Chapter 523: Chapter 267: Reversal of Offense and Defense, Tree Demon Undergoing Tribulation (Part 2)
Xu Qing didn’t think much of it; he urged his horse forward, but after taking only a few steps, he was stopped once more.
"I am Zuo Zixiong of the Hundred Households in the Divine Strategy Camp in the capital. Dare I ask, young sir, have you seen the rebel scum of the Cangyi Group pass by here?"
Zuo Zixiong further explained to help Xu Qing understand, "There are two rebels, one wields dual hooks, and the other a treasure sword. I have already injured the swordsman..."
Xu Qing looked at the middle-aged man before him, bearing twin swords on his back and holding dual blades, his expression somewhat peculiar.
He recognized this Left Hundred Households, though the other didn’t recognize him.
Now, having inherited Liu Youdao’s funeral shop, Xu Qing had fully settled himself in Jin Sect, even establishing a sect branch and becoming the Sect Leader, while facing him stood Zuo Zixiong...
All these years, how are you still just a Hundred Households?
Seeing Xu Qing remain silent, Zuo Zixiong frowned and said, "This matter is of great importance. The Cangyi Group are not good people; if they escape, many more will suffer!"
"If you have seen them, sir, I implore you to inform me."
Mounted on an ominous mourning horse adorned with white flowers on its chest, Xu Qing nodded, "Those two just asked me for directions, saying they were heading to Jinmen Prefecture..."
Upon hearing this, Zuo Zixiong wasted no time, turning his horse and rushing off toward the Prefecture City.
Xu Qing watched in the direction the man disappeared, a sense of déjà vu washing over him.
When he first arrived, driven by Liu Youdao like a Walking Corpse to the charity village, he had experienced a similar event.
But then, the way blocker was Bai Luo of the Celestial Heart Sect, and now, it was the rebels of the Cangyi Group.
"Bai Luo pretended to leave, but ambushed and killed Liu Youdao. Surely, the rebels of the Cangyi Group won’t..."
In the funeral trade, bad luck was common, and just as Xu Qing had the thought, two figures swiftly approached from the distance.
The leader, holding dual hooks, was precisely the rebel of the Cangyi Group.
The injured swordsman, who understood the intent, circled behind Xu Qing, blocking his retreat.
"What might you two be doing?"
Xu Qing blinked, looking innocently like a small white flower at the fierce men before him.
"We kindly asked for directions, yet you would sell our whereabouts to the dog officials! Such despicable acts truly are detestable!" The swordsman, his gaze filled with malice, was clearly trying to use Xu Qing to divert Zuo Zixiong, however, spoke righteously.
"No words with him!" The middle-aged scholar wielding dual hooks said gravely, "You’re wounded, take his steed, and we’ll head south to meet with the uprising force!"
Finished speaking, the scholar leaped, the hooks in his hands aiming for Xu Qing’s throat.
Yet, as he approached, unexpectedly, Xu Qing’s mourning horse reared suddenly, stomping heavily on his chest.
The horse moved incredibly fast, its strength astonishing, causing the scholar to spew hot blood mixed with dark red clots.
This strike had already damaged his internal organs, leaving him with no strength to resist.
The swordsman behind Xu Qing, both shocked and furious, attempted to stab, only to be kicked away five zhangs by the hind legs of the mourning horse.
Times change, and the roles of attack and defense are reversed.
Today, Xu Qing was no longer the Liu Youdao of old, the so-called martial arts men couldn’t even pass the hurdle of the mourning horse.
Xu Qing dismounted, seized the rebels’ long sword of the Cangyi Group and swiftly disposed of the two.
After dealing with their bodies, Xu Qing, as though nothing had happened, continued to ride his mourning horse towards Wujue Slope.
Shiyue watched Xu Qing kill, yet showed no fear.
Children possess simple hearts, and in the eyes of the little girl, the amicable Sect Leader’s actions are always righteous.
Before Wujue Slope, as Xu Qing reined his horse to a halt, the sound of horse hooves approached from behind.
Zuo Zixiong looked around, somewhat suspicious, "Have you seen the rebel scum of the Cangyi Group returning?"
"I have not, General, could it be you lost them?"
Riding, Zuo Zixiong felt something was amiss.
Could these villains vanish into thin air?
Xu Qing glanced at the sky and said, "General Zuo, the weather seems to be changing, perhaps seek shelter beneath a roof. As for the rebels... this world is tattered, rebels are everywhere, how can one man bring peace to the world?"
"I was born in Dayong, and shall die as a Dayong ghost! As a Hundred Households of Divine Strategy Camp, I must fear neither wind nor rain. Despite the rebels being numerous as the grass, I shall kill them all!"
"As long as the country stands firm, the grass will be cleared one day!"
Turning his horse, Zuo Zixiong coldly said, "Thank you for the directions, I have official duties to attend to, I cannot stay!"
Alas, Xu Qing found himself speechless, feeling an odd affinity with this Hundred Households, only to find the other a fool for loyalty.
Loyalty isn’t bad, it’s just unfortunate he’s living in the wrong era.
At this moment, Zuo Zixiong was unaware that the young man he had just encountered was the very one who had sowed the most seeds of grass in Dayong’s mountains and rivers.
Those grasses spread from the northern frontiers, even rooting within people’s hearts.
The grass on the land is easy to uproot, but once it grows in people’s hearts, it cannot simply be removed at will.
Among the lush pines of Wujue Slope, Xu Qing erected a new tomb and a new tablet for Ms. Ye.
The inscription reads, "Tomb of Ms. Ye, known as Xiu Zhen, dedicated by her filial daughter Qiao Tian."
The little girl, under Xu Qing’s instruction, kneeled at the grave and kowtowed several times. As she raised her head, large raindrops began to patter on the new grave.
Rain on a grave promises great fortune.
The little girl had become a ghostly spirit, and Ms. Ye had no descendants left, yet while human nobility is hard to produce, a noble ghost might emerge.
With the ’little ghost fairy’ in tow, Xu Qing rode away from the slope, not returning to the funeral shop, but to the Shuimen Bridge Villa.
"Sweetie, would you like a godmother?"
"Godmother?"
Xu Qing said, "Chen Liu’Er has two godmothers; if you’d like, I can find one for you too, how about that?"
"If you wish to have two godmothers like Chen Liu’Er, sir can make it happen."
"Really?"
"Sir never lies!"
Just as Xu Qing finished speaking, thunder cracked, lightning flashed, and a torrential downpour emptied the streets.
Reaching Shuimen Bridge Villa, Xu Qing knocked on the door; not a soul, not even a responding ghost, appeared.
Leaving nothing to the imagination, Xu Qing scaled the courtyard wall, with the mourning horse taking a few steps back before making a clean leap over the high wall.
"Your godmother might be asleep, it’s no worry."
The dead and ghost snuck into the backyard, from the side room came the creaking of a loom operating autonomously.
Opening his Qi Observation Skill, Xu Qing peeked inside, seeing the cabinet filled with cloth shrouded in eerie air.
He stepped forward, opened the cabinet doors, and there lay a flower umbrella pretending to be dead in the corner.
Frowning, Xu Qing asked, "Embroidery Lady, why are you hiding in the umbrella?"
The umbrella, a Dharma Artifact Xu Qing had refined for the Embroidery Lady two years ago, was not only for shade but could also gather items in a small range, capturing divine souls, used against opponents.
Hearing the familiar voice, the flower umbrella snapped open with a bang, and the striking, water-spiritual female ghost dressed in white twirled out with a flourish.
"Ah! It’s sir!"
Xu Qing pushed aside the Embroidery Lady, who sought to feel safe by approaching him, and asked again, "I ask you, why are you hiding in the cabinet doing nothing?"
The Embroidery Lady, visibly nervous, explained, "Sir, I didn’t know, the other day the Yin Locust Tree in the courtyard came to me in a dream, saying there was an old tree demon in the city about to transcend, and it could be tonight. Since then, I’ve been afraid the lightning might miss..."
Surprised, Xu Qing asked, "The Yin Locust Tree in the courtyard came to you in a dream?"
"Yes! It even told me to dig it up and plant it elsewhere, preferably as far from sir as possible."
"..."
Xu Qing had a good idea what was going on; it seemed the Yin Locust Tree in the courtyard had developed some sentience, recalling past events of nearly being uprooted serving as a Substitute Stake.
"Do not believe such things, in Jinmen Prefecture, if someone is transcending, the immortals in secret would spread the word; I haven’t heard of any old tree demon transcending."
"Enough of this." Xu Qing shook his head and said, "Embroidery Lady, I recently brought a sweet girl here; if you’re willing, I can witness her honoring you as a godmother, so you could have company."
"A girl?"
Only then did Embroidery Lady notice the little girl behind Xu Qing.