The person who broke his bottle had been found, but Master Danyang didn't feel happy at all. He looked with a complex expression at Zhengkun's mangled body, then viciously kicked it away.
"I practically raised you like a son! And this is how you repay me?!"
The entire cave fell silent, leaving only the sound of Master Danyang's rapid breathing.
This lasted for the time it took two incense sticks to burn. Then, Master Danyang slowly lifted his hand and pointed straight at Li Huowang in the crowd. "You. Come here. Kowtow to the patriarchs."
Li Huowang was stunned for a second, but under everyone's gaze, he walked over, knelt on the ground, and bowed deeply to the three statues on the wall.
After he finished the entire ritual of three prostrations and nine kowtows, Li Huowang, now holding three incense sticks, already understood what the man wanted. "From now on, you are my final disciple!"
"Yes, Master." Li Huowang was so excited his very core seemed to tremble. The moment has finally come! Don't worry, Scabby Head, I swear I'll help you attain "immortality"!
"Come with me. Your Master has something for you to do." Master Danyang carefully scooped up the remains of the vase-head in his palm.
Li Huowang followed Master Danyang, retracing his steps back to the Daoist Master's residence.
WHIZ! WHIZ! WHIZ! The black tendrils wrapping the stone slab flickered like long snakes before darting into Master Danyang's sleeve. The so-called Heavenly Book was now fully revealed before him. "Can you read what's written on it?"
Li Huowang put on a show of carefully examining it, then asked with some confusion, "Master, you told me before that the way to immortality is to cultivate both the inner core and external alchemy pills together, right? But that's not right. There's nothing about an inner core here."
"Hmm? What?!" Master Danyang looked moodily at the vase-head's corpse beside him.
"It's absolutely true," Li Huowang said with conviction.
Heaven knew what nonsense the vase-head had made up and told Master Danyang before. If he couldn't play along, he'd blow his cover for sure. Rather than get exposed, he might as well confess and start from scratch.
Besides, he wasn't lying—it was the truth. The so-called Immortality Cultivation Technique that Master Danyang had followed was a complete fabrication by the vase-head. It was fake.
Of course, what he was about to make up wasn't going to be real either.
Master Danyang brooded, his expression turning dark. At first, he didn't want to believe what Li Huowang said. However, the more his suspicious mind mulled it over, the more holes he found.
No wonder I haven't become immortal after all this time. No wonder that girl said the Heavenly Book's contents change and can't be memorized by rote. So that's how it is.
HACK—PTUI! Master Danyang spat a disgusting glob of green phlegm right onto the vase-head, then turned to Li Huowang. "Then you tell me, what does this Heavenly Book say?"
"Hmm... It's an Internal Cultivation Technique. It says you must perform it at the precise moment when the old year has not yet passed but the new year has not yet arrived. While cultivating, you must simultaneously consume several kinds of External Alchemy Pills. That's the only way to intercept the sliver of spiritual energy from the Immortal Realm that the Heavenly Dao injects into the Mortal World. You can then absorb it into your body and achieve immortality." Li Huowang stared at the stone slab, his brows furrowed as he spoke with feigned seriousness.
"There are also several kinds of elixirs to take. For example, one Pill Recipe here calls for two taels and four qian of Cinnabar, one qian of silver coins, one tael and two qian of Arsenic Trioxide, and... Master You? Master, what kind of medicinal herb is Master You?"
Master Danyang didn't answer, instead staring quietly at Li Huowang. "Kid, that little Nannan managed to fool me. You aren't tricking me too, are you?"
Li Huowang's answer was firm. "Master, this is the method to achieve immortality! How could I possibly lie to you? I want to become immortal too!"
"Good!" Master Danyang slapped his hands together forcefully and laughed aloud. "Then this time, we, master and disciple, will become immortal together!"
Li Huowang's expression went blank for a moment, then twisted into one of extreme ecstasy. "Really? Master, is that really possible? Thank you, Master! Thank you so much!"
Master Danyang carefully studied his expression. Seeing nothing amiss, he nodded in understanding.
"Alright, the elixirs can wait. First, teach me that Cultivation Technique. We'll wait until we've both mastered it. Then we can start concocting the External Alchemy Pills. There's still some time before the New Year."
"Yes, Master!" Li Huowang then recited a so-called Cultivation Technique of grand internal-external circulation to Master Danyang.
That day, Li Huowang stayed in Master Danyang's room for a long time, only returning late at night.
Li Huowang carried a lantern down the tunnel. The plan is proceeding smoothly, he thought happily. I'll achieve my goal soon.
After being suppressed for so long, finally something good has happened.
When he arrived at the materials room, he found that, as expected, the others were still awake.
Seeing Li Huowang, everyone swarmed over at once, their eyes filled with excitement. They all understood what today's events signified; Li Huowang had tipped them off beforehand.
"Don't worry. Just wait for my good news. You'll all be able to go home soon."
The moment Li Huowang said this, everyone was so moved they almost cried out. They could finally go home.
"Brother Li, you're my savior! You're a Living Bodhisattva!" one of the polio-stricken boys with useless limbs cried, excitedly kneeling on the ground to kowtow to Li Huowang.
He seemed to have started a trend, as the others quickly followed suit.
After some time spent persuading them, Li Huowang finally brought the commotion to a halt. "If it weren't for all of you at noon today, I'd be done for. By that logic, shouldn't I be the one kowtowing to you?"
As they clambered up from the ground, their faces were wreathed in smiles, as happy as if it were the New Year.
Looking at the smiling faces before him, Li Huowang felt a warmth spread through his heart. In this strange world, these bizarre-looking people are my companions.
"Brother Li, my acting was pretty good, wasn't it? That Scabby Head is a total idiot. I had him running in circles," Dogwa said, slapping his gaunt chest and grinning at Li Huowang, fishing for praise.
"Indeed, your acting was superb. If you hadn't intervened like that, Master Danyang wouldn't have let things go so easily."
While the others crowded around Li Huowang, chattering away, someone else was worried about him.
"Brother Li, are you alright? He didn't really give you a hard time, did he?" Bai Lingmiao asked as she walked over, her face etched with concern.
Hearing this, Li Huowang recalled Master Danyang's words about becoming immortal together. It's best if I'm the only one who knows about his plan to use me as an elixir test subject. There's no need to tell her.
"He's having me translate the Heavenly Book for him now. What could happen to me? Don't worry, I'm perfectly fine."
After some more idle chatter, Li Huowang's expression turned serious. "The first day of the year is almost over. Those 'Master You' will be back from the market soon. Let's make this quick. I still need your help. Did your grandfather tell you any other stories?"
He hadn't finished making up the ingredients for the Immortality Alchemy Pill.
Simple Cinnabar and Mercury Ore were no longer enough for him. He needed to add other things—the more bizarre and outrageous, the better.
He had not forgotten Master Danyang's strength. The man had to die, completely and utterly.