Chapter 256

Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng: "I'm going to buy food, what do you want to eat?"

Liang Yan: "Whatever."

Liang Li: "Anything is fine."

Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng turned his gaze toward Xu Ming on the hospital bed; Xu Ming first raised his eyes to look at the glucose drip he was currently receiving, then shook his head slightly.

Immediately after, Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng bent down again to take a look at the colorful python coiled under the hospital bed.

The python flicked its tongue at Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng, tit for tat; it was not afraid of Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng, at least not yet.

Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng stood up with some regret and walked out of the ward.

Just as he walked out of the inpatient building, he saw Wu Xin walking toward this direction.

Wu Xin's attire was already quite artistic, but his previous image had been a bit greasy; now, however, the whole person was visibly refreshed, all because of the incense Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng had given him.

Seeing Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng, Wu Xin hurriedly covered his stomach and trotted over:

"I was looking for you all."

"We were also looking for you."

"I went to the back; those three have already woken up, and the names and people have finally been matched up. This big stone in my heart can finally be put down. I've arranged for them to stay in the hospital for another period to consolidate; it's safer that way."

"Mm."

"What about that person?"

"Left."

"Then what about you? Shall I send you back to the guesthouse?"

"No need."

"As for the upcoming work arrangements... do you want to go take a look at the construction site?"

"We'll see."

"I need to rest for two days; that mouthful today, the taste was truly too heavy. How did you stand it?"

"Used to it."

"Then in a few days, I'll contact you. Shall I arrange the program?"

"Fine."

"Dujiangyan's scenery is good, but the population is small; the fun stuff is all in Rongcheng.

Sigh, it's just that he is young; otherwise, I would have taken him straight to Rongcheng, where the program is very rich.

By the way, he is he and you are you. If you want to play anything, tell me, and I'll arrange it for you. I guarantee you'll have a good time and it won't be a wasted trip."

"See pandas."

"Uh... then, shall I buy tickets for you?"

"Mm."

"For the upcoming work arrangements, you all can also do as you please. Let me know in advance when you are leaving, and I will approve your internships. Rest assured about everything."

"Thanks."

"It is I who should thank you." Wu Xin subconsciously reached for his cigarette case, but as he reached, his hand froze.

Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng thought he was out of cigarettes, so he reminded him: "The small shop is over there."

Wu Xin took out the cigarette case and placed the lighter and the case on the steps: "Not smoking anymore, planning to quit."

Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng picked up the lighter; the lighter had clear textures and an exquisite design, so Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng put it into his own pocket, but he did not take the cigarettes.

"See you later."

"See you later."

After Wu Xin left, Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng prepared to continue buying food.

The hospital had a cafeteria, but although the sun was beginning to set, there was still some time before dinner.

Looking around, Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng saw someone riding a tricycle driving into the hospital, loaded with several layers of large steamer baskets, selling steamed buns.

Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng stopped him.

Before long, the man rode the tricycle away from the hospital again, wearing a bright smile.

In the ward.

Liang Yan and Liang Li watched as Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng, who had gone to buy food, returned carrying two full bags of steamed buns.

Liang Yan: "Only this?"

Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng: "The cafeteria hasn't started serving dinner yet; this is all I could buy in the hospital."

Liang Li: "Aren't there restaurants outside the hospital?"

Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng: "Xiao Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan and the others are discussing matters outside, so we shouldn't disturb them."

After distributing the buns to the two sisters, Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng sat on the floor.

There were empty chairs, but Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng liked to watch the python under the bed eat; watching it, the bun in his mouth seemed to carry a bit of a meaty flavor.

Liang Yan: "Tell us about your boss?"

Liang Li: "Anyway, that person of ours has a very good relationship with your boss."

Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng did not speak, just focused on gnawing on a bun.

Liang Yan: "Just say something casual, why be so tight-lipped? We are all going to cooperate now."

"He has come out." Liang Li reached out to cover her right eye and continued, "He is heading in our direction."

Although the sisters had not left this ward, every move of the little Daoist priest was still under their control.

Liang Li walked over and opened the door; the little Daoist priest happened to pass by the door, habitually glanced inside, and was slightly stunned when he saw so many buns beside Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng.

Then he smiled and continued walking forward, going down the stairs.

Liang Li did not follow him out, but leaned her body against the wall, continuing to cover her right eye to maintain surveillance.

Liang Yan: "Where did he go?"

Liang Li: "He left the inpatient building, but it doesn't look like he's leaving the hospital."

Liang Yan: "Keep watching closely."

Liang Li: "You talk too much."

After a while, Liang Li said: "He's back, he's coming upstairs."

Liang Yan: "What did he go do?"

Liang Li: "Can't tell, it's like he's looking for something, but didn't find it."

After the little Daoist priest walked onto this floor, Liang Li took her hand off her right eye.

"That... excuse me, could you sell me a few buns?"

The little Daoist priest stood at the door, his expression both generous and shy.

This gave Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng a sense of familiarity; once, when Xiao Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan faced outsiders, he also liked to use this expression.

"Grandpa and Grandma like to eat his buns; he sells them in the hospital every day at this time. I went down to look for him just now, but couldn't find him. I asked someone and only then learned that he had just arrived today and was bought out by someone."

Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng: "How many do you want?"

Little Daoist priest: "Four, three is also fine."

Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng pointed to the bag in front of him, signaling him to take them himself.

"Thanks."

The little Daoist priest walked over, took three buns from the bag, and then handed the sweaty coin he had been clutching in his hand to Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng.

Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng pushed the money back and took two more buns to place in his hand.

"Not taking money."

"How can that be!"

"A custom from where I'm from: we don't take money for sharing dry rations."

When away from home, customs can be made up on the spot as needed, provided your hometown isn't famous.

"Thanks, where is your hometown?"

"Nantong."

"Uh..." The little Daoist priest revealed an awkward smile and added, "A place of outstanding people and divine spirits."

Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng waved his hand at him.

The little Daoist priest left with the buns.

Liang Yan: "Nantong?"

Liang Li: "Last time, Grandma at home said that the paper boats she made would sink when they floated down the river to the Nantong region; they couldn't get past."

Liang Yan: "Is there something wrong with your place?"

Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng: "No problem."

Liang Li: "Impossible, Grandma made several more paper boats later; they could pass on the Shanghai side, but they were destined to sink on the Nantong side."

Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng: "Is your Grandma an evil spirit?"

Hearing this, the sisters immediately became serious; this was clearly an insult.

They instinctively wanted to scold him sharply, but having learned from Zhao Yi that the boy's background was also extraordinary, they unconsciously changed their tone.

Liang Yan: "Grandma is an ancestral spirit."

Liang Li: "She is the embodiment of merit that protects the region with favorable weather."

Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng: "Oh, she's dead."

Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng didn't understand what Grandma or ancestral spirits were; he only knew that with that person under the peach forest, evil spirits could not enter the Nantong region.

The sisters were very angry, but they also knew that the current environment did not allow them to lose their temper.

Liang Li covered her right eye with her hand: "He's come out again, walking this way, carrying something."

The little Daoist priest appeared at the doorway once more: "Hello, this is the kimchi my grandmother asked me to bring you. Try it, the kimchi my grandmother makes is delicious."

Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng took the bag, picked up a piece and put it in his mouth; it was very crisp and refreshing, perfect with steamed buns.

The little Daoist priest left.

Liang Yan also tasted the kimchi and asked, "Did you deliberately buy all the steamed buns in advance?"

Liang Li: "To strike up a connection with him?"

Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng: "I don't have the brains for that."

The two sisters were momentarily unsure if the person before them was being sarcastic.

Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng bought all the steamed buns because he could truly finish them, and they were cheap.

The sky gradually grew dark.

Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng finished all the steamed buns, leaned against the wall, and sat there lazily; although living conditions were much better now, he still enjoyed the sense of security that came from having a full belly.

A small bird flew in through the window, landed on Liang Yan's shoulder, and pecked lightly at her earlobe repeatedly.

Liang Yan stood up and said to Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng: "Sun Yan found that Daoist priest's Daoist temple. The boss wants us to set off now, let's go."

Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng remained sitting there, not moving.

"Beep... beep..."

The pager at his waist sounded, and Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng lowered his head to take a look.

Yin Meng pushed a wheelchair and appeared at the doorway.

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin, sitting in the wheelchair, spoke up: "Shift change."

Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng nodded and stood up.

The two sisters stared curiously at Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin.

Liang Yan: "You're actually still a living person?"

Liang Li: "How did you manage that? Isn't it painful?"

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin: "Once this wave is over, we can have a team-building event, and we can chat in detail then."

Liang Yan and Liang Li walked out of the ward, and Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng followed them out.

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin signaled for Yin Meng to push him to the bedside, where the python under the bed poked its head out again.

"Be good, go play somewhere else."

After the python circled the wheelchair once, it returned under the bed.

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin looked at Xu Ming and asked: "Can you talk?"

Xu Ming: "I can."

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin: "Then tell me about what happened today, the more detailed the better, I have a use for it."

While Xu Ming was recounting the events, Yin Meng squatted on the ground, watching the python under the bed.

She had taken a liking to this python skin; it would be perfect for making a whip, and the remaining meat and bones could be stewed for Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng to eat.

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin finished listening to Xu Ming's account, turned his head, and seeing Yin Meng still staring at the snake, Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin said: "Hey, hey, this belongs to an ally, Yin Yin Yin Yin Yin Yin Mengmeng, restrain yourself."

Yin Meng: "It's not like allies can't have friction."

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin: "There's no need to do something that loses more than it gains, but seriously, Sanyanzai's ability to reorganize and prepare for battle is truly strong."

Back in Lijiang, Zhao Yi's team, including Zhao Yi himself, was almost crippled, yet he managed to complete a reconstruction and upgrade in such a short time.

Not comparing him to our own team, but simply placing him within the overall level of those traveling the rivers, Zhao Yi is truly aiming for that top-tier group.

"Cough, cough..."

Xu Ming coughed a few times to signal he was still there.

"Yin Yin Yin Yin Yin Yin Mengmeng, send out that one of yours."

"Okay."

Yin Meng flicked her fingertip, and a Gu insect flew out to monitor the ward where the little Daoist priest was.

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin shrank his body into the wheelchair and let out a shallow yawn.

"Drowsiness is coming, Yin Yin Yin Yin Yin Yin Mengmeng, you keep watch, I'm going to doze for a while."

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin closed his eyes and lost consciousness.

When he was pushed away by Yin Meng, his consciousness was momentarily dazed.

Yin Meng: "He went to the bathroom."

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin nodded: "Push me over there in advance."

The little Daoist priest was walking back after using the bathroom when he saw a wheelchair parked in the hallway; he walked over curiously and saw a sickly-looking big brother sitting on it.

The big brother's expression was terrible, looking like someone whose life was nearing its end due to a serious illness.

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin slowly opened his eyes and met the little Daoist priest's gaze.

"Big brother, which ward are you in? Let me push you back."

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin: "I don't want to go back to the ward, it's too stifling there, I want to go to the terrace to get some air."

"Then shall I push you?"

"Okay, sorry to trouble you."

"No trouble, no trouble at all."

The little Daoist priest walked to the back and placed his hands on the wheelchair.

"Hiss..."

This wheelchair was so cold, as if he were touching ice cubes.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Enduring the pain in his palms, the little Daoist priest pushed Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin to the terrace on this floor.

"Right here is fine."

"Okay."

The little Daoist priest let go and looked down; his palms were already slightly purple, and he felt nothing when he pinched them.

"Hoo..."

He breathed out and rubbed his hands.

The little Daoist priest rubbed his hands together for quite a while before they gradually started to feel better.

"Big brother, then I'll head back first."

"Mm, okay."

The little Daoist priest walked back, but before turning the corner, he stopped, turned around, and looked back to see that the wheelchair Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin was sitting in had actually reached the edge of the terrace; the terrace had railings, but only two bars, and an adult could easily jump off by sliding through the bottom.

At this moment, the person in the wheelchair was struggling to shake his body, his head sliding downward bit by bit.

The little Daoist priest immediately ran back, grabbed Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin's collar with one hand, and pulled the wheelchair backward with the other.

After pushing him back to the center of the terrace, the little Daoist priest first let out a sigh of relief, then frantically sucked in cold air; his hands were even more painful from the freezing, especially the one that had just grabbed Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin's clothes.

Suddenly, the little Daoist priest seemed to think of something; he widened his eyes and looked at Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin.

"Are you... are you... have you already..."

"I'm not dead."

"Not dead?" The little Daoist priest reached into his pocket and felt nothing; his outer Daoist robe had been left in the water cave, and his paper talismans were there too.

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin asked in return: "What do you think I was trying to do just now?"

The little Daoist priest: "You wanted to commit suicide?"

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin: "How can you commit suicide if you're already dead?"

The little Daoist priest: "Right, that's true, but why are you so cold?"

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin: "ALS."

The little Daoist priest: "Ah? It seems... it seems I've heard of that on the radio before."

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin: "What's your name?"

The little Daoist priest: "Chen Jing."

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin: "Chat with me for a while?"

The little Daoist priest looked troubled.

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin's gaze turned toward the railing, his eyes gradually turning gray and lifeless, as if his death wish had reignited.

"I'll go tell my grandparents, I went out to use the bathroom, they'll worry if I'm gone too long, can I come back after I tell them?"

"Okay, I'll wait for you."

Chen Jing ran off.

After a while, he ran back, holding a cup of hot water.

"Here, drink something hot to warm yourself up."

"Okay."

Chen Jing sat down beside him.

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin sipped the water and asked: "Are you very close with your grandparents?"

"Mm, they raised me when I was little."

"And your father?"

"My father is a Daoist priest and also my master; he doesn't like me calling him father, he only lets me call him master."

Chen Jing had little sense of caution, and coupled with the fact that life in the Daoist temple was too monotonous and nearly isolated from the world, his desire to confide was very strong.

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin didn't even need to deliberately fish for information; Chen Jing poured out everything about the people and events from his childhood to the present, like beans spilling from a bamboo tube.

However, he omitted matters regarding the sect's formation and his cultivation; it wasn't that he wanted to keep secrets, but rather he felt it inappropriate to tell Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin these things, fearing it might bring trouble to Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin.

The more he spoke, the happier he became, and the smile on his Human Human Human Human Human Human Human Human Face grew increasingly radiant.

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin only offered perfectly timed agreement at key junctures, continuing to foster his enthusiasm for talking.

Finally, he finished speaking, took a deep breath, and looked up at the starry sky, his eyes seemingly filled with light: "How I wish my grandfather's illness could take a turn for the better."

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin: "Regardless of the final outcome, at least you and your grandfather have no regrets, don't you think?"

"That's right, thank you, big brother. Oh, I even forgot to ask what to call you, big brother."

"Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin."

"Brother Tan?"

"Just call me Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Binbin."

"Okay, Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Binbin."

Hearing this form of address, Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin smiled involuntarily.

In daily life, only Brother Marquis Xiao Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan would call him "Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Binbin."

In fact, from their very first contact, Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin had noticed that this young Daoist was very similar to Brother Marquis Xiao Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan, especially this smile.

He remembered a period of time when Brother Marquis Xiao Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan was very fond of using this particular smile.

It was just that Brother Marquis Xiao Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan's smile was acted, while this youth's was a natural, spontaneous outpouring of true emotion.

After all, not every youth is named "Brother Marquis Xiao Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan."

Perhaps this was also the reason Brother Marquis Xiao Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan had him come over to be responsible for the contact mission.

Brother Marquis Xiao Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan didn't like children, especially those who resembled himself.

Now, Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin's contact mission could be considered complete; there were only three predetermined goals for confirmation.

The first was the young Daoist's strength; the young Daoist had entered the path, knew a bit of Daoist arts, and had polished his basic skills, but he had never had any practical experience. Otherwise, given his own current condition, it would have been impossible to fool him so easily.

The second was the relationship between the young Daoist and that Daoist priest; currently, it appeared that although the two were father and son, their bond was not profound.

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin had a feeling that their father-son relationship must have suffered a major rupture recently.

Because every time the young Daoist mentioned his master, he was initially very enthusiastic, but every time he talked halfway through, his tone would become dejected; this was a fresh wound aching faintly.

The third was the young Daoist's character, which was very critical.

The young Daoist's identity would certainly be utilized by his group; if his character were poor, they could discard him after use without any guilt; if his character were good, then they would have to consider seeing things through to the end and protecting him during this turmoil.

Chen Jing: "Ah, I accidentally talked until so late. Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Binbin, shall I push you back?"

"Okay."

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin stuck a sealing talisman onto the wheelchair and covered it with a blanket.

Chen Jing rolled up his sleeves in his palms and reached out to push the wheelchair again; originally, a layer of cloth shouldn't have had any effect, but this time, Chen Jing was surprised to find that it wasn't as cold as before.

"Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Binbin, your condition has improved!"

"It's your credit; chatting with you has put me in a pleasant mood."

"Then I must talk to my grandfather more. However, he is in a coma most of the time, and the time he is awake in a day is very little."

"He can feel that you are by his side accompanying him."

When they reached the hospital room door, Chen Jing said with some surprise: "I've been to this room before. A very tall big brother bought a lot of steamed buns and even gave me several."

"He is my friend, called Mule."

"Is his surname Luo?"

"Alright, go back and rest. You still have to be busy taking care of the patient tomorrow."

"Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Binbin, you should also rest early. If you want to chat, call me, especially if you go to the terrace."

"Okay, definitely."

After Chen Jing left, Yin Meng came over to close the hospital room door.

Yin Meng: "Sure enough, there is no one in this world you can't handle, even when you're about to become a ghost yourself."

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin: "A good child, like Brother Marquis Xiao Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan when I first met him."

Yin Meng: "Sounds... a bit scary."

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin: "Brother Marquis Xiao Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan was quite warm at the beginning. In the intervals when my dad was whipping me with a belt, he even helped me finish my homework and test papers."

Yin Meng: "Anyway, you guys are the ones making the decisions."

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin: "Wrong, I'm only responsible for making suggestions; Brother Marquis Xiao Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan is the one who makes the decisions. But I think this child should be protected."

After Chen Jing returned to the hospital room, he first covered his grandmother, who was sleeping on the companion bed, with a quilt, then picked up a towel and gently wiped away the saliva flowing from his grandfather's mouth on the hospital bed.

After confirming everything, he sat on the chair, resting his chin in his hands, looking at his grandfather for a while and then at his grandmother, his mind filled with beautiful memories of when they lived together.

Although he had no mother since he was born, he still had a beautiful and happy childhood.

"You're looking for that family? They went to the hospital, they went a long time ago, there's no one home now. Hey, it's really strange; I never saw any guests come to their house before, how come as soon as they're in the hospital, guests are coming every day instead."

After the neighbor finished shouting, he walked to the side of the toilet while touching his buttocks, pulled down his boxer shorts, and began to relieve himself.

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan and Zhao Yi stood at the door; this location coordinate was also sent back by animals dispatched by Sun Yan. After that Daoist left the hospital, he came here, and then went up Mount Liu Qingcheng.

Zhao Yi: "This should be the home of the young Daoist's grandfather and grandmother."

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan: "Mm."

Zhao Yi: "Shall we go in and take a look? Maybe there are clues about him coming here specifically on his way back to the Daoist temple."

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan pointed toward the direction of the neighbor's toilet: "Look at him first."

Zhao Yi flashed away, moving extremely fast. The neighbor had just finished urinating and was pulling up his pants, still in the stage of adjusting himself.

A hand appeared in front of him, the fingertips carrying a hypnotic scent. Before he could figure out what was going on, he was knocked unconscious.

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan walked over and signaled for Zhao Yi to lay the neighbor man flat on the ground.

The youth's hand rested lightly on the man's forehead, and while closing his eyes, his fingertips tapped lightly.

Having had several experiences, Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan did not choose to read all of the man's memories this time, but only quickly searched forward to see if there were any traces of modification.

Soon, he found it. If one had to make an analogy, the memory was like a steel pipe, with one area having been re-welded.

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan began to focus on reading this segment of memory. Fortunately, this original memory had not been erased, but rather scattered.

The youth suspected that it might be because this memory occurred relatively early, and at that time, "that person" was not yet as capable as he was now, able to act with ease.

The rough work from back then also left enough traces for Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan to piece together himself.

It wasn't very complete, nor was it coherent; it was a bit like watching a pirated comic book, with quite a few wrong or missing pages and repetitions, but it didn't affect understanding the story's plot.

The beginning of this memory was on a night, similar to tonight, and this neighbor was also out to use the toilet.

He had a problem with frequent and urgent urination, so he had to get up many times a night.

When he finished using the toilet and was preparing to return to the room to sleep, he seemed to hear strange movements coming from the house next door.

The neighbor had always had an obsession with the daughter of the family next door; everyone had lived separated by a courtyard since they were small, and they could be considered childhood sweethearts. He had also fantasized about being a couple with her in the future.

Who knew that she, for some reason, became pregnant before marriage.

This was a very shameful thing in the village at the time, and that man had never formally appeared.

"Could it be that she's about to give birth?"

The neighbor, half out of lingering affection for her and half out of simple kindness between neighbors—after all, there was a pregnant woman in the house, and nothing could go wrong.

He climbed over the courtyard wall, came to the other party's courtyard, sneaked to the window, and looked inside through the crack.

The following scene was the most severely damaged and could no longer be coherent; he could only see some images: a pregnant woman tied to a rack, two old people with their hands and feet bound and mouths stuffed, and a man with a cold expression wearing Daoist robes.

The man was much younger than he was now; it was the young Daoist's master.

The master was holding a large black gourd in his hand, with thin, straight reeds like reed stems, one end inserted into the gourd and the other end inserted into the pregnant woman's body. An opening had been made at the pregnant woman's wrist, and fresh blood flowed out continuously, falling into the white gourd below.

One side was inputting, the other side was flowing out; after one was empty and one was full, they would switch, and then do it again.

What was originally in the gourd was not the blood of an ordinary person, but demon blood; this simple and brutal method of blood exchange was equivalent to passing a death sentence on the pregnant woman.

The pregnant woman was struggling in pain, and the two old people on the side were not knocked unconscious; they were witnessing all of this with their own eyes, crying incessantly and roaring "woo-woo."

In the last image, the Daoist priest looked up and made eye contact with "Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan." The neighbor who was peeking was discovered at this moment.

His memory was also modified.

Killing would actually have been simpler, but the follow-up was that the Daoist priest also modified the memories of the young Daoist's grandfather and grandmother; he wanted the young Daoist to grow up in a "normal family environment."

This was also the reason why he chose not to use force to take the young Daoist away in the hospital today.

This kind of stubbornness must have a deeper purpose.

In reality, Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan opened his eyes and described the memory scenes he had just seen to Zhao Yi.

After Zhao Yi finished listening, he said: "That young Daoist was specifically cultivated; the other party not only wanted physical quality but also required mental health."

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan: "Now we can go to that house and take a look."

Zhao Yi: "Wait a moment, I'll send this brother back to his room first; sleeping here might make him freeze and get worse."

When Zhao Yi finished sending the person back and came out, he found that the youth had already climbed over the wall and was standing at the door of the inner room next door.

Zhao Yi took a simple running start, leaped over, and landed beside the youth.

He specifically wanted to show off his skills to wash away the stereotypical impression he had in the youth's mind.

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan used his right hand to grab the door lock; after the blood mist overflowed and drilled into the lock, with a crisp "click," the lock fell and the door opened.

It was an ordinary village house; it hadn't been lived in for a period of time, so there was some dust, but the items inside were arranged in an orderly manner.

There was only one bedroom, with one large bed and one small bed; the small bed still had quite a few toys hanging on it.

It looked like even after the young Daoist followed his master into the Daoist temple, the old couple still kept his bed and various traces of his life, as a way to see the objects and think of the person.

Zhao Yi sniffed and asked, "Do you smell that? There's a scent of mud and ash."

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan: "Mud and ash?"

Zhao Yi: "Mud and ash, drifting in the air, a faint residue. This has nothing to do with a formation; it's purely because I used to be a neat freak and didn't like having dust in the room."

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan: "Where is it?"

"Under the small bed." Zhao Yi reached underneath, "Someone just pried a seam open here. Wait a moment, let me pry it up."

Zhao Yi removed the bricks one by one, and the inner wall began to loosen continuously, revealing a piece of waterproof leather. He grabbed it and pulled upward, and a dried corpse covered in green fur appeared inside.

Many talismans were pasted on the dried corpse, and these talismans were a mix of new and old. It seems that the Daoist priest would come to this room regularly, open the interlayer, and paste on new talismans.

Zhao Yi: "So, the little Daoist's mother died during childbirth."

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan: "Mm."

Zhao Yi: "He caused her death and then sealed her away here, letting her watch her own child fall asleep every night. Heh, he probably even thinks of himself as kind."

The two old people must have brought their grandson to pay respects to their daughter during holidays. The little Daoist's mother must have a grave, but that grave should be empty underneath. Every night, they were sleeping in the same room as the daughter they missed every day.

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan: "Yao aura entered her body, she died in childbirth, and she has been suppressed ever since. She doesn't even have a chance at reincarnation."

Zhao Yi: "If I had a choice, I'd rather charge straight into my own home and do whatever needs to be done, regardless of whether I can win or not.

This method of memory modification, making you treat your mortal enemy like family—just thinking about it makes me feel sick."

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan reached out, plucked a tuft of green fur from the dried corpse, and handed it to Zhao Yi: "Smell this again."

"Why?"

"Can you smell what kind of Yao aura it is?"

"Do you take me for the Howling Celestial Dog?"

"After all, you were once the True Lord Erlang."

Zhao Yi took the green fur and put it in his pocket: "I'll have Sun Yan identify it later; she'll definitely be able to tell."

"Seal it back up first, pay attention to the details."

"I knew I shouldn't have come out with you; I have to do all the work."

"You didn't slack off any less when you had the Life-Death Gate sewn into your forehead."

Zhao Yi sealed the dried corpse back up, clapped his hands after finishing the job, and walked out of the room with the young man.

A large bird circled twice in the sky and then landed toward Zhao Yi.

Zhao Yi: "Look familiar? The one you guys strangled. I refined it into a puppet, but it cost me quite a few good materials."

The large bird landed on Zhao Yi's arm, its neck twisted quite stiffly, and then its beak began to tremble, emitting a peculiar sound.

Zhao Yi laughed: "Alright, Liang Yan and the others have already led a team toward that Daoist temple, and they are currently attacking it right now.

This way, it can delay the Daoist's time so he can't go to the hospital tonight; and it can also borrow someone else's hand to test the Daoist's true strength in advance."

"It's just a bit inhumane, I feel bad for them."

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan: "How is it inhumane?"

"They were aiming for the 'Demon-Sealing Assembly' invitation, and we pointed them down a detour, didn't we?"

"That invitation was likely issued by the Daoist himself. Isn't it just right to ask the person who issued the invitation for one?"

Zhao Yi heard this and nodded with a smile:

"Right, I really am helpful."

(End of chapter)