Chapter 20: Danyangzi

When Li Huowang saw the two entities crawling before Danyangzi, who was also twisting and squirming, he had a hunch. "Are these two things here to help him find alchemical ingredients?"

Just as he thought this, Li Huowang saw Danyangzi bend down, grab a handful of dirt from the ground, put it into his mouth, and then begin speaking to the two entities in strange, unintelligible sounds.

The sound was peculiar, nothing like anything a human could produce, yet the two entities seemed to understand. After bobbing up and down, they quickly dispersed.

As they departed, everything that had been twisting and churning in the dim, chaotic surroundings gradually returned to normal.

"My child, don't worry. Although the items described in the Heavenly Book are difficult to obtain, they are no match for your master. Out there, I still have connections," Danyangzi said proudly.

"Of course, Master. You are destined to become an immortal; surely nothing in this world could trouble you! But Master, what were those things just now?"

"Hmph, my child, you still have much to learn. That was what the Heavenly Book refers to as 'Old Master You.'"

The constant past crises had kept Li Huowang on edge, leaving him no time to ponder one crucial question: what kind of world was this place, truly?

Whether it was "Grandma Big" or "Old Master You," none of them seemed ordinary in any way.

If he hadn't eaten normal pork and lamb's head during meals, he truly would have thought that nothing alive in this world was normal.

"Ah, this is a real treasure. I spent a lot of effort to snatch it," Danyangzi said, placing the brass bell back into his sleeve.

"Snatch?"

"Of course you snatch! Will others just hand things over to you for free if you don't? Hmph! What do we do if we don't have what others have? Snatch it!"

"I learned that when I was five years old, after a beggar older than me snatched a stale steamed bun from my hand."

"When I was young, I snatched women, horses, and silver. Later, I snatched cultivation methods, magical artifacts, and disciples. Even the entire Qingfeng Temple was snatched by me! Did that clay statue of the Patriarch say anything? Hmph hmph." As he spoke, a trace of smugness appeared on Danyangzi's face.

"My child, you should listen when adults speak. This is me teaching you good sense, understand? I'm telling you this because I consider you one of us."

"But Master, what if you can't snatch it?"

"Can't snatch it? If you can't snatch it, can't you team up? Why is your educated brain so stubborn? If you can't snatch it by teaming up, use poison! If poison doesn't work, then resort to underhanded tactics!"

These few words revealed the bald man's way of doing things to Li Huowang. It also made him realize why this fellow used such disparate methods; it seemed everything he possessed had been snatched haphazardly.

"Master... Master truly knows how to live."

"Hmph! So what if I'm illiterate? So what if I lack enlightenment? They say I follow unorthodox paths, that I have no true Taoist heart. But when I become an immortal, I'll pry open their eyelids and make them see who truly lacks enlightenment now! Who has no true Taoist heart!" As Danyangzi spoke, his expression was furious, his ugly face contorted with malice.

Li Huowang didn't know who those people were, but he was certain the animosity between both parties ran deep.

For a period afterward, Li Huowang almost entirely lived and ate with Danyangzi, fully dedicating himself to working on the method of achieving immortality from the Heavenly Book.

During this time, Li Huowang also secretly continued to refine the method, making the entire path to immortality appear increasingly credible.

The items Li Huowang had requested were soon delivered.

He looked at the greyish-white, slimy, colossal mass covered in black soft fur, and beside it, an amorphous black swelling that shimmered faintly.

Beyond his astonishment at the repulsive nature of these items, Li Huowang was surprised by Danyangzi's power, amazed that he could procure such things.

"Master, shall we start the furnace?" Li Huowang asked.

"No rush, it's still a while until New Year's. Come, let's go have New Year's Eve dinner first."

Danyangzi's words surprised Li Huowang. Why were they having New Year's Eve dinner now? Was there a connection between the two?

Despite his thoughts, seeing Danyangzi stand up and leave the alchemy room, Li Huowang quickly followed.

Upon reaching the dining cavern, the other disciples were already there. When he said "other disciples," he meant only Changren, Changming, and Xuanyuan.

Upon seeing the somewhat empty large round table, Danyangzi's face instantly darkened. "Why haven't you set out chopsticks and bowls for the deceased disciples? Set them all out! Bring them back for New Year's."

Soon after, when all the deceased disciples had their chopsticks and bowls, the entire round table looked full.

Danyangzi, his satisfied smile back on his face, nodded and sat down in the main seat. Li Huowang sat to his right; the other side was empty, that being Zhengkun's spot. "Come on, bring out the dumplings."

A steaming pot of dumplings was brought in by the young acolytes, their fragrant aroma filling the air. They carefully spooned dumplings into everyone's bowl with an iron ladle, including those of the deceased.

"Hehehe, it's New Year's, everyone relax and eat more." Although he said this, everyone, including Li Huowang and the three other living disciples, waited for him to pick up his chopsticks before starting to eat.

Danyangzi picked up a pair of chopsticks, grabbed a white dumpling, and put it into his mouth. With eyes slightly closed, he chewed blissfully. "Mmm, pork crackling and chive filling, delicious! Hey! What's this? A copper coin? Good omen, good omen, hahaha."

Li Huowang stared at the dumplings in his bowl for a long moment, then began to eat ravenously.

Danyangzi smiled, watching Li Huowang devour the dumplings. "You've come at a good time; you get to eat such delicious dumplings."

"When I was your age, I didn't even know what a dumpling looked like. I only heard how delicious they were, hehe."

"Later, one New Year, I smelled the aroma of food from another family's home. I burst in and only then realized what dumplings looked like. At that time, I didn't even bother with the family's pretty daughter; I just stomped a knife down, squatted on the heated brick bed, and in a daze, ate two catties of dumplings until none were left. They were also the same pork crackling and chive filling."

The other disciples offered awkward, forced smiles, while only Li Huowang continued to gobble down his food.

Danyangzi saw the glistening tears in Li Huowang's eyes. He carefully picked up his own bowl and poured his dumplings into Li Huowang's bowl. "Ah, a child from a hard-fated family. Eat slowly, don't choke."

Amidst the sounds of swallowing and clinking bowls and chopsticks, the New Year's Eve dinner for only five people came to an end.

Just as Li Huowang thought it was time to start alchemy, he saw Danyangzi pat his bald head, pull a stack of red envelopes from his sleeve, and distribute them to Changming, Changren, and beside the chopsticks and bowls of the deceased.

"Come on, come on, it's New Year's. Remember to put these under your pillows for safekeeping. When I was your age, no elder ever gave me New Year's money."

Danyangzi placed the last red envelope next to Zhengkun's bowl, then turned with a cheerful smile to Li Huowang and said, "You won't need New Year's money; we two, master and disciple, will achieve immortality together and live as long as heaven and earth!"

Li Huowang smiled, a truly joyful smile. "Master, you are absolutely right."

"Let's go, back to the alchemy room! Start the furnace and refine the elixir! My child, you will control the fire!"

"Yes, Master!"