Chapter 100
Chapter 100
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 100
>Chapter Title: Night Talk
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Chapter 100: Night Talk
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> After hearing Xiaoman’s words, Li Huowang snorted coldly. Having already experienced the Eighteenth of the Twelfth Lunar Month himself, he immediately guessed that these people had surely suffered the same fate as he had back then—they’d had their identities stolen by it.
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> The entire village had been pieced together by the Eighteenth of the Twelfth Lunar Month in a forced imitation. Everyone in the village had unknowingly played along in this long farce with it.
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> Since the Eighteenth of the Twelfth Lunar Month could control so many people at once, it was obvious it wasn’t doing this for make-believe. It was for its own benefit. Perhaps this thing was some bizarre evil entity that fed on other people’s names and identities.
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> “There’s no Wu Family Village at all! It’s just No-Family Village!” Li Huowang said mockingly.
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> But the moment the Eighteenth of the Twelfth Lunar Month was mentioned, Li Huowang’s muscles tensed instantly. He looked nervously at Xiaoman in front of him.
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> “Right! The eyes! Where are the Eighteenth of the Twelfth Lunar Month’s eyes?”
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> After all, he’d gone to such great lengths to come here precisely for this.
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> “We found it next to you. Is this what you wanted?”
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> As if she’d anticipated Li Huowang’s question, Xiaoman turned and pulled out a black lacquered box the size of a palm.
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> The box opened with a click, revealing two red eyes the size of billiard balls staring fixedly at Li Huowang. These were the eyes of the Eighteenth of the Twelfth Lunar Month.
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> “Got it. Now Danyangzi can be dealt with.” Li Huowang’s heart raced with excitement. He finally wouldn’t have to live in constant fear of turning into Danyangzi.
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> Once Danyangzi was taken care of, he could focus on finding a way to resolve the hallucinations.
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> With a “click,” the lacquered box shut. Li Huowang placed it behind his pillow.
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> “Is everyone else alright? Tell me everything that happened after I left, in detail.”
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> Through Xiaoman’s recounting, Li Huowang learned what had transpired after he’d fallen into the hallucination.
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> Just as the Eighteenth of the Twelfth Lunar Month thought it had dealt with him, it immediately turned its attention to the others.
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> But right when it was about to succeed, a faceless man burst in and interrupted its scheme.
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> The faceless man shouted that Li Huowang was a fake and kept signaling for Bai Lingmiao and the others to attack him.
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> Li Huowang naturally understood. That had been himself—the self who’d lost his name. Only from his perspective at that moment, he’d been standing in the middle of a busy road, roaring at a red car.
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> “Then after that, Senior Brother Li’s body collapsed rapidly, leaving only a sheet of skin on the ground. And that faceless man seemed able to see the Eighteenth of the Twelfth Lunar Month—he rushed straight outside after it.”
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> “We wanted to follow, but those bamboo stalks suddenly came alive and blocked our path. So we lost the faceless man.”
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> Once Xiaoman had explained everything, Bai Lingmiao came in from outside carrying chicken soup. This time, the oily soup contained some actual chicken meat.
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> Having heard the news of Li Huowang waking up, the others crowded in to check on him. Seeing their senior brother awake, their faces lit up with excitement as they gathered around, fussing over him.
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> Seeing them all alive eased Li Huowang’s heart somewhat. Nothing mattered more than no one dying.
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> After some casual chat, Li Huowang, holding his bowl, said:
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> “Since I’m awake, there’s no need to wait. Let’s head back tomorrow.”
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> But the suggestion was immediately met with unanimous opposition from everyone.
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> “Hey, Senior Brother Li, your guts were spilling out. What’s the rush? Wait until you’re healed before going back.”
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> “Yeah, yeah. Haven’t you found what you were looking for?”
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> “Take a few days to rest, Senior Brother Li. We’re not in a hurry—why are you?”
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> Li Huowang pressed lightly on his wound and tried to sit up.
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> “It’s fine. I can ride a horse——hiss.”
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> A sharp pain in his abdomen cut him off. Blood faintly seeped through the white gauze.
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> The pain was so intense it nearly matched the agony of when he’d cut himself open.
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> Gouwa hurried over, and together with the tall, sturdy Gao Zhijian, they firmly pressed Li Huowang back down onto the bed.
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> “My dear Senior Brother Li, please don’t thrash around anymore. Our cart is really bumpy—if your wound jostles, those guts inside are going to spill right out.”
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> Seeing this, Li Huowang had no choice but to give up.
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> “Alright, everyone go back and get some rest. Take this time to recuperate properly. We’ve been rushing nonstop since leaving Clear Wind Temple—everyone must be exhausted.”
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> After another round of talk, the others left in twos and threes. Only Bai Lingmiao remained, standing there restlessly, torn between leaving and staying.
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> When Li Huowang reached out his right hand and took hers, her hesitation melted away. She pulled over a stool and sat quietly by the bedside.
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> Li Huowang, resting with his eyes closed, gently squeezed her hand with his right.
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> “Is that all the Bai Family Great Granny’s got? Half-healing a patient?”
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> “This was the result after I discussed it with her. I figured if it could heal on its own, better let it—saves wasting extra payment.”
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> Bai Lingmiao looked at the large hand holding hers and continued:
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> “She could’ve healed you completely, actually. But that would’ve required not just offsetting the debt with the lifespan in the gourd, but also taking something from your mind.”
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> “From my mind? Not exchanging for my lifespan?” Li Huowang lifted his head in surprise, looking at Bai Lingmiao.
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> Seeing her shake her head, Li Huowang finally understood. He’d misunderstood the Lifespan Pills in the gourd. Unlike the Wandering Lord, they were even greedier.
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> “Did she say what she wanted to take?” Li Huowang couldn’t guess what in his mind would hold value to them.
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> “I asked, but she wouldn’t say. The affairs of the main family and the immortal family aren’t for us shamans to meddle in. But I figured, since it’s something from your mind, it must be pretty important, so I didn’t let her.”
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> “Hmph, a bunch of petty things not fit to be seen in public.”
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> After encountering so many evils, Li Huowang had pieced some things together. Compared to the Joy God or the “Great Buddha” of Zhengde Temple, the immortal family was on a much lower level. They could only hire pitiful wretches and scavenge scraps left by others.
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> Li Huowang opened his eyes again and looked at Bai Lingmiao.
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> “Did they threaten you with anything? Like requiring you to find a certain number of main families each month?”
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> “No, not that. They just nag me from time to time. It’s a bit annoying.”
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> As they touched on this topic, Li Huowang’s expression grew serious.
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> “Remember this: if you run into any trouble dealing with them, tell me immediately. I’ll handle the negotiations. Got it? You’re at most their hired hand, not their slave.”
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> Li Huowang wasn’t necessarily afraid of them. If it came to a real confrontation, now that he had the Great Thousand Record, he might not lose.
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> The deed was done and couldn’t be undone, but Li Huowang absolutely wouldn’t let Bai Lingmiao end up like Li Zhi had. Because unlike Li Zhi, she still had him.
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> Hearing the concern in his words, Bai Lingmiao’s heart warmed.
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> “Alright.”
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> “If you happen to run into someone on the road who needs it, you can perform for them. But otherwise, there’s no need to go seeking them out specially. We’re not short fifty coins.”
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> “Mm.”
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> And so one kept instructing while the other listened quietly. Unbeknownst to them, the wick in the oil lamp on the table began to flicker and shrink.
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> “It’s late. Time to sleep.” Li Huowang pulled back the quilt on the bed.
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> Bai Lingmiao nodded obediently, gently blew out the oil lamp, and carefully slipped under the warm quilt, taking care not to bump Li Huowang’s wound.
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> (End of chapter)