Chapter 8
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The World As a Furnace, Bearing My Flames
The night deepened, and a light, drizzling rain fell, pattering down.
The workers painting the manor had all left, and the sprawling complex, capable of housing hundreds, was once again left with just the master and disciple cooped up in the small alchemy room. Lu Xingzhou pulled out the spirit stones he had “acquired” from the Danxia Gang and arranged a spirit-gathering formation beside the flickering furnace fire.
The master and disciple sat cross-legged, cultivating. Before long, the spirit stones lost their spiritual energy, becoming dull and lifeless.
This was a high-quality spirit-gathering formation, set up at great cost with numerous spirit stones, yet it was completely absorbed in an instant.
If an outsider had paid close attention, they would have noticed that Lu Xingzhou only absorbed a small portion of the spiritual energy; the vast majority entered Ah Nuo’s tiny body.
In just a few days, the large quantity of spirit stones “acquired” from the Danxia Gang had been entirely consumed. No amount of money earned seemed enough for this gold-swallowing beast.
Ah Nuo was the first to open her eyes.
The window wasn’t fully closed, and the autumn wind, carrying rain, swept into the room, bringing a sense of bleakness.
Ah Nuo rested her chin in her hands, watching her Master’s handsome face, still so calm and gentle, as he sat cross-legged with closed eyes. Yet, she always felt that ever since Master returned to Xiazhou, his heart was as bleak as the weather.
He was a vengeful spirit who crawled out of hell, returning to claim lives. No matter how refined his demeanor was outside, once back here, he suppressed his soaring murderous intent.
Ah Nuo was not six years old this year; she was ten. As for the events of ten years ago, she was a direct witness. It was just that her constitution was unique; no matter how much she ate, she wouldn’t grow, requiring high-quality elixirs to sustain herself. This made her extremely difficult to raise, making her appear much younger than she was.
Lu Xingzhou racked his brains to earn money and elixirs, feeding more than half of it to this four-legged gold-swallowing beast, having gone through immense hardship to raise her this far.
Ah Nuo’s constitution wasn’t the only unique thing about her; other aspects were special too. For example, even though she was just an infant, she knew everything that happened with perfect clarity.
The year he picked her up, Lu Xingzhou himself was only nine.
That year, he was called Huo Qing.
Although he also had the surname Huo, Huo was a common surname in the countryside and had no relation to the prominent Huo family.
Although Sheng Yuanyao had asked if the Huo family had ever oppressed locals and formed grudges, she would ultimately only focus on Young Master Huo Qi. After all, a vengeful Huo Shang was far more interesting, the kind of dramatic rich-family feud that appeals to both officials and commoners, especially eye-catching.
Those who were easily overlooked, the oppressed, had no story, no sensationalism, and no one cared.
Even if their entire family of more than ten perished completely, their bodies wrapped in tattered cloths and all thrown down the back mountain, no one cared.
Among them, a nine-year-old child was still barely alive, and even less did anyone care.
If anyone had bothered to look, they would have discovered that in the mountain hollow between the Huo manor’s back mountain and Danxia Mountain, an infant had “grown” from the earth at some unknown time. When Huo Qing was thrown down, he rolled next to the infant, his teeth hitting the baby’s small head, drawing a trace of blood into his mouth.
The dying Huo Qing inexplicably came back to life. He opened his eyes to see the little bundle crying loudly in front of him. Unsure what potential was awakened, he stubbornly hugged the child and climbed up Danxia Mountain, collapsing at the entrance of the Daoist temple.
There was no story of a kind old Daoist priest adopting children.
The old Daoist priest did indeed save Huo Qing, but not out of adoption. He was simply curious how this child, who should have been long dead, could still be alive and climb the mountain. So, treating him as a test subject, he tormented him with various medicines for two years.
To cope with official population checks, the old Daoist priest even registered him, making him a legitimate inheritor of Danxia Temple.
After two years of torture-like treatment, Huo Qing’s body was ravaged like a tattered cloth, and his broken leg, which could have been reattached with timely medical attention, completely lost any hope of healing.
To prevent the test subject from dying too easily, the old Daoist priest did teach Huo Qing a little basic cultivation.
Having his leg broken at such a young age, and his constitution being utterly messed up, meant the martial cultivation path he had been learning since childhood was severed. He could only consider switching to Daoist cultivation, but even that had significant obstacles.
After all, for the circulation of Qi within the body, lacking the leg meridians meant it wouldn’t reach the Yongquan acupuncture point. It could correspond to heaven above, but not touch the earth below, thus failing to complete the Great Heavenly Cycle. Coupled with his extremely poor constitution, achieving much in spiritual cultivation would ultimately be difficult.
Moreover, Daoist magic requires even more comprehension and innate talent; it’s not something one can learn just by wanting to.
But Huo Qing still cherished this opportunity. Though being a test subject was bitter, he couldn’t leave with Ah Nuo on his broken leg, and leaving would make him easily discovered by the Huo family. It was better to endure here for now and continue learning. So, amidst various medicinal tortures, he silently studied for two years, while also saving his meager gruel to feed Ah Nuo.
The tiny glutinous rice ball, with bright, shining eyes, watching him—she was little Huo Qing’s only warmth in this living hell.
Initially, Ah Nuo wasn’t growing. The old Daoist priest thought it was normal due to lack of nutrition and didn’t pay much attention, assuming she would die prematurely in a few days anyway. But the little one had incredibly strong vitality and truly survived. However, after two years, her growth remained completely stunted at her small size, finally puzzling the old Daoist priest, who then decided to use Ah Nuo for research.
This action thoroughly enraged Huo Qing.
For two years, Huo Qing had appeared to be submissive, which had long dispelled the old Daoist priest’s vigilance. He didn’t know that Huo Qing had foundational knowledge of formations from his childhood and, over these two years, had secretly learned and observed his system, secretly analyzing many of his unique techniques.
Taking advantage of a deep meditation session by the old Daoist priest, Huo Qing quietly disrupted the protective formation he had laid out. With a kitchen knife, he easily chopped off the old Daoist priest’s neck.
Unfortunately, although the old Daoist priest wasn’t a particularly strong cultivator, he was still around Seventh or Eighth Grade. His dying counterattack was more than Huo Qing’s tattered body could withstand.
With his neck severed, the old Daoist priest’s blood gushed, blood arrows that could have claimed Huo Qing’s life.
In that split second, a slender hand, white as jade, swept past, blocking the blood arrow’s attack. A delicate, charming voice rang in his ear: “Interesting little brother… You should have died twice already. This is the third time…”
Huo Qing turned and saw a pretty face of a fourteen or fifteen-year-old girl, whose expression could easily shift from anger to joy.
Like a ray of light, it spilled into his dim hell.
Died twice? One was killed by the Huo family before, and the other was… transmigrated here from a previous life?
Huo Qing took a deep breath. “Miss, you are…”
“I am a Life Lender.” The girl’s eyes darted around. “You should have died, but I’ve lent you a life. One day, you will have to repay me.”
Huo Qing was silent for a moment. “Miss saved me. My life is already yours. If you wish to take it, you may do so at any time.”
“Mmm… How long have you been on this mountain?”
“Two years.”
“Have you heard this old Daoist priest mention any specific elixirs?”
“He refines elixirs every day. What are you referring to, Miss?”
“Hmm… Of course, those high-grade immortal elixirs that can make people ascend directly.”
“If he had such elixirs, he wouldn’t only be a Seventh or Eighth Grade cultivator, and he wouldn’t have died by my hand,” Huo Qing said expressionlessly. “Perhaps he dreamed of refining such elixirs, and wasn’t everything he did for that purpose?”
“Ha…” The girl chuckled. “Well said. I think compared to here, the Huo family is more likely to have them. The divination might have been a bit off.”
Huo Qing immediately urged, “Then why doesn’t Miss go search the Huo family manor?”
“Ha… The Huo family is quite powerful. For now, I don’t want to provoke them,” the girl chuckled. “I’ve run away from home and want to establish my own enterprise. I’m short-handed. I see you’re quite interesting, like a little adult. How about you come help me?”
Seeing that she wouldn’t trouble the Huo family, Huo Qing sighed with considerable regret. “Since my life is yours, Miss, I will go wherever you ask, with the only condition that I can bring Ah Nuo.”
The girl turned to look at the little bundle in the swaddling clothes, a hint of fondness in her eyes. “Of course.”
Huo Qing nodded and began rummaging through the old Daoist priest’s belongings.
The girl watched with interest as he pulled out cultivation techniques, secret manuals, elixirs, and even a land deed.
Huo Qing handed everything to her. “I have nothing to repay you with. This is a thank you gift.”
“No need, keep it for yourself… From now on, you’re my little brother. My name is Yuan Muyu. What’s yours?”
“…Lu Xingzhou.”
Looking for a fish in a tree; a boat traveling on land.
Big Sister Yu is Master’s new life, but Master is Ah Nuo’s life.
Bang! The alchemy room window shattered, and Ah Nuo’s memories, like a broken mirror, returned to reality.
Looking up, a cold gleam shot through the autumn rain, heading directly for Lu Xingzhou, who appeared to be meditating by the furnace.
Lu Xingzhou extended two fingers, somehow already clutching a talisman, which ignited without fire.
The cold gleam couldn’t reach Lu Xingzhou. Ah Nuo flicked her sleeve, intercepting it. It was just a dart.
At the same time, the talisman burned to ash.
A sudden clap of thunder ripped through the night sky, and a bolt of lightning struck down directly. A black figure outside the window was about to flee, but how could it evade the speed of this thunderbolt?
With a boom, the lightning accurately struck the black figure, who let out a horrified scream: “Lu Xingzhou! You, you’re not an Eighth-Grade Daoist cultivator at all! How dare you conceal your cultivation from the King of Hell!”
“I didn’t conceal anything from her; I only concealed it from you fools.”
“I came on the King of Hell’s orders! How dare you kill me!”
“You claim you don’t even know my cultivation level, yet you dare claim to be dispatched by her?” Lu Xingzhou said indifferently. “Impersonating the King of Hell’s orders in front of me… Truly like your master, foolishly unaware.”
The person screamed and rolled, yelling hoarsely, “You… how can you determine I’m impersonating! Let me go! Otherwise… Ah!”
The voice grew fainter and fainter, soon becoming inaudible, on the verge of death in an instant.
As he was dying, Lu Xingzhou’s sigh echoed in his ear: “She and I never fell out… My departure wasn’t because of your master’s slandering and ostracism. It was merely because… she didn’t love me.”
Outside the window, silence reigned.
Ah Nuo scrambled to her feet and leaned out the window to look. The rain poured down on the corpse, seemingly like corrosive liquid, gradually eroding the body away until no ash remained.
Ah Nuo didn’t know if the other party heard those last words before dying. She hoped he didn’t; otherwise, having to vomit them out before death would truly be pitiful.
“Master, why didn’t you let him go this time, like before? Didn’t you care about old ties?”
“They found us all the way in Xiazhou. Letting him go would only bring endless trouble. What I’m doing in Xiazhou is very important; I don’t have time to deal with those fools who only think about ‘male competition’ (雄竞).”
“What if Big Sister Yu gets angry?”
“The path of immortals is long and distant… Yuan Muyu’s gaze would never linger on common mortals like us, no matter who they are.” Lu Xingzhou sighed. “Tomorrow, I’ll have to get someone to fix the window again. What a waste of money.”
“Tsk, boring.” Ah Nuo immediately knew this man was evading the point again. Wasn’t it just that he couldn’t win over a woman? Why make it sound so mysterious?
Big Sister Yu was pretty, but her face wasn’t as round as Ah Nuo’s.
The alchemy furnace trembled slightly, and the scent of elixirs filled the air.
Three golden elixirs floated out, their spiritual energy almost making Ah Nuo “drunk with oxygen.”
Seventh-Grade Soul Nurturing Pills, three pills per furnace, supreme quality.
Ah Nuo drooled.
Lu Xingzhou, however, was still very dissatisfied with himself. He gazed abstractedly at the dregs inside the furnace, muttering, “Two wasted… My strength is still insufficient.”
“You’re already very impressive, Master! Seventh-Grade Alchemists refining Seventh-Grade elixirs—I’ve never seen anyone consistently produce supreme-grade ones, let alone multiple pills.”
“But if I’m content with this, how will I break through to Sixth-Grade?”
“Uh…”
“Seventh-Grade is still among the lower three grades, fundamentally lacking. To truly cure my leg, I must break through to Sixth-Grade. Only then is there a sliver of possibility…” Lu Xingzhou sighed. “As for the opportunity for breakthrough… I hope the Huo family doesn’t disappoint me.”
Chapter 8: The World As a Furnace, Bearing My Flames
Early the next morning, Lu Xingzhou himself went to the Demon Suppressing Bureau.
Sheng Yuanyao met him at the door. Seeing Lu Xingzhou pushing his wheelchair with his own hands, struggling to move forward, she instinctively stepped forward to help push him inside.
Lu Xingzhou was somewhat surprised. “Thank you.”
“Just a small effort.” Sheng Yuanyao asked curiously, “Where’s Ah Nuo? Why are you alone? You’re so inconvenienced…”
“The manor is being renovated; there are many workers on site. Someone needs to supervise.”
“And you really trust a six-year-old child to manage things alone! Who can she control?”
“If even a Daoist cultivator who has reached a recognized grade doesn’t dare to act alone in Xiazhou City, then I think you should first ask how the Xiazhou Demon Suppressing Bureau maintains order in the region.”
Sheng Yuanyao: “…”
She hadn’t noticed before, but was that child actually a Daoist cultivator who had reached a recognized grade?
Then her divination…
“Where is the patient you want me to treat?” Lu Xingzhou asked.
Sheng Yuanyao regained her composure and silently pushed the wheelchair along the corridor, entering a tightly shut, dark room.
As soon as the door opened, the clanking of chains echoed from inside, along with a low roar: “Don’t look for me… I didn’t kill him…”
“Isn’t this Old Steward Huo?” Lu Xingzhou squinted at Sheng Yuanyao. “You said he was found dead inside the house, and interrogated me for a long time because of it.”
Sheng Yuanyao cleared her throat. “That was a bluff. At the time, he was only missing; we found him later. Can you cure his madness?”
“The Demon Suppressing Bureau has countless masters. Why ask me to treat him?”
“Because you treated him before. To see things through.”
“In the end, you’re just testing me,” Lu Xingzhou chuckled, saying nothing more. He rolled his wheelchair into the room.
Strangely enough, Old Steward Huo, who had been roaring, stopped upon seeing Lu Xingzhou enter. He stared blankly as Lu Xingzhou approached, seemingly trusting him.
Lu Xingzhou extended two fingers and touched Old Steward Huo’s brow. Moments later, Old Steward Huo’s eyelids slowly closed, and he fell into a deep sleep.
Sheng Yuanyao watched Lu Xingzhou’s actions with interest and asked, “Well?”
“Just to calm his spirit for now.” Lu Xingzhou took out the Soul Nurturing Elixir he had refined last night. “Give him one of these pills for three consecutive days. After three days, his spiritual mind should return to normal.”
Sheng Yuanyao asked, “Can you determine the cause of his illness?”
“He was just frightened out of his wits, a minor matter. Once he recovers, just ask him what he saw. Besides that, his hand tendons were severed. I can’t treat that.”
Sheng Yuanyao knew this was very difficult to treat. If severed tendons could be easily cured, Lu Xingzhou himself wouldn’t have been in a wheelchair for so many years.
Actually, in a world of cultivation, treating such injuries isn’t too difficult if one has the right medicinal ingredients. Unfortunately, such ingredients are often treasures, certainly not something you can easily find among the widely cultivated and sold herbs in a place like Xiazhou.
To treat this, one might have to see what the Huo family brings from the capital.
As she pondered, Lu Xingzhou extended his hand. “Money.”
Sheng Yuanyao: “?”
“Three pills of my excellent-grade Soul Nurturing Elixir, plus the consultation fee. Does the Demon Suppressing Bureau intend to get it for free?” Clearly, the supreme-grade pills had again been ‘downgraded’ by the gold-swallowing beast.
Sheng Yuanyao was quite speechless. This kind of thing went through the Demon Suppressing Bureau’s public accounts, so she certainly didn’t intend to get it for free. It was just that Lu Xingzhou’s image truly didn’t match this constantly asking for money persona, appearing very incongruous. “Besides money, do you have nothing else to talk about?”
“You and I are just an investigator and a suspect. If we don’t talk about money, should we talk about romance?” Lu Xingzhou chuckled. “However, my curing him is also to clear my own name, so the consultation fee can be waived. Just give me the cost of the medicine.”
Sheng Yuanyao had indeed brought Lu Xingzhou to treat the patient only as a test. Now, seeing Old Steward Huo’s reaction to Lu Xingzhou and Lu Xingzhou’s attitude, her last shred of doubt about him finally dissipated.
She handed over a silver note. “Were you utilizing my influence that day?”
“Why would you say that?” Lu Xingzhou pocketed the silver note and smiled. “I had no idea that I’d be taken in as a suspect to the Demon Suppressing Bureau after coming down the mountain, nor could I have decided for you to return to the mountain with me afterwards, or known when Liu Qingtian would abandon me. How could I have used you?”
“That’s precisely what puzzles me,” Sheng Yuanyao’s eyes flickered. She suddenly pulled out another silver ingot. “If you can answer my confusion, this is yours.”
Lu Xingzhou blinked, staring at the silver ingot. “Are you treating me like Ah Nuo?”
“Uh…”
“You really judge people accurately.” Lu Xingzhou swiftly pocketed the ingot, grinning broadly.
Sheng Yuanyao: “…”
“Actually, it’s very simple. Liu Yan’er is a fool; she can’t keep secrets. I knew they were going to welcome a certain powerful alchemist before I even came down the mountain that day.”
“Then what?”
“Although I didn’t know I’d be taken in as a suspect after coming down the mountain, once I was targeted, I naturally knew you would certainly come up the mountain for a detailed investigation. So I simply invited you up… Is that utilizing you? You were already going to investigate the case; I didn’t decide that for you. So it was genuinely a coincidence, but I had an idea of how things would play out, making it seem like I planned it. It’s not that complicated.”
In reality, the entire murder case was Lu Xingzhou’s plan, and he clearly anticipated being questioned after coming down the mountain. He was simply waiting to bring Sheng Yuanyao up the mountain.
Indeed, everything was calculated from beginning to end.
Sheng Yuanyao, unaware of this deeper layer, found Lu Xingzhou’s explanation rather uninteresting. “So that’s all it was…”
Lu Xingzhou turned, looking at her expression, finding it quite amusing. As they spoke, they had already reached the alley outside the Demon Suppressing Bureau. A vendor had set up a stall selling watermelons at the alley entrance.
Lu Xingzhou stopped and bought one, handing it to Sheng Yuanyao. “For you.”
Sheng Yuanyao paused. “How did you know I love to eat ‘melons’ (gossip/excitement)!”
Lu Xingzhou said meaningfully, “You’ll be eating them until you can’t stomach any more.”
Sheng Yuanyao held the melon, tilting her head to look at him for a while, then suddenly asked, “When you were at Danxia Temple back then, how much did you know about Young Master Huo Qi’s affairs?”
Lu Xingzhou feigned a dazed expression. “When my Master adopted me, Young Master Huo Qi was already dead. I don’t know much. But since we were neighbors, I did hear my Master mention a few things. What do you want to know, Commander Sheng?”
“Everything you know.”
“My Master heard from the Huo family servants who came to burn incense at the temple that Young Master Huo Qi had good martial arts talent from a young age, but unfortunately, he wasn’t favored and lacked resources, so it was estimated he wouldn’t achieve much.” Lu Xingzhou stroked his chin, recalling. “The so-called ‘treating him equally’ was just for outward appearance. Young Master Huo Qi was poorly fed and clothed, almost treated like a common laborer. I don’t know any more details.”
“Then do you know why he died?”
“How could I possibly know that… Anyway, it’s unlikely he died prematurely from illness.”
“Why?”
“Look, even at my level, with medicine, treating some difficult illnesses isn’t that hard. The Huo family has many people far more skilled than me, and they have all the resources. How could a young master die prematurely and violently?”
Sheng Yuanyao nodded; she thought the same.
Lu Xingzhou then added, “I’m just guessing, and you can take it as you will. It’s said that Young Master Huo Qi had many strange and imaginative ideas since childhood, which were criticized as outlandish. The Eldest Young Master, however, was always praised for being stable. Which of them sounds more likely to have proposed the sudden ‘sweet potato’ idea, like a celestial descending from the heavens? After this proposal, Young Master Huo Qi died violently, but the Eldest Young Master received imperial favor.”
Sheng Yuanyao interrupted. “Too much speculation. Don’t casually tell others about this in the future.”
Lu Xingzhou smiled faintly.
Sheng Yuanyao said so, but in reality, combining it with what she had investigated, she clearly had already formed her own conclusion.
Actually, this conclusion was not wrong. The sweet potato proposal was indeed made by Huo Shang, because he was Lu Xingzhou’s friend. Lu Xingzhou had never imagined that telling his friend about this plan, hoping to help him raise his status within the family, would instead bring about his friend’s demise.
As for his own misfortune, it had nothing to do with this. It was due to unexpectedly acquiring a treasure, and the crime of possessing a treasure.
Sheng Yuanyao sighed softly. “Being an enemy of the Huo family is like an ant trying to shake a tree (蚍蜉撼树). If that person truly lives… wouldn’t it be better to just live well?”
Lu Xingzhou glanced at her, wondering if she still harbored a slight suspicion, subtly pointing at him.
But he still replied, “Everyone lives with a meaning to their life, otherwise it’s better to die.”
How could he not know that trying to shake the Huo family with his current strength was tantamount to a madman’s delusion?
But if he did nothing, what was the point of living?
Sheng Yuanyao hesitated, then suddenly asked, “Then what is the meaning of your life?”
Lu Xingzhou looked at the ground, his gaze deep and rippling, and remained silent for a long time.
He had never properly asked himself this question, and being suddenly asked, his thoughts churned.
Born into this world, into a martial arts family in the mountains, enjoying a happy childhood, he had thought he could live a carefree life. Who knew what awaited him was endless injustice and humiliation, and even desperate death? His body was young, his cultivation insufficient, like an ant trying to shake a tree, powerless to turn back the tide.
Just out of the tiger’s mouth, only to enter the wolf’s den. Two years as a test subject, enduring all hardships.
He thought he had found salvation, working hand-in-hand, pouring his heart and soul into eight years of assisting in establishing a massive organization, only to not earn a moment of her gaze. The day he confessed his feelings was the day he was cast out.
This life truly felt like a boat traveling on land, every stroke of the oar a wasted effort.
Only Ah Nuo was ever by his side, the only one who would never betray him, their lives intertwined.
What was the meaning of living?
To seek justice? Or just to have a thoroughly satisfying revenge?
Lu Xingzhou let out a long breath, looked up at the distant sky, and suddenly asked, “Do you see that morning glow? Does it look like alchemy fire?”
“Ah?”
“If this world is like an alchemy furnace, and we are all being roasted within it…” Lu Xingzhou finally answered slowly, “Then the meaning of my life is to eventually replace the alchemy fire beneath this furnace with my own flames.”
Sheng Yuanyao’s expression changed. She opened her mouth, but for a long time, remained speechless.
– Mochinuna.
