Chapter 15: The Cai Family Comes!

"Master, what is this?" Xu Daoyan asked, looking at the countless ghost soldiers that had disappeared.

"This is the method of crossing over. Sometimes, when people die, they invite monks or Taoist priests to perform rituals. Do you know this?" The old beggar smiled gently.

"Of course, but only wealthy families can afford it. Inviting monks or Taoist priests to perform rituals costs a lot of money!" Xu Daoyan nodded like a chick pecking at rice.

"Hehe, performing rituals is to help the deceased rest in peace and be reborn, hoping they will have a better life in the next world. It also helps those who died unjustly and in sorrow to let go of their grudges, so they don't linger in the human world. The deeper the grudge, the more harmful the ghost becomes." The old beggar explained.

"I see!" Xu Daoyan understood. The light that had just appeared felt very comforting and warm, as if it could dissolve all the bad things.

The old beggar led Xu Daoyan back into the forest.

Opening the ghost-binding bag, the three ghost soldiers bowed to the old beggar in unison, paying their respects: "We pay our respects to the Immortal!"

"There's no need for such formalities. Since you have a connection with my disciple, I will grant you different methods for soul cultivation!" The old beggar said, and then he sent three beams of spiritual light into the bodies of the three ghost soldiers.

The three ghost soldiers trembled with excitement and bowed repeatedly: "Thank you, Immortal!"

Xu Daoyan was in a good mood and talked with the three ghost soldiers. The one who wanted to return to Shiyun Town to see his parents and family was named Zhang Chao. The one who wanted to seek justice for the entire army was named Qin Han. The last one, born in Youzhou, was named Bai Shi.

Since they could only cultivate at night, and the yang energy during the day was too strong, they could not appear without unique cultivation methods, as it would cause them great harm.

So Xu Daoyan did not disturb them for long and let them continue their cultivation.

"Haha, I didn't expect you to use this method to subdue them. You have some skills." The old beggar had intentionally reminded the ghost soldiers that they retained their memories from their previous lives, and he was surprised that Xu Daoyan could immediately put it to use. For a twelve-year-old, this was no small feat.

"You haven't seen anything yet!" Xu Daoyan had already forgotten about respecting his master.

"Right, who are Aunt Dumb and Ling'er? Ling'er has a lifespan of three thousand years, and Aunt Dumb can't even be identified by the Immortal Wood Mirror!"

"Haha, they are none of your business. Why do you care so much?" The old beggar waved his hand, clearly enjoying the suspense.

Xu Daoyan rolled his eyes and didn't ask further. As long as Aunt Dumb and Ling'er were good to him, that was enough.

He closed his eyes and began to cultivate. The spring qi within a radius of 150 feet gathered into Xu Daoyan's body, merging into his liver and cleansing it.

Unconsciously, it was already the hour of Chen. Zhang Chao, Qin Han, and Bai Shi, who had accumulated strength for many years, had been given unknown cultivation methods by the old beggar. Xu Daoyan felt they had become much stronger. As the sky was about to brighten, he put the three ghosts back into the ghost-binding bag.

Xu Daoyan continued to cultivate until the hour of Chen and Si had passed, then he returned home for a meal.

When he met Bai Yan'er, they were silent. Several times, Bai Yan'er wanted to speak to Xu Daoyan, but she hesitated. Seeing Xu Daoyan finish his meal and leave without a backward glance, she felt both resentment and jealousy. Could he be tired of her?

She wanted to leave but had nowhere to go.

This went on for three days until it finally came to an end.

In Shiyun Town, the Cai family was furious.

They couldn't believe someone dared to provoke them.

That day, the Cai family sent over a hundred strong men, armed with large knives, galloping towards the village. The sound of galloping horses and the dust they raised made many villagers tremble with fear.

When the Cai family's men entered the village, some villagers betrayed them to protect themselves.

Xu Daoyan was eating at home when suddenly, the sound of hooves and dust filled the air, stopping in front of his house.

A villager named Song, the father of Yi, Er, and San, was one of those who had looted the Cai village chief's house the most. He was also one of those who blamed everything on Daoyan.

"Lord Cai, this is the place. Daoyan, relying on his skills, led a group of people to kill the Cai village chief and Daoist Jia, and looted all their possessions. This is his house. The benefits you mentioned earlier..." Song had a sly look and a fawning smile, reaching out for the reward.

The leading Cai official casually swung his knife, and Song's face turned pale with terror. In an instant, his head was severed, and his body fell to the ground, blood gushing out.

"A mere peasant, it's only right to serve the Cai family. To dare ask for a reward is truly deserving of death!"

Seeing this, Wu Shi and Bai Yan'er turned pale with fear.

The leader, Cai Mao, held a large knife and pointed it at Xu Daoyan, saying, "Was it you who killed the Cai village chief and Daoist Jia?"

"Yes!" Xu Daoyan knew that if he said Daoist Jia was killed by the villagers, many innocent villagers would suffer. It was better to take full responsibility.

He used the Immortal Wood Mirror to investigate the leader.

Sixth rank, lower grade, 280 years old.

"Then you shall die!" Cai Mao gave the order, and the sound of neighing horses echoed in all directions. He intended to trample Xu Daoyan's family to death with his horses.

Xu Daoyan would not let this happen. Even if he had the strength to withstand the trampling of a hundred horses, his mother and Bai Yan'er would be in danger.

Suddenly, a iron spear appeared in his hand. It was Zhang Chao's former war spear, weighing a hundred pounds, with rust covering it. But now it could be put to good use.

Xu Daoyan rushed out in one swift step, sweeping the spear with all his might. Cai Mao's horse was the first to be hit, and both the horse and rider were thrown back, causing chaos among the other horses, which fled in panic. The horse formation was immediately broken.

Cai Mao's horse was dead, its bones shattered. He looked extremely disheveled and shocked, not expecting this child to be so powerful. He shouted, "Charge! Capture his family first!"

Over a hundred strong men dismounted and charged forward. Xu Daoyan's spear trembled, and the sound of the wind as it swept through the air made everyone's hearts tremble.

Crack.

Three or four men were thrown back, their bones breaking. Their bodies flew backward, colliding with the charging men, causing more injuries and screams.

One of them leaped to rush into the wooden house to capture Wu Shi and Bai Yan'er. Xu Daoyan thrust his iron spear forward, piercing the man's body. As the spearhead was pulled out, blood spurted, and the man died instantly.

Xu Daoyan's iron spear dragged on the ground, blood dripping from the tip. He stood at the door of the wooden house, exuding a formidable aura, ready to face any challenge.

"Whoever comes, dies!" Xu Daoyan, who had been practicing liver cultivation, felt a surge of courage. He was unafraid of even ghosts, and facing these hundred strong men was no different. With a strong liver, his courage was also abundant.

"I didn't expect to find such a powerful person in the wilderness. I wondered why my worthless disciple would die!" At this moment, a Taoist priest in a yellow robe, riding a large horse, slowly approached from the side.

Xu Daoyan frowned and used the Immortal Wood Mirror to investigate.

Sixth rank, upper grade, 810 years old.

"This boy is mine to deal with!" The Taoist priest in the yellow robe suddenly produced a yellow talisman with vermilion characters, strange and profound. He flicked his hand, and the talisman burned instantly.

Boom! A thunderbolt struck Xu Daoyan, leaving his chest bloody and exposing his white bones. The intense pain spread throughout his body.

Wu Shi screamed in terror, and Bai Yan'er, in a state of extreme distress, rushed out without hesitation.

The Taoist priest in the yellow robe was shocked to see Xu Daoyan still standing, bleeding profusely. "What? My thunder talisman didn't kill him?"

For the first time, Xu Daoyan experienced such intense pain. He immediately invoked the Spring Rain, which, though he couldn't use it on a large scale, could still heal himself. The Spring Rain seeped into every wound on his body, and the flesh on his chest began to regenerate. Xu Daoyan felt his strength increase, a benefit of the Spring Rain.

His eyes were filled with bloodshot veins, and his anger reached its peak. He threw his iron spear at the Taoist priest, the sharp whistling sound and speed making it impossible to react.

"Die!"

Pfft! In shock, the Taoist priest in the yellow robe couldn't avoid the spear, which pierced his chest. He was thrown back by the force of the spear and nailed to a house.

The Taoist priest's face was one of disbelief, and he soon fell, dead.

Cai Mao felt a chill. The master of Daoist Jia, a sixth-rank upper-grade existence, had been killed. He saw Xu Daoyan, bleeding profusely but healing rapidly, and felt both surprise and joy. He believed Xu Daoyan must have an extraordinary cultivation method. If he could obtain it, his status in the Cai family would rise. He immediately ordered, "Don't let this boy recover. Without his spear, he's like a toothless tiger. Charge in!"

The hundred strong men roared, holding their large knives, and charged towards Xu Daoyan's house, the situation extremely dire.

Cai Mao shouted for them to charge in but remained motionless, staring intently at Xu Daoyan, looking for an opportunity.

He was already terrified by Xu Daoyan's spear, which had killed the master of Daoist Jia. If it were him, there would be no doubt about the outcome.

Five strong men charged forward, their large knives raised to strike Xu Daoyan. At that moment, a graceful figure blocked Xu Daoyan.

The knives flashed, and Bai Yan'er, without hesitation, closed her eyes and stood in front of Xu Daoyan.

Seeing this, Xu Daoyan was both shocked and angry. He roared, "Are you crazy? Get out of the way!"