Chapter 5 - Help Is on the Way

The news of the Zhong's pact with the heretic practitioner spread like a wildfire in their village and the surrounding ones. Mister Zhong didn't believe his ears, when he heard of it for the first time. The rumors had assumed every possible shape by now: In some of them it was even said, that Zhong Jing Yi wasn't the child of Mister Zhong, but that the beautiful heretic practitioner was the father instead.

At least that one wasn't really acknowledged by the people, since Madam Zhong grew up in the village and had always behaved decently. Apart from that, only Miss Lian had seen the heretic practitioner with her own eyes, so who knew how reliable was what a young, unmarried woman said about a stranger? Maybe her description of the practitioner was more wishful thinking than genuine truth.

But regardless of that version not being able to establish itself, Mister Zhong chafed excessively at the stories. With each passing day the villagers looked at his wife more strangely and whispered more often and louder about his son. But when he said, that those stories weren't true, the people lay the blame on his fear of his son's future. Some even said the heretic practitioner had forbid the Zhongs from ever uttering the truth. And if they didn't comply, they'd be struck by thunder and find a cruel end.

Qiu Ling looked at the spreading of those rumors with worry. But until now, nobody had tried to hurt Jing He's mortal body, so he held back. He assumed, that the people would soon forget about the alleged heretic practitioner and not talk about it anymore.

However, he hadn't thought of how little happened in the country side, that could divert the people's attention. The previous months, the villagers had told over and over again the story of how the daughter of the Chongs had plunged into a mud hole near the edge of the forest and got stuck until two men had been able to rescue her with combined efforts.

There wasn't much truth to that story, too: Rather, one of the boys next door, namely the son of the Pans, had pushed the girl, that then only slipped on the muddy ground. Neither had she gotten stuck in a hole. Instead, a second boy — the son of the Ouyangs, who was known as the most reasonable of his age group and was said to have a good future ahead of him — had helped her up and brought her back to the village. The men of the village had only heard of it later. Of course from Madame Pan, who had told the story to Mister Pi first of all.

Qiu Ling didn't suspect how far the truth could bend at a place like the village of the Zhongs.

Meanwhile, the rumors even reached the ears of Madam Qiguan from one of the surrounding villages. Her youngest son had recently joined a deity sect and had — at least in the eyes of the normal villagers — become a daoist immortal, too. With eyes shining with joy, Madam Qiguan hurried to the paddy, where Mister Pi worked. He was one of the few in the vicinity, that knew how to write a little. — One of the reasons, he always acted cultured.

"Mister Pi, Mister Pi!" Snuffling, she halted in front of him and motioned him to the edge of the paddy.

Only too happily, Mister Pi passed his rake to one of the other men and followed her. "Madam Qiguan, what led you here and that so hurriedly?"

"I just heard of the child of the Zhongs!"

"Sch!" Mister Pi looked around hastily and indeed Mister Zhong, who didn't work far from them on the paddy, lifted his head. "A delicate issue. One can only feel sorry toward the Zhongs. Maybe it would have been better, not having a child at all, than creating one with dark magic."

Madam Qiguan nodded eagerly. "Indeed, indeed. But maybe they can still be helped?" Madam Qiguan shot Mister Pi an insinuating gaze.

"That would be great for the Zhongs …"

"Yes, indeed." Madam Qiguan folded her hands and lowered her voice with a look at Mister Zhong. "You certainly still know, that my son, Cheng Da, was admitted to a deity sect previously. He is a practitioner now, too. A good one, of course", she added with another glance at Mister Zhong. Under no circumstances could she allow people to link her son with the heretic practitioner of the Zhongs. "Anyway, I'm sure my son would know a way to help the Zhongs."

"That would be great." Mister Pi ran his hand over his chin thoughtfully. "But the deity sect is far away, no?"

"Indeed, indeed. Regrettably, that is the case. But if you could help me write a letter … Isn't Mister Mao going to the city next week? The deity sect is on his way. He could take the letter with him."

Mister Pi lifted his brows. That was indeed so! If he helped her to write the letter, could he be present, when Qiguan Cheng Da came to examine the child? "Ah, Madam Qiguan, we shouldn't take our time with something like that. The Zhongs already had to wait that long. The sooner they get good news, the better. Please, after you." He motioned to the path to the village.

Only a couple of days later, at the beginning of the next week, the letter left the village of the Zhongs with Mister Mao, who knew nothing of it's content. And two weeks later, he arrived at the deity sect and in the hands of Qiguan Cheng Da, who returned home together with Mister Mao. The next morning, he hurried into the Zhong's village with his mother.