Chapter 20 - Dan Yangzi

When he saw the two wriggling ‘things’ in front of Dan Yangzi, Li Huowang had a hunch.

Are these the creatures that will gather the ingredients for Dan Yangzi?

Just as he had this thought, Li Huowang saw Dan Yangzi lower his body and scoop up some dirt before shoving it into his mouth. Then, he started talking with the ‘things’. His voice was oddly different and sounded extremely unnatural, yet the creatures somehow understood him and quickly left after Dan Yangzi finished instructing them. When they departed, everything returned to normal.

“Don’t worry. Even if the ingredients on the sacred text are hard to get, I can still obtain them. It’s a good thing that I still have some people outside,” Dan Yangzi said happily.

“Yeah! Master is someone who will definitely become an Immortal. Nothing in this world is too hard for you! But Master, what were those things?”

“Hehe. It seems that you still have much to learn. Those are the Wandering Gods that the sacred text mentioned.”

Due to the dangerous situation Li Huowang was in for the past few months, he had never had the time to consider this, nor did he have time to contemplate the world he was in.

What is a Mountain Grandma? What are the Wandering Gods? None of this existed in his original world.

If it weren’t for the pork and lamb that he had eaten in this world, he might’ve thought that nothing in this world was ordinary.

“This is a good treasure. I had to use a lot of my power just to take it.” Dan Yangzi placed the bronze bell back inside his sleeves.

“Take?”

“Yeah, of course, I had to take it from someone else. Do you think anyone would give it to you for free? That’s what I should do if someone has something that I don’t! This was something that I learned when someone took my bun from me when I was five years old. When I was younger, I robbed people and took their money. Then I started stealing and taking techniques, treasures, and disciples. I’ve even taken the entire Zephyr Temple! Even the statues of the three deities have not condemned me!” Dan Yangzi said with satisfaction in his voice.

“You should listen well when adults talk. That is what it means to have manners. I’m only teaching you now because I treat you like my own family.”

“But Master, what if you can’t take something away from someone else?”

“If I can’t take it away? Then I would partner up with someone else to try and take it! You are literate, yet you don’t know how to use your brain? If you can’t take it even after joining forces with a partner, then poison them! If you can’t poison them, then frame them! Do every shady thing you can to get what you need!”

The few sentences Dan Yangzi had just uttered were enough to show Li Huowang just how he did things. He would do anything and everything he could, regardless of the method, to obtain what he wanted.

“Master, you are quite wise!”

“Yeah. So what if I can’t read? So what if I can’t understand many things? They told me that my ways were vile and evil. So I decided that I will become an Immortal! I will show them just who is stupid and vile!” Dan Yangzi’s last few words rang out as a shout, his ugly face filled with wrath.

Li Huowang didn’t know who Dan Yangzi was referring to, but it was clear that both of them had a deep grudge against each other.

Since then, Li Huowang spent most of his time with Dan Yangzi, including eating and sleeping. Both of them researched the method of becoming an Immortal.

During this period, Li Huowang perfected the recipe little by little, increasing the credibility of the sacred text.

The ingredients that Li Huowang had requested soon arrived.

One of those items was sticky and pale white in color, covered in soft black fur. The other was a clump of faintly glowing black boil.

Li Huowang was not only disgusted by the ingredients but also amazed by Dan Yangzi’s power. To think that he could actually acquire them!

“Master, should we refine them now?” Li Huowang asked.

“No need, there’s still a bit more time before the new year. Let’s go have our New Year’s Eve meal.”

Dan Yangzi’s words surprised Li Huowang.

New year’s eve dinner? Was this a tradition?

Li Huowang quickly followed Dan Yangzi out of the Pill Room.

They soon arrived in the cave meant for eating meals. The other three disciples had already arrived. They were Chang Ming, Chang Ren, and Xuan Yuan.

When he saw the empty table, Dan Yangzi frowned. “Why did you not prepare the utensils for the dead disciples? Quickly prepare them and get ready to welcome them and celebrate the New Year.”

Soon, every dead disciple had their own set of utensils, and the round table was filled with them.

Dan Yangzi smiled and nodded with approval. He sat on his chair while Li Huowang sat on his right side. The left side was left empty. That seat was meant for Zheng Kun.

“Plate the dumplings.”

A steaming plate of dumplings was carried in by the assistants. The aroma was quite tantalizing as the assistants used metal spoons to carefully place the dumplings inside everyone’s bowls, including those meant for the dead disciples.

“Hoho. It’s going to be a New Year soon, so relax and eat,” said Dan Yangzi.

Even though he said that, everyone, including Li Huowang, only ate after Dan Yangzi had taken the first bite.

Dan Yangzi picked up a white dumpling with his chopsticks and placed it in his mouth, chewing it with much delight. “Mmm~ The pork lard and chives blend together quite well! Hmm? What’s this? A coin? Haha! This is a sign of good luck!”

Li Huowang stared at the dumplings for quite some time before digging in as well.

Dan Yangzi smiled when he saw Li Huowang eating the dumplings. “You guys are lucky to be able to eat such amazing dumplings. When I was your age, I didn’t even know what dumplings looked like. I had only ever heard about how delicious they were. Then, on one of the New Year celebrations, I had the chance to smell a delicious aroma coming from one of the houses. On that day, I learned what dumplings looked like when I barged in there. I didn’t even play with their beautiful daughter that day. I cut her down and directly started eating the dumplings that were on the stove. I remember eating at least half a kilogram of dumplings. Back then, they had the same stuffing as well—pork lard and chives.”

The other disciples only smiled weakly, while Li Huowang stuffed his cheeks.

Dan Yangzi saw the tears on the corners of Li Huowang’s eyes and sighed. He carefully took his own bowl and gave Li Huowang his own share of the dumplings. “Sigh. Looks like you have had a very tough life too. Eat slowly and don’t choke on them.”

The New Year’s Eve dinner of five soon ended amidst the clanking sound of the bowls.

Just when Li Huowang thought they would begin refining the pills, he saw Dan Yangzi take out a stack of red envelopes from his sleeves and pass them to his disciples, including the dead ones.

“Come now. It’s almost the New Year. Place them beneath your pillows. When I was your age, I had no elders to give me my red envelopes.”

Dan Yangzi placed the final red envelope beside Zheng Kun’s bowl before smiling at Li Huowang. “You don’t need a red envelope. Come now, let's become Immortals together and share the same longevity as the heavens and earth!”

Li Huowang smiled and laughed happily. “As you wish, Master!”

“Let’s head back to the Pill Room, start the furnace, and refine the pills! You will control the flames!”

“Yes, Master!”