Chapter 3: Xianxia World?

Wang Ping'an, what's happening? Why did you have Zhang Guihua buy a coffin? Is it because Dongzhu had a difficult delivery and died? Didn't Liu Po say mother and child are safe?

At that moment, a panicked voice came from outside the room, and immediately an elderly man with white, hoary hair entered, leaning on a cane.

It was their neighbor, the old master Niu Li, and the two families had always gotten along well.

"Old Niu, what nonsense are you spouting? Our Dongzhu is fine!"

Wang Lin said angrily.

"So you had Zhang Guihua buy a coffin..."

Niu Li looked puzzled; before he could finish his sentence, Wang Lin cut him off: "It was our Wang Ruhai; the news we received said that on the way to the capital to take the imperial exam, he was attacked by wild beasts, lost his life, and his body was nowhere to be found. I had my wife buy a coffin so we could give him a proper burial mound!"

Niu Li chuckled, "Wang Ping'an, stop joking. Everyone knows your Wang Ruhai was a top scholar in the imperial exams. If you're afraid to ask us to have your son help, just say so; why speak such nonsense to fool a child!"

"Old Niu, you, you, you don't know..."

Wang Lin opened his mouth to say something, but the words stuck; how could he speak when that beast had done such a despicable act?

Niu Li, angry, said, "The county office even came to your house to announce the good news; could that be false?"

Wang Lin, seeing Niu Li's angry look and recalling their long friendship, thought that to arrange a burial mound for that beast he would need Niu Li to go out and convince the neighbors so they wouldn't misunderstand, and he gritted his teeth, saying:

"Old Niu, you don't know—Wang Ruhai—no, that beast who was a top scholar, was favored by the prime minister's daughter, who sent Dongzhu a divorce letter.

You know, thanks to Dongzhu looking after the two of us elders, that beast could concentrate on the imperial examinations, and yet that beast committed such a vile act; I treat that beast as already dead!"

"Impossible. Wang Ruhai grew up under my watch; how could he do such a thing?"

Niu Li instinctively retorted, but his peripheral glance fell on the sorrowful Dongzhu beside him, whose vacant eyes stared at the nursing Wang Ping'an as if lost, and also at the taciturn scholar Guo Xuesong.

He suddenly realized.

Niu Li swallowed the words he had about to say, and changed his tone: "Could it be that Wang Ruhai really did such a thing?"

Wang Lin chuckled self‑deprecatingly, gave no answer, and said, "I still need you, Old Niu, to step forward and clarify to the neighbors, lest they misunderstand and think that because that beast was a top scholar, I, Wang Lin, would turn my back on people!"

"I understand!"

Niu Li stood up to leave, and his peripheral glance fell on the vacant‑eyed Dongzhu; realizing how much this matter had shaken her, he feared she might be driven to despair, and he comforted her:

"Dongzhu, even though Wang Ruhai acted like a despicable dog, you care about your parents‑in‑law; you have even severed ties with him for them, and you also have a newborn child. Whether for yourself, for your parents‑in‑law, or for the child, you must live well; please don't lose hope!"

Dongzhu subconsciously looked up at Wang Lin, seeing him look ten years older, his face full of guilt and worry, then she looked down at the Wang Ping'an in her arms, whose vacant eyes regained a hint of spirit.

"Uncle Niu, I understand; I won't lose hope!"

Dongzhu's pallid face forced a faint smile, "I will definitely raise Ping'an to adulthood!"

"Ding! Feeling the love from mother 'Liu Dongzhu', you gain the talent: Motherly Love 【Entry Level】 (Note: grows healthy each day)!"

A mechanical, cold voice rang in his mind; Wang Ping'an felt no surprise, sighing, "Perhaps from now on, I am the only hope for this pitiful woman to live on!"

For a moment, Wang Ping'an's expression was complex; having grown up in an orphanage, he felt motherly love for the first time, swearing that in this life he would ensure this pitiful woman suffered no more grievances. Time slipped by unnoticed; with Niu Li's intervention, the neighbors, who had not understood why Zhang Guihua hurried to have a coffin delivered, gradually admired Wang Lin's conduct and despised Wang Ruhai's deeds.

Soon.

In the courtyard a memorial hall was erected; although Dongzhu had just given birth and should have been resting in bed, at her strong insistence she still wore mourning clothes, assisted by her elder sister‑aunt.

Sitting in front of the coffin!

Originally.

She strongly demanded to kneel before the coffin, but this time it was not granted.

Having just given birth, she forced herself up from the bed, already costing her half a life; if she knelt again she might lose her life.

"Xuanqing Daozhang, I trouble you this time!"

Wang Lin ushered in from outside an old Taoist, accompanied by two teenage apprentices.

"Benefactor Wang..."

Just as Xuanqing was about to reply, his peripheral glance fell on the Wang Ping'an in Dongzhu's arms; his clouded old eyes flashed a brief brilliance, exclaiming, "What a good seedling!"

While speaking, Xuanqing briskly walked over; as Dongzhu prepared to rise and greet him, Xuanqing hurriedly said, "Madam Wang, you just gave birth, your body is weak; you should rest more and not get up!"

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Wang Lin, worried, said, "Xuanqing Daozhang, is there something wrong with my grandson?"

"There's no problem, but I think your grandson might be a Great Benevolent Person Reincarnation; in this life he will surely be a person of great virtue!"

Xuanqing smiled, took an unknown ancient jade from his bosom and handed it over, saying, "This is a jade pendant I've carried for twenty years; it's not a treasure, just a token to forge a good bond between you and your grandson!"

"Xuanqing Daozhang..."

Just as Dongzhu was about to refuse, Xuanqing proudly said, "Madam Wang, this jade pendant can protect your child to grow safely; please have him wear it!"

"Thank you, Xuanqing Daozhang!"

Dongzhu changed her words.

"Ding! Obtained Xuanqing Daoist's twenty‑year‑nurtured ancient jade, gaining the talent: Dao Heart 【Entry Level】!"

When Xuanqing Daozhang saw Dongzhu place the jade pendant on Wang Ping'an's neck, a look of satisfaction briefly appeared on his face, but he suddenly noticed something unusual about Wang Ping'an; upon closer inspection he thought to himself,

"What's going on, this kid is a good Taoist seedling? That can't be, he's so young, how can I tell? Did I misjudge?"

"Master, it's time to perform Soul Salvation for the departed!"

A young disciple reminded.

Xuanqing Daozhang shook his head, withdrew his gaze, but as he left he gave Wang Ping'an one last deep look, then went to the seat prepared for him, rang drums and gongs, and began chanting the Soul Salvation sutra.

"Ding! You heard Xuanqing Daozhang chant the Soul Salvation sutra, Dao Heart took effect, granting the skill: Soul Salvation 【Entry Level】!"

A mechanical, cold voice rang again in Wang Ping'an's mind.

Wang Ping'an's small face broke into a faint smile, his eyes full of astonishment, and he thought to himself, "Could it be that this is not the ancient world but a Xianxia world?"

(End of Chapter)