Boom!
The sky was grim, with the sound of thunder booming.
Shortly after, a light rain began to fall, lingering like silk, striking the roadside leaves continuously with a rustling sound.
It was the season of Frost Descent, when all things were completed, the yang energy receded into the earth, and the yin energy began to condense. The weather grew colder, marking the greatest day-to-night temperature variation of the year.
As soon as the rain fell, the chill rushed up from the soles of their feet.
"This damn thing..."
Under the eaves, Sha Lifei shivered and turned back inside, giving a thumbs-up, "Mystical Sect master is truly superior, predicting today’s rain and leading us to shelter in advance, pity there’s no decent place to settle down."
This place was an old mansion halfway up the slope.
The old mansion was desolate. It was said that it had been built years ago by a wealthy rchant who planned for his entire family to settle here, but just after its completion, it was destroyed by bandits and abandoned.
Although most of the buildings had collapsed and the surrounding area was overgrown with weeds, the remaining two main halls provided enough shelter for everyone.
Inside the house, Wang Daoxuan burned so dry mugwort, waving it around in every corner, particularly the dark and decaying ones, to dispel the misfortune.
The carriage driver fed the horses, four porters chopped firewood and built the stove, while Li Yan, disliking the others’ cooking for being tasteless and unclean, took it upon himself to cook.
After several days, everyone cooperated tacitly and everything was well-ordered.
Finding it boring, Sha Lifei started to complain, "That innkeeper really isn’t considerate. After all, we’re fellow travelers in the pugilistic world, and he wouldn’t even let us through the door."
"If so, we would have already enjoyed sothing warm..."
They had set off from Xianyang and the journey had been smooth.
Several days later, they arrived at the foot of the Qinling Mountains.
Observing the continuous rainy weather, Wang Daoxuan, fearing that the coffins would get wet if they continued on their journey, led everyone to a resting spot.
This place was not far from the mountain road, just hundreds of ters away from an inn. Unfortunately, they weren’t allowed inside, but were only directed to this place for shelter.
The head porter, nicknad Yue Scar from a childhood accident rolling down a hill that left his head covered with scars, was a straightforward and responsible man despite his fierce appearance. After becoming bald, the multitude of scars coupled with his broad face soon earned him a notorious reputation as a porter in Xianyang City.
Hearing Sha Lifei’s complaints, Yue Scar scratched his head and replied with a simple smile, "Mr. Sha, we are escorting the deceased back to their holand, and that inn serves the living. If we went, wouldn’t we cause trouble?"
"In our line of work, there’s a rule against intruding anywhere, to avoid spreading misfortune. We usually sleep in the wilderness or in broken temples; we’re used to it."
Driver Lao ng, from Taixing Carriage, an old hand in the pugilistic world, rolled his eyes and smacked his lips, "Travel is just like this, who isn’t used to being under the sun and the wind? The only thing I regret is the lack of good drink."
Sha Lifei chuckled upon hearing this, "Look at you, Old ng, beating around the bush to ask for a drink. What good alcohol could possibly be found in these rural stores?"
"Sigh—"
Old ng blinked, "That’s where you’re wrong."
"The Fenglai Inn at the mountain base is a renowned establishnt from Chang’an, and their Liulin Old Qin liquor from Fengxiang is unparalleled."
"Rich, elegant, smooth, and harmonious with a clean, lingering finish... Ah, speaking from experience, though I may not have made a na for myself, I sure know which place serves the best liquor!"
Sha Lifei’s mouth watered as he was persuaded, "Don’t trick ."
Li Yan, who was chopping vegetables, suddenly chid in, "Uncle Sha, since it’s a known establishnt and there’s plenty of chatter in the pugilistic world—since we can’t travel any further today, why not buy so wine to warm everyone and also gather so information, see if the road through Qinling is safe or not."
"Alright!"
Delighted, Sha Lifei donned his bamboo hat and straw raincoat and dashed into the rain.
He might be lazy with labor, but running errands and gathering information was his strength.
Having just finished dispelling the bad luck and lighting three sticks of incense to place in the small incense burner beside the coffin, Wang Daoxuan smiled, "Don’t worry, the path we’re on is the ancient Qin Chu route, passing right through Zhongnan Mountain."
"There are many Taoist temples on Zhongnan Mountain and quite a few Mystical Sect masters in seclusion. Regular groups of pilgrims co from Chang’an, so it’s generally safe."
"But now it’s the ti of Frost Descent, when the predator sacrifices, and the mountain animals preparing for winter might co down and cause so disturbance..."
Mid-sentence, seeing Li Yan staring blankly out the door, Wang Daoxuan frowned slightly and whispered, "Appearing again?"
Li Yan nodded but remained silent.
In his view, outside in the gentle rain, the Cold Altar wandering master appeared again, still covered in blood, her long hair hanging low, her left hand pointing towards the Qinling Mountains.
Though Qingyangzi said it was nothing, he always felt uneasy.
After all, the appearance of this wandering master was too tragic.
What on earth had she experienced...
...
"Phoenixes fly bearing good tidings, guests fill the seats with deepening affection..."
Sha Lifei looked up at the couplet on the inn’s door, muttering, "Cowardly, a poetic pugilistic world inn, must’ve been opened by so damsel!"
The Fenglai Inn was indeed spacious.
A large wooden door adorned with couplets, with strings of gourd lanterns hanging on either side connected to the mud-brick walls, encompassing the entire inn and the surrounding wilderness.
Before Sha Lifei could enter, he heard the whinnying of mules and horses from inside.
Stepping into the courtyard, he saw broad sheds on both sides sheltering the livestock, and two attendants bustling about feeding the animals.
One of the round-faced attendants noticed Sha Lifei and hurried over, bowing repeatedly with an awkward smile, "Oh dear, this custor, teams escorting the deceased really can’t be admitted, please don’t make it difficult for ."
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