PCJ – Chapter 40 Asking for Help

Zhang Jianhua scratched his head. After all, he was just a seven-year-old child. How could he know what to do?

“Jiaohua, don’t worry about it. You are all from Jiaohua’s grandfather’s generation, uncle’s generation. It’s really cunning of you to let a child like Jiaohua make decisions about such matters!” Liu Qiaoye rushed in and pulled the conflicted Zhang Jiaohua aside.

Liu Qiaoye had gone out from the beginning, taking Zhang Youping with him. It’s easy to invite a god, but it’s hard to send one away. The Zhang Benrui family was now in their own home, and it wouldn’t be easy to get them to leave later. If they refused to leave, that would be troublesome.

At this moment, Liu Qiaoye happened to return with Zhang Youping.

Zhang Jiwang felt embarrassed. He shifted the responsibility to Zhang Jiaohua, claiming it was impossible for him to have no ulterior motives. Everyone knew that if Jiaohua were to handle this matter, any future consequences would naturally fall on him. This was different from exorcising evil spirits, which was Jiaohua’s duty. Exorcising evil spirits, as a Daoist, was his duty since he practiced the Daoist Method and conducted rituals. But to exterminate without mercy would incur karmic consequences. Today’s causes would lead to future effects. Perhaps Zhang Jiwang simply wanted to clean himself completely, but he inadvertently implicated Zhang Jiaohua.

Zhang Youping was a generous man. He didn’t mind being at a disadvantage usually, but when it came to his child, he wouldn’t compromise. His expression changed, “Uncle Jiwang, I respect you as an elder, but can what you’ve done really be considered the conduct of an elder?”

Zhang Jiwang lowered his head, feeling a bit ashamed, “This, this, sigh, it’s all my fault. Jiaohua, don’t worry about this matter. I’m already an old man anyway. I really shouldn’t have done such a thing. Sigh!”

Zhang Jiwang prepared to leave with the yellow-skinned creature in hand, but Zhang Jiaohua suddenly heard a strange voice.

“Have mercy, Great Immortal, have mercy!”

“Hmm?” Zhang Jiaohua felt puzzled. He looked around but couldn’t find the speaker.

“Have mercy, I know I was wrong, I shouldn’t have offended the Great Immortal. Please spare my life, I’ll take my people back to the depths of the mountains and never return to do evil again.”

Zhang Jiaohua walked to the door and happened to see Zhang Jiwang constantly bowing with the yellow-skinned creature in hand.

“Could it be that the one speaking is actually that yellow-skinned creature?” Zhang Jiaohua felt puzzled.

“Great Immortal, have mercy!” Tears were streaming from the eyes of the yellow-skinned creature.

“Grandpa Jiwang!” Zhang Jiaohua hurriedly called out to Zhang Jiwang.

“What?” Zhang Jiwang turned back with a puzzled expression. He knew that this child, Zhang Jiaohua, had a mischievous nature, but he didn’t know what he wanted to do now.

“Grandpa Jiwang, please hand the yellow-skinned creature over to me.” Zhang Jiaohua just felt that this yellow-skinned creature was pitiful. In Zhang Jiaohua’s eyes, regardless of age, this yellow-skinned creature looked like a pitiful child in tears.

“Jiaohua! Don’t get involved in this matter!” Liu Qiaoye came out and tried to stop Jiaohua.

“Mother, look how pitiful the yellow-skinned creature is. It’s crying. It was just begging me earlier…” Zhang Jiaohua’s words were cut off by Liu Qiaoye, who covered his mouth, but it was too late. The villagers had already cast strange looks at Zhang Jiaohua. To them, wasn’t this just Zhang Jiaohua’s mischievous nature?

“Uncle Jiwang, don’t listen to Jiaohua. Can you trust the words of a child?” Liu Qiaoye was afraid that Jiaohua would say something more.

Zhang Jiwang wanted to say something, but shook his head instead, turned around, and prepared to leave.

Zhang Jiaohua forcefully pulled his mother’s hand away, “Mother. I must intervene in this matter. The old Taoist said that one should do good deeds and accumulate virtue. Although this yellow-skinned creature did evil deeds, now that it regrets them, it should be given a chance. Spare a life when you can. Letting it go now will completely resolve this grudge. Otherwise, the village will not be at peace in the future.”

“Jiaohua, what you said is right. Uncle Jiwang doesn’t want to pass the buck to you but hopes you can handle this matter properly. These yellow-skinned creatures have also cultivated to this extent, which is not easy. Giving it a chance is also a good deed. This matter can be handled by you.” Zhang Jiwang stopped again.

This time, Liu Qiaoye and Zhang Youping also began to have some conflicts. These yellow-skinned creatures were not simple; they were completely different from the ordinary ones they were familiar with. These yellow-skinned creatures were exceptionally intelligent, just like humans. They seemed to have been spiritual beings cultivated for many years. If they were completely exterminated, especially the leader who seemed to be from that group of yellow-skinned creatures, it might provoke a deadly feud between Meizi Village and these yellow-skinned creatures. If that happened, the entire Meizi Village might not be peaceful in the future.

“Kill it! It must be killed! My family has been brought to ruin by them. You think resolving this matter will solve everything? It’s too late! Quickly, give me the yellow-skinned creature. I want to kill it!” Zhang Benrui had just returned home and found that his house had been completely burned to ashes. Almost nothing had been salvaged from his home. He was furious.

However, Zhang Jiwang did not hand the yellow-skinned creature over to Zhang Benrui. Instead, he stepped back a few steps, “Hold Zhang Benrui down. This matter cannot continue like this. Otherwise, it won’t just be a matter of Zhang Benrui’s house catching fire. The entire Meizi Village may be in trouble.”

“Let me go. You’re all afraid of these beasts, but I’m not! My family is already in such a miserable state. I don’t care about my life anymore. I want to kill this group of yellow-skinned creatures. I don’t believe it. If I kill all of them, how can they retaliate against me!”

Zhang Youping became displeased, “Benrui, what you want to do is none of my concern. But don’t do these things in my house. Also, that yellow-skinned creature was caught by my child. If you want to kill that yellow-skinned creature, wait until my child releases it. Then you can go into the mountains to find it. As long as you can catch it, I won’t say a word.”

“Yuping’s words make sense. If you kill that yellow-skinned creature in Yuping’s house, all the future consequences will fall on Yuping’s family. It’s better to calm down.”

“Yes. This matter was caused by your family. That yellow-skinned creature only stole a few ducks from your house. You insist on killing so many yellow-skinned creatures. Can you say you have no responsibility for the current situation? Moreover, your wife has been possessed now, and your family was almost ruined. If you continue like this and kill the leader of these yellow-skinned creatures, your family and the yellow-skinned creatures will be at each other’s throats endlessly. Perhaps you don’t care, but why should the people of Meizi Village suffer along with your family’s misfortune?”

“I think we should let Jiaohua handle this matter. I feel like Jiaohua can handle it well.”

…

The villagers gave Zhang Benrui a good scolding.