As twilight approached, the Xiushe meat and soup, which had been cooking for several hours, were finally ready.
The four disciples began assisting Xu Xian with the distribution.
Since this was the flesh and blood of an ancient exotic beast, there were specific rules for its consumption. Under Xu Xian's direction, the villagers formed four long lines.
The elderly in one line.
The children in another.
Men and women each had their own lines.
One by one, they stepped forward. Everyone first took an Ice Clear Pill, and then, based on their age and gender, they were given a specific portion of snake meat and a bowl of soup...
Xu Xian repeatedly emphasized, "Everyone, remember: you must swallow the pill. Eat and drink exactly what you're given. Don't go feeling sorry for your beloved grandsons and try to give your share to the kids. This is beast meat; eating too much isn't necessarily a good thing."
"Stay in order! Don't leave after you've finished eating; stay here in the courtyard. Do you all understand?"
The villagers shouted in unison, "We understand!"
"Don't you worry, Xiao Xian. Your brother-in-law will guard the gate for you. Not a single person will get away."
Though they didn't know what beast meat was or what it did, they knew Xu Xian wanted what was best for them. Besides, the meat smelled incredible.
The aroma could be caught from miles away.
The villagers weren't particularly formal. With a bowl of soup and a piece of meat, they simply squatted on the ground and began to eat and drink.
At first, some thought that a piece of meat the size of an egg and half a bowl of soup wouldn't be enough to fill them up.
But once they finished, they realized they were wrong.
It was incredibly filling!
The meat was fragrant and the soup was savory. After finishing, a warmth spread through their entire bodies. It was late autumn and nearing dusk, and the mountain winds were growing chilly.
Yet at this moment, regardless of age or gender, every villager was flushed and drenched in sweat.
"Incredible! Usually I can eat three pounds of food, but today I'm stuffed."
"Why the hell am I so hot?"
"Phew... this feels great. Better than a hot soak."
"As expected of something immortals eat. It really is different."
The small courtyard was filled with a cacophony of voices and exclamations of wonder.
Once the distribution was over, there was still some left in the pot. Xu Xian called the four busy disciples over to eat quickly so it wouldn't go to waste.
The four weren't shy. They gathered around the pot and began to eat. Meanwhile, Xu Xian kept his divine sense spread across the entire courtyard, using his Pupil of Insight to monitor the condition of every person in the village.
He was terrified that his good intentions might lead to a bad outcome.
He also took out several specialized bottles, filling each with a small piece of meat and a jar of soup, using an isolation technique to store them. He handed one of these to Wen Qingxue.
Wen Qingxue was confused. "What's this for?"
"Pass it to Nangong Ning for me," Xu Xian said.
"Why don't you give it to her yourself?"
"What do you think?"
"Oh!"
Wen Qingxue silently tucked it away.
Xu Xian gestured to the four. "Don't hold back. Eat up, there are no outsiders here..."
Seeing that Xu Xian hadn't picked up his chopsticks, Lin Qianqian asked, "Aren't you eating?"
Xu Xian smiled. "I've already drunk the snake's blood. Eating the meat would be a waste on me; it won't have any further effect."
Zhang Yang said through a mouthful of food, "Brother Xian, you must have spent a lot of merit points on all those pills."
Xu Xian winced, his heart aching. "You bet. Hundreds of thousands."
Hao Ren said admiringly, "The Little Grand-Uncle is truly righteous. To sacrifice so much for his fellow villagers... not many people could do that."
Xu Xian replied with an air of mock seniority, "Well, what can I do? I'm the successor to the village chief. I can't just ignore my own village..."
"Righteous!"
"Benevolent!"
"Kind-hearted!"
Xu Xian just smiled without saying a word. He didn't do this for show; he just wanted peace of mind. This was his village, after all.
He had deep feelings for this place.
Back then, when Li Qingshan wanted to take him away to cultivate, Xu Xian had shouted that he didn't want to go.
The reason he gave was that he was afraid of hardship.
But only he knew the truth in his heart.
He simply couldn't bear to leave his village.
If Xu Xian were truly afraid of hardship, how could he have reached foundation establishment in such a short time?
It had been six years. Aside from the four years spent enlightened by the sword stele, when had he ever slacked off?
The divide between immortals and mortals—others might not understand it, but how could he not? Once one enters an immortal sect, the past becomes like dust.
He and Houdao Village were destined to no longer walk the same path.
Perhaps because he cultivated, he could help them like he was doing now, but in the end, he could no longer live his life alongside them.
A human life lasts a hundred years, passing in the blink of an eye. Not everyone yearns for longevity.
Because there are always things more important than just staying alive.
If he had only just transmigrated, it might have been different. But twelve years... he had long since developed deep bonds.
As the successor to the village chief of Houdao Village, he had originally intended to lead the village to greatness.
But now that he was a cultivator, he was powerless to do so in that way.
A choice had to be made between the two.
...
After the four disciples finished eating, they also began to have a reaction. They found a quiet, secluded spot to sit and circulate their qi, absorbing the essence.
Xu Xian remained in the courtyard.
The villagers' reactions grew more intense. A foul stench began to emanate from their bodies.
Cleansing the marrow and tempering the bone.
This was the most significant effect of the Xiushe meat and soup. It expelled the impurities hidden within the human body, thereby strengthening the physical form. Improved health was the first benefit; increased longevity was the second.
As the stars began to appear in the sky, Xu Xian started organizing the people to leave. The villagers rushed out of the courtyard in a swarm, heading straight for the small stream below the village to wash away the impurities.
That night was destined to be a restless one. Even late into the night, the cleansed villagers remained incredibly energized.
They had never felt so spirited in their entire lives.
They returned to Xu Xian to express their gratitude.
Xu Xian brought out the fine wine and food he had prepared to continue hosting them.
That night, the adults drank to their hearts' content, getting blissfully drunk.
That night, the children ate candy freely, laughing without restraint.
The Old Village Chief took Xu Xian's hand and chatted with him until the middle of the night. He told Xu Xian that he was the only immortal from the village and the pride of them all.
He also told Xu Xian that for years, an immortal had come to the village every year, bringing medicine, food, and cloth.
His niece Xia Chu Yi's name had been given by that immortal.
The immortal looked after the village every now and then.
The Old Village Chief said he knew it was all because of Xu Xian.
After Xu Xian had left Houdao Village years ago, that immortal had come to tell them not to worry, that Xu Xian had gone to cultivate...
Based on the descriptions from the Old Village Chief and his parents, Xu Xian immediately guessed who it was.
Li Qingshan.
It could only be Li Qingshan. Truth be told, he was quite moved by this.
Later, under the moonlight, Xu Xian escorted the Old Village Chief home. He piled all the iron tools, supplies, and cloth he had brought back into the chief's house.
They filled two large wooden rooms to the brim.
"Old man, I'm leaving these things here with you. There are knives, pots, cloth, salt, everything. I didn't know exactly what the village was short on, so I just bought a bit of everything. You decide how to distribute it."
The Old Village Chief patted Xu Xian's shoulder repeatedly. "Xiao Xian, you're a good lad. Truly thoughtful. This old man didn't spoil you for nothing."
Xu Xian grinned. "Of course. I'm the type who always repays kindness. Hahaha!"
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