Jiang Shouzhong had taken another bath and was ready for bed when Yan Changqing returned, followed by a young Taoist with an ethereal presence and handso features.
"Brother Jiang!"
The young Taoist’s eyes brimd with tears as he rushed forward and hugged Jiang Shouzhong, as if he had seen a long-lost relative. "From the very first mont I saw you, Brother Jiang, I knew that you were destined to be beneath my feet in this lifeti!"
Jiang Shouzhong’s face darkened.
He pushed the other away, his gaze wary, "Are you here to steal the Taoist River Map?"
"Steal?"
Feng Yichen exclaid angrily, "Do I look like a robber to you? Or do you think I’m a beggar? I’m just trying to reclaim what’s mine! And you, my friend, are the real thief."
"Enough, let’s get to the point!"
Yan Changqing, annoyed, kicked Feng Yichen’s bottom.
The brand-new Taoist robe suddenly sported a footprint.
With a look of grievance on his face, Feng Yichen, seeing the other about to kick again, hurriedly spilled everything about the Taoist River Map.
After listening to Feng Yichen’s account, Jiang Shouzhong turned to Yan Changqing, who was sitting idly by, "Is the Taoist Ancestor’s approval really necessary?"
Yan Changqing nodded slightly, "I’ve heard it from his third master, both yin and yang symbols are Sword Spirits. If you just use them for cultivation, no test is required. But if you want to turn them into weapons, you must gain the Taoist Ancestor’s approval."
Seeing Jiang Shouzhong still sowhat puzzled, Yan Changqing explained simply,
"Sword Cultivators can create their own life sword, but only one. Inside you, naturally, there are two life swords that won’t harm your body. If they can be released to transform into swords, their power would be extraordinary."
Sword Spirit...
Jiang Shouzhong gently touched his abdon at the Dantian area, staring at Feng Yichen, "So, I need to make a trip to Zhenxuan Mountain?"
"No need, no need."
Feng Yichen waved his hands repeatedly, "I’ve already sent a ssage to Zhenxuan Mountain to have a replica of the Taoist Ancestor’s spirit remains sent here. So you don’t need to go to Zhenxuan Mountain with ; we’ll test it here when the spiritual body arrives."
They can replicate that?
Jiang Shouzhong felt enlightened.
With so worry in his heart, Yan Changqing cautioned, "Jiang Mo, you can also opt out of the test and not let the Sword Spirit manifest. After all, once your cultivation advances, there will be plenty of divine weapons for you to use."
Jiang Shouzhong understood Yan Changqing’s concerns and fell silent.
After serious thought, Jiang Shouzhong asked Feng Yichen an important question, "If I pass the Taoist Ancestor’s test, will you Zhenxuan Mountainians still continue to fight for the Taoist River Map?"
Feng Yichen shook his head, "With even the Taoist Ancestor’s approval, where would we get the audacity to compete?"
"I accept the test,"
Jiang Shouzhong declared solemnly.
Is making a corpse react difficult?
Even feigning a corpse is feasible.
Jiang Shouzhong was very open-minded. Even if luck was not on his side later and the corpse did not react, he wouldn’t mind losing the Taoist River Map.
After all, this was just so unexpected windfall, as if he had never received it.
"Courageous,"
Feng Yichen, with a radiant smile, gave a thumbs-up.
"However..." Jiang Shouzhong added, "Right now, I need your help with sothing."
"Brother Jiang, just say the word."
"Help keep an eye on soone. Don’t do anything, just watch. Also, I would like to borrow your magical powers for a mont."
——
Learning that his cousin would be coming ho the day after tomorrow, Zhang Yunwu specially went to the market to buy a duck for his wife to stew as a farewell al.
He didn’t have a big impression of this distant cousin.
Originally, he had accompanied his mother to Mo State to visit that distant uncle who made a good sum of money in the cloth business. The cousin was also a person of impressive appearance, extrely handso. Standing together, he rather looked like a country bumpkin.
At that ti, the uncle was very cold toward their family, not even offering a al.
Zhang Yunwu felt so resentnt, but his mother consoled him, saying it was already considerate to let poor relatives into their ho, as many wouldn’t even let you cross the threshold. She advised him not to harbor resentnts without reason.
Nearly a decade had passed since then.
The cousin still looked handso and wealthy, while he remained like a country bumpkin.
However, in contrast to his eldest uncle’s indifference in the past, this distant cousin was very kind; he had specifically co to visit his mother, which already made Zhang Yunwu feel very warm-hearted compared to other relatives.
After dinner, Jiang Qing voluntarily helped Ms. Zhang prepare the dicinal soup.
He also spent so ti telling stories to Zhang Yue’er, then casually remarked, "I heard that tonight at the Capital’s Huailan Lake, there is a Bathing Buddha festival hosted by the Wuchan Temple."
"A Bathing Buddha festival?"
We Zhaodi blinked her eyes in confusion.
Jiang Qing humd affirmatively, peeled a candied chestnut for Zhang Yue’er, and said,
"Wuchan Temple holds a festival every few years, and it seems that Master Du E is also present this ti. Many people plan to attend to receive the Buddha’s blessings and pray for their families.
I was originally going to leave tomorrow, but hearing about this event, I decided to stay another day to pray for my family, hoping to protect them and keep them safe."
Upon hearing the words "pray for blessings," Zhang Yunwu’s eyes lit up, "Then I will go too, to pray for blessings for my mother."
The devoted old Zhang completely forgot Jiang Shouzhong’s instruction to stay at ho at all tis.
"Good."
Jiang Qing smiled, nodding his head, and deliberately asked We Zhaodi, "Are you not going, sister-in-law?"
We Zhaodi glanced at the bubbling dicinal soup in the kitchen and replied with a graceful smile, "I’ll stay at ho to take care of mother-in-law. Let Wu take Yue’er as well. This girl has been restless these days; it will be good for her to get out and clear her mind."
Hearing that they were going to a festival, Zhang Yue’er joyfully jumped around.
Just as Jiang Qing was about to persuade Zhang Yunwu to take his daughter, he heard this and smiled even more, thinking to himself, "It seems heaven is indeed helping ."
His eyes flickered towards We Zhaodi’s voluptuous physique, feeling a surge of heat below.
Tomorrow night, he would corrupt his sister-in-law.
My conscience is truly uneasy.
——
In a daze, a new day duly arrived.
The sunrise, like a ruby disk, slowly rose over the horizon, painting the sky with waves of red light, presenting a uniquely beautiful scene.
Perhaps due to the Wuchan Temple hosting the Bathing Buddha festival, the Capital seed to be enveloped in a peaceful Buddhist aura under the dawn light, causing many Buddhist devotees to kneel beside Huailan Lake early in the morning.
Zhang Yunwu and his daughter set out in the late afternoon.
Since Zhang Yunwu had difficulty walking, Jiang Qing specifically arranged for a horse-drawn carriage, which made Zhang Yunwu feel rather embarrassed and inclined to refuse. However, seeing his daughter’s excitent, he accepted his cousin’s kindness.
"Sister-in-law, we’ll be leaving then."
Dressed in a white robe, the ethereal-looking Jiang Qing got into the carriage and waved to We Zhaodi,
"Don’t worry, I will take good care of Yue’er and cousin. Oh, and don’t waste the silver fungus and lotus seed soup; I bought the ingredients from Yangfei Pavilion. It nourishes the skin, and cousin will treasure you even more in the future."
We Zhaodi’s eyes curved into crescents, and she nodded her head, "Okay, I know."
She walked to the carriage window, looked at her jubilant daughter, and said sternly, "Yue’er, you must stick close to your father at Huailan Lake, don’t run around, and don’t let your father buy you snacks, do you hear ?"
"Oh, I understand, mother."
Zhang Yue’er imdiately cald down and obediently nodded her head. She thought to herself, if father doesn’t buy, my uncle surely will.
As she watched the carriage slowly drive away, We Zhaodi turned and entered the house.
After tidying up the house a bit, recalling the silver fungus and lotus seed soup Jiang Qing personally prepared in the kitchen, she served herself a bowl.
The soup was gently sweet and carried a hint of dicinal fragrance.
"Does it really nourish the skin?"
She touched her cheek and served herself another bowl.
...
Outside a small alley next to Zhao Wancang’s house, Jiang Shouzhong watched the departing carriage and muttered quietly, "It seems it will happen tonight."
"The soup obviously has sothing wrong with it, won’t you stop it?"
Feng Yichen beside him frowned and asked.
Jiang Shouzhong shook his head, "Continue watching, do nothing, I’ll go find the boss. Whether it will succeed depends on tonight."
Reviews
All reviews (0)