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Wang Tuozi wrapped Wei Ning tightly in bandages and made his way north from the layers of Stilted Houses in Miao Village. Eventually, he reached a point where there was no path left, surrounded by tall wild grass that indicated no one had been here for a long time. Wang Tuozi looked around before he continued walking, carrying Wei Ning on his back until he finally stopped at a gorge.
The mouth of the gorge was about ten meters high, with sparse, unknown trees struggling to survive above, casting a desolate shadow over the entrance and adding an air of lifelessness.
To his surprise, there stood a black Lucky Cat at the gorge, approximately three to four meters tall. It appeared to be made of cast iron and weighed over a thousand pounds. Wang Tuozi wondered how it had been transported here. The Lucky Cat wore a friendly smile, its right paw raised and swaying as if welcoming every visitor. Unlike other Lucky Cats, this one had its tongue protruding over a meter, inscribed with four striking characters:
"Life into Death!"
As the sun began to set in the west, a faint light filtered into the gorge, illuminating the Lucky Cat's face and creating an oddly terrifying atmosphere. Wang Tuozi muttered to himself, "This dead cat is still here; who knows how many Evil Spirits it has kept at bay."
He stepped boldly into the gorge. Inside, an unknown type of tree grew densely, creating an oppressive darkness that seemed endless. As soon as Wang Tuozi entered, a sudden cacophony erupted as thousands of black crows took flight, blotting out the sun.
The ground was covered in a thick layer of crow droppings that emitted an unbearable stench, nearly swallowing Wang Tuozi's feet. He felt nauseous and cursed Wei Ning's ancestors for the burden he carried on his shoulders. He quickened his pace, desperate to escape this place, but the foul odor clung to him more intensely with each step.
As he walked, more crows took to the air around him. After about ten minutes of trudging through the forest's depths, Wang Tuozi stopped in front of a dilapidated wooden house. The house was in the typical Stilted House style common among the Miao Tribe but was surrounded by an absence of droppings. Instead, lush green grass grew around it, exuding a fresh fragrance that masked the stench of crow waste.
Wang Tuozi hurriedly stepped onto the grass and scrubbed his shoes against it until they were clean. Finally, he tossed his shoes aside and stood barefoot on the ground, muttering angrily, "Damn it! Why do you keep so many crows? It's suffocating me!"
Just as he finished speaking, a figure rushed out from inside the house. Upon seeing Wang Tuozi, the person burst into laughter and embraced him tightly. "In ancient times, Cao Cao welcomed Xu You barefoot; today it's me, Peng Bai, welcoming you, Wang Laoge! How about that? True brotherhood!"
Wang Tuozi glanced down at Peng Bai's feet and confirmed that he too was barefoot.
Peng Bai was short—one could even call him a Dwarf—and stood at eye level with Wu Haozi. However, his kind eyes and white eyebrows that curved down to his cheeks gave him a cherubic appearance. His round face glowed with health and warmth; at first glance, he resembled the Lucky Cat at the gorge entrance.
Peng Bai released his grip on Wang Tuozi only when he was nearly out of breath, taking Wang Tuozi's hand and saying, "Wang Laoge, I've been looking forward to this day, waiting day and night. Finally, I've got you here! Come in, come in! Take a look at my 'Zhengxin Elegant Residence.' What do you think? Quite stylish, right?" With that, he pulled Wang Tuozi inside.
Peng Bai had truly tidied up the place. The walls were lined with bookshelves stacked high with books, some of which were quite old and had been read many times. However, Peng Bai had sewn them up neatly and arranged them properly. Despite his efforts to keep everything in order, Wang Tuozi felt no sense of the "scholarly family" atmosphere; instead, it resembled a shabby street-side rental bookstore.
In the center of the room stood a wooden table where a long-haired girl sat, cradling a Black Cat in her arms. She lowered her head, her long hair obscuring her face, making it impossible to discern her features. Upon noticing their arrival, she showed no intention of getting up.
Peng Bai walked straight to the bookshelf and pulled out a book. "Jin Yong's 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes,' it's fantastic! I've read it three times already. And this one, 'Lu Feng,' and this one, 'Ghost Stories of Corpse Chasing'—classics all around."
At that moment, Wang Tuozi had no time to indulge in such discussions. He got straight to the point: "Peng Bai, I'm here because I really need your help..."
"Got it, got it! Your matters are my matters. Just say the word; if I can help, I will!" Peng Bai patted his chest confidently.
"I have a disciple... who’s gotten hurt..."
"Alright, alright! It's just healing, right? Don't worry; your disciple is like my disciple too. Where is he?"
Wang Tuozi pointed outside—the same place where he had set Wei Ning down on the grass while polishing shoes. "Over there."
Peng Bai glanced out the window. "Is that the mummy? At first, I thought you were sending me a gift! How could I neglect a guest? Qiqi, go... go bring your... junior brother inside."
The girl remained silent as she stood up. At that moment, Wang Tuozi finally got a good look at her. She stood about five feet seven inches tall with a well-proportioned figure and an elegant demeanor. Especially when she stood up, her exceptionally long legs gave her an air of grace that made her stand out among others. Her phoenix-like eyes were slender and charmingly dark; her high nose bridge accentuated her facial contours beautifully. However, half of her face was covered by a silver mask that added an air of mysterious beauty despite obscuring part of her left side. If Lin Lingsu resembled an ethereal orchid untouched by the mundane world, Qiqi seemed more like an orchid blooming alone in the dark night—requiring patience from those who truly appreciated her.
"Half-masked beauty?" Wang Tuozi exclaimed suddenly, clearly more intrigued by Qiqi's silver mask than by her appearance itself.
"Let me introduce my new disciple, Qiqi. What do you think? I've trained her well, haven't I?" Peng Bai said with a smile.
Wang Tuozi looked at Peng Bai from left to right and suddenly said, "No, something's off."
Peng Bai shrugged his shoulders and asked, "What’s the problem?"
"Based on my understanding of you over these decades, you, Peng Bai, are not someone who speaks sweetly—pretending to be a scholar reading a book. What are you up to? Is there some grand scheme waiting to ensnare me?"
Peng Bai sighed and replied, "If you've lived alone for decades, doing nothing all day, your competitive spirit will naturally fade. Eventually, you'll come to love reading just like I do."
Wang Tuozi shook his head and said, "No, you're like a rat in an oil jar—always taking without giving. You wouldn't help me so easily. It makes me uneasy. Just state your demands so I can feel at ease."
With a mysterious smile, Peng Bai said, "I do have a request. You need to help me dig up a thousand earthworms in the Burning Corpse Forest."
Wang Tuozi frowned and replied, "The Earth Dragon does indeed have properties that relieve heat and treat headaches and sore throats, but why do you need so many?"
Peng Bai leisurely responded, "I don't actually want the earthworms; I just enjoy watching you dig them up. Sometimes, when I'm bored, watching someone else dig for worms can be quite delightful."
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