Lan Qihuan lived alone in the north of the village. With no other villagers around, her small courtyard appeared particularly lonely. The persimmon tree within the walls seemed as melancholy as Lan Qihuan herself.
Fortunately, there were enough guests today to bring some life to the small yard.
Lan Qihuan set up the tables inside. Once everyone was seated, she made over a dozen trips, bringing out all the hot dishes from the kitchen.
Shredded Pork with Fish-Fragrance Sauce, Kung Pao Chicken, Sliced Boiled Pork in Hot Chili Oil, Sliced Beef and Ox Tripe in Chili Sauce, Mapo Tofu, Twice-Cooked Pork...
The aroma was intoxicating. Yan Shouyi, who wasn't even hungry, felt his stomach rumble.
Seeing the dishes on the table, Yan Shouyi realized Lan Qihuan must be from Xichuan, as these were all famous Sichuan dishes.
"Little Lan's cooking is truly excellent. We haven't had the chance to eat dishes like these for years. We're truly fortunate today!"
Old Pan smiled, picked up his wine glass, and stood up. Then, after a moment of hesitation, he yielded the floor to Li Genmiao.
Li Genmiao then slowly raised his glass and said, "Let us welcome our friends from Rongcheng! Cheers!"
Silence fell upon the dining table.
Yan Shouyi and his group couldn't possibly echo Li Genmiao's toast, while Zheng Youqian and his companions were waiting for a signal from Yan Shouyi's party. This standoff left Li Genmiao feeling extremely awkward.
Fortunately, Old Pan quickly stepped in to smooth things over, shouting a few times and offering more toasting remarks, after which everyone reluctantly raised their glasses.
Li Genmiao didn't seem angered, or perhaps he had anticipated this situation.
The spicy dishes, accompanied by the yellow wine brewed by the villagers themselves, dispelled the chill of the heavy snowfall, leaving everyone with flushed faces.
However, the atmosphere was undeniably strange. Two groups, who should have been ready to fight each other on sight, were now sharing a meal at the same table.
If not for Lan Qihuan's truly excellent cooking, the meal might have been even more awkward.
During the meal, Yan Shouyi learned that Lan Qihuan held a very special status; she was the successor of a folk sect known as the "Ask-the-Rice Mediums."
Ask-the-Rice Mediums were similar to "Spirit Walkers," but the difference was that Spirit Walkers sent their souls to the underworld, whereas Ask-the-Rice Mediums summoned souls from the underworld to the living realm to ask questions.
When performing their rituals, Ask-the-Rice Mediums would place a bowl of rice before them, with chopsticks inserted into the rice for the ritual. They could directly communicate with spirits or invite souls to possess them, allowing them to question the deceased or divine fortunes.
Due to the nature of her profession, Lan Qihuan was fated to be a solitary star, having caused the deaths of her parents and relatives, and then her husband and children.
As a result, Lan Qihuan was now alone, and even if widowed, she absolutely avoided any entanglement with anyone.
She was terrified of bringing misfortune upon others.
Having lost so many important people, Lan Qihuan was now perpetually melancholic and her health was not good, which gave her the appearance of a middle-aged beauty like Xi Shi.
Understanding Lan Qihuan's past, Long Feicheng felt a surge of sympathy and offered comfort:
"Auntie Xiao Lan, I'm actually quite similar to you. I'm an orphan and never had friends growing up, so I grew up all alone and miserable... If you don't mind, perhaps we could..."
Yan Shouyi, Old Jin, and Chang Shan fiercely dropped their chopsticks and lunged to cover Long Feicheng's mouth.
Yan Shouyi warned, "Little Long, even though our positions differ from these people, Auntie Xiao Lan is our elder. You should at least show some restraint!"
Long Feicheng broke free from their grasp and loudly explained, "What are you guys thinking? I want to acknowledge Auntie Xiao Lan as my godmother!"
"Oh?"
Everyone froze for a moment, looking at Long Feicheng with suspicion.
Although Long Feicheng enjoyed forming familial ties, he was always clear-cut: for those who were beautiful, he would never pursue a familial relationship, only romance.
Lan Qihuan chuckled softly, shook her head, and said, "Little Long is a good child, but it's best not to. I'm naturally a bringer of misfortune, and I don't want to harm you."
"Alright..."
Long Feicheng looked disappointed, but at the same time, he felt a sense of relief. "Actually, I really wanted to pursue a relationship where the woman is thirty years older and I get a gold brick, but Yan Ge and the others acted too quickly. I had to go along with the excuse."
Lan Qihuan was undoubtedly a great beauty. Nearly forty, she still possessed a captivating charm, and her melancholic demeanor was so pitiable it ignited a man's protective instincts.
Yan Shouyi then remembered that the nameless beggar among the Four Guardians he had first encountered was missing.
So he asked Li Genmiao, "Where did the nameless one go?"
Li Genmiao chuckled slyly, "He couldn't adapt to the lively environment and went home to rest."
"I have a general understanding of the identities and pasts of the other three elders. Who is this nameless one?" Yan Shouyi asked directly, feeling no need to be polite with Li Genmiao.
"Nameless is nameless. He's a beggar I took in. He wasn't originally a member of the Thirteen Taibao of Xuanshan."
Yan Shouyi pressed further, "Then what is special about him that makes you care so much and trust him enough to give him the position of the Hour Guardian?"
"This, I cannot disclose," Li Genmiao stopped revealing information. "Although I said there are no enemies at the wine table, this concerns the secrets of my new Xuanshan sect. If I tell you, what if after we descend from Changbai Mountain, you start targeting me?"
It seemed that the nameless one was quite important to Li Genmiao.
Yan Shouyi sneered, "You're mistaken on one point. After descending from Changbai Mountain, I won't be making a move on you."
"Oh? Why?" Daifeng Novel
"It's likely only one of us will return alive from Changbai Mountain." Yan Shouyi smiled faintly.
Li Genmiao nodded, generously poured two cups of wine, and said, "This cup, to death."
"To death," Yan Shouyi raised his cup.
...
As everyone was enjoying their meal, Lan Qihuan suddenly sat beside Yan Shouyi. While smoothing the creases on his clothes, she cautioned him:
"After you finish eating and ascend the mountain, you'll likely reach the Heavenly Lake at the earliest in the early morning. The mountain path is extremely winding, and with the wind and snow obstructing your way, there are also demons, ghosts, and strange creatures causing trouble. You must not let your guard down."
Yan Shouyi was not surprised by Lan Qihuan's concern. So far, he hadn't perceived anything sinister about her or her group. In fact, he felt they were similar to Uncle Long San, Lapi Tou, and Zheng Zhaodi.
However, what puzzled Yan Shouyi was Lan Qihuan's mention of "demons, ghosts, and strange creatures."
"Auntie Xiao Lan, are there many demons, ghosts, and strange creatures on Changbai Mountain?" he inquired.
Lan Qihuan frowned and nodded. "Many. Changbai Mountain is, after all, the foremost sacred mountain in the Northeast. There are countless legends and tales of strange occurrences, and even more so for the unknown creatures no one has seen. Even you are in danger of perishing."
Long Feicheng, on the other hand, was not convinced. With his mouth full of roast chicken, he mumbled, "Auntie Xiao Lan, you haven't seen Yan Ge in action. Even ghost kings are nothing to him now, let alone mere demons, ghosts, and strange creatures."
Unexpectedly, Lan Qihuan replied with great seriousness, "The demons, ghosts, and strange creatures of Changbai Mountain are different. You must not underestimate them. Last time, even the Actor almost met his end in the mountains!"
Upon hearing this, the table fell silent for a few seconds.
Everyone turned to Lan Qihuan, eager to hear her elaborate.