The steward stated that as long as Chen Fan took the job, regardless of the outcome, there would be a substantial reward.
He was from the Mo family in Liuguang City, and his family was in the cloth business.
The business was focused on wealth.
However, Chen Fan declined.
Chen Fan clearly stated that he only took on funerals and weddings, not any religious ceremonies.
His suona was good for creating a sound, but it couldn't perform miracles.
To put it bluntly, he wasn't a magic well, and this job wasn't for him.
Sticking to his principle of not believing in rumors or spreading them, Chen Fan stated his price:
"Five wen for weddings, ten wen for funerals, and an additional five wen if no food is provided."
Upon hearing this, the steward's face showed disappointment, and he left with a huff.
It wasn't hard to find someone who could play the suona.
What they were really looking for wasn't the suona, but rather hope.
The old master of the family only had a breath left, and now that their last hope had been extinguished, they could only go back and prepare for the inevitable.
But once one steward left, another would come.
Chen Fan's reputation was spreading.
After the theater troupe in town suffered a loss from him, they started avoiding him at all costs.
Soon, people began to flock to Chen Fan, hoping for him to play the suona.
Chen Fan shut his door, letting out a sigh of relief.
It wasn't that he didn't want the money; it was just that his suona wasn't as miraculous as people thought.
He'd heard rumors that in the city, it was said that a single song played on his suona could turn a ninety-year-old into a three-year-old child.
Rumors stopped with wise people, but clearly, there were more fools than wise people.
He decided to stay inside and wait for the storm to pass.
Chen Fan sat on the bed, wrapping his legs around himself.
With a thought, he felt a wave of invisible energy moving within him.
Over time, with the increase in the proficiency of his Body Refinement Technique, he was now able to control the energy inside him with ease.
Previously, the energy had been wild and reckless, only possessing brute force, but now it was much more docile.
He circulated the energy, and his body felt at ease.
[Host: Chen Fan, Age: 24]
[Lifespan: 93 years, Cultivation: Mortal]
[Skills: Body Refinement Technique (90%), Wind Walking Technique (20%)]
[Experience: 9900/10000]
Only a little more until he reached 10,000. What would happen then?
Chen Fan suddenly opened his eyes, curious about what would occur.
The nearly 10,000 experience points had been accumulated over several years of hard work.
If it weren't for his love of drinking and occasional laziness, he might have already broken the 10,000 threshold.
Chen Fan didn't have much hope for this system.
But it was better to have something than nothing.
Lost in his thoughts, his gaze met that of Yaoyao, who was watching him with curiosity.
Her big, watery eyes seemed to speak.
The first time they locked eyes, a look of grievance appeared:
"Master, Yaoyao is hungry..."
Chen Fan stood up from the bed:
"What time is it?"
"Yaoyao doesn't know..."
There had been so many visitors today, and as soon as he had shut the door, he started cultivating.
Before he knew it, it was already evening.
Chen Fan slapped his forehead; he had been so careless.
Yaoyao was shy, and with so many people outside, it wasn't easy for her to go out and buy food.
Using his cane for support, Chen Fan opened the door and said to Yaoyao:
"I'm going out to buy some food, wait here obediently at home."
He quickly went out the door.
In the night, the lone figure of a crippled man cast a long shadow on the street.
His thin figure, illuminated by the moonlight, stretched long like a snake or a sword.
But Chen Fan wasn't walking aimlessly.
He was going to buy food, because there was a girl waiting for him at home.
With that thought, he felt a sense of belonging.
It felt reassuring.
He only hoped there would still be a shop open for late-night business.
As he walked, another wobbly figure appeared out of nowhere. The wind blew, and the two figures seemed to overlap for a moment.
Chen Fan felt a chill on his neck.
A sharp sword pressed against his throat, and the person behind him said coldly in his ear:
"Someone asked me to give you a message."
"Say it."
The sudden change didn't throw Chen Fan off balance.
His cane, firmly planted in the ground, didn't budge.
"The Mo family's matters, you better not interfere, or… you'll die!"
"The Mo family?"
Chen Fan furrowed his brows at the mention of the Mo family. He had no idea who they were.
Could it be from earlier today?
He thought about it and started to understand.
After a brief pause, he waved his hand:
"I've never heard of the Mo family. If there's something to discuss, we can talk it out. There's no need to draw weapons right away, don't you think?"
"Also, the sword's a bit cold. You're freezing my neck. Could you take it off first?"
The person snorted coldly, probably hesitating.
After a moment of thought, he still felt Chen Fan couldn't be left alive.
He let out a light laugh:
"Fine, I'll take it off."
However, he actually intended to slit Chen Fan's throat.
The blood-spurting scene he had imagined didn't come.
Instead, he felt empty in his arms, and in the next moment, Chen Fan appeared behind him.
The cane lightly tapped.
The sword-wielding person fell to the ground.
Chen Fan then saw that this was a black-clad person wearing a veil.
On the sword, there was a mark of the character 'Mo.'
"Who sent you?"
Chen Fan didn't immediately finish him off. He waited until he obtained useful information before letting the person become a corpse.
Then, without changing his expression, he leaned on his cane and leisurely continued walking down the empty street.
Today seemed like a lucky day.
One of the pancake shops was still open.
Chen Fan bought some pancakes and filled his wine gourd on the way back.
Halfway there, he encountered the half-immortal who had just finished his business and was heading home.
They greeted each other and passed by.
Before parting ways, the half-immortal turned back and reminded Chen Fan:
"Things aren't peaceful in the city lately. It's better not to go out at night. I just saw a drunk lying in the street, not moving, looking like a dead pig."
"Oh, really?" Chen Fan feigned ignorance.
The half-immortal nodded:
"Yeah, I felt sorry for him and covered him with the only flag I had left. It's getting colder, and without any warm clothing, it's not good. Just doing a good deed."
To his surprise, the half-immortal was actually kind-hearted.
Chen Fan was a bit surprised, but didn't know what to say.
The half-immortal continued:
"It's getting late. You should rest. Tomorrow, the Mo family might have a funeral. We could take advantage of that to make some money. You play the suona, I'll handle the rites, and we'll both win!"
With that, the half-immortal gave Chen Fan a thumbs-up, indicating that if there was any good opportunity, he wouldn't forget Chen Fan.
Chen Fan smiled and nodded in agreement.
On his way back, he noticed the black-clad person he had killed earlier, now covered with a white flag that bore the half-immortal's character '仙.'
A slight smile tugged at Chen Fan's lips. This half-immortal was more cunning than he had expected.
But he liked dealing with straightforward people like him.
Back at home, Chen Fan and Yaoyao had pancakes together.
After a hearty meal, he soon began to feel drowsy.
Yaoyao curled up in his arms, half asleep, feeling safe.
Chen Fan moved his lips, suddenly remembering something, and spoke:
"I'm going out tomorrow for some business. Yaoyao, you'll be good and stay at home, right?"
Yaoyao shifted a little like a little kitten, softly humming.
It was unclear if she had heard him.