Making Friends Requires Three Parts Chivalry

"Wei Yuanzhong! Do you know who I am?"

The voice suddenly exploded in the quiet house, startling Wei Yuanzhong so much that his legs almost gave out and he collapsed.

Lin Jue was also pulled out of his thoughts.

"I... I don't know..."

Wei Yuanzhong was both scared and suspicious, not understanding what was happening.

"Clang!"

Another wooden lump was thrown out, hitting the wooden floor with a dull thud and rolling a few times.

"Still don't know?"

The voice became sharper.

"I don't know... I don't know... I don't know how our Wei family offended you. Please, sir, just give us a quick end!" Wei Yuanzhong was about to kneel and kowtow.

"Snap..."

A branch was thrown out from the wooden wall again.

This branch was thin and matched the scars on Wei Yuanzhong's body. It was likely what the monster had used to whip them.

"Now what!?"

The voice grew even sharper, and amidst the sharpness, a hint of sorrow could be heard.

Wei Yuanzhong remained confused.

"Are you perhaps the tree stump in the courtyard?" Lin Jue couldn't watch anymore and helped to guess.

"Ah?"

Wei Yuanzhong immediately looked up, his face full of shock.

He never imagined that a tree in his own yard, which had grown with him since childhood, had become a spirit.

"Hmph..."

A cold snort came from inside the wall.

It was an implicit acknowledgment.

In his terror, Wei Yuanzhong suddenly fell to his knees with a plop, shouting "Peach Tree Lord" and saying things like he shouldn't have cut it down.

Lin Jue watched from the side, tucking the cleaver in his hand behind his back without a word.

"If it were just an ordinary family cutting down a tree, no one would say anything. But I have been growing in your family's courtyard for nearly a hundred years. Although your great-grandfather planted me, watered me, and cared for me as I grew, I have also been intentionally repaying you for the past century."

The voice from the wall held more bitterness.

"Before I became a spirit and gained consciousness, I was muddled, and that doesn't count. But once I gained awareness, I worked doubly hard to send my roots deep to find nutrients.

"I discovered your father loved to eat peaches, so I made sure to bear more and larger ones, thinning the fruit myself and enduring the pain. I didn't grow lower branches or leaves, and I secretly drove away birds.

"When you and your elder brother were children, you were more playful than your father and liked to climb trees to pick peaches. It was dangerous, but the peaches at the very top were the sweetest. So, I deliberately bore the most fruit at the top, choosing good positions. When they ripened, I would bend the branches down to make it easier for you to pick them.

"Fearing that you would be troubled by sweeping fallen leaves, I always made the leaves fall in concentrated areas or chose a time with a strong autumn wind to let the wind blow them away.

"Twenty years ago, your family's fortunes declined. During the most difficult times, when you had to rely on selling peaches for a living, I spared no effort and made every branch bear fruit, helping your family through the hardship.

"The previous generations of your family treated me with great respect. I still remember when you brothers used to swing under the tree as children. Your father even told you that I had been with your family for three generations and that you should take good care of me when you grew up. I never expected to encounter a bunch of ungrateful wretches like you!"

Wei Yuanzhong couldn't stop trembling.

The voice from the wall continued:

"It's one thing that you didn't take good care of your father when he was gravely ill, but you also argued all day. After he died, you were in such a hurry to divide the family property. For a mere few hundred coins, you cut me down! How could I accept this!?"

Lin Jue couldn't help but frown upon hearing this, but he still remained silent.

If what this entity said was true, then this family indeed owed the peach tree, and the peach tree had given a lot. However, the Wei family didn't know it had become a spirit, nor did they know of its thoughtful efforts. They probably just thought the peach tree was naturally like that, and everything was a coincidence. That's why they cut it down after dividing the family property...

If one were to say this was right, it was certainly not right. Even if it were an ordinary peach tree, after a hundred years, passed down through generations, to just cut it down would earn them scolding from the neighbors.

If one were to say this was wrong, it didn't seem like a grave sin.

However, the peach tree had dedicated itself for a hundred years, rarely achieving sentience, only to be inexplicably cut down by the very people it watched grow up. Its resentment was understandable.

With such a complex matter, why should he make a judgment?

Therefore, Lin Jue remained silent, letting them argue.

He only had one question in his mind: how did this peach tree persuade the City God, and thus "win its case" in the City God's court?

The answer soon came:

"You unfilial descendants, instead of caring for your father, only cared about dividing the family property. Even Lord City God specifically permitted me to whip you for a hundred days. Not a day less is allowed. It's useless for you to invite anyone!"

So that was it.

Lin Jue understood.

Indeed, in this era, filial piety and righteousness were paramount, and even most emperors could not escape their constraints.

Unfilial conduct was a crime.

Lin Jue knew this, but his understanding was only superficial, limited to knowledge rather than deep comprehension. He hadn't truly grown up in such an environment to the point of being like a fish in water.

Hearing this, he suddenly felt enlightened.

This was also a facet of the current world.

As for whether the City God was just or whether the moral concepts referenced aligned with his own preferences, these were ultimately uninteresting thoughts.

He only knew that if this story were to spread, it would likely be enough to admonish the world to be filial, harmonious, and self-reliant amidst the ensuing turmoil.

After contemplating this, he saw that the two parties in front of him were still acting out their scene: one pleading and begging for mercy, the other insisting on curses. Lin Jue couldn't help but feel a sense of pity for the Peach Tree Demon.

Although it wasn't a benevolent or virtuous being, it wasn't an utterly wicked monster either. It vented its anger and avenged its grievances, repaying kindness with gratitude. In truth, it was likely better than most people in this world. To attain sentience within a human dwelling was probably not an easy or common feat, otherwise, such rumors would have been flying everywhere. Yet now, it had been chopped down like this. He wondered if its cultivation could still continue.

With a sigh of regret, he voiced his thoughts:

"It is not easy for you to attain sentience within the city. It is truly a pity that you have been chopped down by descendants by chance. Is there any way to salvage this?"

As soon as he spoke, the voice within the wall fell silent.

It seemed he had struck a sore spot.

Upon hearing this, Wei Yuanzhong seemed to grasp a lifeline and quickly asked, "Yes, Peach Tree Lord, is there any way to remedy this?"

"I will fight you until you are bruised and battered, even if I die!"

Though he said this, it also indicated that there was indeed a way to remedy the situation.

At the same time, its tone softened.

"It was our fault! It was our wrongdoing! We know we were wrong. Tomorrow, we will go to Father's grave and kowtow to admit our mistake, but please, do not destroy the cultivation you have painstakingly achieved!

"Please give us a chance to atone..."

"..."

Wei Yuanzhong pleaded earnestly.

The Tree Demon within the wall finally sighed:

"You have chopped my tree stump, and my cultivation is almost gone. I can no longer grow in this courtyard. To remedy this is not an easy task."

"Please instruct us, Peach Tree Lord! We will do our best!"

"Two hundred li from here, in Luosu County, there is a Green Emperor Temple. The Green Emperor governs all plants and spring. If you can obtain a talisman from the temple and dissolve it in water, perhaps I can sprout anew. However, after what has happened, I can no longer stay in this city. Even if I obtain it, I must be moved to the mountains outside."

"Two hundred li! We will go and seek it now!"

"You must be sincere and earnest for it to reach the Green Emperor. You will need to spend some money to move the temple keeper."

"We'll go now! We'll go now!"

Wei Yuanzhong said this, feeling that before the matter was resolved, he had no face and dared not linger here any longer. He then said, "I will leave tonight and tell my family, striving to set out by carriage for Luosu before dawn tomorrow to obtain what the Peach Tree Lord requires."

After speaking, he couldn't help but turn to look at Lin Jue.

Lin Jue pondered for a moment and said, "It is the middle of the night. Please allow me to finish this sleep, Lord Wei."

"Alright!" Wei Yuanzhong was taken aback for a moment, then agreed, "Please rest well here, young master."

"Clang."

The room door quickly opened and closed, and footsteps could be heard descending the stairs.

Before the sound of the door opening and closing could be heard from downstairs, Lin Jue looked back at the adjacent wall. Faintly, he could still see extremely blurry light and shadow, the Vital Energy from the Tree Demon flowing. But before he could say anything, he heard the Tree Demon's voice first:

"Thank you for today."

This one truly understood reason.

Lin Jue had heard before that monsters becoming spirits in people's residences and courtyards was related to the owner's virtue. He wondered if there was any truth to it.

"Why have you been staying within the wooden wall?"

"My cultivation is still shallow, and I haven't reached the point of changing forms at will. My true form has been chopped, leaving only my spirit and Vital Energy. Fortunately, I am a spirit born from plants and trees, possessing innate abilities. I am skilled at hiding and moving within other plants and trees. Being within the wooden wall and door makes me more comfortable."

"Is this a type of magic?"

"I don't know if this counts as magic. I've heard that there are such techniques among cultivators in the human world, called the Five Elements Evasion Technique. This is an innate divine ability of mine, requiring no post-natal cultivation. The two may not be identical, but the underlying principles must be the same." The Tree Demon communicated with him as usual.

At this moment, Wei Yuanzhong downstairs exited the courtyard gate, followed by the sound of the gate being hastily closed.

"To be frank, I have always been fascinated by Immortals, Monsters, and cultivation techniques. I've always wanted to see more. Could you indulge me and let me have a look?"

"Why not?"

In an instant, a section of the wooden wall bulged out, vaguely resembling a withered human form.

With a twist and a change, the already withered human form transformed into a tree shape, the transition in between being extremely fluid.

Simultaneously, it moved from the right wall to the left wall. When it transformed into a human form, it was as if a person was walking within the wall. When it transformed into a tree form, it was as if a snake was swimming within the wall.

During this process, Lin Jue could see the flow of Vital Energy, but it was very blurry, and he didn't have much of a reaction.

"My true form has been chopped, so I won't manifest completely. It's just a minor skill anyway," said the Tree Demon. "You can't see much from this, but I can also pull plants and even people into the wooden wall. If you're brave enough, you can try it."

"What is there to fear?"

"You must understand that pulling things like wooden knots and branches into the wooden wall and then throwing them out is because they are also plants. Pulling a person into the wooden wall is a method we use to deal with people. You must know that people cannot breathe within wood; they can only be suffocated."

"The long night is truly difficult to endure. If I could experience such a strange event, this night wouldn't be in vain."

Lin Jue found the situation wondrous, harboring a few possibilities in his heart.

Could a person's body truly hide inside wood?

What would that feel like?

If he could learn this technique, when encountering strong bandits or ferocious beasts in the wild in the future, wouldn't he be able to find a large tree and hide inside when the other party wasn't looking, thus gaining safety?

"You're truly not afraid? You know that suffocating to death is extremely painful, and besides suffocating, if we let go after pulling you in, you'll get stuck in the wood."

"You are not an evil demon, so what is there to fear?"

Lin Jue said this, his tone showing no doubt.

"..."

The Tree Demon within the wall fell silent for a moment, finally agreeing. A branch, indistinguishable from an ordinary peach tree branch, slowly extended from the wooden wall: "Grab the branch, relax your mind, have no distracting thoughts, don't force it. I will only pull one of your hands in so you can feel it."

"Okay!"

Both parties were indeed completely at ease.

Lin Jue immediately walked over, grabbed the peach branch, and slowly moved closer to the wall with its pull.

At this point, both parties were so close. It seemed as if the Tree Demon was pulling him into the wall, but in reality, he was holding onto it. Lin Jue suddenly thought, it's not just that he trusted the peach tree, but wasn't the peach tree also trusting him?

This truly echoed the saying--

"To make friends, one must possess a bit of chivalry; to be a person, one must maintain a pure heart."