Corpse Retriever.

Chapter 519

The ore in this box was for himself, but the letter was written to Li Lan.

From the very beginning, Xinyu was a dialogue with Li Lan, and between the lines flowed a delicate sentiment, even a comma was depicted with tenderness.

Li Zhuiyuan broke with his past habits and instead of scanning the entire text, he read it word by word, trying his best to simulate his father's voice and the scene of him writing the letter in his mind.

It wasn't that he was being "sparing with words" because he hadn't received any news from his father for so long, but rather that after his human skin successfully grew back, he was using this small gesture to alleviate the guilt that had grown in his heart towards that person.

My own father was a very unlucky man.

Born into a high-ranking official's family, he was the beloved youngest son, yet he never picked up any bad habits. He was excellent in both character and academics, kind and warm-hearted, and had a strong sense of responsibility, ambition, and family.

Li Lan is not the kind of beauty in the traditional world, but her father is definitely a real handsome man in the eyes of ordinary people.

Her father played a significant role in her appearance.

He is truly a near-perfect person, after all, he was selected by Li Lan.

Previously, Li Zhuiyuan felt that his misfortune stemmed from having a wife like Li Lan.

Because Li Lan broke his heart, he abandoned everything and chose to exile himself through his work.

For a long time, Li Zhuiyuan didn't think he had any problems because he was perfectly playing the role of a good son.

But now it seems that my negative role in it was no less than Li Lan's, and it is very likely that I was the last straw that broke the camel's back.

Her performance was not flawless in her father's eyes, because he had seen Li Lan perform before.

Regardless of gender, after a failed marriage, people often choose to place their hopes on the next generation, using their children to carry the burden of their remaining years.

What did I show my father? The next Li Lan.

This man was blocked from the past and present, and his future was welded shut.

Li Zhuiyuan blinked.

The boy longed to linger a little longer in his memories of his father, but reason told him that this was wishful thinking.

Li Lan wouldn't be so bored as to break her own warning just to convey her fatherly love to herself.

Sure enough, when the contents of the letter were transferred to his own mind, a serious logical contradiction emerged.

In fact, the tender affection he showed for Li Lan in the earlier letters was already incredibly strange. Just how strong must the father's heart be to continue to show tenderness to such an ex-wife after the divorce?

But... it's not impossible to force an understanding of this.

But then, when the father asked Li Lan: "Can our little Yuan walk yet?"

At this moment, the nature of this letter, the ore in this box, and this package completely changed.

Li Zhuiyuan reached out and rummaged through the package, and sure enough, he found the signature from the last mailing inside.

To be precise, it was a clue that Li Lan deliberately left behind so that she could see things more clearly.

The original destination of this package was the place where the father and Li Lan had briefly lived.

In her memory, her father and Li Lan moved twice in Beijing. The first time was when Li Lan wanted to get away from her father's family, and the three of them temporarily lived in a house for a year before moving into the school's staff quarters.

Li Zhuiyuan has vivid memories of the house he lived in for less than a year, because it was in that house that he learned to walk.

Back then, his parents' office floor was always piled with various blueprints and rubbings, and he would crawl on them.

Li Zhuiyuan held the letter to his nose, sniffed it, and then flicked it with his finger.

Then, the boy reached out and stroked the edge of the heart box, feeling its texture.

Afterwards, Li Zhuiyuan went upstairs to his room, took the "Wordless Book" out of the drawer, and opened it to the first page.

A woman dressed in red sat gracefully by the bed, waiting for her lover to lift her veil.

Li Zhuiyuan tucked the letter in his hand into the "Evil Book".

"Could you check the ink stain time for me?"

Using "evil books" for this kind of thing, even though it's a specialized field, is like using a cannon to kill a mosquito.

But this is very important to Li Zhuiyuan.

Soon, the results came out.

When the boy opened the book again, words appeared on the floor in front of the woman's wedding bed.

The ink stains formed within two months.

This means that the letter, which should have been sent at least ten years ago, was written less than two months ago.

The heart-shaped box was probably made by the father himself. He selected the minerals and wrote the labels for his son to teach him about the different types of minerals.

The wooden heart-shaped box also shows signs of being newly made and polished.

It was definitely not that her father finally couldn't bear the blows of his marriage and family, and suffered a nervous breakdown or memory loss.

As a forwarder, Li Lan can help herself eliminate most of the meaningless speculation.

That leaves only one possibility, and only this possibility can make Li Lan feel that she wouldn't get angry even if she broke her warning.

The letter the father wrote to his wife and the gift he sent to his son ten years ago are still in the present.

Li Zhuiyuan recalled the documents Xue Liangliang had shown him and the stories he had told him during his last trip to Suzhou.

Father and son from different eras, two scientific expedition teams, meet and celebrate together in the Western Regions. When the son later notices something unusual while looking at the photos from that time, he calls his retired father, who tells him that he has recently remembered something like that incident.

The ability to link memories was already unbelievable to Li Zhuiyuan at this moment, but now, it's not just memories, he has actually received physical objects.

Li Zhuiyuan picked up the mobile phone on the table and dialed Li Lan's office number.

The call was answered, and it was Aunt Xu, Li Lan's secretary, who came on the other end.

To save time in communication, Li Zhuiyuan said:

"Aunt Xu, it's me, Xiao Yuan. I'm looking for my mom."

"Xiao Yuan, Director Li is currently... your mother is currently... unable to answer the phone."

Um, did you receive your package?
When your mother asked me to forward that package, she told me to call here when you received it. She left a message for me to pass on to you.

"explain."

Aunt Xu, who had been looking languid on the other end of the phone, immediately sat up straight, adopting the posture one would adopt when reporting to a leader.

She didn't know why, it was like an instinct, and this instinct always seemed to be triggered in her and her son.

Director Li said: "Go and do your own thing. This is just to let you know first. She will personally follow up on the investigation and will let you know when there are results."

Director Li also said: "Don't try to investigate personally. Many things are inappropriate for you to do; it will only make the situation worse. Don't forget, you're still a minor. Don't worry your father."

"Anymore?"

"That's all, Director Li, no, Xiao Yuan."

Li Zhuiyuan hung up the phone.

It seemed like something had happened to my father, but it also seemed like nothing had happened.

Li Lan's last words were, "Don't let your father worry."

The actual meaning is probably, "Don't worry about your father."

This means that the father is safe now.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't think Li Lan would be interested in her current father, but she should be interested in the "father" from ten years ago.

Li Lan reminded herself of her current identity that if she rashly launched an investigation, she would involve many unrelated factors and cause uncontrollable consequences.

Table of Contents 3: The Secret Realms of the Western Regions.

I sensed from the beginning that it was not simple, so I deliberately avoided it and chose to open the second section, Qinglong Temple.

Now it seems that it is more complicated than it imagined, even involving a giant tortoise.

Furthermore, this doesn't seem to be a multiple-choice question.

The only thing you can decide is the order in which you answer the questions, but you have to finish every question before you hand in the paper.

Of course, the premise is that you have to be alive to finish answering one question before you can answer the next one.

Li Zhuiyuan closed his eyes and adjusted his breathing.

Deep within his consciousness, the original being, holding a carving knife, walked to the dam and gazed into the distance, where a trickle of black water flowed into the fishpond from above.

The entity shook its head; it had always thought that the inner demon's pursuit of so-called human emotions was foolish.

"On the one hand, you crave it and enjoy it, and on the other hand, you want to eliminate its influence on you."

……

"Don't cut the scallions; leave them in long sections. After the dumplings are cooked and fried, remove the scallions when you're plating them. This way, you won't taste the scallions, but you'll still get their aroma."

Chen Xiyuan looked at Cao Buxiu, puzzled, and asked, "But what's the point of doing this?"

Cao Buxiu: "You don't understand, this is what life is all about."

Chen Xiyuan: "Okay."

Cao Buxiu: "Miss, aren't you going to practice some more?"

Chen Xiyuan: "I'm not practicing anymore. I don't have the talent for this. No matter how much I practice, I can't achieve the martial arts realm."

Lin Shuyou, who was practicing his martial arts: "..."

Cao Buxiu: "Do you want to eat?"

Chen Xiyuan: "I won't eat it. I'll save room for my sister's delicious cooking."

Cao Buxiu: "Then I will begin."

A large plate of pan-fried dumplings, a large plate of boiled dumplings, a large bowl of oil-splashed noodles, and a large bowl of Wuxi-style mixed noodles with white sugar.

Finally, there was still rice porridge simmering in the pot. Cao Buxiu liked to drink some porridge after finishing his main meal to soothe his stomach.

While eating, Cao Buxiu lost all interest in instructing Lin Shuyou on his martial arts practice. He was completely absorbed in the pleasure brought about by the rapid rise in blood sugar from the mixture of sugar and oil, unable to extricate himself.

Lin Shuyou stopped practicing martial arts and walked to Tan Wenbin's side.

Tan Wenbin was reading a book on formations. His experience as a "grandmaster of formations" at Qi Longwang's dojo had further boosted his enthusiasm for learning.

In fact, Tan Wenbin has been sheltered by big trees for too long. Not to mention a genius like Brother Xiaoyuan who comes along only once in a thousand years, even Luo Xiaoyu and Master Sun, who can only lay the foundation for Benben, are all contemporary masters of array formations.

His ability to make steady progress at a snail's pace by relying on rote memorization through snake eyes and mechanically applying Xiao Yuan Ge's formulas is truly enviable in the world of formations.

"Brother Bin, Tongzi is still feeling down."

Tan Wenbin: "It's normal. It's like parents who pressure their children to get married and have children, only to find out in the end that their child has been sterilized."

Lin Shuyou sat down next to him and reached out to touch Tan Wenbin's cigarette.

Tan Wenbin took the initiative and stuffed the chewing gum into Lin Shuyou's hand first.

"Brother Bin, how's things at my family temple...?"

"Don't worry, when you were unconscious last night, I called your grandfather immediately and asked him to keep the Lin family in check and make them act like cowards for a while."

Although the Lin Family Temple is still nominally under the leadership of the officials, it has long since switched to the True Lord system thanks to Lin Shuyou.

Now that Baihe Zhenjun has been removed from the Zhenjun sequence by Sun Baishen, it's as if the source has been cut off, and the tributaries of the Lin Family Temple people have naturally also stopped flowing.

Tan Wenbin's timely notification served two purposes: firstly, to reassure the people of Linjiamiao, otherwise Ayou's family might have thought that Ayou had died in battle.

On the other hand, there was a fear that the Lin Family Temple might not realize in time that the White Crane True Lord could not descend, and that an accident might occur while carrying out the work of exorcising demons.

Although the law of the jungle is the basic rule of the martial arts world, Tan Wenbin's phone call was enough to protect the Lin Family Temple, which was currently unable to perform spirit writing.

As long as the Qin and Liu families remain standing, as long as Brother Xiaoyuan remains in power, and as long as their group remains in power, no one in the Lin family temple will dare to bully them, and the Guanjiang Ancestral Temple will also provide assistance.

Lin Shuyou tilted his head back and chewed his gum.

Boy: "Sigh...sigh~"

Lin Shuyou: "Sigh..."

Tan Wenbin closed and rolled up the array book: "Come, come, release the boy, I want to have a chat with him."

Lin Shuyou was very obedient. The Ghost General mark between his eyebrows spun, and immediately ghostly energy surrounded him.

White Crane Ghost General: "Sigh~"

"Snapped!"

Tan Wenbin smashed a book onto Bai He Gui Shuai's forehead.

White Crane Ghost General: "You."

"Snapped!"

Keep smashing.

Bai He Gui Shuai got up to try to escape, but Tan Wenbin pursued him relentlessly.

"Hey, hey, hey my foot! Look at you, all that bravado you had back then! Where did your arrogance go? Now you're like a broken record!"

White Crane Ghost General dared not lay a hand on Tan Wenbin. He knew Tan Wenbin's status in the team. Let alone lay a hand on him, even just showing his teeth would lead to a report and the consequences would be beyond his ability to bear.

He wanted to shrink back into Lin Shuyou's body and continue his sighs, but the usually obedient spirit medium had actually followed suit and closed the door!

"Snapped!"

"Snapped!"

"Snapped!"

Tan Wenbin caught Bai He Guishuai and the two chased each other around the kiln.

"Stop hitting me! Stop hitting me! Give me some face!"

"Snapped!"

"you……"

"Alright, this is the last time."

"That can."

"Snapped!"

"Why are you still hitting me?"

"Didn't you say it was the last time?"

Tan Wenbin was also tired from chasing. Baihe Ghost General did not use his ghost power, nor did he use the power of the Blood Ape, so he was really chasing with pure physical strength.

In this respect, he is far inferior to Lin Shuyou, who has been a martial arts practitioner since childhood.

White Crane Ghost General sat down.

Tan Wenbin glanced at the crowd in the distance and lowered his voice, saying, "Tongzi, you should have some backbone. If all else fails, think back. We're not the type to cheat or rob others; when have we ever suffered a loss?"

The White Crane Ghost General's vertical pupils rotated like a clock.

Tan Wenbin: "What, still haven't figured it out?"

White Crane Ghost General: "We...didn't steal it by trickery or force?"

Tan Wenbin said in a deep voice, "Have you ever done that?"

White Crane Ghost General shook his head.

Tan Wenbin: "So, just stay put and wait. It's just a True Monarch system. Even if Sun Baishen removes you, can't our Brother Yuan create another one?"
True Bodhisattvas are readily available; at worst, the Great Emperor can just unleash another layer of hell, and you can be the First True Lord.

White Crane Ghost General: "Really?"

Tan Wenbin: "Your question is unnecessary. Don't cry, don't make a fuss, and don't complain. What's meant for you will be given to you."

I'm only saying this to you this once more. Don't let Xiao Yuan see that A You's emotions are being affected by you, or you'll face the consequences.

White Crane Ghost General: "Understood."

The vertical pupils spun again, trying to disperse but unable to.

White Crane Ghost General had no choice but to raise his hand and tap it against his forehead:

"Spirit medium, let me go back! Let me go back now!"

Lin Shuyou opened the door, Baihe Tongzi went down, and Ayou gained control of the body.

"Hiss...it hurts..."

His entire face was red and burning with pain from the slaps.

Lin Shuyou gently covered his face and lowered his head. He didn't want to get back into his body; he just didn't want to experience this.

The boy's cheerful voice resonated from the depths of his heart:

"Spirit medium, remember, do not have any contact with Lin these days, lest things get out of hand."

At that moment, he felt a cool sensation on the tip of his nose. Tan Wenbin looked up and said:
"It's raining, time to call it a day!"

Everyone carried their tools, lined up, and went home to wait for lunch.

Both are forms of slacking off, but slacking off at the brick kiln is nowhere near as comfortable as lying at home.

But this beautiful wish was shattered by a single sentence from Brother Xiaoyuan:

"Classes will be held in the afternoon."

After everyone responded in unison, they seemed to have lost all their energy and spirit.

Even Chen Xiyuan ate half a pot of rice less when she heard the news.

Aunt Liu: Lunch is ready!

As usual, Li Sanjiang had Yayoi sit and eat with him.

He thought the monk was too shy and was afraid he would be embarrassed to pick up food.

Li Sanjiang always managed to fill Yayoi's alms bowl with meat.

"senior."

"Ok?"

"This humble monk is leaving."

Upon hearing this, Li Sanjiang sucked on the tip of his chopsticks and asked, "Where are you going?"

Yayoi: "Wandering the world".

Li Sanjiang: "You're so young, don't always think about having fun. While you're still young and fresh-faced, let's earn as much money as we can."

Yayoi glanced at Li Zhuiyuan.

After the demonstration, Li Zhuiyuan arranged for him to go to Zhoushan first. If he was not discovered, he would be the vanguard; if he was discovered, he would be transferred to the role of an inside agent.

Li Zhuiyuan said, "Grandpa, the monk's elders at the temple are ill, and he needs to go back to prepare for chanting sutras."

Li Sanjiang: Really?

Yayoi: "Yes."

Li Sanjiang: "Alright then, when are you leaving?"

Yayoi: "Tomorrow morning."

Li Sanjiang: "Then come with me for another job this afternoon, to consecrate someone's factory. We originally agreed to do it tomorrow afternoon, but we'll go this afternoon."

A small foundry recently had a series of accidents while pouring molten iron, injuring two people. The owner had to pay compensation twice and was thinking of hiring someone to perform a ritual to ward off bad luck.

Yayoi: "Yes, senpai."

After the meal, Li Sanjiang packed up his tools, tossed them onto the tricycle, and asked:

"Monk, can you ride a bike?"

“This humble monk can learn it on the spot.”

"Never mind, you sit on the car, I'll ride it, and you hold the umbrella for me."

Li Sanjiang pedaled his tricycle, carrying Tang Seng down the dam.

Tan Wenbin and others, as well as Uncle Qin and Aunt Liu, were all observing Li Zhuiyuan's reaction.

Is it appropriate to leave Grandpa Li and Yayoi alone like this?

This isn't at home, where the old lady is in charge, so Yayoi can't cause any trouble. But outside, who knows what might happen?

Li Zhuiyuan turned and walked towards the back of the house, waving and saying, "Class is starting."

Uncle Qin and Aunt Liu went about their own business, while Liu Yumei sat at the mahjong table, waiting for her old friends to come over.

The rest of the group followed Li Zhuiyuan into the temple. As the young man unfolded the bronze mirror from Qinglong Temple, illusory figures of eminent Buddhist monks appeared before them.

Li Zhuiyuan: "We'll practice individual responses this afternoon, and group responses this evening."

Everyone stepped inside and began to face their respective "opponents".

This time, Ah Li also went down into the arena carrying the blood porcelain bottle.

Among the seven high-ranking monks of the Kong generation, there must be some who are skilled in magic, and Ah Li needs to adapt in advance.

Last time, everyone went through training here specifically targeting the Chen family's domain, but it wasn't used in the end.

That's because the Chen family of Qiongya wasn't an enemy in the strict sense, so it's normal that they weren't used. Being 100% correct isn't called predicting the exam questions, it's called leaking secrets.

However, Qinglong Temple is an open enemy, and Li Zhuiyuan does not believe that Sun Baishen is capable of eliminating all seven high monks. After Sun Baishen achieves his goal, he will have to deal with the rest of the situation himself.

Li Zhuiyuan's gaze fell on Chen Xiyuan.

Unlike when she was drying nets at the brickyard, Chen Xiyuan was now training with exceptional seriousness.

Sister Chen is the kind of person who lives for today and doesn't care about food today.

She didn't grasp the distant realm of martial arts, but she was full of motivation for protecting her younger brother and sister.

Seeing her little brother looking at her, Chen Xiyuan smiled and even made a "V" sign.

Then, amidst the light and shadow, a powerful Buddhist handprint was unleashed, blasting open her deliberately weakened domain and sending her flying.

Li Zhuiyuan wanted to take Chen Xiyuan to Zhoushan.

Logically speaking, it would be quite easy for other lamplighters to get involved in the past waves.

Zhao Yi had tested the rules many times. Sometimes he was forced to get caught up in a wave, causing him to ride the waves one after another in a short period of time; other times he finished his wave ahead of time and was forced to rush to the next wave.

But this time, the rules for navigating the river have changed, and Li Zhuiyuan is unsure whether he can still lead people into his own waves as before.

Heaven is not a fool. In other eras, those who lit the lamps deceived and guarded against each other. They suppressed others to the point of submission and did not allow others to light the lamps a second time.

Theoretically speaking, Li Zhuiyuan can now gather a lot of people to join him in the next wave.

Won't it close this gap?

Let's see. If Chen Xiyuan is forced to leave by other powerful figures before the next stage of her second chapter officially begins, it means that a battleground specially prepared for her team is ready.

"ah!"

Chen Xiyuan shattered the illusory image in front of her with a single flute blast, then tossed her hair and looked at Li Zhuiyuan with a beaming smile.

Today, the little brother doesn't look at the little sister at all; he just keeps looking at himself.

Li Zhuiyuan returned Chen Xiyuan's smile, his gaze sweeping towards the altar's hub. The evil dragon understood and conjured an even stronger phantom image for Chen Xiyuan.

The boy turned around and walked to a corner of the dojo.

Behind him, the battle raged, lights and shadows flickered; before him, the altar stood cold and the statues of gods were solemn.

Li Zhuiyuan offered the Emperor three sticks of incense, signifying that the Emperor and he had a proper master-disciple relationship.

No incense was offered in front of the real Bodhisattva statue.

Li Zhuiyuan clearly distinguished between himself and the Bodhisattva; they were simply "fair-weather friends."

Finally, the boy lit three and a half incense sticks in front of Sun Baishen's Bodhisattva statue.

"Sun Boshen, is it that you just want Yayoi to pick up your boat alone?"

……

In the past, Li Sanjiang had to display all eighteen martial arts skills to provide emotional value to his master.

Yayoi only needed to sit there, and the host family would be satisfied.

The ritual was successfully completed. When Li Sanjiang was settling the money with the workshop owner, the owner asked, "Uncle Li, is there any better way to change the feng shui?"

Li Sanjiang: "Yes, listen to me."

Add a potted plant at the entrance, put up decorative paper on the factory windows, and keep a black dog in the factory...

Li Sanjiang offered many low-cost methods.

The workshop owner took out his pen and wrote everything down, then asked, "Anything else?"

Yayoi said, "Yes."

The workshop owner immediately pressed, "Young master, tell me quickly, and I'll definitely do it."

Yayoi: "Strengthen production standards."

Workshop owner: "..."

After leaving the workshop, Li Sanjiang drove Yayoi back home.

Yayoi asked, "Senior, did I say something wrong?"

Nantong is very clean, without any traditional evil spirits; he also checked the workshops, there were no feng shui problems, and no one had cursed them. The reason why accidents happen frequently is purely man-made disasters.

Li Sanjiang: "No, you're absolutely right. Those of us in this line of work have to know our own capabilities and not make any mistakes."

Every time Blind Liu gives someone talisman water, he insists they go to the clinic for treatment, haha.

As they approached the village entrance, Li Sanjiang stopped his tricycle, took out a cigarette, but couldn't find the matchbox. He handed the cigarette to Yasheng to hold, freeing his hands to rummage through his pockets.

Yayoi misunderstood, thinking it was for her.

Having eaten the meat, I don't care about cigarettes anymore.

Yayoi put the cigarette in her mouth, and with a slight tilt of her head, the cigarette lit up.

He took a drag; it was his first time smoking.

They could sense toxins attacking them, but compared to the pervasive black mist of the Demon Suppression Tower, this amount of toxins was nothing.

Li Sanjiang, who hadn't found the matchbox, smelled the smoke. He turned around, immediately reached out and pulled the cigarette from Yayoi's mouth, bit it into his own, and then slapped Yayoi's bald head, cursing:

"Don't smoke this. Remember, when you're at a funeral, don't accept cigarettes from others. Also, you have to eat meat secretly at home. When you go out for a vegetarian meal, you have to refuse if the host invites you to join the feast. Ask them to prepare vegetarian food for you, or just eat steamed buns."

That way, others will be more willing to hire you, and you can command a higher price.

"Yes, I understand."

Li Sanjiang took out the money he had just received for the religious ceremony from his pocket and handed it to Yayoi.

Yayoi: "That seems to be all."

Li Sanjiang: "Here, take it all. Use it on the way. Besides, your elders have passed away, and you'll need money for funeral arrangements when you get back."

Yayoi: "That's why you only brought me along this time, senior."

It's easy to divide the money between two people, but it becomes difficult when there are more people involved.

Li Sanjiang ignored this and took out a red envelope from his pocket, handing it to Yayoi:

"Here you go, it's our custom in Nantong, every kid who comes to our door for the first time gets this."

Yayoi reached out and took it. The red envelope was very thin, much less than her wages, but Yayoi put the wages into the outer pocket of her monk's robe and the red envelope into the inner pocket.

"Funerals are for the living to see. If you're broke and already homeless, don't try to put on a show when you get back."

"This money, plus the last one, if you spend it sparingly, will be enough to cover three funerals."

Yayoi: "Three games aren't enough."

Li Sanjiang: "Huh?"

Yayoi: "We need to hold seven events."

Li Sanjiang raised his hand and flicked Yayoi's head hard with a "bang".

"Alright, kid, you've managed to trick me into coming here with nonsense, haven't you?"

Yayoi clasped her hands together and smiled.

“I have no spare money. All the other money is used to pay off debts and to buy materials for the kiln. When you leave, you can take some incense, candles, and paper money with you. Take enough for seven people and go back to burn them.”

Yayoi: "Yes, senpai."

Li Zhuiyuan had told Yayoi that morning: My great-grandfather likes you very much.

He, Tan Wenbin, and Ayou all went to university. Runsheng, who didn't go to university, is bad at talking and is not suitable to take on his funeral business.

When the old man saw Yayoi, he said that Yayoi was born to do funerals.

This fondness is mixed with a sense of inheritance.

Unfortunately, the monk eventually had to leave.

Li Sanjiang finished his cigarette and said, "You go back first, I'll go check on the brickyard."

Yayoi: "I have to hold the umbrella for my senior."

Li Sanjiang: "This little drizzle is nothing."

Yayoi: "Let's go together."

Li Sanjiang: "Okay, let's go together then."

Yayoi continued to hold the umbrella open.

He knew that a man of questionable character lived near the brickyard, and he was worried about Li Sanjiang going to see him alone.

Upon arriving at the brickyard, Li Sanjiang inspected the construction progress, remarking with admiration as he looked around:
"Sigh, they really have a hard time. The mules have it tough, they put in so much hard work."

Huh?
Why is this place so sticky?

Li Sanjiang looked at the ground beneath his feet, then stomped on it with the sole of his shoe, making a "crunch, crunch" sound; it felt sticky.

At this moment, Cao Buxiu came out of the shack in front, unbuckling his belt as he walked towards them, needing to urinate.

Yayoi, standing behind Li Sanjiang, looked up.

Cao Buxiu was startled.

Li Sanjiang: "You're the one Zhuangzhuang was talking about, the one who lets you watch the construction site as long as you're provided with meals?"

Cao Buxiu: "Yes, that's me."

Li Sanjiang: "Are they providing you with meals?"

Cao Buxiu: "Given it."

Li Sanjiang walked to the edge of the shack, glanced inside, and found it piled high with sugar, and oil cakes were being fried in a pot.

He had intended to check on the person, thinking that it wasn't easy for him to be down on his luck, and that he shouldn't be stingy with his food and drink. But he didn't expect the guy to be eating so well.

Li Sanjiang: "The food is pretty good, haha."

Cao Buxiu: "That's my favorite."

Li Sanjiang: "It's so cold, why aren't you wearing shoes?"

Cao Buxiu: "I'm numb, I can't feel the cold."

Li Sanjiang: "How did your feet get into this terrible state? Didn't you see a doctor?"

Cao Buxiu: "I've read it and was told to avoid certain foods, but I couldn't resist."

Li Sanjiang: "That won't do."

Cao Buxiu: "I'm seriously ill and won't live much longer, so I might as well keep enjoying myself."

Li Sanjiang: "That's true."

Cao Buxiu: "Brother, shall we have a drink? I have some wine here."

Li Sanjiang: "Okay, have a drink."

If it's wine bought with my own money, I might as well drink it.

Li Sanjiang felt that providing such good food and drink for a gatekeeper was excessive, but when he thought that people said he wouldn't have much time left, he didn't care. Li Sanjiang was never a stingy person.

Li Sanjiang has been busy lately and hasn't been coming to the kiln to work much. Even when he does come, Cao Buxiu can usually pack up his things in advance to avoid him. But this time, Li Sanjiang was followed by Yasheng, who concealed his presence, and Cao Buxiu bumped into him.

Once the drinks were down, the atmosphere really warmed up.

Li Sanjiang was a heavy drinker and loved to drink with others, and the two old men quickly got drunk.

When Li Sanjiang was so drunk that he was unconscious, Yayoi came over, bent down and carried Li Sanjiang on her back.

With bleary eyes from drunkenness, Cao Buxiu spoke:

"None of the monks at Qinglong Temple are good people."

Yayoi: "You are burdened with heavy karmic burdens."

Cao Buxiu: "I know that in a few more days, after half a month, I will be able to go back to my hometown and spend another half a month finding a place to bury him."

Yayoi: "If you keep eating like this, you'll never be able to go back to your hometown."

The backlash from the evil forces came faster than sugar.

Cao Buxiu: "Bullshit! Qinglong Temple is indeed full of no good!"

Yayoi ignored him and put Li Sanjiang into the tricycle. She then placed the umbrella next to him and rode the tricycle.

Riding a bike for the first time was much harder than smoking for the first time.

The bike overturned not long after I started riding it.

Yayoi looked back and saw that Li Sanjiang had fallen right onto the straw mat, but was perfectly fine and sleeping soundly.

Not daring to ride her bike anymore, Yayoi carried Li Sanjiang home on her back.

The students were studying in the classroom, while Teacher Li stood on the dam enjoying the breeze.

The boy watched as Yayoi carried his grandfather upstairs, then guided him upstairs to the second floor, where he settled his grandfather in bed.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Thank you for your hard work."

Yayoi: "It wasn't hard work. The senior colleague gave me all the money I was paid for this job. In addition, he also gave me a red envelope, saying it was a local custom."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Mm."

The boy didn't say anything more. Yayoi went downstairs and left, as he still had to carry the tricycle and Li Sanjiang's things back.

Li Sanjiang didn't come down for dinner; he drank his fill and was still asleep. According to his usual habit, he would sleep until dawn the next day.

In the evening, Li Zhuiyuan went to his grandparents' house for dinner alone. On his way back, he saw Uncle Qin and Aunt Liu taking a walk.

After the boy returned, everyone finished their rest and went back to the dojo for evening self-study.

Yayoi was also asked to come in and experienced the same treatment as Chen Xiyuan last time, being asked to be the on-site martial arts instructor.

Classes didn't end until late at night; some went back to bed, others went back to their coffins.

Yayoi sat back in the corner and entered a meditative state.

Before long, dawn broke.

The door to the east room opened on time, and Ah Li, who had finished dressing, came out. Although her rest time was short, her rich spiritual energy meant that she showed no signs of fatigue.

Yayoi stood up and followed the girl upstairs.

After the girl entered Li Zhuiyuan's room, Yayoi stood outside Li Sanjiang's door.

When Li Zhuiyuan woke up and went out to wash up, Miyo pushed open Li Sanjiang's door, stood in front of Li Sanjiang's bed, and bowed to Li Sanjiang to say goodbye.

After washing his face, Li Zhuiyuan carried the basin back to his room and saw Ya Sheng carrying a large package containing incense, candles, and paper money.

With one hand carrying the package, he bowed to Li Zhuiyuan, who was standing on the terrace, with the other:

"Senior, this humble monk will take his leave first."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Have a safe journey."

Yayoi: "If I were to have a favorable wind, wouldn't that ruin your plans, senior? I await your rescue."

After saying this, Yayoi left, carrying the offerings she had prepared for the seven elders of the temple.

At this moment, Li Zhuiyuan could completely believe that Yayoi would not betray him in the next wave.

Everyone has their own hidden personality flaws, or weaknesses. Li Zhuiyuan knew about Yayoi's weakness, but he couldn't fully utilize it.

This monk, who seemed to be doing lawless things, actually longed for the approval of the law and heaven in his heart.

But Li Zhuiyuan didn't think that this was his great-grandfather's good fortune helping him secure a powerful ally for the next wave of success.

Because the old man treated every mule that came to his pen to eat hay equally.

For the next few days, everyone rested at the brickyard construction site during the day and attended classes all night.

Finally, the kiln was completed.

In the morning, Tan Wenbin arranged a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Li Sanjiang, which made Li Sanjiang extremely happy.

In the afternoon, Li Zhuiyuan arranged an amputation ceremony for Cao Buxiu, and from that day forward, the old man would never be able to close his leg.

He indulged his appetite all night long and successfully defeated the evil forces.

However, Li Zhuiyuan still kept his promise and allowed him to live for a full month without being tormented by the evil force.

Because his teaching of Lin Shuyou the essence of martial arts has been quite effective.

After losing his identity as a True Lord, Ah You was inevitably somewhat depressed due to the influence of the Child. This was a good opportunity for him to comprehend the meaning of the text during his low period, which can be considered a blessing in disguise.

That evening at the dojo, when Ah-you clashed with the illusory image of the martial monk, he was no longer as straightforward as before, but rather appeared more composed and at ease. This was tantamount to laying a solid foundation for mastering even greater power in the future.

As for Chen Xiyuan, she was still envious of Ayou for learning things faster than herself and praised Ayou as a genius.

Amputation is not a breach of promise; it's not something caused by evil forces.

Li Zhuiyuan activated the formation.

Lin Shuyou looked at the two severed legs on the ground and said, "I'll go find a place to bury them."

Tan Wenbin: "No, pack it up and take it back. It can be sewn back on when it's buried in the coffin to ensure it's intact."

Cao Buxiu looked pleased and grateful: "Yes, yes. I thank Lord Tan for his kindness and concern. Thank you for your trouble."

Tan Wenbin: "It's nothing, because my godfather and godbrother did the same. After entering the palace, they would keep their treasures and then sew them back up when they were buried."

Cao Buxiu's lips twitched.

Lin Shuyou lifted Cao Buxiu from the bed and placed him in the wheelchair.

Tan Wenbin used this wheelchair before, but he didn't need it anymore, so it's been gathering dust at Big Beard's house ever since.

Even without his legs, Cao Buxiu still possessed the ability to roam the world. He was able to return to his hometown alone and choose an auspicious burial site to properly bury himself.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Chen Xiyuan, help me flag down a taxi."

The taxi was quickly flagged down.

The driver was delighted to hear it was a long-distance fare and diligently helped the person into the car, then put the wheelchair in the trunk.

Before the car drove away, Cao Buxiu deliberately turned his head to look at Li Zhuiyuan.

When he amputated his limbs to prolong his life, he could clearly feel the evil energy within his body stirring, but the boy easily extracted some of it. The fact that the boy could remove the evil energy was terrifying enough, but what was even more terrifying was that there was no trace of evil energy left in the surrounding environment.

This means that the boy has the ability to completely dissolve this evil force.

Li Zhuiyuan watched the taxi leave. He knew that Cao Buxiu had noticed, but Cao Buxiu did not beg him to help him resolve the karmic force. It was very unlikely that it was because he had come to terms with it and could face death calmly. More likely, it was because he knew very well that he would not agree.

After seeing everyone off, I returned to the dojo and the lessons continued. Although the exam date is still unknown, maintaining a high frequency of practice questions will help me stay in top form.

While everyone was practicing, Li Zhuiyuan, as usual, walked to the offering table, first offering full incense to the Emperor of Fengdu, and then offering half incense to Sun Baishen.

As soon as the incense was placed in the incense burner in front of Sun Baishen's portrait, the portrait itself caught fire, and sparks flew and swirled, engulfing the Bodhisattva portrait and igniting it as well.

The temple stopped operating, classes were suspended, and everyone's eyes turned to look at it.

In this world, it's probably only on Brother Xiaoyuan's altar that these two Bodhisattvas, who are nominally of the same rank, are worshipped together.

Chen Xiyuan asked, puzzled, "Little brother, what does this mean?"

Li Zhuiyuan:
"Sun Baishen has formally challenged Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva to compete for the position of Buddha."

(End of this chapter)