These dream-inducing insects seem difficult to deal with, but in reality, trying to remove them is not easy at all.
According to Xu Qing, these insects related to dreams are extremely rare, and besides finding the person controlling them with magic to break the spell, the only method left is to rely on one's own will to stay awake.
But there's a saying here: "The insect follows the dream."
What does "The insect follows the dream" mean? No matter how strong your will is, as long as you have moments of fatigue, the dream insect will take advantage and invade.
You can resist once or twice, but if this goes on for a long time, one's spirit will surely weaken, and it won't be easy to rid oneself of the troubles of the dream.
Xuan Yu didn't quite understand the language of the insect; Xu Qing, knowing more foreign languages, could barely act as a translator.
Ever since he opened his ears, Xu Qing could hear ghostly and divine sounds, and communicate with birds, beasts, fish, and insects, although there are varying levels of difficulty.
Birds and beasts have clear thoughts and easy-to-understand languages, whereas fish and insect thoughts are mostly murky, making communication the most laborious.
The white worm in front of Xu Qing has some intelligence, but just barely.
At this moment, questioning the white worm was like talking to a mute; the effort required was immense.
Fortunately, the plump white worm chirped and gestured with its six small hands, allowing Xu Qing to understand a few things.
For example, the giant fuzzy worm as big as the city gate tower that neighbors talked about was indeed a product of this little creature's messing around.
Xu Qing had heard of the Dream Stealer Spider and Dream Inducing Insects, but a shape-shifting, memory devouring insect was something he was seeing for the first time.
Looking at the plump white worm, Xu Qing felt like he was dealing with a mischievous child, thinking, how could you cause so much trouble?
Just napping throughout the day got him into such messes.
Thankfully, Yizhen Daoist hadn't been around recently; otherwise, if there were problems during dreams, the Golden Simurgh would come to question him immediately.
And then, to appease that greedy bird, Xu Qing would have no choice but to visit the Flower and Bird Market and buy some insects to silence it.
Xu Qing lectured the white worm sternly, unsure whether the worm understood, but its pitiful expression looked as if it recognized its mistake.
Finally, Xuan Yu feigned seriousness and added one more sentence.
"Did you hear? No more causing trouble in the future."
The tone was like a normal family educating a mischievous child, one playing the stern and the other gentle.
As the zombie and the cat completed their family education, someone walked into the Funeral Shop from outside.
Clad in white clothes and white boots, with sword tassels fluttering, he had quite a good appearance.
Xu Qing glanced and thought, oh, this is a distinguished guest.
The visitor was none other than the white-clothed swordsman Shang Shaoyang, whom Xu Qing encountered at a noodle stand when he first returned to Linjiang County.
Why is this person considered a distinguished guest? Because he is a swordsman who kills without hesitation; indeed, he is a distinguished guest of his Funeral Shop!
Whether killing thieves or brigands, or getting captured by the Government Office to be executed, in the end, they all end up here.
But wasn't this person taken away by the Government Office? How come he's out already after just a few days?
Shang Shaoyang inspected the Funeral Shop's environment, nodding with satisfaction.
"The heat outside is unbearable, but your place is quite cool, very nice!"
Xu Qing smiled, casually swept the coffin lid with his sleeve, and invited, "Come, sit down and talk."
"..."
Shang Shaoyang held onto his sword, unmoved.
Xu Qing was indifferent, sat himself down on the coffin, and asked, "You've killed several people in the street; by Dayong's laws, that would be a capital offense. Now you appear here—could it be you're fleeing from prison?"
Shang Shaoyang looked condescendingly at Xu Qing and lightly said, "I told you, I am a direct descendant of the merchants of Qianxi, and official scripts are written for these big families. Those who prey on the weak have been killed, and the officials won't fight for them."
"But surely the officials have to account for this somehow..."
"Explain what? I killed a notorious bandit, the officials rewarded me with two hundred silver notes. What else can be said? Do they want me to parade around the streets with red silk instead?"
"..."
Xu Qing was speechless.
If the world was filled with such second-generation bullies flaunting their power, how could it not be chaotic?
Shang Shaoyang swept his gaze over the shop's furnishings, noticing a single rattan chair near the counter.
But resting on that rattan chair was a black cat.
He didn't want to sit on the coffin, so he had no choice but to stand idly.
"How should I address you?"
Shang Shaoyang raised his eyebrows and asked.
Xu Qing chuckled: "My surname is Xu. You can call me Shopkeeper Xu, Mr. Xu, or Xu Boss!"
"Xu Boss, when I left the noodle stall back then, I heard you soliciting business on the street..."
Shang Shaoyang paused, then continued: "Currently, I have a friend who needs a proper burial. I hope Xu Boss can arrange it well."
After speaking, Shang Shaoyang took out the funeral expenses, exactly two silver notes with a denomination of one hundred taels each.
"Consider these as the burial costs, Xu Boss doesn't need to give me change."
Xu Qing looked at Shang Shaoyang; his carefree nature truly resembled that of a wandering knight.
"Rest assured, brother. Any guest my Funeral Shop handles will be treated with utmost hospitality."
"I just don't know where the guest currently is. Should I personally go to welcome them, or temporarily bring them here to stay?"
Shang Shaoyang shook his head and said: "No need to trouble yourself, the Government Officials will bring her later."
Xu Qing brewed a cup of tea for the other party, and Shang Shaoyang did not refuse.
Before long, two Government Officials from the Government Office arrived with a carriage, delivering a corpse wrapped in a straw mat.
Xu Qing received the corpse, opened the mat for a look, and was momentarily stunned.
Not for any other reason, but because the corpse before him was the woman who had once asked Shang Shaoyang for food.
Xu Qing looked up at Shang Shaoyang, who lowered his eyelids, silent and speechless.
Shaking his head, Xu Qing decided not to ask him.
Ahead of the corpse, three sticks of incense were placed, and at the feet, a pair of candles were lit. Next came the facial grooming and decoration for the deceased.
Xu Qing, undistracted, meticulously groomed and dressed the woman before him.
When nearly finished, Xu Qing glanced at the revolving lantern beneath the corpse.
The woman was named Yu Qiulan, originally from a reputable family in Yaozhou. Skilled in embroidery, praised as a good woman by those far and near, anyone lucky enough to marry her would be considered fortunate beyond one lifetime...
Alas, natural disasters are easier to avoid than human calamities.
Suddenly, flooding occurred in Yaozhou. The Yu family migrated entirely across thousands of miles, only to be met with brigands burning, killing, and looting in another province. Some of these brigands wore armor beneath their clothes, beheading people and taking their heads away.
Yu Qiulan's family was not spared; she alone was taken advantage of by the brigands, and on the verge of reaching the city, the leader ordered her execution.
Fortunately, the young man assigned to execute had some conscience; during the process, he offered her a chance to live.
Yu Qiulan followed the young man's advice, imitating the scream of a dying person before regaining a thread of life.
Yet, the road of escaping disasters and avoiding adversity was destined to be unsafe. Yu Qiulan, just freed from danger, found herself starving insatiably. A passerby broker then presented a contract of indenture, asking her to sign, at the cost of just a hearty life-saving meal.
Yu Qiulan understood what signing meant, but she did not refuse.
When food and clothing are sufficient, one understands honor; but when one is starving, dignity is lost.
Ultimately, it was all just for survival.
Xu Qing continued reading: Yu Qiulan followed the broker all the way to the Jin Sect, seeing many refugees going hungry during the journey. At that moment, she felt strangely fortunate.
She was merely trying to survive in the cracks, struggling beneath the stick; once she saved enough money and redeemed herself, all pain would end.
However, upon reaching the Jin Sect, Yu Qiulan discovered the brokers regarded her merely as cattle for earning silver coins, without treating her as human at all.
Xu Qing furrowed his brows, swiftly skipping over some scenes that even he, a Zombie, found unbearable.
Finally, the Sutra of Salvation offered a reward, a rice bowl.
It is said that during the Taiping rebellion, a rice bowl was borrowed from the Five-Bushel of Rice Sect, also known as the Orthodox Sect's fellow disciple brotherhood. This bowl was named the "Rice Bowl."
The Rice Bowl is considered the treasure of the Orthodox Sect, but after the downfall of the Taiping rebellion, it was completely lost. Some say the treasure conceals itself; the Rice Bowl came into being in response to calamities and will appear when the time is right.
Thus, rumors spread that the emergence of the Rice Bowl signals a year of famine and calamity, when people suffer greatly.
There are also explanations for major and minor calamities. Calamities come in forms of small ones affecting ordinary people that cannot be avoided, and major ones affecting the rich and powerful who also cannot escape.
This is fate, where life begins with luck and ends when the luck runs out.
Xu Qing looked at the bowl before him, thinking to himself, could it truly be the year of great calamity?