Mo Chen felt he had taken his art of threats and persuasion to another level. After that speech, even Dan Die lowered her eyes meekly.
"Before all this, another story circulated on this mountain."
“There was once a teacher here, surnamed Dong, named Feihan, with the courtesy name Yiqing. People called him Master Yiqing. His learning was vast. Dozens came to his door every day seeking instruction, his disciples numbered over a thousand, and countless guests came drawn by his reputation. To keep his visitors from disturbing the town's peace, he moved his entire household up the mountain. Over time, an academy, study halls, schools, and taverns were built one after another. Once Master Yiqing's fame spread, poets and scholars from all over Changshu gathered here, holding poetry gatherings every day. He also gave away his entire fortune to build bridges, pave roads, and rebuild houses in the neighboring villages, bringing blessings to the countryside.”
As Mo Chen listened, he knew this was no lie. It corroborated the conversation he had heard between the two old women in town the other day.
The Li Household's daughter-in-law had fallen to her death precisely because that wooden bridge had long been neglected.
Looking again at the sprawling abandoned buildings on the mountain, Mo Chen sighed.
“So the old man watching the dance in the hall was Dong Yiqing,” Mo Chen said.
“That's right.” Tears glimmered in Dan Die's eyes.
"Then how did the grave digging begin?"
“Heaven and earth have feelings, and from them spirit beasts are born. A Peacock lived for years in a place rich in spiritual energy. By a stroke of fortune, she awakened her intelligence and cultivated into a demon, naming herself Dan Die.”
“After my cultivation reached a certain level, I first entered the mortal world and