Spring Opera

Bai Lingmiao's words made Li Huowang nod.

"It's fine. Slow is fine. How many ash urns do we have left?"

"Don't worry about those little things. Xiaoman and I already went to the escort agency. We entrusted the escorts to send the last batch of our brothers' ash urns back home."

Hearing this, an inexplicable lightness settled in Li Huowang's heart.

Bang! Bang! Bang! The urgent pounding on the door cut their conversation short. "Master! Open up! I've really done it!"

Li Huowang put down the map in his hand and walked toward the door.

Creak~ The door swung open. Lü Xiucai stood outside, his eyes ringed with dark circles, a manic excitement blazing in his face. In his hand, he held a single bronze coin—one that Li Huowang had removed from the Bronze Coin Sword for him to practice with.

"Master! I've really done it! The coin just moved!"

Without waiting for Li Huowang's reply, Lü Xiucai burst into the room, placed the coin on the table, and began stomping his feet and forming hand seals. "Om da tuo bao zha nan er!"

As he repeated the incantation, his voice grew louder, veins bulging on his forehead. He looked like he was about to devour the coin.

After several dozen repetitions, the bronze coin finally began to tremble.

Drenched in sweat, Lü Xiucai saw this and turned excitedly to Li Huowang at the door. "Master, look! I did it!"

Lü Xiucai then watched as Li Huowang walked over, first looking at him, then at the coin on the table, before speaking. "You did it? Do you feel anything wrong with your body?"

"No! I feel great. I've never been this happy in my life. I'm practically half an immortal now! Hahaha!"

Li Huowang studied Lü Xiucai carefully, thinking to himself. Looks like Han Fu's Nascent Soul wasn't tricking me. But this is just the beginning. Maybe the trap comes later. You only get one life. Better to be cautious.

"Keep practicing. Don't stop. Go back for now. Tomorrow, I'll teach you the next part of the incantation."

Hearing this, Lü Xiucai nodded firmly and turned to leave.

Li Huowang turned back and exchanged a smile with Bai Lingmiao. He walked over, closed the door, and lay back down on the bed.

"Xiucai seems a lot better," Bai Lingmiao whispered softly in his ear.

"Heh. Better? I can't tell. He's a completely different person from before. Hopefully, learning this technique will help him get back to normal." Li Huowang closed his eyes, his breathing gradually slowing.

"Li-shixiong, what have you been busy with these past few days?"

Hearing the voice beside his pillow, Li Huowang kept his eyes closed. "Nothing much. Don't worry. We'll leave in a few days. It won't delay your trip home."

As soon as he finished speaking, he felt a pair of soft hands grasp his right hand. "Li-shixiong, I'm not worried about going home. I'm worried about you."

"Worried about me? What's there to worry about? With the Black Tai Sui, I won't fall into hallucinations anymore. My left eye, the one that was crushed, can already sense some light. It should grow back in a few more days."

"Besides, no one's hunting us anymore. I'm fine. I've never been better."

With his eyes closed, Li Huowang felt a light body pounce on him, arms wrapping gently around his waist.

It was Bai Lingmiao. She knew Li Huowang too well. She didn't believe a single word he had just said.

Sensing her worry from her actions, Li Huowang let out a soft sigh. He opened his eyes and turned to look at the three amorphous hallucinations beside him.

He patted Bai Lingmiao's back gently. "Don't worry. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. There's always a way."

Days passed. Li Huowang had nearly walked every corner of the small county town. Though he had a direction, he still hadn't found anything.

Hiding his body's color against the ground, Li Huowang sat on a wall, watching the bustling street.

Carts and oxcarts came and went in an endless stream. An ox lifted its tail, dropping a steaming pile of dung onto the ground, only to be snatched up moments later by children with baskets.

After fighting over the dung, they gathered in small groups at a pancake stall, greedily inhaling the scent of fried oil.

Watching the scene full of worldly life, Li Huowang thought to himself. Is this place too small? Even the magistrate's house, the one who likes tofu, didn't have any clues. Maybe I need to find a bigger place.

I can't stay here forever. Since I can't find it here, I'll search elsewhere. As long as I keep looking, I'll run into it eventually. Today's the last day.

Li Huowang pushed off the wall with one hand, jumped down, and headed toward the teahouse next door.

That was where information flowed most freely. Rumor had it that all the news in the county gathered there.

Just as he reached the entrance of the teahouse, a group of men in long gowns burst out excitedly.

"Hurry! A troupe performing spring opera just arrived! That show is way more entertaining than the storyteller in this teahouse."

A troupe? A flicker of doubt crossed Li Huowang's face. If he wasn't mistaken, the only troupe in this county was the Lü family troupe.

Just as this thought crossed his mind, his body had already stepped into the teahouse. But inside, only the storyteller and the tea waiters were chatting idly. No one else.

"Tch. What's there to find out here?" Li Huowang turned and walked toward the inn.

But just as he lifted his right foot, against his better judgment, he found himself following the steps of the men who had just left.

He wanted to see what Lü Zhuangyuan was up to, that had drawn away everyone from the teahouse.

The Lü troupe's stage wasn't far. It was set up right at the base of the western city wall. The area beneath the stage was packed with people—some cracking sunflower seeds, some eating hairy beans, chatting and laughing, a lively scene.

As Li Huowang drew closer, he saw Lü Juren on stage, in full theatrical makeup, singing a verse to his wife.

"Ah~ I~ I don't want the finest, nor the cheapest. I only want~ I only want~ I only want, sister~ that little drop of red in your heart~"

Whoosh! A wave of laughter and catcalls rose from the crowd below.

"That verse doesn't sound right," Li Huowang muttered, puzzled, watching Lü Juren on stage.

Just as he thought that, Lü Xiucai on stage began to sing along with the music.

"Reaching out, I touch my sister's nose tip~ A faint fragrance wafts outward,"

"Reaching out, I touch my sister's little mouth~ Her infant's eyes smile softly,"

"Reaching out, I touch my sister's chin tip~ The chin tip rests upon her chest."

"Reaching out, I touch my sister's ear edge~ The protruding earring swings like a swing."

It started off normal enough, but the further it went, the more obscene it became. The laughter and jeers from the crowd grew louder and louder.

At that moment, Li Huowang finally understood why those men had called it a "spring opera," and why there wasn't a single woman in the audience—only men.

When faced with other troupes' flashy skills, this old fox still found a way to survive. No wonder he's a veteran actor who's been performing for decades.

Having satisfied his curiosity, Li Huowang shook his head and turned away from the lively stage.

But just as he was about to leave, a whispered conversation nearby caught his ear.

"This is way more entertaining than the spring opera in Pi County."

"Haven't you heard? There's a plague breaking out over there. You still dare to go?"