Am I the old man who's always by my apprentices' side?

Chapter 281 The Hu Family's Daughter's Wedding
With the matter of the mountain king resolved, the three of them returned to Taoyuan County.

"The City God Bao went to great lengths. If it were just to compensate the old fisherman, what couldn't he have done with money and food? But he insisted on making the Mountain God become his son so that the Mountain God could experience what a mortal body can do. Only in this way could he gain some understanding and have the opportunity to truly become a Mountain God..."

Zhu Ye waved her folding fan, deeply moved.

Shi Yizhi suddenly realized: "So that's how it is? I really thought that if I ate that old man's son, I had to give him a son in return!"

Jiang Wanli laughed so hard he wiped away tears: "Hahahaha, Senior Brother is so funny!"

Because the trial went very smoothly, it was still dark at night. The three chatted for a while in front of the local earth god's shrine in Taoyuan Village. Just as they were about to return to the backyard of the Peach Blossom Goddess Temple to rest, a woman suddenly flew down from the sky.

Upon closer inspection, it was indeed the woman in crimson robes he had seen at the mine that day, the legendary Grand Princess of Xiao Kingdom: Murong Ruyan.

"Jiang Wanli, a native of Sheyang in the State of Chu, right?"

Murong Ruyan asked Jiang Wanli coldly.

Jiang Wanli felt a jolt in his heart and quickly stepped forward, bowing respectfully and saying, "Yes, it is I. May I ask what instruction you have for me, Immortal Master?"

Murong Ruyan nodded and said, "You've passed. Come with me! The 'key to success' is in your hands!"

Without waiting for Jiang Wanli's reply, she walked towards the teleportation array.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Wanli was first taken aback, then raised his hand in disbelief and saw that he was holding a golden key in his hand. Apart from looking like it was made of gold, it seemed no different from an ordinary key!
"This, this is the 'key to clearing the level'!?"

Jiang Wanli stared dumbfounded at the key in his hand, unable to react at all.

The usually composed Zhu Ye could no longer care about his image, exclaiming in surprise and envy, "Good lad! When did you get the 'key to clearing the level'!?"

"I, I don't know!"

Jiang Wanli's expression was even more shocked than Zhu Ye's and Shi Yizhi's. He stammered as he tried to prove his innocence: "I... I didn't have any just now!"

Murong Ruyan had already taken more than ten steps, but seeing that Jiang Wanli still hadn't followed, she became impatient and turned to urge him, "Stop gossiping. If you don't want to leave, then consider it giving up the opportunity. I'll escort you down the mountain!"

"Want to leave! Want to leave!"

Jiang Wanli quickly responded, but after glancing at the golden key in his hand and then at Zhu Ye and Shi Yizhi, his expression was somewhat awkward and ashamed—like he had secretly driven a Land Rover while eating alone behind his good brother's back!
Shi Yizhi, however, was genuinely happy for Jiang Wanli and urged him on, saying, "Brother Jiang, hurry up! We'll meet again at the White Stone Immortal Sect!"

Jiang Wanli's eyes reddened. He took a deep breath, clasped his hands in greeting to the two men, and said, "Elder brother, third brother, we'll meet again at the White Stone Immortal Sect!"

Having said that, he sniffed sharply, turned around, and strode after Murong Ruyan.

Shi Yizhi didn't care whether Jiang Wanli could see him or not, and returned the greeting, saying, "Take care!"

Zhu Ye, however, seemed somewhat stunned upon hearing this, and made no move.

The three didn't have time to mention the sworn brotherhood to Bao Chenghuang, as they thought there was plenty of time in the future and there was no rush.

Unexpectedly, on the third day, one of the three of them obtained the "pass key," which can be described as "rising to the top in one step."

Why did Jiang Wanli pass the test?

A feeling of shame and jealousy welled up in Zhu Ye's heart.

"Brother Zhu, don't be discouraged. The fact that Brother Jiang was able to obtain the 'Key to Passage' precisely proves what the 'Key to Passage' really means. Since the three of us entered the 'Trial Array,' we've almost always been in and out together. If there's anything different about us, it's that he was almost killed by that vengeful ghost for the sake of our physical bodies..."

Shi Yizhi assumed that Zhu Ye, like himself, was also moved by Jiang Wanli's sudden acquisition of the "Key to Success" and subsequent passage through the "Trial Array," and thus began to analyze: "It's just that I doubt the 'Key to Success' is based on whether someone almost died. Otherwise, Du Chongshan wouldn't have been eliminated that day, and Wang Shanren wouldn't have died..."

"Brother Jiang is extremely afraid of ghosts and monsters, but at that time, for the sake of our physical bodies, he even restrained his fear. This is righteousness, and it is also breaking through the shackles of his own mind..."

Zhu Ye joined in the analysis, but upon reaching this point, she sighed, "At that time, he probably didn't even care about his own life or death, let alone seeking immortality... He... he only got the chance because he let go of his obsession..."

At this point, Zhu Ye smiled bitterly and said, "Letting go of obsessions is easier said than done. Last time, I tried to let go of my obsessions, but after returning, they only grew stronger and stronger, almost becoming a demon in my heart. Even if I know this time it might be a 'trial,' I'm afraid I still won't be able to let go of these obsessions."

Shi Yizhi had no way to respond to these words.

The two remained silent for a while, then sighed several times before returning to the Peach Blossom Goddess Temple to rest.

The next day, the two got up early and went to Hu Yuanwai's house for a free meal.

When the wealthy Hu family married off their daughter, the red silk alone stretched for miles. And overnight, a large band of musicians appeared out of nowhere, making the atmosphere extremely festive.

Although Hu Yuanwai looked young, he had the generosity of a nouveau riche. He set up a banquet in Taoyuan Village. Those who climbed the "Steps to Immortality" and came in today were much luckier. They didn't have to work hard to find a meal, but could just stay outside Hu's mansion and have a full stomach.

There were plenty of tables and chairs. In addition to the banquet inside the Hu residence, there were hundreds of sets of tables and chairs set up outside the Hu residence and in the open spaces of the village. Not only the dozen or so villagers of Taoyuan Village, but also the hundreds of outsiders—those who came to participate in the Immortal Affinity Conference—could all sit down. Shi Yizhi even noticed that Shan Jun, who came with the old fisherman to freeload, ate the amount of food for ten people by himself, and his appetite seemed to be excellent.

"What are you looking at!"

Although Shan Jun had lost his magical power, his five senses were still very sharp. After noticing that Shi Yizhi was looking at him, he immediately raised his head and glared fiercely at Shi Yizhi.

Shi Yi shrugged indifferently, not bothering to argue with the mountain lord, and continued his arduous battle with the venison in front of him.

The venison was only so-so in taste, but the portion was huge.

If it were outside, it would be a delicacy that ordinary people wouldn't even dare to dream of. But Shi Yizhi suddenly realized that the taste of it was not as good as the few coins of flatbread he bought from Taoyuan Inn.

How decadent!
Shi Yizhi sighed to himself and picked up another piece of chicken with his chopsticks.

The chicken tasted much better than the venison; in fact, it was arguably the most delicious chicken he had ever eaten!

"Of course! This chicken was raised on spiritual food, how could it be an ordinary chicken!"

At the next table, Shan Jun's tone was still very unpleasant, but he still specially picked out two chicken legs from his plate and piled them into the old fisherman's bowl. He snorted and said angrily, "I think this is how Wang Po's daughter treats Wang Po. I'm giving them to you too, so don't say I haven't been a good son to you!"

"I, I, no need, you eat, you eat..."

As the old fisherman spoke, he shakily picked up a chicken leg and tried to put it into the mountain king's bowl again, but the mountain king shouted, "This tiny leg isn't even enough for me to chew on! Just eat it! Stop talking nonsense!"

The old fisherman shuddered from the drinking and dared not insist any longer, so he could only hold the chicken leg in his hand and gnaw on it with difficulty.

"Hey! Are you stupid?!"

Shi Yizhi couldn't stand it any longer, so he leaned over and poked the two chicken legs out of the old fisherman's bowl with his chopsticks. Shan Jun immediately slammed his hand on the table and stood up, a full head taller than Shi Yizhi, and roared down at him, "You dare steal his chicken legs?!"

His voice was so loud it was like thunder, startling everyone nearby who turned to look.

Although Shi Yizhi was startled by the shout, he didn't actually feel afraid. Instead, he tilted his head back, stood on tiptoe, and stared intently into the mountain lord's angry eyes, yelling, "Are you stupid! Can't you see that your father's teeth are almost all gone? And you're forcing him to eat this hard-to-chew stuff! Are you atoning for your sins? Or do you want him to be reincarnated sooner?"

The mountain king was stunned and froze, turning to look at the old fisherman's mouth, opening his mouth to explain: "I—"

Shi Yizhi rolled his eyes: "What do you mean, 'you'? I think you just want to kill Old Man Wu so you can get away sooner. You don't really want to atone for your sins!"

The mountain king was so angry his face turned red: "You're talking nonsense!"

He slammed his hand on the table, which toppled over, shattering plates, bowls, and dishes all over the floor. Surprisingly, the table, made of some unknown material, didn't crack despite the mountain god's immense force; it was merely overturned.

Shi Yizhi deliberately provoked the other party, saying, "I'm talking nonsense? I don't know who's blind! Besides, today is Master Hu's big day, and you, just to vent your anger, are you going to cause a scene at the wedding banquet?"

"What the hell-"

The mountain lord was so angry he was practically breathing fire. He wished he could bite the little beast in front of him to death, but his cultivation was sealed and he couldn't transform back into his original form. He wasn't skilled at fighting the little beast with his hands and feet. He was just short-tempered, not stupid. He knew all too well that the little beast had a strange power within him. Without his cultivation and magic, it was hard to say whether he could win or not!
More importantly, if that old fox surnamed Hu finds out that he caused trouble during his daughter's wedding, he'll be in deep trouble!

As a fox demon, if the old fox can't easily harm mortals, wouldn't it be better to harm his own fellow demon cultivator?
"You little bastard, you better not let me catch you!"

Shan Jun gritted his teeth and said this while suppressing his anger as he lifted the table.

"Are you seriously ill? Who would want to pick a fight with you for no reason!"

Unexpectedly, Shi Yizhi was relentless in his pursuit, continuing to press the issue: "I only spoke up to warn Old Man Wu because I saw that you had tormented him to the point that he would lose ten years of his life. Instead of thanking me, you hurled such vicious words at me! Tsk! It's only because you used to have cultivation and magical power that you're doing this. If you were just an ordinary person, you would have already incurred public wrath and died countless times!"

"you--"

Shan Jun uttered only one word before restraining himself. He then held his breath and stared coldly at Shi Yizhi, like a beast watching its prey about to die.

The look in that eyes sent chills down Shi Yi's spine. He had the illusion that he had already been disemboweled by the mountain lord's claws, and he immediately shut his mouth, not daring to say anything more to provoke the other party.

Seeing this, Zhu Ye quickly stepped forward, cupped his hands in a friendly manner to the Mountain Lord, and said, "Mountain Lord, my little brother has a sharp tongue, but his heart is good. Please don't take offense. I apologize on his behalf!"

Shan Jun glanced at Zhu Ye, sneered, and said nothing.

Just as the atmosphere was becoming awkward, Steward Hu arrived in single file with a number of maids, placing new plates, bowls, and food on the table, and also cleaning up the broken dishes.

Steward Hu smiled and smoothed things over, cupping his hands to Shan Jun and saying, "Today is a joyous occasion for the Hu family. If Shan Jun has any complaints, please give the Hu family some face!"

Shan Jun first glanced at Steward Hu, then looked at Shi Yizhi with murderous intent before coldly snorting, "Hmph! As long as this little beast doesn't cause me any trouble, that's fine!"

Steward Hu glanced at Shi Yizhi, pondered for a moment, then turned to Shan Jun and said, "Well then, Shan Jun is a man of some standing, why don't you two come with me to the manor for a meal? The banquet here has chilled cakes and rice porridge, which are most suitable for the elderly. Shan Jun, would you do me the honor?"

The mountain lord nodded and said coldly, "Alright."

So, Steward Hu led the mountain king and the old fisherman into the inner palace, presumably to a proper wedding banquet.

After the three figures disappeared, Zhu Yefang frowned and asked in a low voice, "Senior brother, why did you provoke that mountain lord for no reason? You're not usually this arrogant!"

“I truly pity that old fisherman. This mountain lord has a strange temper. Even if we try to reason with him, he'll likely remain a crude person. It's better to ridicule him like this, making him lose face in public. In the future, when it comes to Old Man Wu's affairs, he'll probably think twice, afraid of being ridiculed and mocked again!”

Shi Yizhi spoke earnestly, bowing apologetically to Zhu Ye, and said, "I'm sorry to have troubled you, Brother Zhu. It was truly my fault. Please forgive me!"

Since there was a reason for it, and such a legitimate reason, Zhu Ye could no longer hold Shi Yizhi's behavior against him. He could only shake his head and sigh, "Alas, this mountain lord... alas!"

The banquet lasted all day. We had a meal there in the morning and were watching the wedding procession leave Taoyuan Village with drums and gongs.

It is said that Miss Hu married a man from Dayang Village. The two were childhood sweethearts, and their story became a popular topic of conversation.

In the lively wedding procession, besides the people carrying the dowry, there were several red foxes leading the way. Their fur was shiny and glossy. The one in the lead was very large, with a red silk flower tied around its chest. It walked briskly in front of the sedan chair, followed by eight smaller red foxes, making a total of nine, perhaps for the meaning of "long-lasting happiness".

Wearing a crimson round-necked robe, Master Hu stood at the gate of the Hu mansion with red eyes, watching the bridal sedan chair sway and recede into the distance. Coupled with his excessively young face, he looked more like an abandoned first wife than a daughter getting married, extremely aggrieved.

Then, a woman in a pomegranate-colored skirt came out of the mansion and patted Master Hu on the shoulder in a comforting manner. Master Hu first sobbed, and then, unable to hold back, he simply turned around, lowered his head, and buried his face in the woman's arms, bursting into tears.

At this moment, Shi Yizhi and Zhu Ye suddenly realized that the woman who had suddenly appeared actually had white hair!
Then I heard the whispers of the villagers of Taoyuan Village—

"It's that white-haired fairy again!"

"Alas, poor Master Hu! His wife serves under the Peach Blossom Goddess and is away from home most of the time. His daughter has also married and moved away. Tsk, how pitiful!"

Shi Yizhi couldn't help but exchange a glance with Zhu Ye, and they both saw shock and lingering fear in each other's eyes.

Connecting the dots, it’s not hard to guess that the “white-haired immortal” that Du Chongshan, who encouraged them to go to Hu’s house to find the secret room, was not the White Stone Immortal at all, but this woman!

It's that Mrs. Hu!

Shi Yizhi couldn't help but whisper, "What a vicious heart! Everyone is clearly talking about the 'White-Haired Fairy,' but he calls her the 'White Stone Immortal'!"

Zhu Ye nodded slightly without saying anything, but a wave of fear washed over her.

He had actually considered it at the time, but he was still planning to fulfill the old fisherman's request first, so he thought he would investigate the secret room in a few days when he had the chance. Unexpectedly, by chance, he escaped a disaster - it is still hard to say how Wang Shanren became greedy and how he died!

As noon approached, the wedding procession left Peach Blossom Village with much fanfare, followed by a large group of people who were all attending the Immortal Fate Assembly and planned to take this opportunity to leave Peach Blossom Village together.

Because if I go to Dayang Village by myself, I can't travel after dark and it will take two days to get there. But if I go with the wedding procession, it will be much safer and I can get to Dayang Village in one go—the wedding procession won't stop!

Shi Yizhi and Zhu Ye had discussed whether to go along, but considering that they not only had a good relationship with the two underworld officials, but could also speak with Bao Chenghuang and the local earth god, they could borrow a route from the earth god and take a shortcut through the Yellow Springs to Dayang Village and Xiaoyang Village. They would only need to travel together in their physical bodies, which would be much more convenient than traveling in the mortal world. So, the two of them did not follow the wedding procession, but instead watched with great curiosity the various ways the villagers of Taoyuan Village celebrated.

For example, Huang Miaozhu would grab a lot of incense ash and scatter it everywhere while muttering incantations, as if he were sprinkling some kind of "blessing".

At noon, Hua San Niang, the innkeeper of Taoyuan Inn, took the initiative to bring out a lot of "Ten-Day Intoxication" and distributed it to the diners at the banquet. Everyone got a share, and even Shi Yizhi asked for a bowl.

Most people followed the wedding procession, leaving fewer than fifty people in the entire village. Although many seats at the banquet were empty, the laughter and chatter made Taoyuan Village seem like a true paradise, peaceful and beautiful.

(End of this chapter)