"If Daoist Bai is convenient, you can temporarily stay on Underground Street. Firstly, you can spend the new year together with those you are close to, and secondly, you and your fellow sisters can chat and reminisce."
Just as Bai Qiuyu was planning to take her leave, her eyes brightened, and she turned to Xuan Yu: "As long as my junior sister and fellow Daoist don't mind..."
"I don't mind, and neither would the Xu Immortal Family. Speaking of which, the Xu Immortal Family likes foxes a lot; Hu Baosong has fox bloodline, and Senior Sister Yizhen also has fox bloodline.
The Xu Immortal Family has been visiting Senior Sister Yizhen frequently these days, which shows his true affection for foxes."
"..."
Xu Qing had nothing to say; he already anticipated Bai Qiuyu's potential reaction.
Sure enough, the next moment, Bai Qiuyu exclaimed in surprise: "Hu Baosong? You know Hu Baosong too? I saw him a hundred years ago in Qingqiu. Is he doing well now?"
Very well, incredibly peaceful in sleep!
Xu Qing clicked his tongue and explained: "Hu Baosong is both a teacher and a friend to me. In his early years, he also told me about his travels to Qingqiu and taught me a Heavenly Talisman."
While speaking, Xu Qing took out a pamphlet from the Mountain and River Map, which was the item Bai Qiuyu had originally given to Hu Baosong.
"It turns out there's fate in the oblivion. Never thought this Heavenly Talisman would end up with my junior sister."
Bai Qiuyu was feeling sentimental when Xu Qing continued: "If Daoist Bai had come a few years earlier, you might have been able to meet him."
"What do you mean by that?"
Xu Qing glanced at the coffins placed in the shop and said: "Flowers bloom and fall, and people reach their time. But the flowers can have a day to bloom again, whereas people may not have a chance to meet again."
"Old Hu passed away six years ago!"
Bai Qiuyu said hesitantly: "He was still young; if he were in the Fox Race in Qingqiu, even borrowing longevity from heaven, he'd surely have a lifespan of three hundred years, so why so early..."
Xu Qing shook his head helplessly: "He didn't love cultivation, favored traveling the world, making connections; over nearly two hundred years, who knows how many beauties he knew, and even has a daughter who is already grown."
"Old Hu left with a smile, perhaps longevity wasn't that important to him."
Bai Qiuyu nodded: "People have different aspirations. Thanks for the reminder, perhaps Master has her own pursuits."
"Just don't know if her elderly wishes have been fulfilled."
Xu Qing clicked his tongue; the old woman's wish could only be described as 'fulfilled.'
Her greatest wish was to open the Heaven-Reaching road, eliminate Netherworld Corpse threats, while cleansing the universe, restoring normal order.
But the wish was too grand; considered a pursuit of the body.
However, the pursuit of her avatar was just to drag Xu Qing into the water, using deception and manipulation to morally bind Xu Qing.
Xu Qing didn't know how to comment; though he wasn't deceived, his cultivation in Bao Sheng Temple coincidentally matched the direction guided by the old woman.
Xu Qing was truly upset for a while, until retrieving the Care Manual, he finally understood!
The Care Manual was authored by him, and the Bao Sheng Temple system was created by him; the old woman just leveraged the situation using what was bound to happen to create the illusion of fate.
Even without the old woman's presence, he would still acquire the Living Sutra, and all events originated long before Xu Qing encountered the old woman.
"The naive Immortal Family can be easily fooled, but Mr. Xu isn't some Immortal god unaware—we've lived as humans, know all those trivial matters!"
"Trying to play Strange Tales with me? Please, go away!"
Xu Qing cleared out a room in the neighboring Paper Mache Shop, providing Bai Qiuyu a temporary residence.
Mr. Xu didn't discuss rent with Bai Qiuyu; since she's Xuan Yu's yet unmet senior sister, she's family, and Mr. Xu's kindness toward family is well-known.
He surely wouldn't act in a manner unbecoming.
"By the way, how does Daoist make a living?"
Inside the Paper Mache Shop, Xu Qing asked.
Bai Qiuyu glanced at the divination flag in her hand, and at her faded Divination Robe, then looked steadily at Xu Qing.
Yet the young man before her seemed as unaware of embarrassment as her junior sister, simply staring directly at her without blinking.
Bai Qiuyu eventually surrendered and explained patiently: "I earn a living using divination, making a living by accepting payment for fortune-telling."
"And Daoist, on average, how many divinations can be performed a day, and how much income can be earned?"
Bai Qiuyu didn't find the question audacious, she answered one by one: "In prosperous times, the earnings are considerable, with crowds lining up every day to inquire, yet it's difficult to request even one fortune per day; however, in times of chaos, few seek inquiries, and those who do tend to choose fortune-tellers with striking white beards, who appear to lack, or honor distinctive airs."
"Thus, being able to perform one divination and earning three to five coins in a day counts as considerable business."
Upon hearing this, Xu Qing raised an eyebrow and surveyed the Paper Mache Shop:
"Daoist doesn't seem to have a stable income, not even a place to call home. How about taking over management of this shop? I'll provide you ten coins daily, and this Funeral Shop is rather idle all year round."
"Daoist, in free moments, can also perform fortune-telling here, without a need for much time to repay debt."
"..."
Bai Qiuyu furrowed her brow in thought—ten coins daily and a place to stay next to her junior sister, still able to offer fortune-telling.
This proposal seemed perfectly reasonable.
Foxes are adept in divination; the Nine-tailed Fox race has special talent, innately able to perceive heavenly secrets with a certain foresight, which is why after transforming into human form, they love posing as monks or divination masters to engage in fortune-telling.
Bai Qiuyu was no different.
She looked at Xu Qing, bowing in gratitude once more.
In Bai Qiuyu's eyes, Xu Qing's request for her to repay burial loan was false; making her unburdened mentally, settling down was true.
However, is this truly the case?
...
Below the Funeral Shop lies Mouse Haven.
Xu Qing asked Huang Xiaoliu to pass messages to all Immortal Hall representatives that everyone must leave Underground Street on the eve of Erjiu (New Year).
If someone inquires, say a Mage has been invited to banish ghosts and dispel darkness.
New Year's Eve is also called Erjiu, and this day happens to be a day of darkness.
Darkness marks the end of the moon cycle, symbolizing when moonlight fades and yin energy is strongest.
The last day of each month is called the day of darkness, and the last day of the lunar month is 'Great Darkness Day.'
The day when the peach tree at the Funeral Shop crosses its thunder calamity coincides with tomorrow's Great Darkness.
This day is also called Ghost Expelling Festival or Darkness Dispelling Festival.
Xu Qing used this opportunity to cover up from the carpenter shop at the end of the street and the Red-Garbed Sect next door.
Besides, those unaware such as Cheng Caiyun and Wang Family's younger sister across from Cat Immortal Hall can justifiable leave Underground Street.
After assigning all tasks, Xuan Yu suddenly approached Xu Qing, asking: "Did senior sister agree to stay?"
Xu Qing shook his head: "This matter can't be rushed; she's still your senior sister. You want her to stay at Cat Immortal Hall, but she may not accept your goodwill. After all, you are the junior; how can a senior sister accept support from a junior sister?"
Seeing Xuan Yu's disappointed expression, Xu Qing smiled:
"Profound Jade Immortal Family need not worry; this matter requires careful planning. Although I didn't directly ask her to stay at the hall, I had her temporarily stay on Underground Street. As for the future..."
"A persistent suitor wears down a fierce lady, and a persuasive cat wears down a senior sister. As long as Profound Jade Immortal Family builds a good relationship with senior sister, we're not far from a complete Cat Immortal Hall!"
A major Immortal Hall requires a Grand Sect Leader, an Immortal Hall Keeper, and ten Branch Hall Masters.
Currently, eight halls out of ten have been established; once two more Branch Hall Masters are found, Cat Immortal Hall will become a supreme and complete Immortal Hall in Jin Sect and all of Dayong.