Chapter 195: Side Story 2: Theater Stories: Borrowing Years (Part 1)

Side Story 2: Theater Stories: Borrowing Years (Part 1)

Bai Wuchang shook his fan, listening to Xin Yi's report from behind, his expression obscure and unreadable.

"Interesting, interesting. She actually has two Life-Prolonging Pills," Bai Wuchang said in a playful tone.

Ever since the Liangcheng incident, he had felt there was something highly suspicious about this. It was said that after Tumi Xianzi forged five Life-Prolonging Pills, she never forged this medicine again.

Back then, the Venerable possessed one, and later gave one to the Yuanqing Sect; the remaining three were claimed by the Dust Realm Three Great Demon-Slaying Clans. Although the Venerable later seized two, to this day, one remains missing.

When Xin Yi previously reported the Taishang Sect matter to him, he had assumed the little girl was an orphan of the Qiao Family, which is why he made numerous arrangements and set a trap to lure her there. He had not expected her to produce another Life-Prolonging Pill in Liangcheng.

Could it be that Tumi Xianzi forged more than five back then?

Or perhaps the Venerable kept something hidden?

Bai Wuchang suddenly closed his folding fan, his brows furrowing slightly, though for only an instant before they smoothed out again.

It seemed that was not the case. The Venerable had lived with Tumi Xianzi for some time back then, and Tumi Xianzi trusted him deeply. Since the Venerable had informed him about the Huitian Pill, he would certainly not have held back regarding the Life-Prolonging Pill.

Seen in this light, this little girl was rather strange.

Interesting, interesting. Since she is from Guyang City, she must have some connection to the Yuanqing Sect. Perhaps...

Seeing that Bai Wuchang did not reply for a long while, Xin Yi's heroic brows knitted together. After pondering for a moment, he spoke: "This subordinate has one more matter to report to the Envoy."

Hearing this, Bai Wuchang did not speak, but simply snapped his folding fan open and began to fan himself, lost in his own thoughts.

Seeing him like this, Xin Yi knew he was waiting for him to report, so he said in a deep voice: "A few days ago, this subordinate discovered that in a village in the eastern suburbs of Guyang, there is an old woman who is one hundred and forty years old, yet she possesses not a shred of cultivation."

Hearing this, Bai Wuchang closed his fan and finally turned his head, though he did not look at Xin Yi.

"One hundred and forty years old? That is indeed somewhat rare. What are you implying?"

"This subordinate is wondering, could it be that she used a Life-Prolonging Pill to achieve such longevity..." Xin Yi kept his head lowered.

Hearing this, Bai Wuchang pondered for a moment, turned his head away, and opened his fan to start fanning again.

Another Life-Prolonging Pill? Has this Life-Prolonging Pill become some kind of casual snack? After searching for it for years without success, three appear at once?

He was not very knowledgeable about Pills, only hearing that some Pills required one to possess cultivation to be consumed, but this Life-Prolonging Pill was exceptionally rare, so he did not know if ordinary people could enjoy it.

Guyang City? It seems this Guyang City truly has its oddities.

However, since something is amiss, it would do no harm to go and take a look; consider it a pastime.

Thinking this, he said to Xin Yi: "I hear that little girl is from Youran Abode in Guyang City. Guyang City is too close to Jiuque Mountain; it is inconvenient for me to go there. You may investigate for me and see what her background truly is."

Xin Yi acknowledged the order and then vanished. Bai Wuchang remained in place, shaking his fan. A moment later, only the sound of a folding fan closing was heard, and suddenly a flock of grey sparrows fluttered into the air, but Bai Wuchang had disappeared without a trace.

"A reward of ten thousand taels of silver!!" Maidong exclaimed, though she hadn't read a single word of the content above.

Lingxiang knew that only fine food and silver could make Maidong loosen her tongue. She had been competing with her as a sister for over a decade, and to this day, they still hadn't determined who was superior.

Although the Sixth Senior Brother had divined that Maidong was one year older than her, she simply refused to admit it, didn't she?

Even the turn of the year made the age calculation fuzzy, and since the exact birthday couldn't be figured out, how could she let this little girl take advantage of her?

"Yes, yes! Ten thousand taels!" Lingxiang said with exaggerated flair: "How much crispy chicken could one buy with ten thousand taels! Oh my! Never mind crispy chicken, one could even buy the Xilai Tower in the city!"

"Oh my! This Xilai Tower has more than just delicious crispy chicken!"

As Lingxiang spoke, she waved the notice around, while Maidong's eyes seemed to have grown onto that notice—or more accurately, onto the three large characters "ten thousand taels."

Seeing this, Long Qi, who was packing luggage nearby, glanced over and felt disdain in his heart: truly, birds of a feather flock together; these two are exactly the same kind of people.

Just as Lingxiang was teasing Maidong in the courtyard, a person entered from outside the main hall—it was a little girl. She poked her head in, looking around the hall as if searching for something.

This sight was caught by Long Qi, who had come out to fetch something. He took one look, and his brows furrowed: this girl doesn't look like someone from nearby.

Although Long Qi hadn't been at Youran Abode for long, he was already quite familiar with Guyang City. Besides having to fetch spirit-vein spring water for Lingxiang, she was always ordering him to run errands.

Whether it was lacking common medicinal herbs like licorice, atractylodes, or cogon grass in the shop and needing him to buy them from herb farmers, or delivering pills and potions that had been successfully forged, or suddenly wanting to eat something and being too lazy to move, she would order him to go buy it.

Through all this back and forth, Long Qi had gotten to know most of the people in Guyang City, especially the shops in the bustling city south, which left a deep impression on him. Whenever he returned with water, he would always hear nearby people say: "Yo! Isn't this the disciple that little Lingxiang picked up? Being ordered to fetch water again, are you!"

Every time this happened, Long Qi could only respond with a smile, while inwardly grumbling: hateful Lingxiang, I really don't know what she told others, who is the one she picked up!

Just as Long Qi was wondering whose little girl was running around, the girl happened to see him. Her face lit up with joy, and she lifted her foot as if to step into the hall, but then shrank back, hiding behind the door with only half her head showing, her two small buns visible, staring timidly at Long Qi.

This made Long Qi quite curious. While packing his luggage, he smiled and asked: "Little sister, are you looking for someone? This is Youran Abode; I'm afraid you've come to the wrong place."

Upon hearing Long Qi say it was Youran Abode, joy appeared in the little girl's eyes, though she still shrank at the doorway and asked in a small voice: "Are you the shopkeeper of Youran Abode?"

So she was looking for Lingxiang. But why would such a small girl look for Lingxiang? Could she be here to seek medicine?

Just as Long Qi was about to answer, Lingxiang came out from the inner courtyard. Maidong had arrived, and she had intended to ask Long Qi to buy some food, but when she turned around and didn't find him, she came out to see what he was doing, only to spot the little girl at the door.

Lingxiang's brows furrowed for an instant, then returned to normal. She walked gently to the door, squatted down, and said to the girl: "Little sister, do you have some business? It's hot outside; why not come in, sit down, and tell me slowly?"

Hearing what Lingxiang said, Long Qi felt strange: it would be the tenth day of the tenth month in two days, and it was already too late to add clothes, so why say it was hot? Could Lingxiang be muddled?

Seeing Lingxiang's kind and gentle appearance, the little girl plucked up the courage to show her whole face, though she did not step into the room, only asking Lingxiang: "Are you the shopkeeper of Youran Abode?"

Seeing her like this, Lingxiang smiled and nodded: "Yes, that's me. Do you have some business? Come in and tell me." She stood up and gestured for the girl to enter the room.

Hearing Lingxiang say this, the girl was overjoyed. She was about to lift her foot to step in, but shrank back again.

Seeing this, Lingxiang smiled: "It is very safe inside this room; there is nothing harmful. Since you have business, little sister, it must be urgent. Come in quickly and tell me in detail."

Seeing Lingxiang step aside to invite her, the little girl hesitated for a moment, then as if having made up her mind, stepped into the room. Long Qi was even more curious; although she was just a young girl, her courage was truly too small.

Just then, he suddenly smelled a fragrance. It turned out Lingxiang had lit some coiled incense. It smelled a bit like sandalwood, but not quite.

Lingxiang let the little girl sit wherever she liked, and she found a chair and sat down herself, then began to ask.

"Little sister, what is your name?"

The girl had been looking around at the furnishings in the room. Hearing Lingxiang's question, she answered softly: "I don't have a name; my parents just call me Taoniu."

Lingxiang nodded, thinking she must be a child from a poor family, still young, so her family hadn't given her a name yet.

Maidong had waited in the courtyard for a long time without seeing Lingxiang return, so she came to the outer hall to look for her. As soon as she entered the room, she smelled a scent of Soul-Calming Incense, and without thinking, she asked: "Why are you lighting Soul-Calming Incense at this time?"

But when she saw Taoniu, she was stunned for a moment, then exclaimed in surprise: "Eh? What is this little sister here for?"

Lingxiang glanced at Maidong, then looked at Taoniu: "Then Taoniu, where are you from?"

Perhaps because of the Soul-Calming Incense, Taoniu relaxed at this moment. She rubbed the fabric of her dress and began, "I am from Yunluo Village, east of the city. I often hear elders say that the shopkeeper of Youran Abode is very capable, so... so I wanted to ask for your help..."

Upon hearing this, Lingxiang exchanged a glance with Maidong, who nodded and also found a chair to sit down.

"So, what kind of trouble has Taoniu encountered?"

Hearing Lingxiang ask this, Taoniu let go of her hem and began rubbing her fingers again: "We... there are monsters in our village. Please, Sister Shopkeeper, save us!"

Hearing her say this, Lingxiang could not help but frown. When she had returned just now, she had heard nothing of any monsters anywhere.

Lingxiang looked at Maidong, who also wore a look of confusion. When she was in the sect, she had never heard of monsters causing trouble nearby. Besides, even the villages on the outskirts of the city were under the protection of the Yuanqing Sect. What monster was so blind as to run wild on Yuanqing Sect territory?

Seeing Maidong's expression, Lingxiang knew she did not know either, so she asked Taoniu: "How does Taoniu know there are monsters causing trouble in the village?"

When Lingxiang asked this, Taoniu could not answer for a moment. Thinking Lingxiang did not believe her, she suddenly became agitated, jumped off the chair, knelt on the ground, and said: "It's true! I'm not lying! Several people in the village have already died! Sister Shopkeeper, please help our village quickly!"

Seeing her like this, Lingxiang hurriedly said: "Taoniu, do not be agitated. I believe you. Get up quickly."

However, what made Long Qi curious was that although Lingxiang said this, she did not step forward to help Taoniu up, which was unlike her usual way of doing things.

"I will make a trip to Yunluo Village. If there really is a monster, Sister will help you take care of it!"

Hearing Lingxiang say this, Taoniu was overjoyed and hurriedly began kowtowing to Lingxiang. Seeing this, Lingxiang quickly said: "Taoniu, do not do this, or Sister will not go. You should get up and go back quickly; I will tidy up and then head over."

Hearing this, Taoniu hurriedly stood up, performed a very obedient curtsy, and then hopped and skipped out of Youran Abode.

Seeing Taoniu leave, Long Qi asked hurriedly: "You believe what this little child said?"

Lingxiang stood up upon hearing this and gave Maidong a look; the latter hurriedly stood up and went to the backyard.

"Why wouldn't I? Children speak without guile. She is so anxious and says people have died in the village; surely something has happened, though it may not necessarily be the work of a monster."

"Then... what if it is a monster..." Long Qi suddenly thought of the Liangcheng incident and could not help but feel worried. If Lingxiang went and encountered danger again like that time, what would they do?

No! He had to go too!

And so, after his pestering, Lingxiang helplessly brought him along, and the three of them, including Maidong, headed toward Yunluo Village.

Approaching the entrance of the village, they saw several children playing by the stream. They seemed to be from the village, shouting and cheering as they hopped about by the water, looking very happy.

This did not look like a place that had encountered monsters; otherwise, how would the families let the children play by the water?

Maidong was puzzled and looked at Lingxiang. Lingxiang did not understand either; she shook her head and wanted to go forward to ask.

Just then, one of the children suddenly wailed. The three of them hurried forward and saw one child fallen in the water, his face deathly pale, with a faint thread of blood drifting out from the back of his head.

Seeing this, Lingxiang hurriedly pushed Long Qi into the water: "Save the child quickly!"

Although Long Qi was annoyed, he knew that human life was at stake, especially a child's, so he did not care about the coldness of the stream and hurriedly fished the child out of the water and onto the bank.

Lingxiang and Maidong immediately stepped forward. Maidong checked the wound on the child's head, while Lingxiang felt the child's pulse. Strangely, the skin on the child's head was not even broken, yet his breath was as thin as a gossamer thread, and he looked as if he were about to die.

"It's drowning!" Maidong flipped open the child's eyelids, leaned over his chest to listen, and exclaimed.

Long Qi could not help but find it strange. He had just seen this child hopping about, so how did he fall into the water in an instant? Besides, the water was not deep; even if he fell in and stood up, it wouldn't reach the child's navel, so how could he be drowning? Furthermore, even if he fell in and couldn't get up, how much time had passed for him to drown?

"It seems this village really does have something strange..." As Lingxiang said this, she reached into the river, scooped up a handful of water, held it in her fist over the child's chest, and then closed her eyes to pinch a spell.

A flash of spiritual light appeared on her fingers as she pinched the spell, and then streams of water flowed from between her other fingers, forming a water membrane that enveloped the child.

Lingxiang muttered incantations. Long Qi did not know what she was doing, but after a moment, he saw a stream of black water, like ink, emerge from the child's mouth and nose. Before long, the child's complexion actually began to turn rosy.

Then Lingxiang withdrew her finger spell, and the water membrane broke and fell to the ground, leaving only that stream of black water which turned into black mist and dissipated.

"What is this?" Long Qi was very confused.

However, Lingxiang was very curious: "You can see it?"

This was a strange question. Of course he could see it; it was so obvious. What did Lingxiang mean?

At this moment, Maidong frowned and said in a low voice: "It is death energy. Someone is taking this child's life..."

Long Qi was shocked to hear this. What kind of person would take a child's life? This was simply too heartless!

Just then, several people ran over from the distance, and one woman cried out: "Gouwa, my child!"

It turned out that the other children had been frightened and had run into the village to find adults, and leading them was the mother of the drowning child.