Chapter 292: Alleyway Rainy Night
The castle stood towering between green mountains and clear waters. Above the main gate, if one didn't look closely, they wouldn't notice that high up on both sides of the gate were pasted two ancient talismans written in cinnabar on yellow paper. Chen Ping'an had excellent eyesight and was observant by nature, so he spotted these two inconspicuous talismans at once. He turned to look at Lu Tai, who was busy chatting with the woman Huan Shu about the past events of the Chenxiang Country's martial world. Chen Ping'an silently memorized the talisman patterns.
There were tens of thousands of talismans in the world, with myriad schools and sects. Only three had the right to be hailed as orthodox talisman traditions. The Celestial Master's Residence of Dragon-Tiger Mountain in the Central Earth Divine Continent was one of them. The other two branches were the Lingbao Sect in the Southern Bodhi Continent and the Tongye Sect on the land where Chen Ping'an now stood, the Tongye Continent.
Chen Ping'an and Lu Tai, two uninvited guests, were arranged by the steward He Ya to stay in a single courtyard on the east side of Flying Eagle Fort. He Ya personally led the two to their lodging.
The brothers Huan Chang and Huan Shu bid them farewell, saying they should settle in for the day and rest well. The next evening, there would be a welcome banquet in the main building, and they hoped Chen Ping'an and Lu Tai would attend on time.
The main road in the center of Flying Eagle Fort was paved with bluestone and led directly to the main building. The other streets and alleys crisscrossed intricately. The alleyways of yellow earth reminded Chen Ping'an of his hometown's Mud Vial Alley and Apricot Flower Alley. The neighbors were all lifelong residents of Flying Eagle Fort. However, compared to Mud Vial Alley with its chicken droppings and dog feces, these alleys were kept clean and tidy. Almost every household had peach, plum, or apricot blossoms planted. Children ran around playing, some with small bamboo swords or wooden knives, sparring with each other, others riding bamboo stick horses, shouting "Giddyup! Giddyup!" When they saw the old steward He Ya, they weren't afraid. They stopped, addressed him as "Mr. He," performed a proper bow, and then quickly ran off, their joyful laughter echoing through the alleys.
After leading Lu Tai and Chen Ping'an to their lodging, the scholarly old steward soon went to the top floor of the main building and met with Flying Eagle Fort's master, Huan Yang.
Huan Yang was a handsome man with a face like jade. Though no longer young and his temples were slightly gray, it only added to his charm. In the end, if one was good-looking, regardless of gender, everything was right. If one was unattractive, it seemed everything was a sin.
Huan Yang was sitting on an antique-style arhat couch. He gestured for He Ya to sit. The old steward looked down at his mud-covered boots, smiled, shook his head, and moved a chair to sit nearby.
Huan Yang frowned and said, "Uncle He, why did you bring two outsiders into Flying Eagle Fort? Are they related to the immortals on the mountain to the west?"
He Ya replied helplessly, "Whether they are related or not, it's hard to say for now. By the time we arrived, everything had already quieted down. I guess the battle had ended, and those immortals and demons had retreated. I secretly left two people there to look for clues, but they found nothing. It seems the victor used some immortal art to conceal the heavenly secrets."
Huan Yang smiled bitterly and said, "If those two young men were indeed legendary immortals, it would be fine. I used connections to seek out a reclusive master, but it's been almost a month late. I sent a secret letter earlier asking why the master was delayed. Just now, I received a reply from a friend in the capital. He scolded me severely, saying that lofty mountain immortals were like divine dragons, showing only their heads and not their tails. Even generals, ministers, and nobles in the capital found it hard to meet them. For him to deliver a message and get the immortal to nod and agree to help was already a great fortune. If I pushed further and angered the immortal, good fortune could turn into disaster."
Huan Yang's face was full of worry. He asked softly, "Uncle He, you're an old hand in the martial world and know something about mountain affairs. What do you think we should do? Just keep waiting? Strange things have been happening in the castle for years. If one or two more occur, the truth won't be containable. Then people will panic. What do we do?"
He Ya said firmly, "The castle master's friend spoke the truth. Mountain immortals are single-minded in pursuing the Dao, and their temperaments are unpredictable. We ordinary people simply cannot fathom them. We can only wait obediently."
Huan Yang sighed, grabbed a wine jug, and took a small sip of Flying Eagle Fort's homemade sorghum liquor. "Then we'll wait. But Flying Eagle Fort simply can't afford to drag this out. If it weren't for that, why would I send you into the mountains to take risks and actively seek out those qi cultivators? I thought if we got lucky and met a master of immortal arts, we could try anything. If he helped Flying Eagle Fort solve its troubles, even if it cost us our entire fortune, it would be worth it."
He Ya hesitated for a moment, choosing his words carefully, and said cautiously, "The reason I invited the two into Flying Eagle Fort was because I felt that although they were young, they might actually be disciples of some mountain sect, traveling through the martial world for experience. On the way here, I carefully observed their breathing, footsteps, and facial features. The white-robed youth carrying a sword is most likely a retainer. The other young gentleman, dressed in blue, doesn't look like an ordinary mortal at all. His temperament is too good—truly, too good."
Huan Yang stroked his beard and smiled, "No wonder Shu girl clung to him. It seems she took a liking to him at first sight. Not bad, her judgment is not bad. She is indeed my daughter."
Because of the appearance of the young man in blue, the old man recalled many past events in the martial world. He smiled and said, "When I followed the old castle master traveling through the martial world, I only met two or three people with a similar aura. One is the current Privy Council Secretary Liu in the capital. In his early years, he was just a prodigal, indulging in wine and women, but obviously, his essence was inwardly condensed. It was just a means of self-defilement to fool the world outside."
"Another was Dou Zizhi, who showed his sharp edge as soon as he emerged. Actually, not many were optimistic about Dou Zizhi back then. They just thought he was an ordinary genius, nothing extraordinary. But the old castle master determined then that in the future martial world of Chenxiang Country, Dou Zizhi would dominate for at least thirty years. The old castle master had unique insight."
"The last person, I didn't know his name or background. The old castle master and I had climbed a mountain to enjoy the sunrise. When we reached the summit, we found a man in white practicing breathing and exhaling there. When he noticed us, he smiled and nodded to me, then stood up and vanished in a flash, leaving no trace. Keep in mind, that was a mountain peak a thousand zhang high. How could he descend except by riding the wind like a god or flying on a sword like an immortal?"
The old man sighed long and hard, yet his expression was spirited.
But in the end, there was still some gloom.
The martial world they lived in was so vast, with numerous sects, struggles between right and wrong, life and death, honor and disgrace. The children of the martial world put righteousness first. It was all there.
In the end, was it just a small puddle in some people's eyes?
For them to step over it was just a matter of lifting their foot. If they couldn't be bothered to lift it, one step down might splash the puddle everywhere, causing stormy waves in the martial world?
Huan Yang found it interesting. Imperceptibly, his pent-up mood lightened a bit. He smiled and asked, "Uncle He, why didn't you talk about these things before?"
The old man said self-deprecatingly, "What's the use of talking about them? A good man doesn't boast of his past bravery. Besides, in my whole life, I haven't had a single day of glory. The old castle master, who could split a Lingguan statue with one saber stroke—now that was a true hero. All I did was carry the old castle master's bag, hold your horse for you, and maybe live a few more days to handle the young castle master's wedding. That would be enough for this life."
Huan Yang sighed emotionally, "Can immortals really attain the Dao and achieve immortality?"
The old man smiled and said, "When the immortal recommended by the castle master's friend arrives, you can ask."
Lu Tai was quite satisfied with this courtyard. It was located at the end of an alley, in a quiet environment. The walls in the yard were covered with creeping figs.
Then Lu Tai looked up and waved at a distant eaves, smiling. On the roof ridge, a Flying Eagle Fort disciple was panting heavily. He crouched down and slipped off the roof to go report to Steward He, because his whereabouts had been detected. If he stayed any longer, he might be mistaken for having malicious intent, and it could cause trouble.
Chen Ping'an sat on a stone stool and said softly, "I feel something strange about this place."
Lu Tai didn't mind. He said casually, "Don't worry. I'm just looking for a comfortable place to rest and recuperate. I won't stir up trouble. As long as no trouble comes to me, I don't care what happens outside this courtyard."
Chen Ping'an remembered the two ancient talismans on Flying Eagle Fort's main gate. He extended a finger and, following the pattern, drew the talisman in the air. "Do you know what kind of talisman that is?"
Lu Tai went into the room to look for tea utensils. Since they were guests, they had to follow local customs. Neither of them had brought any luggage, so it wouldn't be good to just pull things out of thin air. Without having to rummage through boxes and cabinets, Lu Tai brought out a tea set. Then he picked up a small bucket and was about to go out, saying he was going to fetch water. He had passed a well earlier that was somewhat interesting. Normally, well water was the lowest grade for boiling tea, but the water quality at that well was excellent, so there might be a pleasant surprise.
As for the talismans, Lu Tai said bluntly that he had no way of recognizing every talisman pattern in the world. The two on the gate had an unclear lineage. They might be the work of some heterodox branch of the Tongye Continent's talisman sect. Anyway, the talisman core rank wasn't that high, and the spiritual energy had long dissipated. Only ignorant hotheads like those from Flying Eagle Fort would foolishly treasure them as offerings up there. They probably did it for peace of mind.
Chen Ping'an always felt that there was a faint yin aura lingering in Flying Eagle Fort, unsettled. However, compared to the black smoke that billowed after that heretical cultivator broke the clay pot, with its overwhelming baleful aura, this was insignificant.
Lu Tai came back carrying the empty bucket.
Chen Ping'an asked, "What's wrong? Is the well water unsuitable for boiling tea?"
Lu Tai curled his lip. "The feng shui of Flying Eagle Fort has clearly been tampered with. The well water is especially yin-cold. Not to mention boiling tea, even if you use it to boil water or cook rice, ordinary people with insufficient yang energy will run into trouble over time. But it's not a big problem. I'd guess that in the past ten or twenty years, more girls have been born here than boys. If this continues, yin will prevail over yang."
Chen Ping'an frowned and said nothing.
Lu Tai laughed and asked, "Aren't you going to do something about it?"
Chen Ping'an glanced at him. "Not to mention that the grudges of the martial world should be settled within it, we don't know anything clearly right now. Are we helping people or harming them?"
Lu Tai smiled. "That's a relief. I was afraid you'd get hotheaded and want to draw your sword to help the downtrodden."
Chen Ping'an said impatiently, "I don't have a sword."
Lu Tai threw the bucket aside, clasped his hands behind his back, and looked at Chen Ping'an with interest. "Oh, Chen Ping'an, you're getting good. You can even tell jokes now."
Chen Ping'an just smiled and said nothing.
He began practicing the six-step standing post in the courtyard.
Lu Tai sat on the steps, looked up at the sky, and gently waved his bamboo fan. "It's going to rain."
In the twilight, a heavy downpour soon arrived as promised.
Drip, drop. It fell on the stone table in the yard, in the alley, between heaven and earth.
Chen Ping'an wore the Golden Nectar Dharma robe, so he didn't need to worry about cold at all, not even about his clothes getting soaked. He continued his fist practice without stopping. Each time he threw a punch, shattering a cluster of raindrops, it gave him a feeling he was addicted to.
Lu Tai had already moved to sit by the doorway to avoid the rain. Although the autumn wind and rain brought cool weather, he still sat there waving his fan, either daydreaming or occasionally glancing at Chen Ping'an's fist techniques.
When Lu Tai saw Chen Ping'an switch from practicing fists to practicing the sword, still with the strange technique of holding a sword loosely, Lu Tai smiled and said, "The ancients saw rain as the union of heaven and earth, the intercourse of yin and yang. Their thoughts were truly interesting. I wonder how future generations will view us."
Chen Ping'an didn't respond. Lu Tai often spoke in this cryptic manner; there was no need to pay attention.
That night, the lights in Lu Tai's room were already out. He was asleep.
Chen Ping'an, as usual, stayed up reading by lamplight, flipping through the "Records of Mountains and Seas."
Outside the window, the rain was still pouring. Such heavy rain was rare.
Chen Ping'an's ears twitched. He vaguely heard the sounds of children chasing and playing in the alley outside the courtyard, a fleeting laughter.
A moment later, just after he had turned a page, he heard a faint female voice outside, like weeping and complaining.
Chen Ping'an remained unmoved. Then came a series of an old man's coughing sounds, gradually fading into the distance.
Keep in mind, this courtyard was at the end of the alley, a dead end.
Chen Ping'an closed the book in his hand, picked up the Sword-Nurturing Gourd on the table, and walked out of the room, drinking as he went. When he opened the door, for a split second, it seemed as if all the rain between heaven and earth was blood.
In the blink of an eye, everything returned to normal. Aside from the chill in the air and the misty moisture around the small courtyard, there was nothing unusual.
Chen Ping'an moved a chair and sat down outside the threshold. He slightly released his aura. The pure fist intent, radiant and inwardly concentrated, flowed slowly through his entire body, silently blocking the rain rushing toward him a few feet away.
A series of tapping sounds came from the courtyard gate, a knock.
Chen Ping'an was about to get up and open the gate.
The knocking stopped abruptly.
After this happened two or three times, Chen Ping'an simply ignored it and began practicing the Sword Furnace Standing Post.
After about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, the heavy rain gradually subsided, turning into a steady, drizzling rain.
The sound of fingernails scratching at the gate came from the courtyard entrance, a creepy noise.
Chen Ping'an opened his eyes and sighed. He took a piece of yellow paper talisman from his sleeve—a Pagoda Demon-Suppressing Talisman—and stood up. Slowly, he walked toward the courtyard gate.
The yellow paper talisman between his fingertips shimmered with a golden light, like a blazing sun tearing through the night.
Suddenly, Lu Tai opened his door and said with a yawn, "Hurry up and put that away. You'll scare the ghosts to death if you're not careful."
Chen Ping'an ignored this cold joke.
He was about to open the gate, planning to just toss the talisman into the alley first and deal with the rest later.
Lu Tai warned, "Don't alert the enemy!"
Chen Ping'an thought for a moment but still walked straight to the courtyard gate. After lifting the bolt, a dense yin aura hit him. Outside, in the muddy alley, even though it was clearly empty, there were sounds of whispering drifting all around, and footprints of varying depths appeared on the ground.
Chen Ping'an turned around and pasted the talisman on the gate.
Before entering, he looked back and saw, far down the alley, two figures walking in the rain—one large, one small—both dressed in plain white mourning clothes. The child didn't turn around but twisted his entire head to face Chen Ping'an, staring at him with a grin, laughing silently.