Chapter Forty-Two: A Major Incident Occurs

Tang Wei’s current life was a tranquil and orderly one: she would spend her leisure hours discussing medical techniques or the art of wandering in freedom with Old Li, then offer guidance to Shi Xiaolin and Shi Xiaohu, and, come evening, retreat into her private space to refine pills or experiment with new and interesting martial techniques. As for the twins, Chun Chun now spent entire days cloistered in the study. Though he had yet to begin formal training, the travelogues within the inner space were already nearly memorized; he clung to his books with the tenacity of a child far beyond his four or five years, his manner so solemn and aged that it left Tang Wei speechless and, indeed, gave her a headache whenever he came into view.

Her daughter, however, was another matter entirely. Whenever Tang Wei saw the little girl, not only did her head ache, she wanted nothing more than to slip away and avoid the chaos. How could two siblings be so different? The brother was, if not precisely quiet, at least reserved; but the little girl was incorrigibly mischievous. She’d become such a terror that everyone in the valley wanted to avoid her—loved by none, abandoned even by the dogs—yet she seemed perfectly content with her own antics. Tang Wei couldn’t fathom what sort of upbringing could produce such a creature—oh, but of course, she remembered: the girl's mother was none other than herself, and her hapless father was Zixuan.

Fortunately, there was at least one person who got along well with the little girl: Li Changfeng. How these two became kindred spirits—or perhaps partners in mischief—was anyone’s guess. In any case, they were inseparable, and today was no exception: the two had arranged to go wandering in the city together.

Everyone at home was making progress, except for Tang Wei’s relationship with Zixuan. Were they incompatible? Not exactly—when together, they could get along quite well. Were they a good match? Yet they were always quarreling—well, it was mostly Tang Wei doing the scolding. Zixuan was forever pestering Tang Wei, and Tang Wei was forever dodging him; all in all, she found this game of pursuit and evasion rather enjoyable.

She’d thought her days would pass in this peaceful fashion until Zixuan’s father came to take him away, but fate had other plans—a great event was lying in wait.

His name was Zhang San—originally Zhang Bensan, but over time, his peers simply called him Zhang San. By conventional reckoning, he was over eighty years old. Yet, having cultivated since childhood with his master, he looked no older than forty. However, the sly glint in his eyes did not match his formal attire, and his sharp, monkey-like features made him immediately unlikable.

This man was lecherous and depraved, relying on the few skills he had acquired to roam the cities by day. Whenever he spotted a beauty that caught his eye, he would stalk her home, ensure there were no powerful protectors about, and then, under the cover of night, drug her for his pleasure. With the “Harmony Powder” passed down from his sect, he had violated countless upstanding women. His caution kept him beneath the radar of the national security agencies, and he flourished all the more in the shadows.

Having grown tired of the beauties of B City, Zhang San set his sights on a new locale, curious whether the women elsewhere might offer a different thrill. He boarded a train bound for S City, only to encounter the infamous shrew of the Ouyang family. All he did was glance once at her—her spectacular, heaving chest—he hadn’t even laid a hand on her! Besides, how was he to know she was the precious daughter of the Ouyang patriarch? If he’d known, he wouldn’t have dared, not even with ten times the courage. She was utterly unreasonable, throwing him off the train mid-journey, and so he ended up in this small, unheard-of city. No matter; the Ouyangs were trouble he could avoid.

Still, he couldn’t forget that woman’s formidable bosom; the thought of it rekindled his dark desires. No, he needed to vent his frustration—perhaps a trip to the city center would present an opportunity. Even in a small place, surely there’d be a beauty or two.

And so, he found his target for the day—though not a woman, but a little girl radiating an unusual spiritual energy. Lest anyone misunderstand, his tastes ran strictly to voluptuous women; little girls did not interest him. But he’d heard the Xuanyuan clan was now openly recruiting disciples with innate spiritual roots: anyone who delivered such a child to the clan’s representatives could receive a spirit stone or two hundred thousand in cash, and even more for exceptional talent.

This little girl’s aura suggested rare potential; if he negotiated well, she might fetch three or four spirit stones. Cultivation was far more important than women—without power, how could he hope to enjoy women at all?

Since his master’s death, Zhang San had been stuck at the sixth level of Qi Refining for years. The talismans his master left him were running out; if only he could break through on his own, he could craft higher-level talismans himself—and then, women would be his for the asking! If Tang Wei knew her carefully nurtured daughter was being appraised at four low-grade spirit stones, she might have wanted to bang her head against the wall.

To be fair, Zhang San’s aptitude was not inconsiderable. His master had lived to a hundred and sixty and only reached the seventh level of Qi Refining, while Zhang San, a solitary cultivator in modern times, had managed to reach the fifth level before the age of eighty. If only his conduct weren’t so depraved, he might have been worthy of greater things.

Loners like him lacked resources and cultivation sites; had he joined a sect from childhood, even as an ordinary disciple, he’d at least be an inner disciple by now, with a cultivation base at the Foundation Establishment stage.

But what good was that to him now? He needed to follow the little girl; if he lost her, any hope of advancing to the seventh level would be lost. He watched as the girl in the red sundress entered a supermarket. He couldn’t act yet—modern technology was too advanced; to be caught on camera would mean a lifetime in prison.

Zhang San entered the first-floor KFC, slipped into the restroom, and emerged transformed into an old woman, hunched and slow, making her way toward the supermarket.

People bustled in and out of KFC, each preoccupied with their own affairs; no one noticed the elderly woman who had so recently been someone else, and even if they had, they probably wouldn’t have cared.

Inside the supermarket, Zhang San wandered the aisles until he found his targets by the chips display: the little girl sat in the shopping cart, demanding three bags of a well-known brand, while the man cheerfully obliged. Observing their interaction, Zhang San glanced up at the ceiling cameras and felt a surge of frustration—why did the supermarket need so many? Couldn’t they spend the money on something else?

Should he wait until they left to make his move? But it was Sunday, with crowds and heavy traffic outside—if he lost them, he’d suffer a major setback.

No, he had to act. Just then, he saw an employee pushing a large cart in his direction. His eyes lit up—he’d found the perfect solution. He pretended to browse nearby shelves, but in reality, he traced symbols onto his palms. As the cart blocked the camera's line of sight, Zhang San struck both targets on the back in a flash and quickly left the scene. Luckily, the aisle was deserted; otherwise, people might have thought they’d seen a ghost.

He made his way to the rooftop parking lot, found a secluded corner, and sat cross-legged. He pressed his palms together, whispered incantations, then separated his hands as sparks of light flickered between them. Raising two fingers to his brow, he chanted in a language no ordinary person could understand.

Moments later, the little girl in the red dress emerged from the supermarket entrance, her eyes vacant, and drifted toward him. Sensing her approach, Zhang San ceased his ritual, rose, and led her by the hand downstairs. The girl glanced at him blankly, mute and expressionless, following him without resistance.

Meanwhile, inside the supermarket, the man stood in a daze before the shelves. From behind, it simply looked as though he were lost in thought over which product to choose.