After bidding farewell to Ba Mingyang, Zhu Xiaosuo set off on the road back to Yellow Dog County.

The examination was imminent.

As Zhu Xiaosuo rubbed Jieku's muddy little bald head, he seriously considered the feasibility of mining spirit stones.

Ba Mingyang's information was still too vague.

But he didn't mention that mining spirit stones was dangerous.

On the contrary, it was a sought-after mission in the Immortal Sect.

There probably wouldn't be any issues of murder or treasure snatching.

Of course, he didn't have any treasures to begin with.

This was just Ba Mingyang's side of the story.

After returning to Mountain Chicken County, he could inquire about mining from the two female cultivators of the Yang Clan.

Perhaps he could gain some new insights.

The road stretched on as the sun set in the west.

Finally, he arrived at the familiar territory.

Yellow Dog County.

"Master, we've arrived at Yellow Dog County."

"I recognize it. Come, let me show you the place where I used to live."

"Alright, thank you, Master!"

"Thank you, Master!"

Zhu Sixiu and the others perked up when they heard Zhu Xiaosuo was going to show them his old home.

Zhu Xiaosuo's origins had always been shrouded in mystery.

For twenty years, no one asked, but once he emerged, the world knew.

They were curious about what kind of soil could nurture a twenty-year-old Zhu Xiaosuo into a towering figure admired by all.

Until Zhu Xiaosuo reined in his horse on an ordinary street.

"This street is where I used to live."

He dismounted and walked leisurely.

Things were different now.

In the past, when he passed by the Ma Family Cloth Shop, his eyes would gleam, and he would always say to the shop assistant beside him, "Our Braised Chicken Feet Shop will definitely be bigger and stronger than the Ma Family Cloth Shop in the future."

The shop assistant would nod in agreement.

Now, passing by the Ma Family Cloth Shop again, he smiled slightly and said to others, "If I hadn't chosen to join the Zhu Clan back then and continued with the Braised Chicken Feet Shop, I would never have been able to surpass the Ma Family Cloth Shop in my lifetime."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

As Zhu Xiaosuo passed by the entrance of the Ma Family Cloth Shop, he noticed that the doorman was still the one he knew.

Every time they passed by, they would greet each other.

This time, upon meeting, Zhu Xiaosuo greeted him.

The doorman glanced at Zhu Xiaosuo, his eyes widened in shock, and he hurriedly knelt down, stammering:

"Xiao... Zhu... this humble one greets you."

Zhu Xiaosuo looked at the doorman and sighed:

"Get up."

He originally wanted to chat with the doorman for a bit, but he turned and left.

The doorman immediately ran back into the cloth shop, likely to inform them that Zhu Xiaosuo, the Immortal, had returned home.

Besides this doorman, Zhu Xiaosuo encountered many familiar faces along the way.

But they seemed very unfamiliar to him.

The rough butcher, the arrogant storyteller, the shrewish widow, the domineering street ruffian.

All these diverse people had now donned the same fearful and obsequious expressions.

For these old neighbors, Zhu Xiaosuo becoming an Immortal was not good news.

Because few had deep ties with this orphan.

On the contrary, they had more or less mocked or offended him.

A community always needs a scapegoat for idle gossip.

What could be more suitable than an orphan with no one to rely on?

Since they learned that Xiaosuo had become Zhu Xiaosuo, there had been no more idle chatter in the streets.

Everyone stayed at home, contemplating how much they had spoken ill of the Immortal and how much had reached his ears.

Living in constant fear, unable to sleep.

If Zhu Xiaosuo held grudges, they might all meet their end.

But Zhu Xiaosuo seemed uninterested in settling scores.

He greeted everyone with a slight nod, as usual.

To those who knelt, he repeated:

"Get up."

Then he continued on without looking back.

The shadow of fear that haunted them day and night seemed invisible to Zhu Xiaosuo.

Who would care about the actions of ants?

He walked to Aunt Yang's door.

Thinking of how Aunt Yang often charged him less or gave him extra chicken feet.

Besides the shop assistant, Aunt Yang was the one who cared for him the most.

Since the betrayal of the shop assistant he spent his days with, Aunt Yang had become the moonlight in his memories.

Though not particularly bright, it was the only light that shone on him.

He wondered if that donkey had returned.

Aunt Yang's courtyard gate was wide open, and Zhu Xiaosuo glanced inside, seeing Aunt Yang busy in the chicken coop.

He knocked on the door.

"Aunt Yang, busy?"

Aunt Yang emerged from the chicken coop, a few feathers in her hair.

"Oh, isn't this the great Immortal Zhu? What brings you back?"

Though Aunt Yang's tone held a hint of respect and flattery, it wasn't as servile as the others.

This made Zhu Xiaosuo feel much better.

Now only Aunt Yang could remind him that he was once a Braised Chicken Feet Shop owner named Xiaosuo.

"Just came back to see the place I used to live, and to see you."

Aunt Yang seemed a bit flustered:

"Look at you, coming back without a word. My chicken coop mysteriously collapsed yesterday, and I'm still fixing it, looking all sloppy to meet you. If I knew you were coming, I'd have worn my big red coat and waited at the door."

"It's fine, Aunt Yang, you look just fine."

He had seen Aunt Yang's big red coat before; apart from being festive, it wasn't particularly attractive.

He heard she bought it from the Ma Family Cloth Shop when she was young and rarely wore it, only on holidays.

"You all wait outside for me."

"Yes!"

Zhu Xiaosuo entered the courtyard and, as before, sat on the smooth stone in front of the chicken coop.

"Immortal, the stone is dirty, and there's chicken poop on it. You should get up."

"It's fine, let's just sit and chat like before."

"Alright."

Aunt Yang sat on a nearby wooden stump.

"Where's the shop assistant? Why didn't he come back?"

Aunt Yang asked as she wiped her sweat.

"I need someone reliable to watch the house when I'm away. He's managing things at the Zhu Clan, busy, no time to come back."

"True, you two relied on each other. It's only right for you to use him now that you're an Immortal. What about Old Huang?"

"He found his long-lost family and is enjoying time with his grandchildren, no time to come back either."

"That's good, as long as they're well."

"Yes, they're all doing well."

"And you, being an Immortal, must feel amazing, right?"

"Yes, it's amazing. I'm quite impressive in Mountain Chicken County."

Just then, Zhu Sixiu called from the door:

"Master, the owner of the Ma Family Cloth Shop is here with gifts, requesting an audience."

Aunt Yang, hearing that the Ma Family Cloth Shop owner was here, quickly stood up:

"That's a big shot. I'm dressed like this, it's too improper. I need to go inside and change into my big red coat."

Zhu Xiaosuo held onto Aunt Yang's apron, signaling her to sit down.

"Tell him, we had no dealings before, and we won't have any in the future. He can take his things and leave."

"Yes."

Zhu Xiaosuo muttered to Aunt Yang:

"That old man is really delusional."

"Being an Immortal sure makes you impressive!"

Aunt Yang's simple face broke into a smile.

"Aunt Yang, I told you, I'm quite impressive."

"By the way, Aunt Yang, did your donkey come back?"

"It did, it's in the backyard grinding. Why?"

"Nothing, just thought your donkey was quite smart."

"Do you want it?"

"I have plenty of fine horses, why would I need your donkey? Just making conversation."

"I caught this donkey near Hundred Beast Ridge, it's indeed a bit peculiar, quite intelligent."

"Indeed, this donkey is something. By the way, Aunt Yang, how's your business lately?"

"It's a long story. After a new constable took over, many shops here went out of business, including your Braised Chicken Feet Shop."

"Yes, and then?"

"Then the ones buying chicken feet, chicken meat, chicken wings, chicken innards all changed, and they pressured the prices, with a bunch of constables helping to intimidate. I earn seventy to eighty percent less than before. This new constable is far worse than Qian Banshi."

"Qian Banshi was quite decent when taking money."

"Exactly. Later, when news spread that you became an Immortal, these constables immediately restrained themselves, and stopped pressing prices."

"Did business improve then?"

"No, business got worse. All the new shops closed down, nearly half the shops on the street are gone."

Zhu Xiaosuo chuckled:

"They're afraid I'll come back for revenge."

"I told them, Xiaosuo is a mature young man, not even twenty, with a big heart, he wouldn't bother with their petty antics. But I'm just a chicken farmer, who listens to me?"

Zhu Xiaosuo stood up and said:

"Aunt Yang, you're wrong about that. Some things I don't bother with, but some things, I do need to address."

"Ah, you're really going to address them?"

"Before becoming an Immortal, I couldn't address them. After becoming an Immortal, if I still can't, then what's the point of becoming an Immortal? Aunt Yang, walk me out."

"You're leaving already? Alright."

The two walked to the door, and Zhu Xiaosuo said to Zhu Sixiu:

"Arrange for someone to visit Aunt Yang once a month for me."

"Yes! No need to arrange, I'll come myself, it's just a day's trip back and forth."

"That's best."

"That's too much trouble..."

"It's no trouble. If I didn't see any suitable bachelors on this street, I'd even arrange your marriage."

"Go on, I'm doing just fine on my own, why bother with an old man to take care of?"

"True. Alright, I'm off, if you need anything, tell Zhu Sixiu."

"Thank you, but I won't trouble you."

Hearing this, Zhu Xiaosuo glanced at Aunt Yang again.

Aunt Yang still smiled honestly.

"Goodbye, Aunt Yang!"

"Yes, goodbye!"

Xiaosuo walked on, reaching the site of his former Braised Chicken Feet Shop.

In its place stood a luxurious three-story shop.

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The sign above the door read: Braised Chicken Feet Shop.

The brand-new shop, with its doors wide open and spotless, was likely cleaned daily.

Zhu Xiaosuo smirked.

He knew it was the county officials' way of making amends, rebuilding the Braised Chicken Feet Shop.

But he couldn't be bothered to accept it.

When I was starving with only a single coin, you took my money.

Later, when I became a millionaire, you offered me a hundred coins to settle the matter of that single coin.

Is this about money?

Zhu Xiaosuo had Zhu Sixiu bring a wooden chair, and he sat outside the shop.

He hadn't been sitting long when a large group of constables rushed over.

There were nearly a thousand of them, blocking the street completely.

It seemed they had received word from the townsfolk.

The leading constable immediately knelt down.

"Greetings, Immortal!"

The constables behind him also knelt in unison.

"Greetings, Immortal!"

Zhu Xiaosuo addressed the leading constable:

"Are you the one who succeeded Qian Banshi as the constable leader?"

"Yes... yes, it's me. I was blinded by greed, not recognizing the mountain before me..."

"Stop. Just answer what I ask."

"Yes."

"Since you took over, how many shops have closed in your jurisdiction?"

"About fifty-three..."

"Exact number."

"Yes, fifty-three, that's correct."

"Fifty-three. You brought over a thousand people here, those unrelated to the fifty-three shops, leave."

"Yes, everyone unrelated, leave!"

"Thank you, Immortal."

A large portion of the constables immediately withdrew.

They had felt wronged.

They hadn't participated in the harmful deeds, yet were dragged here by the constable leader to share the blame.

The constable leader thought the Immortal would be lenient, but Zhu Xiaosuo immediately singled out the troublemakers.

Only targeting the constables involved in the misdeeds.

The remaining constables were relieved and quickly left.

Not knowing how the Immortal's wrath would manifest.

Better to leave early if possible.

The constable leader knelt on the ground, trembling, sweating profusely.

He wasn't the most nervous one.

Behind him, a constable fainted from fear.

Zhu Xiaosuo asked:

"Who's the one who fainted?"

"Replying to the Immortal, he's Bao Hui."

"Oh, so he's Bao Hui, I've heard of him."

Zhu Xiaosuo said calmly.

His Braised Chicken Feet Shop was smashed by people hired by Bao Hui.

None of the constables present weren't cursing Bao Hui in their hearts.

If it weren't for him, would they be fearing for their lives?

Since learning that Zhu Xiaosuo had become an Immortal, Bao Hui had been terrified out of his wits.

He couldn't eat or sleep.

Once a burly man, he had lost so much weight in a month that he looked like a stick.

However, Zhu Xiaosuo didn't kill him, instead, he felt like toying with these ants.