Immortality, Immortality

Chapter 32

Before Su Xing could react, Mudan's voice rang out, "I'll take that woman hostage. You watch that monster! We'll talk about it later." Mudan acted immediately. Before she finished speaking, she was already at Pan Xijin's table, and she moved with lightning speed to restrain Su Xiao'e.

Before Peony could even feel smug and look away, a sharp "clang" rang out, and she felt a blur before her eyes as two white beams of light, as fast as lightning, shot straight at her, cutting off all escape routes in all directions. Helpless, she could only flip her wrist and fall to the ground, barely avoiding the attack. However, because she loosened her grip, Su Xiao'e escaped.

"Such a swift attack!" Peony, her breath unsteady, struggled to her feet, staring intently at the monster who had leaped up and caught the woman in red. While she knew her martial arts weren't on par with the top-tier figures in the martial world, she was still highly praised by her master for her exceptional talent upon graduation. She simply couldn't believe someone could anticipate her attack the moment she made her move, then instantly and precisely fire three silver needles at her! And the woman was right in front of her; how could he be so confident she wouldn't accidentally injure her! Each move seemed effortless and natural. If she hadn't dodged quickly enough, those three silver needles would have been aimed at her eyes and brow—without hesitation or mercy.

"Impressive skills." Su Xing spoke slowly, his hoarse voice like a broken bellows.

Peony patted her chest and turned to look at Pan Xijin, "Young Master, are you alright..." In this life-or-death moment, she suddenly realized that all her previous petty tricks were just luck—when your opponent is a monster-like person, those little tricks can only save you for a while at most.

This desolate little town actually has such a person. If we were to fight now, I really wouldn't stand a chance. Neither Jia Ling nor Pan Xijin knows martial arts, so the responsibility of protecting them will fall on my shoulders, at least until they return.

"Hmph..." Su Xiao'e got off Su Xing, sneered, and said with great regret, "It seems you all intend to keep this a secret. In that case... don't blame me for being impolite..."

"You never intended to be polite to us..." Peony retorted sarcastically.

“I do not know who abducted the young lady’s husband, but it is getting late, and the person who went out will surely return soon…” Pan Xijin said slowly.

"Too late! Prepare to die!" Su Xing shouted, then drew two black iron spurs from his waist and darted over like a snake.

The shopkeeper had vanished before Su Xing even drew his weapon. Peony groaned in despair, leaping and bounding around a low, eight-immortal table—the masked man seemed to have his sights set on her, each move aimed at her with deadly intent. Perhaps realizing that only Peony knew martial arts, Su Xing stayed close to her, channeling his inner strength into his spurs, and unleashed a devastating attack upon her.

Su Xiao'e sat with her legs crossed and her face expressionless, watching the two of them talk back and forth. She couldn't believe that the woman had nothing to do with these people, but she was certain that they were not in this inn. Her heart was still aching, because Shao Guang had not sensed Helan Ronghua. However, these people could not be let go, not a single one of them!

Peony, having narrowly escaped death, was drenched in cold sweat. She felt as if she were facing someone who wasn't even human. Those murky yellow eyes, oozing pus, were so sharp. No matter where she fled, he could always reach her. If she hadn't been quick-witted and escaped, she might have been pierced through several times by his damned poisonous thorns. Was she, the beautiful Peony, truly going to die here? And die a gruesome death, lying on the spot?

With a soft "whoosh," it was impossible for Su Xing to reveal any flaws, and it was lucky that Mudan, with her mediocre skills, could dodge for even a moment. Pan Xijin had somehow already circled behind Su Xiao'e, a sharp blade gleaming white light pressed against her neck. He said calmly, "Sir, please stop—if you don't want this young lady to be harmed..."

Su Xing abruptly stopped, turning around to see Su Xiao'e being held captive. His hand trembled, and he raised his dagger to strike Pan Xijin. Pan Xijin pulled back, and a bloody gash appeared on Su Xiao'e's neck. She let out a soft moan, and Su Xing immediately stopped. He turned his head slightly, staring intently at Pan Xijin's hand like a wild beast. He exhaled sharply, his hoarse voice rang out: "Don't hurt her!"

Pan Xijin nodded slightly, signaling him to take a few steps back.

"Hahaha... Young master, what skill you have... to actually attack a woman like me, aren't you afraid of losing your dignity..." Su Xiao'e suddenly burst into laughter, turning back to look at Pan Xijin with a smile.

“You’re too modest, young lady…” Pan Xijin tightened his grip a little more, and said gently, “If it weren’t for this, you probably wouldn’t have let it go today…”

Su Xiao'e smiled and shook her head regretfully: "It's a pity that such a clever young master is destined to perish here today... Does the young master feel any tightness in his chest, shortness of breath, or numbness in his hands and feet?"

"...You vixen!" Peony sprang to her feet, her face filled with worry. "What did you do to my young master...?"

Pan Xijin said calmly, "Peony, step back—it's alright, I can still sever this young lady's neck before that..."

The air seemed to freeze; no one dared to move an inch.

"Sigh..." After a long while, Su Xiao'e sighed softly, rubbed her forehead, and said, "Young master is a smart man... How about this, you remove the dagger, and I'll give you the antidote? You won't lose out in this deal, will you?"

Jia Ling banged on the table and shouted, "No! Ninth Young Master! Get the medicine first—only a fool would believe her!"

Su Xiao'e glanced indifferently at Jia Ling. "Young man, there's no need to worry. I've come to find my husband and have no intention of harming anyone. It's just that you all keep your mouths shut, and I couldn't resist resorting to this tactic. I apologize to you all first. How about this...?"

Seeing Pan Xijin's face gradually turn ashen, Mudan was filled with regret. She had known that this man and woman were not ordinary people. The man was ugly and ugly, either practicing some kind of poison technique or feeding poison to people all year round—neither of which a normal person would do. This area is close to Miao territory. If this person has some kind of rare poison, they will definitely be the ones who suffer. She really shouldn't have acted rashly just now. Now she has even implicated the young master. What should she do?

Just as the situation reached a stalemate and was on the verge of collapse—the inn's door suddenly opened with a "whoosh," accompanied by a rustling sound outside, and two people walked in—they were clearly taken aback by the scene in the hall, and looked up with an "Eh?" and exclaimed, "What are you doing..."

Upon hearing the voice, Su Xiao'e turned her head with lightning speed, her eyes blazing with joy. Tears welled in her eyes as she murmured, "Last night, in my heart-wrenching dreams, we parted by the window, our paths diverging—Ronghua, you've finally returned..."

Ye Changsheng was quite surprised that Su Xiao'e had found their lodging so quickly, but then he thought that the town was only the size of a palm, so he stopped wondering and smiled slightly, "Miss Su, what brings you here so late at night?"

Upon seeing Ye Changsheng, Su Xiao'e's face turned as cold as the dead of winter: "You stole my husband on our wedding night, so what do you think I have to do with visiting you in the middle of the night?"

Before Ye Changsheng could answer, Mudan opened her eyes wide and exclaimed, "You, you, you! Well, I told you from the beginning that you were an unreliable doctor. Now you go out in the middle of the night and even force someone to marry you! Don't drag us into this. Look, they've come knocking on our door!"

"This..." Ye Changsheng said apologetically, "The idea of 'kidnapping the bride' is really... inappropriate. This gentleman is my... master..."

"How come you have masters everywhere in the world!" Jia Ling tapped her fan, asking with a puzzled expression.

“This is… for teaching… teaching music…” Ye Changsheng pondered deeply.

Jia Ling wanted to ask Ye Changsheng how he knew music, but then she suddenly remembered her embroidery master, Master Li, and realized that it would be pointless to ask.

"You've come to demand someone back?" Ye Changsheng asked. Su Xiao'e was taken aback, then nodded. "Today was supposed to be my wedding day with Ronghua... If it weren't for you! We would have already consummated our marriage..." Su Xiao'e spoke these words tactfully, without a trace of shame. Suddenly, her expression changed, and she said gently, "Since you are Ronghua's disciple, then let's drop this matter. We are all family! If you refuse—anyone who stands in my way will die!"

Ye Changsheng rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache every time he faced this Miss Su. Suddenly, he saw Su Xiao'e raise her head and look at Pan Xijin, asking, "I wonder if this young master can still keep this man in check?"

“Miss, you don’t need to worry…” Pan Xijin coughed lightly and looked up at Ye Changsheng with a smile, “I’ve been poisoned by her.”

Ye Changsheng was slightly taken aback, but immediately put on a smile: "Miss, you are spreading poison everywhere. You must not accidentally hurt passersby. In that case, let's hear what you have to say."

A tender look filled Su Xiao'e's eyes as she gazed directly at Helan Ronghua and said, "As long as my husband comes back with me, I will give you as much antidote as you need. Even if you want the Supreme Lord Laozi's elixir, what difficulty is there in that!"

Helan Ronghua looked calmly at Su Xiao'e, then glanced at Su Xing, who was panting heavily in the corner, and said, "I have a request. If you answer it, I will go with you..."

"Don't even mention one, even if it's a million, I'll still promise you..." Seeing that there was a chance to win, Su Xiao'e's voice trembled, her eyes filled with tears, and her soft Wu dialect made her even more charming.

Helan Ronghua's eyes were clear, revealing a hint of pity, as she said, word by word, "I need the Medicine King to save someone."

Su Xiao'e paused, her expression somewhat puzzled. She glanced at him and lowered her voice, asking, "How did you know the Medicine King was here?"

"No need to ask me, just answer," Helan Ronghua said, raising her eyes.

"Very well!" Su Xiao'e wiped away her tears and laughed three times. "In that case, please, everyone, come and stay at the Su residence for a few days." She then looked up at Pan Xijin with a gentle smile. "This young master was rude just now. Xiao'e knows she was impolite. Here is the antidote. Please take it, and you will be cured after a cup of tea." Pan Xijin smiled slightly and thanked her. His warm smile seemed to indicate that the one who poisoned him was not Su Xiao'e, but rather a miraculous doctor who saved people from dire straits.

The night was as black as ink, and a cold wind was blowing. At the foot of a secluded mountain, a few large red lanterns creaked and swayed back and forth in the wind.

Jia Ling shrank back, moved closer to Ye Changsheng, and muttered to herself, "What kind of place is this? Could it be some kind of evil spirit from the deep mountains? Have we encountered a ghost?"

Ye Changsheng shook his head, took a step forward amiably, and lowered his voice, saying, "Miss Su is so gentle and virtuous, and Young Master Su is so handsome and talented, the Su residence is absolutely not haunted..."

Upon hearing this, Jia Ling felt a tickle on her scalp. As for Su Xiao'e, she could let it go, but when she thought of Su Xing's eyes and nostrils, she struggled to suppress her urge to run away.

Reluctantly following Su Xiao'e through the door, I felt an inexplicable chill in the Su residence. It was pitch black everywhere, with only a lamp hanging in the corner of the corridor, swaying in the wind.

After assigning rooms to everyone, Su Xiao'e gazed at Helan Ronghua with deep affection and timidly began, "Ronghua, you..." "I'll stay in my original room," Helan Ronghua said indifferently. Su Xiao'e didn't argue and obediently nodded.

After everyone dispersed, Jia Ling took a few steps and then turned back—where was Master Li, Ye Changsheng's embroidery master?

Flowers in the courtyard and bones buried in the forest

The Su residence has four guest rooms, all located on the west side of the back garden. There's a pond in front and a pool behind, but since it was winter, there was no greenery, and the gray pool was completely still—it was rather lifeless. Ye Changsheng stayed in the first room on the left, Pan Xijin in the second, and Mudan's room was next to Pan Xijin's and Jia Ling's. Helan Ronghua, however, stayed alone in the east wing.

Jia Ling's room was at the very end, furthest from the previous three rooms—outside the window was a bottomless pool of water, and across the pool lay a dense, dark forest on the back mountain. Young Master Jia was a thousand times unwilling to accept this arrangement, but unwilling to swallow his pride and switch rooms, he stubbornly went in anyway.

Jia Ling lay on the bed, facing the dark, gaping window of the room, and yawned. His thoughts drifted to Ye Changsheng's master—could such a coincidence really exist? They had both unknowingly traveled south and, by sheer coincidence, met in this desolate ancient town of Gutuo? He couldn't help but feel as if an unseen hand had gathered them together, binding them to this town.

As he gazed at the dim moon outside the window, drifting towards dozing off, a dark shadow suddenly swayed past. The shadow seemed to float in mid-air, not touching the ground, drifting up and down as it passed by...

Jia Ling was stunned for a long time—what exactly was that thing? Su Xiao'e? Master Su? Or that monster oozing pus? What was it trying to do, hovering in front of his window in the middle of the night? Could it be trying to scare them away? He was truly startled. After a long while, he came to his senses and quickly hid under the covers. He had already cursed Ye Changsheng a thousand times in his heart. He knew that the Su family mansion was no good place. Whenever Jia Ling followed Ye Changsheng, he would either encounter dead people or ghosts. There was never anything good.

He didn't know how much time had passed, until Jia Ling felt a tightness in his chest and shortness of breath, almost unable to breathe. Finally, he suddenly threw off the covers, took a deep breath, and glanced out the window—the wind had stopped, the trees were still, and there was nothing but the shadows of the moon. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief, then felt sleepy and fell asleep.

She couldn't sleep all night. When Jia Ling got up the next morning, she passed by the garden and saw Ye Changsheng already up, watering the flowers with a gourd ladle—Jia Ling suddenly realized that she seemed to never forget this matter, no matter where she went. She gave her a disdainful look and went to eat breakfast by herself.

Peony sat alone at a table in the flower hall. Seeing Jia Ling arrive, she smiled broadly at him. Jia Ling nodded, straightened his clothes, and sat down at her table. He picked up a steamed bun from the table, took a bite, paused, and mumbled, "Did you sleep well last night?"

"A good night's sleep..." Peony gulped down a large mouthful of porridge and casually remarked, "But..."

Young Master Jia was initially somewhat disappointed, but upon hearing her words, he instantly perked up: "But what? Is there something unclean—like a shadow, a demon, or something?"

Seeing Jia Ling's listless expression turn into one of high spirits, Mudan couldn't help but chuckle to herself: "But why are you asking this?"

“…No…” Jia Ling slumped down again, shook her head, and started eating her steamed bun. Peony smiled slyly, overjoyed, and leaned closer, saying, “Could it be that you—saw a ghost yesterday? Wet the bed because you were scared?” Jia Ling choked on a mouthful of steamed bun, unable to swallow it.

Scared? Who was scared? How could anyone be scared?

He sneered, "This young master is dashing and charming, do I look like someone who would be frightened by such a mere ghost or spirit?" But then Peony exclaimed, "What's there to be ashamed of? Besides, what does this have to do with your dashing and charming appearance? You'll see those 'unclean' things come after you tonight… It's the dead of night, the clouds obscure the moon, the sky is dark—you can't see its form, but you can hear its sound, mournful and plaintive, high and low… Just as Ouyang Xiu said, 'What sound is this? I can't quite fathom it. The old maidservant flutters the lamp and calls out a song to the children, saying this strange bird has no equal…'"

Jia Ling's brow twitched, a chill running down his spine. He stared wide-eyed at Mudan and said in a sinister tone, "What a fine piece of writing, young lady!" Mudan smiled gently, "Young Master Jia, you shouldn't be thinking about me tonight... otherwise, this monster with a bronze head, iron arms, a blue face, and fangs might be sleeping with you..."

As they were talking, Pan Xijin slowly walked over.

"Good morning, young master." Peony stood up abruptly and greeted him with a smile, instantly becoming gentle and virtuous, completely unlike her earlier manner of winking and scaring Jia Ling.

Pan Xijin was dressed in a light blue robe today, which at first glance resembled a solitary mountain shrouded in clouds, layered with ink. The intricate and lifelike patterns on his sleeves added to his noble air. He was truly like a light cloud veiling the moon, or a swirling snowflake in the wind. Jia Ling thought to herself, "As expected of the Grand Tutor's son, he is indeed elegant and refined." Pan Xijin sat down gracefully and smiled slightly, saying, "Good morning, everyone." Peony nodded obediently and suddenly became well-behaved, even the smacking sounds she had made while drinking her porridge ceased. Jia Ling looked at Peony with interest, then at Pan Xijin, who grinned as if he had everything under control, and went back to eating his steamed bun.

“This Su residence seems a bit strange…” After a long while, Pan Xijin suddenly blurted out this sentence.

"—Eh?" Jia Ling's eyes widened, her face lighting up with joy as if she had met a kindred spirit, and she exclaimed with delight, "Exactly! Exactly! Ninth Young Master is born noble and refined, so naturally he is not used to living in this desolate wilderness. Yesterday—was he disturbed by something?"

Pan Xijin was clearly taken aback by Jia Ling's sudden display of kindness. After a moment's thought, he looked up and smiled, "Not entirely... it's just that there's always a... musty smell in the room..." Jia Ling shook her head in disappointment upon hearing this, sighed, and was about to say something when suddenly a burst of laughter came from outside the door. Everyone looked over and saw a plump old man in brocade robes and a turban slowly walking in—in Jia Ling's words, this man looked just like a steamed bun, fresh out of the oven, and it seemed as if sweat was dripping from his forehead with every step he took.

The short, stout old man was quite amiable, bowing repeatedly as they walked. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, he finally sat down, his face beaming with smiles, and asked, "Have you all been well?" Pan Xijin replied gently, "I am deeply sorry for disturbing you so late last night; it was truly inappropriate." Upon hearing this, the "steamed bun" shook his head repeatedly, his face beaming, and said, "That's good, that's good. We haven't had any guests in years; it's truly fate that we meet you all today. Please feel free to ask if you need anything." Jia Ling felt that this man's smile was very fake, and a sense of disgust arose in his heart. He frowned and suddenly asked, "Who are you?"—The "steamed bun" narrowed his small eyes and chuckled, "I am Su Du, and I am the master of this Su residence."

"Ah?" Jia Ling suddenly laughed out loud, "So you're the father of Su Xiao'e and her brother?" Master Su nodded, his eyes narrowing into slits with laughter: "That's right, that's right..."

“The world is truly full of wonders…” Jia Ling exclaimed, then lowered her voice and said to Mudan beside her, “You reap what you sow—look at those three people, they don’t look like a family at all…” Mudan looked at Master Su across the table, who was inexplicably happy, and then thought of the two siblings from yesterday, and nodded with utmost sincerity.

Suddenly, a sweet laugh came from outside the door—"Oh...everyone's here..."

Everyone looked up and saw that Su Xiao'e had followed Helan Ronghua into the house. When Jia Ling saw this Miss Su, she felt a chill in her heart, fearing that her brother, who always followed her around, would suddenly appear at this mealtime. Helan Ronghua walked over and sat down next to Jia Ling, poured a cup of tea without saying a word, and began to drink it by herself.

Jia Ling didn't think she was familiar with Ye Changsheng's new master, but she didn't know why he sat down next to her so casually, shaking his head and staring at her for a while. Jia Ling opened her eyes wide and asked with a smile, "Did this new master sleep well last night?"

"Hey...hey..." Peony rolled her eyes and asked rather unhelpfully, "Why do you say this to everyone you meet? People who don't know better would think you were dressed up as a ghost to scare people last night!" Helan Ronghua naturally ignored Jia Ling and just kept drinking her tea. Jia Ling slammed her hand on the table, glanced at Peony, and sighed, "This master was probably in her wedding night yesterday, a time of blissful union—it's different from you and me."

Upon hearing this, Helan Ronghua's hand trembled, and he almost dropped his teacup. He slowly put down the teacup, coughed lightly, and said, "Yesterday, I gazed at the moon, longing for my beloved, and couldn't sleep all night..." Jia Ling wondered if this master really hadn't come to marry Su Xiao'e willingly? Was that why he disappeared on their wedding night? If so, wouldn't their journey be like lambs to the slaughter, with no chance of return? He looked at Helan Ronghua in surprise, only to find that he showed no panic whatsoever, calmly drinking his tea.

Jia Ling had a headache and started eating her steamed bun again.

The back garden of the Su family mansion.

Ye Changsheng looked up at the overcast sky, pulled her sleeves tighter, and muttered to herself, "Is it going to rain?" She put down the gourd ladle in her hand, straightened her back, and walked towards the back of the garden. Suddenly, as she rounded the corner of the west wing, a maid ran out in front of her, looking panicked, and bumped into Ye Changsheng in a flustered manner.

"Ah..." Ye Changsheng patted his chest, then looked closely and saw that the girl's face was pale, and she was holding a large, open package—scattered items were lying on the ground. Ye Changsheng helped the girl up and asked gently, "Are you alright, miss?" The woman, however, avoided his gaze and remained silent, only focusing on picking up the scattered items. Seeing this, Ye Changsheng helped her—the package contained gold, silver, valuables, jewelry, and clothing. Ye Changsheng couldn't help but wonder if this woman was Master Su's concubine, and was now trying to escape with her valuables—and he had just happened to witness it? Just as he was wondering, the woman tightly clutched the items in her arms and disappeared in a gust of wind. Ye Changsheng looked down at the silver-gilt lotus petal hairpin left on the ground, then looked up again in the direction the woman had disappeared, coughed lightly, and tucked it into his sleeve.

Ye Changsheng slowly walked back to his room along the narrow path, feeling that the house was somewhat illogical, strange, and with a faint—odd smell... Take the garden, for example. The Su family's garden had no peonies, peonies, chrysanthemums, or plum blossoms, but was instead filled with large clumps of *Yunxiangcao* (also called mountain thatch grass). This *Yunxiangcao* wasn't particularly eye-catching, and although it could relieve coughs and asthma, and dispel wind and dampness, there was really no need to plant it so extensively in the garden.

Could it be for warding off evil spirits? Ye Changsheng shook her head; she didn't remember Yunxiangcao having such an effect. And what about that woman who had hurriedly run away earlier? Ye Changsheng pondered this as she walked, passing the pond behind the side room. She noticed the usually calm water was now bubbling and frothing. A gust of cold wind blew by, and Ye Changsheng looked around—there wasn't a soul in sight. She shivered, swallowed hard, and quickened her pace towards the side room.

After walking about ten steps, as she passed a dense thicket by the pond, Ye Changsheng seemed to see a dark mass—a dense swarm that appeared to be moving. Puzzled, she slowly walked over, broke off a branch, and began to poke at it. The dark mass scattered upon touching the branch—it turned out to be a swarm of black ants and crawling insects foraging for food. Ye Changsheng sighed inwardly, thinking it was an anthill, and was about to leave when she suddenly caught a glimpse of something white. Puzzled, she used the branch to push aside the swarm of black ants, and there, beneath, was a decaying hand.

Ye Changsheng's eyebrows twitched. He turned back and broke off a thicker branch, clearing away the loose soil. Beneath it lay a corpse, seemingly dead for some time. Swarms of black ants crawled in and out of the body, their pincers plucked at bits of flesh and blood. Almost no part of the skin remained intact. Ye Changsheng's expression changed slightly. He used the branch to cover the soil back up, suddenly realizing the soil here was different from elsewhere, as if it had been frequently turned over—someone in the Su family had died suddenly and their body had been dumped. How could Master Su not know? What about Su Xiao'e? What about Su Xing? Or were they the murderers...?

Ye Changsheng stood up, threw away the branch, and walked around the area, but still couldn't figure it out. Looking at the swarm of black ants, he felt a tremor in his heart and walked away without looking back.

Just as she walked back from the garden to the west wing, turning along the long corridor and passing through the courtyard, she saw a man slowly approaching—it was Master Su. He seemed overjoyed, his face beaming, muttering something to himself. He was dragging a burlap sack, looking quite strained. Ye Changsheng quietly followed him, watching as he released the sack and put it aside, picking up a handkerchief to wipe his sweat. Ye Changsheng moved nimbly, disappearing behind the bushes behind him without making a sound.

Just as Master Su was about to continue, a sharp scream suddenly came from afar, as if someone was shouting that someone had died... He hesitated for a moment, then dragged the bag into a room. After a while, he came out, locked the door, and headed towards the place where the incident had occurred.

When the curtains are drawn back, the wind is still and the moon is bright.

After Master Su left, Ye Changsheng emerged from behind the bushes. She walked to the door, paced back and forth a few steps, and then pushed it. She felt that the door was as if it were made of steel plates, heavy and airtight, without even a crack. Frustrated, Ye Changsheng had no choice but to turn and leave, feeling a little strange—as if something was missing from this room…