The Hidden Immortal

Chapter 3 Fighting for Water

The house was practically bare, with the only valuable items being two newly purchased quilts and half a vat of rice left over from before the new year.

The walls, built of mud mixed with thatch, were neither warm nor moisture-resistant.

When it rains heavily, the water drips down the thatched roof.

It's raining heavily outside, and it's raining heavily inside too. It's really tough.

Fortunately, there was another severe drought this year, so there's no need to worry about leaks.

Holding a kitchen knife, he squatted down next to the woodshed, scraped off the scales of the silver carp, gutted it, and cleaned it thoroughly.

Then bring out a larger earthenware bowl and cook the fish and water together.

After cooking, mash the fish and wait until the broth is as white and tender as milk before filtering out the small fish bones with a thin cloth.

The rice was now cooked. Pour it into the earthenware pot and sprinkle some coarse salt on top.

Although it's simple, the soaked rice grains are mixed with a rich and fragrant fish soup.

One bite and I felt energized all over!

In the entire Songguo Village, only Chu Xun could afford such luxury.

If it were someone else, they would have smashed the fish bones and swallowed them.

He would occasionally take a bite of the crisp, sweet Imperata cylindrica root, and before long, he had finished a bowl of white rice.

He let out a burp, washed the pots and pans clean, and squatted by the door eating the sweet and sour wild fruit that the crows had brought him.

Despite the scorching sun, Chu Xun felt that life was becoming sweeter and sweeter.

As evening approached and the sun set, villagers began carrying their shoulder poles and buckets, heading out of the village one after another.

Zhang Shigen and Zhang Anxiu were among them.

As she passed by the door, Zhang Anxiu made a special trip over, smiling and extending her hand.

Chu Xun placed a wild fruit in her palm, and the girl immediately smiled, her eyes crinkling into crescent moons.

A villager nearby joked, "Shigen, your daughter and A-Xun are quite a good match. You got a fruit today, but don't expect her to give you a big, fat son next year."

Zhang Shigen did not refute, but instead said, "If A-Xun is willing, that's fine too."

Chu Xun was an orphan, and his family only had two acres of land, but in the eyes of the villagers, this was actually a good thing.

Having no parents to support or care for will save you so much trouble in the future.

Although two mu of land is little, the people of Chuxun are down-to-earth, hardworking, and lucky.

During the severe drought of the past two years, his family carried the least amount of water, yet they had the most when it came to harvest.

I heard that his family has saved up quite a bit of money, unlike Li Ermao who likes to gamble.

The compensation his elderly father and brothers had risked their lives to obtain for him has been completely squandered over the years, leaving nothing behind.

It's just that his wife absolutely refused to sell the land; otherwise, he probably would have sold even those nine acres to try and recoup his losses.

Therefore, the villagers had a very good impression of Chu Xun and considered him a good candidate to be their son-in-law.

Unfortunately, not many families have daughters; there are only a handful, and they are all quite young.

Some people have asked Chu Xun if he should get engaged first.

Chu Xun doesn't require his wife to be exceptionally beautiful or extremely wealthy, because given his current status, marrying such a woman might be a disaster.

But at least... I can live with myself, right?

He had absolutely no interest in those snotty-nosed, blond-haired little girls.

When Zhang Anxiu returned with wild fruit, a villager nearby immediately said, "Girl, let your uncle taste the fruit."

"I won't give it to you! Xun-ge gave it to me!" Zhang Anxiu clutched the unassuming wild fruit tightly in her hand as if guarding against a thief, afraid that someone would snatch it away.

Everyone burst into laughter. They were just joking; they would never actually fight with a girl for fruit.

Before long, Li Ermao also came over carrying a carrying pole.

He was tall and strong, having eaten well before, and was as big as an ox.

Otherwise, one wouldn't lose several pounds after tilling the land for three consecutive months.

Even the rich man's old ox isn't this fierce.

Seeing Chu Xun squatting so leisurely at the door, Li Ermao snorted, "Xunzi, come with me to fetch water. You should work up your muscles. Look at your skinny arms and legs. If someone bullies you, you won't even dare to fight back."

Chu Xun knew his temperament and smiled, saying, "Of course I can't compare to Brother Er Mao. Everyone in the village knows you're the best fighter."

"That's right. When my father came back to visit his family back then, he taught me a few moves." Li Ermao waved the carrying pole a few times, making a show of force, but it was all just for show.

It startled the bystanders, who were afraid he might accidentally swing it at their heads, so they quickly moved aside.

"Xunzi, I'll teach you a couple of moves later, so you can show off a bit," Li Ermao said.

Chu Xun smiled and nodded, then walked away with his head held high.

This person isn't a bad person; it's just that his family has a history of military achievements, which makes him a bit arrogant.

He's always the first to step forward when someone is in trouble; he's incredibly loyal.

I stood at the doorway for a while in the warm air, and mosquitoes were flying around.

Chu Xun was so itchy from the bites that he went back inside and lit some mugwort.

Although the fumes made me dizzy and lightheaded, it was still better than being covered in bloating.

After some time, a loud commotion came from outside.

Unable to sleep, Chu Xun opened the door and saw a group of villagers running back in a disheveled state.

Many people had head injuries and were unconscious, requiring others to be carried back.

A cry of alarm rang out: "Oh no, he's not breathing! Quick, quick, carry him back!"

Although he was only at the first level of Qi Refining, his eyesight was already much better than that of ordinary people.

Looking in the direction of the sound, one could see Li Ermao, who had been so imposing not long ago, being carried away by others.

Half of his head had been severed by some sharp weapon, with red and white matter mixed with bits of flesh hanging out. He was completely lifeless.

Chu Xun was startled and quickly ran out to ask what was going on.

Zhang Shigen and his daughter also returned. They were alright; they were covered in dust but had no serious injuries.

Looking at the lifeless Li Ermao, Zhang Shigen said indignantly, "The people of Sanshi Village are unreasonable. They insist that the old well was built by their village and won't let us draw water from it."

"Er Mao was furious and started fighting with them. Who knew that these bastards were prepared and had hidden a martial arts master who chopped off half of Er Mao's head with a single stroke."

The villagers of Songguo Village were just there to fetch water and were caught off guard, so they suffered a great loss.

Many people were seriously injured, and whether they will survive is up to fate.

Zhang Shigen sighed and said, "The Li family only has this one son, and Er Mao's wife hasn't conceived yet. How am I going to explain this to her?"

What ordinary people care about most is the continuation of their family line, even if they don't have much to pass on.

But as long as there's a man with a handle, it's like the house will never fall down.

Chu Xun didn't know what to say, and turned to look at Li Ermao, who used to be full of energy but was now stiff and cold all over.

Fights over water are a common occurrence during the dry season, and it's not uncommon for them to occasionally result in fatalities.

But when it actually happens to someone you know, no matter how much you've experienced, you can't help but feel a pang of sadness.

A group of people carried Li Ermao's body back, and Chu Xun naturally followed behind.

Upon arriving at the farmhouse, several village women went inside first to prepare.

A moment later, the sound of things being knocked over came from inside the house.

Li Ermao's wife, with disheveled hair, rushed out of the house in a panic.

Seeing her husband's miserable state, she rushed forward and let out a heart-wrenching wail.

The villagers stood still, silently bowing their heads.

Several village women came over to help her up, but they couldn't lift her.

The man who was with her at noon is now gone.

She cried so hard she couldn't stand up, her voice was hoarse.

One villager gritted his teeth: "Let's go, grab our weapons and go back for revenge!"

"Revenge! Damn it, we can't let Er Mao die in vain!"

If the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold; if the rabbit dies, the fox will grieve.

The villagers were furious, and with red eyes, they went home and grabbed the few iron tools they had.

Some people were carrying kitchen knives, some were carrying rakes, and some were carrying sickles and other tools.

Even as their wives and daughters pleaded with them, they showed no sign of backing down.

Someone in the village died fighting over water. If they don't even dare to avenge their loss, what kind of men are they?

The elderly village chief, groping in the dark, was helped by his eldest son as he walked over.

His second son and three grandsons followed behind him.

The old man, with his white hair and beard, his face creased with wrinkles, slammed his cane heavily on the ground.

"All the men in Songguo Village, except those under sixteen and those without children, are going! Even if this old man breaks his bones here today, we can't let anyone look down on us!"