Chapter 7

One must see the living, and one must see the dead; in any case, I must find him!

Dong Li did not respond, using his hand to lift his chin: "Open your mouth, stick out your tongue, speak..."

Knowing that the iron chain would drag him back, Lingxi was extremely anxious: "Do you still remember?"

The light was somewhat blinding, and the bear fixed its gaze for a moment before nodding. Mo Long, standing nearby, also discerned the object, which was a dark blue fan-shaped item, resembling a dull piece of copper—or rather, more like a scale

Inside the arena, the roe owl was injured, walking unsteadily with a limp, its eyes bloodshot, resembling the flames of hell, ready for a final desperate struggle. The bear was almost drenched in blood, its neck covered in fiery red fur stained a purplish-black, with half of its ear torn off, breathing heavily.

"For the sincerity of Miss Lingxi, we would not hesitate to climb the mountain of blades or descend into the sea of fire!" Not catching his underlying meaning, Xiahou Feng still spoke passionately, "Right, old man!"

As they were speaking, a loud noise suddenly came from the direction of the kitchen, followed by a loud shout from Xiahou Feng

Ah, Xiahou Feng is very compliant

Wild grapevines are most afraid of the black dragon, which causes them to retract all at once, obediently remaining on the grape trellis in the courtyard, swaying with those few clusters of grapes that never seem to ripen.

Xiahou Feng drooped his head and went to the kitchen

"No, I do not recognize him, I am just..." the village head explained busily, "This scale is detached from his body, he is likely in grave danger. Why is the young lady looking for him?"

On the four-sided platform, there were many who shouted and cheered for the roe owl, with waves of sound overwhelming one another, causing the fiery barrier to tremble slightly. The roe owl circled around the bear, looking for an opening, and then leaped onto the bear's back, biting down on its neck. The bear violently shook its body, trying to throw off the roe owl, but the latter's sharp claws, like hooks, penetrated the bear's skin and held on tightly.

I originally thought it was just about watching exotic beasts fight, but I did not expect that the arena battles involved so many twists and turns; it is essentially a matter of profiting from the lives of these exotic creatures. Lingxi asked in confusion, "How do you know about these inner workings?"

You..." Moji glanced at her sideways and snorted, "I don't even care to look at it.

As Dong Li Chang was about to say something, he saw Mo Ji returning

Lingxi glared at him in dissatisfaction, tucked her hands into her sleeves, took out a handful of gold coins, and clattered them onto the table, exclaiming: "I have money!"

"I will offer a generous reward for the rescue of the bear," Lingxi said

The old gentleman wishes to take on this business deal, Mo Ji said to him in a low voice

It must be said that this painting is indeed vividly lifelike. Under the illumination of the flames, the bear was momentarily stunned after just a glance, leaning forward and staring blankly at the bear in the painting, whose face was filled with anticipation

Lingxi shook her head and simply said: "I don't believe it"

Hearing his voice, Moji in the hall expressed her dissatisfaction, saying: "It is still young, teach it slowly, what is the rush"

Little Wind

"If it is wrong, then it is wrong; anyway, you never believed me in the first place," Mo Long said indifferently

The bear slowly turned to look at her, and after a long while, it let out a low howl from deep within its throat

Mo Long! Dong Li looked at him, and there was a hint of disappointment in his gaze. "When did you become so complacent? This is merely a temporary refuge. Where is your true place to stand? Have you already forgotten? All these years we have been biding our time, was it just to live a comfortable life?"

As the bear fur flew out in clumps, Lingxi became extremely anxious, fearing that the bear would be completely devoured by the roe owl: "What should we do? What should we do?"

Mo Long stared at him blankly, feeling particularly regretful inside. He realized that he should not have spoken the truth at that moment; it would have been better to come up with a casual lie to deceive Lingxi.

She said she was hungry, so I casually asked what she wanted to eat. Can you guess what she said? Moji looked quite distressed, "—she said, something simple, stir-fried clams, steamed crabs with the shells removed, and a bowl of fish maw soup would be fine.

Aren't you going to ask what the task is?" Mo Long raised an eyebrow at him

How should this matter be explained

Do you still remember the divination I had at the Du Family Restaurant?

Mo Long rolled his eyes

Mo Long had no intention of taking a break; he decided to disregard her. No amount of silver was more important than his health. He slowly descended the stairs, aware that walking too quickly would cause a dull pain in his chest.

What if what you said is incorrect

After a while, Dong Lichang said: "This child really doesn't consider himself an outsider... What do you say?"

"Well said!" Dong Lichang praised.

Inside the arena, there were several cries of anguish as the bear and the roe deer finally separated, each bearing numerous wounds. The bear appeared to be in a more tragic state, having lost several patches of fur, with blood streaming down from its shoulder and head, which caused Lingxi to feel quite worried.

Xiahou Feng reached out to grab the porcelain cup from the table

Mo Long Chaodongli Chang Nunu said: "Ask the old gentleman."

Unable to discern any clues and too lazy to think, Mo Ji directly asked the village chief Dong: "What on earth is this?"

Dong Lichang did not respond, his expression growing increasingly serious. After a long while, he slowly turned to Lingxi and asked, "Are you looking for him regarding these scales?"

Thinking that he had not heard clearly, Lingxi anxiously repeated, "Where did you get it?"

"It's nothing, Grape. As long as the root is still there, we can just bury you in the ground, and after a winter, you'll still be a fine fellow." Mo Long added a line, and Grape trembled even more.

Kitchen

Indeed, what I am inquiring about is the identity of Miss Lingxi. The Li hexagram belongs to fire, with both inner and outer aspects being Li, and the center containing Dui and Xun, with the center being secondary. She comes from the southeast and is the second daughter in the family

"Open the door." A voice from outside called out, and the wild grapevines swiftly retracted. A slender vine deftly hooked the latch, creaking as it opened the door. Lingxi followed墨珑inside, curiously reaching out to fiddle with the small grapes on the vine, but was admonished by墨珑.

Dong Lichang was just about to speak when Xiahou Feng, wearing slippers, sleepily walked into the hall, squinting as he went to pour himself a drink of water

"One must see the living, and one must see the corpse when dead." — This was what Lingxi had just said. Mo Long frowned and fixed his gaze on Dongli Chang: "Who is she? Why would a mermaid seek a dragon?"

Lingxi was taken aback, glancing at him sideways

"Being rich is impressive!" Mo Long snorted, reclining in the armchair.

Then the golden shells fell onto the table, suddenly enlarging, stacking upon one another, shining with golden light. Mo Ji looked at them, gasping, her tone quite hesitant: "What on earth is going on?"

Blood trickled down from the wounded ear, and the bear, with its furry paws, wiped its face haphazardly, its blood-stained gaze curiously examining Lingxi

In my opinion, the bear should win this round, so you need not worry. Mo Long crossed his arms and asked, "Do you trust me?"

Dong Li thought for a moment and sincerely said to Lingxi, "It's not very difficult."

Mo Ji has not yet responded, and the grapevine that has been stretching its tendrils outside the window to eavesdrop suddenly darted in, wrapping around her body in a disorganized manner, trembling.

With a roar, the two beasts lunged at each other simultaneously, both having exhausted their strength, and everyone knew this was the final round of their life-and-death struggle. ... The gamblers in the stands, with bloodshot eyes, shouted, their voices drowning out the sounds of roaring and biting from the arena ...

In everything, there are matters worth pursuing and those that are not; this matter is worth a fight

Ah?

Mo Long then looked at Dong Li Chang and asked, "Who does the scale belong to?"

Dong Li was deeply hurt to his pride: "Impossible!"

Mo Long waved his hand at her, signaling her not to ask any further, and then said to Dong Li Chang: "Old man, I will make it clear from the outset that I will definitely not get involved in this matter, and I advise you not to get involved either"

When only Dong Lichang and Mo Long remained in the hall, Mo Long glanced at the curled tendrils of the grapevine clinging to the window: "Do you still want to eavesdrop?"

"Is that you?" Lingxi pointed at the bear in the painting and asked him, "Did you seek a Taoist priest for divination?"

Mo Ji poked Xia Houfeng and said: "She wants to get a bear out of Xiangting."

Although the Elephant Court is protected by a barrier and heavily guarded, it is not without its vulnerabilities. Dong Li Chang pondered deeply, seemingly speaking to himself, yet also appearing to address Ling Xi, saying, "Let me think, I need to first obtain a topographic map of the Elephant Court..."

For dragons, the blood that surges from the heart first reaches the reverse scales, and then flows to other parts of the body. Therefore, the reverse scales are an area that must never be touched on a dragon's body; to do so would surely provoke its wrath. The reverse scales are white, but the section that has long been detached is dark and dull, indicating that this dragon has likely long since perished

Aren't you concerned about losing this foothold?

The wild grapevine, feeling aggrieved, curls its tendrils, while the leaves rustle neatly. It obediently closes the door, with its branches lying across it, becoming a natural bolt.

She is looking for a dragon? Mo Long recalled the previous conversation between Dong Li Chang and Ling Xi, "Reverse Scale! Do you mean to say that this dragon is already dead?"

Startled by his words, Mo Long was momentarily at a loss for words, before finally muttering: "I haven't forgotten"

Having won, what awaited him was the scorn and the most vicious curses from the gamblers in the stands

Lingxi's gaze was resolute

Mo Ji jumped up and ran towards the kitchen. Mo Long and Dong Li exchanged a glance and had no choice but to get up and hurry over

"Is she settled properly?" he asked

Dong Lichang glanced at the tongue and said, "There is still some residual poison; you need to drink more water."

Dong Li Chang nodded with a smile: "Alright, alright. Miss, you can stay here for now. The room in the north side of the west wing is still vacant and relatively clean, so you can make do for the next few days. Mo Ji, take Miss Lingxi over there. You are both young ladies, see if the room is lacking anything, and help to supplement it a bit."

By circumventing the verdant shadow wall, Lingxi finally discerned that this grapevine was indeed planted in the courtyard, its branches and tendrils sprawling, with the grape trellis nearly covering half of the yard

The corpse of the snipe owl was dragged away. Two winding iron chains, as thick as a bowl, extended from the southwest gate, seemingly alive as they slithered towards the bear. The bear glanced at the iron chains, then turned to look at the spirit rhinoceros, breathing heavily, as if hesitating over something

"You are not waiting to eat again." Mo Ji leaned out and, upon seeing Ling Xi, was momentarily taken aback, "How did you bring her back?"

Mo Long was too lazy to look at him again: "The residual poison has not yet cleared, and he speaks nonsense."

The golden light reflected on his face, and Dong Lichang appeared increasingly amiable. He was not mistaken; this girl was clearly sent by the God of Wealth. While he gestured for Mo Ji to show Lingxi to her seat, he kindly said, "Miss, do not mind him, and do not be anxious. If there is something to discuss, we can take our time; there will surely be a solution."

Xiahou Feng wiped his face, water dripping from his hair and body. In front of him, a plump carp was frantically darting around in the water tank. Lingxi, holding a kitchen knife, seemed still not to have regained her senses. The cutting board in front of her was split in two, and the pinewood countertop beneath it was also cracked in half. Various items that had originally been placed on the countertop were scattered all over the ground, including a toppled yellow sauce porcelain jar, small spice jars, and so on.

Mo Long had a cold and indifferent expression

"She might be carrying a fish pearl, or perhaps something else," Dong Li Chang speculated. "Don't you think that aside from having the aura of a mermaid and her outstanding appearance, she doesn't match up with mermaids in any other aspect?"

Her courage is even bolder than mine. Mo Long said irritably, looking at Mo Ji, The old man has lost his mind, you must think it through, I estimate that even the grapes will be turned into grape juice by Ji Guizi.

Mo Long furrowed his brow: "Do you think she looks like someone who can cook?"

Lingxi does not understand: "Ah?"

"She can eat it raw," Mo Ji said matter-of-factly, "Anyway, don't expect me to serve her."

Mo Long let out a hum again

The hexagram of Departure. Mo Long remembers

Lingxi struggled twice but could not break free. Without any hesitation, she forcefully elbowed backward, striking Mo Long in the ribs, causing him to grimace in pain and finally release his grip. She quickly stood up and rushed to the stone railing to look down— the bear leaped backward into the air over a zhang, crashing heavily to the ground, landing on its back and pinning the owl tightly beneath it. The impact of the bear's weight, combined with the force of the fall, made the extent of the owl's injuries all too clear. She quickly stood up and rushed to the stone railing to look down— the bear leaped backward into the air over a zhang, crashing heavily to the ground, landing on its back and pinning the owl tightly beneath it. The impact of the bear's weight, combined with the force of the fall, made the extent of the owl's injuries all too clear.

"That’s not right; the aura of the mermaid on her cannot be mistaken," Mo Long questioned. "Is it that your divination is inaccurate?"

"If you hum again, you will go back to your room," the village head glared at him.

Feeling too lazy to listen to their whispered conversation, Dong Lichang stood up and said to Lingxi: "The Xiangting will not open until ten days later, so there is no need for you to worry, Miss. I will find the topographic map of Xiangting, and we can deliberate slowly and carefully."

Upon hearing this, Lingxi hesitated for a moment, then took out the dark blue object from her bosom and laid it in the palm of her hand for Dongli Zhang to see: "Do you recognize this item?"

With fists clenched, the knuckles faintly turned white, Lingxi could hardly contain the urge to step in and deal with the roe owl herself

"Miss, this matter is not trivial... May I ask, what exactly do you wish to know from this bear?" asked the village head, Dong.

This scene carried a strange sense of familiarity... Lingxi was momentarily taken aback, and upon realizing, turned her head to see Mo Long supporting her chest and gasping for breath

Mo Long appeared behind her at an unknown time and said softly: "He asked how you came to know about this matter"

"It would have been better if I hadn't found it at all." Mo Long looked around and asked, "... Where is Xiao Feng?"

Lingxi pointed to Molong: "I don't understand Xionghao, this is what he said"

For the sake of the golden shellfish on the table, Mo Ji reluctantly pulled apart the grapevines and led Lingxi over. The wild grapevines slithered back outside the house.

This business is not like the usual ones. Mo Long's tone was filled with anger, "You yourself said that we should remain low-key in Changliu City and take on some small businesses to get by. Now, for this troublesome child, you actually want to provoke Ji Guizi. Is that someone we can afford to provoke? Even if she is wealthy, she is not worth us taking this risk."

The poison has not yet faded, and he is asleep in the room. Mo Ji asked curiously, "What exactly happened?"

Lingxi turned her head to look at the bear, which was being dragged towards the Xunwei gate by a heavy chain. He still fixed his gaze on Lingxi, filled with despair and pain, as if he were looking at the only lifeline.

"Not ripe yet, don't pick it!" After holding her back, Mo Long reprimanded the wild grapevine with annoyance, "How many times have I told you, don't squeeze through the crack in the door? It's only been half a year, and the crack is already twice as wide."

Xiahou Feng sat there in a daze, seemingly lost in thought. After a while, he asked the village chief of Dongli, "Are we really going to rob the bear from Xiangting?"

"It really is you!" Lingxi exclaimed with great joy, directly tossing the painting aside. From within his bosom, he pulled out a dark blue object and laid it in the palm of his hand for the bear to see: "Do you still remember this? This is the divination fee you paid to that Taoist back then"

Lingxi bit her lip, remaining silent

Thus, the village head of Dongli looked towards Mo Long

Mo Long was taken aback, realizing the issue: "A mermaid can only give birth once in her lifetime, and all are only sons. How could she be a second daughter?"

At this moment, the entire elephant courtyard was enveloped in various noisy clamor, and no matter what Lingxi said, Xiongpi could not hear clearly. She simply took out the painting previously drawn by Hanyuan Jun from her sleeve, unfolded it in her hands, and gestured for Xiongpi to look over.

Lingxi ignored her and asked the village chief of Dongli, "Is it difficult to get that bear out of the elephant courtyard?" On the way back, when this matter was mentioned, Molong shook his head. "It's simply impossible." He only said this one sentence from beginning to end

You are right! she said hurriedly

Oh no

I do not wish to put the young lady in a difficult position," Dong Lichang said understandingly, "but if there are other avenues for this matter, it is not necessary to resort to this last resort.

If I were him and wanted to make more money, I would do the same.

Are you alright? Lingxi indeed felt a bit guilty, I didn't mean to

Where did you get it? Tell me quickly! Lingxi asked eagerly

Blood flowed abundantly on the ground, and the snipe gradually lost its strength. The sharp hook embedded in the bear's body was released, and it finally collapsed limply onto the ground. A conspicuous wound on its neck continued to ooze fresh blood. The bear pulled the snipe off itself with its last claw, exhaustedly retreating a few steps before sitting down on the ground

Mo Long stepped into the hall, increasingly displeased: "Bring her back and hand her over to the old master. Whoever wants to take care of her can do so; I certainly will not!"

So the bear is doomed? ! '' Lingxi said anxiously

Do you recognize him? Lingxi was overjoyed beyond expectations

In this way, it has been quite smooth

The bear, with its hind legs bound by iron chains, fixed its gaze intently on Lingxi and let out a few low growls.

Dong Li narrowed his eyes and scrutinized carefully ... Mo Ji also leaned over. Mo Long had seen it in Xiang Ting before and was no longer curious.

Mo Long and Dong Li exchanged glances with each other

Dong Li lowered his head to drink tea, avoiding his gaze: "... ... In fact, I cannot be completely certain either."

Lingxi nodded silently

Seeing him sweating profusely from the pain, Lingxi felt that her previous action might have been a bit too harsh. She considered that perhaps people on land are more delicate than those in the sea, and thus spoke gently, saying: "You can lean back and rest for a while; it will be fine after a short break." After saying this, she turned back to continue watching the beast fight.

Stir-frying clams is relatively simple. Take fresh clam meat, add chives, and stir-fry over high heat. It is essential to control the cooking time when removing from the heat, as overcooking will cause them to become dry.

Dong Li Chang took a deep breath and told him: "Although I love wealth, I am not the kind of person who would prioritize money over life. I want to help her because that child is holding a piece of dragon scale, and it is the reverse scale from under the dragon's jaw"

"You are exaggerating. Don't scare the child." The village head in the east reproached him with a click of his tongue, then turned to comfort Lingxi

I will not serve her; let her do it herself. Show her the kitchen; the basin is not for keeping two fish.

Before Mo Long could respond, she saw her running around the firelight barrier until she reached the spot closest to the bear, desperately waving at it.

Lingxi was extremely anxious, climbing up the stone railing and preparing to jump down to help the bear. Fortunately, Molong reacted quickly, swiftly embracing her and hurriedly pulling her down, and the two fell to the ground

The shimmering golden shell dazzled Xiahou Feng's eyes, and he nodded in agreement: "Indeed, there is sincerity."

"Old Master, what are you going crazy about!" Mo Long truly could not bear it any longer, "If we take on this business, whether that bear can be dealt with is another matter, but we will have no place to stand in Changliu City, and this establishment will be completely turned upside down by Ji Guizi."

You ... ...

Dong Lichang had been leaning by the window, observing their every move without paying any attention to Mo Long. He first smiled and looked towards Lingxi: "Miss, have you found that bear yet"

"This is not enough, go to the kitchen and drink the entire jar of water, and remember to refill it." The village head instructed.

Dong Li Chang shook his head: "That hexagram is indeed genuine, but the matter in question has some discrepancies. Do you still remember what hexagram it was?"

In the ebb and flow of breathing, a sharp pain pierced through the chest, and Mo Long was reluctant to say much, squeezing out a few words through clenched teeth: "Go die! I won't stop you"

"Are you trying to get yourself killed!" Mo Long was pinned down by her, but he dared not let go of her, feeling extremely angry. "Can't you see there is a fire barrier here? How well do you plan to roast yourself?"

Steamed Crab with Shell Removed, as the name suggests, involves removing the shell of the crab to extract the meat and roe, which are then placed back into the shell. Prepare five or six crabs. Take a large plate made of blue and white porcelain, beat the eggs, and place the crab shells filled with crab meat and roe into the egg mixture. Steam over medium heat in a steamer.

You may deceive Xiaofeng and the others, but do you think you can deceive me as well

The wild grapevine, adorned with several clusters of azure-green berries, leisurely climbs over the gate, with its curled tendrils even reaching out through the cracks of the door, gently swaying.

The entire tank of water

Mo Ji Nu Nu pouted: "Ask Long Ge."

What did he say? What did he say? Lingxi hurriedly went to pull Mo Long

Mo Long said leisurely, "The old man is like a five-legged turtle, only after a thousand years can one leg be counted, and five legs represent five thousand years. He is well-versed in both contemporary and ancient matters; most of the affairs in this world are known to him. If someone wishes to inquire about something from him, it will certainly cost them money."

"Indeed, I have heard that the mermaid is as gentle as water, yet this mischievous child can kick Xiao Feng eight zhang away with a single blow." Mo Long had a vague thought in her mind, but she felt it was impossible. "She is searching for dragons; could it be that she is one of the dragon clan? But dragons are one of the five great spirit beasts, and this mischievous child seems rather foolish, which doesn't quite fit."

"What is she doing here?" When she looked up and saw Lingxi, Xiahou Feng was immediately taken aback and looked at Mo Ji with a questioning gaze

"Wrong! It is precisely because of this that the bear will win." Mo Long lowered his voice even further, "The bookmaker is actually someone from the Ji Gui Zi. Most people will bet on the roe owl to win, but if the bear wins, the bookmaker will make money. Moreover, this roe owl has overdosed on drugs; even if it does not die in this battle, it will eventually perish due to excessive strain, becoming worthless. This bear is different; if it succeeds in this battle, it will surely attract many bets in the future. When the time is right, it will follow the same path as today's roe owl, and the bookmaker will earn a large sum again... Moreover, this roe owl has overdosed on drugs; even if it does not die in this battle, it will eventually perish due to excessive strain, becoming worthless. This bear is different; if it succeeds in this battle, it will surely attract many bets in the future. When the time is right, it will follow the same path as today's roe owl, and the bookmaker will earn a large sum again..."

Hearing this, Mo Long looked at him in disbelief and raised his voice: "Old man!"

The most labor-intensive dish is the striped bass soup, which requires purchasing 20 fresh striped bass. The fish must be skinned and cleaned, and the liver and boneless meat from beneath the fins must be extracted. It is then simmered with chicken broth, along with ham and vegetable hearts.

Lingxi was overjoyed, as Xiongpi was now right by the edge of the firelight barrier. She quickly rushed down the stairs, nearly knocking Molong off his feet, but fortunately, she managed to grab hold of him.

Xiangting ... ... '' Xiahou Feng was taken aback for a moment, murmuring, `` No, the firelight barrier is too dangerous for you. You cannot go. ''

Lingxi recounted the events she encountered in the Xiangting exactly as they were. After she finished speaking, the entire hall fell into a profound silence. Dongli Chang was stunned for quite a while before he repeated, "He said that you must get him out before he is willing to tell you? I didn't mishear, did I?"

Still small? Just indulge it, those bunches of grapes have been growing for over half a year and still haven't ripened, it simply doesn't care. The grapes don't even look like grapes, thinking of itself as a bonsai.

"Let us not pay attention to him," Dong Lichang said gently to Lingxi, as if coaxing a child. "Do tell, what difficulties have you encountered?"

He said—"Get him out of here, and he will tell you."

"There is only one explanation, she is not a mermaid at all," said the village chief.

"Do not frighten it; you know it is timid." Mo Ji complained to Mo Long, gently caressing the wild grapevine to comfort it

The golden Beinu Nunu on the table in Dongli Changchao said: "Miss Lingxi is very sincere"

Amidst the haze, Mo Jiqi asked, "What do you mean by life and death? Who exactly is it?" As she spoke, she reached out to take the scales from Lingxi's hand to examine them closely, but Lingxi swiftly tucked them into her bosom, not allowing her to touch them at all

Mo Long was unable to, bending down and whispering: "You see, this roe deer owl has been medicated, forcing out all its potential, rendering it oblivious to pain, making it even more fierce and ferocious than usual"