Chapter 78: Early Is Better Than Late

“Locust Blossom, little sister.”

As the sun dipped below the horizon and dusk settled, Fang Xiao once again passed through Zhen Village. He greeted the young girl already waiting at the entrance, “Today, I saw your elder sister at the academy.”

Locust Blossom had been carrying a bamboo basket, her face alight with a cheerful smile. But upon hearing Fang Xiao’s words, her round, dark eyes widened in alarm, a fearful glint flickering in her gaze.

“Brother Fang, did you… did you go find her?”

The little girl stammered, tears welling up in her eyes.

“No, she came to me,” Fang Xiao quickly reassured her, gently stroking her head. “I ignored her!”

He thought to himself, what kind of elder sister is she, frightening her own little sibling so much?

“That’s good.” Locust Blossom broke into a smile through her tears, rubbing her cheek against Fang Xiao’s chest, leaving a faint trace of wetness there.

She looked up at him, eyes brimming with tears. “Brother Fang, my sister is terrible. She’s always bullying me!”

“I know.” Fang Xiao wiped away the tears at the corner of her eyes. “If she bullies you again, I’ll go scold her. What kind of sister bullies her own little sibling? I’ll make sure she’s too embarrassed to show her face at the academy.”

“Mm, mm, mm!” Locust Blossom nodded vigorously.

Her smile was sweet and sincere. “Brother Fang, you’re so good to me!”

“Uh…” Fang Xiao quickly changed the subject. “By the way, your sister said her name is Qin Qingxuan, and you’re Qin Feifei?”

“Yes.” Locust Blossom explained, “My sister doesn’t like the Daoist master, and she hates the nickname he gave her.”

She added, “But I like it.”

Fang Xiao was curious. “Why do you have the surname Qin?”

Widow Qin’s late husband was a villager of Zhen Village; logically, both daughters should bear the surname Zhen.

“My grandmother used to despise my mother for having two daughters and always scolded us, calling us jinxes and burdens.” Locust Blossom pouted angrily. “So my mother had us take her surname, just to spite the old woman!”

“So that’s how it is!” Fang Xiao frowned deeply.

Locust Blossom was such a lovely girl, yet treated with such disdain. The old lady of the Zhen family was truly backward, in need of re-education!

He took out the milk candy he’d prepared earlier and popped one into the little girl’s mouth. “Don’t be upset. Have some candy.”

Locust Blossom held the candy between her lips, mumbling, “Brother, you eat too.”

Fang Xiao chuckled, putting the remaining milk candy into his own mouth.

It was very sweet.

“Let’s go.” He took the bamboo basket from the girl, ready to return to the Daoist temple.

Unexpectedly, Locust Blossom tugged at his sleeve.

Fang Xiao: “Hm?”

“Brother Fang,” the little girl asked softly, “will you always be so good to me?”

Her eyes shone with hope.

Without hesitation, Fang Xiao replied, “I will!”

Only then did Locust Blossom let go, her brows curved into a smile, all traces of sadness and anger gone.

“Goodbye, brother.”

“Goodbye.” Fang Xiao ruffled her hair once more, then mounted his sturdy blue donkey.

The donkey’s hooves clattered as it sped back toward Little Jing Mountain.

When he arrived at the temple gates, Fang Xiao was startled.

The doors stood wide open, shadows moving within, incense smoke curling in the air. The place was livelier than ever before!

He quickly dismounted and strode across the threshold.

Inside the courtyard, he saw over a dozen robust men dressed as servants and laborers. On the ground lay heaps of rice, oil, meat, fruit, and offerings.

A middle-aged man in a brocade robe wore an ingratiating smile, speaking respectfully with Daoist Pang.

“Master Pang, please rest assured!”

“I guarantee that after I take up my post, I’ll never stop the people of Zhen Village from coming up the mountain to offer incense.”

“Every month at the start, I’ll deliver three loads of offerings, right on time!”

“And…”

“That’s enough.” Daoist Pang, reclining in a wicker chair, impatiently cut him off. “I prefer peace and quiet. Things will remain as they were, no need for your meddling.”

“As for the offerings, I’ll accept them on behalf of the Supreme Sage Emperor.”

“But you needn’t have them delivered here anymore. Distribute them among the poor families in the village.”

“Do you understand?”

The man in the brocade robe froze for a moment, then nodded and bowed repeatedly. “I understand, sir, I do!”

“Very good.” Daoist Pang nodded. “Should any demons or evil spirits disturb the village, send someone up the mountain. If I’m not here…”

He pointed his horsetail whisk at Fang Xiao, just returned. “My chief disciple will handle it!”

Everyone turned their gaze to Fang Xiao.

The man in the brocade robe was startled, quickly clasping his hands to Fang Xiao. “You must be Young Master Fang, Daoist. I am Zhen Maocai, newly settled in Zhen Village. I hope you’ll look after me in the future!”

With that, he bent deeply at the waist.

“Greetings, Young Master Fang!” The dozen strong servants followed suit, bowing in unison.

Fang Xiao returned the gesture. “You’re too kind.”

His impression of Zhen Maocai was neither good nor bad; he felt indifferent.

But regardless—

The man’s manners were impeccable.

“It’s getting late, I won’t disturb you further,” Zhen Maocai said, bowing once more to Daoist Pang before leading his servants away from the temple.

Fang Xiao closed the doors.

He asked curiously, “Master, what does this man do?”

“He’s Zhen Yuanliang’s nephew,” Daoist Pang scoffed. “Our illustrious Village Chief Zhen recently suffered from sudden paralysis and can no longer care for himself—even immortals can’t save him. So his nephew came down from the county to take over the family business!”

Did Zhen Yuanliang not have a son? Fang Xiao knew Zhen Yuanliang was the village chief, now struck by retribution and unable to continue his duties. It was normal for family to take over, but having a nephew do so was odd.

Yet Fang Xiao had no interest in these petty affairs, nor did he care to ask further.

“This Zhen Maocai has some tact,” Daoist Pang continued. “Much better than that old Zhen Yuanliang.”

“But I don’t care for his attentions, nor will I take the path of incense offerings and becoming a god.”

“Wouldn’t want certain people losing sleep over it!”

Even when things were at their worst, he’d never considered such a crooked path to cultivation. Now that he was back at his peak, others’ schemes seemed laughable.

“Mm,” Fang Xiao nodded.

He didn’t fully understand Daoist Pang’s words, but it didn’t matter.

A friend of Daoist Pang’s wasn’t necessarily his friend.

But the master’s enemy—

That was certainly his enemy!

“Come,” Daoist Pang stood up. “I’ll take you to a new dungeon to fight monsters and gain experience!”

Fang Xiao was stunned. “Right now?”

He hadn’t even had dinner yet!

But Daoist Pang appeared eager and impatient. “The early bird gets the worm!”

As soon as he finished, he swung his horsetail whisk, wrapping it around Fang Xiao.

A whirlwind rose, sweeping them both over the wall. In the blink of an eye, they vanished.

The temple returned to silence.

In the corner of the courtyard, the sturdy blue donkey shook its head in despair, resigned to its fate.