Mountains and giant beasts, cabins in the woods

Liu Yizhu pointed to the center of the crowd in the distance: "The result is over there, take a look for yourself."

Liu Xingmo quickly got up and squeezed through the crowd.

The smoke-filled clearing was shrouded in wisps of black mist. A dozen or so dark stones lay silently on the ground.

What's going on?

Just then, the great-grandfather, dressed in a blue robe, appeared in the arena and announced to those around him: "The first Nian beast has been defeated!"

"Whoa!" Cheers erupted from all directions.

With a flick of his long sleeves, the stone on the ground vanished. He calmly walked away, and the audience made way for him.

Liu Xingmo quickly followed.

"Great-Grandpa! How is it?"

"Haha! That beast fell for your dirty trick and started acting stupidly all the time, finally getting pinned to the ground by firecrackers and unable to move." Great-Grandpa pointed to the crowd behind him, then sighed, "What a pity, all his efforts were in vain..."

"How did it fail?"

"The rule remains: as long as the Nian beast leaves behind New Year's gifts, it can escape safely. This rule is deeply ingrained in the hearts of everyone in the village, which is why the beast has disappeared. Now that the opportunity has passed, it probably won't reappear this year."

"Alas! This truly shows... man proposes, God disposes." Liu Xingmo couldn't help but sigh. He thought of those black stones and then asked, "What kind of New Year's gift did this True Nian Beast leave behind?"

"Void Stones come from the rifts in the world and contain the power of space and time. They can be used to make small items, such as storage bags. A palm-sized bag with about one cubic meter of space inside." Great-Grandpa turned to look at Liu Xingmo. "Do you want a storage bag, or would you like to exchange it for other rewards? Like money or spiritual medicine, either is fine."

"I want the storage bag!" Liu Xingmo resolutely chose the rarest reward.

"It's not very cost-effective. A decent contracted beast can carry much more cargo. The advantage of this thing is that it's hidden and has no weight."

"I'll take this one!"

"Alright. The other three who helped you drive away the Nian beast will all receive rewards. Go back and find out their requirements, then report back to me."

"Thank you, Great-Grandpa!"

Liu Xingmo hurried back to find his companions.

Su Mali landed unharmed, and although Liu Sanniang was disoriented after falling unconscious, she was also unharmed thanks to her strong constitution. Bao Hei was injured, but fortunately, his tortoise shell protected his internal organs, and his external wounds would heal quickly.

As for Liu Xingmo, fortunately, Liu Yizhu caught him after he fell from the sky, so he was fine.

I applied the medicine to Baohei and let it rest well.

The other four found a restaurant, sat down at a window seat, ordered good wine and food, and celebrated the holiday and the harvest.

Previously, the appearance of the Nian beast was merely a prelude. Now, dense and deep roars of beasts echoed from afar, and the grand spectacle of the monster siege had officially begun.

The massive black shadow lingered on the edge of the city, nimbly flipping and leaping to dodge the barrage of firecrackers, then clung to a treehouse and suddenly rushed into the town.

The joyful suona music reached its climax at this moment, accompanied by shouts and cheers from the crowd.

The firelight cast a long shadow of the monster, projecting it onto the mottled tree bark, creating an even more frenzied dance.

Screams, roars, and explosions became the main theme of the night. The brightly lit town welcomed a once-in-a-century celebration.

Liu Yizhu drank a cup of wine and asked, "What exactly happened today? Can you tell me now?"

Liu Xingmo replied in a deep voice, "That Nian beast is the real thing."

"The real thing? You're something else! Hahaha..." Liu Yizhu burst into laughter.

"Our reward can be a storage bag made of Void Stones, or something else. The choice is yours..."

"Void Stone? Storage Bag? There are such things? Ha! I don't even know what to say."

……

The grand celebration lasted until dawn.

The residents of the entire city made a ruckus all night long in the winter night. Liu Yizhu and Liu Sanniang then left the table to join the hunting party.

The Nian beasts that invaded the city were all successfully defeated. A large group of people, including Liu Xingmo, will receive the previously agreed-upon top-grade spiritual medicine rewards.

A joyful atmosphere permeated the air, and even those whose property was unfortunately damaged received compensation from their families.

It's been a long time since it's been this lively.

I wonder in which corner the mysterious and unpredictable Mountain Goddess is observing her descendants.

Next, Liu Xingmo went to the library to keep watch for another day.

Bao Hei had mostly recovered from his injuries and carried Su Mali and Liu San Niang back to the Yinqianshan mine.

On the third day, the macaque curator still hadn't returned.

It seems the family meeting will last a long time, and there will probably be some big moves in the coming year.

Liu Xingmo sat on a huge cushion, reading books about folklore and the supernatural.

With a creak, the heavy door was pushed open.

A man and a woman dressed in white shirts and carrying long swords, namely the siblings Jiang Youcai and Jiang Yourong, came to work.

Liu Xingmo put down his book and smiled, "You two are here! You're here quite early!"

"Old Monkey isn't here? Off in a meeting?" Jiang Youcai plopped down on the counter. "Boss, when are you planning to replace Old Monkey and become the real boss of the library?"

"Hey, kid, don't talk nonsense. Adults always take things step by step. You know that?" Liu Xingmo pretended to be mature and acted like an old man.

"I think Old Monkey will be transferred to the inner treasury sooner or later. As for the outer treasury, there are a few people at the second level, but unfortunately they have neither prestige nor the ability to command respect. It would be better to let you, Boss, take over," Jiang Youcai said with a wink.

"Hey kid, you came here all dressed up like a chivalrous knight in white, but what happened today that you've transformed into a high-ranking eunuch in the imperial court?"

"Of course I learned it from you, boss!"

"Pah! You're asking for it!"

Liu Xingmo pretended to take out an iron chain.

Jiang Youcai scrambled away.

Jiang Yourong coldly observed everything, then untied a money pouch from her waist: "The proceeds from this batch of bound novels are all here. I used my connections to sell them to my old classmate in Yin State, so I want a larger share."

"That's reasonable, no problem." Liu Xingmo weighed the heavy money bag in his hand and couldn't help but smile.

He recalled the curator's words and frowned again: "I mean, You Rong, I'm a wanted criminal in that Yin Kingdom, right? My banned books are being sold like this? That's against the rules..."

"Hmph! We sword cultivators should forge ahead bravely and overcome all difficulties." Jiang Yourong raised her head and puffed out her chest, even putting on a stern face. But a faint blush on her cheeks revealed a barely perceptible sense of shame.

"You two are really..." Liu Xingmo couldn't help but shake his head.

"What is it?" Jiang Yourong asked sideways.

"What's wrong with me, boss?" Jiang Youcai grinned and came over.

"Bang!" Liu Xingmo slammed his hand on the counter. "It really makes me want to shout: The King of Yin is truly far-sighted! Such unhealthy trends must not be encouraged!"