Chapter 3, entirely at the discretion of the ancestor

Su Jing did not press him further and thus refrained from asking any more questions

Liu Liang had originally made up his mind that no matter what the "little ancestor" was called, he would loudly praise it as a good name. However, upon hearing the name "Su Qiangqiang," the crafty Taoist was left speechless and could not utter any words of praise.

The figure in the black robe lightly shook his wrist for the third time, and with an unknown spell, the sword rapidly shrank, quickly transforming into the size of a hairpin. He casually tossed the sword to Su Jing, saying: "The power of this sword is forged from the red clouds of the sunrise; it is not particularly practical, but at least it has some color. Young people like these flashy things, so take it. In a few days, I will help you collect it again. With this for self-defense, even the masters cannot deal with you, and those who once wanted to take you as a disciple will no longer dare to provoke you." The figure in the black robe casually tossed the sword to Su Jing, saying: "The power of this sword is forged from the red clouds of the sunrise; it is not particularly practical, but at least it has some color. Young people like these flashy things, so take it. In a few days, I will help you collect it again. With this for self-defense, even the masters cannot deal with you, and those who once wanted to take you as a disciple will no longer dare to provoke you."

As for the spell "Sealing and Collecting Slaves" mentioned by Su Jing, it is not an ordinary means; it cannot be accomplished solely by the shadow of the black robe. It must be executed by the true body at the location.

The sorcerer was taken aback and shook his head again

The figure in the black robe continued to address Liu Liang: "Remember this name well, for he shall be your master from now on"

"Yes, yes, in case I encounter someone ruthless, if I fail to seize him, he might seize me instead... One must always be on guard against others." The monster replied with utmost seriousness

Having briefly explained his thoughts, Su Jing glanced at the black robe and then at the black eagle, his usually unclear expression becoming even more bewildered: "This... which one are you... ?"

In fact, Su Jing, being a former constable, harbored no compassion for villains like She Yangzi, who, driven by greed, dared to take lives for the sake of wealth. Killing him was a matter of course; however, he had another layer of thought:

The majestic city passed by in a flash, and the vast fields appeared merely as blocks of tofu. Those once broad rivers, which seemed to stretch endlessly to the horizon, now transformed into ribbons of jade green... Gradually, the prosperous Eastern lands were left behind by the soaring eagle, and the scenery before me changed to towering mountain ranges, undulating and reaching the edge of the sky. Yet, even the seemingly endless mountains must come to an end; beyond those great mountains lies the territory of the Western Regions, where large herds can be faintly seen, slowly moving across the verdant ground stained by the grass. Beyond the Western Regions, the land gradually became desolate, until finally, all that remained in Su Jing's eyes was endless yellow sand. The prosperous Eastern lands were left behind by the soaring eagle, and the scenery before me changed to towering mountain ranges, undulating and reaching the edge of the sky. Yet, even the seemingly endless mountains must come to an end; beyond those great mountains lies the territory of the Western Regions, where large herds can be faintly seen, slowly moving across the verdant ground stained by the grass. Beyond the Western Regions, the land gradually became desolate, until finally, all that remained in Su Jing's eyes was endless yellow sand.

This www.hetushu.comcom remark took Su Jing by surprise, and he turned back to look at Liu Liang: "Are you a spirit?" Previously, the black-robed figure had also directly accused Liu Liang of being a "demon," but Su Jing thought it was merely a derogatory term without any other implications. He did not expect that this thieving Taoist was indeed a monster.

The figure in the black robe is a senior practitioner who has undergone a long period of cultivation. How could he possibly be unaware of the young man's fleeting thoughts? The black-robed figure cast another glance at Su Jing but said nothing further, then turned to She Yangzi: "Do you have any objections?"

Su Jing and he chatted intermittently as they rode the great eagle westward

The matter here has come to a temporary conclusion, and the old ancestor in the black robe said lightly: "Let us go."

Liu Liang was troubled about how to establish a connection with the young ancestor. Upon hearing this, he felt a surge of energy and was about to speak, but his gaze flickered instead. Hesitating, he replied: "Well... when the opportunity arises, it would be best for the young ancestor to ask the old ancestor personally. He hasn't disclosed his identity to you, and I wouldn't dare to reveal it lightly."

Do you have the thousand-year-old Polygonatum?

Finally, I have inquired about something that weighs six taels. The thief Taoist quickly nodded: "I have money in my cave. Do you need money, little ancestor? I will send it over right away."

Longevity Elixir

As long as I can survive, She Yangzi would not dare to have any further desires, hastily nodding: "It all depends on the ancestor's decision"

It turns out to be a squirrel spirit. Now, as Su Jing looks at Liu Liang speaking, the pair of front teeth he reveals seems much more natural. He curiously asks, "Why are you called Liu Liang?"

Su Jing shook his head; he did not need money since he was going to work with his benefactor. "In the east, at the end of Tiao Stone Street in Baima Town, Cizhou, there is a widow named Song. Have someone deliver the money to her for her child's medical treatment."

The temperament of this elder is indeed quite peculiar: you have benefited from the thief, but it has nothing to do with you; I am merely punishing the thief.

Su Jing was once again carried back to the spine by the Black Hawk. The Taoist priest, who weighed six taels, was without his flying sword and without magical artifacts to assist him. With his abilities, he could not keep up with the naturally gifted, feathered, and spiritually cultivated divine eagle, and thus he rode alongside the "little ancestor" on the eagle.

If the old ancestor in the black robe had killed this monster just now, it would truly not be worth even 6 taels of silver

In the past few days, Su Jing has been preoccupied with the pine nuts from the squirrel demon, and upon hearing about the meat, his eyes lit up with excitement: "Why didn't you bring it along?" His mind was quick, and before the squirrel demon could respond, Su Jing suddenly realized: "You went out to rob, didn't you dare to bring it along?"

Six Liang, revealing anger: "I just obtained an opportunity, but when I had little power, I encountered great misfortune and fell into the hands of a hunter. He lifted me up and laughed to his companions, 'This fine fur is worth six taels of silver.' Later, I narrowly escaped with my life and resolved to cultivate diligently, so as not to suffer such humiliation again. I named myself 'Six Liang' to never forget the pain of that life-and-death moment, as a source of motivation."

Revitalizing Powder

Unbeknownst to him, the eagle had been flying for a full twenty-one days. Su Jing was both hungry and thirsty, having long since consumed all the provisions in his pack. However, the great eagle showed no signs of stopping, leaving him no opportunity to descend in search of food and drink. Fortunately, Liu Liang had brought along a small bag of holding, which contained some pine nuts and a few jars of fresh water.

The red flying sword harbored spiritual awareness, and in the hands of the figure in the black robe, the sword was unwilling, twisting and struggling like a serpent. With a gentle tremor of the wrist, a soft humming sound was heard, and the dark crimson attached to the sword burst forth like mist, yet it did not drift away, instead swirling around the sword in a three-foot radius, forming a beautiful arc of red light.

Looking again at the flying sword in the black-robed figure's hand, it had completely reverted to its original metallic color, shining brilliantly with a dazzling silver light. The black-robed figure spoke with little inflection: "The quality of the sword is barely acceptable, and the refinement is utterly worthless." As he spoke, he flicked his wrist again, and the crimson light that had been expelled quickly returned to the sword's body, causing the flying sword to turn red once more, but it no longer struggled, clearly indicating that the spiritual consciousness on the sword had been erased.

While speaking, Lu Yajiu waved his hand, not allowing Su Jing to speak further. He continued, "My punishment is complete; what punishment do you have left for this vile creature? Speak now."

After a long time without reaching the destination, Liu Liang was extremely frustrated and candidly expressed: "I originally had a magnificent bag of treasures, containing previously used valuables and weapons, as well as wine, meat, and money. However, I did not take it with me when I left, and only brought this small one."

Su Jing did not understand the law or the art of books, and he made suggestions without any basis. He was unaware that the things he casually mentioned with just a touch of his lips were difficult even for the most skilled masters. However, the man in the black robe did not show any signs of difficulty; instead, he was taken aback by Su Jing's words, which included terms like "benefactor," "immortal elder," and "ancestor," causing him to blink repeatedly.

It turns out to be an inspiring monster. Su Jing let out an "oh" and seemed a bit drowsy, absentmindedly responding, "Right now, it might not even be worth six taels."

Why do you have nothing?" Su Jing asked about all the divine medicines listed in the "Divine Ghosts and Strange Intentions" and finally shook his head in disappointment: "Do you have any money?"

After flying for a long time, Su Jing gradually became somewhat bored. He turned to Liu Liang and asked, "Who is the ancestor?"

He is called Su Qiangqiang. The always cold and expressionless figure in the black robe suddenly interjected in a nonchalant manner

The figure in the black robe reached out with a gesture, and immediately, She Yangzi's flying sword was summoned into his hand. Without the support of the flying sword, the thief still did not dare to move even slightly, using his own spells to kneel in mid-air, sweat pouring down his forehead.

Liu Liang, however, opened the conversation from here, tentatively saying to Su Jing: "Little Ancestor, you may not know... Although I am unworthy, I have always been an honest person. I do not fear that you will not believe me; this is my first time committing theft in this lifetime, and I did not expect that... that... it clearly shows that there is a connection between me and the Little Ancestor."

She Yangzi also has a sect and close friends. While the thieves deserve punishment, it is undoubtedly the black-robed individuals who take action. If Su Jing does not intervene, it would be tantamount to creating enemies for his benefactor and adding to the troubles. Because he does not wish to cause enmity between the black-robed and others, Su Jing proposed such a solution

Liu Liang immediately nodded, took out a paper crane from his bosom, mumbled for a while, and the paper crane flapped its wings and flew away

Without waiting for Su Jing to express his gratitude, the figure in the black robe turned once more to She Yangzi: "Having calculated the matter, it is time to speak of the person. You wish to kill my junior, and he truly jumped down from the eagle once again."

The old man in the black robe has always been clear in his dealings; he would never take the initiative to bully others, but he would not tolerate any offense from others. Su Jing was brought in by him, and the mount was also arranged by him. She Yangzi's attempt to rob Su Jing can be considered as truly hitting a hard wall.

Su Jing was quite happy and interjected to She Yangzi, asking, "What is your name, after all?" Just based on the hesitation before making a move, it was evident that he was not very bold, so how could he possibly reveal his real name during a robbery? Su Jing understood this clearly; he hadn't had the chance to ask earlier, but now that the matter was nearly resolved, he casually inquired.

Su Jing asked the demon, "Can you treat illnesses?" The latter showed a troubled expression and shook his head

Su Jing was taken aback, just about to refuse when the figure in the black robe coldly laughed and said: "Within my sect, there are countless juniors and numerous experts. With a single decree, the clouds and mists from all directions gather, ready to be commanded by my will. Just based on this prodigy, he is not qualified to be my sword servant."

The figure in the black robe paused for a moment and said, "Your leap was quite impressive. Once we arrive at our destination, I have further rewards for you." As the words fell, the elder's form trembled, and his spiritual projection vanished without a trace.

Liu Liang understood the nuances in Su Jing's words, his face filled with embarrassment. He rubbed his palms together and timidly said: "This is the first time, truly the first time. I assure you there will never be a next time. I will always keep the little ancestor's words in mind and would never dare to disobey even a single word"

Seeing the "Little Ancestor" smile, Liu Liang felt even more confident, but his tone became more sorrowful: "The Little Ancestor should know that our lineage of spirits cannot compare to others. We lack that innate talent, and the cultivation process is particularly arduous. Once we achieve even a small success, heaven will come to trouble us, causing our fortune to plummet. It truly is the case that even drinking a sip of cold water can lead to a toothache. Just now, I had a moment of greed, and I ended up crashing right into your hands."

The humble Taoist said, "My name is Liu Liang, and my dwelling is not on the Chilian Peak, but rather I cultivate on Qixi Mountain." The rogue Taoist replied respectfully, then cautiously added, "Little friend... no, esteemed ancestor, your heart is kind and benevolent. May I ask for your esteemed surname and full name, so that I may build a shrine for longevity to honor you day and night, in gratitude for your great mercy in sparing my life"

Liuliang rolled his eyes and thought: "Unfortunately, the substantial capital I have on hand has just been invested in a deal, and I can only withdraw less than 20,000 taels directly. I wonder if that will be enough. If it is not enough, it doesn't matter; I can go and borrow..."

Su Jing couldn't help but laugh; this thieving Taoist was quite eloquent, managing to link robbery to fate.

Indeed, it is a shadow, but not a fabrication; it is a genuine and substantial existence. It possesses the power of law and the strength of figures with abilities. The shadow cast by this spiritual awareness may not even reach one or two percent of the true self's cultivation, yet it is sufficient to intimidate She Yangzi to the point where he does not dare to raise his head, tremblingly responding: "It is entirely up to the ancestor to decide"

The divine eagle soars through the sky, flapping its wings for a thousand miles, swiftly flying once again towards the west

The ancestor did not immediately disappear this time; instead, his spiritual projection rode the wind, following closely beside the black eagle. He did not pay attention to the road, his gaze constantly assessing Su Jing. After flying for a while, the ancestor suddenly spoke: "Did you mistake the black eagle for me earlier?"

... ...

Polygonum multiflorum

The figure in the black robe replied lightly, "This creature is not particularly extraordinary; it has merely practiced for a few more years, allowing it to fly more steadily. I came here this time only to project my consciousness into the world, and it is not difficult to assist you in flying away. However, it is somewhat cumbersome, so I temporarily summoned it from near your home to help. " After saying this, he turned to the still crouching She Yangzi and said, "If you wish to take my junior's mount, I will counter with your flying sword. Do you have any objections?"

She Yangzi was startled to the point of turning pale by the words of the man in the black robe, and she desperately kowtowed, not daring to utter a single word more

Su Jing sighed. He had been a substitute constable for a year and had only earned five taels of food allowance, while the robber had a fortune of twenty thousand taels and had just invested a large sum... it really wasn't fair. Su Jing shook his head: "Three thousand taels would be enough for Widow Song to go to the capital to seek a famous doctor and ensure a lifetime of prosperity for her and her son. As for the remaining money, let your subordinates distribute it in Baima Town; apart from a few wealthy households, everyone else is living quite hard."

Liu Liang hurriedly nodded: "The little path is actually a squirrel from Qixi Mountain, which has gained great fortune and cultivated into form. It has gathered about a hundred young men under its command, creating a small but notable situation"

At this moment, Su Jing suddenly interjected: "Killing... is not good, is it? I wonder if the immortal has a way to place a restriction on this thief, so that he will no longer dare to harbor any ill intentions, and will honestly follow behind the benefactor in the future, becoming a loyal servant. If he still does not repent, the ancestor can also eliminate him with a mere thought."

At that moment, the black giant eagle suddenly let out a series of loud cries, its wings slightly retracting as it abruptly increased its speed. Su Jing and Liu Liang hurriedly looked down, and both were taken aback simultaneously

Su Jing scratched his head and chuckled twice, which could be considered as an acknowledgment.