Qin Mu pocketed the gold ingot and said, "Big fellow, focus on your cultivation. I'll come find you again tomorrow. Absolutely do not enter the side hall, that demon head is exceedingly cunning!"
The demon ape nodded.
Qin Mu immediately set off back to the village. Before long, he arrived at the outskirts of Cripple Old Village. From a distance, he saw two paper boats docked in the air at the village entrance, and paper cranes had landed under the tree there. However, there were no people on the boats or paper cranes, indicating they had likely already entered the village.
He walked into the village and saw the old man from the boat sitting opposite the Village Chief, speaking with him. "I heard that Granny Si of your esteemed village is an excellent craftswoman, so I have come to request her help in cutting and tailoring several pieces of clothing."
The Village Chief said, "May I ask what kind of clothing you wish to have made, and what sizes?"
The old man replied, "Mourning clothes, nine pieces in total. Just tailor them according to the stature of your villagers. I also heard that Master Ma's woodworking is very good. I wish to trouble Master Ma to help make nine coffins as well. The length of the coffins should also be according to everyone's stature."
Suddenly, the old man saw Qin Mu approaching and showed a look of surprise. He changed his words and said, "I misspoke. It should be ten pieces of mourning clothes and ten coffins. Qian Qiu, bring the deposit."
The man named Qian Qiu stepped forward and waved his hand slightly. A paper boat at the village entrance floated over and landed beside the Village Chief. Qin Mu immediately saw that the goods on this boat were unexpectedly all inauspicious items such as paper money, ingots, candles, funeral door sticks, and white banners!
The old man had him place the paper boat at the village entrance and said, "This is the deposit for ten pieces of mourning clothes and ten coffins. May I ask Granny and Master Ma, can they be finished today? In truth, I have an urgent need."
The village's Cripple, Blacksmith, Apothecary, and others, who were originally busy with their own work, suddenly fell silent. Granny Si trembled slightly as she walked over, a forced smile on her face. "Ten pieces of mourning clothes, wanted today? Guest, that is a bit rushed."
Master Ma walked over and said coldly, "My hands are fast, the coffins can be finished today. Can this old mister wait a little?"
The old man laughed, "It is a bit rushed, however, everyone here is capable, so it should be possible to finish quickly, right?"
Granny Si glanced at the ingots and candles on the boat and let out a cold laugh. "If you need them urgently, they can be made now. It just so happens I bought some cloth a few days ago."
The old man bowed and said, "Trouble Granny."
Granny Si walked back into her house and brought out several bolts of cloth. She shook her hand once, and the bolts of cloth floated in mid-air. Then, a pair of scissors flew out from her basket automatically, clicking and cutting in mid-air. Before long, the shapes of the clothes were formed.
Several silver needles flew out from the small basket, threaded themselves, and darted back and forth in mid-air, quickly sewing the pieces of mourning clothes together.
Meanwhile, Master Ma walked outside the village, to the riverbank under the thick willow trees. Threads of green Qi flew from his fingers, swirling around the willow trees one by one. Before long, thick tree trunks were cut into white wood coffins.
These white wood coffins flew over and landed at the village entrance.
Granny Si's clothes were also finished. The old woman lightly waved her hand, and the pieces of mourning clothes landed on the respective coffins.
Master Ma stepped forward and said coldly, "You brought quite a bit of money, so I'll make two more for you for free, twelve coffins in total, custom-made. You lie down in them, and I guarantee they won't be an inch too long or a single *fen* too short! Is this old mister satisfied?"
Granny Si laughed and said, "This old body will also make two more sets of mourning clothes for free, guaranteed to fit."
The old man chuckled, "Satisfied, satisfied."
Qin Mu saw the atmosphere becoming increasingly strange and secretly counted. The green-robed figures and the old man added up to exactly twelve people!
The Apothecary walked over, his face sinister, but his voice very gentle. "Old mister, judging by your accent, you are not from this area, are you? It seems to be a Southern Border accent."
The old man smiled mildly, "We are indeed from the Southern Border, the Li River region."
Cripple walked over, a wide smile plastered on his face. "In the Li River region, there is a Li River Sect, a large sect, I hear. They reside by the river, and have many experts. I've heard the leader of the Li River Sect is called Mu Bei Feng, his divine abilities are outworldly and ghostly, reaching out he can break the flow of the river."
The old man hastily said, "Dare not, dare not. This old one is indeed Mu Bei Feng. My Li River Sect is actually just a small, unremarkable sect. We rely on the mountains for food and the river for sustenance, usually making our living on the river. This old one has five junior brothers, who are looked up to by various friends, and are called the Five Elders of the Li River."
Qin Mu's heart skipped a beat, and his face subtly changed. Weren't the Five Elders of the Li River the five old men who died at Granny Si's hand?
Could it be that this Mu Bei Feng had come with his group, planning to avenge the Five Elders of the Li River?
His request for ten coffins and ten pieces of mourning clothes was clearly prepared for all the people of Cripple Old Village. After killing the villagers, he planned to dress them in mourning clothes, place them in coffins, bury them on the spot, and then burn some ingots and candles!
And these paper boats and paper cranes were all prepared for the villagers of Cripple Old Village after their deaths!
Mu Bei Feng, turning the jade ring on his thumb, said unhurriedly, "Two years ago, the court pacified the land. The National Teacher personally brought the imperial edict to my Li River Sect and sat down with this old one to discuss the Dao. After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, this old one's heart was pleased, and I submitted, receiving the imperial edict and thanking the lord for his great grace. My Li River Sect received the emperor and the National Teacher's favor. This old one was sealed as the Prefect of the Five Miao Prefecture in the Southern Border, an official of the second rank, governing the Five Miao. The National Teacher also sealed the Five Elders of the Li River as Vice Protectors of the Miao Border Prefecture, officials of the third rank. We are, after all, like idle clouds and wild cranes. Although we have been granted official positions, we still enjoy moving around."
The Village Chief laughed, "Yan Kang Country is a sect disguised as a country. With the assistance of the Yan Kang National Teacher, the foremost expert under the heavens, the country's fortunes have become more and more prosperous in recent years. It has subjugated quite a few sects and has also ordered disciples from each sect to join the army, opening up territory. Brother Mu was originally unrestrained. Becoming an official in court is naturally bound by court laws and regulations, it is understandable that you are not quite accustomed to it."
Mu Bei Feng said, "Thus, those five junior brothers of mine became extremely quiet and thought of moving about, wanting to come out and walk around. They brought the Five Sons of the Li River into the Great Ruins. The Five Sons of the Li River are disciples taken by these five junior brothers of mine, and they have a bit of ability. My five junior brothers planned to bring them out to gain experience."
Blind Man, propping himself with a bamboo staff, walked over and said, "The Five Elders of the Li River entering the Great Ruins for experience? And bringing disciples? The Great Ruins are very dangerous. I can't help but worry for them."
Mu Bei Feng sighed, "Yes, ah. The Great Ruins are too dangerous, with fierce gods and evil spirits everywhere. They had already been gone for two months. When I delayed in seeing their return, I knew in my heart that something had gone wrong, so I searched all the way, and luckily found the place where my five junior brothers met their end. These five junior brothers of mine died miserably, ah. Looking at the wounds on their broken bones, the person who killed them should be an expert from the Heavenly Demon Cult, not tall in stature, about the same as Granny Si."
He shook his head and said, "And then, I found the place where their disciples met their end, it was a valley, their corpses all spoiled by wild beasts. Alas, they died miserably, eh... Looking at the wounds on their corpses and bones, the hand that dealt the blows should belong to a warrior not of great age, about the same as this little brother. I heard your village has a tailor and a carpenter, so I came to order mourning clothes and coffins for the murderers who killed my junior brothers and nephews, waiting to put them inside."
A hint of pride appeared on his face. "Although I am an official appointed by the court, I am, after all, accustomed to being a man of the mountains and villages, not used to the court's red tape. So, I still follow the rules of the Jianghu and came myself to avenge my junior brothers and nephews. Qian Qiu."
Having said this, the old man closed his mouth and spoke no further.
Behind him, a young warrior stepped forward and looked towards Qin Mu. This was the man who had asked for directions in the air and thrown a gold ingot to Qin Mu. He said, "My junior brother Qu was struck down by a wooden stick, executed with a knife method. Little brother, you carry a knife, perhaps you can execute a knife method? Would you spar with me?"
Qin Mu hesitated, looking towards Granny Si and the Village Chief.
Granny Si couldn't help but say, "Mu child, the Southern Border folk are fierce and wild. Their techniques are ruthless and never show mercy. If he asks you to draw your knife, you must execute..."
"Silence!"
The Village Chief rebuked her, stopping Granny Si from speaking further. He said faintly, "He has come according to the rules, without borrowing the power of the court or the Yan Kang National Teacher to pressure us. We also cannot break the rules. No one is permitted to open their mouth to give Qin Mu advice, nor are they permitted to help."
His gaze was stern as he looked towards Qin Mu and said coldly, "Qin Mu, the coffins and mourning clothes are right there. If you are benevolent and tolerant, one of those coffins is yours! Either he dies, or you die! He has issued a challenge, why are you still standing there in a daze? Why are you not going?"
