"Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!"
"Bang!"
Several days later, within the Flying Dragon Mountain stronghold, streaks of white light shot into the night sky, exploding into spectacular, colorful displays that scattered like celestial maidens' flowers or a hundred blossoms vying for beauty, resplendent and vibrant.
The Taoist priest invited or captured by the stronghold, the commotion emanating from Ge Rufeng's wooden hut, left the stronghold's bandits, big and small, gaping in stunned silence, halting their activities to observe, unaware of what had transpired.
Could it be that an immortal had descended, and into a bandit's lair on Flying Dragon Mountain? The bandits of the stronghold, young and old, mused in their hearts.
"Ah? Brother Zhou, what you're doing isn't really containing fire, is it? It's clearly setting fires!" The young Taoist priest Ge Rufeng was also stunned, his jaw agape, murmuring as he watched the fireworks fill the sky.
In the span of a few days, the two had become quite familiar.
"Little Brother Ge, setting fire is containing fire, and containing fire is setting fire. Isn't it the reverse of the usual approach to contain it? The key is the formula," Zhou Fugui said with a smile after feeding the little white bear a piece of dried meat.
"Roar! Roar!" The little white bear stood on its hind legs, its front paws resting on Zhou Fugui's knees, its small eyes looking up at Zhou Fugui, making soft calls, indicating it was still hungry and wanted more.
In a few days, Zhou Fugui and the little white bear had also become familiar. The little white bear followed him around all day, not even letting him sleep alone, insisting on "sharing the same bed" with Zhou Fugui. Of course, the little white bear was still afraid of Ge Rufeng and kept its distance from him.
"Setting fire is containing fire, and containing fire is setting fire? That makes sense! Brother Zhou is indeed a master!" Ge Rufeng praised effusively, then ingratiatingly said to Zhou Fugui, "This formula... Brother Zhou, could you tell me a bit about it?"
"You want the formula? That's not difficult..." Zhou Fugui picked up the little white bear, gently stroking its fur, and looking askance at Ge Rufeng, he chuckled, "This thing I've made is called 'fireworks.' And I have something even more formidable in my belly. Do you want its formula?"
"What do you want in return?" Having spent several days together, Ge Rufeng understood that Zhou Fugui was no simple character, and if he wanted to obtain his formula, he would have to pay a price. Thus, Ge Rufeng asked.
"Good, clever! So young, yet so sharp..." Zhou Fugui also praised him, then sighed, "Little Brother Ge, do you know why I came here? It's for someone. I've only met this person once, but he is a man of utmost righteousness. He is currently suffering from a deadly witchcraft, his life hanging by a thread. Therefore... you are from a distinguished Taoist family, you must know how to save people, right?"
"Witchcraft? Who has been afflicted by witchcraft?" Ge Rufeng frowned upon hearing this and asked.
"Xiao Ningshan of Xiao Family Village..." Zhou Fugui then recounted the events of Xiao Family Village to Ge Rufeng with hatred.
"Xiao Ningshan of Xiao Family Village?" Ge Rufeng pointed to his own nose upon hearing this and asked Zhou Fugui, "Who am I?"
"You are Brother Ge Rufeng of the esteemed Taoist family, a master with an immortal bearing and profound Taoist skills, who else could you be?" Zhou Fugui asked, surprised.
"I'm only eleven years old..." Though Zhou Fugui was showering him with flattery, how could Ge Rufeng be fooled? Shaking his head, he said, "This humble Taoist is only eleven years old, and you want me to confront that great shaman? I think you've lost your mind."
"Who told you to confront that fiend?" Zhou Fugui said with a wry smile, "I'm asking you to save someone. Can you?"
"Save someone? Oh, that's something to consider," Ge Rufeng's eyes rolled in his sockets before he asked, "What is that more powerful item of yours?"
"Gunpowder!" Zhou Fugui replied.
"Gunpowder? What is that?" Ge Rufeng asked, greatly surprised.
"It's... " Zhou Fugui stretched out his arms, drew a circle in the air, and said, "With a 'boom,' everything turns to dust and returns to peace!"
"'Boom,' and everything turns to dust and returns to peace?" Ge Rufeng was extremely intelligent and immediately understood what was happening. Thus, he said angrily, "Zhou Fugui, I am an immortal master Taoist. Do you want me to do something destructive?"
"What destructive thing?" Zhou Fugui chuckled, "Your elixirs can save people, and so can gunpowder. It can save many people, and it can also improve people's lives, building bridges and paving roads, etc. Gunpowder is a very useful item. In this world, everything has both benefits and harms. It all depends on who wields it and how it is used. Is mercury a potent poison? Yet, it is also a medicinal ingredient. Used in small quantities, it can kill insects, expel phlegm, and treat malaria. It can also cure diseases."
Zhou Fugui, with his patient persuasion, managed to transform a promising young Taoist priest focused on alchemy and healing into a "gunpowder and explosives expert"...
Of course, this is a later story, not to be told for now.
"Oh, really?" Zhou Fugui cajoled and deceived, causing Ge Rufeng to look at him with a half-believing expression. He was hesitant to refuse, yet he also wanted to know what this gunpowder of Zhou Fugui's really was, whether it could truly destroy heaven and earth, turning everything to naught.
"So, you agree?" Zhou Fugui saw his reaction and chuckled, "Then a gentleman's word?"
"As fast as a runaway horse!" Ge Rufeng nodded hesitantly, "However, Brother Zhou, I have heard others speak of witchcraft. Whether my elixirs can save someone, I cannot guarantee."
"Do your best, and leave the rest to fate. As long as the young Taoist priest is willing to condescend to go, even if the person cannot be saved, I will not blame you," Zhou Fugui nodded and sighed.
"Alright, but you must not go back on your word," Ge Rufeng also nodded.
"Heh heh, who do you think I am? I am a man of utmost integrity in this world, how could I go back on my word?" Zhou Fugui chuckled and then asked with a troubled expression, "But how can I get down the mountain?" httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
"Get down the mountain? Brother Zhou, do not worry, getting down the mountain is as easy as reaching into a bag!" Ge Rufeng said, patting his chest.
"Oh? I haven't asked how you got up the mountain yet, Little Brother Ge?" Zhou Fugui was overjoyed and quickly asked.
As the saying goes, when the road seems to end, a new path appears. Zhou Fugui's chance encounter with this young Taoist priest could be considered killing two birds with one stone.
"The bandits brought me up the mountain, why?" Ge Rufeng asked in return.
"Why?" Zhou Fugui was instantly disappointed. Looking at Ge Rufeng, he said irritably, "You were brought up by force, and yet you still have the nerve to say getting down the mountain is like reaching into a bag? And you say it so righteously..."
"That's because this humble Taoist didn't want to go down the mountain..." Ge Rufeng said, "Although I was brought up by the bandits, there's food and drink here, and it's so secluded. I can focus on refining elixirs here, so why would I want to go down the mountain? If I truly wanted to go down, they couldn't stop me."
"Tch, you call me a braggart, but I think you are the one." Zhou Fugui said dismissively.
"I am a braggart? Have you not heard of the great art of 'shrinking the ground into an inch'?" Ge Rufeng said indignantly.
"'Shrinking the ground into an inch'? I wish to learn from you!" Zhou Fugui said, though his expression remained one of disdain.
"Come, come, today, this humble Taoist will show you the profound arts of our Taoist sect."
With that said, Ge Rufeng pulled Zhou Fugui along. The two stood side by side, Ge Rufeng holding Zhou Fugui with one hand, a peach wood sword in the other. The little white bear, happily gnawing on meat, watched them curiously.
"Taishang Laojun, by imperial decree! Move mountains and shift seas, great art of shrinking the ground!" Ge Rufeng held his peach wood sword, chanted incantations, and performed the steps of the Big Dipper.
With a "whoosh," a gust of mountain wind suddenly arose from the flat ground, blowing dust everywhere, making it impossible to see beyond three feet.
"Great immortal technique, Daoist Master!" Zhou Fugui felt his feet suddenly leave the ground, as if he were flying, and exclaimed loudly.
With a "snap," moments later, the two landed, kicking up a cloud of dust.
"How was it?" Ge Rufeng asked triumphantly afterward.
"Not very good!" Zhou Fugui replied with a wry smile.
The two had flown, or rather, jumped, no more than two or three steps. Ge Rufeng had put on quite a show, but the actual effect was greatly diminished, or almost nonexistent. With such a jump, Zhou Fugui could have leaped several steps without Ge Rufeng performing any grand technique.
The little white bear ate its meat, watching the two curiously, not understanding why they were jumping around.
As the dust settled, a woman in red suddenly appeared before Zhou Fugui and Ge Rufeng. It was Jin Feiyan, Yuan Meiyu.
Yuan Meiyu also looked at Zhou Fugui and Ge Rufeng in surprise, not knowing what they were up to.
"What are you doing?" Yuan Meiyu asked in surprise.
"Nothing, just feeling restless, getting some exercise..." Zhou Fugui replied, bowing obsequiously.
"Indeed, indeed. This humble Taoist ate too much for dinner and is now aiding digestion..." Ge Rufeng also replied, bowing obsequiously.
"If you're too full, you won't eat tomorrow!" Yuan Meiyu glared at them and said, "I heard you want to set my Flying Dragon Mountain ablaze?"
"Ah? Why would a lady say such a thing?" Zhou Fugui asked in surprise, "I'm living quite comfortably in the stronghold, why would I want to set Flying Dragon Mountain ablaze?"
"Pfft!" Yuan Meiyu couldn't help but laugh, pointing to the sky and asking, "Why would fire fly up into the sky? If it's not you trying to set fire to my Flying Dragon Mountain stronghold, then what is it?"
"Oh, madam, you misunderstand!" Zhou Fugui chuckled, "This thing is called 'flame light' or 'fireworks.' It is an object of celebration. On festive days, people set off fireworks and firecrackers. Haven't you seen them?"
"I know about firecrackers, of course, but I've never heard of flame lights. What is it?" Yuan Meiyu's face immediately flushed with two red clouds, and she asked shyly.
On a festive day, how would he know...? Yuan Meiyu thought to herself, feeling shy.
"Oh, madam, please come over. I'll show you what fireworks are," Zhou Fugui said to Yuan Meiyu, not understanding why she had suddenly become so shy.
"Oh, you can fiddle with whatever you want, but you are not allowed to run away. If you run, I'll break your legs," Yuan Meiyu said, then went to work on the fireworks and flame lights with Zhou Fugui and Ge Rufeng.