nownovels Chapter 177 What happened to my master?!
Chapter 177 What happened to my master?!
Chapter 177 What happened to my master?! (4000 words)
The fact that Tiger Rabbit's father knew Lu Yuan's identity—
Lu Yuan wasn't particularly curious.
After all, Tiger Rabbit knew Lu Yuan's situation when they first met.
Lu Yuan is quite well-known throughout the area outside the Great Wall now.
Of course, as for how Tiger Rabbit's father recognized Lu Yuan at a glance—
This is nothing surprising.
As the head of the Xudeng family, he naturally has some methods.
Perhaps those "gods" who had been following Tiger Rabbit back earlier came back to deliver the message, who knows?
Coming to his senses, Lu Yuan put down Tiger Rabbit, which he was carrying on his back, and handed it to Tiger Sheep.
He then cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and said earnestly, "Lu Yuan, a disciple of the True Dragon Temple."
Hu Huhu stood on the threshold, hands tucked in his sleeves, squinting at Lu Yuan for a while.
His face was expressionless, just like a farmer looking at a stranger—sizing him up but not staring at him, looking away after a couple of glances.
"Um.
""
.
He responded with a muffled voice, as if it were rolling out of his throat.
He pulled his hand out of his sleeve, pushed the door open wider, and turned slightly to the side.
"Come inside and sit down, it's cold outside."
After saying that, he turned around and went inside, his cotton shoes dragging on the ground, pattering as he entered the house without turning back to say hello.
Tiger Sheep, holding her sister, glanced at Lu Yuan and gestured with her chin toward the house, indicating that he should come in.
Lu Yuan bent down, stepped over the threshold, and entered the house.
It was much warmer inside than in the yard. The fire in the stove was burning brightly, casting a warm glow over half the room.
A kettle of water sat on the stove, steam rising from its spout and making a gurgling sound.
The kang (heated brick bed) was warm, and as soon as you got close, you could feel the dry, hot air rising from under the mat.
Tiger Rabbit's father stood by the kang (a heated brick bed), and moved the yellow paper, scissors, and carving knife on the kang to the side to make room.
He turned around, glanced at Lu Yuan, and pointed to the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed).
"Please sit down."
Lu Yuan didn't stand on ceremony at all and sat down on the edge of the kang (heated brick bed), where his bottom felt warm.
"Continuing the lantern, the tiger family, the tiger Hu Hu."
Lu Yuan: "————"
What kind of ridiculous names are these ten families from outside the Great Wall?
Hu Huhu stood by the stove, lifted the kettle off the stove, took a rough porcelain bowl, and poured in a bowl of hot water.
The bowl was old, and there was a chip on the rim.
He walked over with the bowl in his hand and handed it to Lu Yuan.
"Have some water to warm up."
Lu Yuan took the bowl; it was scalding hot. He held it with both hands and stared intently at the hot water inside.
The water was boiled from well water and didn't have much flavor.
There's nothing wrong with it.
Lu Yuan put it to his lips and took a slurp.
It's very hot.
Hu Huhu sat down opposite Lu Yuan, at the other end of the kang (heated brick bed), across the small table.
There was a copper lamp on the table, which was extinguished, and a layer of ash had settled on the lamp.
He sat down, placed his hands on his knees, tucked them into his sleeves, hunched his neck, and looked at the fire in the stove.
The firewood crackled and popped in the stove, casting a red glow on his face, obscuring any other expression.
He didn't say anything.
He just sat there, hunched over, hands tucked in, just like a farmer squatting against a wall in the winter sun.
Tiger Sheep brought Tiger Rabbit in, put her on the kang (heated brick bed), took off her shoes, and pulled the quilt over her.
Hu Huhu glanced at it but didn't say anything.
Tiger Sheep stood by the kang (a heated brick bed) for a while, looked at her father, then at Lu Yuan, turned around and went out, closing the door behind her.
There were only two people left in the room.
The fire in the stove was burning, and the kettle sat on the stove. It was dry-boiling, and the bottom of the kettle was hissing.
Hu Huhu reached out and lifted the pot off the ground, placing it on the ground. The hissing sound ceased.
The room quieted down, leaving only the warm, cozy atmosphere under the kang mat and the soft, gentle breathing of Tiger and Rabbit.
Hu Huhu stood with his hands behind his back, his neck hunched, watching the small fire in the stove.
The fire had died down, and the glowing embers flickered in the ashes.
He watched for a while, then spoke.
"You must have had a hard journey, Taoist priest."
"I know everything about what happened at Blackwater Ridge and about the Faceless Evil God."
The voice was muffled, still that same deep, guttural tone.
Lu Yuan paused for a moment, then simply nodded.
Now that everyone knows, that's even better.
This saved Lu Yuan from having to recount what happened before, saving him the trouble of explaining.
Since that's the case, Lu Yuan wasn't one to beat around the bush, so he got straight to the point: "Since you already know about what happened before, I'll get straight to the point."
"I'd like you to look into Tiger and Rabbit's situation with my master; perhaps there's a way to save them."
Hu Huhu put his hands behind his back, hunched his neck, and didn't reply.
The fire in the stove had shrunk a bit, and the glowing embers in the ash flickered like panting.
He stared at the lit flame for a long time.
"Need not."
The voice was still muffled, deep and muffled, the same tone as before.
Lu Yuan looked at him without saying a word.
Hu Huhu still had his neck tucked in, his hands tucked into his sleeves and resting on his knees.
The kang (heated brick bed) was warm, and he was dressed in thick clothes. A thin layer of sweat appeared on his forehead, but he didn't take it off and just stayed there, warming himself.
The patches on the gray cotton-padded jacket flickered in the firelight of the stove, the stitches crooked and the loose threads still showing.
"We've tried everything."
Hu Huhu spoke slowly and deliberately, as if to say that the snow was heavy this winter and the soil moisture would be good next spring.
Lu Yuan waited for him to continue.
Hu Hu Hu did not continue speaking.
He said that one sentence and then stopped, just staring at the small fire in the stove.
The fire had died down, leaving only a few embers glowing and flickering in the ashes.
He watched for a while, then reached into the woodpile beside the stove, picked up a thin twig, and stuffed it inside.
The tree branch, nestled against the glowing embers, emitted a wisp of smoke but did not ignite.
He added another one, and the two were placed side by side. The red charcoal dimmed for a moment, then lit up again.
Flames emerged from under the branches, licking the bark, and crackled to life.
Lu Yuan wasn't too surprised by Hu Huhu's reaction.
Over the years, Hu Huhu must have tried countless methods, but the result was always the same—
Useless.
It's definitely useless.
After all, it was useful; otherwise, Tiger and Rabbit wouldn't be the way they are now.
Hu Huhu has tried many methods, and now he must be exhausted.
I've become somewhat numb.
In response, Lu Yuan slightly raised his head and said, "How could your own method—"
Before Lu Yuan could finish speaking, Hu Huhu interrupted him, saying, "I've already contacted people from your Taoist sect."
"I've tried countless methods, how could I not seek help from Taoist practitioners?"
"I've looked for more than one."
"We've searched the north, the south, the east, and the west."
"We've looked for everyone, whether they're capable or not, whether they have the means or not."
"Some took one look and left, some thought about it for three days and three nights and said they had no solution, some tried it and dimmed the light a bit, but dared not try it again."
"I stopped looking for her later."
Hu Huhu threw another branch into the stove, which made the fire burn brighter and made his face turn red.
There was no expression on that round face, just heat, so hot it was red.
"I want to too."
"I've been thinking about it for eight years."
"I've been thinking about it since the day she made it."
"I've tried everything I can think of: origami, sealing souls, and rekindling lamps."
"But it just didn't work."
He looked up at Lu Yuan.
The firelight from the stove shone on his face and into his squinting eyes.
The eyes weren't big, but the eye sockets were a bit deep, and there were creases at the corners of the eyes.
He looked at Lu Yuan without any expression.
But Lu Yuan completely understood the meaning in those eyes.
That seemed to mean that he had already tried everything he could, so why did Lu Yuan need to come here and say anything?
However, Lu Yuan raised his head slightly and said, "My master, Li Xiuye, is different from others."
Lu Yuan spoke with great confidence.
Before, Lu Yuan's impression of the old man was that he spent his days drinking and wasting his time.
However, since returning from Fengtian City, Lu Yuan's impression of the old man has completely changed.
Anyway, if the old man doesn't shake his head, then there must be hope!
Hu Huhu simply shook his head at Lu Yuan's words.
Seeing this, Lu Yuan became somewhat anxious. Before Hu Huhu could speak, Lu Yuan frowned and asked, "No, is this something really that difficult?"
"No matter how many methods you've tried before that didn't work, those are all things that were before!"
"The past is the past, the present is the present!"
"Stop talking about how things were before. Now it's your turn to take Tiger and Rabbit to Zhenlong Temple for a while."
"I'll just ask my master when he gets back."
"Why are you so unhappy about this and that? I'm not even asking you to do anything!"
Lu Yuan couldn't understand it. This wasn't like telling Hu Huhu to do this or that first.
All I have to do is take Tiger and Rabbit back to Zhenlong Temple with me, and then wait for the old man to come back, isn't that enough?
What's so difficult about this? What's there to refuse?
What's wrong?
Is it because you, Hu Huhu, are too hard to invite?
Or are you worried that Zhenlong Temple won't provide meals while you wait, leaving you to go hungry?!
Lu Yuan had no idea what Hu Hu Hu was arguing about.
Could it be that...?
Lu Yuan thought for a moment, then said with a strange expression, "I said—"
"You're not barred from visiting our True Dragon Temple because of some rule within the ten families outside the pass, or anything like that, are you?"
Just like Tan Jiji back then, sticking to that stupid rule.
This can't be said, and that can't be discussed.
Hu Hu Hu shook his head and said, "How could that be?"
"If it were anything else, it wouldn't matter, but this concerns Rabbit's life! How can this be allowed!"
Hearing Hu Huhu's words, Lu Yuan couldn't help but frown.
You even know this concerns the lives of Tiger and Rabbit!
Is it really that difficult for them to come back to Zhenlong Temple with me?!
Given the current situation, having a glimmer of hope is better than having none at all, right?
At this moment, Hu Huhu looked at the fire in the stove and remained silent.
Just stare at that tiny spark.
This made Lu Yuan so anxious that he almost wanted to curse.
Damn it, why is he so persistent?
What's wrong? Just say it!
What's with you just sitting here silently?!
"Three months."
Hu Huhu suddenly spoke, his voice still muffled and gruff.
Lu Yuan was stunned for a moment.
"What, three months?"
Hu Hu picked up another twig from beside the stove, but instead of putting it in, he held it in his hand and twirled it around.
She has three months left.
"On this trip to Heishui Ridge, she used up most of the lamp oil."
"We could have held on for another year."
"Now, three months."
The branch stopped in his hand.
He didn't look at Lu Yuan, but at Hu Tutu's face on the kang (heated brick bed).
She was fast asleep, her face turned toward the wall, her little hair tucked into the pillow, the blanket covering her shoulders, bobbing up and down.
"You said you wanted me to go with you to Zhenlong Temple to wait for your master to return."
"How long will it take?"
Hu Hu asked.
Lu Yuan was taken aback.
"One month? Two months?"
Hu Hu threw the tree branch into the stove, and the fire blazed up, making his face turn red.
"What if your master doesn't come back?"
"What if he comes back and there's nothing we can do?"
"What if he tried it and accidentally turned the light off?"
"What if? You've mentioned so many 'what ifs,' so I'll say one too: what if Rabbit doesn't make it?"
Hu Hu looked at Lu Yuan.
The firelight from the stove shone on his face and into his squinting eyes.
The eyes weren't big, but the eye sockets were a bit deep, and there were creases at the corners of the eyes.
He didn't show much expression.
But Lu Yuan suddenly understood.
It's not that they have no expression; it's that they have too many expressions, so many that their faces can't contain them all, and they're all suppressed underneath.
"You just say one thing and then expect us to follow you and wait."
"How are we supposed to wait?!"
"Given the current situation, I dare not cause any trouble, and neither does the rabbit!"
At this point, Hu Huhu, who had been expressionless the whole time, suddenly showed a surge of anger in his eyes.
Staring intently at Lu Yuandao, he said, "The only thing we can do now is to immediately find a 'deity' and have Rabbit relight its lamp!"
"And this 'deity' has already been found; we'll set off tonight!"
At this point, a dangerous glint flashed in Hu Huhu's eyes as he stared intently at Lu Yuan.
"I don't blame you for losing ten years of the rabbit's lifespan."
"But if you misbehave again, I will not be so lenient with you!"
After saying that, Hu Huhu stopped looking at Lu Yuan and turned to look at Hu Tutu on the kang (a heated brick bed).
She turned over, kicked off a corner of the blanket, revealing her arm.
The lines of the paper on my arm were still there, creeping up from my wrist to my shoulder, one after another, faintly visible in the firelight.
Hu Huhu reached out and pulled the blanket up to cover her arms, tucking the corners of the blanket in.
"I can tell you directly and clearly."
"This time, the sequel is also about an evil god!"
After Hu Huhu finished speaking, the whole room fell silent.
There was no movement.
Lu Yuan remained silent after Hu Huhu spoke.
Of course, Hu Huhu said a lot.
And the threat is also very obvious.
It was a clear message to Lu Yuan that, for Hu Tutu's life, Hu Huhu was going to continue the lamp for the evil god.
If Lu Yuan dares to stop him, he will definitely attack Lu Yuan.
Lu Yuan was not afraid of Hu Huhu.
It wasn't about whether or not I should stop it.
If we try to stop it, Tiger and Rabbit might lose their lives.
If I don't stop it, I'll truly be unworthy of my current status as a legitimate member of the Taoist sect.
Lu Yuan had no idea about these things.
Lu Yuan was considering —
After about three to five minutes, Lu Yuan finally came to his senses. He stared intently at Hu Huhu and frowned seriously, saying, "How do you know it will take my master a long time to come back?"
"What you're saying is that my master might not come back—"
"What does that mean now?!"
"What's wrong with my master?!"