Netherworld Chapter 76: The Only Life Pulse (3)
Forget it, let’s not talk about this. The old woman shook her head and asked me again: The Eight Ropes should be passed down from generation to generation, why haven’t you learned it yet?
Because... I told him about the conflict between my grandfather and my father, as well as all those messy speculations.
After hearing this, the old woman was also puzzled: "So that's why you haven't made any progress in your studies. It seems that something must have happened between your parents and your grandfather, otherwise they wouldn't have told you anything and even let you get their names wrong."
This may be what Grandpa did on purpose, maybe he thought that if I called him Grandpa, I would be more like the descendant of Basuo lineage, I said.
That's possible. The old woman nodded, and then she suddenly seemed to remember something: Doesn't the Taoist spell of the Eight Ropes have the eight characters "Misfortunes turn into blessings" and "Guarding the Heaven and Earth"?
Yes, the two I learned both start with these eight words. I said.
So... the old woman suddenly looked at me strangely: Maybe, I know your mother.
How do you know her? I asked in surprise and excitement: Do you really know her?
The old woman did not answer me with certainty, but said: I am not sure whether she is your mother or not. But the person I know often uses the eight words "Misfortunes will turn into blessings" and "Guarding the Universe" when casting spells. If there is no other method similar to your Eight Ropes, she should be it.
I can't answer this question either, because I only learned two methods of the Eight Ropes, and I don't know anything else. If there are any spells in the world similar to the Eight Ropes, I guess I have to ask the old Taoist priest.
Speaking of which, it was a long time ago. At that time, I had achieved academic success and was a young and rebellious person. The old woman said with a nostalgic look: When I was just 20 years old, I planned to leave my only family and go out to try my luck. I met her in a county town. She was graceful, dignified and elegant, and people couldn't help but get close to her. She had a very unique temperament. When I was with her, I always felt very calm and had nothing to worry about. Although we were almost the same age, I was like an ignorant little girl in front of her.
How many years have passed since you were 20? I asked.
Twenty-six years. The old woman said: The reason why I remember it so clearly is because I went to the Five Elements Meridian in that year.
After seeing me, she said that I was born with a Yin body and it would be difficult for me to live for much longer. In fact, I also knew this. At that time, several uncles and uncles were still alive, and it was they who spent their energy to extend my life. It was also because of this that I left the Du Sheng Clan to venture out. I didn't want the entire Du Sheng Clan to be delayed because of me.
She told me that there are many ways to prolong life in the world, but human power is limited. Even if I sacrifice my entire single life meridian, I can only live to 22 years old at most. This is destiny and cannot be changed. But if I can find the treasure of heaven and earth, I can change my fate.
Hearing this, my originally excited mood suddenly became a little strange, and I vaguely guessed why the old woman went to the Five Elements Pulse in the first place.
There were many treasures in the world in ancient times, and it was even said that there was an immortal fruit that could make people ascend to heaven in broad daylight. The old woman said: But it is no longer seen in modern times, and all the treasures have disappeared. She told me that if there is still a treasure in the world that can prolong my life, it is only the Wood Spirit Pill of the Five Elements Meridian, the Life-suppressing Jade Talisman of the Changsheng Sect, and the Ghost Immortal Cultivation Method left by the Ghost Lao Lao of Laoshan.
The Changsheng Sect has been cultivating Qi for thousands of years and never participated in fighting. A few hundred years ago, we could occasionally hear about them, but in the past hundred years, no one knows where they are. The cultivation method of the Laoshan Guilaolao was taken away by the Tianshi Cultivation Cultivation. Not to mention me alone, even if the entire Dusheng Cultivation ...
That's why you wanted to steal the Wood Spirit Pill of the Five Elements Meridian to extend your life, and that's why all that happened... I felt a little hot on my face. If that woman was really my mother, the grudge between the Five Elements Meridian and the Only Life Meridian could be said to have been caused by her. As her son, I would naturally feel embarrassed.
It's true that people are selfish, and I want to live too. The old woman had a bitter look on her face: Because I was young and energetic, I happened to meet him, and I thought it was an opportunity. But I didn't expect that I would be discovered before I could do anything, and I almost lost my life.
Did my mother ask you to go? I asked the answer I wanted to know the most.
Yes, she said, only the Wood Spirit Pill of the Five Elements Meridian is the easiest to obtain. The old woman suddenly laughed: But don't worry, I don't mean to blame her, after all, she just proposed it, and the final decision was made by me. As the saying goes, most of the troubles of people are caused by themselves, and I can only blame myself.
I didn't say anything, because the news told by the old woman made me feel embarrassed and confused.
Aren't the Five Elements Meridians and the Eight Threads Meridians closely related? Why would that woman who looks like my mother encourage others to steal the Wood Spirit Pill? Could it be that the Five Elements Meridians and the Eight Threads have lost their close relationship in recent decades? In addition to the gradual decline of the Eight Threads, are there other reasons?
If there really is such a reason, even the old Taoist priest probably doesn't know it, otherwise he wouldn't have come to find me, let alone taken me with him. But if we think about it the other way around, the old Taoist priest knew the reason, so he deliberately took me with him all the time. What was he trying to do...
I don't like to speculate, but this kind of relationship matters, I can't help but speculate. Moreover, this is the first time I heard from someone else about the whereabouts of my mother who had been missing for more than 20 years.
Maybe you also find it strange. The old woman suddenly said: Actually, I also find it very strange. He used the Wood Spirit Pill to extend my life. After I woke up, I suddenly felt that I seemed to have fallen into a trap that year. I did nothing out of the ordinary in the Five Elements Meridian, but I was easily discovered.
You hadn't done it yet? I asked in surprise. The old Taoist priest once said that he heard the sound of beating and scolding coming out of the room, and saw his master preparing to do it. After hearing this, I always thought that she had already done it, but was accidentally discovered.
No, the Five Elements Meridian Dao method is magical. Although I am very courageous, I am not such a reckless person. How can I dare to take action without a real opportunity? The old woman said.
"You really have never seen her? And you don't know anything about her?" the old woman asked.
No. Otherwise, I wouldn't have mistaken my grandfather for my grandpa. I said with a bitter face: But listening to you say this, I feel that the previous generation is more weird and mysterious.
“Perhaps, something big happened before you were born,” the old woman said.
Maybe, I said. In fact, I had another guess in my mind, that is, what happened in my family had something to do with her instigating the old woman to steal the Wood Spirit Pill. Because I was born a year later, the time span was not that long.
I just don't know why she hasn't come back to see me in all these years. Is it because something happened to her? Or is it because of something else? The chaotic thoughts made my agitated emotions completely calm down, and even slowly lost.
There is no one who does not want a harmonious and happy family. But these are so far away from me.
Don't think too much, there are some things that you can't guess. The old woman advised: Think more open-mindedly, when the time comes, all the truth will come out naturally. Before the time comes, the more you think, the more confused you will be.
I nodded and looked at her old face: Don’t you really hate her?
The old woman laughed and patted my hair: Silly child, if you hate too much, you will not be happy. Remember what I said, most of the troubles people suffer are caused by themselves. There is a cause and an effect. If the fruit is too bitter, you should first think about why you eat this fruit.
As I looked at her, I understood more and more why the old Taoist priest and his fellow disciples were so determined to live with her for the rest of their lives.
Your mother's Taoism is very powerful, she must have received the true teachings of the Eight Ropes. The old woman finally said: She is like a fairy in the sky. At my time, many people admired her. But for some reason, she finally chose your father.
Maybe it’s because of love…I said.
The old woman laughed and didn't say anything. In fact, I also felt that this sentence was ridiculous.
We both stood there for a while until the old woman said her waist felt a little uncomfortable and she let me help her go back.
After waking up, the old woman no longer lived in that remote cave, but moved back to her own residence. Here, she had her own little piece of land, and except for her, the little beauty, and a few others, most people were not allowed to enter.
I helped her walk into the two-story building, which attracted a lot of attention. Of course, most of this attention was malicious. I guess they were all waiting for me to come out alone so that they could hit me hard.
They are discussing something in the lobby, it is not convenient for you to go there, you can rest here for a while, the old lady said.
I understand what she means. The old Taoist priest asked for the method, but at least he had a legitimate reason. But as the descendant of the Eight Ropes lineage, I am a fellow Taoist priest but a different sect. It's fine for him to look at the method, but if I want to look at it again, those people will be furious.
Du Shengmai has always been low-key, high-profile, and arrogant. But this place where he lives is really shabby.
The old lady's two-story house was probably the best here, but it was still made of ordinary bricks and tiles. The interior decoration... it couldn't really be called decorated, the walls and floors were all cement, and apart from the antique furniture, the rest was not worth mentioning.
I walked around the room for a few times, and then leaned against the window to watch a few young people waiting for me to come downstairs. Finally, I felt it was boring, so I just found a room and planned to take a nap.
The old Taoist priest is talking to someone about changing the method. This is a big deal. It may not be completed in one or two days. Who knows, I may have to stay here for two more days.
The old lady lived downstairs, there were only three rooms, bedrooms on the left and right, and a lobby in the middle. I figured she lived on the left, and the little beauty must live on the right, so I decided to go upstairs.
I climbed up the stairs, which were even simpler, with two rooms, one on the left and one on the right. It was just a two-story building, a duplex structure, but the room upstairs was too small.
I opened a door at random. The decoration inside was very simple. There was a bed, a table, a bookcase, a wardrobe, etc., but nothing fancy. I felt relieved when I saw this. At least it was not a woman living there.
There was a quilt on the bed, folded neatly. I was extremely tired these past two days, so I lay down on the bed and fell asleep in a daze.
When I was half asleep, I suddenly had a dream. I dreamed that a beautiful girl suddenly rushed into the room, and without saying a word, she pressed me and slapped me several times. The slapping sound was so loud that my head shook from side to side and I felt dizzy.
