Gou Zai Xianwu Wenjing Search for Opportunities

Around noon, the three left the Li residence. Zhao Sheng went home alone, while Lin Yuan and Hu Cai returned to Hu's coffin shop.

Lin Yuan calculated that ten doses of medicinal diet would last him half a month if he ate them in a cost-effective manner, and a bottle of ointment would last him two or three months without any problem. He still had about thirty taels of silver left, which was enough for his martial arts training expenses for the next month or two.

According to Hu Cai, as long as there is enough meat and a sufficient supply of high-quality medicinal food, one can enter the Body Tempering Realm in three or four months even with casual practice. If one practices diligently without interruption, one can reach the threshold of a martial artist in one or two months.

During this time, Lin Yuan also inquired about several martial arts schools in town. The cost of learning martial arts and the expenses for medicinal meals there were much lower than those at the Li Family Martial Arts School, but it would take at least a year to master the basics of body tempering.

Powerful and influential families possess profound resources, enabling them to use the best resources to help their children grow rapidly and stand out quickly. At the same time, they provide their children with the best medical treatment and guidance from renowned teachers to prevent them from becoming useless.

The martial arts schools outside are mostly for children from ordinary families. Their families don't have much resources, so they can only exchange time for space and slowly grind their way up. They don't get the best treatment and lack guidance from famous teachers. The longer they train, the greater the probability of ruining their skills. Therefore, most of them don't have a high potential and have to make a living on their own after becoming a body tempering martial artist.

Lin Yuan couldn't help but feel a little excited at the thought of becoming a martial artist in a month or two. He instantly felt that investing this money in himself was worthwhile!

His only worry was that he would run out of food in a month or two!

Why is it so difficult for Li Shi to find a wealthy ghost?

Where have all the wealthy ghosts in this world gone?

He suddenly thought of the Lin Yuan Immortal Temple. Whenever demons or monsters appeared in the countryside, immortal masters and Taoist priests would come to exorcise them. And every family that could invite an immortal master was not poor.

It can be said that not only is the location accurate, but it's also a wealthy ghost!

To become the lowest-ranking servant Taoist boy at the Immortal Temple, one must be recommended by a Taoist master; otherwise, one is not even qualified to apply.

Even scholars needed a Taoist master's recommendation to be eligible to participate in the selection, while the requirements for immortal seedlings were higher, requiring a recommendation from an immortal master.

Most of these immortal masters and Taoist priests are from aristocratic families. They only recommend their own people and will never give a chance to a country boy.

Even Li Shi didn't have this opportunity, let alone Hu Cai.

It seems we can only slowly search for the ghosts!

As soon as he entered the room, Lin Yuan handed the ointment he had just bought to Hu Cai: "Senior brother, I've been using your ointment lately. This is mine, you can take it too..."

"Hey, don't be so polite. You didn't use much!" Hu Cai waved his hand, not caring much, then chuckled, "My mother loves me the most, and she often secretly slips me some money. My older brother also gives me some small change whenever he comes back."

Lin Yuan understood what he meant. He wasn't short of money for the ointment, and he also understood that this was something he could do, and that he was also helping out.

"Alright." Lin Yuan solemnly clasped his hands in a fist salute and said decisively, "Our time as fellow disciples is long, and the future is bright!"

"Well said! We've got a long future ahead of us, fellow disciples!" Hu Cai laughed heartily. "Being good at studying really makes a difference; your words are much more sophisticated than mine. No wonder Father always praises you!"

"You want to study? I'll teach you!" Lin Yuan said, adopting the demeanor of a teacher.

"No! I can read, write, and do math, that's enough for me. Besides, my handwriting is much better than yours!"

"Don't bring up things you shouldn't talk about..." Lin Yuan suddenly lost his teacher's composure. He had practiced calligraphy for a month or two and made some progress, but it was indeed not as good as Hu Cai's calligraphy.

Practicing calligraphy is like practicing martial arts; it requires persistent, gradual effort!

At noon, the two had just finished eating at Hu's Kitchen, enjoying braised carp and braised rabbit. They were very satisfied with their meal.

Just after finishing his meal, a waiter ran over to Hu Cai and said, "Wu Lang, the boss wants to see you."

"What does Father want to say?" Hu Cai asked.

"We're short-handed today, so the boss sent Wulang to deliver Old Master Zhang's coffin!"

"Oh, I'll change my clothes and then I'll go."

"I'll go too!" Lin Yuan immediately volunteered when he heard that something had happened at the Hu family's place.

The waiter didn't dare to answer, so Hu Cai nodded and said, "Then hurry up and change your clothes."

So the two of them took a quick shower, changed their clothes, and went to the main hall.

Manager Hu accumulated wealth over several generations, starting with one shop and expanding to several shops throughout the county. He went from being a shopkeeper to becoming the owner, also known as the landlord.

When Hu Dongjia saw the two approaching, he smiled gently and said, "It's quite a coincidence today. The Zhang family just came to inform us that Old Master Zhang has passed away. Erlang took some men to the mountains to transport timber yesterday and hasn't returned yet. So, I'll trouble Lin Xiaolang and Wulang to take a few workers to deliver the coffin to the Zhang family, so as not to delay their mourning."

"Okay." Lin Yuan clasped his hands in a fist and palm salute. It was just a small favor, nothing to do.

Hu Dongjia instructed his son, "Go to the west courtyard and find your Uncle Gu. He knows how to handle it..."

"Understood." Hu Cai immediately gathered a few employees and they went to the west wing, where many coffins ordered by customers were stored.

After the coffin is ordered, some families will take it home in advance, while others cannot bear to see it during their lifetime and will temporarily leave it at the coffin shop until it is needed.

Of course, none of those who can afford to order a coffin are poor. The truly poor, like the homeless on the street, don't even have a straw mat to wrap themselves in.

Inside the west courtyard, rows of wooden frames were erected, with many coffins standing on them, each with a plaque hanging on it.

Hu Cai held the token in his hand, matched it with the nameplate, and found a catalpa wood coffin. He lifted the lid, revealing a tall, finely crafted coffin with a superior lacquer finish: "This should be coffin number nine of the Heavenly category. Uncle Gu, is this it?"

Uncle Gu circled the coffin, touched it, and grinned, revealing his gap-toothed smile. "That's right, I oversaw the making of this coffin, it can't be wrong! Be careful carrying it, don't scratch the lacquer!"

"Uncle Gu, don't worry, we've all practiced martial arts, we're definitely skilled!"

"Haha, great!"

Hu Cai and Lin Yuan immediately took the lead in carrying the head of the coffin, while six other workers carried the back, making a total of eight people carrying the coffin together.

A tall coffin weighs at least three to five hundred pounds, but this catalpa coffin weighs five to six hundred pounds. Eight people carried it together, and each person weighed less than one hundred pounds.

If it were Lin Yuan a month ago, he definitely wouldn't have been able to carry this weight all the way, but after a month of martial arts training, his body has become stronger and his strength has increased.

Uncle Gu kept adjusting the position of the carrying poles for the coffin, and instructed the six men, "They are young, so you six should give them some space."

"It's alright, Uncle Gu, just go ahead and do it. We can carry it for ten miles without even breaking a sweat!" The workers were used to hard labor.

Uncle Gu laughed and scolded, "What nonsense are you talking about! If you don't breathe, are you even human?"

"Haha..." Everyone burst into laughter.

Following Uncle Gu's instructions, Lin Yuan and Hu Cai lifted the coffin together.

"Go out through the side gate, not the main gate!" Uncle Gu directed from behind, and the eight people left the courtyard.

Hu Cai asked, "Where's the donkey cart?"

"They've already taken them up the mountain! Old Master Zhang's house isn't far, we can just carry them there! Do you know where it is?" Uncle Gu asked worriedly.

"I know, I know, it's in Shangwei Village!" Hu Cai replied.

"Oh dear, don't take him to the wrong place! His ancestral home was flooded a long time ago, and he moved to town after the flood. Never mind, I'll take you there. My senior brother is really something, why didn't he explain things to you clearly?" Uncle Gu said worriedly.

"My father sent me to find you," Hu Cai said helplessly.

"Then why didn't you ask? What kind of thing have you done, you brat!" Uncle Gu scolded Hu Cai.

Hu Cai smiled awkwardly and remained silent. Although Uncle Gu was an apprentice bought by Hu Cai's grandfather and his status was no different from that of a servant, Uncle Gu had worked hard for the Hu family for half his life and made great contributions. Therefore, the younger generation all respectfully called him Uncle.

Lin Yuan glanced at Hu Cai, speechless. Luckily, there was an elder in the family; otherwise, by the time they reached Shangwei Village, they would have almost reached their own Xiawei Village, and it would definitely be dark by then.

Uncle Gu led the eight people out, repeatedly instructing them: "Keep your hands steady, once you're outside, make sure the coffin doesn't touch the ground... Keep to the side, avoid people, and don't offend any important people."

Lin Yuan listened to Uncle Gu explain the ins and outs of carrying the coffin along the way and found it quite interesting.

The group walked through the streets and alleys and arrived in front of the Zhang family mansion.

The person in charge of the Zhang family was a cousin of Old Master Zhang, who was already waiting outside the main gate. He immediately called to his servants, "Open the side gate and let them use the side gate."

Uncle Gu stepped forward and exchanged a few words with the Zhang family's head steward. The steward quickly bowed to Hu Cai, who was carrying the coffin, saying, "Thank you for your trouble, young master, to carry the coffin yourself. Please come in quickly!"

Lin Yuan and Hu Cai carried the coffin head and stepped into the Zhang family's side gate first. The head of the Zhang family personally led the way, leading everyone through the corridors and directly to the main hall of the Zhang residence.

At this moment, a white cloth had been drawn over the main hall, and the hall was in chaos, with a series of women crying in the courtyard.

As Lin Yuan listened to the cries rising and falling, and looked at the white cloth fluttering in the hall, he suddenly realized that he was in a mourning hall.

He suddenly seized an opportunity and his mind was filled with inspiration.

Yes, aren't coffin shops just places that make coffins for rich people?

The customers of the coffin shop were not only wealthy, but also the dead and those about to die.

Isn't this the best example of a wealthy ghost?

After searching high and low, I found it was right next to me!