My family tree hollow connects to the modern era : Chapter 41

 

“Are you saying that after you went home from drinking with us last night, you found the treasure-hunting rat stealing spiritual fruit in your house, and then Bai Zhizhi simply Helped you bond with it on the spot?!” Xiao Yu’s voice was filled with shock, and the look he gave Jiang Lin was one of complete disbelief.

Jiang Lin nodded. “I’m not sure what went wrong on He’er’s end that caused the treasure-hunting rat to escape.”

Jiang Feng, captain of the Nanchuan squad, asked curiously, “What does it feel like after the bond is formed?”

Jiang Lin replied, “It feels like I can control it. I can perceive its senses and issue commands directly to it.”

As he spoke, Jiang Lin released the treasure-hunting rat. After spending a night in the monster card and being fed a spirit-gathering pill by Jiang Lin that morning, it was now in high spirits, its fur appearing even more lustrous. Jiang Lin placed the rat on the ground and said, “Go get the water bottle on the table for me.” The rat immediately scurried to the table, threw its two short paws onto the water bottle, and the bottle—which was larger than the rat itself—instantly vanished. It scrambled back with great speed, and once it reached Jiang Lin’s hand, it pulled the bottle out from its treasure pouch. The others couldn’t Help but gasp. This was more than just a bonded spirit beast; it was a walking storage bag.

Jiang Lin patted the rat’s head and tucked it back into the monster card. “I will report this to the Administration.” Although the bonding was an accident, since it was now bonded to him, Jiang Lin could not just discard it; he had to explain the situation to the authorities.

Chen Yunli, standing nearby, asked, “Did you get a clear look at the contract incantation Bai Zhizhi drew?” Her cultivation level wasn’t particularly high, but she was skilled in arrays and had studied many incomplete grand formations since childhood. Contract incantations could be considered a form of totem array art. If they could figure out how to study it, they could potentially capture and bond with powerful, docile beasts in the future, effectively adding a new combat asset to their ranks. However, this method of bonding with beasts was currently unknown to them; otherwise, He’er wouldn’t have relied on technological means to control the treasure-hunting rat.

Jiang Lin replied, “I saw it clearly. But if we want to study this method of bonding, we must ask Zhizhi first. If he doesn’t agree, the research will have to wait.” Even though he had noted the runes drawn on his palm, he would not move to utilize something that belonged to Bai Zhizhi without his consent.

Chen Yunli nodded. “That’s only right.”

Xiao Yu sighed. “If I had known, I would have gone to Moyun Mountain that day, too. Maybe if I’d gone, I would have been the one to find Bai Zhizhi.” He looked at the quiet Lu Mingyu. “You went that day, too, didn’t you? Tell me, why couldn’t you have beaten Old Jiang to it?”

Lu Mingyu retorted, “Even if I had beaten him to it, a stroke of good luck like that wouldn’t have fallen to you.”

Xiao Yu chuckled, slinging an arm around Jiang Lin’s shoulder as he said to Lu Mingyu, “You don’t understand. I’m just the type who worries about my brothers struggling, yet also worries when they’re doing too well.”

Jiang Lin pushed his arm away and took out a sealed container from the side. “These are grapes picked this morning, generously shared by Zhizhi. Since you’re so worried about me doing too well, I think I’ll share this good fortune with someone else.” He pushed the box toward Jiang Feng and Chen Yunli. “You two go ahead and split this.”

Xiao Yu exclaimed, “Spiritual fruit! Jiang Lin, that’s going too far! Hey, hey, leave some for me!” As regional captains, they weren’t strangers to fine things, but spiritual fruit was rare and precious. While they received a small allotment in their monthly benefits, seeing the actual goods made them realize they had underestimated the situation. They had assumed the fox’s home-grown fruit wouldn’t compare to the scientifically cultivated produce of the research institute, but clearly, the little fox demon—who naturally lived in mountain forests and caves—understood plants far better than any human.

Chen Yunli tasted one carefully, then looked at Jiang Lin. “Are you saying you have an entire grapevine of these in your courtyard?” Jiang Lin smiled without answering. Jiang Feng sighed deeply, “Now I understand why Xiao Yu is jealous.” Chen Yunli added, “I was at Moyun Mountain that day, too. Why couldn’t I have found the little fox first?”

Jiang Lin Helplessly interrupted their teasing. “Eat up and shut your mouths.” Whoever found Bai Zhizhi first didn’t matter; Bai Zhizhi wouldn’t be stingy about sharing as long as you were someone kind to him.

Lu Mingyu had already tasted the grapes before Jiang Lin returned. His nephew was a man of few words, and Huang Tianli, who was sent to the courtyard, kept asking to go back, claiming that even without eating the grapes, just meditating under the vines caused his cultivation to surge. Unfortunately, they had to head into the energy field, so they couldn’t be sent back to the courtyard. Thinking of that, Lu Mingyu asked, “Are you sending the full team out again, and letting Bai Zhizhi guard the courtyard?”

Jiang Lin smiled. “If he doesn’t want to go to the energy field this time, he can stay in the courtyard. You don’t need to send anyone to guard it anymore. After what happened last time, no one will dare to provoke him for a long time.”

Lu Mingyu said, “You’re quite trusting.” Jiang Lin knew about Lu Mingyu’s history his parents had been killed by demons. Although there were other hidden details to the case, Lu Mingyu’s trauma was real. Jiang Lin couldn’t force him to treat all demons without prejudice, so he simply said, “I dare to entrust the courtyard to him because I believe in him. He may have a childlike nature, but he is fundamentally kind. You’ve had contact with him; I think you can feel that.”

Lu Mingyu could feel it, but he was still unable to get past his internal walls. He didn’t want to discuss the subject of demons any further and instead brought up Zhuang Lixu’s case. “The matter hasn’t reached final judgment, but there’s a result.”

Jiang Lin replied, “Tell him yourself. He’s quite concerned about it; he asks me three hundred times a day.” Lu Mingyu’s mouth twitched, almost as if he were trying to smile, but he quickly returned to a neutral expression. “Fine, I’ll contact him.”

After meeting with the Administration, Jiang Lin and the others headed to a conference, while Lu Mingyu drove straight to the courtyard. Bai Zhizhi was playing with his mechanical bird, trying his best to invite Yue Zhihuan to sit on its back and fly into the sky. Yue Zhihuan waved her hands frantically in terror it was too scary, and there were no safety measures! She begged Zhizhi not to do it: *If someone films this, tomorrow’s news will explode! A giant beast falling from the sky—the public will be scared to death!*

Bai Zhizhi muttered, “The people here are so fragile. A bird scares them to death.”

Gao Man, sitting nearby, asked, “Zhizhi, do you know how to draw talismans?”

Bai Zhizhi shook his head. While he knew a little of alchemy, talismans, and artifacts because they were mandatory subjects, he wasn’t proficient in them, nor did he need to be. In Qingqiu, there were halls for such things, and if he wanted something, he could just ask, and many would refine it for him. Bai Zhizhi turned to Uncle Gao: “You want a talisman? What kind?”

Gao Man said, “You want to take Huanhuan flying, but this bird is too big; flying it would cause a huge commotion. I was wondering if you had something like an invisibility talisman.”

Bai Zhizhi replied, “There’s no such thing as an invisibility talisman.” If he had one, he would have used it to sneak out of the treehouse while others were entering or exiting the stone cave. All cultivators knew that invisibility without concealing one’s aura was useless, and concealing both depended on the gap in cultivation levels. Just like that, no one bothered to research them. There were spirit artifacts that could achieve this, but the materials required to craft them were incredibly rare. His father had one in his treasury, but he kept it locked away, fearing Zhizhi would use it to sneak out and play.

Gao Man looked disappointed. “I thought there might be.”

Bai Zhizhi asked, “Uncle Gao, do you want to ride the mechanical bird for a bit?”

Gao Man waved his hands. “No, no, that’s for you youngsters.”

Lu Mingyu, having parked his car, knocked on the door and entered. “Flying what?”

Bai Zhizhi glanced at him. “Why are you here again? Don’t you have work? Don’t humans need to earn money to eat? You wander around all day does the Administration even pay your salary?”

Lu Mingyu replied, “I’ve already learned a lot recently.”

Bai Zhizhi said smugly, “Of course, I’ve already figured you humans out completely.”

Lu Mingyu said, “There’s a rough result regarding Zhuang Lixu’s case. Don’t you want to know? If you don’t, I’ll leave.”

Bai Zhizhi yelled, “Come back!”

Lu Mingyu suppressed a smile and entered the courtyard. Yue Zhihuan brought out a pot of tea, and Bi Weiqing, who was weeding, sat over. “Did the result for the matter Zhizhi was waiting for come out?”

Lu Mingyu nodded. “The police have teamed up with the Administration to form a special task force. They will reopen investigations into the Miao, Liu, and Qin families, and the school bullying case regarding Wan Fang will also be reinvestigated.”

Miao Sheng, Liu Tao, and Qin Yilun had all died on the same day in bizarre, eerie circumstances. Thinking they had been targeted for some offense, their families had scrambled back to the country to find a killer. When the Administration presented the truth—that the spirits had sought revenge the families couldn’t believe it; supernatural vengeance was too far beyond their comprehension.

Bai Zhizhi asked, “And then?”

Lu Mingyu: “They launched an investigation into the three families. When Miao Sheng accidentally caused Zhuang Lixu’s mother’s death, Miao Sheng’s father covered it up, with the Liu and Qin families Helping. Later, when Zhuang Lixu suspected them, he was warned by the trio, and then his family home was destroyed the next day. He told the police his suspicions, but since he was just a student and they were prominent families, the police found no evidence and couldn’t pursue it further. In the end, to eliminate the threat of Zhuang Lixu pursuing the truth, the three families decided to eliminate the entire Zhuang family.”

Yue Zhihuan looked pained. It was cruel beyond words. She thought that if she said it aloud, the uncles would lecture her, so she kept it to herself, but she felt that Zhuang Lixu’s actions were a contribution to society.

Gao Man shook his head. “They were just students, yet so ruthless.”

Lu Mingyu looked at Bai Zhizhi. “Now that the Administration is investigating, they have the authority to dig deep. No matter what high-ranking officials are hidden behind the scenes, everything will be brought to light. We’ve reassured Zhuang Lixu, and he is willing to trust the justice of the law one more time.”

Bai Zhizhi asked, “Will this investigation drag on for a long time?”

Lu Mingyu: “No. The cultivators in the Administration don’t have the patience to play games. Once evidence is found, we will execute judgment immediately.”

Bai Zhizhi asked curiously, “Once the case is closed and the people handled, will Zhuang Lixu be liberated/transcended?”

Lu Mingyu nodded.

Bai Zhizhi leaned in. “Can I come watch? I’ve never seen a transcendence ritual. Come on, come on, let’s exchange WeChat! I’ve already learned how to use it!”

Lu Mingyu was surprised as he watched him pull out his phone and skillfully open WeChat. “You learned to read?”

Bai Zhizhi: “I’m not an idiot. What’s so hard about reading? Look down on foxes, do you?”

Lu Mingyu smiled and exchanged contacts. “I’ll notify you when it’s time for the ritual.”

After he left, Bai Zhizhi huffed, “Always so cold and aloof, as if someone owes him money.”

Yue Zhihuan shook her head, telling him not to speak that way. Apart from cultivating, their daily work involved dealing with the dead and various evil spirits it was impossible to remain cheerful.

Bai Zhizhi looked at the time. “Are you leaving soon?”

Yue Zhihuan pursed her lips. It was still early; she could linger a while longer.

Uncle Bi said, “If you don’t want to go, don’t go. We can just send a gift or increase the monetary gift.”

Yue Zhihuan sighed. She disliked going out, but Xu Jingjing was her only childhood friend who hadn’t bullied her for being mute. Even though she rarely left the courtyard, they had kept in touch. Now that Jingjing was getting married, she felt she had to go to such a once-in-a-lifetime event.

Seeing her distressed face, Gao Man smiled kindly. “Why don’t you let Zhizhi go with you? Zhizhi hasn’t attended a human wedding before—take him to see it.”

Bai Zhizhi was immediately interested. “Great! I’ll go with you!”