Chapter 132: White Wolf Refining Qi Acts With Good Intentions
Before nightfall.
Fang Shu hurried back to the area where the stone house was located, as if pressing against a deadline. He tightened his robe and quickened his pace.
At night, Toad Mudflat occasionally had ghostly creatures wandering about, and demonic beasts from the Nine Rivers might come ashore at night too, so staying outside the house at night could easily lead to running into trouble if one wasn’t careful.
Even without encountering fierce ghosts or wild spirits, the wandering gods of the Five Viscera Temple patrolled at night. If menial laborers were spotted by them, they might be directly taken as extras and have their essence blood drained dry.
Arriving at the doorway of the stone house where the seven people lived, Fang Shu hadn’t entered yet when he heard noisy voices rising from inside the house.
After pushing open the door, the voices became clear:
“You mope around with a long face every day, as if everyone owes you money. So what if something’s missing?
Tomorrow, sister will introduce you to an acquaintance to help you attach a donkey’s one, which is better than the original.”
This voice was shrill, and the sarcasm in her words was unmistakable.
As soon as Fang Shu entered, he saw that it was Hua Xiaqing pointing at someone’s nose and mocking them.
As for the person being cursed at, it was naturally his roommate Wu Dan, who had been injured on the transport boat.
Faced with the two’s quarreling, the other roommates all had looks of enjoying the show, and some even relished seeing Hua Xiaqing berate Wu Dan.
As Fang Shu entered from outside the door, the others’ gazes swept over him, and upon seeing it was one of their own, they let down their guard and continued watching the show.
At that moment, Wu Dan suddenly had red eyes. His face twisted as he glared at everyone, including the just-entering Fang Shu, and growled:
“Why is it me who’s unlucky, not you all! Why is it only me, and not you!”
He clenched his fists tightly, staring hatefully and stubbornly at the people in the room, who were either looking on coldly, sneering, or stunned.
Then this fellow let out a muffled grunt and left toward outside the stone house without looking back.
Fang Shu was standing in the doorway and nearly got bumped by the other.
After the other left, Fang Shu had a strange look on his face as he pointed at Wu Dan’s departing figure and spoke: “What happened this time?”
Hua Xiaqing, upon hearing this, immediately cried grievance:
“To let Fellow Daoist Fang know, this guy insists on going out during the day every time and only going into seclusion at night. Everyone saw he was pitiful and always yielded to him.
I just didn’t want to let him this time and planned to properly cultivate at night too, and this guy threw a tantrum.”
After this woman briefly explained, Fang Shu understood it was a conflict arising from the stone house being cramped, with only four quiet rooms for seclusion, and everyone taking turns using them.
After Hua Xiaqing secretly cursed Wu Dan a few more times, she shut her mouth, and the stone house returned to quiet.
Shaking his head, Fang Shu didn’t get involved.
Since he had already used a small stone house during the day, it wasn’t his turn at night, so he sat cross-legged on the bed and directly rested.
………..
This minor farce was quickly thrown to the back of the minds of the six people in the stone house.
However, to their surprise, over the next few days, they never saw Wu Dan return.
With only a few days left until the hundred-day deadline, although Wu Dan had thrown a fit, he shouldn’t be staying out all night like this and delaying his cultivation.
This made Fang Shu and the others secretly guess whether that guy had gone out at night last time, accidentally run into a ghost outside, and died there.
But soon, Fang Shu and the others realized with gloomy faces that Wu Dan definitely hadn’t died outside.
Because that day, as nightfall approached, there was a bang!
The stone house where everyone was staying was kicked open directly from outside.
Fang Shu and the others looked toward the sound, their faces all unfriendly, but the intruder wasn’t the long-missing Wu Dan.
Instead, it was a group of menial laborers wearing grey robes, and their daoist robes were embroidered with “Utility Hall.” The leader even emanated the pressure of Refining Qi, and upon closer look, it was Manager Sun.
The people in the room were stunned.
In the silence, Hua Xiaqing, fond of socializing, immediately put on a charming smile, gracefully stepped forward, and spoke: “Oh my, Manager Sun, what brings you here?”
Manager Sun squinted and sized up the people in the room, coughed lightly, and got straight to the point:
“Someone reported you, saying there’s suspected ghostly creature activity in this house, and you all often stay out at night.
Old me is bound by temple rules and has to come investigate. It’s best to seal this house for now.”
As soon as these words were spoken, Hua Xiaqing along with Fang Shu and the others all stiffened, with anger rising on their faces.
At this critical juncture just before the hundred-day cultivation ended, every day was extremely important to them. And once kicked out of this stone house, the Utility Hall wouldn’t arrange a new one for them.
To prove their innocence, they would inevitably have to cough up some blood.
This matter was clearly intended to hinder everyone’s cultivation.
Immediately, a chorus of muttered curses rose in the stone house:
“Damn it!” “How come that spineless bastard didn’t die on the road!”
Manager Sun saw Fang Shu and the others cursing but wasn’t annoyed, knowing it wasn’t aimed at him.
The old man watched them like it was a show, and said righteously: “Sealing this room is the temple’s rule, and it’s for your own good. Don’t hold it against old me!”
In truth, the old man was already secretly pondering in his heart how to extract benefits from the people in the stone house, and how to raise the price to rent out the quiet rooms in his shop to this group of “homeless” immortal seeds.
Fang Shu and the others were similarly quickly pondering in their hearts how to avoid this undeserved disaster.
At that moment, a clanging sound rang out.
“Hold on.”
From a corner of the stone house, a figure stepped out. The man had a burly build and white hair on his face; it was Ling Bai Lang from the stone house.
As soon as this fellow emerged from the corner, he drew everyone’s gazes, especially Manager Sun’s.
He only heard the other say in a muffled voice: “Manager Sun, there are no ghostly creatures here. These are just rumors, baseless talk.
Could you do us a favor and let us handle it ourselves.”
As Ling Bai Lang said this, both sides in the room fell silent.
The two menial laborers behind Manager Sun exchanged glances, gritted their teeth, jumped forward, and said: “What are you, to ask for a favor?”
“Hah! You say it’s a rumor and it is?”
“Hm?” Ling Bai Lang’s gaze passed over Manager Sun and landed on the two menial laborers.
A chilling aura immediately emanated from Ling Bai Lang, pressing down on the menial laborers and making Fang Shu and the others in the room all change color.
“Shut up! You idiots.”
Manager Sun scolded his followers, then a smile appeared on his face as he cupped his hands toward Ling Bai Lang:
“Congratulations to this immortal seed for possessing a spiritual root and achieving success in Refining Qi; our Five Viscera Temple has gained another disciple!”
This Ling Bai Lang was indeed one who possessed a spiritual root.
He had already planted the spiritual root before coming up the mountain, and now, unnoticed, he had successfully crossed the threshold to become a Fourth Calamity Qi Refining Spiritual Immortal!
Ling Bai Lang showed a toothy grin:
“Manager Sun overpraises! I just passed the tribulation not long ago and couldn’t restrain my aura, offending everyone.”
“Not at all. Since this house has produced a talent like Young Friend Ling, naturally no ghostly creature would dare linger.”
Manager Sun spoke smilingly. This old man neatly sold Ling Bai Lang a favor, cupped his hands, withdrew his men, and left, without mentioning any benefits.
This group came quickly and left quickly too, leaving only Fang Shu and the others in the stone house.
They stared wide-eyed at each other, especially Fang Shu, who lowered his gaze with an obscure expression at the bottom of his eyes.
Although Ling Bai Lang had become a Refining Qi Immortal, his face was bold and not arrogant; instead, he laughed openly:
“What’s this, fellow daoists! I, Ling, luckily succeeded in passing the tribulation and didn’t die in the house—won’t you all come congratulate me?”
Immediately, everyone including Fang Shu hurriedly stood up, made a bow, and paid respects:
“Congratulations, Elder Brother Ling, on ascending to Spiritual Immortal!”
“Joyful tidings to Brother Ling; this is the fruit of accumulated efforts.”
“Hahaha!” Ling Bai Lang laughed loudly.
His gaze fell on the faces of the people in the room, examining them one by one, as if trying to spot something.
But the people present were not like that guy Wu Dan; all of them remained composed, with only smiles on their faces, sharing in the glory.
Suddenly, Ling Bai Lang looked at everyone and grinned as he spoke:
“Fellow daoists, do you need me to help plant spiritual roots?”
As soon as these words were spoken, the faces of the people in the stone house subtly changed.
