After breakfast, Xu Lian and Qin Liu left the Lin family house.
Qin Liu whispered, "The tools for digging graves and some items to ward off evil spirits are ready. My fellow brothers are eating noodles at a noodle stall on the street."
Xu Lian asked, "Are we going now?"
Qin Liu smiled and said, "It's okay to go now. My fellow travelers and I can play in the city for a few days before going."
Xu Lian thought about it. He was free anyway. "Let's go now. Dig up the cultivator's tomb as soon as possible and get the things in the tomb. This will save us from unnecessary troubles."
"OK."
Qin Liu took him to the street.
I came to a noodle stall on Fifth Street. There was only one customer, but he ordered two large bowls of noodles and was slurping the noodles in big mouthfuls.
The guest had a shiny head and wore a cotton hat. Although the hat had been washed, traces of dirt could still be seen on it. It was obvious that he was someone who often dealt with dirt.
Qin Liu took Xu Lian over and sat down at the guest table. He introduced him to Xu Lian in a low voice, "This is my fellow tradesman, Chen Lu."
Chen Lu raised his head and put on his cotton hat which had slipped off his head. He looked at Xu Lian and then lowered his head to continue eating noodles. "Sixth son, is this the disciple you took in the dungeon? He looks like a young boy of sixteen or seventeen years old. Don't be scared to the point of peeing your pants."
Qin Liu smiled and said, "Don't worry, Brother Liu. My disciple is very brave and smart. I guarantee he won't make any mistakes."
Apprentice? Xu Lian looked at Tan Liu in confusion.
Qin Liu quickly winked at him.
Xu Lian knew that Qin Liu said this to hide his identity, so he didn't care. He stood up and took a garlic from the noodle stall owner, peeled it and placed it next to Chen Lu's bowl. "If you don't eat garlic when eating noodles, the flavor will be half gone."
Seeing that he was serious, Chen Lu was skeptical. He picked up the garlic, put it in his mouth and took a bite, then ate the noodles. As a result, he choked and his face turned red. He coughed continuously and the noodles in his mouth were almost sprayed out. He had to tilt his head to spit them out.
He looked at Xu Lian unkindly, "When I entered the industry, your Sixth Master hadn't yet. Did you get angry when I said something to you? Are you trying to get revenge on me?"
"This is your first time eating like this, so you won't be used to it yet. You'll slowly find it delicious."
Xu Lian explained that he himself had never tried eating noodles like this... he just saw it on Douyin.
Wait until Chen Lu finishes eating the noodles.
The three of them drove a donkey cart out of the city.
This donkey cart was brought from Chen Lu's home. The tools for digging graves and items for warding off evil spirits were all placed in the donkey cart.
Qin Liu didn't say where the cemetery was, and Xu Lian didn't ask, he just followed him.
Qin Liu and Chen Lu were both ordinary tomb robbers. As a warrior at the third level of Ming Jin period, he had nothing to worry about. This was the confidence that came from strength.
The most important thing is that even if Tan Liu told him where the cemetery was, he didn't know... where it was, so why bother asking
We stopped and walked along the way, ate dry food when we were hungry, and drank mountain spring water when we were thirsty.
After walking for two days, they left the official road and went further and further away. The road became more and more difficult to walk on. Chen Lu and Chen Liu's buttocks hurt from the bumpy ride, and they had to stop the donkey cart from time to time to rub their buttocks to relieve the pain.
Xu Lian didn't feel anything. For a Ming Jin stage warrior, this little bit of shaking was like sitting on cotton, very comfortable.
Another day of walking.
There is absolutely no way out.
The three men had no choice but to remove the frame of the donkey cart and lead the donkey away.
"Xiao Xu, how come you don't have the foresight to be an apprentice? Why don't you come over and lead the donkey?"
Chen Lu was quite dissatisfied with Xu Lian and complained about him all the way. He felt that Xu Lian did not have any apprentices and was like an official who did not do any work.
Qin Liu took the donkey's reins with a smile, "Brother Liu, I'll do it, I'll do it."
Chen Liu stretched out his hand to block him, "No, today I must let Xiao Xu lead the donkey. How can you be a master? You don't know how to discipline your apprentice. Then I will do it for you."
Qin Liu carefully looked at Xu Lian's face and was worried about Chen Lu, fearing that Xu Lian would suddenly go berserk and give Chen Lu a beating.
Fortunately, Xu Lian didn't care. He took the reins and led the donkey.
Chen Lu smacked his lips and said, "That's right. To be an apprentice, you must behave like an apprentice. You must have good eyesight, be able to read people's expressions, and be diligent. Only in this way will the master teach you the real skills. Isn't that right?"
Xu Lian said casually, "You are right."
Chen Lu nodded with satisfaction and glanced at Qin Liu, "See? This is the correct way to teach an apprentice. Learn more from me."
"..." Qin Liu opened his mouth, wanting to say something but stopping himself, and finally said nothing. Anyway, he annoyed Xu Lian... and he was not the one who was beaten.
Xu Lian was surprised and asked, "Since Brother Liu likes to teach apprentices so much, why doesn't he take in an apprentice himself?"
Chen Lu said with a gloomy face, "Don't mention this, it makes me angry. During the years when your sixth master was arrested and imprisoned in the dungeon, I dug graves alone without help, so I took in an apprentice.
My apprentice is much smarter than you. He has a good eye and is very hardworking. He always follows me around and calls me "master" all the time, which really touches my heart. As long as I look at him, he knows what to do.
I was naturally delighted to meet such a good candidate, and taught him all my grave-digging skills, even my best tricks."
Xu Lian vaguely guessed, "In the end, he betrayed you?"
Chen Lu nodded, "That kid learned the skill of digging graves from me, and then he recruited others to join him, leaving me behind. I don't know if I taught him well or if he was lucky, but before long, he dug several rich tombs and made a fortune."
Xu Lian felt sorry for him, "It really is true that if you teach your apprentice well, you will starve to death."
Chen shook his head. "I'm not starving to death. I still have my grave digging skills. I was almost pissed off by him. After he got rich, he kidnapped my wife and made her give birth to a big fat boy. What's most annoying is that he often drags my wife and son past my house, showing off."
Retribution... Xu Lian didn't want to laugh, but he couldn't help it. Digging graves to make money from the dead must have been retribution in the end. Chen Lu was really pitiful. He taught a disciple but abducted his master's wife.
Qin Liu was a little dazed. "Brother Liu, no wonder you always hesitated when I asked you where your sister-in-law went, saying that she went back to her parents' home. So it turns out that she was abducted by your apprentice?"
Chen said in a muffled voice, "I am just embarrassed to say this. I have become a laughing stock among the neighbors in the past few years. How can I have the nerve to tell you?"
Qin Liu patted his shoulder comfortingly and said, "Brother Liu, when we dig up the cultivator's tomb, if there are any cultivation manuals inside, we can practice them. Even if we can't become cultivators, we can learn some martial arts. Then we can kill that guy and get revenge."
Chen Lu sighed, "Forget it. A husband and wife are bound by love for a hundred days. They are still husband and wife after all. That woman has given birth to a big fat boy for him, and now she is pregnant again. Even if I kill that boy, what will happen? I can't bear to leave her two children without a father. Since that woman likes to live with that boy, let her do what she wants."
Xu Lian couldn't help but look at Chen Lu a few more times. He didn't expect that he was so sentimental. No wonder when Qin Liu was thrown into the dungeon, he didn't give Chen Lu up even under severe torture.
As the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together. People of the same kind will become friends with people of the same kind. Qin Liu is loyal and Chen Lu is sentimental. These two are good friends, which is rare in such a world.