Setting Out

In the blink of an eye, three days passed. The Public Mortuary had been in an uproar the whole time, with barely a moment's peace.

It all started after Qiusheng successfully taught Wencai the Yu Steps. Taoist Four Eyes had taken a liking to Qiusheng's knack for teaching apprentices.

He'd immediately latched onto Uncle Nine and refused to let up, insisting that Uncle Nine hand over his prized senior disciple, Qiusheng.

As if that could happen. Uncle Nine naturally refused, even when Taoist Four Eyes offered him all his savings.

The two senior and junior brothers had argued every day over the matter, which, fortunately, left Qiusheng and Wencai plenty of time to slack off and catch their breath.

Of course, they hadn't spent these two days doing nothing.

With the major events to come weighing on his mind, Qiusheng had devoted a great deal of time to training his martial arts over the past three days.

He'd even dragged Wencai into diligently learning Maoshan's martial arts.

Naturally, Qiusheng claimed he was teaching Wencai, but in truth, he was looking for a sparring partner who wouldn't cost him a thing.

Besides training, Qiusheng and Wencai had also eaten plenty of black dog meat and rooster meat over the past two days.

Qiusheng had secretly bought them. But he hadn't bought them just to eat.

After bringing the black dog and rooster home, Qiusheng had slaughtered them and drained their blood.

Black dog blood and rooster blood were both excellent for warding off evil.

Using these two ingredients, Qiusheng had helped Wencai make quite a few useful treasures for dealing with evil spirits.

Among them was the Ink Marker, which had left a deep impression on Qiusheng back then. To make sure he wouldn't run short, he'd prepared three of them.

They were now covered with red cloth and placed before the Maoshan Sect's ancestral statue, where they were receiving offerings of incense.

"Qiusheng, Wencai, are you both ready?"

On the morning of the third day, Uncle Nine looked at the two disciples before him and asked.

"Master, we're ready. We can set out whenever you say."

Qiusheng and Wencai each had a large bundle on their backs. They were bulging with enough things to make it clear they held quite a lot.

"Good. Then let's go."

Uncle Nine called to them and set off with Qiusheng and Wencai.

They hadn't gone far when the three of them met up with Master Ren and the others, who had been waiting by the roadside for some time.

Once they'd joined the main group, Qiusheng and Wencai naturally handed their belongings to Master Ren's servants to carry.

Everyone lowered their heads and made their way toward their destination in silence.

After all, they were going to exhume and relocate a coffin. There was no way they could make the occasion look cheerful.

Ren Tingting, who was riding in a bamboo sedan chair alongside Master Ren, glanced at Qiusheng as he joined the group. A glimmer of joy and shyness passed through her eyes, and she raised a hand to signal that she wanted to get down.

As soon as she was off the sedan chair, Ren Tingting hurried over to Uncle Nine and the others.

Wencai, seeing Ren Tingting's beauty for the first time, did not disappoint: he wore an utterly lovestruck expression.

Qiusheng secretly kicked him, and only then did Wencai wipe the drool from the corner of his mouth.

"Uncle Nine, I'll be counting on you today. Sorry for the trouble."

When Ren Tingting reached them, she addressed Uncle Nine first.

"Miss Tingting, don't worry. We've taken your money, so we'll take care of your troubles. My disciples and I will do our utmost today."

"Exactly, exactly, Miss Tingting. You can relax."

As soon as Uncle Nine finished speaking, Wencai crowded up to Tingting with a shameless grin.

"Ah!"

To his surprise, Wencai's appearance startled Ren Tingting. She immediately darted behind Qiusheng and clutched his sleeve.

"Brother Sheng, who is he? Why does he look so frightening?"

Seeing his goddess make that move, Wencai was stunned.

"Tingting, don't be afraid. That's my junior brother. He may not be much to look at, but he's a good person."

Though he hadn't asked his junior brother's permission, Qiusheng felt he ought to give Wencai a good-person stamp of approval.

Wencai watched Ren Tingting cling to his senior brother like a little bird, while his senior brother used Wencai's own hand to gently pat his goddess's. His heart shattered into pieces!

"Wencai, get over here."

Uncle Nine turned and took in the awkward scene. He immediately called out and dragged Wencai away.

"Brother Sheng, your junior brother is... well, quite uniquely handsome."

Watching Wencai's retreating figure, Tingting quietly released Qiusheng's arm and muttered under her breath.

"Haha, my junior brother may look older than he is, but he really is a good person. You'll see once you get to know him."

"By the way, Tingting, have you passed on your makeup skills these past few days?"

Qiusheng casually said a couple of good things about Wencai, then asked softly.

The moment Qiusheng brought up something she loved, Tingting's face lit up, and she launched into a long explanation.

Qiusheng listened quietly as Tingting told him all sorts of amusing stories about teaching other people to put on makeup.

Sometimes, being a good listener was the most effective way to win a girl over.

But just as Qiusheng and Ren Tingting were deep in conversation, an unwelcome guest suddenly barged in.

"Cousin, why did you get out of the sedan chair? This mountain path is rough. You'll wear yourself out."

As the ingratiating voice rang out, Ren Wei, dressed in a brown suit, pushed past Qiusheng and wedged himself between him and Ren Tingting.

"Oh, kid, I know you. Aren't you that shop assistant from the Rouge Shop? Why are you standing so close to my cousin? I'm warning you, if you've got any improper ideas about her, I can have you thrown in jail in a heartbeat."

Ren Wei had barely appeared before he glared at Qiusheng and launched into a furious tirade.

"Captain Ren, don't be so hostile. Trying to throw me in jail without any evidence might make people think you're the one up to no good."

"Isn't that right, Tingting?"

Faced with Ren Wei's aggression, Qiusheng remained utterly calm.

To be precise, the Ren Wei standing before him wasn't really a wicked or evil person.

He just had a few minor flaws. Qiusheng believed they'd all disappear once the zombie incident in Ren Family Town broke out.

So, when Ren Wei provoked him, Qiusheng stayed calm and avoided him whenever he could, waiting for the day Ren Wei would be scared out of his wits.

"Cousin, stop threatening to arrest people over every little thing. Brother Sheng is a good person."

Ren Tingting stepped between Qiusheng and Ren Wei as she spoke.

Seeing his cousin stand up for the kid, Ren Wei was furious, but there was nothing more he could say. All he could do was say, "Cousin, we're almost at Grandpa's grave. Your aunt's husband wants you to come over."

Hearing that, Ren Tingting had no choice but to follow him away.