Outside the Pass

"Li Shixiong, what's wrong?" Bai Lingmiao, noticing the odd expression on Li Huowang's face, instinctively grasped his hand.

Li Huowang smiled and shook his head. "It's nothing. I was just thinking about how we're about to leave the pass. I'm a little worried about what lies beyond. Let's go; we'll help the Lü family break down the stage, then hurry on."

Though his words seemed casual, his gaze was cold. His temperament was starting to resemble Dan Yangzi's more and more.

This change made Li Huowang's spine shiver. When he thought back to when others saw Dan Yangzi and thought it was him, his earlier suspicion was no longer just a guess—it was slowly becoming a reality.

If it were only his personality changing, he could tolerate it. But what really worried him was that, over time, he might actually become Dan Yangzi himself.

"If that happens, everything will make sense. Dan Yangzi wasn't protecting me, he was protecting himself!"

The mere possibility of this made Li Huowang's heart uneasy. If there was anyone he hated most in this world, it was Dan Yangzi, that mad old fool.

Li Huowang didn't want to become Dan Yangzi. If that happened, he would rather die!

A sudden impulse surged through him—an impulse to turn around immediately, return to Zhengde Temple, and no matter what suffering awaited him afterward, have the monks hold a grand ritual to rid the world of Dan Yangzi.

But this was only a fleeting thought. It was one thing when they hadn't torn the relationship between them apart, but now, after he had killed those seven Buddhas, if the monks saw him again, they would likely want to eliminate him on the spot.

These weren't just any monks, they were capable of anything.

But thankfully, according to the description from the abbot, besides Zhengde Temple, there were other sects. Now, he could only think of ways to approach them. If Zhengde Temple could deal with Dan Yangzi, then so could the other sects.

Though he didn't know what they wanted, their actions clearly indicated that they were after something from him.

"Could it be the Heavenly Book Dan Yangzi left behind?" Li Huowang thought to himself.

If he didn't want to become Dan Yangzi, he had to find a way to deal with these people.

"If all else fails, I'll offer them the Heavenly Book in exchange." Li Huowang silently resolved that this was the only bargaining chip he had left.

As he struggled with these uneasy thoughts, they finally arrived at a small town by the pass.

The small town was bustling with traders, many of whom were dressed in different styles. These were all people who had crossed the pass to do business.

Looking toward the pass in the distance, Li Huowang turned to Lü Zhuangyuan. "Lü Zhuangyuan, looks like we'll be parting ways here."

Lü Zhuangyuan, too, felt a bit sentimental. He clasped his hands together in a salute and said, "Little Dao Master, thank you for everything. If it weren't for you, we would have suffered a lot more on this journey."

Of course, Lü Jia Ban wouldn't be crossing the pass. Once they reached it, they would take a different route back to their village. After resting at home, they would repeat the cycle. It was the fate of small troupes like theirs. If they wanted to escape this life of traveling from place to place, they would need to buy a theater and settle down.

"Safe travels. I'm not sure what your plans are, but I hope you succeed! Here, take these salted duck eggs I made myself. Eat them on the road."

Lü Zhuangyuan placed the jar of eggs on the donkey cart with a reluctant look on his face.

"Thanks for your kind words. If we have the chance in the future, we'll definitely come to see Lü Jia Ban's performance again. To be honest, after watching it on this journey, I've really grown fond of it."

After bidding farewell, the donkey cart, now stocked with provisions, slowly approached the pass.

Watching them depart, Lü Zhuangyuan flicked his pipe and playfully hit his young son on the head, who had been looking longingly after the group.

"Stop thinking about that pale girl. Our family is small, we can't afford to provoke people like them. Go home and let the matchmaker find you a proper match."

"Dad, you're talking nonsense! I'm not!" Lü Xiuzi hurriedly denied, his face flushed as the horse's head turned, and they rode toward the busy street.

"Dad, you're so stingy, how could you give him a jar of salted eggs?" Lü Ju Ren, who was holding his daughter, asked with curiosity.

"What nonsense are you talking? Don't think your dad is a miser. Remember this: when it's time to be frugal, be frugal, but when it's time to be generous, don't hold back. That little Dao Master isn't just anyone. If we make a good connection with him, Lü Jia will have a good network."

Finally, after passing through the pass, the road ahead was still surrounded by forests. But Li Huowang couldn't shake the feeling that something was different.

There were not only their group of people on the road, but also other carts and travelers carrying burdens on their shoulders.

It was easy to tell who was from the inner or outer regions by the style of their clothing. People from the inner region wore left-sided robes, while those from outside wore right-sided ones.

Li Huowang pondered for a moment before opening the jar of salted duck eggs that Lü Zhuangyuan had given him. Inside was a full jar of eggs.

Gou Wa, leaning in, was surprised. "In these times, duck eggs are expensive, and salt is precious. Lü Zhuangyuan, that old man, is really generous."

Li Huowang closed the jar and couldn't help but have a better impression of the old man.

"Stop talking about irrelevant stuff. Does anyone here have a family in the Four Qi Kingdom? Get ready to go home."

Everyone exchanged glances. Covered in black fur, Xiao Man raised her hand, her voice trembling slightly as she said, "My family is in the Four Qi."

At her words, the surroundings fell silent. Everyone knew of her past and the grievances she had with her parents. They also understood what she planned to do once she returned.

"Xiao Man, maybe you..." Bai Lingmiao began to speak with hesitation, but was immediately interrupted by Li Huowang.

"Alright, if you know this place well, you should be familiar with the Four Qi. Tell us, what kind of place is it? Are there any major sects like Zhengde Temple?"

Xiao Man, her face hidden beneath a black hood, took a deep breath. "I don't know. Though I live here, I've never left the village in the past ten years. The only time I saw something unusual was when I was nine, and I saw someone perform a shamanic ritual at the village entrance."

"Shamanic rituals?" Li Huowang felt a sudden unease at the mention of "gods," recalling the terrible influence of the "happy gods" on him.

"Are there any places where these shamans live together?"

"No. I heard that shamans usually live in their own homes and worship the immortals there."

"Immortals? Do they have names?" Li Huowang's mind raced, pondering the strange phenomena of this world.

"Red, Yellow, White, Willow, and Sadness... I've heard of five different immortals, but I don't know who they are."

Annotations and Cultural Background:

Zhengde Temple and the Sect System: The mention of "Zhengde Temple" and "major sects" reflects the traditional Chinese martial world, where power is often concentrated in large, influential sects or temples. These are akin to schools or organizations, often having their own codes, abilities, and secrets.

Shamanism and Immortals: The mention of "shamans" and "immortals" is deeply rooted in Chinese folklore. Shamans (or "spirit mediums") are believed to interact with spirits, gods, or ancestors, sometimes for healing, fortune-telling, or guiding the living. The five immortals mentioned are likely symbolic, each representing different elements or aspects of spiritual belief in Chinese tradition.

The Four Qi Kingdom: The Four Qi Kingdom is likely an invented or fictional location in this narrative, though it carries some echoes of ancient Chinese kingdoms or regions, especially in the context of the division between "inner" and "outer" regions, which historically would have referred to areas of greater cultural and political stability versus more remote, borderland regions.

Duck Eggs and Salt: The salted duck eggs are a common food item in Chinese culture, especially in rural or traveling communities. The importance of salt here highlights the scarcity of valuable resources in the story's setting. The "generosity" of Lü Zhuangyuan in offering these eggs indicates his respect for Li Huowang, even if the offering was modest.