Chapter 124 First Steps into Qingzhou, Random Musings on the Past…
On the sixth day of the sixth lunar month, in Qingzhou City.
"Have you heard? Something's happened to the fourth young lady of the Li family!"
"Who wouldn't say that! A young girl, insisting on going to that old house, they say the Li family are all cultivators... She's still a girl, what was she thinking, going to that godforsaken place!"
"Hey! I heard there was a girl who went with them. Do you think these cultivators are brave, or... what were those two girls doing going to that haunted house for no reason..."
"Oh! Don't even mention it, what do we mortals know... But then again... there might be ghost immortals hiding in there!"
...
A truly strange thing happened in Qingzhou City today—
For some reason, Miss Lu and Miss Li went to explore a haunted house in a remote part of Qingzhou City. The last one was seriously injured and unconscious, covered in blood, while the other seemed to be insane, crying and laughing, before also fainting.
The haunted house originally belonged to a high-ranking official. Later, it was said that the official was corrupt, and his entire family was raided, leaving blood on the street. The house was confiscated. But for some reason, the house became increasingly eerie, with shadowy figures appearing at night. One by one, the people who lived there died inside.
At that time, everyone in Qingzhou City was saying that there was a ghost in that house, the kind that even the King of Hell couldn't control, it was very powerful.
As the rumors intensified, the Qingzhou Demon Suppression Envoy personally led a group to seal off the house, saying that there were no demons or ghosts inside, but the grand mansion was built in a way that was extremely bad in terms of feng shui, attracting a lot of yin energy. If it were to be forcibly demolished, it would require a cultivator who understands feng shui, which would be very inconvenient.
Let's just seal it off, and everyone can avoid it from now on.
However, that's all in the past. For so many years, the people of Qingzhou City have rarely gone there. Who could have imagined that today, the Li family, the Lu family, and the people from the Demon-Suppressing Pavilion would all open the door to that house? A chilling wind blew mercilessly until the two young women emerged, one unconscious and the other insane. Although it was only for a fleeting moment, those who were curious still noticed some traces—
In the end, it all comes down to blood and yin energy, and the figures are in a state of panic, making one sigh and frown.
...
The Li family lived near Mount Tai outside Qingzhou City.
Guest room.
The pale, lifeless girl lay on the bed, her eyes wide open and staring blankly, her black pupils motionless, as if she had lost her soul, looking eerie and terrifying.
Uncle He sighed and helplessly withdrew his hand from taking the pulse. The old man stood up and shook his head. There was no one or any servants in the house. In the end, Lu Zhitao was staying at the Li family's place, and the Lu family was already in dire straits. Since this incident, no one has come to inquire about her.
Uncle He lowered his eyes, said nothing more, and silently left the room, going outside the door.
Despite the sweltering heat of June, the Li residence remained cool and shady, even shrouded in a chilling aura that sent shivers down one's spine. Uncle He glanced at the sky, then turned to the silent Li Ruoliang under the eaves, finding today's events utterly absurd for the Li family of Qingzhou.
“Miss Lu is not physically injured. In my humble opinion, she has lost her soul.”
Humans have three souls and seven spirits. The seven spirits are connected and can be saved by medicine and cultivation. The three souls are called spirits, which are divided into the heavenly soul, the earthly soul, and the human soul. Miss Lu's current condition seems to be that her human soul is still holding on, while the heavenly and earthly souls have disappeared.
Li Ruoliang paused for a moment, the young man under the eaves remaining calm and composed, his expression steady, "Dr. He, is she really..."
Uncle He lowered his eyes and sighed silently, "I have studied medicine all my life and have a general understanding of matters concerning humans and ghosts. That haunted house is cold and gloomy, with strange feng shui. It is not easy to enter. As for Miss Lu's current condition... practitioners of psychic arts, witchcraft, and feng shui may have a way to help her... but as far as medicine is concerned, it is difficult to save her."
Li Ruoliang listened quietly. The young man said, "I will do my best to find out more until things are cleared up... Doctor He, I'll have to trouble you with my sister's matter."
Uncle He waved his hand, "It's alright. Miss Li is just a little shaken, but her spirit is fine. She'll recover in a few days..."
"I have one more thing to say. If you lose your soul, young master, you will have to act quickly. If your soul is separated from your body for too long, even if you find it in the end, it will affect your mind."
Li Ruoliang remained silent, and finally Uncle He turned away with a gesture of respect, looking utterly helpless.
He was a retainer of the Li family, so it was only right that he did these things. However, he still lamented that the two young ladies had mistakenly entered the haunted house, and he wondered why. In the end, Miss Li went mad and was still in a coma, while Miss Lu had completely lost her soul and her life was in danger... Even if they were to survive in the end, what difference would it make?
A gust of wind rose, and the old man, carrying his medicine box, walked along the lush green bamboo grove. Facing the wind, he inexplicably thought of his senior brothers and sisters.
...
He had a senior brother surnamed Li, but he was from Jizhou. He had no talent for the sword, but he was passionate about medicine. At that time, he had also served as a medicine boy for a long time by the side of the Heavenly Physician before he entered the sect. His talent was not as good as He Jiu's, but his qualifications were indeed solid.
He was cheerful and carefree, often thinking of the Li family, and his most frequent topic of conversation was General Li Boshan.
Li Boshan, a general of a million-strong Yan army and the number one swordsman in the world, was born in Jizhou. He first followed the Deng family of Jizhou, but later became dissatisfied with their government. He severed ties with the Li family of Jizhou and, with only his sword, became a disciple of the Yan Ancestor.
They swore brotherhood under the moon at Lantai, entered Jingzhou Yunlan three times, killed the King of Ji and expanded Youzhou, defeated Xu's army and killed Lan Hou, enjoyed great fame throughout the Nine Provinces, helped the Yan Ancestor to seize the throne, and were eventually appointed as generals. After the world was at peace, he requested to go to Qingzhou and settled near Mount Tai. He used the Pure Yang Man Blade to control the Yin Ghost Qi.
In his spare time, the senior brother would chuckle to himself. After the initial establishment of the Yan and Zhou dynasties, the Li family of Ji still thought that Li Boshan would return after being appointed a general, and that the Li family would once again enjoy glory. Unexpectedly, this general turned his back and settled in Qingzhou, specifically in the eerie Tai Mountain, ostensibly to ward off evil spirits, as if fulfilling the mythical legend that Mount Tai in Qingzhou was haunted—
Although the Li family of Jizhou were of the same lineage, they had nothing to say in the face of this, and eventually the family split up and scattered. Thus, although there were many people with the surname Li in Jizhou, it was difficult to find their past, while the Li family of Qingzhou became famous with a single stroke, established the foundation of the Zhou Dynasty, had a general in charge, and their fame was known throughout the land for centuries.
It's a pity that the Li family's century-old business, with its tradition of sword-making, started as nothing more than a family blacksmith shop.
He rose to power in Jizhou amidst the chaos of war, and his descendants led their armies straight into Jingzhou, where they fought fiercely to establish their rule and presented their swords to the emperor. Throughout the century of turmoil, people came and went, but who could have imagined that this sharp and scorching sword of the Nine Provinces would ultimately fall silently on the gloomy Mount Tai in Qingzhou?
...
It was a beautiful day, and they listened to their senior brother tell the story of the Li family while drying the herbs in the sun.
He Jiu was the first to laugh. He thought the idea of ghosts in Mount Tai was too far-fetched. How could a doctor believe in such things? A human life is precious and irreplaceable. General Li must simply be making up this excuse because he didn't want to go home due to the unpleasant memories of the chaotic times.
The senior brother thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps. It's just that the rumors say General Li has profound Daoist knowledge, can repel ten thousand troops with a single Pure Yang Blade, has a firm will, and possesses righteousness; he is a man of noble character."
Such a person might not care about those so-called difficult past events...
So, perhaps, who knows, there really is a ghost in Mount Tai of Qingzhou.
Ouch!
Senior Brother Li cried out, rubbing his head in pain. He opened his mouth to curse when he heard He Jiu cough.
Lin Pingping glanced at everyone with annoyance, then simply laid out her medical books on the stall to bask in the sun. The woman smiled.
"What nonsense! You didn't even realize your medical book was about to fall. If your master sees this, none of you will get away with it."
He Jiu smiled, "Senior Sister is right!"
Senior Brother Li: "Yes—Senior Sister is—all—right—"
"Aww—"
"You think you can get away with being distracted while working? Hurry up, Master will be back soon. If you don't finish drying the herbs today, I'll punish you by making you recite your lessons—Xiao Jiu will recite them too, and no one is allowed to skip it."
Lin Pingping, as the senior sister, said in an annoyed tone, while Cheng Jia, the senior brother next to her, laughed and sighed, saying that Xiao Li and Xiao Jiu are always like this, getting together and talking about all sorts of nonsense.
Before He Jiu could speak, he saw Shangguan Yang carrying a basket of medicinal herbs approaching. The young man looked rather clumsy in the sunlight, but when he saw the group, he broke into a smile.
"Sorry to bother you all again."
He Jiu ran over to help him, laughing as she unloaded the medicinal herbs, and told him the story of the ghost in the Li family—
Shangguan Yang thought for a moment, then said, "Hmm... hiss... what do you think... if a ghost gets sick... how do you cure it..."
He Jiu: "...Brother! You really are... a medical demon..."
Senior Brother Li stepped forward and hooked his arm around Shangguan Yang's neck. "You, you really are something. I think Master should just take you in, otherwise when we get to Fengdu, even the King of Hell will want to make you his doctor."
"Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey!"
Senior Brother Cheng Jia said, "Don't say such things, avoid the omen!"
Shangguan Yang laughed, the young man's laughter was still very hearty, "It's nothing, it's just that I'm not talented enough and I still want to study medicine... As for Fengdu and stuff, who knows, after all, General Li has already settled there."
Senior Brother Li nodded, "That's right. Mount Tai is so high and remote, and there are countless demons and ferocious beasts. If General Li hadn't gone there, I'm afraid no one would have dared to go near that mountain all these years... Tsk tsk tsk, I think Mount Tai must be a mysterious place."
He Jiu was immediately convinced. "Yes, yes, I've also heard that there's an abandoned house in Qingzhou City, a haunted house. Many people have died there. It's said to have bad feng shui, it's eerie. I hadn't thought about it before, but now that you mention it... could it really be haunted?"
Under the eaves, Duanmu, a junior sister from Qingzhou, was quietly grinding medicinal herbs. Hearing this, the woman finally turned her gaze from the mortar to the noisy scene not far away.
"That abandoned house is very eerie; it's best not to mention it."
Lin Pingping smiled when she saw that her junior sister Duanmu had spoken.
As the eldest senior sister, and also from the Lin family, she had seen more people and things, and was familiar with the wonders of the world. She just didn't want to say anything that would cause these unreliable junior brothers to make trouble again, but unexpectedly, the usually quiet junior sister Duanmu also started talking about these things.
"It's rare for you to talk about such trivial matters. It seems that Qingzhou City is indeed quite sophisticated."
Junior Sister Duanmu pursed her lips, and the woman smiled gently, "That house was chosen in a special location, and it was personally sealed by the demon-suppressing envoy Ji San and the Lu family. There are rumors that a feng shui master will be found to unseal it in the future—but the Ji family of Qingzhou is a family of feng shui masters, and Ji San himself has superior cultivation... After thinking about it, perhaps it's to avoid causing panic among mortals."
The three souls and seven spirits, ghosts and spirits, the Yellow Springs and the other side... In the end, no one has ever truly seen these things. They are only recorded in books. In addition, some cultivators believe in them without a doubt. Furthermore, the Li family lives in Mount Tai, which has caused endless debate.
But thousands of years have passed, and there are no gods or immortals in this world. Who can still say that ghosts exist? Who has truly seen a ghost? Who has actually gone to Fengdu to see it? How many cultivators whose hearts have been damaged by matters of life and death have gotten lost in the Tai Mountains?
Even cultivators who seek enlightenment through their hearts are so obsessed with this, let alone ordinary people.
As one of the top feng shui masters in the Nine Provinces, Ji San must be able to see the strangeness of that house. However, even he cannot change its gloomy layout. How many people in the Nine Provinces can enter it, and what will they experience if they do?
(Ji San: Regardless of whether it's a person or a ghost inside, I've sealed it off. Nobody's going in. Everyone, get out of here!)
Senior Brother Cheng Jia: "Let's not talk about these things. Junior Sister Duanmu is from Qingzhou, so you should all be careful. You are doctors, after all. If patients hear this, who would dare to ask us to treat them?"
Senior Brother Li clicked his tongue twice, and the young man shook his head and said, "Let's just chat, fellow disciples... It's no fun, no fun. I was thinking of going to Qingzhou to take a look in the future. I also have the surname Li... Who knows, maybe two hundred years ago, General Li and I were family."
Junior Sister Duanmu laughed, "Go if you want. The Li family practices swordsmanship all day long and is thinking of recruiting some skilled medical cultivators as retainers."
Senior Brother Li nodded, "Okay, okay... Oh no, I'm still a little afraid of ghosts..."
Shangguan Yang smiled and whispered to He Jiu, "Actually, I think as for ghosts and stuff... you'll know once you're dead."
He Jiu chuckled to himself, then turned to Shangguan Yang and whispered something.
"Brother, you're much older than me. Go and check on things for me first. Do well inside, and then come back to pick up your younger brother."
"good--"
"What?!"
Lin Pingping's flat voice came, and He Jiu looked up, wanting to awkwardly call her "Senior Sister," but was momentarily blinded by the sunlight. The young boy blinked, and in a moment of realization, the breeze remained the same, but the world had changed.
"Uncle?"
Lin Fanxiang stood at the corner, a smile playing on her lips. Her eyes held a hint of surprise, her demeanor gentle and refined. A moment later, a woman in red approached, and Lin Fanxiang tilted her head slightly with a smile.
"Uncle!"
Uncle He chuckled, glancing down at his gray hair and crooked beard. A gentle breeze stirred, and the light cast dappled shadows. For a moment, the old man's eyes crinkled into a hearty laugh.
Hello everyone!
-----------------------
Author's Note: Haha, I suddenly realized this was almost a hundred years ago, during a casual chat among my fellow disciples—
Then, I imagined that three hundred years ago, the chaotic world of Kyushu was quite exciting.
Take, for example, those mystical cultivators who tell fortunes and make prophecies. The Yan army has the Lin clan, Qingzhou has the Ji clan, the southwest has witchcraft, monsters roam freely, ghosts roam everywhere—when the world is in chaos, all sorts of demons and monsters will emerge to vie for power!
Hehe, actually, there was no mention of 300 years ago in the outline at all, but I ended up writing it and it actually turned out to be quite interesting. Who knows, maybe I'll write a book about it someday [cat paw emoji]
(Actually, it was quite interesting a hundred years ago too, haha [okay])
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