Chapter Ninety-Two: A Village in the Mountains (Fourth Update)

The little wolf demon, whether it had sensed something exceptional in Xu Cheng or had some other reason of its own, simply led the wolf pack away.

"Could that little wolf demon have actually cultivated the immortal path? It just left like that!"

Juhua clearly did not believe it, as though the sun had risen in the west.

"Isn't it a good thing to have taken the immortal path?"

Xu Cheng answered offhandedly.

"No!" Juhua looked up at the sky, wanting to drop the matter.

With the danger that had not quite been a danger now gone, the three continued onward.

Xu Cheng still wanted to complete the task entrusted to him by Daoist Master Tian Gui: to find the person she had never forgotten. For now, he could only rely on luck.

After walking along the mountain path, they came upon a village, neither large nor small. At the entrance stood a stone stele bearing the words Longning Village.

Perhaps because strangers had arrived, a dog chained at the gate barked furiously at Xu Cheng and the others.

"Three of you, what business brings you to Longning Village so late at night?"

Before long, a burly man came out and barked the question at them.

"We're just passing through your village. Since it's already so late, might we rest here for the night?"

Xu Cheng put on an innocent expression. He had no desire to quarrel with ordinary villagers.

"Second Cui! Second Cui!"

The man shouted back toward the house behind him.

From a lit house not far away came a voice, "What are you shouting for? I'm busy!"

Xu Cheng, with the memory of a past life, instantly understood what that meant. The other two had cultivated for far longer than he had, so they understood as well, though neither paid the detail any mind.

"What time is it, and you're still busy with that? Get out here!"

The man before Xu Cheng replied.

"All right, all right, stop rushing me. I'm coming!"

Inside, the one called Second Cui made a rustling commotion, apparently dressing himself.

Not long after, a skinny man came out, muttering curses all the while. "Rushing, rushing, what are you rushing for? Trying to be reincarnated, are you?"

"Guests have come. Don't you have plenty of empty rooms? Let me earn you some lodging money."

The earlier man muttered under his breath.

"Oh, so that's how it is! Three honored guests, my place may be shabby, but for lodging, it's the only one within ten miles!"

Second Cui said at once, his eyes gleaming with shrewd calculation.

"Shabby doesn't matter. As long as we can stay the night."

Xu Cheng tossed out a small piece of silver and gestured for him to lead the way.

When Second Cui saw the silver, delight filled his heart. But the moment he noticed the immense size of Yan Mengdie, his expression twisted as if he had swallowed a mouthful of grease, ugly beyond words.

Still, he led Xu Cheng and the others into his house.

In a remote little village, the houses were only mud-brick structures. In terms of conditions, they were scarcely better than some desolate ancient temple.

The bed was laid with straw, and the floor could only be called reasonably clean.

A few plain chairs. That was all the room Second Cui had arranged for the three of them.

"If you need anything, tell me. I'll make sure it's taken care of! I've got to get back to my business!"

After saying this at the doorway, Second Cui trotted off at a run.

Through the single window, Xu Cheng saw the fellow snuff out the oil lamp, and soon afterward faint, lewd sounds drifted in.

Annoyed by the racket, Yan Mengdie extended a hand and made several pointing motions. A series of butterfly imprints surrounded the room where the three of them were staying, and every sound was instantly sealed away.

"What sort of spell is this?" Xu Cheng asked with interest.

"You don't know? Your knowledge of cultivation is far too meager."

Yan Mengdie's tone was matter-of-fact. A while back, Xu Cheng had even led them around the Blackwater Cult's demonic runes, yet she had assumed he knew these things.

"When a cultivator reaches the Primordial Spirit Realm and communes with their own arts, they form a natal imprint. When these natal imprints are laid out around an area and linked together, they become a barrier, capable of muffling sound, concealing presence, and even protecting the body."

"A natal imprint?"

As he spoke, Xu Cheng focused his mind and tried to communicate with his three Yellow Springs immortal arts.

Within the sea of consciousness, what he first saw was the dharma aspect formed by the fusion of his three immortal arts. After a moment, the dharma aspect contracted and became a black flame imprint.

Then he opened his eyes, and the imprint appeared in the palm of his hand.

"So that's another means at my disposal!" Xu Cheng said with great excitement.

He then took out the large amount of rewards he had received and said generously, "Come, come. Take whatever you like."

At that moment, Yan Mengdie's eyes lit up. Everything before her was treasure. Merely from the scent of the pills alone, she knew they were capable of nourishing and strengthening the Primordial Spirit. As for the magical treasures, most had been refined as gifts for outstanding disciples of various sects, and naturally they were all excellent items.

Every glittering magical treasure was swept into Yan Mengdie's spatial art, and the remainder was divided between Xu Cheng and Juhua.

Juhua wore a wry smile. Since there was no harm in taking what was offered, he first picked out a jade belt, on which coiled a dragon wreathed in flames. It could be used offensively; with a flow of spiritual power, it would transform into a massive fire dragon. It was a first-rate offensive treasure.

"Right Envoy, did you secretly steal the hidden hoards of several sects?" Juhua asked, unable to hold back as he picked up another manual of spells.

"If you don't speak, no one will think you're mute!"

Xu Cheng said irritably. "This is the merit we earned by taking Luzhou City. It's being divided evenly now! Do you want it or not? If not, the rest are all mine!"

"Let me take one more, just one more!"

Just as Xu Cheng was about to gather up the remaining magical treasures, pills, and spell manuals, Juhua hurriedly snatched up a jade hairpin. Upon it rested a hollow golden phoenix, exquisitely crafted.

With a few taps of his fingers and a shake of his head, Xu Cheng understood why Juhua had chosen the phoenix hairpin; it was surely meant for Qing Shu.

To keep him from changing his mind and grabbing more, Xu Cheng quickly stowed the remaining items into the space within his sleeve.

Then, as usual, he took out the Yellow Springs token and drew in the nearby ghosts.

Since this was only a small village, just three ghosts arrived, thinly and sparsely.

Juhua immediately went into his role, taking out the Book of Life and Death and checking the merits and sins of the three.

Cui Decai, merit: zero. Sins: ten.

Hu Xiangchen, merit: five. Sins: two.

Hu Yangbo, merit: one. Sins: zero.

All were exceedingly ordinary folk. Xu Cheng then asked, "Tell me, why have the three of you not gone to reincarnation?"

"I'll speak first! I'll speak first!"

The elderly man named Cui Decai said hastily.

"If you want to speak, raise your hand first!"

Xu Cheng said, adopting an air of authority.

Hu Xiangchen and Hu Yangbo seemed to be yielding to Cui Decai, and neither of them raised a hand, allowing him to go first.

"You speak!"

Xu Cheng pointed at Cui Decai.

"Ghost messenger lord, there's a silver note for one hundred taels inside my pillow. I just can't bear to leave it to my grandson."

Cui Decai looked as though he were about to cry.

"Anything else?"

Xu Cheng asked.

"No, that's it. It's only because of this matter!"

The old man replied weakly.

"And you two?" Xu Cheng looked at Hu Xiangchen and Hu Yangbo.