Chapter 135: Mountain Foot

In the small town at the foot of Mount Henghua, Li Huowang led a group of people forward. Mantou, seemingly seeing so many people for the first time, stuck close to Li Huowang's leg.

The long journey had been exhausting, everyone was tired, and they needed a good rest.

Although Ancian Nunnery was now in sight, Li Huowang was no longer as hurried as before.

With the oppressive feeling of potentially being replaced by Dan Yangzi gone, he could finally afford to slow down a bit.

Li Huowang looked around with his slightly weary eyes.

The small town at the foot of the mountain looked much as it had before. Perhaps because it was a transport hub, even though it wasn't market day, the streets were bustling with people.

The only difference, it seemed, was the increased number of beggars squatting in corners.

Dressed in rags, the beggars spotted Li Huowang's group, especially the three carriages, and quickly approached, holding up their broken bowls to Li Huowang, and began chanting a ditty.

"Look, look, here comes a poor beggar! Kind sirs, generous sirs, please pity this pauper. A bun, a mouthful of soup, and may you live long and be well!”

With a "clang," a long sword was drawn, and the beggars scattered like startled birds.

"Three of bamboos!"

A sharp "thwack" sound made Li Huowang instinctively glance in that direction.

"Pung! Six of characters!"

"Oh, what a hand! Another nine of dots."

"Ah! One of bamboos! Haha! Self-drawn all of one suit! Haha, pay up, pay up!"

Inside the lively mahjong parlor, it was bustling, with hardly an empty seat. The clatter of dice and mahjong tiles was incessant, and everyone was engrossed in their game.

"Oh, they're playing mahjong," Li Huowang murmured, then turned and continued walking.

After a few steps, Li Huowang arrived at the old inn where he had stayed before. Stepping over the threshold, he addressed the approaching waiter: "We need rooms for the night and also a meal. Tell the cook in the back to prepare some substantial dishes, but no pork."

"Yes, sir! Please come in!"

"Senior Brother Li, although we have plenty of money, we're only spending it, not earning more. We should save a bit, shouldn't we?" Bai Lingmiao clearly had some reservations about Li Huowang's extravagance.

Sitting at the head of the Eight Immortals Table, Li Huowang took the tea from the waiter and took a sip, then said, "It's fine. Let's celebrate a bit. We won't be eating like this every day."

"You have the nerve to eat! You beast! Have you ever considered that while you're enjoying your meal, those people were killed by you?! Why don't you just die?!!"

Facing Jiang Yingzi's baseless curses, Li Huowang remained unperturbed. He continued, addressing the others: "Once you're done eating, just wait here. Ancian Nunnery is also a mess, so I'll be back down soon."

At first, when the two people suddenly appeared beside him, he found it very difficult to accept.

But with each passing day of constant proximity, Li Huowang had completely adapted to a long-dead ghost yelling in his ear.

All Jiang Yingzi could do was curse incessantly, and it didn't affect Li Huowang much.

In contrast to Jiang Yingzi, Dan Yangzi remained standing far off, staring at him ominously.

After some simple tests, Li Huowang found that these two were indeed just illusions, and could not genuinely affect him.

He didn't know how long this situation would last, or if anyone else would appear in the future. But compared to being replaced by Dan Yangzi, the current situation seemed far less difficult to accept.

"Hehe~ Your dishes are here! 'Azure Dragon Emerging from the Sea'~! 'Two Dragons Playing with a Pearl'! 'Three Suns Bring Prosperity'~! 'Blessings from the Eastern Sea'! Please enjoy, honored guests~ Other delicacies will arrive shortly!”

Lu Xiucai, who had been constantly swallowing, was about to pick up his chopsticks when Lu Zhuangyuan tapped them down with his pipe stem. Lu Xiucai then chuckled ingratiatingly at Li Huowang. "Young Daoist Master, please go ahead and eat first. You've worked hard on the journey. This meal is on us."

Li Huowang gave him a surprised look, but unwilling to waste time on such minor matters, he picked up his chopsticks and began to eat.

For some reason, Li Huowang felt that the Lu Family Troupe was even more restrained in his presence.

Having been on the road for so long, everyone had a hearty appetite. With Bai Lingmiao and Gao Zhijian, two big eaters, a large table of dishes and two buckets of rice were quickly devoured.

After eating their fill, Li Huowang took another sip from his teacup, then stood up, gathered his belongings, and headed out of the inn.

"I'm leaving now. I should be back before dark."

As soon as Li Huowang left, Lu Juren put down his clean bowl and chopsticks, walked up to Lu Zhuangyuan, and lightly coughed, "Father, can I have a word?"

When they reached the deserted stable behind the inn, a nervous Lu Juren leaned against a black horse that was eating feed, and asked in a low whisper: "Father! Why aren't we leaving?! Do you really intend to keep following him?! Have you forgotten him—"

He looked left and right, and seeing no one else, he continued in a hushed tone: "Have you forgotten what they all said that night? He's no master! He's a fiend! That Daoist robe of his was stained red with human blood! Aren't you truly afraid that one day he'll eat us all?"

Lu Zhuangyuan, his face full of wrinkles, pulled the pipe from behind his neck, lit it, and took a deep, satisfying puff. "Perhaps... the young Daoist Master has his reasons?"

"What kind of reasons could there be for doing something like that?! Oh, Father, have you gone senile?!"

"Hey! Looking for a beating, are you?! Who are you calling senile?!!"

Facing Lu Zhuangyuan's raised pipe, the usually placid Lu Juren uncharacteristically didn't dodge, but stubbornly stared at his father.

"Forget about us! What about Xiu? What about your granddaughter, Xiu'er? The storytellers say it themselves! Fiends love to eat boys and girls! Can you bear to put Xiu'er in danger?"

Hearing this, Lu Zhuangyuan, for once, didn't argue. Instead, he took another deep puff, and the lit tobacco in his pipe glowed brightly.

"Son, of course I understand what you're saying, but haven't you noticed anything amiss on this journey?"

"I know what's going on. At first, there were just a few more beggars by the roadside, which seemed like nothing, but soon people will be selling their children. This world is about to descend into chaos."

"If we flee on our own now, we'll be like a delicious bun that anyone can take a bite out of. Following the young Daoist Master, at the very least, ordinary bandits and highwaymen won't even be able to get close to us."

"Your father has lived for decades and is quite good at judging people. The young Daoist Master isn't that kind of evil person. Although his powers are formidable, his temperament isn't so scheming; he wouldn't do anything truly unconscionable."

"But..."

"There are no 'buts.' This is how it will be. I noticed your wife barely ate just now, which isn't like her. She's also been feeling nauseous lately. Take her to see a doctor and see if she's pregnant."