I Only Want to Lie Flat But Am Forced to Cultivate Immortality-Chapter 45 - 35: Not part of the family, do not enter the household

Chapter 45: Chapter 35: Not part of the family, do not enter the household

Killing and arson grant one a golden belt, while building bridges leaves no corpses.

In today’s world, traitors sit proudly in bright halls, loyal ones lie low under eaves. There are frequent laments over the grains, but no songs from the phoenix.

Those who build bridges and roads are often unable to fill their stomachs, while murderers and arsonists flaunt their wealth around town, laden with gold and silver.

Linhe now has a cleaner, rarely seen or noticed, who often stops killing with more killing and treats fire with more fire. Over the long term, though his achievements can’t compare to those building bridges, his actions make the heavy world a bit cleaner, which is considered an immeasurable virtue.

The night fog was thick, Xu Qing finished his tasks and pushed a cart out the door. After walking a few streets, he heard the night watchman’s call:

"It’s three o’clock, all is well—dong!—dong, dong!"

Followed by the slow and fast rhythms of the watchman’s wooden clappers.

The cart creaked as it passed by, the night watchman approached, and upon seeing Xu Qing, he raised his lantern to get a better look. Though he felt familiar, he couldn’t recall exactly who it was, likely someone met...some time ago.

The night watchman saw that Xu Qing glanced at him, then smiled and said, "You look familiar, what are you doing out here in the middle of the night?"

Xu Qing looked at the night watchman’s gong and the clapper cylinder hanging at his waist, thinking if the man were to lift the cloth covering the cart next, he might soon be banging the gong and shouting with his cock’s crowing voice, "Murder! There’s a murderer! Everyone wake up! Protect your homes—"

Tsk, truly troublesome, no wonder thieves hate night watchmen and dogs so much; their voices are just too loud!

Xu Qing stopped the cart, took out a silver note from Heaven and Earth Silver House, meant for burning to the dead, and wrote on it with a charcoal brush.

When he finished writing, he handed the paper to the night watchman, grinning: "To be honest, I just bought a new house yesterday and am moving in. But as you asked, this is my store’s main business, feel free to learn more!"

The night watchman took the paper money intended for the dead and gave it a rough glance, not understanding it.

"I can’t read, tell me, what does your store offer?"

Xu Qing smiled shyly and succinctly explained the various services his funeral shop provided.

"In summary, whether it’s a living person needing a grave or a dead person needing a coffin, you can come to us! Even if you have no money, our store has a charity concern project. If you’re homeless, starved to death, or frozen as a beggar, as long as someone brings you, we’ll arrange a free burial, ensuring rest in peace, and reincarnation with our support!"

The night watchman’s face turned green after hearing this, and upon inquiry, he realized it was a newly opened funeral shop on Underground Street.

No wonder he found the man familiar; a while ago his uncle passed away, and it was this very person who performed the rituals and sent off the corpse!

The night watchman thought, better to shut up; the kind of dirty talk he spewed about his funeral shop—no one would want to go even with grand invitations!

The two night workers parted unhappy, and Xu Qing returned to his new house. The two pits dug in advance could only bury two bodies, so he had no choice but to pick up the shovel and spade again, digging out two new pits to bury all the corpses brought over.

In the dead of night, Xu Qing leaned on the spade, gazing at the fertile land, where more than twenty bodies lay, waiting to reach a hundred for the evil qi to gather and refine, forming Rampaging General and Ghost Soldiers fruits!

Though the Feng Shui of the new house was good, it still had untapped potential.

...

The next day at dawn, Xu Qing finished absorbing the moonlight yin energy and headed towards East Market Street at the crack of dawn.

At that time, the faint light of remaining lanterns illuminated the market, and under the faint morning light, distant rooftops and towers were barely discernible.

Xu Qing stepped into Miscellaneous Street, where early riser vendors already started their business.

Various people were wandering and stopping in the morning market.

Xu Qing wandered from street to street, but found the materials for refining the Silver Armored Wandering Corpse had reached a bottleneck; despite his long search, he couldn’t gather the last few key items.

"Yin Ghost Jade, Old Cat Evil, Ghost-faced soil three feet under the grave..."

These items weren’t common things found on streets; they could only be sought through treacherous trades associated with yin professions.

Xu Qing wanted to inquire with the hunter he had previously interacted with, but the hunter had been missing for days, perhaps enjoying his earned silver and being lazy to return.

Nonetheless, his visit to the morning market wasn’t solely for seeking corpse-refining materials but to find items that could further enhance his haunted house’s potential!

In the morning, Xu Qing pushed a cart filled with various peculiar items.

Things like hawthorn saplings that gathered yin qi, Dang Ling flower seeds that sensed corpse qi, attractors like bull heads, pig heads, and an antique chair missing a leg, peculiar statues of unknown origins, and warped dressing mirrors.

These items, shunned by commonfolk like venomous snakes, were immensely useful to him.

After planting the hawthorn saplings and sowing the Dang Ling flower seeds, Xu Qing spent great effort hanging the beast heads in airy places, waiting for them to air-dry, becoming beautiful decorations.

...

Outside the funeral shop, Xu Qing just returned the borrowed cart from the coffin shop, preparing to open when he noticed a strange customer reluctantly holding a gift of preserved meat, lingering at the door of his shop.

The customer, dressed in a gray long robe, with half-white hair tied in a bun, had a white cloth draped over his shoulders.

This attire... Xu Qing raised an eyebrow, quickly approaching to open the shop.

Whoever they were, customers were customers, and he certainly wasn’t afraid.

"Are you Master Liu’s apprentice?" the half-aged customer holding preserved meat asked suddenly.

"Yup!" Xu Qing took down the door plank, raising his chin proudly.

"..."

Wang Lingyuan sighed softly, showing a nostalgic expression.

"I once studied under Master Liu... Yet, I failed to gain Master Liu’s approval. To think he has now taken you in as an apprentice."

"..." Now it was Xu Qing’s turn to be silent.

What was this development? Liu Youdao’s former follower seeking his current apprentice to reminisce? freewēbnoveℓ.com

Upon entering the shop, Wang Lingyuan glanced around briefly and quickly saw the memorial plaques worshipping Master Liu and Master Yang.

"Master Liu has truly passed..." he murmured, then spoke to Xu Qing: "I once studied under Master Liu; though briefly, he was half my mentor. Might I borrow two incense sticks to pay my respects?"

Xu Qing had no objections and the two paid respects together.

Afterwards, Wang Lingyuan couldn’t resist asking about Liu Youdao’s cause of death.

Xu Qing sighed, his face showing deep sorrow.

He spoke of how he wanted to care for his master, but the Celestial Heart Sect had people appearing and disappearing without a trace, making it impossible for him to seek revenge.

Utterly guilt-ridden towards his master, and compelled by duty to heaven and earth.

Xu Qing’s story was seven parts true, three parts fiction. Wang Lingyuan, fully empathizing, displayed sorrow and shed tears.

Truly, fate mocks people.

"Brother Xu, should you ever need assistance, visit me at the mortuary. Though I’m merely a forensic doctor, I can lend a hand." Wang Lingyuan said warmly.

Seeing his heartfelt sentiment, Xu Qing reciprocated, saying: "As Master Liu’s former novice, and having that mentor-student bond, call me junior brother, no need for formalities."

"Then... junior brother?"

"Yes, senior brother!"

Excitedly, Wang Lingyuan’s mustache trembled. Xu Qing seized the moment, asking: "Senior brother, working at the mortuary and investigating crime scenes is quite a skill. Honestly, I too wish to learn more. I wonder if, during spare time, I can follow you as an apprentice forensic doctor..."

"Sure, payment not needed; I just love learning these skills, no other intentions."

"Junior brother’s enthusiasm explains why Master Liu accepted you. I fall short." Wang Lingyuan said sincerely, readily agreeing to Xu Qing’s request.

Following that, Wang Lingyuan reminisced about forensic work and crime scene investigations, filled with admiration for Liu Youdao.

Still harboring doubts about Xu Qing, he subtly asked professional questions about corpse driving, like raising, storing, and refining corpses.

Xu Qing replied fluently throughout, sharing various fresh perspectives on bodies, thrilling Wang Lingyuan, and earning constant praise.

The veteran regarded Xu Qing highly, noting how he, despite his elder age, couldn’t match his junior brother’s knowledge.

In just an hour or two, two strangers became tightly bonded through their shared cadaver passion.