"Come in and talk. Why are you in Anren Prefecture?"
Lin Shu looked away and turned back into the courtyard.
Having just arrived in this unfamiliar territory, it was actually quite nice to see an old acquaintance.
But this was the Prefecture City. Land here was worth its weight in gold, and prices were exorbitant. With Old Yang and Jin Gui’s financial resources, why would they choose to settle in a place like this?
"It was Dong Cheng—that young wolf from your time in Sifang Street."
Although Old Yang walked with a limp, Spiritual Qi flowed through his movements, making him no slower than an ordinary person.
Back when Yu Sheng was in the Old Woodshed, she was still in a dormant, youthful state with very low Cultivation.
But because of this, the Immortal Qi she emanated wasn’t suitable for comprehending any high-grade Immortal Techniques. It was, however, perfectly suited for ordinary people to get their first glimpse into cultivation.
"He said you’d left a good deal of silver with him but had departed in such a hurry without leaving any instructions."
"So he caught up with Jin Gui and me and brought us to Anren Prefecture to open a restaurant. He said this place was the closest to Yongzhou Pass, thinking you might pass through here when you returned from your training."
"But Dong Cheng said the training would take five years and that we’d have a long wait. I never imagined we’d see you again after just a few months."
Overjoyed, Old Yang opened the food container and placed all the small dishes on the table. "It’s also thanks to his experience that he managed to connect with an Immortal Disciple, who got us all exempted from the corvée labor."
"..."
Lin Shu listened quietly to his chatter, feeling as if he were back in the Woodshed, where the cripple would also ramble on endlessly.
It was only after they moved to Cyan Willow Lane that he became much more taciturn.
Unless a family had a background with an Immortal Sect, according to the laws of Yongzhou, every household had to send someone to perform corvée labor.
A household with only one man had to send him to serve, a household with three men had to send two, and so on.
Even the shortest term of service was twenty years before one had a chance to return home.
If not for the Immortal Families keeping things in check, any ordinary dynasty would have fallen apart long ago.
But thanks to Immortal Techniques, there were no Natural Disasters or man-made calamities, nor were there food shortages.
In addition, people always had a glimmer of hope: as long as they could produce a child with aptitude who became an Immortal Disciple, their entire family would be exempt from corvée labor and could even enjoy the benefits of these harsh laws.
Therefore, the population of the secular world could actually keep up with such a terrifying rate of attrition.
It was just that a life where you could see the end from the very beginning was utterly devoid of interest.
"Master Lin, if you have time, you should come see the restaurant. Dong Cheng said he used that silver to set up this family business on your behalf. If you’re ever wronged in the Immortal Sect, you’ll have a place to come back to."
Old Yang looked around and suddenly felt that might not be necessary.
After only a few months in the Immortal Sect, Master Lin had already become a major figure in Qiankun Academy with his own private courtyard. Who could possibly bully him?
"Don’t keep calling me ’Master Lin.’ I’ve moved on."
Lin Shu rolled up his sleeves, picked up his chopsticks, and carefully tasted Jin Gui’s cooking.
If not for the Golden Lion Aura gifted to him by this couple, he would have suffered a great loss at the hands of the Demon-slaying Bureau in Yongzhou Pass, relying solely on the Filthy Moon Wolf Lord’s Divine Soul Immortal Technique.
He nodded. "It tastes pretty good. Much better than the food in the dining hall."
"As long as you like it, I’ll bring some over every day."
Old Yang gave a simple, honest laugh and glanced at the man diligently sweeping leaves nearby. "Fool, you better serve Lord... Lord Lin well, and I’ll bring you food every day too."
"I can sweep, do laundry, make the bed, and fight."
The skinny man turned around and said earnestly to Lin Shu, "I sweep very clean, and I’m very good at fighting."
"Go on with you."
Old Yang couldn’t help but laugh. "You’re just a little strong. Do you understand Cultivation? Do you know any Immortal Techniques? And here you are, showing off in front of Lord Lin."
"Uh."
The fool blinked, a look of confusion crossing his ugly, scarred face. Then, somewhat sheepishly, he scratched his head. "I forgot."
’Forgot?’
A strange look flashed in Lin Shu’s eyes.
’He didn’t answer that he couldn’t, or that he didn’t understand. He said he forgot.’
’Does that mean he used to know how?’
’Wait a minute...’ Lin Shu’s eye twitched. ’Why am I trying to figure out what a fool is thinking again?’
For some reason, he just felt there was something strange about this man.
’Oh well. I have a split soul following him anyway. Whether he’s just pretending to be a fool or not, the truth will come out eventually.’
"Don’t pay him any mind. When I first met him, I used to listen to his nonsense and get all sorts of ideas, but then I realized it was all just mad rambling... Anyway, it’s about time I got back to the shop to help out."
Old Yang stood up, eager to return and share the good news with the other two.
Even now, whenever Dong Cheng had a couple of drinks, he loved to tell the story of how he followed Lord Lin and wreaked havoc in the gambling den.
"Go on."
Lin Shu gave a slight nod, watching him leave.
He took a few more bites, then glanced sideways. "You want some?"
"For the fool?"
The man froze for a moment, then strode to the table, picked up a plate, and started pouring the food into his mouth. Chewing, he said, "The cripple likes you, so I don’t dislike you anymore. Master Lin is a good person."
"Well, I’m truly grateful for that."
With a wry sigh, Lin Shu stood up and prepared to go back inside.
Suddenly, the man’s voice sounded again from behind him.
"You’re doing it wrong. To get more strength, it has to come from the inside out."
"Like the fool, you have to eat your fill to have strength," the man said earnestly, licking the grease from the web of his hand.
"..."
Lin Shu froze, turning back to give the man a long, hard look.
Spiritual Light flashed through his mind like lightning.
He strode quickly into the room and shut the door behind him.
Without a moment’s hesitation, his remaining eight hundred Sin Coins transformed into a Black River, surging into the Jade-Boned Golden Lion Statue.
The scroll he had visualized countless times unfurled once more.

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