Chương 29: Li Xin

Giant Willow Village. With the matter more or less concluded, the crowd began to disperse in small groups. Looking at the giant tiger on the ground, Old Zhong secretly gulped:"Song Que, what do you plan to do with this tiger?" Hearing this, Song Que frowned and turned to Gou'dan:"Gou'dan, Brother leaves this to you. You can burn it, scorch it, or chop it into pieces—whatever you want." Don't do that! What a reckless waste of heaven's gifts! Old Zhong was frantic.

Setting aside the myriad of benefits like the tiger pelt and tiger bones, just the tiger whip alone made his eyes burn with desire! Fortunately, that kid Gou'dan was sensible, causing more than half of Old Zhong's resentment toward him to dissipate.

"Brother A'niu, I don't need it. You decide what to do with it." Hearing him say that, and then glancing at Old Zhong, who was staring at him with expectant eyes, Song Que didn't really want to keep the beast anyway. Just looking at it was annoying, so he casually said:"Then I'll trouble Uncle Zhong. I don't need the tiger pelt or anything. You can handle it however you like." Originally, his target was only that massive tiger whip.

Hearing Song Que's words, Old Zhong felt that this happiness had arrived too suddenly. He hastily said:"How can I do that? The tiger pelt and bones are worth a fortune! Don't worry, I'll help you sell it." Unexpectedly, Song Que shook his head. He still owed Old Zhong a favor. The old man had helped with Uncle Li's funeral arrangements, which was a huge kindness:"No need, Uncle. I'm not short on money. If you like it, just keep it for yourself." Ah, dealing with such a wealthy tycoon!

Old Zhong didn't stand on ceremony, his eyes crinkling with joy as he repeatedly offered his thanks. It wasn't that he was greedy for money, but this tiger pelt was truly massive! Taking it back and spreading it out to lie on would be incredibly majestic. Showing it off to people later would be extremely stylish, wouldn't it? In high spirits, Old Zhong called a few men to carry the Jade-Eyed Tiger back to the village and personally set to work processing it.

Aside from the pelt, bones, and whip, he only took the heart, bringing it to the Li residence to share a few drinks with Song Que. As for the several hundred catties of tiger meat, he let the young men distribute it among the villagers as they pleased. Although tiger meat wasn't exactly delicious, for a populace lacking food year-round, it was a rare delicacy.... The Zhao Residence. Old Zhao and Lord Hu were taking large gulps of water to calm their nerves, trying to soothe their frazzled emotions.

"This kid has already matured into a formidable force. We can't provoke him! Absolutely cannot provoke him!" What he saw today had left far too deep an impression; Old Zhao was still lingering in fear.

"Thank goodness we didn't act yet. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable!" Although Lord Hu had already yielded, he still felt somewhat unwilling:"It's just too cheap a win for that kid!" Regarding this, Old Zhao had a broader perspective. After all, he wasn't the one who got beaten up. Taking a slow sip of water, he nodded and said:"You little brat, you still can't see the big picture. It was just a beating; you didn't lose a piece of flesh.

Moreover, think about it: with that kid's immense capabilities, he's bound to leave the village sooner or later. When that time comes, won't this village still belong to our Zhao family?" Rubbing the wound on his cheek, Lord Hu grumbled:"I just wish he'd scram already! It's so f*cking bizarre! I have no idea what that little bastard grew up eating!" What did Song Que grow up eating? The father and son were destined to never find the answer.

They could only sit there quietly licking their wounds, waiting for the day they could stage a comeback. The next morning. The pristine Mirror Lake. Standing on the shore and looking out at the tranquil water, Song Que felt a myriad of emotions. His original plan was to build a villa here as a gift for the Li family, while he himself would soon depart to roam and see this vast world. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

But who could have foreseen such sudden and tragic changes? With the Li family now left as a widow and orphans, he couldn't just brush his hands off and leave; his conscience would plague him with guilt. He had no choice but to alter his plans. Since the Tesseract just leveled up anyway, I might as well stay here for another year or two. I'll wait until that kid Gou'dan grows up and can shoulder the family. By then, with Old Zhong looking out for them, I can leave with peace of mind.

Song Que could only console himself with this thought. At this moment, a figure stepped through the morning dew and approached. It was Gou'dan, or rather, he should now be called Li Xin. It turned out this kid actually had a formal given name: Li Xin. Er'ya's name was Li Chunmai. For all this time, Song Que had never heard anyone mention it. Yesterday, the little guy had experienced his baptism of blood. After returning, he drank a few cups of wine with Old Zhong and Song Que.

When the alcohol hit his head, he bawled and shouted that he wanted to follow his Big Brother Song Que's example and become a powerful, important figure! Therefore, he demanded that everyone call him Li Xin. No one was allowed to mention the name 'Gou'dan' ever again; if anyone did, he'd fight them! Everyone naturally humored him.

"A'Xin, you're here." Hearing Song Que call his name, the former Gou'dan smiled brightly:"Hehe, Brother A'niu!"

"You little brat, you're not playing fair. I call you by your proper name, yet you still call me A'niu," Song Que teased.

"Hehe, Brother Que! Calling you that feels awkward on my tongue. I think I'll just call you Big Brother!" Song Que smiled and shook his head, letting him be. Toward his own family, he was incredibly easygoing. He looked at Li Xin seriously and said:"A'Xin, training is dry, tedious, and grueling. You must be mentally prepared."

"Brother, I know. I won't disappoint you." Seeing his resolute gaze, Song Que nodded secretly. He began by leading him on a few warm-up laps before instructing him on the exercises. Eldest Miss Mengmeng lay elegantly on a chair, puffing up her fur to stay warm. Basking in the morning sun, she squinted at the man and wolf in the courtyard, completely ignoring these crude, muscle-brained brutes.... Two months passed. Li Xin's persistence earned Song Que's deep approval.

During this time, regardless of wind, rain, or freezing cold, the kid arrived punctually every single day to learn martial arts and hunting techniques from Song Que. Song Que held nothing back in his teachings. Although he didn't use the Tesseract's energy to modify the boy's body, he personally ventured into the forest to gather various nourishing herbs and supplements, personally cooking to serve this kid and the two "lords" at home.

To be fair, having experienced modern life, knowing all sorts of spices, and possessing unique culinary insight, Song Que's cooking skills had improved drastically during this period. Benefiting from his five senses, which far surpassed ordinary people's, the dishes he cooked were not only visually appealing but also possessed all five distinct flavors. This made Li Xin and Zhong Kui frequently linger, reluctant to leave. That kid Li Xin even shamelessly refused to miss all three meals a day!

Old Zhong wasn't quite that thick-skinned, but he frequently found excuses to come over for a free meal. He didn't manage to learn a single martial arts stance, but his belly had definitely gained an extra layer of fat. Li Xin, on the other hand, was leveling up fast. His spear and saber techniques now had proper form and substance. When hunting in the forest, he was neither clumsy nor cowardly, earning constant praise from Song Que. He had truly far surpassed his old man.

At this moment, while helping Song Que load goods onto the donkey cart, Li Xin spoke up:"Big Brother, let me go to town with you tomorrow!" It turned out that the New Year was approaching. Tomorrow was the day the village's supply caravan went to town to trade. Song Que was also packing his cart to set off early the next morning. He originally thought that since he had completely fallen out with the Zhao father and son, the village's supply trading wouldn't concern him anymore.

Unexpectedly, the old Village Chief had personally come to notify him yesterday. Song Que didn't act arrogant and happily accepted. He truly didn't realize that the "magnanimous" Twin Heroes of the Zhao Family were currently desperate to treat him like a shrine! How could they dare give him any excuse to find fault with them? Old Zhao personally came to invite him just to show his utter respect. Furthermore, with Song Que, this great deity, traveling with them, the caravan felt immensely secure.

They were even secretly hoping some blind, foolish bandits would try to rob them on the road so they could admire his majestic bearing! Hearing Li Xin's request, Song Que pondered for a long while before shaking his head.

"Tomorrow, you help Brother take care of Husky and Mengmeng. Next time, Brother will take you to town to play." In his eyes, Mengmeng was just a cute pet. But in the eyes of others, it was undoubtedly a massive, walking bank note! He didn't want to bring it into town to show off and invite unnecessary trouble. So, he could only leave Husky to guard it. Having Li Xin there to watch the house added an extra layer of reassurance. Hearing this, Li Xin was a bit disappointed but understood the priorities and nodded.

"What do you and Er'ya want? I'll buy it for you tomorrow." Seeing his low spirits, Song Que smiled and asked. The kid wasn't shy either; his eyes lit up as he said:"Brother, I want a saber!" Originally, he had wanted a bow, but since he still lacked the strength to draw one properly, he gave up on the idea. He knew Song Que wasn't short on money, so he didn't stand on ceremony with his Big Brother. An uneventful night passed.

Early the next morning, a bustling crowd gathered at the village entrance, chatting excitedly under the old willow tree. Thanks to the heavens, Giant Willow Village had a bountiful harvest this year. Everyone's face glowed with joy; at the very least, they would have a warm, well-fed New Year. Because Song Que had to hand over instructions to Li Xin, he was actually the last to arrive. No one questioned this; they all viewed it as perfectly natural.

Seeing him drive his cart over, the crowd eagerly greeted him:"Master Song!" That's right! In the village now, he had ascended to the rank of "Master"! Seeing him, the Zhao father and son, along with Zhong Kui, smiled and nodded. Regardless of what they thought in their hearts, they had to maintain the utmost surface respect. Waiting until everyone had gathered, Village Chief Zhao cast a glance at Song Que. Seeing him remain silent, he finally shouted the command: "Move out!"

The caravan, their moods light and joyful, marched grandly toward Yellow Leaf Town. Song Que drove his cart alongside Zhong Kui, the two chatting happily. Since they had to escort goods back today, neither of them would be staying overnight in town. Regarding this, Song Que felt secretly regretful. I wonder if the casino is open during the day? If not, I'm missing out on a chance to harvest leeks! Although Grandee Song still had several dozen taels of silver, this was his "job."

One cannot neglect their profession just because they have some money in their pocket! He resolved to check the situation once they reached the town. The Zhao father and son closed their eyes and rested, not interfering with any matters along the way, ensuring a smooth and peaceful journey all the way to Yellow Leaf Town.