Chapter 434: Flowers Can Also Be Sold

"You have already bought them. Since you bought them, you have to pay. There is no reason in the world to buy things without paying."

Lin Jue looked straight at him and said.

"I... I didn't..."

"They are in your basket, how did you not?"

"This..."

Fear had already risen in the peddler's heart. He hurriedly handed the ten *wen* in his hand back to Lin Jue, bowing and making obeisance repeatedly, shouting in his mouth:

"Ah! The Daoist is an Immortal!

"I didn't know the Daoist was an Immortal! I offended you!

"Please, Immortal, forgive my sins! Immortal, forgive my sins!

"I really have no rice or grain at home, and haven't opened the pot for a long time, so I had no choice but to do this!

"Spare me..."

Many people on the street heard the sound and looked over.

"Do you know that people who bully kind-hearted people are even more abominable than those who bully people at will?" Lin Jue's tone became more serious.

"I know I was wrong! I was wrong!"

"You are not knowing you were wrong; you are afraid."

"I know I was wrong! I know!"

"Sigh..."

Lin Jue held the ten *wen* in his left hand, weighed them, and held the back-scratcher in his right hand. Although he did not like this person's behavior, seeing his sallow and thin appearance, it was difficult to punish him:

"I will accept this back-scratcher. Since you don't accept my money, I won't accept your flower money either. In this way, we are even. In the future, you must not commit such rogue acts of forced buying and selling, and you must not bully people just because they are kind-hearted."

"Yes..." The peddler's face turned bitter immediately. "I will definitely not commit it again!"

Although he sold back-scratchers here, the price was indeed higher than in the south of the city, he did indeed lie, and he had rogue behavior, but this was indeed his family's livelihood.

And in this day and age, don't think that a meal is nothing. Many people rely on that one or two meals to hang on to their lives, and it is just because of that one or two meals that they could starve to death at home.

It was just that he couldn't say anything at this time.

First, he knew he was in the wrong.

Second, he didn't dare to say anything.

He could only watch that Immortal take his back-scratcher and turn to leave with the fox.

"Many thanks, Immortal, for sparing me..."

The peddler's face was like death, but he said it behind his back.

Unexpectedly, as soon as the words fell, he saw the Immortal stop and turn to smile at him:

"Why be like this? It is already midsummer, with lush leaves and sparse flowers. Aren't the flowers I gave you easier to sell than your original basket of 'Don't Ask for Help'?"

The peddler was stunned and only then reacted.

But he stood still in place for a moment.

Then his whole body shook, and looking at the Daoist and white fox walking further and further away, he knelt down with a *thump* and kowtowed to that side:

"Many thanks, Immortal!"

This time, the sound was sincere.

"The Daoist turned out to be an Immortal with magical powers. I said how could he look so immortal and compassionate!" The idler flattered Lin Jue.

"It was just a trick."

"That is not! It must be immortal magic!" The idler was radiant. "Even if the magic is not immortal magic, the Daoist must be an Immortal! This point, I, Sun Laoer, can still see!"

"Is your name Sun Laoer?"

"Sigh, idlers don't mention names. Everyone calls me Sun Laoer; it's easy to remember and convenient for making a living."

"Reasonable."

"Where is the Immortal Master going?"

"I want to buy a porcelain bottle first." Lin Jue paused, thinking about using it to hold the morning glow, and not wanting to neglect the morning glow, he said again, "It would be best if it were delicate."

"Rest assured, although our Mirage County is small, I know where to sell fine porcelain; they all come from the porcelain capital! With me here, the Immortal Master won't spend money unjustly!" Sun Laoer said, suddenly discovering that this Daoist said "first go," and immediately became spirited. "After buying the porcelain, where else does the Immortal Master want to go?"

"You should still call me Daoist."

"Yes, yes, yes! Where does the Daoist want to go?"

"We come from the interior and have never seen the sea. We want to go to the seaside to see the scenery." Lin Jue thought for a moment, "Wenbi Village, Matibei Bay, E'tou Mountain, can you find them?"

"I can find them, I can find them! I can find them all! I often go to these places! Often go!" Sun Laoer said repeatedly, but his voice paused, revealing a look of difficulty. "It's just..."

"What? How much money do you want?"

"Eh! Don't dare, don't dare!" Sun Laoer waved his hands repeatedly. "How could I be like that person who bullies the Daoist's kindness and asks for sky-high prices? We idlers who guide the way, don't look at us as having nothing to do on weekdays, but if we want to earn repeat business, we must be diligent and honest. If someone says you are treacherous and dishonest, others will think you are guiding the way randomly and colluding with the shopkeeper to take kickbacks. Once the reputation spreads, you will only be able to fool those newcomers who have just arrived here!"

Sun Laoer said this, and only then continued:

"I wanted to say that in recent years, the seaside has not been peaceful, especially this year, which is the most chaotic. *Yaoguai* from the sea often come ashore to eat people! Recently, the King of Yue even ordered the general here to eliminate them!"

"King of Yue?"

"Daoist, don't you know? We are now under the jurisdiction of the King of Yue." Sun Laoer said, "Before, when the sea was haunted by monsters, the imperial court didn't care. Now that this place is under the jurisdiction of the King of Yue, the King of Yue can't stand it, saying that the sea monsters affect the business of going to sea and the livelihood of the fishermen by the sea, and he wants the general to eliminate them. If he can't eliminate them, he will cut off the general's head."

"Then how is the general doing in eliminating the monsters?"

"This general..."

Sun Laoer lowered his voice:

"The nobles in the city all say that this general has some abilities, but his courage is too small. If his courage were big, he wouldn't have surrendered to the King of Yue so early last year! If the monsters by the sea were just small *yaoguai*, that would be one thing; he could take some brave and strong personal guards, put on armor, and carry long spears and bows and arrows, and he could always kill some. But there is a formidable great *yaoguai* by the sea, seven or eight *zhang* long. Ordinary fishing and cargo ships can be capsized by it! These days, he is almost anxious to death." "How long?"

"Seven or eight *zhang* long." Sun Laoer said to him, "Daoist, if you want to go to the seaside, you must be careful."

"Then I will go over and see if it has good luck."

"This cannot be touched by luck..."

Sun Laoer said halfway, and only then realized, immediately closed his mouth, and didn't say much more.

Lin Jue then, under his guidance, picked a thin and delicate small white porcelain bottle in a ceramic shop in the city, like jade, and followed him out of the city, visiting Wenbi Village, Matibei Bay, and that seaside high mountain that looked like a forehead, spending a whole day.

By the time they climbed E'tou Mountain, the sky was already late.

The sunset fell from behind, and the sky already had gradient colors.

"All three places have been found. Daoist, if you want to come to any place tomorrow, just come yourself." Sun Laoer said to him with a smile.

Lin Jue understood, and immediately offered money:

"Many thanks, friend. It is not early; please go back."

"Hmm? Daoist, aren't you going back?"

!

"I won't go back." Lin Jue looked at the sky, which was clear and cloudless, "I see tomorrow will be a good day, and we will guard the sunrise here tomorrow."

"But it's dark!"

"It's not cold at night in this season."

"There are *yaoguai* here at night!"

"If you are afraid to go back alone, I can let my fox send you."

"The Daoist is truly an Immortal..."

Sun Laoer had nothing to say. He was indeed afraid to go back alone.

Nowadays, not only by the sea but also in the countryside at night, there are many *yaoguai* and ghosts. The rumors in the villages might be even more than the *yaoguai* and ghosts. No one dares to stay overnight outside at will, and even living at home, they don't dare to respond casually when they hear any movement in the middle of the night. And he had to walk ten *li* back to the city alone, with farmland, bamboo forests, graves, and wild mountain roads in between. How could he not be afraid?

However, the Daoist in front of him had already turned his back to him, facing the sea, sitting cross-legged on the top of the mountain, without seeing any fear.

Sun Laoer immediately knew that this was truly a high-level person.

The so-called "trick" before was just a humble word.

Just as he was thinking, the white fox beside the Daoist tilted its head and stared straight at him, its eyes as if they could speak.

Letting the fox send him back was even more frightening.

"Daoist, rest assured! I have no other abilities, but my foot speed is quite good. I will run back in one breath, and maybe the sky won't be dark when I get home!"

"You have a good body, friend."

"I will take my leave! If the Daoist has any other needs, you can come to the West City Gate to find me! I have nothing to do on weekdays and often take business there!"

Sun Laoer said goodbye to him and turned to run back.

"Whoosh..."

A clear breeze blew, and the fox disappeared with it.

Sun Laoer ran wildly, not daring to stop.

But for some reason, he always felt a wind following him. As the daylight became darker and darker, he could faintly see a vague white shadow jumping and flickering beside him on the tops of the reeds and bamboo treetops by the road. He didn't know that this was the fox following and protecting him because it was worried. He was only more afraid and ran faster.

Until he reached home, the white shadow and the clear breeze disappeared without a trace.

Lin Jue was still sitting cross-legged on the top of the mountain.

Although it was midsummer, the wind by the sea was strong, and the wind on the mountain was especially strong, so it was still a bit cold.

Lin Jue lit a night-watch lamp, placed it beside him, took out a bear-skin blanket, spread it under him, and waited for the fox to return, turning into its original size and lying beside him to block the wind for him, only then feeling a bit more comfortable.

Since coming down from Nanshan, he was no longer afraid of the cold, but ultimately he didn't like it.

The sea wind sobbed all night, bringing a fishy dampness. The waves crashed on the shore, making people's hearts calm. The bright moon was like a jade plate, making the sea surface sparkle, and the beach in front and the mountain shadow behind were clearly visible.

The moon set and the stars moved, and the east turned red.

"The sun is coming out!"

The fox lay beside Lin Jue and turned its head to say to him.

"I know."

Lin Jue's expression did not change, looking straight at the east.

Today was indeed a sunny day.

The water vapor on the sea was thick, and a round red sun rose from the east, gradually floating on the sea surface, spilling ten thousand rays of red light, reddening the top of the mountain, and also spilling onto the Daoist's robes and face as he sat cross-legged.

Lin Jue and the fox both turned red.

"Why don't you collect it?"

The fox gradually became smaller and asked suspiciously.

"It's a bit short."

Lin Jue sat still and said so.

Today was a sunny day, but it was too sunny, lacking some clouds. There was morning glow, but it was not the most magnificent one he was waiting for—just as the whole Nanshan was mountain stone, but he naturally had to choose the one with the thickest spiritual aura and the most peculiar mystery.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 435 =====