Cheng Biyuan picked the mammoth python per Cheng Xiao Xiao'e recommendation. Under little Yuteng's training inside the dimension, this python had already evolved once. It wasn't exactly a dragon or a water dragon just yet, but it was still no match for your regular mammoth pythons.
Cheng Xiao Xiao felt much better after each and every single family member received a pet. Afterall, they were expected quite a few visitors to show up in the days to come. The pets would play a vital role in protecting them.
In addition, Cheng Xiao Xiao had little Yuteng distribute their several hundreds of small snakes in Willow Village's surrounding area to track any unusual movements.
Of course, that alone would not be enough. In addition to these, Cheng Xiao Xiao also had little Yuteng collected several different species of birds and cloned several thousands of them to surveil Willow Village from high above.
Cheng Xiao Xiao did not share these particular details with her family. Everything seemed normal around the Cheng's. Even the few helper villagers were still show up as usual. But they were surprised by the changes they have been noticing around the Cheng's.
They couldn't figure out where all the beasts came from. There were wolf, tiger, and snakes. They were shocked but they didn't ask. After all, they figured these are personal matters and the Cheng's wouldn't share with them anyway.
The Cheng's and the Willow Village seemed to be calm, but in an abnormal way. Even the dogs in the village seemed to be barking less lately but just laid on the ground quietly in front of their respective houses.
In town!
A cavalry made up of several dozen of individuals appeared in front of the Ning's and departed quickly.
Shortly after their departure. A lot of other strangers followed, as though some major event had happened..
Words spread quickly to Innkeeper Zhu and Deacon Bai. Innkeeper Zhu was worried, "Deacon Bai, Deacon Lin, should we head to the Cheng's also? Just in case they need extra help or something?"
Deacon Lin rolled his eyes after he heard that. Deacon Bai didn't comment right away but continued to sip away at his tea. After a while, he finally said, "We don't have to go there ourselves, we just have to send something to check it out quietly."
"But why, Deacon Bai? If we can join force with the Cheng's, it will make our transactions in the future much easier!" Innkeeper Zhu believed that helping others when they were most needed would make the most lastly impression.
That's the principle that he abide by both they way he did business and in his personal life. He thought that applying the same principle and going to support the Cheng's, it'd go a long way.
"You looked at it in a too simplistic kind of way, and you have underestimated the Cheng's." said Deacon Bai nonchalantly. "No matter how many went there, the Cheng's will be able to handle on their own. Us joining us will just muddle things up, and might even offend them!"
"That's impossible!" said Innkeeper Zhu dubiously.
Deacon Bai casted him glance and laughed coldly, "You don't believe me? Why don't you analyze the situation yourself using that brain of yours?"
"I don't get it!" Innkeeper Zhu was not a stupid person, but he couldn't figure out the Deacon Bai's meaning.
"You couldn't figure it out because you are not aware of how scary the Cheng's really are." Deacon Bai laughed again, coldly. Deacon Lin and he had experienced it first hand. He continued, "As long as Cheng Xiao Xiao was there, they won't have any problems. I am not sure about those who are heading their way though. On the other hand, if we join in and advocate that we are there for them, they might thought we were on the other side. They don't have very good impression of us already. There's no reason to make them to dislike us even more!"
"Well, I really didn't think about it that way," said Innkeeper Zhu with a bitter smile.
"Regardless of what's going on at the Cheng's, Chief Shao will arrive in the next couple of days. We should focus on thinking how best to bring Chief Shao to the Cheng's and make the introduction!"
"That wouldn't be an easy task. The Cheng's aren't exactly a friendly bunch!"
"That's why I am asking you to come up with some ideas!"
Deacon Lin never once chimed in to this conversation; it was as though he wasn't there at all.
Willow Village!
"Young mistress, the birds sent us a message. There are about 70-80 people heading our way and they aren't looking very friendly. We need to be prepared!" said Little Yuteng to Cheng Xiao Xiao, who was picking vegetables!
Here they come!
"That's fine!" Cheng Xiao Xiao place the Napa cabbage into her basket. Then, a smile, and a cold look, she said, "Send message to the snakies. If any of them dare hurt any our of Willow villagers or any life forms, tell the snakes to just bite and kill them!"
"Okay!" replied little Yuteng happily.
Standing in the middle of the vegetable garden, Cheng Xiao Xiao looked far away and smiled nonchalantly, "I'm glad we have visitors. It's start to get boring around here, wouldn't you say?"
"Exactly, young mistress! Oh, by the way, can you not sure your fan this time?" asked little Yuteng.
"Why is that?"
"Young mistress, if you use the fan, I wouldn't have a chance to have fun!"
"Don't worry, we got plenty of visitors this time for you to have fun. Granted, we've got to play it by the ear and only kill those deserving ones and spare those who aren't."
"Young mistress, those are all greedy people coming here to rob what's ours, why do we need to spare anyone?"
"I said, we will play it by the ear!"
Cheng Xiao Xiao understand the principals of showing who's the strongest here, but deep down inside, she didn't want to kill anyone unless it's absolutely necessary. As long as the opposing party didn't cross the line too much, she did want to spare them. Like what she had done with the Ning's. She gave them a chance, instead of just smashing them to death.
Otherwise, the fly swatter from the dimension could smash a person into ground meat in one swat. No way Ning Xunzong could have survived that. She only intended to teach them a lesson.
Now that there were more coming to cause trouble, and Cheng Xiao Xiao had gotten words from Innkeeper Zhu and his lot that it was the Ning family that leaked the news and causing them more heartache. No matter what the reasons, they have already been blacklisted.
"Young mistress, don't be too soft now. You need to make an example out of them, to avoid more problems in the future!" advised little Yuteng sat on the handle of the vegetable basket, while shaking her little legs back and forth.
Cheng Xiao Xiao, who was squatting in the field harvesting cabbage, replied, "I don't think that will be very effective. Once the news got out, troubles will keep coming. But that's fine too, the more trouble the better!"
"Why do you say that, young mistress?"
"Simple, the more idiots come to pick on us, the more practices Zheng Yuan and Zheng Bin will have. Otherwise, they won't have much opportunities to practice!"
"Oh, so that was your plan!"
"Why not? I think it's a great idea. Some challenges will be good for both Zheng Yuan and Zheng Bin!"
Cheng Xiao Xiao tossed one more cabbage into her basket before she heard someone running toward her. Before she even stood up, little Yuteng reported, "Young mistress, it's young master Zheng Yuan!"