Chapter 309: Chickens and Dogs Ascend to Heaven

There's no way I won't get my share of benefits?

Hu Jiushisan watched the family head's retreating back, instinctively turning his head; this spot of his allowed him to clearly see the situation inside the Wang family, a place he had deliberately chosen, full of envy, he said:

Perhaps what that old Daoist said isn't false; our clan head might truly intend for this family's newborn child to become its son‑in‑law!

Upon thinking of this, Hu Jiushisan's heart filled with vigor; the resentment of being exiled to the frontier vanished in an instant.

Although it repeatedly thought about it, the clan head wanted this family's newborn child to become its son‑in‑law.

But.

For some reason, there remained a lingering doubt in his heart.

Who let it be that in their clan, it was rare for women to marry humans, although there were indeed some men and women in the clan who had ambiguous relationships with human cultivators?

But most of those were just men and women enjoying fleeting pleasure, not proper marriage.

Let alone.

The clan head's precious daughter, pursued by countless demons, how could she possibly marry a human, let alone a human farmer's son?

Only then, upon seeing the clan head appear, clearly having gone to check on that child and hearing those words, did he choose to fully believe what the Xuanqing Daozhang had once told him.

Hu Jiushisan seemed to have thought of something wonderful, he hehehed and muttered: "It's only right I rise to prominence; with this merit, even if I can't become a steward, at least I can arrange a manager position for myself, clang clang!"

After going through the guard team selection once, he realized he was ordinary, just a mediocre fox demon; Hu Jiushisan accepted his mediocrity and no longer painstakingly cultivated as before.

It had not failed to consider the idea that diligence could compensate for clumsiness—quiet effort, finally astonishing everyone.

But this notion didn't linger long in its mind before it dispelled it itself—not because it was a fox demon unable to endure hardship; for all those years, before it knew mediocrity, when had it ever not trained bitterly?

Which year, which month, which day had it not undergone bitter cultivation?

Mainly, it clearly knew that its clansmen with greater talent than it were terrifyingly hardworking—almost all their time, aside from eating, drinking, defecating, urinating, and sleeping, was devoted to cultivation.

Afterward.

Once these fox demons achieved cultivation, they became even more terrifying—possessing Bigu Pills, needing no food, drink, defecation, urination, or sleep, and using special techniques to replace sleep.

On the path of cultivation, they were practically mad.

They hardly had any time to rest!

Fox demons more terrifyingly talented than it worked even harder; since it lacked both their talent and their effort, what was the point of striving?

After grasping this truth, Hu Jiushisan quickly gave up and lay flat, devoting only a little time each day to cultivation while spending the rest on pleasure.

Unfortunately.

Given its circumstances, its monthly stipend was just enough to scrape by, leaving no spare money for enjoyment.

It could only find its joy among the few cheap pleasures available.

The historical novels popular among humans were its favorite cheap pleasure.

It daily immersed itself in one human historical novel after another, clearly aware of its own modest stature; although it envied the protagonists of those stories, it more so wished to be the one who gets carried away.

One person attains the Dao, and even the chickens and dogs ascend to heaven!

Now there's a chance it might be taken aloft—how could it not be excited?

Myriad thoughts surged in Hu Jiushisan's mind, and he struggled to dispel each delightful distraction, pondering:

"Ah, Third Miss isn't a bad person; it seized my source of income, so it couldn't possibly not know—clearly it owes me, how could it possibly drive me to death, exile me to the frontier, and have me guard a human household?"

"Evidently Third Miss knows there's some hidden benefit in this matter; to compensate me, she recommended I come work here!"

Upon thinking of this, Hu Jiushisan wished he could slap himself a few times—why did he like judging a noble heart with a petty mind, and why did he like thinking ill of Third Miss?

He almost misunderstood Third Miss!

Hu Jiushisan sneered: "Niuda, you beast, you're still too full of yourself—you think that by cozying up to Third Miss, she'll deal with me for you?"

"After all, you're just an outsider; I and Third Miss are of the same clan!"

Afternoon.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!" a series of urgent knocks rattled the dining hall where the Wang family members were eating; Wang Lin rose to his feet and, as he walked, said:

"At this hour, who would come knock on our door? Could something big have happened?"

Soon.

Wang Lin walked to the gate of his small courtyard; the courtyard was surrounded by a bamboo fence, with a wooden gate that was rarely closed, only shut when night was approaching.

"Who's there? What's the matter coming to our house so late?"

Wang Lin didn't rush to open the wooden gate, but asked through it.

Who let it be that these days, if a troublemaker came knocking, without the Xuanqing Daozhang present, something terrible might happen—he dared not even imagine it.

Now.

Better to be careful than sorry!

Although.

Who knows what use a flimsy wooden door could have!

"It's me, your uncle!"

A deep, muffled voice came from outside the wooden gate.

"It's Chengdong, huh..."

You have arrived at this novel.

Before Wang Lin could finish his words, the man outside the gate interrupted: "Uncle, I'm Chengze—where did you get Chengdong from?"

Only then did Wang Lin open the gate; he had deliberately misspoken the name earlier to test him, and upon hearing this, confirming there was no issue, he realized his nephew was named Chengze.

Afterwards.

Wang Lin hastily opened the gate, about to ask Zhang Chengze why he had come and what important matter he brought, when he saw Zhang Chengze dressed in mourning attire, pupils constricted, voice trembling, struggling to speak:

"Chengze, you… you… you…"

In that moment, Wang Lin could hardly form a coherent sentence.

"Uncle, my father is gone!"

Zhang Chengze said calmly.

But if one looks closely, one can see the pain on his face and in his eyes.

"I—I—I'll take you to see your aunt!"

Wang Lin's complexion changed drastically, his voice trembling; he seemed ten years older, lost and dazed, turned and walked toward his own hall.

At the hall entrance.

Zhang Chengze "Thump!" and knelt down, shouting loudly, "Aunt!"

Zhang Guihua was originally still puzzled, wondering who would come to their house so late. Hearing this, she was startled, and seeing that Zhang Chengze had not entered Entry Level but was kneeling on the ground, still dressed in mourning attire, she quickly got up from the ground and, at a speed uncharacteristic of an elder, ran out.

Zhang Guihua quickly helped the kneeling Zhang Chengze to his feet, her voice trembling, panicking, "Chengze, in our family, who has left?"

"Aunt, my father is gone!"

Zhang Chengze could no longer hold on, and, silently, with tears streaming, said.

"Elder brother!"

(End of chapter)