Chapter 39: A Lack of Brain and Unhappiness

Chapter 39: A Lack of Brain and Unhappiness

Once he made his decision, Meng Yuan didn't hesitate. He planned to set off immediately and spend the night at the Livestock Farm.

After delivering the wine to his residence, he went to find Xun Mei and told her that he would be going to the Livestock Farm and asked her to take good care of Jiang Tang.

Then, Meng Yuan returned to the training ground and instructed Hu Qian and Wu Changsheng to lead the students in their training. Only then did he sling his five-stone bow and longsword and head to the stable to fetch his little red horse.

"I'm going to check on the Livestock Farm." Meng Yuan didn't bother explaining much to Elder Jiang.

After making the necessary preparations, Meng Yuan mounted his horse, while Big Head Zhao drove the donkey cart. Along the way, they bought some meat and snacks, chatting as they ate.

Most of the time, it was Big Head Zhao speaking, offering words of advice.

As they left the city again, the greenery appeared even more lush. Along the road, the grass and trees flourished, and the farmers worked diligently, with patches of green stretching as far as the eye could see.

It was already past noon when the Livestock Farm finally came into view.

Meng Yuan didn't rush back to the farm but instead circled around it for a thorough inspection.

Although Xiang Ling was known for her lack of brains, she was, after all, a refined monster, and one couldn't afford to be careless.

Meng Yuan carefully examined the location he had agreed upon with Xiang Ling, and only then did he return to the Livestock Farm.

Upon seeing Meng Yuan's arrival, Sun Zhuangtou immediately prepared a rustic feast, indirectly probing for quite some time to understand the purpose of Meng Yuan's visit.

But Meng Yuan was there to meet with Little Marmot in secret, so he could only make up some nonsense about missing his old haunts.

"Brother, please accept this." When Sun Zhuangtou heard that the Jiang family girl was following Xun Mei, he took out ten taels of silver to offer.

"I truly came just to relax. Xun Mei didn't mention anything," said Meng Yuan, who wasn't in the habit of asking for money.

After finishing their dinner, Meng Yuan couldn't fall asleep, so he practiced his sword techniques in the courtyard.

Following the true energy manipulation techniques and breathing methods taught by Nie Shi, the Gale Blade Technique indeed became more powerful, with quicker movements and faster strikes.

Under the bright moon, Meng Yuan practiced again and again. He realized that according to the methods taught by Nie Shi, the Gale Blade Technique did become more potent, but there was always a sense of stagnation, preventing it from being completely natural.

At first, Meng Yuan thought he wasn't proficient enough in the true energy manipulation techniques, but even after practicing until midnight, this sense of stagnation persisted.

It was as if he had paid for a meal but only received a vegetarian dish.

"Energy and strength united, mind and energy united. Is it lacking the 'subtlety' that Nie Shi spoke of? Or is there another reason?"

Meng Yuan accumulated a pile of questions, not only about the Gale Blade Technique but also about the Eight Rank Mirror-Breaking Technique.

If he could achieve the Eight Rank earlier, following the Empress Consort on a spring outing, would be much better than hanging out with Xiang Ling and smelling cow manure.

With the recent improvement in food, the nourishment from Vital Energy absorption has also increased. Now, he could already cover half of his body, and he estimated that he would be able to complete it in about half a month.

After that, with another round of body tempering, the progress of the Eight Rank would also be faster.

After practicing the Gale Blade Technique for half the night, Meng Yuan fell into a peaceful sleep.

The next day, after breakfast, he practiced the sword technique once more, tucked two boiled eggs into his pocket, and set out on foot from the farm.

Heading west, the spring brought forth new life, and the grass and trees were a tender green.

Just as he reached the foot of the mountain, he felt the lingering chill of winter still lingering in the air. On the ground, weeds grew among the withered leaves, with a vibrant, upward-reaching posture.

Meng Yuan, with his sword at his waist and a heavy bow on his back, approached calmly.

After surveying the area, Meng Yuan saw a pile of withered leaves, "Oh dear, Xiang Ling said she wanted to see me, but where is she?"

Meng Yuan sighed and pretended to untie his belt, "Forget it, I'll just take a leak first!"

"Ah!" From the pile of withered leaves, a brown-skinned little wolf suddenly jumped out.

Xiang Ling leaped up three feet, her neck tied with a flowered small bundle, her head covered with a flowered headscarf, exposing two small ears, dressed like a village girl.

Her two lower limbs supported her slender body, her black nose tip moist, looking quite capable.

Xiang Ling quickly brushed off the scattered leaves from her body, revealing her tidy appearance, but she didn't stop talking, "You clearly knew I was hiding under the leaves, and you still wanted to pee on me!"

Her round, lively eyes were full of spirit, her two upper limbs seemed to want to rest on her waist, but being slightly short, she could only reach her armpits, and her head tilted back, anger in her voice, "Little Castrator, you're awful!"

Meng Yuan was an honest man, knowing he was in the wrong, so he cupped his fist and smiled, "It's Meng Lang, please forgive me, Xiang Ling."

"Oh, you're quite polite!" Xiang Ling immediately turned her head, her anger gone, her two big eyes staring at Meng Yuan, happily saying, "Hehe, then I forgive you."

"

She stopped leaning on her hips and straightened the small bundle and headscarf, then happily added, "Little Castrator, you sure know how to flatter!"

He had never heard such nice words before! Meng Yuan smiled but didn't respond.

"Look at how fashionable I am!" Xiang Ling stretched out both her upper limbs and spun around, clearly seeking praise.

"Very fashionable. All the wealthy ladies in the city dress like this," Meng Yuan said. Knowing that Xiang Ling was a country bumpkin, he flattered her and asked, "Are you preparing for a blind date? How's that going?"

"Sigh, Xiang Ling doesn't have a mother. It's a long story," Xiang Ling sighed when marriage was mentioned. "As soon as my wet nurse died, the old matchmaker disappeared. Maybe the ruckus at Peach Blossom Ridge scared her, and she's too afraid to go out now!"

This silly Xiang Ling!

Meng Yuan smiled and said, "Has the matchmaker gone to the Peach Blossom Festival?"

"No, she hasn't," Xiang Ling shook her small head. "The matchmaker said that Big Tail is not learning proper Buddhist teachings. The more he listens, the more of a jerk he becomes, and he won't achieve Great Freedom. He should learn more Celestial Nourishment skills; that's true freedom!"

This greenhorn fox has some knowledge! Great Freedom is a Buddhist term, and true freedom is a Taoist concept.

Hearing this, Meng Yuan felt that the fox was quite extraordinary. While Xiang Ling and her mother were deceived by the fox, it was indeed due to their foolishness. On the other hand, the fox truly had some abilities.

"How's your blind date going?" Xiang Ling wanted to exchange blind date experiences.

When did I ever say I was on a blind date? Meng Yuan smiled helplessly and said, "The other party hasn't divorced yet, so I have to wait."

"You can't wait any longer! Look at how old you are!" Xiang Ling turned serious, assuming a lecturing posture.

Meng Yuan rubbed his forehead and realized that he had been entangled with this little marmot and forgotten his main task.

"Why did you call me here? What's the matter?" Meng Yuan asked.

Hearing this, Xiang Ling immediately became serious and said, "My wet nurse told me, if you give me a peach, I'll give you two apricots. If you take one of my eggs, I'll steal two pieces of meat from you!"

Wasn't this deer very reasonable? Why is she so greedy for a few eggs?

Meng Yuan smiled and said, "This is the meaning of repaying kindness and settling grudges, clearly distinguishing between gratitude and resentment."

"Oh! Little Castrator, you understand quite a lot!"

She happily hopped forward and said, "I'm here to repay your kindness!"

Xiang Ling crossed her short upper limbs, making an arm-crossing gesture, and proudly said, "I went to find Pig Big Sister. I told her, 'You give birth every month, and it's too noisy with all these children. It's better to castrate them all. I'll find you a helper, and it's a good deal!' But Pig Big Sister told me to scram!"

At this point, Xiang Ling stomped her foot in anger and said, "Pig Big Sister is so rude!"

She's already being very polite by telling you to scram!

Meng Yuan was an honest man and said, "I used to do castration work, but I've changed professions. You don't need to find me clients anymore."

"I know! You're hanging out with the big shots of the Demon Control Bureau now!" Xiang Ling was very reasonable and added, "But you still haven't settled on a marriage for me. I've already said..."

What's all this about marriage? And multiple marriage arrangements?

At such a young age, she's already pimping! Is this great happiness?

Meng Yuan looked up at the sky and couldn't help but ask himself, 'Why did I come here?'

Xiang Ling, unaware, kept chattering, counting on her fingers, "I found you several people. After much persuasion, they agreed. But some said you're a bad person and wanted to deal with you first. Others had too high a dowry, so I rejected them. It was only the cow widow who said she wanted to sleep with you first..."

What's all this nonsense?

Meng Yuan reached out and pinched Xiang Ling's mouth, then took out a boiled egg from his sleeve and said, "I appreciate your good intentions, but you don't need to worry about my marriage. From now on, stay in your old turtle pit and don't associate with the fox matchmaker or go to the livestock farm again."

He stuffed the boiled egg into Xiang Ling's embrace and turned to leave.

"Hey, hey, hey! Don't go, Little Castrator!" Xiang Ling quickly caught up and pulled on Meng Yuan's clothes, looking up at him and not letting him go. She pitifully said, "I have great medicine, a dowry from my wet nurse. Do you want it?"

"Oh? Tell me more." Meng Yuan finally became interested.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end