Ch 107: The Malevolent Monster Just Wants To Farm

After walking all day, Xu Xuan should have felt elated at suddenly encountering such a scene. However, his steps halted. He had visited Donghua Mountain dozens of times and had never seen any signs of human habitation, let alone such an extraordinary mansion.

Encountering such a sight deep in the mountains was highly suspicious. Xu Xuan had read many travelogues and supernatural tales, knowing that mountain spirits and demons often used such tricks to deceive people.

But…

Xu Xuan looked up at the sky. Although the sun was setting, it was still shining brightly in the sky. If there were truly spirits or demons, would they dare to appear in broad daylight?

He hesitated, and Jiang Lin, watching from a distance, raised an eyebrow in surprise. This scholar was quite sensible, knowing not to take risks in the mountains. He seemed much smarter than the overly pedantic Xu Xian from the story of the White Snake.

After struggling internally for a while, Xu Xuan decided to turn back. He had experience camping in the wild and carried a fire starter with him. The night might be tough, but once daylight came, he would surely find his way down the mountain. It was better not to take unnecessary risks.

With this in mind, he decided to leave. Just as he turned around, he heard someone calling him.

“You there, young master.”

Xu Xuan stopped in his tracks and instinctively turned around, only to see a gate in the fence open, and a young man dressed in white walk out.

This young man was dressed in snowy white, with a handsome and refined appearance. His entire demeanor was noble and otherworldly, clearly not an ordinary person.

Xu Xuan subconsciously glanced at Jiang Lin’s feet.

There was a shadow. He breathed a sigh of relief.

He cupped his hands and asked, “Did you call me, sir?”

Jiang Lin replied, “I noticed you were alone here. Are you in some kind of trouble?”

Xu Xuan observed Jiang Lin closely, but no matter how he looked at him, he couldn’t associate this person with mountain spirits or demons.

He sighed and said, “I am Xu Xuan, from the nearby Donghua Town. I came to the mountain to gather herbs and was just about to return home.”

He was careful not to mention that he was lost.

Then, with a sense of wonder, he added, “I’ve been to Donghua Mountain many times, but I never knew there was such a marvelous place here.”

Jiang Lin, aware of Xu Xuan’s doubts, pretended not to notice and said, “I also came across this place during my travels six months ago. The scenery here is so beautiful that I decided to stay for a while.”

Suddenly, as if realizing something, he added, “Donghua Town sounds familiar. I had this residence and much of the furniture inside built by craftsmen from Donghua Town.”

Hearing this, Xu Xuan recalled that about six months ago, he vaguely remembered his servant mentioning that the carpenter across the street, Chen the Woodworker, had taken on a large project for a wealthy gentleman from the south who had been very generous.

So it was this gentleman?

Xu Xuan’s suspicions were dispelled, and he glanced again at the mansion within the fence. Though the tall fence obstructed much of the view, the glimpses he caught hinted at a place of exquisite beauty.

For a temporary residence, this gentleman was indeed extravagant, Xu Xuan thought, amazed.

At that moment, Jiang Lin spoke again, “It’s getting late, and it might be risky to head down the mountain now. Night travel is always dangerous. If you don’t mind, how about resting at my humble abode for the night?”

Xu Xuan was somewhat tempted. Now that he knew Jiang Lin was not a ghost or spirit, he was naturally more inclined to accept the offer to stay the night. Feeling a bit embarrassed, he asked, “Would it be an inconvenience to you, sir?”

Jiang Lin shook his head. “Not at all. There are many vacant rooms in the house.”

Xu Xuan expressed his gratitude and followed Jiang Lin into the residence. Once inside, he found that everything was elegantly arranged, reflecting the owner’s refined taste. This further improved his impression of Jiang Lin.

After entering, two young boys, about thirteen or fourteen years old, came to help Xu Xuan with his luggage and led him to a guest room. These were, of course, puppet servants created by Jiang Lin using magic.

After a brief wash, Xu Xuan came to thank his host.

“No need to be so formal, Master Xu,” Jiang Lin replied. “My surname is Jiang, and my given name is Lin.”

He pointed to the two boys. “These are my two servants. If you need anything, feel free to instruct them.”

As he spoke, his expression suddenly became a bit peculiar.

Noticing this, Xu Xuan asked, “Is something the matter, Master Jiang?”

Jiang Lin explained, “I recently sent a letter home. My two younger sisters heard me mention how beautiful the scenery is here and insisted on coming to see for themselves. They are staying here now, and having heard there was a guest, they are curious and want to meet you.”

Just as he finished speaking, two girls, one older and one younger, entered the room.

The elder was dressed in a simple white gown, looking about seventeen or eighteen years old, with a delicate and radiant appearance that was quite striking. The younger one wore a blue outfit, appeared to be around twelve or thirteen, and still had a childlike demeanor, though her features already hinted at future beauty.

The sisters walked somewhat slowly, and their movements seemed a bit unusual. However, Xu Xuan, being courteous, only glanced at them briefly before standing up to greet them and didn’t notice anything amiss.

Even a quick glance was enough for him to see the sisters’ faces clearly. He couldn’t help but marvel inwardly, thinking: This brother and sister trio are all exceptionally attractive and graceful. I wonder what kind of family could raise such outstanding individuals.

The two sisters were, of course, Bai Suzhen and Xiao Qing. When Bai Suzhen heard that Xu Xuan had accidentally stumbled upon this place, she became very excited, and Xiao Qing, too, was curious about the gentle and handsome scholar her sister often spoke of.

However, appearing before Xu Xuan in their snake forms would have been inconvenient, so Jiang Lin used a transformation spell to temporarily give them human appearances.

Bai Suzhen, having never seen her benefactor from this angle before, kept staring at him. Xu Xuan felt a bit uncomfortable and looked at her with some confusion.

Xiao Qing noticed this and giggled, giving her sister a gentle tug, which brought Bai Suzhen back to her senses. The two sisters exchanged glances and burst into laughter.

Jiang Lin, somewhat helpless, said, “Please don’t take offense, Master Xu. My two sisters have been pampered since childhood, so they are a bit… carefree.”

He gave the two spirits a quick glance, signaling them to behave themselves in front of the guest and not to scare him.

Xu Xuan didn’t feel offended. He shook his head and said, “The two young ladies are innocent and lively, a sign that they have lived comfortably at home. That is something many others can only wish for.”

His own personality was seen by others as somewhat “unfocused,” and neighbors had often gossiped about him. However, his parents had always “indulged” him, for which Xu Xuan was deeply grateful. As a result, he didn’t find Bai Suzhen and Xiao Qing’s behavior odd at all; instead, he thought it showed that the Jiang family’s elders were open-minded and that the family was harmonious.

After receiving Jiang Lin’s warning look, Bai Suzhen and Xiao Qing became much more well-behaved. Since dinner wasn’t ready yet, Jiang Lin and Xu Xuan chatted for a while. Jiang Lin found that this scholar was quite knowledgeable and not just someone who read books aimlessly, which piqued his interest even more.

Xu Xuan’s impression was even more straightforward. He had always loved reading various types of books and had often been criticized for being “unfocused.” But this Jiang Lin in front of him could easily engage in any topic he brought up and always had insightful things to say.

“Master Jiang is truly knowledgeable, far beyond my reach,” Xu Xuan remarked with admiration when a servant came to inform them that dinner was ready.

Jiang Lin smiled, “Master Xu is too modest.”

While the two of them were enjoying their conversation, Bai Suzhen and Xiao Qing, who were sitting in the background, were about to fall asleep! Bai Suzhen managed to maintain her composure in front of her benefactor, but Xiao Qing was nearly dozing off, her head propped up on her hand.

When the servant announced that dinner was ready, Xiao Qing perked up immediately, complaining, “I didn’t understand a word you two were saying. I won’t come next time.”

Jiang Lin glanced at her, “Who told you to nap and not pay attention when you were supposed to be studying?”

Xiao Qing replied confidently, “I haven’t transformed yet… I mean, I’m still young, so it’s only natural that I get sleepy more easily.”

Jiang Lin looked at Xu Xuan, “My sister is a bit mischievous. Please don’t mind her, Master Xu.”

Xu Xuan found Xiao Qing quite endearing. Given her age, there wasn’t much need for formality, so he smiled and said, “Miss Jiang is very straightforward and charming.”

This made Xiao Qing glance at him several times, thinking to herself, “No wonder my sister is so fond of him; this scholar is indeed very nice!”

After dinner, since there were women in the household, Xu Xuan respectfully stayed in his guest room and didn’t wander around. Bai Suzhen, however, was not familiar with human customs. Having just gained her human form, she was eager to explore and fond of Xu Xuan, so she went straight to his room and knocked on the door.

When Xu Xuan opened the door and saw Bai Suzhen, he was surprised. “Is there something you need, Miss Jiang?”

Bai Suzhen wasn’t sure why she had come, just that she wanted to see her benefactor. After hesitating for a moment and not finding a reason, she simply said, “Nothing in particular. I just wanted to see you!”

Xu Xuan: “…”

At that moment, Xu Xuan understood what Jiang Lin meant by “carefree.” It wasn’t that Miss Jiang harbored any romantic feelings towards him. Her expression was open and innocent, clearly showing that she hadn’t yet grasped the nuances of relationships between men and women. She didn’t even seem to realize that knocking on a stranger’s door at night might be inappropriate.

How pure must someone be to act like this? Xu Xuan found himself even more curious about the elders of the Jiang family.

He could only step out of his room and stand at the door, saying to Bai Suzhen, “Miss Jiang, you shouldn’t knock on a stranger’s door so casually, especially not at night.”

“Why?” Bai Suzhen asked, puzzled.

Xu Xuan, feeling helpless, explained, “Doing so could harm your reputation and is also very dangerous.”

“Why?” Bai Suzhen still didn’t understand.

Xu Xuan patiently continued, “Because society values propriety between men and women. Since we are of opposite genders, meeting alone at night could easily lead to gossip. This could damage your reputation. As for the danger…”

Seeing Bai Suzhen’s lack of understanding, he gently added, “If I were a bad person, you, being a delicate young lady, could be in real danger.”

“I’m not afraid, and I’m not delicate,” Bai Suzhen replied. “If there were a bad person, I would just bite him!”

Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Xu Xuan. “Besides, you’re not a bad person, Master Xu!”

Xu Xuan had no idea what Bai Suzhen meant by “bite,” only that it sounded incredibly childish.

He patiently persuaded Bai Suzhen to return to her room and thought to himself that even if it was a bit forward, he should talk to Master Jiang about this the next day. No matter how liberal and easygoing the Jiang family’s elders might be, there were some things they needed to teach Miss Jiang. Otherwise, with her current temperament, she might suffer in the future.

The next morning, however, Xu Xuan did not see the two Miss Jiangs again. After having breakfast at the residence, Xu Xuan cautiously brought up the topic with Jiang Lin, without mentioning that Bai Suzhen had visited him at night. He merely suggested that it seemed Miss Jiang was of age and yet still lacked some basic knowledge.

Jiang Lin knew exactly what had transpired the previous night. He deliberately responded, “I see that you are a fine young man, and I feel we are kindred spirits. What do you think of my sister?”

He had always felt that the romances and marriages in those old mythological stories were far too random, so he wanted to test Xu Xuan’s reaction.