The Righteous Path Demon Subjugation Record Part 1

[May your marriage be smooth and your life long and peaceful.]

Li Zhuiyuan remembered the physiognomy he had shown Xue Liangliang.

Everything has multiple facets; if you change your perspective often enough, you can always find a good side.

For example, this marriage was indeed quite smooth.

Love at first sight, a lifetime commitment in a day.

Even if they only saw each other once every three years, when paired with a long and peaceful life, it could be considered a form of compensation, right?

"Little Yuan, come with me to see Zhao Hequan. See if he's doing any better."

"Brother Liangliang, can you get out of bed now?"

"Yes, I can."

Xue Liangliang got out of bed, and then his legs started to tremble.

Li Zhuiyuan quickly supported him, preventing him from falling.

Xue Liangliang looked a bit embarrassed.

"Brother Liangliang, you've just recovered from a serious illness, so it's normal for your body to be a bit weak."

"Right, right, right."

"Walk slowly, lean on me."

"Okay, Little Yuan."

The two left the ward, went downstairs, and arrived in front of Zhao Hequan's room.

Zhao Hequan's parents had already rushed over from another city. They were listening to the doctor's explanation of his condition. Both were dressed quite formally and presentably, suggesting they came from a well-off family.

When they heard the doctor say that Zhao Hequan's condition had suddenly improved and he was completely out of danger, they burst into tears of joy.

When they continued to hear the doctor say that Zhao Hequan had suffered from multiple ulcerated and festering wounds, and some parts had to be removed, including the removal of his "two eggs" down there, They cried even louder!

[May your marriage be bumpy and your life be solitary.]

Li Zhuiyuan murmured to himself. It seemed he had predicted correctly again.

However, he had originally thought it would manifest after Zhao Hequan and his girlfriend went to America. He hadn't expected it to happen so soon.

Avoiding the two weeping elders, Xue Liangliang pushed open the ward door and walked in with Li Zhuiyuan.

At this time, Zhao Hequan had already woken up and was sitting propped up against the hospital bed.

He looked very haggard and dejected.

Li Zhuiyuan remembered when he had just returned to the village and was playing with Pan Zi and Lei Zi, he saw a dog lying listlessly on the threshing ground.

He had asked his older brothers if the dog was sick.

Pan Zi replied, "He was just neutered yesterday and hasn't recovered yet."

However, even though they were both wearing hospital gowns, upon seeing Xue Liangliang, Zhao Hequan's eyes immediately flashed with fighting spirit. He instinctively believed that Xue Liangliang had come specifically to mock him!

Li Zhuiyuan knew that wasn't the case. Brother Liangliang had come to confirm if the Bai Family Empress and the others had returned home and disembarked.

If you thought about it carefully, this should have been part of the negotiation terms, a kind of "hidden dowry" for Brother Liangliang.

Therefore, Xue Liangliang should be Zhao Hequan's savior.

Zhao Hequan: "Heh, don't celebrate too early. American medicine is advanced. Once I get to America, my condition will be cured!"

Xue Liangliang nodded and comforted him, "Relax, it's okay if it can't be cured. If they continue to deconstruct collective concepts, your status in America should only increase in the future."

Hearing this, Zhao Hequan's entire face turned red with anger, and his body began to tremble, as if he had been stepped on in a place that no longer existed, or perhaps he was experiencing phantom limb pain.

"Hmph, I will definitely live a happier and better life than you in the future.

I will live well and wait to see you fail.

Also, let me tell you, Lili has already called me. She said no matter what happened to me, she wouldn't dislike me. When we go to America, she will marry me. At that time, I'll send you photos of our wedding ceremony at the church."

"Congratulations," Xue Liangliang sighed. "I'm already married."

"What are you talking about?" Zhao Hequan was stunned for a moment, then shouted, "Are you lying just to provoke me, even abandoning logic?"

Just then, the ward door was pushed open again. It was Luo Tingrui.

When a student from the school had an accident during an internship class, the school was naturally responsible. Not only did they have to cover the medical expenses, but they also had to fulfill their compensation obligations. Fortunately, the person was out of danger.

"Zhao Hequan."

"Director Luo," Zhao Hequan immediately smiled at Engineer Luo.

"Take good care of yourself and strive to return to school to continue your studies as soon as possible."

"Yes, Director Luo."

"Liangliang, you just woke up, why are you running out? Be good and go back to your room to rest. How can I be at ease seeing you like this?"

"I'm fine now, Director Luo."

"Why are you still calling me Director? Call me Uncle from now on."

"Okay, Uncle Luo."

It's impossible for someone in a coma to lie. Luo Tingrui already admired Xue Liangliang greatly, and after this incident, he liked the young man even more.

He had already made up his mind to apply to the school to participate in the Southwest aid construction project. That way, he could keep Xue Liangliang by his side and give the kid a better starting point from the beginning.

"Alright then, I'll go out first. You should get back to your room and rest early." After Luo Tingrui finished speaking, he went out to comfort Zhao Hequan's parents.

Zhao Hequan was so angry at this moment that he clenched his teeth. What tone did Director Luo use with him, and what tone did he use with Xue Liangliang? He even asked Xue Liangliang to call him Uncle?

He understood. No wonder Xue Liangliang said his marriage was settled. He was going to marry into Director Luo's family!

As a student of Haihe University, Zhao Hequan knew very well that although Luo Tingrui was only a department head at the school, he was an absolute authority in his field in China. Moreover, the government was now encouraging professionals from schools to enter public service. If Luo Tingrui were willing to leave the school, his status outside would be greatly elevated immediately.

"Hmph, Xue Liangliang, I never knew. No wonder you acted so convincingly every day. So it was all to climb up the social ladder!"

"I was under a lot of psychological pressure, and I had no choice but to do this."

"You..."

Li Zhuiyuan noticed that white smoke was actually rising from Zhao Hequan's head.

Just then, Zhao Hequan's mother came in, wiping her tears. "Hequan, the Shanghai experts the school has contacted for you are arriving soon. Mom and Dad are going to the entrance to welcome them. Don't worry, your illness will be fine."

"Mm..." Zhao Hequan nodded with a grim expression.

After his mother left, Zhao Hequan sneered, "See, this is how it is in China. To do anything, you need connections and favors. It's not like in America, where none of this exists."

Xue Liangliang asked curiously, "How can you think that a country with a recommendation system has no favors and connections?"

"You... get out, get out of here, out!"

"Take good care of yourself and get some rest."

Xue Liangliang was supported by Li Zhuiyuan. After they left the ward and closed the door, Xue Liangliang said, "Let's not go back to the ward yet. I'll buy you snacks and toys at the hospital entrance."

"No need."

"Yes, you do. Although I don't know exactly what happened, I know that your coming here means you've helped me a lot. Besides, this is something I promised you. Come on, let your brother buy his little brother some food and toys. Isn't that only natural? Unless, you don't want to acknowledge me as your brother?"

"Okay, brother."

The two slowly went down the stairs. At the corner on the first floor, Zhao Hequan's parents were standing and talking. Because Xue Liangliang was going down slowly, they overheard a rather long conversation.

"Can our son's... that thing... really be cured?"

"Even if it's cured, that thing will still be gone. We need to hurry and try for another one, so our family line doesn't end."

"I think I can still have children, but if we have a second child, what about your and my jobs..."

"We can just submit an application to explain. After all, our eldest is already disabled."

"Yeah, that's true."

Xue Liangliang and Li Zhuiyuan left the inpatient building without stopping or saying goodbye, and went straight to the shop outside the hospital.

"Go pick whatever you want to eat, and grab some toys too. Don't be shy with your brother."

Li Zhuiyuan grabbed some snacks and stationery to appease him.

"You're only taking this much?"

"It's enough for me."

"Alright." Xue Liangliang paid, then stuffed all the remaining money in his hand into Li Zhuiyuan's pocket and patted it. "This is your allowance from your brother."

"Thank you, brother."

When they returned to the ward to see Xue Liangliang, they saw Uncle Qin waiting on a bench in the corridor. After saying goodbye to Xue Liangliang, Li Zhuiyuan left the hospital with Uncle Qin.

"You sleep. I'll carry you."

"Okay, Uncle."

Li Zhuiyuan was carried by Uncle Qin. He was indeed tired and sleepy and soon fell asleep on his back.

After an unknown amount of time, he felt his body gently swaying, and he could still hear the sound of car horns.

Li Zhuiyuan's first thought was, could Uncle Qin have used that paper car trick again?

He opened his eyes excitedly, then felt disappointed.

The car was full of people. It was a bus from the city to Shigang Town.

This wasn't a trick Uncle Qin used; it was a purchased bus ticket.

Li Zhuiyuan really wanted to ask Uncle Qin more about the paper car from last night, but he held back. The closer they got to home, the less certain things were that could be discussed.

However, he remembered that Uncle Qin had said last night that "she" had carried him over.

So, the paper car was just a form of entering a dream or hypnosis. In reality, it was a Bai Family Empress who carried him and Uncle Qin from Siyuan Village into the city?

Looking at it that way, it didn't seem particularly special. Wasn't this just a repeat of what Runsheng Ge did?

"Don't you want to sleep a little longer?"

"No need, Uncle. It's strange, I feel full after sleeping for such a short while this time."

"The road construction caused a traffic jam. It's already four in the afternoon."

"Oh, no wonder."

The bus stopped, and Li Zhuiyuan and Uncle Qin got off. The two walked along the village road.

"Xiao Yuan, Uncle has something to ask you."

"Uncle, go ahead."

"What do you think of your big friend's choice?"

"He doesn't know what's happening outside, so it's normal for him to make that choice. You can understand that, right?"

"That's not what I'm asking. Uncle wants to ask you, if it were you, would you be willing to marry into the family?"

Li Zhuiyuan stopped walking. He first glanced in the direction of Great Grandfather's house not far away, then turned to look at Uncle Qin standing beside him.

He didn't answer Uncle Qin's question but instead asked, "Uncle, are you leaving?"

Qin Li seemed surprised by the boy's question, a look of astonishment flashing across his face: "Why do you say that?"

"I just have a feeling."

Qin Li smiled, no longer pressing for an answer to his previous question. He also stopped talking and walked home quietly with the boy beside him.

Qin Li withdrew her feet from the threshold and stood up, carrying the small chess box to Li Zhuiyuan.

Li Zhuiyuan looked at Liu Yumei, who was sitting on the patio drinking tea. Uncle Qin was standing behind her, talking with his head bowed.

Only after Liu Yumei nodded did Uncle Qin follow Aunt Liu back to the west room.

"Xiao Yuan, your Great Grandfather and Run Sheng have gone out," Liu Yumei said.

"Grandma Liu, do they have work?"

"Not exactly. They just got paid for two batches of paper offerings today. Your Great Grandfather has money in his pocket, so he's having Run Sheng take him to Shigang Town to buy a TV."

Li Zhuiyuan could only sigh inwardly. Great Grandfather really didn't save money; he spent whatever he had in his pocket.

However, he didn't have much expectation for a TV.

He had finished reading both Yin Yang Physiognomy Explained and Destiny Deduction Theory. Although he hadn't fully grasped them yet, or rather, he didn't dare to delve too deeply into them right now, at least those two books could be set aside for now.

Next, he would have to go to the basement to find more books.

Even though his Great Grandfather's earnest advice still echoed in his ears, and he knew the importance of building a solid foundation, he just... couldn't help himself anymore.

He didn't want to be a mere bystander the next time a similar situation occurred.

This idea of seeking quick success was definitely wrong and needed to be criticized, but who was he if not still a child?

Hmm, he couldn't always be too mature or too rational. He was also managing his condition this way.

Li Zhuiyuan first went to the drawer to assemble a flashlight, then entered the basement. This time, however, he brought Qin Li with him.

"A Li, come, help me choose a chest."

This time, Li Zhuiyuan was no longer fixated on clearing out the first chest completely.

A Li walked to the chest in the middle.

"This one?"

Li Zhuiyuan motioned for A Li to hold the flashlight while he forcefully opened the chest lid.

"A Li, shine the light for me."

Li Zhuiyuan began searching for books inside. The books in this chest were all thick, multi-volume sets, much like Records of Strange Tales from the Jianghu he had read the first time. They all started with at least 20 volumes and were very neatly organized.

But they were generally basic or conceptual, and most of them were about health and wellness.

Li Zhuiyuan even found a book titled Tai Xuan Dual Cultivation Scripture.

He pulled out a volume and flipped through a few pages. There were illustrations and text, depicting various poses and movements.

Before A Li could lean over as usual to read the book together, Li Zhuiyuan quickly closed it.

He frowned. These were not the books he was looking for. Although he admitted these books would be very useful in the future, they were useless to him right now.

Li Zhuiyuan leaned into the chest, intending to pull out the two sets of books pressed at the very bottom. After a lot of effort and sweating profusely, he finally managed to retrieve them.

If these two were also health and wellness books, then this chest could gather dust forever.

His gaze fell upon the book covers, and Li Zhuiyuan's spirits immediately lifted.

The Righteous Path Demon Subjugation Record Part 1!

Although the title sounded a bit like the popular Hong Kong and Taiwan martial arts novels currently trending on the mainland, it was much better than the health and wellness scriptures he had flipped through earlier, and it gave him a strong sense of anticipation.

However, why was it only "Part 1"?

Li Zhuiyuan looked at the other set he had taken out. The cover read: The Righteous Path Demon Subjugation Record Part 2.

So, these two sets, over a hundred volumes in total, are actually just one book? But why divide it into upper and lower parts?

The books in the boxes are basically all handwritten copies, not published works. The thought was to release the second part if the first part sold well.

Li Zhuiyuan took out the first volume from both the upper and lower sets.

He quickly flipped through the pages, scanning the content and format. It was detailed with both text and illustrations, showing various types of dead floats in different environments, and also items used to deal with them.

But why did it feel so familiar?

With this feeling, Li Zhuiyuan took out the first volume of the "lower" set and flipped it open, scanning the pages quickly. It was still detailed with text and illustrations, but each illustration had bubbles, indicating it was underwater. The use of props decreased, and there was more close-quarters combat with the dead floats.

So, the upper volume discussed the methods for dealing with dead floats in onshore environments using various props; the lower volume discussed methods for dealing with dead floats in underwater environments.

However, these two shouldn't be completely contradictory. It's not like methods used on land are entirely unusable underwater.

The author likely divided them this way for convenience in recording, not to be rigidly applied.

But this comfortable font and the familiar illustration style... Li Zhuiyuan immediately pulled out the last volume of the lower set and turned to the last page.

As expected, the last line read:

"—Written by Wei Zhengdao."

Looking at the name, Li Zhuiyuan felt a sense of closeness.

Records of Strange Tales from the Jianghu was considered his introductory reading material, but he truly hadn't expected Wei Zhengdao to have written subsequent works.

If the former was the conceptual definition, then these two volumes were the formulas.

Li Zhuiyuan really liked this rigorous and orderly feeling.

He surveyed the dozen or so boxes around him. Were there more books by Wei Zhengdao among them?

A thought arose in Li Zhuiyuan's mind: if this person truly started writing from introductory popular science and progressed layer by layer... then the ending of each chapter in Records of Strange Tales from the Jianghu where the dead float was "exterminated by Zhengdao," might not just be the author amusing himself.

But rather, it was actually... exterminated by Wei Zhengdao.

Before, Li Zhuiyuan only thought this author was very interesting, and he also thought this idea was absurd. After all, how could one person go to so many places in a lifetime, encounter so many dead floats, and exterminate so many?

But last night, after witnessing Uncle Qin's style firsthand, he realized it wasn't entirely impossible.

Just like Great Grandfather never believed he attended classes at university, people can easily fall into empirical errors in areas they are unfamiliar with.

"If I finish all the books you've written, does that make you my teacher?"

In the future, if he were to write a diary, how should he sign off?

"A certain dead float, Exterminated by a successor of the righteous path?"

Liu Yumei was eating snacks and sipping tea when she saw Li Zhuiyuan walking upstairs with a stack of books, followed by her granddaughter, who was also carrying a stack of books.

The two children carried the books to the second floor and put them in the bedroom, then ran back downstairs and carried another stack of books from the basement upstairs, making many trips back and forth.

Liu Yumei felt a bit helpless but also amused. Sigh, this was her precious granddaughter, whom she had doted on and raised since she was little.

However, it was also good this way. As long as she didn't continue to sit behind the doorstep indoors and space out, Liu Yumei wouldn't stop the boy even if he took her to the fields to farm with a hoe.

After moving the books, Li Zhuiyuan first took out a towel, wet it, and scrubbed it. He first wiped A Li's face and hands, then folded the towel and wiped his own sweat.

Afterward, Li Zhuiyuan took out three cans of Jianlibao, opening one for A Li and collecting one.

Next, the boy and girl sat together on the terrace, drinking their beverages while enjoying the evening breeze.

The girl's hair was occasionally blown by the wind, brushing against her face and tickling her.

The boy occasionally turned his head to look at the girl's profile. She was sitting on the west side, perfectly framed by the warm, orange sunset.

"We're back!"

Runsheng pushed the cart, with Great Grandfather sitting in it, holding a yellow cardboard box in his arms.

"Little Yuanhou, Great Grandfather bought you a TV!"

"Coming, Great Grandfather."

Li Zhuiyuan ran downstairs to meet him, showing a very happy and excited demeanor.

He unboxed it, plugged it in, erected the two antennas on top, and rotated the channels, picking up CCTV, Nantong local channels, and county channels.

The county channel was broadcasting a new Qiong Yao drama. At that time, small local TV stations would broadcast whatever footage they could get, without caring about copyright issues. Anyway, the viewers were all locals, and the radiation range wasn't large.

"How is it, Little Yuanhou? Pretty clear, right?" Li Sanjiang patted the TV set, showing off to Li Zhuiyuan.

"Mhm, it's clear."

"Great Grandfather here bought the latest model. Alright, Runsheng Hou, carry the TV to Little Yuanhou's room."

"No need, Great Grandfather. Let's put it on the first floor so everyone can watch."

"How can that be? It was bought for you, why wouldn't we put it in your room?"

"If we do that, I'll get addicted to watching TV and it will affect my studies."

"Oh, alright then, let's put it on the first floor."

"Alright!"

Run Sheng happily carried the TV inside. He slept on a makeshift bed on the first floor every night, which meant he could watch TV all night long.

Aunt Liu said at this moment, "It's time for dinner."

The four small dining tables had already been set up. Run Sheng clutched a large stick of incense in his hand, with a bundle of small incense sticks beside him, looking like large and small scallions.

Ever since that day when Little Yuanhou reminded him and opened a new world, he could no longer do without this way of eating. He just had to light the incense before eating it, then start gnawing from the other end.

Li Sanjiang took a sip of wine and called out to Uncle Qin, who was sitting and eating with Liu Yumei and Liu Ting:

"Li Hou, the Zhao family in Shijia Village is holding a funeral the day after tomorrow. I ran into them on my way back, and they ordered sixteen tables of food. You need to deliver the tables, chairs, and bowls and chopsticks to them tomorrow afternoon.

Oh, and Ting Hou, you count the inventory at home to see if there's enough for a batch. If not, hurry up and replenish it, and let Li Hou deliver it to the Zhao family the day after tomorrow."

Aunt Liu nodded, "I'll replenish the paper offerings, there's still time. But what about A Li..."

"What about Li Hou?"

Qin Li got up from the table and walked over to Li Sanjiang, saying, "Uncle Sanjiang, my uncle in my hometown is sick, and he's not doing well. He has no children, so I need to go back to my hometown to take care of him."

"Then when will Li Hou be back?"

"I don't know yet. At least, until I see the elder off."

"That means you'll be gone for quite a while." Li Sanjiang scratched the back of his head with the end of his chopsticks. "Are you going back alone? What about Ting Hou?"

"Uncle Sanjiang, I'm going back alone. A Ting, my mother, and A Li will stay here."

"Alright, then you go ahead."

"Uncle Sanjiang, you don't need to wait for me to come back. We have a lot of work at home, and we need a strong laborer. You should hire someone else."

"It's okay, it's okay, no need to hire anyone." Li Sanjiang pointed at Run Sheng, who was sitting in the corner, gnawing on incense and eating with rice all over his face. "We have Run Sheng!"

"Yeah, I'm here, it's fine!" Run Sheng not only didn't refuse but also nodded vigorously.

"Don't worry, old man, I won't let you work for free. I'll pay you."

"Uncle, you're being too formal. I'm living here, eating meat, chewing incense, and now watching TV. It's only right that I work for you."

"Don't talk nonsense! Do you think I'm short of that little bit of money? If your grandpa knew you were working for free here, wouldn't he be furious?

Besides, if you earn some money here and save it, you can buy your grandpa some rice, flour, oil, and other things when you go back. Don't let that old man starve to death."

"My grandpa has money. He made quite a lot at the Niu family last time. He can eat and drink for a long time by himself since I'm not there."

"Heh." Li Sanjiang snorted disdainfully. "That old man never had any luck with gambling, but he still likes to play cards. Who knows how long that money will last in his pocket."

Then, Li Sanjiang looked at Qin Li again, "A Li, when are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow morning. I'm going to the station."

"So soon? Are your things ready?"

"A Ting has helped me pack. It's not much, just a few clothes to take back."

Li Sanjiang reached into his pocket, took out some money, and handed it to Qin Li:

"Here, most of the money was spent on the TV. This is the remaining money. You might need to pay for your uncle's medical expenses when you get back to your hometown, so take this with you. Oh, and don't forget to buy some Nantong specialties to bring back, like Xiting crispy cakes and Baipu dried tofu."

"Uncle Sanjiang, I can't take your money. Please take it back."

Li Sanjiang's expression turned serious, "You brat, take it when I tell you to!"

"I really can't. I can't take your money anymore. You see, my whole family is eating and drinking here, and you're already paying me.

"That little bit of money you get is a bargain for me. Just take it. If you don't, I'll get angry."

Liu Yumei spoke at this moment, "Take it. Remember your Uncle Sanjiang's kindness."

Qin Li then accepted the money and bowed solemnly to Li Sanjiang.

Li Zhuiyuan quietly lowered his head and ate his meal. He didn't believe Uncle Qin's story about going back to take care of his uncle. He had been to the east room to pay respects at the memorial tablet. This clearly looked like the entire family, no, the entire clan was gone.

Uncle Qin's departure could only be because of last night's events.

Li Zhuiyuan could sense that by living with Great Grandfather, they had been trying their best to avoid certain taboos. Uncle Qin's departure was probably for safety reasons.

Alas, the cost of propping up a soy sauce bottle was truly immense.

He secretly looked at Liu Yumei and found that she was also looking at him. They made eye contact briefly.

Liu Yumei's eyes were meaningful, and her lips curved into a smile.

Li Zhuiyuan knew this was a silent warning.

He could no longer come back to ask the Qin family for help when he encountered difficult situations like before. Every time he asked for help from one person, that person had to leave. He really didn't have many feathers left on this duster to pluck.

After dinner, Run Sheng eagerly turned on the TV and started changing channels.

Li Sanjiang didn't go upstairs to lie down and listen to stories. He also sat here, smoking.

Soon, a passionate melody came from the TV. It was the county station, broadcasting "Ultraman Leo."

Run Sheng sat back down, grabbed a few sticks of incense, lit them with a match, and gnawed on them while watching intently, as if he were eating spicy strips.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't rush back to his room to read Wei Zhengdao's new book. Instead, he brought a small stool and sat with A Li to watch TV.

Li Sanjiang asked Run Sheng curiously, "What's that guy in the red leather suit?"

"Grandpa, that's Ultraman Leo."

"And the round thing flying around?"

"That's a disc creature, a monster, a bad guy."

"Oh, I see."

Run Sheng had watched TV quite a bit before, sometimes at the village, sometimes at employers' houses, and even in shops, though it was always in bits and pieces.

However, in this era, it was difficult for most children who had access to television to watch these kinds of shows systematically from start to finish. They would inevitably be interrupted by something, or the TV station would change the program before the series was finished.

Although VCRs were available now, firstly, the machines were expensive, and secondly, video tapes were inconvenient to circulate. This also led to the rise of video rental halls in various places, where people would pay a fee to watch together in a room, and at fixed times in the evening, the owners would play adult-oriented films.

After one episode finished, an advertisement for a cream to treat psoriasis began to play.

Run Sheng continued to watch the advertisement intently, hoping that the next episode would resume after the ad finished. Although, most likely it wouldn't. As he continued to be exposed to television, even without a program guide in hand, he could clearly remember in his mind what programs would be broadcast on which channels at what times.

He could even recite the lines from those advertisements.

After waiting for a long time, Run Sheng turned to look at Li Zhuiyuan and asked, "Little Yuan, have you seen this before?"

Li Zhuiyuan nodded.

"How many episodes are there?"

"Forty or fifty episodes."

"Wow, that's great."

When he was in the family compound before, Li Zhuiyuan had been dragged by some older boys to watch videotapes at their homes. They had collected many complete series, but the version they had called it "Superman Neo."

At this time, translated works were still mainly from Hong Kong and Taiwan, which is why there were differences in translation habits.

Liu Yumei walked over at this moment and said, "A Li needs to rest."

She said this to Li Zhuiyuan.

"A Li, go back to your room with Grandma to rest. See you tomorrow morning."

A Li obediently got up and went back to the room with Liu Yumei.

Li Zhuiyuan left his small stool. As he walked up the stairs, he looked back. Through the paper effigies in the first-floor room, he saw his brother Run Sheng and Great Grandfather still sitting in front of the TV, engrossed in watching the advertisement.

He was also reminded of Uncle Qin, who had taken him for a ride on his motorcycle last night.

The intense collision of tradition and modernity, the friction and tearing of backwardness and advancement, it was truly hard to imagine that so many things could be stacked so incongruously in the same era.

However, people living in this era, including himself, were mostly unaware of it, even if the storm was raging right beside them.

Perhaps only after many years, when everything had settled down, and they looked back, would they be astonished to realize what a bizarre and colorful period they had lived through.

"Little Yuan." Uncle Qin broke Li Zhuiyuan's train of thought. He was standing at the top of the stairs on the second floor, as if he had been waiting for him.

Li Zhuiyuan ran up.

"Assume the horse-riding stance."

"Okay."

Li Zhuiyuan knew this was probably the last lesson.

Following Uncle Qin's past teachings, Li Zhuiyuan assumed the horse-riding stance and began to breathe, quickly entering the proper state.

Uncle Qin's hands moved continuously over Li Zhuiyuan's muscles and joints, carefully adjusting every point of force.

After a period of time, Uncle Qin said, "Alright."

Li Zhuiyuan stood up. He didn't feel tired; instead, he felt light. After reading for a long time, he had gradually started to replace his morning exercises with the horse-riding stance.

"Practice well, don't stop."

"I will remember, Uncle Qin."

"Good." Uncle Qin went downstairs.

Li Zhuiyuan felt a little melancholic. Uncle Qin had so many skills, and he seemed to have only learned the horse-riding stance.

But fortunately, in Wei Zhengdao's "The Righteous Path Demon Subjugation Record Part 2," there was a method for fighting with the "dead float," which he could practice.

Returning to his bedroom, he turned on the desk lamp. Li Zhuiyuan didn't rush to read the second volume. After all, he was still a child. Before practicing close-quarters combat, he should first learn how to use implements.

He opened the first volume of the first part and began from the first chapter.

Next, Li Zhuiyuan cast aside all distracting thoughts and began to seriously study—the correct cultivation of a virgin boy and a black dog.

In the early morning, Li Zhuiyuan woke up and turned his head to look at A Li, who was sitting in a chair. She wasn't wearing a skirt today but a form-fitting outfit in white and green.

If she were given a sword, she could play a young female warrior in a wuxia drama.

A smile appeared on Li Zhuiyuan's lips. It seemed Grandma Liu had a new preference, and A Li had changed her style accordingly.

"Good morning."

Li Zhuiyuan greeted the girl and his gaze unconsciously fell on her belt, which gleamed with silver light and was adorned with intricate carvings.

Could it be...

Li Zhuiyuan reached out and touched it. The girl didn't dodge or show any annoyance, just stood there calmly.

Sensing the texture transmitted to his fingertips, Li Zhuiyuan couldn't help but be surprised. The girl's belt was actually a soft sword!

He couldn't help but sigh at Grandma Liu's pursuit of perfection and her obsessive-compulsive tendencies.

Perhaps A Li's own obsessive-compulsive traits were partly inherited from Liu Yumei.

Seeing Li Zhuiyuan's interest in her belt, A Li reached down and made a gesture as if to untie it and give it to him.

"No, no, no, you don't need to take it off," Li Zhuiyuan quickly took her hand to stop her and then praised, "It's really beautiful."

A Li's eyelashes fluttered slightly, but this time it wasn't a sign of anger, but of happiness.

Li Zhuiyuan was pleasantly surprised to find that this was the first time A Li had used such an obvious gesture to express her emotions other than going berserk.

She was really changing.

During breakfast, Uncle Qin, with his backpack slung over his shoulder, said goodbye to everyone and walked down from the courtyard.

Everyone was quite stable emotionally, except for Li Sanjiang.

He was probably the one most reluctant to see Qin Li leave. It wasn't entirely because Qin Li was a worker who did a lot of work for little pay. When people spend a long time together, they naturally develop feelings for each other.

After the meal, Li Zhuiyuan walked up to Aunt Liu, took out a list and some money, "Aunt Liu, you're going to the town market to buy groceries today, aren't you? Could you help me buy these things?"

"Sure, it's no trouble." Aunt Liu took the list, glanced at it, her eyes widened in shock, and then she looked at him with her usual confusion. "Xiao Yuan, what are you buying these things for?"

"The school assigned a summer extracurricular practice assignment, and these are the materials I need to complete it."

It was a very clumsy excuse, but it didn't matter, because only one reason was needed.

"Alright, Auntie will buy them all for you then."

"Thank you, Auntie."

He felt at ease letting Aunt Liu buy them for him and didn't need to give many instructions because she was likely much more professional than he was.

In the morning, Li Zhuiyuan continued reading. The book was actually quite simple; the difficulty lay in the experimental operations. One could say that without considering the practical aspects, the first volume of this set was more like a handicraft textbook.

At the same time, Li Zhuiyuan also noticed that many of the things described in the book were also present at Great Grandfather's place.

Great Grandfather always brought many things when he salvaged bodies or performed rituals, but upon closer comparison, he found that Great Grandfather's items only resembled them in appearance or shared similar names; they were fundamentally different things.

Li Zhuiyuan couldn't help but wonder if Great Grandfather had been salvaging bodies with a set of fake items all this time?

However, the things in this book were really difficult to obtain. For some of the artifacts, he had to draw design blueprints according to the book's descriptions and then ask carpenters and blacksmiths to craft them.

There were carpenters in the village, but where could he find a blacksmith now?

He couldn't find the "clanging" blacksmith workshops described in the book now. Or, could he find a factory and ask a master to machine them on a lathe?

In the afternoon, Runsheng was going to deliver tables, chairs, and bowls to Old Zhao's house. He didn't know the way, but Li Zhuiyuan knew where Old Zhao lived, so he accompanied him.

Old Zhao's house was located just east of Shijia Bridge, not far from where Li Zhuiyuan had waited for the bus last night.

Runsheng pushed the large cart by himself onto Old Zhao's courtyard and helped the Zhao family unload the goods.

The mourning hall had already been set up. Li Zhuiyuan saw the deceased lying motionless on the bed in the center of the main house. It was a very young man, perhaps only seventeen or eighteen years old, not much older than Pan Zi and the others.

Two old women were whispering nearby:

"Such a good young man, how could he be gone just like that."

"They say he fell into a field on his way back from watching a play in town at night, and that was it."

"That's really something. What did Zheng Datong say, sudden heart attack?"

"What a shame, tsk tsk. Old Zhao's family runs a small business and is quite well-off, but they only have this one son."

Just then, someone began to apply makeup to the body, and the white cloth covering the deceased was lifted. Li Zhuiyuan saw the deceased's true face, with sunken eye sockets, relaxed eyebrows, a smooth philtrum, and thin, sharp lower lip...

In physiognomy, this is considered [shallow fortune pool, incomplete foundation pond].

This is considered a very bad omen in physiognomy, meaning that one's inherent fortune is already thin, and there are gaps through which it continuously flows away.

If one cherishes their fortune and lives a modest life with a pure heart, they can barely manage a stable life. However, if they indulge excessively, such as in eating, drinking, and playing, and enjoy themselves too much and too quickly, they can easily drain themselves dry.

Combined with what the two old women said, Old Zhao's family was well-off. This kind of life, which exceeded the conditions of the ordinary people around them, was actually not suitable for someone with this kind of facial feature.

After delivering the goods, Li Zhuiyuan and Runsheng walked home together.

On the road ahead, they encountered Pan Zi and Lei Zi walking side by side. Their hair was slicked back, either with water or gel, with a distinct parting in the middle, shining brightly in the sun.

"Ha, Yuan Zi, we were just looking for you at Great Grandfather's place, didn't expect to run into you here."

"Pan Zi Ge, Lei Zi Ge."

Pan Zi immediately took Li Zhuiyuan's hand, "Come on, Yuan Zi, your brothers will take you to the town's video hall to watch a movie. They're showing Brother Fa's 'A Better Tomorrow' this afternoon."

Lei Zi beside him made gun gestures with his hands, bobbing them continuously and making "bang, bang, bang!" sounds.

"Okay, I want to go too!" Runsheng shouted.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't want to go. He wanted to go back and continue reading, so he said, "I'll go back and get some money to treat you guys to the movie, but I won't be going. I still have homework to do."

All the money in my pocket this morning went to Aunt Liu. The rest was in the bedroom drawer.

"Go on, get out of here! You can't always be paying for us. We older brothers have our pride, you know. We really didn't have any pocket money back then, we weren't just trying to take advantage of you, our little brother."

"Exactly! We have money now. We just spent a whole day hauling bricks at the kiln in West Village yesterday."

As they spoke, Pan Zi and Lei Zi each took the loose change from their pockets. They counted it together, took a headcount, and even included Run Sheng.

After tallying it up, Pan Zi grinned, "Perfect, four bills! Enough to buy four bottles of soda!"

Run Sheng was overjoyed. "I'll take the cart back first."

Seeing how excited they were, and knowing they had specifically earned the money by hauling bricks to treat their little brother, Li Zhuiyuan felt too embarrassed to refuse any longer and agreed to go along.

However, on the way back to return the cart, Li Zhuiyuan stopped by his bedroom to put some money in his pocket. After letting A Li know, he headed to town with them.

Finally, the four arrived in front of a video arcade. The storefront was small, with just a simple sign hanging above:

"Sister Mei's Video Hall."