Chapter 87: Chapter 86: A Multitude of Treasures, A Fresh Perspective
In the Ghost Market, finally the White Bone Ghost flicked her finger.
A winding path emerged within the dim black fog ahead, and sure enough, Feng Yuanbai stepped into it, heading towards the land where Feng Xi was laboring.
Chen Xu watched this scene, feeling that following Feng Yuanbai into the Netherworld was truly full of surprises.
Though full of surprises, yet everything seemed reasonable.
The White Bone Ghost pointed towards the Mist Wasteland, saying, "This is the Cold Land of the Nether Ruins, and this County Magistrate Feng is truly determined to go to the Cold Land of the Nether Ruins and plow the field together with his son.
Alas, I am also impressed."
The so-called Cold Land of the Nether Ruins refers to the endless wasteland within the fog ahead.
This wasteland seems very close to the Cangyuan Market at this moment, yet it is actually very far away.
The soil here is cold and hard, difficult to till.
The living who walk through it must constantly endure the piercing chill.
Feng Xi was detained here doing hard labor; he had become numb from all the beating.
He didn’t know that only half a day had passed in the mortal world; he only knew that he had endured in this Cold Land of the Nether Ruins for three whole days.
It was clearly only three days, yet every moment felt like a year.
As if not just three days had passed, but three years, thirty years.
Feng Xi was desperate, regretting his prior impulsiveness was one part, but more so, he had mentally prepared himself never to return to the mortal world.
His mind was empty, with only the occasional crying session, stopping once beaten, continuing his arduous work with grit.
Suddenly, Feng Xi noticed there was another person beside him.
It was a familiar figure, wielding a hoe, beside him, going over the field he had plowed, digging deeper and more thoroughly.
Feng Xi was stunned, turning his head, incredulously looking at the person.
The person also looked at him, speaking with an unprecedentedly gentle voice: "Little one, I have come to find you. This one acre of land, father will plow deeply with you."
Feng Yuanbai said nothing about being able to rescue Feng Xi; naturally, Feng Xi misunderstood.
His face was full of a struck-by-lightning expression, first dumbfoundedly asking: "Dad, you-you are not scolding me?"
Usually, when he got into trouble, Feng Yuanbai would always scold him.
Feng Yuanbai replied, "It was my failure not to teach you well in the past; now I should bear this together with you."
Upon hearing this, Feng Xi burst into tears with a "wah".
This time it genuinely felt heartbreaking and full of remorse.
Tears flowed down his face, and he could only say: "Dad, you should leave quickly, don’t worry about me, just let me... just let me die here!"
"Even if you die here, don’t you want to finish plowing this acre of land?" Feng Yuanbai said.
Feng Xi was dazed, "Ah, I, but I’m going to die..."
"Even if you are dying, you have eaten grain in your lifetime. Having lived over ten years, surely you wouldn’t just eat and not be able to plow a single acre properly?"
...
In the mist of the Nether Ruins, the father and son plowed the field.
Over here, Ji Weizi clapped his hands with a smile, saying: "It’s settled."
Chen Xu turned to look at him, and Ji Weizi said: "County Magistrate Feng’s efforts to rescue his son have succeeded, there should be no further twists, and the Workshop Master should allow them to leave."
As he spoke, Ji Weizi looked towards the White Bone Ghost.
It turns out "Workshop Master Wuxiang" is her title, and the White Bone Ghost smiled slightly, saying: "Indeed, with Mr. Chen accompanying and the Great Scholar advocating, how could I make things difficult?
Once they finish plowing this acre, naturally they can leave the Netherworld and return to the mortal world."
So, rescuing someone in the Netherworld is just like this.
Chen Xu suddenly thought of what Wu Zhengze said before he entered the Netherworld, roughly meaning: In the world of human relations, where are the need for so much fighting and killing?
Thus, he advised Chen Xu to focus less on fighting and more on studying, not to be ruthless or aggressive.
In this moment, Chen Xu found Wu Zhengze’s words to be very sensible indeed.
But to not think about fighting and killing is impossible, after all, the premise of human relations is fighting and killing.
Today, without the confidence of having divine power, do you think Chen Xu dares to follow Feng Yuanbai into the Netherworld?
Or without Ji Weizi accompanying him, do you think Workshop Master Wuxiang would be so agreeable, accepting the ransom and allowing Feng Yuanbai and his son to leave?
Don’t see that Ji Weizi hasn’t shown any divine power throughout, but his presence is actually the greatest divine power!
Chen Xu no longer paid attention to the father and son plowing in the mist, and instead, he brought up the desire to visit the market to Workshop Master Wuxiang.
Workshop Master Wuxiang beamed: "That’s excellent, they have been looking forward to Mr. Chen coming again. No matter what Mr. Chen wants to buy, they will be delighted."
"Even if the purchase isn’t poetry, still happy?" Chen Xu smiled and said.
The Cyan Smoke Poem is no ordinary cabbage; writing four poems in a short time is already enough, how can it be casually done again?
Yet Workshop Master Wuxiang said: "Why not happy? Seeing the gentleman, how can one not be happy?"
Upon hearing this, both parties laughed.
Chen Xu then invited Ji Weizi, asking if he wanted to accompany him to the market.
Ji Weizi waved his hand, saying: "Have nothing of value, not buying, not buying."
The Great Scholar spirit, so broke yet so justifiably.
He also told Chen Xu: "Go as you please, I shall chat idly with Workshop Master Wuxiang."
Chen Xu, carrying his bookcase, headed straight to a familiar stall.
It was the stall that had once received his "Post Palace Poems," and Chen Xu still remembered the half-pot of Netherworld Ink.
The entry hinted: [Netherworld Ink, half pot of Six Livestock Blood, combined with stove soot to concoct, after cooking, can be consumed by demon spirits, bitter in taste, can cool the fire.]
Chen Xu found its effect interesting, thinking it might have some effect on the big rat, Master Jiu, at home.
The pill furnace within Master Jiu’s belly is indeed worrisome; cooling the fire might be beneficial, right?
But it was not a product for sale, and Chen Xu did not know if the other party was willing to sell.
He prepared Mud Embryo Pill edible for demon spirits, mentioned Netherworld Ink to the Ghost Stallkeeper, and was about to take out the Mud Embryo Pill.
Yet the other party said: "Just a half-pot of rough ink, do you think I would be reluctant to gift it to Mr. Chen?"
With that, she quickly took out the half pot of ink and insisted on giving it to Chen Xu, refusing to take his Mud Embryo Pill.
Chen Xu held onto the Mud Embryo Pill and couldn’t even give it away.
He wrestled with the Ghost for a long time, you push and I pull, no different from the markets in the mortal world.
Chen Xu was amused and frustrated, finally accepting the half pot of ink; it was only after walking a few feet away from the stall that he discreetly took a Mud Embryo Pill in hand, flicked with his finger.
Now mastering the Firewood Splitting Knife Technique Level 2, he had perfect control in his hands.
With a flick from afar, the Mud Embryo Pill landed accurately and gently right on the stall.
The Ghost Stallkeeper gave a startled "ah," cradling the Mud Embryo Pill, longing to fly out of the stall to chase Chen Xu, but was helpless due to the restriction of rules, unable to leave the three-foot boundary of her stall.
In the end, she could only hold the Mud Embryo Pill, sighing with a mix of cherishing it as she put it away.
Chen Xu stored the half pot of Netherworld Ink into his bookcase and continued browsing the stalls.
Most stallkeepers were very enthusiastic towards him, and Chen Xu exchanged Mud Embryo Pills for many spiritual materials.
Not all of the spiritual materials were only effective for demon spirits, and some were also useful for the living, mostly with negative effects though.
Chen Xu bought anything he found interesting.
Some ghosts stored away the Mud Embryo Pills, while others ate them outright.
In no time, his Food Cauldron Celestial Book displayed of [Like +3+3...] notifications.
Suddenly, an item on a stall with a special entry caught his eye!