Zanxing (Retranslated)

At that time, Xu Douniang, who had also received some gold and silver, planned to leave as well.

She was still a little girl then, and Tian Fangfang urged her to stay and live with his parents, but she refused.

The little girl’s eyes were determined, her tone stubborn. “Brother Tian, I’m different from you. You want to explore the outside world, but I just want to reunite with my family.”

“But you’ve been away from home for many years and don’t even remember where your hometown is,” Tian Fangfang said.

Xu Douniang was very young when she was kidnapped, and many years had blurred her memories. Finding her family was like searching for a needle in a haystack, seemingly impossible.

“I remember my hometown is in the north,” Xu Douniang smiled. “Every autumn, there are golden trees. I’ll head north. I know you plan to go south, so let’s part ways here.”

Tian Fangfang was still worried. “But…”

“Brother Tian, I’ve served the young master for many years. I’m not a little girl anymore. I can take care of myself.” Xu Douniang, though small and thin, stood straight, her eyes curved in a smile. “When you become a cultivator of a great sect, let’s eat buns together again.”

And so they parted.

Many years passed.

Tian Fangfang not only went to towns in the south but also ventured to the rainforests in the west. He saw dangerous beasts and interacted with cultivators from various sects. The longer he traveled, the more his past memories faded. It seemed he was born to be a wandering traveler, free and unrestrained. The only thing that constantly reminded him of his impoverished past was his love for money, a lingering fear of poverty.

He used to think of those bitter days gnawing on buns in the woodshed under the moonlit wilderness, occasionally remembering the little girl with dimples. The past felt like a fleeting dream, while the future was becoming clearer.

“Brother Tian,” the little girl’s voice broke his reverie. Xu Douniang asked, “When we parted, you said you wanted to cultivate immortality and become a disciple of a great sect. Have you achieved that now?”

Zanxing and the others all looked at Tian Fangfang.

Tian Fangfang felt a bit embarrassed and waved his hand vaguely. “Ah, it’s just luck. After we parted, I traveled everywhere and eventually stumbled upon an opportunity. I barely qualify as a half-cultivator. Later, by sheer luck, I slowly cultivated. When I heard the Taiyan Sect was recruiting new disciples, I decided to give it a try. Surprisingly, I made it!”

“Taiyan Sect?” Xu Douniang asked, “Is it a big sect?”

The people in Wufan City hadn’t heard of the Taiyan Sect, indicating their lack of knowledge about external matters. Tian Fangfang said, “Of course! It’s the number one sect in our continent’s cultivation world. Look, these are my fellow disciples.” He placed his hand on Gu Baiying’s shoulder. “This is my little martial uncle!”

“Martial Uncle?” Xu Douniang was surprised. “This young master looks so young.”

Gu Baiying frowned, shaking off his hand impatiently. “What do you want?”

Tian Fangfang retracted his hand with an apologetic smile and said seriously, “Age doesn’t matter. Our little martial uncle is very talented at a young age.”

Xu Douniang nodded thoughtfully. “Brother Tian is amazing now.”

“Not too bad,” Tian Fangfang said, staring at her. “Xiao Douzi, what about you? When we parted, you said you were heading north. How come you’re here now?”

Xu Douniang smiled and replied, “My father and I live here now.”

“You and your father…” Tian Fangfang smiled, then suddenly realized, “Your father?”

“Yes,” Xu Douniang’s eyes sparkled, her dimples making her even more adorable. “Brother Tian, I found my father!”

Tian Fangfang was stunned.

Back then, when Xu Douniang said she wanted to find her family, Tian Fangfang didn’t believe she could actually succeed. She had been too young when she was kidnapped, not even remembering the name of her hometown. She had traveled by carriage and boat, unable to remember the way. Plus, many years had passed. What if her parents had moved? Or what if they were also searching for her?

Xu Douniang had been so stubborn, insisting that she wouldn’t be at peace unless she tried. Unable to persuade her otherwise, Tian Fangfang had let her go.

And now she said she had found her family?

Xu Douniang, unaware of Tian Fangfang’s expression, pulled him by the sleeve. “Come on, I’ll take you to my house to meet my father!”

Tian Fangfang, dragged forward, followed her while Zanxing and the others had strange expressions.

“Martial Uncle, what do you think?” Zanxing asked.

“Something’s off,” Gu Baiying said, staring at the figures ahead.

“I agree,” Meng Ying frowned slightly. “For your old acquaintance to appear here so suddenly seems too coincidental.”

“And what the girl said,” Mu Cengxiao added. “Finding her family after being kidnapped for so many years is almost impossible.”

“What’s wrong with you guys?” It was Men Dong’s voice that interrupted them. Zanxing looked down to see the young boy, his face dark with anger. “What coincidence? What’s off? Shouldn’t we congratulate someone for finding their family? How is that a reason to be suspicious? I think you’re all just overly paranoid!”

Though Men Dong usually spoke in a sarcastic tone that was hard to read, he rarely got this worked up. Zanxing looked at him meaningfully. “Oh, our junior is smitten with a pretty girl.”

Men Dong was taken aback, his face flushed with anger. “Who are you saying got smitten? Stop talking nonsense!”

“Why are you so worked up then?” Zanxing glanced at Gu Baiying. “For her sake, you even argued against your beloved Seventh Martial Uncle.”

“I am not smitten with her at all. I’m just speaking the truth,” Men Dong retorted angrily. “You think I’m like you, easily infatuated with a man?”

Zanxing was puzzled. “Who am I infatuated with?”

“Of course, it’s Senior Brother! But Senior Brother is already devoted to Sister Yunxin and they’re perfect for each other. So don’t even imagine him cultivating with you!”

Meng Ying’s expression froze.

Mu Cengxiao said, “…Junior brother, don’t talk nonsense.”

Amidst their argument, Gu Baiying slammed a palm on the ground, his face frosty. “Stop arguing and shut the hell up.”

Everyone fell silent instantly.

“If you have energy to argue here, it’s better to think about what to do next,” Gu Baiying said impatiently. “My qi has disappeared.”

As he said this, everyone activated their qi, only to find the spiritual veins empty and devoid of any trace of energy, causing their hearts to sink.

Without qi, they were no different from ordinary people now, facing demonic forces with no chance of survival. Mu Cengxiao asked, “Senior Uncle, should we continue forward?”

“Of course,” Gu Baiying stared at Douniang’s figure. “Regardless of any strange occurrences here, since the demons haven’t appeared in front of us, there must be restrictions. Since we’re here, we’ll go along with her and see.”

Douniang’s home was located far away. Although Wufan City appeared small and the roads were narrow, there were many people. They walked along the central road for an unknown distance. The taverns and vendors on both sides gradually became sparse. After about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, at the end of the red clay road, a mud house appeared.

The mud house looked like an inverted cylinder, entirely cast from red clay with a wooden door in the center, making it quite distinctive. In front of the house was a clean circle of empty ground, where a few dirty geese were kept. As soon as they saw someone approaching, they viciously honked and screamed.

Douniang chased away the geese that were chasing after the visitors and opened the door, saying, “Come in.”

Zanxing and his group entered.

The room was dimly lit with only a square window. Sunlight shone through from outside, illuminating the furnishings inside.

The tables and chairs were already quite worn out. Against the wall was a mud kang

¹, with a small table placed on it and blankets piled haphazardly. The floor, however, was spotlessly clean, as if regularly swept.

Between the inner room and the outer hall was separated by a brown cloth curtain. The house appeared somewhat crude and modest.

Douniang rolled up her sleeves, lifted the curtain, and walked inside. Shortly after, she came out carrying a jug. She squatted down, dragged out a stove from the side, skillfully started a fire, and scooped clear water from an outside wooden barrel into the jug, beginning to boil water.

Zanxing looked at the clear water and asked, “Douniang, is there a river here?”

“Yes,” Douniang replied as she fanned the fire underneath with a palm leaf fan, “There is. In this desert, there’s only this one river. It’s said to be a gift from the gods to the Holy Maiden. Later, the Holy Maiden settled here with her people, and that’s how Wufan City came to be.”

“The Holy Maiden?” Gu Baiying’s eyes lit up. “Is she from the Snake Shaman Clan?”

“You know about the Snake Shaman Clan too, Immortal?” Douniang stood up, sat on a small wooden stool nearby, and stared at the water in the jug while smiling. “The Holy Maiden is an extraordinary person. We in Wufan City all deeply respect her. If you were to meet her, you’d surely like her too.”

Zanxing remained silent. Truth be told, she was quite eager to meet the Holy Maiden. According to Yin Li, the Snake Shamans could foresee outcomes upon meeting someone, understanding both past and future. She wondered if the Holy Maiden could help her return to her original world.

The water in the jug gradually boiled. Initially, it formed shallow ripples, then tiny bubbles began to emerge, and soon after, the sound of simmering filled the room, with steam spreading a moist mist over the stove.

Douniang found several mud bowls from a cabinet, not enough, so she fetched a large plate and poured the water into it.

“We’re short on bowls at home,” the young girl confessed shyly, tugging at her skirt. “I’ll ask Father to buy two more later.”

Tian Fangfang nonchalantly got up, handed a few bowls to Zanxing and the others, took the large plate for himself, and said between sips, “Ah, what’s the fuss? Xiao Douzi, remember back in the Qian family, when we were thirsty at night, we’d pluck leaves to scoop water from the jar. Having a plate is not bad.”

Douniang chuckled at the memory, glancing outside where the sun was gradually setting. “Looks like Father is almost back.”

Just as she finished speaking, a man’s voice called from outside, “Douniang.”

Footnotes

1. 
   
   

   A Chinese heated bed made of mud or clay