Qian Xiao looked at Xu Lai with admiration. Although Uncle Xu might have to kneel on a washboard when he gets home, being a little mischievous is so much fun!

The barbecue lasted from noon until the afternoon.

On Xu Lai's side, including the children and Teacher Miao, there were fewer than twenty people, and everyone ate their fill. On Liu Chengyin's side, however, there were over eighty people. The grill was small, and with only him cooking slowly, not even the kids had enough to eat, let alone the adults.

Moreover, perhaps it was just their imagination, but the parents who ate at Xu Lai's felt their skin had become much fairer than before; acne had vanished, and freckles had lightened.

What made Mao Gaoshan most suspicious was his gout. Drinking always triggered it, but this time was different. Not only had he drunk alcohol, but he had also eaten a lot of seafood, and surprisingly, he felt no discomfort at all.

Mao Gaoshan patted his forehead. I must be drunk.

Only Xu Lai knew why. Eating these delicacies could extend the lifespans of ordinary people by a good ten years, and any minor health issues they had would also be healed. But he said nothing. For Xu Lai, being able to live on Earth and sit down to eat meat and drink with people he had just met was a rare experience in itself.

"So satisfying."

On Xu Lai's side, many parents patted their bellies, sighing with contentment. This wasn't suffering on an outing with the kids at all; it was more like going out for a grand feast. This barbecue was just too delicious! Looking back on their lives, this barbecue was definitely the tastiest meal they had ever had, without equal.

Facing the praise, Xu Lai simply smiled, hiding his accomplishments.

"The afternoon is for free activities, but be sure to stay safe," Teacher Miao announced. "Parents can take their children hiking, go to the hot springs, or just rest. We will gather on time at six o'clock this evening for a bonfire party."

"Understood!" the adults responded in unison.

Some parents felt too tired to even move, so they remained at the campsite. But others, like Mao Gaoshan, took his daughter Mao Dou hiking.

Xu Lai and Ruan Tang did the same.

Although Qian Xiao desperately wanted to join them, Miao Momo grabbed him by the scruff of his neck. "Qian Xiao, you're coming with me."

His fate.

Once again, it had been ruthlessly thwarted.

"Sister Yiyi, Teacher Miao can take me with her, but she can't take my heart! I'll always be your number one lackey!" Qian Xiao choked out.

Miao Momo: "..."

Xu Yiyi: "..."

She covered her little face and whispered, "Daddy, Mommy, let's go quickly. It's so embarrassing."

There were many natural hot springs along the road. The pools that were too hot for direct entry were all fenced off with danger warnings or sealed completely. Only the hot spring pools with suitable temperatures were open to the public.

Xu Lai said, "Honey, shall we take a dip in the hot springs together?"

Ruan Tang glanced at Xu Lai without a word.

"Our daughter is right here. What could I possibly do to you?" Xu Lai said, widening his eyes.

"It doesn't matter what Daddy and Mommy do. Yiyi can't see or hear anything," Xu Yiyi said, adorably covering her eyes.

Ruan Tang: "..."

That's my daughter, alright!

"Our swimsuits are back at the campsite," Ruan Tang refused. More importantly, it was the middle of the afternoon, and it wouldn't be good if other people saw them.

Xu Lai was somewhat disappointed but didn't press the matter.

The scenery on Jiuye Mountain was beautiful, and the air was extremely fresh. Xu Lai even spotted wild rabbits and other small animals in the forest.

But...

Xu Lai spared them.

He could sense that although Jiuye Mountain wasn't a Spirit Vein, its Spiritual Energy was still quite abundant. If these small animals were lucky, they could potentially undergo Spirit Awakening and set foot on the path of cultivation.

I'll eat them then. The flavor will be even more delicious!

Luckily, no one else knew of this thought, or they would have surely proclaimed Xu Lai a Devil for not even sparing the adorable rabbits.

They didn't follow the crowd to the mountain peak. Xu Yiyi seemed to have a special fondness for the forest trails. She crossed several brooks and meandered through the woods until even Ruan Tang began to wonder if they were lost.

Eventually, the trio emerged from the forest, and the view suddenly opened up before them.

Deep within Jiuye Mountain, there lay a hidden valley. In the valley was a moderately sized lake, and by its shore stood a dilapidated Taoist Temple. Its courtyard, however, was swept clean, without a single weed in sight. To the left of the temple, a plot of flat land had been tilled into farmland, where various vegetables and fruits were growing. A figure could be faintly seen moving about the fields.

Looking closely, it was an old man dressed in Taoist robes, with white hair, a white beard, and white eyebrows, appearing very much like an Immortal.

"Hmm?"

The white-haired old man seemed to sense them. He raised his head, and upon seeing the family of three standing at the edge of his fields, he hesitated slightly before asking with a light laugh, "Are you three benefactors here to offer incense at the temple?"

"We just happened upon this place," Xu Lai said as he surveyed the surroundings, remarking with admiration, "Daoist Master, you have such refined taste, living in seclusion amidst this scenery."

The white-haired Taoist gave a bitter smile. "You misunderstand, Benefactor. This temple was entrusted to me by my master, and I couldn't bear to see it fall into ruin."

Xu Lai gave the man a deep look. This Taoist's power was nearly at the limit that Earth could tolerate. If he so wished, simply by revealing his Boundary, how could he possibly worry about the temple's incense offerings?

What interested Xu Lai was that something formidable seemed to be suppressed beneath the temple.

"Daoist Master, are you guarding good or evil?" Xu Lai asked with a faint smile.

The old Taoist was taken aback for a moment, then he smiled as well. "Who can truly say what is good and what is evil? But this old Taoist believes it should still be good." After a pause, he continued, "I must ask you three benefactors to leave quickly. This place is dangerous."

The conversation was all Greek to Xu Yiyi. Bored, she hugged Xu Lai's leg and whimpered, "Daddy, Yiyi is tired from walking."

"Alright, Daddy will carry you back so you can rest."

Xu Lai picked up his daughter and nodded to the old man. "If you can no longer hold it back, come find me at Haitang Court in the East Sea."

The old Taoist squinted. "May I ask for your esteemed surname, Benefactor?"

"My surname is Xu, and my given name is the single character Lai."

"The gentle breeze comes slowly..." The old Taoist clapped his hands and laughed heartily. "Slowly it comes... wonderful, just wonderful!"

Ruan Tang was completely mystified. What was so wonderful about it? But before she could ask, she saw Xu Lai turn to leave. She quickly followed and asked in a low voice, "Xu Lai, doesn't that Taoist seem a bit odd?"

"Not at all," Xu Lai shook his head and muttered to himself, "How difficult it must be to guard a gate for all the world."

Ruan Tang's brow furrowed slightly. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm saying—Honey, you're so beautiful!"

"..."

Ruan Tang pinched Xu Lai's waist hard. Amidst his yelps for mercy, she glared at him and said, "That's for your smart mouth!"

Watching Xu Lai's group recede into the distance, the old Taoist fell into a long silence.

「Inside the Taoist Temple」

A seven- or eight-year-old Taoist acolyte stepped out and asked curiously, "Master, were they from the Night Watchman?"

"No."

"Then they must be the Watchmen?" The acolyte's eyes lit up. "I've yet to meet six of the twelve Watchmen: Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Wu, and Wei. Which one was he? Was he the most mysterious one, Wei?"

"No, just an ordinary passerby."

"Oh." The acolyte instantly lost interest. "Seems we should put up more signs. There are always clueless people wandering in here."

"Apprentice," the old Taoist said, rubbing his temples tiredly, as if speaking to his disciple and to himself, "be it heaven and earth or the world of mortals, everything just goes around in a circle. No one can escape it."

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