Chapter 47: Past Events of the Tian Family

The black cat let out a threatening hiss, leaving Xiao Jie momentarily stunned. "A king? Are you serious?"

He couldn't help wondering why the cat spoke with such a raspy, smoker-like voice, giving off the distinct vibe of a mafia boss.

Knowing this voice was entirely a product of his own imagination within the mental realm, he still found himself somewhat speechless.

The black cat rasped, "That's right, I am the king of this mountain. Everything here belongs to me. The squirrels fear me, the pigeons dread me, and even clumsy big cats like you dare not show me disrespect, scrambling to offer me tribute."

As it spoke, it nudged a leftover piece of dried small fish and a starch sausage with its front paw—likely snacks fed to it by some overly empathetic passerby.

"If you wish to contend for my throne, we shall have no choice but to do battle!"

With that, it arched its back, striking a combative pose.

Xiao Jie found it quite amusing; he hadn't expected the cat to have such an elaborate inner world.

"The mountain? You mean that little grassy mound right behind you? Hahahaha, you're hilarious, little guy. Don't worry, I have no interest in stealing your turf. I'm just out for a casual jog to get some exercise."

The black cat tilted its head, sizing Xiao Jie up. "Meow. Very well, stray clumsy big cat, I shall take you at your word. But try no tricks—I've got my eyes on you."

Lifting a front paw, the black cat pointed first at its own eyes and then at Xiao Jie.

The gesture carried quite a bit of underworld boss flair.

Unable to hold it in any longer, Xiao Jie burst into laughter, turning around and heading back home amidst the cat's exasperated and bewildered gaze.

Waking up the next morning, Xiao Jie felt a sharp ache in the muscles of both thighs.

*Damn, I actually pulled a muscle.*

He rubbed his legs with a helpless sigh. Well, it seemed that even with added attributes, he still needed to put in actual physical effort in reality to adapt.

After breakfast, Xiao Jie logged into the game early.

He was eager to return to the farmland to level up, but before leaving the village, there were two tasks to take care of: first, feed the dog, and second, ask the NPCs about the Tian family's old estate.

Feeding the dog could wait; Xiao Jie decided to gather information first.

He walked straight toward the farmlands on the west side of the village. Several farmers were diligently driving oxen and plowing the earth, the panting cattle straining to pull the plows.

Other farmers were busy harvesting ripe wheat.

Farming in this game certainly wasn't as complicated as in reality: one merely had to plow the field once, scatter the seeds, water them, and then harvest when ready.

A crop could be grown in half a day.

The work required no technical skill, but crop prices were extremely low and yielded virtually no profit, which was why Xiao Jie hadn't bothered with it.

The NPC surnamed Tian was one of those farmers, named Tian Bao. At that moment, he was swinging a hoe to help turn the soil.

"Brother, could I have a word with you in private? I have a matter of great importance to discuss."

Tian Bao sighed. "Don't toy with a young man like me. What important matters could a humble farmer like me have? I haven't finished my work yet, so just ask whatever you need right here."

"May I ask if you know anything about the Tian family? I mean the old Tian family living at the abandoned farm east of the valley."

A peculiar expression crossed Tian Bao's face. "Why are you asking about that?"

"I want to find out how one can get through the front gates of the Tian family estate."

"Hmph, I knew it! You must be eyeing the valuables in my ancestral estate. Let me tell you, those are all properties of the Tian family! They were simply left behind when disaster struck. Once someone finally quells this troubled world, all of my family's assets will return to my hands—don't even think about claiming a single coin.

"Shoo, shoo, get lost! I have no time to talk to you."

A dialogue box popped up before Xiao Jie's eyes.

[Option 1: Brother, no need to be so worked up. I have my reasons for entering that old estate; just hear me out. (Persuade)]

[Option 2: Brother, why rush to refuse? Heaven knows how many years this chaotic era of demons will last. Instead of waiting for an illusory hope, why not trade it for some cash? I have [ ] copper coins right here. Tell me how to get into the old estate, and these coins are yours. (Bribe)]

[Option 3: Kid, don't toast only to be forced to drink a bitter forfeit. Tell me honestly what's going on, or else—heh, heh... (Intimidate)]

*Oh? It really is actionable.* Tian Bao turned out to be a descendant of the old Tian family; it seemed this fellow truly knew something.

Otherwise, this dialogue box wouldn't have appeared.

Xiao Jie quickly weighed his options.

Intimidation was definitely out of the question. He couldn't go around murdering villagers, and at most he'd just beat the guy up, which had no real deterrent effect and would easily backfire by lowering his reputation among the villagers.

As for bribery, the amount seemed customizable, but he only had a few hundred copper coins total, which he needed for repairing gear, buying supplies, and emergencies; he couldn't afford to waste them.

Better stick to persuasion.

His silver tongue was quite reliable, after all.

Whether it was persuasion, bribery, or intimidation, players were free to improvise their approach. After a moment of thought, Xiao Jie formulated his pitch.

He decisively chose Option 1.

"Brother, no need to be so worked up. I have my reasons for entering that old estate; just hear me out.

"Actually, I'm doing this for your own good. That old estate has been abandoned for so long, weathered by wind and rain without anyone looking after it, that it's long since fallen into ruin. In a few more years, it might completely rot away, leaving you with nothing—neither money nor house. It would be much better to let me help you open it up. If there truly are any good things inside, naturally you'll get your fair share.

"I'm not a greedy person, to be honest. Opening the gates of that old estate is really about uncovering the truth behind some strange occurrences. Did you know that the area surrounding your ancestral home is surging with demonic energy and overrun by monsters? There are definitely evil spirits inside that estate. If I don't help you clear them out, it will only cause you trouble when you try to reclaim your property in the future."

This speech proved quite effective.

Tian Bao wore a conflicted expression, yet he had to admit that Xiao Jie made sense. He nodded reluctantly.

"What the young brother says does carry some logic. Very well, I'll trust you once. How to enter my ancestral home... I'm not entirely certain, but I can tell you some things that happened to the Tian family back then.

"However, you must agree to do me a favor. When my ancestors left the old estate back then, they left in rather a hurry and didn't take the land deed with them. That might become a hidden hazard when I want to reclaim my family property in the future.

"If you manage to enter the ancestral estate, you must help me find that land deed and return it to me.

"If you are willing to swear a solemn oath, I will tell you the story."

[System Prompt: Triggered quest [Find the Land Deed]. Help Tian Bao locate the land deed of the Tian family estate and swear the [Heavenly Retribution Oath]. If the land deed is found, it must be returned to Tian Bao. Do you accept? Yes/No.]

Xiao Jie naturally chose to accept. He had no use for the scrap of paper anyway; returning it once found was no trouble.

If he failed to find it, it wouldn't count as breaking the oath.

"Alright, as long as I can find the land deed, I will definitely bring it back to you. Otherwise, may I suffer heavenly retribution."

Tian Bao nodded. "No problem then. Listen closely, young man—

"The story of my Tian family back then was told to me by my ancestors. By that time, the great disaster had already been going on for over a century. Most of Ginkgo Valley had been devastated and was no longer habitable. Many scattered residents of the valley fled to Ginkgo Tree Village to settle down, as it was rumored that an immortal tree blessed the village and ensured safety.

"My Tian family, however, possessed great wealth and estate. The head of the family, Tian Youcai, was highly skilled in martial arts and commanded numerous servants, allowing him to barely hold onto his domain.

"Yet, as demons grew increasingly rampant, my great-great-grandfather Tian Youcai racked his brains to defend the estate, but found himself growing increasingly powerless against the tide.

"Later on, he somehow crossed paths with a strange Daoist priest and obtained a treasure from him. It was said that this treasure was miraculous, capable of summoning heavenly soldiers and generals to descend to the mortal realm and protect our household, rendering any number of demons and monsters insignificant.

"What exactly that treasure was is no longer verifiable. However, according to my father, the treasure was immensely powerful, and when used, it genuinely summoned hosts of heavenly soldiers and generals.

"Only... those heavenly soldiers and generals looked a bit too terrifying. The servants of the Tian family lacked experience and fled in terror upon seeing them, leaving only my family behind.

"At that time, there were five members in the Tian family. My ancestor was Tian Youcai's second son, Tian Erhu. There was also an eldest son named Tian Daniu, the family head Tian Youcai, the matriarch Madam Tian, and an elder grandfather whose name has been forgotten.

"Originally, the five family members together with the summoned heavenly soldiers and generals could have lived on peacefully, but unexpectedly, Tian Youcai lost his mind. He drove the rest of the family out, sealed the main gates shut, and hid inside the old estate alone.

"What happened afterward, I do not know. I only know that my ancestor later fled to Ginkgo Tree Village to settle down, and we never heard news of the others again. The remaining members of the Tian family who stayed behind never followed, and their ultimate fate remains unknown."

Listening to this account, Xiao Jie pondered inwardly. There had been five members in the Tian family; with the second son having escaped to Ginkgo Tree Village, that left four. The Madam Tian he had slain yesterday was most likely one of them.

As for the so-called "heavenly soldiers and generals," they were certainly nothing of the sort. Could they be referring to those scarecrows?

Regardless, that treasure was definitely something formidable, though it likely carried some hidden dangers. Since Madam Tian had turned into a demon, the others had likely suffered the same fate, and that was probably the effect of the treasure.

Presumably, the key to entering the front gates lay with the remaining demons.