The goose demon Master Bai turned around on the spot and called out twice. He puffed out his chest and raised his head, his big eyes showing a hint of severity as he glanced at the master and apprentice of the Kushan Sect.
If eyes could curse, Yin Ci felt that his ancestors had been cursed. Shi Jingzhi on the side took a half step back, and his mood was not much better.
Su Si frantically dug out a pot of vegetable leaves, and Mr. Bai then looked away and started to eat the food.
"I picked up Master Bai near Yongsheng. He kept following me, so I just kept him as a pet. He has a very good instinct. As long as you follow his actions, you can always survive."
Yin Ci looked at Su Si stroking the big goose, feeling a little complicated.
Here they come, this time we have doctors, fortune tellers, cooks and vegetable sellers, they will be able to dominate the street corner the next day.
Master Bai seemed to realize that he was classified as a "vegetable" and his sharp eyes swept over again. And his scanning range was not limited to Yin Ci, Shi Jingzhi seemed to be thinking about something similar.
The master and disciple of Kushan Sect worked together for the first time, and the two men and the goose faced off quietly.
Su Si took the opportunity to move Mr. Bai's food bowl, pulled the mountain ghost money off his neck, and threw it to Yan Qing.
Yan Qing took it steadily: "If you want to remind me that you were here, you can just leave something behind. Why do you have to take it away?"
"This thing can ward off evil spirits. Besides, if I die nearby, you might be able to use it to identify my body and help me dig a grave to bury it."
Yan Qing frowned when he heard this: "What unlucky words are you saying."
Su Si giggled and made a face, his eyes drifting towards the master and disciple, with a bit of worry in his eyes.
After being in the underworld for a long time, one should not be gullible. It is normal for Su Si to be wary of them. Yin Ci just wanted to leave the house and take a closer look at the situation outside.
Shi Jingzhi moved even faster. He coughed twice and said, "Since nothing will happen for the time being, let's take Ah Ci to look around nearby. I see there is a river not far away. Can we catch fish there?"
Not good, Yin Ci thought. It seems his master is having problems with fish.
Su Sixi said happily: "Of course, we can make some food later. How about you bring Mr. Bai with you?"
The two shook their heads firmly.
"That's fine. It's not far anyway. Just don't provoke the villagers." Su Si scratched his head. "The net is behind the door. Get it yourself."
Su Si's residence was at the edge of the village. Although it was close to the river, there were few pedestrians nearby and it was very quiet. The river water was clear and you could see the bottom. The fish were all plump and leisurely bent their bodies to suck the tiny petals on the river surface.
Shi Jingzhi ignored the fishing net. He took off his shoes and socks, tied up his clothes, picked up the bamboo pole and went down to the river. The river was not flowing fast, and the water just covered his knees.
Yin Ci pulled the fishing net and found a stone by the river to use as a seat.
Just looking at the scene in front of him, the paradise was just like this. However, he looked carefully along the way and did not see any shrines or medicine gardens. He did not know where the immortals mentioned by Yindeng lived or where the magic medicine came from.
As he was thinking, Shi Jingzhi suddenly inserted a bamboo pole into the water and plucked a fish out of the water. The fish's tail twitched in the air, splashing a lot of crystal water droplets, which also splashed on Yin Ci's face.
The fish here live a comfortable life, are fat and bloated, and only know gentle nets, so they have never suffered such hardships. The fat fish that were picked out of the water were furious, and their tails swung like steel whips.
Shi Jingzhi closed his eyes.
He paced cautiously in the water, lightly dodging the tail of the fish. Shi Jingzhi's steps were very restrained, like a gentle breeze, without splashing the water or disturbing the fish in the water.
Yin Ci raised his eyebrows.
His master not only dodged the fish's tail, he even tried to dodge the water droplets. However, on his first attempt, a lot of water was splashed onto Shi Jingzhi's shoulders.
The cheap master tapped the bamboo pole lightly, and the fish was tossed in the air without falling. When it was too weak to struggle, Shi Jingzhi stopped practicing and threw the fish to Yin Ci on the shore.
Then the next one, and so on.
Yin Ci quickly figured out the trick. Shi Jingzhi was digesting the various skills he had learned before. He was blending and modifying them to make them something that belonged only to him.
Keeping the mind and body tense at the same time is undoubtedly a very tiring task. However, his master was tireless and practiced for a full hour. His every move showed a strange sense of desperation.
The two were surrounded by beautiful scenery, coupled with the fox's face, the picture was very pleasing to the eye. Unfortunately, Yin Motou didn't understand romance, and when the warm wind blew, he gradually became sleepy. Countless thoughts were chaotic and mixed into a ball.
What was Shi Jingzhi desperately trying for? Did he know that he didn't have much time left? ... This man was a man of deep mind, so he probably knew.
The cheap master was alive and kicking, and he was counting the remaining days. In a sense, this was more exhausting than being bedridden. Yin Ci had seen countless talented people who were unable to survive and became crazy and obsessed because of regret.
Along the way, this person was calm and afraid of the unknown, a typical person who feared death. If he had seen through the world, how could he maintain his sanity
Yin Ci yawned and hugged the fishing net tightly. Dozens of fat fish were dying in the net, but there was not much fishy smell. He squinted his eyes, feeling dazzled by the sun, and wanted to lie down on the spot.
Shi Jingzhi practiced hard in the river.
Forget it, it has nothing to do with me. Anyway, when Shi Jingzhi left the ghost tomb, he said that he would not pursue his personal affairs anymore.
There is a thin window between the master and the apprentice, and no one wants to break it, so they can just get by. Shi Jingzhi knows how to advance and retreat, so he should not take the initiative to provoke...
"Sleepy?"
Shi Jingzhi came over at some point, put one hand on Yin Ci's forehead, and got very close to him.
Master's hands were a little cold after being soaked in water. Yin Ci raised his eyelids: "Okay."
"Go to sleep if you are tired. I will take care of you."
Shi Jingzhi showed that kind of expression again—the kind that was neither condescending nor trying to please, but pure and sincere.
Yin Ci felt as if he had been stung by a bee. He instantly sobered up, and a dark anxiety arose in his heart. There it was again, that inexplicable sincerity.
He didn't dislike sincere people, but he was hurt by this kind of expression.
Shi Jingzhi saw his apprentice frowning, thinking that he was unhappy because he had been sitting there waiting for so long. He moved his palm upwards and casually smoothed Yin Ci's hair. The spring breeze was gentle, and Yin Ci was still half asleep and half awake, with a wild flower petal in his hair.
The hand stroked Yin Ci's head, then slid naturally down the side of his face, tucking a bit of stray hair behind his ear.
Yin Ci was shocked as if he had been electrocuted, and grabbed that wrist—
Fingertips brushing hair, beautiful scenery beside, plus the sincere smile. He had seen this scene before and suddenly understood the source of his anxiety.
Shi Jingzhi used his remaining life to chase after a hope that was as illusory as a bubble, and he was no different. However, he had been unable to die for too long, and he could not even taste the taste of hope, and could only search for it like a walking corpse.
Anyone with a human heart will inevitably collapse.
More than 20 years ago, in Kushan, Yin Ci was on the verge of going insane. He hid in Juyi Valley, which was full of monsters, but still ran into an outsider - a two or three-year-old mountain kid, who was dumb and who knew how he got in.
If it weren't for that kid, he would have lost his humanity and turned into a monster that killed people indiscriminately.
The little mute would also smile sincerely like this. It makes sense, a child who knows nothing naturally doesn't know that there are other ways in the world.
But the child would also reach out and slowly touch his hair, from the top of his head to his cheeks, and tuck the messy hair behind his ears.
Exactly the same.
Yin Ci took care of the little mute for a while, and even had the urge to take him away. Even though the kindness of a child could not last long, and flowers would eventually wither, he was better at parting with death than anyone else in the world.
But in the end, he couldn't take the little mute away.
The little mute died. It seemed like a bloody destiny that forced him to stay awake in the world.
The Juyi Valley back then was also as beautiful as a dreamland.
The old scene reappeared, and Yin Ci was once again stung by the bared fangs of "God's Will". He held Shi Jingzhi's wrist tightly, thinking blankly in his heart, yes, this man will not live long.
Shi Jingzhi was pinched and felt pain: "Aci?"
"It's okay, I'm just a little dizzy due to sleepiness." Yin Ci slowly loosened his fingers.
If the little mute was still alive, he would be this big now, he thought inexplicably.
Ever since Shi Jingzhi made the promise of "not letting him down", Yin Ci has been waiting for him to betray her. What if Shi Jingzhi never breaks his promise until his death? What should he do
Now that there was only a thin layer of window paper between the two of them, Yin Ci was too lazy to continue pretending to be an honest apprentice. Should he give his master a little "surprise" as a reward
But he didn't have time to think about it for too long, because there was a sudden commotion not far away. A group of villagers were playing suona, scattering red paper scraps all over the sky, and marching towards the village in a mighty procession.
Shi Jingzhi immediately became alert. He lowered his head, picked up the net bag full of fish, and dragged Yin Ci back to the house.
As soon as they entered the house, the master and disciple almost thought they had walked into the wrong door.
The clothes scattered all over the floor were neatly folded, some of which had been washed and were hanging by the window. The table was wiped very clean, and the luggage of the Kushan Sect was also sorted, with sausages and bacon placed in a basket next to the stove.
"You are not allowed to bring fish into the house." Fortunately, Yan Qing showed up in time, holding a broom, and his tone was more authoritative. "Otherwise, there will be a smell in the house, which is difficult to remove."
As expected of a servant trained by the Taiheng Sect, he is extremely dedicated.
Su Si slumped in the chair, and the goose slumped on him. The man and the goose became decorations in the house. Su Si looked in a good mood, and it was obvious that he had a good chat with Yan Qing.
Seeing the master and his disciple come back, Su Si stood up and twirled the meat knife in his hand: "You are the guests, I will clean the fish by myself. Sanzi said that Brother Yin's cooking is delicious, I am looking forward to it."
Shi Jingzhi's expression was not very relaxed: "Just now I saw a line of villagers in red clothes outside, but no sedan chair. What are they doing?"
"Oh, that's a funeral." Su Si touched Mr. Bai twice, "I've only heard of it from others, this is the first time I've seen it."
"…why are you wearing something so festive for a funeral?" Shi Jingzhi frowned.
"There are so many things wrong with this village. Take funerals for example - when someone dies, the villagers dress the body and prop up the limbs with wooden planks. Then they mix the dead person in the procession and send him to the forbidden area in a grand procession, so that the dead person can 'transmigrate into immortality'."
Su Si sneered. He was handsome, and with the teardrop mole on his face, he looked a little frivolous.
"I just told Sanzi that there are more than a hundred people in Xizhuang, but I have walked around the place and have not seen anyone from Xizhuang, nor have I found any graves or corpses. If the people from Xizhuang are really alive, they can only be in the 'forbidden area'. You are a newcomer and have no right to approach there. You..."
Mr. Bai suddenly stretched his neck and let out a "ang" sound, and Su Si immediately shut up.
After a while, there was a knock at the door. Su Si pouted at them and opened the door.
Yindeng stood outside the door, his big eyes rolling around.
"My mother asked me to deliver the coat. Uncle Liu has ascended to heaven today. There will be a banquet tonight. Remember to go."
Su Si quickly adjusted his expression, looking bright and amiable: "Uncle Liu has ascended to heaven?"
"Yes. Dad said he hurt his finger while cutting meat at home yesterday." He shook his head like an adult, "He left too early. Aunt Liu was really sad to see him go. But since there are new guests in the village, it doesn't matter."
Shi Jingzhi was shocked and said, "... He died just by cutting his finger?"
"What's gone? It's the corpse that became an immortal!" Yindeng turned up his nose.
Shi Jingzhi looked dazed, and Yin Ci understood his feelings a little bit - this girl said that there was a magic medicine that could cure all diseases, and if death was considered as ascension to heaven, then the magic medicine might be made of paper ashes.
"Is it really just a cut on the finger?" Master Shi confirmed again and again.
Yindeng was quite patient with Shi Jingzhi: "Well, brother is not considered a villager yet, so it's normal that he doesn't know."
"People in the village won't get sick. But if they get an injury that can't heal within three days, they will go to heaven."