Lamplight illuminates, casting a warm glow, the eaves of the ancestral hall in Hukang Village are veiled in bright moonlight, and the villagers gather there to watch as the Taoist throws down several large black hemp sacks.
One by one, they slowly open them, peeking inside, revealing heaps of grain and wheat seeds for spring planting.
The villagers' expressions waver like waves of wheat, initially showing delight, but quickly suppressing their emotions, fearing those bandits aren't all dead, and the grain was stolen, celebrating too soon rarely brings good fortune.
Only one large black hemp sack remains, heavy with weight, everyone holds their breath, exchanging glances, and several hands reach out and swiftly uncover it.
Hey, all round heads!
The crowd falls silent for a mont, as if staring at an illusion, just the fantasy before death by starvation, no one makes a sound.
Suddenly, soone awakens as if from a dream.
"All dead, truly all dead! A hero!"
An unknown person exclaims, breaking the silence abruptly, and the hall erupts in joyous chaos, so jump onto tables, others crouch on the ground roaring, and so hug and cry loudly, the ancestral altar brims with incense, more lively than any New Year's celebration.
"We can sow seeds! The hero, the hero! The new door god sent the hero, the door god sent the hero!"
"It's the Taoist, no, an immortal, the immortal's magical powers reach the heavens, Amitabha Buddha, our Buddha's rcy!"
"You half-baked one clumsily shaking, flattering the wrong leg, it's 'Infinite Heavenly Venerable', oh co, let's divide the seeds, no hurry for the grain! Don't fight!"
"This door god is truly effective, truly effective…"
Inside the hall is a bustling scene, with chatter and noise, everyone hastily divides the seeds, for it's their livelihood for the year, the whole village's stomachs tied to them, amidst exchanges, there's infinite gratitude towards the Taoist and praise for the door god.
As people celebrate and express gratitude, Chen Yi simply pulls out a gourd, pretending to drink alone, carefree and quite dashing.
"The warding of Chen Qianhu is indeed effective!"
"I said this ugly one was indeed useful!"
"Chen Qianhu is wonderfully ugly! Ugly magic is powerful! Why not be a bit uglier!"
Chen Yi freezes in his drinking motion.
Yin Tingxue bursts into laughter, seeing Chen Yi glance her way, quickly covers her mouth.
She suppresses her expression and says, "Not laughing, not laughing... haha... really, not laughing at you, just the corners of my mouth curled a bit."
Chen Yi withdraws his gaze, not convenient to quarrel with her now, letting her wait for it... Thinking this, Yin Tingxue nonchalantly sits closer, slightly leaning into his embrace.
Chen Yi secretly despises the Little Fox's opportunism, then wraps his arm around her waist, so soft and tender.
After villagers finish dividing the seeds, they return to the hall with wine and at, imdiately soone kneels before the two Daoists, and the remaining villagers follow kneeling.
Chen Yi stands up, waving his hand, saying, "No, no."
He stops the crowd from kneeling or bowing, lifting his empty hand, looking quite gentlemanly, also saying things like "just a small matter" "unworthy of gratitude".
Despite saying this, Yin Tingxue notices her husband's brows relaxed, feeling quite satisfied inside.
All this ti, she has been yielding to him, gently tender, sotis laughed at by him for being opportunistic, yet he just happens to appreciate this…
Yin Tingxue's head tilts slightly,
She knows him best.
...
Early the next morning, it was ti to leave, and the villagers of Hukang Village were naturally reluctant, not only because of the Taoist's great kindness and virtue but also because of the unrest caused by sect disturbances leaving them unsafe.
Last night, they offered the previously hidden preserved wine and at, five grains, and copper coins and broken silver covered in mud, but Chen Yi refused them all, so the villagers accompanied them out of the village, with the village head leading the way, solemnly clasping hands and bowing, saying:
"Taoist, your great kindness and virtue, us common folk cannot repay in this life, only wish to serve as cattle and horses in the next life!"
Chen Yi shook his head, refusing to accept.
Similar words had been said by the villagers many tis, but Chen Yi rejected them all, for he always managed with principles, if not for a beauty, serving as cattle and horses held no aning.
Chen Yi and Yin Tingxue continued down the mountain path, walking about five to six li, looking back, the village remained only a tiny speck amidst the trees, rely a minor episode along their journey.
Dragon and Tiger Mountain lies further south.
Thinking about eting Zhou Yitang and Lu Ying there, Chen Yi's heart stirred slightly... noticing this, Yin Tingxue silently clenched his hand.
As Yin Tingxue was about to say a few words, her ears suddenly twitched.
"Taoist, Taoist…"
A childish voice suddenly rang out, Chen Yi turned to look, a child jumped out from the trees, holding a large bunch of fruits, offering them forward.
Each fruit was large and plump, fresh and dripping.
"Followed all the way to catch up with you, my parents sent to thank the Taoist for eliminating evil." The child beams a big smile.
Chen Yi glanced around with squinted eyes, after a mont, he smiled and said:
"Go back, it's unnecessary."
The child asked again, receiving the sa answer, had no choice but to turn around and walk away, looking back every few steps.
Yin Tingxue found the child unfamiliar, wondering where he ca from.
...
The White Lotus Sect chaos in Hu-Guang caused uproar, forcing Dragon and Tiger Mountain to close off, but Nankuo County, far from the turbulent heartland, retains peace and tranquility, still showing a festive post-New Year's vibe, with bustling streets, throngs of people brushing shoulders, nurous vendors hawking goods along the road by the city gates, everything seeming usual, yet everyone had early learned a phrase "Mother of Non-Birth, Vacuum Ho."
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