“Wow…”
Shuang was the first to jump up excitedly. She ran to Shui Miao and eagerly asked, “Shui Shui, is this magic?”
“Magic?”
Shui Miao smiled and shook her head, “It’s hard to define.”
“Why is it hard to define?” Shuang looked determined to get to the bottom of things.
Shui Miao thought for a moment, “On the surface, it’s similar to magic. You could call it magic, but it really isn’t. If you say it’s not magic, then these butterflies aren’t real either, so it’s hard to say.”
“Then, where did they fly to?” Seeing the butterflies flying away, Shuang quickly asked.
Looking at Shuang, Shui Miao felt like she was talking to an innocent little girl. She only asked superficial questions and then stopped, a person with a simple mind, easy to please and very easy to get along with. “Of course they went to find the trash can. Why don’t you go and see?”
“Great! Great!”
Shuang ran off happily.
Lin Zhiling was also curious and followed her.
Jiang Zhihao and the others didn’t leave but waited for Shui Miao with excitement. Seeing Shui Miao turn around, Jiang Zhihao quickly asked, “Master, what do we need to prepare when we go back? Do we need to bring cars and other things?”
“This…”
Shui Miao thought for a moment and said, “Did you all experience hardship when you were young?”
“We did. We were born before the land was distributed to individual households. We ate collectively and were always hungry. We had to dig for wild vegetables when we were hungry and wore tattered clothes. We were really poor!” Jiang Zhihao immediately started complaining.
Jiang Tao and Sun Hao also chimed in with their stories of hardship.
Seeing the three old men getting increasingly emotional, Shui Miao interrupted, “Since that’s the case, you don’t need to go through that hardship again. We’ll skip the spiritual training. Each of you go back and prepare three off-road vehicles, a total of nine. Find a dozen or so drivers who are quick on their feet, preferably retired soldiers, and bring necessary supplies. We’ll go into the mountains together to find the dragon veins.”
Shui Miao thought of his grandfather. It had been so long, he wondered how he was doing.
Finding dragon veins was something feng shui masters loved to do.
The three old men, upon hearing this, were immediately thrilled and hurried back to prepare. They had heard many legends about dragon veins, and the thought of going with their master was definitely going to be exciting.
“No problem, I have a martial arts champion with excellent character.”
“I have someone who was a special forces soldier…”
“I have a female bodyguard who used to be a detective…”
The three old men eagerly spoke up, each showcasing what they considered excellent candidates.
Shui Miao nodded, “Go back and prepare. Don’t just think about the good things. Hand your businesses over to your descendants. From now on, I hope you face everything with a fresh mindset. You are merely devoted cultivators seeking the Dao. Let go of worldly matters as much as you can.”
Indeed, cultivators couldn’t have too many worldly attachments, as they would naturally bring many troubles.
Shui Miao admitted to himself that he couldn’t completely let go of worldly concerns, which was why he only asked Jiang Zhihao and the others to do their best.
The three old men, who had lived decades longer than Shui Miao, immediately understood his meaning.
After seeing the three off, Shui Miao walked back with Chen Meiling and Chen Xiang.
On the way, Shui Miao found his phone had run out of power, so he used Chen Xiang’s phone to call his grandfather, only to find his grandfather’s phone was also out of service due to unpaid bills.
Seeing Shui Miao return the phone to Chen Xiang, Chen Meiling quickly said, “Little brother, are you leaving so soon? Before you go, why don’t you go back and see Mother?”
“Sure! Let’s go right away.”
Shui Miao nodded.
Shui Miao’s heart was heavy. He wanted to stay with his mother and fulfill his filial duty, yet he also feared his true intentions might be discovered by potential rivals, who could then threaten his loved ones.
The thought of his loved ones getting hurt was his greatest fear.
Chen Meiling and Chen Xiang didn’t know about Shui Miao’s concerns, thinking he was just obsessed with cultivation and therefore reluctant to spend time with everyone. Shui Miao didn’t want to explain too much, so he used telepathy to summon Bai Feng, asking her to talk with Chen Meiling and Chen Xiang and teach them how to cultivate.
Shui Miao went alone to the door of the suite where his mother lived.
Yang Min and Yang Fen were chatting.
Shui Miao’s sudden return surprised them, but after the surprise came the joy of family reunion.
To cheer his mother, Shui Miao deliberately made his cultivation sound easy and fun, without any danger. He even invented a powerful master who took care of him and taught him how to be a person and capture spirits, and so on.
Yang Min, who had been worried about her son, finally felt relieved hearing this.
As a mother, Yang Min wanted to thank this master who took care of her son.
Shui Miao told her the master was a hermit, a mysterious figure who was hard to see.
Thus, Shui Miao chatted with his mother and Aunt Yang Fen for several hours, then personally taught them how to cultivate and gave them some Yin Holy Spirits to strengthen their souls.
By evening, Shui Miao said goodbye to his mother and Yang Fen and left.
Having comforted his mother, Shui Miao felt a great sense of relief.
Bai Feng transformed into a beautiful woman, guiding everyone and helping them gain much benefit.
As Shui Miao just entered the elevator, Bai Feng appeared with the black snake demon, the fox demon Qi Mei, and Jin Chanzi.
Bai Feng told Shui Miao that Lao Cai and the others were already waiting in Jing Shui Village, and tonight at midnight was the best time for the oath ceremony.
Shui Miao thought for a moment and asked Bai Feng and the others to go to Jing Shui Village first, promising to follow soon.
Shui Miao found Chen Meiling and Chen Xiang and shared an idea that had come to him while chatting with his mother. All his relatives and friends were gathered in Zhonghai City, which was convenient for mutual support, but if the thousand-year-old female ghost Bai Niangniang returned, wouldn’t they all be in danger together? Therefore, Shui Miao wanted Chen Meiling to hand over the company to subordinates, leave Zhonghai City, and deploy everyone to different places to run new businesses, such as building a large supermarket or something else, or even just moving elsewhere. This way, when Bai Niangniang returned, it wouldn’t be easy for her to threaten all his loved ones.
Chen Meiling and Chen Xiang had already become indifferent to money, and they found Shui Miao’s idea feasible.
Besides leaving his phone number, Shui Miao also provided a special way to contact him before saying goodbye to Chen Meiling and Chen Xiang and heading to Jing Shui Village.
※※※
In Jing Shui Village, Lao Cai, Lao Qin, and Sima Zongheng had already arrived.
To Shui Miao’s greatest surprise, Xiao Tudou had broken up with his girlfriend. He decided to focus entirely on cultivation and avoid any romantic relationships.
His girlfriend, Xiaomei, was heartbroken. Facing Xiao Tudou’s firm decision, she couldn’t bear it and even considered suicide.
Shui Miao summoned the Zhuge Abacus from the Holy Yuan Bracelet to chat with everyone.
Then, Shui Miao pulled Xiao Tudou and Xiaomei aside into a tent for a heart-to-heart talk.
“Xiao Tudou, will you listen to me?”
Through telepathy, Shui Miao discovered that Xiaomei was truly devoted to Xiao Tudou, willing to die for him. But Xiao Tudou’s heart was set only on cultivating and gaining abilities.
“Of course!”
Xiao Tudou nodded heavily. To him, Shui Miao was like a god.
Shui Miao nodded in satisfaction, “Good. Let me ask you, seeing Xiaomei crying like this, how do you feel? Don’t think about anything else, just tell me your true feelings.”
“It makes me sad and a bit heartbroken,” Xiao Tudou looked at Xiaomei, hesitating as he spoke.
“That means you still love her!” Shui Miao patted Xiao Tudou’s shoulder. “If that’s the case, put your cultivation aside for now, take good care of her, love her, and live with her.”
“Why? Why should I do that?” Xiao Tudou was taken aback.
“Hmph! Because she loves you deeply. You shouldn’t and can’t treat her like this. This is called unfinished worldly ties, understand?” Shui Miao glared at Xiao Tudou, his tone a bit harsh.
“Wow…”
Xiaoshuang was the first to leap up in excitement. She rushed to Shuimiao’s side and eagerly asked, “Xiaoshui, Xiaoshui, was that magic?”
“Magic?”
Shuimiao shook his head with a faint smile. “It’s hard to define.”
“Why is it hard to define?” Xiaoshuang pressed, determined to get to the bottom of it.
Shuimiao thought for a moment. “On the surface, it looks like magic. But if you call it magic, it isn’t exactly that. If you say it’s not magic, these butterflies aren’t real either. So it’s hard to say.”
“Then… where did they fly off to?” Seeing the butterflies flying farther away, Xiaoshuang quickly asked.
Looking at Xiaoshuang, Shuimiao felt as though he were talking to an innocent little girl. She only asked surface-level questions and didn’t probe further. Such people were simple-minded, exceptionally easy to please, and very easy to get along with. “They’re off to find a trash can. Why don’t you follow them and see?”
“Okay, okay!”
Xiaoshuang happily ran off.
Lin Zhiling was also curious and followed along.
Jiang Zhihao and the others didn’t leave. Instead, they waited excitedly for Shuimiao. When Shuimiao turned around, Jiang Zhihao hurriedly asked, “Master, what should we prepare before going back? Do we need to bring cars or other things?”
“Well…”
Shuimiao thought for a moment and said, “Did you experience poverty when you were young?”
“Yes, we did! When we were young, the land hadn’t been allocated to households yet. We ate from the collective pot and never had enough. When we were hungry, we dug for wild vegetables. We wore tattered clothes and were dirt poor!” Jiang Zhihao immediately lamented.
Jiang Tao and Sun Hao also chimed in with their own hardships.
Seeing the three old men delve deeper into their misery, Shuimiao interrupted, “Since that’s the case, you don’t need to endure that kind of suffering again. Spiritual cultivation is exempt. Each of you should go back and prepare three off-road vehicles—nine in total. Find a dozen agile drivers, preferably ex-soldiers. Bring essential daily necessities, and we’ll head into the mountains together to search for the dragon vein.”
Shuimiao thought of his grandfather. It had been so long, and he wondered how he was doing.
Searching for dragon veins—this was something feng shui masters loved to do.
When Jiang Zhihao and the two other old men heard this, they were thrilled and immediately jogged off to prepare. They had heard many legends about dragon veins, and the thought of accompanying their master to find one promised an extraordinarily exciting journey.
“No problem, I have a martial arts champion—excellent character.”
“I have a former special forces soldier…”
“I even have a female bodyguard who used to be a criminal investigator…”
The three old men each boasted about the exceptional talents they could bring.
Shuimiao nodded. “Go back and prepare. Don’t just think about the good times. Hand your businesses over to your descendants. From now on, I hope you face life with a renewed mindset—as devout cultivators seeking immortality. Worldly matters should be abandoned as much as possible.”
Those who pursued cultivation truly shouldn’t have too many worldly attachments. Too many attachments would naturally bring trouble.
Shuimiao reflected that he himself couldn’t entirely rid himself of worldly thoughts, so he only advised Jiang Zhihao and the others to try their best.
The three old men, having lived decades longer than Shuimiao, immediately understood his meaning.
Watching them leave, Shuimiao headed back with Chen Meiling and Chenxiang.
On the way, Shuimiao realized his phone had been disconnected. He used Chenxiang’s phone to call his grandfather, only to find that his grandfather’s phone had also been suspended due to unpaid fees.
Seeing Shuimiao return the phone to Chenxiang, Chen Meiling quickly said, “Little brother, are you leaving again so soon? Before you go, why not visit Mother?”
“Sure! Let’s go right away.”
Shuimiao nodded.
His emotions were intricate. On one hand, he yearned to frequently remain by his mother’s side and fulfill his filial obligations. On the other hand, he was apprehensive that his true motives might be uncovered by potential adversaries, who could then pose a threat to his loved ones.
The thought of his family and friends being harmed was Shuimiao’s greatest fear.
Chen Meiling and Chenxiang were unaware of Shuimiao’s worries. They thought he was simply obsessed with cultivation and therefore reluctant to spend time with everyone. Not wanting to explain too much, Shuimiao mentally summoned Bai Feng, asking her to chat with Chen Meiling and Chenxiang and teach them how to cultivate.
Shuimiao then went alone to the door of his mother’s suite.
Yang Min and Yang Fen were chatting inside.
Shuimiao’s sudden return surprised them, but after the initial shock, the room filled with the joyful laughter of a family reunion.
To cheer his mother up, Shuimiao made sure to describe his cultivation journey in a lighthearted and happy manner, omitting any dangers. He even fabricated a powerful master who took care of him, teaching him how to be a better person and capture demons, among other things.
Yang Min, who had been very worried about her son, felt relieved hearing this.
As a mother, Yang Min wanted to express her gratitude to this master who had taken care of her son.
But Shuimiao told her that his master was a reclusive expert, elusive and impossible to meet.
And so, Shuimiao spent several hours chatting with his mother and aunt Yang Fen. He personally taught them how to cultivate and gave them some Yin Saint Spirit to strengthen their souls.
By evening, Shuimiao bid farewell to his mother and Yang Fen and left.
Having comforted his mother, Shuimiao felt a long sigh of relief.
Bai Feng, transformed into a beautiful woman, offered guidance to everyone, benefiting them greatly.
As soon as Shuimiao stepped into the elevator, Bai Feng appeared with the Black Snake Demon, Fox Demon Seventh Sister, and Jin Chanzi.
Bai Feng informed Shuimiao that Old Cai and the others were already waiting at Jingshui Village. Midnight tonight was the perfect time for their oath-swearing ceremony.
After some thought, Shuimiao asked Bai Feng and the others to go to Jingshui Village first, promising to follow shortly.
He found Chen Meiling and Chenxiang and shared an idea that had occurred to him while talking with his mother. Although having family and friends gathered in Zhonghai City made it easier to look after one another, if the thousand-year-old female ghost Bai Niangniang returned, wouldn’t they all be wiped out in one fell swoop? So, Shuimiao suggested that Chen Meiling hand over the company to subordinates and leave Zhonghai City. They could disperse everyone to different places to manage new businesses—like opening a large supermarket or something else. It didn’t matter if they did nothing, as long as they lived elsewhere. This way, if Bai Niangniang returned, it would be much harder for her to threaten all their loved ones.
Chen Meiling and Chenxiang had already grown somewhat indifferent to money. They found Shuimiao’s idea feasible.
Besides exchanging phone numbers, Shuimiao left them a special method of contact before bidding them farewell and heading to Jingshui Village.
※※※
At Jingshui Village, Old Cai, Old Qin, and Sima Zongheng had all arrived.
What surprised Shuimiao the most was that Little Potato had broken up with Xiaomei. He had decided to focus solely on cultivation and avoid women.
Xiaomei was heartbroken. Faced with Little Potato’s resolve, she found it unbearable and even contemplated suicide.
Shuimiao summoned Zhuge Suanpan from the Holy Yuan Bracelet to chat with everyone.
Then, he pulled Little Potato and Xiaomei into a nearby tent for a heart-to-heart talk.
“Little Potato, will you listen to me?”
Through telepathy, Shuimiao could perceive that Xiaomei was utterly devoted—ready to sacrifice her life for Little Potato. However, Little Potato’s thoughts were entirely consumed by the pursuit of power through cultivation.
“Yes!” Little Potato nodded emphatically. He revered Shuimiao like a deity.
Shuimiao nodded in satisfaction. “Good. Let me ask you: how do you feel seeing Xiaomei cry like this? Don’t overthink it—just answer honestly.”
“Sad, a bit heartbroken,” Little Potato said, looking at Xiaomei with a tangled expression.
“That means you still like her!” Shuimiao patted Little Potato’s shoulder. “In that case, put cultivation aside for now. Love her, take care of her, and live your life with her.”
“Why? Why?” Little Potato was stunned.
“Hmph! It’s because she loves you deeply. You shouldn’t—and can’t—treat her this way. This is called ‘unfinished worldly ties,’ understand?” Shuimiao shot Little Potato a stern look.
“But big brother, don’t you have many women who like you too?” Little Potato retorted unwillingly.
Hearing this, Shuimiao frowned slightly and said calmly, “It’s not the same. They only somewhat like me—none of them love me deeply. They’d be fine without me. But Xiaomei is different. Without you, she doesn’t even want to live. So, you must repay this emotional debt.”
“Then… what about my cultivation?” Little Potato was still hung up on cultivation.
“You can cultivate decades from now. Don’t think that just because you see me achieving some success, you feel restless and impatient. We’re different. You saw me when I was glorious, but when I was down and being used as a pawn, you were fast asleep.” Seeing that Little Potato wasn’t listening, Shuimiao raised his hand as if to hit him.
Unexpectedly, Xiaomei quickly shielded Little Potato.
Touched, Shuimiao pointed at Little Potato’s nose. “You brat, wise up! If you dare treat Xiaomei poorly, I’ll strip you of your spiritual power.”
“Brother, I know I was wrong…”
Little Potato finally had a change of heart, moved by Xiaomei’s sincerity, and admitted his mistake.
Shuimiao nodded and walked out.
After leaving, Shuimiao reflected that he might have wronged that young wife from Shuilong Ridge. If she truly loved him and not Zhang Ling, he would definitely marry her.
Thinking of other women, Lin Qing’er was still hung up on her first love, and Sister Xiaotang was only after fame and fortune. He truly hadn’t encountered anyone as devoted as Xiaomei.
Involuntarily, Shuimiao felt a twinge of envy toward Little Potato for having found true love so easily. How wonderful and worry-free that must be!
※※※
Just then, a clamor of noise arose…
Shuimiao followed the sound and saw, in the wilderness, Old Cai, Old Qin, Bai Feng, and the others had somehow set up many tables laden with all sorts of items—melons, fruits, vegetarian dishes, whole pigs and sheep, incense burners, spirit tablets, wine jars, and large bowls. The ground was covered with a red carpet, and red lanterns hung on both sides. All the items needed for the oath-swearing ceremony had been prepared in just a few minutes!
Am I the only living person here?
Shuimiao suddenly realized that those preparing to swear brotherhood with him were either ghosts or demons!
Hearing this, Shui Miao couldn’t help frowning and said lightly, “That’s different. They only like me a little, no one truly loves me. They can live well without me. But Xiaomei is different. Without you, she doesn’t even want to live. So you must repay this emotional debt.”
“But then, what about my cultivation?” Xiao Tudou was still thinking about cultivation.
“You can cultivate in a few decades. Don’t think just because you’ve seen me achieve something, you have to rush. We’re different. You saw my good times, but when I was in trouble and used as a pawn, you were asleep.” Seeing Xiao Tudou wasn’t listening, Shui Miao raised his hand as if to hit him.
But to his surprise, Xiaomei quickly stood in front of Xiao Tudou to protect him.
Shui Miao was deeply moved and pointed at Xiao Tudou’s nose, “You brat, grow some sense! If you dare treat Xiaomei badly, I’ll strip away your spiritual powers.”
“Brother, I know I was wrong…”
Xiao Tudou finally had a change of heart, moved by Xiaomei’s sincere feelings, and nodded to admit his mistake.
Shui Miao nodded and walked out.
After stepping out, Shui Miao thought about how he seemed a bit unfair to the young wife in Shui Longling. If she truly loved him instead of Zhang Ling, he would definitely marry her.
Thinking about other women, Lin Qing’er was still missing her first love, and Xiao Tang Jie was only after fame and fortune. There were really no other women as devoted as Xiaomei.
Unconsciously, Shui Miao even envied Xiao Tudou a little. Finding true love so easily, how great, how worry-free!
※※※
At that moment, a commotion came…
Shui Miao looked in the sound’s direction and saw in the open field, Lao Cai, Lao Qin, Bai Feng, and everyone else had somehow prepared many tables in a short time. The tables were filled with all kinds of things: fruits, vegetables, whole pigs and sheep, incense burners, memorial tablets, wine jars, large bowls, red carpets were laid on the ground, and red lanterns were hung on both sides. All the items for the oath ceremony were ready in just a few minutes!
Am I the only living person here?
Shui Miao suddenly realized that those preparing to take the oath with him were not ghosts or demons!
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage