Everything happened so fast. Not only was it completely out of Chun Xiaoman's expectations, even Wang Chengxing, who was at the side, was surprised.
Hmm? Her lower body is so unstable. She really doesn't have a master to train her. Looks like I had been looking too much into it.
Chun Xiaoman was not disappointed with her failure. Instead, she picked up the bamboo sword and told the silent youth, "Not bad, one more time!"
Both of them exchanged a few blows and Xiaoman lost once again. This time, her sword was flung out of her hand. Even though the weapon that Tian Ci used was quite weird, it was more than enough to defeat Chun Xiaoman.
Xiaoman fought a few more rounds and lost almost every single time. It was only in the final round that she managed to barely win by exchanging blows brutally, injuring herself in the process.
As he saw her breathing heavily, Wang Chengxing immediately stopped their spar. He was afraid she would cry. "Alright, that's enough young lady. The day will be over soon. Let's just stop here for now."
Chun Xiaoman was both dishevelled and upset. "Was the way I used the sword terrible?"
She was extremely disappointed with the results and with herself. She was afraid that all the practice she had put in for the past few days had been nothing but a joke.
Hearing her question, Wang Chengxing smiled awkwardly. "Young lady, your horizontal swings, vertical swings, jabs, lunges, and even the downward swing are all very good. You could say that you have a very good foundation and I can see that you must've worked hard for it. You should have no problem fighting against your regular brutes."
That was all he said.
However, Chun Xiaoman understood what he meant to say. She was not even at the level of a normal martial artist.
"How should I improve myself? What is the direction of my growth?" asked Xiaoman.
"Sigh, young lady, it's not so easy to become a heroine. The stories of the storytellers are all fake. Please return home," replied Wang Chengxing as he returned her the piece of silver. He was regarding Xiaoman as a young lady from a rich family who was instilled with a sense of justice.
However, Xiaoman didn't take the piece of silver. "Sir, I do not wish to become a heroine. I just want to protect myself in this chaotic world!"
Maybe it was the determination in Chun Xiaoman's voice that made Wang Chengxing think she was different. He thought about it and explained. "Young lady, your strength is lacking but your body is quite flexible. It would be better if you learned a sword technique that is more suitable for you. Your lower body is also quite unstable. You need to practice your horse stance and train everyday to reinforce your lower body. One last thing... you should find a sparring partner. It's almost impossible to train on your own. Naturally, the best thing would be to find a master to train you."
Xiaoman stared at the youth holding the wooden shield. She was about to ask him what kind of martial art he had learned but she held herself back. Wang Chengxing had already explained so much to her with just a single piece of silver. It was the best outcome. Any more questions and she would be overstepping her boundaries.
Chun Xiaoman knew her limits. She took her sword from Yang Xiaohai before turning around and saying her goodbyes to Wang Chengxing.
"Senior Xiaoman, you are already very amazing! You've only practiced for such a short period of time. A few more years and you will definitely be able to defeat him," said Yang Xiaohai, trying to console her.
As he said this, he stared distastefully at the youths training in the courtyard. "Plus, they are nowhere near as amazing as Senior Li. None of them would be able to withstand a single blow from him!"
"Shut up and let's go!" said Chun Xiaoman as she started walking faster. Not only did Yang Xiaohai fail to console her, she felt even more useless now.
"Ah!"
At that moment, an old woman suddenly ran out from somewhere before pouncing toward Yang Xiaohai. Her body was filled with the stench of urine and her hair was an absolute mess. Her expression was extremely gnarly, looking no different from an evil spirit.
Just as Xiaoman was about to unsheath her sword, a strong wind blew past her.
It was Wang Chengxing!
The old lady didn't even get the chance to get close to Yang Xiaohai before she was grabbed by him.
After he had grabbed her, Wang Chengxing smiled apologetically. "Sorry young lady, please forgive us. This is the wife of my master. She had been possessed for many years."
"Possessed?" Xiaoman stared at the old woman. The old woman was staring intensely at Yang Xiaohai, her teeth chattering and clicking constantly. She looked extremely scary.
"Since she was possessed, why don't you find someone to chase the spirit away?" asked Xiaoman.
"Sigh~ We did, but neither the nuns on the mountain nor the monks could chase it away. The old woman is still possessed to this day. I pity my master." Wang Chengxing sighed as he took his master's wife away.
Wait... Possessed? Master's wife?
Chun Xiaoman's eyes lit up. She had thought of an idea.
If they managed to solve the issue, maybe they would not only train her, but even help their group on their journey! There might be some other rewards as well!
"Let's go," said Chun Xiaoman as hurried back to the inn while looking for a certain someone.
——————————————
"Senior Zhao Wu, you are really fast with the abacus. To think you managed to calculate it so quickly and accurately," said Bai Lingmiao.
"You are too kind. My family runs a grain shop after all. I was naturally exposed to all this from a young age," explained Zhao Wu humbly.
"Can you teach me how to use the abacus as well? I want to be able to manage our ledgers. I feel like we might run out of money before everyone can reach my house," asked Bai Lingmiao.
At that moment, Xiaoman opened the door—she had come to find Bai Lingmiao.
She pulled Bai Lingmiao into the corridor. After making sure that no one was around she whispered, "Was everything you said to me that night true? Have you really become a Shaman?"
"Of course, what's wrong?" asked Bai Lingmiao as she stared at her friend.
"Good, then come with me. I need your help."
By the time Xiaoman brought Bai Lingmiao to the escort office it was already nighttime.
Staring at the large flag, Bai Lingmiao was slightly scared as she held her drum. "Where is this place? What if we come back tomorrow morning?"
"This cannot wait any longer. Just consider this as doing me a favor." Chun Xiaoman brought her in.
Fifteen minutes later, Chun Xiaoman and Bai Lingmiao were sitting in a room used to welcome important guests as they stared at the serious looking old man in front of them.
"Sir, this is my friend; she might be able to heal your wife," said Xiaoman.
Hearing this, Zhao Qin calmly placed his teacup down before turning to stare at the white girl in front of him. He had tried many methods throughout the years, but his wife remained the same. He had long since given up on her.
After a while, he glanced at Chun Xiaoman and waved his hand. Wang Chengxin walked in and silently placed a piece of silver in front of Chun Xiaoman.
Zhao Qin said, "Young lady, this was the piece of silver you accidentally left here earlier today. We apologize for scaring you. As for the matter of my wife, we will not require your assistance. She is already old and I only wish to live with her for the remainder of our old lives."
His words shocked both Bai Lingmiao and Chun Xiaoman. His own wife had been tormented for so long, and yet he still doesn't want to treat her?
Bai Lingmiao thought about it for a moment as she held her drum. "Sir, if she really has been possessed, it's better if we try to exorcize whatever is possessing her. It doesn't feel good to be possessed, and her life is in constant danger. I don't need any rewards from this, but let me at least try."
Zhao Qin frowned at her words. He intentionally placed the tea cup on the table. "Chengxing, send them off."
Hearing this, Wang Chengxing stepped forward and blocked the two ladies from his master. He smiled, "It's dangerous at night. Let me personally send you back. Where do both of you live?"
Chun Xiaoman sighed. She knew there was no persuading them at this point. She gently tugged at Bai Lingmiao and approached the door.
"AAAAAH~"
At that moment, a shrill cry pierced through, startling everyone. At the same time, Zhao Qin's face became even more gloomy.
On the other hand, after she heard the pain in the woman's voice, Bai Lingmiao couldn't bear it anymore. She turned around and tried to persuade Zhao Qin one more time. "Master Zhao, at the very least let me try it once. I swear that even if we aren't able to treat her, she will not be harmed. The Immortals aren't heartless."
Chun Xiaoman nodded as she tried to assist Bai Lingmiao. "Since you've tried every other option, why not let us try? What if we manage to exorcize whatever is possessing her?"
She suddenly thought of something causing a sad expression to appear on her face. "Or are you saying that you don't treat her as a—"
Bam!
Even before Chun Xiaoman could finish her sentence, Zhao Qin's fist smashed the entire table into smithereens. He was glaring at her angrily, his raging aura suppressing everyone in the room.
"I never lift my hands against girls, but if you continue to be rude, then you will be the first lady I've hurt in my life," warned Zhao Qin.
"Hihi~" At that moment, a smirk sounded from the dark corridor, instantly alerting everyone.
"Who's there? Formation!" Zhao Qin shouted, causing the two men guarding the door to immediately send a signal.
Within moments, more than ten strong men rushed in with various weapons in their hands. The group consisted of shield bearers at the front and spearmen at the back. It could be seen that their teamwork was impeccable.
Under everyone's watchful gaze, a pair of blood-red shoes stepped out from the darkness and into the candle light. The owner of the pair of shoes continued to walk in, revealing a red-veiled bride.
As they watched her, everyone had goosebumps. They knew that they were against something abnormal. They were all experienced escorts, and most of them had encountered the supernatural at least once during their missions. This was why they had their own counter measures against them.
"Raise the ink net! Bring in the black dogs!" shouted one of them.
At the same time, the sound of an unswirling thread was heard as various ink-drenched cotton threads sealed came together in the form of a large net and a couple of growling black dogs were brought in.
"Wait a moment, this is a misunderstanding," said Bai Lingmiao nervously as she walked past the ink net and guided the Second Deity into the room.
The closer Bai Lingmiao got, the further back the escorts retreated, their weapons held high.
"This is my sister. She has no ill will." Bai Lingmiao tried her best to explain, but it wasn't much use.
Just then, a mustached escort whispered to Zhao Qin. "Master... Shaman..."
Hearing his disciple, Zhao Qin's expression slowly began to change.
Sensing the tense atmosphere, Bai Lingmiao sighed. "Xiaoman, why don't we go back?"
Bai Lingmiao was worried. Not because she was worried about being injured by the escorts, but because she knew that if Senior Li were to catch wind of this, the situation would take a devastating turn.
Senior Li already had so much trouble of his own and she didn't want to cause any more trouble for him.
Chun Xiaoman was also someone who could read the room quite well. At this point, her original goals were inconsequential. Thus, she too walked out from the ink net, intending to leave the escort office with Bai Lingmiao.
"Young ladies! Wait!"
At that moment, Zhao Qin called for them. His current demeanor had completely changed as he politely asked them to come back. "I do indeed require your assistance to heal my wife. Name your price, as long as she can be cured."
"Erm..." Both Bai Lingmiao and Chun Xiaoman were shocked at his sudden change in demeanor.
"If that is the case—" began Bai Lingmiao.
However, just as she was about to make her request, she was interrupted by Xiaoman. "Let us discuss with our comrades."
Xiaoman felt it would be safer if they called in everybody. The sudden change in Zhao Qin's demeanor was quite weird.
Half an hour later, their entire group was at the escort office. This time around, they were treated much more politely. The entire escort office was brightly lit up while all of the escorts and their disciples stood in rows as they welcomed them.
Zhao Qin asked them to follow him as they walked through the corridors toward a hut. As they walked, Zhao Qin tried to butter them up. "Young lady, what you said is correct. We should at least try or we would never know if your method could work."
Hearing this, Bai Lingmiao could only smile nervously as she nodded. This was partly because of the grand welcome, and partly because this would be her first attempt at exorcism. It would be embarrassing if she couldn't exorcize whatever it was that was possessing Zhao Qin's wife.
While the escort office looked big, it was surprisingly modest. To the left of the training grounds was a small hut. This was where Zhao Qin had locked up his wife.
Creak~
The door was opened, giving way to sounds of someone sobbing.
At that moment, one of the escorts lit up a lantern, illuminating the inside of the hut. The interior of the hut caused everyone to be shocked.
The hut wasn't very big while its walls and floor were padded with thick hay. It looked relatively clean, a sign that it was maintained regularly.
At this moment, a disheveled and dirty old woman with white hair was shuffling inside the hut. The chains that bound her leg looked quite rusty as she dragged them across the floor while sobbing. She completely ignored everyone.
"She has been like this ever since thirty years ago. At this point, I'm completely stumped." Zhao Qin's face was filled with bitterness.
"Master Zhao, please relax. I will do what I can," said Bai Lingmiao nervously as she took a quick glance at the red-veiled Second Deity standing behind her.
After a while, Bai Lingmiao took a deep breath and approached her Second Deity before lifting up her red veil.
The men were all curious to see what was beneath the red veil. However, they were disappointed when they saw that there was another red veil with a mandarin duck embroidered on it.
At that moment, Bai Lingmiao took a deep breath and covered her head with the red veil before passing the drum to the Second Deity.
Meanwhile, Chun Xiaoman used her sword to make some space for Bai Lingmiao. "Everyone, stand back."
As they sensed the change in the atmosphere, everyone in the escort office held their breath in anticipation.
After a moment, the Second Deity used her black fingernails and rapped the drum as a shrill voice rumbled from under the red veil. "Summon~ The~ Gods~"
As this drawn-out incantation was uttered, the surroundings fell silent.
Next, the Second Deity began to recite the Divine Summons. It was similar to Li Zhi's but different in its delivery, as it was rapid and hurried.
"Dong dong dong! The sun sets on the Western mountain, the skies turn dark, doors all shut tight! Dong dong dong!"
As the drumbeat continued, Bai Lingmiao's body began to tremble. At the same time, the red veil on her head started shaking vigorously like a flowing waterfall. Soon, her body began to contort, and the outline of what seemed to be a beast's skull caused the red veil covering her face to be propped up.
"Today, this disciple calls to Immortals high, Misfortune lurks beneath this roof, can't deny. Southern doctors tried, yet no cure could they bring; monks and nuns from the north, their chants didn't sing. Many attempts, but no answer we found; can only turn to the old Immortal, wise and renowned. Seeking yin-yang's dance in eight characters' art, through the seven apertures, a journey to start; twelve meridians, a map to explore, five organs, six viscera, seek to implore. Oh, old Immortal, bring your guiding light, in wisdom and grace, make our future right..."
Under the rhythm of the drumbeat, Bai Lingmiao started to walk inside the house.
As the woman who had her eyes concealed by her white hair sensed someone approaching, she revealed a fearful expression. However, the very next moment, that fear turned into an intense hatred.
"Give my son back to me!!" She shouted as she opened her arms and lunged forward. But with her body restrained by chains, she made no progress as she remained frozen in place, desperately trying to break the restraints.
At that moment, a slender snout reached out from beneath Bai Lingmiao's red veil and sniffed at the woman. At the same time, a constant, low beast-like growling sound could be heard coming from underneath the veil.
"My child~!!" The woman's expression shifted from one filled with hatred to pleading, "My child, it's Mother's fault, it's Mother's fault!!"
At that moment, the snout was rapidly retracted beneath the red veil as Bai Lingmiao once again started trembling. Then, a tail extended from beneath the hem of her clothes.
Meanwhile, the Second Deity once again began to chant, "Soul of a human, back to its frame, soul of a horse, not playing the same game. A person true to soul, feasts with delight, a horse true to soul, dances in the light. Eight Immortals' table, on earth it's laid down, Starry flag soaring, up to the crown. Five-colored flags, and banners so bright, In red, white, blue, and green, a splendid sight!"
Following the beat of the drum, Bai Lingmiao started to circle around the woman in a methodical fashion, all the while placing paper flags made with yellow paper into the hay on the ground.
Suddenly, the woman stopped moving and collapsed to the ground, her body trembling incessantly as her face contorted in pain.
As Zhao Qin watched this scene from the outside, he felt pained, but he did not dare interrupt in such a situation.
At that moment, the drumbeat quickened once again, and seven lit purple incense sticks appeared in Bai Lingmiao's hands. The incense sticks burned, releasing green smoke which went directly into the woman's mouth.
Hiss~
There were many sounds of people inhaling a breath of cold air. The escorts were well versed in martial arts, and they would not even bat an eye at your everyday injuries. However, the scene that was occurring in the hut felt quite unbearable to them.
Bleargh~
The woman wanted to vomit, but her face was covered by a red handkerchief.
Just as everyone was watching what Bai Lingmiao planned to do, a low voice rang out from the distance. "Xiaoman! Bai Lingimao!"
It was Li Huowang.
As this voice rang out, the drumbeat suddenly became a little unstable, and the chanting changed once again. "I'll send you three beats as we part ways, to an ancient cave, where Immortals find their stays! From ridge to ridge, and mountain to mountain high, apprentices, beware, don't let troubles nigh! I will shoo you away if you overstay! Dong dong dong!"
After the three drum beats, Bai Lingmiao's strange appearance instantly returned to normal.
As she returned to normal, Bai Lingmiao also heard Li Huowang's voice. She quickly removed the red veil on her head and stepped out of the house. Then, she snatched the drum in the Second Deity's hands, and once again placed the red veil on her head. After finishing all this, she went over to welcome Li Huowang, who was leading over a large group of people.
"Senior Li, you've come down from the mountain? Have you completed your errands?" asked Bai Lingmiao as she smiled. At the same time, she noticed that Senior Li's back carried two swords now.
"Yes, it's almost done. I heard that you came here to exorcize some evil spirits? How is it? Are you done?" asked Li Huowang as he pulled Bai Lingmiao toward him, and then looked toward the crowd.
"Hmm... Not yet. I thought that she had bumped into something, but there was nothing. I tried several methods, but I still can't figure out what has happened to her," said Bai Lingmiao.
When they returned to the house, they saw Zhao Qin was carefully supporting his wife. He softly called out to her a few times, but there was no response, causing him to look toward Bai Lingmiao anxiously, "Miss, what happened to my wife?!"
His tone carried a hint of anger. It was only natural, since he had witnessed his wife being tormented like that without any change in her condition.
At that moment, Li Huowang glanced at the dazed state of the woman, and a trace of fatigue appeared on his face. He turned to Bai Lingmiao, "Since you can't treat her, then let's go. We don't need those fifty coins anyway."
"Hold it!" Zhao Qin shouted. Along with his shout, all the escorts in the entire escort office surrounded them with unkind looks on their faces.
Seeing this, Li Huowang coldly glanced around him before placing a hand on the hilt of the sword on his back.
Clang!
As the sword was drawn out just an inch, everyone started to feel their blood boil, almost as though they were embroiled in the middle of a raging battlefield.
This abnormal change caused Wang Chengxing's face to turn pale; he knew that they were in a massive amount of trouble now. He was usually out and about, and had heard that there were some lords with mysterious and unpredictable supernatural abilities out there. It was difficult to distinguish whether they were good or evil. One had to be fully alert when dealing with them. Unfortunately for them, it seemed like they had encountered one of them this time.
"Senior Li! Don't do this! It's us who are in the wrong..." Bai Lingmiao hurriedly tugged at Li Huowang's sleeve.
Hearing this, Li Huowang sheathed his sword as he turned around, ready to leave.
"Child... Mother has let you down..."
It was this voice that caused Li Huowang to stop in his tracks and look back at the woman.
When he saw her current state, he felt a sense of familiarity. Seeing the mangled state of her hand and the iron chains, he inexplicably felt furious.
At that moment, the woman's expression changed once again as she tightly grabbed Zhao Qin's neck. "Return my son! Return my son to me!"
Seeing this, Li Huowang rushed over with Yang Xiaohai in tow.
"I will return your son to you!" shouted Li Huowang as he pushed Zhao Qin aside before stuffing the dazed Yang Xiaohai into her embrace.
As she hugged Yang Xiaohai, the old woman finally became silent. She leaned her face over as she stroked her hands through Yang Xiaohai's hair.
Meanwhile, Li Huowang surveyed the room, and said with a voice filled with dissatisfaction, "Why are there no windows over here? Don't you think she will feel afraid, being all alone in the dark without any light?"
Zhao Qin could not react in time; everything was happening too quickly. "My wife is already like that. Will she really be afraid of the dark?"
Li Huowang pulled out the other longsword, easily cutting through the chains binding her hands. "Even if she has gone crazy, it doesn't mean that she can't feel anything! She can still feel afraid, and also feel pain! Without anyone here to accompany her, she can also feel lonely! Do you think she wanted to become like this? No! But she really cannot do anything about it!"
As this drawn-out incantation was uttered, the surroundings fell silent.
Next, the Second Deity began to recite the Divine Summons. It was similar to Li Zhi's but different in its delivery, as it was rapid and hurried.
"Dong dong dong! The sun sets on the Western mountain, the skies turn dark, doors all shut tight! Dong dong dong!"
As the drumbeat continued, Bai Lingmiao's body began to tremble. At the same time, the red veil on her head started shaking vigorously like a flowing waterfall. Soon, her body began to contort, and the outline of what seemed to be a beast's skull caused the red veil covering her face to be propped up.
"Today, this disciple calls to Immortals high, Misfortune lurks beneath this roof, can't deny. Southern doctors tried, yet no cure could they bring; monks and nuns from the north, their chants didn't sing. Many attempts, but no answer we found; can only turn to the old Immortal, wise and renowned. Seeking yin-yang's dance in eight characters' art, through the seven apertures, a journey to start; twelve meridians, a map to explore, five organs, six viscera, seek to implore. Oh, old Immortal, bring your guiding light, in wisdom and grace, make our future right..."
Under the rhythm of the drumbeat, Bai Lingmiao started to walk inside the house.
As the woman who had her eyes concealed by her white hair sensed someone approaching, she revealed a fearful expression. However, the very next moment, that fear turned into an intense hatred.
"Give my son back to me!!" She shouted as she opened her arms and lunged forward. But with her body restrained by chains, she made no progress as she remained frozen in place, desperately trying to break the restraints.
At that moment, a slender snout reached out from beneath Bai Lingmiao's red veil and sniffed at the woman. At the same time, a constant, low beast-like growling sound could be heard coming from underneath the veil.
"My child~!!" The woman's expression shifted from one filled with hatred to pleading, "My child, it's Mother's fault, it's Mother's fault!!"
At that moment, the snout was rapidly retracted beneath the red veil as Bai Lingmiao once again started trembling. Then, a tail extended from beneath the hem of her clothes.
Meanwhile, the Second Deity once again began to chant, "Soul of a human, back to its frame, soul of a horse, not playing the same game. A person true to soul, feasts with delight, a horse true to soul, dances in the light. Eight Immortals' table, on earth it's laid down, Starry flag soaring, up to the crown. Five-colored flags, and banners so bright, In red, white, blue, and green, a splendid sight!"
Following the beat of the drum, Bai Lingmiao started to circle around the woman in a methodical fashion, all the while placing paper flags made with yellow paper into the hay on the ground.
Suddenly, the woman stopped moving and collapsed to the ground, her body trembling incessantly as her face contorted in pain.
As Zhao Qin watched this scene from the outside, he felt pained, but he did not dare interrupt in such a situation.
At that moment, the drumbeat quickened once again, and seven lit purple incense sticks appeared in Bai Lingmiao's hands. The incense sticks burned, releasing green smoke which went directly into the woman's mouth.
Hiss~
There were many sounds of people inhaling a breath of cold air. The escorts were well versed in martial arts, and they would not even bat an eye at your everyday injuries. However, the scene that was occurring in the hut felt quite unbearable to them.
Bleargh~
The woman wanted to vomit, but her face was covered by a red handkerchief.
Just as everyone was watching what Bai Lingmiao planned to do, a low voice rang out from the distance. "Xiaoman! Bai Lingimao!"
It was Li Huowang.
As this voice rang out, the drumbeat suddenly became a little unstable, and the chanting changed once again. "I'll send you three beats as we part ways, to an ancient cave, where Immortals find their stays! From ridge to ridge, and mountain to mountain high, apprentices, beware, don't let troubles nigh! I will shoo you away if you overstay! Dong dong dong!"
After the three drum beats, Bai Lingmiao's strange appearance instantly returned to normal.
As she returned to normal, Bai Lingmiao also heard Li Huowang's voice. She quickly removed the red veil on her head and stepped out of the house. Then, she snatched the drum in the Second Deity's hands, and once again placed the red veil on her head. After finishing all this, she went over to welcome Li Huowang, who was leading over a large group of people.
"Senior Li, you've come down from the mountain? Have you completed your errands?" asked Bai Lingmiao as she smiled. At the same time, she noticed that Senior Li's back carried two swords now.
"Yes, it's almost done. I heard that you came here to exorcize some evil spirits? How is it? Are you done?" asked Li Huowang as he pulled Bai Lingmiao toward him, and then looked toward the crowd.
"Hmm... Not yet. I thought that she had bumped into something, but there was nothing. I tried several methods, but I still can't figure out what has happened to her," said Bai Lingmiao.
When they returned to the house, they saw Zhao Qin was carefully supporting his wife. He softly called out to her a few times, but there was no response, causing him to look toward Bai Lingmiao anxiously, "Miss, what happened to my wife?!"
His tone carried a hint of anger. It was only natural, since he had witnessed his wife being tormented like that without any change in her condition.
At that moment, Li Huowang glanced at the dazed state of the woman, and a trace of fatigue appeared on his face. He turned to Bai Lingmiao, "Since you can't treat her, then let's go. We don't need those fifty coins anyway."
"Hold it!" Zhao Qin shouted. Along with his shout, all the escorts in the entire escort office surrounded them with unkind looks on their faces.
Seeing this, Li Huowang coldly glanced around him before placing a hand on the hilt of the sword on his back.
Clang!
As the sword was drawn out just an inch, everyone started to feel their blood boil, almost as though they were embroiled in the middle of a raging battlefield.
This abnormal change caused Wang Chengxing's face to turn pale; he knew that they were in a massive amount of trouble now. He was usually out and about, and had heard that there were some lords with mysterious and unpredictable supernatural abilities out there. It was difficult to distinguish whether they were good or evil. One had to be fully alert when dealing with them. Unfortunately for them, it seemed like they had encountered one of them this time.
"Senior Li! Don't do this! It's us who are in the wrong..." Bai Lingmiao hurriedly tugged at Li Huowang's sleeve.
Hearing this, Li Huowang sheathed his sword as he turned around, ready to leave.
"Child... Mother has let you down..."
It was this voice that caused Li Huowang to stop in his tracks and look back at the woman.
When he saw her current state, he felt a sense of familiarity. Seeing the mangled state of her hand and the iron chains, he inexplicably felt furious.
At that moment, the woman's expression changed once again as she tightly grabbed Zhao Qin's neck. "Return my son! Return my son to me!"
Seeing this, Li Huowang rushed over with Yang Xiaohai in tow.
"I will return your son to you!" shouted Li Huowang as he pushed Zhao Qin aside before stuffing the dazed Yang Xiaohai into her embrace.
As she hugged Yang Xiaohai, the old woman finally became silent. She leaned her face over as she stroked her hands through Yang Xiaohai's hair.
Meanwhile, Li Huowang surveyed the room, and said with a voice filled with dissatisfaction, "Why are there no windows over here? Don't you think she will feel afraid, being all alone in the dark without any light?"
Zhao Qin could not react in time; everything was happening too quickly. "My wife is already like that. Will she really be afraid of the dark?"
Li Huowang pulled out the other longsword, easily cutting through the chains binding her hands. "Even if she has gone crazy, it doesn't mean that she can't feel anything! She can still feel afraid, and also feel pain! Without anyone here to accompany her, she can also feel lonely! Do you think she wanted to become like this? No! But she really cannot do anything about it!"
As he heard Li Huowang's words, Zhao Qin was clearly quite confused. He could not understand what Li Huowang was saying.
Just as he clenched his fists tightly and was about to say something, an old voice rang out, making him forget everything.
"Husband, look. Our son is back."
Shocked, Zhao Qin turned back to look at his wife. He was surprised to find that his wife's eyes were filled with clarity for the first time since being possessed in the past thirty years.
"You... recognize me?" Zhao Qin dashed beside her, grabbing her hands excitedly.
"Husband, look at how obedient our son is. He already knows how to be filial despite his young age. He knows that I like to eat freshly fried youtiaos, and so he went out to buy some in the morning," said the old woman as she gnawed on the hem of Yang Xiaohai's clothes.
At that moment, to the astonishment of all the members of the Longteng Escort Office, their usually stern leader burst into tears.
Zhao Qin walked over and hugged his wife, crying uncontrollably, "Feng Xia... I've let you down!"
Seeing this, Wang Chengxing, who had been following his master since childhood, felt saddened. Although his master had a strict personality, he knew that it was just a facade.
Bai Lingmiao approached Li Huowang and quietly tugged at his sleeves, "Senior Li, how did you do that? You're amazing!"
There was a complex look in Li Huowang's eyes as he watched the hugging couple. "Prolonged illness makes one a good doctor. In the past, I've seen similar cases at the hospital. Actually, I'm better at diagnosing mental illnesses than physical symptoms."
"So what was she possessed by?" asked Bai Lingmiao.
Li Huowang sighed. "She wasn't possessed. She was just deeply traumatized in the past, and couldn't recover. Her current state is the result of being locked up for thirty years."
Just as Li Huowang was about to bring Bai Lingmiao and leave this dimly-lit house, he was stopped by someone.
It was Zhao Qin, who still had tears in his eyes. He placed his palms together emotionally and bowed down to Li Huowang. "Thank you for your help, Benefactor!"
"Don't thank me just yet; this matter isn't over. Bring her out, get her cleaned up and give her a fresh set of clothes," instructed Li Huowang.
Currently, to Zhao Qin, Li Huowang's words were akin to an Imperial Decree. He immediately obeyed the instructions given to him.
After changing her clothes, the old woman was sent to a bright and warm room. She was still holding Yang Xiaohai in her arms.
Meanwhile, Li Huowang continued to instruct Zhao Qin. "Let her continue to hug him if she likes to do so. Spend some money and hire a few children to take turns with her. She is trying to find a replacement to compensate for the losses she suffered in the past. Once her emotional state stabilizes after she has finished venting, you can replace the substitute with a dummy. Also, take her out in the sun more often. Sunlight can improve a person's mood, and is extremely beneficial for their recovery. And, if there's truly no one who can accompany her, then let her have two dogs by her side; pets can also have the effect of stabilizing a person's mental state. Thirty years is far too long a period. In such conditions, earlier intervention would have had a much better effect. For now, prioritize stabilizing her condition."
Li Huowang paused, as he tried to recall what Doctor Li used to tell the families of the other patients. After a moment, he continued to relay the details to Zhao Qin, "I only remember so much. Give these methods a try. It's better than keeping her locked up within a dark room. Remember not to lock her up anymore, and absolutely do not use chains to restrain her. She's already in such a condition, so chaining her up will only make things worse."
His wife could still recognise him after thirty years—this was something that Zhao Qin couldn't even imagine. In his eyes, Li Huowang was like a legendary doctor come to life!
"That's it for now. If there's nothing else, then we'll take our leave first; we have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow," said Li Huowang, ready to leave.
However, he was stopped by Zhao Qin's open arms. Zhao Qin's voice trembled as he instructed his disciples, "Yuan Hu, arrange a feast! A huge feast!"
Zhao Qin spared nothing to express his sincerity. The best restaurant in this town was reserved entirely by the Longteng Escort Office, all to entertain Li Huowang and his group.
The restaurant served a top-notch banquet that far surpassed anything that could be found in an average inn's dining hall. There were various delicacies, including roasted meats, braised fish, sophora flower soup, etc...
The central dish on the table was a roasted suckling pig—its tender, succulent meat roasted to crisp golden perfection. Its rich aroma filled the air, and the candlelight danced on its glistening surface, creating an enticing fragrance that wafted through the entire room.
Not just humans, even Bun couldn't resist the temptation of the food as it sat eagerly by Li Huowang's feet, licking its lips in anticipation of leftover bones.
Li Huowang was seated at the head of the table, but he didn't pay much attention to these details. He just listened as Chun Xiaoman explained the story behind the current situation.
"Next time you encounter such a situation, consult with me first. Don't act recklessly on your own, and don't involve Bai Lingmiao either," said Li Huowang. Handling such matters required careful management. If mishandled, they could lead to troublesome consequences.
Hearing this, Chun Xiaoman paused as if trying to find an excuse, but finally nodded, "Yes, Senior Li."
As he saw Zhao Qin ascend the wooden stairs of the restaurant, Li Huowang straightened his posture.
At present, Zhao Qin was clothed in formal attire and was accompanied by his disciples behind him.
With fervent eyes, Zhao Qin didn't say anything, simply pouring out three cups of wine for Li Huowang.
"Leader Zhao, you're too courteous. I just couldn't stand what was happening, and hence reached out to help," said Li Huowang as he picked up a piece of chicken with his chopsticks. He only placed it in his mouth after he saw all the escorts accompanying Zhao Qin start to pick up their chopsticks. Then, he signaled the others with a nod.
The rest, who had been waiting impatiently, immediately picked up their chopsticks. They made use of the opportunity when the escorts were still startled by their sudden movements, causing the dishes on the table to be lessened noticeably in just a short while.
Li Huowang picked up a chicken drumstick, took a bite, and then threw it beneath the table.
"Benefactor, I cannot express how thankful I am. Today, you have saved my wife which is akin to saving me! Tomorrow, there will be generous gifts sent to your residence, and I hope you won't refuse them!" said Zhao Qin whose nose had turned red from all the wine he had drunk. He was much more talkative now.
"Benefactor, if you face any difficulties in the future, then the Longteng Escort Office will definitely lend a hand with all our might!" After announcing that, Zhao Qin raised his cup and drank three more cups in quick succession.
Just as Zhao Qin was about to pour a fourth cup of wine, Li Huowang stopped him with his chopsticks. "Leader Zhao, it's best not to drink too much wine. Also, I do in fact have something that I need your help with. Since all of you are in the escort business, and your escorts are all quite skilled, do you have any suitable sword techniques?"
This request was not just for Chun Xiaoman, but also for himself. He had just acquired a great sword from the Abbess. However, without any proper sword techniques, even if he had a great sword, its uses would be limited to poking bonfires and dancing around with it.
Since Zhao Qin had offered his help first, Li Huowang decided to make his request known.
Chapter - 144 The Green Forest
"Sword techniques? Yes, of course we do!" Zhao Qin replied decisively. "Though the Escort Office doesn't use swords as much, since Benefactor has requested, we would have found a way to bring you some sword techniques even if we didn't have any!"
Hearing this, Li Huowang raised his cup and gave Zhao Qin a toast. "Then, thank you, Leader Zhao."
As the wine flowed, the atmosphere of the banquet gradually grew warmer. As the cups were refilled and the dishes were replaced, the atmosphere grew quite lively.
However, Li Huowang himself did not enjoy such settings. When he saw that the others were almost done, he planned to get up and leave.
At that moment, he saw Puppy carrying a cup of hot tea while walking toward him.
Puppy glanced at Zhao Qin behind him, then leaned toward Li Huowang and whispered, "Senior Li, didn't Junior Bai previously say that money was only flowing out but not in? Shouldn't we try to find a way to make money?"
"Ah, what are you trying to say?" asked Li Huowang, irritated. Bai Lingmiao had indeed complained about this issue on multiple occasions, to the point that his ears had almost fallen off.
Puppy's brows flew up. "Look, this is a golden opportunity! We can get them to teach us how to be escorts! Since we're going toward the Liang Kingdom anyway, we can receive escort missions on the way. It's a win-win! And look, this bunch is capable of treating us to such expensive food. Providing escort service must bring in quite a bit of money!"
Li Huowang was rather surprised by Puppy's quick thinking, especially when it came to handling money. It was indeed a feasible plan.
They could use the money they made by providing escort service to cover their expenses, and send the excess to Abbess Jingxin.
Though Abbess Jingxin had only brought up those 30,000 pieces of gold casually, it would be rather inexcusable if he did not send anything to repay such a huge gift.
He didn't want to owe anything to anyone, much less the only person who had helped him ever since he arrived here.
When Li Huowang raised this issue with Zhao Qin, the latter readily agreed. "Sure! Since Brother Li wishes to join us, then I'll be your guarantor! As long as you take my recommendation letter, you'll be able to take missions from any escort office!"
However, after making this promise, he started to offer some advice, "But, providing escort service is not so easy. The escorts from our office have a mantra that they call 'the three points for safety'. These so-called 'three points for safety' are to have a friendly demeanor, be accommodating in your dealings, and to keep your drinking at the table moderate. Outsiders often believe that escorts rely solely on their strong martial arts. However, in reality that only covers half of it. The other, more important half relies on networking and connections, which can be very troublesome."
Zhao Qin's face was flushed as he once again raised his cup and drained it before waving his hand. "Brother Li, if you are in need of money, just say the word. I'll give you however much you need!"
His words were spoken with conviction, but Li Huowang knew he couldn't take them at face value.
Any item had a value attached to it. While Li Huowang had helped his wife, he hadn't healed her completely; she was just placed on the path to recovery.
He could accept receiving some sword techniques and being introduced into the escort trade, but to cause the other party to become destitute was definitely going way too far.
"Leader Zhao, thank you for the offer. However, I feel it's better for me to be self-reliant."
After going back and forth for a while, Zhao Qin sighed. "Alright, since Brother Li is so stubborn. Then, come to the escort office tomorrow. I'll teach you the necessary code words myself."
"Code word? What do you mean 'code word'?" asked Li Huowang.
"Code words refers to the jargon used in the martial world. When you encounter bandits, you must be able to speak their language," explained Zhao Qin.
"Ah, I see," Li Huowang suddenly seemed to think of something, "Then, what does 'shoulders together, throw me a vine' mean?"
This was the phrase that those water bandits had said to him on the lake. Thinking back, this could have been their attempt at exchanging code words.
"'Shoulders together' means 'brother', and 'throw me a vine' means to report your name." Zhao Qin explained.
"Then what if we're unable to answer?" asked Li Huowang.
"If you are unable to answer the code word, then that means you're an outsider. In such a situation, most that raise the black flag will directly attack," replied Zhao Qin.
"Ah, I see..." Li Huowang's chopsticks were raised as he seemed to think about something.
At that moment, Puppy interjected from beside him. "Escort Head, it shouldn't really matter whether the code words are exchanged or not, right? After all, those insignificant bandits cannot cause any huge waves. Wouldn't it be fine to just slaughter them all?"
"Insignificant bandits?" Zhao Qin chuckled. "Do you really think that all bandit groups are just a random group of evil people that come together to plunder? The waters run deep, my friend."
This sentence piqued Li Huowang's interest. "Leader Zhao, please elaborate."
Ever since they had come out of Zephyr Temple, they had already encountered two bandit groups in these short few months. This meant that there could be many more encounters in future, and it was definitely beneficial to get a better understanding of this.
An escort office that undertook missions often would also understand this quite well.
"I admit that some of the wandering bandits lack strength. However, they are not the only ones in this huge green forest; among those who raise the black flag, there are many players, both big and small. Not talking about the various bandits on Dongyi Mountain, there's the Southern Overlord of the Western Wilderness. Basically, any of them that can make a name for themselves are all capable powers. With them, ruling the mountain is not just a saying. They may have thousands of followers under them," Zhao Qin took a gulp of wine and continued, "There is also a critical saying, which tells one to strategically keep one's adversaries without taking any action against them. Behind the bandits may well be some official connections. Don't be fooled by their current status as bandits. If, by any chance, one day they receive an Imperial Edict, they would quickly transition from outlaws to law-abiding citizens. Can you understand the relationships at play in all this? If you don't follow their protocols such as exchanging code words, can you still do escort missions? Everything in this world has its rules, and this vast green forest is the same."
Through Zhao Qin's explanation, Li Huowang slowly began to understand a corner of this mysterious world.
Li Huowang thought back to the scene of the water bandit's ritual. He paused for a moment, then asked, "Among these people, are there any who are skilled practitioners of dark or mystical arts?"
As he was now, he was no longer afraid of ordinary bandits. However, nothing in this world was so simple.
Even that small group of water bandits in the reed river were somehow in possession of the Profound Records and were capable of wreaking havoc. The larger groups of mountain bandits were likely to have even stronger capabilities
When he asked this question, the atmosphere of the dining table suddenly cooled down.
As he saw the nervous looks on the faces of these escorts, Li Huowang already knew the answer to his question.
Zhao Qin hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "Basically, my point still stands. Everything needs to follow rules. Who knows who is really behind these mountain or water bandits. Though the Imperial Guards have a Surveillance Bureau, the current Emperor can't even secure his own throne, let alone manage these matters. Also, there are certain things that us ordinary folks should stay out of."