The first snow of the tenth year of Tianyuan.
It had come a little later than in years past.
Heavy snow already poured down on their heads, and the cold wind cut to the bone.
Few pedestrians could be seen on the road.
Only the lingering strains of an erhu rang on without pause.
A straw hat.
A shabby vest, paired with a little stool.
Together, they made up this superstar musical act.
[The Moon's Reflection on the Second Spring: LV1 (500/10000)] [Play five times daily: promote circulation of qi and blood, clear the meridians, dispel dampness and warm the body] [Lifespan gained today: 16 hours]
Only when the system's voice rang in his ears.
Did the sound of the erhu slowly cease.
He put away his erhu and gave Old Ox behind him a tug.
Old Ox expertly lifted the stool with his horns.
One man and one ox trod through the snow, heading into the distance.
Li Ping'an was twenty years old that year.
Ten years ago, he had transmigrated here and become a blind man.
Other protagonists were either supposedly plain-looking, yet handsomer than Louis Koo.
Or they were in the prime of youth, the most handsome men under heaven.
At worst, they became sons of concubines, but still never wanted for food or drink.
When it came to him, his eyes could only make out blurry outlines within half a meter.
He was practically blind.
His only possession was an ox he had raised from calfhood.
He had once been a tiny little thing, but now he had grown into this.
Not cute at all.
Come to think of it, something about this ox was rather strange: he had been stolen several times.
Yet every time, he returned to Li Ping'an completely unharmed.
Perhaps this was Heaven's gift to him.
But apart from that, he had nothing.
Start with a single bowl, and everything else had to be seized.
Though he had unlocked a system six months ago.
An erhu system: as long as he played the erhu, he could grow stronger.
As for exactly what it did, Li Ping'an did not really understand.
All he knew was that, as long as he followed the system's instructions.
And played the erhu out on the street, he would receive the corresponding rewards.
[Name: Li Ping'an, age: 21] [Lifespan: 55, innate constitution: mortal bones] [Cultivation arts: none] [Skills: The Moon's Reflection on the Second Spring] [Level: LV1 (500/10000)] [Current effects: increase lifespan, promote circulation of qi and blood, clear the meridians, dispel dampness and warm the body]
He hoped the system would let him live a normal life.
Li Ping'an really had no aspirations of defeating the Great Demon King or marrying a princess.
Becoming an official at court? Defending the frontier? Protecting the world?
Those things were all far too distant from him.
As long as he could live safe and sound, healthy and well, that was enough.
Li Ping'an held a walking stick, with Old Ox ambling along behind him.
"Hey, blind man!"
A voice rang out abruptly.
Three blurry outlines appeared in Li Ping'an's field of vision.
Three youths, led by Da Hu, stood before Li Ping'an.
Da Hu and his two companions had yet to bind their hair and don the cap of adulthood, and spent their days roaming the streets.
Whenever they had nothing to do, they liked to stir up trouble for amusement.
A blind erhu player with no family or connections naturally became their target.
Li Ping'an ignored them and turned to leave.
But Da Hu stuck out a leg first, tripping Li Ping'an to the ground.
"Hahaha!"
The three burst into unrestrained laughter.
The street vendors pretended not to see, long accustomed to the sight.
Few dared provoke these three little tyrants.
Li Ping'an stood up calmly and brushed the snow off his clothes.
Da Hu then snatched away Li Ping'an's walking stick and taunted him, "Come chase me, blind man!"
Li Ping'an still ignored him and simply tried to walk on.
"Hey! You spineless fool!"
Da Hu's burly frame blocked Li Ping'an's path like a small mountain.
Li Ping'an sighed inwardly in resignation.
"If you three don't leave, the street patrol will be here any minute!"
The one calling out was Miss Wang, the tofu seller.
She was a renowned beauty on this street, young and pretty, with a fine figure.
It was said that when she was younger, the men pursuing her fought all day long.
But she had married early.
Even so, the leering gazes remained, which made her tofu business especially brisk.
After all, who wouldn't want a taste of tofu so white and ample?~
Da Hu gave a lewd grin. "Don't scare me like that, ma'am. I'm just teasing him."
Miss Wang said, "Nothing better to do than bother him? Shoo, go on, get out of here!"
Da Hu and his companions made a few lewd remarks to Miss Wang before finally sauntering away.
Li Ping'an brushed the snow off his clothes and was about to leave.
"Have some tofu."
Miss Wang handed him a bag of fresh, hot tofu, along with five copper coins.
"Thank you."
Li Ping'an nodded his thanks.
Miss Wang smiled and stroked Old Ox's head.
"The road's slippery. Take it slow."
Li Ping'an narrowed his eyes slightly, and Miss Wang's outline emerged in his vision.
Her contours were smooth, the rises and dips of her face natural.
Though he could not make out her features, the face reflected the heart.
Leading Old Ox, Li Ping'an walked through the snow, step by step.
Today's earnings: ten copper coins from performing, and five from Miss Wang.
Plus a free piece of hot tofu.
He spent nine copper coins on a bowl of hot noodle soup at a roadside stall.
Accompanied by free pickled vegetables and the tofu.
Once Li Ping'an had eaten and drunk his fill, he was in no hurry to leave.
Going back would only mean freezing, and the owner would not chase him away here.
When customers crowded in, Li Ping'an would leave of his own accord.
He never caused the owner any trouble.
Sometimes, he would even play a little tune to liven things up.
"Boss, a bowl of noodles."
The man who walked in was Niu Er, the husband of Miss Wang, the tofu seller.
A few years ago, he had still been an honest, dependable man.
But somehow, over the past few years, he had taken up gambling.
Gambling was gambling, whether the stakes were high or low; once the fever took hold, nothing else mattered.
Once someone sat at the gambling table, skilled or not, rich or poor.
They would never stop until they had gambled away everything they owned.
He had dragged Miss Wang's whole family into a life without peace.
"My luck's been damned awful!" Niu Er complained.
The noodle shop owner tried to reason with him. "Niu Er, what are you after? You've got a business at home, and such a beautiful wife."
Niu Er snorted. "A good time!"
The owner sighed and shook his head.
"Moo, moo!!"
Two calls from the ox.
This was a reminder to Li Ping'an that it was getting late, and they should head back.
"Say, blind man, what do you lead an ox around all day for? You don't even have any land!"
Niu Er remarked offhandedly.
"Why not sell him and get yourself some spending money?"
Li Ping'an said evenly, "He's not for sale. He's been passed down in the family."
He opened the door and left, facing the wind and snow.
Everyone in town knew the blind man had an ox.
The blind man treasured that ox.
Apparently, someone with ill intentions had once tried to steal him and nearly succeeded.
Only to be chased for two li by the blind man, who had gone berserk and ridden after him on the ox, wielding a kitchen knife.
After that incident, no one in town dared set their sights on the blind man's ox again.
Even Da Hu, who bullied the blind man every day, left the ox alone.
Back in the ruined temple, wrapped in a tattered blanket.
Li Ping'an closed his eyes and stirred the qi and blood within his body, banishing the stray thoughts from his mind.
Before long, his lower abdomen gradually grew hot.
His meridians began to contract, and warmth returned to his frozen limbs.
The little town had no fancy martial cultivation arts.
Li Ping'an could only explore bit by bit, and affectionately named his method.
"Body-Warming Divine Art."
It was thanks to this that Li Ping'an could survive the bitterly cold nights.
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