Chapter 1: Back to Hucun

I have had several experiences of fainting, but never like this time, when I was so conscious and watched as memories were completely obliterated from my consciousness.

The memories were extremely messy, and the most memorable were the pain of splitting my soul with the secret method, and the quietness that seemed unchanged throughout the years of self-sealing.

In the scattered memories, I saw my master and the others when they were young, but there were no specific events.

I also felt the happiness of the disciples’ grandchildren when they brought the opportunity, and the exhaustion after the spell.

Finally, I saw that the most unshakable thing in the depths of that memory was what needed to be done in the Lake of a Thousand Demons, and the few secret arts that remained in the depths of my memory to be passed on to us. These had almost become a soul will.

However, these have all dissipated. When I played it back in my coma, it completely changed into the memories of others, which were projected into my mind, and were separated from my own will, so that I would not confuse these as my own memories.

The rest has merged into my soul, and in my coma, I also felt inexplicably stronger.

“Grandmaster…” I muttered a low sentence, as if this time it was a farewell, a farewell after a brief reunion with the Grandmaster, and the warmth and emotion in my heart inexplicably filled my entire body, releasing the power of the remnant soul to protect me. This is the warmth given by the Grandmaster.

“Are you awake?” A voice sounded in my ear. My mind was recovering. After thinking carefully, I realized that the voice was Lushan’s. I tried to open my heavy eyelids. My vision gradually fixed, and I saw that it was Lushan in front of me.

At this moment, Lushan was sitting on a stool by my bed, smoking a cigarette and looking a little melancholy. Seeing me wake up, the melancholy somehow disappeared.

“Do you want a cigarette or water?” Looking at my eyes gradually regain clarity, Lushan asked me.

“Water, then a cigarette.” I replied simply. People who have experienced life and death together always get along more casually.

After drinking a bowl of sweet soup, Lushan lit a cigarette for me and put it in my mouth. I took a deep breath of the cigarette and said casually, “Why is it sweet soup? It feels like a bowl of sweet soup to comfort a child after taking medicine.”

“Sweet soup helps you replenish your energy.” Lu Shan exhaled a puff of smoke and explained casually.

“Have I been unconscious for a long time? Where are they?” I exhaled a smoke ring, watching it gradually grow larger in the air, then gradually fade away. I didn’t ask where this was because when I was awake, I knew I was in Hucun, because this was Master Zheng’s home. I stayed here for a few days before setting off for the Lake of a Thousand Ghosts.

“Not long, just two days. I rambled on and on, but I also said a lot of useful things,” said Lushan in a light tone.

He meant that I was still talking in my sleep? And that I was still talking useful things in my sleep? I laughed when I heard that, and then asked Lushan, “What did I say? Could it still be useful?”

Lu Shan’s expression became a bit strange, and then he pondered for a moment before organizing his words and saying to me, “Well, you were probably speaking as your master’s successor, and you were talking about the Wan Gui Zhi Hu plan and so on. The useful part was a sentence in which you said that the chance of becoming a dragon from a dragon’s egg is one in a million, and that waiting for this opportunity is like winning a hundred consecutive games of dice. If you want to find Penglai, you must work hard. This time, Xiao Chengqian’s acquisition of the dragon soul is one of the opportunities.”

Lushan explained further, “We have analyzed that Master Li was using his pure soul, which had lost its will, to replenish your soul. But this required a process, and during this process, he came into contact with some of your memories and will. So he used the remaining power to convey that passage through you. The other words should be nonsense spoken during the process of losing his will. After all, the events at the Lake of a Thousand Demons were the most important thing in Master Li’s remaining soul.”

“Right.” I frowned slightly. Lu Shan’s words were the same as what I had felt in my coma, except that I didn’t know that the master had done that for us when he was dispersing his will.

“What your master said needs to be analyzed carefully. You just woke up, don’t think too much.” Lushan stubbed out his cigarette and stood up, walking around the room. I saw that his eyes were a bit red and he seemed a bit agitated.

I remembered something. I asked them. Lushan didn’t answer me. Thinking about this, I said, “Lushan, do you have something to say to me alone?”

Lushan didn’t say anything, just swinging some decorations on the opposite cabinet. It was said that they were some antiques collected by Zheng Daxia. They weren’t very precious, but most of them were small objects with clever designs. It was good to play with them occasionally.

“Lushan,” I called out. Looking at him, it seemed that he had put all his thoughts into these objects and wasn’t listening to me.

“Mmm,” Lushan replied, casually placing the small objects on the cabinet, then putting his hands in his pockets and turning to me and saying, “Chengyi, it’s very lively outside.”

“How is it lively?” The cigarette in my hand was also smoked to the end, and I casually put it out and threw it in the ashtray that Lushan had just placed on my bedside table.

“We went to the Lake of a Thousand Ghosts. At the time, the situation was unclear. Didn’t Ji Feng go to notify a lot of people? There was also a three-day appointment, right? After you fainted, we waited until dawn to take you away. As a result, we met those people halfway. A lot of people came.” Lushan said indifferently.

“A lot of people came? That’s not the point. The point is what are you upset about?” I asked seriously. If you speculate a little about the situation on Jifeng’s side, you can understand that although it was said to be three days, Jifeng should have split into two groups, one to repair the outer perimeter array and wait for us, and the other to go find reinforcements.

“I received an order from Jiang Yi to wait here. He will come here.” When Lushan mentioned this, his brows immediately furrowed, and he took out a cigarette in his agitation.

Jiang Yi? Coming? How did Jiang Yi know?

I was about to speak when a loud voice reached my ears: “I heard voices in the room. It must be that little brother Cheng has woken up. I’ll go take a look.”

This voice belonged to Mr. Zheng. He was still full of energy, and his voice preceded him. His sudden arrival made it difficult for Lu Shan and I to continue our conversation.

Lushan’s expression returned to normal, and I also made a calm expression. It just so happened that I also wanted to ask Zheng Dajie about the situation in Hucun, and it was good that he was here.

The door opened and Zheng entered the room. He looked as vigorous as ever, but I could see a hint of despondency in his eyes. I couldn’t figure out why.

“Chengyi, it’s been a day or two. You’re finally awake.” Lushan brought a stool and asked Zheng to sit down by my bed.

“You’re still worrying about me, but I’m awake now, aren’t I?” I said casually.

“What are you being polite for? To be honest, you young people are really like the waves of the Yangtze River, pushing each other forward. Not only are you the great benefactors of Hucun, you have also solved the crisis of the Lake of a Thousand Ghosts. It is we who should be thanking you! Why are you being polite to me?” Master Zheng laughed heartily and happily. Although his words were polite, they were especially sincere.

I smiled, not knowing how to respond. In fact, where is the credit due to us? When I think about it carefully, the ferryman, Master Hongren, the hundreds of souls of the Buddhist and Taoist schools, and the accumulated spiritual power of the generations sealed in the boundary stones, how can we say that we alone completed the whole thing?

It’s just that this matter involves too many things. I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to say anything. I don’t know if Chengqing and the others explained the situation. It seems that they are hiding something.

Thinking about this, I changed the subject and asked Zheng, “What about Hucun? It’s been surrounded for so many days, what’s the situation like?”

Speaking of this, Zheng’s face became a little more serious, saying, “There will be sacrifices, but fortunately, at the most critical moment, a few of us old and immortal used secret techniques to save most people. Lake Village is still there, which is a blessing in disguise. Although the crisis of the Lake of a Thousand Ghosts has been lifted, the lineage of my Lake Village must still be guarded by generations to prevent the formation from being destroyed.”

Zheng Daxia said with a sigh. I thought of the hint of despondency in Zheng Daxia’s eyes and couldn’t help but worry about this straightforward old man. I couldn’t help but ask, “Then, Daxia, how is your health?”

“My health is fine. I’ve lived a long life anyway. What we practitioners talk about is merit! I’m very happy to have accumulated a lot of merit at this age.” Zheng didn’t say anything explicitly, but I already guessed that Zheng’s so-called secret technique must have affected his essence, which is why he looked so pale.

The situation is actually very bleak.

But since Zheng didn’t want to say more, I didn’t ask too much, but I admired this old man from the bottom of my heart.

The conversation temporarily fell silent. Zheng stood up and said, “Since you’re awake, I’ll go tell them to prepare a banquet. A lot of people are ready to see you, so you should hurry up and get ready.”

“Let me help,” said Lushan, who had been silent until then.