Chapter 113: My Uncle-Master is really domineering

Lu Yuan's face instantly darkened.

Damn!

Is this never-ending?!

Of course, Lu Yuan didn't immediately attack upon hearing "Tan Jiji."

The person before him had a completely different aura from the previous impostor.

Lu Yuan discreetly sized him up from head to toe, his brow furrowing.

"How can you prove you are Tan Jiji from the Punishing the Netherworld Tan Family?!"

"What family credentials do you have? What proves your name is Tan Jiji?!"

Lu Yuan's questioning method was very tricky.

A huge question mark appeared on his face, etched with the weariness of a man in his mid-twenties.

"...I... this..."

"I can't prove I'm Tan Jiji either......"

At this point, Tan Jiji himself froze, his face turning strange as he retorted.

"Am I that famous??"

Hmm...

Lu Yuan pondered for a moment, that was hard to say...

Tan Jiji didn't dwell on it further. As he reached towards his waist, he spoke.

"Naturally, I have family credentials, but I don't know if you'll recognize..."

His words cut off abruptly, his hand movement suddenly stopping.

His entire body seemed struck by lightning, his gaze fixed dead on the space behind Lu Yuan.

"Junior Sister Shulan!"

"Why are you here?!"

Huh?

Lu Yuan was taken aback, instinctively turning to look at Shen Shulan, who had been silently following behind him.

Tan Jiji's voice held barely suppressed excitement. The layer of gloom between his brows vanished completely, replaced by a blazing light erupting in his eyes.

He completely forgot Lu Yuan's previous interrogation.

His gaze locked onto Shen Shulan, and he even uncontrollably took a step forward.

"Junior Sister Shulan! Is it really you?!"

His tone rose with urgency, sounding particularly jarring in the quiet dusk of the countryside.

That originally weathered face actually flushed with an unnatural redness, the fervor in his eyes almost burning.

"I'm Tan Jiji! From the Punishing the Netherworld Tan Family!"

Shen Shulan was slightly taken aback by this wave of overwhelming enthusiasm.

Her cool eyes first glanced at Lu Yuan, as if asking what this situation was,

Then, her gaze finally settled on Tan Jiji's face, examining it carefully for a moment.

Her delicate brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, then quickly returned to their usual, unchanging calm.

She shook her head, her voice still like ice striking stone.

"Apologies, I have no impression."

For a moment, Tan Jiji was frantic, frantic, frantic...

"You... you don't remember?"

"Six years ago, at Hantan Town at the foot of the Taiyin Mountains, your Wuqing Temple led the purge of the Ice Corpse. Our Tan Family was responsible for setting up the perimeter formation for support!"

The excitement on Tan Jiji's face instantly froze, transforming into a mix of disappointment and anxiety.

He seemed completely unable to accept this fact, his words tumbling out fast like pouring beans, desperately scraping details from his memory.

"That winter, the snow was especially heavy. You were wearing a snow-white fox fur coat, your hair tied up with just a wooden hairpin."

"You were standing under the old pine tree at the town entrance directing, holding a bronze mirror to survey the earth's energy!"

"I even remember you saying... saying the source of the Ice Corpse's malevolent energy wasn't at the bottom of the water, but in the dry well at the east end of the town!"

Tan Jiji gestured as he spoke, his eyes frighteningly bright.

"I had just taken over the family compass then, wasn't familiar with operating it, almost misdirected the orientation!"

"It was you who glanced at it as you passed by, casually instructing 'Dui position offset by three inches, supplement the Xun palace,' that kept me from making a huge mistake!"

Lu Yuan, standing to the side, listened, stunned.

Good grief.

That's a lot of information.

However, one thing Lu Yuan had figured out.

The Tan Jiji before him... was probably the real one.

And, from the sound of it, he seemed to be a rather prominent figure among the younger generation of the Punishing the Netherworld Family.

Hmm...

Not necessarily super powerful or famous.

It could also be... that he's the only seedling of the younger generation in the Punishing the Netherworld Tan Family.

After all, Senior Master He Xun had said before, these Ten Families, they sound mysterious, like thousand-year-old ancient clans or hidden families from fantasy novels.

In reality, among these Ten Families, the larger ones might have dozens of members.

And the smaller ones, they can't even gather enough people for a mahjong table.

After all, with more people, they wouldn't be so mysterious; they'd always leave traces in the secular world.

Perhaps the Punishing the Netherworld Tan Family's younger generation really only has this one.

And that impostor "Tan Jiji" from the Commanding Ghosts Liu Family before knew there was such a figure in the Punishing the Netherworld Tan Family.

Since they're both part of the Ten Families, there must be information exchange.

So he just conveniently used the name of this real Tan Jiji before him.

However, what Lu Yuan hadn't expected was...

Wuqing Temple actually had cooperation with the Punishing the Netherworld Tan Family, one of the Ten Families...

Hey...

Originally, Lu Yuan was really curious about the Ten Families but had nowhere to ask.

The old man's notes were also scattered and disorganized.

Now it seemed he could ask Shen Shulan!

At this moment, Shen Shulan, standing beside Lu Yuan, after listening to Tan Jiji's incredibly detailed description,

Shen Shulan's cool gaze finally showed an extremely subtle fluctuation.

Her long eyelashes lowered, as if searching for that memory in her mind,

Then lifted again.

"...Hantan Town, dry well."

Shen Shulan softly repeated the two words, looking at Tan Jiji again. The gaze finally held less pure unfamiliarity and a trace of realization.

Seeing her expression, Tan Jiji instantly came alive again, so excited his voice trembled slightly.

"Junior Sister Shulan, you finally remember me?!"

Shen Shulan:

"No, don't know you."

Tan Jiji: "..."

Lu Yuan: "..."

Immediately after, Shen Shulan used her scrutinizing, icy gaze to size up the petrified Tan Jiji from head to toe.

"However, since you can describe the scene from that day, if you say it is, then it is."

Tan Jiji: "..."

What does 'if you say it is, then it is' mean...

It clearly is!!

Before Tan Jiji could recover from this internal injury, Shen Shulan spoke again, her tone still cool.

"Do you have business?"

Tan Jiji was momentarily at a complete loss for words. After stammering for a while, he finally squeezed out an incredibly awkward sentence.

"It's... nothing much..."

This matter...

Was a bit awkward...

Even Lu Yuan, watching from the side, felt awkward enough to curl his toes...

Just as the scene was about to freeze completely, Lu Yuan finally stepped forward, breaking the dead silence.

"That... take out your family credentials."

"I may not recognize them, but my Senior Sister Shulan probably understands."

Regardless, first thoroughly verify this person's identity.

Since the Punishing the Netherworld Tan Family could cooperate with Wuqing Temple, it at least proved they weren't an evil path.

If this Tan Jiji truly was from the Punishing the Netherworld Tan Family, then invite him in and ask what he's doing here.

Didn't this guy just say something about thanking me on behalf of the Punishing the Netherworld Family?

Probably related to the Commanding Ghosts Liu Family.

Right now, the old man is looking for the Commanding Ghosts Liu Family. If he could learn a bit from Tan Jiji here, it would indeed help the old man!

As soon as Lu Yuan spoke, Tan Jiji seemed to find a stepping stone, immediately nodding and hurriedly pulling out an ancient-looking waist token from his clothes.

Lu Yuan didn't understand and didn't pretend to. He took it and directly handed it to Shen Shulan beside him.

Shen Shulan took it, carefully examining it for a few seconds.

Then, she turned to Lu Yuan and nodded seriously.

"Martial Uncle, this is indeed the waist token of the Punishing the Netherworld Tan Family."

As her words fell,

The big question mark on Tan Jiji's face opposite them was practically overflowing.

These two...

One called the other Senior Sister.

The other called the other Martial Uncle...

Are the generational rankings in the Daoist sects beyond the Great Wall this chaotic?

Since that's the case, and the person is correct, then invite him in.

Lu Yuan handed the waist token back.

"Come in and talk, it's cold outside."

His voice was flat, revealing no emotion.

"You probably haven't had dinner either, right?"

Tan Jiji carefully put away the waist token. Facing Lu Yuan's invitation, his expression was somewhat awkward.

He nodded.

"Yes... just arrived..."

"Saw the people in this hamlet gathering here, thought I'd come take a look, then heard Daoist Priest Lu Yuan's name."

Lu Yuan had already turned and walked towards the house. With his back to him, his voice drifted over leisurely.

"You knew about me before?"

Tan Jiji followed him inside, but his gaze involuntarily drifted towards Shen Shulan, who walked shoulder-to-shoulder with Lu Yuan.

"I know. The nearby villages have already spread the news of Daoist Priest Lu Yuan exterminating the evil entity in the dry well on the mountaintop."

Lu Yuan didn't stop walking, nor did he claim credit, stating directly:

"Not me, it was my master."

Tan Jiji paused, seeming to have a sudden realization. He nodded but didn't say anything more about that, instead adding:

"Daoist Priest Lu is being modest. Since I entered the Fengtian area, not just here, I've often heard Daoist Priest Lu's name in other places too."

"All along the way, it's been like thunder in my ears."

Regarding such flattery, Lu Yuan just casually replied, 'Just an empty reputation.'

The three entered the house. Wang Laohan's family had already placed two large plates of freshly boiled dumplings on the kang table.

Steaming hot, white vapor rising, the aroma wafting.

Wang Laohan's family, seeing Lu Yuan bring in a stranger, were very tactful and didn't ask any questions.

They just deftly added a set of bowl and chopsticks, then bowed and retreated, even gently closing the door behind them.

Inside the room, only the warm glow of the kang fire and the simple yet enticing aroma of pork and cabbage dumplings remained.

Shutting out the cold outside and the various tensions from earlier.

"Get on the kang and have some dumplings."

As soon as Lu Yuan finished speaking, he and Shen Shulan took off their shoes and got onto the kang.

Tan Jiji rubbed his hands, his face full of awkwardness.

"I... I'll just stand below, my feet sweat a bit."

Everyone: "Fine!"

The kang table wasn't big. Two large plates of dumplings with thin skin and ample filling, plump and white, steamed with mouth-watering vapor.

Throughout this entire first month of the lunar year, even at Aunt Qiao'er's place, they hadn't missed eating dumplings. Lu Yuan was truly fed up with them.

Lu Yuan thought he wouldn't eat dumplings for at least half a year, but after freezing outside for two days and one night, now with a plate of steaming hot dumplings...

So delicious!

Indeed, what adults said to kids who didn't eat properly was right.

They just weren't hungry enough!

Lu Yuan sat cross-legged casually, picked up a dumpling, and blew on it.

Bit it halfway, rolled it in the garlic paste mixed with soy sauce and vinegar.

The deliciousness of the pork and the fresh sweetness of the cabbage instantly exploded in his mouth, completely dispelling the last trace of cold.

Shen Shulan sat down beside him, her posture still cool and upright.

But her chopstick movement wasn't slow. She picked up a dumpling and ate it in small bites. Her raven-feather-like long eyelashes slightly lowered behind the steaming white vapor.

One casual and free-spirited, the other cool and self-possessed.

The two sat side by side on the brick bed, sharing a plate of dumplings, creating an indescribable harmony and tacit understanding.

Like the master and mistress of this household.

Busy in the fields all day, coming home at night to sit on the kang and eat a hot dinner.

And Xu Erxiao and Wang Cheng'an were like the two half-grown boys the family was raising.

Only Tan Jiji, standing on the ground, seemed like an out-of-place outsider.

Lu Yuan didn't dawdle either. After swallowing a dumpling in a few bites, he began to tactfully inquire about matters of the Punishing the Netherworld Tan Family.

After a few rounds of conversation, Lu Yuan had a grasp of the situation.

That previous impostor "Tan Jiji," aside from his fabricated identity, the other information he provided was actually eighty to ninety percent accurate.

The Punishing the Netherworld Tan Family was indeed investigating the Commanding Ghosts Liu Family!

And they had also been preventing the Commanding Ghosts Liu Family from nurturing malevolent deities.

These Ten Families might sound like they're in cahoots, but in reality, the Ten Families were never peaceful internally; they had conflicts among themselves.

Speaking of which, this was also the reason Tan Jiji wanted to thank Lu Yuan earlier.

Lu Yuan helped the Punishing the Netherworld Tan Family, helped him, Tan Jiji, deal with the malevolent deity on the mountaintop.

Regarding the above issues, Lu Yuan didn't ask in detail, as they were already in the past.

While eating dumplings, Lu Yuan asked curiously:

"So your Punishing the Netherworld Tan Family is basically following behind the Commanding Ghosts Liu Family? They plant a malevolent deity in front, and you eradicate one behind?"

Tan Jiji nodded and said:

"Sort of. Or rather... our last two generations have been like this..."

"But actually, our Punishing the Netherworld Family has more important matters. It's just that we're forced to deal with it because of the trouble the Commanding Ghosts Liu Family stirs up."

Hearing this, Lu Yuan gave Tan Jiji a deep, scrutinizing look and said:

"Did you come alone?"

Tan Jiji was currently burying his head in eating dumplings. Upon hearing this, he nodded, mumbling an affirmation with his mouth full.

His eyes, however, kept involuntarily darting glances at Lu Yuan, then at Shen Shulan, who was sitting close to Lu Yuan, almost leaning against him.

Seeing Tan Jiji nod, Lu Yuan feigned surprise and said:

"Then you're quite impressive. That malevolent deity on the mountaintop, I couldn't handle it alone."

"You dare to come alone?"

Actually, Lu Yuan had managed it.

If that bastard Tan Jiji hadn't stabbed Lu Yuan in the back later, Lu Yuan probably could have subdued that malevolent deity...

However, when you're out and about...

Especially after the last incident with Tan Jiji, Lu Yuan had truly learned a big lesson.

In front of unfamiliar people, it's better to keep your trump cards hidden deep.

Lu Yuan didn't dare to be like last time, starting off with a Thunder Technique, letting it swirl around his hand,

Then saying pretentious crap like 'After becoming a Celestial Master, I don't need to speak; the Thunder Technique will speak for me.'

He really learned his lesson.

Dare not, dare not, won't show off anymore.

Lu Yuan's "showing weakness" actually caused a trace of barely suppressed pride to appear on Tan Jiji's face.

He subconsciously straightened his chest, his voice rising a bit.

"Little Daoist Priest Lu Yuan is still young, looks to be around twenty years old, this..."

!!!

Tan Jiji's flattery wasn't finished before it was interrupted by Lu Yuan's disgusted mutter.

"Why are they still putting 'fortune' in the dumplings even after the first month is almost over!"

Lu Yuan frowned, holding up a dumpling he had only bitten halfway, his face full of resistance.

He had bitten into his most hated sugar-filled dumpling, half pork, half sugar. This sweet and salty mixed taste was simply heretical among heresies.

"Give it to me, Martial Uncle."

A cool voice sounded beside him.

Shen Shulan, who had been quiet all along, had somehow already extended her small bowl in front of Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan almost instinctively placed that half-eaten sugar dumpling into her bowl.

Shen Shulan silently withdrew her bowl and, following the marks of Lu Yuan's bite, ate it in small bites without any waste.

The entire process was as natural as breathing.

On the kang opposite, Xu Erxiao and Wang Cheng'an silently exchanged a look.

As the saying goes!

Our admiration for Brother Lu is truly like a surging river, continuous and unending, and like the Yellow River overflowing, unstoppable!

Tan Jiji opposite them, seeing this scene, was momentarily stunned. A few seconds later, he deflated.

His originally proud face fell, his previously puffed-out chest caved in.

"It's alright..."

His voice became muffled and nasal, devoid of any sparkle.

"After all, I'm a few years older than you, and our Punishing the Netherworld Family's ritual tools and methods naturally counter the Commanding Ghosts Liu Family's set."

"That's why... I dared to come alone to find that malevolent deity."

Hearing this, Lu Yuan's heart stirred, and he asked curiously:

"Among your Ten Families, is there a relationship of mutual generation and restraint?"

Tan Jiji nodded slightly:

"Sort of."

Lu Yuan immediately pressed further, a trace of eagerness in his eyes:

"Then can you tell me about this Commanding Ghosts Liu Family?"

"To be frank, since the last incident, we've also been looking for their traces."

"If you could provide some clues..."

Before Lu Yuan could finish, Tan Jiji suddenly lifted his head and resolutely shook it.

"No."

His eyes became exceptionally serious, even carrying a kind of near-obsessive firmness.

"Our Ten Families have established a blood oath. No family may reveal the secrets of another family to outsiders, even if that family is utterly wicked."

At this point, he looked directly at Lu Yuan, his tone heavy and earnest.

"Daoist Priest might think our Punishing the Netherworld Family is stuck in its ways, knowing the Commanding Ghosts Liu Family causes harm but unwilling to make it public."

"But our Punishing the Netherworld Family never claims to be righteous, nor do we act on behalf of heaven."

"This is merely a generational feud between our two clans."

Lu Yuan looked at his suddenly agitated appearance, his chopsticks holding a dumpling paused mid-air.

Hey!

Why are you so worked up!

Fine, don't tell me then!

......

The warmth at the dining table, unnoticed when it started, quietly cooled down.

Perhaps it started when Lu Yuan asked about the "Commanding Ghosts Liu Family."

Or perhaps, it started the moment Lu Yuan tossed the sugar dumpling he disliked into Shen Shulan's bowl.

No one spoke anymore.

The room held only the light clinking of chopsticks against bowls and plates, and the sound of chewing.

Wang Laohan knocked and came in midway, asking if there were enough dumplings, then brought several large bowls of steaming hot dumpling soup for everyone.

"Original soup helps digest the original food."

Full and satisfied, everyone slumped on the kang, their bellies warm, but the atmosphere in their hearts remained lukewarm.

Outside the window, the sky was pitch black. The cold wind scraped against the windowpane, making a howling sound.

Tan Jiji finally broke the silence. He put down his large sea bowl and cupped his hands slightly towards Lu Yuan.

"Daoist Priest Lu Yuan, regarding the matter of the dry well on the mountaintop, you helped my Punishing the Netherworld Tan Family. Naturally, I must repay you."

"Today is the closing ceremony of the Luo Tian Grand Ritual. For Daoist Priest to appear here, it must be for that Nurturing Malevolence Site of the Life-Severing Wang Family."

His gaze was intense, his tone solemn.

"For this upcoming Nurturing Malevolence Site, I will go with Daoist Priest Lu Yuan."

Lu Yuan's brow raised. He instinctively wanted to wave his hand and refuse.

But Tan Jiji seemed to see through his thoughts, directly cutting off his words.

"Even if Daoist Priest refuses, I will still follow."

"This is my Tan Family's clan rule. If one receives a favor, one must repay it. Otherwise, one cannot rest or eat in peace."

With things put this way, Lu Yuan couldn't say much more.

He glanced at the pitch-black night outside the window; the cold wind was blowing fiercely.

He couldn't just kick the man out now.

"We'll talk about it tomorrow morning."

......

The west wing room had already been tidied up by Wang Laohan's family.

The brick bed was heated nice and warm, but the space wasn't large. Five people had to sleep there tonight, so they could only squeeze in sideways.

Wang Cheng'an and Xu Erxiao were small in stature, so it didn't matter much.

Lu Yuan and Shen Shulan were a bit over 1.7 meters tall. Curling their legs slightly, their ankles wouldn't stick out beyond the edge of the kang.

Still much better than spending the night in the wilderness.

Tan Jiji followed Xu Erxiao and the others to the west wing to make the beds.

Lu Yuan then took Shen Shulan to buy a new set of bedding from Wang Laohan's family.

This girl Shen Shulan, whenever she went out before, always had senior and junior brothers around to arrange everything perfectly.

This time, coming out from Fengtian City, she brought countless good things for Lu Yuan and the others but forgot to bring bedding for herself.

Last night, she used Lu Yuan's quilt, while Lu Yuan himself went to squeeze in with Wang Cheng'an for the night.

This girl had followed along the whole way, never once complaining of hardship or shouting of exhaustion.

Lu Yuan didn't say it out loud, but he remembered this kindness in his heart and genuinely felt sorry for this young lady from a wealthy family who insisted on following him out to suffer.

"Uncle, you must take this money."

After some back-and-forth, Lu Yuan forcefully stuffed two dollars into Wang Laohan's wrinkled hand.

Holding the brand-new cotton quilt and mattress, Lu Yuan prepared to go to the west wing to make Shen Shulan's bed.

The two walked one after the other in the courtyard. The night wind was cool, the moonlight sparse.

Lu Yuan suddenly spoke, curiously asking Shen Shulan beside him:

"Senior Sister Shulan, do you know much about these 'Ten Families'?"

Shen Shulan's steps halted. She shook her head blankly.

"I know very little."

"However, the elders at the temple must know. When we return this time, I'll help you ask."

Lu Yuan nodded repeatedly, feeling reassured.

But Shen Shulan suddenly lowered her voice and whispered:

"However, if Martial Uncle is in a hurry, I can go help you ask that Tan Jiji now."

"Perhaps... looking at that tiny bit of sentiment from six years ago, he might reveal something to me?"

Regarding this statement, Lu Yuan directly cut her off:

"This absolutely won't do!"

Lu Yuan's voice suddenly turned forceful, cutting her off decisively.

Shen Shulan looked up in confusion, her clear eyes filled with incomprehension.

Lu Yuan, however, said with a serious face:

"Just one look and you can tell that kid has a thing for you!"

"If I let you go ask, wouldn't that be like me making you use your beauty?"

"Then what would I become?"

"A cuckolded turtle!"

"Absolutely not allowed. Don't ask him, don't pay him any attention!"

Lu Yuan's words left Shen Shulan somewhat dazed, as if she didn't quite understand the meaning behind his words.

But soon, Shen Shulan seemed to grasp some of it.

That perpetually ice-cold, stunningly beautiful face actually slowly revealed a trace of an expression that seemed both annoyed and teasing.

The corner of her mouth also uncontrollably lifted slightly. Her eyes sparkled, that cool, breathtakingly beautiful face carrying a bit of a coquettish charm she would never usually show.

"Martial Uncle is really quite domineering, huh."

She softly muttered.

"Can't manage the two great beauties at home enough, now you're managing me too, huh!"

Afterwards, Shen Shulan gave a light humph, reached out and snatched the bedding from Lu Yuan's arms, turned, and quickly entered the west wing room, leaving behind a swaying, graceful figure.

Lu Yuan stood at the door of the west wing room, blinking.

Hey!

Didn't see her dip much vinegar while eating dumplings earlier.

Why does her tone sound a bit sour...