Chapter 18: The Village Celebration

It was late at night, yet the village remained lively, with every household coming out.

Some were killing chickens, others were slaughtering cattle. When the village head decided to kill a cow, a few villagers looked worried, but the village head overruled them and did not change his decision.

Many villagers beat drums and gongs to celebrate, creating a festive uproar.

Using existing sheds, the villagers expanded a simple, larger shelter and set up tables and chairs underneath.

Lanterns and torches hung all around, illuminating the modest square brightly.

The injured Blue-Robed Daoist was placed in the village head’s room. Since it was now late at night and they couldn’t enter the city, the village head’s wife and son took care of him instead. His burns were severe, almost disfiguring.

In the villagers’ experience, such injuries meant a near ninety percent chance of death.

By early morning, the Daoist kept crying out in pain and developed a mild fever.

The atmosphere inside the room was completely different from outside, weighing heavy and somber.

The young girl took a hot bath in a villager’s room, washing off the green blood. She enjoyed the treatment of a wealthy lady, others boiled water while she bathed, and there was always hot water available.

Someone even washed her changed clothes; she had to worry about nothing.

The Caravan Leader also got to share in the benefits, eating and drinking his fill.

In the early morning, a villager risked leaving the village and headed to the city, intending to fetch a doctor as soon as possible.

The young girl went to see the injured Blue-Robed Daoist. Regrettably, she couldn’t save him.

She grasped his charred hand and tried to inject a trace of mana, not daring to put in too much.

The Blue-Robed Daoist’s face twisted in pain, but after a while he gradually calmed down, as if he had fallen asleep amidst the agony.

The young girl and the Caravan Leader also found a place to rest.

They rested until morning. Outside, the villagers were still preparing the celebration. The entire village was filled with the enticing aroma of meat.

Suddenly, the village head came and found the young girl. He placed a seemingly precious ring in her hand and said, “Im… Immortal, after you defeated that monster, this item fell from it.”

The young girl did not take it. She stared at the village head first and noticed he was wiping sweat, appearing very hot.

The village head hastily added, “I was fortunate enough to have seen it before. It seems to be… what’s it… a treasure for storing things.”

The young girl took it and examined it. She immediately understood, it was a storage ring.

Such an item could only be used by those with mana, because opening the storage space consumed mana, and a continuous supply was needed to maintain the bridge for retrieving and storing items.

Ordinary people could not use it.

The method was simple: put it on, think about it, and you could sense what was inside.

She slipped it onto her left hand and tried. To her surprise, the ring’s storage space actually opened.

But something felt off.

The ring wasn’t bound to its owner? There was no anti-theft mechanism?

The space inside was about three chi in length, width, and height, and it was filled with items, many fruits, vegetables, and meats, all uncommon things she didn’t recognize.

The young girl tried to take out a green fruit. It appeared in the air before her. Seeing it about to fall, she quickly caught it with her hand.

Amazing.

She then tried to put the fruit back into the storage ring. It turned into a wisp of smoke and flew back into the ring.

This move startled the village head.

He quickly asked, “May I ask, is this ring harmful to the immortal?”

The young girl shook her head, indicating it was fine. This was practically an essential tool for cultivators.

The village head smiled as well. “That’s good, that’s good. Immortal, the celebration is about to begin. May I ask if you have time?”

The young girl nodded.

She went to find the Caravan Leader, who was still resting. She shook him awake, then used her left hand to smooth her white hair.

The leader woke up, yawned, and stretched. “Morning, what’s up?”

The young girl pointed outside with her left hand, indicating it was time to feast.

The leader wasn’t interested, he hadn’t digested yet, but he still had to go and experience the festive atmosphere.

The young girl used her left hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

The leader yawned again, rubbed his eyes, and got up.

The young girl stood in front of him.

Suddenly, a fruit appeared out of nowhere. The young girl caught it with her left hand, then offered it to the leader, fruit side down and back of her hand up.

The leader was also startled. “Just now, how did that appear out of thin air?” He noticed the ring on her hand and asked, “Is this some kind of treasure?”

The young girl touched the ring on her finger and nodded.

The leader took the fruit, still staring at the ring on her left hand, and praised, “Amazing! Is this a mystical treasure of the Daoist sects? This is new to me.”

He bit into the strange fruit, and juice splattered everywhere.

The leader felt a wave of warmth spread through his body.

He chewed for a moment, then swallowed.

A heat stronger than alcohol rushed to his head.

What was this?! So potent.

After finishing the fruit, he still wanted more.

The two went outside and sat at a separate main table covered with meat prepared in various ways.

The young girl tried some strange small meat. She was told it was clam meat, expensive and delicious.

She ate one. The taste was odd; to her, it wasn’t good or bad, but she couldn’t get used to the weird appearance.

Then she tried sea fish, but there were too many bones, and she couldn’t handle it.

Finally, she settled on beef. It was her first time trying it, and unexpectedly, it suited her tastes.

The leader also focused on the beef and quietly said to her, “This country doesn’t allow slaughtering cattle.”

These villagers had, of course, broken the law by killing the cow.

Everyone tacitly continued eating. Some villagers performed songs and dances.

Until the Jinzhou Assistant Magistrate appeared at the village entrance with government runners. Immediately, everyone fell silent, not daring to sing or eat.

It turned out that the villager who had gone out at dawn had not only found a doctor in the city but also reported to the authorities.

The authorities naturally had to send someone to investigate, so the Jinzhou Assistant Magistrate and his runners came.

The villager led the doctor to treat the Blue-Robed Daoist.

The Jinzhou Assistant Magistrate and runners arrived at the village square, glanced at the food on the tables, and then smiled, saying, “This pickled mutton looks quite appetizing.”

After speaking, he dismounted and ate a few bites as well.

The others then continued eating, dancing, and making merry.

Villagers led the runners and the Assistant Magistrate to see the monster’s corpse. Looking at the lumps of flesh and green blood, anyone could tell it was no ordinary creature.

The Assistant Magistrate returned to the village square, knelt on both knees before the young girl who was gnawing on beef bones, then bowed deeply, his head touching his hands on the ground. He stood up again, still bowing.

“Immortal, thank you very much for your help.” The Assistant Magistrate performed all the courtesies.

The young girl nodded while continuing to chew on meat.

At the invitation of the Caravan Leader, the Assistant Magistrate also sat down to eat, joining the celebration.

They stayed there for a day, remaining until the next day along with the doctor from the city.

The Blue-Robed Daoist’s condition was not bad; his injuries stabilized, and by night his fever had gone down.

According to the doctor, he would need to endure two more days, during which he must not come into contact with water.

On that morning, everyone left. The young girl also went with the group, while the government cart carried the monster’s corpse.

The young girl took the wood-chopping axe the village head had given her, it was her request, and the village head had to satisfy her strange demand.

All the villagers came to see them off at the entrance, escorting them for two li.

“I’ve been an official for many years, but I’ve never received such treatment, never had villagers welcome me like this,” the Jinzhou Assistant Magistrate said, perhaps with a hint of envy.

The Caravan Leader teased, “That means what you’ve done hasn’t earned their gratitude to this extent. It doesn’t mean your deeds aren’t worthy of gratitude. I can tell you’re a good official.”

The Assistant Magistrate smiled again and did not reply.

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