Chapter 127

Chapter 124

At the entrance of Stone Table Village stands a large stone table with a chessboard carved into its surface and six stone stools beneath it.

Legend has it that during the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty, two Taoist priests wandered here and were suddenly inspired to play chess. They carved the mountain rock into a table and chairs and invited the little ghosts from all directions to gather and watch.

One game of chess lasted for three days and three nights.

After the game ended, the two Taoist priests disappeared without a trace, and the little ghosts no longer bothered the villagers. Thus, the place found peace.

Nowadays, the four corners of the stone table are cracked, the patterns on its surface have been eroded by wind and are blurred, and only two of the six stone stools remain. A locust tree that grew beside the original stone table has matured, its roots growing increasingly thick and twisted, pressing and tilting the tabletop.

A group of old men and women sat beneath the locust tree, some knitting clothes, some mending shoe soles, some smoking dry tobacco and coughing, occasionally chatting a few sentences, but without much enthusiasm.

Looking from afar, you can't quite see them clearly, because the old people's skin is almost the same color as the bark of the old locust tree.

Even when walking closer, if you don't look carefully, you might mistake them for just a cluster of old tree roots.

Zhao Mengyao, wearing long sleeves, a hat, and a scarf, dragged a suitcase as she walked past here.

The elders under the locust tree all stood up. Although the person approaching was completely wrapped up, her face wasn't exposed, but just looking at her clothes and figure, they could recognize which family's girl she was.

"Zhao family girl, back home?"

"Why didn't you let your grandfather come pick you up?"

"Didn't your grandfather just leave the village the day before yesterday? Didn't you come back together?"

"Have you eaten yet?"

Unlike the elders in other villages who show concern and greeting to the younger generation, the elders here revealed a touch of caution and flattery towards Zhao Mengyao.

There is only one family named Zhao in Stone Table Village, living at the east end of the village.

Currently, people who have made money in the village are eagerly building two-story or even three-story Western-style houses, but the old Zhao family hasn't built upwards but has expanded outwards, adding courtyard after courtyard, transforming the original brick and tile bungalows into several courtyards.

It is said that building houses that occupy land in this way does not comply with regulations, but the old Zhao family first supports the widows and orphans in the village, and second adopts abandoned children from nearby. In reality, they have opened a nursing home and an orphanage in their own home, so expanding and building houses is also blameless.

This group of elders under the locust tree, after a few years, will likely have to shamelessly go to the old Zhao family to beg for three meals a day.

The old Zhao family is not prosperous in terms of population. Counting four generations upwards, they have an old ancestor, who is the oldest person in the current village. That year, she married a son-in-law, gave birth to one son, the son gave birth to only one daughter, who again married a son-in-law, and gave birth to a pair of twin siblings, one of whom is Zhao Mengyao.

Nowadays, only the old ancestor, her son Old Zhao, and this pair of twin siblings are left in the Zhao family.

Clearly four generations of people, yet only four remain.

The old Zhao family is wealthy. Legend has it that during the Republic of China era, the old ancestor of the Zhao family was invited by a certain warlord to divine and tell fortunes. Later, when the warlord retreated to Tianjin as a private citizen, he specifically arranged for people to send the old ancestor back to Stone Table Village, and several boxes of gold and silver also returned with her.

After the founding of the nation, the old Zhao family did hand over some things, but everyone in the village spread the word that the true family fortune was buried underground long ago. Indeed, as soon as the political wind changed, the old Zhao family prospered again.

But even without the hidden gold and silver legend, the old ancestor of the Zhao family and her son, Old Zhao, are famous fortune tellers in a radius of ten miles. The mother and son usually do not receive ordinary customers. About every other month, either people in full Jianghu attire come to seek worship, or small cars and jeeps drive directly into the village. How could the money they collect be small?

Zhao Mengyao pushed open the door of her home and walked through the courtyard. Under the corridor of the east wing room sat a row of elders, each with a gray and defeated expression, neither noisy nor loud, just quietly staying there.

Over at the west wing room was the orphanage, where several children with obvious intellectual disabilities, crooked mouths, and slanted eyes were playing, adding some movement to the place, making it no longer so deathly silent.

From inside both the east and west wing rooms came a strong smell of fried medicine. If you walked in at this time, you would be sure to find many, whether elders or children, lying in bed suffering from illness.

It's normal for elders to have illnesses as they age, and among the abandoned infants, there is no shortage of male infants, many with congenital diseases, and the probability of early death is even higher.

Thus, the old Zhao family often has funerals, vacating positions, yet this does not cause suspicion from outsiders. After all, widows, orphans, and abandoned infants, no one really cares.

Zhao Mengyao has disliked the smell inside her home since she was a child. That pungent and rotten smell often drove her crazy, making her wish she could set fire to both the east and west wing rooms and burn them all down.

Even when she grew a little older and knew the use of these people, her heart still felt aversion.

Fortunately, her great-grandmother was very enlightened, not only letting her study but also allowing her to take exams outside, only hoping that she could bring a man with a good appearance and a thick fortune to marry into the family later.

"Mengyao, why are you back?"

It was her brother who asked. The two were clearly twins, born one after the other, but her brother Zhao Xilu had a kind of vicissitude that was close to thirty years old.

At this time, Zhao Xilu was frying medicine. There were a total of eight small stoves in front of him, and he held a fan in each hand, busy and happy.

Against the wall behind Zhao Xilu, there was a woman covered in dirt, tied with chains. She was a madwoman who hugged a rag doll all day long and fed it milk.

In the eyes of outsiders, the Zhao family was kind-hearted and adopted her.

But in fact, Zhao Mengyao knew that when she was just in high school, this woman had been pregnant twice for her brother Zhao Xilu, giving birth to a boy and a girl respectively, but the first one died before it was even a hundred days old, and the second one didn't even live for a full month.

The woman went mad, so she was locked up here.

When Zhao Xilu got up in the morning, he would lead her to the courtyard to bask in the sun. When he returned to the room in the evening, he would lead her back inside.

Zhao Mengyao disliked this brother, although he always treated her well, but she just felt that her brother was hypocritical and heartless, not as straightforward and kind as herself.

Clearly, there were people at home to help, but her brother still did everything himself every day.

If she didn't know exactly what those things were used for, then forget it, but it was precisely because her brother was very clear and his talent in casting curses was much higher than hers.

But at this point, she could only express her grievances to her brother with a cry:

"Brother, I was cursed by someone."

Saying that, Zhao Mengyao took off her hat, rolled up her sleeves, and exposed that piece of ulcerated skin.

Seeing the situation, Zhao Xilu jumped in surprise and hurried forward to check.

"How did you do this?"

"I was cursed by someone."

"Grandfather? Didn't grandfather go to find you?"

"Didn't grandfather come back with you?"

"No, didn't you see grandfather?"

"I saw him, but I thought grandfather just went home after letting me sign those two alimony agreements."

"You..." Zhao Xilu frowned, "Mengyao, go sit in the room first."

"Great-grandmother, I want to see great-grandmother."

"Great-grandmother is seeing guests, she doesn't have time now."

"I'm already like this, what guests are more important than me?"

"People from the main family have come."

"Main family?"

Zhao Mengyao was stunned. She had heard of the matters of the main family. The ancestral hall at home was enshrined in two rows. One row was empty, and the other row was for her own parents and grandmother, who could only be placed in the lower corner.

The central empty position was left for the main family. Even if the main family's tablets could not be placed, they still had to leave a position for them.

When she was a child, Zhao Mengyao still didn't understand and asked: "Why can't we put the main family's tablets?"

Her great-grandmother smiled darkly and replied: "Because the main family dislikes us as unlucky."

The main family was in Jiujiang. Unlike the small branch family of Stone Table Zhao, the main family Jiujiang Zhao was the true master of Jianghu. During the Qing Dynasty, they produced a Dragon King.

But according to the rules of Jianghu, if only one person in the clan achieves success in Jianghu or there are no successors for a hundred years before and after, then the family plaque of this Dragon King is still not qualified to be hung up.

Therefore, the main family only called themselves the Jiujiang Zhao clan, but did not call themselves the Dragon King Zhao.

Sometimes, if the family foundation is not strong enough, forcibly hanging the Dragon King plaque can easily invite disaster.

"Then what...what should I do..."

"Mengyao, I told you, go to my room and wait first, I'll be right there."

"Okay."

Zhao Mengyao could only go into the courtyard first, walk over the corridor, pass through the small door, and come to her brother's room in the back yard.

The arrangement inside was very simple. The north side was the study, the middle was the living room, and the south side was the bedroom.

Under the old-fashioned wooden bed in the bedroom, there was still a nest, and in front of the nest were placed a grain basin and a water basin.

Not long after, the room door was pushed open again, and Zhao Xilu led the woman in.

"Mengyao, take off your clothes."

Zhao Mengyao hesitated a little.

Zhao Xilu took a deep breath: "Then I won't care about you, brother."

"Don't, brother, you must help me."

Zhao Mengyao took off her clothes. As she took them off, the corners of her mouth twitched incessantly, because many of the ulcerated areas were stuck to her clothes, and taking off her clothes felt like tearing off a layer of skin.

"Mengyao, come into my study."

Zhao Mengyao walked into her brother's study.

Inside the study, the altar table, incense burner, and candles were already set up.

Zhao Xilu repeatedly roasted a black needle in the candle flame, then inserted it into the incense burner ash to stir, finally took it out, walked to Zhao Mengyao, and directly stabbed it into her forehead.

"Pain..."

"Endure it."

After the needle tip was inserted, Zhao Xilu beckoned to the woman on the ground.

The woman crawled over, came to Zhao Mengyao's feet, opened her mouth, and bit down on Zhao Mengyao's ankle.

"Ah..."

"Endure it, sister."

Zhao Mengyao lowered her head, looked at this woman, and her eyes revealed resentment and hatred.

The woman was sucking.

Gradually, the ulcerated areas on Zhao Mengyao's body began to contract, dry skin appeared, and there was obvious improvement, while many ulcerated areas appeared on the woman's body.

Zhao Mengyao felt more disgusted with this brother of hers. He actually cultivated the woman who had given birth to two children for him into a container for curses.

The role of this container was to transfer the curses imposed on people to her own body, and in addition, it could also transfer toxins.

The woman opened her mouth, lay prostrate on the ground, panting heavily, and fresh blood overflowed from her mouth non-stop.

Zhao Xilu stretched out his foot and kicked the woman, scolding: "Go out and cough up blood, don't make it dirty here."

The woman immediately crawled out.

"Mengyao, are you okay now?"

"Brother, I'm much better."

"Um, you rest here for a while now. I'll go see if great-grandmother is done over there."

Zhao Xilu left the room and came to the main room in the back yard. The door of the main room was already open, meaning the guest visit was over.

As soon as he entered the main room, Zhao Xilu saw a gloomy young man sitting there, similar in age to himself. The youth's brow had a cracked wound, which seemed like an old wound, yet it looked like it had just scabbed over.

Behind the youth, an elder was drinking tea with his great-grandmother.

Great-grandmother was very old, but she still looked spirited, with many black hairs mixed in with her white hair.

"Xilu, come see the young master of the main family, Yi, and also see Uncle Tian from the main family."

"Yes, great-grandmother."

Zhao Xilu first bowed to the gloomy youth: "Greetings, Young Master Yi."

Just after bowing, Zhao Xilu saw the other party slowly turn his head and put his gaze on himself.

The wound in the gloomy youth's brow seemed to be wriggling.

A mocking smile appeared at the corner of the youth's mouth:

"You are really thoroughly dirty."

Although Zhao Xilu felt displeased in his heart, his face showed nothing. He turned and bowed to the elder: "Greetings, Uncle Tian."

Young Master Yi was certainly surnamed Zhao, and this uncle should be a household servant from the main family.

The elder smiled and waved his hand, saying: "Alright, the disturbance is over, I should also go."

"How can it be a disturbance? We are family, we should visit each other more often. I'll see you out."

"No need, stay. Since we are going to visit each other more often, let's not be burdened by formalities."

The elder walked to the youth's side, first wrapped the youth's forehead with a cloth strip, then bent over, carried the youth on his back, and walked out of the main room.

After they left, Zhao Xilu couldn't help but ask curiously: "Great-grandmother, why did people from the main family suddenly come?"

"That Young Master Yi is sick. His brow center has an open heavenly eye, like a crack in the gate of life and death, neither yin nor yang, indistinguishable from human and ghost. Originally, he was a deformity that died in the womb, but he was born and lived until today.

The people of the main family want to find a method for him, to suppress the gate of life and death, and make it truly alive. They have indeed used many methods in recent years, but the effects have not been good. That's why they thought of our distant relatives and wanted to come and seek a method to break the situation with curse techniques."

"Then, great-grandmother, do you have a method?"

"There is naturally a method. Just suppress the door with a crooked method. Why must we stick to using living or dead energy? We just need to cast a substitute wrongful death curse and use the life of others to suppress it, then the gate of life and death will also be closed."

"This is indeed a good method."

"But they don't agree."

"Why?"

"They say they don't want to use this kind of method that harms others, fearing that they won't be able to get rid of the relationship later."

"What's so bad about not being able to get rid of it? Don't we have the method to get rid of it in our family?"

"I think the main family plans to let that Young Master Yi walk Jiang with a lamp."

"Walk Jiang?"

"Since he's walking Jiang, he can't touch these things, fearing problems during the walk. Oh, right, why did you come to see me?"

"Mengyao is back, and her body seems to be cursed. I just helped her resolve it."

"Didn't your grandfather help her resolve it?"

"This is the strange part, grandfather didn't come back with her."

"What?" Great-grandmother's eyes revealed doubt, "Call Mengyao in, I want to ask in detail."

"I'll go now."

Not long after, Zhao Mengyao was brought in by Zhao Xilu.

"Great-grandmother..."

As soon as Zhao Mengyao entered the room, she started crying and knelt down, hugging her great-grandmother's legs.

She didn't like her great-grandmother's smell. She didn't look very old, but her body had a rotten smell, especially at close range, which broke through the suppression of the powder and made people even more nauseous.

But she was very clear that she could live happily in this home, she could willfully take a human skin curse object to go to university, all relying on her great-grandmother's support.

"Get up, and tell me properly, what exactly happened."

"Yes, great-grandmother."

Zhao Mengyao narrated the matter once.

She used a lot of time to describe how Zhou Yunyun bullied her and her classmates, describing her casting a curse on Zhou Yunyun as a counterattack under unbearable circumstances.

Great-grandmother patiently listened to the nonsense in the beginning, but when she heard the last part, great-grandmother's eyes immediately revealed a fierce light.

"Slap!"

A slap landed heavily on Zhao Mengyao's face.

"Great-grandmother!"

Zhao Mengyao looked at the old woman in front of her in disbelief, and her voice also rose.

"Slap."

Another slap, this time even more ruthless, and Zhao Mengyao fell to the ground.

"Fool, fool, fool!!!"

Great-grandmother consecutively scolded three times: "Since your grandfather didn't come back, he must have received the blood boat you burned. According to the temperament of our family, I'm afraid he has already gone to settle accounts.

But since you went to the hospital during the day and saw that Zhou Yunyun was not dead, and was still recovering well in the hospital bed, you should be clear that your grandfather is in trouble!

Since even your grandfather couldn't block the other side's hand, what right do you have to live on?

What kind of curse is this?

People are just teasing you and playing around, waiting for you, this fool, to lead them home!"

Great-grandmother immediately looked at Zhao Xilu: "Quick, go and invite your Uncle Tian and Young Master Yi back!"

"Yes, great-grandmother."

Zhao Xilu immediately ran out. Not long after, he came back with a panicked expression: "Great-grandmother, Young Master Yi and Uncle Tian have already disappeared. I'm afraid they have already left the village and gone far."

Great-grandmother Zhao Juanhua heard the words and leaned back on the Taishi chair.

Zhao Mengyao still covered her face and sat on the ground. This was the first time her great-grandmother had hit her in her memory. No matter how naughty she was and caused trouble in her childhood, great-grandmother rarely said harsh words to her and showed obvious favoritism towards her brother.

Zhao Xilu comforted her: "Great-grandmother, grandfather might not necessarily be in trouble. It's possible he was delayed by other matters. You see, grandfather hasn't been out for a long time, and they all say the outside world has changed a lot. I'm afraid grandfather is also confused.

Even in the worst case, if people truly come to our door, this is Stone Table Village, and our home is Stone Table Zhao. Outsiders cannot act presumptuously."

Zhao Juanhua covered her forehead with her left hand and waved her right hand: "That Zhou Yunyun who was cursed by this fool is from Nantong. Since people sent a message to this fool about Li the corpse collector from Nantong, it means they have already figured out that this fool did it.

People made an appointment with this fool to meet and ask for an explanation. This fool didn't go, but do you think people just planned to leave?

I'm afraid people saw through her being a fool long ago and just thought of using this fool to fish.

It just so happened that your grandfather had already set out because this fool used the human skin curse object arbitrarily, and people were nearby, so they were truly fished up.

After fishing the fish, people were still not satisfied and continued to use this fool as a lead string, again marking the time and place for a meeting.

Heh,

Again and again, the actions are so standard. Do you really think it's for this fool to see me?

People walk '堂堂正正' every step of the way, just walking for the heavenly way to see.

What kind of people, you say, will use this 'walk way'?"

Zhao Xilu was unable to answer.

"Go arrange wine and prepare the banquet. Since people have the confidence to come this way, then I... will also first kneel down in posture."

...

Old Man Tian first carried his young master and walked out of Old Zhao's house. As soon as they were out of the Zhao family's door, they started running wildly.

After running out of the village, they deliberately didn't take the main road and specifically ran towards the streams in the fields.

They ran until their bodies started to sweat before slowing down. He could still run, but the young master on his back couldn't stand the jolting anymore.

"Young master, are you alright?"

"I'm still fine..."

"Young master, that place is dirty and unbearable. It's no wonder you don't like it there. I don't like it either, I feel suffocated."

"It is dirty. Refining curse objects with living people; relying on supporting widows and orphans and adopting children as mediums to transfer curse backlash.

These methods, this branch has played clearly."

"So, that year, our main family gave up this branch. This was during the time of our Zhao family Dragon King, a decision personally made, and family rules were set that future generations of the main family are not allowed to practice curse techniques.

If it weren't for your body problems, young master, the family head wouldn't have let me carry you here to try your luck.

But it's also strange. This branch has been separated for so many years, and originally when they got the location of Stone Table Village, they thought it would be a Zhao family village, but who knew that after coming here, they found that the surname Zhao was only in this one household, and the population was actually so small."

Zhao Yi: "That old woman borrows the life of her blood relatives to sustain herself. How can the population not be small?"

"This..." Old Man Tian's face showed shock, "She actually did that!"

"Young master, this branch, we can't touch it again."

"I understand, young master, don't worry. After going back, I will report to the family head. If we don't break ties with this kind of branch, I'm afraid it will also become a big hidden trouble when you walk Jiang later.

For your success in walking Jiang, maybe we should please the family head..."

"No need. When we came in earlier, we saw that Zhao Xilu. That Zhao Xilu and that old woman are the same kind of people, thoroughly dirty, actually not leaving much white space.

But the second time I saw him, his face was actually steaming with wrongful death qi, and that qi was also transferring to that old woman's body.

This branch is probably going to suffer a great disaster."

"So, young master, you just let me run out quickly?" "Um, if we don't run, could we stay and help them block the disaster?"

"Do they even deserve it? Bah!"

"But this illness of mine, I'm afraid it's very hard to find a suitable method. I also want to walk Jiang for the family, alas."

"Young master, don't worry. If we can't find a method downwards, the family head will go upwards to seek. Although our Jiujiang Zhao family is a famous Jianghu family, this Jiang water is surging, hiding dragons and crouching tigers.

If it really doesn't work, just go seek out a proper Dragon King family. That kind of family has a deep foundation and should have a method to help you cure your illness, young master."

"Grandfather Tian, how can that kind of true Dragon King family be easily climbed? Besides, why would they spend their foundation to cure my illness, just so that I can walk Jiang later?

I have seen the notes left by that Dragon King ancestor. The road of walking Jiang, suppressing, may not only be those evil spirits. Sometimes, suppressing people is not necessarily less than evil spirits."

"Young master, as for other Dragon King families, they might not be, but there are two families... no, two families, which might be possible."

"Oh?"

"Those two families had a marriage alliance that was originally on fire, but it was suddenly interrupted. Although their status is still noble now, essentially, they are now just relying on orphans and widows to keep the plaque from falling.

Originally, look!

Young master, your body's illness is also an opportunity and qualification. If the family head leads you to their door, seeks a dry relative, or even seeks a marriage alliance, even if it's entering by marriage.

Depending on that old lady's temperament, I'm afraid she will put the foundation on your body, young master, and help you walk Jiang and rise to power."

"Heh... hehe..."

"Young master, what are you laughing at?"

"Eating an absolute household, and still eating two generations of Dragon King family absolute households. You really dare to think, aren't you afraid of choking to death?"

"Young master, things are made by man. Opportunities are always fought for."

"Um, people who seek death also run with all their might."

"Young master, your mentality..."

"If you really want this plan, then go plan. I think I don't need to walk Jiang. I'll just stay at home, eat, drink, and play, and wait for the family to be exterminated. It won't be in vain to have come to this world once."

"Young master..." Old Man Tian still wanted to say something, but he saw a puff of smoke rising in front of him. Looking closely again, someone was making a fire by the river and cooking in the wild.

"Grandfather Tian, I'm hungry. Let's go buy something to eat. I smell the fragrance of roasted sweet potatoes."

...

"The sweet potatoes are roasted well."

Li Zhuoyuan took a wooden stick and poked out the sweet potatoes.

Runsheng walked over, took several, and then squatted back down.

Lin Shuyou saw the situation, also came over and took several, and also squatted back down.

They were one person in one direction, each squatting on a small slope, used for observing and alerting to their surroundings.

Tan Wenbin and Yin Meng had already entered the village to investigate the Zhao family in the village.

One was clumsy with words, and the other was unrestrained with his mouth, accompanying Li Zhuoyuan here.

Actually, everyone's bags contained dry rations, such as compressed biscuits, dehydrated vegetables, etc. After every action, as long as there was consumption, they would replenish them immediately upon returning.

Mainly, this stuff really doesn't taste good.

Plus, there wasn't much to do at this time, so they just bought some sweet potatoes from a nearby farmer, roasted them while chatting and killing time.

Some things are only suitable for doing when the night is dark and the wind is high.

Runsheng: "Someone's coming."

Li Zhuoyuan lightly blew on the sweet potato in his hand, stood up, and looked in that direction.

He saw an old man carrying a young man, walking along the field ridge towards here.

The youth's head was wrapped in cloth, like how rural women dress during confinement.

Li Zhuoyuan's gaze fell, and he noticed the elder's footsteps.

It had just rained here last night, and he himself had spent some effort looking for dry firewood earlier. The field was naturally a bit muddy, but the old man, carrying the weight of an adult, didn't leave footprints every time his cloth shoes landed.

This meant that the other side practiced proper internal martial arts and had internal energy.

Runsheng also practiced internal martial arts, but Runsheng's was the "internal" that came from hard training.

Li Zhuoyuan took a bite of sweet potato and said: "Prepare to fight."

They were both seeking revenge at the door, and it was the other side's territory. They also encountered someone practicing martial arts, and it was daytime. Everyone was far away and could see each other. If it were night, they would probably directly knock the other side down first and then distinguish their identity.

Runsheng picked up the Yellow River shovel and stood in front of Li Zhuoyuan.

Lin Shuyou picked up the trident, did not compete with Runsheng for the front position, but stood slightly to the side of Li Zhuoyuan.

Opposite, Old Man Tian saw the situation and couldn't help but stop his steps, saying doubtfully: "Ah, what, looks like they are going to fight?"

Zhao Yi: "Um."

"For me, a roasted sweet potato."

"Grandfather Tian, next time you walk, don't be afraid of getting your shoes dirty."

Old Man Tian's face turned slightly red when he heard the words.

"That person is carrying a Yellow River shovel." Zhao Yi patted Old Man Tian's shoulder, "Grandfather Tian, put me down."

"Young master, I think it's better not to contact them yet."

"Now, even if we turn around and walk away, I'm afraid they won't let us go."

"Young master, you'd better give me some confidence."

"Grandfather Tian, I have confidence in you, but you don't see me. Those young people opposite are much younger than me."

"Um?" Old Man Tian said very puzzled, "What does this mean?"

"In Jianghu, the younger the age, the more difficult it is to provoke."

Zhao Yi got down from Old Man Tian's body. He didn't have a big problem with his body, but he lacked a sense of balance when walking and had to rely on someone to support him.

After narrowing the distance again, Zhao Yi gently pushed Old Man Tian away and started to bow.

He saw him pat his chest on the left and right with both hands, then immediately point both thumbs to his brow center respectively, and finally cross both hands on his chest:

"Chest facing Nine Jiang, gallbladder shining Xunyang, qi covering Lushan, spirit facing Poyang. Nine Jiang Zhao clan, here greets fellow travelers!"

After finishing a set of rituals and saying a set of words, the youth felt dizzy and his body swayed. The old man behind him wanted to support him but didn't dare, and could only secretly worry. Fortunately, after swaying for a while, the youth barely managed to regain his balance.

Surname Zhao?

Runsheng's clothes suddenly bulged up, then immediately adhered tightly to his body, and then bulged again, vaguely emitting the sound of wind howling.

Lin Shuyou's eyes glared, and he slowly raised his head, gripping his left hand into a fist and holding the trident in his right hand, emitting an obscure sound from his throat, forcibly performing divination without revealing his face.

Old Man Tian immediately circled to Zhao Yi's front, flung his arms behind his back, and two daggers slid out, held in a reverse grip.

His gaze first scanned Runsheng's body, then stopped on Lin Shuyou's body.

"What... what does this person want to do?"

"He's preparing to perform divination to summon a god. It's a traditional system in the Southern coastal area, I don't know if it's the Eight Generals or the Official Generals Head."

"Young master, since it's a technique to invite a god, it's better to wait a while."

"It's just that strong man, his aura is too thick. I'm old, and my qi and blood are insufficient. I'm afraid I can't exhaust him."

"Grandfather Tian, didn't you just ask me to give you more confidence?"

"How would I know that going out to roast sweet potatoes by the river, I would meet these two monsters?

Young master, if we really fight, the only opportunity is for me to circle around and hold that young person captive. The other side will probably also come to capture you, and then we will exchange people by holding each other captive.

This is the only method."

Zhao Yi sighed: "The only method, it's gone."

Old Man Tian was stunned because the young people opposite were constantly backing away, opening up a safe distance, and the person preparing to summon a god was actually following that young person, left and right.

While he was judging their lineup, they were also judging his lineup, which was an old man bringing a sick seedling.

Leaving the most consumable person to consume this old man, the young master who was a sick seedling couldn't even run.

"This..."

Zhao Yi: "Grandfather Tian, next time don't say your plans so openly."

"Young master, I already spoke very quietly."

"But their hearing is good."

"Ah, this sweet potato is really expensive."

Zhao Yi raised his hands, again towards the front, circled over Old Man Tian, and was about to open his mouth to say something, when suddenly his foot slipped.

"Splosh!"

He fell directly face down into the field.

Lin Shuyou tilted his head, seeming to finally see someone even stupider and more ridiculous than himself, and immediately seized the opportunity to say: "Heh, is he doing comedy?"

Beside him, Li Zhuoyuan said: "He deliberately fell to break the solemn atmosphere."

Lin Shuyou silently closed his mouth. Fine, he made a fool of himself again.

Old Man Tian put away his daggers and helped Zhao Yi, who was covered in mud, up.

"Young master, I should have brought a few more people from home when I knew you were coming out this time."

Zhao Yi wiped off the mud from his face and shook his head: "Sometimes it's fate, and it has nothing to do with how many people you bring."

After standing up again, Zhao Yi smiled awkwardly and said:

"This Zhao is not that Zhao. Please don't misunderstand. I am from the Nine Jiang Zhao family. Although the ancestors of this Zhao clan here were once one family with ours, we have been separated for two hundred years and are basically not on the same path."

After hearing his introduction, the other side was clearly more cautious, and at the same time, the intention to fight was stronger. Zhao Yi also saw something and immediately continued:

"My family head heard that the Zhao clan here is doing things against the proper way and specially ordered the two of us to investigate. Now that we have investigated clearly, there are currently four people in this Zhao clan.

One old woman, the great-grandmother. She has one son, and below that, she still has a pair of twin great-grandsons and great-granddaughters.

This family not only refines curse objects with living people and uses supporting widows and orphans and adopting children as mediums to transfer curse backlash, but this old woman also borrows yang life from blood relatives.

One pile and one piece, simply heinous. People and gods are indignant, and people of the world's proper way should jointly punish them!

I was just about to return and report to the family head, asking the family head to order the eradication of this degenerate family to clear the reputation of my Zhao clan.

Thinking about it, my friend, you also came for the proper way, didn't you?"

What the other side said was very sincere, with reason and evidence, and the old background of the Stone Table Zhao family was also exposed, which seemed true.

However, Li Zhuoyuan did not need to distinguish whether the other side was telling the truth or not, nor was it necessary to bother with this.

The young man raised his hand and pointed to the youth opposite, saying:

"You come over here alone, and I'll invite you to eat sweet potatoes."

"Young master cannot!" Old Man Tian immediately advised.

"Grandfather Tian, who told you that you can only deal with one?"

"Young master, I will just fight with this old life, and also..."

"Also let you and I be buried together in this wild field?"

Old Man Tian: "..."

"No matter how difficult it is, Grandfather Tian, just temporarily help others for a while."

Zhao Yi swayed and walked towards Runsheng.

Runsheng did not look at him.

Zhao Yi passed by Runsheng and walked another distance, finally reaching Lin Shuyou.

Then, he finally couldn't maintain his body balance, and with a "thump," he knelt on the ground.

This time he wasn't pretending. He really couldn't walk anymore. Every step he took, he felt dizzy.

Li Zhuoyuan also sat down and threw him a roasted sweet potato.

"Hey hey, I just craved this bite." Zhao Yi peeled the skin and took a bite, "Sweet, delicious."

Li Zhuoyuan threw two more roasted sweet potatoes to Lin Shuyou: "Go and give it to that old man."

Far away, Old Man Tian saw that his young master was already taken hostage. He simply no longer confronted Runsheng, and just squatted down in the field, feeling闷气.

Lin Shuyou took the sweet potatoes and shook his head.

He was worried that this sick seedling might suddenly become violent and harm Little Yuan bro.

Li Zhuoyuan knew what he was worried about and said: "His gate of life and death is cracked, he's a waste."

"Pfft... cough cough cough... cough cough cough!"

Zhao Yi heard the words and immediately coughed violently, constantly beating his own chest with his hand.

Old Man Tian, who had already squatted down far away, immediately stood up, but saw that when his young master beat his chest, he still raised his right hand and flung it downwards. Old Man Tian could only squat down again.

Zhao Yi said somewhat helplessly: "They all say that my open seam in the gate of life and death is a sign of a genius. How can it be a waste here?"

Li Zhuoyuan: "A genius who can't even take care of himself?"

Zhao Yi corrected: "That's still a genius!"

Li Zhuoyuan: "A genius, is he very valuable?"

Zhao Yi wrinkled his brow, took another bite of sweet potato, and said: "I can't really think of myself as a cripple, right? Hopefully, this title of genius can help me persevere and live on."

Li Zhuoyuan nodded: "That makes sense."

Lin Shuyou saw that Little Yuan bro was very certain that the other side was harmless, so he left with the sweet potatoes and went to give them to the old man.

"Thanks." The old man took the sweet potatoes and thanked him, and casually asked: "Are you the Eight Generals or the Official Generals Head?"

"Official Generals Head."

After answering, Lin Shuyou just went back again.

Runsheng then walked to the old man's side and squatted down with him.

His task was to accompany the old man and exchange places with him for a while.

The old man gnawed on the sweet potato while asking: "You can actually cultivate your internal martial arts to this level, and at such a young age, it's truly extraordinary."

Runsheng was unlike Lin Shuyou who was unrestrained with his mouth. He didn't answer and just silently took out his own cigar box.

Old Man Tian continued to ask: "Where is your master from?"

Runsheng shook his head: "I don't have a master."

He once had one, but on the path of walking Jiang, he changed his title.

"My family's young master is in your hands. Say some true words, you can also ask me."

"I'm not interested in you."

"Heh, good."

Runsheng lit a thick incense stick, took a big puff, and slowly exhaled.

Old Man Tian said with a shocked expression: "You are dying..."

Runsheng turned his head and looked at him.

Old Man Tian immediately stuffed his mouth full of sweet potato.

Runsheng no longer looked at him and continued to smoke his cigar.

On the other side, Zhao Yi rubbed against Li Zhuoyuan and asked curiously: "How can you tell with one glance that I have an open seam in the gate of life and death?"

"Cracked."

"Cracked doesn't sound good. I have an open seam in my brow center, not a crack below."

"Seen in a book."

"What book, can it still record this?"

"Waste books placed in the basement of the old house."

Zhao Yi smiled sheepishly, thinking that his means of probing the other side's identity had been discovered by the other side, and the other side was deliberately retorting.

After finishing the sweet potato in his hand, Zhao Yi seemed to have made a certain determination and sincerely asked: "Do you have a treatment method?"

Li Zhuoyuan: "The same method as curing below."

"Ah? Can this upper and lower part be common?"

"Cutting it off is fine."

Zhao Yi swallowed a mouthful of saliva and muttered: "Dig it off, and I won't be a genius anymore."

"Then you indeed are not."

Li Zhuoyuan took the wooden stick and again poked some sweet potatoes into the fire to roast, waiting for Binbin and Mengmeng to come back and eat.

Zhao Yi asked melancholily: "If it were you, would you be willing to give it up, even if you were burdened by it, even harmed by it?"

Li Zhuoyuan moved the burning wooden stick in his hand to his front, blew out the flame on it with one breath, and said:

"I would."

Zhao Yi heard these words and deeply buried his head.

Tan Wenbin and Yin Meng came back. They first saw the old man squatting with Runsheng, and then they saw Zhao Yi sitting with Li Zhuoyuan.

The two of them understood who they should find to inquire about the situation and chose Lin Shuyou. Lin Shuyou rambled on about what had happened earlier.

Tan Wenbin and Yin Meng sat over.

Binbin put his arm around Zhao Yi's shoulder: "Hostage bro, you're good."

Zhao Yi: "Admired, admired for a long time."

Tan Wenbin took a sweet potato and blew on the edge while saying: "Little... bro, looks like we made a wasted trip."

Li Zhuoyuan: "Tell me about it."

"This Stone Table Zhao in the village is both running a nursing home and an orphanage, and they also donate money to repair roads. Their reputation is very good. I was almost moved by their home's wind.

Until I just caught up with an elder from their home who was having a funeral and burying a corpse. I squeezed into the crowd and used a talisman paper to test it.

Hey, guess what, this talisman paper turned black, and it was really authentic.

Damn, this is definitely a nest of beasts."

Zhao Yi clenched his fists tightly and added: "Right, heaven and earth should jointly execute them!"

"Hahaha, hostage bro, you surrendered really fast."

"My position is very firm, because later I am going to walk Jiang."

Tan Wenbin doubted: "Walk Jiang, sounds really rare. What is walking Jiang, it sounds like boasting."

Zhao Yi: "Walking Jiang successfully can transform into a dragon, that is a Dragon King."

Tan Wenbin: "Wow, there's still this saying. Alright, alright."

Immediately, Tan Wenbin looked at Li Zhuoyuan: "Bro, how should we do it?"

Li Zhuoyuan looked at Zhao Yi.

Zhao Yi opened his mouth: "Wait until it gets dark. I will break the prohibition of their ancestral hall. First, enter the ancestral hall and destroy those curse objects, and then clean up this nest of beasts.

But we must be careful that they might still be carrying curse objects on their bodies.

Besides, before we fight, I need to set up an array to separate their back yard and front house. There are many elders and children living in the east and west wing rooms of the front house. Don't involve them, staining our karma for nothing is not worth it."

Tan Wenbin asked: "Yo, you can still set up arrays?"

Zhao Yi nodded: "I can. How about you, can you?"

Tan Wenbin waved his hand: "I can't really say I can, just... understand a little."

Li Zhuoyuan threw the wooden stick in his hand into the fire pile, clapped his hands, and said:

"Wait until it gets dark."

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