Longevity starts from having a daughter in old age

“Friend Jia, what do you mean by that?”

Xu Mu’s face also turned ugly.

Others don’t pay the Spirit Stones!

I do!

You’re not giving me a discount and then even raising the price!!

“Friend Xu, do not misunderstand, this price isn’t set by me, but by the head, all alchemists, talisman masters, and the likes of cultivators, have to pay double! Of course, if Friend Xu doesn’t want to pay, it doesn’t matter! You see, no one else has paid either!”

Whether Xu Mu gives the Spirit Stones or not, Jia An seems to be indifferent, encouraging him not to in his tone.

Xu Mu furrowed his brows, took out another lower-grade Spirit Stone, and handed it to the other party.

“I’ll pay!”

Jia An’s smile froze on his face.

The next moment, laughing out loud, he said: “Friend Xu is really magnanimous! When I return, I’ll speak with the heads, so they’ll take extra care of your residence during patrols!”

“Much appreciated!”

Xu Mu nodded his thanks.

He doesn’t need their care, he just needs them to not bother him in the future.

Paying two lower-grade Spirit Stones per month is immaterial for him at this point.

Jia An stashed the Spirit Stone, then walked toward Lan Shijin’s residence. Suddenly, Xu Mu remembered that Lan Shijin was visiting their house and that only Leng Yuening should be home now, so he immediately stretched out his hand to stop Jia An and his group.

I’ll pay for Friend Lan’s as well!”

Saying this, he took out two more Spirit Stones and handed them to the other party.

“Friend Xu is truly

The corner of Jia An’s mouth curled up, gritting his teeth, he said: “Generous!”

After taking the spirit stones, he bypassed Lan Shijin’s residence and moved towards the next one.

Xu Mu didn’t immediately enter the house but stood at the door, watching the other party collect Spirit Stones.

Just like Jia An said, nobody paid the Spirit Stones.

Either pretending that there was no one at home, or blatantly saying they have none. Those with a greater temper even declared directly that they did not need them to protect, and ridiculed them.

Jia An didn’t get angry, bid farewell with a smile, and left.

Xu Mu waited for them to leave their alley before knocking on his door.

After entering the house, he told Lan Shijin about the information he gathered and about paying the Spirit Stones.

“Thank you, Friend Xu!”

Lan Shijin immediately took out two Spirit Stones, wanting to give them back.

However, Xu Mu refused.

He had him look after his wife and now wanted to take his Spirit Stones – it seemed a bit improper.

Seeing Xu Mu refuse, Lan Shijin’s favorable impression of him couldn’t help but increase.

Time passed in the blink of an eye!

Showl middle of the third night, a sudden, heart-rending scream came from a nearby house, shattering the peaceful night.

Xu Mu abruptly rose, activated the defensive array, and held his Red Gold Sword, guarding his wife and daughter.

Little Ling’er was also awakened. She blinked her round, pitch-black big eyes and looked around. Unlike most babies, she didn’t cry or fuss when she woke up.

“Husband, what happened?”

Ye Yingying rubbed her almond-shaped eyes and sat up drowsily, asking.

“I’m not sure what happened! But it’s always better to be careful!”

He had encountered a mysterious evil sect at night before, he knew that the nights here were far from peaceful.

“Oh!”

Ye Yingying responded, found a piece of clothing, and wrapped it around her body. She then picked up Little Ling’er to keep her quiet.

Looking at Xu Mu, who was holding his long sword with a tense look on his face, Little Ling’er unexpectedly giggled.

Xu Mu was speechless.

This little girl was too carefree!

Fortunately, Ye Yingying quickly stuffed food into her mouth to keep her quiet.

They sat like that until dawn.

The next day, after breakfast, hearing voices outside, Xu Mu went out to check.

There were already many people standing in the alley, all staring at one household from afar.

Xu Mu vaguely remembered that it seemed to be the household that was the most aggressive when Jia An was collecting Spirit Stones last time.

Lan Shijin also came out.

The two exchanged glances and nod at each other.

“Master Xu!

An old cultivator with a goatee greeted Xu Mu as he came out.

Xu Mu had some impressions of him. He knew the man’s surname was Zhang and that he lived in this same alleyway. He was in his eighties or nineties and made his living from making talismans. His wife, son, and daughter-in-law died in an accident some years ago, leaving behind only a grandson who had just turned seven. The two depended on each other to survive.

“Master Zhang, do you know what’s happened?” Xu Mu asked.

It seems we’ve encountered some evil creatures! But it’s a bit strange, these creatures usually don’t enter houses!” Master Zhang answered with uncertainty.

At this moment, Jia An came out of the house with a few people following him. They were carrying two corpses – the couple who lived in the house.

Seeing the bodies, Xu Mu’s pupils slightly contracted.

The bodies of the two were quite bizarre, shriveled as if they had been dead for a long time.

However, Xu Mu remembered clearly that just three days ago, the couple was arguing with someone in the alleyway. Even if they had died on that day, they should not have ended up looking like this.

“Neighbours, we’ve concluded after our examination that they were killed by creatures who feast on life forces! Everyone should be careful at night and try to keep doors and windows closed!” Jia An reminded them courteously.

“Jia Fat… err, I mean Captain Jia, maybe you could patrol our alleyway more frequently at night, after all, we’re all on the same side!”

Someone suddenly suggested.

Although they didn’t know how powerful the creature was, nobody dared to gamble with their lives. If they could avoid it, they would.

If Jia An and his team patrolled there, they would at least have someone to cry out to for help in case of danger.

Moreover, having Jia An and his team patrol the area would make these creatures target them first.

Which essentially meant that they would have a scapegoat!

“Yes, yes! We neighbours need to look out for each other!”

Others echoed the sentiment.

“Well…”

Jia An gave a forced smile as he was about to speak when Ma Rui interrupted him.

“If you guys don’t give us Spirit Stones, how are we supposed to protect you! You can’t expect us to risk our lives for free, can you?”

“Ahem!

ii

Jia An hastily interrupted Ma Rui, addressing the crowd, “Don’t listen to Old Ma’s nonsense, even if you don’t give us any Spirit Stones, 1 will still try my best to protect everyone. After all, we’ve been neighbours for many years! However, the decision of patrolling isn’t made by me, our alley…”

“My dear, my dear, let’s not do it anymore! It’s one thing to work for free every day, and now there’s a risk to our lives!”

Jia An’s wife, Li Moqing, ran out from the house, crying and pleading for Jia An to quit the patrol team.

However, she was flatly refused by Jia An who answered her with righteousness.

“I, Jia An, am not a big shot, but I am no coward to hide at the first sign of danger! Even if 1 have to quit, I will wait until the evil creature is dealt with!”

His words made those who knew him look somewhat bemused.

But no one said anything.

Dead friends can’t hurt you, but dead foes sure can!

With Jia An standing up to the danger, they could sleep peacefully at night.

Although the three casually mentioned Spirit Stones in their conversations, everyone acted as if they hadn’t heard anything.

After calming his wife, without saying much, Jia An led his subordinates, carrying the two bodies, and left the alleyway.

The incident didn’t end there. In the following few days, more incidents kept happening in the shanty town.

And all the deaths were eerily similar!

Whether intentionally or unknowingly, a piece of news started to circulate in the shanty town.

It was said that the alleyways attacked by the evil creatures were the ones where the patrol team rarely patrolled.

Reportedly, an evil creature appeared in one alleyway, but thanks to the patrol team arriving in time, everyone was spared from a horrifying fate.

The insightful ones were gradually catching on to what was happening.

Some started to secretly give Spirit Stones to the patrol team, hoping that they would pay more attention to their alleyways during patrol.

And the patrol team were people of their word. On the same day they received the Spirit Stones, they increased their patrol efforts in those alleyways.

Seeing this, everyone started actively and willingly giving Spirit Stones to the patrol team without needing them to come and collect it.

And those who stubbornly refused to give any were invariably attacked by the evil creature once again.

After several people died as a result, no one dared to risk their lives anymore.

“I don’t know who came up with this idea. They’re truly talented!”

Ever since the day the evil creatures appeared, Xu Mu had a hunch.

The scheme wasn’t so ingenious but it was definitely effective.

There were likely more people besides Xu Mu who guessed the scheme. Unfortunately, no one spoke out because there was no evidence, the opposition was powerful, and also, it wasn’t worth it.

Now he finally understood why Jia An didn’t seem to care about not having enough Spirit Stones. In the end, everyone would give theirs willingly.

Although the situation had become clear, Xu Mu’s worry didn’t lessen at all.

What he was worried about was, would these Spirit Stones be enough to satisfy them?