Family Bonds

Ouyang Peng watched the two receding figures and could not help shaking his head. "Those two living treasures are truly hard to handle."

Hu the Eldest laughed. "Let them do as they please."

With that, everyone followed the pair out of the main hall.

When they entered the Council Hall again, it was still lamp-lighting time. Ouyang Peng and the others were astonished. The records in the ancient texts had indeed been correct: one day and one night. Yet this time was not that time—after merely one day, their martial arts had changed as vastly as heaven and earth. The two words "fortunate opportunity" truly ran unfathomably deep.

Once everyone had taken their seats, Zhang Chengyue stepped forward and bowed, briefly reporting the sect's affairs during this period to Ouyang Peng. Ouyang Peng listened and nodded in satisfaction, after which Zhang Chengyue stood waiting at one side.

Ouyang Peng did not ask further questions. He merely told everyone that he would enter seclusion to practice for the next ten days, and that the sect's affairs would temporarily be handled by Zhang Chengyue. Then he dismissed them.

After the other members of the sect had all left, the Misty Five Tigers began discussing matters again.

Ouyang Peng said to his fellow brothers, "Brothers, we have already consumed all the pills from the Secret Realm. After returning today, it would be best for us to enter seclusion and rest for ten days, circulating our qi more often to stabilize our realms. Ten days from now, we can discuss Misty's grand plans for development together. What do you think?"

No one objected. They rose and left the Council Hall, each returning home.

The Misty Sect under the night sky was no different from usual. Only after dinner, a maid emerged from one of the inner residences and unhurriedly left Misty Manor. She went to a grocery shop on the outskirts of the estate and bought some cosmetics before returning. After the time it took to eat a meal, the grocery shop owner departed from the back door, driving a carriage toward Pingyang City to restock his goods. Before long, he arrived at a large grocery shop in Pingyang City. After purchasing some merchandise, he hurried back to Misty Manor.

After a while, the accountant at the Pingyang City grocery shop finished settling the accounts and left the store for home. As he passed a pitch-black alley, he felt the urge to relieve himself and slipped inside. Yet after entering, he did not urinate. Instead, he hurried to a dark corner where there was a small door. He knocked on it several times in a rhythm, and with a creak, the door opened. The person inside poked out their head, recognized him, and let him into the courtyard. Not long afterward, the accountant came back out, relieved himself in the alley, then lazily strolled away and returned home. Just as he left the alley, two carrier pigeons flew from a small room in that courtyard, one after the other, heading beyond Pingyang City.

Pingyang City beneath the night curtain was bustling, yet like Misty Manor beneath that same curtain, it was no different from usual. The pigeons' flight seemed to have changed nothing. Everything was so ordinary. Yet in that seemingly tranquil night, who knew what extraordinary matters lay hidden?

Dawn arrived quickly. Sunlight, like sharp swords, pierced through the night curtain, and everyone rose to begin another busy day.

Zhang Xiaohua opened his eyes as well. Likewise, the glimmer in his eyes flashed and vanished, unnoticed by anyone.

The first sound Zhang Xiaohua heard upon waking was his grandmother's coughing. Without even thinking, he knew it had already been the eighth consecutive day. Moreover, he vaguely sensed that this was no ordinary cough. He could feel that viscous fluid in his grandmother's throat and body, the kind that blocked breath and choked off life. Her life seemed to be gradually dissolving within that thickness, slowly draining away. Zhang Xiaohua could even sense her wasting away—not the wasting of flesh, but the wasting of spirit, vitality, and essence. Zhang Xiaohua was very afraid. He did not dare tell his mother, because apart from the coughing, his grandmother showed no other signs of illness. She still ate quite a lot every day, and Old Chen, the village veterinarian, had said it was only due to the cold weather and internal chill. His grandmother was old and unable to adapt; once spring came, she would recover.

But Zhang Xiaohua did not dare believe it.

His grandmother broke into another violent coughing fit, bending at the waist in pain. Zhang Xiaohua quickly got up, patted her back, then poured a little water from the teapot on the table. After testing its temperature, he brought it to her lips. Only after drinking did his grandmother let out a long breath. She said kindly, "Xiaohua, why are you awake so early? Why not sleep a little longer? Did Grandmother wake you?"

Zhang Xiaohua said, "No, Grandmother. I don't know why, but recently I wake up as soon as dawn breaks, and I can't fall asleep again."

His grandmother said, "Ah, Xiaohua has grown up and become sensible. Grandmother does not want to disturb your sleep either. I held it in for a long time last night, but once dawn came, I truly could not bear it any longer, so I coughed. Tomorrow, Grandmother will go out into the courtyard. Then I won't disturb you."

Zhang Xiaohua said, "Grandmother, really, I'm not lying. I've been sleeping very well at night lately. I never hear you coughing. Once I wake up in the morning, I really just can't sleep anymore. You must not go into the courtyard—the outside is too cold."

His grandmother smiled but said nothing.

Zhang Xiaohua got up and left the room. Outside, the newly risen morning sun hung in the sky. It did not look dazzling at all, but as lovely as the yolk of a duck egg. Mischievously, Zhang Xiaohua opened his mouth and took a bite at the rising sun. To his surprise, he actually felt a warm current flow down his throat and into his body.

Zhang Xiaohua could not help being horrified, deeply doubting his own senses. He shook his head and went to wash his face.

The courtyard was as it always was. His mother and Liu Qian had risen long ago. His mother was busy tending the poultry raised at home, while Liu Qian was preparing breakfast for the family. Zhang Xiaohua looked at it all happily. Liu Qian no longer seemed like Sister Liu to him, but rather like his future sister-in-law. A small decision had already formed in his heart. Perhaps he could not tell his mother about his doubts, but he could tell this future sister-in-law. She had read so many books and knew so many things—perhaps she could clear away his confusion.

The breakfast of agriculturalists was very simple, and they finished it in haste. Yet recently, unlike before, Zhang Xiaohua had to go fetch water from the well on the hillside after breakfast. Ever since everyone had collectively lost sleep after drinking tea that night, they seemed to have become addicted to the stuff and drank it every day. They also felt that the well water was sweeter than the river water they usually drank, so even the water used for cooking and other household needs came from the well. Still, Zhang Cai believed in drawing water slowly from a long stream, so he only had Zhang Xiaohua carry water twice a day, morning and evening, warning his son not to tell anyone else in the village yet.

After finishing breakfast, Zhang Xiaohua was about to go carry water.

Before leaving, he said to Liu Qian, "Sister Liu, do you want to take a walk in the mountains with me today?"

Guo Sufi heard this and happily said, "That's right, Liu Qian. Go out for a walk. You've worked hard these past few days."

The rest of the Zhang family also voiced their approval. Liu Qian thought for a moment, set down the bowls and chopsticks she was clearing away, and said, "Then I'll trouble Auntie to handle the rest. I'll go take a walk."

Liu Qian then followed behind Zhang Xiaohua to the riverside.

When Zhang Xiaohua reached the river, he did not continue forward. Liu Qian caught up to him and asked, "Xiaohua, is there something you want to tell me?"

Zhang Xiaohua forced a smile. "Sister Liu, you're really smart. You guessed right away that I came to you because I had something to say."

Liu Qian said, "You little rascal, tell me what it is. Your sister will give you some advice."

Zhang Xiaohua was silent for a while. Looking at the flowing river, he said, "Sister Liu, can people in this world live forever without dying?"

Liu Qian furrowed her brows. "That is not easy for me to answer. Some books say that no one in this world is immortal, and that graves mark everyone's final destination. Yet other books say ordinary people die, while some people do not?"

Zhang Xiaohua asked curiously, "What kind of people?"

Liu Qian said, "According to some unofficial histories, there are cultivators who do not partake of the smoke and fire of the mortal world and can live forever. But that is only what books say. No one has seen it, so who knows whether it is true or false? Death, on the other hand, is everywhere to be seen, without a single exception."

Zhang Xiaohua asked again, "Then how can someone who is about to die be saved?"

Liu Qian frowned. "If they are about to die from illness, naturally one must find a skilled physician to cure the illness. If they are dying from poison, the urgent matter is to detoxify them, and they will not die. If they are old and about to die, then... right, they can take a Longevity Pill. When I was little, I read a very tattered book that said there was a miraculous medicine in the world called the Longevity Pill. If a person ate it, it could extend their lifespan by twenty years. But it is probably false. I have never heard of anyone taking that pill."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiaohua stared blankly at the rushing stream and muttered, "Where can I find a Longevity Pill?"

Liu Qian found this very strange. "Xiaohua, why are you suddenly asking so many strange questions today? And why do you want to find a Longevity Pill?"

Zhang Xiaohua raised his head. His lips were pursed as though he were about to cry, and his voice had become a little hoarse. "Sister Liu, I feel that Grandmother is about to leave me. She is going to die soon."

Liu Qian's heart jolted. She hurried forward and held Xiaohua's head against her. "Xiaohua, good boy, don't cry, and don't think so much. Grandmother only has an ordinary cough. This is something elderly people easily get in winter. Didn't the doctor say so? Once spring comes and the weather warms, Grandmother will get better."

Tears were about to spill from Zhang Xiaohua's eyes. He said, "But Old Chen is a veterinarian. He doesn't really know how to treat people."

Liu Qian quickly comforted him. "Then in a few days, we'll take Grandmother to town and find a famous doctor, all right? Grandmother will definitely be fine."

Zhang Xiaohua shook his head and continued crying. As he cried, he said, "Sister Liu, don't lie to me. I'm not that little anymore—I can even farm on my own. I know Grandmother will not get better. I can feel that there is something viscous inside her body that keeps her from breathing properly, which is why she coughs. And I can feel that something inside her body is escaping every day. Grandmother is getting thinner and thinner."

Liu Qian was saddened as well, unable to calmly comfort Zhang Xiaohua any longer. What a sensible, good child. Only deep family bonds, only love born of blood ties, could sense life slipping away like this. Liu Qian held Zhang Xiaohua's head, and tears could not help flowing from her eyes as well.