The Changed Times, an Old Acquaintance's Resentment
In Guling Town, the examinees, the innkeeper, and others left one after another, leaving only bystanders to remain in the examination hall.
After a long while, everyone looked at each other in bewilderment before finally realizing that the Spring Examination had been held in a different location this time.
So the crowd either dispersed or went into the examination hall, where they gathered with those who were watching up close and whispered among themselves.
Among them, the families whose children had passed the first two rounds formed a circle, discussing the matter amongst themselves.
Fang Shu's second maternal uncle, Yu Le, was among them.
However, Second Uncle Yu Le merely listened to the others' discussions, while he simply smiled and nodded in response from time to time, not wanting Fang Shu to show any weakness.
Suddenly, a figure moved closer to him. Before the person even arrived, a fragrant breeze wafted over.
Second Uncle Yu Le looked up and raised his eyebrows slightly.
The newcomer was a beautiful middle-aged woman, but her heavy makeup was now smudged, and she looked Qi and Blood, though she was still trying to appear energetic.
She was Fang Shu's former second maternal aunt.
The beautiful woman leaned closer to her second uncle, Yu Le, as if she wanted to huddle together for warmth, or perhaps she wanted to subtly inquire about Fang Shu.
"Yu the Second, the examinee you served was quite impressive. I never knew you had such connections, to be valued by such an Immortal cultivator being," the mature woman said casually.
Faced with the woman's pleasantries, Second Uncle Yu Le simply smiled. Looking at the Qi and Blood -looking woman before him, he sighed, "You should go home and rest. Look at how weak and feeble you are."
As it turned out, it would have been fine if my second uncle Yu Le, hadn't cared. But the moment he did, the mature woman reacted as if her tail had been stepped on. Her willow-leaf eyebrows immediately shot up, and she began to scold:
"What's there to rest for? Let me tell you, you were just as lazy back then, which is why you were kicked out of the dojo, and that's why I left."
If I weren't diligent and discerning, how could I have made it this far and be able to witness such a grand event of the Immortal Sect? I would have been lying in some paper house with you, burning to death, or selling my blood to death long ago."
Upon hearing this, Second Uncle Yu Le frowned.
His face showed a mixture of amusement and exasperation, and he finally retorted:
"What a joke! I, Yu, am standing right here, perfectly fine!"
As he spoke, Second Uncle Yu Le's eyes continued to scan the mature woman's body, but he shook his head and remained silent.
The mature woman was particularly sensitive to the pity in his eyes. She nuzzled him and, like a wildcat with its fur standing on end, immediately came forward to scratch Er Yu Le, a stark contrast to her previous docile and pitiful "little girl" demeanor.
"Fine, you Yu the Second! Everyone else in the arena can laugh at me, but you're the only one who can't."
The mature woman's shouting and cursing attracted the attention of others, but she remained oblivious, continuing to vent her frustrations.
"You old cucumber, besides your two ounces of flesh, what else do you have to offer?"
Now that you've finally managed to get on the good side of the dojo's disciples, I don't see you serving them tea and water or being so attentive. You used to be so...
"Hey! I'm just saying, don't scratch me!"
Those around them, hearing the shouting and arguing between the two middle-aged men and women, all had strange expressions, thinking it was just playful banter, but it was still a bit jarring.
Even Du Yu'er, Dou Sufu, Li Hou'er, and others who had just arrived nearby and were about to join their second uncle Yu Le in returning home to their residence, stood awkwardly in place for a moment, not immediately stepping forward.
As these people watched the entanglement between Second Uncle Yu Le and the mature woman, their eyes became increasingly dark and ambiguous.
"Hey! You've gotten so bold these past few years, you even dare to push this old lady."
Finally, Second Uncle Yu Le broke free from the mature woman's entanglement and walked away with a gloomy expression.
He had initially felt a bit strange seeing the woman's pitiful state, but now he didn't want to pay her any attention at all; his nature hadn't changed.
Having shaken off the mature woman, Second Uncle Yu Le looked up and saw Li Hou'er and the others.
Upon seeing the beautiful woman, Li Hou'er's eyes darted around, and he immediately bowed to his second uncle Yu Le, and knelt down on one knee with a thud.
"Greetings, Uncle Yu. The Immortal cultivator family has come with the sect leader to suppress the rebellion and has ordered us to return to the sect to rest first."
Li Hou'er's actions not only surprised his second uncle Yu Le, but also stunned Du Yu'er and the others.
Immediately, smiles appeared on the faces of Du Yu'er and the others. They all bowed to their second uncle Yu Le, and addressed him respectfully.
"Greetings, Uncle Yu!"
This display of power certainly attracted the attention of many people in the surrounding area.
The mature woman who was about to chase after Yu Le also stopped abruptly, looking at the group from the Solitary Gu Hall with a look of surprise and suspicion.
Dou Sufu stepped out from the crowd again.
The female neighbor recognized the woman and, upon seeing her, feigned surprise, saying:
"Hey, isn't this my sister-in-law? Have you seen Brother Shu before?"
Today is the day he goes to take the exam. If he happens to run into you here, he will definitely pay his respects.
At this moment, Second Uncle Yu Le immediately realized that these guys were both teasing him and supporting him.
His face flushed red, and he didn't dare to grumble at Dou Sufu and the others. Instead, he walked to Li Hou'er's side, kicked the boy's butt hard, and cursed inwardly:
"You brat, have you been reading too many storybooks?"
Li Hou'er rubbed his own butt, shrugged happily, and didn't seem to care at all.
Immediately afterwards, Second Uncle Yu Le bowed to Du Yu'er and the others, paid his respects, and then mingled into the crowd, making a great show of returning to the Solitary Gu Hall.
At the scene, only the mature woman who had just been playfully fighting with her second uncle, Yu Le, remained, standing there dumbfounded, her face filled with disbelief.
A little later, the mature woman huddled in the crowd and overheard someone who seemed to know something about the Solitary Gu Hall. She gritted her teeth and asked in a coquettish voice.
When she learned that only a pair of sisters and a pair of the Solitary Gu Hall and nephew had come to take the exam today, her face went blank, and she felt dizzy again.
She had thought that Yu Le was just someone who had latched onto a powerful figure and had come to serve her as she left. Who would have thought that the powerful figure was actually Yu's nephew!
It took the middle-aged woman quite a while to come to her senses.
Faced with the concern and care of those around her, she was unsure whether to laugh or cry; she could only manage a forced smile, her face filled with resentment.
On the other side.
Fang Shu and his men took advantage of the darkness to raid the Lead Mountain Mine.
Although no one lit any fires, each of them was at least a third-level Immortal cultivator, and their Qi and Blood were as fierce as wolf smoke. With the support of the sect leaders around them, their momentum was overwhelming and they acted with impunity.
Along the way, the monsters lurked in the shadows, and all was silent. Every beast and insect lay low, not daring to make a sound.
In about an hour, the group rushed to the foot of Lead Mountain.
What they saw was that the mine, which should have been bustling with activity and roaring day and night, was now filled with a Yin Qi aura and covered in blood.
On and at the foot of the mountain, there were still staggering figures walking around.
But upon closer inspection, these figures were not the so-called miners or miners at all, but rather mummified skeletons dressed as overseers, some human and some demon.
Apart from these mummies, there was not a single living person in the vast mine, creating an eerie atmosphere.
The people who arrived at the scene immediately looked at each other in bewilderment:
"What about those rioting outcasts?"
Among them, the expression of the Solitary Gu Hall Master and others changed drastically:
"Not good!"
"We've fallen for their trap! This is Li Mountain."
The owners of these shops were all visibly furious. They quickly turned to look at the Guling Market behind them, only to see the lights in the market flickering. They couldn't tell if it was due to the mountain mist or if something had happened in the town.
Without even informing the two envoys from the Immortal Sect, they dashed off towards the market town.
Many of the museum owners also emitted spiritual light and displayed extraordinary skills, each exuding an aura of power.
It should be understood that these leaders of the martial arts schools, in addition to going down the mountain to cultivate talents, have an even more important responsibility: to guard the market and prevent outsiders from disrupting it.
The market is now empty; if someone takes advantage of the situation and breaks in, they'll be in deep trouble.
Meanwhile, the two envoys from the Immortal Sect who had led everyone to the mine showed no intention of moving.
While Fang Shu and the others were also getting restless, the two of them coughed lightly, pointed at the mummies, skeletons, and other creatures in the mine, and shouted:
"What are you all standing there for! Quickly step forward and suppress them, subdue the demons and exorcise the evil spirits!"
"Don't forget, you are still taking your exams today."
Fang Shu and the others were immediately awakened.
In Guling Town.
Not long after the group left the town.
Clusters of torches rose up around the town.
The ragged miners and miners, like rats, emerged from three sides of the market. Gazing at the ever-burning lights of the market, the greed in their eyes seemed to solidify into reality.
Among them, a figure as thin as a paper doll, riding a sedan chair, swayed as it entered the market.
But just as this person stepped onto the street, there was a loud crack.
A cold light fell in front of him, cleaving his sedan chair in two.
A clang! The sword rang out loudly in the air.