The night wind whimpered as it ran over the eaves and squeezed in through the tiny crack in the door. The oil lamp flickered. In the crowded kitchen, an old gray hen huddled on a pile of firewood, dozing with her eyes closed. No one spoke in the room, only the sound of chopsticks tapping on the bottom of the bowl.
With the sound of several chopsticks rising and falling, the fatty wild boar meat piled on the plate was emptied in a moment. Lu Laoshi leaned back in his chair with satisfaction and patted his belly.
"Ah... I haven't eaten wild game in a long time."
On the other side, Lu Xiaoxian was taking big bites of the food, but was knocked off the top of her chopsticks by Li Jinhua. She then started to chew in small bites. She quietly rolled her eyes at her mother, and saw the Taoist holding the bowl, staring at the few remaining slices of fat on the plate.
"Why don't you eat?"
Sun Yingxian looked at the greasy layer of fat, her scalp tingling, and she looked away. She turned her chopsticks to pick up a vegetable and put it into her mouth.
"I don't want to eat meat today, so I won't eat it."
"Weird." Lu Xiaoxian curled her lips, and seeing Li Jinhua, who had gone to the stove to wash the pot, looking over, she quickly picked up a vegetable, stuffed it into her mouth and buried her head.
Across from him, Lu Liangsheng quietly put down his bowl and chopsticks and said, "I'm done eating." He stood up and helped to clean up the dishes, then opened the door and walked out. He walked back to the room along the eaves and flicked his fingers, and the dim light of the fire illuminated the room.
On one side of the bed, Toad Taoist was lying on his back beside the pillow, with one of his short legs raised and swaying in the air, holding a piece of half-fat and half-lean wild boar meat in his webbed hands, slowly savoring it.
Seeing his disciple coming in, he originally wanted to say a few words, but the scholar took a few classics and sat quietly under the oil lamp to read. Amid the sound of turning papers, the Toad Taoist opened his mouth wide and swallowed the piece of wild boar meat in one gulp. He touched his bloated belly, then raised his short legs and sat up.
Standing on the edge of the bed, looking at the figure flipping through the book, he sighed, and slowly lowered himself to the ground by holding onto the edge of the bed. He walked outside the door and sat down. He propped up his chin and looked at the lively laughter coming from the kitchen. He turned his head and looked at the half moon above his head.
squeak…
The Taoist priest stuck his head out of the kitchen door, saw the old toad sitting under the eaves, and came over quietly.
"Kicked out by your apprentice?" he whispered.
Toad ignored him. The Taoist turned his eyes away and carefully looked into the room. In the slightly opened door, in the range of the flickering light, he saw a handsome and quiet profile, concentrating on turning the pages of a book.
"Sure enough, it looks better than this one."
"Shameless."
The Toad Taoist pouted at him and said, "Is that all you can see?"
"You said that Old Lu is worried."
Sun Yingxian withdrew his gaze, squatted down, and stroked his short beard: "I feel that he is in a good mood today."
Toad glanced over and said calmly, "Not bad at all."
Then, he sighed, looked up and continued to look at the moonlight.
"Liangsheng has always felt guilty about his mentor. I am an experienced person and have seen more practitioners than you have."
Having said this, he sighed again, put his flippers on his legs and stood up.
"Let me help him. I have to be worthy of the title 'Master'."
The Toad Taoist asked Sun Yingxian to go to the kitchen and not let others come out to disturb him while casting the spell. Seeing the Taoist standing there with no intention of leaving, he walked over, jumped up and hit him on the knee.
"How can I allow you to spy on me while I am casting a spell? Come in quickly."
"Yes, yes. I'll go right away."
Seeing the Taoist reluctantly return to the kitchen, Toad looked at the warm yellow light shining through the window with his webbed feet, staggered to the outside of the eaves, and the lumps on his back gradually began to swell.
Emitting a light purple smoke.
…
Inside the room, the night wind squeezed in through the window and the oil lamp swayed. Lu Liangsheng stretched out his hand to block it to prevent it from being blown out. After a moment, his brows slightly frowned.
Suddenly, the wind grew stronger, and a familiar voice came in from outside the window.
"Liang Sheng...
Liangsheng…”
Mentor? Lu Liangsheng raised his head. The window frame was pushed open by the wind with a creak. The old tree in the yard rustled and shook. The deceased old man was wearing a gray robe and standing in the moonlight with a book in his hand.
The scholar walked out of the house. As a cultivator, he naturally knew about ghosts and gods. He was not frightened but happy to see the old man's soul. He hurriedly bowed to greet him, just like he did before.
"Liangsheng, I've met my mentor."
"No need to be so polite." Wang Shuhua swayed slightly, raised his hand and smiled.
"I haven't seen you for a long time. You look much thinner."
Seeing him coming over, Lu Liangsheng frowned slightly, but still said, "I have traveled around Northern Zhou, sleeping in the open air, and have indeed lost some weight, but it's okay. Doesn't this make me look more energetic?!"
"hehe… "
Over there, Wang Shuhua chuckled, waved the book in his hand, and invited the scholar to walk slowly in the courtyard together.
"Although my master is dead, I know that Liangsheng is not what he just said."
He paused for a moment, put down the scroll and put it behind his back, and continued: "Liangsheng, you don't have to blame yourself. Although your master is dead, his soul is still alive. Moreover, the God of Heaven has shown me favor and has found me a small position as Gongcao in the Rewarding and Benevolent Department. I came here today to tell you."
At the side, the footsteps suddenly stopped. When Wang Shuhua turned around in surprise, the scholar behind him stretched out his arm and put his arm around his shoulders.
"Master, forget it, you should stop pretending."
Well…
Wang Shuhua's face froze, and the illusion around him suddenly disappeared. Insects chirped again in the corner, and amid the rustling sound of branches shaking, Lu Liangsheng picked up the Toad Taoist on the ground, put him on his shoulder, and walked back under the eaves.
"How did you know that it was your master who put it on?" Toad couldn't help but ask as he sat on his disciple's shoulder, "I think it's perfect."
"Two things."
Lu Liangsheng waved his sleeves casually on the ground, sat down, and raised two fingers.
"My mentor's walking posture is not like Master's."
A bend of fingers.
"Second, there is no Gongcao in the City God Temple... And, Master, have you forgotten that Liangsheng is best at illusion?"
The Toad was stunned for a long while and then smacked his lips.
"Can't you let me pretend a little longer to satisfy my desire?"
Looking at Master Toad, there is actually one thing that Lu Liangsheng did not mention, and that is the demonic energy. Ever since he formed the golden elixir, he has been very sensitive to the demonic energy...
After a while, he spoke again with a smile on his face.
"I know what Master did. Don't worry. Liangsheng has a way to deal with that Dharma Master."
"You are just a golden elixir, you can't even break its soul-demanding Sanskrit sound!"
When the Toad Taoist was mentioned, he was somewhat reluctant to see his good-natured disciple go and avenge the old scholar, and he turned away in anger, hugging his flippers.
"What can you do? You were led into Taoism by my master, and I can't do anything about it, so how can you do anything?"
"Master."
Lu Liangsheng could sense the concern in his master's tone. He looked up at the bright moon in the sky and said with a smile, "That Dharma Master worshipped Buddhism and died. I am doing the opposite and celebrating life with death. Why can't I give it a try?"
Seeing that he couldn't persuade his disciple, Toad Taoist shook his head, jumped off his disciple's shoulder, walked into the house, and looked up at the oil lamp on the table.
"As you wish."
As the bright moon was obscured by drifting clouds and the rolling mountains were plunged into darkness, a fire dragon spread on the official road north of Fushui County. The sounds of horse hooves swept over and flags fluttered in the flames.
"drive-"
The roar sounded for a moment, and the words resounded over the horse's back.
"The infantrymen behind us should speed up. Your Majesty has ordered us to surround Qixia Mountain!"
The flags were fluttering in the wind, and the soles of feet were raised on the ground, kicking up dust. Spears and spears stood out from the long winding dragon of infantry, with no end in sight.