Chapter 123: Last Year Today, Things Remain But People Have Changed
Fang Shu stared somewhat dazedly at the head on the ground, his footsteps also halting.
His reaction immediately drew the attention of the people around.
The Dojo Disciple who had just been fierce-faced and had killed a Miner suddenly became constrained in his movements. Looking at Fang Shu who had stopped, his face visibly panicked, and he stammered:
“Does Immortal Elder know this person?”
Fang Shu came back to his senses, his eyes flickering a few times. He sighed in his heart, but looking at the young-faced Dojo Disciple, he didn’t say a word, just shook his head.
The Dojo Disciple’s face greatly relaxed, and he hurriedly bowed his head in greeting to him. Then, grabbing the head on the ground with one hand and dragging the headless corpse with the other, he dragged it like a dead dog to the street side, mixing it with the other corpses, arranging them one by one.
And this person who had been beheaded was actually an acquaintance of Fang Shu.
His name was Tian Tian Quan, a fellow passenger who had come to this place with him by boat long ago, seeking immortals.
After more than a year, Fang Shu had successfully passed, about to go up the mountain and enter the sect, while Tian Tian Quan was killed like a pig or dog on the street side. To be honest, it was quite touching for Fang Shu.
As for why this person was executed by the Dojo Disciple, no need to think much; it must be that he was involved in the Riot, attacking the Marketplace together with the other Miners and Mine Slaves.
Now that the momentum was gone, all those who had killed or injured people were being cleared out without exception.
Suddenly, Fang Shu thought to himself: “I wonder how the other two are faring now?”
The people who had come by boat together back then, and had gotten to know each other, including him, totaled five in all.
Based on what was known so far, two had already died, leaving Yin Xiao Jian and Lu Daochang alive.
As for Yin Xiao Jian, Fang Shu had heard a little, but for Lu Daochang, he still didn’t know his whereabouts. Fang Shu had only heard that this person seemed to have been pitted by Tian Tian Quan once.
While pondering in his heart, the group of examinees soon walked back to the central Marketplace.
Next came another round of roll call and praise, and the names of the dojos and families from which the eighteen people came were also spread throughout Gu Ling Town, admired by everyone.
Although they had just experienced a Riot, the scene was full of joy.
But where there is joy for some, there is sorrow for others.
For example, in Shao Wei Guan.
When Ling Bai Quan’s decapitated corpse was carried back to Shao Wei Guan, the entire place fell into dead silence.
The Shao Wei Guan Master stood in the courtyard, silently looking at the corpse on the ground.
After a long while, the man waved his sleeve expressionlessly: “Find a place and cremate and bury him.”
After saying that, he turned and left the front courtyard with his hands behind his back.
The disciples in the front courtyard looked at each other, clearly noticing that with Ling Bai Quan’s death, all the favor and care from the Dojo Master had vanished. He didn’t even give money for a coffin, just said “cremate and bury.”
Moreover, Ling Bai Quan had always been arrogant in the dojo, and there had been the incident with the Shao family father and daughter, so no one at the scene wanted to touch this bad luck.
Only some disciples coveted Ling Bai Quan’s physical body and were tempted. But after weighing the pros and cons, they held back.
Amid the shirking, since this couldn’t be handed to a Menial Laborer, it was given to one of the outer disciples in the dojo.
Yin Xiao Jian was mixed in the crowd. He raised his head, his face full of bitterness: “Why is it me again?”
Suddenly.
An angry roar mixed with the sound of chains suddenly rang out in the back courtyard of Shao Wei Guan.
The people in the front courtyard heard it, and their hearts trembled, especially the Inner Courtyard Disciples.
They exchanged glances, scanning the corpse of Ling Bai Quan on the ground, surprised and thinking:
“Could it be that the rumor is true, that the monster in the back courtyard really has a connection with Ling Bai Quan, and the two are truly brothers?”
At this moment.
The Shao Wei Guan Master was standing in front of a man covered in white hair all over, disheveled and wild-haired.
He lightly told the other party the news of Ling Bai Quan’s death.
Seeing the White-haired Man’s anger, the Shao Wei Guan Master frowned slightly and scolded: “White Wolf, your heart is in turmoil again.”
The White-haired Man suddenly raised his head, revealing a sharp, wolf-dog-like face, both human and demonic.
His eyes were bloodshot green, staring tightly at the Shao Wei Guan Master, growling lowly: “White Dog is dead, White Dog is dead!
Master, didn’t you promise me you would take good care of him!?”
The Shao Wei Guan Master snorted coldly upon hearing this:
“He died in the Spring Examination Selection, for the sake of going up the mountain to cultivate with you, that’s how he perished. How could I intervene in this matter.”
After saying that, the Shao Wei Guan Master softened his tone: “If you have any ambition, remember his last wish. In the future, cultivate diligently on the mountain, enter the Immortal Sect together, and fulfill his wish.”
The White-haired Man lowered his head again upon hearing this.
After a long time, his voice was calm as he spoke: “Master, who killed White Dog?”
This question made the Shao Wei Guan Master’s brows furrow again, and he didn’t respond. After all, he couldn’t say that he hadn’t even bothered to inquire about the killer or the cause of death, not wanting extra trouble, and so on.
The man just said lightly: “He’s dead, so he’s dead. Why dwell on it? It wasn’t murder.
If you really care, after you go up the mountain, ask the people who went up with him yourself.”
After saying that, the Shao Wei Guan Master’s figure turned and vanished, leaving the White-haired Man still chained in place.
After a long while.
The White-haired Man raised his head again, his eyes filled with pain and resentment. But the main target of his resentment seemed not to be the killer, but someone else.
He was staring fixedly in the direction where the Shao Wei Guan Master had disappeared, gritting his teeth, revealing sharp fangs, and growling indistinctly:
“Take in but not raise, raise but not teach… Old thing!”
………………
After a grand celebration, the eighteen successful examinees each returned home.
Fang Shu returned to Du Gu Guan.
Seeing his Second Uncle Yu Le safe and sound in the dojo, even looking proud, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Second Uncle Yu Le walked to his side, so excited that his mouth went dry, his eyes gleaming.
The other man, whether unable to speak or for some reason, just patted his shoulder forcefully and said:
“Good, good, good!”
At this moment in Du Gu Guan, Du Yu Er, Li Hou Er, and other Dojo Disciples, along with the two neighbors Dou Su Fu and Talisman Master Li Yuan, were all standing on both sides of the main hall.
After Second Uncle Yu Le’s excitement, he gently pushed Fang Shu forward.
This action was like triggering a mechanism; everyone in the hall immediately bowed neatly toward Fang Shu:
“Welcome back to the dojo, Immortal Fang!”
Their chant was also perfectly synchronized, as if rehearsed.
The Du Gu Guan Master stood at the end of the crowd. His usually cold face was smiling nonstop today, and he proactively cupped his hands in greeting.
Fang Shu stood tall and straight. Looking at the admiring and envious gazes around the hall, he felt a surge of elation.
Receiving congratulations and bows from the people in the dojo at this moment made him feel even more joy than parading through the Marketplace.
After quietly thinking for two breaths, Fang Shu stepped forward confidently, walked to the Du Gu Guan Master, and bowed to him:
“Disciple Fang Shu, mission accomplished.”
From this day forward.
He had risen from this ancient dojo, about to transcend the mortal world again, becoming a “legend” in the mouths of the disciples.
Next.
Various miscellaneous matters came knocking.
The major Merchant Associations in the Marketplace and neighbors from the Courtyard Houses, upon hearing this year’s Spring Examination list, all wanted to come pay respects to Fang Shu.
For them, even if not seeking protection, getting familiar was good.
Fang Shu handed all these miscellaneous matters to Second Uncle Yu Le to handle.
He didn’t even step out of Du Gu Guan’s gate anymore, just waiting for the Marketplace to decide how to arrange for their batch of eighteen to go up the mountain for cultivation.
Only one thing caught Fang Shu’s attention again.
This day.
A noisy commotion mixed with sobbing cries rang out in Du Gu Guan, quite loud.
At the Medicine Hall between the front and back courtyards, a patient’s face was pale. She lay on a plank, lips tightly pressed, expression stubborn and dazed.
Her relatives and friends knelt beside her, crying piteously and mournfully.
Additionally, a circle of disciples surrounded the patient on the plank, discussing in low voices nonstop.
Among them, a man scolded with displeasure:
“Qin, you’re already crippled. For me to be willing to marry you with proper rites is already considering our fellow disciple bond.
Even if you don’t care about yourself, think of your sister. You’re crippled and need medicine to sustain you. Your sister is just an ordinary woman. Are you really going to force her to sell her body and blood!?”
Qu Yan said this righteously, his voice mixed with excitement:
“If you’re worried about the future, I can take your sister as a bonus and marry her too. Or let your sister be the principal wife, you the concubine, give her status, ensure she’s clothed and fed…”
At this moment, Qin Min’s tightly shut eyes finally opened.
She gazed vacantly at the sky, her eyes moving, glanced at her own sister Qin Ji, pondered for a bit, and seemed to make a decision.
But she didn’t respond, instead spitting out:
“Get lost!”
Qu Yan didn’t care upon hearing this.
A smile appeared on his face as he pointed at Qin Min lying on the plank, looking at the surrounding Dojo Disciples, continuing to laugh mockingly.
But as he laughed, he noticed the people around weren’t laughing along; instead, their gazes flickered, heads lowered in silence.
Qu Yan was surprised. Turning his head, his laughter abruptly stopped, his expression stiffening.
Only to see at the front of the Medicine Hall, someone standing behind the crowd, gazing coldly at everyone, especially at Qu Yan.
The newcomer was Fang Shu, who had followed the sound and happened to see this scene.
Walking closer.
Fang Shu surveyed the scene, his cold gaze rippling slightly.
This pitiful scene before him was extremely similar to what he had seen more than a year ago when he brought Qin Min here.
The only difference from back then was that today’s patient and her relatives were different people; the onlooker had become the patient.
