Fangxian Heretical Path

Chapter 39 Show Me the Vast Wonderland

Fang Shu looked at the figure in the medicine hall and sighed inwardly, unsure whether he should go into the room.

However, his shadow had already slipped into the room and was noticed by Shi Hou.

The other person turned to the side, looking at Fang Shu's extremely young and vibrant face, a look of bewilderment appearing in their eyes.

After a long time.

Fang Shu was the first to cup his hands in greeting: "Greetings, Senior Brother Shi."

Shi Hou, however, was slow to realize what was happening and struggled to get up and greet them:
"I dare not accept such praise. You are Fang...Fang Xianjia, right?"

This humble servant greets the Immortal Fang.

Fang Shu quickly stepped forward to help him up, but then stopped himself and offered a light touch instead.

He accepted the man's greeting, returned the gesture with a bow, and then sat down in front of the bamboo bed to exchange pleasantries.

After exchanging a few casual questions, the room fell silent, becoming quite quiet since the two were not familiar with each other.

Shi Hou noticed this, lowered his head, and quickly explained:

"Please forgive me, Immortal Master Fang. I am clumsy with words. Thank you for coming to visit. Is there anything you wish to instruct me on? I will certainly obey."

His face still showed unease, as if he had already heard about the situation in the main hall.

Seeing the other's expression, Fang Shu sighed inwardly, knowing that a thick barrier had already formed between them. He didn't bring up the events of his tribulation in the main hall, but instead straightened his expression and began to speak of serious matters:
"To be honest, I came here today to visit Senior Brother Shi. I have long admired Senior Brother Shi and today I finally have the chance to speak with him. In addition, I also want to ask Senior Brother Shi a question."

"Please speak, Immortal Fang."

"I've heard that Senior Brother Shi lives in the mines outside the town and is quite strong. I happen to be going to the mines outside the town soon, so I've come here to ask Senior Brother Shi for advice, so as not to be tricked by the people in the mines when I go out."

Fang Shu tried to speak in a calm tone.

Upon hearing this, Shi Hou looked as if he understood, so he tentatively gave a brief introduction to the situation of the mines outside the town:

“The mines outside the town are a mixed bag, some are abandoned, some are bad, and some are good. It’s a real mixed bag. It’s definitely best to have someone guide you when you first enter a mine, otherwise you’re likely to be targeted.”

"May I ask, Senior Brother Shi, what are the different descriptions of these three types of minerals?"

Seeing that Fang Shu was listening attentively and not just making small talk under the pretense, Shi Hou's withered expression relaxed, and his voice became clearer.

The other party spoke eloquently.

"By the way, while it's best to have someone guide you when entering the mine to learn the ropes, Fang Xianjia must remember that there is a certain type of person you must be wary of, and it's best to stay far away from them."

"What type of person are you?"

The two talked for the time it takes to drink two cups of tea. Shi Hou was indeed a kind and honest man. Although not everything he said was necessarily true, Fang Shu carefully absorbed what he said.

However, Fang Shu could also clearly sense that what the other party said was quite organized and easy to verify, and the details could withstand scrutiny, clearly based on personal experience.

In particular, Shi Hou emphasized the dangers of the mines, which were of utmost concern to Fang Shu, to prevent him from falling into any traps.

This made Fang Shu realize that coming to visit this person was indeed a wise move!
After finishing his conversation, Shi Hou opened his mouth, then paused, looking flustered again, unsure of what to say next.

Upon seeing this, Fang Shu immediately stood up and bowed to the other party:

"Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother Shi!"

"I dare not, I dare not accept such praise." Shi Hou struggled to his feet again, a hint of shame showing on his poisoned, blackened face. He whispered:

"I should thank Master Fang. Because of my greed, my establishment almost lost face. It was thanks to Master Fang that the situation was salvaged in the end."

And those one or two spirit stones… If it weren’t for them, I might still be lying in bed right now.”

As he spoke, the man in front of him had bloodshot eyes, his head was bowed, and he was about to kneel down.

Fortunately, Fang Shu keenly noticed this, and with his ghostly movements, he quickly caught the other person and pressed him down to sit on the bamboo bed.

He wanted to offer some words of comfort, to say something about how much he respected the other person, and even to subtly probe whether the man harbored any resentment about what happened that day, or whether he resented Fang Shu for stealing his thunder. But all the words that came to his lips were reduced to just one sentence:
"Brother Shi, do you regret it?"

Upon hearing this, Shi Hou suddenly raised his head, his bloodshot eyes staring at Fang Shu with an extremely complicated expression.

His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, it turned into a sad, blank smile.

Shi Houyi, who had been feeling listless from being bedridden for so long, seemed to have returned to the state of being in the lobby, engrossed in his training.

"How can I not regret it? If I hadn't listened to the words of that woman from the Seven Fragrance Pavilion, I would now be like Fang Xianjia, having undergone a blood transfusion and ascended to the mortal realm. I wouldn't say I would have lived a long and healthy life, but I would have been free from illness and disease, and escaped the mortal world."

Shi Hou gritted his teeth and said:

"But the biggest regret is that immortals can absorb spiritual energy and have no worries about elixirs from a young age, while we mortals have to go through all kinds of hardships, birth, old age, sickness and death, before we can come to this immortal mountain to seek immortality."

Having finally reached the sacred mountain, they had to sell their blood to survive and mine for a living, living like cattle and horses.

Brother Fang, you and I both come from the mortal realm. I mine for a year to learn the Dao for a month, while you eat four meals a day and have to defecate nine times. Given these circumstances, how can you not regret it?

The person's voice was suppressed:

"Although I, Shi Hou, am being instigated by others and appear to be a fool, only I know that if I do not show my skills during the tribulation and only seek stability, at my current age, how will I have the opportunity to catch up, and how will I be able to join the immortal sect?"

For the rest of his life, he would just be an ordinary old man in the marketplace, only able to rely on his children and grandchildren for longevity.

I regret! I regret being born into this mortal world, I regret lacking spiritual talent, I regret my failure.

The hundreds of words, spoken through gritted teeth and tears, came from the mouth of the man with a resolute gaze and a simple face, leaving the hall in silence for a moment.

The two injured people next door also suddenly opened their eyes and stared blankly at the ceiling of the room.

To be honest, Fang Shu was also agitated and his mind was in turmoil for a moment, but he forcibly suppressed these emotions and remained expressionless.

Shi Hou seemed to have poured out all the pent-up frustration and ambition in his heart in one breath.

His body immediately hunched over, and the divine light on his face visibly turned into a dull and numb color.

He chuckled awkwardly, rubbing his hands together, and stammered embarrassedly, "I apologize for my rude words, Master Fang."

Fang Shu let out a breath, his voice filled with complex emotions:
"What's there to laugh at? In this world, those who live a life of compromise may not survive, and those who act rashly may not die."

But if we don't fight, we're destined to have no hope. We might not even have the chance to see this celestial marketplace, let alone a chance to attain immortality or embark on a path to immortality.

Shi Hou raised his head and stared blankly at Fang Shu.

He grinned, his expression tense, seemingly unconcerned about his injuries, and bowed deeply to Fang Shu:
"In that case, I would like to ask Brother Fang to show me the even more expansive scenery of the immortal path."

May Brother Fang's path to immortality be broad and his longevity be within reach!

………………

Fang Shu sighed softly and finally walked slowly out of the medicine shop.

But as he pondered his conversation with Shi Hou, he completely suppressed the "desperate heart" that was rising in his heart.

Fang Shu secretly calculated:

"No, I have a Dao talisman. Even if I am born into the mortal world and have no spiritual roots, I can still cultivate and seek immortality."

For him, the most important lesson from the Shi Hou incident is that he must not be swayed by others and must have a firm resolve in his faith.

The tragedy of those who act rashly is so helpless and devastating that there is no going back.

Remembering this lesson well, Fang Shu strode forward.

　A new week begins, let's aim for monthly votes and climb the rankings!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)