QT Cannon Fodder's Record: Dekachapter 245

Chp 2441: Like a Wild, Out-Of-Control Alpaca

Wherever the black hole went, it sucked in everything around it.

Ning Shu's spine tingled. If she let this thing stay here, it might destroy this plane.

At that time, she could forget about the task reward, this would be enough reason to eliminate her ten times over.

Ning Shu wasn’t the soul pearl’s master so there was no way for her to control it.

She followed the black hole to a rockery and saw it enter a passageway.

Ning Shu followed it inside.

Beneath the rockery, she found the ancestral hall. The memorial tablet for the Li family’s ancestors was on a shelf.

The black hole immediately sucked in the memorial tablet along with the shelf.

Then it slowly began to disappear and eventually faded away completely.

Ning Shu let out a long exhale and wiped the cold sweat off her forehead.

"Goddammit, it swallowed the barrier stone!" 2333 suddenly wailed.

"Frick, no wonder I couldn't control it. It fricking wanted to eat the barrier stone! Frick, frick, frick..." 2333 shouted angrily.

Ning Shu instantly understood. Earlier, the black hole was like a wild, out-of-control alpaca that couldn’t be reigned in. Then after it had eaten what it wanted, it became well-behaved.

The barrier stone had been molded into a memorial tablet.

Ning Shu wasn’t very upset that the barrier stone had been swallowed. What was 2333 so stirred up about?

"How many barrier stones were there?" Ning Shu asked.

"Barrier stones aren’t Chinese cabbages, how many could there be? There was only one."

Ning Shu guessed that Li Sanlang's memorial tablet had probably been made from a barrier stone, so he had been nourished by its power.

"You want a barrier stone?" Ning Shu asked.

2333, a bit jittery, said, "What bad luck. I originally wanted to use the barrier stone to protect my data and energy. I wasted so much energy, but it was swallowed by a black hole."

Ning Shu immediately rolled her eyes. She’d wondered why 2333 suddenly wanted to give her advice.

It turned out that he came for the barrier stone.

Sure enough, he wouldn't lift a finger unless there was something in it for himself. As a result, he lost his wife and the army.

Ning Shu inwardly was laughing her head off, but she said, "You might come across it again next time."

"That’d be difficult," 2333 said gloomily.

"If you add a barrier stone when constructing a world, it can stabilize the world and any damage to the constructed world will be greatly reduced."

If a plane encountered any irreversible damage, it could be destroyed and the living things inside would also perish, but with a barrier stone, the plane wouldn’t perish.

Ning Shu: …

Now it was Ning Shu's turn to feel her heart and liver ache. Her insides were now in pain. Frick.

Ning Shu really wanted to crawl into the black hole to retrieve the stone. She hadn't even gotten to see what the barrier stone looked like.

Ning Shu took a deep breath and asked, "Don’t tell me the soul pearl wants to merge with the barrier stone?"

"It does."

Ning Shu took another deep breath and sneered. Was the soul pearl trying to ascend to heaven? Before, it had merged with a pearl, and now it wanted to do the same with a barrier stone.

Ning Shu couldn't imagine how it would turn out in the end.

"The pearl’s merging will take even longer now. It even wasted so much of my energy." 2333 sighed dispiritedly. His tone was full of despair and it seemed as though he would never love again.

Ning Shu also felt like she would never love again. It would have been great if the barrier stone could be used to develop the Unsurpassable Martial Arts.

2333 didn't make a sound. Ning Shu guessed that he left to cry.

"You, you..." When Master Li saw that all of the clan’s memorial tablets had disappeared, he was so angry that his face turned red and he pointed at Ning Shu.

"Where are the memorial tablets?"

Ning Shu rolled her eyes. "Are you stupid? Of course, it’s been sucked away."

"You witch, witch..." Master Li covered his chest angrily.

Ning Shu pushed her way through the group of people. When she left the passageway, she saw the sage-like old Taoist priest standing on the rockery.

Translator: Kiara

MTL Editor: Wheat

TLC: Kaho

Chp 2442: You Are Too Malicious

What a pretentious person.

"Hand over the Li family’s memorial tablets. You can't joke around with their ancestors' memorial tablets," the old Taoist priest said.

Ning Shu said indifferently, "Memorial tablets are for the dead. I'm just joking with a dead thing, but you're joking with the lives of the living."

"There are so many who are suffering on Earth and waiting for a Taoist priest to save them. Why should a Taoist priest be concerned with these things?"

"You and I originally had no connection, but you want to put me to death. What’s the reason for that?" Ning Shu asked.

With a sweep of his horsetail whisk, the old Taoist priest said, "I eliminate disasters for people in exchange for money."

"Then I'll give you money to end the Li family’s bloodline. Will you do it?" Ning Shu tilted her head and asked.

When Master Li came out of the rockery and heard Ning Shu say this, he angrily shouted, "Malicious woman! What a malicious woman!"

The old Taoist priest said, "You are too malicious."

Ning Shu scoffed. "And what of you? You’re simply a coward that bullies the weak and fears the strong. Are you saying that burning me alive wasn’t malicious?"

Such double standards.

Just because she was a woman, these people would do despicable things in the name of noble ideals.

Ning Shu jumped onto the rockery, grabbed the old Taoist priest by the collar, and lifted him up with all her strength.

The old Taoist priest was alarmed. Ning Shu directly threw the old Taoist priest over the wall and out of the Li family’s home.

Ning Shu patted the dust off her hands and looked at the Li family.

Her gaze stopped on Lady Wang, who was lying on the stretcher. This woman had drowned the original host in a pond.

Lady Wang was a steady fanatic of male superiority and female inferiority. Men didn't need to manage the inner courtyard since women like Lady Wang would firmly implement this kind of thinking.

Men looked down on women and women also looked down on women.

Ning Shu just wanted to live, but these people simply wouldn’t let her.

They wanted to be in full control of her life and death.

Being stared at by Ning Shu, Lady Wang’s face turned whiter and whiter. After all, Ning Shu had been the one to break her leg.

The Li family could no longer trap Ning Shu.

Ning Shu took a deep breath, jumped over the wall, and left. Walking through the clamoring street, she still felt a little out of sorts.

Ning Shu got a hold of a rag and made a sign out of it. She prepared to start her life as a traveling doctor.

However, Ning Shu had no business. Eventually, she encountered an opportunity. A woman was having difficulty giving birth and the midwife had not yet arrived.

Her husband was so anxious that when he saw Ning Shu's tattered signboard, he was willing to try his luck.

Ning Shu asked the man to buy her a set of silver needles but refused to take his money.

Ning Shu didn't have a single copper coin right now. She was destitute.

The man: …

He had never seen such a doctor and he would never have asked for her help if not for the fact that she was a woman.

The man went to the pharmacy and bought a set of silver needles for Ning Shu.

Ning Shu took the silver needles and was very happy. She now had the tools necessary to travel the country.

Ning Shu followed the man to his home. When she reached the room’s doorway, she heard the woman's pained voice.

Basins of blood were being carried out one after another, making people tremble when they saw them.

Ning Shu placed the rag by the doorway and went into the room with the silver needles.

The woman on the bed had lost her strength from the pain and her complexion was frighteningly pale.

Ning Shu pricked the woman's hand with a silver needle, touched her belly, and then began to arrange the position of the fetus.

Ning Shu consoled and encouraged the woman as she arranged the position of the fetus.

The woman only groaned from pain, especially when Ning Shu was arranging the position of the fetus. The pain made her tremble all over.

With the fetus positioned correctly, giving birth would be easier.

"Push now. The fetus is in the correct position. Come on, take a deep breath, then push." Ning Shu sent a thread of spiritual energy into the woman's body.

Translator: Kiara

MTL Editor: Wheat

TLC: Kaho

Chp 2443: Is It a Boy or a Girl?

With the support of the spiritual energy, the woman regained a bit of her strength and clenched her teeth to push with all her might.

Ning Shu looked at the woman’s lower body and said gently, "Push, it’s almost out!"

The woman clutched the bed sheets so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

The woman screamed, and the child was finally born.

The child released a loud cry.

Ning Shu couldn't help laughing. She took a cloth she had prepared in advance and wiped the amniotic fluid and blood from the child.

The woman looked pale. Ning Shu placed the child beside her and carried warm brown sugar water from the stove for the woman to drink.

"Is it a boy or a girl?" The woman asked Ning Shu.

Ning Shu reached out and patted the child. "It's a girl."

The woman's expression immediately changed. Soon after, tears rolled down her face.

Ning Shu: ???

"Why is it still a girl? What should I do?" The woman's face paled further even after losing so much blood.

"You’ve given birth? Is it a boy?" The man outside shouted.

Ning Shu looked at the despairing woman and asked, "Do you want me to carry the child out to the father?"

The woman suddenly stretched out her hand and grasped Ning Shu's wrist, imploring, "Please take my child with you. There’s some money in that box and some clothes in the cabinet."

Ning Shu: …

"This is your child." Ning Shu said in astonishment.

Outside, the husband couldn't wait. He threw the curtains open and walked in. Ignoring the thick smell of blood, he held the child and asked, "Is it a boy or a girl?"

Ning Shu: This was the first thing he asked his wife?

The woman had already turned away. Ning Shu said, "Girl."

The man's expression changed instantly. He placed the child on the bed. "Why is it another girl? There are already three girls, and now there’s another?"

Ning Shu: …

The more the man talked, the more angry he became. He actually grabbed the child on the bed and wanted to throw her onto the ground.

The woman sat up in alarm.

Ning Shu hurriedly took the child and said, outraged, "This is your child! Your blood! Even the fiercest of tigers won’t eat their own children."

The man's expression didn’t change, "What do you know? I already have three daughters. Do you know what other people say about me? They say that my family line will be cut short. I don't even have a son. If they learn I’ve had another daughter, I’ll be ridiculed to death."

The woman covered her face and wept. The man said irritably, "Cry, that’s all you know how to do. You can't even birth a son."

Ning Shu: …

Ning Shu wanted to talk to this man about science. It was the man's side that determined whether a baby would be a boy or a girl, not the woman's side. However, she let it be after thinking for a bit.

Even in modern times, women were blamed for not giving birth to sons.

The man tossed the curtain aside and left.

Ning Shu rolled her eyes. His wife had been in a precarious situation while giving birth and this was how he treated her?

What the heck. He should be a woman in the next life. Then he would understand their hardship.

She just came to take over a birthing and fricking came across a situation like this.

With reddened eyes and incredibly pale lips, the woman said to Ning Shu, "Please save my daughter."

"As you can see, my husband will not treat her well. He already dislikes my other three daughters and he isn’t good to them either," said the woman.

Ning Shu looked at the child in her arms whose eyes were still closed. She was just born and her eyes hadn’t even opened yet. She had no idea she would have to face this kind of situation where her father didn't care about her and her mother didn’t want her.

"The money I’ve saved is in that small box and there are children’s clothes in the cabinet." The woman was exhausted and she lay back down.

Ning Shu silently sighed. She just came to make money.

"Please, take her away. It’s fine if you find another family for her. My husband won't raise her and my family can’t afford to support her either."

Ning Shu nodded and the woman shed tears. She stretched out her arms to hold the child and kept crying.

Translator: Kiara

MTL Editor: Wheat

TLC: Kaho

Chp 2444: Then You Should Raise the Child Yourself

Ning Shu opened the small box and found a purse with some copper coins inside. She then opened the cabinet and took out a bundle.

There were some clothes in the bundle, but the fabric wasn’t that good.

"Breastfeed the baby a bit," Ning Shu said. It was said that the first breastfeeding was good for children.

Besides, Ning Shu wouldn’t be able to find any substitute milk for the child for a while.

The woman lifted up her clothing and fed the child.

Ning Shu rummaged through the bundle of neatly folded children's clothes.

For the sake of this family, this newly-born child became a victim.

The woman was constrained under her husband's tyrannical abuse and blamed herself for not giving birth to a son.

When the lady finished breastfeeding, she held her child and cried.

Ning Shu reached out to take the child. The woman held the child closely and was reluctant to give her up.

Ning Shu said, "Then you should raise the child yourself after all."

The woman loosened her hold and Ning Shu hugged the child and walked away without looking back. Behind her, a suppressed cry came from the woman.

Ning Shu went out and saw three children at the door. The oldest was only six or seven years old, and the youngest was about three years old.

Sure enough, there were three girls.

As for the child in Ning Shu’s embrace, the father wouldn’t care about its fate.

Ning Shu walked out of the house with the child in one arm and the rag flag in the other.

Ning Shu used some of the money from the mother and stayed in an inn for one night.

The next day, Ning Shu exited the inn with the child on her back and went to a shop operated by the Li family.

The Li family was a rich family in this small town. They ran grain stores and jewelry shops.

Ning Shu arranged a yin gathering formation around the Li family’s stores.

A yang gathering formation gathered yang energy, and its inverse was the yin gathering formation.

The yin gathering formation would gather the surrounding yin energy and destroy the store’s luck. She also secretly put locust tree wood on the beams of the building.

Locust trees were demonic trees that had very heavy yin energy. It was bad to plant locust trees at your door, let alone have the wood on the beams of a house.

This was why people shouldn’t offend feng shui masters and craftsmen.

Even if someone just casually did something, they might have bad luck for the rest of their life.

Didn't Lady Wang always boast that her family was great?

Without the support of her husband's business, would she still be a high and mighty rich madam?

After finishing these things, Ning Shu patted the dust off her hands and turned her head to look at the child on her back. "Baby, now we need to find a place to settle down."

Where would be a good place to go?

Ning Shu had bought some rations, so she had something to eat, but what would the child on her back eat?

Ning Shu was worried.

She strolled around the market and spotted a cow. She thought about it and decided to buy a cow.

She could use it to get around when she was tired and she could also milk it.

Ning Shu selected a cow that had just given birth to a calf and went to the pharmacy to get some medicine to stimulate milk production. At the very least, the milk would last for six months. After six months, the child would be able to eat some supplementary foods.

In ancient times, cattle were very expensive. Ning Shu also bought a small pot to boil the milk.

After calculating the prices of the various things, Ning Shu spent almost all her savings, in addition to the money given by the child’s mother.

Ning Shu placed her bags which held various necessities on the cow, then drove it forward.

Ning Shu wiped her sweat. Raising a child was really not easy.

She also didn't know to whom she could give this child. Girls weren’t popular in this time period.

However, without women, mankind would be extinct.

The most terrible thing was that even women didn’t like girls.

What crimes were girls guilty of?

Translator: Kiara

MTL Editor: Wheat

#Kiara’s Comments: Ning Shu having children to take care of is always a treat.

TLC: Kaho

Chp 2445: Why Not Visit White Cloud Temple?

Without women, men would all have gay sex.

Ning Shu continued to drive the cow. When the child was hungry, she would stop to milk the cow, make a fire to boil the milk, and then feed it to the child when it cooled down a bit.

Ning Shu was originally thinking about visiting her maternal family, but she immediately gave up on the idea.

What was the point of going back?

She accepted that she needed to go someplace else.

Ning Shu suddenly thought of the old Taoist priest. Why not visit White Cloud Temple?

Otherwise, how could she pay the old Taoist back for how he ‘took care’ of her?

However, White Cloud Temple was a ways away. Ning Shu decided to slowly walk towards White Cloud Temple.

There was a village at the foot of White Cloud Temple and it was peaceful and quiet.

Ning Shu practiced medicine along the way. Before she knew it, she had accumulated some savings.

By the time Ning Shu reached the foot of the mountain where White Cloud Temple was, over two months had passed.

Under Ning Shu's care and feeding, the child had already become white and delicate and could open her eyes to look at Ning Shu.

She laughed involuntarily.

Ning Shu entered the village and found lodging with a family.

On the way, she made up a backstory for herself. Her husband was a doctor, but he was killed by bandits.

In addition to that, her village had flooded and she had to leave her hometown.

Ning Shu also specifically said that she had some medical expertise in treating the diseases of women and delivering babies.

The master of the house sympathized with Ning Shu at first. After hearing that Ning Shu could cure gynecological diseases, Ning Shu was immediately asked to examine the lady of the house.

Ning Shu felt the woman's pulse, wrote a prescription for some medicinal herbs from the fields, and asked them to boil them in water after picking them.

Ning Shu saw that the village had a small population and was surrounded by mountains. On the mountain, White Cloud Temple could be seen, which made the place seem like it was being reflected by a hero’s glory.

Ning Shu planned to settle here and raise the child.

Ning Shu didn't know whether Liu Xiaoya would resent her for adopting a child.

She also didn't know if Liu Xiaoya would remarry. If she remarried, it would be quite awkward for the child.

If Liu Xiaoya chose not to marry, it would also be good to have a child beside her.

The most important thing was that Ning Shu didn't know to whom to entrust this child.

Why was she always given a child to care for?

Ning Shu didn't want to raise children.

However, right now, the child had already been shoved into her hands.

Ning Shu chose a name for the child: Liu Zhenzhen.

The name came from the Book of Poetry, "Tao Yao", where it was written, 'The peach trees are flourishing and the leaves are lush.’ This name signified prosperity and abundance.

Ning Shu looked for the village head and asked him to grant her a piece of land to build a house. Of course, she would pay for the land.

Ning Shu acted like it was very difficult for her to gather enough money and took two days to gather money before handing it over.

Most of the people in the village lived in thatched houses. Ning Shu also built a thatched house. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Act humble so that you could blend in.

In less than a day, Ning Shu's story had spread all over the village, saying that she had lost her husband and was taking care of her child by herself as well...

Ning Shu listened to these conversations. Most people sympathized with Ning Shu, but some people said that widows were ominous.

Ning Shu turned a blind eye to those words. Her husband was dead. Not just dead, but truly dead as a doornail.

Ning Shu asked people in the village for help in building a house and said that she would pay them a wage.

After hearing that Ning Shu had medical skills, everyone became very proactive. After all, no one could guarantee that they wouldn’t get sick.

Since this place was a little far from town, it wasn’t easy to look for a doctor.

After a few days of labor, the thatched house was built. Ning Shu was afraid of rain leakage and specifically asked them to thicken the thatch on the roof.

The house was built, but the rooms were empty. Ning Shu asked the carpenters in the village to make a simple bed and tables.

Translator: Kiara

MTL Editor: Wheat

TLC: Kaho

Chp 2446: A Semblance of a Home

As for the rest, she would take her time buying them.

Finally, there was a semblance of a home.

The aunt next door gave Ning Shu some freshly picked vegetables

Ning Shu accepted them with a smile. The people here appeared to be friendly.

"Zhenzhen, let's live here for now," Ning Shu said while changing the diaper.

The child waved her hands, gurgled, and put her fist in her mouth.

Saliva covered her hand.

After changing the diaper, Ning Shu carried the child on her back as she loosened the soil in front of the house and built a fence to plant vegetables.

Ning Shu borrowed some seeds from the aunt next door and planted them.

Ning Shu felt that she was really versatile. She was capable of fighting, farming, and cooking.

So skilled! ︿(￣︶￣)︽(￣︶￣)︿.

When there was nothing to do, Ning Shu would transfer a bit of spiritual energy into Zhenzhen's body as it could strengthen her body and reduce illness.

Ning Shu's life became smooth and steady. She either grew vegetables and raised her child or went to the mountains to collect herbs.

Occasionally, people would come to see Ning Shu. Most of them were married women.

If they didn't have the money to pay for the consultation, they would give Ning Shu a basket of vegetables or a small piece of meat.

Ning Shu accepted them without saying anything. It didn't matter if the payment was small. She was just afraid that these people would take it for granted. She still had to raise a child, so she didn't have the time to work for free.

Over time, Ning Shu became familiar with the women in the village.

Every time there was an occasion, they would invite Ning Shu to go to town for a stroll.

Ning Shu bought some white paper. She also bought writing brushes and an inkstone and took them home. Then she cut the white paper and sewed the pieces into a book.

Ning Shu planned to write down the symptoms of some common diseases and how to treat them.

Liu Xiaoya could depend on this to make a meager living when she came back.

Ning Shu was able to gain a foothold in this village because of her craft. After all, it was hard for any mortal to never get sick.

It wasn’t that people didn’t talk about Ning Shu behind her back, but when facing Ning Shu, they still had to be polite.

Doctors could kill just as many as they could save.

Ning Shu sometimes stared in the direction of White Cloud Temple. She had originally wanted to visit it, but she considered the fact that the old Taoist priest knew about her past.

Now that her identity as a widow had been deeply rooted in people’s minds and there was a wave of sympathy all around, there was no need to disrupt her current stable life.

She would give Liu Zhenzhen a stable and smooth-sailing life.

This place was very nice. There weren't many people and it was away from all the clamor.

She had already broken free of the Li family and when she left, she had also given them a nice parting gift.

What made Ning Shu most pleased was that there were many mountains and dense forests close by that were rich in resources.

Ning Shu could occasionally hunt some rabbits to eat. Additionally, the surroundings were abundant in spiritual energy, which made Ning Shu's cultivation very smooth.

Peace and tranquility: this was probably what Liu Xiaoya wanted.

She wanted to stand on her own feet without needing to look at other people's faces.

She wouldn’t be scared half to death by an elusive ghost husband every day, and she didn't have to tremble in fear within the Li family.

The wealth and honor of the Li family were something Liu Xiaoya would never be able to enjoy. In life, whenever you wanted to obtain something, you would have to lose something in return.

Since Liu Xiaoya's identity was embarrassing and lowly, who would care about her?

She was nothing more than someone who had been bought with just ten taels of silver.

Ning Shu didn't go to White Cloud Temple, but the people from White Cloud Temple came to the village.

Ning Shu saw the sage-like old Taoist priest. A breeze blew the hem of his clothes. He looked like he wanted to ride the wind with the pose he was striking.

Ning Shu greeted him with a bright smile, "Taoist priest."

When the old Taoist priest saw Ning Shu, his expression instantly cracked. He could not help but stare at Ning Shu and it took a long time before he asked, "Why are you here?"

Translator: Kiara

MTL Editor: Wheat

TLC: Kaho

Chp 2447: How Could I Not Find Another Way Forward?

Ning Shu felt that she had quite a lot of fate with this old Taoist priest.

Of course, this was only Ning Shu's opinion. The old Taoist priest didn’t want to see Ning Shu at all.

"Why are you here?" the old Taoist priest asked dryly, a bit troubled. He hadn’t forgotten that this person had lifted him by the collar and thrown him over a wall. She tossed him……

Ning Shu said while smiling, "Taoist priest, you forget that my husband is dead. How could I not find another way forward?"

The old Taoist priest saw the child on Ning Shu's back. "Where did the child come from?"

Ning Shu covered her mouth and laughed. "Taoist priest, you are really funny. I have a husband and you ask where my child comes from?"

The old Taoist priest stared at the child sleeping on Ning Shu's shoulder. Of course, he could see that the child had a mother-daughter relationship with Ning Shu, but there was no blood relationship.

The old Taoist priest didn't expose Ning Shu. He was afraid that Ning Shu would throw him somewhere in front of all the disciples, followers, and villagers.

"Your child's life is filled with misfortune," said the old Taoist priest.

Ning Shu stared at the old Taoist priest expressionlessly. "I don't like your words. Do you know how to talk properly? If you’re not going to say something nice, then don’t bother. Do you think it's appropriate to say such words the moment we meet?"

"Doctor Liu, the Taoist priest's words are very accurate," the aunt from next door said to Ning Shu.

Ning Shu rolled her eyes.

Seeing Ning Shu, the old Taoist priest almost forgot his purpose in coming here. He said to the village head, "Be careful during this time. A snake has appeared from deep in the mountains. This snake’s cultivation is very high and it’s about to become a spirit."

"If any of you see it, please hurry to White Cloud Temple and inform us. This beast is so big that it can swallow a person in one bite."

Hearing what the old Taoist priest said, the villagers were so scared that their faces drained of blood.

The village head trembled with fear as he asked the old Taoist priest, "Taoist priest, what should we do if this snake comes to the village? We’ll all be swallowed by it."

"It can't swallow so many people. It can only swallow one person at a time," Ning Shu said.

Old Taoist: …

Village head: …

That would still be terrible, okay?

The old Taoist priest coughed, straightened up, and returned to his sage-like persona. He said, "The snake fears realgar. You can sprinkle some realgar around your homes. If there are any traces of the snake, quickly come to White Cloud Temple and tell us so that we can catch it as soon as possible."

"Thank you, Taoist Priest," the villagers thanked repeatedly.

Ning Shu asked the old Taoist priest, "Why did the snake leave the mountain after staying there for so long?"

Surely such a large snake would be very conspicuous. Spiritual beings came from deep within mountains and forests. Normally the snake should not have left.

It was a biological instinct to make the most of things while avoiding disadvantages. If it went to places with many people, it would definitely be killed and cooked.

Animals that lived deep in the forest were not to be made light of, but they still couldn’t win against overwhelming numbers.

Ning Shu narrowed her eyes in disdain at the old Taoist priest. She suspected that he wanted the snake.

Moreover, the reason why the snake fled was due to the Taoist priests of White Cloud Temple.

The old Taoist priest being stared at by Ning Shu: …

This woman was really…

"Taoist priest, what does the snake look like and what are its characteristics?" asked the village head.

The old Taoist priest swung his horsetail whisk and said, "It is a huge python that is black in color. Some of its scales have turned gold."

The old Taoist priest repeatedly told the villagers to report if they found traces of the snake. Then he took the group of Taoist priests and left.

The villagers were terrified and they hurried home to scatter realgar.

The aunt next door also gave Ning Shu a bag of realgar and told Ning Shu to scatter it around all the corners of her home and at the foot of the backyard wall.

"Those supernatural beings like to eat children the most. You should take good care of Zhenzhen," the aunt said. After thinking for a while, she gave Ning Shu another bag of realgar. "Sprinkle some on Zhenzhen's clothes too."

"Thank you, Auntie." Ning Shu took the realgar and carried Zhenzhen into the house.

Ning Shu didn't plan to sprinkle realgar powder on Zhenzhen's clothes. Right now, Zhenzhen would grab things and put them in her mouth and realgar was toxic.

Translator: Kiara

MTL Editor: Wheat

TLC: Kaho

Chp 2448: A Strong Fishy Scent

The village was extremely quiet at night and as soon as it got dark, not a single light could be seen.

In this village, Ning Shu was the only one who would light an oil lamp. Everyone else went to bed as soon as it was dark.

Ning Shu wasn’t used to going to bed at five or six o'clock. She also had things to do at night.

She would handle herbal medicines and compile prescriptions for various illnesses.

In the dead of night, the cow in the cow pen started mooing.

The cow was afraid and was asking for help. Don't ask Ning Shu how she knew, it was because she had acquired the ability to communicate with animals.

Ning Shu carried the oil lamp to the cow pen. Before she had even entered, Ning Shu could smell a strong fishy scent.

The cow was cowering in one corner. Its limbs were trembling and it was unable to stand up. Across from it was a snake.

The snake and the night blended into one. If it wasn't for Ning Shu's excellent eyesight, she wouldn't have been able to see it.

However, as long as there wasn’t a problem with your nose, you would still be able to smell it.

The snake hissed as it flicked out its tongue and stared closely at Ning Shu.

Ning Shu said calmly, "Go quickly, or else, don't blame me for being rude. The people from White Cloud Temple were just here looking for you."

To be able to cultivate such a huge form, it would have had to soak up a lot of energy from the sun and moon.

"Vile two-legged monster," The black snake snarled at Ning Shu. Its head tilted back and it readied itself to attack.

Although the black snake was just hissing, Ning Shu understood what it was saying.

"I don't mean any harm to you. But if you attack me, you'll have to face the consequences." Ning Shu released her spiritual energy in the form of a dragon.

The black snake stared at the dragon with some confusion and said, "How is it a dragon? Are you a dragon?"

"No."

"Hurry up and go back to the mountains," Ning Shu said. It wasn't easy for monsters to cultivate spiritual energy from the mountains.

"A bunch of two-legged monsters is chasing me," the black snake said to Ning Shu.

"Why?"

"They definitely want my snake pearl. They said it was for alchemy."

The black snake looked at Ning Shu warily. "Do you also want my pearl?"

Ning Shu rolled her eyes. Why would she want that? She guessed that it was nothing more than a finger-sized beast core.

"All right, go on." Ning Shu waved her hand. "This cow is to feed my daughter. If you touch it, I'll cut your stomach open."

The black snake didn't speak.

It slowly slithered away and disappeared into the night.

Ning Shu placated the cow with a few words and returned home with the oil lamp.

Ning Shu closed the door and was about to look at Zhenzhen who was in bed when she saw the huge black snake beside the bed. It supported itself as it raised its head and looked at the sleeping Zhenzhen who was unaware of anything.

Ning Shu’s heart filled with rage. This thing actually dared to covet her daughter!?

Ning Shu’s energy sank into her dantian and she stomped the snake's head with her foot. The snake's head smashed into the ground.

Ning Shu hugged Zhenzhen and stared at the confused and disoriented snake.

"I let you go, but you repay me by trying to eat my daughter?" Ning Shu said coldly.

"No, I just think she's cute."

Ning Shu: Ha. ha. ha…

Moonlight streamed into the room and Ning Shu saw that the snake had four bumps on its abdomen and a bulging bump on its forehead.

Was the snake about to turn into a flood dragon? Horns would grow on its head and claws would grow from its abdomen.

The snake would turn into a flood dragon, and the flood dragon would turn into a dragon.

Translator: Kiara

MTL Editor: Wheat

TLC: Kaho

Chp 2449: You’re Scaring My Baby

The huge snake lay across the room and exuded a strong fishy stench. Ning Shu glared at it and said, "Hurry up and leave. You're scaring my baby."

The snake swept its tail and flipped over the table.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to do that," The snake hastily apologized.

"You'd better hurry and leave," Ning Shu said. "If you stay here, the people from White Cloud Temple will come over and take your snake pearl for their alchemy."

"I don't know where to go. They destroyed my nest."

"What does that have to do with me?" Ning Shu was quite indifferent.

The huge snake: …

"Two-legged monster," The snake shouted at Ning Shu.

Ning Shu: “You calling me?”

"I'm about to lay eggs."

Ning Shu: …

"You’re female?"

"After laying eggs, I will become very weak. I won’t be able to deal with those two-legged monsters."

Speaking of snakes, they also had it hard. Molting and childbirth would weaken them. Only when they truly evolved into flood dragons could they rid themselves of this burden.

"Are you giving me your eggs to make into steamed eggs?" Ning Shu hugged Zhenzhen, not daring to put her down. She was afraid that if she wasn’t paying attention, Zhenzhen would be swallowed by the snake.

Ning Shu pointed at the snake. "It would be best for you not to swallow people. If you do, forget becoming a flood dragon, you won’t have much time left to even be a snake."

Human beings were a race of great fortune. If a snake ate people, it would suffer when the time came.

The snake gave an ‘oh’ and swept its thick and solid tail. It seemed very embarrassed. "Can you take me in and let me give birth to my babies?"

No, she refused.

Was she going to have to be a midwife again?

She would even be crossing species. Was she going to deliver a baby for a snake now?

Ning Shu was afraid that something like the last delivery would happen again. It would shove its nest of eggs onto her.

"It's getting bright. Hurry up and leave." Ning Shu yawned.

"Two-legged monster, I can't run far. I'm about to give birth. Can’t you give me a place to stay? After I give birth, I’ll leave."

Ning Shu rolled her eyes. "I already know this pattern. After giving birth, you’ll have to incubate them, and then when the little snakes hatch, you’ll be carrying a large number of children and have no way of leaving."

Snake: …

The snake also had no other choice. It was already difficult for her to meet a person who wasn’t afraid of her. If she appeared elsewhere, she would certainly cause a riot.

Her cultivation path would be destroyed, and so would her children.

Ning Shu paid attention to one more thing. "You are pregnant, so you should have a husband. Your husband should be the same as you, right?"

"What is a husband?" the snake asked curiously.

Ning Shu: ………………

"Then how did you get pregnant?" Ning Shu asked.

"When the breeding season came, I mated with a male snake. After that, I will lay eggs," said the snake.

In order not to seem like she was too naïve, Ning Shu very calmly said, "There’s a basement, so you can hide there."

"Thank you. I'll repay you later."

"Zip it. Just stop staring at my child all the time."

The snake complimented, "Your child is very cute." She looked very delicious.

The snake slithered across the floor, left the room, and went into the basement.

Ning Shu placed Zhenzhen down and gently patted her chest.

Then she opened the windows to dissipate the smell in the room.

After daybreak, Ning Shu grabbed a chicken and went to the basement to have a look. As soon as she opened it, a strong smell wafted out. Ning Shu waved her hand to clear the smell away and stepped down the ladder.

"For you." Ning Shu put the chicken on the ground.

The snake swallowed the chicken in one gulp. "I feel like I'm going to give birth soon. My stomach hurts a little."

Ning Shu reached out and touched the snake’s abdomen. There was a bulge in one part.

Translator: Kiara

MTL Editor: Wheat

TLC: Kaho

Chp 2450: The Taoist Priest Is Here Again

Ning Shu had no experience in delivering newborn snakes and could only say, "You probably are going to deliver soon."

"Doctor Liu, Doctor Liu..." cried the aunt next door.

Ning Shu carried a Chinese cabbage out of the cellar and asked, "What's wrong, Auntie?"

"The Taoist priest is here again. The village head asked everyone to gather at the village entrance," said the aunt.

Ning Shu put down the cabbage and followed the villagers to the village entrance with Zhenzhen on her back.

The old Taoist priest still appeared sage-like. He asked the village head, "Has no one seen the snake?"

"The village is very peaceful. I guess it has left," the village head said with uncertainty.

The old Taoist priest furrowed his brows. That shouldn’t be, they had already forced the snake toward the village.

Why didn't it show up?

The old Taoist priest saw Ning Shu approaching from the corner of his eye. His eyelids twitched and he unconsciously puffed up his chest.

"What is that smell on you?" As soon as Ning Shu neared, the old Taoist priest smelled a fishy smell.

Ning Shu raised a hand and sniffed it. "What smell are you talking about? Oh, last night, a snake wanted to eat my cow, so I beat it away."

Old Taoist: …

"Huh..." the surrounding villagers stared at Ning Shu in surprise.

"You beat the snake away?" the aunt next door asked in surprise. "Why didn't I hear anything last night?"

"I know martial arts." Ning Shu raised an eyebrow at the old Taoist priest. "The Taoist priest should know of this."

The old Taoist priest almost rolled his eyes.

"Where did the snake go?" he asked.

Ning Shu shook her head. "I don't know. Maybe it went to your Taoist temple."

The aunt next door asked Ning Shu, "Doctor Liu, if you know martial arts, how did your husband get killed by bandits?"

The old Taoist priest also looked at Ning Shu.

Ning Shu said calmly, "When I found my husband, he was already rotting."

Old Taoist: …

The old Taoist priest took his people back to White Cloud Temple and repeatedly told the villagers that they should inform them immediately if they encountered the snake, or it wouldn't be their problem if they got swallowed by the snake.

After the old Taoist priest left, Ning Shu and the group of people also went back. One after another, they asked Ning Shu if she had seen the snake’s appearance.

Ning Shu just said it was too dark at the time and she hadn’t seen it clearly.

Ning Shu walked back to her house and heard movement in the basement. She immediately went down.

She saw the snake tossing and turning on the ground and she seemed to be in great pain.

It looked like she was going to give birth.

Ning Shu went out to find some dry grass and put it in the cellar.

"Keep your voice down. Are you trying to attract people here?"

"I’m in pain."

"How painful can it be to lay an egg? Snakes have two penises. Does it also hurt when you’re mating?" Ning Shu said.

The snake was in pain for a long time before finally releasing an egg the size of a fist. After the first one was laid, the later ones were much smoother.

The snake laid three eggs. Her head lay on the ground. All her energy had been spent.

Ning Shu looked at the eggs and really wanted to make stewed eggs. She guessed that the eggs would be fishy though, so Ning Shu gave up.

Ning Shu placed the snake eggs on the dry grass. "When will these eggs hatch? If the villagers knew that there was a snake hiding in my house, I’d be driven out."

In regards to dangerous things, they should be removed.

"I need some time," said the snake.

Ning Shu: …

She had known this was going to be a problem.

"When you get better, take your eggs in your mouth and go. Or else, the people at White Cloud Temple will find you," Ning Shu was not in a good mood. She went out of the basement to get a chicken for the snake.

She didn't even pluck the feathers.

The snake swallowed the chicken and said, "I’ll rest for another day and then I can go."

Translator: Kiara

#Kiara’s Comments: The number of times I slapped my thigh because of the shit Ning Shu says, her honesty is fricking refreshing.

MTL Editor: Wheat

TLC: Kaho