Author Archives: Thandar

Jing Li soon drifted into a hazy sleep.

It wasn’t a restful sleep.

It felt like he was being placed in a pot of warm water, with the temperature gradually rising, making his body hotter and hotter.

This sensation made Jing Li inexplicably uneasy. He wanted to wake up but couldn’t open his eyes. Only the soft fish tail gently swayed on the water’s surface, causing tiny ripples.

No one noticed that in the silent room, that faint red glow appeared once more.

The red light grew brighter, soon covering the little koi fish entirely, as if every scale was emitting light.

Moments later, the red light flew out of the bucket and landed on the floor.

In the dazzling, blinding red light, a young boy’s figure gradually appeared.

“Qin Zhao…” Jing Li mumbled softly in his sleep, still feeling unbearably hot. He turned over uncomfortably, murmuring, “Don’t eat me…”

Jing Li was still dreaming.

He dreamt that the warm water had turned into boiling hot water, making him feel excruciatingly uncomfortable all over. Just as he struggled to escape the hot water, he found himself landing on solid ground.

The ground was uneven, and the hard gravel pressed against his tender skin, almost cutting into it.

When Jing Li opened his eyes, he immediately sensed something was off.

His body felt unusually heavy. Jing Li stared blankly ahead for a while before he realized something was wrong.

—He wasn’t in the water.

The boy lay on the ground, his bare body partly covered by wet, long hair, revealing only glimpses of porcelain-white skin. The gravelly ground pricked him painfully, and Jing Li furrowed his brows tightly, using his hand to prop himself up.

…A hand???

Jing Li blinked in confusion, looking down at his hands.

They were indeed human hands, fair and slender, with delicate fingers. A few small, rounded fish scales clung to his fingers and arms, and his fingertips were still dotted with crystal-clear water droplets, making his skin look even paler.

The boy blinked blankly.

He… had turned into a human?

Jing Li took a deep breath, the fresh air filling his lungs, no longer the suffocating feeling of being out of water.

He had really changed back!

Jing Li, excited, tried to stand up, but his lower body suddenly gave way, and he collapsed back to the ground.

He looked down in confusion.

He wasn’t wearing any clothes, and from his shoulders to his chest, his skin was dotted with tiny, bright red fish scales. Even more absurd, he didn’t have legs below his waist, but rather a long, vibrant red fish tail.

The fish tail lay quietly behind him, and as Jing Li looked at it, the tail tip innocently tapped the ground.

Jing Li: “…”

If you’re going to turn me into a human, at least do it all the way! What’s the deal with turning me into a half-human?

The human form was much heavier than the fish body, and the fish tail couldn’t support the weight, making it impossible for him to stand. Jing Li struggled on the ground for a long time, finally managing to prop himself up enough to sit on the bench behind him.

The bucket that had held him was still on the table. Jing Li leaned against the edge of the table, his fish tail thumping against the floor.

What should he do now…

He didn’t know why he had suddenly turned into a human, nor did he know how to turn back. He was sure that his half-human, half-fish appearance would frighten Qin Zhao.

Would he be considered a monster and be driven away?

Jing Li sighed in distress.

“Grumble…”

A light growl suddenly came from his stomach, and Jing Li rubbed his belly.

He had just eaten not too long ago, so why was he hungry again?

As Jing Li rubbed his belly, his gaze unconsciously fell on the fire in the stove.

The fire had burned down a bit, no longer as strong as it was at the beginning. The chicken leg that Qin Zhao had roasted before he left was still lying quietly in the embers, the mud-covered shell completely hardened and charred.

As Jing Li stared at it, his stomach rumbled again.

A battle raged in his mind.

He had slept deeply earlier and wasn’t sure how long Qin Zhao had been gone, nor did he know where he had gone. But given that the sickly man had such a weak constitution, he probably wouldn’t be away for too long.

Maybe Qin Zhao was already on his way back.

He didn’t have much time, and he should be focusing on how to change back.

But…

He was so hungry, and he really wanted to eat.

That chicken leg had been roasted for him to eat, after all.

Jing Li pressed his lips together, then gave a small thump of his fish tail on the bench as he slowly scooted closer to the stove. He picked up the fire poker by the stove and gently prodded the fire.

Pop.

The mud-covered chicken leg rolled out of the fire and hit the ground, breaking off a small piece of the outer shell.

The rich aroma of the meat immediately filled the air.

Jing Li’s eyes lit up.

xxx

The midday sun was blazing as Qin Zhao walked along the mountain path, sweat beading on his forehead.

After a while, he could no longer suppress the churning sensation in his chest and had to lean against a tree by the roadside, bending over to cough.

He coughed violently, and it wasn’t until his throat burned and he tasted blood in his mouth that he finally stopped.

Qin Zhao sat down by the tree, took out his canteen, and rinsed his mouth.

The taste of blood was temporarily washed away, and Qin Zhao breathed heavily in silence for a moment, then smiled bitterly. “This useless body of mine…”

The sunlight was scorching, and Qin Zhao raised his hand to shield his eyes. As he did so, he caught a glimpse of his hands.

His hands didn’t look like those of an ordinary scholar, nor did they look like those of a laborer. There were a few calluses on his right fingertips and thumb, but they had become quite thin from lack of use.

These were the signs of someone who had once practiced martial arts.

It was difficult for Qin Zhao to feel any strength in his body now. The long years of illness had wrecked his muscles and bones, and even taking a few extra steps left him breathless.

But when faced with danger earlier, the instinctual reflexes to protect himself had been very real.

Who exactly was he?

Many people care about this issue, and Qin Zhao even more so.

No one would willingly live their whole life as someone without a past.

Qin Zhao didn’t rest long in place; he quickly supported himself with the tree trunk and stood up.

He wasn’t alone now, and if he didn’t hurry back, that silly fish might get snatched by a cat again.

Moreover, who knows if that silly fish is scared being alone at home?

Thinking of this, Qin Zhao couldn’t help but quicken his pace.

Worried that the stray cat might sneak in again, Qin Zhao had made sure to lock all the doors and windows tightly before leaving. He quickly returned to his doorstep and was about to push the door open when he heard some noise coming from inside.

Qin Zhao frowned and pushed the door open with force.

The inside of the house was much messier than when he had left. The bench had fallen in the middle of the room, and there were water stains scattered on the floor.

On the table, the wooden bucket held only a bit of clear water, and the little koi fish was nowhere to be seen.

Qin Zhao’s heart tightened, and just as he was about to search, his peripheral vision caught sight of something near the stove.

The yellow clay and lotus leaves that had wrapped the chicken leg were carelessly discarded on the ground, but the chicken leg itself was nowhere to be found, with a lingering scent of meat still in the air.

Qin Zhao: “…”

Qin Zhao vaguely realized something, took a deep breath, and calmed himself.

He carefully observed the room. The most water stains were near the table, spreading out in two directions. One trail led to the stove, but it was sparse, likely dried by the heat from the fire.

The other trail, however, led straight into the bedroom.

Qin Zhao understood, set down his basket, and turned to enter the bedroom.

His bedroom was small, and he could see everything in it at a glance, but there was no sign of the little fish.

However, it seemed that a certain little fish didn’t realize that it was leaving wet evidence wherever it went.

Without looking away, Qin Zhao walked to the foot of the bed where the water stains ended and said softly, “Come out.”

Jing Li nearly let out a belch, quickly covering his mouth with his hand.

The boy had curled up under the bed, his small, delicate frame easily hiding in the space, with the tail behind him trembling nervously.

Jing Li hadn’t expected Qin Zhao to return so quickly. He had just finished eating the chicken leg and hadn’t had time to clean up the mess outside. Hearing the approaching footsteps, he had panicked and hastily hidden under the bed.

More importantly, he still couldn’t change back!

In this half-human, half-fish form, he would definitely be mistaken for a monster.

Please change back, please, please!

There was no movement from under the bed, and Qin Zhao, thinking he might have frightened the little fish, unconsciously softened his voice, “Come out quickly, aren’t you worried about running out of water?”

Jing Li had never wished more for the ability to run out of water.

He was so anxious that his eyes reddened, and after eating too much earlier, he couldn’t hold back a tiny burp.

Qin Zhao was just about to crouch down to retrieve the fish when he heard the small sound, and he froze.

That sound… did it just sound a bit like a person?

He quietly listened for a while, but there was no further sound from under the bed. Qin Zhao assumed he had misheard and continued to crouch down, bending over to look under the bed.

A flash of red seemed to pass before his eyes, and Qin Zhao blinked, only to find a bright red koi fish jumping into his arms.

Fi-finally changed back.

Jing Li let out a sigh of relief, his entire body relaxing, though he was still trembling uncontrollably.

But Qin Zhao remained still.

In that brief moment, had he… seen a boy’s figure?

He had never seen that boy before, and the time was so fleeting that he hadn’t even gotten a clear look at what the boy looked like.

Qin Zhao looked down, and the koi fish in his arms was tapping his wrist with the tip of its tail, trembling slightly, whether from nervousness or fear.

As he gazed into the koi fish’s moist eyes, an image of a pair of bright and wet eyes suddenly flashed in his mind.

Was it an illusion?

Qin Zhao felt a vague sense of unease in his heart.

The little koi in his arms had been out of the water for too long, and its scales were already starting to dry out.

Qin Zhao steadied himself, not daring to delay any further, and carried the koi fish outside.

Before standing up, his eyes caught sight of a chicken bone, gnawed clean, lying under the bed.

Qin Zhao: “…”

Once Jing Li was back in the water, his consciousness slowly returned.

He moved his fins around in the water, feeling the familiar flow and the lightness of floating, which made him feel at ease again.

Qin Zhao watched the little koi swim back and forth in the water and suddenly asked softly, “What were you doing under the bed just now?”

Jing Li looked up at him, and after a moment, obediently shook his head.

Fishie was sleepwalking. Fishie doesn’t know.

Qin Zhao asked again, “Did someone come by just now?”

Jing Li didn’t blink, his tail innocently wagging behind him.

Fishie was asleep. Fishie knows nothing.

“I locked the door from the outside, so no one should have been able to get in.” Qin Zhao glanced at the mess around the stove and asked in a drawn-out tone, “So, who ate the chicken leg?”

“!”

Jing Li couldn’t hold back and let out a bubbly burp.

Qin Zhao’s eyes narrowed slightly, and under his scrutinizing gaze, Jing Li hugged his now-round belly and hid at the bottom of the water.

The fish… The fish really doesn’t know!

He combined the flour with water to form dough, found a smooth piece of wood to use as a rolling pin, and rolled the dough into thin sheets. He then stacked the sheets and cut them into fine strips.

Zong Yu, sitting in the courtyard, swung his legs out of boredom, but his attention was on the kitchen. His hearing was sharp, and he could catch some of the noises from the kitchen, which made him curious. However, it was impolite to use magic to spy on others, so after some thought, he quietly got off the chair and tiptoed to the kitchen.

As soon as he entered the kitchen, he was greeted by the aroma of eggs frying in oil. In a nearby pot, something white was bubbling in boiling water. Zong Yu’s sharp nose detected the scent of flour.

The fried egg was set aside while Jiang Lin fished the cooked noodles out of the pot. He had already prepared a bowl with oil, salt, and soy sauce. He poured some clear broth over the noodles and placed the fried egg on top, completing a bowl of egg noodles.

Jiang Lin turned and saw Zong Yu, then suddenly remembered, “Oh, I forgot! Wait a moment.” He grabbed some small greens he had washed earlier, which he had just used his spiritual power to ripen in the Jadeite Space. Fresh and tender, he quickly blanched them in the boiling water.

He took out the greens and placed them in the bowl, adding a sprinkle of chopped green onions. “Perfect!” Jiang Lin assessed his work and gave the presentation a score of ten.

He picked up one bowl of noodles and called to Zong Yu, “Carry your own bowl out.” He showed no intention of pampering him.

Zong Yu pursed his lips and, without a word, picked up the other bowl. The two walked out to the small courtyard.

By now, night had fully fallen, and the courtyard was illuminated by lamps, though the light was still dim. Jiang Lin and Zong Yu weren’t ordinary people; this level of darkness didn’t hinder their vision at all. But Jiang Lin still retained some habits from his time as a human.

He liked bright light.

Those few years in the post-apocalyptic world had left a lasting shadow on his life. Daytime, though dangerous, allowed for some respite; zombies were less active. But in the quiet of the night, darkness became a devouring monster—no one knew what dangers might emerge from the shadows.

Jiang Lin extended a finger and lightly tapped the air. A small glow formed at his fingertip, like a star in the night, and other glimmers of light were drawn to it, gathering from all directions to form a small moon.

The dim courtyard suddenly became bright.

Zong Yu looked up—it was a cluster of fireflies.

The firefly-formed moon hovered just above his head. A thought crossed his mind: he wanted to reach out and poke it. But he quickly suppressed the impulse and snorted, “Childish!”

Jiang Lin glanced at him and snickered, “You, a little kid, with that stern face trying to act mature, aren’t childish?”

Zong Yu felt the urge to get angry again, but Jiang Lin interrupted, “Hurry up and eat before the noodles get soggy.”

Zong Yu didn’t quite understand what “soggy” meant. He looked down at the food in front of him—a bowl filled with thin white strands that Jiang Lin called noodles, along with tender green vegetables and a golden fried egg.

The cooking method wasn’t particularly refined; many of the chefs at the Supervisory Office were more skilled than Jiang Lin.

But the smell from the bowl was strangely enticing, awakening a long-dormant craving for food. Mimicking Jiang Lin’s actions, Zong Yu picked up some noodles with his chopsticks and put them in his mouth.

The noodles were slightly overcooked and too soft. The broth was just clear water, seasoned with simple salt and sauce, not particularly rich. The fried egg was well-cooked, and the vegetables were surprisingly sweet and fresh. Overall, it wasn’t the most delicious thing he had ever eaten.

But the frown he usually wore relaxed, and his chopsticks moved faster.

Jiang Lin, who was paying attention to Zong Yu while pretending not to, felt a bit satisfied. Who wouldn’t like it when someone enjoyed the food they made, even if it was just a simple bowl of noodles?

Neither spoke while they ate, and soon both bowls were empty.

Zong Yu rubbed his belly and, with his pitch-black eyes fixed on Jiang Lin, earnestly said, “It was really good. I haven’t had something this good in a long time.”

He still wasn’t full. Normally, he would have likely grabbed the person in front of him and forced them to cook a whole pot of these noodles for him to eat to his heart’s content. But he sensed goodwill from Jiang Lin, even though this person wasn’t particularly nice to him and often seemed stern. Still, Zong Yu didn’t want to break this goodwill.

The main reason, though… Zong Yu’s eyes flashed: This Jiang Lin is very strong, so using force isn’t a good idea.

Jiang Lin wasn’t aware of the boy’s inner thoughts. Hearing Zong Yu’s words, he couldn’t help but laugh, “It’s just a bowl of noodles; no need to flatter me so much. I know my cooking skills—just enough to make decent food.”

“No, it was really good,” Zong Yu insisted, his tone serious. The malice had faded from his pitch-black eyes.

For the first time, Jiang Lin noticed how beautiful the boy’s eyes were.

His smile widened. “Really? Well, since you said that, even if you’re just trying to get free food out of me, I’ll accept it. For the next month, if there’s anything you want to eat and I can make it, I will.”

“Really?” Zong Yu eagerly latched onto the offer. “Then I want this same noodles for breakfast tomorrow.”

He paused and asked, “But how did you make these noodles? I haven’t seen them in Huaiyang City, or anywhere else. And those greens—I’ve never had them before, either.”

Jiang Lin then realized that noodles might not exist in this era, and neither did the little greens.

Keeping a straight face, he lied smoothly, “Oh, this is a dish from White Tiger Ridge. Maybe humans don’t eat this kind of thing.”

“White Tiger Ridge?” Zong Yu was puzzled. “Can all the demons there make food from flour? The demons I’ve seen in other places are still eating raw meat.”

Jiang Lin continued to bluff, “Then you must not have seen enough.”

Zong Yu gave him a skeptical look but couldn’t read anything from Jiang Lin’s expression.

He fell silent again, and Jiang Lin stretched lazily. “Alright, it’s late. Let’s get some rest.”

He got up and strolled leisurely back to his room, not caring whether Zong Yu followed or not.

Zong Yu found it strange as he watched him go. Just as Jiang Lin was about to enter his room, he suddenly turned back and said, “Oh, right. Remember to wash the dishes before you go to bed.”

Zong Yu: “?”

“Why should I?”

Jiang Lin was matter-of-fact: “I cooked, so you wash the dishes. Isn’t that fair? Or did you think you could eat for free?”

Zong Yu: “…”

He gritted his teeth and thought to himself, I must have been blind to think this demon was nice.

Jiang Lin was taken aback. How could someone not know their own age?

The black-clad boy, seeing Jiang Lin’s expression, snorted, “I’ve lived too long to remember. Isn’t that normal?”

Jiang Lin looked at the boy’s childlike appearance and said, “I’m going to have dinner now, Master… Zong, feel free to do as you like.”

The black-clad boy glanced at him and said, “My name is Zong Yu. You can call me by my name.”

Jiang Lin found it odd. From the way that middle-aged Taoist from the Supervision Department acted, this kid seemed to have a bad temper. So why was he being so easygoing with him?

Thinking this, he asked directly.

Zong Yu snorted lightly, “Because those guys, while they act all respectful on the surface, are secretly wishing for me to have an accident and die early. The ones who don’t want me dead are just hoping to gain something from me. But you…”

He looked Jiang Lin up and down, his tone turning a bit nuanced, “I can’t sense any disgusting desires from you.”

Disgusting desires?

Jiang Lin silently tried to think of what kind of demon could sense such things but couldn’t come up with an answer.

—In his previous life, he was a staunch atheist and didn’t know much about these kinds of things.

He asked the system, “Can you tell what kind of demon Zong Yu is?”

The system shook its head, “I can sense that it’s a powerful demon bloodline, but I can’t see its original form. I can’t identify it.”

Jiang Lin thought, If I could see its original form, I wouldn’t need to ask you.

But that was just a passing thought. He didn’t have any real connection to this Zong Yu anyway. His plan was to get a general sense of Huaiyang City and its surroundings, understand the human world a bit, and then return to White Tiger Ridge.

Whatever kind of great demon Zong Yu was didn’t concern him.

He sat back down to continue his dinner.

Zong Yu, however, just stared at him.

Jiang Lin: “…”

Normally, Jiang Lin wasn’t bothered by people watching him, but having someone, especially a child, staring at him so intently while he ate was a bit much.

Feeling helpless, Jiang Lin put down his chopsticks. “Zong Yu, if you want to eat, you can join me.”

Zong Yu pouted, “I don’t want to eat. I’m sick of this stuff. It tastes awful.”

Jiang Lin: “…”

“Then could you stop watching me like that?” he asked, trying to keep his tone polite.

Zong Yu rubbed his belly and said, quite righteously, “Who’s fault is it that you’re eating so deliciously? Watching you eat is making me hungry!”

And somehow that’s my fault?

Jiang Lin felt both amused and exasperated, but ultimately decided to ignore him and continued eating.

Zong Yu’s face darkened when Jiang Lin ignored him, and he was about to lose his temper. But then he remembered something, huffed, and turned away, refusing to look at him.

However, it wasn’t long before he couldn’t resist turning back to watch Jiang Lin—this person made eating look too appetizing.

Even though it was just ordinary food, it seemed like a rare delicacy in his hands, tempting the hunger within Zong Yu.

He couldn’t help but sneer, “It really shows you’re from some deep mountain, so unsophisticated. Is this stuff really that good?”

Jiang Lin glanced at him, swallowed the food in his mouth, and replied, “I think it’s delicious. And isn’t the feeling of having a full stomach something to be grateful for?”

For someone who had survived the apocalypse, that had once been his greatest wish.

Zong Yu seemed to be moved by something in Jiang Lin’s words. He stared at Jiang Lin in a daze, his expression softening considerably.

After Jiang Lin finished his meal, the night had already deepened. The curfew in Huaiyang City was strict, and there wasn’t much to see at night. Jiang Lin didn’t plan on going out, so he told Zong Yu he was going to his room to cultivate.

He closed his eyes and sat cross-legged on the bed.

It wasn’t long before he sensed a disturbance in the courtyard.

He opened his eyes, went outside, and found Zong Yu pacing anxiously back and forth.

Jiang Lin asked, “What are you doing out here?”

Zong Yu replied irritably, “I’m too hungry to sleep.”

Jiang Lin said, “There’s some leftover flatbread from dinner.”

Zong Yu huffed, “It’s gross, I don’t want it.”

So, he’d rather go hungry than eat something he didn’t like?

Jiang Lin wasn’t about to indulge him—after all, a demon wouldn’t starve to death.

He said, “Then be quiet; you’re disturbing my cultivation.”

Zong Yu widened his eyes in disbelief, “You said I’m disturbing you?”

Jiang Lin raised an eyebrow, “Aren’t you?”

Zong Yu was shocked, “You’re talking to me like that?”

The people at the Supervision Department treated him like royalty, and here he was being talked to like this?

Jiang Lin found it both funny and irritating. “You’re disturbing me in the middle of the night, and you expect me to coddle you to sleep? Do you think you’re a three-year-old baby?”

“You!”

Zong Yu was furious, and his usual response to anger was—fighting.

But although Zong Yu had strong bloodline power, immense demonic energy, and physical strength, he was still just a child. He couldn’t do anything to Jiang Lin in a short amount of time.

His anger flared up quickly but dissipated just as fast. After a few rounds of exchanging blows with Jiang Lin, he soon gave up, saying, “Forget it, I’m done.”

He plopped down on a stone bench in the courtyard, sulking. “You go to bed; I’ll sit here and not bother you.”

Jiang Lin: “…” Is this kid mentally stable?

Zong Yu ignored him, sitting with his back turned in the dark courtyard. His small figure looked lonely and frail, even the little black horns on his head seemed to emit an aura of unhappiness.

Suddenly, Jiang Lin’s irritation vanished.

He was always softer towards those who were vulnerable.

In the past, every time Xue Nan did something to upset him, a quick apology would usually resolve the matter. Thinking back, Xue Nan must have understood his nature all too well.

And now, this little demon, though erratic and temperamental, hadn’t shown any malice towards him since they met.

Most importantly, Jiang Lin had always had a soft spot for children.

He sighed and called out to Zong Yu, “Is there anything you like to eat? I can cook a little; I could make something for you.”

Zong Yu’s little horns twitched.

He responded gruffly, “No! Why aren’t you going to sleep? Who wants your food anyway?”

But just as he said that, his stomach let out an honest growl.

Jiang Lin: “…” He barely managed to hold back a laugh.

Zong Yu stiffened, quickly turning back with an angry glare at Jiang Lin. “You didn’t hear anything!”

Now he seemed more like a sulky little child.

Jiang Lin thought it wasn’t worth getting worked up over a childish demon, so he said, “I didn’t hear anything. I just felt like having a midnight snack. Do you want to join me?”

Zong Yu snorted, “How do I know if what you make is any good? I don’t eat just anything.”

Jiang Lin shrugged, “Suit yourself.”

He got up and went to the kitchen.

This courtyard had been newly arranged by the Supervision Department after Jiang Lin revealed his strength, so it was fully equipped with everything he might need.

But it was still the middle of the night, so there weren’t many fresh ingredients.

Jiang Lin looked around and found some flour and a couple of eggs.

He decided to make egg noodles.

The chubby boy probably hadn’t exerted himself this much all year. His sweaty hand gripped Qin Zhao’s as he spoke, panting heavily.

Qin Zhao patted his hand. “Sit down first, and I’ll pour you some water.”

“There’s no time for that!” Chen Yanan got irritated at Qin Zhao’s slow and calm demeanor and snapped, “Your frail body wouldn’t survive a beating. Hurry up and leave!”

As he said this, his eyes suddenly caught sight of the chicken and eggs on the stove, and he froze. “Qin Zhao, did you strike it rich? What’s all this…”

Qin Zhao calmly replied, “Sit down, and I’ll explain everything to you.”

Before Chen Yanan could respond, footsteps approached from outside, and a woman’s voice called out, “Yanan, weren’t you supposed to be at your studies? What are you doing here?”

A woman entered, accompanied by several strong-looking men.

The woman appeared quite young, with sharp, upward-slanting eyes and a shrewd expression.

Chen Yanan instantly became timid. “Mother…”

Seeing him still holding Qin Zhao’s hand, the woman snapped, “Come here!”

Chen Yanan hesitated for a moment but didn’t move. “Mother, Qin Zhao, he…”

“You want to plead for him?!” The woman immediately grew angry, her voice sharp. “This man lived off our family, never showing any gratitude, and now he’s even dragging out the rent payments. What are you pleading for?”

Chen Yanan mumbled, “But…”

“Shut your mouth,” the woman scolded, then turned to Qin Zhao, her tone softening slightly. “Qin Zhao, sister-in-law knows you’ve had it rough, and I don’t want to make things hard for you. How about this? You leave the village now, and don’t take anything from the house. Consider it repayment for all the years of rent you owe the Chen family.”

Her change in attitude was quicker than flipping a page in a book.

Jing Li, hiding in the small wooden bucket, peeked out cautiously, revealing only his eyes.

With the money Qin Zhao had on hand, they could easily cover the rent, so Jing Li wasn’t initially worried. But seeing the aggressive demeanor of these people, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

Something didn’t feel right…

Qin Zhao didn’t respond.

The small earthen house, already cramped, felt even more so with the presence of the large men.

Chen Yanan’s mother glanced around the room, confident in her stance.

She was known for being shrewd and capable. After her husband’s early death, she had managed to raise her son on her own and even sent him to study in town. In this village, Chen Yanan was the only one his age who was receiving an education.

In this era, the social hierarchy was clear—scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants. But for most farming households, reading and writing were out of reach.

With recent poor harvests, producing a scholar meant losing a worker. And with the significant financial and physical resources required to educate a scholar, not to mention the uncertain outcome, few families were willing to make such a losing investment.

But Chen Dasa was different.

From the very beginning, she never let her son do a single day of farm work because she knew that staying in the village would mean a life of farming with no chance of rising above their station. However, passing the imperial exams could change everything. It was a chance for one person to achieve success and bring prosperity to their entire family.

As for making things difficult for Qin Zhao, she had no other choice.

Without a man in the house, she had to handle all the farm work and household chores by herself, while also supporting a son who was studying. The difficulties she faced were unimaginable.

The time to pay the tuition at the academy was approaching, and if she didn’t find a way to gather the money, they might not be able to afford it this year.

In the past, she could still shamelessly borrow money from her in-laws, but now, with the old lady of the Chen family on her deathbed and her brothers-in-law and their wives all waiting to divide the family assets, there was no guarantee she could even get anything from the inheritance, let alone borrow money.

She had to act quickly.

She had her eye on Qin Zhao’s house for a long time.

This old earthen house was built before the Chen family became prosperous. Back then, she had to use all her powers of persuasion to get the old lady to agree to let her son use it for his studies. Who could have expected her son to bring back a burden, allowing this outsider to occupy the house for three years for nothing?

Now that the old lady was bedridden, it was the perfect time to seize the house back.

But that wasn’t all.

She knew Qin Zhao had valuable items.

When this man was rescued, just selling the worn-out clothes he had on him paid for half a year’s worth of grain and medical fees.

At that time, the clothes were not the only thing he had on him.

Those items were undoubtedly still hidden in this house. Once she drove him out, everything would be hers.

Chen Dasa smiled confidently, knowing she was determined to succeed.

“Qin Zhao,” she said, “Sister-in-law doesn’t want to make things ugly. Will you leave on your own, or shall I have someone escort you out?”

As soon as she finished speaking, several of the men behind her began to step forward.

Qin Zhao’s movements remained unhurried as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pouch. The sound of coins jingling inside was unmistakable.

“I’ve been under the care of the Chen family for so long,” Qin Zhao said calmly, “Of course, I should repay the debt.”

“You have money?” Chen Dasa’s expression changed slightly. “Let me see if it’s enough.”

She reached out to take the pouch, but Qin Zhao deftly avoided her grasp.

“According to the rental agreement, the money should be returned to the Chen family matriarch. If I am to repay it, it should be to her, not to you,” Qin Zhao replied politely.

Chen Dasa’s face stiffened, and she forced a smile. “My mother is mostly paralyzed now and can’t even speak, so we, as her children, are the ones handling the debts on her behalf.”

“…You’re not just stalling for time because the money isn’t enough, are you?” she accused.

Chen Dasa’s true aim was the valuable items hidden in the house. There was no way she would let Qin Zhao return the money or even give him a chance to pack his belongings.

She wasted no more time, barking orders, “Stop wasting words with him. Get him out!”

Several strong men responded and moved toward Qin Zhao.

Jing Li, anxious, was about to leap up when he saw Qin Zhao lift his foot and kick the bench near the table while quickly grabbing the wooden bucket.

He didn’t use much force, but the bench hit the leg of the closest man, causing him to cry out in pain. The man was then shoved from behind, causing him to fall straight onto the table, striking his back against the edge.

“Ah—!”

The earthenware bowls on the table shattered on the ground, and the man who had been hit twisted his face in pain. Another man, seeing this, turned and swung a punch at Qin Zhao.

Qin Zhao’s eyes flickered, and with just a slight sidestep and a tilt of his head, he easily dodged the punch. The man, having used too much force, nearly stumbled into a pile of firewood nearby.

“You… you…” Chen Dasa’s face turned ugly as she pointed at Qin Zhao, her hand trembling. “You can’t even handle a sickly man! All of you, get him! If we get the money, everyone will get a share!”

“Enough!” Chen Yanan stepped in front of Qin Zhao, finally losing his patience. “Mother, since Qin Zhao said he has the money, why are you still pressuring him like this?”

The group, with Chen Yanan blocking their way, hesitated and didn’t dare make another move.

“You don’t understand. Move aside!” Chen Dasa snapped. “He’s not really trying to repay the debt; he’s just stalling for time! If we don’t collect today, once your grandmother passes, and he takes off with everything, who are we going to get the money from? Do you still want to keep studying this year?”

Chen Yanan muttered quietly, “I didn’t really want to in the first place…”

“Chen Yanan!”

“Is it true that the Chen family’s matriarch had a stroke?” Qin Zhao interjected softly.

“And what if it is?” Chen Dasa sneered. “I heard you know a bit about medicine. What, do you think you can cure my mother?”

Qin Zhao calmly replied, “I can try.”

“Really? You can really save my grandmother?” Chen Yanan’s eyes lit up.

“Chen family’s matriarch has been kind to me. I will do my best,” Qin Zhao said, looking at Chen Dasa. “If I fail to save her, then you can kick me out of the village.”

Chen Dasa’s expression wavered. She looked at Qin Zhao, then at Chen Yanan, who was standing protectively in front of him. Finally, she said, “Three days.”

“I’ll give you three days. If you can’t cure her, you’re out of the village.”

Qin Zhao nodded, “It’s a deal.”

Chen Dasa left with her men.

Outside, one of the men grumbled, “Chen Dasa, that wasn’t what we agreed on. We skipped our farm work to come with you, and now we’re leaving empty-handed?”

Chen Dasa waved him off, “Go on, each of you can take half a sack of flour from my house. Stop getting in my way.”

The men left, satisfied, while Chen Dasa glanced back at Qin Zhao’s small earthen house and muttered under her breath, “You’d better really be able to cure her.”

Inside, Qin Zhao closed the door.

“They’re gone,” he said.

Chen Yanan, finally relieved, collapsed to the ground. “Did… did I just yell at my mother? I’m done for… she’s going to kill me when I get home…”

Qin Zhao ignored him and looked down at the little koi fish in his arms. “Were you scared?”

Jing Li looked up at him from the water.

He hadn’t expected Qin Zhao to have such skills. The agility he had shown just now made it seem like he had practiced martial arts before.

Jing Li became even more curious about who Qin Zhao was in the past.

More importantly, Qin Zhao just now… he was… pretty cool.

Jing Li’s head started to spin a little.

Qin Zhao put the bucket back on the table, picked up the fallen stool, and helped Chen Yanan, who was slumped on the ground, up, pressing him down by the table: “What’s done is done, there’s no point in dwelling on it.”

Chen Yanan immediately became unhappy: “I saved you, and this is your attitude?”

Qin Zhao poured a cup of water and placed it in front of him, saying, “Thank you.”

“That’s more like it…” Chen Yanan took a sip of water, calming down a bit. Then he asked, “By the way, can you really cure my grandmother? My family has already called in several doctors from the town, and none of them could do anything. You haven’t even seen her; how can you be so sure you can cure her?”

“… Or maybe you should just run away?”

Qin Zhao asked, “If I really ran, would your family just give up on the money?”

Chen Yanan was at a loss for words.

Qin Zhao gently stroked the little fish in the water, saying calmly, “Your mother is so eager to raise money because it’s time to pay the school fees, right?”

Chen Yanan stayed silent, and Qin Zhao continued, “You don’t want her to raise the money because you don’t want to go to the private school.”

Jing Li suddenly understood.

He had thought Chen Yanan had a conscience and came to warn Qin Zhao out of the goodness of his heart.

Turns out he just wanted to skip school.

Since he was exposed, Chen Yanan stopped pretending and sighed dejectedly, “I’m just not cut out for studying. Out of all my classmates, I’m the only one who hasn’t passed the county exam. Spending all this money is just a waste; I might as well stay home and farm.”

Qin Zhao said, “The next county exam is in February next year; there’s still time.”

“Sigh, give me a few more years and I still won’t pass…” Chen Yanan sighed again and stood up, “Enough about that. I should go back and calm my mother down. When will you come to see my grandmother?”

Qin Zhao: “I still need to prepare. Tomorrow morning.”

“Alright.” Chen Yanan glanced around the room and asked curiously, “By the way, it looks like you’ve been eating well these past few days—fish and chicken. Did you find some money on the road?”

I’m not the food!

Jing Li splashed in the bucket a couple of times.

“…” Qin Zhao quickly pushed the koi fish back into the water and said, “It’s a long story. I’ll explain it to you another time.”

After sending Chen Yanan off, Qin Zhao returned to the table.

“Still in a daze?” Qin Zhao asked with a smile. “Don’t you want to eat meat anymore?”

Of course, I do!

At this moment, Jiang Lin sat in the spacious courtyard, with a table in front of him filled with exquisite dishes specially prepared by the Supervision Department, knowing he wanted to try human cuisine. Beside him, on a small side table, was a redwood box containing the 1,200 taels of silver he had received in exchange for the wild ginseng.

The person who delivered these items to Jiang Lin was very respectful and promised that before nightfall, a new guide would be arranged for him.

Jiang Lin wasn’t particularly concerned about the guide. Instead, he focused on the food on the table. Although this Dasheng Dynasty hadn’t appeared in known history, its level of development was comparable to the Tang Dynasty, which Jiang Lin was familiar with.

The main dish was a kind of flatbread, crispy on the outside and sprinkled with sesame seeds, with a dipping sauce on the side. The dishes included chicken, duck, and fish, mostly prepared by stewing. Interestingly, there were two fish dishes—one was a soup, and the other was raw fish slices.

There weren’t many varieties of vegetables. Based on his earlier observations of street vendors, it seemed that some of the vegetables common in later times, like napa cabbage and bok choy, had yet to appear.

The food tasted good, and what pleased Jiang Lin the most was that he could detect seasonings like Sichuan peppercorn and black pepper in the dishes.

As Jiang Lin slowly savored the flavors of this world’s food, people inside the Supervision Department were discussing who should be assigned as Jiang Lin’s guide for the month.

Green-Clad, one of the few demons in the Huaiyang Supervision Department, believed that someone with a high enough status should be sent to avoid offending Jiang Lin easily. However, not everyone could swallow their pride.

Take Chen Yu, for example.

His arrogance wasn’t without reason. The Chongyu Monastery, a prominent Taoist establishment, was based in Huaiyang City, and Chen Yu was the nephew of the current head of the monastery. He had a high status and exceptional talent, and he was usually treated with great respect. The humiliation he suffered at Jiang Lin’s hands was something he couldn’t easily forget.

But direct revenge was out of the question. This demon from “White Tiger Ridge” was too powerful. If it weren’t for that, the Supervision Department would never have tolerated Jiang Lin’s arrogance.

Listening to the Supervision Department discuss who to assign as Jiang Lin’s guide, Chen Yu’s eyes flickered as he suddenly came up with an idea.

“Isn’t Mr. Jiang a great demon? I happen to have the perfect candidate for him…”

As night fell and the lights began to shine, there was a knock on the gate of Jiang Lin’s temporary residence.

Opening the door, Jiang Lin saw the middle-aged Taoist from earlier, smiling broadly. “Mr. Jiang, since you belong to the demon clan, we in the Supervision Department have thought it over and found you a guide of your own kind.”

He stepped aside to reveal a figure hidden in the evening shadows.

Jiang Lin looked and was taken aback.

It was a child?

The child was dressed in black robes, with features so beautiful they seemed unreal, though his jet-black eyes were dark and filled with a heavy air of hostility. Despite this, the child’s transformation was thorough, and aside from the two small, delicate black horns on his forehead, he looked rather cute.

Jiang Lin couldn’t tell what kind of demon the child was.

Before Jiang Lin could speak, the child spoke first:

“Is this the so-called great demon?”

His voice was clear and pleasant, but the words that followed were not as pleasant:

“Not bad, definitely better than those useless people at the Supervision Department.”

The middle-aged Taoist: “…”

He seemed quite angry but could only swallow his words, unable to express his anger.

He addressed the black-clad boy, “Master Zong, haven’t you always wanted to meet another great demon? Now that Mr. Jiang is here in Huaiyang City, staying for a month, you can get to know him better.”

Turning to Jiang Lin, the Taoist added, “Mr. Jiang, we’re concerned that you might not be accustomed to human ways. Master Zong here is the most powerful demon in Huaiyang City. During this month, you two can get to know each other and explore the city together.”

Jiang Lin frowned, about to refuse, but the black-clad boy who was called “Master Zong” was already looking displeased.

“Who’s your ‘great demon’ in Huaiyang City? I’m only staying here because there’s a cook who makes good mutton soup. Don’t flatter yourselves.”

The middle-aged Taoist quickly conceded, “Yes, yes, my words were inappropriate.”

Jiang Lin, seeing this interaction, grew curious. Initially, he thought the boy seemed troublesome and was prepared to refuse, but the Taoist’s overly respectful demeanor made him more intrigued about the child.

As both sides eased up, the Taoist, relieved, quickly took his leave without waiting for Jiang Lin to speak.

Jiang Lin watched the man leave as if he were escaping a disaster and knew that this fear wasn’t because of him.

He looked at the black-clad boy and thought: What could this child have done to make people so afraid of him?

Sensing Jiang Lin’s gaze, the boy puffed up his cheeks. “What are you staring at? Keep it up, and I’ll gouge out your eyes!”

Though his words were fierce, paired with his puffy, dumpling-like face, they lacked any real menace.

Jiang Lin couldn’t help but chuckle.

The black-clad boy: “?”

Suddenly, without any warning, the boy threw a punch at Jiang Lin.

The boy’s fist was small and pale, seemingly harmless.

However, Jiang Lin, mindful of the Taoist’s earlier words and having learned not to judge by appearances during his years surviving in the apocalypse, didn’t take it lightly.

He was soon glad for his caution—when he met the boy’s punch, it felt like being hit by a small, oncoming mountain.

Jiang Lin looked at the boy in surprise. Generally, when demons reach adulthood, they take on an adult form to maximize their power. This boy seemed no older than six or seven, and didn’t mind being called “Master Zong,” indicating he wasn’t yet fully grown.

What kind of bloodline could give a child such terrifying strength?

But while Jiang Lin was astonished, the black-clad boy was equally surprised that Jiang Lin had managed to take his punch without harm.

He reassessed Jiang Lin and, after a moment, reluctantly nodded, “That damn Taoist didn’t lie to me this time; you’re not bad.”

As he said this, his gaze fell on the dishes on the nearby table, and his eyes lit up. “You’re eating?”

Without waiting for a response, he walked straight to the table.

Jiang Lin: “?”

Jiang Lin was baffled by the boy’s seemingly illogical behavior. Was this really just a child?

He followed and saw the boy, upon inspecting the food on the table, make a face of disdain. “These things again? This must be from the Supervision Department, right?”

After saying that, the boy sat down in a chair with a listless expression and said nothing more.

Jiang Lin, recalling the boy’s earlier conversation with the Taoist, tentatively asked, “You don’t like any of this?”

The boy glanced at him and replied, “I’ve been eating this stuff for years; I’m sick of it.”

Jiang Lin couldn’t help but ask, “How old are you?”

The black-clad boy was momentarily stunned, giving Jiang Lin a puzzled look. Considering Jiang Lin somewhat agreeable, he finally replied, “I don’t know.”

xxx

Thandar: dear readers, do you like it so far? Then can you give this novel a rating on NU? 🥹🙏

Qin Zhao played with Jing Li by the creek for a while, and as the sun began to rise higher, they started heading back.

Jing Li didn’t need to be carried; he swam back through the stream on his own.

After all, the path from Huai Xia Village to Linxi Village ran alongside the creek the entire way.

“Are you tired?” Qin Zhao called out to him from the bank.

The entire route was upstream, and the section just outside Linxi Village had a narrow river channel with a strong current. It was easy to imagine how difficult it would be to swim back.

But these challenges were nothing for Jing Li.

Unbeknownst to Qin Zhao, Jing Li had swum up and down this creek countless times.

If he hadn’t been waiting for Qin Zhao, this little invalid, he would have already made it home.

As if to prove this point, the bright red koi gave a powerful flick of his tail, leaping gracefully out of the water and drawing a smooth arc in mid-air before landing back in the stream.

His entire body, with its glistening scales, sparkled in the sunlight, so dazzling that it was hard to look away.

Qin Zhao couldn’t help but smile. “Alright, you’re not performing for an audience. Be careful not to hurt yourself.”

The riverbed was full of sharp stones, and Qin Zhao was worried that Jing Li, without paying attention, might injure himself again.

Jing Li flicked his tail but stopped showing off.

Seeing that his little fish had calmed down, Qin Zhao felt relieved and began to plan his next steps.

The 800-wen deposit from Dr. Ge today wasn’t entirely unexpected.

Wushan Ginseng is priced based on its quality, and the ones found in these mountains weren’t exactly top-tier. Moreover, this herb is very delicate and requires expensive processing to be stored for a long time, making it unsuitable for long-distance transport.

To get the best price, Dr. Ge would likely sell it in the nearby towns.

By that estimate, selling one plant for 1,500 to 1,700 wen would be a good outcome.

The deposit from Dr. Ge was even a bit higher than Qin Zhao had anticipated.

But with those 800 wen, he could finally settle the rent he owed to the Chen family.

As for what came next… he would have to find a new place to live since the old house was no longer an option.

Just as Qin Zhao was thinking this, a splash of water landed by his feet. He turned to see Jing Li flopping energetically in the shallow water near the shore.

Qin Zhao asked, “What’s wrong?”

Jing Li anxiously wagged his tail, waving his fins, but since those fins were too small, it was clear that Qin Zhao couldn’t understand what he was trying to convey.

The little koi gave up trying to communicate and quickly swam ahead.

Following Jing Li’s direction, Qin Zhao looked to the now turbulent center of the river and saw the figure of a person floating face-up.

Jing Li swiftly swam toward the person.

The man seemed to have been swept down from upstream, with one side of his clothing caught on a rock at the riverbed, which had kept him from being washed away completely. He had likely been in the water for some time, and his breathing had already become very shallow. If he wasn’t rescued soon, he might not survive.

But Jing Li was just a fish, with strength too small to move the man.

Just then, a vine tied to a stone was thrown near him.

Jing Li looked up and saw it was Qin Zhao.

He grabbed the vine in his mouth and quickly swam around the man’s waist several times, securing it tightly. Then, with a swift bite, he tore through the piece of fabric that had been caught on the rock. Qin Zhao on the shore began to pull the vine back.

When a person falls into the water, they become much heavier than usual, especially when unconscious. This man was large and muscular, and it was impossible for the frail Qin Zhao to pull him out alone.

Jing Li swam anxiously around the man, then suddenly had an idea. He leaped out of the water and landed heavily on the man’s chest, hitting him several times. Finally, the man coughed up a large mouthful of water and regained consciousness.

“Grab the rope and swim back,” Qin Zhao called from the shore.

The man, without thinking much, quickly grabbed the rope tied around his waist and struggled to swim toward the shore.

Moments later, they finally managed to pull him onto the bank.

The man panted heavily, and Qin Zhao handed him a cloth to wipe himself. The man instinctively took it and, upon looking up, said, “Thank you, thank you… Wait, aren’t you Qin Zhao?”

“It’s me,” Qin Zhao replied. “And you are…?”

“My surname is Li, Li Dali,” the man introduced himself. “I’m from Linxi Village too. I live on the west side of the village, not far from where you are.”

Jing Li: “…”

These village names really are… something else.

Should he be glad that Qin Zhao, despite losing his memory and not remembering his own name, still had enough cultural background to give himself a decent-sounding name? If the villagers had named him, he might have ended up with something like Qin Ergou or Qin Tiezhu…

Jing Li glanced at Qin Zhao’s exceptionally handsome face and shuddered.

How terrifying.

The people of Linxi Village didn’t particularly like Qin Zhao, and Qin Zhao didn’t bother to socialize with them, so naturally, he didn’t know many people.

Qin Zhao asked Li Dali, “How did you end up in the water?”

“I… I don’t really know what happened,” Li Dali scratched his wet hair and said, “I just remember drinking too much in town last night. I don’t even remember when I started heading back. The next thing I knew, I was in the water.”

Qin Zhao was silent for a moment, then asked, “Do you feel any discomfort now?”

Li Dali moved his limbs and frowned, “Doesn’t seem like there’s anything major, just… my chest hurts a bit.”

Qin Zhao looked toward the koi in the water.

Jing Li: “…”

Fish isn’t responsible, fish didn’t do it, it wasn’t the fish’s fault.

Li Dali was a typical farmer, young and strong, and after resting for a while, he was fine. He also needed to return to the village, so the two of them walked together.

Seeing Qin Zhao place the little koi back into the wooden bucket, Li Dali curiously asked, “Is that a fish you’re raising? You can even let it swim around freely in the water, aren’t you afraid it’ll run away?”

Qin Zhao replied, “If it wants to leave, I won’t stop it.”

Jing Li swam in a circle inside the bucket, then propped himself up to nuzzle Qin Zhao’s fingertip.

He won’t run away—who would cook delicious food for him if he did?

Li Dali was astonished and intrigued by this, exclaiming, “A fish that’s this smart? It’s like my dog at home, recognizing its owner!”

Jing Li: “?”

In all his life, Jing Li had never been compared to a dog, and he was instantly flustered. Qin Zhao, knowing his little fish’s temper, quickly placed the wooden bucket back into the basket and secured the lid before Jing Li could react.

Better to prevent the little koi from getting too upset and doing something rash.

“Honestly, after the way we’ve treated you, I didn’t expect you to save me today,” Li Dali said, his straightforward nature showing through as he spoke. Having been saved by Qin Zhao, his opinion of him changed instantly.

Qin Zhao calmly replied, “After all, a life is a life.”

Li Dali: “…”

After a pause, Qin Zhao added, “Besides, I was also saved by someone once.”

“True enough,” Li Dali admitted. “Actually, it’s not like the villagers avoid you on purpose. It’s just that when you first came here, you looked like you did, and you couldn’t remember anything… Everyone was just worried something might go wrong, you know?”

Qin Zhao remained silent for a moment, then nodded, “I understand.”

Qin Zhao’s appearance when he first arrived?

What did he look like then?

The more Jing Li listened, the more confused he became.

From the beginning, he had felt that something was strange.

It’s true that Qin Zhao’s origins were unknown, and it was understandable for the villagers to be cautious. But he had been living in the village for three years.

Jing Li had only been with Qin Zhao for less than half a month, and even he could tell that Qin Zhao was an exceptionally good person, with impeccable manners and conduct. Surely three years would be enough time for the villagers to see that too?

Why, then, had they still not accepted him?

Could it be that there was something about Qin Zhao that Jing Li didn’t know?

Jing Li couldn’t figure it out. In his current form, he couldn’t even ask about it, so he had to temporarily put his doubts aside.

Qin Zhao and Li Dali soon reached the outskirts of the village.

From the village outskirts to the creek, there were stretches of terraced fields, almost all of which were privately owned by the villagers.

Someone was working in the fields and, upon seeing Li Dali, called out loudly, “Li Dali, you’re back! You should take a look at the weeds in your field—they’re practically as tall as you are!”

The man pointed to a plot of land in the distance, where weeds were growing rampantly, a stark contrast to the lush, well-tended fields nearby.

“Yeah, yeah, I know! Stop nagging!” Li Dali retorted, then turned to Qin Zhao, noticing his gaze. He explained, “That’s my idle land. I had rented it out to a family in a neighboring village for some time, but with the poor harvests in recent years and high taxes, they stopped renting it.”

Li Dali rubbed his nose and said, “Spring has just arrived, and I haven’t had the time to take care of it yet.”

He hasn’t had time to tend to the land but had time to go drinking in town, Jing Li thought to himself.

Farmers hate being seen as lazy, so Li Dali felt compelled to explain. However, Qin Zhao didn’t seem to mind and simply nodded without comment.

In this era, land was mostly privately owned, but each household could only manage a limited amount of land. As a result, land sales and leases were quite common. With Li Dali being the only able-bodied person in his family, it was natural that he couldn’t manage all the land on his own.

Qin Zhao glanced thoughtfully at the plot of land.

Once they entered the village, both headed west. As they passed by a small courtyard, Li Dali stopped and said, “This is my place. Why don’t you come in for a meal? Consider it a thank you for saving my life.”

Qin Zhao replied, “It was just a small favor, no need for that.”

Li Dali thought for a moment, then said to Qin Zhao, “Wait here for a moment.”

He walked into the courtyard.

The village only had two meals a day, and this time was the morning mealtime, so the air was filled with the smell of cooking and the aroma of food.

Li Dali soon returned, carrying half a slaughtered chicken and a basket of eggs.

“There’s not much at home to thank you with, but please take these,” Li Dali said. “The eggs are fresh from our hens, and I just slaughtered this chicken yesterday—this half is left over. I hope you don’t mind.”

Qin Zhao shook his head, “There’s really no need, I…”

His words suddenly came to an abrupt halt.

In the basket on his back, the previously quiet little koi suddenly started thrashing its tail vigorously in the water, nearly splashing it out of the wooden bucket.

Meat was a rare commodity in this small mountain village, and ever since Jing Li transmigrated, he had barely had any meat to eat. The last time he had some was when Qin Zhao bought him a meat bun while fetching medicine, but the filling was so meager that he couldn’t even taste the flavor of the meat.

He hadn’t had chicken in ages…

Li Dali said, “Why are you being so polite? You saved my life; if I gave you nothing in return, I wouldn’t feel right. Besides, we’re neighbors, and we’ll need to help each other in the future!”

Qin Zhao, not used to accepting things from others, said, “Helping each other is the right thing to do, but this is…”

The little koi behind him wagged its tail even more vigorously.

“…” Qin Zhao’s words trailed off, and with a helpless tone, he said, “Then, thank you.”

A short while later, Qin Zhao returned home carrying half a chicken and a basket of eggs, with the little koi on his back.

He placed the items on the stove and then took out the wooden bucket with the little koi inside. “Are you happy now?”

Jing Li was indeed happy.

The little koi looked up at Qin Zhao, wagging its tail energetically, and even its eyes seemed brighter than usual.

There was going to be meat!

Seeing the little koi’s spirited expression, Qin Zhao couldn’t help but feel resigned. He gently tapped its head and said, “You little glutton.”

After settling the little koi, Qin Zhao was about to prepare the ingredients when he suddenly heard someone knocking at the door.

It was Chen Yanan. He seemed to have run all the way there, panting heavily and covered in sweat.

Before Qin Zhao could say anything, Chen Yanan barged in and immediately started pushing Qin Zhao out the door. “You need to leave quickly!”

Qin Zhao didn’t move and frowned, asking, “What are you doing?”

“They’re on their way here!” Chen Yanan interrupted, “They even brought some thugs with them. My mother said if you don’t pay the full rent today, they’re going to throw you out of the village!”

This demon, of unknown origin, had a towering aura of demonic energy and intense murderous intent, indicating considerable strength.

Thus, even though this strange demon lacked much blood energy and wasn’t burdened by karmic debts, the two gate gods didn’t dare to lower their guard. However, their tone became much more polite.

“What kind of demon are you? Do you have a document issued by the Supervision Department to enter Huaiyang City?”

“The Supervision Department? What is that?”

Jiang Lin asked the system, but the system was also perplexed: “I only have background information related to the plot. This Great Sheng Dynasty existed several hundred years before the plot, so I’m not too clear on the specifics either.”

Jiang Lin: “…”

Forget it, I’ll have to rely on myself.

He smiled warmly, looking as innocent as possible: “Greetings to you both, divine generals. My name is Jiang Lin, and I come from White Tiger Ridge. This is my first time in the human world, and I wish to learn about the customs and traditions of Huaiyang City. We have many special products in White Tiger Ridge, and perhaps we could engage in some trade.”

At this point, he pretended to hesitate and asked, “The Supervision Department? What kind of place is that?”

When the two divine generals heard that he didn’t even know about the Supervision Department, they confirmed that he was indeed a demon who had just come out of the deep mountains and forests.

Listening to the rest of Jiang Lin’s words, they found it amusing, but also felt a bit of self-satisfaction and disdain.

It wasn’t that they looked down on demons, but in the past few hundred years, they had seen countless demons emerge from the wilderness, all of them ignorant bumpkins who had never seen the world, talking about doing business. What good things could come from those remote, desolate mountains and forests?

The disdain in the eyes of the two golden-armored gods didn’t escape Jiang Lin’s notice.

He smiled slightly to himself but said nothing.

The golden-armored war god on the left, who was holding a battle axe, said, “You might not know, but the Great Sheng Dynasty is a human dynasty. The Human Emperor is protected by purple energy and blessed by immortals and gods. When the dynasty was first established, the Supervision Department was set up to gather talented people from all over the world, specifically to prevent beings with special abilities, like gods and demons, from causing trouble.”

This was more or less what Jiang Lin had anticipated.

He then asked, “I have no intention of causing trouble, just want to see a different world. In my case, what should I do?”

He dressed elegantly and spoke in a refined manner, completely different from the wild demons they had expected.

The two golden-armored gods exchanged a glance, both feeling uncertain, and politely said, “You need to go to the Huaiyang City branch of the Supervision Department to register and obtain a short-term residence permit. During this time, Supervision Department personnel will accompany you on your outings.”

This was close surveillance, to prevent him from causing trouble. Jiang Lin understood this.

He didn’t mind, though; instead, he was quite interested in the Supervision Department, finding this management model remarkably advanced.

Led by the golden-armored god, Jiang Lin went to the city’s Supervision Department, where he obtained an identity wooden plaque. After registration, he was allowed to live and move freely within Huaiyang City for one month.

He was even assigned a small courtyard.

The Supervision Department sent a young Taoist named Chen Yu to accompany him.

Jiang Lin took one look at him and noticed that the man’s cultivation was impressive, though his expression was quite arrogant.

“Mr. Jiang, for the next month, I, Chen, will be your guide.”

Jiang Lin nodded, “I appreciate it.”

On the first day, he wandered around Huaiyang City.

During his stroll, he discovered that the people of the Great Sheng Dynasty were indeed very prosperous, and commerce was thriving. Most of the city’s residents were dressed in brightly colored clothes.

There were also many food stalls, but Jiang Lin noticed that although the variety seemed abundant, most of it consisted of different kinds of cakes and steamed or boiled food.

He wanted to taste something but found himself awkwardly without any money.

After thinking for a moment, he honestly told Chen Yu, “Young friend Chen, I’m very interested in these foods, but I don’t have any money on me. I wonder if I could trade this instead?”

He extended his hand, revealing a well-preserved ginseng root lying in his palm.

Chen Yu’s eyes lit up immediately.

He coughed and said, putting on an act, “This ginseng has a good appearance and is worth ten taels of silver.”

Jiang Lin’s expression instantly turned cold.

He looked at Chen Yu with a faint smile. “Oh? A ginseng root this large is only worth ten taels of silver?”

Chen Yu, not noticing Jiang Lin’s expression, continued speaking on his own, “You might not know, but these ginseng roots and similar items are usually only used for ordinary medicinal purposes. They can’t fill your stomach, nor are they of much practical use. Around here, they’re practically worthless…”

Chen Yu was quite adept at this sort of thing.

Most demons who managed to enter the human world found it hard to stay long, if they even made it past the gates of Huaiyang City. So, tricking these demons who could only come for a brief visit was something the people of the Supervision Department did without hesitation.

After all, they figured they’d never see these demons again in their lifetime.

And even if the demons did realize they’d been deceived later on, what could they do? The Supervision Department was guarded by numerous skilled sorcerers and even had divine beings as protectors. Could a demon possibly break through that?

As Chen Yu smugly continued to try and fool Jiang Lin, he suddenly realized he could no longer speak. A heavy pressure, like a mountain, bore down on his shoulders, forcing his spine to bend under the weight.

Struggling, Chen Yu raised his head and found the demon in front of him staring at him with a half-smile.

Jiang Lin played with the wild ginseng in his hand. “Oh? Worthless? I’ve heard that a few-hundred-year-old wild ginseng like this is highly valued among humans, always in demand.”

As he spoke, he did not hold back his oppressive aura. Soon, cold sweat soaked through Chen Yu’s back.

Only then did Chen Yu realize he had kicked an iron plate. Hastily, he tried to change his tone, “This… I may have been mistaken. Allow me to take another look?”

Jiang Lin replied, “It seems you don’t recognize this at all. Let’s go to the Supervision Department and have someone there take a good look.”

With that, Jiang Lin decided to change his approach. He unleashed the full extent of his aura, letting his power as a great demon radiate freely. The pressure was so intense that the spiritual sword on Chen Yu’s back hummed, eager to draw itself in response.

This commotion quickly drew the attention of the Supervision Department.

In an instant, several beams of spiritual light shot across Huaiyang City, all converging on Jiang Lin’s location.

Jiang Lin didn’t bother to suppress his power. He leisurely strolled through the streets with a pale-faced Chen Yu in tow.

Before long, someone arrived. Seeing the state of Chen Yu and Jiang Lin, they quickly stepped forward to inquire, “Mr. Jiang, what has happened here?”

Jiang Lin glanced at the man who spoke, a middle-aged human Taoist with abundant spiritual energy, though still far from matching Jiang Lin’s power.

Coldly, Jiang Lin said, “I came here as a guest, intending to be polite and avoid causing trouble. But that doesn’t mean I’m willing to be treated like a fool.”

He held out the ginseng in his hand. “I know this can be exchanged for silver here. So, please tell me, how much is this ginseng worth?”

The middle-aged Taoist, seeing the ginseng and then looking at Chen Yu’s expression, immediately understood the situation.

This wasn’t unusual in the Supervision Department. The higher-ups typically turned a blind eye to it, but Chen Yu had clearly overstepped.

“You’re trying to deceive a demon lord of this caliber? And not only that, you even got caught!”

“What’s wrong? Is it difficult to name a price?” Jiang Lin asked when he saw the man in front of him hesitating.

At that moment, several more flashes of spiritual light appeared, and a few more figures arrived. Among them were two Taoists and, surprisingly, a demon.

Jiang Lin glanced at the demon and saw that it was a plant spirit.

While the Taoists could only sense Jiang Lin’s powerful aura, the plant spirit, as a fellow demon, felt something different. Faced with this great demon, she found it almost impossible to muster the will to resist.

Stepping forward with difficulty, the plant spirit greeted him, “Green-Clad of the Huaiyang City Supervision Department, I greet you, Mr. Jiang.”

Jiang Lin paid her no mind and continued to focus on the middle-aged Taoist.

This was where the difference in strength became apparent. Earlier, someone like Chen Yu dared to deceive him. But now, with Jiang Lin fully unleashing his aura, even while adopting such an arrogant demeanor, no one found it inappropriate. In fact, they believed that this was exactly how a great demon should behave.

Not understanding the situation, the others turned their gaze to the middle-aged Taoist.

Seeing this, the Taoist dared not hesitate any longer and hastily offered a significantly higher number: “This… with such quality, it’s worth 1,200 taels of silver.”

Earlier, Jiang Lin had asked about the prices of small stalls and knew that one tael of silver had a purchasing power roughly equivalent to 2,000 yuan in his previous world. Given the quality of the ginseng in his hand, this price seemed about right.

“1,200 taels?” Jiang Lin pointed at the now pale-faced Chen Yu. “And you just said it was only worth ten taels?”

The others: “…”

They glared at Chen Yu. Even though it was common for the Supervision Department to take advantage, this was going too far, wasn’t it?

The middle-aged Taoist was Chen Yu’s senior in the sect and couldn’t help but defend him, “Please don’t blame him, Mr. Jiang. Chen Yu is young and inexperienced. Perhaps he didn’t recognize such a rare item, and that’s why…”

“Do I care about that?” Jiang Lin interrupted.

At that moment, he fully embodied the role of an arrogant and unreasonable demon, sneering, “I came here for the first time, so I was being polite. But it seems you’ve taken my courtesy for weakness.”

Pointing at Chen Yu, he said, “Now, tell me, how do you plan to resolve this?”

Chen Yu was inwardly bitter. His cultivation level was low, so he hadn’t initially seen through Jiang Lin’s strength. Moreover, Jiang Lin had been so polite earlier that Chen Yu had assumed he was an easy target.

But who could have guessed that the “soft” exterior was just a facade, hiding sharp thorns that hurt deeply?

He hurriedly said, “I was blind, and I beg you, sir, to forgive my youthful ignorance.”

“You are indeed young,” Jiang Lin replied. “But whether you’re young or not is none of my concern.”

He continued ominously, “In our White Tiger Ridge, any young demon who dared to offend me would have grass ten meters tall growing over their grave by now. So, do you want me to do it, or will you take care of it yourself?”

Chen Yu: “…”

The others: !

Their expressions changed drastically. After much pleading and explaining that such violence wasn’t the way of the human world, and after offering many benefits, Jiang Lin finally “reluctantly” let the matter go.

An hour later, Jiang Lin sat in the large courtyard that the Supervision Department had just arranged for him.

The system sighed in admiration, “You played the role quite convincingly, Host.”

Jiang Lin smiled, “Treating people the way they deserve to be treated—there’s no truer saying.”

He had acted so aggressively not just because of Chen Yu’s attitude but also for another reason—while strolling through the market, he had detected a faint demonic aura at the city gate with his spiritual sense.

That aura was weak, and when he took a moment to check, he saw the two golden-armored gate gods coldly driving someone away.

Given that the gate gods acted this way, there was no way the Supervision Department was unaware.

Since the entire Supervision Department was judging people by their appearance, why should he be polite?

Jing Li didn’t know when he had passed out, but when he woke up again, he found himself back in his familiar little wooden bucket.

The sky outside was already pitch black.

On the desk, a small, dim oil lamp was lit, and Qin Zhao sat in the faint light, bent over reading a book.

The oil lamps used in the village were fueled by cooking oil, which wasn’t cheap. Keeping one burning through the night could cost at least five wen—a sum that could buy two vegetarian buns in town.

As a result, most of the villagers in Linxi Village didn’t use lamps much at night.

But Qin Zhao was different.

Despite his current situation, there were three things he never skimped on: medicine, food, and oil lamps.

The first two were because of his frail health, which required extra care. The third was because he read every day.

Thanks to his work revising and copying manuscripts for the academy in town, Qin Zhao’s home was never short of books.

In the past three years, unless he was too sick to get out of bed, he would always spend at least two hours reading at his desk each night.

Hearing the sound of water as Jing Li moved, Qin Zhao looked up at him. “You’re awake?”

“Do you feel unwell anywhere?”

The little koi shook his head, looking utterly deflated.

When Qin Zhao had brought him back, he had already checked him over. The little koi wasn’t injured; apart from rolling in the dirt and turning himself into a little mudfish, there were no other marks on him.

As for why he had fainted, it was most likely… because he had been scared unconscious.

A fish being carried by a cat for such a long distance—it was indeed a lot for him to endure.

Thinking of this, Qin Zhao dipped his hand into the water.

As expected, the little koi quickly swam into his palm, his tail gently sweeping across Qin Zhao’s hand. It was cool to the touch and slightly ticklish, making Qin Zhao’s heart melt.

Qin Zhao spoke softly, “You were really frightened, weren’t you? I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have left you alone at home.”

Jing Li was indeed terrified.

He nuzzled his head into the gaps between Qin Zhao’s fingers, his fins gently wrapping around Qin Zhao’s hand, finally feeling a bit more at ease.

He never wanted to see that cat again!

Seeing his little fish acting so pitiful, yet irresistibly cute, Qin Zhao held back his urge to pet the soft tail fin.

How could anyone resist a fish that knew how to be so affectionate?

Qin Zhao cleared his throat and comforted, “Don’t be afraid. That cat isn’t one of the village’s pets. I’m not sure how it wandered here today, but it’s long gone now, and I won’t let it get near you again.”

Jing Li didn’t lift his head; he just gave a small shake of his tail in response.

Qin Zhao let out a silent sigh.

He was really scared this time.

After a moment of thought, Qin Zhao asked, “Would you like to listen to me read for a while?”

Jing Li: “…”

Does this person even know how to comfort a fish?!

Looking back later, Jing Li thought it might have been because every time Qin Zhao read, he would always lie by the edge of the bucket watching him, which led Qin Zhao to believe he was interested in the content of the books.

How could he possibly be interested in those old texts? They were so archaic, he couldn’t understand a single word!

Qin Zhao seemed pleased with the idea and used his free hand to flip open the book.

His voice was slightly husky, with a steady and unhurried rhythm. It wasn’t like the monotonous tone of a schoolteacher, but rather had a gentle, storytelling quality.

As he read, Jing Li slowly lifted his head.

It’s said that beauty is best appreciated by lamplight. Most of Qin Zhao’s face was now bathed in the warm glow of the lamp, his long hair draped behind him, accentuating the depth of his features. His sharp eyes were lowered, filled with a gentle light that made it hard to look away.

It was already late at night, with only the sounds of insects and birds outside the window, mingling with the soft murmur of Qin Zhao’s reading.

Amazingly, Jing Li’s anxious heart began to calm down.

The next day, Qin Zhao woke up early, seemingly preparing to go out.

Jing Li lay in the bucket, secretly watching him.

Yesterday’s events had left a significant psychological impact on him, making him scared to be alone, worried that the cat, having missed him yesterday, might track him down today.

But Qin Zhao had to go out to earn money, and Jing Li couldn’t very well ask him to stay home just to keep him company.

Jing Li felt a bit aggrieved.

After Qin Zhao finished packing, he turned and noticed the little koi peeking over the edge of the bucket with just his eyes showing.

Such a pitiful sight.

After some thought, Qin Zhao took out the basket he had used the day before, emptied its contents, and placed it next to the small wooden bucket.

Jing Li: “?”

“That wild cat might come back today, so I’m not comfortable leaving you here alone.” Qin Zhao patted the basket and said, “I’m only going to Doctor Ge’s house in the neighboring village. Would you like to come with me?”

Is that really okay?

Jing Li’s eyes lit up, and he happily wagged his tail.

Qin Zhao scooped out some of the water from the bucket to ensure it wouldn’t spill while he carried it. Jing Li cooperatively splashed some water out with his tail, worried that the bucket might be too heavy and tire Qin Zhao.

Once everything was ready, Qin Zhao set out with the little koi in the bucket.

He walked steadily, and Jing Li obediently curled up at the bottom of the bucket, staying still and trying not to add any extra weight.

Dr. Ge’s house was in Huai Xia Village, which wasn’t too far from Linxi Village, but it still took a considerable amount of time to walk there. For this reason, Qin Zhao only made the trip every two or three days, to save his strength and time.

Wait…

Didn’t he just go there yesterday?

Jing Li poked his head out of the bucket and looked around at the basket. Strangely, aside from his small wooden bucket, there was nothing else inside.

No new medicine—what was he going to Dr. Ge’s house for today?

Jing Li was puzzled.

The sky was still not fully bright, and there were few villagers on the road, just a few carrying baskets and poles, heading to the early market in town.

Qin Zhao left the village and followed the path along the creek downstream. After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, they arrived at a sign marking the entrance to Huai Xia Village.

This village was named after an ancient locust tree that stood at its entrance. Dr. Ge’s house, where Qin Zhao was headed, was not far from the village entrance.

Although it was still early, Dr. Ge’s house was already open, with a large number of herbs drying in the courtyard.

The apprentice, A-Wen, whom they had met before, was sorting herbs in the yard.

Qin Zhao knocked on the door, and A-Wen looked up. Qin Zhao said, “Has Dr. Ge risen? I’m here to sell herbs.”

A-Wen led Qin Zhao into the main room, where Qin Zhao placed his basket on the table but did not sit down.

A-Wen asked, “My master hasn’t risen yet. May I ask what kind of herbs you are selling today, Mr. Qin?”

Without answering, Qin Zhao took out an item wrapped in plain cloth from his coat. He carefully unfolded the cloth on the table, revealing a herb.

The herb had a long, twisted root system, with dark purple, oval-shaped leaves marked by faint patterns, making it look particularly unusual.

Jing Li peeked out from the gap in the basket, curious.

Did this herb exist before?

When did Qin Zhao find it?

Jing Li knew nothing about herbs, but the boy named A-Wen’s expression changed drastically. “This… this is…”

Qin Zhao calmly said, “Wushan Ginseng.”

Wushan Ginseng is an extremely rare herb, with both its roots and leaves being used in medicine. Only the wealthiest and most powerful families in the city can afford it, and the highest quality ginseng is even offered as tribute to the royal family.

A-Wen had never imagined that such a precious herb could be found in the mountain village where they lived!

Being young and unable to make decisions on his own, A-Wen bowed to Qin Zhao and said, “Mr. Qin, please wait a moment. I will fetch my master.”

Qin Zhao nodded, “Thank you.”

A-Wen quickly went inside, and soon, an older man came rushing out.

The man, obviously Dr. Ge, hadn’t yet tidied his hair or beard. He had hastily thrown on a robe, which was still unfastened, leaving his chest exposed. It seemed he had come out in such a hurry that he had only managed to put on one shoe.

“Where is the Wushan Ginseng? Let me see it quickly!” Dr. Ge hurried over to Qin Zhao.

Qin Zhao stepped back half a pace to give him room.

Dr. Ge didn’t dare touch the herb directly. Instead, he used a piece of silk cloth to carefully examine the herb lying on the table.

“The leaves are oval, with a golden silk-like network of veins, dark purple on the surface and pale red underneath. Yes, this is indeed Wushan Ginseng!” Dr. Ge couldn’t hide his excitement and asked, “Mr. Qin, where did you find this?”

Qin Zhao’s gaze flickered, but he didn’t answer.

Dr. Ge quickly realized that his question was inappropriate and, after calming himself, gave an order: “Bring Mr. Qin some tea.”

Wushan Ginseng doesn’t grow alone. If Qin Zhao found one, there could be more. But since he was here to sell the herb, it was unlikely that he would reveal its location so easily.

Understanding this, Dr. Ge decided to be straightforward. “Mr. Qin, while this herb isn’t priceless, it’s far from ordinary. However… as a mere village doctor, I’m afraid I cannot afford to buy it.”

Most of Dr. Ge’s patients were local villagers who wouldn’t need or be able to use such a valuable herb.

Of course, he could buy the herb at a low price and resell it, but having known Qin Zhao for years, he knew that such a trick wouldn’t work on him.

As expected, Qin Zhao responded, “I’ve heard that you have connections with the medical clinic in town. I wonder if you could help me find a way?”

“You mean you want me to sell the herb on your behalf?” Dr. Ge asked.

Qin Zhao replied, “Exactly.”

He paused for a moment, then added, “If the deal goes through, I can offer Dr. Ge a thirty percent commission.”

In fact, if Qin Zhao could take the herbs directly to the clinic in town or a nearby city, he would earn even more. Unfortunately, his poor health couldn’t withstand such long journeys.

Having Dr. Ge find buyers while he handled the harvesting and processing of the herbs was the best option for him.

However, Dr. Ge still had some concerns. “That could work, but can Mr. Qin guarantee the quality of the herbs in the future, and how many can you supply?”

“The quality will not change, and I can provide at least twenty plants.”

Qin Zhao pushed the herb on the table toward Dr. Ge. “You can take this herb as a sample to show potential buyers.”

Wushan Ginseng is not an ordinary herb; having the actual product in hand makes negotiations much easier than going empty-handed.

This gesture showed Qin Zhao’s sincerity.

Dr. Ge was instantly filled with admiration for him. After a moment of thought, he turned and gave an instruction to the apprentice. The apprentice quickly went into the inner room and returned with a money pouch, handing it to Qin Zhao.

“Here are 800 wen, which I’ll give you as a deposit,” Dr. Ge said. “I’ll head to town shortly. If I secure a deal, I’ll return immediately to inform you.”

Qin Zhao didn’t refuse and bowed to him. “Thank you.”

After leaving Huai Xia Village, Qin Zhao took Jing Li to the creek.

The little koi had been terribly frightened the day before and needed to relax in the stream.

But Jing Li had already forgotten about yesterday’s incident. His mind was entirely focused on the fact that Qin Zhao was finally going to make some money.

Just the deposit for one herb was 800 wen—imagine how much they could earn if they sold all the herbs!

Qin Zhao is amazing!

But Jing Li didn’t know that Qin Zhao’s thoughts were quite the opposite.

The location of those herbs wasn’t something Qin Zhao had discovered himself; it was where Jing Li had coincidentally hidden when the orange cat chased him the previous day.

Qin Zhao had only realized this when he rescued him, finding that the spot where Jing Li lay was covered in a patch of Wushan Ginseng.

Could it be a coincidence?

As Qin Zhao watched the little koi swim, a thought crossed his mind.

He recalled reading in a book that wealthy families liked to keep a type of carp called koi, which was said to bring good fortune.

Could it be that this little guy really can bring luck?

Jing Li moved swiftly, and one slap wasn’t enough to vent his anger. He quickly swung his tail again, delivering several more slaps to Chen Yanan.

The splashes of water landed on Chen Yanan’s face, making it impossible for him to open his eyes or see what was hitting him. He heard a loud splash, and by the time he gathered his wits, the water had returned to its calm state, with no trace of what had attacked him.

“Did… did you see that? What was that just now—?!”

The spots where he had been hit were still stinging, and Chen Yanan was terrified, trembling with fear. Qin Zhao sighed, pressing a hand to his forehead, and extended his hand to Chen Yanan: “Come on, get up.”

Chen Yanan, not daring to stay in the water any longer, quickly grabbed Qin Zhao’s hand and scrambled ashore, trying his best to hide his short and stout body behind Qin Zhao. “Did you see what it was? What kind of ghostly thing was that?!”

“No.” Qin Zhao glanced at the flash of a red fish tail near the rocks, lying with a straight face, “I was scared too, I didn’t see anything.”

Chen Yanan looked at him as if he had seen a ghost.

Does this guy look scared at all???

But he didn’t have time to think about that. Still shivering, Chen Yanan stammered, “C-could it be a water ghost? I heard there’s a type of water ghost that can transform into a beautiful woman to lure people into the water, never to return. What if I’m being targeted by one?”

Qin Zhao: “…”

Chen Yanan didn’t notice the sudden change in Qin Zhao’s expression, as he panicked, “You’ve copied Buddhist scriptures before, tell me what to do now!”

“…Go home, fast for seven days, and recite scriptures for an hour each morning. That should help.”

“Will that really work?” Chen Yanan asked, doubtful but seeing the determined look on Qin Zhao’s face, he said, “I’ll trust you this time, but don’t you dare fool me. If I get taken by a water ghost, you’ll be the first I haunt!”

With that, he hurriedly ran off, still shaking.

Qin Zhao stood by the water in silence for a moment before saying, “He’s gone. Aren’t you coming out?”

The little koi swam out from behind the rocks.

He floated on the water’s surface, his tail held high, and looked up at Qin Zhao.

A smile tugged at the corner of Qin Zhao’s mouth. “What’s this? Are you waiting for praise?”

Jing Li wagged his tail proudly.

He hadn’t intended to act out, but the way that guy was talking was so irritating. Qin Zhao was too good-natured, not even getting angry, which was why people like that dared to bully him.

Qin Zhao might be willing to endure it, but Jing Li certainly wasn’t.

Qin Zhao bent down, placing his hand in the water, and the little koi obediently rubbed against his fingers.

“You’re small, but you’ve got quite a temper,” Qin Zhao said, gently stroking his head. He added softly, “Thank you.”

No need to thank me.

Jing Li wiggled his fins at him.

“But…” Qin Zhao paused, seeming to hesitate for a moment before continuing, “It’s fine to scare him a little, but maybe it’s better not to mess with him again.”

Jing Li stopped moving, feeling a bit displeased.

If he didn’t fight back, was he supposed to just let that guy bully him?

Qin Zhao didn’t offer any further explanation. He placed the bucket in the water, allowing the little koi to swim inside.

He carried the little koi as he walked back home.

“Chen Yanan isn’t inherently a bad person. There’s just a bit of a misunderstanding between us,” Qin Zhao said slowly as they walked.

Jing Li huffed inwardly, turning his back to Qin Zhao as he sank to the bottom of the bucket, his tail flicking in displeasure.

“Let me finish,” Qin Zhao continued. “Three years ago, when I was stranded here, it was Chen Yanan who pulled me out of the river. That young man saved my life.”

Jing Li paused, surprised.

“At that time, I was gravely ill and bedridden, and it was thanks to the Chen family’s care and shelter that I recovered. Later, they even rented their old house to me, allowing me to stay in the village.”

So that’s how it was.

But now, why…

“The fact that they took in a stranger with no known background was already a great act of kindness,” Qin Zhao said. “A good deed can be done once, but it’s unreasonable to expect it to continue indefinitely. Ultimately, this situation is my fault.”

The Chen family was relatively well-off in Linxi Village, but they were not as wealthy as the prominent families in town. By renting the old house to Qin Zhao at a price far below the market rate, they were helping him but also, in a way, sacrificing their own interests.

But in these difficult times, life is hard for everyone. Each person has their own struggles, and who would want to endlessly support a stranger with an unknown background?

Understanding the underlying meaning of Qin Zhao’s words, Jing Li quieted down at the bottom of the bucket.

Qin Zhao, sensing the little koi’s gaze, smiled softly. “Life doesn’t always go smoothly. I don’t see anything shameful in asking for help. If someone is willing to treat me kindly, I’m grateful and will repay them in the future. But if they’re not willing, that’s perfectly understandable, and I won’t force it.”

“I can’t take someone else’s kindness for granted.”

As he spoke, his tone was calm, and through the water, Jing Li could see his pale face, devoid of any color in the sunlight.

Jing Li had never imagined that Qin Zhao’s thoughts could be so clear and insightful.

He had once thought that Qin Zhao was naturally indifferent and didn’t care about what others thought, but the truth was quite the opposite.

He understood everything better than anyone.

How many people in this world can truly remain unperturbed in the face of adversity? If Jing Li were in such a situation, he would certainly harbor some resentment.

But Qin Zhao managed it.

His forbearance wasn’t about avoiding trouble or being timid; within this frail and sickly body was a mind far stronger and more composed than most could imagine.

“As for Chen Yanan…” A trace of helplessness appeared on Qin Zhao’s face as he said gently, “I only recently found out that the house I’m living in was originally intended by Chen Yanan’s grandmother as a place for him to study.”

The little koi suddenly understood.

After all, Chen Yanan was still a teenager, with his emotions plain to see.

Three years ago, he saved Qin Zhao out of genuine kindness, but then this person ended up occupying the house that was meant for him, and stayed for three years. Anyone would be upset in his place.

Yet he didn’t express his feelings openly, bottling everything up, which only deepened his resentment toward Qin Zhao.

This… this really was a misunderstanding.

Qin Zhao said, “I only found out about this recently, but at that time, I was too ill to move out of the house immediately, even if I had known. And if I were to explain all this to Chen Yanan now, it would seem a bit like…”

Like taking advantage and then pretending to be humble.

Jing Li thought about it for a moment. If he were in Qin Zhao’s place, he might be even more upset.

Qin Zhao continued, “I know you understand. That boy isn’t bad at heart, he just speaks without thinking sometimes. In the future, if you can tolerate it, try to be more patient with him.”

Jing Li blew some bubbles at the bottom of the bucket, still feeling somewhat unwilling.

Even if Chen Yanan and his family had helped Qin Zhao, that didn’t give him the right to speak rudely and insult him.

He was just a fish now, so why was he thinking so deeply about everything?

No one should be bullying Qin Zhao. That little chubby guy deserved to be smacked.

Qin Zhao, of course, had no idea what Jing Li was thinking. He carried the little koi back home, glanced around the room, and sighed softly.

“Now… what should I do next?”

In the following days, Qin Zhao became increasingly busy.

When the weather was good during the day, he went into the mountains to gather herbs. Fortunately, the herb collector had promised him a higher price for his herbs, so his income was decent. The rest of the time, he stayed home, continuing to work on the manuscripts he had on hand.

However, since Qin Zhao couldn’t go without his medicine, meeting their financial goals was still challenging.

One evening, Qin Zhao sat by the door, sorting and categorizing the herbs he had gathered over the past few days.

It was a meticulous task: first, the dirt had to be removed from the herbs, then any unusable or damaged parts needed to be discarded. Finally, the herbs were divided into categories—those that could be used directly as medicine in one group, and those that needed to be dried or roasted in another. He carefully bundled each group with twine.

Jing Li finally understood why the herb collector was willing to pay Qin Zhao a higher price.

Ordinary villagers wouldn’t go to such lengths to process their herbs so meticulously. For them, as long as they could identify the herbs needed by the doctor, that was enough. The task of sorting out which parts were usable and which weren’t would be left to the herb collector.

This person… really knows a lot.

The distant sunset painted the sky in fiery colors, casting a warm glow on Qin Zhao’s profile.

His hands were beautiful, with long, slender fingers and well-defined joints. They were clearly not the hands of someone who had done hard labor, yet they didn’t have the frailty typical of a scholar either.

But they were so pale, almost transparent, lacking any trace of color.

The small wooden bucket was placed by his feet, and Jing Li floated in the water, quietly watching him, feeling a bit worried.

This person hadn’t rested properly for several days—could his body handle it?

After tying the last bundle of herbs and placing it in his basket, Qin Zhao picked up Jing Li and brought him back into the house. “I’m going to deliver these herbs to the neighboring village. I’ll feed you when I get back. Be good and wait for me at home.”

The little koi gently flicked his tail in response.

In the neighboring village, the herbalist sent his apprentice to collect herbs every half month. Since it wasn’t time yet, Qin Zhao had to go there in person to sell the herbs.

He placed the small wooden bucket on the desk by the windowsill, shouldered his basket, and headed out.

No matter how much discomfort he was in, he still walked with his back straight. The breeze gently lifted the hem of his light green robe, making him look even more slender.

Jing Li watched his figure disappear from sight before withdrawing his gaze.

These past few days, Jing Li’s mood had been very conflicted.

From Qin Zhao’s perspective, even if the Chen family weren’t planning to split up, he would still find a way to return the property to them. But if not for this situation, Qin Zhao could have taken his time to regain his health, saved enough money, and then gone to thank the Chen family and clear up any misunderstandings.

Instead of exhausting himself by trying to find ways to make money and nearly collapsing from the strain.

All of this… was probably his fault, wasn’t it?

Qin Zhao had been so kind to him over the past few days that Jing Li had almost forgotten that he was inherently unlucky and only brought misfortune to those around him.

Otherwise, how else could it be that Qin Zhao had lived peacefully in Linxi Village for three years, but as soon as Jing Li arrived, Qin Zhao was facing the prospect of being kicked out?

He couldn’t believe this was just a coincidence.

Jing Li shook his head, trying to stop himself from overthinking.

Now wasn’t the time to dwell on such thoughts. What he needed to do was figure out a way to help Qin Zhao make some money.

And he already had an idea.

Knowing that Jing Li got bored easily, Qin Zhao usually placed him on the windowsill with the widest view whenever he had to go out, allowing Jing Li to see the outside world.

This made it easier for him to leave.

Jing Li took a deep breath of water, then leaped out of the bucket with a splash and jumped down from the windowsill.

Every household in Linxi Village had a drainage ditch beside it. Jing Li bounced along the ground for a bit before deftly leaping into the ditch and swimming downstream.

The ditch eventually connected to the small stream, a route Jing Li had taken several times over the past few days.

He knew that the bottoms of many streams, lakes, and rivers often hid valuable treasures. The constant flow of water would wash lost items dropped by passersby to the riverbed, and in places like this village, the chances of finding something valuable were higher.

For the past few days, Jing Li had been searching the stream, hoping to get lucky.

If he could find something valuable, Qin Zhao wouldn’t have to struggle so much anymore.

Although… he hadn’t found even a single coin after several days of searching.

Unlucky as ever.

Fortunately, the little koi was well aware of his own bad luck. If he couldn’t find anything nearby, he’d just search further away. With enough searching, he was bound to find something valuable eventually.

He couldn’t let Qin Zhao do all the hard work alone.

The little koi swam swiftly through the ditch, just about to exit into the stream.

Suddenly, a dark shadow flashed before his eyes.

Jing Li hadn’t even seen what it was before his body instinctively sprang into the air, narrowly avoiding it.

The little koi fish landed back in the ditch and looked up.

A chubby, round orange cat was perched at the edge of the ditch, licking its wet front paw, its eyes locked intently on Jing Li.

Jing Li: “…”

Then, the orange cat arched its back and, with a “meow,” pounced forward.

“—Ahhhhh!”

Jing Li let out a cry, though no sound came out, and he quickly turned to swim toward the stream.

But no matter how fast a fish could swim, it was no match for a cat’s speed. The orange cat quickly closed in, its sharp claws swiping down toward the little koi.

Fortunately, Jing Li was far more agile than an ordinary fish, and he narrowly dodged the cat’s claws once again, suddenly finding his view expand as he tumbled into the stream with a splash.

…Was he safe now?

The little koi floated to the surface, looking around anxiously, but saw no sign of the cat.

That was close.

Jing Li let out a sigh of relief.

He had always been afraid of cats when he was human, and now as a fish, it was even worse—cats were his natural enemies!

He hadn’t found any money, but he had found a cat instead. It was just his luck.

As Jing Li helplessly thought this, he suddenly felt the water around him move. Before he could react, something tightened around his body, and he was abruptly lifted out of the water.

Dazed, he turned his head and found himself staring into a pair of round cat eyes.

He was being held in the orange cat’s mouth.

Ahhhhhhh—

As night began to fall, an orange cat, carrying a bright red koi fish, darted into the forest outside the village.

Jing Li, clamped in the cat’s mouth, was gripped tightly by its sharp teeth, leaving him unable to move.

His only free tail hung limply, trembling all over.

He had thought that the worst outcome would be finding nothing, but who would have guessed that someone in this small mountain village kept a cat!

Why did he have to be so reckless…

The orange cat continued deeper into the forest before finally setting the little fish down.

But Jing Li didn’t move.

The little koi fish lay quietly on the ground, even his gills had stopped moving, as if he had lost consciousness.

The orange cat pawed at the fish’s body and curiously sniffed it, seemingly puzzled as to why the little fish that had been struggling so desperately just moments ago had suddenly gone still.

Seizing the opportunity, Jing Li swung his tail forcefully, smacking the orange cat right in the eye.

The orange cat yowled in pain, and when it opened its eyes again, the fish had already disappeared.

Jing Li, trembling with fear, desperately flopped toward the depths of the forest.

But he had been out of the water for too long, and the fright had drained his strength. Soon, he didn’t even have the energy to move.

The bushes rustled behind him, and the little koi curled up under a leaf, his tail trembling with fear.

This is it, he thought. This time, I’m definitely going to die.

Qin Zhao, where are you…

Just then, the bushes were parted, and a familiar face appeared in his field of vision.

“So it was you,” Qin Zhao said.

He had been on his way back to the village when he saw an orange cat carrying a fish into the forest. He hadn’t gotten a clear look at the fish, but something told him to follow and check it out.

Sure enough, it was his silly little fish.

Qin Zhao crouched down and gently picked up the little koi, cradling him in his hand. “I told you to stay at home. What happened?”

Jing Li didn’t have the strength to respond; he simply nuzzled his head against Qin Zhao’s finger, curling up tightly in his palm and trembling all over.

He was terribly upset.

Qin Zhao understood that the little koi was starting to dry out, so he didn’t delay any longer and prepared to leave with him.

Before standing up, his gaze instinctively swept over the surrounding area, and he froze.

In the spot where Jing Li had been hiding, a few leaves with a unique shape were covered in dew, lying quietly among the grass.

“This is…”

Surprise flickered in Qin Zhao’s eyes.

At three-quarters past the hour of Mao, just as dawn was breaking, a queue had already formed outside Huaiyang City. The city guards at the gate were diligently checking each person’s pass to enter the city.

Shuanzhu was a farmer from a small village outside Huaiyang City. He had an older brother who worked as a kitchen assistant at Zuixiang Restaurant in the city. Through some connections, Shuanzhu had secured a stable job supplying the restaurant with fresh vegetables daily.

Most of the people entering the city at this time were like Shuanzhu, earning their living by bringing goods into the city. They were mostly vendors driving ox carts or peddlers carrying goods on shoulder poles.

Amidst this crowd of short-clad commoners, a young man in a blue robe stood out noticeably.

This young man had a handsome face, fair and delicate skin, and although the fabric of his robe was not particularly detailed, it was clear it was of high quality—he was unmistakably the son of a wealthy family, accustomed to luxury.

Jiang Lin stood in the center of the crowd, aware that many were observing him.

He, too, was observing the people around him and the city gate ahead.

These people were undoubtedly the most ordinary citizens of this era. Jiang Lin noticed that most were dressed in coarse cloth, their skin tanned from long hours of labor. Yet, the majority had smiles on their faces and did not appear emaciated or weak from lack of food.

Moreover, there were quite a few peddlers and small vendors in the queue.

It was evident that the people of this era were living fairly well and that commerce was thriving.

The city gate, built of bricks and stone, was tall, imposing, and majestic.

According to the system, this land was ruled by a dynasty called Dasheng, which was currently in a period of great prosperity. The world was peaceful, the economy was flourishing, and the people were living well.

However, this Dasheng Dynasty had never appeared in any historical records known to Jiang Lin.

But on reflection, in a world where various demons and mythical creatures existed, the appearance of an unknown dynasty was not all that surprising.

Soon, it was Jiang Lin’s turn in the queue.

He cast a minor illusion to pass unnoticed by the guards and entered the city with ease.

But at that very moment, he was blocked by an invisible barrier.

Jiang Lin was momentarily surprised, then instinctively waved his hand to shatter the barrier.

“Who dares enter without permission?” A thunderous voice roared from above.

A flash of light appeared before Jiang Lin, revealing two warriors clad in golden armor.

They wore gold armor, their faces stern and authoritative without anger, one wielding a battle axe and the other holding a spear, their bodies glowing faintly with divine golden light.

These were the gate gods of Huaiyang City.

Jiang Lin was initially stunned, but quickly realized: No wonder this world, despite having so many demons and monsters, kept them all confined to the wild, with no interaction with the human world.

Even a medium-sized city like Huaiyang, which wasn’t even a provincial capital, had two golden-armored war gods guarding its gate.

With the strength of the barrier at the gate and the power of these two war gods, ordinary demons probably wouldn’t dare come near.

As he pondered this, he was unaware that the two golden-armored gods were also scrutinizing him.

The more they observed, the more solemn the two gods became.