Chapter 55

"Jiang Weng... Jiang Weng!" The village head ran from outside the village in excitement, crossing the fence of the Jiang family, so excited that he even lost one of his shoes. He couldn't bother to pick it up and said to the old man Jiang who came out of the room after hearing the shout: "Immortal... the immortal who saved your child has appeared again! Yesterday, a great Tuo attacked a boat... and an immortal took action again, subduing it with one finger."

"Legend has it that the immortal even mentioned the large plum tree in our village, saying that he had once eliminated demons here!"

Jiang Weng hurriedly said: "Village head, is this news true?"

"This was told to me by my nephew who works in the government office. Wuyou Wuyou Naihe could it be fake? Hurry up and go to town with me to thank the immortal. Maybe you can continue this fate and add some blessings to your little grandson, right?"

Jiang Weng hurriedly changed his clothes and said: "Thanking the immortal is naturally necessary. But I am truly grateful to the immortal for saving my grandson... As for blessings, growing up safely is a blessing... The grace of saving a life must be kowtowed to with the grandson, so that people don't say that our villagers don't know the etiquette, and even the great grace should be ignored."

He muttered, obviously not as calm as he appeared, and his hands trembling as he fastened the buttons.

Jiang Weng brought his grandson and said to him: "Today I'm taking you to kowtow to the immortal grandfather who saved you. You are not allowed to make trouble again." The child nodded obediently and said: "I know!"

The people of San Yang Village had already been alarmed when the village head shouted loudly. Seeing Jiang Weng wearing new clothes and walking out of the door with his grandson, the neighbors all stood in the courtyard holding vegetable baskets and baskets and said to Jiang Weng: "Jiang Weng, going out? Is it to town?" Jiang Weng ignored the probing of these long-tongued women. He led his grandson through the village, and soon more than a dozen villagers wearing new clothes followed him. Some wanted to watch the fun, some wanted to see the immortal and get some blessings, and some wanted to get rich and pray for children...

Jiang Weng knew that these busybodies were like ringworm and couldn't be shaken off, so he could only let the village head lead them, so as not to be messy and without etiquette when the time came.

A group of people marched towards Jiao Bu Town. Along the way, some people curiously asked the reason. Hearing that going to thank the immortal was such an interesting thing, they naturally had to follow. So along the way, the team not only didn't fall behind, but became larger and larger.

At this time, Daoist Zhen was receiving Wei Taiping's apprenticeship ceremony. Under the witness of local leading figures, the wharf of Jiao Bu Town was decorated with red and green. Surrounded by the crowd, Daoist Zhen came to the place where he had subdued the Tuo that day. The great Tuo was a giant crocodile about eight zhang long from head to tail, like a small boat in the river. A rope was tied to the crocodile's mouth, connected to a black banner.

Seeing Daoist Zhen arrive, the crocodile Tuo made a drum-like sound in the water with its abdomen.

This Tuo Dragon was originally a spirit beast subdued by Daoist Zhen. Seeing its master arrive, it naturally showed a posture of submission, which made the onlookers excited and noisy. Some bold sailors even jumped from the nearby boat onto the back of the Tuo Dragon and touched the back armor with their hands, and cheers broke out on the river bank.

Perhaps it was uncomfortable for someone to stand on its back, the crocodile Tuo swayed its body slightly, and the young man on it was scared out of his wits and jumped back into the river in a panic, swimming towards the boat, which immediately attracted the mockery of the crowd.

That Daoist Zhen could subdue such a fierce thing, making the shock of the bystanders hard to restrain.

The leader of the Tuo Long Gang led a group of subordinates to flatter: "Immortal, subduing this Tuo Dragon that caused chaos with one finger is truly a great supernatural power. I am ashamed! Although our gang is called Tuo Long, every year, dozens or even hundreds of gang disciples are swallowed by Tuo Dragons. Tuo Dragons have been a disaster in Jiu Zhen County for many years, and they are always fierce and terrifying! When a great Confucian from the imperial court came to our county to be the county governor, he once wrote the "Sacrificial Crocodile Text" to scold this evil god for not being a disaster."

"I didn't expect that the crocodile that the great Confucian couldn't scold would be easily subdued by the Immortal!"

"The first leader of our gang named it after this fierce divine thing, hoping that the disciples in the gang would be regarded as the same kind by them and would not be harmed."

"Who knows... this Tuo Dragon eats its own kind and doesn't avoid these." The leader of the Tuo Long Gang looked like he didn't expect it at all, which made people laugh.

Those leaders and hall masters of other martial arts gangs in the same boat secretly curled their lips in disdain. The Tuo Long Gang named it Tuo Long to deceive the crocodile so as not to be harmed... Deceiving ghosts! The Tuo Long Gang said that this gang's style was fierce, like a Tuo Dragon hunting. The disciples in the gang felt that the fierce aura of the crocodile Tuo was worthy of them, so they gave it this name.

Now they are pretending to be honest in front of the Immortal Master...

This side was very noisy, which naturally pointed out the way for the San Yang villagers. The disciples of the various gangs responsible for maintaining security heard that it was the San Yang villagers who came to repay the immortal's kindness. They had also heard the story of eliminating the flood dragon, so they naturally didn't dare to stop them and let the group of people come to the wharf. The village head was tactful and said from afar: "San Yang villagers, having received the immortal's great kindness of eliminating demons, specially brought the rescued child to offer local melons and fruits for the immortal to taste..."

Hearing this, the crowd gathering in front separated one after another, revealing Daoist Zhen, the Wei family, and the leading figures of local gangs in the middle.

The leader of the Fei Yu Gang smiled and congratulated Daoist Zhen: "Immortal, these are the villagers who received your great kindness and came to repay you!"

Daoist Zhen didn't say anything, his face was neither happy nor angry. Jiang Weng led his grandson on the road opened by the crowd, looking at the group of people in a daze. His eyes were not very good, and he squinted for a long time, but he didn't see the immortal who looked like a child and was dressed as a young Daoist. Seeing his dull look, others led him to Daoist Zhen.

The village head saw the situation inside clearly, and his face changed.

Jiang Weng still didn't find anyone. The leader of the Tuo Long Gang saw him bumping around without a head and pointed out: "What are you stunned for? This is the high-level expert who cast spells to eliminate the evil dragon in your village..."

Jiang Weng saw the appearance of that "high-level expert", and his face changed immediately. Doubt, shock, anger, fear, and other expressions flashed on his face. He hesitated for a long time before finally bowing his head slowly, preparing to kneel and kowtow...

At this time, the grandson he was holding suddenly opened his mouth and said: "But this is not the immortal grandfather who saved me!"

As soon as this was said, everyone's expression changed. The old martial arts experts were just slightly stunned, and then turned as if they hadn't heard it, while the young people held their breath and couldn't speak... making the atmosphere suddenly fall into silence. This short and sudden silence made people on the periphery, even if they couldn't hear this, suddenly feel that the people around them were not talking, and they didn't dare to talk.

It was Wei Lecheng who broke this awkward silence and smiled: "The child has a poor memory and forgot people after only a few days!"

Jiang Weng nodded like a chicken pecking at rice and said: "This child has had a poor memory since he was a child... very poor!" He pulled the child in his hand closer. The child didn't know what had happened, but feeling his grandfather's trembling hand, he was also terrified and didn't dare to say anything more.

Daoist Zhen smiled and walked up. Jiang Weng wanted to shrink back in fear but didn't have time.

He saw Daoist Zhen smile and say: "Poor child..."

He raised his hand and touched the child's forehead. At this time, a black gas suddenly rushed out from the forehead of the Jiang family child, revealing many ferocious faces, like evil ghosts. Daoist Zhen gave a loud shout, which scared the child, and a white light came out of the Daoist's hand, like a flying knife, cutting the black gas into two sections.

The black gas turned into a pool of pus and blood and fell to the ground, and the blood stains covered the ground.

"Someone cast a spell to confuse his soul... sigh!" Daoist Zhen shook his head and sighed: "The fellow Daoist yesterday was still unconvinced after being exposed by me, so he caused this chaos today. He cast a spell to confuse the child's mind and bewitched these villagers to bring the child to thank me, and then secretly manipulated this ghost to use the child's mouth to ruin my reputation."

"Even if he is unconvinced, why harm the innocent?"

Jiang Weng's hands were trembling, and he almost couldn't hold the child in his arms. The child, who had just been ruddy and energetic, was now pale and breathless.

"This is the aftermath of the soul-confusing technique. I will give you a pill to take, and he will be fine after resting for a period of time." Daoist Zhen had a smile on his face, as if he were truly kind.

Jiang Weng didn't dare to say anything more, took the pill in a daze, squeezed it in his hand, and left with the child in his arms.

The onlookers who saw this scene of the immortal cutting ghosts immediately believed Daoist Zhen's explanation. They imagined a great drama of an evil Daoist being unconvinced, harming people with soul-confusing techniques, and fighting with the immortal, only to have the evil ghost he cast spells on cut down, and cheered again. Wei Lecheng held Daoist Zhen and said: "It's still the fellow Daoist who is alert, not letting that person do anything wrong again."

Wei Lecheng held Daoist Zhen and gave Jiang Weng a look to leave quickly...

With Wei Lecheng speaking, those leading figures began to flatter: "Sure enough, he is a true immortal!"

The villagers below also whispered: "It turns out that an evil person confused the soul of the Jiang family child, no wonder he talked nonsense just now!"

"I felt that Jiang Weng was a bit wrong today. Wuyou Wuyou Naihe could the child get better so quickly after this scare? It turns out he was possessed by a ghost!"

"Almost misunderstood the immortal!"

"Should I go up and ask the old immortal when I can give birth to a boy?"

"This immortal looks a bit familiar! It seems like when Brother Stone was cutting down the tree..."

Jiang Weng squeezed the "spirit pill" in his hand tightly, ran out of the town with his child in his arms, and after leaving the town, he ran with the child in his arms. On the way, he threw the crushed pill to the ground. The spring breeze on his face was a bit cold, and he didn't know when his face was already covered with old tears.

The village head didn't know when he followed, and tripped Jiang Weng, helping him when he was about to fall.

The village head sighed: "This... who could have thought that such a thing would happen!"

He said annoyedly: "Old Brother Jiang, I'm sorry for you!"

Jiang Weng didn't say anything more, just ran home, settled his grandson, looked at his grandson lying weakly on the bed, his pale little face, unconscious, and could only shed tears silently...

Later that evening, the Wei Chenghuang was listening to the report of the day-traveling ghost in the temple. Everything that happened in the city today, down to the smallest detail, was told to the Wei Chenghuang by the ghost. After listening, the Wei Chenghuang sneered several times and said to the ghost: "Send all the yin messengers under my rule to find this person's whereabouts." After saying this, a white paper floated up in front of the Wei Chenghuang's case, on which was the portrait of Qian Chen carrying an umbrella.

"After seeing this person, tell him what happened today!"

The temple keeper on the side hesitated: "God Lord, that Daoist Zhen is a guest of the Wei family. Should we inform the Wei family?"

Hearing this, the Wei Chenghuang slapped the gavel and sneered: "You have taken too much silver from the Wei family? Have you forgotten who you are?"

"You are my Wei Chenghuang temple keeper, not a dog raised by the Wei family..."

The temple keeper knelt down in terror: "God Lord, please forgive me... I was confused. I only thought that the Wei family was the blood relative of the Wei Chenghuang, so I dared to be presumptuous..."

"Yes! I am the ancestor of the Wei family, but the Wei family listens to the words of the head of the family, Wei Lecheng... Respect and filial piety are my descendants. The Wei family respects, but they are all respectful on the surface. When have they ever obeyed? Instead of listening to me, they let me take responsibility for them and wipe their butts. Am I their ancestor, or are they my ancestors?"

"Wei Lecheng is smart!"

"Even if that young Daoist is a true disciple of the Daoist sect, so what? The Daoist sect has rules. He doesn't do evil, and he doesn't cast spells to harm people. Is it possible that offending one or two true disciples of the Daoist sect will lead to the extermination of the whole family? The prominent family is a sect of its own... But this Wei Chenghuang of mine is supervised by the Daoist Academy. The true disciples of the Daoist sect can't do anything to him, but can't they do anything to me? By then, if people send a message to the Zhengyi side, making things difficult for me, an eighth-rank Wei Chenghuang, what's the big deal?"

"Wei Lecheng wants to eat up that Daoist Zhen, but he gets the benefits, and I take the risk."

"Why should I take these risks for a group of unfilial descendants?" The Wei Chenghuang sneered: "For the sake of the Wei family's offerings over the years, I will suppress this matter for the time being and not send it to the Daoist Academy. Of course... doesn't the Daoist Academy know? They are also watching from the sidelines! They say it's the right path in the world... but who doesn't have a little selfishness in their heart? The offerings issued by the Daoist Academy over the years are obviously insufficient... Which of those Daoists doesn't want to get some spirit pills to nourish their cultivation?"

"Now it depends on whether the young Daoist's face is big or the Daoist Zhen's spirit pills are fragrant!"