Starting from the Tiger Demon Yaksha, the demon immortality

Chapter 1: It's hard to survive
Chuqiu County, outer city, Donglai Restaurant.

The setting sun was as red as blood, and a touch of purple and black covered the sky like a veil, and the heat of the day subsided slightly at this time.

In the shadow of the restaurant's side door, a strong man and a young man were pushing something to each other.

"Brother Gao, I can't accept this."

"These are all leftovers from the guests. Take them! Take them back and use them to nourish Xiao Mucha."

".Thank you very much."

"Why are you being so polite to me? If it weren't for Uncle Li, I would have fallen into the river and drowned. Alas, my uncle and aunt passed away early, leaving you alone to raise your brother."

"Forget it, let's not talk about this. We have a distinguished guest hosting a banquet tomorrow, and we've requested a special performance from a celestial being. We're still short of one person, so are you going? Not only will we get to eat and drink, but we'll also get tips if the guest is happy."

“But I can’t act.”

"No need to act, just stand there! It's settled, hurry back before it gets dark. Those hooligans are running rampant lately, and the government doesn't care."

Li Cunxiao watched the man's back for a long time, then walked out of the shadow of the eaves with a sigh.

Thinking of his hungry brother at home, he tightened the leftovers wrapped in two layers of oil paper and lotus leaves in his arms and walked quickly through the sparsely populated streets.

Most of the people in the outer city are poor and can't even afford to light oil lamps at night. At this time, most of them eat during daylight, while women seize the time to do sewing and mending.

However, through the leather-armored soldiers and the high city walls, Li Cunxiao could hear laughter from afar from time to time.

He knew that the voices came from the rich man and the dancers in the inner city just across the wall.

At nightfall, if one looks down from a distant mountain, the outer city is pitch black and quiet, like a ghostly den, but the inner city is ablaze with color, its lights strung together like a treasure ship. It is a forest of happy people, a place of entertainment for the wealthy.
We walked along like this until we were near the vegetable market, where the crowd started to gather. However, the sounds coming from the crowd were not about bargaining:

"The thieves He Wu and his companions who stole the property of Mr. Zhao's family in Dongjiaolou Street the other day were found guilty of robbing and murdering merchants. They are sentenced to immediate execution as a warning to others."

"That's not right. I heard that the thief He Wu was caught just ten days ago, and now it's only the middle of the month, how could he be beheaded? They say executions are carried out in autumn, and the heat of August hasn't even dissipated yet."

"There's unrest everywhere now, with rebels and famine. How can the lords of the capital wait until autumn? Of course, the county lords of various places will arrest people and execute them on the spot."

"Alas, speaking of rebels, I heard that General Chongtian was driven back by the government troops again. What if he passes through our Songzhou?"

"Why wait for the rebels? Didn't the governor Zhu above us recruit them?"

"You're asking for your life! These are just ordinary people like us. Oh my god! Who are you?!"

A strange cry attracted everyone's attention, and then they all looked surprised.

The young man was of average build, with a broad round forehead, prominent cheekbones, and a pair of large eyes with more black than white, giving him the appearance of a leopard head with round eyes.

He had a big frame, a thin body, and tattered clothes, and it was obvious that he came from a poor family.

Looking at it suddenly, it looked like an eagle and a wolf, with a ferocious face, which was really scary.

Li Cunxiao was accustomed to other people's reactions. He ignored what others said and just silently looked at the four human heads stuck on the sharpened wooden stakes.

He vaguely remembered that two of them came to the restaurant to order food, and brought with them a pretty girl, who was said to be a refugee from another state.

Zhao Yuanwai was known for his lust. He stole property? He killed traveling merchants?

I'm afraid the county government and the wealthy are colluding to take human lives.
Li Cunxiao was speechless for a moment. When he turned around and left, his steps became faster, as if something was chasing him from behind.

"The world is about to be in chaos."

Others were merely watching the excitement, but Li Cunxiao, armed with modern knowledge and memories, saw much more. For a dynasty, the so-called execution after the autumn was a manifestation of the central government's control over local judicial power.

Whether there was injustice or not, the period of the Autumnal Equinox was specifically set aside so that local officials would report to the court and were not allowed to decide sentences on their own.

However, nowadays, the county magistrates no longer care. The public prison has become a private prison, and the officials can arrest anyone they want with just a word.

It is always said that imperial power does not extend to the countryside, but now it cannot even reach the county.

As for the rebels who roamed the country, and even General Zhu, who, after being recruited and given the name "Quan Zhong" and subsequently became the governor of several vassal states, was merely a footnote to the overall downward trend.
"Army chaos, famine, refugees. I heard there are demons lurking near Chuqiu County, but it's hard to tell if it's real or not."

"Without strength, you will become a pig to be slaughtered in troubled times."

"The warriors of this world are so strong that they are almost supernatural. Learning martial arts must be done as soon as possible."

"I've saved enough for my younger brother and I to live on for two months. I've already saved five taels of silver, which is barely enough for us to join a few martial arts schools in the outer city."

"Alas, if it weren't for the funeral, the money would have been enough long ago. But after all, parents are our parents, and they should be buried in peace."

"The Green Snake Gang has been coming more and more frequently lately. I'm handsome, and it's too unsafe to keep him at home. Let's go to the restaurant."

Li Cunxiao was full of worries, but when he thought of his well-behaved and sensible younger brother, he felt stronger as he went home.

Not to mention that he had a younger brother in his previous life, and his older brother's habits couldn't be lost for a while. Even if it was just based on conscience, he couldn't let a nine-year-old child wander the streets.
"Zhao Heishe, what are you doing here?"

Walking into the dilapidated shantytown, Li Cunxiao saw a sneaky figure at his door. His heart sank and he immediately ran over.

The man with a faded green snake tattoo on his neck was startled by the shout. He turned around to see who was coming and smiled sinisterly.

"It's Li Sanlang, I'm here for no other reason than to collect the fee."

Li Cunxiao was angry:

"This month's money has already been paid!"

"That's your filial piety to the gang!"

The man interrupted Li Cunxiao rudely.

"Li Sanlang, I've been 'taking care' of your family for several months. Shouldn't you show some respect to me?"

Seeing Zhao Heishe's natural look, Li Cunxiao felt the blood rushing to his head, and his leopard-like face quickly became congested and purple-red, like a blood leopard.

Zhao Heishe was suddenly a little scared.

He just lost money gambling and came to make extra money without telling his gang members. In terms of fighting skills, he is far inferior to the real fighters who have practiced martial arts.
"Brother! You're back!"

The tense atmosphere suddenly paused, and a boy in patched clothes suddenly showed his upper body from the rotten wooden door.

Although she is thin and her face is a little yellow, judging from her facial features and bone structure, this child can almost be called beautiful.

"Are Li Sanlang and Li Silang really born from the same mother?"

Zhao Heishe was both surprised and delighted. He had heard that Li Sanlang had a very handsome younger brother, and had originally held out little hope, planning to kidnap him and sell him to a random trafficker, but he hadn't expected him to be such a good-looking guy.

If Li Cunxiao had not returned in time, he might have succeeded.

"I heard that the young men in the inner city like this. If only..."

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(End of this chapter)