When he saw those two things prostrating themselves before the constantly writhing Master Danyang, Li Huowang had a suspicion. Are these two here to help him find alchemy ingredients?
Just as he was thinking this, Li Huowang saw Master Danyang bend down, grab a handful of mud from the ground, and stuff it into his mouth. He then began jabbering at the two masses.
The sound was bizarre, completely unlike anything a human could produce, yet the two things seemed to understand. After bobbing up and down, they quickly dispersed.
As they departed, the twisting, dark world gradually returned to normal.
"Kid, don't worry. The things from the Heavenly Book are hard to get, but that's nothing for your master. I've got connections out there," Master Danyang said proudly.
"Of course! Master, you're on your way to becoming an immortal—there's nothing in this world that can stump you! But Master, what were those things just now?"
"Heh heh, kid, you've still got plenty to learn. That's what the Heavenly Book calls a 'Wandering Lord.'"
Past crises had kept Li Huowang on edge, leaving him no time to ponder a particular question. What sort of world is this, really? What with the Great Grannies and Wandering Lords, none of this seems normal. If I hadn't eaten regular pork and mutton at meals, I'd almost believe that nothing alive in this world is normal.
"Ah, this thing's a real treasure. Back in the day, I went through a whole lot of trouble to snatch it," Master Danyang said, slipping the copper bell back into his sleeve.
"Snatch?"
"Of course you snatch it! If you don't, is someone going to hand it to you for free? Hmph! What do we do if we don't have what others have? We snatch it!
"I learned this when I was five. A beggar bigger than me snatched my spoiled mantou right out of my hand.
"When I was young, I snatched women, horses, and silver. Later, I snatched Cultivation Techniques, Magic Artifacts, and disciples. Hell, even the Qingfeng Daoist Temple was something I snatched! Did the clay statue of our founder have anything to say about it? Heh heh." At this, a look of pride crept onto Master Danyang's face.
"Kid, when grown-ups talk, you listen. I'm teaching you to behave, got it? I'm only telling you this because I'm treating you as one of my own."
"But Master, what if you're not strong enough to snatch it?"
"Not strong enough? If you can't snatch it, then you team up and snatch it together! Why is that literate head of yours so dense? If you can't win by teaming up, you drug them! If drugging them doesn't work, then you play dirty!"
Just a few words were enough for Li Huowang to understand the scab-headed man's methods. It was no wonder his skills were such a mishmash; he had snatched everything he owned, bit by bit.
"Master... you truly understand how to live."
"Hmph! So what if I can't read? So what if I have no aptitude? They say I'm unorthodox, that I have no Dao heart. Once I become an immortal, I'm going to rip their eyelids open and make them see who truly lacks aptitude! Who truly has no Dao heart!" As Master Danyang said this, his face twisted with spite, his ugly features contorted in fury.
Li Huowang didn't know who "they" were, but he was certain the grudge ran deep.
For a while after, Li Huowang practically ate and slept with Master Danyang, throwing himself completely into concocting the path to immortality from the Heavenly Book.
Taking advantage of this time, Li Huowang also secretly worked on perfecting the plan, making the entire method seem more and more believable.
The items Li Huowang had requested were delivered quickly.
Staring at the slimy, gray-white behemoth covered in soft black fur and the amorphous, faintly glowing black growth beside it, Li Huowang was filled with disgust. At the same time, he was amazed at Master Danyang's power. He had actually managed to acquire these things.
"Master, should we fire up the furnace?" Li Huowang asked.
"No rush. It's not New Year's yet. Come on, let's eat New Year's Eve dinner first."
Master Danyang's words took Li Huowang by surprise. Why are we eating New Year's Eve dinner now? Is there some connection?
Even so, seeing Master Danyang get up and leave the Alchemy Room, Li Huowang hurried to follow.
When they entered the dining cave, the other disciples were already there. Which is to say, it was just the three of them: Changren, Changming, and Xuan Yuan.
Seeing the mostly empty round table, Master Danyang's face darkened in an instant. "Why aren't there bowls and chopsticks for the departed disciples? Set them! Welcome them back for the New Year."
A short while later, after settings had been placed for all the deceased disciples, the round table looked completely full.
A satisfied smile returned to Master Danyang's face. He nodded and returned to his seat of honor. Li Huowang sat to his right; the other side was left empty for Zhengkun. "Come on, serve the dumplings."
A steaming pot of dumplings was brought out by the young apprentices, its fragrant aroma wafting through the air. They carefully used a ladle to place dumplings into each person's bowl, including the bowls set for the dead.
"Hehehe, it's the New Year. Everyone relax, eat up!" Though he said that, everyone, including Li Huowang, waited for him to move his chopsticks before they started eating.
Master Danyang picked up his chopsticks, clamped down on a white dumpling, and popped it into his mouth. Eyes half-closed, he chewed with bliss. "Mmm, pork-fat crackling and chive stuffing—delicious! Oh, what's this? A Wen Woney? A good omen, a good omen, hahaha."
Li Huowang stared at the dumplings in his bowl, dazed for a long moment. Then, with a determined expression, he began to wolf them down.
Master Danyang watched Li Huowang shovel dumplings into his mouth, a narrow-eyed smile on his face. "You kids are living in a good time, getting to eat such delicious dumplings.
"When I was your age, I didn't even know what dumplings looked like. I only heard how delicious they were. Heh.
"Then, one New Year, I smelled food from someone's house. I barged in and saw for the first time what dumplings looked like. I didn't even bother with the family's pretty daughter. I just cut her down with one strike, squatted on their heated brick bed, and gobbled up two whole catties of dumplings in a daze. Theirs were also filled with pork-fat cracklings and chives."
The other disciples put on awkward, placating smiles. Only Li Huowang continued to eat like a starving wolf.
Seeing the tears glistening at the corners of Li Huowang's eyes, Master Danyang carefully picked up his own bowl and poured his dumplings into Li Huowang's. "Sigh, you're another kid from a hard life. Eat slower, don't choke."
Amid the sounds of swallowing and clashing bowls and chopsticks, the New Year's Eve dinner of only five living people came to a close.
Just when Li Huowang thought they would begin the alchemy, he saw Master Danyang pat his own scab-covered head, pull a stack of red envelopes out of his sleeve, and hand them out to Changming and Changren. He even placed envelopes beside the bowls set for the dead.
"Come, come, it's the New Year. Remember to put this under your pillow for good luck. Everyone take one. When I was your age, no elder ever gave me lucky money."
Master Danyang placed the last red envelope beside Zhengkun's bowl, then turned with a grin to Li Huowang. "You don't need lucky money. We, master and disciple, will become immortal together and live as long as the heavens and earth!"
Li Huowang smiled, a genuinely happy smile. "You're absolutely right, Master."
"Let's go! Back to the Alchemy Room! Fire up the furnace! Kid, you'll tend the fire!"
"You got it, Master!"