Chapter 82 082 "You stinky Taoist priest, I'm here... I'm here..."
--
A small massage parlor.
The inner room.
It took Jiang Ling'er a while to realize that these were not real eyeballs, but prosthetic eyes.
She also realized that this was not some unfamiliar place, but a massage parlor that she knew all too well.
She was locked in the inner room of the small restaurant by Shui Rong.
That makes sense. Although the massage parlor is quiet all day, it is located in a busy area with people coming and going. If Shui Rong doesn't want to expose her identity, it would be best to carry out her sexual activity at night.
Shui Rong has likely only lost sight in one eye, yet he's pretending to be blind and hiding in the bustling city. Could it be...?
Was it merely to hide among the crowd and wait for an opportunity to find the "Longevity Manual"?
Furthermore, since Shui Rong already knew her and the little poisoner's identities, why didn't he act sooner? His unusual behavior just now seemed to suggest...
Enraged that he was forced to reveal himself after the old poison master snatched a copy of "The Longevity Manual" first, he was left with no choice but to do so.
Why is that?
Why didn't he take action sooner?
What is he waiting for?
I can't figure it out.
Jiang Ling'er couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss, as if there was more to the story. Unable to figure it out, she simply stopped thinking about it. In any case, the strange feeling of being spied on had finally found its source.
Even though I knew the room was full of artificial eyes, I still felt a chilling sense of being watched by countless eyes.
In particular, she discovered a hidden compartment in the wall that could be moved, which revealed a view of the outer room.
The thought of Shui Rong guarding her in that dark little house every day, watching over her from the hidden compartment, sent chills down her spine. Her hair stood on end, and a wave of nausea surged in her stomach, taking a long time to subside.
--
Jiang Ling'er could only suppress her nausea and stay by the small secret compartment, observing everything that was happening outside.
Throughout the day, quite a few people came and went.
There were familiar faces among the neighbors, but she couldn't name them, as well as Ma Sanye and Qin Xiangyu, the tofu beauty she knew well.
Jiang Ling'er's eyes lit up as soon as she saw Master Ma and Qin Xiangyu, but unfortunately she was locked in a dark room and could only watch helplessly as Master Ma and Qin Xiangyu came and went.
And so it went until the fading sunlight of dusk shone through the windowpanes, and as she watched the water merge with the door frame, her eyes gradually darkened...
Just as the door was about to close, it was suddenly grabbed by a large hand!
Not only was Jiang Ling'er stunned, but Shui Rong was also taken aback for a moment. Then her brows furrowed, and a sinister look flashed across her face before disappearing without a trace.
That long, slender, and well-proportioned hand slowly pushed open the door that Shui Rong was blocking, revealing an incomparably handsome, fair-skinned face with a shameless grin.
Jiang Ling'er's eyes suddenly brightened, like a dying flame suddenly bursting forth with scorching heat!
Even without realizing it, she couldn't help but scream:
"You shameless, scoundrel Taoist priest!"
-------------------------------------
The Demon Cave, a thousand miles away.
A beautiful woman with long, flowing hair, holding a guqin (a traditional Chinese stringed instrument), lightly plucked the strings with her fingertips adorned with cinnamon, and chuckled softly while watching the portly middle-aged man pacing back and forth like ants on fire.
"Stop walking, you're making me dizzy. Look at you, a commoner monk, you're not as composed as the seventh brother."
"Of course I'm not as steady as that bastard!" The middle-aged man, with his thick belly, holding a palm-leaf fan and reeking of alcohol, was always hot-tempered and couldn't sit still. He waved his hands repeatedly, "No, no! I don't trust Seventh Brother with this! I'll go to Dagushan myself!"
The monk in plain clothes had a fiery temper and immediately left!
The beautiful woman kindly reminded him: "Putting everything else aside, Shui Rong has been searching for the 'Longevity Manual' in Huo Wu's hands for six whole years. If you interfere, be careful that the Seventh Elder will be angry with you."
Upon hearing this, the monk in plain clothes immediately stopped, his face turning fierce, his voice booming like a bell:
"That bastard Shui Rong is the youngest in his family, do you think I'm afraid of him?!"
The beautiful woman smiled upon hearing this and pointed at him in a suggestive manner:
"It's one thing if others don't know, but why is Shui Rong always ranked last? Don't you, the fourth-ranked assassin of the Seven Great Assassins of the Demonic Sect, know? You don't really think Shui Rong is the weakest among us, do you?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the cloth bag monk named "Shichen" calmed down slightly, but then became even more furious, saying in a rough voice:
"The lowest ranking is the lowest ranking! It's because he missed the annual ranking tests year after year, who can he blame?! I think he just knows he's not good enough, and would rather hide in the countryside and be a good-for-nothing than come out and embarrass himself. I don't know why the leader values such a bastard so much!"
The beautiful woman simply smiled as she watched the hopping madman, Budai.
"Seventh Brother is different from us. He is not fond of fighting, nor is he bloodthirsty, and he doesn't even care about empty fame. His only passion is martial arts. Six years ago, the reason we were able to persuade him to come out of the mountains and ambush the Lingxiao Sect with Huo Wu was because of the reputation of the 'Longevity Manual,' the number one martial art in the world. He is a person who doesn't like to show his face. He would rather not fight if he can avoid it... It's best to fight without bloodshed."
The beautiful woman paused abruptly, then, seeing the foolish look on the Laughing Buddha's face, waved her hands repeatedly, "Forget it, forget it, we're talking past each other, why should I say anything more to a brute like you?"
After saying that, he ignored the monk's furious outburst, picked up his guqin, and swayed his hips as he walked away gracefully.
-------------------------------------
The setting sun was like blood.
Qingshi Town, a small massage parlor.
The old man's eyes were tightly closed, staring blankly ahead:
"Sorry, we're closed. Please come back tomorrow morning."
After saying that, he tried to close the wooden door, but the door was pressed firmly and wouldn't budge.
The young Taoist priest was quite wicked. Taking advantage of his height and long legs, he lazily leaned against the door, becoming so weak that he couldn't move.
Especially when contrasted with the lonely, hunched old man, he looked exactly like a bully who preys on the lonely and widowed.
Pei Xuan looked down at the blind old man, lingering on his tightly closed eyes for a moment, then scoffed and said lazily:
"Don't be like that. Why would we turn down business that's practically handed to us? We're all neighbors, and we're right across from each other. It would be bad if word got out." As he said this, Pei Xuan even bumped Shui Rong's shoulder like a good buddy, his eyes crinkling with a smile, looking carefree and without any guile. "In the three years I've been in Qing Shi Town... this is the first time I've ever been to your little massage parlor. Uncle Shui, please do me a favor."
After saying that, without waiting for the old man's reaction, he bumped his shoulder aside and strode inside.
During that time, Jiang Ling'er was practically glued to that small hidden compartment, blinking her big eyes, not missing a single scene. Watching the two of them locked in a stalemate, she subconsciously held her breath, almost forgetting to breathe.
As Pei Xuan spoke, he stretched and rubbed his right shoulder with his left hand, feigning pain, and said in a pained voice:
"I've been sharpening this sword all day, and I'm really tired. My shoulders and neck are as stiff as a rock. Could you please help me relax them?"
Without saying a word, he brazenly took off the long sword from his waist, tossed it aside, and lay down on the chaise longue, closing his eyes as if ready to enjoy himself.
Jiang Ling'er: "..."
Jiang Ling'er: "…………"
Jiang Ling'er stared in astonishment at everything, her fingernails almost tearing the hidden compartment to shreds!
...Idiot! Idiot!
What an utterly idiotic fool!!!
That's utterly foolish!
As a swordsman, how can one be without a sword!
He even closed his eyes... and exposed his back to the enemy!
How dare he... Oh no!
Jiang Ling'er then realized that Pei Xuan did not know that Uncle Shui was Shui Rong, one of the seven great assassins of the Demonic Sect. What was worse, she was probably the only one in the entire Qing Shi Town who knew that Shui Rong was pretending to be blind.
"You shameless Taoist priest! Pei Xuan! Run! Run!"
However, no matter how loudly she shouted, it didn't reach the ears of the scoundrel Taoist priest at all.
Unfortunately, she was still recovering from her serious injuries, and after fighting Shui Rong several times, she could no longer muster even half of her internal strength. She could only pound on the hidden compartment and the wall with her bare hands, but even pounding on the small hidden compartment until her hands were almost swollen was to no avail. Jiang Ling'er gritted her teeth and smashed all the prosthetic eyes in the room to the ground, trying to make a noise to alert the young Taoist.
She gritted her teeth and shoved the shelf full of prosthetic eyes over with a loud bang. The young Taoist priest lying down suddenly turned his head and glanced at the direction of the inner room. Jiang Ling'er was stunned, then her eyes brightened and she stared intently at Pei Xuan's beautiful phoenix eyes through the hidden compartment!
Has he finally found out?!
Pei Xuan looked towards the inner room and pouted angrily:
"There seems to be... some kind of noise over there?"
The old man looked in the direction of the sound and softly exclaimed, "Ah!" He continued, "There's a little fox living inside, who's impossible to discipline. Please don't take offense."
The young Taoist nodded thoughtfully, "I see." Then he turned his back, yawned lazily, and urged, "Uncle Shui, let's get started. If you do a good job, you'll get your money back."
Jiang Ling'er was stunned.
That's it... that's all?
This rogue Taoist priest usually seems quite clever, but why does he look so stupid now?!
She had tried every method she could think of. Jiang Ling'er felt a pang of sorrow, thinking that even if Hua Tuo were alive, he could bring the dead back to life and heal the wounded, but he couldn't stop someone who was determined to die. It was truly beyond the help of even the heavens!
As Pei Xuan finished speaking, Shui Rong turned his back to Jiang Ling'er, so Jiang Ling'er couldn't see the expression on his face. She only saw that he remained silent for a long time before finally moving.
Jiang Ling'er watched in trepidation as Shui Rong rubbed his hands together and placed them on the young Taoist's shoulders and neck, actually pressing them down.
She had no doubt that Shui Rong would snap Pei Xuan's neck in the next moment, or even the next second!
--
"The craftsmanship is quite good."
Pei Xuan actually started to enjoy it.
Jiang Ling'er stared in disbelief as he even instructed Shui Rong on the force of his blows.
"Hey, be gentle on the shoulders and neck area, yes, yes, yes."
"Hey, the back can be heavier, right... right, right..."
Jiang Ling'er: "..."
Jiang Ling'er: "………………"
Jiang Ling'er suddenly realized that her worries were unnecessary.
After all, being in the heart of the city, Shui Rong had painstakingly lay low in Qing Shi Town for several years, and was probably even less willing than her to make this matter a big deal.
Thinking this way, Jiang Ling'er finally felt relieved, thinking that the scoundrel Taoist priest should be safe. But then her heart started pounding again.
Pei Xuan is safe, but what about her?
Night was falling, and Pei Xuan was very likely... no, Pei Xuan was the only one who could save her!
--
The young Taoist seemed extremely comfortable, his long eyebrows relaxed, and he even started chatting about everyday things.
"Uncle Shui, how long have you been in Qing Shi Town? It seems like... ever since I arrived, your 'massage parlor' has already opened in town."
“That’s been going on for quite a few years,” the old man mused. “About four or five years…”
The young Taoist priest laughed upon hearing this: "It's six years, Uncle Shui, you're mistaken."
The old man's hand, which was pressing on his neck, paused for a moment, then resumed its pressure.
"Young man, you only came to Qing Shi Town three years ago, how do you know that I have been here for six years?"
Pei Xuan laughed shamelessly: "Just a guess."
Shui Rong chuckled and scolded, "You young folks just love to make fun of us old men!"
After saying that, he patted the young Taoist on the shoulder, signaling him to turn around.
"I'm just an unreliable person, Uncle Shui, please don't take it to heart."
The young Taoist priest turned around and rested his right hand behind his head, letting the old man massage his left arm.
Pei Xuan, his eyelids drooping, fixed his probing gaze on Uncle Shui's tightly closed eyes, and suddenly asked, "May I ask how Uncle Shui went blind?"
"What bad luck! When I was young, the Jin army invaded and I was blinded by a spear..." The old man sighed, "Let's not talk about it."
"Is that so..."
The young Taoist pondered for a moment, then switched arms, letting the old man massage them. For the next incense stick's time, there was an unusual silence, and neither of them spoke.
Jiang Ling'er looked disheartened. How could she possibly expect this scoundrel Taoist priest to save her?
I thought this guy's quietness meant he was finally on guard and realized something was wrong... but I never expected he was asleep!
He actually—fell asleep!
Jiang Ling'er stared at Pei Xuan's profile as he slept with his eyes closed, her teeth practically grinding to powder! Then Shui Rong gently patted his shoulder:
"Alright, it's getting late, let's go back to sleep."
The young Taoist priest then woke up, stretched, and said, "No wonder the neighbors all love to come here to relax. Uncle Shui's hands are really strong, it feels so good!"
Jiang Ling'er watched helplessly as Pei Xuan picked up his sword, took out some silver from his pocket and handed it to Shui Rong, then watched his tall, slender figure walk out the door...
Unable to resist gripping the hidden compartment tightly with his fingers, he was completely unaware that a splinter had pierced his flesh.
She stared blankly at the young Taoist's receding figure, murmuring silently.
Don't go...
Help...help me!
The young Taoist priest, who was about to step out of the threshold, suddenly stopped, as if sensing something, and peered back inside. He then said:
"I heard that Uncle Shui hired a beautiful young woman to work here. Where is she?"
Jiang Ling'er was stunned and froze.
The old man paused for a moment, then said in a broad voice:
"...Oh, that girl, she said goodbye this morning and went back to her hometown. I'm afraid she'll never come back to Qing Shi Town."
Jiang Ling'er's long eyelashes trembled as she murmured, "...He's lying."
Then he banged on the wall and shouted, "You stinky Taoist priest, I'm here... I'm here!"
Unfortunately, the people outside didn't hear it.
When the young Taoist priest heard that the beautiful young girl was never coming back, his face immediately fell, but he quickly managed a smile:
"That's fine too."
The old man was stunned for a moment: "...What?"
Jiang Ling'er paused upon hearing this, completely bewildered.
"You think..." The young Taoist raised his phoenix eyes, staring at him, all his frivolousness gone, leaving only a pair of clear, cold phoenix eyes reflecting the old man's aged and kind face, "Are you the only one watching others?"
Jiang Ling'er was completely stunned.
What does this mean?
Upon hearing this, the old man looked in the direction of the young Taoist priest but remained silent.
Pei Xuan glanced at the hunched old man who barely reached his shoulder, rubbing his aching brow bone, and seemed to laugh in exasperation:
"Six years have passed since we parted ways. Do you know how I've been doing these past six years? I've searched for you all over the country for nothing. I never imagined you'd been hiding right under my nose all this time. No wonder I couldn't find you for so many years... So you opened a small massage parlor in Qing Shi Town and became a massage therapist? Haha... Hahahaha. Life's twists and turns are truly unpredictable."
The young Taoist priest was both angry and amused, it was unclear whether he was angry at himself or at the old man.
Or perhaps it's anger at the ever-changing human world.
Who the hell would have thought that Shui Rong, one of the seven great assassins of the Demonic Sect, would be hiding in this bustling city, giving people a shoulder massage?
The sculpting was quite good; if he hadn't experienced it for himself, he would never have believed it.
That's absurd.
That's absolutely fucking absurd.
The young Taoist priest was lamenting the impermanence of life, while Jiang Ling'er was beyond shocked.
Especially since Shui Rong not only didn't refute him, but actually seemed to be catching up with old friends, remarking with emotion:
"I never imagined that the naive kid from back then would chase me for three years for the sake of a few lives, and then keep an eye on me in Qing Shi Town for three whole years."
Shui Rong said, "Since we're old friends, there's no need to pretend."
His right eye twitched suddenly under the thin eyelid, and when he opened his eye again, a cloudy, whitish eyeball was revealed.
With eyes now, he could finally see clearly. He carefully examined the extremely tall young man before him.
The world is ever-changing. Six years can turn a middle-aged person into a gray-haired old man, or a teenager into a young adult. It can also cause a pearl to be covered in dust, a white jade to have a slight flaw, a lone eagle to have its wings broken, and its edges to be smoothed out.
If Pei Xuan hadn't personally mentioned the events of six years ago... Shui Rong wouldn't have dared to connect the dejected and downcast young man before her with the unparalleled genius who had just emerged from obscurity six years ago.
Shui Rong gave a cold smile; he found himself quite compatible with this young Taoist priest from the Lingxiao Sect.
Willing to lie low for several years, and to monitor him in Qing Shi Town for three whole years just waiting for him to show his true colors, this patience was quite to his liking.
Shui Rong's face, aged like a dried orange peel, suddenly turned sinister, sending chills down one's spine upon seeing it.
"If you hadn't been keeping a close eye on that girl, preventing me from making a move, I would have succeeded long ago. How could that old poisoner have snatched a copy of the 'Longevity Manual' and gained the upper hand?!"
Shui Rong's words struck Jiang Ling'er like a thunderbolt.
Jiang Ling'er stood there, stunned.
Instantly, several fragmented images flashed through his mind: the scoundrel Taoist priest who set up his fortune-telling stall across the street from the massage parlor, his gaze passing through the narrow street, through the window, meeting her eyes... and she caught him red-handed.
However, because of their first encounter, this scoundrel Taoist priest grabbed her hand and wouldn't let go. Subsequent encounters and clashes only reinforced his "scoundrel" image, leading her to mistakenly believe that he was a habitual scoundrel who would even take advantage of her eyes...
Unexpectedly, this guy had actually been... silently protecting her all along.
he……
Why is he so good to me?
Why? Is it simply because... she is the old镖头's only daughter, the son of an old friend?
Is that really the case...?
Jiang Ling'er couldn't understand it.
What happened afterward left her no time to think about it.
All that could be heard was Pei Xuan lowering his brows, muttering to himself as he chewed on Shui Rong's words.
“‘Just a few lives’… Ah, those were my fellow disciples, whose blood ties are thicker than water.”
The young Taoist chuckled softly, then suddenly raised his eyes. His phoenix eyes were cold and clear, and his face showed no extra expression. He asked again:
"Where's that girl? Is she here?"
Without waiting for Shui Rong's reply—he hadn't intended to wait for the old scoundrel's answer anyway—he was certain that as long as the sky didn't darken, Jiang Ling'er's life would be safe.
The young Taoist priest looked past the old man into the depths of the small restaurant and said loudly:
"Jiang Ling'er, are you here?"
Jiang Ling'er was stunned for a moment, then immediately stood up straight and replied loudly:
"……I am here!"
Only after he finished speaking did he realize that the scoundrel Taoist priest couldn't hear him.
However, Pei Xuan knew she would be alright, not only because it wasn't dark yet, but also because she still had the "Longevity Manual." As long as Shui Rong didn't obtain the "Longevity Manual," she would be safe.
At most... being locked up is just a bit uncomfortable.
However, this actually put his mind at ease. He had been chasing after Shui Rong for six years, and probably no one understood the old man better than him.
This old man is eccentric, strange, and not good at making friends. But what's even more amazing than his profound internal strength is his ability to hide people.
Whether it's hiding yourself or hiding someone else.
Pei Xuan was initially worried that if the Demonic Sect sent reinforcements, he would be outnumbered and would likely have to keep an eye on Jiang Ling'er to see if she had been harmed. Now that she was imprisoned by Shui Rong, it was as if she was being protected.
At least it will put his mind at ease so he can have a good fight with that old bastard Shui Rong.
"Hide well and don't come out."
Jiang Ling'er quickly replied, "Okay!" Then she froze, "...Huh? Why won't you let me out?"
However, the young Taoist priest could not hear it.
Even if I heard it... the result wouldn't change.
Pei Xuan withdrew his gaze and focused his attention back on Shui Rong.
With a clang, he drew his Frostbite Sword, pointing it at Shui Rong's murky single eye, staring coldly at him:
"Six years have passed; it's time for an end to this. I took one of your eyes back then; today I'll take your life... No objections, right?"
Upon hearing this, the old man gave a strange laugh:
"You boastful brat, you're just like you were six years ago."
Pei Xuan forced a smile, his expression blank, showing no intention of reminiscing. He glanced at the few pedestrians on the street, pursed his lips slightly, and said:
"I don't want to hurt innocent people, and you don't want your identity to be exposed, right?"
The tip of the Frostbite Sword, gleaming with a cold light, trembled slightly to one side. The young Taoist raised an eyebrow:
"Go outside to fight?"
Shui Rong remained silent for a long time, then finally narrowed his cloudy single eye and said in a hoarse voice:
"please."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com