A strange coffin containing a corpse was unearthed from a field.
The potatoes I grew were in high demand.
On this clear and sunny day, Yan Yunzhao led four people from the small shop to the fields to tend to the crops.
Just as she had guessed, after the Azure Dragon Jade Pendant was returned, the surrounding spiritual energy was completely depleted, and even the potatoes in the field grew much slower.
She had previously used a simple incantation to gather spiritual energy in the ground, nourishing the plants, and a batch of potatoes could be harvested in three to five days. Now, however, the spiritual energy was depleted, and with the day to deliver the potatoes to Granny Chen fast approaching, the potatoes in the ground had not yet flowered, which put the four grass spirits in a difficult position.
She kept the fact that the Azure Dragon Jade Pendant was on her a secret for the time being. In recent days, Lou Su seemed in no hurry to search for it, probably unaware that it was a divine artifact. Gradually, Yan Yunzhao began to suspect: could Lou Su's poor health be related to this divine artifact?
She carefully recalled the lessons she had learned at Qingshan Sect and felt that this conjecture was 80-90% likely. Mortals do not have spiritual roots, so divine artifacts cannot recognize their masters; but someone like Lou Su, who is unaware of this and often carries it on his person, will inevitably be affected by the artifact's enormous magical field. How can his body possibly recover? He will only die faster.
In short, Lou Su was carrying a radioactive object on his body. While it wouldn't affect cultivators with strong bodies, it would be disastrous for mortals.
Thinking of this, Yan Yunzhao decided to make things clear to him and throw the thing away. She put down the rake she was using to loosen the soil, looked up at Lou Su not far away, and hesitated for a long time, unsure of how to begin.
After hesitating for a while, he was drawn to Lou Su's actions. He took a shovel and kept digging a hole in the ground, and soon dug out a small hill.
Yan Yunzhao and the Three Grass Demons looked closer, puzzled. They saw a dark corner protruding from the bottom of the pit, which looked like a wooden box.
Looking at its size and the print on it... it looks more and more like a coffin.
The thought of a dead body lying in his backyard, which he had been living in for so long without knowing, and even farming in the back, gave Yan Yunzhao goosebumps. He took several steps back, thinking how unlucky it was.
The three grass demons, however, didn't seem to notice anything amiss. Instead, they acted as if they had discovered something new and interesting, and busily helped Lou Su dig.
The entire coffin was exposed on the ground, completely black, and embedded in the earth, looking quite frightening.
Seeing that the four people were about to open the coffin directly, Yan Yunzhao quickly said, "What if there's a stench of corpse? Besides, that's so impolite. Let's bury them back together."
It was too late. Jingming had already opened the coffin lid wide and shouted to Yan Yunzhao with a hint of joy in his voice, "Boss! It's a skeleton! There's no smell of decay."
Yan Yunzhao sighed and smiled bitterly, then leaned over to take a look, muttering, "The Heavenly Emperor is merciful and has no intention of offending you," and "Seeing the coffin is like getting promoted and making a fortune."
She peered inside and saw that the coffin was empty except for a skeleton, which must have been dead for over a hundred years, but the clothes on its body were almost completely intact.
Yan Yunzhao picked up a corner of her skirt and twirled it, immediately recognizing it as the feather silk fabric commonly used by immortal sects. Clothes woven from this material have fine stitches, are not easily damaged, and can remain intact for a thousand years, giving him a clue about her identity.
Ordinary disciples of the immortal sects cannot live as long as heaven and earth, and when they die, they are no different from ordinary people. However, they have a unique method for disposing of corpses. They are not buried in a place like ordinary people. This person is an immortal cultivator, yet he was buried so hastily. There must be a hidden reason behind it.
Yan Yunzhao noticed that her head was lowered as if she was resting on a square wooden box, so he asked Jingming to gently lift her head and take the wooden box out.
The box contained only an empty brocade pouch, but when the pouch was opened, it turned out to contain a stone.
Yan Yunzhao was full of questions. He took the stone and examined it carefully, but couldn't figure out what it was. It seemed like a stone he had just picked up by the roadside.
There were no other burial items in the coffin, presumably the stone was for concealment. Yan Yunzhao casually tossed it on the ground, then called to the Three Grass Demons and Lou Su to carry the coffin to another place for burial.
Five people carried a dark coffin along the mountain path, circling two hills before finally choosing a flat spot.
"Please forgive us, Immortal Master. We did not mean to disturb your peace. We hope you will rest here."
Yan Yunzhao piously clasped his hands together, and after chanting, he picked up a shovel and, together with the four others, dug a hole.
The sun was blazing, and it was already afternoon by the time they finished burying the coffin. Everyone was exhausted and sweating profusely, but Lou Su remained calm and didn't feel the heat at all.
The three grass demons had low cultivation levels and their physiques were almost no different from ordinary people, so it was inevitable that they would feel hot. Yan Yunzhao couldn't use magic to cool down in front of Lou Su, so he could only endure it.
She sat on a stone stool, fanning herself with a palm leaf fan, and couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Lou Su, you don't seem to be afraid of the heat?"
Lou Su paused for a moment upon hearing this, then lowered his eyes and pondered for a while before saying, "It must be because I have always been hot-tempered since childhood, and I can tolerate high temperatures better than most people."
Lou Su looked so frail and delicate that one would assume her hands and feet must be cold.
However, since the illness was caused by "radiation," moving the jade pendant away from him will gradually cure his illness.
Thinking that he was still secretly holding his jade pendant, Yan Yunzhao cleared his throat uncomfortably and asked casually, "Lou Su, have you...lost anything recently?"
Lou Su's gaze seemed to linger on her, and the corner of his lips twitched almost imperceptibly: "It was indeed lost. It was an important heirloom from my family, meant to be given to my wife in the future."
Hearing this, Yan Yunzhao's cheeks inexplicably flushed, and she fanned herself even more diligently: "I will try my best to find it for you. But... but how could you so casually give such an important item to someone else in exchange for flour and salt?"
"This object has a spirit; it will eventually return to whoever it belongs to."
Lou Su glanced indifferently at the uneasy Yan Yunzhao, the corners of his mouth curving into a deeper smile: "I don't care where it was lost, it's probably where it's meant to be."
Yan Yunzhao was already struggling with how to confess that the jade pendant was in her possession, and upon hearing this, she became even more adamant that she absolutely could not admit that she had taken it. At this moment, she felt as if she were carrying a hot potato, and all she wanted to do was quickly return to the shop and hide it away.
However, since this item is a family heirloom, Lou Su's family members should also be affected. At best, they may have difficulty conceiving; at worst, the entire family may fall seriously ill, with no one escaping the consequences.
Yan Yunzhao probed, "I haven't heard you mention this before. Are you an only child? How many elders are in your family?"
"Currently, only my grandfather and I remain in the family. My grandfather is seriously ill... and I fear he will pass away soon."
Her feelings were mixed, and she suggested, "Why don't we bring Grandpa to live with us? The shop is doing very well right now, and if we can save up for another month or so, we can probably expand it."
Lou Su smiled and shook his head: "Thank you for your kindness, Miss Yun Zhao. But my grandfather is unable to leave his hometown for some reason, and the journey is too long and inconvenient."
Hearing this, Yan Yunzhao felt a little regretful and comforted Lou Su, saying, "If you miss home, go back and visit. Don't worry, you won't be shortchanged, it's paid leave! By the way, where do you live?"
Lou Su looked into Yan Yunzhao's sincere eyes, felt a warmth in his heart, and smiled knowingly.
"Okay. My home is in... Cangshan."
Yan Yunzhao nodded thoughtfully. Cangshan is a treacherous place, the dividing line between the mortal realm and the demon realm. If Lou Su came from there, it wouldn't be surprising that he would have a family heirloom artifact.
As night fell, the five of them descended the mountain in a large group, and in the distance they saw what appeared to be a crowd gathered in front of the small shop.
"Huh? Didn't I put up a sign saying we're closed for today?"
Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Miss Luo from Guiyue Tower, leading a group of people who were blocking the entrance.
She had already had a falling out with Master Bai, so her visit now was bound to be troublesome. Yan Yunzhao forced herself to step forward and politely asked, "Miss Luo, is there something important that brings you here so suddenly?"
Miss Luo glanced at her indifferently and said seriously, "Your potatoes can only be sold to us at three times the price offered by Guiyue Restaurant."
Three times! The owner of Biyuefang was generous and magnanimous, and the price he offered was already high. Unexpectedly, Guiyuelou's financial resources were also extraordinary, as they actually asked for three times the price to buy it out.
Yan Yunzhao was overjoyed for a few seconds before calming down: she had already agreed to let Biyuefang supply potatoes, and honesty was the most important thing in doing business. Even if Guiyuelou offered a high price, she absolutely could not agree to it again, otherwise she would ruin her reputation and how could she do business in Lixi Town in the future.
Having figured out the ins and outs, Yan Yunzhao said tactfully, "It is an honor that Guiyuelou would consider my homegrown potatoes. Unfortunately, the last harvest has already been sold to Biyuefang, so this deal is probably off."
"The owner of this restaurant is new here and doesn't know the rules of our seventeen trades. I'll talk to him myself. Just sell to us. If you agree, send all the better vegetables you grow to Guiyue Restaurant. You'll get your share of the benefits."
Miss Luo glanced at the small shop and added, "Even if you're invited to join the Seventeen Trades of Food, it's just a matter of the owner saying a word."
This put Yan Yunzhao in a bit of a dilemma. However, since Miss Luo had said that she would handle the negotiations with the landlord, he would just wait for the result.
With the two sides clashing, she was like a tiny ant struggling to survive in the cracks, forced to side with whichever side was stronger.
After seeing everyone off, Yan Yunzhao picked up Rongrong, who was rolling on the ground, and went back into the house. He quietly took out his jade pendant and pondered.
"Brother Qinglong, what should I do with you? You've drained all the spiritual energy, how am I supposed to grow my vegetables?" Yan Yunzhao muttered with a worried expression, pressing the jade pendant to his forehead as if praying.
As if understanding her words, the jade pendant flickered slightly and released a continuous stream of spiritual energy that drifted out from the window cracks and seeped into the ground.
"Good brother!" Yan Yunzhao chuckled, peered out the window, and saw that the potatoes were growing rapidly again. He took the potato and thanked him profusely.
High-grade artifacts like these often have spirits with distinct personalities, but this jade pendant has never spoken, suggesting that its spirit is aloof and composed.
Yan Yunzhao carefully placed it in a wooden box and thoughtfully laid a soft, warm cloth on top. She was taking good care of Brother Qinglong, because this would be her ATM for getting rich.
However, to prevent the "radiation" of the magical artifact from continuing to affect Lou Su, Yan Yunzhao added an extra seal to the box.
...
Yan Yunzhao's potatoes sold so well that many local farmers came to him seeking advice. Aunt Fang and Aunt Wei from the town at the foot of the mountain brought their own potatoes for comparison early in the morning.
"Madam Wei, take a look at this."
Aunt Fang placed her thumb-sized potato next to the large potato Yan Yunzhao had grown. They compared them for a while and couldn't help but laugh.
"Compared to each other, one is a baby who is about to starve to death, and the other is a chubby baby."
The two ladies laughed for a while before turning to Yan Yunzhao beside them: "Miss Yan is so skillful, could you tell us how you grow such good potatoes? There is a lot of rain in Lixi Town, and the potatoes always get waterlogged and don't grow very big."
Yan Yunzhao smiled and pointed to the small talisman on the ground for them to see: "This thing... came from afar. It can keep out water and rain. You can cover it on the ground to keep it warm and moist, and the potatoes will grow well. You two ladies can also use special stitched fabric instead. Just remember not to use anything too thick. I reckon it will have a similar effect."
The two elderly women picked up the small talisman and examined it closely, praising it repeatedly: "This thing is quite good. If the four corners were propped up like Miss Yun Zhao's, we wouldn't be afraid of strong winds!"
The weather was hot today. While the three of them were discussing, Yan Yunzhao brought out plum drinks. While the two ladies were enjoying them, he secretly skipped over the part about casting spells and told them how to cultivate good potatoes. The two ladies nodded frequently as they listened.
[Author's Note]
Happy National Day! [Sprinkling flowers] Update delivered!
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