Chapter 221: Shabu-Shabu and Demons

A row of pea sprouts grew in the courtyard.

The Xiao Xiao Shimei bent over, her face serious, pinching the most tender tips of the pea sprouts.

In the past, she didn't know this thing could be eaten, and her family didn't plant peas. Until she entered the temple with Third Third Shixiong, Third Third Shixiong told the Eldest Third Third Shixiong to plant peas, and when they grew, they would pinch the tips of the pea sprouts to eat. Not only was it a rare green vegetable in winter, but it was also delicious, opening a new door for her from then on. Until now, it had gradually surpassed all other vegetables for her.

Heat was rising under the eaves at the back.

Third Third Shixiong lit a small fire stove, set up an iron pot, the pot was clear water with green onions and ginger, beside it was a basin of rabbit meat shreds, caught by the fox and the colorful fox from the mountain, and a bamboo basket of various green vegetables, also freshly picked from the vegetable plot in the courtyard, fresh and still with water droplets.

The Xiao Xiao Shimei went to wash the pea sprouts, her hands frozen red, so she went to sit down and reach out to warm herself by the fire.

Not long after, Luo Seng also brought back meat.

"Top-quality lamb, a servant from a wealthy family in the city didn't know the principle of first come, first served, almost causing me not to grab it."

Luo Seng immediately called the fox over, asking it to spit a mouthful of cold air through the dry lotus leaf to freeze it, and only then used a knife to carefully cut it into uniform thin meat slices.

The three and two beasts surrounded the stove fire, eating shabu-shabu.

In this chilly spring season, basking in the sun, a slice of lamb and a slice of rabbit meat, dipped in sauce while hot, was truly satisfying.

"Has Lord Luo's body recovered?"

"Recovered."

"Is the medicinal pill effective?"

"More than effective, the effect is simply too good." Luo Seng clicked his tongue and said, "Originally, my strength was nearing the shackles, and tempering and training not only increased very slowly, but it was like sailing against the current—if you don't advance, you retreat. I didn't expect that after eating the Daoist's Giant Spirit Pill, it actually increased again."

"This medicinal pill has the best effect the first time."

"Then it can be called a divine medicine."

Lin Jue nodded with a smile. Not only Luo Seng, but the two senior brother and junior sister also ate the original Giant Spirit Pill, and after recovery, their physique and strength had increased quite a bit.

Truly worthy of being a medicinal pill that even the Second Third Third Shixiong felt was difficult to refine.

Then Lin Jue asked again: "Has Lord Luo still not encountered any demons or ghosts who know that Long Wang these days?"

"No."

Luo Seng ate meat in big mouthfuls, while saying:

"Still some small demons and ghosts, not worth mentioning. Some committed too small offenses, I didn't have the heart to behead them when I met them, just scaring them away. But there was a demon recently that made me feel a bit troublesome."

"What?"

"It's just that on this road outside, but walking a few dozen more li, there is a section of road. It was the New Year a while ago, some people got drunk visiting relatives and friends, some took advantage of the excitement to enter the city to do some small business, or some playful ones went out to play, all inevitably walking at night, and everyone had to worship gods, so no one lacked incense and candles. Someone encountered a demon on the road, was extorted for money and sacrifices, and many reported it to the officials."

Luo Seng paused as he spoke:

"I went out a few nights ago, just to see there, but I didn't see the demon."

The Xiao Xiao Shimei listened on the side, her mouth not stopping, and got up to pick some pickles made by Third Third Shixiong, putting them into the soup pot, making the taste of the soup pot have a few more layers.

Then she picked some pea sprouts and put them in.

Lin Jue was feeding meat to the fox and the cat while pondering:

"Luo Gong is a martial artist with a vigorous flow of Qi and blood. In the eyes of some yaoguai and ghosts, he is like the sun; this yaoguai must have seen Luo Gong from afar and dared not approach. Luo Gong can charge and slay evil yaoguai, but it is easy to startle the snake by beating the grass when dealing with such clever and timid yaoguai."

"Is there any way?"

"There is no way." Lin Jue picked two slices of lamb and pickles, eating them together, "No matter, no matter. After eating this meal, Lord Luo tells us the specific location, and my Xiao Xiao Shimei and I will go for a trip tomorrow to see if we can find it."

"That's good! Luo originally didn't do this for this little silver. If the Daoist can eliminate that demon, the hiring money and reward money will all be given to the Daoist!"

"How can that be?"

"If you feel uneasy, just treat me to another meal like this."

"Haha! Good!"

The three continued to wolf down, spitting hot air from being scalded, and in no time, their bodies were warm, having to take off their outer clothes.

Two rabbits, seven or eight jin of lamb, two large bamboo baskets of green vegetables, and a pot of white rice were actually eaten clean by the three and two beasts.

Luo Seng held his round belly and could not help but sigh to them:

"Still you Daoists know how to eat!"

Lin Jue was also full and satisfied, looking to the side.

The fox and the colorful fox had already finished eating and were playing on the side.

He saw the cat hiding by the door, shrinking its body, preparing to jump out to scare the fox when it came out, to avenge the threat from last time, but unexpectedly, it didn't see the fox come out for a long time, so it was suspicious, even walking a few steps to the door to look inside.

Yet it didn't know the fox was standing on top of its head, its four feet stepping on the wall, staring at it seriously.

It was the Xiao Xiao Shimei who reminded it—

The colorful fox looked up and was scared into jumping up again.

Then a fox and a cat chased each other, and in the blink of an eye, they didn't know where they ran.

"Hehe..."

Lin Jue smiled and tidied up the bowls and chopsticks, feeling that this life was quite comfortable.

After tidying up, he took out a small bottle, which contained a Spirit Origin Pill, and handed it to the Xiao Xiao Shimei: "Xiao Xiao Shimei, eat it and cultivate well. Tomorrow we will go find that demon."

The Xiao Xiao Shimei took it and agreed, not asking much.

Lin Jue also returned to the room.

After eating, he didn't want to move, so he sat cross-legged on the meditation cushion and took out the Spirit Origin Pill.

With a creak, the door opened.

The fox walked back leisurely, and with a poof, it emitted a trail of smoke. In the smoke, it returned to its original size, then lay in the room, a three-tailed white fox whose size was about to catch up to a mountain tiger.

"How come you are willing to become big?"

"Eat too much! Belly bloated!"

"Take this..."

Lin Jue also took out a Spirit Origin Pill and handed it to it:

"After eating this month's, our silver will be almost gone, and we have to think of another way."

"Xiaohua!"

"Its cultivation is not enough yet, eating it is a bit wasteful. In a few days, I will extract some spirit liquid for it to drink. After a while, when its cultivation comes up and we are not short of money, then give it to eat!"

"Money!"

"Yes..."

Lin Jue also sighed.

Originally, one Spirit Origin Pill per month was a heavy enough burden. Now that they could eat two per month, the burden was even heavier. Previously, the Yang family was so generous, gifting so much silver, which was so shocking to see, but for the two and one fox to eat six per month, that was sixty taels of white silver, yet it didn't last three or four months before it bottomed out.

This is truly grinding.

Then Lin Jue seemed to remember something and asked it: "You don't like to speak human words, why do you like to speak them again?"

"Not like to speak!"

The fox answered crisply as before.

"Yes, don't like to speak." Lin Jue said, "But you speak more than before."

"Speak human words! Can speak with you!"

"So that's how it is..."

Lin Jue smiled, swallowed the pill, and closed his eyes.

The fox didn't say much, raising its head and swallowing the pill.

The Daoist sat cross-legged, the fox lay down.

Both practiced the Yin-Yang Spirit Method, and when cultivating, their bodies naturally contained mystery.

The next day after lunch.

Lin Jue and the Xiao Xiao Shimei changed into ordinary clothes, asked Luo Seng where the place was, and set off riding the donkeys.

That place was a few dozen li away, and they didn't arrive until dusk.

To be safe, when approaching that place, the two took back the paper donkeys. The Xiao Xiao Shimei didn't bring her long sword, just tucked a sword pill of her senior brother. The two, one holding a branch and dancing wildly, one carrying a back basket, walked one after another on the official road in the sunset, looking like a brother and sister returning from visiting relatives or just visiting the temple fair in the city.

"Someone was flying a paper kite over there just now."

"Yes."

"Third Shixiong, how high can a paper kite fly?"

"That depends on how long the string is."

"What if there is no string?"

"Then it won't fly high."

"Also..." The Xiao Xiao Shimei nodded, thoughtful, "What if you tie a stone that is just heavy enough under the string?"

"Then I don't know."

"Has Third Third Shixiong never flown one?"

"Haven't you flown one?"

Just as they were talking, there were footsteps behind them.

The two looked back and saw a middle-aged man, also carrying a back basket, walking faster than them.

When both sides passed, the middle-aged man couldn't help but look at them, somewhat curious.

The two also looked at the middle-aged man.

Both sides were somewhat scrutinizing or vigilant.

This scene made Lin Jue think of the past.

That was when he had just left Shu Village and went out to seek the Dao, walking at night and meeting a dog demon, being teased and frightened by that dog demon, and then circling around.

Demons and ghosts also often disguise themselves as humans.

It was just that it wasn't dark yet, and Lin Jue was no longer the scholar who had just left the village. Seeing that this person had no demon energy, he knew that unless he was extremely good at disguising, he shouldn't be a demon.

Seeing them young, the middle-aged man hesitated twice, but finally gave a kind reminder: "It's almost dark, there's a demon causing trouble ahead. You two youngsters, better walk faster."

The senior brother and junior sister had a brief eye contact.

"Hmm? Demon causing trouble?"

Lin Jue, to be safe, pretended not to know.

At the same time, because he suddenly heard this, he was somewhat surprised and stunned, hurriedly looking around, and then quickened his pace to catch up with this person.

"You don't know?"

"Haven't heard of it."

"People on the road are all talking about it. Just this road ahead, it will cause trouble at night. If you are entangled by the demon, you will be haunted by nightmares all night long. You must offer money and sacrifices to him."

The middle-aged man said, suddenly becoming more vigilant:

"Where are you people from? Where are you going? Why haven't you heard of this?"

"We are from Liu Family Village ahead, usually living in Runze City, just returning home, haven't heard of this matter." Lin Jue said, seeing some movement in his back basket, he couldn't help but look twice, but they were just two puppies, "Is there really a demon? But if there is a demon, why are you still walking on the road so late?"

"Still rushing. There is a village ahead, there is a thatched inn in the village. If you don't want to encounter the demon, walk faster, you can go to the village with me to stay."

"Also."

Lin Jue heard Luo Seng say that there was indeed a village inn ahead.

Calculating, it wasn't far, and they should be able to walk there before dark.

It seemed this person was indeed not a demon.

"It's just after the New Year, you don't look like a merchant, where are you rushing to?" Lin Jue asked again.

"Why? You don't suspect I'm a demon, do you?"

"Who knows?"

"Where are there demons coming out in the daytime?"

The middle-aged man said, looking at them carefully, feeling that these two were somewhat wrong, but couldn't say it. However, seeing that they didn't look like demons, he couldn't say the specific reason either.

So he was even more suspicious in his heart.

"My name is Qiao Xuefu, I live ahead. I borrowed ten taels of silver from someone before, and have been poor and destitute, with no money to repay. Recently, I heard that his couple both fell ill with serious illnesses, lying in bed, and had no livelihood, so I tried every way to scrape together five taels of silver and went to Runze County yesterday to repay him. Today I just came back from Runze County after repaying the money. I didn't have money for the boat, and the road was a bit far, so I had to walk in the dark. I will stay in the village inn tonight, and should be home by noon tomorrow."

"Then you are truly worthy of respect."

"No way, how can you not repay borrowed money? Before I had no money to repay, their life was still okay, so that was it. Now that it's like this, I have to repay it no matter what." The middle-aged man sighed for his poverty, "Just this money, I only scraped together half, and the other half was scraped together by my nephew and niece."

The implication was that he had no money, regardless of whether the two were demons or robbers, don't come looking for him.

Lin Jue heard that he didn't sound like he was telling a lie.

"What is in your back basket..."

"The mother dog in his house gave birth to puppies, I caught two back to sell for some money."

"So that's how it is."

Lin Jue suddenly remembered Liu Laizi in Mingxia County and couldn't help but smile.

The difference between people is truly great.

Soon they arrived at the village ahead, which was called Xiao Family Shop, named after the thatched inn in the village.

The middle-aged man dared not go further, so he stayed in the thatched inn. What surprised him was that these two people were still walking forward.

Watching the sunset sink half below the horizon, the two's leisurely figures were just two pitch-black silhouettes in the sunset, soon disappearing.

And the sky soon darkened. ===== CHAPTER 222 =====

And the sky soon darkened.