https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-97-Bury-Them-and-They-Shall-No-Longer-Wreak-Havoc/12532838/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-99-The-Art-of-Elixir-Medicine-and-Martial-Arts-Evergreen-Bone/12532840/
Chapter 98: Celestial Mother Su Lingxiu
Chapter 98: Celestial Mother Su Lingxiu
Above the large pit, the young girl excitedly shoveled dirt into it, while down below, Zheng the Merchant was stunned.
To stop someone from doing evil, you bury them alive?
He was going to be buried alive!
He had heard rumors about the Celestial Mother of the Celestial Mother Sect, who, after admonishing evildoers, would cause them to never commit another wicked act again.
So this was how she convinced them?
"Spare me, Celestial Mother! I truly will never do evil again, I swear!"
"You have to believe me. I'm willing... willing to castrate myself to prove my sincerity. I will never do evil again!" Zheng the Merchant said with grit teeth, his heart hardening.
Nothing was more important than his life.
Even if he became a eunuch, it would still be better than death!
Even the girl was surprised. She had buried so many people, and Zheng the Merchant was the first one to make such a resolute decision, going as far as to castrate himself to prove his sincerity!
"Are you sure?" She paused from shoveling.
"I am!" Zheng the Merchant gritted his teeth.
"Good. This Celestial Mother will trust you this once!" The girl thought for a moment, then, gritting her silver teeth, she softened her heart and said, "Turn around, and be quick about it!"
Zheng the Merchant's lips quivered, his face turned pale, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead. But to save his life, he could only resort to this desperate measure.
He felt some regret in his heart. If he had known it would come to this, he should have sworn by cutting off a finger instead!
"I... I don't have a knife on me!"
"Zhou Yi, give him one," the girl said.
The stout and robust woman threw a dagger down into the pit.
"Be quick about it, and remember not to let the blood spurt out. Cover it with your pants, or you'll lose too much blood and I won't be able to save you!" The girl reminded him, her back still turned.
Zheng the Merchant felt like crying. In his heart, he cursed, "You are so merciful!"
His hand trembled as he gripped the dagger. Suddenly, he realized that due to the medicine he had taken, his blood was surging, and with this dagger...
He didn't dare to imagine what would happen!
"Hurry up!" Zhou Yi urged in her deep voice.
"I'm going, I'm going!" Zheng the Merchant stuttered. His hand reached into his pants, and the cold dagger touched his skin, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. Instead, he begged for mercy, offering to cut off a finger instead.
However, Zhou Yi kicked a stone, and it shot out, hitting Zheng the Merchant's elbow.
"Ahhhh!" There was a loud, wet sound.
Zheng the Merchant screamed in agony, his hand shooting out of his pants, clutching something...
Hearing the scream, the girl excitedly called out, "Zhou Yi, throw that thing of his out to feed the dogs. I've heard that if a man loses that, he becomes an incomplete ghost. It's his own doing if he chooses to be incomplete."
Zhou Yi waved her hand, and a silken thread flew out, wrapping around what Zheng the Merchant was holding. With a flick of her wrist, she tossed it out the window.
The sudden turn of events startled Zheng the Merchant so much that he forgot to scream.
"Ahhh, you won't die a good death! You deceived me..." After a while, Zheng the Merchant started cursing in between his miserable wails.
The girl swung the shovel, quickly filling the pit with dirt. From her skilled movements, it was clear that she had done this many times before.
Dirt poured onto Zheng the Merchant's face and mouth, silencing him.
However, one could still see the blood that stained the dirt red.
As the pile of dirt above the pit grew smaller, Zheng the Merchant's weak wails became quieter, and eventually, only his head was visible, the rest of his body buried under the soil.
"You... you won't die a good death!" Zheng the Merchant's voice was weak and devoid of energy.
"Hehe, today, this Celestial Mother has convinced another evildoer to never do evil again," the girl said playfully, her smile mischievous as she vigorously shoveled more dirt into the pit.
The pit was filled, and Zheng the Merchant was buried alive beneath it.
The girl, holding the shovel, jumped onto the pile of dirt and stomped hard several times to compact the soil!
"Evildoers admonished by this Celestial Mother never do evil again. How could you be an exception?"
After burying Zheng the Merchant alive, the girl, carrying her shovel, walked out. Zhou Yi followed with a helpless look on her face. Zheng the Merchant's butler, his face full of flattery, said, "Celestial Mother, we have done everything as you instructed. Please spare me."
"Mm, I will," the girl nodded.
Zhou Yi skillfully took out a thin mask and put it on the butler's face, instantly transforming him into Zheng the Merchant's likeness. "From now on, you know what to do, right?"
"Yes, yes, this subordinate will make sure of it," the butler nodded and bowed, putting on Zheng the Merchant's clothes. He then went to kneel in front of the county government office of Nanhe County, crying out to the heavens about the Celestial Mother's mercy and how he would never dare to do evil again.
He offered to give away all his wealth, retreat into the mountains, and reflect on his sins to atone for them!
The common people of Nanhe County were stunned, and even the county magistrate was dumbfounded. Had the mysterious Celestial Mother of the Celestial Mother Sect come for Zheng the Merchant?
And, incredibly, Zheng the Merchant truly seemed to have given up his evil ways?
Under the disbelieving gazes of the people of Nanhe County, Zheng the Merchant truly gave away all his wealth to aid the poor. He was extremely sincere in his atonement, bowing every few steps as he left the county town of Nanhe.
Before he could react, the stout and robust Zhou Yi grabbed him and tossed him into the pit.
The butler was bewildered.
The young girl wielded her shovel, vigorously shoveling soil into the pit.
"Have mercy, Celestial Mother! Didn't you promise to spare me?" he pleaded.
The girl nodded. "Yes, the Celestial Mother promised to spare you. What does that have to do with Su Lingxiu?"
"You are the Celestial Mother!" he exclaimed.
"I was, but I'm not anymore," she replied with a smile.
Undeterred, the butler began to curse at the girl as she continued filling the pit with dirt.
"You are Zheng the Merchant's butler, and you have committed countless evil deeds. If I don't bury you, how can I prevent you from doing evil again in the future?" Su Lingxiu said with a cheeky laugh.
Zhou Yi sighed, her face full of resignation. "Miss, why did you become the Celestial Mother of the Celestial Mother Sect in the first place?"
"The members of the Celestial Mother Sect are well-informed and can gather many medicinal herbs for me. It's just a title, and I can also utilize their strength. What's the harm in that?" Su Lingxiu explained with a smile.
"That Kou Ruozhi is quite capable. He actually managed to revive the Celestial Mother Sect."
"This time, we're going to Qi Country. Let's see if he's been up to any mischief there. If he has committed any heinous acts, this Celestial Mother will bury him!" Su Lingxiu declared.
Zhou Yi advised, "Miss, you've punished quite a few evildoers already. There will always be evil people in this world, and you shouldn't be too kind-hearted. Otherwise, you might end up suffering."
"Zhou Yi, rest assured. I know what I'm doing. This place is boring, and I can't cultivate here, so I need to find some entertainment." Su Lingxiu slung the shovel over her shoulder and began walking downhill.
Zhou Yi sighed inwardly and followed quietly. She knew that Miss Su would do as she pleased, but as long as she was there, no real danger would befall her.
News of the Celestial Mother's visit to Nanhe County and her successful admonishment of Zheng the Merchant quickly spread.
"Did you hear? The Celestial Mother went to persuade Zheng the Merchant to stop his evil ways yesterday, and today, he has given away all his wealth and gone to the mountains to atone for his sins."
"The Celestial Mother is truly compassionate!"
"Yes, indeed..."
The followers of the Celestial Mother Sect were overjoyed and began spreading the word of the Celestial Mother's compassion and holiness.
This was a great opportunity to gain more followers.
However, no one knew exactly how the Celestial Mother had convinced Zheng the Merchant to change his ways.
All they knew was that those admonished by the Celestial Mother never returned to their evil ways.
...
In Yunshan County, Li Xuan heard about the incident in Nanhe County from Shi Er.
"The Celestial Mother is truly compassionate. She persuaded Zheng the Merchant of Nanhe County to stop his evil ways, and he has given away all his wealth and gone to the mountains to repent for his sins."
Li Xuan was intrigued. What kind of ability did this young girl possess that allowed her to make evildoers change their ways?
Moreover, Zheng the Merchant had distributed his entire fortune to the poor in the county.
This was truly unbelievable.
"How did she persuade him?" Li Xuan asked.
Shi Er scratched his head. "I heard that the Celestial Mother is filled with great compassion and holy light. She speaks of the sufferings of the people and guides them towards goodness and away from evil..."
Li Xuan's expression was skeptical.
This story was even more far-fetched than the cultivation techniques he had made up.
"Are you sure that's how it happened?"
Shi Er shrugged. "That's what they're saying in the sect. It's probably not a lie since the Celestial Mother has successfully admonished many evildoers."
Li Xuan thought about it and felt that it made sense.
Could this young girl have the ability to enchant people's hearts?
"Where is that girl now?" Li Xuan asked, eager to meet her.
"She seems to be on her way to Qi Country," Shi Er replied, somewhat uncertain.
Often, even the high-ranking members of the Celestial Mother Sect were unaware of the Celestial Mother's whereabouts.
Li Xuan nodded. Most likely, the young girl would come to Yunshan County.
Su Lingxiu arrived in Yunshan County and went straight to the county office.
The county magistrate and the old man in hemp robes quickly bowed and greeted her.
"We welcome the arrival of the Celestial Mother!" they exclaimed.
Su Lingxiu sat down, her expression solemn. She tapped the head of the Yunshan County magistrate with her shovel and asked, "Have you been corrupt? Have you oppressed the people? Have you exploited them for your own gain?"
"I report to the Celestial Mother, I have not! The people under my rule live peaceful and prosperous lives!" the magistrate said, his forehead breaking into a cold sweat.
"So, you are the Celestial Mother of the Celestial Mother Sect?" Li Xuan asked with a hint of amusement.
The girl, Su Lingxiu, nodded affirmatively.
Intrigued by the rumors he had heard, Li Xuan inquired further, "I've heard that those you admonish never commit evil deeds again. Is that true? How do you convince them?"
It was this unique ability of hers that had initially piqued his interest. Now that he had met her in person, his curiosity only deepened.
Su Lingxiu, with a mischievous smile, waved the shovel in her hand and replied, "It's simple. I just bury them, and they can't do evil anymore!"
Li Xuan was taken aback. Was it really that simple? Of course, a dead person wouldn't be able to commit evil acts anymore.
Shi Er, standing beside him, wore an expression of disbelief, his mouth agape. The method that had been shrouded in mystery and exaggeration turned out to be so straightforward?
Noticing Shi Er's reaction, Li Xuan realized that his disciple was just as clueless about the truth as he had been.
"That's it?" Li Xuan asked, his curiosity now piqued even further.
Su Lingxiu gave him a strange look and said, "Yes, it's that simple. I dig a hole, bury them, and they can't cause any more trouble. Unless you think dead people can still do evil?"
Li Xuan was rendered speechless.
The exaggeration and distortion of the truth were almost comical. A simple act had been blown out of proportion, and yet, it had sparked his curiosity.
"And your medical skills, are they also exaggerated?" he asked. The playful and lively demeanor of the girl didn't quite match the image of someone dedicated to the study of medicine.
"As for my medical skills, I started learning at the age of four, and now, at seventeen, my proficiency is unparalleled. No one in Qi or Wu countries can match my abilities," Su Lingxiu replied, surprising him. Apparently, her medical skills were not exaggerated.
Intrigued, Li Xuan asked, "And what's your name, young lady?"
"Su Lingxiu," she replied honestly.
Zhou Yi, standing beside Su Lingxiu, was tense and alert. She sensed that the person before them was an extraordinarily powerful being, unlike anyone she had ever encountered before.
(End of Chapter)
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