Be a Good Person, Be a Bad Person

Deep within the southwestern mountains of the Da Qian Kingdom lies a small mountain village situated on an ox-shaped mountain range, named Niu Family Village.

Niu Family Village has sixty to seventy households, and most villagers are very poor. The Zhang San Niu family on the high ground north of the village is even poorer, to the point of not having enough to eat. When the villagers mention the situation of the Zhang San Niu family, they all shake their heads and sigh. They want to help, but they don't have the means.

Until one day, after Zhang San Niu's second son, Zhang Ergou, was born, observant villagers began to notice that this originally impoverished family had undergone earth-shattering changes in just a few short years.

First, the land cultivated by the Zhang San Niu family yielded much better than before. Regardless of drought or flood, they were guaranteed a good harvest every year, as if they knew the timing of the heavens each year, never making a mistake.

Later, the food eaten by the Zhang San Niu family was much better than before. Regardless of what ran on the mountains, swam in the water, or flew in the sky, they never lacked meat throughout the four seasons, and the aroma of meat often wafted from their home.

Furthermore, there were various mysteries surrounding Zhang San Niu's son, Zhang Ergou. Regarding village affairs, this Zhang Ergou always seemed to be able to predict them in advance. Whose house would catch fire this year, whose child would drown next year, whose adult would encounter danger while hunting in the back mountain the year after next – almost every prediction came true. After it happened multiple times, hardly anyone in the village doubted what this Zhang Ergou said anymore.

There were even a few villagers who, having tasted some sweetness by listening to Zhang Ergou's words, became even more convinced of him. Every spring planting and summer sowing, they would plant whatever the Zhang family planted.

There were also several hunters who, having saved their lives in times of danger due to Zhang Ergou's reminders, regarded Zhang Ergou as their savior and were endlessly grateful.

There were too many magical things happening to Zhang Ergou, and his reputation in the surrounding ten li and eight xiang gradually grew. Some ignorant villagers even truly believed certain rumors that said: Zhang Ergou was the reincarnation of the Nine Heavens Divine Lord, with boundless magic power, knowing five hundred years into the past and five hundred years into the future, aware of all fortunes and misfortunes, and capable of making all demons vanish... They would then hang portraits of the Nine Heavens Divine Lord in the likeness of Zhang Ergou at their doorways to pray for peace in their homes.

"Hmph~! What kind of demon dares to be presumptuous here? Why don't you quickly reveal your true form so this old woman can purify you with Divine Fire!"

This morning, a hoarse-voiced, extremely ugly old woman with skin like old tree bark, leading a group of terrified villagers holding hoes, surrounded the entrance of Zhang Ergou's house. The old woman held a peach wood sword dripping with dog blood in her hand and was sternly demanding to punish a demon.

"Slay the demon?"

Seeing this scene, Zhou Ming sneered, walked to the door, and said to the Shaman Woman in front of him, "I think the so-called demon is you, isn't it, Locust Tree Demon?"

"What did you say..." The Shaman Woman was stunned, her mind momentarily blank.

Suddenly! Zhou Ming pointed at the Shaman Woman and said sternly, "Last year, a six-year-old child in Yang Family Ridge fell ill and was slandered by you as being possessed by a water ghost, then pushed into a fire and burned to death. After death, his soul was swallowed by you, increasing your lifespan by three years!"

"The year before last, an eight-year-old child in Da Dong Village also fell ill and was similarly slandered by you as being possessed by a water ghost and burned to death. His soul was swallowed by you, increasing your lifespan by two years..."

"The year before that, in Xi Shui Village..."

"In these past ten-plus years, you have been a scourge to this area. There have been over ten children slandered by you as being possessed by water ghosts. Locust Tree Demon, after absorbing so many children's souls, your lifespan has increased by over a hundred years, hasn't it?"

Listening to Zhou Ming's words, the villagers stirred.

"What, the old Shaman Woman is a Locust Tree Demon, specializing in swallowing children's souls?"

"The old Shaman Woman looks older than seventy or eighty. A hundred years of lifespan, could it be?"

"How could it always be possession by a water ghost?"

"Could it be that the Nine Heavens Divine Lord was telling the truth?"

The villagers all took two steps back, looking at the Shaman Woman not far away with fear on their faces.

The Shaman Woman's face turned pale, and she said angrily and shamefully, "Shameless demon, utter nonsense! Why don't you quickly accept death!" After speaking, the Shaman Woman raised the blood sword and rushed towards Zhou Ming.

"Locust Tree Demon, you are the one who should accept death!"

Zhou Ming's expression became serious. He took out a spherical object from his sleeve and threw it at the Shaman Woman's feet. With a loud bang, after two or three seconds, a choking black smoke dissipated, and the blood-covered Shaman Woman was already lying on the ground, groaning.

"Uncles and aunts, this harmful Locust Tree Demon has been struck down by my Palm Thunder. I will now seal the main body of the Locust Tree Demon. You all throw this Locust Tree Demon into the fire to help me eradicate this demon that has been harming this area!"

After speaking, Zhou Ming took out a piece of ebony of unknown material from his sleeve, then took out a small knife and made a cut on it. Amidst gasps of surprise, a dazzling bloodstain appeared on the dark ebony.

"Locust Tree Demon, this old Shaman Woman is indeed a Locust Tree Demon!"

"Utterly devoid of conscience, the souls of over a dozen children were swallowed by this Locust Tree Demon."

"Burn her! Burn her!"

The enraged villagers lifted the wailing Shaman Woman and threw her into the blazing fire.

"Could this Zhang Ergou truly be the reincarnation of the Divine Lord?" Among the crowd, Village Chief Li Shou Zheng, his face pale, somewhat regretted inviting the old Shaman Woman to Niu Family Village.

In the blink of an eye, sixteen years passed. The divine name of the Nine Heavens Divine Lord, Zhang Ergou, became even more renowned. More and more "miracles" occurred around Zhang Ergou, such as his self-taught blacksmithing skills, his exquisite carpentry, never returning empty-handed from hunting in the mountains, and the occasional inventions and creations he came up with, which brought endless benefits to the village.

Even more commendable was that the Nine Heavens Divine Lord possessed a heart like a Bodhisattva. If any family in the village had difficulties or encountered troublesome matters, he would generously offer help and support with all his might. "If you have difficulties, find the Divine Lord" almost became a phrase passed down by word of mouth among the villagers.

And when Wang Xiucai from the east end of the village heard that the Divine Lord, who had reached the age to marry and start a family, wanted to marry his daughter, Wang Xiumei, he agreed without much objection. The Nine Heavens Divine Lord was immensely powerful; if his daughter married him, she should enjoy a life of blessings in the latter half of her life.

At this moment, at Village Chief Li Shou Zheng's house.

Li Shou Zheng's second son, Li Wenhao, was crying, making a fuss, and threatening to hang himself in his bedroom, causing chaos and turmoil throughout the house.

"No, I must take Wang Xiucai's daughter, Wang Xiumei, as my concubine! She is mine, and no one is allowed to snatch her from me!"

Li Wenhao said with bloodshot eyes. Hearing that Zhang Ergou also had his eye on Wang Xiumei, whom he liked, he immediately became furious, his rage unquenchable!

"Oh, my dear heart, that Wang Xiumei is a woman favored by the Nine Heavens Divine Lord. Why are you competing with the Divine Lord? Aren't you afraid of divine retribution? Good son, be good, there are plenty of women in this world, just don't think about that Wang Xiumei, okay?" Li Shi pleaded bitterly. As a devout believer in gods and Buddhas, Li Shi did not want to offend a true god walking among men.

"What Nine Heavens Divine Lord? I think he's just a dog! A mangy dog! How dare he, of all people, snatch my woman, Li Wenhao's woman? I'm going to make him pay!"

Enraged, Li Wenhao immediately gathered a group of lackeys and went to Zhang San Niu's house to cause a scene. If not for the enthusiastic villagers around who stopped them, the entire Zhang Family might have been smashed to pieces by him.

"Heh, Li Wenhao, I didn't expect you to jump out after all. Very good, very good..." A cold smile flashed in Zhou Ming's eyes, and he made a decision in his heart.

Two nights later, a piece of bad news suddenly came from Village Chief Li Shou Zheng's house. The Village Chief's second son, Li Wenhao, suddenly died of a stroke while having intercourse with his wife, Zhou Shi. The Li Family was in chaos. As they were unable to find any suspicious circumstances, they had to bury him hastily.

Upon hearing the news of Li Wenhao's death, Zhou Ming smiled very happily in private. Li Wenhao's heart was already not good, and he was also lustful. As long as he drank a little of the Golden Sword Grass juice he had prepared for him, once he engaged in strenuous activity and his heart rate accelerated, he would not be far from death.

As for how he knew the effects of Golden Sword Grass, after using the Elementary Hunting Card, he knew hundreds of similar poisonous herbs like Golden Sword Grass.

And in this life, his survival philosophy was: No matter who it is, as long as they oppose me, they must die!

Time flew like an arrow, and another thirty years passed. During these years, in addition to his legal wife, Wang Xiumei, Zhou Ming also took several concubines, including Li Er Ya, Sun Qianqian, and Zhang Xiaoya. Although there were often disputes and jealousy in the back courtyard, these women gave birth to twenty or thirty children for him. There were sixteen male offspring alone, and including grandchildren, there were over a hundred people in total, truly a large family.

As the family business grew, Zhou Ming also had his own set of arrangements for his sons. For example, he established over a dozen village-run enterprises in the village, such as a blacksmith shop, carpentry shop, mill, oil press, textile factory, and brick kiln. Each son was responsible for one area, assisting each other when encountering difficulties, ensuring that their descendants would not starve to death.

In terms of agriculture, Zhou Ming, who had accumulated hundreds of mu of land over the years, was preparing to make another big move.

"Father, our Zhang Family's proposed 'Collective Farm Cooperative' plan, except for the wealthy Li Family in the village who opposes it, is supported by all the other villagers. They all want to work with our Zhang Family!" Outside the door, his eldest son, Zhang Sheng, walked in and reported the news.

"Heh!" Zhou Ming sneered, as if he had expected it long ago, and slowly said, "Investing based on the amount of land, centralized use of oxen and tools, and collective effort to dig ditches to improve irrigation... How could the Li Family possibly come up with such good things? It's already good enough if they don't force those dirt-poor people to sell their children, daughters, and themselves! Our Collective Farm Cooperative plan is digging up the roots of their Li Family! It would be strange if they didn't fight us to the death!"

"Father, I've also disliked their Li Family for a long time, but Father, the Li Family also has many male offspring. If we fight, I'm afraid..." The eldest son said with some apprehension.

"Don't be afraid," Zhou Ming smiled and shook his head. "I've been preparing for many years to deal with their Li Family. Sheng'er, go call your second and third brothers over. I'll show you something..."

Several days later.

North of Niu Family Village, at the entrance of the Zhang Family home, two groups of people had gathered, each numbering around a hundred. The group surrounding the outside held gleaming knives, axes, and sharp blades, their faces twisted in cruel smiles.

The group inside the Zhang Family courtyard mostly held hoes and carrying poles, but these too were polished bright.

The two crowded groups cursed at each other, the situation on the verge of exploding.

"Old dogs of the Zhang Family, if you keep messing with this 'Collective Farm Cooperative,' our Li Family will immediately slaughter every last one of you!"

"That's right, slaughter the Zhang Family! Slaughter every last one of them!"

"Charge into the Zhang Family! Rob their money and seize their women!"

Just then, a swarm of black dots suddenly flew out from the Zhang Family courtyard. A pungent smell of sulfur filled the air.

"What is this?" Among the crowd, a Li Family man caught a black ball with his hand and brought it closer to examine it.

Boom!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

"Ah!" "Ahhh!" "My leg!" "My hand is gone!" "...!"

Screams rose and fell, lingering for a long time.