The Unruly Immortals

Bai Lingmiao followed Li Huowang closely, silently pressing on with their journey, occasionally pulling out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from both her own forehead and Li Huowang's.

The hottest days of the year were drawing near, and the weather was starting to get very hot. Even if they traveled in the morning when the sun wasn't too harsh, they would be drenched in sweat.

After wiping away sweat once again, Bai Lingmiao thought for a moment and then suggested to Li Huowang, "Brother Li, it's too hot in the afternoon. How about we rest in the afternoon and get up earlier tomorrow morning?"

"Hmm," Li Huowang said as he pulled out a map from the carriage and started to look it over once more.

They were still within the borders of the Siqi Kingdom, and fortunately, the old map they had not thrown away was still useful.

"We'll skip lunch today to save time. There's a village ahead; we'll stay there overnight."

At the mention of a bed to sleep in, everyone perked up and their steps quickened.

After another hour of walking, with everyone's mouths and throats parched, they finally saw fields that had been cleared along the roadside.

Behind the fields, there was a large expanse of connected black-tiled houses—the village had been reached.

"Look, there are flowers by the fields. They are really quite red."

The joyful Bai Lingmiao was about to go over and pick them when Li Huowang suddenly pulled her back.

"Don't go, there's something off about those flowers."

Li Huowang watched warily the flowers that curled and unfurled, their edges slightly crinkled.

"Those are Manjusaka flowers."

Although he couldn't remember who had told him, Li Huowang's memory suggested that there was something sinister about these flowers.

With Li Huowang's words, the atmosphere suddenly cooled, and everyone looked at him blankly, not understanding what he meant.

"Haha, you're not as sharp as me, you got it wrong,"

A cheerful child's voice sounded from the side.

At the sound, everyone turned to look, and they saw a barefoot boy with a bamboo basket larger than himself on his back, laughing; he seemed to be about seven or eight years old.

"Those aren't Manjusaka flowers. Let me tell you, these are called Crab Flowers. My mother said you can't feed them to pigs; pigs get stomachaches if they eat them, and they lose weight easily."

The boy reached into the basket on his back and pulled out a sickle, casually cutting a few Crab Flowers.

His disdainful look made it clear that he was accustomed to seeing them, probably a resident of this village.

After pondering for a moment, Li Huowang approached the boy. "Kid, what are you up to?"

"Gathering pig fodder. Our family has two pigs! They eat the fodder I gather every day. How many pigs does your family have?"

When the boy found out that Li Huowang's family didn't have a single pig, he laughed so hard he couldn't close his mouth. "Haha! Your family is really poor, even poorer than ours."

"Yes, my family is very poor. Do you live here? Can you show us around?"

"Sure!" The naive boy led Li Huowang and the others towards the village without any hint of suspicion.

"By the way, is there still a war going on?"

"War? No, there's no war. The uncle who was conscripted to be a soldier has even returned."

"Oh, that's good news. It's better when there's no war."

It didn't take long for the innocent child to reveal everything he knew to Li Huowang through a series of casual questions.

The village was called Copper Coin Village, home to a few hundred people; it was neither large nor small.

People in the village tilled their fields in the summer and went to the nearby forest to gather forest goods for a living in the winter.

In Siqi, such mountain villages were common and unremarkable.

Although such villages usually kept to themselves, thanks to the influence of money, Li Huowang managed to secure temporary lodging at the child's home.

Inside an old guest room, two heavy swords lay on the table, and Li Huowang immediately felt much lighter.

Just as he was about to take off the "Great Thousand Record" from his waist, his hand grasped at nothing.

It was only then that Li Huowang realized his "Great Thousand Record" had been used up during an earlier fight.

"Ah," to be honest, Li Huowang still felt some regret.

Although the "Great Thousand Record" came with a hefty price, it didn't require practice or cultivation.

As long as one could provide a corresponding sacrifice, they could gain the corresponding ability.

Without it, facing troubles alone, now I could only rely on the sword Master had given me.

"Right, there's also this." Li Huowang took out the "Fire Coat True Scripture" wrapped in white wax and started to study it carefully.

There was something to gain and something to lose. This thing was still very unfamiliar, and much practice was necessary.

Once I mastered it, it would be another means of saving my life.

Bai Lingmiao, who came in with a plate of roasted sweet potatoes, saw that focused figure and tiptoed back out again.

At the door, holding the plate of sweet potatoes, she thought for a moment, then a hint of sly joy crossed her face, and she walked towards the house she shared with Chun Xiaoman.

"Sister Xiaoman, do you want some freshly baked sweet potatoes?"

However, no sooner had Bai Lingmiao entered the house than she saw Chun Xiaoman clutching her stomach and vomiting into a spittoon.

She was immediately struck with panic, set down the sweet potatoes, and went over to gently pat her back.

After a good while of patting, Chun Xiaoman finally caught her breath and sat on the edge of the bed, gasping for air and clutching her throat.

"Sister Xiaoman? Did you eat something wrong? That can't be. We all eat from the same pot. How come you are sick, but no one else is?"

Xiaoman shook her head. "It's nothing. I probably caught a chill from kicking off the covers last night."

"But when we were sleeping together, you never had the habit of kicking off the covers."

Seeing the doubt in Bai Lingmiao's eyes, Chun Xiaoman quickly said, "Sister, can you please go to the kitchen and brew me some ginger tea? I'm begging you; I really feel awful."

"Well... okay then."

As Bai Lingmiao reluctantly left, glancing back with every few steps, Chun Xiaoman finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Then she lifted the blanket on the bed, and a blood-red bamboo slip instantly appeared before her.

The "Great Thousand Record" was what Chun Xiaoman had found in the cave and secretly hidden away.

Having seen Senior Brother Li use it several times, Xiaoman had already understood what it signified.

However, it was clear that she had overestimated her own tolerance. Just remembering the bloody and horrific rituals recorded, "Ugh—!"

At that moment, she finally understood what Senior Brother Li had truly sacrificed, and how much.

Yet, after throwing up, Chun Xiaoman grit her teeth and continued to read.

Compared to this torture, Xiaoman was more bothered by owing someone a favor.

She couldn't bear it; every time there was a problem, it was always Senior Brother Li who stepped forward, making her feel utterly useless.

After she had killed her own father, Chun Xiaoman resolved never to be a burden.

"If Senior Brother Li can endure, so can I!" With determination, Chun Xiaoman grabbed the "Great Thousand Record" and started reading through gritted teeth.

Meanwhile, Bai Lingmiao, who was in the kitchen brewing ginger tea and looking into the fire, looked worried.

"Throwing up like that, and acting strangely lately, could she really be pregnant?"

"It couldn't be Senior Brother Li; I sleep with him every night."

"Then whose could it be? Dog-Boy's? Gao Zhijian's? Or Sun Baolu's? But when did Sister Xiaoman..."

Bai Lingmiao crossed her legs and a blush spread across her cheeks.

But once the shyness passed, Bai Lingmiao was deeply concerned for her sister's predicament.

If there really was a long journey and she was pregnant, then it would not be good for travel.

While she was worried, she suddenly felt someone standing behind her.

Smelling the scent that was identical to hers, Bai Lingmiao frowned slightly, "What's the matter?"

Behind her, the red head covering of the Second God started to sway slightly. "Bring the drum, there's work to be done in the village."