Chapter 151
Chapter 151
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 151
>Chapter Title: Trouble
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When he heard Yang Kid’s voice, Li Huowang snapped back to his senses and realized they were already at the edge of the town.
A few stone-built bungalows lay before him, with a wide open horse corral in front.
Camels, sheep, and horses were all kept in separate pens, and the pungent smell of livestock hit him full force.
The people inside seemed to have noticed Li Huowang, turning their gazes toward him in unison.
From their attire, it was clear this family made their living in this trade.
This also confirmed from the side that the female Daoist apprentice was nothing like Xiao Man—she hadn’t been sold; her family was well-off.
Li Huowang took the urn of ashes from Yang Kid’s hands, took a deep breath, steadied his mind, and walked toward them.
Seeing Li Huowang approach, a burly man pushed aside a nearby horse and came forward to meet him.
“Buying livestock?”
“No, delivering something.”
Li Huowang sized him up; judging by his age, he was likely the Daoist girl’s father.
The sturdy man clearly didn’t trust this sudden visitor at first, but when Yang Kid mentioned the Daoist girl’s name and some personal details, they finally believed him.
The news of their daughter’s death struck them like a bolt from the blue. The whole family gathered around the urn, weeping uncontrollably.
Li Huowang watched the heartbreaking scene before him, expecting it to move him, but it didn’t.
He’d seen too many deaths; he was numb to it by now.
The monk nearby saw this and lost his smile. With a devout expression, he walked over, clasped his hands together, and began chanting sutras over the urn.
“Amitabha… Amitabha… Amitabha…”
Because the Daoist girl’s father kept pressing for details, by the time Li Huowang and the others returned to the inn, it was already late.
“Come on, we’ve crossed paths, so it’s fate. I’ll get you an upper room—save you from sneaking into the outhouse like last time.”
“I’ve got money.”
The monk shook his robes, and coins clinked against each other inside.
“And quit lying. When have I ever slept in someone else’s outhouse?”
Hearing this, Li Huowang finally breathed a sigh of relief.
“Where are you headed? If it’s on the way, travel with us from now on.”
Life was hard for a guy like that in a dump like this; he could use the company.
“As long as I can do good deeds, I’ll go anywhere—I’m not picky. We’ll talk tomorrow; I’m off, or the dorms will close.”
Li Huowang smiled as he watched the monk’s retreating figure, then turned and entered the inn.
He’d barely stepped into the lobby when he saw Lv Zhuangyuan, face flushed red, arguing heatedly with his son.
“Boss Lv, what’s this about?”
Lv Zhuangyuan shoved his son aside, his finger jabbing excitedly in the air.
“Those Nuo play actors, so full of themselves! Daring to claim my opera came from them, that their plays are the ancestors of ours!!”
“Dad, forget it. Why argue with them? This is their turf.”
“Forget it? Anything else, sure—but not this! If I don’t stand up for it now, how can I face our ancestors? We’re all low-class performers; you think I’m scared of them? Let go of me!”
Once Li Huowang learned it was just Lv Zhuangyuan quarreling with the Nuo dancers, he didn’t bother getting involved and headed straight for his room.
“Miaomiao, do you remember that old monk? He—” Li Huowang’s words cut off as soon as he entered.
Bai Lingmiao was clearly exhausted. Freshly washed, she was already deep asleep on the bed.
Li Huowang walked to the bedside and gently stroked her face.
Sensing his presence, the groggy Bai Lingmiao instinctively wrapped her arms around him.
Seeing her like that, Li Huowang held back his urge to share.
He blew out the oil lamp and lay down, staring blankly at the ceiling beams.
“Phew… Finally, a few peaceful days.”
Li Huowang wasn’t that greedy; he just wanted to quietly keep this life going.
“Except… for those two.”
He turned his head slightly toward Jiang Yingzi and Danyangzi beside him.
In the quiet bedroom, those two lumps were still there in the distance, wearing that half-smile expression.
“Hm?”
Li Huowang sat up in surprise, realizing he could see in the dark.
“My perception’s getting stronger.”
He murmured this news, unsure if it was good or bad.
“Senior Brother Li…?”
Seeing Bai Lingmiao stirring, Li Huowang quickly patted her gently.
“Go back to sleep… go to sleep…”
He closed his eyes slowly as well.
Perhaps from all the long travels, Li Huowang fell asleep in moments—and for once, without dreams.
As he slept soundly, his body suddenly tensed; something was approaching.
The next instant, excruciating pain shot through his finger, jolting him awake.
He instinctively raised his hand and saw his finger flayed open, bloody and mangled.
This spot, this beastly bite—Li Huowang realized it was Bai Lingmiao’s second soul!
He glanced around but didn’t spot the red-veiled woman.
Then he looked down and saw three pairs of shoes by the bed: his and Bai Lingmiao’s, plus a pair of red embroidered shoes right in the middle.
As Li Huowang stared, the embroidered shoes slowly retracted under the bed.
He glanced at the sleeping Bai Lingmiao, furrowed his brow, and whispered toward the bed’s underside:
“What are you doing!”
“There’s something…”
A numb, feminine voice suddenly whispered in Li Huowang’s ear.
His hand instantly gripped the sword hilt under the pillow as he held his breath, sensing the world outside the room.
His senses were razor-sharp now; if anyone were really coming, he should detect it—but nothing seemed amiss.
Just as Li Huowang thought the second soul was messing with him, a noise came from the window: a crisp metallic clinking.
“Clink~!”
A shadow like a shadow puppet suddenly plastered itself on the wall.
It was hard to say what the thing represented—spider-like body, but with an old man’s face from a New Year painting.
Six barbed arms and solid tentacles patterned like intricate window lattices protruded and retracted from it.
This bizarre shadow puppet crawled rapidly across the back of Li Huowang’s window.
“Hmph, a pure-heart? And from the Ao Jing Cult, no less—truly rare.”
The moment he heard that voice, Li Huowang—who held his sword in one hand—sprang from the bed.
(End of chapter)