Chapter 277: “A Bountiful Harvest”

Outside North Corner Village, there was a small hillside. Three sides were lush with greenery, while one faced the water.

With his limited knowledge of feng shui, Zhou Zhongtian had chosen a spot with scenic beauty to bury Yao Wu.

On the stone tombstone, the inscription was written vertically from left to right:

[Yao Wu]
[Tomb of the Guardian of North Corner Village]

Normally, the names of family members would be engraved at the bottom.

But Yao Wu was an orphan—no one even remembered his parents’ names. So instead, he simply inscribed his own name.

And before it, he added two words: “Brother”.

Before the grave, an assortment of offerings was arranged.

Closest to the tombstone were pastries, candied fruits, and various snacks.

Further out, there was a roasted chicken, a roasted duck, and a whole carp.

Beyond that, there were two large jars of fine wine, each weighing over twenty catties.

Both jars were opened. Zhou Zhongtian drank from the one on the right, chuckling, “Brother, this wine was expensive! Cost me a good amount of silver!”

“Tonight, we drink to our hearts’ content!”

Gulping down a mouthful, he squinted his drunken eyes and was about to grab a handful of peanuts when he suddenly noticed a tall figure squatting in front of the grave, sniffing the roasted chicken with great enthusiasm.

“You little bastard! I’m still right here!”

“You dare steal food from an offering? Aren’t you afraid of being struck by lightning?!”

Cursing loudly, Zhou Zhongtian rolled up his sleeves, ready to drive the person away. But just as he was about to act, the figure turned around and grinned at him.

“Brother Zhou, thanks for the food and wine!”

“Shit!”

Instantly sobered up, Zhou Zhongtian staggered backward several steps, his hand instinctively gripping the hilt of his waist-mounted saber. His voice turned sharp:

“Where the hell did this ghost come from, daring to pretend to be my brother?!”

Seeing his reaction, Yao Wu quickly waved his hands. “Hehe! Brother Zhou, don’t be scared! It’s really me, Yao Wu! I died… but then I came back… no, wait, I didn’t come back to life—I became a Earthly Immortal!”

“An Earthly Immortal?”

Zhou Zhongtian narrowed his eyes, carefully scrutinizing Yao Wu’s expression before continuing, “Alright, then tell me—where did we first meet?”

“The latrine!”

“And what were you doing when I saw you?”

“Scooping manure onto my pitchfork!”

“This…” Zhou Zhongtian froze for a moment before blurting out, “Brother, you really became some kind of Earthly Immortal? Wasn’t that just a title for village guardians like you?”

Yao Wu sat cross-legged on the ground, laughing. “The moment I died, I felt like I was floating—like I was drifting on water.”

“At first, I wanted to go back and find you, but no matter where I walked, everything was just darkness—I couldn’t find my way out…”

“After wandering in circles for what felt like hundreds of times, I suddenly saw a man in white.”

“He told me that I had some kind of ‘red heart’ and asked if I was willing to become an Earthly Immortal, so I could continue protecting the people I wanted to protect.”

“I had no idea what an Earthly Immortal was, but when I heard that I could still protect the people I cared about, of course, I wasn’t stupid—I nodded my head and agreed right away!”

“A man in white…” Zhou Zhongtian muttered before suddenly asking, “Was it Mr. Gu?”

Hearing this, Yao Wu shook his head. “Mr. Gu? I don’t know his name. He spoke to me and left. Then I felt this warm sensation—like I had fallen asleep…”

“I just woke up not long ago, and when I did, I saw you offering food at my grave. I was about to call out to you, but then an old man, a young man, and a donkey summoned me for help instead…”

Old man… young man… donkey?

Wasn’t that Liu Feng and Grandpa Donkey?!

Without thinking further, Zhou Zhongtian hurried forward and waved at Yao Wu. “Come on, let’s go together and thank the gentleman properly!”

“You’ve received an extraordinary immortal fate!”

“Oh, oh, oh!” Yao Wu nodded. “How do we bow?”

“Follow my lead.” As he spoke, Zhou Zhongtian bowed deeply toward the empty space. “Many thanks to Mr. Gu for saving my brother!”

Yao Wu mimicked him. “Many thanks to Mr. Gu for saving my brother!”

“Bullshit! He didn’t save—” Zhou Zhongtian suddenly froze mid-sentence. Then, he burst into laughter. “You know what, you’re not wrong!”

As the repeated words of gratitude echoed in his ears, Gu Ning’an watched as Worldly Qi sprouted like bamboo shoots after the rain, continuously appearing in his palm. Even he was somewhat surprised.

Zhou Zhongtian, Yao Wu, Feng Wei, Qiao Min, the yellow weasel, Grandpa Donkey, Liu Feng, and Yu Ling the courtesan—these eight individuals had collectively produced eight strands of Worldly Qi.

The conditions for the emergence of Worldly Qi were rather peculiar.

Gu Ning’an had barely any interaction with Grandpa Donkey. The only time they had met was when Grandpa Donkey witnessed him cleaving through the darkness with a single sword strike, incidentally chopping off the head of the evil flood dragon.

Even so, Worldly Qi had still emerged. That was unexpected.

“Thirty-three now. Just about enough…” Gu Ning’an murmured to himself. He turned his palm, and the Worldly Qi disappeared completely.

He picked up the wine flask in front of him and shook it, realizing it was empty. Smiling, he called out to the nearby waiter, “Would you bring me another flask of wine?”

“Right away!” The waiter responded enthusiastically. He quickly took the flask, refilled it, and returned.

As he poured the wine, he made sure to face Gu Ning’an, as if wanting to show clearly that he hadn’t “added anything” to the drink.

This behavior was understandable.

The inn, named Chang Haoke (Always Hospitable), stood alone along a remote trade route, far from any village or town.

With the Great Wu Empire in turmoil, travelers were wary of falling prey to shady establishments. As a precaution, the inn’s protocol required the waiters to taste-test all food and drink before serving them. Moreover, guests were provided with public chopsticks to serve themselves.

“No need for a taste test. Thank you,” Gu Ning’an waved his hand.

The waiter hesitated for a moment, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. After a brief pause, he nodded with a smile and left.

As he turned, Gu Ning’an caught a glimpse of a blade peeking out from beneath his lifted short robe.

Clearly, running an inn in the middle of nowhere required precautions against troublemakers.

At this time, late spring was transitioning into early summer. The humid air was thick with moisture, making the night even more stifling.

The inn’s main hall was bustling with travelers, mostly merchants and wandering martial artists.

Dressed in lightweight, practical clothing, the crowd was a sea of short-sleeved hemp shirts.

As a result, Gu Ning’an—clad in pristine white robes—stood out starkly as he drank alone.

Every time someone entered the inn, their gaze lingered on him for a moment longer before moving on.

Gu Ning’an paid them no mind, simply continuing to drink at his own pace.

As he drained half the flask, another traveler entered the inn.

The newcomer had a buzz cut and looked about seventeen or eighteen years old. He wore short-sleeved garments and knee-length shorts, his sharp phoenix eyes brimming with alertness.

After scanning the room, his gaze, like everyone else’s, landed on Gu Ning’an.

However, unlike the others who merely glanced before finding a seat, this young man walked straight toward him.