Chapter 135 - Beneath the Mountain

In the small town at the base of Henghua Mountain.

It seemed to be the first time that Bun had met so many people, and so it didn’t leave Li Huowang’s side for even a moment.

After a tiring journey, everyone was exhausted and in need of rest.

Even though the Benevolent Nunnery was right before them, unlike before, Li Huowang was no longer in a hurry. Since that oppressive feeling where he felt like he could be replaced by Dan Yangzi at any moment was now gone, he could finally take it easy.

Li Huowang used his somewhat tired eyes to look around. The town at the base of the mountain was the same as before. Even though it wasn’t a market day, perhaps due to the fact that it was a transportation hub, there were many people going to and fro.

The only difference was the increase in the number of beggars squatting by the walls. When the ragged-looking beggars saw their horse-drawn carriages, they quickly approached them before raising their broken bowls and starting to sing.

“Come gather ‘round, see the poor beggar’s plea~ Oh kind sir, won’t you lend an ear to me~? Have a heart and let compassion take its toll~ A bun, some soup, may you live a life whole!”

Jiang!

At that moment, a long sword was drawn, causing the beggars to scatter like frightened birds.

“Three bamboos!” said a voice.

Pa!

Hearing the voice and the sound, Li Huowang subconsciously looked toward the source.

“Pong! Six characters~”

“Aiya~ what kind of hand is this, nine dots again.”

“Ah~ Haha! A self-drawn pure suit~ Hahaha, pay up!”

The mahjong parlor was quite lively and bustling with people; almost every seat was occupied, and you could constantly hear the sounds of the dice and mahjong tiles clashing. It could be seen that everyone was having fun.

“Oh, they are playing mahjong,” remarked Li Huowang before continuing onward.

After walking for a while, they arrived at the inn they had previously stayed at.

As Li Huowang stepped into the inn, he said to the oncoming waiter, “We need both accommodation and a meal. Tell your chef to prepare some hearty dishes, but no pork.”

“Ah~ Alright, dear guest, please come in~”

“Senior Li, while we do have ample money, we are spending without an income. Perhaps we should be a little more frugal,” Bai Lingmiao voiced her concern at Li Huowang’s extravagance.

Li Huowang sat at the seat of the host and sipped the tea that was offered to them by the attendant, and then said, “It’s alright, let’s celebrate a little. It’s not like we eat like this every day.”

"You beast! You still have the nerve to eat?! Have you ever thought about the people who died because of you?! Why don't you go and die?!!" shouted Jiang Yingzi.

However, despite Jiang Yingzi’s insults, Li Huowang remained completely unfazed as he continued to address the others, "Wait here after we finish the meal. The Benevolent Nunnery is quite dirty. I'll be back soon."

Initially, he had found it hard to accept his new companions.

As time passed, Li Huowang was able to completely adapt to the presence of a long-dead ghost shouting in his ear. After all, Jiang Yingzi could only resort to incessant cursing, which could really affect Li Huowang.

On the other hand, Dan Yangzi often stood in the distance, watching him creepily.

After a few simple tests, Li Huowang had discovered that they were indeed just illusions, and could not actually affect him.

He did not know how long such a situation would last for, or whether others would appear in the future. But for now, this situation was a lot easier to accept than being taken over by Dan Yangzi.

“Hehe, the dishes are here~ Green Dragon Emerges from the Sea~ Twin Dragons Chasing the Pearl~ Three Suns Prosperity~ Fortune in the Eastern Sea~ Dear guests, please enjoy~ Other delicacies will also arrive shortly~” said the waiter as he brought in their dishes.

Seeing all these dishes, Lu Xiucai started salivating. Just as he was about to pick up his chopsticks, he was tapped by Lu Zhuangyuan’s tobacco pipe.

After stopping his son, Lu Zhuangyuan smiled flatteringly and said, “Young Taoist, please eat first. You’ve had a tough trip, so let this meal be our treat.”

Surprised, Li Huowang glanced at him, and then picked up his chopsticks as he began eating; he couldn’t be bothered with such trivial matters.

𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

At the same time, he had a feeling that in his presence, the Lu Family Troupe was a lot more restrained.

After having traveled for so long, everyone was hungry. Bai Lingmiao and Gao Zhijian both had large appetites, and quickly wiped clean the dishes on the table, as well as two more barrels of rice.

Bun wasn’t left hungry either; it was given all the leftover bones.

After a satisfying meal that included plenty of wine, Li Huowang drank another mouthful of tea and got up. Once he picked up his belongings, he walked out of the inn, “I’m leaving. I should be back before nightfall.”

As soon as it heard him, Bun, who had been gnawing on a bone under the table, picked it up and followed after him.

Once Li Huowang left, Lu Juren put down his clean bowl and chopsticks, then stepped before Lu Zhuangyuan and cleared his throat. “Dad, come with me.”

After a while, they arrived at the quiet stable behind the inn. Then, Lu Juren leaned against a black horse that was eating some beans before whispering nervously, “Dad! Why aren’t we leaving?! Are you really planning to go with them! Did you forget—”

At that moment, he glanced around to check that there was nobody else around before continuing, “Did you forget what they said that night? That’s not a person—that’s a demon! Those Taoist robes of his are stained red due to blood! Aren’t you afraid that someday he’ll eat us as well?”

Hearing this, the wrinkled Lu Zhuangyuan retrieved his tobacco pipe before taking a deep puff. “Perhaps... Perhaps the Taoist has some difficulties?”

“What kind of difficulties can there be to explain doing things like that?! Ah, Dad! You’ve started to become muddle-headed!”

“Hey! Are you asking for a beating?! What do you mean muddle-headed?!” said Lu Zhuangyuan as he raised his tobacco pipe into the air.

Faced with Lu Zhuangyuan’s raised pipe, Lu Juren, who had always been honest, did not dodge it like he normally would. Instead, he stared at his father stubbornly. “For a moment, let’s forget about ourselves! But what about your granddaughter Cui’er? The storytellers often say that demons like to eat children! Can you bear to place Cui’er in such danger?”

Upon hearing this, Lu Zhuangyuan could no longer retort, which was quite unlike him. After a while, he once again took a deep puff causing the tobacco inside his pipe to start glowing brightly. "Son, I understand what you're saying. But haven't you noticed it? Something has been amiss throughout this journey. I know what's going on. Originally, it just started out with there being more beggars by the roadside. It doesn’t seem like much, but it won't be long before people even start selling out their own children. The world is slowly descending into chaos. Right now, we’re fleeing on our own, and that makes us easy pickings for anyone who wants to have a tasty morsel. On the other hand, following the Taoist at least gives us some safety against the ordinary outlaws and their schemes. Your dad has lived for a long time, and can judge people quite accurately. The Taoist is not that kind of evil person. Though he may possess formidable powers, his character is not immoral. He cannot commit such heinous acts.”

“But...”

“There’s no ‘buts’. Let’s stick with the plan. Earlier, I noticed that your wife didn’t really eat much. That’s unusual for her, and she even has the urge to vomit quite often. Take her to a physician; I have a feeling that she might be pregnant.”