Chapter 48: Evil-Warding Issues Another Warning

"You're going to pull up all my vegetables just to plant a pear tree?"

"It's such a tiny pear tree, does it need to take over the whole vegetable garden?"

"If we don't grow vegetables, what will our household eat from now on?"

"What? You say we'll buy vegetables every day?"

"Oh my, what kind of household do you think we are, buying vegetables to eat?!"

Lady Cai, like a mother hen protecting her chicks, blocked the entrance to the vegetable garden and started lecturing Zhao Xing.

"Lady Cai, I'll cover the cost of buying vegetables, alright?" Zhao Xing said helplessly.

Lady Cai said, somewhat reluctant: "It's not about the money, I really can't bear to part with this vegetable plot. I like growing vegetables with my own hands for the family to eat…"

"I'll pay double for the vegetables!"

Lady Cai immediately beamed with joy, stepping aside: "Pull up whatever you want, whatever you want, do you need me to help?"

"…" Zhao Xing found it amusing too, her face had changed far too quickly.

"No need for you to lift a finger, I'll do it myself."

Zhao Xing entered the vegetable garden, preparing to make room for the Tianyuan Pear Tree.

At this moment, Zhao Ruide, who had heard the commotion, walked over. After hearing Lady Cai's explanation, he immediately frowned:

"You actually charged Xing'er for the vegetables? Is that how an elder behaves?"

"The third branch has an abandoned courtyard, why don't you plant it over there."

Lady Cai muttered: "He offered it himself, I didn't ask for it. Besides, will he not eat the bought vegetables too… What's wrong with him being able to show some filial respect to the household?"

Zhao Ruide sighed: "You really are short-sighted. That pear tree is far more precious than ten of your vegetable plots. If it takes root, will the household really lack food?"

Lady Cai said suspiciously: "How much can one pear tree be worth? He promised to pay double."

"You! What an embarrassment…" Zhao Ruide pointed at her, then turned and left.

Lady Cai looked at her husband, then at Zhao Xing in the vegetable garden, and immediately felt full of regret: "Ah, since it's so precious, when he goes to take office elsewhere later, won't this precious pear tree be left for Zheng'er? I really lost my head just now…"

Then Lady Cai's eyes darted, and she hurried off as well.

Before long, she had Zhao Zheng summoned over.

"Big Brother, my mother told me to come help."

"No need, go play on the side."

Zhao Xing waved his hand, then began casting a spell.

"Rise, wind!"

Whoooosh~

A strong wind blew past, and all the vegetables in the soil were uprooted, with even the earth itself being turned over.

"Wow, Big Brother is amazing, Big Brother is amazing!" Zhao Zheng clapped excitedly on the side, "Do it again, Big Brother!"

"You think I'm performing acrobatics?" Zhao Xing said irritably. What was this little brother thinking?

After clearing the soil, Zhao Xing once again manipulated the wind spell.

It transformed into a small drilling tornado, digging out a large pit.

Then he broke the flowerpot and planted the 【Tianyuan Pear Tree】 into the ground.

"Grow strong!"

Another spell descended upon the Tianyuan Pear Tree.

However, this was not aimed at forcing the Tianyuan Pear Tree to ripen, but mainly to let its roots take hold quickly and adapt to the new soil environment.

A Third Rank upper-grade sapling isn't that easy to transplant. For it to re-establish roots, the spell must be sustained continuously for at least an hour.

"Big Brother, the pear was so delicious, why doesn't Mother want you to plant it?" Zhao Zheng had tasted a small piece before, and his impression was deep. He felt it was the most delicious pear in the world, cool and refreshing, very pleasant.

"Your mother hasn't tasted it, she probably doesn't know."

"Mother really has no taste."

"Shut up!" Zhao Xing scolded, "Don't talk about your mother that way."

"I was wrong, Big Brother." Zhao Zheng pinched his ear and obediently lowered his head.

Lady Cai was originally a singing girl, and gave Zhao Ruide a son in his old age. In anyone else's case, her tail would probably be wagging high up in the sky.

Yet despite Zhao Ruide having accumulated some wealth, she could still refrain from disdaining the dirt and toil, growing vegetables and cooking at home. This could already be called virtuous!

It was true she loved money, but in truth she only talked about it. She never demanded that Zhao Xing be kicked out, wasn't it because this adopted son Zhao Xing also had inheritance rights, leaving her without a sense of security? That was merely her protective coloring.

Zhao Xing held no prejudice against Lady Cai, and even understood her very well. One could say Lady Cai's selfishness was all for her son.

"Don't let me hear you speak ill of your mother again, or else your bottom will be in for a blooming, understand?"

"Understood." Zhao Zheng nodded, half-comprehending.

"Understood. Zhao Xing's home is in Pingkang Ward. I have a relative in Tongji Ward, just two streets from there. There'll be plenty of chances to run into him. Neighbors chatting for a bit is perfectly fine. Rest assured, Venerable."

"Don't be too deliberate." The Hall Master of Sanwan Hall instructed, "You usually go to the East Market to sell fish, just chat with people normally."

"I understand." The fishmonger nodded.

"The Profound Heaven Assembly will protect you."

"Willing to die for the Profound Heaven." A flash of fanaticism gleamed in the fisherman's eyes, then he shouldered his carrying pole and moved forward.

【Jingxin Calendar Year 15, September 13th, Yuzhong, Si hour, first quarter.】

【Evil-Warding Warning: Minor misfortune; ears and eyes are spying, calamity is buried in all directions】

"Hmm?"

On this day, Zhao Xing was on his way to the Agricultural Supervisor Bureau when he suddenly discovered the Evil-Warding Almanac had automatically turned a page and displayed a warning.

Immediately after, the panel provided a more detailed explanation.

【You have triggered the effect of the Third Rank treasure 'Evil-Warding Almanac'. Based on your Luck Grade and known information, you receive the following hint:】

【You received three consecutive top grades, attracting the attention of the Xuantian Sect. They decided to dispatch believers as eyes and ears to monitor and investigate you. No matter which of the four directions you go, you will plant the seeds of potential disaster.】

"The Xuantian Sect again?!" Zhao Xing frowned. "Why are they still around Gucheng? Is there no end to this?"

"I'm not going to provoke you, so why must you keep watching me?"

Annoying. Zhao Xing only wanted to farm steadily and develop himself now, with absolutely no desire to stir up any trouble. He had originally thought that after the last strict investigation, the Xuantian Sect had fled elsewhere, but unexpectedly they were still nesting here, and had even started watching him.

"It's only a minor omen of ill fortune, which proves the Xuantian Sect won't take action yet, but they will inevitably act in the future. The Jingxin Strange Case — what was it the Xuantian Sect did?" Zhao Xing recalled the details.

"Right, they captured so many Agricultural Officials in order to artificially create natural disasters across the various regions of the Great Zhou. Capturing Weaving Maidens and Mechanism Masters was purely to mislead the public; in reality, the main targets of capture were still the Agricultural Official profession."

"The Xuantian Sect itself is a closed-off faction, but the power of its believers below is also considerable. Stirring up trouble in the Great Zhou is meant to flaunt their existence, plant the seeds of the Xuantian Sect among the populace, and obtain incense offerings and faith, laying the groundwork for a later period of revival."

"After the Jingxin Strange Case, players did a post-mortem. The Xuantian Sect's abduction campaign lasted a full ten years. For the first nine years they secretly captured people, brainwashing officials and quietly cultivating them. In the tenth year, they created chaos everywhere and erupted all at once. And their ultimate goal was... the Yuanling Grotto-Heaven in Guangling Province!"