Chapter 218: Chivalry and Officials Opposed

The colorful fox had the instincts of a cat. Upon arriving in a new environment, it habitually circled each room, sniffing here and smelling there.

Fuyao quietly hid behind the door, and as it came out of a room, suddenly jumped out, scaring it into flying up on the spot.

A cat and a fox then chased each other back and forth.

The two Daoists paced and talked in the room.

"I see a household on the mountain over there that seems to have planted a bamboo forest. Let's find a time to go buy some bamboo from them, weave a fence, and dig up a few small bamboos to plant." Lin Jue said, "This way there will be a courtyard here. Having a courtyard, even if just looking at it, will be comfortable."

"Yes!"

The Xiao Xiao Shimei walked beside him, seeing his gaze sweep over the surroundings, she also looked around with him.

Indeed, having a courtyard, even if enclosed by a fence, even if nothing is planted, looking at it will feel much more at ease.

"Third Third Shixiong, what do you want to raise or plant?"

"We will live here at most until next spring, and in between, we might have to go back to find the Second Third Third Shixiong. Raising chickens and ducks is unnecessary, but we can open up a vegetable plot to plant some seasonal vegetables."

"We can buy two old hens to lay eggs, one for Third Third Shixiong, one for me, and Fuyao and Xiaohua can eat the yolks!" The Xiao Xiao Shimei said, "When we leave, we will kill them and eat them!"

"Good idea!"

Seeing his approval, the Xiao Xiao Shimei's eyes instantly brightened.

"And green vegetables."

Lin Jue walked to the thatched hut on the far right, changed direction, and continued walking as if strolling:

"Although the weather is getting colder, there are many vegetables that can be planted in winter, such as peas. We can pick the pea tips to cook soup, the taste is unique. We can also plant some white radishes, red radishes, garland chrysanthemums, spinach, Chinese cabbage, celery, and some small onions and garlic sprouts, as well as the coriander I love to eat."

The Xiao Xiao Shimei looked as if she were in class learning magic techniques, her expression serious, her eyes flickering. Hearing the wonderful parts, she nodded secretly.

Not only on the surface, but in her heart, she had already secretly remembered it, while calculating when she would start doing it and where to start.

Third Third Shixiong is responsible for speaking, and she is responsible for doing.

This division of labor is just right.

Hearing that the Daoist temple outside the capital is also on the mountain, very remote, she can just practice once in advance.

"I don't know if there are wild fruit trees on the mountain. If there are, we can transplant one over." Lin Jue said, "We will enjoy the flowers in spring, enjoy the coolness in mid-spring, and leave the fruit to them."

"Can we plant trees in winter?"

"Winter is not suitable for planting, but it is suitable for transplanting."

"So that's how it is." The Xiao Xiao Shimei nodded repeatedly but started calculating, "Third Third Shixiong, what fruit matures in all four seasons?"

"Where is there a fruit tree that matures in all four seasons? Some mature in summer, some in autumn, and some in winter."

"..."

The Xiao Xiao Shimei thought along with his words and asked again: "What fruit matures in winter?"

"Winter jujubes, persimmons."

"Oh..."

The Xiao Xiao Shimei nodded repeatedly, remembering it seriously.

"Third Third Shixiong, give me a piece of paper later."

"What are you going to do?"

"I want to make a list and write it down."

"Fine."

"By the way, we also need to make a stone table and stone stools." The Xiao Xiao Shimei remembered again, "When we leave, we will leave them for their family."

"Reasonable."

"Reasonable!"

The two discussed and looked forward to it, preparing to decorate these few thatched huts into the way they liked, and then live here until next spring.

This kind of thing has a strange charm—

It is a plan for one's own future, and also a yearning for a beautiful life. Even if they haven't started doing it yet and haven't seen any results, just thinking about it, their hearts will still feel pleasant and satisfied.

"Of course, Xiao Xiao Shimei, you and I should still focus on cultivation."

"I know!"

Only the fox and the cat did not care about these things at all, just knowing that they would live here today, and tomorrow too, so they chased and played freely in the courtyard, without worries.

In the following days, the two followed the plan.

Lin Jue's "Pointing Stone to Form Generals" remained at the entry level, just enough to "move sand and walk stone," so he summoned stones from the ground, and the Xiao Xiao Shimei carefully polished them into a stone table and stone stools.

In the afternoon, Lin Jue carved bean soldiers, and the Xiao Xiao Shimei practiced Mountain Pressing Down. At dusk, the two, one fox, and one cat all cultivated in the courtyard.

At night, the waiter brought them bowls and chopsticks.

In the early morning, they still sat in the courtyard, opened their eyes and looked at each other, and the two stood up at the same time, going to the village market to buy some steamed buns to satisfy their hunger, and then bought five meditation cushions, and some rice, flour, and vegetable seeds.

Returning at noon, the small yin-yang method was not convenient for cultivation at noon, so they went to the mountain opposite to buy some bamboo from people and dragged it back with the donkeys. Even the fox and the colorful fox could not escape, and two thin bamboos had to be tied to their backs by the two Daoists, swaying as they carried them back.

In the afternoon, the Xiao Xiao Shimei turned the soil in the courtyard, burning insects with fire, while Lin Jue cut bamboo and wove fences beside her, with the fox and the colorful fox taking turns disturbing them.

When the sky darkened, four meditation cushions were placed in the courtyard, and the two Daoists, one fox, and one cat all sat on the cushions and cultivated with concentration.

The next day, they went into the mountain to find a peach tree.

The fox dug the hole, the Xiao Xiao Shimei sowed the seeds, the colorful fox followed behind to cover the soil, and Lin Jue used the water-control method to water it thoroughly.

Lin Jue chanted incantations to tease the fox, and the Xiao Xiao Shimei danced her sword to stir up the yellow dust.

A few days later.

When the inn waiter came here again, he could not help but be startled—

The thatched hut was still that thatched hut, but it had changed greatly.

Not only was there a fenced courtyard, but a vegetable plot had been opened up, a fruit tree had been planted, and there was a stone table and stone stools under the tree. The workmanship was excellent, looking like it was crafted by an old craftsman with profound skills, but he did not know where these two immortals had pulled them out from after coming here for only a few days.

And what made him feel most surprised was that in this season, the fence made of bamboo and branches outside was actually covered with fine small flowers. If one did not know it was late autumn, one would truly think it was spring.

Truly immortals...

The waiter thought so in his heart.

"Daoist!"

"Please come in."

"Knowing that the Daoist needs to eat grains, this small one specially caught an old hen from home for the immortals." The waiter walked in while raising the hen in his hand.

"Too polite!"

"The Daoist has immortal abilities and eliminated demons for the people of our Runze County. This is what this small one should do."

"Don't speak of these."

Lin Jue said to him:

"In the past few days, we have added some things to your new house. Please take a look. If there is anything you don't like, we will remove it. If you want to add anything, just tell us. While we are still living here, we can think of a way for you."

"Like it, like it very much!"

The waiter said with a glowing face, standing in the courtyard and looking around, his expression paused, but then he said to him: "By the way, a big event happened in the city these two days!"

"Oh? What matter?"

"Now everyone says that the Green Water Immortal is a demon. I heard that the temple keeper originally planned to escape from here and flee to the capital, but he had packed everything, rented a carriage and a driver, but one night he was killed by someone. I don't know who." The waiter stood in place, eyes wide as he said to him, "People who went to see it said it was a clean cut, head on the ground, and the property in the house was also taken away."

"So that's how it is."

Lin Jue had no emotional fluctuation.

The Xiao Xiao Shimei also stood in the courtyard, bending over, like an old farmer—oh, exactly like the Eldest Third Third Shixiong—lowering her head and seriously looking at the new vegetable sprouts growing in the soil.

Both knew in their hearts that it should be Lord Luo who took action.

"Is that all?"

"Ah?"

"Is there more?"

"There is more. Not only that temple keeper, but on the day of the Ascension Platform, there was an unfilial son who knew it was a demon but deceived and bullied his old father, letting his father go to become an immortal. As a result, that person was also killed the day before yesterday.

"It is said that the one who killed him and the one who killed the temple keeper were the same person, because much of the property lost by the temple keeper ended up in his house. That person even left words on the wall, saying the property was for the old father's retirement, and if anyone dared to seize it by force, their head would also fall to the ground, and he also told people to carefully examine their hearts before doing such things that are intolerable to heaven. If heaven does not collect, he will come to collect."

The waiter paused as he spoke, quietly looking at them, his peripheral vision aiming at the room behind him:

"There's more! An official in the county, the one who preached on the stage that day, was beheaded on the street by a martial artist! Many people on the street saw it with their own eyes. That official even brought many servants and guards, but he was still beheaded!

"I heard that after that martial artist beheaded that person, he didn't leave, but instead told the people at the scene—

"Saying he does not change his name or surname when walking, his name is Luo Seng, formerly the County Captain of Changning in the capital. That official colluded with demons, collected gold, silver, and jewelry, and deceived people into becoming sacrifices for demons, so he specially came to behead him!

"Saying his precious blade has beheaded forty-five demons, fifteen ghosts, and countless zombies and evil things. If anyone colludes with demons in the future to plot for money and harm lives, he will certainly not forgive!

"Saying if the government determines he is guilty and wants to issue a wanted notice, just look for him, don't look for others!

"Then he left leisurely, and no one dared to stop him!

"..."

The waiter spoke to the end, looking like he was describing a heroic story. He was excited, his language urgent, wishing he were at the scene, or that he had such abilities and courage.

And every word he said evoked images in Lin Jue's mind, and sounds came out.

A moment of heroic spirit was all in it.

Even the Xiao Xiao Shimei straightened up, her eyes fixed forward.

"You must have known, that person is the Lord Luo who traveled with us." Lin Jue's voice sounded in the courtyard, "What do you think?"

"That Official Li fleeced the people, levied taxes indiscriminately, and colluded with demons and ghosts. He should have died long ago!"

"Hmm?"

"This small one has been cowardly since childhood, has no abilities, and has not read books, but I can distinguish right from wrong, black from white. I know the two Daoists are true immortal Daoists, and that Lord Luo must also be a rare hero in the world. I don't know anything else, I only know, I only know that if I had such abilities, could be such a hero once, or get to know him, I, I..."

The waiter paused as he spoke, his expression complex:

"I would die without regret!"

"Many thanks."

Lin Jue performed a salute to him.

No other matters needed to be explained.

The Daoist knew he would not report to the officials, and he also knew that the Daoist knew he would not report to the officials. That was all.

That afternoon, the martial artist led a tall horse, with a long spear tied to the horse and a long blade inserted. He left the official road and walked onto the small path. In the sunset, he arrived in front of the fence of the small courtyard.

The two Daoists sat on meditation cushions, with the fox and the cat on the left and right.

The fox raised its head and stared at him.

Lin Jue also raised his head and looked at him.

"Lord Luo."

"Two Daoists."

Luo Seng untied the firewood gate himself, led the horse in, looked around the thatched hut courtyard, then threw his luggage onto the stone table. There was a clanging sound inside, showing many pearls and jade ornaments, as well as many flattened cups and vessels made of gold and silver.

"Did the Daoist pay the rent?"

The martial artist's expression was calm, just saying this.

Lin Jue knew it just by looking at his expression. This kind of killing and seizing wealth was indeed most suitable for him to do.

"We heard about Lord Luo's affairs." Lin Jue stood up, "Lord Luo has great spirit. Now, I'm afraid all the people in Runze County regard you as a great hero."

"No great spirit, just helplessness! If the government did better, where would there be any heroes?" Luo Seng shook his head and said. He had served as a County Captain, "Daoist, please rest assured. Although Luo did such things on the street, Luo has a great reputation in the Jianghu. In this day and age, inside and out, it is chaotic. These officials can neither catch me nor dare to catch me at all."

Lin Jue nodded, just saying:

"The room on the left is for Lord Luo to live in. There is a pigsty opposite. It is not raising pigs, so it can be used as a stable for the time being."

The three lived here. ===== CHAPTER 219 =====