Journey to the West: The Mountain Shaker

Chapter 91 The Damaged Rat 2

It was already dawn, and the eastern sky was beginning to lighten. The mountains and forests were still dark, but the outlines of the trees were starting to appear faintly, and occasionally a few birdsongs would break the silence.

At this moment, the whole world seemed to be waiting for the dawn, filled with tranquility and anticipation.

The shouts echoed across the entire hilltop at that moment.

However, the reaction below was swift. Before the Ironwood Eagle could even make half a circle, a "whoosh" sound came from below as the cultivators threw out more than a dozen short spears, aiming straight at the Ironwood Eagle and its passengers. At the same time, dozens of arrows were also fired at it.

The two monks standing on either side each used their shields to block the arrows aimed at them.

As for Tie Muying, he advanced instead of retreating!

What kind of person was Baisunshu? Ironwood Eagle was like a living thing under his feet, advancing and retreating in an instant, easily neutralizing the first wave of attacks. However, several ordinary people lost their footing and fell into a pile while advancing and retreating, and the shouts naturally stopped.

"Hold on tight." Bai Sunshu activated the binding array on the Ironwood Eagle, fixing the eight mortals in place, then gestured for the fat cultivator to stand in the middle, "You hold them in place."

The fat monk gave Bai Sunshu a thumbs-up while directing everyone to keep shouting.

As soon as a master makes a move, he will know if there is one.

The fact that the Ironwood Eagle could be controlled to such an extent caused a moment of silence below.

These rogue cultivators were all seasoned veterans, and they knew that a super expert had arrived. None of them dared to fly out their paper kites to fight. Instead, they shot arrows like locusts and occasionally threw a short spear to show their defiance.

However, the ironwood eagle itself is extremely sturdy and difficult to penetrate with ordinary arrows. There are also two cultivators guarding it with shields, making it difficult for arrows to get in. As for the short spears thrown by individual cultivators, although they are fierce, they are all easily dodged by the Hundred-Burning Rat.

The ironwood eagle circled and soared arrogantly about a hundred meters above the mountain, its shouts clearly echoing throughout the entire forest.

In such a small area, the news of someone running away had already spread throughout the entire hill. More than forty people had died in just two days, and the people on the hill were already in a state of panic. Now, seeing the runaways showing off overhead and shouting at such close range, it was inevitable that people would be thrown into chaos.

Someone had already reported this to Xu Ping'an, and of course, Xu Ping'an had already heard it. However, the old mountain lord's reaction was far beyond everyone's expectations.

"We'll take in orphans from Wujialing..." Xu Ping'an muttered, then suddenly opened his eyes and looked at Xu Genshan. "Genshan, what do you think about this?"

"What do you think? If you want to leave, then leave! A bunch of ungrateful wolves!" Xu Genshan said, barely containing his anger.

Everyone in Sushanfang knows that when you're desperate, you can go to Wujialing.

Yes, as long as you come to us, as long as you are not extremely wicked, no matter how difficult it is, Wujialing will accept and keep you.

Through wind, frost, snow, and rain, you have a thatched hut in Wujialing; wolves and tigers, Wujialing will protect you; plagues and diseases, the old mountain master will heal you; the Xu family will eat the hardest and most unpalatable grass-rice buns every day, and will even save the same bite of food for those who come to seek refuge.

Now, Wujialing is in dire straits, and this group of people is going to abandon Wujialing again!

Not only was Xu Genshan furious, but Zeng Fuhu, who had been standing guard, couldn't stand it any longer and coldly said, "If you ask me, give each of them ten lashes before driving them away! We've come here to fight hard to protect the Xu family, to be brave warriors who dare to fight the Xingyue Sect to the death, not cowardly pigs!"

"Thirteen families are not to be trusted," Xu Ping'an said calmly. "Back then, when Wujia Village was destroyed, tens of thousands of orphans were driven into the mountains without leaving a single one alive. Now they're here to take in orphans? Sigh, these people are coming to me because of the name of Wujia Ridge. No matter what, I have to find a way for them to survive."

Zeng Fuhu opened his mouth as if to say something, but ultimately remained silent.

"Genshan, go and ask who wants to leave. While they're here, have them pack up and give each of them some food. Manager Zhang should be here soon, and I'll ask him to send them away. Even though they'll be left to fend for themselves, it's better than them dying here with us."

As the old mountain lord spoke, he took out his Qiankun bag and gestured for Zeng Fuhu to help: "There are the most poisonous insects in the mountains, and we won't be able to control them anymore. Give everyone a few pills, some for detoxification and some for stopping bleeding. Let everyone take a mix."

"Yes." Xu Genshan took the antidote bag from Zeng Fuhu and gave a stiff reply. Although he answered, he stood still, unable to shake off his hatred.

"Genshan, although you are not a cultivator, the Dao is not exclusive to cultivators. The way of my Xu family is only benevolence and righteousness. Just follow your own path and don't look at others." The old mountain master used a bit of magic power, his voice like a morning bell and evening drum, harmonious and peaceful, clear and profound, enlightening his capable son.

Xu Genshan stood there for a moment, then bowed deeply to the old mountain lord and replied again, "Yes."

"If you insist on leaving now, there's nothing I can do, but you must make it clear—say what I said, that the thirteen families are not trustworthy," the old mountain lord instructed.

"Yes." This time, Xu Genshan did not hesitate and strode out.

After giving his instructions, the old mountain lord closed his eyes to rest again. Zeng Fuhu sat cross-legged in a corner of the hut, feeling utterly absurd.

They kindly took them in, only to be betrayed at a crucial moment; even in dire straits, they still had the heart to find a safe way out for these traitors...

Have I encountered a lunatic, or a saint from a folk tale?

Looking at the old mountain master's sparse, graying short hair, his thin face, and his hands with their dull color and prominent veins; then looking at his Taoist robe with several large patches, and the straw sandals woven from grave grass on the collapsed edge.

Is this also a noble late-stage Qi Refining cultivator?

Zeng Fuhu, who had only shed tears once in his life on the day he left home and changed his surname, suddenly felt like crying again.

In any case, following someone like that definitely makes one feel at ease.

He was clearly not the only one with this thought. The cultivator who had been guarding the north window suddenly appeared at the window and asked, "May I ask, Elder Mountain Lord, is it necessary for the Xu family to be in charge of our village?"

"Of course not. The position of our village chief is jointly elected by the elders and the previous sect leader, regardless of surname, only virtue and ability are considered. Of course, at present, our village only has two cultivators, and if there are no unexpected events, the next mountain chief can only be surnamed Cai." The old mountain chief was naturally referring to Cai Fei. He opened his eyes and glanced at the person by the north window, adding, "What we pass on is the Dao, not surnames."

"Thank you for clearing up my doubts, Elder Mountain Master." The man by the north window bowed respectfully, then suddenly disappeared, continuing to hide three zhang away from the hut.

"Old Mountain Master, I heard that our village used to have separate ancestral offerings. Is our mountain still the same today?" A cultivator appeared outside the south window and asked.

The so-called "ancestral worship" refers to the practice of each clan in the village building its own ancestral hall and worshipping their own ancestors.

"Though small, it has all the vital organs," Xu Ping'an replied. "My family's ancestral rites are convenient, but the place is small and there is no ancestral hall, including for my Xu family. Those who come to me are people whose clans were wiped out and have nowhere to go, so our ancestors can only make do with this."

That's it!

"Thank you for clearing up my doubts, Elder Mountain Master." The man by the south window also bowed in greeting, then suddenly disappeared, continuing to lurk outside the hut.

Zeng Fuhu didn't say anything, but stood up and walked to the corner, where he sat down next to Sun Juxian.

All his close relatives had passed away, and he was left alone. This was both his misfortune and his fortune. Without his family, he had no weakness. In the past few months, he resolutely sought out enemies to challenge them, fearless of anything.

But at this moment, he suddenly felt that it would be better to have a home.

"If the old mountain lord is still alive after this matter is settled, would Brother Sun join our family's ridge?" Zeng Fuhu suddenly asked.

"Uh... I've been thinking about it these past few days, but Cai Fei's birthday is on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month..." Sun Juxian honestly confessed his concerns.

"Hmph..." Zeng Fuhu laughed, "What's wrong with the fifth day of the fifth lunar month? It's one thing for others to have reservations, but your family, which has been destroyed for over a hundred years, is also worried about this?"

Sun Juxian was stunned for a moment. He, who had been silent all along, suddenly looked up and burst into laughter. He laughed until tears streamed down his face, and finally covered his eyes with his hands.