The Demon-Slaying Grandmaster

Chapter 191 Good fortune and misfortune depend on each other
Liu Cuitong wasn't afraid of Hu Xian'er at all. In terms of fighting alone, Liu Cuitong was 7% confident that she could teach this woman a lesson.

Not only because Liu Cuitong was indeed superior to Hu Xian'er in martial arts, but also because the fox demon's bewitching techniques were ineffective against her.

This is equivalent to losing an arm before the fight even begins.

Hu Xian'er knew she couldn't beat Liu Cuitong, so she could only suppress her anger.

He muttered to himself, "You're such a good person, you're the only one who knows that adults like quiet people."

Liu Cuitong rolled her eyes; this was utter nonsense.

He went back to the backyard and went to his room to sleep.

For these demons, there are certainly many who are diligent in cultivation, but for snakes, sleeping is actually more efficient than meditating and cultivating.

The effect is even better if you drink the spirit wine before going to sleep.

So Liu Cuitong's personality is indeed quiet, but it would be better to kill Hu Xian'er than to make her like her.

Hu Xian'er could only stomp her feet, turning her grief and anger into a desire to shop.

Take some money and go out to shop, shop, shop!

Not long after the woman left home, she was spotted by two men dressed as Taoist priests.

But these two Taoists who practiced external alchemy had really messed up.

He wanted to trick Hu Xian'er into becoming their furnace, but before he could say more than a few words, Hu Xian'er beat him up like a punching bag.

If this weren't the capital city, and if the bottom line of not killing wasn't strictly adhered to, then these two wouldn't have been beaten half to death and let off so easily.

Li Jingxiao led his men directly to the Jia family, but unexpectedly, the Jia family members in Jinling spent several hundred taels of silver to travel 400 li by express post.

The letter had already been delivered to the Jia family by this time.

When Li Jingxiao arrived outside the Rongguo Mansion, the Jia family was already in complete chaos.

If the letter from Jinling hadn't failed to mention whether Jia Zhu was truly dead...

Perhaps the Rongguo Mansion has already set up a mourning hall by now.

When the doorman saw Li Jingxiao, he immediately shouted excitedly.

"The son-in-law is back! The son-in-law is back!"

Jia Lian, who was preparing to ride quickly to Jinling, hurried over from the front yard stables.

Upon seeing Li Jingxiao enter, her eyes suddenly welled up with tears.

He grabbed Li Jingxiao's arm and said excitedly, almost incoherently, "Brother Xian, please go and save Brother Zhu!"

Seeing how much Jia Lian cared about Jia Zhu, Li Jingxiao couldn't help but nod inwardly.

But Li Jingxiao had no idea that although Jia Lian did care about his cousin Jia Zhu...

But more importantly, with Li Jingxiao back, he no longer had to ride two or three hundred li every day, desperately rushing to Jinling.

If you're unlucky enough to fall off a horse, you might be crippled even if you don't die.

People who have never ridden a horse cannot understand how difficult it is to run two or three hundred miles, or even four hundred miles, every day for seventy or eighty days.

Think about driving in modern society; it's so much more comfortable than riding a horse.

There are also times when you feel exhausted after driving for seven or eight hours.

If you had to drive for ten days straight, you'd definitely feel completely exhausted, let alone riding a horse.

Therefore, Li Jingxiao's return can be considered as saving Jia Lian, which is why he was so excited.

Once Jia Lian came to his senses, he quickly pulled Li Jingxiao inside.

Li Jingxiao grabbed Jia Lian and said, "Alright, I just got back from Jinling, and I already found Brother Zhu yesterday."

Jia Lian was taken aback, then his face lit up with joy.

With his hands clasped together, he kept saying, "May our ancestors bless us, may Heaven bless us, may the Daoist ancestor bless us."

Seeing this, Li Jingxiao couldn't help but smile.

Human nature is so complex. Sometimes you may see someone as a bad person, but they are extremely filial and care deeply for their siblings.

To his family, he was a good person.

Some people appear to be kind and helpful to others, but they don't support their parents, treat their wives and children badly, and cheat and deceive their siblings.

Therefore, whether a person is good or bad depends entirely on whose perspective you are looking at them from.

Before the two even entered the courtyard of Rongxi Hall, Jia Zheng, Jia She, Jia Zhen, and Jia Rong, having already heard the servants' report, hurried out to greet Li Jingxiao.

Upon meeting, the usually stern Jia Zheng couldn't help but get teary-eyed.

Even Jia She's eyes were red, and his face was full of anxiety and sorrow.

As for Jia Zhen and Jia Rong, although they also looked worried, they were not as heartbroken as the brothers Jia Zheng and Jia She.

Before Jia Zheng could speak, Li Jingxiao said, "Father-in-law, rest assured, I found Brother Zhu yesterday."

The Jia family members breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

These words came from Li Jingxiao, and the Jia family members had no doubts whatsoever.

Jia Zheng hurriedly thanked Li Jingxiao profusely, and then inquired about the specific details.

Li Jingxiao shook his head and frowned, saying, "Father-in-law, let's go see the old lady first, and then invite my mother-in-law to listen to the story together."

Brother Zhu's matter is somewhat complicated, and I don't know how to begin.

He sighed after speaking, which instantly made Jia Zheng and the others tense again.

However, Li Jingxiao refused to speak in front of the servants and maids, so Jia Zheng had no choice but to lead him quickly toward the courtyard of Grandmother Jia in Rongqing Hall.

Before even entering the house, they could hear the weeping of Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang.

Jia Zheng hurriedly lifted the curtain, strode in, and knelt down beside Grandmother Jia with a thud.

Saying that "if the old lady is saddened or harmed because of Jia Zhu" is not only Jia Zheng's act of filial impiety, but also Jia Zhu's fault.

Jia She rolled his eyes after hearing this.

Li Jingxiao immediately guessed that the eldest master of the Rongguo Mansion was thinking that the second son was a hypocrite.

Jia She gave Li Jingxiao an awkward smile, but Li Jingxiao didn't seem to care.

Parents are human too, and naturally they will have their own preferences.

If I were Jia Zheng, I would definitely try my best to please the old lady.

If you, Jia She, are incapable of winning your parents' favor, does that mean you forbid your younger siblings from doing the same?
Besides, being filial to parents is sometimes very simple; just make them happy.

Li Jingxiao even felt that Jia Zheng was right.

Moreover, there's no harm without comparison.

Jia She is indeed unreliable. If the Rongguo Mansion were truly handed over to him to manage, it would definitely have fallen into even greater ruin.

This guy is willing to spend 800 taels of silver to buy a concubine.

The house also housed more than a dozen concubines.

I buy one or two every year, and when I get tired of them, I like to give them away.

One of them was given to Jia Lian; I'm not afraid of being laughed at if this gets out.

Every year, he spends four or five thousand taels on buying antiques, yet he still doesn't have control over the family finances.

Otherwise, the Rongguo Mansion's annual land rent income of forty to fifty thousand taels of silver might not even be enough for Jia She to live on.

Upon entering the house, Li Jingxiao saw that the old lady and Madam Wang had stopped crying.

As soon as she saw him come in, the old lady excitedly stepped forward and grabbed Li Jingxiao's hands with both of them.

With a trembling voice and a hint of expectation, she asked, "Jingyou, your father-in-law said Zhu'er is alright. You two, father-in-law and son-in-law, can't lie to this old woman like me."

Li Jingxiao nodded hurriedly, "Grandma, don't worry. Although Brother Zhu has suffered a great calamity, it can be considered a blessing in disguise."

Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang were overjoyed and wept, laughing as they wiped away their tears with handkerchiefs.

Grandmother Jia pulled Li Jingxiao to sit on the main seat of the daybed and asked, "Why didn't Zhu'er come back with you?" Li Jingxiao's lips twitched, and he looked around at the head maids and stewardesses in the room.

Grandmother Jia naturally understood his meaning and said to Jin Yuanyang, "Yuanyang, take the maids and servants to prepare more wine and dishes. I want Jingyou to have dinner with me later."

"And while you're at it, go and invite Yuan Chun's eldest maid over."

Yuanyang nodded hurriedly and led her maids and servants out of the house.

He also instructed people to keep an eye on them and not to get too close.

Only then did Grandmother Jia look at Li Jingxiao.

After Li Jingxiao finished telling the whole story, Madam Wang and Li Wan immediately burst into tears.

Although Grandmother Jia was also saddened, she was clearly thinking about things more deeply.

Although he complained that Jia Zhu was unfilial, he was separated from his father forever at a young age.

But he never said a bad word about Jia Zhu.

Li Jingxiao could guess what the old lady was thinking. Her grandson had already died after falling into the water, and even his physical body had been destroyed, leaving only his soul.

If he didn't become the son-in-law of the Dragon Palace, even if he returned as a ghost, he wouldn't be able to stay at home in peace.

Not to mention continuing the imperial examination system.

When he achieves success in his cultivation in the future, he will always come back to visit his grandmother and his parents.

Lady Wang's thoughts were actually similar to those of Grandmother Jia.

Previously, they were worried that Jia Zhu would drown, but now that their son has died, he has encountered a great opportunity, which is the greatest blessing.

Moreover, being the son-in-law of "Water God" is better than worse no matter how you look at it.

The thought of her son's body being eaten by fish and shrimp overwhelmed her with grief.

Jia She and his son, and Jia Zhen and his son, on the other hand, were secretly muttering and plotting in their hearts.

Only Li Wan felt heartbroken; she wanted to hate Jia Zhu, but she didn't know how to hate him.

I can only lament my lack of good fortune.

Fortunately, she still had her son Jia Lan, so Li Wan could only focus all her attention on him.

She hopes that her husband will achieve success in his spiritual practice in the future, and that they will eventually have a chance to reunite.

Jia Zheng remained silent. His son had already passed the imperial examination and was just one step away from bringing glory to the family.

Now that he can't come back, it's like shattering his greatest expectations and hopes.

My heart was filled with grief, disappointment, and helplessness.

She also vaguely knew that if her son-in-law hadn't been there, that so-called "Water God" might not have saved Jia Zhu's soul at all.

Seeing that her youngest son remained silent, Grandmother Jia feared that he was too heartbroken.

Instead, she comforted him, saying, "Zheng'er, don't blame Zhu'er. He had no choice."

Since the Water God saved his life, repaying such a great kindness with his life is not only a matter of gratitude, but also a testament to your past excellent teaching.

Although my family is wealthy, we are still just ordinary people. If Zhu'er comes back with Jingyou...

If the Water God comes to our door in the future, asking us to repay his kindness.

At that time, what could we possibly give in return?
"Ball's actions only caused him suffering while fulfilling moral principles and averting future trouble for my family."

Li Jingxiao glanced at Grandmother Jia a few times; the old lady clearly favored her youngest son.

Jia Zheng knew that his mother was trying to comfort him, but after thinking about it carefully, he realized that what his mother said was indeed a possibility.

Since the Water God is an enlightened carp spirit, he will surely seek help from the Jia family if he encounters any calamities in the future.

At that time, the cost may be greater than imagined.

But still feeling somewhat unwilling, she looked at Li Jingxiao and asked, "Jingyou, is there really no other way to resolve this matter?"

Li Jingxiao immediately understood that his father-in-law hoped he had a way to "bring the dead back to life".

Don't say you really can't.

Even if they did know how, they wouldn't use it to save Jia Zhu.

Besides, Jia Zhu's current presence in the Dragon Palace is far more beneficial than harmful to him.

He also hoped to obtain more Taoist magic and supernatural powers from other dragon palaces through Jia Zhu.

How could we possibly let Jia Zhu come back?
Moreover, if the carp spirit of Jieshou Lake, and the aquatic creatures who are on good terms with the carp spirit, encounter any troublesome monsters, they will definitely seek my help.

Or, to put it another way, if someone wants to eliminate a hostile force, as long as the reason given is plausible, they can ask for your help.

Why not gain experience?
Grandmother Jia, Lady Wang, Jia She, and the others all looked at Li Jingxiao.

Li Jingxiao pretended to frown and ponder for a moment, then suddenly smiled and said, "Father-in-law, although ghost cultivation is more difficult, now that you have become the son-in-law of the Water God, you will at least not lack resources for cultivation."

Anyone else would be incredibly envious.

If he's lucky in the future, he might be able to break away from his father-in-law's family and be with that third princess.

To become the master of a palace in other water systems.

Even if it's just a minor river or lake water deity, or even just a well dragon king, it's still a genuine divine position.

If they have enough good fortune, and with some effort, they might even be able to settle down by the waterways around the capital in the future.

"Or even better, take a position in the underworld; the benefits would be enormous."

Everyone's eyes lit up upon hearing this.

Having a position in the underworld would allow him to take care of the Jia family in many ways.

Especially for older people like Grandmother Jia and Jia She, their minds suddenly became much more complicated.

Even Jia Zheng and Lady Wang forgot their grief.

Li Jingxiao thought to himself that these were just words of comfort.

Becoming a Water God is possible, but taking a position in the underworld is not so easy.

Just a few seconds later, Li Jingxiao thought to himself, 'Something's not right.'

It is indeed extremely difficult to take up a post in Fengdu City, but the chances and possibilities of becoming a judge or even the City God in the City God Temple are not small.

If the emperor or the retired emperor were willing, appointing Jia Zhu as the city god of a small county town would be considered a meteoric rise.

Even without going through the emperor, as long as the gentry in a remote county petitioned, Jia Zhu could be elevated to the position of the local city god.

If one were to come to the capital city to serve as a judge in the underworld, or even a lower-ranking clerk or administrative official, one could achieve great things.

Once you've established connections with the underworld, there's absolutely no difficulty involved.

Thinking about this, Li Jingxiao suddenly felt that he needed to carefully consider the gains and losses of this matter.

Then he continued, "Father-in-law, just think of Brother Zhu as someone who has gone out to study and won't be back for three, five, seven, or eight years."

Perhaps in the future, I will be able to serve in the underworld of the City God in the capital or Nanjing.

That wouldn't just mean protecting the Jia family for a few generations, but for dozens of generations.

Upon hearing this, Jia Zheng, Jia Mu, and others were shocked.

Upon reflection, the sadness in my heart immediately transformed into calculating gains and losses and what price I would have to pay.

Seeing this, Li Jingxiao knew that the Jia family was tempted.

He added with a smile, "Brother Zhu still cares about his elders and is very filial."

After saying that, he took out the pearls that Jia Zhu had given him from his inventory and spread them out in the fruit plate.

Twenty or thirty pearls, each the size of a longan, appeared round, lustrous, and sparkling under the candlelight.

It's eye-catching.

(End of this chapter)