The Unruly Immortals

Listening to Gouwa boast nonstop with pride, Scholar Lv finally couldn't stand it anymore. With a fierce motion, he slammed the bucket down onto the ground and glared at him menacingly.

"What's so great about that? Aren't you just relying on your senior brother? If it wasn't for that woman, would she even spare you a glance?"

"Ah! You actually got it right! I am indeed relying on my senior brother~! But do you have that—no, you don't~" Gouwa said, evidently proud of himself.

"What's so great about that... I don't even care! Just wait until my dad buys the theatre...." Scholar Lv, full of resentment, picked up the bucket again and left with his mouth pinched, heading back into the house.

Having finally emerged from Qingqiu and journeyed so far, road-weary and worn, Li Huowang could feel the exhaustion of the others, so he decided to let them rest here for a few more days before continuing on their way.

Conveniently, there was a theatre troupe nearby, just the thing for their amusement.

During these days, Band Leader Lv went there every day, always moving to the very front of the stage, watching the troupe with a gaze so intense, it was as if he wanted to swallow them whole.

In the night, inside the empty grain warehouse, Li Huowang sat on a quilt, concentrating deeply on the Copper Coin Sword of Han Fu.

From the mouth of the Nascent Soul, Li Huowang knew that this sword had no small origin. It also possessed the capability to exorcise evil.

In the midst of battling with Han Fu, Li Huowang had seen the copper coins on the sword disperse. If he truly mastered this sword, then at least in terms of long-range attacks, he wouldn't have to shave off his fingers every time.

Speaking of which, when faced with danger, he most commonly used the "Great Thousand Record" with its significant side effects. Li Huowang always wanted to replace this somewhat unhealthy means of self-protection.

It's just that he hadn't found a substitute to experiment on himself with yet, so for the moment it was unfeasible.

Li Huowang turned his head to look at his belongings lying next to him.

The Torture Tool Bag made by a blacksmith, the Longsword he had always carried with him from Qingfeng Taoist Temple, the Purple Tassel Sword he obtained from the abbess, and the Gourd containing nineteen Yangshou Pills.

Lastly, there was the Heavenly Book which had always seemed of no use.

Li Huowang's eyes slowly moved over these items, eventually settling on the Heavenly Book from Master Danyang.

He picked it up and examined it inch by inch, occasionally pressing on it with his hand.

But in the end, he confirmed it was still just a slab inscribed with aphorisms encouraging virtue and nothing else was found.

Li Huowang let out a sigh and threw the hefty Heavenly Book onto the ground, feeling like he had gone mad, having carried a stone for thousands of miles for no reason.

"Should I just throw it away?" Li Huowang thought for a moment, then picked the stone back up again.

"No, no matter how useless this thing might be, at least its hardness is quite decent. It should still be able to come in handy."

Looking around, Li Huowang's gaze fixed on Gao Zhijian, who was playing with a Mantou.

"Zhijian, come here for a second, I'm going to give you a protective amulet."

Soon, the slab, now bound by a chain, was hanging over Gao Zhijian's chest, and as for where the chain came from, it was of course the one previously used to bind Li Huowang.

Gao Zhijian felt very nervous about his senior brother hanging such a valuable item on him and couldn't help but want to take it off.

"Don't take it off, from now on, this item will stay with you. Anyway, it's of no use to me; keeping it with you gives it some value," Li Huowang said.

Li Huowang drew the Purple Tassel Sword and aimed a stab at Gao Zhijian's chest, only to find that it left just a white mark.

Looking at Gao Zhijian from the left and right, something still felt awkward. His chest was only protected by a slab of stone, which resembled the chest covering of a child with open-crotch pants; it covered too few areas.

"Isn't Peng Longteng's armor on the ox cart? Try it on and see," Li Huowang told him.

The armor plates worn by that madwoman were truly fine pieces, even capable of blocking his own sword bristling with murderous intent, the Purple Tassel Sword.

Upon hearing Li Huowang's words, Gao Zhijian shook his head, stammering, "Too... too... too heavy!"

"Who asked you to put on the whole set? Just pick a few lighter ones to protect vital areas like your shoulders and neck."

Gao Zhijian scratched the back of his head with his hand and turned to walk toward the ox cart outside the house.

Soon, thick, silver heavy armor plates covered Gao Zhijian's body, and as he pulled the faceplate over his head and hoisted a heavy Wolf Fang Club on his shoulder, suddenly a fierce beast appeared in front of Li Huowang.

Li Huowang, looking at his handiwork, nodded with satisfaction. "Go! Let's go out and give it a try!"

Soon, crisp metallic clashing sounds came from the yard. Li Huowang discovered, to his surprise, that this Gao Zhijian, even without using the "Great Thousand Record," managed to hold his own against him.

A winded Li Huowang came to a stop, looking at Gao Zhijian in front of him. "Good, remember to wear it like this if anything comes up. It's sure to come in handy."

When the faceplate opened, Gao Zhijian's simple face appeared. He nodded, reaching again toward the back of his head to scratch, but ended up scratching the smooth helm instead.

"By the way, everyone else went to watch the play. Why didn't you go?" Li Huowang sheathed his sword.

"Not... not... it's not interesting!" Gao Zhijian, soaked with his own sweat, stripped off all the heavy layers and walked to sit next to the sitting Mantou. He effortlessly flipped her over and began scratching her white belly with his thick fingers.

Seeing someone to play with her, Mantou was overjoyed. She wagged her tongue, wriggling her body, and kicked her limbs continuously.

Watching the man and dog before him, Li Huowang shook his head, taking his sword and heading inside the house.

After arranging the things on the ground onto himself, Li Huowang finally hesitated in front of these three swords,

One was the Purple Tassel Sword of the nun, another was Han Fu's Copper Coin Sword, and the third was the sharp sword of his brother Changming from Qingfeng Taoist Temple.

He wasn't a blacksmith and carrying three swords was indeed too heavy.

As Li Huowang was indecisive, Scholar Lv, with a green leaf hanging in his hair, barged in.

When he saw Li Huowang alone, he immediately knelt before him, bowing his head thrice with deep respect. "Taoist Master! I beg you to take me as your disciple! Teach me your divine skills!"

"Huh?" Li Huowang looked at him puzzled, wondering what was going on — had the man been bewitched by the performance? "Stop kidding around, I can't teach you."

Li Huowang was speaking the truth. Whether he wanted to learn the disjointed abilities he possessed or the methods of using the "Great Thousand Record," he couldn't teach any of it.

The only things he could teach were the half-baked alchemy and his adept skills in torture; however, it was probably not what this young man sought.

"Taoist Master, please teach me! If you won't, then I... I won't get up!" Scholar Lv bowed his head once more with resolve.

"Then keep bowing," Li Huowang turned around, reexamining the three swords on the ground.

At that moment, Chun Xiaoman, with one arm, came in from outside,

Seeing this woman covered in black fur, Li Huowang thought for a moment, picked up the sword that had been with him the longest, and tossed it over.