Yinshan Record

Chapter 42 Getting Jade
The short, gray-clad old man had a pair of fierce, triangular eyes that kept scrutinizing Su Che from head to toe.

Among those who cultivate themselves, there are quite a few who do not follow the Great Way and instead flaunt evil arts. To say that they seek worldly wealth and status would be an exaggeration; in the end, it all boils down to the four words: wine, women, money, and anger.

This short, old man was clearly one of them.

It seems that he is also part of the business chain of Boss Song, the coffin shop owner.

"Have you seen me?"

Su Che ignored the short old man and asked the middle-aged man on the other side.

Seeing the hint of doubt on his face, she understood that he was in such a hurry to find a way out for his wife that day that he naturally didn't see the scene of her causing trouble in Qingqiu.

"what?"

The middle-aged man was naturally completely bewildered.

"Hmph, you work for Old Song, but you've never asked me about it?"

Su Che looked like he was there to interrogate him.

The old man in gray frowned, carefully examined Su Che and Qing Qiu, and then looked at the middle-aged man in front of him.

"Brother, you look unfamiliar."

The old man in gray grinned: "Which line brings wealth?"

"You've been toiling in the soil north of Shanyin for so long, and you still don't recognize my husband?"

Qingqiu chuckled a few times.

"This is none other than the infamous 'Ghost Slayer Liu,' also known as Master Liu the One-Cut Demon," the little fox said, pulling out a nickname from who-knows-where. "Never heard of him?"

"Demon Slayer may have a prestigious reputation, but he can't scare me. Besides, he's all talk and no action. You can call yourself the emperor if you want."

The old man in gray shifted his gaze: "The rules of Lord Dushan are that no one can occupy the city alone and start a fight. If you want to show off your lousy swordsmanship, you should go somewhere else."

"Who wants to chop you up? With your meager skills, do you think you're worthy of my husband's attention?"

Qingqiu took something out of his sleeve and threw it directly at the old man in gray.

"I'm here because I have a good business opportunity with you."

The old man in gray grasped it in his hand, and what he touched was a warm, smooth surface. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a piece of jade, covered in dirt, that had fallen from something.

The jade body was covered in cloud and thunder patterns. The old man in gray touched the broken patterns on the jade body, which looked like it had been there for quite some time.

"Gold is produced in the Li River, and jade comes from Kunlun Mountain." Someone from Qingqiu asked, "Do you recognize this piece of Kunlun jade?"

"It came out of the ground, it's quite fresh. Is Grandpa Liu also going to have his coffin raised and his belongings consecrated?"

"I need you to find a place. Once you find it, I will offer you a hundred taels of gold."

Qingqiu looked at the old man in gray: "Whether it succeeds or not, I'll be waiting for your reply at the old City God Temple in Shanyin County tomorrow."

The old man in gray glanced at Qingqiu and weighed the broken jade in his hand.

"Okay, we'll get back to you from Shanyin County tomorrow."

Qingqiu turned her head and gave Su Che a perfunctory look.

"My lord, we've greeted them, let's go now."

Su Che had no idea what this fox was up to, but he nodded in agreement with her words.

The main event that led the fox to this place should be this part.

"Let's go."

Su Che called out, and Qingqiu, holding an umbrella, left the market together.

The two walked along the street towards the outskirts of the city.

"It is unknown how long this situation can last."

After leaving the small, isolated city, Su Che finally let out a long sigh.

The reason this isolated city could exist in this place is ultimately due to the great demon known as Lord Dushan.

With the old lion's remains about to be born, all sorts of people will gather here sooner or later. What will it be like to occupy the city alone at that time?
It goes without saying.

Who cares?

The little fox looked at Su Che: "You're in this state, and you still care about them?" "Huh?"

"Don't you care about your spiritual practice or your health? I'm not even married yet, and I don't want to become a widow waiting to be married."

"Actually, someone said something to me when I went out."

"Is a single sentence some kind of magic pill? It's utterly useless."

“My elder had someone bring out a message from the palace: ‘When a snake hides for five steps, choose an opportune moment to kill it, activate the spirit of the sword, and wait for good news.’”

"The phrase 'a snake hides five steps away' means, in my opinion, that danger is lurking around me. Now it seems that the 'Records of the Mysterious Center' mentions a black snake eating a deer, implying that the danger comes from the White Deer Cave."

"Choose an opportune moment to kill" should mean that I should find an opportunity to eliminate the dangers around me. "Awakening the spirit with the sword" means that I should start with the way of the sword. Su Che pondered: "Waiting for good news" should mean that he will naturally make arrangements later.

The Su family of Duling was small in number, and Su Che did not believe that the woman in the palace would give up on him so easily.

Since the other party has already made arrangements, all I need to do is wait.

"Huh, pretending to be a ghost."

Qingqiu said something very displeased.

"You're the one playing tricks. What are you plotting by provoking that guy surnamed Song?"

"Don't worry, we're engaged now. What's mine is yours, and what's yours is still yours. You'll definitely get a share of the benefits once we're engaged."

“Alright, then I will ask my elders to arrange for you to marry into our family through proper matchmaking and betrothal.”

"Oh, so suddenly?"

“What’s so sudden about this? You’re from a prestigious family on the sea, so marrying you wouldn’t be a disgrace to the Su family of Duling. I just don’t know how much your dowry will be, as I’m very short of money.”

"In our area, the dowry is very generous, and we don't require any betrothal gifts. In Donghai, only foxes who can't get married ask for betrothal gifts."

"Wouldn't that make it even harder for her to get married?"

"We are foxes, and foxes don't value these things very much."

The little fox giggled and laughed.

Su Che agreed with her.

The scholar in the green robe and the fox spirit holding the paper umbrella strolled along the foothills of Xuanshan Mountain.

The cool morning sun pierced through the layers of pine forest and sprinkled on the grass blades where the dew had not yet dried, making the sweetness in the air seem even more intense.

Su Che thought the little fox was not bad.

Ok,
Not bad.

As we continued our journey, the warmth and vibrancy of everyday life gradually returned.

Su Che was finally able to see the distant Shanyin County town by taking advantage of the mountain's terrain.

I never imagined that this isolated city was so close to Shanyin.

A thought flashed through his mind: they had only traveled for half a day, and judging by their stamina, Duju City was geographically adjacent to Shanyin County.

"Alright, that's enough for now."

The little fox grinned.

"This is all I can do to take you this far, my husband. It is indeed inappropriate for a county magistrate to be wandering around the county with a woman."

"What are you talking about?"

Su Che wanted to continue joking with her for a few more minutes.

"Shanyin County will probably be the most important place next. There will be many experts from all sides gathering here, so we'd better be careful."

The little fox blinked: "If Grandpa Liu wants to find me, go to Old Song's coffin shop."

Oh, do you still remember that Liu Yidao?
"Aren't you afraid that the real Liu Yidao will come to Shanyin?"

“Liu Yidao has arrived,” the little fox chuckled. “When I first arrived in Jiangnan, I used the name Liu Yidao when I traveled the martial world.”

No wonder we have a predestined connection; we're both born with a matryoshka doll-like bond.

(End of this chapter)