She is devoted to cultivating immortality

Chapter 111: Don't mess with Empress Xie
Zhu Qingqing left a mark of her divine consciousness on the child, and now, following the connection, she soon arrived at a huge yard.

This courtyard is located in Xicheng District. The courtyard wall is almost equivalent to the city wall. There are even teams of soldiers patrolling on it. However, their eyes are empty and flickering with ghost lights. They are clearly not living people, but skeleton guards made up of skeletons.

When Xie Lian and his companions arrived just now, they happened to meet the hook-nosed man and his companions coming out of the yard. The two sides passed each other and did not arouse any suspicion.

"What a magnificent courtyard! Even the emperor's palace can't be more magnificent than this, right? Is this where the old skeleton ancestor they mentioned lives?"

"Are the children in danger at this time?"

"There is no danger. They are even provided with good food and drink. It is said that they are also given a bath."

Zhu Qingqing said.

"It seems that the so-called banquet will not be held in the near future... Will your spiritual mark be discovered if it is left like this?"

Xie Lian thought about it and asked.

"It shouldn't be possible. Only if a True Immortal sees these children, they will find my mark... It's just that the ghost energy in this yard is too thick, which somewhat blocks my divine sense. If the distance is too far, I won't be able to sense the children's situation."

"We won't go too far. We can just go to a nearby restaurant to find out what's going on."

Xie Lian had already chosen his target.

When I just came here, I saw a restaurant. It was doing good business, with many ghosts and monks drinking inside.

If you want to find out the situation in a ghost town, it is most appropriate to go to a place like this where there are many people and a lot of gossip.

Zhu Qingqing naturally had no objection.

The two of them soon arrived at the restaurant, and as soon as they entered, they only felt the "smoky and foul air".

Because from the restaurant owner and waiter to the customers, all of them looked eerie.

Looking at the food they eat and the alcohol they drink, it's even more disgusting.

It was covered in blood and half-cooked, especially some of the internal organs, which had only been simply processed. Everyone was enjoying the food and drink with the bright red wine that looked like blood.

Xie Lian took a quick look and didn’t feel too uncomfortable. At least what they were eating and drinking wasn’t human flesh and blood.

How should I put it? Everyone in this world has their own way of living. A place like this is definitely not a place for a normal person like her to come.

"Sir, what would you like to eat?"

Xie Lian went in and was immediately greeted by a waiter.

"Are there normal drinks and normal dishes?"

Zhu Qingqing pointed at what other people were eating and looked a little unhappy.

"Are you new here? Many practitioners who have just come to our Wangui City are not used to it, but it doesn't matter, you will get used to it after staying for a long time... We have everything you want in our store, just wait and see!"

Although the waiter also looked eerie, his service attitude was no different from that of waiters in other shops and he was very enthusiastic.

Xie Lian and Zhu Qingqing took their seats.

As luck would have it, the person at the next table turned out to be an acquaintance, and I immediately looked over.

The people sitting at this table were none other than the hook-nosed man and other ghost cultivators.

After they delivered the "goods", they considered themselves to have completed their mission and went to the restaurant to drink.

Just as Xie Lian had thought before, these guys were still somewhat vigilant when they were in the outside world, but once they entered the ghost town, they immediately relaxed.

Xie Lian was originally thinking about whether or not he should find out a little bit, but before he could make any move, they revealed the important information themselves.

The hook-nosed man drank a glass of bright red wine, and seemed to be stimulated by the smell of alcohol. He smacked his lips and said.

"In the past, if we didn't do our job well, we would be dragged out and whipped for the slightest mistake. Now that we do our job well, we will be rewarded immediately. We brothers are now well-off and have extra money to spend here... Hehe, this is what I admire most about the ancestor, rewards and punishments are clear!"

No matter if it was an act or a true feeling, the others dared not disobey the hook-nosed man's boasting.

He quickly raised his glass and said.

"Respect the ancestors!"

The atmosphere immediately became heated.

Perhaps because he was familiar with them, the restaurant owner took the initiative to add a pot of wine for them, and then walked over with a glass in hand.

"Isn't this Mr. Luan? Did you do a good job this time?"

The hook-nosed man said with a smile.

"I'm lucky. Who knows what the Minjiang River dragon is doing? It's causing a lot of trouble outside, and there are refugees everywhere. I don't need to use any tricks. I can get the meat by just tempting it with gold and silver."

Hearing this, the shopkeeper's eyes lit up and he took the initiative to clink glasses with him.

"Since it's so rare to get so much meat, I wonder if Mr. Luan can find some connections for me. If there is any extra human flesh, please give me some."

He didn't try to lower his voice when speaking, and all the ghost cultivators in the restaurant heard it.

The word "human flesh" seemed to arouse their appetite and they all looked over immediately.

The hook-nosed man pointed at the pot of wine and said.

"People say that those who show kindness without any reason are either treacherous or thieves. It's true. Haha, it's very rare for a stingy shopkeeper to offer wine and drinks on his own initiative. Logically, I shouldn't offend you... But the meat tickets we brought back are the ingredients for the Ghost Festival. When the time comes, the ancestor will not only eat them himself, but also use them to entertain guests. How dare you snatch food from the ancestor's mouth?"

As soon as these words were spoken, several ghost cultivators at the same table sneered.

The shopkeeper waved his hands and said.

"What you said is right. Even if I want to die, this is not the way to die. How dare I covet the food on the plate of the Old Ancestor Ku Gu? What I mean is that the hearts, livers, brains and the like of those boys and girls are all the main dishes at the banquet, but if the other parts that no one eats are thrown away, wouldn't it be a waste? If Mr. Luan can find a way to get these waste materials to me, then my restaurant will have a few more dishes. When the business is prosperous, you will naturally benefit from it."

The hook-nosed man raised his eyebrows. He was somewhat moved by the words, but more of it was amusement.

"Manager Chen, you are really brave. Among the Nine Forbidden Rules and Eighteen Slashes of Wangui City, it is clearly stipulated that human flesh cannot be sold openly... You have committed a serious crime by doing this. The ghosts under the moat are watching you!"

"What Master Luan said, isn't that all a thing of the past? How many people still take the decree issued by that ancestor seriously? What the hell are the Nine Prohibitions and Eighteen Slashes? I don't know how many people in Wangui City are dissatisfied. He has suppressed us for a thousand years. Does he want to continue suppressing us?"

"I dare not respond to your words. Wangui City was built by that old ancestor. Seven out of ten of the current foundation should be attributed to him. Don't forget that the nominal position of the city lord is also his."

"But won't it be the turn of the Old Ancestor of Dry Bones to take the throne soon?"

The shopkeeper smiled cunningly and complacently.

"We are businessmen, and we are well-informed. In fact, the whole city now knows that this Ghost Festival is when the Old Man with Dry Bones will make trouble. Compared with the perverse actions of that old man, the Old Man with Dry Bones is more popular. It is only a matter of time before these bans are abolished."

“Hahaha, what you said is quite right. In fact, for the past three or four hundred years, Wangui City has always been ruled by our Ku Gu Ancestor. As for that person, humph!”

The hook-nosed man sneered repeatedly, but continued to chat with the shopkeeper.

In just a few words, the deal was actually done.

Judging from what the shopkeeper said, he is determined to start selling dishes made from human flesh after the Ghost Festival.

Xie Lian had no intention of eating, or rather, she had no appetite for the food in this restaurant, no matter whether it was clean or not.

Listening to the conversation at the next table, she had a simple outline of the current situation in Wangui City.

"If nothing unexpected happens, the ancestor they are talking about should be the old ghost Wusheng. He is originally a ghost fairy. After successfully building a city and having a foundation, it is only natural for him to become an ancestor of a region... But judging from the current situation, his position seems to be in jeopardy. Is this old ancestor Ku Gu actually trying to seize power?"

In theory, this is a very difficult thing to do.

After all, according to Taoist Qingyu's records, in the past in Wangui City, the old ghost Wusheng was the one with the highest cultivation and the most seniority.

Moreover, this city was built under his leadership, which can definitely be regarded as a great achievement.

Under this premise, his position should be impregnable.

A thousand years may seem like a long time to ordinary people, but to practitioners, it is not that far away.

What on earth happened that could cause the old ghost Wusheng to lose his power in just a thousand years and be on the verge of being replaced by someone else?

This is not alarmist talk. You have to know that no matter what, the old ghost Wusheng is at the immortal level. Even the shop owner and these middle-level ghost cultivators dare to openly discuss his affairs in such a crowded place, and their words reveal a sense of unscrupulousness.

This is enough to show that Wusheng Old Ghost’s situation has become extremely difficult.

The hook-nosed man and his group finished their drinks and left.

Meanwhile, Xie Lian's last dish had just been served.

Xie Lian pulled the waiter aside and asked.

"Just now I heard someone discussing the Ghost Festival. What is that festival?"

The waiter was stunned for a moment, and then showed an expression of disbelief.

"Sir, although you are new here, how can you not know about the Ghost Festival? This is a big festival in our Wangui City. When Wangui City was first built, the ancestor Wusheng designated that day as the Ghost Festival. Since then, every Ghost Festival has been celebrated with a big banquet and the whole city celebrates... Speaking of which, you came by chance. You may witness a big event in Wangui City."

"Oh? What's the big deal?"

"In fact, it's all known to us. Although Wangui City was built by Ancestor Wusheng, he is unpopular. All forces in the city are against him. In addition, he was injured in a fight hundreds of years ago and has not recovered. Therefore, he has been suppressed by Ancestor Kugu all these years... He is the city lord, but only a title remains. As early as several years ago, Ancestor Kugu had said that this Ghost Festival is the time to start trouble. I'm afraid he will have to re-elect the city lord and divide the benefits."

"The entire Wangui City was built by Ancestor Wusheng. Is there no one who supports him?"

"Of course there are some, but compared to the power of the Old Ancestor of Dry Bones, it is definitely not enough. You don't know that too many things have happened over the years."

The waiter was eloquent, and it was certain that more than one person had asked him about these things.

After his introduction, Xie Lian actually gained a lot of understanding about the situation in Wangui City.

To put it simply, this is actually a confrontation between local forces and foreign forces.

In order to expand, Wangui City has been accepting ghost cultivators, demons, and devils from the outside world.

All along, relying on the prestige and strength of Ancestor Wusheng, these outsiders, no matter how troublesome they were, had to behave themselves and abide by the Nine Prohibitions and Eighteen Beheadings set by Ancestor Wusheng.

These nine prohibitions and eighteen beheadings are actually the laws of Wangui City. For example, prohibiting the sale of human flesh in the city is one of them.

It was fine at the beginning, the ghosts didn't dare to disobey.

But as the city was completed, more and more foreign forces poured in, such as the existence of the level of the Old Ancestor of the Dry Bones...

Gradually, the voices of opposition grew louder.

If the old ancestor Wusheng was more tactful and knew how to behave, perhaps he could have beaten some and pulled some others aside and used some tricks.

But before he could do anything, he encountered a big event. No one knew what the big event was. In short, he left Wangui City for a period of time, which was about a hundred years. When he came back, he was already injured.

However, a large amount of power in Wangui City was seized by outsiders.

Ghost cultivators, demons, monsters, and the like have always had no taboos. In the past, they succumbed to the prestige of Ancestor Wusheng and dared not resist. Now that they have a backer, they have begun to oppose Ancestor Wusheng.

As time went by, people's hearts all gathered on the side of the Old Ancestor of Dry Bones, while the Old Ancestor of No Life became the absolutely disadvantaged party.

For example, the fact that the Old Ancestor Dry Bones held a human flesh banquet during the Ghost Festival was actually a provocation to the Old Ancestor Wusheng.

If it were the Wusheng Patriarch in his prime, he would definitely not tolerate it, but now he chose to endure it.

This undoubtedly boosted the opponent's arrogance.

By now, the old ancestor of withered bones has become powerful, and he has won the support of the whole city, and he wants to attack the old ancestor of no birth.

Although there are still two days to go before the Ghost Festival, no one thinks there will be any suspense.

Ancestor Wusheng, I’m afraid you’re really going to be finished.

After listening to what the waiter said, Xie Lian had a clear understanding of the whole incident.

She was not very interested in the internal strife in Wangui City, but she still had some opinions about the fact that the Old Ancestor of Dry Bones ate people, especially boys and girls.

"Waiter, let me ask you one last question. Where is the City Lord's Mansion?"

Xie Lian asked calmly.

"Of course it's the city center."

"Thank you."

Xie Lian stood up, Zhu Qingqing paid for the meal, and followed him out.

The waiter looked at the table of untouched food and wine, scratched his head and said in confusion.

"What a weirdo!"

Not long after, Xie Lian arrived at the City Lord’s Mansion, where he was naturally stopped.

She said to the guard at the door, "Please inform the city lord that a guest named Xie is here to visit."

……

"Don't mess with the Xie guy?"

A strange question was heard from the palace of the Old Man with Dry Bones.

"Why do you say that, fellow Daoist?"

There were only two people in the empty hall.

One is the old man named Ku Gu. His name is Ku Gu, but he actually looks like a wealthy middle-aged man. He is dressed in gorgeous clothes, and seven of his ten fingers are wearing rings that shine with precious light.

Opposite him was a man with a stern look.

It was none other than the Dragon King of the Dragon Clan and the Lord of Feiyun Gorge, Shang Hong.

After leaving Minjiang River, he actually came here.

"Why do you say that?"

Shang Hong sneered and said.

"Just relying on this lady named Xie Lian, she was able to suppress Ao Ding with just one magic weapon. I know what you are thinking. Ao Ding is useless. You and I can suppress him at will. But the problem is that Ao Ding is protected by the residual soul of the old Dragon Lord. But the moment the residual soul exploded, it was smashed apart by that person's magic weapon!"

The old man with dried bones took a breath of cold air.

“So powerful?”

Shang Hong said expressionlessly.

"That's not all. I teamed up with the other three Dragon Lords to try to move that person's magic weapon, but it didn't move at all. After a closer look, I found that the person's magic weapon was actually connected to the ground veins... Not to mention Ao Ding, even the entire Dragon Palace, including the fate of the Minjiang River, was suppressed by the mountain. I had no choice but to ask the old Dragon Lord of Tongtian River to deal with this matter. Do you know how serious the matter is now?"

There was a look of horror in the eyes of the Old Man with Dry Bones. He subconsciously stood up and took two steps to the left and right.

"How could such a person appear in this world? Could he be an ancient immortal who has just been revived?"

"I don't know where she came from. She seemed to have suddenly appeared. I only know her name is Xie Lian and she has a maid with her."

"Thank you, right... Don't worry, I am not blind. I am still alive today because I know who to offend and who not to offend. I will stay in Wangui City and not go anywhere. I will never offend that person!"

"I'm afraid that if you don't take the initiative to provoke them, they will target you!"

"No way..."

The old man with dried bones showed a look of nervousness in an instant.

"I have no grudge against her, why would she come after me?"

Shang Hong looked at him with a smile.

"Do you know why Ao Ding was suppressed? I asked the old steward of the Dragon Palace and the river god of Fengqiao Ferry, and then I found out the reason... It turned out that Empress Xie was kind-hearted and hated to see people bullying mortals with their magic power. Ao Ding had been obsessed with turning into a dragon over the years, causing chaos in the weather and depression in Guangning Prefecture. Ao Ding was already dissatisfied, and was instigated by others. His inner demons erupted and caused a flood, which completely angered Ao Ding, so he suppressed him!"

"You have to know that although Ao Ding is useless, he has the support of the entire dragon clan. But that person acted without hesitation and left a mountain there. This undoubtedly shows one thing, that is, she is not very afraid of the threat of the dragon clan... Of course, she has the qualifications."

"You would rather offend the dragon clan than not take action. Who knows, this person might be a person who hates evil. You have made this Wangui City a mess. If that person saw it, what do you think he would think?"

These words made the old man withered bones feel guilty.

"I'm not like that idiot Ao Ding, who made such a big mistake."

"But you held a human flesh feast in Wangui City!"

There was a stern look in Shang Hong's eyes.

"Back then, I made friends with you because we were both helpless and could only go further if we supported each other. Secondly, although you were a dried-up immortal, you were not a bad person and still had some bottom line. Why, now that you have become a true immortal, have you forgotten your roots? The last time I came to Wangui City, it wasn't as smoky and chaotic as it is now!"

"When I first entered the city, I heard that the ghost cultivators all over the city were discussing that after you take over and lift the ban, they would go out and kidnap people and eat them to their heart's content!"

“Aren’t you courting death? There are hundreds of thousands of ghost cultivators in the entire Wangui City. Once there is no order, the disaster caused will be a hundred times greater than Ao Ding’s. That Madam Xie is active in Guangning Prefecture. If she runs into us…”

Hearing this, the Old Ancestor of Dry Bones spoke hurriedly.

"Don't worry, I'm not a fool. I never thought of releasing all the ghost cultivators. I just made these unrealistic promises in order to defeat the old ghost Wusheng. If I really dare to do this, let alone meet that Empress Xie, I'm afraid that many true immortals in the world will come to encircle and suppress me... That is a way to die, I dare not do it."

Shang Hong's face looked a little better.

"You'd better think it over carefully."

The old man with dried bones said with a smile.

"Fellow Daoist and I have known each other for many years. This power grab is of great importance to me. Please stay and help me build momentum. As for this human flesh feast, I promise it will be the last one. After defeating the old ghost Wusheng, I will set new rules... Hehe, by then, even if Empress Xie comes to the City of Ten Thousand Ghosts, she won't be able to find any loopholes."

Shang Hong sneered.

"Aren't you afraid that she'll see it now?"

The old man with dried bones laughed.

"My luck is not that bad."
-
City Lord's Mansion.

After going through a briefing process, Xie Lian entered smoothly.

However, he did not meet the Old Ancestor Wusheng at the first sight. Instead, he was invited to the reception room and served tea.

After that, it was a long wait.

More than an hour passed.

Xie Lian seemed calm and composed, sipping the tea from the City Lord's Mansion, feeling quite contented.

But Zhu Qingqing was getting a little impatient.

"My Lady, he invited us in but didn't want to meet us. What on earth was this Wusheng Patriarch thinking?"

Xie Lian said with a smile.

"You also know that the Ghost Festival will begin in a few days. When that happens, the old ancestor Ku Gu will reveal his true intentions and there will definitely be disputes. Everyone in the city knows about this. How could the old ancestor Wu Sheng not know about it? I think he must be seizing the time to deal with this matter. The two of us came suddenly, without saying hello in advance, and we don't know each other. They invited us in, which shows that they are very polite... You might as well calm down. The tea in the city lord's mansion is good tea, with a unique taste."

Xie Lian wasn't just speaking casually.

She loves drinking tea, and the best tea she has ever tasted in her life is the Yunwu Fairy Tea. This tea was obtained by Danyangzi from the Yunwu Sea. Since it is called fairy tea, it must be drinkable only by fairies.

If an ordinary person drinks it, he will be burst by the spiritual energy in an instant.

This tea is full of spiritual energy and leaves a lingering fragrance on the lips and teeth. It can be said to be of the highest quality.

However, the tea from the City Lord's Mansion has a unique flavor. Although its spiritual energy is not as good as the Yunwu Fairy Tea, and its grade itself does not reach the level of fairy tea, it has a spicy feeling.

When the tea is swallowed into the stomach, it is like a ball of fire that continues to heat up, and the tea fragrance flows slowly. Even after several months, you can still taste some of the tea fragrance.

Xie Lian had never even heard of such a wonderful tea, let alone drank it before.

Patriarch Wusheng treated his guests with this kind of tea, and no one could say he was impolite.

“It’s really good tea.”

Zhu Qingqing calmed down, took a sip, and nodded.

After that, I waited for another half an hour.

There was a noisy sound of footsteps outside.

Walking towards me was an old man in purple clothes. He was thin, with sunken cheekbones, and exuded an elegant temperament.

In terms of temperament, he is close to Xie Lian, but incompatible with the entire ghost town.

This person was none other than the Old Ancestor Wusheng. Behind him followed four maids, each holding fruit plates, cakes and the like in their hands.

As soon as he entered the reception room, he didn't walk inside, but bowed directly to Xie Lian with an apologetic look on his face.

"I have been very busy and have been dealing with things until now. I am really sorry for neglecting you two."

Xie Lian naturally wouldn’t take advantage of the situation, so he quickly stood up to return the greeting and said with a smile.

"No, no, I am lucky to have come to the City Lord's Mansion to pay a visit and not be turned away. Not to mention, I have such good tea to serve. Let alone waiting for an hour or so, even if I wait for a whole day, it will be a good deal for me."

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere suddenly became extremely harmonious.

Although Patriarch Wusheng still didn't know who Xie Lian was, these words were very nice. For him, who hadn't heard such polite words for a long time, he even felt relieved.

Therefore, his favorable impression of Xie Lian increased sharply, and he said with a smile.

"This tea is called Guili Tea. It is made from the tea trees that I cultivated myself. It is grown in Wangui City and nourished by Yin energy. It takes three hundred years for the tea to mature. Although the tea leaves do not have much spiritual energy, the taste is special. It is like a stove boiling tea soup in the belly. The fragrance of the tea lingers for a long time. To be honest with Madam Xie, this tea is my masterpiece. However, there are very few people who love to drink tea in Wangui City. It is rare to have a confidant... If Madam Xie likes it, you can bring a few dozen kilograms back."

He asked for dozens of kilograms of tea, as if the value of this tea was not high.

But Xie Lian would not simply think that. She clearly felt that Patriarch Wusheng was spying on her just now. He must have made such a decision after he found that he could not see through her cultivation level.

Xie Lian had only just met him and had no bond with him, unlike his close relationship with Dan Yangzi, so of course he couldn't accept it.

"No merit, no reward. I'm new here, and I came to pay my respects to the city lord because I admire his reputation. It's already rude of me not to bring a gift, so how can I accept tea from you, sir?"

Patriarch Wusheng laughed loudly, went to sit in the main seat, and waved his hand, and the maids put down the cakes and fruit plates one by one.

"My Guili Tea is not well-known. It is only cultivated privately, but the yield is quite high. It is only a few dozen kilograms, which is nothing. In the past, when my old friends came, it was common for them to take away hundreds of kilograms at a time. You don't have to be polite, Madam Xie."

Xie Lian said with a wry smile.

"If it were any other time, I would have accepted it, but today, I have a request to the City Lord, so I can't open my mouth."

"You want something from me?"

However, he did not expect that after hearing these words, Old Ancestor Wusheng had a strange look on his face, and after a while, he actually showed a sigh.

“Thank you, Madam. Do you know why I am so enthusiastic about you?”

"This... I don't know."

"Haha, it's because my City Lord's Mansion hasn't had any guests visiting for a long time."

Ancestor Wusheng sighed and said.

"Since Madam Xie has come to Wangui City, she must know my current situation. Over the years, Ku Gu has actually grasped the power of Wangui City, and people's hearts have all turned to him. I am already a grasshopper in autumn. Haha, I don't know how many people hope that I will roll down from the position of city lord... In the past, my place was crowded with people, but today it is very deserted. Madam Xie is the only person who has visited me in recent years."

Upon hearing this, Xie Lian said that he could understand, but he was actually more surprised.

She frowned.

"How could this be? Even if the old man with dried bones has the upper hand, the city lord is also a first-class ghost fairy. Even if the world does not consider your status, but only your practice, they dare not neglect you like this."

A true immortal naturally has the dignity of a true immortal.

For example, the dispute between Ancestor Wusheng and Ancestor Kugu was a fight between true immortals. No matter who was defeated, not everyone dared to neglect it.

After all, Wusheng Patriarch is an old man, doesn't he have a few old friends or something? How come no one has visited him for so long?

"Your Highness, you may not know that the reason why you are in this situation is because I have offended someone."

"Did you offend someone?"

"Do you know the old dragon in Tongtian River?"

"Are you referring to Ao Ping, the Lord of Tongtian River, who is not the Dragon King but is actually the leader of the dragon clan?"

Xie Lian recalled a few things, and a name immediately popped up in his mind.

This is also the person mentioned in Taoist Qingyu's notes. He has the longest seniority and the most profound Taoism. Although he has no actual status, all the aquatic creatures in the world give him face.

Taoist Qingyu had been to Tongtian River in the past, but at that time he was not qualified to see the old dragon.

"That's right, otherwise I wouldn't be in this embarrassing situation now."

Patriarch Wusheng sighed and said.

"Hundreds of years ago, I got the news that a rare treasure had been born. I was immediately attracted to it, so I teamed up with an old friend to fight for it. I thought it was a done deal, but who could have imagined that the treasure actually had an owner in advance? Coincidentally, the owner of the treasure was the little dragon girl of Tongtian River, the old dragon's most beloved daughter."

"As a result, we attracted the old dragon, who beat us back in an instant. Fortunately, he didn't intend to kill us, but only injured us."

This result is not surprising at all. No matter how old the Wusheng Patriarch is, he is still not strong enough to face the one from Tongtian River.

(End of this chapter)