Misfortune in the Midst of Great Joy

New Year's Eve.

Ning Caize's misfortune in the midst of great joy was still taking effect.

The number of corpses they needed to bury today had already begun to decrease. The weather was also fairly pleasant—clear and bright, though neither too hot nor too humid.

Perhaps because of this, the corpse buriers, who had labored for several days, finally relaxed a little. On top of that, Zhang Lin's matter had truly stirred Ning Caize's spirits, so as he wrapped things up, he became somewhat careless.

Following the usual rules, it was time for the final corpse.

It looked as though it had been dredged up from some muddy pool. Its entire body was wrapped in sludge, so the corpse transporters had placed it alone on a cart and brought it over last.

After being exposed to the sun for an entire day, the layer of mud had long since dried solid. Even the body, which had originally been swollen, had shriveled from the loss of moisture.

Overall, it looked like a beggar's chicken dug up and left to dry.

Ning Caize lifted the corpse by this side of its head and shoulders. In a somewhat carefree mood, he failed to notice that the mud shell encasing the body had already cracked as he lowered it into the pit.

Crack~

The tiny sound immediately caught Du En's attention.

However, he was several yards away. When he abruptly raised his head and twisted around, all he saw was the mud shell around the corpse's abdomen. As the corpse was being lifted, the two sides bore the force while the middle hung soft and empty, causing it to crack and cave in slightly.

Pfft~

A stream of muddy water suddenly shot out from its mouth.

Because Ning Caize had been careless, he failed to notice it in time. Even though he tried desperately to dodge, he still couldn't evade it completely, and it struck him in the side.

It was as if he had been touched by a chunk of ice that would never melt. A cold, numb sensation rapidly spread, passing through his clothes and seeping into his flesh and skin. It spread incredibly quickly.

Even though he had summoned his magical power to resist it, he had only cultivated for a little over a year. His meager power could only be considered Beginner's Practice. How could it possibly withstand this?

Like an earthen chicken or clay dog, it was utterly helpless.

Ning Caize's entire body stiffened where he stood. From the outside, it looked as though he had merely been splashed with a little muddy water, making it difficult to tell that the situation was critical. Thus, his work partner still hadn't reacted.

It was only when Du En suddenly appeared in his field of vision that he jolted violently in shock.

Rip~

Using the iron shovel in his hand, Du En precisely cut into the gap between Ning Caize's clothes and skin. With a pull outward, he tore the clothes open and tossed them into the pit.

"Keep burying."

"Ah, oh, oh."

The corpse burier who heard the instruction was still dazed, but mechanically began shoveling dirt over the body.

Du En had already pressed his hand against the spot where Ning Caize had been struck, where a bluish-purple color was rapidly spreading. Using his Minor Accomplishment-level magical power, he expelled the strange Watery Yin Cold Evil.

A moment later, he had basically expelled it.

However, some of it had already seeped deep into his internal organs and meridians, nearly reaching his Sea of Qi. It was extremely stubborn and could not be carefully removed in such a short time with Du En's foreign magical power.

When Du En looked at Ning Caize again, he had already passed out.

After thinking for a moment, Du En spoke to the others, who had finished their work and were now gathering around with worried faces. "Go dig up some medicinal materials nearby. I need ginseng that grew in a place receiving full sunlight and is at least seventy years old, eucommia bark that's at least fifty years old, and at least thirty-year-old aconite roots."

At these words, the three immediately scattered, each searching for one kind of herb in a frantic rush.

After all, nightfall was approaching!

The last man finished burying the final corpse and grew extremely anxious. "Boss, I—I'll go look too."

"You don't need to. Carry Old Ning back, wash the foul stench off him, then brew a pot of your Household's Spirit-Expelling Soup and make him drink it. Let him hold on for now."

"Okay, okay, I understand."

As he spoke, he tossed down his iron shovel, hoisted Ning Caize onto his back, and took off running.

As the sun began sinking westward, the mountain forest rapidly darkened.

The Strange Owls hooted chaotically. In the shadows, the Grey Jackals drooled as they watched Ning Caize being carried away. They began creeping forward, waiting for an opportunity to strike and make him their dinner.

But at that very moment, a sudden chill seized their hearts, and they stopped in unison.

A handful of yellow sand flew into their faces, and a great owl crashed to the ground.

Du En expressionlessly gathered the shovels and other tools, then leisurely walked over. Under his sweeping gaze, the beasts whimpered and shrieked before fleeing in all directions.

"We found them! We found them!"

"Haha, this ginseng is at least a hundred years old. It's practically become a spirit medicine!"

"An axe? Did anyone bring an axe? The bark of that old eucommia tree is incredibly tough. I couldn't even gnaw off a piece."

The Southern Border's mountain forests were still rich in resources. Du En alone could never use them all, so before long, the three had all made discoveries and found suitable targets.

Du En carried a pile of shovels and other tools, with a great owl in one hand, and headed toward the eucommia tree. He met up with the other two along the way.

They handed over the medicinal materials while taking the shovels from him.

They arrived before the old eucommia tree.

"Dig it out."

At his instruction, a shovel fell with a clang.

The old eucommia tree was indeed tough. The three took turns hacking at it several times before finally chopping off a piece of bark.

"Let's go back."

The four gathered everything and left the Corpse Burial Wasteland before the sky grew completely dark.

Their hurried figures made the people living around the small courtyard watch with curiosity and concern.

Today, these people had finally been liberated. They no longer needed to work through the night and could finish at a normal hour. At this moment, they were sitting or lying outside their own doors, enjoying this brief leisure after days of overtime. Most had already been drowsy with sleep.

"Tsk, tsk! Something happened again!"

"Working in that line, it was only a matter of time."

"Was that old fellow?"

"That unlucky bastard again?"

"But come to think of it, hasn't anyone died for three months now?"

"Indeed. It's gotten to the point where everyone barely bats an eye anymore."

"Putting everything else aside, Du En really is beyond reproach as the group's leader."

"Give me a break. That guy's a menial worker, yet in his daily life he..."

The people muttered among themselves, but soon quieted down.

Compared with worrying about the corpse buriers, they would rather enjoy their hard-won free time.

However, before long, the rising medicinal and foul odors forced them all to get up.

"What terrible luck!"

"That kid's here again!"

"He eats Rotten Owl all day, yet his stomach hasn't rotted out!"

"Heh heh, maybe this time it's for that old fellow. What do you call it—fighting poison with poison?"

"Perhaps he's getting one last good meal before he dies?"

"You sure know how to put things!"

Du En vaguely heard the neighbors' gossip but paid it no mind. He simply increased the heat beneath the pot, making the water inside bubble and seethe.

Both pots were boiling. The large pot stewed the great owl, while the small pot cooked coarse rice.

The others stood to one side, tense and wearing strange expressions, silently watching Du En work both pots at once.

Is Boss really going to pull this off?

Could he actually be making some kind of spirit cuisine or Medicinal Cuisine?

Should we secretly slip out and spend spirit stones on some pills?

Do you know which pills would be suitable?

The four exchanged glances filled with doubt.

In the end, with their shallow knowledge, all they could do was remain silent and continue watching Du En work.

After a while, a spicy, fragrant aroma first rose from the pot of porridge.

Meanwhile, the stench from the large pot rapidly diminished, no longer pumping out wave after wave.

Normally, this was when Wei Ming and the others would leave.

But they couldn't leave now, and so they witnessed what happened next.

The aroma on one side grew richer and richer, while the smell on the other gradually weakened.

Until Du En suddenly moved with lightning speed and lifted the small pot by its handle with one hand.

Then, just as the smell from the stewed owl was completely sealed in, he skillfully used his magical power to extinguish the fire and adjust the ingredients.

More talent for stewing an owl, and another success!

But he wasn't finished. He opened the pot directly and ladled out a large spoonful of soup. The small pot returned to the fire, and with a slight tremor of magical power, its lid flipped into the air. In that instant, he splashed the spoonful of soup inside.

He replaced the lid, turned the fire up high, and silently recited three times.

Done!

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