Zhongshan Shenzhu Chi

Chapter 107 New Moon and Full Moon

"Old Liang, what do you mean?" Everyone asked in surprise, in hushed tones.

"The lifespan that the immortals stole from the heavens is those extra months that were added to our calendar," Liang Xun replied.

"What's the use? Nineteen years is only seven months," Wu Xin said dismissively.

"Superficial. Is the immortal lord like us, only living to be sixty years old?"

"I've heard that immortals who have reached the Four Realms have a lifespan of three hundred years, and if they can obtain those elixirs and miraculous medicines, they can extend their lives even further."

"Four hundred years, you do the math, how many leap years would that be? A full ten!"

Liang Xun opened his palm and showed it to everyone.

"Folks, think about the Black Dragon King. I reckon he could live to be at least a thousand years old, right? If he could get that treasure, he could live for several more decades!"

"If we go fishing, cast our nets, and catch that treasure, should we hand it over or not?"

"We definitely have to pay, right?" the crowd asked, puzzled.

Nineteen years is needed to add seventy years to one's lifespan.

For those of them who are nearing sixty and about to die, living two more or two less years doesn't really make much difference.

"If we hand it over, do you think the Black Dragon King will silence us to save his own life?" Liang Xun retorted.

"Things aren't like they used to be. When we got this, it was a hot potato."

"Even in the past, did you think the immortal lord would care about one or two of our lives?"

"Brothers, let's just get through this period and not come out of the water."

After saying this, Liang Xun, holding his opium pipe, clasped his hands in a fist salute to the fishermen present.

"I will explain this to your village chief and clan head."

"That's all I have to say. I won't do anything that blocks someone's path to wealth. If you still think you're lucky, then go ahead and get out of the water."

Having said that, without waiting for a response, Liang Xun turned and quickly walked back to the village in the afterglow of the setting sun.

I walked all the way home, and the moon had already risen.

The kitchen was lit up, and steam was rising from the stove.

Upon seeing Liang Xun return home, his wife quickly brought out the food that had been warming on the stove.

"Master, today—"

"I have done everything I could; what remains is their lives."

Liang Xun picked up his bowl and chopsticks and ate very quickly.

"Oh, it's August, such a wonderful month, a time when fish and crabs are plump and delicious, why can't we catch them?" Madam Liang sighed.

"Let's not talk about this." Liang Xun poured himself a bowl of tea and swallowed the food stuck in his throat.

"I'm going to the city tomorrow. Could you please put in a good word for me with the village chiefs of the two neighboring villages?"

"Going to the city again? You don't have anything to sell here—" Liang asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Last time I went there I only found some information about Old Wu's daughter. I'll go again tomorrow to confirm it."

After saying that, Liang Xun lowered his head and began shoveling rice into his mouth with his chopsticks.

Just as Liang was about to speak.

What business is it of yours what Old Wu's family scandal is?

The words were on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed them back.

She married this old man because of her meddlesome nature.

Moreover, Old Wu's family is also in dire straits. His daughter ran off with a man while pregnant, his wife died, and he can't even get a hot meal when he comes home.

While others celebrate the New Year with great joy and togetherness, others celebrate it in a lively and joyful manner.

He sat alone in front of the courtyard gate, looking at the moon and the trees, smoking a cigarette, coughing incessantly.

"You know, Old Wu is something else. He's from Yongningzhou. He's a bit crazy, but he's hardworking, can endure hardship, and isn't sick. He's such a good person."

"Our daughter is pregnant, why won't he agree to this marriage?"

I poured the remaining vegetables and soup into the rice, stirred it a couple of times, and swallowed it all in one gulp.

Liang Xun let out a burp.

"You—" Although her expression was disgusted, Liang was still happy that her husband could eat so much.

"We haven't encountered anything related to his family, so it's not appropriate for us to speculate."

In the candlelight, Liang Xun spoke softly.

"You must keep my trip to the city to find Old Wu's daughter a secret."

"I understand, I understand," Madam Liang nodded repeatedly.

"By the way, do you worship the Zhongshan statue that we bought from that merchant in Yongning Prefecture a few days ago?" Liang Xun asked.

"I offered incense every two days as you mentioned, and I did so early this morning."

"That's fine then." With the rice bowl in hand, Liang Xun finished another bowl of tea.

While his wife was clearing away the dishes, he got up and went into a small ancestral hall.

Inside this ancestral hall, there is a two-meter-long offering table.

In the top row, there is a broken frog statue and a red dragon statue.

The next row is his parents and grandparents.

He walked to the altar, took out three homemade incense sticks, lit them, and respectfully placed them on his forehead with both hands.

May the gods protect us, may our ancestors protect us.

"I'm going to the city tomorrow. The journey will be smooth and there will be no danger."

"May Old Wu's daughter be safe and sound, and may the baby in her womb be safe and sound as well."

After muttering to himself for a while, Liang Xun inserted the incense stick into the ash basin and turned to leave.

After closing the door, the elderly couple played around for a while before falling asleep one after the other.

Inside the small ancestral hall, the three incense sticks burned rapidly.

The smoke gathered in the small room, growing thicker and thicker, like a cloud of mist.

A small, red dragon, as delicate as a bamboo leaf green, emerged from the clouds.

To avoid alerting the enemy, the Crimson Dragon chose to shrink its size and infiltrate Yunxi Continent. It will provide appropriate assistance when the Frog leads the Zhongshan Fiends in a counterattack against Yunmeng Marsh.

During the day, when the old man talked about the lunar cycle, it would listen in the water.

To snatch away one's lifespan from Heaven.

This matter, just by sounding it, is inextricably linked to the sequence of events.

Moreover, the ancient book at the top of Zhongshan Mountain's scenic cave is the legacy of Shuowangmen.

When it received the Transformation Technique, it also heard an extremely incoherent sound.

According to the old man, it makes a lot of sense.

I have no idea about this so-called method of "stealing lifespan from the heavens" (the lunar cycle), the things my mother left behind, or that pool of water I saw that seemed capable of creating the world—

What is the connection?

The intercalary seventh month of the nineteenth year.

This is enough to drive even immortals and gods of the sixth realm, or even demon kings, who are nearing the end of their lifespans, mad.

Even beings in the fourth and fifth realms would fight tooth and nail for it.

It is foreseeable that Yunxi Continent will witness an extremely fierce battle over this book of the New Moon and Full Moon Method.

"But I never expected that there would still be a place for my faith in Yunxi Continent."

It instinctively tried to flick its tongue, but its tongue was blocked in its tightly closed mouth.

It realized that it no longer had a body that could flick its tongue.

He then opened his nostrils and inhaled all the incense smoke into his body.

Savor it carefully.

"He seems like an honest and kind man. I'll go into town with you tomorrow."

It then emerged from the ancestral hall, and following the scent of human presence, the red dragon shrank again and burrowed into the back of Liang Xun's neck.

The next morning, the rooster crowed, and dawn broke on the horizon.

Liang Xun brought all the necessities he needed for the trip to the city, enough dry rations for two days' journey.

And a sharp knife for self-defense.

I left the house, left the village, and walked on the road.

He noticed that he was different today.