Chapter 2

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Qi Wuhuo was deeply absorbed in the scene. Upon hearing the call, he subconsciously moved forward, taking a few more steps, avoiding the rocky terrain. The full moon hung high in the sky, its light flowing down like water. His vision cleared, and he saw the poet clearly.

Under the full moon, on a piece of blue stone, an elderly man in a purple robe was sitting cross-legged. He had white hair and a white beard, but his spirit was still quite vigorous. A gourd was hanging from his waist, and he was smiling slightly as he extended a hand to invite him over.

On a winter night in the mountains, encountering an old man was unusual.

He might be a lost traveler, but he could also be a demon in disguise. Qi Wuhuo pursed his lips, gripping his basket where it was strapped to his back with his left hand, while his right hand rested on a small, sharp dagger at his waist.

It’s impossible for a young boy to be able to avoid being bullied by gangsters in the town just relying on the knowledge from books.

He took a few more steps forward and said: “It’s getting late and winter is approaching. The mountain is especially cold, and by the time it’s almost dawn, it could freeze a person to death. Why are you still lingering here, old sir?”

The boy’s actions did not escape the many “immortal scholars” around him.

The many birds, beasts, spirits, and demons hidden in the surroundings were nearly frightened out of their wits. The old man before them clearly had status and supernatural powers, having set up an incredible mysterious spell that attracted many spirits and creatures to listen to his teachings. Although these creatures didn’t know his true identity, they were all extremely respectful.

The boy’s unexpected intrusion and his bravery left them astonished.

Nearby, a large tiger with a distinctive white mark on its forehead covered its mouth with its paw, eyes wide like a cat from the mortal world, utterly stunned. Newborn calves are not afraid of tigers, was this young child fearless of everything?!

The old man didn’t seem bothered. He merely stroked his beard and, with a smile, pointed to his leg, saying:

“I live in the west of the capital city. I came here to visit relatives and friends. I enjoyed the scenery of the mountains so much that I lost track of time while climbing. When I was hurrying down, I stepped on the wrong spot and injured my leg.”

“With no one in sight, and no path to follow. I could only sit here and make some noise, hoping that some woodcutters or mountain travelers might hear and come to help.”

“Otherwise, with the snow sealing off the mountain today, I fear I might die here on this mountain and be devoured by wild beasts.”

This joke made the spirits and demons on the mountain shudder several times. Qi Wuhuo observed that under the moonlight, the old man’s leg did indeed show signs of injury. He relaxed a bit, approached, and examined the wound. It was indeed flesh and blood, he is definitely human.

Staring at the old man again, his doubts eased considerably. He knelt down slightly and asked the old man to extend his injured leg for further examination. After a while, he sighed in relief, saying: “Good, good. The injury hasn’t affected the bones. If you apply medicine and rest, it should heal in about a month.”

He first helped realign the old man’s bones, then took out some dry rations and water from a bamboo tube for the old man to satisfy his hunger. The old man smiled and asked, “Little brother, do you know medicine?”

Qi Wuhuo, while bandaging the injured leg with cloth strips, did not look up and replied:

“Five years ago, while I was escaping from a disaster, I traveled with a scholar who taught me a few things.”

The old man’s expression changed slightly, and he asked: “So, he was your teacher?”

“Where is he now?”

Qi Wuhuo paused for a moment before answering:

“When passing through Bingzhou, we accidentally fell into a demon kingdom. At that time, there were hundreds of thousands of displaced people. The demons and ghosts were doing a [Vegetable Market] at the roadside, using people as food. To pass through the demon kingdom’s checkpoint, one needed to provide a hundred pounds of ‘vegetable meat’. He walked into the market by himself and I came out in his place.”[TL_Note: Zhou = Prefecture so it’s Bing Prefecture]

“He said: the young shall live.”

The old man’s expression grew more embarrassed. He suddenly felt a tightening in his leg, as Qi Wuhuo tightened the binding around his injured leg. The young man then sighed in relief, looked up with a smile, and said: “In this case, the old gentleman’s leg should be fine. However, it’s getting late, and there will probably be heavy snow in the next few days.”

“When the snow melts, the mountain will be extremely cold, even bears will seek shelter to sleep. If the old sir doesn’t mind, perhaps you could stay at my home for a while. We can discuss other matters once your injury heals. Alternatively, I could carry you to the town at the base of the mountain. Although it’s a small town, there is an inn where you could stay comfortably.”

The old man stroked his beard and smiled: “I feel quite compatible with you, young brother.”

“If it’s not too much trouble, I’d really like to spend some more time with you.”

So Qi Wuhuo then tied the basket with a rope, hung it around his neck, and placed it in front of him. He then squatted slightly to let the old man lie on his back and then stood up.

He was accustomed to moving through the mountains and forests, chopping wood, and carrying loads, so carrying an old man was not a problem. He continued with his steps as if flying.

The night fog from before was still thick, but Qi Wuhuo could now see through it.

The old man slightly lowered his gaze, intending to test the boy’s character, so he did not let the fog disperse but instead thickened it, making the mountain path seem treacherous and increasing his own weight.

When Qi Wuhuo took ten steps, the burden felt like that of an ordinary old man.

At twenty steps, it felt like carrying a strong man in his thirties.

After over a hundred steps, it felt almost like carrying a stone statue on his back, reaching the limit of Qi Wuhuo’s strength. He was extremely tired but still managed to keep going, Qi Wuhuo’s steps gradually slowing but never stopping.

The night deepened.

As winter approached, the beasts in the mountains, driven by hunger, were frantically trying to accumulate enough fat to survive the harsh winter. The sky was a deep blue, and the silhouettes of trees were heavy and dark. In the distance, the howling of wolves could be heard, growing closer.

For an ordinary person, this would be enough to make their liver and gall tremble with fear.

Qi Wuhuo’s breathing was a bit irregular, but his steps remained steady. His right hand rested on the dagger at his waist. The sweat-drenched clothes of the young man and the heat rising from his neck were clear signs of his significant physical exhaustion.

The old man nodded in slight approval.

Suddenly, Qi Wuhuo whispered: “Old sir, I must apologize for my earlier behavior. I was a bit presumptuous when I first met you, holding a dagger and then inviting you down the mountain. Please don’t take offense. It’s just that I smelled the presence of demons, which made me worried.”

The old man seemed shocked: “Demons?”

Qi Wuhuo replied: “Yes.”

The old man asked: “You can smell demons?”

Qi Wuhuo paused for a moment before answering:

“If you’ve encountered enough demons, you can start to smell their presence a bit.”

The old man fell silent. Given the previous events in the demon kingdom and the great disaster, it was clear that such memories were not something ordinary people would willingly touch.

He suddenly found it was boring to test his character like this.

Wasn’t the nature of this youth as clear as the bright moon?

With a sigh, he decided to dispel the spell.

Qi Wuhuo did not notice that the old man’s weight had suddenly lightened.

A mysterious feeling surged into his body, soothing many of the hidden injuries left from the great disaster. Qi Wuhuo felt his meridians instantly become relaxed, Yang Qi rising from his soles. His drained strength was instantly restored. When he looked up again, the night fog had dispersed, and the faint glow of lights could be seen on the road ahead.

Qi Wuhuo couldn’t help but breathed a sigh of relief and said with joy:

“Old sir, we’ve arrived at my town.”

With that, he quickened his pace, carrying the old man down the mountain.

The moonlight was clear in the sky and the young man walked briskly. Traveling at night in the mountains was extremely dangerous, but unseen by the naked eye, a group of spirits and demons provided protection. They silently drove away any demons and ghosts, forming an imposing and majestic procession. A spirit fox with a lantern led the way, and a fierce tiger followed behind.

The starving wolves and wild beasts did not dare to approach, and the lingering wild spirits and ghosts in the mountain dared not come near.

The local mountain god, who roamed freely at night, saw the procession of spirits and demons from a distance and was stunned. Terrified, he retreated over a hundred miles. When he looked back, he was still shrouded in the mist. Unable to see the path forward or the way back, he was filled with dread, fearing that some Great Demon Sage or a Terrestrial True Immortal was on a tour. He hurriedly burned incense to report to the gods in the heavens.

As Qi Wuhuo descended the mountain, the old man looked back.

The night fog that had enveloped the mountain range for hundreds of miles suddenly converged. The fog grew smaller and smaller until it was nothing more than a purple veil from a hat.

Everything else in the mountains and rivers was clear and serene. The wind was clear and the moon was bright.

That was all.

“Let’s go. Back to the young brother’s residence.”

“You have carried me a thousand two hundred steps. We are bound by a good fate.”