Chapter 76: Hey, Surprise

Because it was discovered in time, Master Xuanmiao's needling and fever-reduction were also timely; the little Mei Niang opened her eyes, seeing both her mother and her nurse, wrapped in overwhelming safety, drank warm water, and fell into deep sleep again.

Master Xuanmiao glanced at her feet, frowning slightly; her brother was right—this foot had been bound badly and was already showing signs of pus infection; if not treated, she could be consumed by systemic pus fever and die within a night.

After that, Master Xuanmiao barely slept at all, frequently coming forward to check on the child.

At dawn, the Sun household bustled with activity—Grandpa Sun's funeral procession would depart around noon.

Before the coffin was carried out, they needed to perform a grand ritual to conclude the rites.

Pan Yun and Seeing Miao Zhen stayed inside to guard the child; the child had not yet woken, so Pan Yun had set up a formation beside the bed, keeping out the wailing and chanting from outside.

The three did not leave the room but opened the window, leaning their small heads together to watch the ritual.

As Pan Yun lifted her head, she saw Grandpa Sun standing at the entrance of the ancestral hall.

Their eyes met, both solemn; they gazed silently for a moment, then turned together toward the ritual altar.

The Daoist priests were performing along the altar, holding various instruments and chanting scriptures.

The melodious tones vibrated through the air, forming a unique spatial magnetic field.

Grandpa Sun, standing at the entrance of the ancestral hall, felt a certain summons.

He looked again at Pan Yun, then smiled faintly after a moment, his gaze passing over his unfilial sons toward the front gate.

Outside the front gate, many villagers had gathered.

They all knew Grandpa Sun's funeral was today; those who had come before and those who had not had rushed here today to see him off.

The grandmother and grandson squeezed to the front; the old man led his grandson to kneel and bowed three times toward the ancestral hall.

Some villagers also knelt down—mostly those who had received Grandpa Sun's kindness.

Grandpa Sun watched them, his lips curling slightly, finally at peace.

Sun Da Chang, supported by his son, stumbled to the front of the ancestral hall, knelt, and wept loudly, "Father—"

Grandmother Sun, supported by her two daughters, wept beside the coffin, though her grief was no longer as intense.

After all, Grandpa Sun had returned to his body—his presence felt entirely different.

Moreover, she knew Grandpa Sun was now inside the ancestral hall; though unseen, he still spoke to her as he had before leaving home: "If you suffer injustice outside, send me a dream—I'll find a Daoist to help you; if you lack money or goods, remember to send me a dream—I'll make those unfilial sons burn them for you; when you reach the underworld, don't be hasty—think of us often, please take care of yourself…"

Grandpa Sun listened, his gaze growing ever softer, free of all attachments; his eyes swept over the three small heads by the window, and he smiled, nodding to Pan Yun, his form gradually fading amid the Daoists' music and the monks' chanting, fading, fading…

Pan Yun propped her chin, watching him slowly dissolve within that special magnetic field, finally turning into a wisp of smoke, swept by a gentle breeze into the clouds, vanishing entirely.

A thin white cloud drifted past, shimmering with a pale golden glow under the sunlight; in that instant, the golden bar in Pan Yun's Niwan Palace moved forward a tiny bit with a soft *ding-dong*.

Pan Yun stole a glance and saw it had gained +10 merit points.

Pan Yun raised her head to watch that pale golden streak, seeing it drift farther and farther with the white clouds until it vanished from sight.

Pan Yun silently noted: resolving a dead soul's attachments also brought merit points.

Sun Da Chang and his brothers did not know their father had departed; after their mother began crying, they joined in, weeping bitterly.

Whether truly heartbroken or feigning sorrow, they had tears now—lots of them, flowing freely.

Only when the ritual ended did Wang Feiyin step forward to remind them the auspicious hour had arrived; they wiped their tears, lifted the coffin, and carried it out.

Many people from nearby villages came to see Grandpa Sun off; all followed behind the Sun family, escorting the coffin to the hill, bowing after burial, then dispersing.

Sun Da Chang and his brothers invited everyone home for lunch; some stayed, others bowed and left.

Only when they returned home did Sun Da Chang sidle up to Huiyuan and ask if his father's soul still lingered.

He disliked the Daoists of the Three Pure Ones Temple, disliked Wang Feiyin and Pan Yun, so he preferred to ask Huiyuan.

Huiyuan had been kept by his uncle as a witness that day—surely he had similar abilities?

Huiyuan said: "Grandpa Sun has been reborn in the Pure Land."

Sun Da Chang exhaled deeply, fearing Huiyuan might misunderstand, quickly wiped his eyes and cried out, "Father—"

Huiyuan smiled faintly.

Sun Da Chang no longer wished to keep these Daoists and monks; after lunch, he immediately settled their fees and sent them away.

He didn't even keep Wang Feiyin's group; he directly told his brother-in-law Zhou Chao: "Since Mei Niang needs treatment, I won't keep you." Zhou Chao paused, then understood, his face darkening, but he still bowed and took his leave, going to invite the Three Pure Ones Daoists back to the Zhou household.

Sun Xian Niang knew her daughter shouldn't be moved now, and resentment stirred in her heart; she wiped her tears and told Grandmother Sun: "Mother, I don't know if I'll be able to visit you often—if Brother doesn't come to fetch me, or if I have no place to stay when I return…"

Grandmother Sun replied: "No rush—this household has my share too; you and your husband stay. Wait until Mei Niang's foot is healed before leaving."

Grandmother Sun's share of the property was equal to her sons'; she wasn't afraid of them.

Sun Xian Niang hesitated, but Zhou Chao had already ordered the carriage readied and urged her: "My Zhou household can afford immortal masters—we might as well return home; taking medicine and hiring help will be easier."

"But Mei Niang is so young—the journey will be bumpy; the immortal masters all said she shouldn't be moved these days…"

"You and the nurse take turns carrying her—it's a carriage, how bumpy can it be? Hurry and pack up and leave. I won't stay here to endure their glares. My Zhou household has houses—we don't need to cling to your Sun household."

Sun Xian Niang's face turned bitter; she could only gather servants and pack their belongings to leave.

Wang Feiyin sighed, turned, and ordered Master Xuanmiao to personally accompany Sun Xian Niang and her daughter; as for Pan Yun, he sized her up and said: "Walk ahead. Go on your own!"

Pan Yun:!

Wang Feiyin handed her the temple's donkey cart, telling her to drive it herself—yet he didn't even place the temple's luggage on it; instead, he crammed it with the Zhou family into two other carts.

Pan Yun sat on the donkey cart, hugging the black cat; behind her, Wang Feiyin urged: "Hurry up—we must reach Dayuan Village before dark."

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Pan Yun slapped the donkey's rump to make it move, then turned back and asked: "Senior Brother, why am I walking alone? This makes me feel isolated."

Wang Feiyin: "Because you're carrying a fortune. You won't hand it over to the temple."

Pan Yun: "Am I going to have bad luck today?"

"I don't know when your bad luck will strike, but better safe than sorry—there's a patient on the cart; we must be cautious."

Pan Yun huffed, pulled out a handful of protective talismans, slapped two on each arm, then two on the cart—she refused to believe she could still be unlucky like this.

She'd fight for her fate.

The group set off toward Yushan County.

Da Zhou Village lies just outside Yushan County, not far from the county, conveniently on the same route as Master Qian.

After escorting the important guests from the county who had come to pay respects to Elder Sun, Master Qian was about to inquire about Zhou Meiniang's condition when he heard that the immortals from Sanqing Temple and the Zhou couple had been taken away by his eldest nephew. Master Qian immediately struck him on the head, then ignored his nephews' pleas and urgently climbed into his carriage to chase after them.

From afar, seeing the Zhou family's carriage, Master Qian leaned out and shouted loudly, "Little Immortal, Little Immortal—"

Pan Yun adored Master Qian; she immediately turned around, gazing across two carriages, over Tian Ye's fields, locking eyes with Master Qian. She stood up from her carriage and waved at him enthusiastically, "Master Qian, Master Qian—"

Wang Feiyin, riding half a carriage length behind her, suddenly widened his eyes and cried, "Little sister, be careful—"

Before he could finish, the old mule's left hind leg twisted awkwardly, nearly collapsing to its knees. Pan Yun's body lurched backward, but she stabilized herself with powerful core strength—then, in the next instant, the mule brayed, hopping in place on a lame leg, and she tumbled off the carriage…

As Pan Yun hit the ground, the carriage wheel surged forward, scraping past her arm. She rolled instantly away from the cart and sat up, dazed.

In the very instant she rolled off, Wang Feiyin leapt from the driver's seat of the carriage behind him, lightly tapping the ox's back before landing on the mule cart and grabbing the reins to steady it.

He looked down and met Pan Yun's bewildered gaze.

Wang Feiyin glanced at Pan Yun, then at the carriage, then at the mule, and said, "Little sister, you forgot to stick a Peace Charm on the mule too."

Pan Xiaohei crawled out from under the carriage, filthy and furious, and let out a loud "Miaow—!" at Pan Yun, "What about me!"

Pan Yun scrambled to her feet, patted the agitated mule, then knelt beside Wang Feiyin to examine its bent left hind leg.

A spiky yellow fruit was lodged in its hoof—just that unlucky—perfectly wedged in the center, its sharp tip pressed against the soft flesh.

Wang Feiyin spent considerable effort prying it loose. "Golden yingzi—nourishes essence, strengthens kidneys, harmonizes the five organs, promotes blood circulation, preserves youth, prolongs life. A fine thing indeed."

He looked up and saw a branch jutting inward from the mountain wall ahead—along this entire road, this was likely the only golden yingzi to have fallen, and it had been stepped on by the mule, precisely piercing the tender flesh.

He knew then: no one could escape the curse of the Sanqing Mountain deity.

Pan Yun rose, stared intently at the golden yingzi in his hand, and after a long silence, said, "Big brother, I must go to Yushan County. I think you're right—wealth can always be earned again; there's no need to hold onto so much."

Wang Feiyin: "Did I say that?"

Pan Yun: "You did."

She tore off a Peace Charm from her left arm, slapped it firmly onto the mule's rump, then climbed back onto the carriage and said, "Big brother, give me a physical strengthening herbal formula."

The lucky number for this chapter is any number ending in 3—screenshot as proof.

(End of Chapter)