Fangxian Heretical Path

Chapter 84 Weighing, Weighing Senior Brother Fang

It was dawn the next day.

Dou Sufu was awakened by a knocking sound outside the shop:
"Boss lady!"

"The sun is already up, why aren't you open yet? Are you not doing business today?"

She actually slept soundly for almost the entire night.

Opening her eyes, Dou Sufu stared blankly at the lace trim on the ceiling of the bed for a long time before she could recall what had happened the night before.

Subconsciously, her fingers trembled slightly as she reached for her chest and looked down at her body.

Once she confirmed that her clothes were intact and still the same as yesterday's, and that she felt no discomfort, she breathed a sigh of relief.

But at the same time, a hint of resentment, which she herself was unaware of, unconsciously slipped into her eyes.

"little bastard."

Dou Sufu cursed under her breath: "You're just delaying my business."

She ignored the knocking on the shop door and continued to curl up comfortably on the bed, enjoying a rare sense of security and comfort.

It seems like it's been more than ten years since she last slept so peacefully.

In the past, no matter how tired or sleepy I was, I would always wake up a few times, or I would have to get up before dawn to boil the fermented vegetable broth and prepare the milk for the next day.

After a good night's sleep, when Dou Sufu woke up, she felt that she had slept very well the night before, and she felt refreshed and light as a feather, as if the hard work of the past ten years had been wiped away in one night.

Dou Sufu initially thought it was because she had drunk alcohol the previous evening.

When she walked to the table, she saw a stack of talisman coins among the leftovers and a note, and then she realized what was going on.

Dou Sufu stared in surprise at the tiny, millet-grain-sized worm on the note, thinking to herself, "A sleepy bug?"

In an instant, she remembered even more clearly what had happened the night before when she had been drinking with Fang Shu, and her cheeks flushed slightly. She then muttered a curse under her breath at the worm on the note:
"What a lewd little bug."

However, Dou Sufu immediately followed Fang Shu's instructions, took a fine needle, pricked her finger, and fed a drop of blood to Ke Shuichong.

She proceeded methodically and quickly refined the Gu worm into her hand, establishing a certain connection between herself and the worm.

She then stayed in the room, manipulating the sleepy bug, and had a great time playing with it.

After a while.

Dou Sufu looked at the plates and bowls on the table inside the room, sighed again, rolled up her sleeves, and quickly tidied up.

She muttered to herself:
"If you're going to help someone, you should at least close the door. You didn't even bother to wash the dishes, leaving your mother to clean up."

As she cleared away the dishes, her steps were light and cheerful, just like Jiao Lulu, a little girl with an undisguised smile on her face.

..............................

the other side.

Fang Shu meditated while keeping watch all night.

After letting Dou Sufu get a good night's sleep, he left her money for food and some sleep, then left the courtyard and headed to the Dugu Pavilion.

Inside the Solitary Gu Pavilion.

He happened to run into his second uncle, Yu Le, who had just started work and was sneaking a bite to eat. After exchanging greetings, he ate another breakfast and then returned to his room in the building.

During his journey there and back, no one knew that Fang Shu had made a trip to the lead-mountain mine and had a remarkable experience.

The following days.

He stopped going out casually and instead used the purple lead mica milk to cultivate and increase his qi and blood while trying to find out about the lead mine in the market.

Occasionally, he would return to the courtyard house to meet with his second uncle and others, and freeload off Dou Sufu in her room.

Their relationship remained like that of siblings, and they seemed to have grown even closer.

However, Fang Shu would still pay for the meal; he wouldn't renege on his promise.

This day.

Fang Shu had been practicing his qi and blood cultivation in the hall when he suddenly heard his second uncle, Yu Le, calling out to him:
"Shu'er, the Master wants to see you. He wants you to go to the inner courtyard council hall."

Upon hearing this, Fang Shu opened his eyes, slowly finished his practice, and was slightly surprised.

He had assumed the abbot was about to give a sermon, but upon hearing the words "Council Hall," it didn't seem like it.

Without spending too much time guessing, Fang Shu tidied himself up and promptly went out, heading straight for the inner courtyard council hall.

Before entering the hall, his gaze suddenly shifted, and he saw a group of departing figures. They looked somewhat familiar, but their attire and demeanor suggested they were not staff members of the hall; they were clearly from outside.

When Fang Shu arrived at the council hall, he found that quite a few people had arrived, including Qin Min who was waiting in the hall.

He immediately stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Greetings, Master."

The owner of the private residence was sitting calmly in her armchair. When she heard Fang Shu's voice, her eyelids drooped slightly, and she nodded almost imperceptibly.

The others in the hall also turned their gazes to Fang Shu, each with an eager look and a hint of competition between them.

"Alright, most of the people have arrived."

The owner of the independent building spoke:
"Our establishment has been receiving so much money and resources from them for years, it's time we helped them out. Since the disciples left in the building are useless and have been challenged to a duel, do you have the guts to accept?"

Regardless of their expressions, the disciples in the inner courtyard all quickly responded:
"Your disciple has guts!" "This disciple is willing to lend a hand." Only one of the sickly-looking old disciples, his face full of shame, was bowing his head and remaining silent. He seemed to be the "good-for-nothing disciple" that the master had mentioned.

Although Fang Shu only half understood, he followed the crowd and quickly pulled Li Hou'er in the hall to the side to ask him carefully.

Soon, a look of realization appeared on his face.

It turns out that the owner of the private club gathered everyone today not to preach, but because someone was "challenging him".

This "challenging the venue" is different from "challenging the establishment".

The former refers to those restaurants, pharmacies, and other affiliated forces under the Dugu Pavilion who were provoked by others, while the latter refers to people who were bold enough to come to the Dugu Pavilion to cause trouble.

"Challenging" is a rare occurrence; Fang Shu had hardly ever heard of it.

But he had heard a lot about "challenging others" in the market, and he knew that this kind of fighting was a common way to resolve disputes in the town.

The various dojos are quite supportive of this, and the two sides often stop short of a fight, accepting the loss.

Because this kind of assistance not only resolves disputes easily but also trains the disciples in the dojo. Each time they assist, the dojos can also collect an extra "service fee" from the merchants.

In particular, the hardship fee is something that any disciple who considers themselves to have some strength will be quite enthusiastic about helping out.

This was Fang Shu's first time facing something like this; he had never personally helped the dojo fight before, so he had little experience.

But for some reason, he had a feeling that the person chosen by the master of the martial arts school to help him this time was 80 or 90 percent likely to be him!

Inside the hall, disciples were discussing and arguing:

"Hmph! Junior Sister Qin Min has recently made quite a name for herself in town by evaluating disciples from other martial arts schools on behalf of our school. People who want to find the most powerful Second Tribulation Immortal specifically came to find Junior Sister Qin Min."

"Exactly, exactly. What are you so smug about, you blockhead? You're not the one they're looking for the most."

As Fang Shu had predicted.

Amidst the commotion, the sect leader's gaze swept over the inner disciples, lingering only on Qin Min for a moment before finally settling on Fang Shu.

The old woman stared intently at Fang Shu and spoke:
"Shu'er, are you willing to fight for our school and accept this task of assisting in the fight?"

Fang Shu responded without hesitation, cupping his hands in greeting:
"Yes, disciple thanks Master for granting your request!"

Such opportunities, where the master instructs you, are low-risk, can increase your combat experience, and can also earn you extra money, are not to be missed.

"Good." The guild master nodded in satisfaction. "Then you will represent the guild in battle."

However, her choice caused a minor but significant surprise in the hall.

This is all because the opponent who helped this time was a second-level tribulation immortal. The fact that the sect leader sent Fang Shu to take action means that Fang Shu's cultivation level should have already passed the second tribulation and he is a second-level refinement immortal!

Among the disciples, Li Hou'er was the most surprised. As soon as Fang Shu stepped down, he immediately grabbed Fang Shu and asked him all sorts of questions.

Fang Shu nodded reservedly in response to their question.

"Really? Fang Shu, you've also reached the second tribulation!"

Now, the disciples in the hall were even noisier, and someone immediately offered their congratulations:

"Junior Brother Fang Shu is indeed exceptionally talented!"

Some of the unfamiliar disciples, who didn't often cultivate in the temple, kept looking at Fang Shu, trying to remember this young second-tribulation immortal.

Some congratulated, some gasped, and naturally, some were unhappy, muttering:

"What's there to be so smug about? The one people really want to find is Junior Sister Qin Min."

Before Fang Shu could utter a sound, Li Hou'er stepped forward and retorted, "What are you chattering about? If you're so good, why don't you do it yourself!"

These words made the person who was secretly muttering feel breathless and angry, glaring at Li Hou'er, but Li Hou'er was not afraid at all.

"Alright!" Just then, the owner of the private club spoke up, and the hall immediately fell silent:
"The reason I chose Fang Shu is not out of favoritism, but because Fang Shu has some connection with the Seven Fragrance Pavilion. It is most suitable for him to help in the fight."

Indeed, it was the group from Qixianglou who requested the Dugu Pavilion to send people.

The master's words reminded everyone in the hall. After thinking about it carefully, many people immediately thought of Fang Shu and Qi Xiang Lou, who did indeed have some karmic entanglements.

As a result, the hall became even quieter, and the disciples no longer caused any disturbance.

The inner court disciples who had just been indignant on behalf of Junior Sister Qin Min immediately changed their tune:
“That’s right! Junior Sister Qin Min is no ordinary person; how could the Seven Fragrance Pavilion just invite her whenever they want?”

Everyone assumed that the matter of helping out had been settled, and Fang Shu was also planning to take his leave to make some preparations.

Then, suddenly, a clear, cold voice rang out from inside the hall:

"Brother Fang Shu, please wait."

Everyone looked in surprise and found that it was Qin Min, who had been standing to the side and hadn't said much, who spoke.

The woman remained calm, cupped her hands, and asked the innkeeper for instructions:
“Master, although Senior Brother Fang Shu has some karmic connection with Qi Xiang Lou, since he wants to come to me, I think it would be better if I were to assess Senior Brother Fang Shu’s magical power first and see if he is worthy of leaving the house.”

Geek!

These words silenced the hall completely. The other disciples all turned their gazes to either Qin Min or Fang Shu.

Even the owner of the guesthouse frowned slightly, completely unprepared for this turn of events.

But Qin Min showed no sign of backing down. She even turned to look at Fang Shu and said indifferently:
"To prevent Senior Brother Fang Shu from being weak and ultimately being overwhelmed by outsiders, thus losing face for our sect."

(End of this chapter)