webnovelfull Chapter 16 Discovering clues
Chapter 16 Discovering clues
By the end of August, Lin Yue had finished dealing with the bank's debt collection. She wanted to go back to her parents' home. She bought train tickets with her three children to go to her children's uncle's house first, and then took her maternal grandmother with her to visit her children's maternal grandparents and great-grandparents.
Along the way, the children were excited, chattering excitedly about their upcoming meetings with relatives. Lin Yue felt a surge of warmth watching their happy faces. After arriving at her uncle's house, they rested briefly before continuing their journey back to their hometown. Lin Yue looked forward to reuniting with her family and hoped this trip home would bring them even more joy and warmth.
~~~~Cute dividing line~~~~~~
The phone rang, and Xiao Chen called Brother Wang. "Brother Wang, in the past month, a man and a woman have been going to Lin Yue's house. They went for an hour in the morning and came down, then went up again for more than an hour in the afternoon and came down again. I kept an eye on Lin Yue and her husband. I noticed that Lin Yue went to the bank once, and her husband went to the bank once too!"
After a moment's thought on the other end of the phone, Brother Wang said, "Keep an eye on them and see what they're up to." Xiao Chen replied, "Okay, Brother Wang, I'll keep a close eye on them." After hanging up, Xiao Chen frowned, secretly wondering what Lin Yue's family's actions meant.
A week later, Xiao Chen discovered that Lin Yue had bought high-speed train tickets online to Huocheng, another city. Xiao Chen then called Brother Wang: "Brother Wang, it seems Lin Yue is going out of the province to travel with her three children. She bought high-speed train tickets to Huocheng."
After thinking for a moment on the other end of the phone, Brother Wang said, "Keep an eye on her and see what she's doing there." Xiao Chen quickly replied, "Okay, Brother Wang, I'll definitely find out." After hanging up, Xiao Chen couldn't help but wonder if Lin Yue's trip to Huocheng with the child was just a simple vacation or if there was something else going on.
Xiao Chen discovered that Lin Yue had taken three children to Huocheng and slept there for one night. The next day, she took an old woman and another child, making it three children and two adults, and then went back to another county town, seemingly to their hometown.
Xiao Chen quickly reported this new development to Brother Wang: "Brother Wang, Lin Yue and the others didn't stay in Huocheng for long. They took some people to another county town, which seems to be the hometown of the Boxing King." Upon hearing this, Brother Wang said, "Continue to follow them. Let me know immediately if there are any new developments." Xiao Chen replied, "Understood, Brother Wang."
Xiao Chen followed Lin Yue and her group cautiously, his doubts growing deeper as he struggled to understand Lin Yue's true purpose for this trip.
When Xiao Chen arrived in the town, there were hotels available for him to stay in. However, when he followed Lin Yue's car to the township, he noticed that any stranger entering the township would be watched. He quickly left the township because everyone there knew each other, and any stranger entering would be observed by the entire village.
Xiao Chen returned to town helplessly, feeling extremely frustrated. He had lost track of Lin Yue and had no idea what she was doing inside. He could only find a place in town to wait, hoping to catch up with Lin Yue and the others when they came out.
This time, Xiao Chen stayed there for almost a month, until the end of August or the beginning of September, when he finally saw Lin Yue arrive with her three children in a car and return to Huocheng. They stayed in Huocheng for three days before returning to Rongcheng.
Xiao Chen had been suffering terribly for the past month, desperately hoping to find some valuable clues, but to no avail. Now that he saw Lin Yue and the others return, he quickly resumed his pursuit and reported to Brother Wang: "Brother Wang, Lin Yue has returned from the countryside with the child. They're in Huocheng now, and after three days they're preparing to return to Rongcheng." Brother Wang said, "Keep an eye on them, don't lose them." Xiao Chen replied, "Okay, Brother Wang."
During the last month of summer vacation, Lao Xiao and Xiao Hui took their daughter to a large temple in Rongcheng.
It was a sunny day, and the family of three embarked on their journey with anticipation and excitement. Along the way, their daughter excitedly gazed out the window, constantly asking all sorts of questions about the temple. Old Xiao and Xiao Hui patiently answered her questions, their hearts also filled with anticipation for the trip.
Upon arriving at the temple, they climbed upwards along the winding mountain path. A gentle breeze blew through the mountains, bringing refreshing coolness. The surrounding area was shaded by lush trees, and birds sang merrily in the branches, as if welcoming their arrival.
As they climbed to the top of the mountain, Lao Xiao took out his drone and filmed the temple's grandeur and magnificence. The temple's unique architectural style, with its flying eaves, bracket sets, carved beams, and painted rafters, showcased the profound cultural heritage and unique charm of Taoism. The drone hovered in the air, capturing the temple's beauty from different angles; its magnificent grandeur was truly awe-inspiring.
Xiaohui and her daughter stood aside, quietly appreciating everything before them, their hearts filled with awe and tranquility. At this moment, they seemed to forget the hustle and bustle of the world, immersed in this sacred atmosphere.
As the family of three sat in a pavilion atop the mountain, enjoying the scenery, Xiao Hui took out some snacks and fruit from her bag for her beloved daughter. Old Xiao, holding binoculars and gazing into the distance, was wearing short sleeves, as was his family, despite the sweltering heat. The bead on the back of Old Xiao's neck was particularly striking. A wise old Taoist priest, with a white beard and a venerable air, descended from the mountain peak, carrying a whisk and appearing remarkably energetic.
Suddenly, something caught his eye. He turned around and saw the bead on the back of Old Xiao's neck, finding it incredibly mysterious. This thing was no ordinary object, the Taoist thought to himself in amazement. He composed himself and slowly walked towards Old Xiao's family. Old Xiao noticed someone approaching, put down his binoculars, and turned around. The Taoist bowed slightly and said, "Esteemed benefactor, may I speak with you in private?" Old Xiao looked puzzled, but seeing the Taoist's extraordinary demeanor, he rose and followed him to the side. The Taoist lowered his voice and asked, "Esteemed benefactor, where did this bead on the back of your neck come from?" Old Xiao was startled and didn't know how to answer. Seeing this, the Taoist added, "Esteemed benefactor, don't panic. I mean no harm, but this bead is truly extraordinary." Old Xiao hesitated for a moment, then decided to tell the Taoist the origin of the bead.
Old Xiao mysteriously told the old Taoist priest, "This was a gift from a friend who practices Buddhism." The old Taoist stroked his beard, feigning mystery, and quietly asked, "Is your friend also a practitioner?" Old Xiao said yes. "Could you ask your practitioner friend if I could trade this bead with him? I'd even trade my treasure for it." Old Xiao said he'd ask for him when he had time. The old Taoist priest took out his phone from his robe pocket. "Let's add each other on WeChat." Old Xiao agreed, took out his phone, and they added each other on WeChat.
The old Taoist priest suddenly sniffed the air and detected a peculiar scent. He saw Xiao Hui and her daughter eating fruit. The old priest found the fruit exceptionally fragrant, almost like a magical fruit. He quickly said, "Could I have a taste of your fruit?" Xiao Hui and Lao Xiao were startled, because this fruit was the five boxes of fruit Lin Yue had given them as a thank you for driving her around all day when Lao Xiao had taken her shopping for chickens, ducks, and geese. The boxes contained mangoes, apples, cherries, grapes, and strawberries!
Old Xiao and Xiao Hui exchanged a glance, hesitant. But seeing the old Taoist's eager eyes, they felt it wouldn't be right to refuse. Xiao Hui hesitated for a moment, then said, "Taoist Master, please try some." The old Taoist quickly thanked them, took the fruit, took a bite, and his face showed a look of delight, praising repeatedly, "This fruit is extraordinary!" Seeing the old Taoist's reaction, Old Xiao's family felt even more strongly that the fruit's origin was not simple. After tasting the fruit, the old Taoist's gaze returned to the beads around Old Xiao's neck, his eyes filled with anticipation.
Old Xiao felt a little uneasy under the old Taoist priest's gaze. While they were collecting snacks and fruit, there was still a box of mangoes, with five uneaten. The old Taoist priest, shamelessly, said, "Young lady, could you give me this box of fruit? I'll exchange it for you." He then pulled out several yellow "Fu Lu" (福禄) coins from under his robe, which were believed to ward off misfortune. "Since there are three of you, I'll give you three, and one more. And that bead your friend gave you, I'll give you an extra one of those."
Old Xiao suddenly said, "Then give us 5 more, we have a lot of friends and family there."
The old Taoist priest looked troubled, but after hesitating for a moment, he gritted his teeth and pulled out a few more bills from his pocket, handing them to Old Xiao. Old Xiao accepted the fortune, unsure of its usefulness, but thinking it was a kind gesture, he thanked the old Taoist. The old Taoist, overjoyed, held the box of mangoes, muttering, "Truly good stuff, truly good stuff!"
Xiao Hui watched this scene from the side, feeling both amused and somewhat incredulous. After bidding farewell to the old Taoist priest, the family of three continued to enjoy this rare moment of leisure on the mountaintop, though they all pondered their recent experience.
The old Taoist priest received the box of fruit and was overjoyed, scurrying back to his lodgings. He had sensed a trace of spiritual energy while tasting the fruit, and from that first bite, he knew the place where the fruit grew was definitely extraordinary. That trace of spiritual energy—the spiritual energy of that single bite of fruit—would have taken him a week or two of cultivation to acquire, yet he had it with just one bite.
The old Taoist priest held the five fruits, pondering for a long time how to distribute them. He still had a master, and several disciples. After thinking for a long time, he couldn't come up with a solution. Finally, the old Taoist priest took the fruits, packed some other things, and went to his secluded retreat, a grotto atop a mountain near a temple.
The old Taoist priest took out one of the larger fruits and placed the others in a wooden box along with jade. He then wrapped the fruit to prevent its spiritual energy from dissipating. Next, he took out the second largest fruit, peeled it, and ate it piece by piece. After finishing, he quickly closed his eyes and sat down to meditate, because when he ate the fruit, a rich spiritual energy rushed to his head. He had cultivated for so long and had never felt such abundant spiritual energy before. He was just one step away from reaching the Golden Core stage, a step he had never been able to achieve before. This was because the spiritual energy in this world was too thin, his five elements were incomplete, and his comprehension was insufficient. But today, after eating this mango, he suddenly had a chance to reach the Golden Core stage.
Suddenly, thunder roared down from the sky. He didn't know if he was being punished by heavenly lightning or if the fruit he had eaten was having an effect. The old Taoist priest was filled with anxiety, and large beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He forced himself to calm down and focused all his energy on circulating his internal energy, trying to guide the powerful spiritual energy to break through the bottleneck in his meridians. However, the thunder roared on, its force growing increasingly terrifying. The old Taoist priest felt as if he were in the midst of a raging storm, about to be swallowed up at any moment. But he was unwilling to give up, gritting his teeth and desperately persevering.
The Taoist master on the mountaintop suddenly noticed something was wrong with the old Taoist and quickly sent him a telepathic message: "Go quickly, go to the special tribulation area to undergo your tribulation." The old Taoist quickly woke up from his meditation, grabbed the box, and rushed to the special tribulation area of his sect.
The old Taoist's master said, "Disciple, hurry up! I'll set up an array for you, one that can withstand the heavenly lightning. I'll equip you with all my magical treasures. Good luck, and try to pass it on the first try. It's all or nothing; I'll strive to succeed this time."
Upon hearing this, the old Taoist felt a surge of warmth in his heart, and his pace quickened. When he arrived at the place of tribulation, his master was already busily preparing, setting up various defensive formations and placing precious magical treasures in key positions.
The old Taoist priest took a deep breath, composed himself, and said, "Master, thank you! I will do my best." The master looked at him, his eyes full of encouragement and expectation: "Don't be nervous. Believe in your years of cultivation, and you will surely overcome this tribulation."
The rumble of thunder grew closer, and the atmosphere became extremely tense. The master and disciple stood ready, prepared to face this test that would determine their lives and their future.
The old Taoist priest took out a smaller, medium-sized mango from the box, peeled it, and quickly ate it. After eating, he wiped his hands on his Taoist robe, closed the box, and suddenly threw it out of the array area. He told his master, "Master, this is a good thing. If I fail, keep this. You decide what to do with it. This is for you, a gift from your disciple to thank you for raising me all these years."
Upon hearing this, the master's eyes reddened, and he said, "Silly apprentice, don't say such discouraging things. You will definitely succeed!"
The old Taoist priest felt bewildered, because this opportunity arose from his consumption of the spiritual fruit. He knew that this tribulation was fraught with unknowns and risks, but he also harbored a sliver of hope and determination.
The old Taoist's master said, "Don't be afraid, disciple. Your master is watching over you. Good luck!" The master's voice was firm and powerful, as if giving the old Taoist a sense of reassurance. The old Taoist took a deep breath, nodded, and his eyes gradually hardened as he prepared to face the impending trial of heavenly lightning.
The master opened the box, his eyes bulging like copper bells, and roared at the formation, "Old disciple, where did this come from?" The old Taoist priest, who was preparing to receive the tribulation lightning, said, "I obtained it by chance. Oh, right, Master, I still have a WeChat account on my phone, please wait a moment." The old Taoist priest quickly took out his phone from his pocket and threw it out of the formation area.
The instant he left the formation area, thunderbolts rained down. The old Taoist priest was charred black by the lightning; he gritted his teeth in agony, his whole body trembling as he struggled to resist the impact of the thunder.
The master watched anxiously from outside the formation, his heart pounding in his chest. He clutched the mysterious box of fruit and the cell phone tightly in his hands, silently praying that his disciple would survive this ordeal.
One bolt of lightning after another struck, and the old Taoist's figure appeared and disappeared in the lightning, as if he might be swallowed up at any moment. But with his strong will and years of cultivation, he stubbornly held on, refusing to give up easily.