Chapter 5: Buy-Life Money

The side courtyard was added later; it was originally a small yard next door, whose owner had died mysteriously after being afflicted by malevolent spirits.

Master Qiao expelled the malevolent spirits.

The owner had only one distant nephew; Master Qiao paid a few taels of silver to buy it, broke down the wall between the properties, and made it his residence in Qihetai Town.

The side courtyard lay east of the inn, arranged with great elegance: bamboo along the southern wall, plum trees planted in the western corner.

Xu Yuan brought in breakfast; the accountant Liu Ye was also there.

"Are you settling in well here?" Master Qiao asked casually.

"It's very good, thank you, Master, for taking me in," Xu Yuan replied.

"Your family entrusted you to me; I must at least care for you a little. If anything troubles you, speak up."

Master Qiao waved his hand; Xu Yuan, understanding, bowed and withdrew.

The accountant Liu Ye followed him out and called after him in the courtyard: "Those two men yesterday—were they really coming into the mountains to collect goods?"

Xu Yuan opened his mouth to say "yes," but found he could not utter the lie.

Before him, the accountant Liu's dead-fish eyes stared unblinkingly at him; Xu Yuan could only tell the truth: "No, they went into the mountains looking for something, and tried to kill me, then wanted to trap my soul to guide them further—I led them to Diaotou Ridge, and that's how I came back alive."

Xu Yuan gave a detailed account, trying to divert the accountant Liu's attention.

But the accountant Liu was too experienced to be swayed: "What were they looking for?"

Xu Yuan did not want to answer, but any hesitation would betray him.

"I overheard them talking—they mentioned something called 'cow leaf worm,' but I don't know what that is."

He could not lie, but he could muddle his pronunciation.

"Were the people who asked you to guide them before also searching for something?"

"The first two groups weren't—but these last three were."

The accountant Liu grew angry: "Why didn't you report this?"

"I… I didn't know I was supposed to report it."

The accountant Liu glared fiercely at Xu Yuan: "Remember! You're part of this inn. From now on, if anything unusual happens, report it to me immediately! Understood?"

"Understood."

"Get out."

Xu Yuan hurried away; the accountant Liu had no idea he'd been tricked by a child with no worldly experience.

Above the side courtyard's gate hung a calligraphy scroll bearing three large characters: "No-Lie Ground," enveloping the entire yard.

The ink was still wet.

This was the power of a Wen Xiu.

The accountant Liu returned to his room and frowned: "Master, what is a 'cow leaf worm'? I've never heard of it."

Master Qiao stroked his beard, muttering repeatedly: "Cow leaf worm, cow leaf worm…"

He had no clue.

After a long silence, Master Qiao said: "Watch the inn. I'm going into the mountains to gather information."

…

On the second floor of the front courtyard, in the easternmost room, the woman removed a massive ear ornament made of sandalwood and brass, sneering inwardly: You fool, Qiao Zia'ang—cow leaf worm? It's clearly the June worm!

This room wasn't hers; her own had been personally assigned by Master Qiao to the westernmost end.

The occupant of this room had been drugged by one of her Rank Dan Xiu, and now obeyed her without question.

She took out a bamboo-frame parrot, lifelike in form, and gave an order: "Send two people to test the boy in the back courtyard."

The parrot flew mechanically out the window, landed in a courtyard at the town's eastern edge, and mimicked the woman's command to a group of people.

…

Today, Xu Yuan was chopping firewood, followed by two men.

Today was not Linhe Day, yet the Tian Luo beauties on Meiren Dam were working especially hard—on non-Linhe days, outsiders wouldn't circle the dam, and the beauties used their voices to lure husbands; it was peak season.

Xu Yuan took a wide detour; just after crossing the dam, the two men caught up: "Young sir, slow down."

One was a Fa Xiu, the other a Rank Dan Xiu.

The Fa Xiu was ninth-rate; the Rank Dan Xiu wasn't even ranked.

This was the ability of "Wang Ming"—one could see at a glance from a person's "fate" whether they were a cultivator.

One could also roughly gauge their level.

Other cultivators, unless they possessed special abilities, could not tell cultivators apart from ordinary people.

The burly man and the one-eyed man had observed him secretly for a long time before confirming Xu Yuan was merely an ordinary person.

Wu Xiu were an exception…

Any Wu Xiu who had entered the ranks would be noticeably larger than normal people.

"We're heading to Wangxiang Village—could you guide us?" The Fa Xiu produced a silver bean: "We won't let you go unpaid—this is your fee."

This was the sixth group in half a month to ask Xu Yuan to guide them—but the first to actually pay.

The silver bean bore a faint magical mark—this was "Buy-Life Money."

In the Fa Xiu's eyes, Xu Yuan's worthless life was worth only this one silver bean—no more.

Among the Fa Xiu sects, chaos reigned; many schools existed. This one who made "Buy-Life Money" must cultivate "Commerce Law."

Most cultivated "Technique Law"; the hardest was "Statutory Law."

Xu Yuan had once heard his stepmother mention they even had specialists who cultivated "Reform Law," capable of turning people into dogs, snakes, even millstones…

Thoughts flashed through his mind, yet Xu Yuan responded just as he had yesterday to the one-eyed man and the burly man: "Gentlemen, some things must be clarified beforehand—it's not about how much you pay…"

The Fa Xiu nodded: "We understand these rules."

"Good." Xu Yuan took the silver bean: "Gentlemen, follow me."

The Daoist cultivator watched him accept the "Life-Buying Money" and secretly chuckled; once the money was taken, his life was in my hands.

Even a cultivator a realm above oneself, once the "Merchant Law" is established, is powerless to break free.

The two followed Xu Yuan, chatting idly now and then; Xu Yuan, for the sake of the silver beans, answered patiently.

After passing Mao'er Tomb and entering the mountain, the Daoist cultivator asked, "Young man, are many people entering the mountain recently?"

"Many, indeed. Not to hide it from you, sir, you are the sixth group I've led into the mountain these past few days."

"What do they do when they enter the mountain?"

"Gather mountain goods; most who enter do this."

Xu Yuan's heart constantly rose with malice toward the two, even murderous intent—each time, Xu Yuan carefully observed the two's "fate."

This was one use of "Gazing at Fate."

Er Liang had developed improper desires for the woman in the front courtyard, and his "fate" thus carried a trace of bloody malevolence.

Yet the two's "fates" showed no change at all.

Both of their "fates" were green, far more prosperous than Er Liang's "white fate."

Xu Yuan shook his head inwardly; obviously, his own strength was still too weak; even with malice in his heart, he could not affect the two.

... Then another method must be found.

The Daoist cultivator feigned worry and said, "So many people are gathering ahead of us; this time, we fear we shall return empty-handed."

Xu Yuan opened his mouth but stopped.

The Daoist cultivator then produced another copper coin: "Young brother, you've worked hard; take this money."

Xu Yuan's eyes gleamed with greed, but he verbally declined: "Sir has already given money; how could I possibly take more?"

The Daoist cultivator handed it to him: "What was given before was for guiding the way; this is for troubling young brother to keep us company and ease our boredom."

Xu Yuan then accepted it.

The Daoist cultivator: "Young brother, now you can speak without holding back, yes?"

This copper coin bought Xu Yuan's "answer."

Once money is taken, the Merchant Law controls one; one must answer every question and cannot lie.

Indeed, Xu Yuan said, "Sir need not worry; although those ahead all say they enter the mountain to gather goods, I suspect that is not the case; they, ah..." Xu Yuan lowered his voice: "I guess they seek something; you need only go to Wangxiang Village; you should still be able to gather goods there."

"What are they seeking?"

"I do not know either." Xu Yuan's eyes darted, his expression conflicted; finally, he said, "I heard someone among them mention Ox-Leaf Worm..."

The Daoist cultivator and the Dan Xiu exchanged a glance; no wonder the Holy Maiden told us to watch him!

The Daoist cultivator asked again: "Where did those people go in the end?"

"All went to Wangxiang Village."

As he spoke, they arrived again at the edge of that Lin Zi; Xu Yuan pointed ahead and said, "Sir, follow this road forward, and you will reach Wangxiang Village. This stretch has no evil spirits blocking the way, so I shall not escort you further; I must go chop firewood..."

As he spoke, Xu Yuan watched with his own eyes as a glaring crimson tide surged rapidly within the Daoist cultivator's "green fate."

Malevolence surged suddenly!

The Daoist cultivator revealed a strange smile and extended his hand toward Xu Yuan: "Your fate belongs to me!"

Within Xu Yuan's sleeve, the mark on the silver bean flared brightly—but then immediately went out.

The Daoist cultivator suddenly felt reverse blood surge to his heart; he could not control himself and "pfft" spat it out in one mouthful!

Spell backlash!

Both the Daoist cultivator and the Dan Xiu were greatly startled.

The Daoist cultivator collapsed entirely, unable to summon a shred of strength in his whole body, and the backlash continued to strike in waves; the Daoist cultivator spat several more mouthfuls of blood and, unable to comprehend, said, "This is... what is happening? This boy's fate... is it so precious?"

(End of this chapter)