Fellow Daoist Entrusts His Child: Immortality Begins with Nurturing a Demoness

Chapter 25 Unwelcome Guest
"Tch, it's just a bunch of tea dregs."

Inside the main reception hall, a thin old man with two goatees spat out a mouthful of saliva and clicked his tongue repeatedly.

He sat with his legs crossed, his hair disheveled and unkempt. Beside him stood a girl who looked about twelve or thirteen years old, dressed in tattered clothes, with obvious bruises visible on her bare forearms.

"Hey, is this how your master treats his distinguished guests? This Daoist wants top-grade spiritual sprouts!"

The old man cursed at Ling Moxue, while the girl remained expressionless, her chin held high.

Ignoring the old man, she swiftly poured fragrant tea for another kind-looking old woman, then returned directly to the main seat to serve her.

"You brat, how dare you slight this Daoist master!"

The old man flew into a rage and shouted angrily, while the frail girl beside him trembled with fear.

Ling Moxue narrowed her almond-shaped eyes slightly. She subconsciously gripped the sword hilt, but fearing she would cause trouble for Master Luo, her delicate hand drooped limply.

She pursed her lips slightly, lowered her head, and forced herself to apologize with a pitiful expression. Luo Fanchen, however, had already stepped over, naturally took the girl's small hand, and led her behind him.

"My name is Ling Wudao. I have recently moved here and originally intended to visit you two fellow Daoists, but I am preoccupied with many matters. I would be grateful if you could come in person."

Luo Fanchen bowed respectfully, gave a fabricated name, and gently squeezed Mo Xue's palm to comfort her as he introduced her.

"This is my disciple, named Mo Xue. I hope you will take good care of me in the future."

The old woman was the first to stand up, followed by a tall and strong young man. The boy was as strong as an iron tower and must have been practicing physical training.

"I am Zhang Chengfang. This is my unworthy apprentice. Ah Niu, why don't you quickly pay your respects to Fellow Daoist Ling?"

Ah Niu, with his hands clasped in a reserved manner, was a man nearly two meters tall, yet he possessed a certain shyness reminiscent of a young woman.

"Master Wang, this is my unworthy disciple, a disciple with four spiritual roots, whose humble name is Xiao Cui. If Fellow Daoist Ling takes a liking to her, I will give her three spirit stones."

Old Wang looked at Luo Fanchen with amusement, then grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth.

He casually pinched the arm of the girl next to him, but she stood there blankly, her eyes devoid of any vitality.

Luo Fanchen frowned slightly, not out of pity for the girl, but because the old man Wang's eyes were constantly on Mo Xue, which made him a little wary.

"No need for your kind offer, fellow Daoist. I already have a disciple who has closed his doors."

Luo Fanchen took his seat in the main seat, and Mo Xue, holding his sleeve with her small hand, followed closely behind, pouring him a cup of fragrant tea.

"Mo Xue, I have something to discuss with my two fellow Daoists. Why don't you take Xiao Cui and A Niu for a walk around the courtyard?"

"Okay, I'll listen to Master Luo Ling."

Luo Fanchen disliked the old man's spying gaze, so he casually made an excuse to send Mo Xue away.

The girl nodded obediently and led A Niu out of the hall. Xiao Cui's messy hair covered her right cheek, and she stood there numbly until Mo Xue forcibly dragged her away.

As soon as the three of them walked away, Old Man Wang stroked his goatee and said with a grin.

"I think Fellow Daoist Ling is quite a remarkable person. Is this your disciple? A promising talent, but it's a pity he's a bit too old."

Old Wang clicked his tongue, his breath reeking of alcohol, and said with a wicked smile, "Master Dao is just short of a maid to warm your feet. My Xiao Cui is a quiet type, she won't talk back when hit or scolded, she's not to your liking."

"How about we exchange disciples? I'll give you five more spirit stones in return. Wouldn't that be a win-win situation?"

“Mo Xue is the daughter of my fellow Daoist. She entrusted her to me, Ling, on her deathbed, and I regard her as my own daughter.”

"What fellow Daoist could possibly be worth five spirit stones?"

Old Wang scoffed, saying that among these poor, wandering cultivators, it was not uncommon for close friends to turn against each other over a spirit stone.

With his keen eye, he guessed that Mo Xue was probably a cultivator with three spiritual roots. Although she was a bit old and her future was limited, she would be a good thing to use as a furnace or for making medicine and pills. Naturally, he would keep an eye on her.

"Think about it? My little Cui could have been bought for just one spirit stone back then. Daoist, you're offering five times that price, which is enough to cover two years of your hard work."

"Let's not talk about this again."

Luo Fanchen almost laughed out of anger. One spirit stone? This old man dared to sell him three?
He rubbed the cup with his knuckles, and as his inner Wood True Essence circulated, spiderweb-like cracks immediately covered the cup, yet not a single drop of tea leaked out.

"Fellow Daoist, if you don't drink your tea soon, it will get cold."

Old Wang's expression changed slightly. He immediately realized that this Fellow Daoist Ling was extraordinary, and finally managed to suppress his smile and straighten his posture.

Such meticulous control of true essence requires extremely high standards for the quality of true essence and the circulation of qi in one's cultivation method; this person is likely from a prominent family.

People like this probably came to the shantytown to avoid trouble. He could afford to offend them, but there was no need for him to make enemies over a girl with only three spiritual roots.

"Fellow Daoist, your methods are skillful. I have no ill intentions. I hope to have more conversations with you in the future, so that we can benefit each other."

Old Wang finished his tea, forced a smile, and showed none of his previous arrogance.

Luo Fanchen's expression softened slightly, but he secretly made several grudges against this old man in his heart.

After buying the mansion, he took the time to carefully learn about his two neighbors on either side.

Zhang Chengfang, nicknamed Granny Zhang, has a fierce appearance but is kind-hearted. She is at the sixth level of Qi Refining, but her Qi and blood are weak and she is not good at fighting.

Currently, I work as an assistant at the Dan Ding Pavilion. I have some skills in cultivating spiritual herbs, and it is rumored that I can refine a small number of low-grade first-tier pills.

Old Wang, whose real name is unknown, is a cunning and alcoholic man who makes a living by swindling and cheating.

This person has some connection with the Qinghe Sect. His son was an outer disciple of the Qinghe Sect before his death. Over the years, he has handled many children, most of whom were supplied to the sect and powerful clans for enslavement or sexual exploitation. So he has some background.

A truly wicked neighbor, fortunately only at the third level of Qi Refining, his body was also hollowed out by wine and women, and he only dared to bully the weak and fear the strong.

"Fellow Daoists, do you have important matters to instruct me on?"

"Fellow Daoist is joking. My southern shantytown hasn't had any new guests for a long time. I naturally wanted to come and see Fellow Daoist Ling's immortal face."

"I have also prepared some small gifts as a way of welcoming you, fellow Daoist. If you need to purchase spiritual herbs or pills in the future, I can also give you some discounts."

Grandma Zhang has deep wrinkles on her face, giving her a rather fierce appearance, but her smile is exceptionally gentle.

Since it was their first meeting, the three of them didn't ask for any important favors. After exchanging a few simple pleasantries, they each presented a brocade box and introduced their respective areas of expertise, hoping to stick together and help each other in the future.

"I have some knowledge of talismans."

"Fellow Daoist, are you capable of refining high-grade talismans?"

Luo Fanchen nodded slightly, and Granny Zhang's old eyes immediately lit up, her wrinkles revealing a face full of fat: "May I have a look?"

Alchemists, formation masters, talisman makers, and spirit plant masters are the four most lucrative and sought-after professions among cultivators.

Among them, talisman makers are the most popular among low-level cultivators. The reason is simple: low-end talismans only require spirit paper and true essence, making them inexpensive to produce. Their price is usually only one-third that of pills, but the effects are almost the same, making them affordable for independent cultivators.

"Of course, I'll make a fool of myself."

Luo Fanchen would certainly not refuse the opportunity to open up sales channels. He immediately took out the Rejuvenation Talisman and Bloodthirst Talisman that he had refined earlier and showed them to the two of them.

"Excellent, excellent! It is indeed a high-grade spirit talisman. Young friend Ling is very promising. Our shantytown has gained another talented person!"

Grandma Zhang was generous with her praise, for she could tell that these talismans were full of spiritual energy and the script was still fresh, indicating that they had been carved recently.

Old Wang grinned, revealing his yellow teeth, showering Luo Fanchen with flattery, his eyes fixed on him as if he were a prized possession.

"I'd like to buy all these Bloodthirst and Rejuvenation Talismans. How about two spirit dusts for the price?"

Grandma Zhang didn't try to bargain, and when Old Man Wang tried to call out a spirit dust, it was forcibly stuffed back into his mouth.

Luo Fanchen readily agreed to the exchange, saving half a day. Granny Zhang was also all smiles, hoping for a long-term partnership.

She took out another spirit dust, making three in total, and handed them to Luo Fanchen.

"I'll offer you one spirit dust as a token of goodwill. If you have any more spirit talismans to sell in the future, feel free to come to me."

"No quantity limit, I can book them all, and settle the spiritual dust on the spot."

"This"

Luo Fanchen was slightly taken aback and cautiously did not immediately agree, as he did not believe in the possibility of something for nothing.

Granny Zhang didn't hide anything and cupped her hands, saying, "Recently, Dan Ding Pavilion and Qinghe Sect have been recruiting a large number of spirit talismans and precious pills."

"Fellow Daoist, you are new to Feiyunfang and have no connections, so you will inevitably be pressured to accept lower prices. Why not let me, your old woman, collect them on your behalf? I will buy them at the market price, just to earn a little money for running errands. If you need to plant spiritual seeds in the future, I will do my best to help you."

"In that case, I'll have to trouble you a lot from now on, Mother-in-law."

Luo Fanchen clasped his hands in agreement. He would only produce more and more talismans in the future, and having a stable sales channel was certainly a good thing.

The Dan Ding Pavilion is also one of the vassal forces of the Luo Shen Pavilion, and is a behemoth like the Qing He Sect. In recent years, he has been focusing on cultivation and nurturing Mo Xue, and needs to avoid getting entangled with the two major forces as much as possible.

"Easy to say, easy to say."

Granny Zhang waved her hand. She had indeed gotten a good deal. With Luo Fanchen's skills, she could get a spirit dust for free every month. How could she not be happy?

As for Old Man Wang, he wore a sour expression and remained silent, pursing his lips.

After chatting for a while, Granny Zhang warmly exchanged cultivation insights with Luo Fanchen, from which she benefited greatly.

Old Wang, having long neglected his cultivation and showing little interest, simply got up to take his leave.

After the old man left, Granny Zhang lowered her voice and said, "Young Immortal Ling, you should be careful around this fellow in the future."

"The couple next door were tricked by this guy and haven't returned yet. This man has a background with the Qinghe Sect, so don't underestimate him or provoke him easily."

"I will keep that in mind. Thank you for your concern, Mother-in-law."

The two had become quite familiar with each other, and Luo Fanchen nodded, casually changing the subject.

A brief encounter is enough; let's leave it at that.

Granny Zhang nodded slightly. She valued Fellow Daoist Ling's status as a talisman maker, which was related to her own interests, hence her presumptuous advice.

He was knowledgeable and learned a lot about the secrets and miscellaneous matters of Feiyunfang. It was only when night fell that he got up to take his leave.

Luo Fanchen had a brief but pleasant conversation with Granny Zhang. Before she got up to leave, he tentatively asked her a question.

"Grandma has a long-standing relationship with the Dan Ding Pavilion and is very knowledgeable. I wonder if she has any clues about superior metal-attribute techniques?"

"The best magic method?"

Granny Zhang was slightly taken aback. Top-grade magical methods are quite precious. They are usually sold by declining noble families when they have no other choice, and they are all priced exorbitantly.

She didn't quite believe that Ling Wudao, who lived in the shantytown, could afford it.

"Yes, this item was needed by an elder in my family. If you have any clues, I will definitely reward you."

"That's easy. This thing is precious and rare in Feiyunfang. Currently, only Jubaoge has a top-grade water-attribute technique on display."

"I will keep an eye out for you, but it may take some time."

Grandma Zhang suddenly realized that Ling Wudao was no ordinary person.

This person's cultivation technique is of a grade no lower than a mid-grade wondrous technique, and he can also refine grade-level talismans, so his success rate seems quite high.

Only prominent and powerful families have the resources to cultivate such talents.

The two chatted happily, and Luo Fanchen personally escorted Granny Zhang to the door. After she had gone some distance, he immediately called out to her.

"Qiuyun, I need your help with something."

"Uncle Luo, I'm here."

A cold wind gathered on Luo Fanchen's shoulder, and in a few breaths it transformed into a palm-sized human figure, a mini version of Qiu Yun.

"Keep a close eye on Mo Xue and that old man Wang."

"Uncle Luo, don't worry, I won't let anyone hurt my sister!"

Luo Fanchen narrowed his eyes slightly, his tone turning cold as he continued.

"Well, if he doesn't have that intention, then so be it. But if this guy has ill intentions towards Mo Xue, we can slowly use the Soul Banner Poison to deal with him. We must not let him die suddenly."

"Okay, I'll listen to Uncle Luo!"

After Qiu Yun finished speaking, her soul dissipated, and a few wisps of cold wind blew silently, carrying away the tea set.

At the same time, in the quiet courtyard, Ling Moxue led A Niu and Xiao Cui for a stroll. A Niu, a typical quiet person, didn't say a word and was reserved and shy.

To her surprise, Xiao Cui immediately became cheerful after leaving Old Man Wang, chattering incessantly as if in revenge.

"When my mother was still alive, our house was this big too. It was so nice."

"Sister Moxue, can we be friends? I don't have any friends besides Aniu, and I'm very obedient!"

"Sister Moxue, you are so beautiful. Your owner is so good to you."

The girl's voice was cheerful as she fluttered around Mo Xue like a butterfly, but her words carried a deep sense of humility as she tried her best to make them laugh.

Ling Moxue initially didn't want to talk to Xiao Cui, but seeing the bruises and red marks all over Xiao Cui's wrists and calves, she felt quite empathetic and would occasionally force herself to say a few words to her, feeling a pang of sympathy in her heart.

If she hadn't met Master Luo, she probably would have been even worse off than Xiao Cui.
"He is not my master."

Ling Muxue gently shook her head. Xiao Cui was slightly taken aback and asked in confusion, "If he's not the master, why does Sister call him 'Master'?"

"It's a respectful title. I call him that because I like him."

"like?"

Xiao Cui's expression froze slightly, and she asked in confusion, "Sister didn't sign a blood pact between master and servant?"

Speaking of which, I didn't see Sister Moxue's Blood Pact Ghost Mark.

Most cultivators in the shantytowns are of poor aptitude and need to spend a lot of time cultivating in addition to making a living.

Almost everyone buys a servant to handle trivial matters, and occasionally to vent negative emotions from spiritual practice.

Xiao Cui and A Niu, nominally apprentices and disciples, were in reality servants, except that Granny Zhang was far more humane than Old Man Wang.

"Sister, you must also be careful. These cultivators may look respectable, but they are actually worse than pigs and dogs. They can sell us servants for just two spirit stones."

"Alchemy, concubines, furnaces, even playthings for others' amusement—Sister still has the strength to resist these things. She can find a good opportunity to escape."

Xiao Cui's eyes were dim, clearly indicating that she had been mistreated by Old Man Wang. Ling Moxue looked at her with pity and gently shook her head.

"Ling Ye and I have only each other. We've been through life and death together countless times. What need is there for a blood pact?"

"Is Sister Moxue single?"

Xiao Cui's eyes were glazed over, her face full of envy, and she found it quite unbelievable.

Just as she was about to ask again, she saw Old Man Wang coming over, cursing and swearing. Her face immediately fell, and her expression became numb.

"You wretched servant, you've made me search high and low! Get back and pour the wine! If you ruin my enjoyment, I'll skin you alive!"

Old Wang was spitting everywhere, his mouth reeking of alcohol.

He slapped Xiao Cui hard on the forehead, making her dizzy, and then twisted her arm several times, leaving hot blood marks, as if venting the anger he had suffered at Luo Fanchen's mansion.

Ling Moxue narrowed her almond-shaped eyes, her delicate hand clenched into a fist in her sleeve, but then she let it fall limply.

She herself needs Master Luo's protection, so why should she rescue complete strangers? Her cultivation level doesn't give her the right to be willful.

"Thank you for your hospitality, young friend. In the future, I might be able to become sworn brothers with your Master Ling."

Old Wang softened his tone. Beside him, Xiao Cui drooped her head, trembling with pain. Seeing that the old man was quite friendly to Mo Xue and spoke to her on equal terms, she finally believed that Mo Xue was a free woman and felt extremely envious.

"What are you standing there for? Get out!"

Old Wang slapped Xiao Cui on the forehead again, sending her frizzy hair flying and revealing the hideous, blood-red ghost mark on her right cheek.

Xiao Cui was submissive until the blood pact ghost mark on her right cheek was exposed. She immediately covered her right cheek, looked at Ling Moxue and A Niu in fear, her eyes filled with inferiority and fear. In the end, she was dragged away by Old Man Wang by the ear.

"You bitch."

Ling Moxue watched the girl leave, her heart filled with resentment and a murderous intent rising within her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that A Niu's face was also flushed, and his hands were clenched so tightly they turned white.

Clearly, Ah Niu, who hadn't said a word from beginning to end, cared a lot about Xiao Cui.

But what could he do as a servant?

"Practice diligently."

Mo Xue hesitated, then shook her head and sighed softly. She silently gripped the hilt of her sword and went to the courtyard to practice her swordsmanship.

Fortunately, she met Master Luo.

　Please keep reading! This is very important for the new book. I lost some reading time a couple of days ago (sad). Also, if you have any monthly tickets, please support me on Monday! Please!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)