly wanting one for each family so they could share in the joy.

"I can't make that decision!"

Xu Qing shook his head and said, "I've always been lenient with the younger generation. As for marriage and having children, it's entirely up to them. I mainly believe in mutual affection."

"Besides, most of my grandsons are already married, and those who aren't are just young children. There's no one of suitable age for them."

Although the Wu brothers felt it was a pity, they did not insist.

For the next four or five days, the Wu brothers would seek out Xu Qing every day to chat and reminisce, discussing everything from national affairs to everyday matters, from legends to rural anecdotes; the three seemed to have endless topics to discuss.

On the last day, the Wu brothers, urged by their children and grandchildren to return home as soon as possible, finally stopped talking.

Wu Wencai glanced at Xu Qing, then cast an inquiring look at Wu Zhiyuan.

The latter chuckled and said frankly, "Brother Xu, to be honest, when Wencai and I came from the capital, His Majesty instructed us to invite Brother Xu to come out of seclusion and become His Highness the Crown Prince's teacher."

"However, Wencai and I know that Brother Xu's ambitions lie elsewhere, so we did not say anything. We are only speaking out now because we do not want to hide it from Brother Xu. Brother Xu does not need to take it to heart."

Xu Qing burst out laughing.

He could guess without even thinking that Zhu Huai'an must have said something to the current emperor before his death, which was why the emperor was concerned about him, an old man who was obviously very old.

Mid-May, outside Tianjin government building.

Xu Qing watched the Wu brothers leave the city gate in their carriage before turning back.

He knew perfectly well that when the group met again, it would most likely only be in a fleeting moment.
Back in Linjiang City, Xu Qing seemed to have returned to the state he was in when he first took over the coroner's shop.

He runs his shop during the day and wanders around in his spare time.

At this time, Li Xiangui, the great-grandson of the broker Li Siye, had already passed away with his grandfather, and the brokerage firm was taken over by Li Xiangui's son, Li Mantang.

Starting with Li Siye, the Li family has a hereditary reproductive disorder. Every generation that wants to have a child must go to Baosheng Temple to find a sorceress to prescribe a remedy.

Now, Li Xiangui named his son Li Mantang, which also means "a house full of children and grandchildren".

Despite the good intentions, Li Mantang's generation still had only one son to carry on the family line.

Xu Qing took a special look at Li Mantang's family situation and discovered that the family not only had illnesses, but also had deficiencies in their destiny.

Such flaws involve the order of the six realms, but they are not something he can change at present.

After leaving the brokerage firm, Xu Qing made a detour to the North Gate Alley of Flower and Bird Street to visit his godchild.

Feng Xiaosheng's only son, Feng Zhengnan, is now seven or eight years old and his appearance is becoming increasingly unique.

With such an appearance, even in the Great Yan Dynasty, he could at least replace the door gods and deter ghosts and villains!

"Good godson, look what your godfather has brought you!"

Xu Qing took out a miniature, meticulously carved wooden demon-slaying sword and gave it to Feng Zhengnan.

The little guy with bubbles coming out of his nose looked at the Demon-Slaying Sword like he'd seen a treasure.

"What a magnificent sword! Thank you, Master! You're the best to me!"

"Hey, don't be so polite with your godfather, we're so close!"

After visiting Xiao Zhengnan, Xu Qing turned back to Jingxia Street, intending to discuss the funeral arrangements for the two of them with Senior Sister Yizhen.

According to worldly customs, it is time for them to be buried.

However, before Xu Qing could even enter the coffin shop, he saw a familiar figure wearing a mourning headband at the entrance.

That person was none other than Wang Yue'e, the youngest sister of the Wang family.

(End of this chapter)