The sun was slanting, and the rays of light spread across the crowded downtown. Amid the hustle and bustle, a figure leading an old donkey squeezed through the noisy street scene. Behind him was a half-grown child with a tuft of yellow hair, who looked around like a monkey and took the rattle from the stall to play with it from time to time. When he heard a dry cough from the front, he quickly put it down and caught up with the child, holding up the hem of his robe.
Soon, he walked out of the south gate of Taiyuan. In the red glow of the sunset, he saw a young man waiting with a horse on the official road outside. When he saw the figure walking out of the city gate, he quickly dismounted and held up his wide sleeves to greet him.
"Master."
Li Yuanba, who had jumped up to the side, saw him, raised his hand and said with a smile: "General Qu, you are here too."
The former had something on his mind, and probably didn't want to talk much with this devilish child, so he looked at his master.
"Come with me."
Lu Liangsheng held his hand, and the master and disciple walked side by side, holding the reins. Qu Yuanfeng looked at the smoke and dust stirred up by the passing carts and couldn't help but say, "Master, can't you stay a few more days so that your disciple can show your filial piety."
"No."
Lu Liangsheng looked at the people coming and going in front of him, raised his hand and waved it, then dropped the old donkey's mane and stroked each hard hair.
"There are still many things to do in Chang'an, so I can't stay here for long. I just need to understand your filial piety."
The warhorse that was walking behind him looked at the donkey that was also looking at him, and became a little restless. Qu Yuanfeng loosened the reins and let it follow him from a distance. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but finally asked, "Master, what happened?"
"… "
Lu Liangsheng did not rush to answer. He silently watched Li Yuanba running back and forth on the road with his arms outstretched, jumping up and down like a horse that had broken free from its reins. When he walked to the pavilion on the side of the road, his white beard trembled slightly as his lips opened.
"You also know the Myriad Spirits Formation. It has now been breached. The gods sealed in the sky by the Yellow Emperor have all come down. I will go back to Chang'an to think of a countermeasure. You don't have to worry. Maybe I will find a solution on the way."
It would be a lie for the young man who was following slowly to say that he was not worried. He was adopted by his master since he was a child and knew a little about the Ten Thousand Spirits Formation. After hearing what his master said, he immediately remembered the incident when the demon star fell into the sky.
"The hole in the Ten Thousand Spirits Formation was broken by the demon star?"
"Um."
Lu Liangsheng hummed softly, then suddenly stopped and looked at his disciple. "Evil stars are scattered all over the nine states, and now the gods in the sky have also descended to the world. The world may be in chaos, and I'm afraid that the gods will fight each other. You are in the north, and Taiyuan is an important town. Personally, I don't want you to get involved, but I also know your temper. You will definitely not listen to advice. So, when things are impossible, retreat to Chang'an!"
Over there, Qu Yuanfeng also fell silent. He knew that his master would never speak in such a tone or expression normally. He thought that the situation had become more serious, so he spoke like this. In the silence, he nodded and raised his hand to bow heavily.
"Master, rest assured. Yuan Feng is not a stubborn person. If things are impossible, immediately escort Li Zongguan's family to Chang'an to reunite with Master."
In the distance, Li Yuanba, who was standing on the roadside throwing stones, turned his head and raised his chin while biting a piece of wild grass.
"Who are you scolding?!"
"I didn't say you!"
After hearing Qu Yuanfeng's reply, the child snorted and turned back, urging impatiently: "Let's go, it will be dark soon, I will take good care of Master."
"Take care of yourself first. Master doesn't need your care!"
The two men, who suddenly became brothers, started arguing with each other more than ten steps away from each other. Lu Liangsheng smiled, raised his hand, asked the two to stop talking, and then asked Qu Yuanfeng to return to the city.
"It's getting late, Yuanfeng, go back. There's no need to see you off."
"I will... see Master off... for a little while longer."
There was a look of reluctance on the young man's face.
Lu Liangsheng nodded, and he followed him for another two miles. It was getting dark. Qu Yuanfeng, who was accompanying them, stopped and looked at the figure leading the donkey away in front of him. He didn't know when they would see each other again. He took a deep breath, knelt on the ground, raised his hands heavily as if to bow, and knocked his head heavily on the ground, with fine stones stuck to his forehead.
"Master, take care!"
The figure leading the donkey turned his head sideways, a kind look appeared on his old face, and he waved his hand.
"Yuan Feng, go back."
Qu Yuanfeng raised his head and looked at the figure of his master leading the old donkey in front of him, and his little junior brother running around jumping around gradually disappearing in the sunset glow. Then he slowly got up from the ground, led the warhorse, sighed, and walked back to the city.
…
The setting sun fell behind the mountain, and the rays of light streaked across the forest, casting the last ray of light. The rolling Taihang Mountains became dark in the woods, and occasionally there were the howls of night foxes, mixed in with the crisp sounds of copper bells.
Lu Liangsheng led the old donkey along the muddy road that wound around the foothills. He looked up at the gaps between the intertwined branches above, where the night sky was dotted with stars. He then walked to the side of the road and called Li Yuanba, who was still excited.
"Go find some firewood and rest here tonight."
"Looking for firewood?"
Li Yuanba had never done this before. He touched his head and walked into the woods below the mountain path. He looked at the lush trees around him and fell into deep thought.
On the roadside, a bookshelf was lowered to the ground. The Toad Taoist walked out of the small door, sat down on a stone in a daze, staring at the ground with a dull look in his eyes, and then he didn't move. It seemed that he had not yet recovered from the scene he had seen before.
"Sir, what happened to Master Toad?"
Hong Lian floated out of the scroll and landed to the side. She placed her slender fingertips on the top of the toad's head, thinking that there was some discomfort there, and gently helped to massage it, causing the Toad Taoist to tremble slightly, his bean-sized eyes rolled upwards, and his legs twitched.
"I met a god who came to earth in person."
Lu Liangsheng briefly told the woman what happened. After all, she had followed him for many years and there was nothing hidden from her. He also mentioned Li Yuanba.
"Master has accepted another disciple? Where is he?" Hong Lian lowered her hands and looked around. Suddenly, there was a "rustling" sound from the woods in the distance. A moment later, a short figure rushed out from the woods dragging a big tree. In both hands, he was also dragging a tree as thick as a person and running towards this side excitedly.
"Master, is it enough to burn?"
With a loud bang, the big tree with mud on it was thrown to the ground, and the ground shook. Li Yuanba's face showed excitement. He was even more surprised to see the woman in a red skirt sitting nearby and a toad wearing clothes.
"Hey, why is there such a big clam..."
He stretched out his hand to grab it, but Lu Liangsheng slapped it away, "Don't be rude, this is your master."
Li Yuanba exclaimed "Ah?!" and took a half step back. He looked at the big toad with half-closed eyes and pecking at his head with a puzzled look. He turned his head stiffly to the woman and hesitated for a moment: "Then... is this Master's Wife?"
Over there, Hong Lian, who was originally smiling lightly, smiled even more and glanced at Lu Liangsheng beside her, "Sir, how can he be called reckless? Isn't he quite smart?"
"I'm not stupid, am I?!"
Li Yuanba put his hands on his waist and shouted. He hated it most when people compared him with his other two brothers. Besides, he was not stupid at all, he was just reckless and active and not very willing to use his brain.
The toad who was sitting there in a daze suddenly raised his face, widened his eyes, came to his senses and looked around.
"Have you eaten yet?"
This made Lu Liangsheng and Hong Lian laugh even louder. Soon, the chopped wood was ignited by the magic fire. The warm firelight drove away the dampness and coldness in the mountains, and a table of delicious food was displayed on the scroll. After dinner, Li Yuanba exclaimed and cried. Then he taught the child some moral knowledge and sometimes asked what weapons he needed.
"Of course it's a hammer! It feels so good to hit someone!"
The firelight flickered, illuminating the excited faces of the children. Li Yuanba sat cross-legged on the ground and tried his best to gesture the weapon he wanted. "It's best to be bigger and rounder, and heavier, the kind that can knock people away when swung..."
The night passed gradually amid the excited words. A golden wheel appeared in the distant east, pushing the edge of darkness to cover them. Amid the singing of birds in the early morning, Lu Liangsheng woke up Li Yuanba, who was drooling while hugging a tree trunk. They packed their bags, crossed the woods and the distant foothills, and headed for Chang'an in a bustling manner.