Under One Person: The Taoist Priest Descends the Mountain

Chapter 336 Wang Zizhong's Inner Knot

Wang Zizhong led Lü Huan out of the back hall, through the corridor, and into a lounge.

The lounge contained a desk, a chair, a small coffee table, and two sofas. Several paintings and calligraphies hung on the walls, and a potted green ivy sat on the windowsill. Sunlight streamed in through the window, casting bright patches of light on the wooden floor.

Wang Zizhong asked Lü Huan to sit on the sofa, then walked to a small refrigerator in the corner, opened the door, and took out a glass bottle. The bottle contained a pale yellow liquid, and sediment could be seen at the bottom.

He poured a glass and handed it to Lü Huan: "This is a drink I made myself. Xing Tong and Sha Yan both liked to drink it when they were little."

Lü Huan took the cup, thanked him, and took a small sip.

Her eyes narrowed, like a satisfied kitten: "Delicious."

Wang Zizhong sat down on the chair next to him with a smile, looking very kind: "If you like it, drink more."

Lü Huan held the cup, took another small sip, and then slowly put the cup down.

She lowered her head, her fingers gently tracing the inside of the cup, her expression conflicted.

Looking at her, Wang Zizhong asked gently, "Is there anything you want to tell Grandpa?"

After a long while, as if she had made up her mind, she raised her head and looked directly into Wang Zizhong's eyes: "Grandpa Wang, there are some things I want to tell you."

Wang Zizhong, still oblivious to the seriousness of the situation, asked with a smile, "Oh? What is it?"

Lü Huan took a deep breath: "I want to make sure you're alright first. Are you feeling well? Will you be too excited—"

Never mind, that's not important.

Wang Zizhong chuckled and said, "Little friend, Grandpa is in good health. Please feel free to speak your mind."

Lü Huan raised her head, looked into his eyes, and said, word by word, "Do you remember the name Duanmu Ying?"

Wang Zizhong was stunned on the spot.

His smile seemed to have been paused, and he froze in his chair, his eyes wide and his pupils contracting sharply.

His lips began to tremble, and he raised his hand to reach out to Lü Huan, his fingers clenching in the air before suddenly grabbing Lü Huan's shoulder.

"Where—where did you hear that name?"

His voice was hoarse, as if squeezed from the depths of his throat, and every word trembled.

"Is she...is she alright?"

Wang Zizhong stared intently at Lü Huan's face, his eyes filled with expectation, fear, hope, and despair—all these emotions swirling together, twisting his kind face into a distorted shape.

He desperately wanted to know news about his wife, but he was also terrified of finding out.

Because he understood that after so many years, if she was still alive, why wouldn't she give him a message?

When he heard this name, he already knew the answer deep down.

She is definitely no longer here.

Even if there's only a one in ten thousand chance, he still wants to hear news that she's alright, even if it's just that she's still alive somewhere he doesn't know.

Tears streamed down Lü Huan's face, one after another, dripping onto her clothes.

Wang Zizhong was startled and quickly let go, taking half a step back: "No, little one, don't cry. Did I hurt you?"

Lu Huan wiped away her tears and shook her head vigorously: "No, Grandpa, I'm just sad."

She took a deep breath, wiped the tears from her face with the back of her hand, and began to tell her story.

"Grandpa Wang, my great-grandmother—Ms. Duanmu Ying—was captured by the Lü family back then."

Wang Zizhong's body tensed up, his fists clenched, and his nails dug into his palms.

Lu Huan continued, "The people who arrested her were my great-grandfather—Lu Ci, and several other elders of the Lu family at the time."

Wang Zizhong's breathing became rapid, and his chest heaved violently.

"They want Great-Grandma's bloodline." Lü Huan's voice was soft, but every word was clear. "Lü Ci wants Great-Grandma to have children for him and leave Shuangquan Hand in the Lü family."

Wang Zizhong clenched his fists even tighter, his knuckles making a cracking sound.

Lü Huan's voice began to tremble: "But Great-Grandma didn't want to—so he used methods to force her. He locked her up, didn't give her freedom, and didn't let her contact the outside world."

"He told my great-grandmother that if she didn't cooperate, then—then—"

Lü Huan couldn't continue speaking, and tears welled up in her eyes again.

Wang Zizhong sat in the chair, feeling utterly drained. If it weren't for the Duanmu family, if it weren't for him, why would his wife have been coerced by Lü Ci?

His eyes were red, his lips were trembling, and his nails were digging into his flesh, with blood seeping from between his fingers.

After a long while, Lü Huan wiped away her tears and continued, "My great-grandmother thought about it for a long time and finally used her two hands to make a body-refining furnace."

Wang Zizhong's breath caught in his throat for a moment.

Lu Huan continued, "That cultivation furnace can produce offspring without the need for sexual relations between men and women. My great-grandmother used the furnace to create my grandfather's generation, and then my father and the others came into being, and finally we came into being."

Wang Zizhong sat motionless, uttering a hoarse, almost inaudible sound.

Lu Huan lowered his head, tears dripping onto his pants. When he spoke of Duanmu Ying's eventual death in despair and his burial in the wilderness without even a proper tombstone, Wang Zizhong's body swayed violently, and he almost slipped off his chair.

Tears slid down Wang Zizhong's wrinkled face and dripped onto his clothes.

"Madam—it's my fault—it's my fault for not being able to save you—"

"I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have let her go alone."

Worried that something might happen to Wang Zizhong, Lü Huan quickly stepped forward and placed her hands on Wang Zizhong's hands. Red Qi flames rose from her palms and covered the back of Wang Zizhong's hands.

Wang Zizhong felt a warm power spread from his palms to his whole body. His heartbeat gradually calmed down, his blood pressure dropped, and the trembling in his body gradually stopped.

Wang Zizhong reached out and pressed her hand, shook his head, and said in a hoarse but steady voice, "No need, I'm fine."

He looked at the ceiling and let out a long sigh.

"I thought I would be very sad, but I didn't expect it to be actually quite good. I even felt relieved."

"9

Lu Huan held his hand, unsure of what to say.

Wang Zizhong gently and slowly stroked her hair: "You and your great-grandmother are so alike when you were young, both so intelligent and kind. No wonder you were able to comprehend this technique."

Lü Huan's nose tingled, and tears welled up in her eyes again.

Wang Zizhong smiled, but the smile was bitter: "It would be good if my wife could leave behind an heir."

He patted Lü Huan's head again and asked a seemingly unrelated question: "Xiao Huan, do you want to go back to the Lü family?"

Lu Huan shook her head vigorously: "I don't want to go back. I'll stay by Grandpa's side to take care of you. If Grandpa wants me to deal with Great-Grandpa, I'll help you, but please spare Great-Grandpa's life. I—I will erase his memories and obsessions."

Wang Zizhong was somewhat surprised. He stared at Lü Huan for a few seconds, then understood and nodded: "So that's how it is. 'Double perfection' means both life and spirit are perfect, one being the body and the other the spirit. Madam is indeed very talented, to have comprehended such a wonderful method."

He reached out and patted Lü Huan's head: "But let's talk about dealing with your great-grandfather later."

Lü Huan wiped her face: "Grandpa, do you know the benefits of the Double-Handed Technique?"

Wang Zizhong leaned back on the sofa, closed his eyes, and slowly said, "The Minghun Technique that appeared in the Lü family a few years ago is part of the Dual-Handed Technique, right? Are those who possess the Minghun Technique all descendants of Madam?"

Lu Huan pursed her lips and nodded, her voice very soft: "Yes, as long as you have the Soul-Brightening Technique, you are all descendants of Great-Grandma."