My words caused Fang Niuzi's expression to change slightly, and his gaze towards me softened a bit, though suspicion still lingered.
"You mean we got too close to the valley, and that's what attracted the attention of the mountain spirits?"
I nodded, putting on a look of someone eager to learn, which almost made Fang Niuzi draw his sword again. If Li Zuoquan hadn't been there, I would have been torn to shreds by him.
Old Fox Li Zuoquan stopped his impulsive action, his face filled with doubt. He asked, "Mountain spirits hold grudges; we all know that. But why did they chase them and not you? How do you explain that? Is it because of the spirit pet by your side?"
Li Zuoquan's words made my expression a little unnatural. Bai Ling'er's matter had never been disclosed to outsiders. The only time Bai Ling'er had appeared was in Li Zuoquan's residence. Logically, he shouldn't have seen her then.
Bai Ling'er's matter absolutely could not be admitted. If they knew I had an Yin Ming Snake by my side, I wouldn't be able to live peacefully anymore; I'd be in constant fear. A spiritual creature that could become a Ghost Emperor in the future was definitely something every sect would fight for. With careful nurturing, it could lay the foundation for a sect's millennium of prosperity.
"Cough, cough... Old Li, you jest. How could I possibly have a spirit pet? If I did, I would definitely offer it to you, wouldn't I? Youngster, I'm weak and alone. You can't just say such things, or I'll have no place in the feng shui world anymore."
As I spoke, I carefully glanced at Fang Niuzi. When he heard that I had a spirit pet, his eyes indeed lit up, followed by a look of suspicion. Seeing this, my heart sank. This matter absolutely could not be known by Fang Niuzi. I knew he was backed by Longhu Mountain, a formidable power that I couldn't afford to offend. I couldn't even afford to offend Li Zuoquan, let alone a prestigious sect like Longhu Mountain, which had stood for hundreds of years. If they confirmed I had an Yin Ming Snake, my life would be over.
Faced with my sophistry, Li Zuoquan chuckled, not exposing me. "Heh heh... it seems I was mistaken back then. But how does young friend Song explain the mountain spirits chasing the mountain? We are shallow and ignorant, and we truly don't understand this matter. We hope young friend will generously explain it well."
Looking at Li Zuoquan's insincere smile, I really wanted to spray him with some mouthwash. But circumstances were beyond my control. If I did that, it would be tantamount to admitting Bai Ling'er was by my side.
I sighed, helpless. "When those border people bombed the valley back then, Daoist Fang and Li Jian were nearby. The valley was lush with trees. Although the mountain spirits reigned supreme in the valley, they hadn't lost their natural instincts. The mountain spirit leader had been observing from the mountain. At that time, you were closest to the valley, and you were also close to the border people. You naturally carried the smell of gunpowder. It was inevitable that they would chase you..."
My words made Fang Niuzi's face turn terrifyingly grim. After a moment of silence, he asked again, "Why didn't you say anything then? You're only saying it now. You... you really make me angry! You're definitely harboring ill intentions..."
I rolled my eyes at him. "You blame me for this? If Daoist Kang didn't tell you, why don't you go ask him? You old rascal, you keep finding fault with me. I'd like to ask you, what are your intentions?"
"You..."
If it came to a fight, I might not be Fang Niuzi's match, but when it came to arguing, two of him wouldn't be my match. Seeing him about to draw his sword again, Li Zuoquan spoke up.
"Enough! Since we know what happened, let's let this matter go. If you have any questions, you can ask Daoist Kang when he wakes up."
Just then, the tent flap was lifted, and a doctor wearing a mask and a white coat came out. Fang Niuzi, seeing this, rushed forward in three steps. "Doctor, how is my friend? Is he in any danger?"
The doctor was startled by Fang Niuzi's sudden appearance but knew he wasn't an ordinary person. He replied with a hint of displeasure, "The person is fine. He just lost a lot of blood and needs a couple of days of rest. But there's one thing I'd like to ask."
Fang Niuzi, relieved to hear that Kang Pangzi was fine, his expression softened considerably, and a slight smile appeared. "Doctor, please ask whatever you wish. I will tell you everything I know."
The doctor glanced at Fang Niuzi. "I'd like to know which turtle gave birth to the person who used plant ash to stop his bleeding? Don't they know this can cause wound infection? It makes treatment more difficult. Didn't they know to use something else? If we hadn't brought so much medicine this time, perhaps..."
The doctor went on a long rant, and I saw Fang Niuzi's face grow increasingly unpleasant, eventually turning the color of a purple eggplant. The hand gripping his sword hilt trembled violently. I naturally saw through it. It went without saying that Fang Niuzi was the one who used plant ash to stop Kang Pangzi's bleeding, as only Taoist sects still used this ancient technique. In the past, this would have been acceptable, as technical conditions were poor, and stopping the bleeding was all that could be done, leaving the rest to fate. But now, when humans could travel to the moon, it was understandable to be ridiculed for using such an ancient method.
Li Zuoquan, being a shrewd individual, naturally saw through it and must have known that Fang Niuzi did this. He waved his hand at the doctor. "You've worked hard. You may go down now!"
The doctor, who was about to complain further, bowed to Li Zuoquan and then walked towards a nearby tent to rest. Seeing Fang Niuzi's constipated expression, I couldn't help but burst into laughter. It wasn't that I wanted to laugh, but I couldn't hold it in. Fang Niuzi, already full of anger and nowhere to vent, turned his gaze back to me.
"Kid, what's so funny? This is a method our Taoist sect has used for thousands of years to stop bleeding. These ignorant youngsters naturally don't understand the profoundness of our Taoist secret arts..."
Seeing him about to continue boasting, I quickly interrupted him. I didn't want to listen to his bragging any longer. "I wasn't laughing. I was just so scared by you earlier that my stomach cramped. I'm in pain. If there's nothing else, I'll be going back now."
"You..."
Fang Niuzi clearly wasn't going to let me off, but Li Zuoquan stopped him.
"Young friend Song, you can rest now. Take care of Daoist Zhang. We'll discuss the details of entering the mountain tomorrow."
I nodded, remaining silent. Just as I turned to leave, my eyes caught the two old foxes exchanging a look. When I looked back, I found that they had both regained their composure, showing no particular expression. Sudancan.com
"Did I see wrong?"