Chapter 9

The Demon's Selection (9)

"But there are quite a few. Will it be alright?"

The owner, who had checked the various wooden statues loaded on the cart, was greatly surprised.

"I'm worried if I can sell all of this right away. Five taels of silver isn't something that sells frequently."

"Then should I bring a little less?"

"No. Buy them all. If I can't sell them, I can take them to another village."

At that moment, someone approached the cart.

It was the owner of the wooden craft shop where Dan Yaxian had first stopped.

"What are you doing! I said I would buy them all!"

Perhaps because he was in a hurry, the man who was running over collided with someone.

"Such bad luck in the middle of the road..."

The owner, who was about to unleash a torrent of curses, suddenly stopped. He was momentarily intimidated by the massive build of Fan Jiwei.

Fan Jiwei stared at him intently.

He had already heard the conversation between Dan Yaxian and the owner.

"No approaching this shop in the future."

"But this is a commercial alley..."

"Go around the other way. If you don't want to get your head cracked."

Fan Jiwei picked up a pebble from the roadside and clenched it in his hand.

Crack.

In an instant, the pebble turned to dust.

"......!"

The face of the owner who had come to argue turned pale.

Despite dealing with all sorts of people in his business, the giant before him was on a different level.

A bottomless abyss, its depth impossible to fathom.

It felt as if the darkness at the bottom of that abyss was opening its mouth towards him.

Thud.

Seeing the man collapse on the spot, Fan Jiwei clicked his tongue.

"What a grown man, wetting his pants."

Fan Jiwei smiled quietly at Dan Yaxian.

Dan Yaxian, having completed the transaction, received the receipt. It was a substantial amount, 150 taels of silver.

Dan Yaxian headed straight for the herbalist.

"Uncle! I'm here!"

"Ah, you are...!"

The herbalist, who had noticed Fan Jiwei behind Dan Yaxian, was startled.

He had never seen such a large person before.

Dan Yaxian whispered to Fan Jiwei.

"He's a good person, so please treat him well."

Nodding, Fan Jiwei smiled at the herbalist.

The herbalist shivered. It was a sudden, inexplicable chill.

Dan Yaxian handed him the receipt.

"It's the debt I promised to pay yesterday."

"Ah? Ah, yes."

"Is the herbal medicine you promised to get for me ready yet?"

"I was just waiting for when you would come."

The herbalist took out a box from under the table. When he opened it, a pungent smell filled the room.

Fan Jiwei frowned.

"Are you buying this kind of thing for money?"

Dan Yaxian laughed and replied.

"It's a medicinal herb that helps to unblock and circulate the blood."

Dan Yaxian looked at the herbalist.

"How much is it?"

"Take it as change."

"What? It's more expensive than gold of the same weight..."

"Because you are a valued customer of our shop."

Dan Yaxian felt something was off.

No matter how much a regular customer, he was still a merchant.

There must be a reason for him to bear such a loss.

Hesitating, Dan Yaxian took the box, which the herbalist pushed towards him.

"Here, now that it's out of my hands, it's yours."

"Ah? Yes... I'll use it well."

Though suspicious, he couldn't refuse.

After all, it was a necessary medicine for treating the two people.

"Hmm. Then I have some business to attend to."

The herbalist, who had been watching Fan Jiwei, disappeared into the building.

Dan Yaxian tilted his head.

"Why? Isn't it good to buy cheap?"

In response to Fan Jiwei's question, Dan Yaxian looked in the direction the herbalist had gone.

"Thinking about it, this has happened a few times..."

"Isn't he a good person?"

"He is a good person, but... Hmm..."

Dan Yaxian still felt something was amiss.

* * *

The next morning, Dan Yaxian woke up as usual.

"Ah..."

Dan Yaxian sighed involuntarily.

Normally, he would start his day by opening the window of this pavilion and enjoying the scenery of the Demon's Selection.

It was one of the few joys in his monotonous daily life, but recently he couldn't do it.

Because of the greatly changed appearance of the Demon's Selection.

Dan Yaxian stepped out of the pavilion and looked around.

But as expected...

The meadow, once full of flowers, was now dug up in many places.

Moreover, the clotheslines between the trees were filled with rags that were hard to identify.

The result of Chao Ailiang and Fan Jiwei's efforts.

Dan Yaxian missed the previous charming Demon's Selection.

But he couldn't just tell them to stop.

He didn't want to dampen their well-intentioned efforts.

Dan Yaxian headed to the pond to wash his face.

"Huh?"

At that moment, he noticed a fish floating on the surface of the water.

He reached out and picked up the fish.

But a small piece of cloth came out of the dead fish's mouth.

It had mistaken the cloth floating on the water for food. Looking around, he saw more dead fish floating in the pond.

"This can't go on."

Splash.

With a determined look, Dan Yaxian jumped into the pond.

While Chao Ailiang was practicing his qi cultivation.

Tap, tap.

Someone touched his knee.

"Chao, wake up."

It was Fan Jiwei.

Chao Ailiang opened his eyes and glared at Fan Jiwei.

Their gazes met, and Fan Jiwei pointed outside the Mo Pavilion.

"Doctor Dan is acting strange."

"Doctor Dan?"

Fan Jiwei nodded.

"He suddenly jumped into the pond and is doing something. He's been coughing for a while and hasn't come out yet."

"Why suddenly?"

"Would I come to find you if I knew?"

Chao Ailiang stepped out of the Mo Pavilion.

As Fan Jiwei said, Dan Yaxian was circling the pond, retrieving something.

"Cough, cough."

His face was blue, and he was coughing.

Not only that, after coming out of the pond and wringing out his wet clothes, he immediately started cleaning.

Chao Ailiang approached Dan Yaxian.

"We can clean, you know?"

Dan Yaxian forced a smile.

"It's okay. I'll do it. I think it's better this way."

Chao Ailiang grimaced.

How could he not know?

Fan Jiwei and himself were not good at menial tasks. They had been doing it consistently because Dan Yaxian hadn't complained.

Chao Ailiang returned, and Fan Jiwei looked puzzled.

"Why did you just come back? You should have persuaded him."

"Persuade? Even if we keep doing it, we'll just be a nuisance."

"What do you mean?"

"Our cleaning and laundry skills are not to his liking."

"Why? Both Chao and I worked hard, didn't we?"

"That's the problem."

Chao Ailiang sighed.

"Those who are not good at something will not improve no matter how hard they try."

Chao Ailiang's sigh made Fan Jiwei feel dejected.

"Menial tasks are harder than martial arts practice."

After a moment,

Fan Jiwei looked worriedly at Dan Yaxian.

"Are we just going to let him do it? He can't even lie down properly with all that coughing."

"We need to hire an expert."

"Wait. I'll bring one quickly."

Chao Ailiang held back Fan Jiwei, who was about to launch into action.

"Recruit, not kidnap!"

Chao Ailiang continued.

"We need a reason. Something Doctor Dan can understand."

"Then how?"

"We need to bring someone who needs treatment, someone good at cleaning."

After a moment of thought, Fan Jiwei thought of someone.

"How about him?"

"Who?"

"You know, the one who calls himself a divine thief and brags about it."

"Gui Ying Mazi (Ghost Shadow Demon Child)?"

Chao Ailiang nodded.

"Indeed, with his lightness skills, he could finish cleaning in no time. But does he have any ailments?"

"Damn! Such a useless healthy guy!"

Fan Jiwei mentioned another person.

"What about Gomu Nogae? He lost one of his hands, didn't he?"

"Even a god can't regrow a missing hand, can he?"

Fan Jiwei roared.

"Why not! A god should be able to regrow a missing hand!"

"Putting that aside, will he come willingly?"

"......?"

"Will he listen to the person who cut off his wrist?"

"It was... me?"

Chao Ailiang frowned.

"How can you not remember what you did?"

Fan Jiwei shouted in frustration.

"Damn! Then what are we supposed to do!"

"Actually, I have someone in mind..."

"Have someone in mind?"

"It's just... sigh..."

Chao Ailiang, who was deep in thought, sighed again.

"Ah... It's really a tough one..."

Finally, Fan Jiwei's patience reached its limit.

"Who is it! Just say it! I'll bring him right away!"

"Bing Yu Xianzi (Ice Jade Immortal Maiden)."

Fan Jiwei flinched.

"Who?"

"Han Xuehua."

"The woman who makes everyone shiver, regardless of their faction?"

Chao Ailiang nodded.

"Are you serious?"

Fan Jiwei raised his voice.

"Where are you going to bring such a crazy woman?"

"Are you the one to say that?"

"Not the same! I sometimes lose my mind, but she sometimes comes to her senses!"

Fan Jiwei shook his head.

"No! I can't do it! I won't do it! If you really want to bring her, go yourself. I won't stop you."

"I have something to do here."

"What something?"

"I need to make money."

Fan Jiwei swallowed hard.

There was no way out.

* * *

After finishing the cleaning, Dan Yaxian immediately continued with the rest of his tasks.

He started carrying a large basket and wandering around the Demon's Selection to collect herbs that grew in clusters.

Perhaps because he had been in the cold pond for too long, his complexion was pale, and he occasionally coughed.

But he didn't stop.

When he had filled the basket halfway, Dan Yaxian felt someone approaching and turned his head.

Fan Jiwei was approaching.

"You never seem to rest."

Dan Yaxian smiled.

"Moving around keeps me warm."

His appearance was so pitiful. Dan Yaxian felt guilty, thinking he was making them suffer.

"Is this also a medicinal herb?"

Fan Jiwei pointed to the red flower in Dan Yaxian's hand.

Dan Yaxian nodded.

"Yes. It's called Ling Luo Flower. There's nothing better for pain and fever."

"Is it good for the body?"

Fan Jiwei reached out to grab the flower, but Dan Yaxian stopped him.

"Don't eat it!"

"Why?"

"To use it as medicine, it needs to go through a strict process."

"What kind of process?"

"A process to remove the toxins."

"Is it a poisonous herb?"

"Yes. That's why it's also called Yan Luo Flower."

Dan Yaxian asked Fan Jiwei.

"Do you have something to say?"

"Oh, right."

Fan Jiwei nodded and put on a serious expression.

"I'm planning to visit Heilongjiang Province."

"Why there?"

"There's a patient. But can you treat someone who's crazy?"

"It depends on the situation. What are the symptoms?"

"Hmm... His personality is insane, and his actions are even more so."

"It shouldn't be too difficult. I'm quite familiar with it now."

"Heh. Chao is a bit insane, isn't he?"

Dan Yaxian smiled ambiguously. There was no need to point out the obvious in front of the person.

"It will take a while to visit Heilongjiang Province, won't it?"

"Probably about a month. If I can find him, it won't take that long."

"Then give me a few days."

"Why?"

"I'll prepare some medicine for you, Uncle Fan. It will definitely help."

Fan Jiwei nodded readily.

"Alright. Before that, Chao will need a lot of wood."

Without waiting for a response, Fan Jiwei headed towards the entrance of the valley. Dan Yaxian warned him.

"Don't touch that on your way."

Fan Jiwei looked at the pile of stones Dan Yaxian was pointing to, puzzled.

"What is it?"

"It's an array formation I set up here."

"An array formation?"

"Yes. It's currently deactivated, but if you remove the stone at the highest point, the formation will activate. If the formation activates..."

Fan Jiwei smirked.

"Hmph, I can just destroy it, can't I?"

Dan Yaxian smiled bitterly.

"It's not a simple formation that just distracts. And even if it's possible, don't do it."

Fan Jiwei flinched at Dan Yaxian's words.

"It's something my parents left for me. I want to preserve it if possible."

"Understood. I won't touch it."

Fan Jiwei deliberately went around the pile of stones.