Twenty-five: Asking the Water, But Whom? (Part Two)
"Elder Hong, Master and Senior Brother have arrived," Meng Sheng said.
"Then this junior will take his leave."
"You haven't seen him in a long time, have you?"
That's a strange statement.
Ming Jin recalled that he had never met Su Huan, but perhaps Hong Junyu thought that Meng Sheng had introduced him to him, and meeting the sect leader of Huicheng wouldn't be a bad thing. Su Huan was once a very famous figure in the cultivation world, a senior, but he rarely appeared in front of outsiders after being injured, so Ming Jin had never been able to meet him.
So she didn't interrupt, but simply followed Hong Junyu to the door.
Su Huan wore a dark blue robe with a black outer robe draped over it, a jade ornament hanging from the collar. Due to his long illness, Su Huan's face was pale, and his hair was much whiter and thinner than that of his peers. But the long illness had not destroyed him; the elegance he had possessed since his youth was still evident in his every move.
Wei Jing followed behind him.
"This must be Tian Guang," Ming Jin said, surprised that Su Huan knew her name. She quickly greeted him, "I've heard Yu Shan and Yu Cheng mention you before, but I never expected to run into you here."
“Yu Cheng,” Hong Junyu called to Meng Sheng, who had stepped aside, “You and Tian Guang haven’t seen each other for a long time. Go and have a chat. There’s no need to wait here any longer. I have something to say to your master and senior brother.”
Because Ji'er was making a fuss, Shen Bai took him down the mountain first, while Meng Sheng stayed behind to wait for Ming Jin to come out.
After the three entered the house, the two first went to the room where Meng Sheng and the others had been sitting. Several chairs were placed at the door, perfect for enjoying the gentle afternoon breeze. Meng Sheng quickly put the chairs back in their places, then pulled Ming Jin along and hurried out of Hong Junyu's courtyard.
Seeing that the guards at the gate had also disappeared, Mingjin turned around and asked Mengsheng on the mountain path leading down the mountain, "Yucheng, what's wrong?"
"Did the advisor say anything strange to you?" Meng Sheng asked with a slight worry on his face. "Anything that's a little strange counts as strange talk."
"Elder Hong didn't say anything," Ming Jin said, somewhat bewildered and unsure of what he meant. "He just talked about Elder Xiang from Kongyun Mountain, Elder Hong's master, and Elder Mu. Elder Xiang was Elder Hong's friend from the past, and he passed away a few years ago. Elder Mu, as you know, is the elder who guided me in my cultivation when we first met."
"Oh, that's good."
Upon hearing Mingjin's words, Mengsheng visibly hurried downstairs.
"The only strange thing is that Elder Hong actually sought me out for gossip," Mingjin said as the two walked down the mountain arm in arm. "He lived for over eighty years; there must have been many people he could gossip about before his death. Why did he want to hit me? Was it just to hand over Boss Jiang's token to me? What do you mean by strange?"
Meng Sheng was somewhat lost in thought when she heard Ming Jin ask her this. She stammered twice before saying, "You just saw it too. The clerk made a list of the people he wanted to see before he died."
"That's really strange," Mingjin wondered. "How did I end up in front of Sect Leader Su?"
Meng Sheng sighed and said, "Actually, it's my mother."
"What happened to Senior Meng?"
"It seems that the advisor waited for my mother all morning, but there was no response. The advisor had lunch with us, and when he was drinking soup, Wenzhi mentioned the venison soup from before, and then asked me if he could call you over to talk."
“I see,” Mingjin recalled what Hong Junyu had said earlier. “However, Elder Hong was probably still waiting for Senior Meng to come. He had already made an appointment, but he had some free time. He remembered me while having soup, and then he remembered what he still needed to give me, so he called me over ahead of time. Actually, this matter happened too hastily. If I were out exorcising evil spirits today, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to get here in a short while. Senior Meng is no idle person either. You know her well. If the plan is suddenly interrupted, she probably won't be happy. It's better to wait a little longer.”
"Hmm." Meng Sheng nodded, but his expression hadn't completely improved. "I'm really anxious. I was told this morning that Elder Hong would pass away in three days, which gave me quite a fright. It's said that skilled doctors can foresee the moment of their own demise, and I never expected it to happen right before my eyes. It's quite frightening."
"But why did Elder Hong only bring it up at such a close moment?" Ming Jin wondered. "He is the former head of the Huicheng sect, and many people probably want to catch up with him. Even if his budget is correct, he still needs time to prepare things for him, but he didn't seem to care."
"The advisor said that his affairs should not be made public for three years. Everything should be kept simple in his courtyard. His body should be laid to rest for seven days before being buried in a place that has been prepared in advance on the back mountain. No outsiders are allowed to come. At most, only people who have spoken to him can come to help."
"Is this feasible? Will Sect Leader Su agree?"
“Master probably won’t disobey the advisor,” Meng Sheng said. “However, my mother probably won’t come.”
"Don't think about these things," Mingjin quickly interrupted Meng Sheng. "I'll come to Huicheng for the next two days to help you with your work and wait with you for Senior Meng."
“I think the advisor knows,” Meng Sheng smiled at Ming Jin and took her hand. “My mother won’t come back. Rather than waiting until the last moment, it’s better to give up now and at least laugh with the others in the end.”
These words reminded Mingjin of something.
“Let’s not talk about that,” Meng Sheng’s words pulled Ming Jin back to reality. “If you have something to do, you don’t need to come. The clerk has already arranged everything after he left and told us to do as he says. There’s not much to do, and we don’t need too many people. You’ve been working hard for a long time, so you don’t need to come here to worry about it.”
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. I'm just here to do my part. It's nothing compared to how busy you are here," Mingjin said with a wry smile. "I feel like this year is just unlucky, everything is piling up and I'm overwhelmed."
After that, the two chatted about all sorts of things until they reached the end of the mountain path, which was also the starting point of the path.
Mu Ning left in a hurry, leaving only a letter to inform Ming Jin of his whereabouts, and knew nothing else. Without Mu Ning, Ming Jin dared not practice metal arts alone, worried that she might cause trouble and no one would help her. During this time, apart from the routine ghost hunting on the mountain and visiting Mei Chong every day or two, nothing else major happened.
If Mingjin is willing to come, Mengsheng would not object and would let her continue to live in his home. After all, having another person would prevent their home from feeling lonely.
"Tian Guang," Meng Sheng said as they were about to part, asking Ming Jin a question, "Did the clerk mention my mother to you?"
"No, that's not the case."
Although some of Hong Junyu's words made Mingjin think deeply, she ultimately didn't mention Meng Xi, nor did she intend to ask about her. She and Meng Xi weren't particularly close; their last meeting was at the inn when they discussed gold techniques. Mingjin wanted to check on them the second time she passed the inn, but the innkeeper told her that the guest in that room had already left. Therefore, Mingjin didn't plan to speak carelessly, lest she confuse any unspoken matters.
“I dare not speak casually about my mother’s past, but after coming to Huicheng, I learned a little about it. I just felt that that period was very chaotic, and it was a torment for anyone involved,” Meng Sheng said, looking somewhat embarrassed, but still continued, “I don’t know if the clerk summoned you here because he thought you were my mother. If that’s the case, even if the clerk tells you that my mother and you have the slightest resemblance, you should tell me not to follow the path my mother took.”
Meng Sheng's words were completely unexpected by Ming Jin, leaving her speechless.
She certainly didn't know Meng Xi's past, and she hadn't asked about it during their brief time together, because she wasn't particularly interested in the past. Unless it involved evil deeds. But Meng Xi and Hong Junyu, perhaps everyone Meng Sheng was referring to, if they were still performing exorcisms in Huicheng, they probably hadn't done anything truly evil.
“Elder Hong only came to me for his own sake. He certainly has far more insight than you or me, but people are prone to being blinded by their own involvement,” Ming Jin thought that Meng Sheng could probably accept this explanation. “I think Elder Hong wouldn’t use someone’s impending death to coerce a reconciliation. Perhaps the elder didn’t actually call Senior Meng back, but just spent the morning reflecting on this past event and wanted to find someone to talk to. But he has deep ties with the old friends in Huicheng, so he thought of me, and it just so happens that we know each other. To think of me as Senior Meng is really a bit naive.”
"is that so?"
Mingjin's words were completely unfamiliar to Mengsheng, and he saw a whole new world.
“I don’t know what the master and disciple had in the past that caused them to disagree. But Senior Meng has made up his mind to stay away from me. If Elder Hong wants to make amends, the best way to remedy this is to stop interfering, including with news of his life or death.”
"But the advisor once went to see my mother about the matter of Huicheng, didn't he?" Meng Sheng still didn't quite understand.
"Perhaps the capital city is more important. Or perhaps, in another ten years or so, Elder Hong's thoughts will change. Do you want to ask him clearly?"
“I’ve never dared to ask. It really has nothing to do with me. I’m my mother’s daughter, and I have nothing to do with those things. I was even born after my mother left,” Meng Sheng said. “Those mysterious past events, even if I asked, I wouldn’t even have a hopeful answer or ending. I really don’t understand why I always think about something better that can’t possibly exist. Haven’t you ever thought about that?”
“Of course I’ve thought about it,” Mingjin said, her voice tinged with a mix of helplessness and relief as she spoke of her own situation. “But after thinking it over, I realize that everything is interconnected and can’t escape the saying that fortune and misfortune are intertwined. Even though I hate evil spirits to the extreme, I don’t think I could have a brighter life if there were no evil spirits in the world.”
“Your ideas are really different,” Meng Sheng said. Although he was still somewhat confused, he understood some things but didn’t know where to go. “I heard the clerk laugh when I was sitting outside. I can’t imagine who or what could make him so happy.”
“Then I have no idea. It was all by accident, and I couldn’t keep up with Elder Hong’s thoughts at all when I was talking. But to me, he is just an old man who senses that he is about to die. Even if it makes him happy for a while, it’s not a big mistake.”
They agreed to meet again soon, and Meng Sheng didn't invite Ming Jin to eat with him as usual, but instead took her home.
On the way back to Kongyun Mountain, Mingjin had mixed feelings. She probably understood Hong Junyu's purpose in chatting with people, even if it was under the guise of giving his last words.
She felt that Hong Junyu was in relatively good spirits and did not seem to be nearing his end. She told Meng Sheng that she would go to help him, partly because she genuinely wanted to help, and partly because she wanted to see if there was any chance of a turnaround.
I met Shen Du in town. He had just taken out of Fu Nai and was carrying a basket of plums.
It's his turn to be on duty today, and he really can't leave.
Shen Du said he received a letter from Mu Ning, in which she mentioned that the old gentleman had passed away and that Mu Ning was helping out there. She will return as soon as possible.
Mingjin's heart sank suddenly, but because of Mengsheng's instructions, she didn't say anything. After giving her three examples, Chendu sent her home.
Pang Ming said he was going to check on Mei Chong before dinner, and sure enough, he's not home now.
She went into the study, opened a box under the shelf, and found Lu Ying's belongings.
Books, folding fans, pendants, ink marks, and some religious implements.
Lu Ying claimed to be a martial artist, incapable of anything except exorcising ghosts. His medical skills were lacking, and his crafting skills for creating magical artifacts were almost nonexistent. The magical artifacts he possessed were gifts from the cultivators who had fought ghosts with him in the past.
When Lu Ying spoke of himself, he always started with the words "peasant," and then recounted how his master had rescued him from the clutches of evil spirits. Since he had no family, he simply followed his master, taking on a new name and doing new things. Old Mr. Lu's reason for becoming a cultivator was overly simple: the person who introduced him to the path promised he wouldn't starve, so he came. Therefore, Lu Ying's background was inferior to that of Chen Duan and Xiang Wan, who came from prominent families, and his experience was less than that of the three elders of the Jing generation who had left other major sects. He was both surprised and delighted by the generosity of others, so he always carefully accepted their kindness, even being reluctant to use it, which resulted in Elder Jing Yu scolding him several times.
As a child, with his parents absent, Mingjin often followed Lu Ying, rummaging through the house with Fu Nai, who was also taken in. Only once did they find these things, which fell to the ground. They didn't break them, but Lu Ying still scolded him a couple of times. Later, they didn't find anything, until finally, these things came to Mingjin as part of his belongings.
What are you looking for?
Pang Ming had just come down the mountain and entered the study. He saw that the door was halfway open and thought Ming Jin had returned. But he couldn't see anyone standing at the door and heard rustling sounds. He then thought something was burning in the house. Excited, he hurried closer to the source of the sound.
“Grandfather’s belongings.”
Hearing the sound, Mingjin realized it was getting late, so he quickly put the things back and then picked up a cloth to wipe the dust off the box.
"What did Elder Hong say to you? Have you eaten yet?"
Pang Ming brought back two pancakes stuffed with side dishes, wrapped in a white cloth.
"No," Mingjin took the cake, feeling that it was still warm, and quickly took a bite. "The elder is not feeling well, and Yucheng asked me to go and visit him."
"Not feeling well?" Pang Ming returned to his table and lit a lamp. Hearing Ming Jin's words, he was somewhat surprised. "Elder Hong is one of the strongest cultivators in terms of healing magic. It's strange that his discomfort could reach outside the city. Could it be that the old man is all alone and invited you to come and keep him company?"
"Perhaps. He seems alright, so I don't really believe he's in any serious trouble. But he is, after all, a senior figure, and I plan to go and check on him before he recovers."
That makes sense.
As he spoke, Pang Ming's table began to make a clattering sound.
The two pancakes, one vegetarian and one with a bit of meat, were both delicious. After running a long way in the afternoon, Mingjin's nose caught the smell of food and his stomach suddenly started to rumble with hunger. He devoured the pancakes in a few bites.
"How is Yuanyi?"
“It’s just a matter of getting through the days,” Pang Ming said sullenly, head down. “I’m afraid that miracle doctor was right. When I went there this afternoon, I met her aunt, who said that she had written to Yuan Yi’s parents before, but no one replied for a long time, so she went to the address she had left. She found out that her parents had left to treat their second son, but when they found that the doctors near the address couldn’t cure him, they left again. Over time, they lost contact and couldn’t find him.”
"How could something like this happen?"
Mingjin leaned gently against his desk, turned around and picked up the kettle, but suddenly lifted it up, realizing he had forgotten to make tea that morning.
“I still have some here,” Pang Ming tapped the kettle beside him with his other hand. “I originally planned to find a doctor outside, but after these days, Master seems to have come to terms with the diagnosis. He’s been eating well these past few days, and although he still looks haggard, he’s much better than before. I really don’t know what level of cultivation one needs to reach to be able to determine a person’s life or death at a glance.”
The last sentence reminded Mingjin of what had happened that day.
Hong Junyu had no reason not to lie to them, but she still refused to believe it. However, it wasn't too surprising that Meng Xi could diagnose Mei Chong's condition so quickly, and that Hong Junyu could diagnose her own.
A stack of manuscripts lay piled on Pang Ming's desk.
Ming Jin wanted to pick it up and take a look, so Pang Ming rolled up his sleeves.
"You figured it out?"
Previously, Pang Ming suspected that Feng Wu had set up a series of formations, so he had been investigating accordingly. This stack of papers contained his predictions of several scenarios. Ming Jin went through all the diagrams and found two or three overlapping locations. In other words, if it really was a series of formations, then the next formation could be found at the designated points.
"It's not much of a skill to put something on paper. I'm planning to go out and see the world soon."
After speaking, Mingjin's gaze followed the lamplight to Pang Ming's hand, and to a clear spirit stone beneath it. In the light of the magical artifact, it cast a soft shadow on the desk.
This was a wedding gift that Di Huan entrusted to Ji Zhen to send as a congratulatory present. Because it was related to water magic, it ended up in Pang Ming's hands. Pang Ming found it while tidying up his things, and after examining it, he thought it could be used to make an interesting gadget. So he studied it for half a year, and it's still going on now.
“I went to see Master Chen yesterday,” Pang Ming explained, noticing Ming Jin’s gaze, “and revised it again, planning to try it out when I go hunting.”
"What is it used for?" Mingjin asked, puzzled.
Pang Ming deliberately kept everyone in suspense, jokingly saying, "How can I say it now? I wouldn't be embarrassed if I said something wrong. I'll tell you properly when I come back after I've tried it."
"Then I'll be waiting for you."
The two looked at each other and smiled.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
