Am I the only good person in this cultivation world?

Advancing to the second level of Qi Refining in three days was not considered fast for Yao Han, and it was within his expectations.

Breakthroughs in cultivation are inherently gradual, progressing from the shallow to the deep, from the easy to the difficult. As long as the cultivation method is appropriate and one practices diligently without ceasing, even a solitary cultivator can cultivate to the third level of Qi Refining without guidance. The real challenges lie ahead.

His spiritual root is biased towards metal, and this "Blazing Light Technique" is perfectly suited to him; in addition, this time he has started his cultivation anew, and has the experience of a Core Formation cultivator. Although he has not cultivated any of the Five Elements techniques, he can still draw inferences from one another. The bottlenecks that Qi Refining cultivators find difficult to overcome are nothing to him.

Another night passed, and Yao Han jumped out of bed, stretched lazily in the morning light, his joints cracking.

Jiangjia Village is nestled against the mountains and beside the water, truly a wonderful place to nurture people. It's a pity that the spiritual energy isn't very abundant, otherwise he would really like to stay here and cultivate in seclusion.

"Oh, and you too—"

Yao Han took out the Qiankun bag from his pocket and smiled as he took out a crystal-clear spirit stone from it.

Who could resist a storage bag that can earn money on its own?

One yuan a day is a little bit, but it adds up!

As long as I live long enough, I can have as much as I want.

Yao Han thought to himself, somewhat like a bachelor.

He put the spirit stone into another storage bag, and put the Qiankun bag back into his bosom, which had become his habit.

This spirit stone always appears the next morning. Perhaps I should wait until nightfall next time to see how it is produced.

While pondering, Yao Han pushed open the door and walked outside.

Before I had taken two steps, I heard busy sounds coming from outside.

These two are up really early today.

"Oh, Xiaohan, you're up?"

Jiang Xiaolu greeted him with a smile and raised her wrist to wipe the sweat from her forehead.

Yao Han nodded: "What are you all busy with?"

He saw a large vat by the door, containing two dead fish lying face up.

Jiang Xiaolu held a water ladle in one hand, dipped it into the vat, and lifted it up. Once the ladle was full of water, she poured it onto the outer wall of the wooden house, filling the yard with a fishy smell.

Old Jiang was busy on the other side, holding a small stone hammer, tapping and hammering along the edge of the fence, tamping the bamboo and wood into the ground.

Yao Han scanned the area with his divine sense and discovered that other families in the village were doing the same thing as them.

"Sigh, it's all because of those short-haired beasts!"

Old Jiang sighed deeply, put the stone hammer in his hand on the ground, and rested on the small bamboo stool.

"A short-haired beast?" Yao Han was taken aback.

"Oh, I almost forgot, Xiaohan, you're an outsider, no wonder you don't know these things."

"Grandpa was talking about the group of wild monkeys in the mountains."

Yao Han noticed that when Jiang Xiaolu said this, a hint of sadness and fear flashed in her eyes.

"Why haven't I heard you mention this before?"

"The dog days of summer are almost here," Old Jiang explained slowly, glancing at Xiao Lu.

"Every year around the summer solstice, the monkeys in the nearby mountains seem to go berserk and recklessly rush into the nearby villages."

As Old Jiang spoke, his legs trembled slightly.

"Going mad..."

"Yes, they're even more terrifying than rabid dogs with the disease. These short-haired beasts not only devour livestock alive, but they also grab and bite people. Once they're all gathered together, you can't stop them."

Yao Han frowned. He had lived for so long and this was the first time he had ever heard of such a thing as a monkey plague.

The world is truly vast and full of wonders.

"Since this monkey plague happens every year, why don't you move away from here?"

As soon as Yao Han opened his mouth, he realized he had asked a stupid question.

Jiangjia Village is sparsely populated and far from human habitation. Even though it is still within the territory of Jing State, the secular government probably wouldn't care.

"Move away? Sigh, it's easier said than done! Xiaohan, you're from the city, you don't understand the hardships of life in the countryside."

"Our Jiang family has lived here for generations, making a living by fishing and selling fish. All our skills are in this water. Without the Shanyin River, most of the villagers wouldn't know how to make a living."

"Besides, where can we move to? This Guzhang Mountain is so big, who knows where tigers and leopards might be hiding? Rather than going through all the trouble of moving to another place, it's safer to stay in this village that our ancestors passed down."

"Fortunately, this monkey infestation only happens once or twice a year. As long as you stay indoors, they won't force their way into the house. Just bear with it and it will pass."

Yao Han suddenly realized why these villagers were building fences and pouring water containing dead fish.

It's likely that these wild monkeys dislike the smell of fish and will walk away when they smell it, which helps protect the house and people to some extent.

"Grandpa, I'm going to water the back wall."

Jiang Xiaolu listened quietly as Old Man Jiang finished speaking, then carried the water vat to the back of the house.

"Go on, but be careful."

Old Man Jiang gave her a word of advice, his eyes full of affection. Only after Jiang Xiaolu's figure disappeared behind the wall did he sigh again and turn his gaze to Yao Han.

"Her parents died in the monkey plague."

Yao Han nodded silently; he had already guessed a thing or two.

"Yao...Yao Han,"

Old Jiang suddenly sat up straight, tapping his fingertips incessantly on his knees. After hesitating for a long while, he slowly spoke:

"I'm an incompetent old man. I couldn't protect my wife, nor could I protect Xiao Lu's parents."

"I'm old and can't walk anymore. I've lived in this village since I was born, and I've lived here my whole life. I'm afraid I'll die in the village on my last day."

"But Xiao Lu is still young and shouldn't be a burden to me. It's not fair for her to stay here and take care of me."

"Yao Han, I can tell from this old man that you're definitely not from an ordinary family. Your parents must be officials or business people—it's alright, if you don't want to talk about it, then don't."

"Having lived together for so many days, I think you're a good kid. Although you're not very talkative, you're not a bad person."

"I know in my heart that I don't have much time left. Before I die, can I ask you for one thing?"

"Take Xiaolu with you in a few days."

"Take her to Ziqiu City, let her see the outside world. If we can help her find a way to make a living, that would be even better. Even if she's just a maidservant by your side, it's better than being trapped in this little village for the rest of her life."

"As long as she can support herself, I can die in peace."

Yao Han listened quietly, remaining silent.

Non-vegetation, ruthless Practice makes perfect.

Even though he was a cultivator over a hundred years old, the old man's words still moved him deeply, filling him with countless emotions.

Old Jiang reached behind him and shakily pulled out a bundle. His calloused hands gently untied the cloth bag, revealing a wooden box the size of a human face.

"I've been poor my whole life, and I don't have much to give you... Here are the hairpin and jade bracelet left by Xiao Lu's mother, the ring left by her father, and the loose silver I've saved up over the years... Take them all."

As he spoke, Old Man Jiang shoved the box into Yao Han's hands.

"What are you doing!" Yao Han instinctively pushed the things back.

"Keep it, keep it. If you really don't want to accept it, just consider it as Xiaolu's dowry."

A gentle breeze blows, willow branches sway, and ripples spread across the water.

An old man and a young boy stood under the tree, gazing silently into each other's eyes.

After pondering for a while, Yao Han took the box and nodded.

"Whether Xiaolu is willing to leave is still uncertain."

"Haha, you don't need to worry about that."

Old Jiang laughed, revealing a set of yellow teeth with gaps, his grin stretching all the way to his ears.