Mutated Tao

Chapter 454: Someone Familiar

Cock-a-doodle-doo~

The rooster crowed, and everyone in Cowheart Village gradually woke up and had breakfast.

Normally, farming families didnt eat breakfast unless it was harvest season when they needed the extra energy to work. Usually, most people only had two meals a day.

However, that wasn't the case in Cowheart Village. Everyone got to eat breakfast. This was also one of the reasons why everyone was grateful to Bai Lingmiao. She fed them and let them study for free, and she even granted them a portion of the crops that they planted. There was no better employer than her in the world.

Lu Zhuangyuan knocked on the door of his eldest son incessantly. Wake up! The porridge at the top of the pot is the thickest! If you arent fast even when it comes to eating, what else can you do?

Father, we have money now. We can cook our own breakfast, Lu Jurens wife, Luo Juanhua, said.

She was dissatisfied that she couldnt sleep in even though they had money now.

Do you think you're rich?! How dare you even say that you wont eat the free breakfast and want to use your own money to buy food! Preposterous. Get up! Lu Zhuangyuan scolded his daughter-in-law.

Then he headed out to knock on the rooms of his disciples.

Naturally, he was not there to call them to eat breakfast but to wake them up to practice their basic performance skills.

Lu Zhuangyuan was strict to them just like how his master had taught him. If they didnt practice enough or their performance was subpar, they were not allowed to eat breakfast.

Most performers started training at a young age. Most of his disciples were already over ten years old, so they needed to practice even harder.

While his disciples worked on their dissonant singing, Lu Zhuangyuan brought his family to the Bai family estate.

Upon entering, they saw Yang Xiaohai ordering two people to carry a pot of porridge into the hall. Lu Zhuangyuan smiled and walked inside.

However, he then frowned when he saw his rebellious youngest son, Lu Xiucai.

He had done everything to educate Lu Xiucai. He beat and scolded his youngest son, but nothing had worked. Lu Xiucai continued to curse at Lu Zhuangyuan, saying stuff like Just you wait or One day, I will kill you!

As for Liu Xiucai's wife, Taoer, she followed faithfully behind Lu Xiucai and kept quiet most of the time. She seemed to be lost in her thoughts.

Aiya, aiya, everyone is here, Puppy said loudly in his jarring voice.

Everyone turned to look and saw him helping his pregnant wife into the hall.

Puppy beamed at Lu Xiucai. Shes going to give birth soon! Its almost time, and I think she will give birth in the next few days. My son is going to be born soon!

Lu XIucai scoffed. Did I ask you anything about it? What a showoff.

Hehehe, Puppy laughed. He helped his wife to sit down before whispering to Lu Xiucai, Hows your training going? Can you use the technique now?

Its still the same. I cant read so its hard for me to learn it. Why, do you want to learn it?

Puppy smiled. No, I dont want to learn that. Its too tiresome. I will just eat breakfast, go and take a rest, and then eat lunch. There are people working in my four-acre field. I just need to wait for harvest season; I dont even have to do anything. To think I would get food for free almost every year! This is the freedom Ive yearned for. Ive endured so many hardships that it's time for me to rest.

He didnt learn any techniques after traveling with Li Huowang for so long, but he had become more perceptive. Few things came without strings attached, especially cultivation techniques; there were always hidden side effects.

Puppy was actually waiting for Lu Xiucai to cultivate the technique first and then observe him for a few months. Then once Puppy confirmed that there were no side effects, he would cultivate the technique. He'd learned to do this from Li Huowang.

Lu Xiucai scoffed at Puppy. Hmph! All you do when you're not eating is sleep. What a loser.

Hey, I might be a loser, but I have a son. Do you?

While they spoke, Li Huowang and Bai Lingmiao walked down from the second floor. Everyone immediately became quiet and sat at their respective places.

Li Huowang was currently skinless and looked horrifying, but everyone was already used to it. After all, they'd seen worse.

Everyone in the hall waited till Li Huowang started eating before they too began eating breakfast.

Li Huowang ate some pickled vegetables, salted eggs, buns, and porridge. He ate a lot.

Eat slower. Were you a hungry ghost in the past? No one is taking your food away, Bai Lingmiao said.

Li Huowang ignored her grumbling and continued to eat his breakfast.

These days, he would cultivate for hours on end. The day would usually pass by the time he was finished. If he didn't eat enough now, he would be hungry by noon.

Sigh. No one's going to harm you here, so why did injure yourself like this? You're bloody all over, Bai Lingmiao remarked as she tried scratching some of the scabs off Li Huowang's skin.

Li Huowang replied, Its better to be prepared. Dont worry. I wont die."

You wont die, but doesnt it hurt? Are you addicted to pain now? I get frightened when I see you at night.

Bai Lingmiao nagged at Li Huowang until he was done eating.

Li Huowang swiftly finished his breakfast and ran towards the back of the estate. Li Sui was already waiting there for him.

The two of them, one tall and the other short, walked up the path towards Cowheart Mountain.

Just as they left the village, white fog surrounded them in the forest. Li Huowang frowned and immediately unsheathed his purple-tasseled sword.

He called out, Whos there? Come out!

The murderous aura his sword emitted spread out in a wave and dispersed the white fog.

A man in a wooden mask appeared out of thin air.

He said, Well, arent you a familiar face? Is that you, Er Jiu?

Liu Zongyuan? Li Huowang uttered.

He was surprised to see the man with the wooden mask. He remembered the man as one of the members that Tuoba Danqing had recruited to find the Muddled One.

The work of the Surveillance Bureau was very unpredictable. Out of the five people who had joined that mission, only two of them were still alive. Ji Xiang and Xinchi were dead, while Tuoba Danqing was stuck forever in the realm of the Muddled One.

Now, the two surviving members had reunited once again, and they felt much closer to each other than before.

Since Liu Zongyuan was here, Li Huowang could not go and cultivate today anymore. Instead, he brought Liu Zongyuan into the guest room and served some tea.

After taking a sip, Li Huowang asked Liu Zongyuan with curiosity, Brother Liu, you're all the way out here... Do you have a mission around here today?

Even though Liu Zongyuan was also in the Surveillance Bureau, Li Huowang was sure that Liu Zongyuan wasnt here because of the big mess that occurred in Shangjing. Li Huowang had used Bei Fengs body, so they shouldnt know that Li Huowang was the mastermind.

Liu Zongyuans words confirmed Li Huowang's guess.

Aiya~ I heard that there were people staying here again and thought it was probably another group from the White Lotus Sect. Thats why I ran here to check it out, but to my surprise, it's you.