Qin Luo knew that Dong Jisheng wasn't unaccustomed to using coal, but rather that he gave the coal to other villagers. Dongjia Village was mostly populated by the elderly, weak, sick, and disabled who had fled from the State of Chu. There was little labor force in the village, and Dong Jisheng preferred to work harder himself so that everyone else could have an easier time.

"Master, do you have any strange tales?"

Does a scholar telling ghost stories to ghosts count?

"Yes, it definitely counts. Immortal Master, could you tell me why?"

"no problem."

Dong Jisheng listened intently to Qin Luo's story and before he knew it, he had returned to Dongjia Village.

When we returned to Dongjia Village, there was a group of children playing with pebbles under a big tree at the village entrance.

"grandfather."

"Dean Qin!"

The older children, who attended Jinghu Academy, were overjoyed to meet Qin Luo.

The women in the village all came to help.

"Immortal Master, I'm sorry to trouble you. Please leave the firewood here," Dong Jisheng said respectfully.

Qin Luo placed the firewood at the village entrance. A middle-aged woman came to help him move the firewood, and a younger person brought Qin Luo a ladle of water, saying, "Dean Qin, please have some water."

"Thanks."

Qin Luo took the wooden ladle and drank the water.

Dong Jisheng took out the fruit he had picked in the mountains from his pocket and distributed it to the village children. He grinned and said, "Everyone gets some, everyone gets some."

"Thank you, Grandpa!"

The children are all well-behaved and obedient.

As Qin Luo watched this scene, he couldn't help but recall the past. When his grandfather was still alive, no matter how tired he was after working in the mountains, he would bring him wild fruits.

"Mr. Dong, I'll head back now."

"Immortal Master, I'll see you off."

"Mr. Dong, the children are waiting for you to tell them stories."

"Okay, okay."

Dong Jisheng understood Qin Luo's meaning.

Qin Luo walked alone towards Luoxia Peak. He took out the fruit given to him by Dong Jisheng, put it in his mouth and chewed it. It didn't have much moisture, but it still tasted sweet after chewing it for a while.