Chapter 350: Entering the Mountains
Chapter 350: Into the Mountains
Jiang Mengyu asked Xiao Hua again, "Where does your family live? Is it far from here?"
Xiao Hua hurriedly replied, "It’s not too far, just a half-day walk after getting off the bus. It’s just that—just that the bus for today has already left."
But she was very grateful that her master had stopped her. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have the encounter she has now.
As it turned out, her home was deep in the mountains.
"Since that’s the case, you might as well come back with me today. Firstly, take a Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill, and I will also guide you through your first cultivation session."
"Yes, Master."
Thus, Jiang Mengyu went out to intercept Xiao Hua, with the original intention of spending a little money to find someone to keep an eye on Jiang Huaiyu. Unexpectedly, she ended up taking in a formal servant.
After bringing Xiao Hua back to Shen Qi’s courtyard, Xiao Hua took the Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill that same night and cleansed her marrow, then began her cultivation under Jiang Mengyu’s guidance.
Of course, what she practiced was the Witch Body Technique.
What Jiang Mengyu didn’t anticipate was that this Xiao Hua turned out to be a cultivation prodigy. After cleansing her marrow, she managed to reach the Postnatal First Layer in just one night, becoming a Level 1 Martial Artist.
The next day, Xiao Hua prepared to go home and invited Jiang Mengyu to visit her home as a guest.
It was just a casual invitation, but to her surprise, Jiang Mengyu agreed. The thing was, Gu Dongxing was out on a mission, and Jiang Mengyu didn’t want to stay alone in Shen Qi’s house, so she decided to go play in the mountains for a while.
Jiang Mengyu bought some gifts in the county town and then had Xiao Tao pick some apples and pears, filling two bags, before carrying a woven bag and taking the bus to Erlong Town, where Xiao Hua lived.
When the bus arrived in the town, it stopped for half an hour to pick up some passengers before continuing up into the mountains.
During the bus stop, Xiao Hua bought ten paper-wrapped candies at a consignment shop in the market using a ten cents bill, which she put into her bag.
Jiang Mengyu wanted to buy some meat to bring to the mountains, but was stopped by Xiao Hua, who suggested, "It’s better to buy rice than meat."
Only then did Jiang Mengyu understand that in their mountainous area, there was very little arable land, planted mostly with millet, corn, sweet potatoes, and taro. Rice had to be carried in from outside the mountain.
Jiang Mengyu simply bought two hundred catties of rice, but Xiao Hua stopped her again, "The mountain road is difficult to travel, and carrying rice can be tiring." She insisted on switching to bags of fifty catties each.
Jiang Mengyu chuckled, "Are you still afraid you can’t carry the bags of rice now?"
Only then did Xiao Hua remember that her strength was now several times greater than before.
Let alone one hundred catties, even carrying two hundred catties of rice wasn’t a problem.
But in the end, to avoid shocking others, both of them carried a fifty-catty bag of rice each, with shoulder bags and an additional bag in their hands as they boarded the bus.
The driver reminded them, "Your rice takes up space, you’ll need to buy a ticket for it."
Jiang Mengyu handed over 50 cents and asked, "Is that enough?"
The driver repeatedly said it was enough.
In fact, in the past, bus passengers weren’t charged for bringing a bit of luggage, but since the drivers contracted the passenger transportation, they started charging fees.
When the bus reached its final stop at Aishantang, there were only a few passengers left. Everyone grabbed their belongings and began climbing the mountain.
The two of them each shouldered a bag of fifty catties of rice, carried a shoulder bag, and held another bag in their hands.
Xiao Hua suggested, "This won’t work, we’ll sometimes need a hand free to grab branches when climbing the mountain."
Listening to this, Jiang Mengyu replied, "This is easy."
Seeing no one around, she pointed at the bag beside her, and the bag disappeared. Then she pointed at the bags of rice, and both disappeared as well.
Xiao Hua’s eyes widened as she watched, "Master, is this also a spell?"
Jiang Mengyu smiled without answering.
Afterward, the two of them walked with hands swinging freely, which was far more comfortable.