Chapter 905: Playing Martial Arts

"Dad, a little more to the left? Is it straight now?" Li Sui extended a few tentacles, tilting her head to follow the instructions from behind as she put up spring couplets on the wall.

The aroma of cooking meat in the air and the distant crackle of firecrackers brought a joyous smile to Li Sui's face. She loved lively atmospheres, and the New Year celebration was always the most festive time of the year. She simply adored it.

"Sui Sui, can you read all the characters on these spring couplets?"

Feeling her mother's hand gently caress her head, Li Sui nodded repeatedly with pride. "Yes, I can! I know them all!"

"Oh, really? That's impressive! Then tell Mom, Sui Sui, what do the spring couplets say?"

"The first line reads, 'Dwelling in a blessed land, wealth flourishes,' and the second line says, 'Fortune shines on the household, prosperity abounds!'"

"That's wonderful! And what about the horizontal banner, Sui Sui?"

"The horizontal banner says, 'May all your wishes come true!'"

"You're amazing, Sui Sui." Feeling her mother hug her from behind, Li Sui's eyes crinkled into a joyful smile.

"But, Sui Sui, isn't the horizontal banner a bit crooked?"

"Crooked?" Li Sui took two steps back and carefully scrutinized the horizontal banner beneath the plaque.

Yet, after observing it very carefully for a moment, Li Sui still couldn't tell if the red banner was crooked at all.

"Mom, it's not crooked. Dad, do you see the horizontal banner as crooked?"

This time, however, her question received no reply from behind.

"Dad? Mom?" Li Sui turned around in a daze, only to find the space behind her empty. There was no one there, and the aroma of meat and the sound of firecrackers had vanished without a trace. She didn't know when they had disappeared.

Suddenly, she spotted two figures, one in white and one in red, at a distant intersection, gradually moving away. Li Sui instantly panicked, struggling to run towards them. "Dad! Mom! Where are you going?"

The faster Li Sui chased, the further away the figures seemed to get.

Witnessing this, Li Sui no longer cared about maintaining her human form. More than a dozen tentacles burst from her body, which split open down the middle, and she propelled herself forward, rapidly rushing towards them.

"Dad! Mom! Don't leave me! I beg you! I promise I'll never make you angry again! I wouldn't dare!"

But no matter how fast she ran, the figures in red and white in the distance always seemed to be just a step ahead, eventually disappearing at the end of the distant road.

Li Sui finally couldn't hold on. She stumbled and fell to the ground, sitting there and bursting into loud sobs.

As she cried, Li Sui gradually woke up. Still sobbing, she looked around the cave, realizing then that she had only been dreaming.

It had been several days since she fell from the sky, and she still hadn't found Youdu.

Thinking of her plight, a deep sorrow welled up in Li Sui's heart, and she burst into loud tears once more.

Yet, crying for any length of time wouldn't change her situation; she had to walk her own path. Half an hour later, Li Sui emerged from the stone cave and continued along the small path towards Youdu.

She wondered if she had taken a wrong turn, as there were always so many forks in the path.

More importantly, so much time had passed, and she didn't know how her father was doing, or if he still needed Dragon Qi. She worried if she would even make it there in time.

After walking for several hours on the small path, it gradually merged into a larger road. Li Sui continued her journey along this road. When she was hungry, she would catch live creatures in the forest to eat, and when thirsty, she would drink their blood.

After two more days of travel, a town appeared before Li Sui.

Li Sui looked around, taking in the bustling sights of the lively town.

In the past, she would have undoubtedly run around, eager to join the commotion, but now her mind was preoccupied with other thoughts.

"I wonder how much further it is. I need a map."

"Should I buy a carriage, like my father used to? Walking is so tiring, but I don't have any money."

"It's a good thing I didn't throw away those furs. I should be able to trade them for some money." Li Sui reached inside her skirt, where several tentacles were tightly wrapped around bundles of animal fur.

Wearing a female skin allowed her to wear skirts, which meant she could carry more things.

In the past, Li Huowang always made decisions for her, but now Li Sui had to start making her own. She decided to mimic her father's past actions, following his example.

As she walked, Li Sui noticed a crowd gathered in circles at the intersection ahead. She stood on her tiptoes to get a better look, seeing several bare-chested men in the center, performing with spears and staffs.

The clang of gongs rang out. An eleven or twelve-year-old boy circled the crowd, beating a gong and performing somersaults, all while his mouth never stopped talking.

"The little gong spins around! Visiting friends from all four corners of the land, heading south, walking north, turning east, traveling west! Having journeyed everywhere, now we arrive at this esteemed place, Luoshan! Esteemed patrons, 'empty talk without practice is a false trick.' As performers, today we'll show you true skill! Chest-smashing a big rock!"

Soon, a long wooden bench was brought to the center of the performance area. A burly man lay directly on it, while two others placed a large stone onto his stomach. An old man, carrying an iron hammer, walked over, eager to begin.

"Heave ho!" As the old man exerted his strength, the iron hammer slammed hard onto the rock on the man's stomach.

This terrifying sight immediately made the young women and wives in the crowd close their eyes.

With a loud crack, the stone split in half, yet the man beneath it was completely unharmed. Gasps of astonishment erupted from the crowd.

Seeing the spectators' excitement roused, the performers struck while the iron was hot, showcasing various extraordinary skills like fire-breathing, sword-swallowing, and tightrope walking. Cheers surged through the crowd, wave after wave.

Li Sui had initially planned to leave, but being a child at heart, she became engrossed in the spectacle and forgot her original intention.

A continuous string of acts followed, captivating the onlookers and leaving the performers drenched in sweat.

Sensing the mood was right, the bearded old man winked at the young boy.

The boy reluctantly lay on the ground and turned his palm upward.

When the old man placed his foot on the boy's palm, the boy's legs thrashed repeatedly. Amidst his pained screams, his hand was forcibly twisted off its joint.

Ignoring the pain, the boy held a bowl and dragged his dislocated hand, pitifully begging the onlookers for tips.

Seeing that it was time to collect money, the onlookers immediately began to disperse, and soon not many remained. However, a few kind-hearted individuals pulled out three or five copper coins from their sleeves and tossed them into the bowl.

When the bowl reached Li Sui, she paused, then took out a wild rabbit fur from beneath her skirt and placed it into the boy's bowl.

Li Sui did not leave. She intended to ask the performers for directions. Watching their act, she couldn't help but be reminded of the Lu Family Troupe, feeling an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

She remembered her father saying that he had also once asked the Lu Family Troupe for directions. Such traveling performers were always well-traveled and knowledgeable.

The only difference from the Lu Family Troupe was that these performers were all men; there were no women among them.