Chapter 149: Known in Advance

Limbs swayed, and white fangs trembled and extended, twisting in rhythm with the beating ceremonial music.

In the distance, the three figures performing the Nuo opera seemed to transform before Li Huowang's eyes, appearing less like people and more like trees.

After twisting for what felt like the time it takes to steep a cup of tea, a high-pitched chant emanated from behind their wooden masks.

It was a style of chanting that Li Huowang and his companions couldn't comprehend. The vocalizations rose and fell with the accompanying instruments, carrying a peculiar resonance.

While Li Huowang and his group couldn't make sense of it, the locals appeared to understand, closing their eyes slightly, tapping their fingers on their legs, and humming along.

After listening for a while and gaining no clearer understanding, Li Huowang started walking forward.

He didn't care how strange it was; he wasn't an opera performer, so it had nothing to do with him.

However, after only a few steps, Li Huowang noticed Lu Zhuangyuan hadn't moved.

"No rush, you go ahead. Humph! I want to see what's so special about this performance here."

Perhaps it was a case of professional rivalry, but he seemed to harbor significant animosity towards the Nuo opera performers.

"Father, perhaps we should do this another day. We're unfamiliar with this place. It doesn't feel safe."

Lu Zhuangyuan's eyes immediately widened, and he raised his pipe at his eldest son.

"Oh, really? Are you telling your father what to do now? With people coming and going on this street, what could possibly be unsafe?"

While they argued, Li Huowang had already led the others further down the road.

After walking for another half an incense stick's time, they finally secured rooms at an inn displaying a 'wine' sign above its entrance.

Inside a somewhat dated bedroom, Li Huowang placed his belongings on the table and exhaled a sigh of relief.

Two swords, the "Great Thousand Records," the stone slab Heavenly Book, and various torture instruments – all these scattered items together weighed a considerable amount.

He picked up the teapot, poured a cup of water, and took a sip, his brows immediately furrowing.

Bai Lingmiao, who was tidying the bedding, noticed this and approached him. "What's wrong?"

"Taste this. Does the water have a strange flavor?" Li Huowang offered her the cup.

She took the cup with both hands, sipped, and nodded in surprise. "You're right, it has an earthy, slightly fishy taste."

"I thought I was being overly sensitive, but it seems that's not the case. The water quality here in Hou Shu is poor."

Li Huowang walked to the window and propped open the paper screen with a wooden bar. "Tomorrow, have everyone spread out to gather information about Hou Shu. It would be best if you could find a detailed map, so we don't get lost."

"Alright, I'll do as you say." Bai Lingmiao finished arranging the bedding and reached out to untie Li Huowang's Taoist robe.

"While leading the horses, I noticed a well nearby. Since we have time now, I'll go wash clothes."

"Oh, right, Senior Brother Li, I recall there was a deceased Taoist acolyte whose family lives in this town. Should we deliver the ashes?"

Li Huowang's heart stirred, and he suddenly remembered hearing about it before.

"Who is keeping the ashes? I'll deliver them myself."

"Now? It's quite late. Perhaps we should rest and go tomorrow."

Ultimately, Li Huowang, carrying the ashes, and accompanied by Mantou and Yang Xiaohai, left the inn. He preferred not to delay such a minor task.

He brought Yang Xiaohai because the boy had been close to the deceased acolyte and knew where the family lived.

Of course, there was an unspoken secondary reason: a fear that if Li Huowang were to suddenly succumb to his madness along the way, there would be no one to attend to him.

Li Huowang couldn't be left alone right now; having Yang Xiaohai with him meant someone could return quickly to alert the others if needed.

Carrying the ash jar, Yang Xiaohai began telling Li Huowang stories about the deceased acolyte.

"Back at Qingfeng Temple, we all called her 'Boasting Mao' because she loved to brag, claiming her home was larger than the entire temple and that her family owned over a hundred sheep."

"She also said she was the only girl in her family, that her family doted on her the most, and that her father would slaughter as many sheep as she wished for her to eat."

Li Huowang glanced in surprise at the ash jar he carried. "This acolyte was a girl?"

"Yes, Senior Brother Li, don't you remember?"

Li Huowang shook his head. These acolytes generally didn't occupy much space in his mind, and he hadn't paid much attention to the diligent children.

"Ah... she was a pitiful soul indeed. To escape Qingfeng Temple only to drown..." Li Huowang felt a sudden surge of regret.

"Don't you find it disgusting coming from your mouth? What right do you have to say that? Do you even know how many you've strangled with your own hands?"

Jiang Yingzi's words instantly filled Li Huowang with extreme irritation. "Shut up!"

These words startled Yang Xiaohai. Though he and the others had witnessed Senior Brother Li talking to himself countless times, they still hadn't quite grown accustomed to it.

Li Huowang's expression turned grim, and he stopped speaking, resuming his walk with his head bowed.

While Li Huowang tried his best to ignore these hallucinations, it was not an easy feat.

They veered further and further off the main path, gradually heading towards the outskirts of the small Gobi town.

The sky had grown much darker, and the roads were less populated, with most people hurrying along.

Just as Li Huowang was about to ask Yang Xiaohai if they were indeed at the correct location, a joyful shout rang out from behind them.

"Taoist! Taoist!! It's me!"

Li Huowang instinctively turned his head, and upon seeing who was calling, he was instantly overjoyed.

It was the old monk who had previously stayed at Zhengde Temple.

Compared to his clean appearance inside the temple, he was now back to his old disheveled self.

"Monk, how did you get here? Weren't you staying at Zhengde Temple?"

Hearing Li Huowang's question, the monk couldn't help but complain. "Don't even get me started! I was practically suffocating in that temple. Not only could I not do good deeds, but they also made me memorize Buddhist scriptures."

"How could I stand that? So I just decided to leave. Anyway, where are you headed?"

"I'm going to... deliver something. We might as well go together. When you left the temple, did the Zhengde Temple monks cause you any trouble?"

"Why would they cause me trouble? Not only did they not bother me, but they even gave me a lot of money. Monks are all good people; there are no bad ones among them."

"Heh." Li Huowang chuckled, not bothering to argue.

Meeting an old acquaintance in a foreign land rarely improved Li Huowang's mood. It was always so simple to get along with straightforward people, and Li Huowang found himself having a very congenial conversation with the monk along the way.

Li Huowang deliberately brought up some shared past experiences, and the monk always responded readily.

Just as he was in the midst of an engaging conversation, Yang Xiaohai's voice brought him back to reality. "Senior Brother Li... we're here."