Notes on Longevity

Chapter 114 A Healthy Body Suffers from Illness; Huangzhou is Plagued by Demons and Ghosts

The next morning, She Li went to Yang Shouren's fenced yard to wait, but they never came out. He thought that Ping An had cried too much the night before and slept in a little longer.

It wasn't until he saw Yang Shouren carrying hot water from the kitchen, looking hurried and somewhat nervous, that he realized something was wrong.

He followed Yang Shouren into the house and saw Yang Zifu and his mother standing there nervously and worriedly.

"What's wrong?" She Li asked, looking at Ping An sitting on the bed with a grim expression.

When Ping An saw that She Li was also there, he forced a smile and said, "I injured my meridians before and have developed a chronic illness."

She Li frowned. "I remember the ancestor helped you repair it, so how come you still have lingering health problems?"

Ping An remained silent upon hearing this. He took the bowl of hot water from Yang Shouren, then swallowed the pill that the ancestor had prepared for him, which he had already placed in his hand, and then sipped some water before swallowing it as well.

After taking the pills, Ping An handed the bowl to Yang Shouren and said, "Thank you, Young Master Yang. You've gone to a lot of trouble."

Yang Shouren smiled and said, "Master Ping An, what are you saying? Your master saved Brother Fu before. Today I'm just helping you get some hot water. It's nothing."

Ping An took a deep breath upon hearing the word "Master." "I dreamt of Master last night. I told Master that we would not go to seek immortality anymore, but would build a temple in the mountains and live there."

Upon hearing this, She Li tentatively asked, "Junior Brother, are you still going to Penglai?"

Ping An smiled and said, "Of course I'll go. I want to see what the fairyland is like for my master."

"And what about you? Why did you go to Penglai?" She Li asked, frowning.

From Ping An's words, She Li realized that his trip to the Fairy Realm wasn't for her sake.

“I want to go see it too.” Ping An sat on the bed, smiling at She Li. “I went to Kunlun with my master, and I was just a little short of meeting the immortals. Maybe in the end, I was just short of the right opportunity and didn’t get to see them.”

Yang Shouren glanced at Ping An and She Li, then suddenly said, "Daoist She Li, look at Ping An, he doesn't seem to be feeling well enough to travel such a long distance. Penglai is at least a thousand miles from here, I'm afraid..."

She Li hesitated. Looking at Ping An's condition, he wanted to persuade him to return to the mountain. However, the elders knew Ping An's health was poor. Since they still wanted him to go down the mountain, it meant they trusted him. Therefore, he couldn't bring himself to speak.

"It's alright, I have the pills given by the ancestor. I can just take one if I feel unwell."

Ping An was well aware of his physical condition, but since he had already descended the mountain, he was determined not to return until he reached Penglai. He hadn't considered the possibility of dying on the way, nor would he. He only knew that he was going to Penglai to see the immortals. Besides, with the elixirs his ancestor had refined for him, he wasn't afraid.

“Junior brother, you are not well yet, so I may not be able to take you to Huangzhou. I'm afraid you will have to walk there.”

It wasn't that She Li didn't want to carry Ping An, but rather that Ping An's meridians were injured. Although the magic he used could get them to Huangzhou quickly, Ping An's body certainly couldn't withstand that speed.

"It's alright, senior brother. Traveling is simply walking on the earth. If one uses magic to travel, what's the point of traveling?"

Ping An smiled as he looked at She Li, understanding that his senior brother wanted to make things easier for him. But if one's heart is not set on the path to immortality, how can one ever meet an immortal?

“In that case, I’ll go with you. That way, I can look after you on the road.” She Li thought for a moment. Huangzhou wouldn’t be short of someone like him.

"Hey? How long will this take?" Xiao Changgong, who had been standing behind the curtain outside the room, was unhappy. He walked into the room and looked at She Li, "I don't have that much time to walk with you."

Ping An looked at Xiao Chang Gong who had suddenly appeared and said, "It's alright, Senior Brother. I heard about it from Young Master Yang after I woke up. If you have something to do, you can go ahead. I'm not in a hurry, this is just a temporary thing."

"It's alright, there are still three high-ranking masters in Huangzhou, it won't be a problem." But She Li didn't care about that; he was only concerned about his junior brother, Ping An. "No, if you don't go, what will happen to my vixen?" Xiao Changgong questioned She Li.

She Li rolled his eyes, then turned to Xiao Changgong and said, "Can't my fellow disciples protect a little fox?"

“I’m worried about them. If you’re going with your junior brother, then I’ll go back first.” Xiao Changgong said, turning to leave, but She Li called him back.

He said, "I don't know who was crying and making a scene last night, begging me to let him out. He even said that whatever I say goes, and if you kick him out now, I'll slap you to death."

When She Li said the last sentence, her expression was noticeably different from before, and her eyes clearly showed murderous intent.

"I want my vixen." Xiao Changgong started throwing a tantrum again.

Seeing this, Ping An looked at She Li with great sadness, "Senior brother, please let him go first."

Xiao Changgong's tantrum reminded Ping An of the dream he had of his master the night before. He could now understand Xiao Changgong's feelings, because no one wants to be separated from their loved ones.

She Li hesitated for a moment, looked at Ping An with affection, and then said to Xiao Chang Gong, "Then you go first. I will have my fellow disciples from Huangzhou pick you up."

Ping An didn't sense anything wrong with what he said.

However, Yang Shouren, Xiao Changgong, and the old woman sensed a strong sense of threat in the words.

Xiao Changgong dared not speak, and Yang Shouren, seeing this, also dared not, making the atmosphere in the room instantly awkward. The old woman standing to the side had no choice but to quickly smooth things over, asking She Li, "May I ask, Abbot, what has happened in Huangzhou?"

"Isn't there going to be a grand martial arts gathering in the Jianghu after the New Year next year? A lot has happened recently, with demons and ghosts appearing everywhere. We've been asked to handle this."

"A monster?" The old woman began to worry upon hearing She Li's words. "My old man has also gone to Huangzhou. Will something happen to him?"

"Yes, Daoist She Li, why are you talking about demons and ghosts again?" Yang Shouren was also unsettled upon hearing this. He had initially thought that the rumors of demons and ghosts in Huangzhou were just that—rumors. But hearing it from She Li himself made him believe it.

"Don't worry, not only did people go to Zoumaguan, but many alchemy disciples from Taoist temples in Huangzhou also went. They'll be fine," Xiao Changgong sighed, standing to the side.

"Really?" the old woman asked She Li to confirm.

"Don't worry, old man, we Taoists are quite skilled at exorcising demons and catching ghosts." She Li said, deliberately glancing in Xiao Changgong's direction.

Xiao Changgong looked into She Li's eyes and scoffed, "If I hadn't told you, you probably wouldn't have known."

"Xiao Changgong, I think you'd be better off going inside the gourd," She Li said coldly.

"Then, Taoist priest, when are you setting off? I'll prepare some more dry rations for you so you can have something to eat on the road." The old woman listened to Xiao Changgong's words, but then looked at She Li, thinking that if she could resolve the chaos caused by that great demon more than ten years ago, there shouldn't be any problems this time either.

"Wait until my junior brother is feeling better before leaving. We might have to trouble the old lady." Upon hearing this, She Li stood up and bowed to the old woman.

"You're too kind, Taoist priest. If you happen to encounter my old man, I'll trouble you to take good care of him."

"must."

(End of this chapter)