Chapter 166: The Furnace

Two days later, not long after dinner.

Just as Xiang Jiannan arrived at the well, ready to draw a bucket of clean water, and before the well pulley had turned a few times, he heard the sound of porcelain shattering behind him.

Turning around, he saw his Master holding a porcelain bowl that had cracked in half, looking dazed, with a hazy white mist in front of him.

The weather was getting colder, and when washing the dishes, the Old Taoist Priest had started using hot water. The two of them didn’t have many dishes to begin with, and one had shattered just after being put in the water.

Judging from the pattern, it was the one his Master used exclusively.

Thermal expansion and contraction?

Grasping the well pulley, he didn’t continue to crank it, feeling an even colder chill down his neck. Xiang Jiannan recalled a very basic principle.

In the end, he felt that his associations were too imaginative, and he continued to crank the well pulley to lower the bucket.

No principle could compare to reality; the bowl his Master used for eating had indeed cracked.

It must have wanted to relax after being filled with hot water, but it had relaxed too thoroughly, collapsing its body.

Such things were bound to happen when the weather turned cold. It was just a bowl, a minor issue.

It had been with his Master for quite some time, hadn’t it? In his memory, it had even fed him for a while.

At that time, this body was still too young, and the Old Taoist Priest had often held the bowl with one hand, chewing food and feeding him.

It could be considered a natural end of its life.

“Abnormal.”

Just as he had drawn a bucket of clean water and was about to reach out to take it, he heard his Master’s words and knew that he was still sitting in place, so Xiang Jiannan bowed his body and didn’t respond.

Being suspicious wasn’t the Old Taoist Priest’s nature. For him to say those two words meant he definitely had something in mind.

Usually, at times like this, he should talk less, lest something go wrong and he get into trouble.

Pa!

Before he could walk to his Master’s side with the bucket, he heard another shattering sound in his ears. Xiang Jiannan hurried forward, unable to remain calm.

If more shattered, it would be his bowl next. The sound of a plate breaking wasn’t as deep. Let me think, how many dishes were there today?

Arriving at his Master’s side, he spilled some of the clean water from the bucket along the way. Looking at the wooden basin in front of him, he heard several more pa pa pa sounds.

That was it. There was no need to analyze it anymore. Whether it was a plate or a porcelain bowl, none had escaped their fate.

They were all gone, neatly and completely. It was indeed abnormal!

“Do we have any spare bowls and plates in the temple?”

Seeing the carnage in the wooden basin, and watching his own usual bowl shatter even more dramatically than his Master’s, Xiang Jiannan turned to the Old Taoist Priest and asked.

Focusing on the result, it was impossible that Ping’an Temple wouldn’t have a spare set of dishes.

If not, they could go to the shop to buy some tomorrow morning, so as not to delay lunch.

“We do, but I doubt they’ll last long either.”

At this point, he finally put down the porcelain bowl that had broken in two, throwing it into the wooden basin. Gao Yu’an pondered for a moment, then looked up at Xiang Jiannan and asked,

“Disciple, where was that residence you mentioned last time? In the next few days, let’s take some time to go and have a look.”

“What residence?”

Caught off guard by the Old Taoist Priest’s sudden question, Xiang Jiannan’s thoughts spun around before he understood what he meant. Xiang Jiannan then said,

“There should be people in that residence. If we go, shouldn’t we wait for Li Jin to come over first?”

“We can’t wait any longer. Even our eating utensils have been smashed. Based on my understanding of Young Hero Li, as long as we go to that residence, Young Hero Li will definitely appear.”

“What makes you say that?”

Seeing Gao Yu’an speak with such certainty, and thinking that Li Jin couldn’t possibly have eyes everywhere, Xiang Jiannan really didn’t believe that he could be watching a residence every day.

He naturally remembered the location of that residence, northwest, not far from Ping’an Town.

“When something happens, how could the people from the Fu Mo Si not appear?”

“Let’s set it for tomorrow. An Wensheng seems to be getting impatient.”

Picking up the wooden basin and walking towards the corner, he dumped all the broken pieces in one go. Gao Yu’an turned back and saw his disciple still standing in place, motioning for him to clean up himself, then opened the door and went inside:

“Tomorrow, take everything you can with you. I’ll take you to see something.”

The next day, based on Xiang Jiannan’s previous experience, they set a departure time. Entering the carriage, the Old Taoist Priest was still complaining that the Little Taoist Priest had prepared too thoroughly.

He meant for his disciple to take useful things like the Guan Yu’s Blade and the gourd, but who knew that this Little Taoist Priest had misunderstood his meaning.

After the carriage stopped in front of the temple, he busied himself carrying out six or seven bundles, making him feel puzzled.

Was he trying to escape a famine? Where did so many things come from? He hadn’t even left out the bedding.

“Didn’t you tell me to take everything I could?”

In the end, he only took the gourd and Guan Yu’s Blade onto the carriage. After sitting down and hearing his Master still muttering, Xiang Jiannan only felt wronged.

After entering the room last night, he knew that the Old Taoist Priest wanted to stir up trouble, and judging from his words, his ideas were not small.

So, he had packed overnight, resolutely carrying out the meaning of his words.

In case things got out of hand, it would be easier to run away at any time.

“Your head, so dull. Watch the road. I’ll rest for a while.”

Motioning for Xiang Jiannan to direct him from time to time, the one driving the carriage this time was still Wang Yixing. Gao Yu’an was quite at ease with him.

After speaking, he closed his eyes and leaned against the corner, as if he had fallen asleep in an instant. There was no movement from him until they entered the town, when he suddenly opened his eyes.

The sky outside was already dark. When he opened his eyes, a light flashed in the Old Taoist Priest’s eyes. Turning his head to look at his disciple, he found that he was sleeping even more soundly than he was, his whole body limp, and he was smacking his lips from time to time.

Pulling open the carriage curtain and looking outside, he saw Wang Yixing loosely driving the carriage. As if sensing that he had leaned out, he pulled the reins and glanced back.

The torches on the carriage were swaying, and several had been inserted in a row on the right side.

“Old Taoist Priest, you’re awake. We’re almost there.”

Turning his head in the darkness and then immediately turning back, unlike Gao Yu’an and his disciple, who had night vision, Wang Yixing was driving very carefully after dark.

This was a necessary skill for a driver, especially on routes that he wasn’t very familiar with.

In the early years, he had always held a torch in one hand while slowly strolling along. At that time, the vehicle he was driving hadn’t been upgraded yet.

“Okay, go slower.”

Pulling back, he raised his hand and slapped Xiang Jiannan, waking the Little Taoist Priest up instantly. Gao Yu’an pointed outside the carriage. Neither of the two spoke, but just quietly stared at the firelight outside the carriage, lost in thought.

It was a bit too quiet.

“We should be arriving soon.”

His impression of the environment outside the carriage was actually vague, but he spoke up because of his Master’s silence. Xiang Jiannan made a random guess.

From the feeling, it seemed about right. Next, it would depend on Wang Yixing’s ability.

He had no confidence that they would be able to find that residence.

Not long after, Wang Yixing stopped the carriage. Getting down from the carriage, he picked up a torch.

“It’s here. Little Taoist Priest, come down and take a look.”

“Should we knock on the door first?”

Getting down from the carriage, it did seem quite similar. Seeing that the residence in front of him was still as quiet as last time, Xiang Jiannan turned to his Master and said.

He remembered Li Jin saying that this residence had an owner. Coming here rashly tonight, shouldn’t they be more careful?

“No need. You stay here with Wang Yixing. I’ll go in and take a look.”

Feeling that Xiang Jiannan’s words were not important, he was about to go inside when he spoke. Gao Yu’an seemed to see something, walked to the door, raised his hand and knocked a few times, then gave up:

“Disciple, take care of Wang Yixing. I’ll be right back.”

After speaking, he stomped his foot and jumped over the wall, his whole body disappearing from Xiang and Wang’s sight.

“What great agility!”

Even though Xiang Jiannan was by his side, he was still a little scared when he spoke. Wang Yixing praised him.

He absolutely trusted Gao Yu’an. Just looking at his agility made him feel at ease.

Why did he suddenly think of coming here? From the beginning until now, he hadn’t asked a single extra question.

The two Taoist Priests had their own reasons. Ever since he had been scared out of Ping’an Temple by Xiang Jiannan that day, Wang Yixing felt that his curiosity had lessened a lot.

He didn’t understand, but he could hold it in.

Was it the back door again?

He couldn’t remember if he had come out of the same door twice before. Standing outside and waiting for a while, Xiang Jiannan didn’t hear any sound from inside.

After his Master jumped over the wall, he was like a mud ox entering the sea. The evening breeze was cool here, making him want to fall asleep instead.

Wang Yixing seemed to be full of energy, but he lacked a bit of courage in his heart. After speaking and not getting a response, he moved his body and quietly took a few steps closer to him.

“Little Taoist Priest, are you cold?”

Holding the torch as if he was afraid that Xiang Jiannan would suddenly disappear, Wang Yixing continued to speak, trying to find something to say. Just after he spoke, he saw the Little Taoist Priest turn to look at him, take the torch, and have a look of sudden realization on his face.

“It does seem a bit cold. Let me hold it for a while. Is it tiring to hold it all the time?”

“If Master doesn’t come out, we’ll go in and take a look too. Can you climb over the wall?”

“Little Taoist Priest, you think too highly of me, Wang Yixing.”

Their anxious wait finally yielded results. As a ball of fire rose from the courtyard, Xiang Jiannan and Wang Yixing were officially awakened.

The two of them watched from across the wall, their hearts itching. They only saw the firelight rising higher and higher, but they still didn’t see the Old Taoist Priest’s figure.

After waiting several times, Xiang Jiannan became a little anxious.

“Wait here, I’ll go in and take a look.”

“Don’t leave me behind, Little Taoist Priest.”

Hearing that Xiang Jiannan was going to leave him alone, Wang Yixing reacted quickly, raising his hand to grab the Little Taoist Priest’s sleeve, his eyes full of “take me with you.”

This kind of cowardly yet eager-to-join-in behavior made Xiang Jiannan stop in his tracks for a moment.

What was the point of him going in if he couldn’t even climb over a wall?

Just as he paused, he heard a sound from above. His Master, the Old Man, had appeared in time.

He didn’t land steadily, and his body staggered, almost falling.

“Disciple, oh dear.”

“How are you?”

Hurrying forward, he reached out to help him. Thinking that his Master would actually make such a mistake, Xiang Jiannan asked immediately, concerned but not succeeding in helping.

What was going on with the firelight that had floated into the air? Looking up again, it had already turned into a distant speck of light, about to disappear into the vast night sky, becoming one with the stars.

“I was just thinking about being elegant, and didn’t pay attention to my feet.”

Steadying himself, he moved his ankles left and right. Looking back at the gloomy residence behind him, Gao Yu’an’s tone indicated to the two that it was not a big deal:

“I wandered around for a long time and didn’t meet anyone. Was this residence really where Li Jin brought you?”

“Of course. I slept in it for a night, and I have a deep impression.”

While speaking, he glanced at Wang Yixing, feeling that he had something to say. Xiang Jiannan spoke quickly, not giving him a chance.

The one who was most frightened last time was Wang Yixing. He was actually okay.

Right now, he only wanted to know what the Old Taoist Priest had seen. He could talk about some emotional expressions when they got back.

“It is indeed a corpse raising ground. Disciple, you were quite accurate.”

“This residence cannot be left. I will destroy it.”

“Now?”

“When else do you want to wait? I’ve already released the Thunder Talisman. Step back, be careful not to get struck by lightning.”

“Let this Old Taoist take a look, where is it now?”

Thunder Talisman, was that the firelight that had just floated into the air?

Feeling that his Master was acting too decisively, he looked up at the sky, where he could no longer find even a trace of the Thunder Talisman. Xiang Jiannan stepped back while looking up.

Wang Yixing beside him was even faster than him, and he had already jumped onto the carriage.

Someone had paid for the carriage that had been burned down last time, but this time, it was not certain.

For safety’s sake, he should be more careful. If the situation was not right, there would still be a chance to escape.

“What are you doing outside my house in the middle of the night?”

Their positions were different, but their thoughts were the same. Just as they were waiting for the Old Taoist Priest’s Thunder Talisman to bring a visual impact, a man’s voice suddenly rang out in the darkness, breaking the calm before the storm.

A very familiar scent drifted from different directions. There was more than one person who had appeared.

“Outside your house? Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

Not caring whether the people who had appeared were showing themselves, he still craned his neck to look at the sky. Xiang Jiannan saw that his Master looked indifferent. Just as his words fell, the night sky that had been silent suddenly emitted a bright light.

Several bolts of lightning struck the residence in front of them, instantly igniting a raging fire.

“Should we go or not?”

Already frightened by the voices of the people who had disappeared, Wang Yixing’s face was full of terror under the firelight. He couldn’t sit still anymore.

He had never seen such a fierce fire. The flames were leaping so high that they were almost touching the sky. Wasn’t it a Thunder Talisman? How did it turn into a raging fire in the blink of an eye?

He hadn’t even seen clearly how it had started burning. It was just a few soft bolts of lightning that had struck down, and then a sea of fire had appeared.

Not to mention himself, even the horse he was sitting on was afraid. It was constantly roaring in the midst of the crackling and burning sounds.

“It hasn’t burned clean yet, we can’t leave for a while.”

Turning back and seeing that the carriage under Wang Yixing was moving non-stop, Gao Yu’an glanced at his disciple and began to form a hand seal.

By now, he had already used the firelight to see the figures in the darkness clearly. Xiang Jiannan held a talisman in one hand, just waiting for them to act.

The talisman was drawn by his own hand. Although its power hadn’t been greatly enhanced, it could still be used to put on a show.

Those figures should all be Li Jin’s people. Although he couldn’t see their appearances clearly, he couldn’t forget the scent that was coming from them.

Shua shua shua.

After the Old Taoist Priest formed a hand seal, there was an immediate reaction. Their figures were as swift as ghosts. Xiang Jiannan saw that those figures had moved, and immediately took a step towards Wang Yixing, the talisman in his hand firmly attached to the Green Qi.

He didn’t need to worry about the Old Taoist Priest. He only needed to protect Wang Yixing.

Li Jin’s subordinates probably weren’t weak.

Swoosh.

Just as he arrived at Wang Yixing’s side, he saw a figure emerge from his right side. With the talisman covered in Green Qi, he made a gesture to stick it on. Xiang Jiannan’s arm brushed against Wang Yixing’s face as he stabbed forward.

But he saw that the person who had suddenly appeared grinned, and then his back immediately became painful.

Attacked from both sides.

“Little Taoist Priest.”

He had failed in his first attack. After falling towards Wang Yixing, the talisman in Xiang Jiannan’s hand fell off. Fortunately, he didn’t suffer a continuous attack. After being supported by Wang Yixing, he saw that he was the only one beside him.

After steadying himself, he looked at his Master, but saw that his side was already full of achievements.

All of Li Jin’s subordinates were standing beside him, holding a horsetail whisk in his hand.

The reason he hadn’t been continuously attacked must have been this. After being ambushed, his Master, the Old Man, had reached out and pulled him back.

“How did you do that? Did you see clearly?”

Not caring about the pain in his back, he walked towards his Master’s side with Wang Yixing, Xiang Jiannan asked as he walked.

When he was ambushed just now, why didn’t Wang Yixing shout? Could it be that Li Jin’s subordinates had moved too fast? Thinking about it, that was possible.

After arriving at his Master’s side, he saw that lights had already been lit nearby, and urged him to leave quickly.

Let’s take them all away. If the people in the town saw them later, the three of them might not be able to leave.

You say there’s a problem with this residence, not everyone will believe it.

“Go!”

Raising his horsetail whisk and swinging it, Gao Yu’an suddenly made a move in front of the two of them, after being urged by Xiang Jiannan.

He threw all the people standing in front of him into the sea of fire. The action was easy, just a matter of moving his horsetail whisk.

This decision stunned Xiang Jiannan and Wang Yixing. Only when the firelight beside them seemed to become even brighter did they look at the Old Taoist Priest’s figure with faces full of horror.

While the two of them were stunned, he had already gotten into the carriage. When the two of them looked at him, he only showed half of his body.

“Aren’t you leaving yet?”

“Why did you do that?”

Getting into the carriage to escape, affected by the situation just now, Wang Yixing was shouting anxiously all the way.

Galloping along the way they had come, he couldn’t suppress the fear in his heart.

He had personally seen the Old Taoist Priest throw several people into the sea of fire. Were cultivators so indifferent to life?

When they got back to town, this matter could absolutely not be mentioned.

“What’s there to make such a fuss about? They were just a pile of corpses, they should have been buried in the ground long ago.”

Seeing that his disciple’s face hadn’t recovered for a long time, Gao Yu’an looked out of the carriage and explained:

“This way, we can temporarily shut An Wensheng’s mouth. Disciple, when you wake up, remember to go to town.”

“Corpses? Master, don’t try to deceive me. They could clearly speak.”

Although he had had this thought before, after the exchange, Xiang Jiannan felt that those who had been thrown into the sea of fire by his Master were all living people.

How could dead corpses possibly speak? So-called corpse raising, was it that powerful?

“Corpses naturally can’t, but people can.”

As the carriage they were sitting in became more and more bumpy, Gao Yu’an put down his horsetail whisk and said softly:

“That sentence wasn’t spoken by them. Since the main person doesn’t want to come out, why should we push so hard?”

“The main person, Li Jin?”

As soon as he heard the Old Taoist Priest’s words, he thought of Li Jin. Xiang Jiannan closed his mouth and fell silent for a moment.

Before they came, his Master had said that they would be able to see him. Besides Li Jin, he really couldn’t think of anyone else.

Now that he thought about it, he felt that the voice was indeed very similar. But if the person who had spoken was Li Jin, why wouldn’t he come out to see his Master and him?

Because of that residence?

Li Jin was definitely not that kind of person.