Bringing some shocking pranks to the Cultivation World
Chapter 77 - 77 70 This is Your Grandfather

77: Chapter 70 This is Your Grandfather 77: Chapter 70 This is Your Grandfather Xie Du, the richest man in Beiliang and also known as the famous filial son.

As a cloth merchant who started out by weaving mats and selling shoes, Xie Du took great pleasure in cultivating himself and his family.

After completing a two-shichen hand exercise routine in the morning, Xie Du headed to his side room, woke up his father, and began their midday ear exercise routine.

“Big, big, big!”

Sitting beside the gambling table, eyes closed, Xie Du and his elderly father kept muttering under their breath.

When the lid was lifted, revealing a small set of dots – one, two, three – Xie Du and his father, Jie Sanhai, both sighed in resignation and shook their heads helplessly.

“Hey, hey, why is the Jie family father and son’s luck so off today?”

Another wealthy merchant by the gambling table chuckled and scooped up the chips on the table.

“The whereabouts of the old father are still unknown; my heart is troubled.”

Jie Sanhai sighed.

Ever since his father, Xie Se, had gone missing and with Beiliang on lockdown, he couldn’t eat well or sleep warmly.

He was even less satisfied with his Wushi Powder intake and could gamble for only four or five shichen, even reducing his visits to the brothels to once a day.

“Indeed.”

Xie Du sighed as well.

Since the disappearance of his grandfather, he too had lost the taste for tea and food, gave up playing Mahjong, and could only numb himself by rolling the dice for four shichen.

“Alas, contain your sorrow.”

The wealthy merchant sighed and shook his head.

He was just about to exchange his chips when the person rolling the dice started shaking them with a clatter once more.

Seeing this, he couldn’t be bothered to exchange the chips and simply threw all of his recent winnings back into the game.

With the noise of the lid being opened, a triple six, the heaven-sent triplet, appeared before everyone.

The merchant was shocked, staring at the Jie family father and son who had put their chips on the triplet, and exclaimed in horror,

“You set me up!”

“Accept the loss willingly, Boss Li.”

A kind smile spread across Xie Du’s face as he collected handfuls of chips, joyfully saying, “Shouldn’t we exchange these chips now?”

“I, I, I…”

Boss Li was panic-stricken, momentarily at a loss for words.

Meanwhile, Jie Sanhai was already prepared; he set chip after chip aside and raised his hand.

Slap!

A slap struck out, and Jie Sanhai’s expression instantly became one of delight.

Seeing this, Xie Du also approached cheerfully and delivered a slap of his own.

Indeed, ever since Beiliang City’s crackdown on fraud six years ago, the gambling den that Xie Du and Jie Sanhai operated at home did not involve money.

They gambled with slaps.

And their two-shichen hand exercise routine in the morning was indeed to train their hands – punching sandbags, stirring iron sand, and chopping bricks were all part of their father-son morning regimen.

It was all to enjoy a hearty slap.

“Come again next time, Boss Li.”

As he watched Boss Li leave with a face like a battered pig, Xie Du waved a friendly goodbye.

Beside him, Jie Sanhai sat on the steps, wrapped around a pipe, and sighed.

“Sigh.”

Hearing his father’s sigh, Xie Du felt a kindred spirit and promptly took out a Firestarter to light Jie Sanhai’s pipe.

He squatted beside his father, also sighing helplessly.

Ever since his grandfather, Xie Se, had disappeared, Xie Du and Jie Sanhai had been despondent, longing every day for their elder who exuded Immortal Qi.

But they both knew that with their father’s (grandfather’s) performance of reveling day and night, living past ninety would already be a win-win-win situation.

However…

“That Monster Hunter you found, is he reliable?”

Jie Sanhai drew a puff of tobacco laced with Wushi Powder, exhaling a cool breath and asked with some skepticism, “It’s been two months, why haven’t we heard anything yet?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Playing with dice in his hand, Xie Du confidently said,

“Master Zhou is a well-known Monster Hunter in Beiliang City; even the Government Office sought his advice during the crackdown on vice.

Don’t be fooled by his age; he knows brothels and gambling dens better than both of us combined.”

“That impressive?

Why do I remember others saying he’s the least reliable Monster Hunter there is?”

Jie Sanhai scratched his head in confusion but didn’t say much more.

Although he’s the father, all household and business matters are handled by his son, and all he cares about are indulgences and vices.

“Alas, father, I feel like grandpa…”

Xie Du stopped mid-sentence, and Jie Sanhai understood what he meant.

With a deep sigh, he patted his son’s shoulder, consoling him,

“Your grandpa was ready ever since he was stroked by an Immortal.

Using his life to fulfill a wish might be considered a curse to others, but for your grandpa, it could be a good thing.”

“But what wish did grandpa exchange his life for in the end?”

“I don’t know.”

Shaking his head, Jie Sanhai heaved a long sigh, “No one understood him in this life.”

Just as Xie Du and Jie Sanhai were preparing to get up and go back inside, they suddenly heard a loud bang.

Both turned their heads simultaneously and saw that the front door had been kicked open.

Standing in the doorway was a stunningly gorgeous girl with white hair.

“Where’s Xie Du?

Tell him to come out to me immediately!”

Despite the girl’s tender and adorable appearance, her speech was deliberately coarse.

She looked at the guards inside the compound, gearing up for a fight, and said loudly,

“I have important business with him, step aside quickly, or else my fist the size of a sandbag won’t show any mercy.”

The sight of this delicate, breathtakingly beautiful girl uttering such crude threats left everyone dumbfounded, unsure of how to react.

The rectification movement in the sixth year of Beiliang ensured that the guards maintained basic decorum; they were well aware that in Beiliang City, one must never offend anyone suspected of mental illness, especially those whose words and physique didn’t match.

The steward of the guards approached first, bowing deferentially and asked kindly, “Little sister, could you tell me your name?”

“I…”

Tang Wan looked at the old man in front of her, who smiled like a bright chrysanthemum, and instinctively took a step back.

“Alright, let the young lady in.”

Xie Du couldn’t stand it any longer; fearing that the girl, who had already started to clench her fists, might punch his steward to death, he hurried forward and said, “Miss, I am Xie Du.

Whatever the matter is, you can discuss it with me in detail.”

“Oh.”

She nodded and took out a piece of jade, tossing it to Xie Du.

“This is your grandfather.”

“What?”

Xie Du was stunned for a moment, and the surrounding guards instantly drew their blades, ready to teach this madcap a lesson.

“Sigh.”

Just as Xie Du stood bewildered and the guards picked up their weapons, ready to have a go at the young woman, Zhou Li, who had been watching from behind the door, could not bear it anymore, sighed, and walked into the courtyard.

“Put them away!”

The moment he saw Zhou Li, Xie Du hurriedly stopped the guards who were ready to teach this outspoken woman a lesson, and reprimanded, “She is my esteemed guest, how dare you draw weapons against her?

Do you no longer wish to live?!”

Watching the guards sheathe their swords, Xie Du quickly approached Zhou Li and bowed.

“Mr.

Jie, there’s no need for ceremony.”

Waving his hand, Zhou Li glanced at Tang Wan, who stood there with an open hand, looking stunned and unsure of what she had done wrong, sighed, took the Evil Spirit Jade from her hand, and said to Xie Du:

“This really is your grandfather.”

“What?”

Xie Du was stunned again, as if he remembered something; sadness gradually appeared in his eyes.

He took a deep breath, as though calming the turmoil within, his hands trembling slightly.

“Please, let’s discuss this matter further inside the main house.”

With grace, Xie Du gestured for them to enter, yet his steps were somewhat unsteady.

Zhou Li and the others exchanged a glance and, without a word, followed Xie Du into the main house.

After entering the main house, Zhou Li and Tang Wan sat opposite Xie Du.

Meanwhile, Xie Du, distractedly directed his servant to prepare tea, and then repeatedly examined the Evil Spirit Jade in his hands, his eyes filled only with sorrow and grief.

“Young Master Zhou, is what you…” said with truth?”

Raising his head, Xie Du asked with sadness, “Is this really my grandfather?”

“You could say that.”

Zhou Li nodded, took a sip of tea, and continued, “The Evil Spirit Jade is created by monsters using special spells to fuse a person’s soul and body together, forming a piece of jade that contains the memories of the deceased.”

“Your grandfather was killed by a Serpent Demon from the Imperial Capital’s Hongwei Tower, but the good news is, the process of making the Evil Spirit Jade is painless—it only involves gradually losing consciousness in a state of bliss.

At least, the old man passed away smiling.”

After hearing Zhou Li’s consoling words, some of the pain on Xie Du’s face lessened, but Zhou Li keenly noticed that, besides pain and sorrow, there seemed to be another emotion in Xie Du.

Resignation.

“Young Master Zhou, if I’m not mistaken, my grandfather must have left something behind, right?”

Raising his head, with a look combining three parts resignation, Xie Du slowly asked Zhou Li, “There must be something more than this Evil Spirit Jade amongst his belongings.”

Huh?

Zhou Li’s heart skipped a beat upon hearing this; he quickly realized that the death of the old Master Jie might not be so simple, and that Xie Du was no ordinary wastrel.

He understood that Xie Du was referring to the seven Immortal Gourd Seeds.

To tell, or not to tell?

Before Zhou Li could decide, Xie Du quickly spoke up:

“Rest assured, Young Master Zhou, I have no intention of making a claim.”

With a bitter smile, Xie Du let out a light sigh and then said with a dim expression:

“I am merely a merchant, low in the hierarchy of Da Ming.

I have no wish or courage to involve myself in the affairs of immortals.

I just want to see for myself what secret my grandfather has hidden for twenty years.”

Sliding a thousand-tael silver note across to Zhou Li, Xie Du pleaded, “Take it as a request from me.”

Two.

Three.

Four.

“Zhou Yi, come out for a moment.”

Pocketing the four thousand taels, Zhou Yi, who was disguised as the Scarlet Gourd, appeared beside Zhou Li.

When Xie Du saw the figure who resembled a fairy, he was instantly mesmerized; after a moment, Xie Du covered his face, as tears streaked down his cheeks.

Biting his lip, his voice trembling, tears uncontrollably fell onto the floor.

“She is the spitting image of my little aunt who died young.”