Chapter 208: Chapter 130: Why So Aggressive, Immediately Threatening to Dig Up Ancestral Graves...

Hearing this, the Zhao Family Traveler naturally had no objections.

Of course, he hadn’t dared to have any objections before, either.

He was just worried that the old madam was a meddlesome type who felt the need to manage things wherever she went. That would be exhausting.

But this was just for fun?

’In that case, there’s no problem.’

The Zhao Family Traveler immediately grinned and said:

"Alrighty then, Old Madam, just a moment. I’ll find a few more people to go with you."

In response to the Zhao Family Traveler’s words, Lu Yuan’s mother-in-law waved her hands repeatedly.

"No, no, it’s fine. I can just go by myself."

However, the Zhao Family Traveler refused, no matter what she said. Finally, he put on a pitiful expression.

"Old Madam, please, take pity on us underlings."

"You want to go out alone this late at night, and we’re right here to see it. How could we possibly feel at ease letting you go by yourself?"

"If anything at all were to happen to you, wouldn’t the Young Master skin us alive?"

Seeing how pitifully the man spoke, Lu Yuan’s mother-in-law thought it over and said with some resignation:

"Fine. One or two can follow me, but that’s it. Don’t bring too many."

"From what I can tell, the Xingzi around here aren’t anything fierce. There’s no need to make a big fuss with a large group."

Hearing Lu Yuan’s mother-in-law’s words, the man finally nodded with a constant smile.

"You got it, Old Madam! Please wait while I go wake up the others to take over our patrol."

Lu Yuan’s mother-in-law didn’t say anything more.

’Oh, well. If they want to come along, let them.’

’All I’m going to do is chant a little. It’s no big deal.’

Soon, the Traveler from before returned, bringing another man with him.

Then the group—Lu Yuan’s mother-in-law and the two Travelers—left the encampment.

Lu Yuan’s mother-in-law went about her usual routine.

While waiting for the two Travelers, she had found a bamboo basket and filled it with some sand, dirt, and stones.

She chanted, inviting the Xingzi to come and eat.

And she chanted, telling them not to cause trouble in the encampment.

This left the two Travelers following behind with their firearms shouldered, completely dumbfounded.

They were all Travelers, after all.

Although in terms of skill, they certainly weren’t as powerful as a Celestial Master.

But to be chosen for the Firearms Team...

...meant their skills were far from poor.

After all, this was the original Firearms Team. In other words, they were the Zhao Family’s direct-line retainers.

These direct-line retainers not only had to be loyal, but they also had to be competent.

Otherwise, they would never have made it in.

But as for this chanting method, the two Travelers had truly never seen anything like it.

According to their way of thinking, you just had to catch one Xingzi and deal with it directly; the rest would be scared off.

They never expected the Old Madam to use a trick for coaxing a child.

The two men followed behind, exchanging a glance. They both found it interesting, but they didn’t say a word.

Every trade had its own methods, so of course they weren’t all the same. There was no need to be surprised.

Soon, the group had made a wide circle around the encampment.

Su Liyan’s mother finished her chanting.

It was now around ten or eleven o’clock at night.

Just the right time to go back, clean up, and get to bed.

But just as Lu Yuan’s mother-in-law and the two Travelers were about to return to the encampment...

A voice suddenly echoed from the distance:

"Which family do you belong to? Who has no manners, coming here to spout nonsense?"

The voice rang out, causing Lu Yuan’s mother-in-law and the two Travelers to freeze for a moment.

Hm?

In that instant, the three of them understood what was happening.

What Lu Yuan’s mother-in-law did—"raising" Xingzi in Changliu Village—was actually not that unusual in the Divine Ling Empire.

How should one put it?

Everyone understood the deal with things like Xingzi.

You could fight them, but you could never get rid of them completely.

It had to do with the state of the entire Empire.

So, situations like the one in Changliu Village couldn’t be called common, but they weren’t rare either.

In other places, this practice of "raising" Xingzi also existed.

Generally speaking, a person who did this had a nice-sounding title at the county’s Government Office.

Spirit Binder.

Some places had them, some didn’t.

Taiping City, for instance, did not. This was because Taiping City had a Spirit Stone Mine and a Guild like the Zhao Family.

The Zhao Family supported a great number of Travelers.

Furthermore, because they needed to transport Spirit Stones, they had estates set up in the surrounding towns and villages.

For these reasons, Taiping City had no need for Spirit Binders.

Usually, the Zhao Family’s Travelers handled everything.

But this county was clearly not as formidable as Taiping City; it was just an ordinary small county.

Thus, the existence of a Spirit Binder.

As for what Lu Yuan’s mother-in-law had just done, it was a bit against the rules of the trade.

After all, these Xingzi belonged to this Spirit Binder; he was the one "raising" them.

Outsiders couldn’t just come and chant at them or interfere.

The man had a point. If anyone could just come and chant at his Xingzi...

...then how was he supposed to manage them?

"When they stop listening to me and start plaguing the common folk in the surrounding villages, are you going to take responsibility?"

He could just throw a heavy accusation like that at them.

To put it more simply, you can’t just go and feed someone else’s dog.

It’s like if you were taking your dog for a walk after dinner to help with digestion.

And suddenly, some person runs up out of nowhere and starts feeding your dog two sausages.

Would you be happy about that?

Therefore, what Lu Yuan’s mother-in-law did was against the rules of this trade.

But then again...

This person was also in the wrong. Since you’re the one Detaining the Spirits, you should be controlling them properly.

You shouldn’t let these things out at night.

Otherwise, who the hell would know they’re yours?!

If a dog is running around on the street without a leash, how am I supposed to know who it belongs to?

That was how it should be, logically.

However, Lu Yuan’s mother-in-law had a very gentle temperament.

Of course, she wasn’t gentle with Xingzi, but when it came to people, her temperament was a bit too soft.

Or rather, it was because of her earlier years.

Because of her status as a Half-Demon, she was often bullied and given the cold shoulder.

So, when it came to strangers, Lu Yuan’s mother-in-law never dared to say much, nor did she dare to argue with them.

Immediately, Lu Yuan’s mother-in-law turned to apologize.

However, just because Lu Yuan’s mother-in-law was gentle didn’t mean the two Travelers beside her were.

Those two Travelers were an aggressive pair.

What was their status?

Zhao Family. Direct-line retainers.

The very first Firearms Team!

From the very beginning, this group of Travelers had been the most aggressive of all.

Back in the early days in Taiping City, they were the type to gallop wildly through the city on horseback.

And now, ever since Lu Yuan had arrived at the Zhao Family...

...never mind the firearms and cannons they now wielded, just look at the changes in Taiping City, and the fact that their own master was now the County Magistrate.

The Zhao Family Firearms Team had become even more aggressive.

Or rather, the current Zhao Family Firearms Team was simply wild.

Wild beyond measure.

It couldn’t be helped. Their master was just that capable!

Even Vice General Song had to beg for the Zhao Family’s cannons!

And this time, they were here at the invitation of King Yan himself!

Of course, being wild was one thing, but it wasn’t as if the two of them went looking for trouble.

But this Old Madam... she was the Young Master’s mother-in-law.

’If we don’t protect her, can we still call ourselves direct-line retainers?’

’If the Old Madam is wronged right in front of us and we do nothing, we might as well not be direct-line retainers anymore.’

’We could just pack our bags and get lost first thing tomorrow morning.’

The next second, before Lu Yuan’s mother-in-law could apologize, one of the Travelers shouted directly into the pitch-black night:

"What kind of damned mutt are you?!"

"You say we don’t know the rules?"

"You can’t even keep an eye on your own dogs, and you let them come snoop around our camp?"

"And now you’re saying it’s our fault?!"

After that man finished cursing, the other Traveler was even more aggressive. He immediately slung the firearm off his back.

He leveled the firearm at the darkness and yelled:

"Get out here and apologize to our Old Madam."

"Otherwise, I’ll hunt you down and dig up your family’s ancestral graves!"

Lu Yuan’s mother-in-law quickly tried to speak.

But a fierce wind surged around them, followed by the sound of wailing ghosts and howling wolves.

’Trying to pick a fight?’

Hearing the commotion around them, the two Travelers showed no fear at all.

One of them grabbed the whistle on his collar and was about to blow it.

But just as he put it to his lips, the other man slapped it down and cursed in a low voice:

"Are you an idiot?"

"The Young Master and the Young Madam are resting!"

The man snapped back to his senses, having almost forgotten that detail.

Without another moment’s hesitation, he put down the whistle and sprinted back toward the encampment.

The other man, meanwhile, drew the Wooden Sword from his back and charged directly into the darkness.

Beside them, Lu Yuan’s mother-in-law was completely dumbstruck.

This...

’Why are they so aggressive? Threatening to dig up someone’s ancestral graves at the drop of a hat...’