Chapter 64: Miraculous Past Events (6)

The matter had already passed three years, so it had naturally been forgotten by most people. Now that the old servant brought it up, everyone immediately recalled it. Upon hearing this, the Zhao Family Young Master instantly remembered that past incident. His face turned pale at once, and he staggered backward several large steps.

Li Litou calmly supported him. The Zhao Family Young Master suddenly shouted, “My heart hurts...” and spat out a mouthful of blood.

Elder Zhao was, after all, still concerned about his son. Seeing this, he looked at Old Li anxiously. Old Li said, “It is nothing serious, just an attack from pent up rage. This mouthful of blood is also the price of his obsession.”

Hearing this, Elder Zhao felt somewhat relieved.

Old Li walked over to the Zhao Family Young Master and said, “You do not need to feel heartache. Everything is nothing more than the moon in a mirror, flowers in water. Since it is trying to confuse you, everything it does will naturally be tailored to your desires. Once this karmic tie is resolved, you will naturally let go.”

After spitting out that mouthful of blood, the Zhao Family Young Master seemed much more clear minded. He nodded, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve, and said somewhat dejectedly, “Thank you, Master Li.”

Old Li nodded without saying more.

At that moment, people suddenly exclaimed again. As Old Li had said, the large yellow weasel indeed stumbled back once more.

The same scene repeated itself. It once again ran into the talisman area and circled inside, unable to find a way out.

Old Li stepped forward and casually bound the yellow weasel with several chi of red cord. Finally, he tied a knot at the back of its head. Strangely, as Old Li did all this, the weasel behaved as obediently as a kitten, trembling all over but not daring to resist at all.

After tying it up, Old Li lightly brushed a few spots on the talisman markings with his foot. At that moment, everyone saw that the yellow weasel could actually walk out of the talisman area. They could not help but step back in alarm again.

But unexpectedly, after walking out, the yellow weasel obediently walked back in on its own and lay down on the ground, lowering its head in a submissive posture.

This was strange. What wild creature was ever obedient, let alone one that had become a spirit? Moreover, although Old Li had tied it up, it was only a simple knot. Its limbs were not bound, its eyes were not covered, yet it was so well behaved.

“The matter has been resolved. How to deal with this yellow weasel is up to you, Zhao Young Master. After all, the greatest karmic tie was formed between you and it.” With that, Old Li stood aside calmly.

Everyone fell silent as they looked at the docile weasel lying in the courtyard. They could hardly believe this was the creature that had tormented the Zhao family for a year without peace. Yet no one dared suggest killing it anymore. After everything that had happened, people had developed an inexplicable sense of awe toward creatures like weasels.

In the countryside, there were many stories about weasels. People had heard bits and pieces, but seeing it with their own eyes and experiencing it firsthand felt completely different.

At this moment, the Zhao Family Young Master looked at the weasel with a very complicated expression. From his gaze, everyone could tell he had finally regained clarity. The once crazed Zhao Young Master had disappeared, and the polite, reasonable young man had returned.

Before he could speak, Old Lady Zhao said first, “My son, I think you should let it go. This weasel is not utterly evil. Although it has disturbed the Zhao family for a year, it still distinguishes right from wrong. When I once spoke for it, it did not harm me afterward. That is proof enough.”

“Indeed. That night when it grabbed my throat, it did not use full force. Otherwise I would not have been able to struggle at all. And it only happened that one time,” Elder Zhao said, now also filled with compassion.

“Yes, brother. It only frightened me and occasionally hit me in dreams. After all, you nearly killed it back then,” the Zhao Family Daughter added.

The Zhao Family Young Master let out a long sigh. He bowed toward Old Li and said, “Master Li, please tell it that as long as it no longer troubles my family, this matter will be let go.”

“Hahaha...” Old Li, who had always been stern, suddenly laughed. After laughing, he said, “This has turned into a good outcome. It is truly beyond my expectations. In truth, even if you had not said it, I would not have taken its life. I simply wanted to see whether human hearts would gain understanding or reverence through this matter. This result is truly gratifying. Moreover, cultivation is not easy, especially for spirits and wild creatures. How many of them reach this point without great fortune?”

He walked over to the yellow weasel and said, “Do you know where you were wrong? You were too fixated on right and wrong, and you repay every grievance. Such a mindset lacks detachment and openness. How can you seek true attainment like that? Moreover, this karmic tie began because of you. You cannot look down on livestock simply because you have cultivated and consider yourself above them. Do not forget, before your cultivation, you were once the same. The chickens and dogs of the Zhao family were raised by them, which is fundamentally different from how you survive in the wild. Do you understand?”

Unexpectedly, as Old Li finished speaking, tears welled in the yellow weasel’s eyes. It looked deeply moved. No one knew whether it had truly understood something from his words or was simply grateful that he would not kill it.

“Zhao Young Master, do you realize that your two strikes nearly destroyed a hundred years of its cultivation? That final burst of foul smoke was, if I am not mistaken, its life saving technique. It costs a tremendous price, likely even part of its hard earned power. How could it not hate you?” Old Li turned and said.

The Zhao Family Young Master nodded repeatedly, his face filled with shame, and looked toward his family with guilt, as if blaming himself for implicating them.

“You as well. Originally, it had lost its cultivation and should have needed ten years of bitter training to recover. Yet now its strength has actually increased. It must have encountered another opportunity. Since that is the case, why seek revenge? It has already turned misfortune into fortune. It should be grateful for heaven’s mercy,” Old Li said to the weasel again.

As soon as he finished speaking, the yellow weasel actually stood upright and bowed repeatedly toward the Zhao family, as if acknowledging its own stubbornness.

“I will ask you once more. Do you still intend to entangle yourself with the Zhao family? Lies are useless in front of me. If you still harbor such intent, even if you attain cultivation results in the future, it will not be the true path. I may spare your life due to your difficulty in cultivation, but I will not hesitate to cripple your entire power.” As he spoke, Old Li took out a peach wood sword from his bundle and pointed it straight at the weasel. With his other hand, he formed a sword finger gesture, and his entire aura suddenly surged.

The yellow weasel trembled violently, tears streaming continuously from its eyes as it looked at Old Li. Its mouth kept moving as if trying to speak.

After a moment, Old Li suddenly put away the peach wood sword and said, “Very well. I believe you are not lying to me. Even if you had lied today, you should understand the consequences of breaking a heavy oath on the path of cultivation.”

After putting away the sword and dispersing the sword finger, Old Li returned to his ordinary old farmer appearance. He looked at the Zhao family and said, “It says this matter ends here. It swears that it will never again trouble any member of the Zhao family and will focus only on cultivation. It also thanks you for pleading on its behalf, and says that if it attains true accomplishment in the future, it will bless your family. What do you say? If you are satisfied, I will now release the seal restricting its power, and this matter will be concluded.”

The Zhao Family Young Master stepped forward and said, “Since Master Li has said this is a good outcome, then it is naturally settled. Even if it does not bless us, we will still let it go.”

“Hahaha... good, good. Who says Daoist teachings do not benefit others? This outcome is truly satisfying.” Old Li laughed freely. As he spoke, he untied the knot. The yellow weasel bowed once more before quickly disappearing into the night.

This originally irreconcilable affair had ended in a way that exceeded everyone’s expectations.

After a while, the crowd dispersed. The Zhao family invited Old Li, and naturally my master as well, into the main hall. Since Old Li did not object to my master’s presence, they did not ask him to leave.

Inside the main hall, Elder Zhao ordered servants to serve tea and pastries. Old Li chatted casually with him, while oddly, Old Lady Zhao was absent.

No one knew why Elder Zhao was still drinking tea and chatting so late at night, but as guests, no one said anything.

After some time, Old Lady Zhao arrived carrying a small box and handed it to Elder Zhao.

Elder Zhao held the box, bowed to Old Li, and respectfully presented it, opening it in front of him.

Inside were neatly arranged bundles of silver dollars, wrapped in red paper, along with some gold and silver jewelry. It was wealth that an ordinary family could never earn in a lifetime.

At that time, silver dollars had significant purchasing power, and five bundles meant five hundred pieces, not to mention the jewelry.

“Master Li, I heard from my cousin that in the city you will not make a move for less than two little yellow fish, even for something small like writing a talisman. This time you saved our entire family’s life and fortune. No amount of money can express our gratitude, but we are just rural folk and cannot compare to the nobles in the city. This is already everything our family could gather. If it is not enough, I would even sell this ancestral house to pay you,” Elder Zhao said anxiously.

Old Li said nothing. He simply opened one bundle of silver dollars, weighed two coins in his hand, blew on them lightly, listened to the sound, and then put them into his pocket.

“For you and for that yellow weasel, this was both a good outcome. Good things come in pairs, so I will take two silver dollars,” he said as he stood up. “If there is nothing else, I will take my disciples to rest.”

My master and the others naturally followed him out.

“Master Li, we are sincerely offering this,” Elder Zhao said anxiously.