Chapter 39: Wild

Chapter 39: Wild

Glancing at the few silver ingots in Bai Lingmiao's hands, Li Huowang reached into his robe, pulled out another piece of silver, and stacked it on top.

Before Li Huowang could even speak, Bai Lingmiao hurriedly cut in, "That gold bracelet has already been melted down. I saw it melt with my own eyes; it can never be redeemed."

Watching Li Huowang stand there dumbfounded with his mouth agape, Bai Lingmiao smiled triumphantly, feeling as though she had won, and thrust the silver in her hands into his embrace.

"Rest assured, that bracelet was just something my mother gave me for my own security, not some precious family heirloom."

Seeing that Bai Lingmiao had made her point so clear, Li Huowang pressed the matter no further; he carefully counted the silver and tucked it away. "Once we're all settled, I'll buy you an even bigger one."

"Mhm! I'll be waiting!" Bai Lingmiao smiled and nodded.

Just then, the door suddenly swung open and Gouwa walked in from outside; seeing the man and woman crouching in the corner, he froze, then immediately turned to leave. "Wrong room, my deepest apologies, I'm leaving right now."

Blushing furiously, Bai Lingmiao rushed to the door with her head down, shoved him aside, and darted away.

Gouwa strolled back in with a grin, "Senior Brother Li, even though Junior Sister Bai is pale all over, when taking a wife, looks don't matter—temperament does. You mustn't look down on her."

Li Huowang had no patience for his nonsense. "Enough chatter. Wash up and get to sleep. It's rare enough to have a bed."

In a daze, Li Huowang found himself in an ancient forest, a hazy light source glowing ahead; puzzled, he hacked through the branches with his sword and hurried toward the firelight.

Drawing near, Li Huowang discovered it was Bai Lingmiao and the others, along with his mother and Yang Na, roasting dried sweet potatoes around a campfire.

Seeing this heartwarming scene, he instantly breathed a sigh of relief and was about to walk over to them.

Yet suddenly, heaven and earth shifted drastically, and Li Huowang saw Danyangzi, a hundred zhang tall with three heads and covered in feathers, standing there as imposing as a great mountain.

"Hahaha, my boy, well done, you've brought all the medicinal catalysts."

The horrifying Danyangzi finished with a booming laugh, raising a stone pillar longer than his own height in his hand, and smashed it ruthlessly down upon the campfire below.

"Wait!!" Drenched in cold sweat, Li Huowang bolted upright; after taking several deep breaths, his lingering terror finally gave way to the realization that it had all just been a dream.

"Senior Brother Li, you're awake? I specially bought you some dumplings, eat them while they're hot." Gouwa, who had been watching the bustle outside, pulled his head back in from the window.

"What hour is it?" Li Huowang pressed his aching head and sat at the table, noticing that the dumplings Gouwa mentioned were much like wontons.

"Just past the hour of the Dragon. Sleeping in is fine, we don't need to hit the road today anyway."

Picking up a ceramic spoon, he shoveled the wontons into his mouth in large bites, finishing them in no time. "Who says we have nothing to do today? Come on, let's go buy supplies for the journey."

The recent dream flashed through his mind once more, and Li Huowang spoke again, "I'll take the others to buy the supplies. You go ask Master Lü when we can leave—the sooner the better. If he can't go, we'll leave ahead of him."

With the silver left over from buying the donkey cart, plus the extra silver Bai Lingmiao had given, they could replenish some essentials.

At the very least, they needed quilts and mats, so they wouldn't have to huddle by the campfire at night with their backs scorching and their chests freezing.

They could also buy a pot, so they could eat something warm on the road instead of gnawing on dry rations every day.

With so many scattered items, one donkey cart wasn't enough; by the time he met up with Master Lü at the city gate, they had already added a second cart.

"Hey, Little Daoist, you're quite capable! Along this journey, your belongings just keep piling up. I reckon if you travel another half year or a year, you'll be rolling in wealth." Master Lü didn't forget to keep up his flattery as they traveled.

"Master Lü, is it far from Jianye to the Western Capital?" Li Huowang asked, gazing at the wide dirt road ahead.

The road was wider and more crowded; besides his group and Master Lü's, there were many others carrying bundles and traveling together, all seemingly headed for the Western Capital.

"Not far, just another ten days or so and we'll be there." Master Lü's face broke into a broad smile, as if thinking of something joyful.

Li Huowang nodded and continued, "About that monk temple you mentioned, aside from their reputation for granting children, what else do you know?"

"Ah, a monk temple is just a monk temple, what's so different? Isn't every monk temple just a bunch of old monks leading a bunch of young monks in vegetarian meals and chanting?"

Li Huowang sighed softly; it seemed he would have to go and ask in person. Common folks like Master Lü lived in a haze, having absolutely no concept of such matters.

"Little Daoist, look, there's a monk up ahead, see the one pissing under that tree? Better ask him than me, he might just be a monk from that very temple."

"Oh?" Li Huowang looked up and indeed saw a bald monk standing by the roadside.

As he walked over, he saw the back of the figure in tattered monk's robes shudder before turning around.

Yet upon seeing the fellow's face, Li Huowang immediately furrowed his brows.

He was called a monk, but looked more like a bald old beggar. His appearance was as wretched as could be, his robes covered entirely in patches and tears.

"Amitabha, you're looking for me?" The filthy old man grinned, revealing a gap-toothed smile of yellow teeth where his front teeth were missing.

"Are you... a monk?"

"Yes, I am a monk!" The old monk held up the string of prayer beads made of fruit pits around his neck, speaking with a hint of pride.

"May I ask, Master, which temple's high monk are you?" Li Huowang's voice now carried a trace of hesitation.

"I don't have a temple. I'm heading north to find one. I heard there are lots of monk temples up there, and they provide meals too. I plan to go become a monk there."

Hearing this, a guess formed in Li Huowang's mind; he gave the man an indifferent nod and turned back to his own group.

But just as Li Huowang intended to ignore this old beggar pretending to be a monk, the fellow clung to him like a stubborn plaster.

"Are you looking for a monk temple too? Then let's go together. But aren't you a Daoist? Daoists shouldn't believe in the Buddha, right?"

"Is this guy playing the fool to catch the wise?" Li Huowang's vigilance rose; he slapped the donkey's rump and urged the others to walk faster, treating the man as if he didn't exist.

But while he ignored him, someone else didn't; the simple-minded fool felt nothing amiss.

"You didn't bring... didn't bring... food, you'll starve to death!"

"How could I starve? Look, the woods have everything—wild fruits, wild mushrooms, wild greens."

"I also... I also... ate wild fruit...! I also... I also..."

"Fool, don't talk to him!"

"Oh..."

When no one paid him any mind and the old beggar wandered off in boredom, Li Huowang, who had been secretly gripping his Daoist bell, breathed a sigh of relief.

Whether he was truly foolish or faking it, in this eerie place, one could never be too careful.

After walking along the dirt road for an hour, the sun hung directly overhead; seeing many people already squatting to gnaw on dry rations, Li Huowang had his group do the same.

Though anxiety was beginning to gnaw at him, there was safety in numbers.

Freshly bought white steamed buns were handed to everyone, and they ate their midday meal with a few jars of pickled vegetables.

Taking Bai Lingmiao's water gourd, he tilted his head back for a drink, then looked back and suddenly realized someone was missing. "Hm? Where's the fool?"

"He went into the woods to piss just now, why isn't he back? Did his piss turn to shit halfway through? Hey!! Fool!! Are you in there!!"

As Gouwa shouted into the roadside woods, the fool's honest, big head poked out from the trees, his cheeks bulging as if chewing on something.

"What are you eating?" Li Huowang asked in confusion.

"Wild... wild... wild white rice from the woods, it's... it's... free!" The fool finished speaking and shrank back into the woods.

(End of Chapter)