The tail of the crimson giant dragon coiled around the man's knees, filling the entire Mountain God Temple. The closer the dragon's body got to the tail end, the more transparent it became, reflecting the man in Li Guanyi's eyes, as if he were both divine and demonic.
This crimson dragon, resembling a deity, did not truly exist.
Only Li Guanyi, utilizing the power of the Bronze Cauldron's imprint, could catch a glimpse of it.
It was not until a month ago, when he encountered this man, that the Bronze Cauldron, which had been silent for ten years, began to exhibit its peculiarities. The potent poison that had often afflicted him was suppressed, and he gained the special ability to see the giant dragon with his naked eyes.
On one side was the deadly poison that threatened his life, and on the other was the strange phenomenon of the Bronze Cauldron suppressing the poison. Naturally, Li Guanyi had to seize this opportunity.
The brilliance in Li Guanyi's eyes dispersed, and the phantom of the divine dragon vanished from his sight. He pretended to see only an ordinary beggar, then knelt on the mat in the Mountain God Temple, laying out the roasted chicken, steamed buns, and wine he had bought in order. He then clasped his hands together and prayed devoutly to the statue.
For this past month, he pretended to be a devout youth from the city, often coming to worship the Mountain God. The wine and meat he brought were never taken back, all consumed by this extraordinary man. He visited every two or three days, each time staying for just the duration of an incense stick.
He maintained a balance, allowing the jade liquid within the Bronze Cauldron to gradually accumulate without arousing too much suspicion from the man.
He acted like a pious young man, never having spoken a word to this man.
He planned to slowly build a relationship, becoming familiar with him naturally, and then seek the opportunity to stimulate the Bronze Cauldron through this giant.
But now, it seemed there was no time left for such plans.
After finishing his usual prayers, Li Guanyi thought of the cloud pattern that had appeared in his nightmares repeatedly, as well as the turning point this past month had brought him. He made up his mind, remaining kneeling on the mat, and suddenly spoke, "Today, there were Tiyi wearing red beast-patterned clothes, following a young man with cloud patterns on his sleeves who came to the Apothecary."
"They said there were prison escapees who stole the medicinal materials needed by the criminals."
"They also left a notice, saying that anyone with information should inform the yamen, with a reward of five hundred taels of silver."
"I hope this matter can pass quickly, and the Apothecary can return to normal."
The giant man sitting there finally slowly opened his eyes.
Li Guanyi seemed to hear a low, murderous dragon's roar in his ears and instinctively raised his head.
Without needing the breath of the Bronze Cauldron to infuse him, his vision had already divided into two worlds of reality and illusion. One side was the dilapidated Mountain God Temple with crumbling walls, while the other was filled with vibrant crimson light and swirling clouds. Within the mist, the enormous, vast dragon head pressed against the young man's brow, causing his black hair to sway slightly.
The cloud mist suddenly dispersed, and the crimson dragon's eyes ignited with flames, only to be shattered by a towering figure.
The tall beggar stepped out from the mist.
Surrounded by the giant dragon.
Li Guanyi felt a surge in the jade liquid within the Bronze Cauldron.
These phenomena were not visible to the naked eye.
The jade liquid in the Bronze Cauldron rose rapidly as the beggar looked at the young man before him.
During this time, he had secretly observed Li Guanyi. When they first met, he was weak and calm, yet he brought food and drink. The first time could be seen as kindness, but when he mentioned being thirsty one day, the next day there was an extra jug of wine. It was clear that this young man was either excessively kind-hearted or had ulterior motives.
But even so, he had not taken the initiative to strike up a conversation for a full month.
Only today did he take the initiative to say this, and it was directed at the Mountain God, not directly acknowledging that he knew the man was a fugitive. He acted like a normal youth praying sincerely, careful and unhurried.
The beggar admired him in his heart, suddenly breaking into a hearty laugh. He clasped his hands and bowed deeply, saying, "Thank you, young brother, for bringing me wine and meat these past months."
"This time, I appreciate you delivering the message, but it seems we can't stay here any longer."
The beggar sighed, sitting down, tearing off a chicken leg and chewing it heartily. He then lifted a jug of wine and gulped it down. This large, fat chicken, along with ten big steamed buns, was enough to feed an ordinary family, yet the beggar devoured it all in a flash.
After finishing, he picked a chicken bone from his teeth and said, "I'm full, I'm full."
He then sighed, "I have indeed been injured and do not wish to confront those rascals head-on. It’s best if no one knows we are here; I probably can't stay long. Young brother, since you delivered the message, I cannot ignore this favor. Here, these days, you have worked hard bringing me wine and meat, take this."
The beggar pulled out a thumb-sized luminous pearl from his pocket and handed it to Li Guanyi, saying boldly, "I came out without gold or silver, but this pearl is worth something. Take it!"
Li Guanyi looked at the pearl, round and bright, and immediately recognized its immense value, but he shook his head.
The beggar was taken aback, then burst into laughter, saying, "It's my mistake. If you were a greedy person, you would have gone to the officials and turned me in long ago. That five hundred taels of silver would be more reassuring than this pearl, and you wouldn't have to worry about being found out."
Li Guanyi shook his head again, saying, "It's not that."
"I want it too."
"But I can't protect this pearl."
"Taking it would only bring trouble."
The beggar, intrigued, asked, "Can't protect it? Oh? You mean you want to obtain something else from me?"
"Hahaha, tell me, what do you want?"
Li Guanyi nodded, having considered various thoughts. The crimson dragon's body was related to the Bronze Cauldron, which he could not disclose; the origin of the poison involved a deadly escape ten years ago, which he also could not reveal. Finally, Li Guanyi raised his head and spoke, leaving only a few concise words:
"I want to learn martial arts from you!"
He glimpsed the crimson dragon in his mind, a hint of desire surfacing within him.
The rain-soaked night from ten years ago lingered in his heart. The cloud patterns of the iron cavalry shadowed him, and he longed for the power to protect himself and his aunt. But he was afflicted by poison, and the only hope he had was the Bronze Cauldron and this man who could bring changes to it.
The beggar examined Li Guanyi's eyes and suddenly broke into a smile.
In a flash, he appeared behind Li Guanyi.
He placed a hand on Li Guanyi's shoulder, squeezing his arm and back, raising an eyebrow as he said, "Your bone structure is unexpectedly quite good, but you have been poisoned?"
"The toxin has eroded your meridians and bone structure; it must have lowered your potential significantly."
"Hey, your back is injured badly. Was it done by the Night Rider Cavalry of Chen Kingdom?"
"A bunch of bullies."
He gently patted Li Guanyi's back, a gentle aura flowing into Li Guanyi's body. The bruises on his back quickly faded away. The beggar sat cross-legged in front of Li Guanyi, arms wrapped around his body, fingers lightly stroking his beard as he looked at the young man before him, his brow slightly furrowed.
Although the bone structure was only slightly better, the rare agility and subtlety of his temperament were commendable.
At this age, it was quite impressive.
However, accepting a disciple was not a trivial matter.
His knowledge was eclectic, having reached a high level in various disciplines. While he could casually impart a technique, his bold nature prevented him from doing so. Teaching martial arts was certainly not a simple task.
Moreover, this child...
He glanced at the marks on Li Guanyi's clothing and realized that the boy had shown no resistance when he was recently grabbed and slammed onto the table by the Tiyi. The key point was that the marks on his collar indicated he had flipped over and hidden his face after being thrown.
People fear death.
This is human nature.
The more intelligent and perceptive one is, the more they cherish their lives.
But martial artists are different; they must possess a certain fierceness!
Such a cautious and clever child has talent but lacks that necessary ferocity, making him unsuitable for his path. However, encountering such a young man at this moment stirred a sense of appreciation for talent within him. Accepting a disciple should not be done rashly, so he decided to test him, saying:
"The lackeys of the Night Rider Cavalry have already discovered me. I cannot stay here for too long."
"I will leave tomorrow. For now, I will check the surroundings. If you truly wish to learn martial arts, tonight is the Ghost Festival. Come here to find me at midnight!"
This place is remote; although Guan Yi City in Chen Kingdom does not have a curfew, going to the Mountain God Temple at midnight to meet a fugitive is certainly not something a timid child could do. If this young man can accomplish it, then he must possess some courage. Thus, before leaving, why not impart a skill to him?
The giant man made up his mind:
"I will teach you a marvelous method!"
(End of this chapter)