Chapter 107: Come Stay at My Place (Fifth Update—Requesting Moon Tickets!)

For this item, Yan Lao and the other two didn’t ask much.

Judging from its abilities, it was clearly a weakened version of the "Fu Dong Tian Wang." So the three deduced that after eliminating the evil spirit of Fu Dong Tian Wang, Xu Yuan acquired some "materials," and Lin Wanmo crafted this artifact for him.

As for why its appearance matched Xu Yuan exactly… perhaps Lin Wanmo had a twisted sense of humor?

Yan Lao and the other two scattered to gather usable “materials” from the slain evil spirits, working quickly.

Such as the heart of a boy, the tongue of a girl, the hind legs of the locust witch.

All fine materials, suitable for crafting artifacts.

But they also emitted strong contamination.

Each of them packed them into special pouches and slung them over their backs.

The locust witch’s hind legs were too long, so they cut only the best portions to fit inside.

These pouches were called “Xing Guo Zi,” made of some unknown material; when empty, they wriggled like living creatures, twitching occasionally.

Once filled, they automatically contracted and tightened, taking the exact shape of their contents.

The Qu Hui Si had specialized Artisan Cultivators who processed these “materials” into artifacts, then distributed them according to merit.

Fu Jingyu explained to Xu Yuan: “This thing only lasts three days. After three days, the Xing Guo Zi fuses with its contents and turns directly into an evil spirit, devouring anything it encounters.”

So you must hand it in within three days, or else you’ll have to open the pouch early and discard the contents.

And each Xing Guo Zi can be used only once.”

After hearing this, Xu Yuan thought the Xing Guo Zi wasn’t merely fusing with the material—it was more like… the pouch itself was in hibernation, waking after three days to consume the contents and regain vitality…

After everything was packed, the group was about to leave—when Da Fu staggered over, seemingly emerging from nowhere, and trotted to a nearby rock, kicking it with his webbed foot until it rolled aside.

Half-buried in the damp, stinking soil beneath was a single insect egg.

Da Fu snatched it up; inside, the egg shrieked and cursed, spewing forth a spectral image of the locust witch!

Da Fu swallowed the egg, then sucked in sharply—the locust witch’s malevolent spirit followed down his throat and vanished into his belly.

Xu Yuan and the others exchanged glances. This old locust witch was truly cunning!

She had secretly laid this egg, preserving a chance at rebirth.

“Fortunately, Master Xu has raised this goose,” Lu Zhengyan said sincerely.

Most relieved—and perhaps most grateful—was Bai Lao.

If the locust witch had survived this encounter, in decades or even centuries, she might have wiped out the entire Wang Xiang Village!

Bai Lao told the goose: “When we get back to the village, I’ll treat you to something good.”

Da Fu instantly grew wary: I’m not your meal, why feed me something good? Is he trying to fatten me up to kill and eat me?!

Terrified, Da Fu darted far away from the mountain runner and clung tightly to Xu Yuan’s side.

Bai Lao was baffled. What’s going on?

After that, no further incidents occurred. The group left the riverbank and began their return journey.

On the Crow Mouth, the giant crow eye never opened again.

As long as you don’t cross the boundary, fight to the death if you must—it has nothing to do with me.

Only the thick chains sinking in the water trembled slightly, as if the few “dogs” were displeased they hadn’t gotten their meal.

…

As night fell, the group returned to Wang Xiang Village.

Bai Lao, rarely so generous, invited them all: “Stay the night in the village.”

Village mountain runners almost never invited outsiders in; merchants always negotiated lodging directly with villagers.

Anyone invited into the village by a mountain runner was trusted completely by the villagers.

If such a guest harbored ill intent, the village would be in danger.

“Fine,” Fu Jingyu accepted gladly.

Xu Yuan hesitated, but Bai Lao adjusted his glasses and grunted: “Stay at my place. Don’t worry—I won’t make you sleep at some villager’s house this time.”

Xu Yuan exhaled deeply.

Fu Jingyu and the other two were utterly confused. Xu Yuan offered no explanation, and even teased Bai Lao: “I think Young Master Fu could stay next door to Uncle Jiao.”

Bai Lao, hands behind his back, turned to glance at Fu Jingyu as he walked: “Clean-faced, decent physique—those old widows would love him.”

Seeing Bai Lao’s posture, Fu Jingyu involuntarily pictured a vulture perched on a cliff.

He asked, puzzled: “And what if they do like him?”

Bai Lao grinned.

But he dared not actually send Fu Jingyu to a widow’s house—he still remembered Fu’s master was Ma Tianshou, and the Bureau’s affairs still depended on him.

Still, he was happy to go along with Xu Yuan’s teasing, mocking Fu Jingyu a little, because among the two young men in this group, the old mountain runner favored Xu Yuan.

Bai Lao wasn’t truly blind—he saw clearly.

No matter how much higher Fu’s status and position were now, Xu Yuan was barely ten days ago hiding in the village to escape Wu Haishan’s pursuit—and now he leads expeditions to ambush three head monsters and slays Qin Ze!

Besides, this kid is connected to that old fox, and no village in the mountains dares offend the old fox.

So although Bai Lao had a foul temper, he wouldn’t truly offend Xu Yuan.

Bai Lao’s “assessment” of Young Master Fu made Xu Yuan burst into laughter.

Fu Jingyu instinctively sensed it wasn’t good news, so he stopped pressing, shaking his head: “This is utterly bizarre.”

Zhang Sanba stretched his long neck out from behind the village gate, his head just clearing the top.

All day, he’d been watching like this, filled with worry.

Bai Lao was top-tier among mountain runners, and he’d never before given such detailed instructions to Zhang Sanba.

Zhang Sanba truly feared Bai Lao wouldn’t return.

The next generation of mountain runners hadn’t matured yet—if Bai Lao died, Wang Xiang Village would be oppressed for decades, possibly even destroyed.

Finally, as night fell, he saw Bai Lao returning with the group.

Zhang Sanba exhaled deeply, pulling his long neck back into his hunched shoulders.

“You’re finally back,” Zhang Sanba hurried to open the gate, stealing a quick glance at Xu Yuan.

Bai Lao said: “They’re all friends of our village now.”

Zhang Sanba understood at once.

Piao Dang Sheng greeted everyone and returned to his own home.

Bai Lao led the four into the village; he lived on the northern edge.

As they passed beneath the ancient dead tree in the village center, a girl with a sharp chin and high-set eyes spotted Xu Yuan and rushed up, delighted: “You’re here! Are these three staying at my place tonight? Price is negotiable!”

Xu Yuan widened his eyes: When did village lodging prices become “negotiable”?

Then he noticed the girl’s eyes kept drifting to Fu Jingyu, and couldn’t help chuckling.

Bai Lao waved her off irritably: “Go away! These are my friends!”

“Oh…” The girl looked disappointed, lingering with reluctant steps, glancing back again and again—at Fu Jingyu.

Current state: hammered keyboard for an hour, only a thousand characters…

Still pushing for fifth update—can you spare a few Moon Tickets?

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(End of Chapter)