Chapter 47: Turmoil After the Calamity

The rear quarters of the medical hall, several secluded courtyards, belonged to the master himself, serving as his private residence. Usually, only the white-bearded old man and his apprentices lived there, and under ordinary circumstances, no one would ever enter these halls.

But now, the sounds of smashing and chaos echoed through the building—clearly someone was causing a disturbance. Recalling the words of Yan Fu, the Sect Master of the Upper Celestial Sect, on the night they fled the wilderness, Lu Xin’s expression turned grim.

“Qin’er, go out and see what’s happening.”

No sooner had Yang Xiu spoken than hurried footsteps rang out beyond the door. Moments later, the master of the medical hall appeared before them, his face pale with panic, gasping for breath before he could speak.

“Out… outside, it’s full of officials and some yellow-robed onmyoji. They’re storming every medical hall, searching for a swordsman. You must—must hurry and escape through the back door!”

Having blurted out his warning, the master spun around and rushed away. Lu Xin and his companions’ faces darkened; they had not expected the Upper Celestial Sect’s influence to seep into a small town so quickly.

“Damn those rabid dogs from Upper Celestial Sect! They rob and plunder in broad daylight—is there no law here? When I finally make the honor roll, I’ll petition His Majesty to wipe out those bastards!”

The scholar pointed furiously out the window, his voice trembling with rage. Yue Buhei shook his head, his tone heavy: “Upper Celestial Sect dominates Dengzhou Prefecture, the gateway to all of Central Plains. Of the five great sects, only Upper Celestial lies close to Xuanzhou. Their influence covers both court and countryside. To find us here in three days is actually slow.”

“Hmph, I never thought even your Central Plains onmyoji would be so despicable. Sister, our powers are restored—what is there to fear? Let’s go out and slaughter them all!”

“No, this isn’t Miao territory. Upper Celestial is among the five strongest sects; we mustn’t pit eggs against rocks. The old physician is right—no delay, we must leave by the back door.”

Yang Xiu was far less hot-tempered than her younger sister and, after a moment’s hesitation, decided they should leave the medical hall at once. Though Yang Qin disliked hiding and running, she obeyed her elder sister.

But as they gathered their belongings, Lu Xin and Yue Buhei remained unmoved on their beds.

“Xin-brother, Fox, what’s wrong with you two? If you can’t walk, I can only carry one!”

“Lu Young Master, Yue Gongzi, what’s going on?”

Yang Xiu frowned, glancing back at them, already suspecting the reason.

“They’re after me. Fox, go with them; so long as you’re not at my side, you’ll be safe.”

“Hahaha, if you won’t leave, neither will I. That old monk charged me to protect you, so at the very least, we must reach Chang’an.”

“What nonsense are you two spouting? Were you kicked in the head by a donkey in your dreams? Get up—Upper Celestial Sect’s men will be here any moment!”

The scholar’s eyes were bloodshot as he cursed and tugged desperately at the pair, nearly in tears. Lu Xin looked at him, a smile tugging at his lips, yet tears streamed uncontrollably down his face. He would never forget what the scholar had done for him that night, when Ao Tian turned into a corpse demon.

How many chance encounters in this world could lead to true friendship, sharing life and death, hardship and adversity?

“Brother Tu, to have met you in this life is enough. Let’s go—when we reach Chang’an, you’ll surely succeed. Then you’ll marry the Prime Minister’s daughter, and I’ll drink at your wedding.”

“Marry your grandfather! Come on! If you die, I won’t even have anyone to shield me from the wine—what use is a wedding night then? Miss Yang Xiu, think of something, quickly!”

---

“Too late!”

Yang Xiu’s brows shot up; she spun around. At that moment, two yellow-robed onmyoji, followed by a swarm of soldiers, burst into the rear quarters, instantly surrounding the courtyard. Wrapped in his blanket, Lu Xin gripped the Wandering Immortal Sword tightly, while the Yang sisters covertly slid daggers from their sleeves into their hands.

Tension filled the room. The scholar’s face was taut, his left hand behind his back trembling. It seemed either side might erupt at any moment, but unexpectedly, the two yellow-robed onmyoji glanced at the portrait in their hands, then turned and left. The officials followed suit, vacating the premises in an instant. Peace returned to the medical hall.

“What happened?”

The scholar, stunned and delighted, looked at Lu Xin alongside the Yang sisters. Yet the youth’s brows were furrowed, equally baffled by the turn of events. Only Yue Buhei, still in bed, let out a weird chuckle.

“Fox, are you mad? Don’t be like that—if your mind goes, I can’t afford to take care of you.”

“Bah! You’re the mad one. Look in the mirror.”

Hearing this, the scholar wandered over to the mirror and stared into it, utterly dumbfounded. Only after some time did he react, shrieking and lunging to throttle Yue Buhei.

The scholar saw in the mirror not his usual ragged self, but a heavily made-up woman adorned with a hair crown. Remembering Yue Buhei’s laughter, he immediately understood.

“You turned me into a woman, you damned fox! I carried you down the mountain step by step, and now I’ll strangle you—strangle you…”

“Cough, cough… stop, stop, I’m poisoned to the bone—believe me, I’ll report you for attempted murder to the authorities.”

“Go ahead, if you don’t, I’m your son… no, you’re my father… no, damn it, I’ll deal with you first!”

The two clowns scuffled again, but Lu Xin was used to their antics and didn’t mind. The Yang sisters, however, were left speechless. They too checked the mirror: Yang Xiu was now a white-haired old woman, Yang Qin a little girl with braids.

The sisters exchanged bewildered glances, unable to fathom why they had transformed in the mirror despite no actual change.

“Don’t worry, it’s my illusion—what you humans call a blinding spell. To everyone else, you appear as you do in the mirror. But the spell lasts only a day; we must leave quickly.”

Yue Buhei climbed out of bed and dressed. Though still tainted by poison, he could at least move. Lu Xin quickly threw off his blanket and stood before the mirror—a handsome youth turned into a burly, bearded man, with his Wandering Immortal Sword now a broadsword.

“Damn, if you’d told us earlier you could do this, I wouldn’t have needed to act so heartfelt. Still, you’ve got some skill, Fox.”

“Hmph, my methods are beyond the comprehension of mere mortals. What do you think—I made the scholar your wife; not too shabby, eh?”

“Hell, why not turn yourself into a woman? Isn't that your favorite trick for seducing men? Xin-brother, you cried just now, didn’t you? Were you moved by my righteousness?”

“No, I just had nose dirt in my eye—anyone would tear up.”

“Fine, you win—why not stick it in your mouth?”

---

When the five departed the medical hall, the Upper Celestial Sect disciples and the officials had already left Qinxian Town. The main hall was badly damaged; before leaving, Lu Xin handed over all his silver. It was both thanks for the old physician’s help and an attempt to compensate for the losses—after all, the trouble stemmed from him, and Lu Xin couldn’t just ignore it.

“Xin-brother, you gave away all your silver—are we not going to eat?”

“Of course we’ll eat. Don’t you still have a few hundred coins in your sleeve? Eat less meat; we’ll make it to Chang’an.”

“But…I’ve been saving those since I was small—to marry a wife. How can I spend it all on you?”

“Enough banter, worry about the corpse poison in your bodies and whether you can make it to Wuzhou. Qin’er, let’s return to the inn to pack. As for you three, find a tavern, eat your fill before setting out.”

At the mention of a tavern, Lu Xin and Yue Buhei’s stomachs rumbled. The scholar had been clamoring for food and immediately agreed, finding a nearby tavern.

It was noon, and the tavern was packed with travelers and merchants. Lu Xin and his companions only found a small corner table upstairs. Though cramped, it was inconspicuous—suited to their current situation.

“Listen, last time I treated you. This time, Fox, it’s your turn.”

“Hmph, shallow mortals! How could I carry such filthy coins?”

“Shh, stop talking, listen…”

Lu Xin suddenly lowered his head and gestured for silence. Yue Buhei followed his gaze: near the window sat two men in yellow robes with swords on their backs—Upper Celestial Sect disciples. The scholar, seeing them, instantly covered his mouth in terror.

“Don’t be afraid, mere low-level Initiates—they can’t pierce my illusion. Let’s hear what they’re discussing.”

Yue Buhei sneered, blowing gently toward the two disciples. Instantly, Lu Xin could hear their conversation clearly.

“Sigh, I wonder why the Sect Master is so desperate to find a mere mortal. Now, all the onmyoji in the realm know there’s a passage to the underworld in Lingyang Mountain. Every sect’s disciples are gathering in Xuanzhou, demanding we hand over Ao Tian. Ridiculous! An ancient cultivator, a supreme master—how could he be caught so easily?”

“Hmph, just a bunch of petty men—not worth bothering with. I heard Senior Yu Yi say Ao Tian fled deep into Lingyang Mountain that night, seized the entire dragon vein to cultivate. The rogue cultivators who lived in the mountain—all slaughtered. Not one disciple from any sect who entered survived. A peerless ancient cultivator, yet ended up a corpse demon—such a fate… Forget it, let’s drink.”

“Right, why worry? The Sect Master and elders will handle it. We should figure out how to catch the target. The sword talisman says whoever captures that boy alive will become an elder of the Divine Sword Hall—a once-in-a-lifetime chance…”