Ch 34: The Malevolent Monster Just Wants To Farm

Black mountain.

“Sir, the cabbage in the field is ripe today, and the largest one is… this big!” A-Yu excitedly ran up to Jiang Lin and gestured with her hands.

Jiang Lin smiled, “Well done.”

A-Yu beamed with a sweet smile. “I must thank you, sir, for giving me the opportunity to choose my own life. I never knew that farming could be such a joyful thing.”

Jiang Lin nodded in deep agreement, “Indeed. Nowadays, the minds of demons are too restless. They only think about fighting and killing, or they try to take shortcuts using unconventional methods. Truly, the morals of the world have declined!”

Just then, the tree demon grandmother Huaiyin, who had just arrived, feeling listless, restless, and harboring thoughts of taking shortcuts, said nothing and walked silently to Jiang Lin’s side. She overheard him and A-Yu still chatting:

A-Yu said, “Sir, I noticed that in this sweet potato field, using half as much fertilizer resulted in better growth compared to the adjacent field.”

Jiang Lin nodded approvingly, “Good observation. You have a natural talent for farming. From now on, you’ll be fully responsible for the agricultural development in Black Mountain.”

A-Yu was like a treasure Jiang Lin discovered in this world. While the other girls expressed interest in beauty, painting, and similar industries, A-Yu developed an intense passion for farming. Her interest wasn’t limited to just planting; she even ventured into the human world to study and master techniques like grafting and hybridization. Her lifelong goal was to develop better varieties of fruits and vegetables and increase the production of Black Mountain’s specialty products.

Unfortunately, her true form wasn’t a plant. Otherwise, Jiang Lin would have spared no effort in his cultivation just to sign this rare talent.

Hearing Jiang Lin’s words, A-Yu’s face lit up with excitement. “Really? Thank you, sir!”

Huaiyin stood silently for a moment before speaking in a lackluster tone, “Sir, the medicinal field you assigned to me has fully grown. Would you like to inspect it?”

When she spoke, A-Yu finally noticed her. Despite having served under Huaiyin for hundreds of years, A-Yu still felt a bit intimidated by her and instinctively shrank back, quietly greeting, “Elder.”

Huaiyin responded with a faint acknowledgment, though she felt a twinge of jealousy toward the girl. Everyone in Black Mountain knew that the sir favored A-Yu the most. And the reason? Because A-Yu was excellent at farming!

Speaking of farming, Huaiyin felt utterly defeated. She was once the renowned tree demon elder with a formidable reputation. In the past, whoever saw her wouldn’t dare to show her anything less than respect. She always had a retinue of beautiful maidens, making her a figure of great prominence!

And now?

It all started when one day, Jiang Lin accidentally discovered that because Huaiyin’s true form was a locust tree, she naturally had a high affinity with plants. The plants around her residence thrived exceptionally well under her presence.

How could such a natural farming asset be wasted?

Jiang Lin carefully selected and eventually assigned the most delicate medicinal fields in Black Mountain to Huaiyin.

Jiang Lin also gave her an order: if she neglected her duties and let even one plant die, she would have to pay for it out of her own pocket. And the money had to be earned honestly—no stealing, no robbing, and no using magic to deceive anyone.

The dignified tree demon elder, Huaiyin—did she really have to go out and work as a shop assistant for those little girls like Xiaoqian?

But now, she was Jiang Lin’s contracted spirit plant and couldn’t even lie.

During this time, as Huaiyin squatted in the medicinal field pulling weeds every day, she regretted countless times that she ever had the idea to target Black Mountain.

But every time she finished regretting and entered the Jadeite Space to cultivate, feeling the abundant spiritual energy and her rapidly improving cultivation…

Huaiyin thought: It’s just farming, after all, I can endure it!

The medicinal field was filled with precious herbs like ginseng and cordyceps. These herbs, growing in the spiritual energy-infused soil of Black Mountain and under the care of the tree demon elder, were far superior in appearance and efficacy compared to those that grew in the wild.

Jiang Lin was just about to praise Huaiyin when he suddenly noticed some movement in the Jadeite Space.

It was the small red bead that Zong Yu had given him before they parted ways in the previous world. Jiang Lin had studied this little bead carefully before, but aside from being as crimson as blood and extraordinarily beautiful, he couldn’t find anything special about it.

Maybe the child just thought it was a pretty trinket and gave it to him as a gift?

But now, the bead, which had been silent for a long time, was moving. It spun in Jiang Lin’s palm, growing hot to the touch.

Jiang Lin stared at it, searching through the memories of both the White Bone Spirit and the Black Mountain Demon King, but he still couldn’t figure out what this object was.

Could something have happened to Zong Yu?

He frowned: Zong Yu was so powerful, and he had the Great Sage’s promise to look after him—what could possibly happen?

Speaking of Zong Yu…

Jiang Lin sighed slightly, which was rare for him. He wondered what Zong Yu was like now and how things were going in White Tiger Ridge.

As he was musing, A-Yu came running up excitedly and said to Jiang Lin, “Sir, today I discussed with some of the sisters, and since everyone already knows that the shops in Qing Shui County are connected, why don’t we come up with a unified name and make a logo for them? What do you think?”

Jiang Lin’s eyes lit up: What a talent! They already have the awareness of branding and chain management.

He immediately put his earlier melancholy aside and started discussing quietly with A-Yu as they walked.

Meanwhile…

Zong Yu was walking down the streets of Qing Shui County. He had sensed Jiang Lin’s approximate location through the soul bead in an instant. After arriving in this world, he spent some time finding the region of Black Mountain.

After gathering some information, Zong Yu was about seventy to eighty percent certain that the “Young Master Jiang” everyone was talking about was likely Jiang Lin.

Especially after finding the shops and sensing the demonic and ghostly auras within, he became even more convinced.

The first place he went was Nie Xiaoqian’s painting and calligraphy shop.

The shop was crowded, but when he entered, many eyes were drawn to the young man.

This youth was simply too handsome! His face was flawless like fine jade, his features were exquisitely noble, and though his appearance was still somewhat youthful, his aura was incredibly imposing, making it impossible for anyone to underestimate him due to his age.

Many people secretly wondered: Could this be the son of some noble family?

But Nie Xiaoqian was trembling all over.

To the ordinary person, this youth was just an exceptionally beautiful figure with an impressive presence, but in her eyes, gazing into his deep eyes felt like staring up at a towering mountain or facing an ancient, ferocious beast.

Her face turned pale as she looked at him in panic: When did such a terrifying demon come to the Black Mountain region?

The fearsome and handsome young man walked straight up to her, glanced at her, and said, “So, you’re just a wandering ghost.”

Seeing through her true nature with a single look, Nie Xiaoqian dared not harbor any illusions. She lowered her eyes and respectfully asked, “I didn’t know a distinguished guest was arriving. May I ask who you are…?”

Zong Yu impatiently interrupted her, “Where is Jiang Lin?”

Nie Xiaoqian’s heart skipped a beat. That rude tone—could it be… he’s here to seek revenge against the master?

She recalled how recently, the master had asked for her thoughts. Upon hearing that she didn’t want to reincarnate, he refined a shell for her that allowed her to walk in daylight, and even set up a shop for her in Qing Shui County, letting her and the others do what they enjoyed. In all her years of memory, both in life and after death, she had never lived such a happy and peaceful life.

Gritting her teeth, she put on a confused expression and replied, “Jiang Lin? Who is that?”

She lowered her head. “I don’t know him.”

Zong Yu didn’t expect this response, and his expression darkened. “You really don’t know?”

As he spoke, an unintentional wave of pressure accompanied his words.

Cold sweat dripped down Nie Xiaoqian’s back, and her already pale face turned even whiter. She struggled to maintain her composure and said, “I truly don’t know.”

At this point, the people who had been quietly observing the exchange also sensed something was off: this distinguished young man was pressing the fragile Xiao Qian so hard that she was visibly trembling.

Hiss! How could he be so cruel to such a beauty?

Immediately, several scholars who frequented the shop, feeling pity for her, began to criticize Zong Yu, filled with righteous indignation:

“How can you, a man, bully a defenseless woman?”

“Indeed! Judging by your appearance, you must be the son of a noble family. How can you be so rude?”

“What a waste of such good looks!” one person lamented with deep regret.

“…”

Nie Xiaoqian, terrified, listened to these ordinary people standing up for her and anxiously watched Zong Yu, afraid that if he lost his temper, the shop would soon be drenched in blood.

To the onlookers, her frightened demeanor only made them believe even more that this delicate beauty had been scared out of her wits by a villain.

Their outcry grew louder.

Zong Yu frowned and glanced around at the crowd. A flash of anger crossed his face, but then he seemed to remember something and forcibly held it back.

He asked Nie Xiaoqian again, “You really don’t know him?”

Nie Xiaoqian shook her head firmly.

Zong Yu, both frustrated and disappointed, couldn’t stand the sight of these ignorant fools pointing and gossiping about him. With a cold snort, he transformed into a stream of light and vanished.

The people in the shop stood there, dumbfounded, before bursting into astonished chatter:

“Did I just see things? That person disappeared into thin air?”

“Could it be a demon?”

“Such a striking young man, with such an imposing aura—he must be an immortal from the heavens!”

“…”

Nie Xiaoqian: …

She listened to these people as they excitedly began to talk about having encountered an immortal, and she let out a sigh of relief, feeling her legs go weak, barely able to support herself. Her face was clouded with worry: how had her master ended up provoking such a formidable opponent?

Suddenly, she snapped back to reality: right, she needed to hurry and warn her master. With this in mind, she quickly instructed the guardian puppet at the door to keep an eye on the shop, then hurried to the back courtyard and transformed into a wisp of smoke to leave.

Meanwhile, as Zong Yu walked out of the art shop, the more he thought about it, the more things seemed off. That little ghost’s terrified demeanor when she first saw him—at first, he thought it was just fear of his aura, but now, thinking it over, she definitely trembled when she heard Jiang Lin’s name.

That woman was hiding something!

He immediately wanted to turn back and confront her but then remembered that if she truly knew Jiang Lin, she might be one of his so-called eighteen concubines, or at the very least, one of his people. If he handled Jiang Lin’s people too harshly, Jiang Lin would surely get angry.

And if he got angry, he might refuse to cook for him.

With this in mind, he redirected his steps away from the art shop and headed to another store instead. It happened to be A-yu’s fruit and vegetable shop.

A-yu wasn’t there that day; the shop was being tended by another girl named Mingxiu.

This time, Zong Yu learned from his previous mistake and approached with his aura restrained.

Most of the customers were women, and they were surprised to see such a handsome young gentleman. Zong Yu picked up a large cabbage and casually asked Mingxiu, “Where is Jiang Lin?”

Mingxiu, who got along well with the rather naive A-yu, was herself a bit of a simpleton. She blurted out, “Are you asking about our master? He’s at Black Mountain…”

Her words abruptly stopped as she realized what she had just said, looking at Zong Yu in horror.

Zong Yu gave her a smile, tossed down a silver coin, and disappeared in an instant, ignoring the startled cries behind him.

So it really is him!

Black Mountain.

Zong Yu muttered these words to himself, asked someone for directions, and then flew off on a cloud.

Meanwhile, Nie Xiaoqian rushed to Black Mountain and found Jiang Lin, who was teaching Qingluo how to paint.

“Xiaoqian? What’s got you in such a hurry?” Jiang Lin asked, surprised.

Nie Xiaoqian’s face was pale. “I saw an extremely terrifying demon in the art shop in Qingshui County. I think he might be coming to seek revenge on you.”

“Revenge?”

Jiang Lin wondered if it might be an old enemy of Black Mountain’s.

“What did he look like? Tell me.”

Nie Xiaoqian described Zong Yu’s appearance, and the more Jiang Lin listened, the stranger he felt: a fourteen or fifteen-year-old boy, with a refined, noble appearance, dressed in black robes.

Black Mountain’s memories had no record of such a person.

The most curious thing was…

He squinted his eyes. “You said he directly called me Jiang Lin?”

Nie Xiaoqian nodded.

Jiang Lin felt that something was seriously off.

The name “Jiang Lin” was one he had adopted after transmigrating to this world. If this were an old enemy of Black Mountain, there was no way they could know that name. But he hadn’t been here long, and he hadn’t offended anyone, either.

And the person Nie Xiaoqian described—despite the appearance not matching—had a temper and way of speaking that seemed strangely familiar.

He shook his head, thinking that he must be confused from dealing with that pearl Zong Yu had given him.

How could Zong Yu be here?

Seeing his expression change, Nie Xiaoqian asked, “Sir, is that great demon your enemy?”

She cherished her current life and knew it was Jiang Lin who had given it to her, so she didn’t want anything bad to happen to him.

Jiang Lin hesitated. “Probably…”

He wasn’t sure himself.

Nie Xiaoqian suggested, “Shouldn’t you… go into hiding?”

“Hiding from what? From me?” A clear, youthful voice, filled with anger and resentment, rang out from not far away.

Nie Xiaoqian noticed that her usually calm master was staring ahead in shock.

Following his gaze, she saw the familiar figure of the young nobleman, and she couldn’t help but shiver.

This… this great demon came for revenge way too quickly!

She looked back at the demon, who was glaring at Jiang Lin with clenched teeth and a face full of rage.

Nie Xiaoqian shivered again. That expression—there had to be some deep grudge, right?

She couldn’t help but glance at Jiang Lin, only to be surprised by his strange expression: his brow was furrowed as if he were both confused and dazed.

Zong Yu walked closer, seeing Jiang Lin’s expression more clearly.

There was no mistake.

Even though Jiang Lin’s appearance was completely different, the familiar aura of wood-based energy and that usual laid-back, calm demeanor were just the same.

He had always wondered how a demon made of white bones could possess such a pure, vibrant wood-based aura, and now he finally understood.

It seemed that the White Bone Spirit wasn’t really the White Bone Spirit at all.

He came closer, seeing Jiang Lin’s still-confused look, and his anger flared up even more. He nearly jumped with rage. “You don’t recognize me?”

That familiar attitude, those familiar eyes.

Jiang Lin slowly said, “Zong Yu?”

His tone had a slight upward lilt at the end, carrying a hint of doubt.

Zong Yu exploded with anger. “How can you still be unsure? I’ve been searching for you for so many years! And you don’t even recognize me?”

He was so angry he spun around in place twice, his deep black eyes glaring at Jiang Lin. “Let me tell you, Jiang Lin! I’m really angry! Extremely angry! And I was hungry for two thousand years! You’ll have to cook for me for a hundred years… no, two hundred years! This isn’t over!”

Nie Xiaoqian: “…”

Her expression was somewhat dazed. When she had seen this powerful demon in Qing Shui County, he had appeared so cold and unfathomable. But who could tell her who this person, now jumping around like a little kid, really was? And this behavior… it didn’t seem like someone coming to seek revenge at all.

Jiang Lin slowly smiled, his tone carrying a hint of joy at encountering an old friend. “It really is you, Xiao Zong.”

The joy on his face was unmistakable, clearly genuine. This expression seemed to please Zong Yu, and his demeanor softened, though his words still carried a bit of sharpness. “Hmph, you didn’t think I could find you after you left us, did you?”

Jiang Lin, still looking pleased, nodded. “I didn’t expect it, so I’m pleasantly surprised now.”

He looked at the young Zong Yu in front of him, who had grown much taller, almost matching his own height. He reached out and patted Zong Yu’s head, full of emotion. “Xiao Zong has grown so much.”

It was as if the two thousand years of separation had never happened.

However, Zong Yu felt a bit uncomfortable and took a step back.

Jiang Lin, assuming it was just shyness, pulled the still-dazed Qingluo over. “Qingluo, aren’t you going to greet your Brother Xiao Zong?”

Zong Yu interjected, “It’s Uncle Xiao Zong.”

Qingluo, of course, remembered him and wasn’t afraid at all. Her big eyes fell on Zong Yu, and she cheerfully said, “Uncle Xiao Zong! You’ve finally grown up, congratulations!”

She still looked like a young girl of around ten, appearing even younger than Zong Yu now.

Seeing that she was still the same as before, Zong Yu snorted and teased, “You haven’t made any progress at all.”

As his gaze shifted, he noticed the quiet Nie Xiaoqian standing beside Jiang Lin. He recalled how this ghost girl had deceived him and finally remembered to settle accounts.

He turned cold, glaring at Nie Xiaoqian. “You don’t know Jiang Lin, huh?”

Nie Xiaoqian immediately broke out in a cold sweat and didn’t dare to speak.

It wasn’t until then that Jiang Lin realized what was happening, and he laughed. “Nie Xiaoqian, the person you said was here to seek revenge… was him?”

Nie Xiaoqian quickly realized her mistake and nodded awkwardly.

“Seeking revenge?” Zong Yu was puzzled.

Jiang Lin explained what Nie Xiaoqian had told him earlier.

Zong Yu hadn’t expected such a mix-up and looked at Nie Xiaoqian. “Do I really look like someone who’s seeking revenge?”

Nie Xiaoqian thought to herself, not just like—he practically screamed it. But in this situation, she could only admit her fault. “It was my mistake.”

Zong Yu waved his hand dismissively. “Since you were acting in your master’s best interest, I’ll let it go… Wait a minute.”

He hesitated, looking at Nie Xiaoqian’s beautiful face, and then turned to Jiang Lin. “She isn’t one of your eighteen concubines, is she?”

Jiang Lin: ?

Nie Xiaoqian broke out in a cold sweat again.

She had spent much time in Qing Shui County and was somewhat aware of these rumors, though she hadn’t paid them much mind. Besides, having such a title was actually beneficial for them. However, Jiang Lin had always stayed in Black Mountain, and she feared he might not be aware of these vulgar rumors.

In Nie Xiaoqian’s mind, Jiang Lin was a person of impeccable character, and she was certain he would despise such gossip. She hastily tried to explain, “These are just rumors from the townsfolk…”

Jiang Lin thought for a moment and understood what was going on. “Eighteen concubines? People really have vivid imaginations.” He shook his head, amused.

Seeing Nie Xiaoqian’s nervous expression, he reassured her, “Don’t worry, I’m not angry. But it’s best to clear up these rumors as soon as possible.”

Nie Xiaoqian quickly nodded, “Don’t worry, sir, we will do our best to stop these rumors and ensure your reputation remains untarnished.”

Jiang Lin: … That’s not exactly why.

He explained, “I’m a man, and a powerful demon at that. Such scandalous rumors won’t pose much of a threat to me; they might even be seen as something positive. But for you, it’s different. This world is often harsh on women. If you’re burdened with the label of being someone’s concubine, it could create unnecessary problems if you ever meet someone who truly cares for you.”

Nie Xiaoqian’s eyes welled up. No one had ever said something like that to her before. She deeply bowed to Jiang Lin and sincerely said, “Thank you for your consideration, sir. But I really enjoy my life as it is now, so I doubt I’ll find someone who truly cares for me.”

But how could that be?

Ning Caichen is still waiting for you somewhere far away.

Jiang Lin thought: You won’t just find someone who loves you, but you’ll also have a deeply moving love story.

Of course, now that Huaiyin is behaving, perhaps the tragic aspect of the romance won’t be as intense.

Maybe a beautiful love story between a human and a ghost wouldn’t be so bad?

Jiang Lin smiled and said, “Don’t be so pessimistic. You’re very beautiful, and you have talent. Someone is bound to fall for you.”

Nie Xiaoqian stared at Jiang Lin’s handsome and gentle face, and a sudden thought crossed her mind: What a pity. If the sir truly wished for it, she wouldn’t mind staying by his side forever.

But Zong Yu was already impatient and irritably said, “Are you done talking? Jiang Lin, I want to eat noodles, I want barbecue, and I also want…”

Jiang Lin: …

He helplessly said to Nie Xiaoqian, “You should head back. I need to appease this little troublemaker first.”

Nie Xiaoqian responded, turned to leave, but couldn’t help glancing back. She saw Zong Yu standing beside Jiang Lin, the cold, stern demon was now like a tamed puppy, smiling widely with just a few words from Jiang Lin.

Miss Qingluo was squatting nearby, idly pulling out weeds.

They looked like a close-knit family.

Jiang Lin hadn’t cooked in years, but he hadn’t lost his touch, preparing a full table of dishes.

Zong Yu eagerly took a bite, and his eyes even reddened slightly.

Jiang Lin: … Look at how hungry the poor kid got.

Zong Yu glared at Jiang Lin while continuing to stuff a chicken leg into his mouth, “I thought I’d never get to eat your cooking again.”

“You could bring Qingluo, so why not me?”

Jiang Lin explained, “You’re different from Qingluo.”

“What’s different?”

Jiang Lin couldn’t easily explain the matter of the contract, so he simply said, “Qingluo is my daughter.”

To which Zong Yu responded with a surprising statement, “Then I can be your son!”

Jiang Lin: “…”

Qingluo: “…”

No one could have predicted that Zong Yu would go to such lengths, even selling himself out, just for a bite to eat!

“You really don’t have to,” Jiang Lin said with a touch of pity. “Now that you’re here, I’ll make whatever you want to eat in the future.”

Qingluo suddenly realized, “So Uncle Zong Yu actually wants to be Brother Zong Yu!”

Seeing Zong Yu devour the food like a whirlwind, Jiang Lin couldn’t help but advise him to slow down and curiously asked, “How did you find this place?”

Zong Yu, still eating, mumbled, “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you after I finish eating.”

Jiang Lin sighed, “Alright.”

By the end of the meal, Jiang Lin and Qingluo had barely touched their chopsticks; Zong Yu had eaten everything.

Thankfully, he was a demon and didn’t have to worry about indigestion.

Jiang Lin poured Zong Yu a cup of tea. Seeing him sit up straight in his chair, Jiang Lin thought that Zong Yu was still the same as before; aside from growing taller, his personality hadn’t changed at all.

Zong Yu then started to ramble about his experiences over the years.

It turned out that on the day he suspected Jiang Lin might go far away, fearing that he would never find him again, Zong Yu used his own blood and a strand of his soul to create a soul bead.

“With this soul bead, no matter where you are, even in the underworld, I’d be able to sense you,” Zong Yu explained.

At least, that’s what he had believed.

But the moment Jiang Lin left, the soul bead completely lost its connection.

To put it bluntly, even if Jiang Lin had met with an unfortunate end, as long as the soul bead existed, Zong Yu should have been able to sense his general location.

But there was nothing.

He spent a long time, scouring every inch of land, until he finally realized: Jiang Lin was no longer in this world.

It wasn’t that he had died; rather, he had left this time and space entirely.

Much later, after what felt like ages, and after Zong Yu had grown up, one day, the sun and moon appeared in the sky together. In that brief moment, he suddenly sensed Jiang Lin’s presence!

“And then you came here?”

Zong Yu nodded, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “Of course. The sun and moon only aligned for a short time. If I didn’t come then, how would I find you?”

Jiang Lin sternly said, “That was reckless! Do you know what dangers you could face crossing dimensions? You could have encountered all sorts of unknown threats, even lost your life!”

Zong Yu gave him a puzzled look, as if it were obvious, and said, “If I died, it would mean I wasn’t strong enough, and I’d deserve it. But what if, by chance, I found you? Do you know how painful it is to live two thousand years with an empty stomach?”

Having already died once, Jiang Lin valued life deeply, and he was angered by such talk. But he felt helpless dealing with a rebellious teenager who wasn’t afraid of death.

Seeing Jiang Lin upset, Zong Yu, who was in a good mood after eating, quickly softened his tone. “But nothing happened, right? I found you safely, and even though the void is dangerous, I can handle it.”

Jiang Lin gave him a hard knock on the head. “You’re not allowed to do this again.”

Zong Yu frowned, “Again? Does that mean you’re planning to leave again?”

He suddenly asked, “Is this also not your true body?”

Jiang Lin was startled; he hadn’t expected Zong Yu to be so perceptive.

He vaguely replied, “You’re just a kid, don’t worry about such things.”

But Zong Yu understood what he meant.

He frowned and looked at Jiang Lin. “Who are you really? Why…”

“Always using different bodies, and being able to travel through different dimensions,” Zong Yu remarked.

Jiang Lin responded with silence.

“You can’t say, right?” Zong Yu asked.

Jiang Lin nodded.

Zong Yu suddenly looked at Qingluo sitting nearby and realized, “Qingluo isn’t really your daughter, is she?”

Jiang Lin didn’t like hearing that. He quickly replied, “Qingluo is, of course, my precious daughter!”

Zong Yu thought for a moment and clarified, “I meant, she’s not your biological daughter, right?”

Qingluo, munching on an apple she had found somewhere, said, “Even though I’m not my dad’s biological daughter, we’re closer than any blood relation.”

Closer than blood? That could only mean…

Zong Yu suddenly understood. “Now I know why you can bring Qingluo with you.”

He realized that if he could sense Jiang Lin’s location with a soul bead, and if Qingluo and Jiang Lin were bound by a soul contract, she would naturally be able to follow him.

This topic was not suitable to continue discussing.

Zong Yu, remembering the neatly arranged fields and the amusing vegetable shop he had seen when arriving at Black Mountain, changed the subject: “Still farming? You always did like messing with those things.”

Jiang Lin smiled slightly, enjoying the shift to a topic he liked. “Black Mountain is such a good place; it would be a shame to let it go to waste.”

He thought of White Tiger Ridge and couldn’t help but ask, “You mentioned earlier that two thousand years have passed on your side? How is White Tiger Ridge?”

Zong Yu replied, “It’s doing well.”

Some of the old demons had aged and passed away, but many more young demons had been born.

“However, the human world is developing rapidly now. We’ve had to set up stronger barriers to prevent humans from discovering our existence.”

“The Great Sage Equal to Heaven occasionally comes by for a drink. He still remembers you.”

After hearing this, Jiang Lin said, “That’s good.”

Zong Yu waited for a while, not hearing anything more. He then said, “Jiang Lin, you’re really heartless.”

Jiang Lin looked at him in surprise.

Zong Yu continued, “Do you remember the cat and pheasant? Even when they were dying, they still thought of you.”

Jiang Lin was taken aback. “Li Mao and the pheasant demon… they’re gone?”

“They were just ordinary demons with common bloodlines. Two thousand years have passed; what did you expect?”

Jiang Lin paused before slowly saying, “If they died of old age, then that’s not too bad.”

Zong Yu suddenly became angry again. “That’s it? What if I were gone too? Would you be just as calm, saying ‘that’s not too bad’?”

Jiang Lin sighed inwardly, thinking that dealing with teenagers, who are both sensitive and unpredictable, was always challenging.

What was the point of this hypothetical?

Qingluo was still young and inexperienced, and Huaiyin didn’t understand, so Jiang Lin could only ask the system, “In a situation like this, what should I typically say?”

The system replied, “Just go along with him, tell him what he wants to hear.”

Jiang Lin thought for a moment and then said to Zong Yu, “I recently learned a new dish. It requires many rare ingredients and needs to be simmered for five hours…”

Zong Yu angrily interrupted, “Don’t change the subject!”

Jiang Lin continued, “The aroma is mouthwatering, and everyone who’s tried it says it’s amazing.”

Zong Yu, growing more frustrated, said, “You’re not even trying to deceive me; it’s like you don’t care at all!”

Jiang Lin looked at him and asked, “That dish is pretty troublesome to make. Do you want it or not? If you want it, then stop talking and just say you want it.”

Zong Yu, now pouting, finally muttered, “…I want it.”

The system: “…”

Qingluo: “…”

Jiang Lin let out a long sigh of relief in his heart and thanked the system, “Catering to his preferences really works.”

The system glanced at Zong Yu, who was sulking and seemed to have lost his dignity: “… As long as you’re happy.”

The demons of Black Mountain were very efficient. After A-yu mentioned the idea of creating a unified trademark, Jiang Lin agreed, and soon, all the shops in Qingshui County were renovated in a consistent style. The shops were given the prefix “Black Mountain,” and the signboards featured a small black mountain.

A-yu’s vegetable shop needed more space, and as the general manager of Black Mountain’s agriculture, Jiang Lin granted her the greatest privilege. She used the money she earned to purchase the two adjacent storefronts, merging them into one large store and branding it as “Black Mountain Specialty Products.”

At the same time, the rumor that the beautiful shopkeepers under Black Mountain were not Jiang Lin’s concubines but rather the managers he had hired began to spread. This meant that all these beautiful and capable ladies were still single!

The young men of Qingshui County were thrilled!

Soon, the shops under the Black Mountain brand were bustling with people, and the fame spread far and wide, attracting even out-of-towners eager to catch a glimpse of the legendary beautiful shopkeepers.

But strangely enough, when these women were being exploited at Lanruo Temple by the Tree Demon Elder, all they had wished for was to one day meet a kind and righteous scholar who would help them escape their plight. They had longed for the romantic love found in storybooks.

Now, however, Jiang Lin had given them plenty of freedom and choices. They could, just like in their old dreams, find an upright and talented young man to experience a romantic encounter. Yet, they no longer seemed interested.

A-yu blinked her big eyes, saying, “Marry a scholar? Is getting married as fun as farming? Does a scholar have a big mountain like Black Mountain for me to experiment with my new crops? If not, then no deal!”

Mingxiu giggled foolishly, “Wherever A-yu goes, I’ll follow her.”

Nie Xiaoqian sighed, her expression cold, “Those storybooks are all lies. Where are there so many deep and passionate scholars? Besides, after seeing the elegance of the master, how can ordinary men even compare?”

Even Hongxiu, who used to be most eager to find a scholar and fall in love, had come to understand a lot during this time. “Since I’ve had this perfume shop, I’ve met many wives and ladies. I often hear them complain about how they have to manage the household finances, serve both parents-in-law, and even arrange concubines for their husbands. They even have to ask for their husband’s permission just to visit their own family…”

“Sigh.” She let out a gentle sigh. “Life as it is now, free and easy, is much more enjoyable.”

Jiang Lin hadn’t expected this. His original intention was to provide these girls with a way to make a living, allowing them to live normal lives and forget the unpleasant experiences of their past. But who would have thought that they would come to such an epiphany, seeing things even more clearly than he did?

But this wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, Jiang Lin thought. As long as they’re happy, they can live their lives however they want. His only concern was that, without Lanruo Temple and the Tree Demon Elder forcing Nie Xiaoqian to commit evil deeds, would Ning Caichen and Nie Xiaoqian still meet?

He was overthinking it. The protagonist’s aura in any world is impossible to block.

In Hedong County, far from Qingshui County, Ning Caichen had a dream. It was a long dream.

In the dream, after reaching a bottleneck in his studies, he decided to travel the world to gain knowledge, setting out from his hometown and heading west. Along the way, he met a Daoist hero named Yan Chixia in Qingshui County. The two traveled together and stayed overnight in an abandoned mountain temple called Lanruo Temple.

At Lanruo Temple, he met the love of his life, a girl named Nie Xiaoqian. She was a wandering spirit, controlled by the evil Tree Demon Elder, forced to harm innocent travelers in the mountains.

Ning Caichen fell in love with this cold and tragic beauty. He and Yan Chixia decided to help her, but they learned that another powerful demon, the Black Mountain Demon, had set his sights on Xiaoqian and intended to claim her.

After a fierce battle, the Tree Demon Elder was finally killed, and the Black Mountain Demon was also defeated. But his fate with Xiaoqian came to an end—before the Tree Demon Elder died, out of spite, she destroyed Xiaoqian’s ashes, forcing her to reincarnate before dawn.

…

Ning Caichen awoke from the dream, staring at the familiar ceiling, feeling a bit dazed. Was the person in the dream really him, or was it the one lying here who was real?

He tried to convince himself that it was just a dream, but the details were too vivid.

In a state of confusion, he went to the local security bureau, knowing that the guards there traveled far and wide and might be able to confirm some things for him.

“Qingshui County?” The guard was surprised. “That’s far from here. Are you planning to go there, young man?”

Qingshui County really exists!

Ning Caichen’s heart raced, and he quickly asked, “And is there a place nearby called Lanruo Temple?”

“Lanruo Temple?” The guard thought for a moment, then shook his head. “That one doesn’t ring a bell.”

Ning Caichen felt a bit relieved and asked, “Then what about Black Mountain? Is there a mountain called Black Mountain?”

The guard’s expression grew serious. “Where did you hear about that?”

Ning Caichen’s heart tightened. “So it really exists?”

The guard lowered his voice. “Of course, Black Mountain exists. I’ve not only heard of it, but I went there a few years ago. It’s a creepy place, no birds or beasts. If you’re heading that way, you’d best steer clear.”

The guard hadn’t traveled to Qingshui County in recent years, so he wasn’t aware of the changes at Black Mountain.

The guard’s description matched exactly with what Ning Caichen had seen in his dream. He thanked the guard and returned home in a daze.

Ning Caichen’s family was fairly well-off; his mother was in good health, and they had servants to take care of the household. After much thought, he decided to go and see for himself.

After bidding farewell to his family, Ning Caichen took up a sword and set out on the road to Qingshui County.

xxx

Thandar: ummm sorry to say this but your girl might not be interested. This is awkward.