Lanpu

Kapitel 50

But holding this monster's medicine makes me feel really conflicted. Does it mean I've fallen so low that I have to take monster's medicine...?

But the pill really did completely heal Huang E's injuries, and she proudly said that she could heal another layer, with even better results than Tang Chen's blood.

Me? I didn't feel anything after eating it. But at least I was safe and sound for the whole season and didn't get sick.

My master stayed with us for two days before leaving. Tang Chen came over again with a quilt and gave the room to the master and his disciple.

"...I think you can squeeze in with them, right?" As I hung the curtain, a sense of helplessness welled up inside me.

"No. It's too dangerous." Tang Chen's face darkened. "What if that pervert sneaks in?"

That was just being polite, okay? Please don't take it so seriously...

But the next day, Tang Chen was almost furious.

My senior martial uncle offered to take a look at the feng shui of my school. My uncle shook his head, "Hengzhi, ignore him. Your senior martial uncle charges exorbitant fees."

The senior master, with his index finger in his mouth and tears welling up in his eyes, said, "Junior brother, why do you say that? I only charge based on the person I'm dealing with." He shyly touched his face, "If Huang'e and Xiaozhi are willing to kiss me on the cheek... I'll help their school with the 'separation of humans and ghosts' ritual."

Shuo opened his eyes wide, "If I kiss you, would you be willing to do it for me?"

"Shuo!" Uncle Shi called out.

"Master Yuntao's skills are very famous," Shuo said with a smile, propping his chin on his hand.

My senior apprentice was practically bursting with joy, pouting and pointing, "Here, here..."

Shuo smiled and shook his head, then kissed him on the forehead.

"Although there are some deviations, it's still pretty good..." My senior apprentice looked at me and Huang'e eagerly, "Ladies?"

"Kiss me if you want, are you scared of me?" Huang'e was overjoyed by her master's flattery, and she kissed him several times. Her master's expression was as if he was about to fly to the sky.

"Xiao Zhi, Xiao Zhi, here, here..." he pouted and pointed frantically.

I forced a laugh; everyone had already kissed, and I couldn't very well say I didn't want to. So, steeling myself, I gave him a quick, lightning-fast peck on the cheek.

"Ah, I am truly the happiest person in the world..." Master Uncle slumped in his chair, emitting a strange groan.

Is he really my senior martial brother?

But this little thing caused Tang Chen and me to have a fight. To call it a fight was a bit of an exasperation; he just lost his temper unilaterally, and I had no idea what he was angry about.

In short, he kept saying that my senior uncle was a bad person and that I shouldn't have kissed him. I argued with him, but I only gave him a light peck on the cheek. Since Shuo made such a recommendation, if a kiss can ensure the safety of the school, I don't think there's anything wrong with it.

"...Do you really think it's okay to kiss him?" He frowned.

"We had no connection to begin with," I retorted angrily.

Then he forced his face close to mine, and I quickly grabbed him and backed away until we reached the wall. Only then did I realize with horror that he was a boy and incredibly strong.

"Tang Chen, if you keep making trouble, I'm going to get angry!" I was terrified.

But he didn't move closer; instead, he touched my face in horror…the fine scales on it. I awkwardly turned my head away, but he forcefully turned my face back. "Why…"

Unless you touch it, you probably can't tell, right? The scales on my hands and feet are extremely soft, almost like skin. But the scales on my face aren't very noticeable; you can feel the difference when you touch them.

"Your whole face is covered in it." His gaze made me very embarrassed, as if I had terminal skin cancer.

"It's all over my body, not just my face." I said gruffly, trying to push him away. "Stop touching it, it's itchy. It doesn't hurt, just ignore it."

He stared intently at me, making my heart race. "...I'm more of a yokai (supernatural being) type. It's nothing."

After a moment of silence, he suddenly hugged me tightly, and I guess all the hairs on my body stood on end. Strangely, I didn't develop hives.

It's probably because I was exposed to allergens too much, so the allergy has passed.

He began to cry softly, heartbroken.

"...Ouch, it really won't hurt anymore." I felt like he was squeezing the air out of my lungs. "I won't turn into a monster, don't worry."

But it was only then that I realized he was actually quite tall; I only reached his chin.

Afterwards, Tang Chen kept apologizing, so remorseful he almost vomited blood. He said he didn't know why he suddenly became irritable, it wasn't intentional.

“…I told you it was nothing.” I felt embarrassed. “You really feel bad, play the cello for me.”

He actually went and brought out his cello, sat on the back balcony, and played it for me. But whatever he played was fine, so why did he play "Longing for Spring Breeze" again...?

The next day, I went to school with my senior brother. I couldn't help but be amazed. He was indeed a highly skilled Daoist whom Shuo regarded differently. He was much more capable than Xu Rujian, but his methods were gentle and soft, full of respect and tenderness.

Because it's a cemetery, there are more ghosts than humans, so there's always been a situation where humans and ghosts mingle. After he performed a ritual to change it, humans and ghosts separated, each finding their own place to dwell, without disrupting the balance.

The first thing he did upon arriving at the mountain was to pay his respects to the old man and perform a simple ritual. The old man, who was initially somewhat annoyed, privately told me that this Taoist priest was virtuous.

His next stop was the Old Demon, where he performed a ritual, presented a recommendation, and offered words of comfort and consolation, which calmed even the Old Demon down.

What would normally take me ten days to complete two of the recovery procedures, he finished in just one day. His technique was elegant and skillful, and he even explained to me how to maintain and care for the patient.

He was indeed a lecher, obsessed with women, admiring their looks and bodies. But he also saw all things in the world as his most beloved women, showering them with tender affection.

So this is also a kind of "virtue". It's really quite special.

After his changes, the atmosphere in the school became so gentle. If my ghost-seeing ability is 10, then anyone with a score below 5 won't see any ghosts. And those with a score above 5 are already few in number, so now even if they do see ghosts, they'll see them very vaguely and indistinctly, further dispelling their fear.

That's amazing, Master Uncle.

We were busy until evening before we finally prepared to head down the mountain. "We should go back now, your boyfriend is probably furious," my senior uncle said, winking at me as he sipped his Fanta.

Huang E obtained the pills and was happily cultivating at home. However, his master insisted on going up the mountain alone with him. Tang Chen dared not speak out against it and could only stay behind in a sullen mood.

I chuckled awkwardly, "Uncle-Master, Tang Chen is not my boyfriend."

"Are you going to become a monk with my stone-headed junior brother too?" he shouted. "That idiot! He only thinks that love is a karmic entanglement, not realizing that love can also accumulate into good karma. He's such a blockhead... Look at him now, is cultivating with him a karmic entanglement or a bad one? Xiao Zhi, what do you say?"

How can I speak about matters concerning adults? "Uh, I... I lack the physique for cultivation."

He glanced at me. "But you're doing the work of a monk."

“Th-that is…” I sipped my sports drink. “It’s because I really like this school. And… I want to accumulate some good karma for Huang’e. If I die in the future, she can continue cultivating… and maybe she’ll even have a chance to attain enlightenment.”

His eyes were filled with tears, and he suddenly hugged me tightly, ignoring my screams of fright. "Xiao Zhi, how can you be so cute..."

After I finally managed to break free, he stroked his chin. "It's okay if you didn't achieve enlightenment, right? As long as you're happy. I was a little surprised when I heard that Xu Bai had taken in a half-demon disciple and become a fellow cultivator with a witch... But seeing you all, I completely understand." He held his face, looking shy. "Our Stone Junior Brother has finally truly understood the taste of women..."

…This senior apprentice is really…

"Xu Bai and I are more like our master, but my second junior sister and third junior brother are terrifyingly upright. Especially my second junior sister... she still thinks the Red-Eyed Fox Girl stole our master away." The senior master shook his head. "Women are so lovely, but their jealousy is terrifying. I really don't understand what's wrong with our master and the Red-Eyed Fox Girl cultivating together..."

Wait, wait. You're saying... that Uncle's master even practiced with a demon?

"The red-eyed fox girl still misses my master very much. She often says that there really aren't any men in the world as exciting as my master..."

…Are you saying something about you Taoist priests?!

My original lofty image of "masters" has been shattered completely.

When his master left, Huang'e was very disappointed.

“…What a good man.” She said, biting the wing tip, very reluctant to part with it.

"Oh no!" I exclaimed in horror. "He's been married three times!"

"I'm not going to be his wife," Huang E muttered. "He needs to live a long time so I can learn to transform into human form and learn the art of the bedroom from him."

"Enough!" I covered my ears.

"Hey? Hengzhi, shouldn't you be getting it by now?" she snorted irritably. "Even I'm tempted, and you're not? You're wrapped up like a silkworm when you sleep with Tang Chen... At least give him a little chance, okay? If you happen to be in his heat, you'll be rolling in it! Getting pregnant in your third year of college isn't a big deal anyway, you can even have another baby in your graduation photo! Hengzhi, where are you going? I haven't finished..."

I've decided to spend the night in the small office; chatting with Lao Mo is better than being bothered by Huang E's nagging.

Tang Chen is becoming increasingly strange, and Huang E is becoming increasingly frustrating. Why is the situation spiraling out of control?

I'm holding my head, I really can't figure it out.

(The Master-Uncle finished)

Part Seven: Gathering and Scattering

It's as if all the bad luck was concentrated in the last semester, and when winter break arrived, everything became calm and uneventful.

Tang Chen kept inviting me back for the Lunar New Year, but since my uncle had spoken, I didn't dare disobey. I packed my bags and returned to Taipei with a disappointed look on my face.

This was the first time I truly experienced the New Year.

My family relationships were very cold. Even when my stepmother was alive, the New Year's Eve dinner was always quiet and awkward. After she passed away, things got even worse, and eventually she moved out. I simply stopped going back home, which made them happier.

When I went to university, I spent the first two winter breaks at Shuo's house. You know, Shuo doesn't really have a concept of the New Year, so we treated it like any other day.

I always thought that holidays and festivals were only for people with families, and had nothing to do with people like me.

But when I visited my uncle's house during winter break, he had already bought a small apartment with high ceilings not far from his home. He handed me the keys and said casually, "This is my place. You can come whenever you want."

"After I pass away, this house will be yours." He patted my head. "No matter what difficulties come your way, this will always be your home."

That key felt like it would burn me; my hands trembled as I held it. "...Uncle, I can't take it."

He really didn't need to do that. He's already given me so much.

Uncle Shi smiled calmly, “I am a monk, and it is wrong for me to accumulate wealth. But as a doctor in the mortal world, I can’t not charge a consultation fee. Otherwise, how would other doctors make a living? I originally planned to donate all my property after I passed away. You are my only disciple, so what’s wrong with leaving some room for you? Please accept it.”

"...I can't even cultivate. Uncle, I'm unfit to be your disciple..."

“Hengzhi, you’re wrong to say that.” He handed me a handkerchief. “I’m not a charlatan who only knows ‘techniques.’ Techniques are easy; anyone with a bit of talent can learn them. There’s nothing special about them. What’s important is ‘the Way.’ You’ve learned that better than anyone else. I’m very proud to have a disciple like you.”

…Actually, I don't know anything and I haven't done anything. Originally, I was just holding back tears, but I grabbed my uncle's handkerchief and burst into tears like a child.

The "home" I've always longed for has been placed in the palm of my hand in this way.

It was a very warm and cozy winter vacation. It was the first time I had ever eaten such a delicious New Year's Eve dinner, and I felt so at ease and happy. Apart from my reckless and impulsive act of provoking my uncle's carefully guarded "big wind," which burned off all my feathers, there really were no other incidents.

But my uncle wouldn't tell me what he was guarding, and I didn't want to ask.

Huang E felt ashamed and kept saying for a few days that he wanted to go to the deep mountains to cultivate, and he actually went.

I panicked when she was about to leave. "...Why would she go to some remote mountain out of the blue?"

"Hengzhi, there are too many distractions in the mortal world, and my progress is too slow to fully digest the Golden Core." Her expression was resolute. "You don't understand. Such a Golden Core is something that can be found by chance. I thought it was something from legend and didn't exist! I finally got this opportunity, and if I don't seize it, it will be gone. Don't worry, I can sense if anything happens to you, and I will come back no matter how far I travel."

Then she left.

After she left, I couldn't walk properly for a long time. Whenever something happened, I would turn around and say, "Oh dear..." before realizing that she had gone to cultivate, and even her mind had fallen into a deep sleep.

I think this might be the beginning of my depression. But at this time, with my uncle and Shuo by my side, it wasn't too noticeable, so I could still suppress it.

After school started, Tang Chen was by my side again, so I could still find a way to relieve the occasional bouts of depression I felt.

It wasn't until the past confronted me that I realized that while melancholy can be suppressed, it gradually becomes internalized, causing deeper and deeper wounds.