I finally put away my chaotic thoughts and walked to the half-broken remains of the bamboo sword.
The bones, once covered in thick bloodstains, were now very clean. Although they were mummies, they gave people a sense of calmness.
Lao Gong licked his lips and muttered, "The smell is quite pleasant. The bones of the true sage who enlightened at last, in earlier years, would be the ingredients for an alchemist's cauldron or an emperor's elixir of immortality."
My mother gave Lao Gong a glance, but her expression carried a hint of dissatisfaction.
Lao Gong coughed once before saying, "Madam, you don't know the whole story. This thing can't be fully blamed on me... oh, ache..."
A pig-like shriek of agony escaped from Lao Gong's mouth, and my mother, with a fixed gaze, twisted his ear and pulled it three times!
Until Lao Gong vanished in place, my mother finally seemed satisfied by a fraction.
"Fortunately, it was just an alarm without danger." My mother said, "Otherwise, Lao Gong, your crime would be unpardonable."
Although Lao Gong was not present, my mother still finished her words.
It was evident that my dad had already communicated the situation to her.
"Those two Taoists may not give up easily. The Cang family should be on guard recently. However, I will always stay in the Cang family. They are just itinerant Taoists, and they pose no harm to anyone." I spoke in a low voice.
Cangchanghe and Cangqióng both nodded.
Only then did I bend down and pick up the half-broken body of the bamboo sword with a bow.
Only when you look at it up close can you see the texture of the corpse. It's not jade, but it's not ordinary wood either. Indeed, the corpse of a true person is completely different from other corpses.
At this moment, Fan Jie ran over with small quick steps. He looked equally disappointed this time and dared not speak rashly. He just stared at the corpse of the bamboo sword, and his eyes kept flowing with astonishment.
"We still need to be more vigilant. Although Qi Youyou is only at the level of green corpses, she has experienced a lot and has quite some experience, yet she was still captured by those two Taoists." My father added.
Cangqióng and Cangchanghe nodded even faster, their expressions more serious and tense.
"It's because she cares too much. She found out that these two people were going to harm the Ming." My mother sighed softly and then said, "Also, these two people have no simple strength. They basically retreated unscathed from the Ming's hands."
Their brief comments contained more details and analysis.
In the end, we wasted a lot of time in this big courtyard. We dismantled the altar and I destroyed those two magical paintings. Only then did we leave.
After returning to the Cang family, I didn't see Cangyíng or Qi Youyou.
Lao Gong cautiously peeked out and told me that he could sense some presences, and the two of them were in the Cang family, at the node of nightmares.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
As for the corpse of the bamboo sword, my dad's idea is to return it to Juqu Mountain. This might be a chance to resolve the contradiction between me and them.
I have the same idea.
Just, the bamboo sword has already disintegrated into soul and spirit, so it's not about being buried.
The existence of his corpse has only served to resolve the conflicts of future generations, which left me with some melancholy and irritation, and a hint of regret.
The rest of it doesn't really have much to discuss.
The defense of the Cang family will be handled by Cangqí, and the number of ghost-catchers is many. With precautions, other people won't have the opportunity to approach the Cang family.
I returned to the small courtyard where I lived.
Looking directly at it, the courtyard was empty, but there was a sense in the air that Qi Youyou was here, which made me completely at ease.
When I entered the room, a faint fragrance of perfume filled the air, making my nose itch slightly.
"Lao Gong."
I called out.
His head suddenly appeared in front of me, licking his lips and his eyes spinning wildly.
"What is it, sir?"
"Never mind, it's all good," I replied.
Lao Gong disappeared again.
Lying on the bed, I closed my eyes. In fact, I had a thought earlier.
At that time, after retrieving the scroll from Xin Bo and peeling off Wu Zhongkuan's face, I had Lao Gong restored, but I didn't use the scroll on Lao Gong again.
Since then, when I met Agong Lama, I also made him lose one of the methods he used against Lao Gong.
However, Lao Gong's inherent flaws were too strong, and this kind of personality is bound to get out of hand.
Being away from Agong Lama, using the scroll on Lao Gong again should be able to suppress some of his negative traits, but there are bound to be other problems and potential hazards.
Lao Gong... needs a certain level of balance.
The scroll is not effective, and other means are needed.
Drowsiness gradually crept over me, and I sank deeply into sleep.
This dream was very strange.
I dreamed that I had returned to the Qí family.
The Qí family was brightly lit with lanterns and decorations, making it lively and bustling. Guests kept arriving, their greetings filling the air without ceasing.
I stood in the main hall, by my side was a woman with a phoenix-crowned and dragon- embroidered skirt, and the official boys were shouting words like "bowing to the heaven" and "bowing to the earth".
I stood there, motionless……
"Why don't you bow?"
"Under the red veil, it's the voice of Cangyíng."
But it was clearly the breath she gave off that made my mind more disordered……
My heart felt a sudden hollow.
I sat up suddenly, my body covered in sweat.
Heavy and loud panting, the room was already filled with sunlight, it was daylight.
I raised my hand to shield the sunlight and took a moment to regain my senses.
The dream, was not simple.
The dream from last time, which had taken place in the Hēichéng Temple, had mirrored reality…
I don't want Qi Youyou and Cangyíng to fight to the death, but I can't find a peaceful way to resolve it.
Cangyíng said she had a solution.
Did the solution fail?
A soft creaking sound as the door was pushed open, and walking in gracefully was Cangyíng.
Qi Youyou has released her!
"Are you alright?" My voice was slightly hoarse, and I flipped over the bed, walking straight to Cangyíng's side.
But with one hand, I formed a seal and pressed it on Cangyíng's forehead.
"She didn't possess me, and besides, this is during the day. If you do this, she will be unhappy," Cangyíng held my wrist.
Only then did I take a slight breath of relief.
It's not that I overthink, but because of everything at the Hēichéng Temple, plus the experience at the old Gao Tian Dao Temple, and last night's absurd and strange dream, I'm afraid that Qi Youyou might hold too much resentment and choose another way to come back to life through possession.
"I'm sorry." My heart was very complex.
"Sorry to me and also to Qi Youyou, right?" Cangyíng looked at me with great compassion in her eyes.
"In essence, you were once Mao Xianjun, and now you are Luo Xian Shen. In fact, you were many people. I was also many people. Some of your understandings are wrong; we are ourselves, not others anymore. But have you ever thought that even if we are reborn in this world, the former self is still cherished by some people day and night."
"You can't separate this feeling. Memories will be passed down, and they can't be discarded."
"If you really did that, it would be unfair to Mao Xianjun. It would be too cruel to Qi Youyou, and besides, I truly felt your wavering moments. Only I didn't say anything, and I didn't know there would be such things happening."
Cangyíng's gentle words made my mind even more disoriented, and I felt even more at a loss about how to face Cangyíng.
"However, you can rest assured that I have already discussed with Qi Youyou, and we have come to an agreement that is fair to everyone, including you."
Cangyíng spoke again, and her words made me freeze.
"You've discussed it? How did you discuss it?" I immediately asked in haste.
"Girls' matters, you should stay out of it." Cangyíng smiled lightly, her eyes looking especially beautiful. She was relaxing from the heart, and a hint of joy could be seen in her eyes.
"This... I..."
I really wanted to ask, but Cangyíng clearly didn't intend to explain, even turning her back and walking towards the courtyard.
"I won't tell you if you keep asking, it's what I agreed to with Qi Youyou, and also what I promised myself. Zhang Si, the head of the supervisory elder, sent people from the Zhong Huang Dao Palace to Cang's family early in the morning. They wanted to invite you to have a gathering. My grandfather said that you were resting and told them to wait for you to wake up."
"Rumpled and dirty, it's not good to go to Zhong Huang Dao Palace. You should tidy up first."
Cangyíng stood in the courtyard, her profile under the sunlight was exceptionally gentle and beautiful.
However, the aura she emitted was still somewhat strange and different...
I can't explain it.
Taking a deep breath, I didn't press further.
I went to wash and freshen up, and only then did I head towards the Cang family's main hall.
There were some breakfast items on the table, which was prepared for me to eat. There was also a Daoist pacing back and forth. He seemed somewhat familiar to me, but I couldn't remember his name.
Only Cang Chang was alone in the hall, and the others were not present.
Cangyíng didn't follow me. When I finished washing and came out, she said she wanted to go to my parents' place.
"Master Luo, you've finally come out!" The Daoist who was pacing stopped his steps, the eagerness on his face more pronounced: "Please first accompany me to Zhong Huang Dao Palace!"
"Hmm? Has something happened to Elder Zhang Si?" I asked.
However, Cang Chang stepped forward two steps and said: "Master Luo, the wait has been so long. It's not inconvenient for the manifestation to eat something."
The Daoist had a bitter smile on his face and said: "There are some matters that need attention, not small ones at all, Master Luo. Please eat first, then we can leave together."
He showed respect in his eyes, but he was holding back his urgency.
In fact, Cang Chang has become a little proud, raising me high.
This can't be helped, after all, his understanding is still that of an ordinary Leftist Daoist family.
"No problem, let's go to Zhong Huang Dao Palace first; it's urgent business."
I finished speaking and made a polite gesture, nodded to Cang Chang, and then walked out of the courtyard directly.
The Daoist's face lit up, and he hurriedly followed me. The two of us left together.
Tang Wu has been very kind to me, and Zhong Huang Dao Palace has always been good to the Cang family. Where I can be of use, I certainly can't delay or show off.
There was a car outside, and the driver was a secular disciple of Zhong Huang Dao Palace.
After getting into the car, I asked the Daoist what kind of trouble Zhong Huang Dao Palace had encountered.
The Daoist sighed and said with a wry smile, "Master Luo, you'll know as soon as you get there. To be specific, it's not a trouble for Zhong Huang Dao Palace, but for you."
His words left me surprised and confused.
"Does the Juxu Mountain know that I am in Daxing City and that Zhong Huang Dao Palace is pressuring me?" I asked directly.
I'm aware that the Juxu Mountain has ordered the assassination of me. If the message is leaked out, Zhong Huang Dao Palace would indeed face pressure. Although they are affiliated with the Yunjin Mountain, as a supervised practice in Daxing City, they have to listen to some words from the mainstream sects.
"No, but the level of trouble is not much different. I also can't explain it clearly. When you arrive, you'll naturally understand."
