Fairy, don't try to mess with my filial piety

The boss behind the wooden door reminded again:

"Xiaohong, you'd better keep your eyes open. If you go out at this time, be careful of the Nian beast!"

This was a hint to the young woman to be careful of the stranger in front of her, wondering if he was the Nian beast coming down the mountain.

Xiaohong took a look at Chu Wuzhi and felt that he didn't look like the legendary Nian beast. She couldn't care less now.

She ran home quickly. Her family happened to run an inn and also sold wine. It was not a big place, but it was clean inside and out.

When we arrived at the room where the owner lived, we saw a fat man lying on the bed, sweating profusely, his lips were pale, and his face was red like a cooked shrimp. He seemed to be having a nightmare in his weakness, muttering in his sleep things like "Don't burn me".

It is not normal to say that he caught a cold. He was covered with a thick "big orange cat" fur blanket. I really don't believe he could catch a cold.

"I've tried several kinds of cooling decoctions to reduce fever and calm the heat in my heart, but none of them work. What should I do?" Xiaohong was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

Chu Wuji looked around with his naked eyes. Good, there were no ghost creatures like Kumantong causing trouble. It was beyond his ability to handle.

Aunt Qing Snake couldn't figure out what the symptoms were. She muttered, "What a chaotic breath! The blood and qi are rushing around. The fire in the body is so strong that it's almost burning away the blood. Where does all this anger come from?"

He asked in a low voice: "Mom, what's going on?"

Bai Sujin had a deeper understanding of this aspect than the two younger generations. She saw the crux of the matter at a glance and said helplessly:

"Take this tiger-skin blanket away, and drink plenty of warm water. The fever will subside in half an hour. After a few days, make some blood-tonifying soup, and you'll slowly recover on your own."

"that's it?"

"That's it." Bai Sujin was sure.

"Why?"

"Tiger skins can't be casually worn, let alone wrapped all over. Ordinary people can't withstand the yang energy. Even strong warriors have to go shirtless in winter before wearing tiger skin jackets, and only wear half of the body, draped diagonally like a monk's robe."

Aunt Green Snake remembered that she had indeed seen many picture albums of human heroes. No matter how strong the person was, they only wore tiger skin skirts. They were rarely worn as cotton clothes, but more often as chair cushions. The demon race was not so particular and wore whatever they wanted.

Chu Wuji thought it was a big problem, so he observed it suspiciously... He didn't expect that even covering himself with a tiger-skin quilt could cause problems.

"Take away Manager Wang's tiger-skin quilt, replace it with an ordinary quilt, and feed him warm water..." He repeated Bai Sujin's words to the young woman.

Xiaohong was puzzled, but did as she was told. The moment she lifted the tiger skin, a hot breath spread out, just like a steamed bun shop on a winter morning, when hot mist filled the sky as soon as the steamer was taken out!

Look at the hands and feet of Shopkeeper Wang, they are completely red. If you don’t know, you would think they are steamed.

Shopkeeper Wang's family probably thought that if he sweated out his fever, his fever would go down, so they covered him tightly and even put two quilts on top of the tiger-skin quilt.

Not long after the tiger skin was removed, less than half an hour later, Manager Wang's fever subsided, he regained some consciousness, and woke up for a moment. After falling back to sleep and resting, he no longer had nightmares.

Xiaohong was surprised and thanked him repeatedly. She was about to kowtow, but Chu Wuji stopped her.

He warned, "You can't use tiger skin as a blanket. Judging by its condition, it's a fresh skin from just six months ago, so it's definitely not suitable for use as a blanket! Put it in a cool, dark warehouse and let it age for a few years before using it again."

Chu Wuji now has a good relationship with the little white tiger, but he will not vent his anger on others because of the tiger fur, unless it is something bad like the behavior of the Lord of Jieshi City.

The tiger carcasses circulating in the market are basically caused by tiger damage - those tigers run to the towns where human beings live and injure people, which will naturally attract soldiers and hunters to take risks to deal with them. Most people dare not rashly take the initiative to cause trouble for tigers, as that would be like walking into the tiger's mouth.

People like Chu Wuji didn't dare to actively seek trouble with wild beasts. Usually, they would run out by themselves while he was fishing.

"This was given to me by a regular customer who buys alcohol. He couldn't pay his bill, so he used the tiger skin to offset it at the end of last month. My uncle saw that the tiger skin was warm, so he used it as a blanket at night. I never thought his persistent high fever would be caused by the tiger skin. Is it that serious?"

The young woman was amazed and took out some silver as a thank you gift:

"Divine Doctor, please accept this small token of gratitude. Business has been slow these past few months in the depths of winter, so I can only offer a small gift. Please forgive me!"

Other people's business was difficult to do, so Chu Wuji refused the thank-you gift. He took the opportunity to ask, "No, I want to ask you about the Gong Mansion. It's just a common rumor that your neighbors know. Take this as a thank-you gift, okay?"

The Gong family was a wealthy and powerful family in Chizhao Town. New merchants from other places who came here had to greet the Gong family first and offer gifts as a sign of respect.

After leaving this frontier town, others may not know Chizhao Town, but they will definitely know the Gong family.

The young woman was a little hesitant to talk about the affairs of the Gong Mansion, but... this benefactor was asking about rumors that were known to the neighbors, so it shouldn't be a big deal.

Xiaohong closed the window tightly and whispered:

"My benefactor, please don't say that I told you."

"Understand this principle!"

Chapter 189: Suppressing the Ancient Beast

In the minds of the people of Chizhao Town, when they think of the Gong family, several major events naturally emerge in their minds.

One is the great-grandfather of the Gong family. Before he could start to remember anything, he was taken away by the gods in the mountains.

According to legend, when the gods took the great-grandfather away and flew into the air, the children all excreted a large pool of urine, and the urine and feces formed a rainbow bridge in the sky.

Very spectacular.

Later, this great-grandfather achieved success in his studies and became a flying god in the eyes of the world. He returned to his ancestral home on a sword. However, that year, the Tianji Kingdom had not yet been established, and the unified empire was still strong.

My great-grandfather was ordered by his master to come and suppress and guard an ancient strange beast, using the mountains to suppress it so that it could not escape.

"It's said that the Gong family's rise to prominence, and the subsequent emergence of a great general, was all due to the merits accumulated by this great-grandfather, who guarded the ancient beast with divine power, bringing blessings to future generations. The taboo of avoiding the Nian beast in the town today was passed down by him!"

"Is this old immortal still here?" Chu Wuzhi asked. It would probably be much more convenient if he could find the old immortal.

"I don't know, I haven't heard of it. Maybe he traveled away from the world and returned to the fairy mountain?" Xiaohong shook her head. She really hadn't heard any subsequent rumors about the old immortal.

Chu Wuji thought about it and felt that it was understandable. He didn't expect that there would be too many secrets in these common rumors. He would be satisfied with knowing the general situation.

"Keep talking!"

"Ah."

In the subsequent development of the Gong family, the founding general of the Tianji Kingdom was the most important. The existence of this ancestor of the Gong family enabled the Gong family to obtain important positions in the court of the capital, whether they were civil officials or military generals, and their official titles would never be low-ranking.

The king of Tianji Kingdom will definitely not treat unfairly the descendants of a general who is willing to retire, leave no private army, and return the tiger talisman.

Chizhao Town is the ancestral home of the Gong family, but there is also a mansion in Tianji Capital, which is a reflection of their status.

The people of Chizhao Town don’t know what’s going on with the Gong Mansion in the capital, but they have heard that among the descendants of the Gong family of this generation, several children are very talented. However, a few years ago, when they returned to their ancestral home to visit relatives, one of the daughters jumped into a well and committed suicide out of confusion!

It was almost from this time that the Gong family began to show signs of decline. Their business operations were not going well, their business suffered setbacks, and their children in the capital failed to become talented and became mediocre. The "extraordinary talents" mentioned in their early years seemed to have become empty words.

Minister Gong, who was serving in the court, also returned to his ancestral home to recuperate due to illness.

There are also a series of trivial matters that all embody the four words "bad luck in the year".

That was all the rumors Xiao Hong knew. Anything else she heard was just trivial, like a banquet gone awry. She sighed.

"They say they are in decline, but even if the Gong family declines for another ten years, they will still have no worries about food and clothing. They can live a carefree life for a long time. As long as they don't commit evil, the king will definitely protect this meritorious family."

Chu Wuji remembered the woman at the gate of Gong Mansion who was about to scold him for being a wild cultivator. Her clothes were much more luxurious, and her style was different from that of other tribesmen.

She must be the family member who came back with Minister Gong to recuperate. Maybe she is also a lady of noble birth. Even in the dead of winter, she never forgets to be exquisite. She wears a gorgeous brocade gown, preferring elegance to warmth. The heavy sparrow crown headdress makes her neck bend unconsciously.

The rest of the Gong family was bundled up in fur coats, suddenly feeling genuinely warm. After living in Chizhao Town for so long, it was unlikely they'd pursue elaborate attire. Who would they be showing off to? The crowd was all ordinary folk, and no one could appreciate the beauty of fine clothing.

Aunt Green Snake said secretly: "The daughter who jumped into the well is most likely the wandering corpse on the mountain. The Nian beast fished out the corpse and transformed it into a zombie guarding the mountain."

Bai Sujin shared the same opinion as her sister: "I guess so. I'm more curious about what this Nian beast is. I've never heard of such an ancient beast before."

It has the word "ancient" in its name, and it was suppressed in the Lihuo Mountains during the previous empire, so it has a very long lifespan!

Although age doesn't guarantee absolute cultivation, someone this old couldn't be weak. If it were an ordinary demon, the immortal forces in this area would probably just send someone to kill it and leave it at that. They wouldn't bother suppressing it or even sending disciples to keep watch.

Chu Wuji wanted to discuss this with the two elders, but he still had to focus on Xiaohong. He asked:

"The Gong family was just looking out the door, waiting for the gods to come?"

"Yes, two days ago, the Gong family's steward went door to door delivering food and rice to us, asking us to move around less these days and go back to our rooms early so as not to disturb the immortal's interest."

If Xiaohong hadn't been worried about her uncle's illness, she would never have gone out. Not to mention the taboo of the Nian beast, Xiaohong would have felt guilty just for the kindness of the Gong family's master in distributing food.

Chu Wuji nodded gently: "The Gong family has a good reputation. Where did they invite this immortal from? What did they ask him to do?"

"It is said that it is an immortal from Kongtong Mountain, who seems to want to help find the lost ancestral blessings. Many independent cultivators have come before, but it seems to be useless."

Xiaohong didn't know any further news. If Chizhao Town wasn't small enough, news would be easily passed on to each other by townspeople, and Xiaohong might not know so much.

For example, the immortals of Kongtong Mountain she talked about were only her hearsay. She could only shake her head when wondering where Kongtong Mountain was and how to write "Kongtong".

Chu Wuji didn't ask about this matter in detail, but asked something else: "Is the Nian Beast really there? It's so taboo for you guys."

"There should be. I heard the roar of the Nian beast when I was a child. It sounded like the barking of an old dog, but it was very loud and frightening. In the past, there were also cases of people being carried away by the Nian beast. I don't know if they simply disappeared or were actually carried away."

No wonder, the custom that has never been heard of in other places can be observed to such an extent here.

Chu Wuji pondered for a moment, and finally asked, "That daughter of the Gong family jumped into the well. Where is the well?"

Xiaohong glanced at the sky outside. It was already completely dark, with only a few rays of setting sun remaining on the horizon. She said:

"It's dark now, so it's inconvenient to go out. Tomorrow I'll take you to the well. It's on the town road near the mountain. There's a small courtyard with the well there. It's actually the well in the Gong family mansion, which is open to the townspeople for use."

Chu Wuji understood almost everything and said:

"Okay, give the shopkeeper a couple of sips of warm water. I won't delay you from taking care of him."

"Well, I'll take you to the guest room to rest. Pick the best room. There's no business now, but the rooms are all clean!"

Xiaohong was very quick and nimble. After taking Chu Wuzhi to rest, she brought him one meat meal and one vegetable meal, and filled a basin of hot water for him to wash his face and feet. Then she went to look after the shopkeeper and prepared to rest.

At this time, in Lihuo Capital, the streets would probably still be about 70% bustling, but in Chizhao Town, there was only silence.

Looking out the window, if it weren't for a few houses with lights on, one would probably mistake it for a deserted town.

"I kind of want to just slip out and take a look at the well to see if there are any ghosts left there."

He was not too worried about being targeted by the Nian beast. He even hoped that the beast would come to him on its own, saving him the trouble of gathering intelligence.

"A cultivator is flying over." The white snake mother in the sleeve reminded.

"Let me see."

The window of the room just happened to be able to see the direction of the Gong family mansion. When the night fell completely dark, several figures flying on swords flew across the sky and landed in the courtyard of the Gong family mansion.

Not long after, a few firecrackers were heard over there, and then there was no movement. They must have gone into the living room to discuss something.

Aunt Green Snake urged, "Let's go, let's go check out the well first, then we can sneak over to the Gong family's ancestral hall and ask their ancestors for details!"

"Will this cause conflict between the Shenxiao Sect and Kongtong Mountain?"

"You're a solitary cultivator, what business does the Divine Sky Sect have with you? If all else fails, just say you're a bodyguard from the Western Regions. When you're out and about, you give yourself the identity you want!"

"It seems so!"

Chu Wuzhi felt that what his aunt said made sense.

He jumped out of the inn and flew through the dark night. Soon he found the well that Xiaohong mentioned.

Chapter 190: Fortune is the return of things to their original owners

Gong Mansion,

After Chu Wuzhi left, the Gong family members were still guarding the gate. They did not resume their conversation until the figure with white hair and black robe left.

The wife of the minister, who was dressed in bright and elegant clothes, was shivering slightly from the cold, but she still maintained the elegance that came from the capital.

"Second clan leader, why are you so lenient to that little wild cultivator and even give him a gold ingot? Our Gong family attaches so much importance to a wild cultivator, isn't it a disgrace to our ancestors?" Taking advantage of her anger towards the wild cultivator, she stomped her feet, stretched her body and warmed her feet.

The second patriarch didn't want to ruin the atmosphere, but thinking of the attitude of the daughter-in-law just now, he had to lecture her and scolded her:

"He's a wild cultivator, but he possesses magical powers. The Gong family has produced immortals, but that was the ability of our ancestors, not you! If you speak carelessly to a wild cultivator, he'll bear a grudge and kill you on the spot, implicating the entire clan. Who can stop him? Who can afford it?"

The assistant minister's wife frowned, feeling unhappy. She thought that when she was in the capital, even the wealthy ladies with higher official titles than her had to show her some respect, but now she was being scolded by this old man from the countryside.

But the clan rules were there, and the Minister's wife didn't dare to show it too obviously. She reminded lightly:

"The Gong family has connections with the immortals of Kongtong Mountain. Any knowledgeable people in Tianji Country know that if a wild cultivator dares to attack us, aren't they afraid of the wrath of the immortal sect?"

The steward couldn't help but frown when he heard what the young lady said, but his status prevented him from talking to her.

Some of the Gong family's younger generation, who were proud and arrogant, also felt that the Minister's wife's words made sense. If word got out that they were showing such respect to a humble cultivator, wouldn't they be laughed at by others?

The second patriarch had been very anxious because the immortal had not arrived for a long time. Now, listening to the words of his wife, he really had a headache. After taking a deep breath to calm himself, he said:

"Ye Xiu wiped out our entire clan, and Kongtong Mountain was furious. What then? Will we be resurrected? Ye Xiu paid with his life, but can we be brought back to life?

Taking a gold ingot to make a good relationship and sending this wild cultivator away, would that be a big loss for us? Would it cost you your flesh?

The assistant minister's wife was speechless. She subconsciously wanted to argue with the old country man, but she couldn't think of how to say it.