Chapter 627

Chapter 627

###**《Qingxi Fireworks》**
Qingxi Town is a small place, surrounded by mountains and rivers. A bluestone main street runs from north to south, with low tile houses on both sides, and dried peppers and corn hanging under the eaves. The town is not big, but it has everything - Li Ji Wine Shop is in the east, Wang Po's tofu stall is in the west, there is a land temple in the south street, and Liu the carpenter's home is in the north.

The days here pass slowly. It is only after the roosters crow three times that people slowly go out to the street carrying their shoulder poles. As soon as the sun sets, the shops close one after another, leaving only a few old men squatting under the willow trees by the river, puffing on their pipes and chatting about the harvest.

The owner of Liji Wine Shop is a stout man in his fifties, with a face as red as the "Xinghuachun" he brews, and a loud voice that can be heard greeting customers from half a street away. His winemaking skills are inherited from his ancestors, and the wine yeast is mixed with wild honey from the mountains. The wine he brews is sweet and mellow, but has a strong aftertaste. After drinking two bowls, the men in the town have to hold on to the wall when they walk.

The first time Fu Shaoping went back to get some wine, Manager Li squinted his eyes and looked at him: "A stranger?"

"I'm a traveling doctor, passing by and asking for a meal." Fu Shaoping handed over the copper coins with a smile.

Shopkeeper Li laughed and scooped a full pot of wine and stuffed it in his hand: "Try it! Come back when you're done!"

Later, Fu Shao often went there, and occasionally helped Manager Li treat rheumatism. Manager Li always gave him half a pot of medicine and patted him on the shoulder and said, "You are a good doctor, much better than the one who sold dog-skin plasters a few years ago!"

Wang Po's tofu stall is one of the busiest places in town. She is in her early fifties, thin but energetic, with neatly tied gray hair and a blue cloth apron tied around her waist. She is skillful in cutting tofu and scooping soy milk in one go.

She had a high-pitched voice and spoke rapidly. If a customer who was buying tofu hesitated for a moment, she would glare at him and say, "What's the matter? Do you think my tofu is not tender enough? Touch it! It's smoother than a grown-up girl's face!"

It was the first time that Nangong Wan went to buy tofu. Wang Po looked her up and down and exclaimed: "This girl has really white hands. She doesn't look like someone who does rough labor."

Nangong Wan smiled faintly: "I make a living by embroidering."

Wang Po immediately became interested: "Oh! Then you must embroider a handkerchief for me, my daughter is getting married next month!"

Later, Nangong Wanzhen embroidered a handkerchief with a magpie on a branch for her. Wang Po was so happy that she praised it to everyone she met: "Look! This craftsmanship is unmatched by any embroiderer in the capital!"

Carpenter Liu lived in the north of the town. He was a taciturn middle-aged man who spent all day with wood, and the wood shavings piled up all over the yard. He had excellent craftsmanship and made furniture that was sturdy and durable. People in the town liked to ask him to make boxes and cabinets for their weddings.

There was a broken table in the house that Fu Shaoping rented, so he took it to find Carpenter Liu to repair it. Carpenter Liu squatted on the ground, hammering away, and finally said, "This wood is old, we need to add a wedge."

Fu Shaoping handed over the pipe: "Want a puff?"

Carpenter Liu waved his hand and continued to work. When he finished, he looked up and said, "No money, come back to me next time you have work."

Later, Fu Shaoping would occasionally visit him. Carpenter Liu didn't talk much, but he could drink a lot. The two of them drank together, one smoking while the other planed wood, and they felt quite relaxed.

Aunt Zhang is a well-known "know-it-all" in the town. She knows which sons and daughters are getting married. Ever since Fu Shaoping and Nangong Wan moved in, she has been eyeing this "young couple".

"Doctor Fu, how many years have you been married? Why don't you have any children yet?" She asked with a smile, carrying a vegetable basket.

Fu Shaoping held his pipe in his mouth and said something nonsense: "I am weak and need to recuperate."

Aunt Zhang immediately recommended enthusiastically: "Hey! I have a secret recipe! It guarantees you will have two babies in three years!"

Nangong Wan was embroidering nearby. When she heard the words, the gold thread on her fingertips trembled slightly and she almost poked a hole in the handkerchief.

On the first and fifteenth day of every lunar month, there is a market in Qingxi Town. Before daybreak, farmers from all over the country come with their loads on their shoulders, and the streets are filled with stalls - selling vegetables, cloth, candy figurines, fortune-tellers, and the place is bustling and lively.

Fu Shaoping occasionally went shopping to buy some mountain products and herbs, while Nangong Wan took a closer look at the rouge and powder stall on the corner. The rouge seller was a young wife, and when she saw her stop, she immediately greeted her warmly: "Young lady, try this pink one? It suits you!"

Nangong Wan shook her head, but Fu Shaoping stuffed a box into her mouth: "Buy it for fun."

She glanced at him, lightly touched some rouge with her fingertips, and dotted it on her lips. Fu Shaoping squinted and smiled: "It looks good."

Every year on the Spring Equinox, the people in the town would go to the land temple to burn incense and pray for blessings. A buffet was set up in front of the temple, with wine from Manager Li, tofu from Grandma Wang, and steamed buns from Aunt Zhang all served, and everyone had a lively meal, praying for good weather and good harvests.

Fu Shaoping and Nangong Wan also went there, one squatting in a corner smoking, and the other standing on the edge of the crowd, watching the men, women, and children in the town kowtow and burn incense, and the children playing and chasing each other.

"It's more interesting than the fighting in the world of cultivation." Fu Shaoping whispered.

Nangong Wan hummed softly, her eyes falling on the old peach tree in front of the temple. Petals fluttered and fell on her shoulders.

The people in the town pay attention to the lively weddings and funerals. When getting married, the groom has to carry the bride on his back and walk around the town, followed by people playing suona, throwing candy, and children running after them with laughter.

Once, when Wang Po's daughter got married, Nangong Wan was asked to help embroider the wedding dress. The bride was shy, but Wang Po was busy running around, her voice louder than a suona: "Hurry up! If you miss the auspicious time, I will deduct your wages!"

Fu Shaoping squatted at the door, drinking wedding wine with Carpenter Liu. Shopkeeper Li came over with a jar of wine and said with a thick tongue: "Doctor Fu, when will we drink your wedding wine?"

Fu Shaoping smiled without saying anything, the sparks in his pipe flickering in the night.

The days in Qingxi Town are like that slowly flowing stream, peaceful yet lively.

In the morning, Fu Shaoping squatted by the river to fish. Occasionally, when he caught a fish, he would take it to Wang Po to exchange for a piece of tofu. At noon, Nangong Wan was embroidering in the yard. When Aunt Zhang passed by, she would always lean over the wall to chat about family matters. In the evening, after finishing work, Carpenter Liu would occasionally come to visit. The two of them would drink a bowl of coarse wine and watch the sunset sink behind the mountains.

There are no flying swords or magic weapons here, no sect fights, only the daily necessities and the mundane world of life.

The rain is fine and dense, and the night is as dark as ink.

Fu Shaoping stood in front of the window. The spark in his pipe had long gone out, leaving only a wisp of smoke. He stared at the willow tree on the other side of the river. The dark shadow was motionless, as if it had merged into the night.

The golden thread on Nangong Wan's fingertips moved silently, forming a dense net on the window frame, which could be turned into a killing move at any time.

"Yin puppet?" she asked in a low voice.

Fu Shaoping hummed, and gently stroked his pipe with his fingertips: "It seems that the dog noses of the Netherworld Pavilion are more sensitive than we thought."

The next morning, Qingxi Town was still as peaceful as usual.

Fu Shaoping was carrying a fish basket to Wang Po's place to exchange for tofu. On the way, he met Shopkeeper Li, who called out to him in a loud voice: "Doctor Fu! I heard some noise in your yard last night. Could it be that a thief broke in?"

Fu Shaoping smiled and waved his hands: "How could that be? It's just a fight between wild cats, it's very noisy."

Shopkeeper Li was skeptical, but he didn't ask any more questions. He just handed him a pot of newly brewed "Xinghuachun" and said, "Try it! This wine is strong. Drink a few sips at night and you will sleep well!"

Fu Shaoping thanked him and walked slowly home with the wine jug in hand, but his eyes swept towards the river bank - there was no one under the willow tree, but there were a few faint long drag marks on the soil, as if something had crawled over it.

Nangong Wan was sitting in the yard embroidering, the golden thread almost invisible in the sun. Aunt Zhang passed by with a basket of vegetables and smiled and said, "Mrs. Nangong, did you hear any noise last night?"

Nangong Wan paused for a moment, raised his eyes and smiled faintly: "No, I was sleeping soundly."

Aunt Zhang said "Oh" but glanced into the yard: "I heard that someone saw a dark shadow lying on the wall of your yard..." Nangong Wan remained calm, the golden thread on his fingertips quietly slipped into his sleeves: "Maybe it's a wild cat."

Aunt Zhang smiled awkwardly, exchanged a few more words of greeting and then left.

When she walked away, Fu Shaoping came out of the house, holding his pipe and sneering: "This old woman is well-informed."

Nangong Wan put away the embroidery frame and said calmly: "Although the people in this town are simple, they are not stupid."

That night, Fu Shaoping buried three pieces of talisman paper under the jujube tree in the yard, and Nangong Wan hung a copper bell under the eaves. The bell had no tongue, but it emitted a faint green light - it was the "Soul-Calming Bell" that was specifically designed to ward off evil spirits.

Just after midnight, the tall, thin black shadow reappeared under the willow tree on the other side of the river.

Fu Shaoping leaned against the window, the sparks in his pipe flickering: "Here it comes."

The shadow moved slowly, like a ball of sticky ink, along the river bank towards the courtyard. There was no sound of footsteps, only a slight "rustling" sound, as if a snake was crawling through the grass.

Just as it was about to climb over the wall——

"Ding!"

The copper bell under the eaves rang without wind, and a green light suddenly shone! The black shadow trembled violently, and shrank back as if it was burned. At the same time, the talisman paper under the jujube tree ignited with a dark blue flame, instantly forcing the black shadow back several feet!

Fu Shaoping sneered and tapped his pipe lightly on the window frame: "Get lost."

The black shadow twisted for a moment, and finally turned into a wisp of black smoke and dissipated.

The next morning, rumors spread throughout the town.

"Have you heard? The riverbank was haunted last night!"

"That's right! When I got up at night, I saw a black thing, and it scared me so much that I almost peed my pants!"

"Could it be that the peddler who drowned two years ago has come back to take his life?"

Fu Shaoping squatted by the river fishing, listening to the discussions of several old men behind him, with a slight smile on his face.

Shopkeeper Li came over with a wine jug in his hand and lowered his voice, "Doctor Fu, you are very knowledgeable. What was that thing last night?"

Fu Shaoping slowly reeled in his fishing rod and caught a crucian carp as big as a palm. "Who knows? Maybe it's a wild animal that ran down from the mountain."

Shopkeeper Li was skeptical, but he didn't ask any more questions.

In the following days, Qingxi Town returned to peace.

Fu Shaoping still went fishing and drinking every day, and occasionally helped people with minor illnesses; Nangong Wan embroidered, made perfumes, and occasionally took on some wedding dress work. Although Aunt Zhang still liked to ask about it, she never mentioned the "black shadow" again.

Only Carpenter Liu came to visit one day. He stared at the copper bell under the eaves for a long time, and finally said in a muffled voice: "This bell... is unusual."

Fu Shaoping handed him a bowl of wine and smiled without saying a word.

Carpenter Liu didn't ask any more questions. The two of them sat opposite each other, drinking and watching the sunset.

However, the calm is only temporary.

Late one night, Fu Shaoping suddenly woke up from his dream - there was a muffled "gulp" sound coming from the river outside the yard, as if something had sunk to the bottom of the water.

Nangong Wan had already stood up, with the golden thread entwined between his fingers: "Here it comes."

Fu Shaoping took out his pipe and squinted out the window - a pale corpse slowly floated up on the river, with a blurred face and a red string wrapped around its neck.

The other end of the red line disappears into the bottomless river.

The river is dark and the moonlight is pale.

The floating corpse slowly approached, with a red line wrapped around its neck, like a scarlet snake. Fu Shaoping narrowed his eyes and spun his pipe around his fingertips: "Tsk, the 'Puppetry Technique' of the Netherworld Pavilion... seems to be coming for us."

The golden thread on Nangong Wan's fingertips moved silently, stretching like a string in the night wind: "More than one."

Before he finished speaking, ripples began to appear on the surface of the river - the second and third corpses floated up one after another, with red lines wrapped around their necks, their pale faces facing the direction of the courtyard, and tiny black bugs crawling out of their empty eye sockets.

Fu Shaoping kicked the gate open, sparks flew from his pipe. Three yellow talismans flew out, exploding with dazzling golden light on the river. The floating corpse screamed, and the red line suddenly tightened, pulling the corpse into the air!

"Back off!" Nangong Wan threw out seven golden needles from his sleeves, with silk threads that were difficult to see with the naked eye tied to the ends of the needles. They instantly pierced through the eyebrows of the three floating corpses. The corpses twitched violently, and black blood gushed out from their seven orifices, but was shredded into pieces by the silk threads before falling to the ground.

The rotten meat fell into the river, but the red line did not break. Instead, it rushed towards Nangong Wan's ankle like a living thing!

"Ding--"

The copper bell on the eaves rang suddenly, and the green light turned into a sharp blade to cut the red thread. Sticky black blood oozed out from the broken part, and the whimpering like a crying baby came from the bottom of the river.

Fu Shaoping squatted by the river, his pipe picking up a broken thread: "The blood silk has been soaked in corpse oil... It's the work of the left emissary of the Netherworld Pavilion." He suddenly poked the pipe towards the water surface, "You've been watching for so long, why don't you come up?"

The river water exploded, and a man in a straw raincoat stumbled out, the compass in his hand spinning wildly. Nangong Wan's golden thread had already wrapped around his neck: "Who sent you?"

The man in the straw raincoat let out a strange "chuckle" from his throat and suddenly tore open his clothes - there were thirteen coffin nails densely nailed on his chest!

"Be careful of the corpse explosion!" Fu Shaoping dragged Nangong Wan back violently. The body of the man in the straw raincoat exploded, and countless red lines flew out of the rotten flesh, shooting towards the whole town like a rainstorm!
At the critical moment, Carpenter Liu's courtyard door suddenly opened.

A three-foot-tall wooden statue of Guan Gong flew through the air, and the Azure Dragon Crescent Blade swept across, chopping the red lines in the sky into powder. Carpenter Liu stood shirtless in the yard, with a Big Dipper tattoo on his back: "My two Taoist friends, I have been hiding this from you for a long time."

Fu Shaoping raised his eyebrows: "The 'Yaoguang Xingjun' of Beidou Division is actually working as a carpenter in Qingxi Town?"

The whole town was awakened at this moment, and Shopkeeper Li rushed out with a fire poker: "Are there bandits?" But he saw Aunt Zhang in front of Wang Po's tofu stall, using an embroidery needle to pin a twisting red thread, with quick, accurate and ruthless movements.

"The 'Thousand Silk Threads' of the embroiderer?" Nangong Wan's eyes suddenly turned cold.

Aunt Zhang tore off her disguise, revealing a beautiful but sinister face: "Right Envoy of the Netherworld Pavilion, greetings to Fairy Nangong." She hooked her fingertips, and the gold threads on all the wedding dresses in the town suddenly rose up and turned into a cage covering the three people! (End of this chapter)