Chapter 261: East and West

Listening to Gou Wa's continuous boasting, Scholar Lu finally lost his temper, slammed the bucket onto the ground, and glared fiercely at him.

"What's so great about that? Aren't you just relying on your senior brother? Otherwise, would that woman even look at you?"

"Hey! You're absolutely right! I *do* rely on my senior brother! But I have one, and you don't~" Gou Wa said proudly.

"What's so great about that... I don't care at all! Just wait until my dad buys a theater..." The indignant Scholar Lu picked up his bucket again and walked into the house with a pout.

After finally emerging from Qingqiu and traveling such a long, arduous journey, Li Huowang could sense everyone else's exhaustion. He decided to let them rest here for a few extra days before moving on.

Conveniently, there was also a local opera troupe nearby, which could provide them with entertainment.

For the past few days, Master Lu had been visiting daily, always moving to the very front of the stage. He watched the opera troupe with an intense gaze, as if he wanted to devour them whole.

That night, inside the spacious granary, Li Huowang sat on a quilt, meticulously studying Han Fu's copper coin sword.

From the Nascent Soul's words, Li Huowang learned that this sword was quite extraordinary. It also possessed the ability to slay malevolent spirits.

During his encounter with Han Fu, Li Huowang had seen the copper coins of this sword scatter. If he could truly master it, he wouldn't have to cut his fingers every time for ranged attacks.

Truth be told, when Li Huowang faced danger, he most frequently resorted to the highly detrimental 'Great Thousand Record.' He had always wanted to replace this unhealthy method of self-preservation.

However, he hadn't yet found someone to experiment on, so he couldn't use it for now.

Li Huowang turned his head to look at his belongings beside him.

There was the bag of torture tools he had commissioned from a blacksmith, the longsword he had carried since leaving Qingfeng Temple, the Violet Tassel Sword he had obtained from the abbess, and the gourd containing nineteen Longevity Pills.

And finally, there was the Heavenly Book, which had always been useless.

Li Huowang's eyes slowly swept over these items, finally settling on Patriarch Danyangzi's Heavenly Book.

He picked it up and examined it inch by inch, pressing it with his hand occasionally.

But he ultimately confirmed that it was still just a stone slab inscribed with maxims encouraging good deeds; he found nothing else.

Li Huowang sighed, tossing the weighty Heavenly Book onto the ground. He now felt as if he were sick, carrying a useless stone for over a thousand *li*.

"Should I just throw it away?" Li Huowang pondered, then immediately picked the stone up again.

"No, even if this thing is useless, its hardness is at least decent. It should still come in handy."

Looking around, Li Huowang focused his gaze on Gao Zhijian, who was currently playing with Mantou.

"Zhijian, come here for a moment. I'll give you a breastplate."

Soon, the stone slab, bound with chains, was hanging on Gao Zhijian's chest. As for where the iron chains came from, they were, of course, the ones previously used to restrain Li Huowang.

Gao Zhijian was very nervous about Senior Brother Li fastening such a valuable item to him and couldn't help but want to take it off.

"Don't take it off. From now on, this thing will stay with you. Anyway, it's completely useless when it's with me, but it might have some value with you."

Li Huowang drew the Violet Tassel Sword and lightly jabbed at Gao Zhijian's chest, finding that it only left a white mark.

However, watching Gao Zhijian looking left and right, Li Huowang felt awkward. With just a stone slab hanging on his chest, it was like a child's open-crotch apron, covering too little.

"Isn't Peng Longteng's armor on the ox cart? Try it on," Li Huowang told him.

That madwoman's armor plates were good stuff; they could even block his own murderous Violet Tassel Sword.

Hearing Li Huowang's words, Gao Zhijian shook his head and stammered, "Too... too... too heavy!"

"Who told you to wear it all? Just pick a few lighter pieces to protect your shoulders, neck, and other vital areas."

Gao Zhijian scratched the back of his head and turned to walk towards the ox cart outside the house.

Soon, the heavy silver armor plates covered Gao Zhijian's body. As he pulled the visor down over his face and hoisted the heavy spiked mace onto his shoulder, a formidable beast instantly appeared before Li Huowang.

Li Huowang looked at his masterpiece and nodded in satisfaction. "Let's go! Try it out outside!"

Soon, crisp metallic clangs echoed from outside the courtyard. Li Huowang was surprised to find that Gao Zhijian, in this state, could even hold his own against him without Li Huowang resorting to the 'Great Thousand Record.'

Breathing heavily, Li Huowang stood still and looked at Gao Zhijian. "Alright, from now on, if anything happens, remember to wear it like this. It'll definitely come in handy."

The visor opened, revealing Gao Zhijian's honest face. He nodded, then reached back to scratch the back of his head again, only to scratch the smooth surface of the helmet.

"By the way, everyone else went to watch the opera. Why didn't you go?" Li Huowang sheathed his sword.

"Not... not... not good to watch!" Gao Zhijian, drenched in his own sweat, took off the entire heavy layer of armor. He walked over to Mantou, who was squatting nearby, easily rolled her over, and used his thick fingers to scratch Mantou's plump, white belly.

Seeing someone playing with her, Mantou was very happy. She panted with her tongue out, wiggling her body and constantly kicking her limbs.

Looking at the man and dog before him, Li Huowang shook his head and, sword in hand, walked back into the house.

After meticulously putting on the items from the ground, Li Huowang finally hesitated before the three swords in front of him.

One was the abbess's Violet Tassel Sword, another was Han Fu's copper coin sword, and the third was the sharp sword belonging to Senior Brother Changming from Qingfeng Temple.

He wasn't a blacksmith, and besides, carrying three swords would be too heavy.

Just as Li Huowang was hesitating, Scholar Lu, with a green leaf tangled in his hair, burst directly into the room.

When he saw Li Huowang alone, he immediately knelt eagerly before him and knocked his head three times with loud thuds. "Daoist Master! I beg you to accept me as your disciple! Please teach me your divine abilities!"

"Hmm?" Li Huowang looked at him in confusion, wondering what he was up to. Had he become too engrossed in the opera? "Stop kowtowing. I can't teach you."

Li Huowang was speaking truthfully; he couldn't teach him either his 'displacement' ability or the use of the 'Great Thousand Record.'

The only things he *could* teach were his half-baked alchemy or his proficient torture techniques, though the latter was likely not what the boy wanted.

"Daoist Master, please teach me! If you don't, I... I won't get up!" Scholar Lu kowtowed heavily again.

"Then keep kowtowing," Li Huowang said, turning back to examine the three swords on the ground.

Just then, one-armed Chun Xiaoman entered from outside.

Seeing the woman covered in black fur, Li Huowang thought for a moment, picked up the sharp sword that had accompanied him the longest, and threw it to her.