Chapter 8, The Child Who Picks Radishes

Is this child from your family

Mi Xiaojing had already helped the child up. He noticed a footprint on the child's shoulder, and given that the child had just fallen to the ground, there were several scratches and bloodstains on the child's face. He could not help but feel a surge of anger.

Suddenly, there was a moment of silence around. A father hitting his son is a family matter that outsiders cannot comment on. What more can you say?

His clothes were worn to the extreme, barely covering his body. He struggled to drag a basket of radishes, inching it into the yard. Not having gone far, he suddenly felt his legs give way and fell to the ground, causing the radishes in the bamboo basket to roll out immediately

Mi Xiaojing does not need to take action; he only needs to watch from the side. The rent collected is primarily in wheat and sorghum, with a portion of millet, a small amount of rice, as well as soybeans, and some red and green beans, all of which are very common grains

Everyone could detect the anger in Master Zeng Li's tone

Old Master Luo apologizes

This type of tenant is the most welcomed in Xiyanmen, and even though they can be somewhat overbearing, Xiyanmen maintains a level of tolerance, which has consequently allowed the Luo family to act rather unrestrained in the village

The originally noisy sounds suddenly became even more boisterous, as a crowd of people squeezed in at the door. From Mi Xiaojing's perspective, this was a family, consisting of about ten individuals, both men and women.

Master Zeng Li's expression was grim

This is the Luo family, which is quite domineering in Maple Forest Village

The elder of the Luo family had four sons. After the sons married, they had twelve children, six of whom are already adults. Together with the women in the household, this large family is quite powerful and dominates the village, likely only restrained by the village chief.

The whole family came, carrying burdens and pushing wooden carts. The land this family cultivates ranks among the top in Fenglin Village, yielding abundant harvests and consequently paying a significant amount in rent

Master Zeng Li was very satisfied with this; seeing how he treated the elder of the Luo family with a pleasant demeanor, one can understand his attitude towards the Luo family

The clean and straightforward admission of fault left Mi Xiaojing at a loss for words

The ugly man said, "Yes, father, I will take him back." As he spoke, he walked over to Mi Xiaojing.

Mi Xiaojing also felt quite helpless, yet there was still a slight discomfort in his heart

The ugly man was filled with anger all over his face

Old Master Luo let out a sigh

Little Master, I apologize, this is my grandson, he just hit his... Yes, it is his father

The child, filled with fear, clutched tightly to Mi Xiaojing's patched robe, hiding his entire body behind Mi Xiaojing, trembling incessantly

Yes, it is my fault

The front yard of the village chief's house was bustling with people, lively and extraordinary. The cacophony of voices made Mi Xiaojing feel quite agitated. He had always been a solitary person, and his sect was a very quiet place. Even when he ascended the mountain, it was also very tranquil, rarely encountering such a noisy and lively crowd.

Even if it is the father, he should not hit the child in this manner

In addition to the rice, the Luo family also provided a large jar of soybean paste, which is a valuable item, as well as various pickled vegetables, primarily pickled radishes, with a total of four baskets of dried radishes. This means that in addition to paying rent, the Luo family also offered a significant tribute to Xiyanmen.

How could you be so heartless! He is just a child

A very ugly man approached and kicked a child who was kneeling on the ground picking carrots, sending him flying. With a thud, the child fell to the ground, and the man followed up by raising his hand to strike.

Come here, follow me

The ugly man's face was dark purple, displaying an expression of exasperation and frustration

The Luo family is quite domineering in the village, yet they do not dare to show any disrespect towards the masters of the Xiyan Sect. In terms of both martial prowess and strength, the Luo family is nothing but insignificant in the presence of the masters of the Xiyan Sect, and they are exceedingly respectful when facing the masters.

As the Luo family entered, busy with paying the rent, the elder of the Luo family was conversing with Master Zeng Li. At that moment, a child entered from outside, appearing to be only seven or eight years old, extremely frail, with a large head and an exceedingly thin neck, seemingly struggling to support such a large head.

Moreover, the elder of the Luo family personally brought the entire family to pay the rent, and his attitude was extremely respectful, which greatly pleased the masters of Xiyanmen

Let's go home

Old Master Luo shouted: "Second, get out of the way!"

Stop! Bastard!

Mi Xiaojing cannot temporarily leave the front courtyard; his status is actually quite high. It is important to note that although the Yanmen is peaceful, it is also a place with a strict hierarchy. Mi Xiaojing is a Yan practitioner at the final stage of the Yuanjue period, and during the Yuanjue period, he holds the highest rank.

Thus, Mi Xiaojing's status among this group of masters is second only to Master Zeng Li. Of course, Master Zeng Li is at a higher level than him; Master Zeng is a practitioner of the Observation Law stage, which is equivalent to the Foundation Establishment stage of a cultivator. In the Xiyan Sect, he is undoubtedly a skilled expert

Some tenants do not have enough grain, so they can also pay with some coarse cloth they have woven themselves. Additionally, some tenants may offer extra tributes, mainly consisting of items such as dried radish, pickled vegetables, dried chili peppers, and garlic.

I, I will not go home... ... not go home... ... do not want to go home!

Master, I apologize, my child has been disrespectful

However, the masters quickly furrowed their brows

Alright, Second Brother, take him home. Don't embarrass yourself here!

Master Zeng Li let out a loud shout

Mi Xiaojing has a favorable impression of the Luo family, as they are able to pay such a substantial amount in rent and offer numerous tributes. It is evident that the Luo family places great importance on the Xiyan Sect. As a master of the Xiyan Sect, Mi Xiaojing, like Master Zeng Li, feels quite satisfied in his heart.

The child's face was covered in blood, with fresh wounds that had just been scraped open, and blood began to seep out. Then, Mi Xiaojing noticed that the child was covered in scars, mottled and bruised, with patches of blue and purple, and the tattered clothing could hardly conceal them.

The child clutched tightly to Mi Xiaojing's back collar, refusing to let go. Mi Xiaojing crouched down and reached out to wipe the bloodstains from the child's face

Mi Xiaojing watched as the rent paid by the Luo family was all in rice. He knew that the land occupied by the Luo family was of the highest quality, as only premium fields could yield rice, which requires irrigated land. Generally, rice paddies are found near the banks of streams. From this observation, it was clear that the Luo family was indeed domineering

He asked the village chief, "Uncle Village Chief, is this a family?"

Mi Xiaojing was filled with doubt, thinking that this kick might have killed the child. Yet this man still wanted to strike. He became furious and rushed a few steps to the child's side. He forcefully shoved the man with his shoulder, unleashing a tremendous force. The man staggered backward, nearly losing his balance.

Mi Xiaojing happened to see this, and just as he was about to step forward to assist, the next scene left him stunned.

A glimmer of brilliance flashed in the village chief's eyes; he was not a cultivator of the Dao, but a practitioner of martial arts

Old Master Luo did not refute, knowing that if he did, it would likely provoke the anger of the masters