Chapter 134

I didn't take Jin Wuya's words to heart; after a strange and deceitful great battle, any rumors from the outside world are not surprising.

What I never expected was that, early the next morning, Master Huìquán arrived stepping through the rain.

He also brought over the painting I had previously sent to the Qingquan Daoist Temple for offering.

At that moment, Liu Junyan was sitting in meditation before the shrine in the west wing.

This is his current norm.

If it weren't for his unshaven head and his not striking the wooden fish, I would have thought he had really become a monk.

All morning, Master Huìquán stayed in the west wing talking with Liu Junyan; they conversed happily, and when Master Huìquán left, his satisfied expression clearly showed he had found a kindred spirit.

He handed the painting to me and said the same thing: "Dang Pu, when the main deity returns to its place, miss, you just need to place this painting in the shrine's offering niche."

I took the painting and quickly asked: "Master, you all say the main deity will return to its place—but which deity exactly is that?"

Master Huìquán did not answer directly, only saying the time is not yet ripe; when the day comes that I should know, I will naturally understand.

After seeing Master Huìquán off, I took the painting and went straight to the west wing.

Liu Junyan was still meditating; I casually slipped the painting into a suitably sized offering niche, and just as I was about to leave, I noticed that Bai Xian'er's spirit tablet was missing from the corner.

Thrown away?

I doubt it.

Bai Xian'er's spirit tablet had once received offerings from Dang Pu; even if it is no longer offered now, it shouldn't be something that can be simply tossed aside and considered done.

"Are you looking for Bai Xian'er's spirit tablet?" Liu Junyan's voice suddenly sounded: "Her spirit tablet has already been sent back to the Bái Jiā Yīguǎn; without this layer of offering protection, she will soon become a bereft dog, nothing to fear."

I exclaimed in astonishment: "Why is this so? Isn't Bai Xian'er the head of the Bái Jiā Yīguǎn? If she becomes a bereft dog, does the Bái Jiā Yīguǎn also face closure?"

"It will, or perhaps it won't."

Liu Junyan took my hand, walked to the shrine, pointed at the five sculptures beside the main seat in the offering niches, and said: "The name of Wufu Town originates from these five."

Fox, Yellow, White, Willow, Gray—they are the true five great animal immortals, the ancestors of those we see today in Wufu Town, including Bai Xian'er.

They have protected this town, or rather, the people along this water source for hundreds of years, bringing good fortune to the populace, and thus they are honored as the Five Blessings Immortals.

If one day the Five Blessings Immortals are able to return to their rightful places, the five immortal clans will be set right, and the prestige of the Bái Jiā Yīguǎn will only rise further.

Therefore, the Bái Jiā Yīguǎn does not belong to Bai Xian'er; it may be temporarily in decline, but it will eventually have a day of resurgence.

"Brother Yan." I called out suddenly.

Liu Junyan startled, then smiled and replied with an "uh"?

That sound was low and muffled, carrying an inexplicable tenderness.

My face flushed red, and I asked: "You weren't planning to tell me these things before, were you? Why did you suddenly understand today? Was it Master Huìquán's guidance?"

"Master Huìquán's mind is indeed more open." Liu Junyan said, "His one sentence moved me greatly: he said a sapling under the shade of a big tree finds it hard to grow, because while it shields the sapling from wind and rain, it also blocks sunlight and dew; and you have always stood by my side."

Liu Junyan tugged at the strands of hair by my temples that had mostly turned black, saying: "Xiao Jiu, there will always be wind and rain by my side; even if I am lush with branches and leaves, there will always be times when wind and rain break me; if I fall, I hope you can replace me and grow into an even taller towering tree."

I reached out and embraced his waist, burying my face against his chest, and said emotionally: "You won't fall, and I will grow even better, standing shoulder to shoulder with you, weathering the storms together."

·

I have been waiting for news from the Bái Jiā Yīguǎn, even imagining that Bai Xian'er might launch a counterattack, or that Bái Jīngmò would come to my door to find me.

But nothing ever came.

The Bái Jiā Yīguǎn fell silent once again.

On the fifteenth night, Jin Wuya came early to pick up Li Qingying; they were going to make a trip to the Ghost Market.

I, meanwhile, stayed in Dang Pu, guarding the Nan Shu Fang.

Li Qingying would probably only return after three o'clock; she told me that if no business came, I should close the shop early and go to sleep, as she had brought the key and would open the door herself.

I guarded the Nan Shu Fang for most of the night, stacking a pile of gold ingots; everything remained calm and peaceful.

After a little past one, I really felt some drowsiness, got up to close the door.

Just as I bolted the door of the Nan Shu Fang, a hurried footsteps sound came from the direction of Xijiekou.

Those footsteps headed straight for Dang Pu; my hand on the bolt didn't move, I pricked up my ears and held my breath to listen.

Soon, the door of the Nan Shu Fang was knocked on, and a young girl's voice rang out: "Shopkeeper, open the door, I want to pawn something."

Her breathing was very hurried, as if someone were chasing her from behind.

I waited a moment, but the knocking didn't stop.

Only then did I pull back the bolt and open the door a crack.

Outside the door stood a girl who looked no older than seventeen or eighteen, wearing very strange clothes.

She was quite delicate, her skin white to translucence; from running, a flush of red suffused her cheeks.

Well, she's a living person.

I let her in, gestured for her to sit on the chair in front of the counter, and told her to catch her breath before speaking.

I myself went behind the counter.

During this process, the girl glanced outside a few more times, her eyes filled with panic mixed with fear.

With her movements, the shiny silver ornaments on her body made a tinkling sound.

Just then, from the direction of Xijiekou, a confused footsteps sound could be faintly heard.

But those footsteps stopped at Xijiekou, as if they were observing.

The girl's face instantly turned deathly pale; she clenched her hands tightly, as if she had made a great resolve, then suddenly gritted her teeth, lifted her right hand, and dug hard into her own eyes.

This action came so suddenly that I hadn't anticipated it.

I instinctively reached out to grab her hand, but it was already too late.

Her movements were swift and practiced; in the next instant, a pair of bloody eyeballs were gouged out, blood spurting from the sockets, with a drop splashing onto my face.

At that moment I only felt my brain short-circuit—what is happening?

In the middle of the night, a young woman comes knocking on the door and, right before your eyes, gouges out a pair of eyeballs—who wouldn't be dazed?

Those eyeballs were placed on the counter, although stained with fresh blood, they remained clear and translucent, like a pool of unpolluted spring water.

The girl trembled all over from pain, her shaking voice saying: "I pawn… pawn this pair of Buddha Eye, death pawn, pawn for a drop of Lamp Oil, I'll come back in a few days to pick it up…"

Having said that, she turned and ran, not giving me any chance to react.

When I chased after her, her figure had already vanished into the darkness, and Xijiekou was also empty, with nothing at all.

I turned around, looking at that pair of eyeballs on the counter, wanting to cry but no tears.

This deal was originally a straightforward pawn, I could have refused it.

But now, not to mention refusing, I haven't even issued a pawn ticket.

This is the most nonsensical business I've taken on since I reopened Dang Pu…