Shi Yuqing nudged Xu Ying's waist and whispered, "Martial Uncle Ah Ying, is the old tea-selling lady you wanted me to join forces with you against really Granny Meng?"
Xu Ying replied without missing a beat, lowering his voice. "No. Stop poking my waist."
Shi Yuqing said, "You were even planning to use force, terrified you couldn't beat her, and wanted me to help you..."
"I said no! Stop making wild guesses—I never said that!" Cold sweat dotted Xu Ying's forehead.
Granny Meng raised her cloudy, dim old eyes and sized him up several times, grinning. "Those who come to drink tea, beg for tea, pass by, or come to kill this old woman are all hanging beneath the bridge. This old woman has seen plenty of them, but coming to ask questions is rare indeed. I am merely a tea vendor at the bridgehead. What could this old woman possibly do for the young master? Drink some tea, young master."
She pushed the tea bowl in front of Xu Ying and poured the tea. Shi Yuqing instantly grew tense, her fingers jabbing into Xu Ying's waist like raindrops as she whispered frantically, "Don't drink it! If you drink it, it's over... all over!"
Xu Ying lifted the tea bowl and drained it in a single gulp.
Despair washed over Shi Yuqing's face, and she stamped her foot. "Why did you drink it? Now everything is ruined!"
Xu Ying set down the tea bowl and said, "A bit bland. Sect Master, stop poking my waist, it hurts."
Shi Yuqing's eyes widened. The corner of Granny Meng's eye twitched, and she chuckled. "Since you have drunk the tea, you may move along."
"I have something I would like to ask Granny's help with," Xu Ying continued with a smile.
Granny Meng looked up at him, poured another bowl of tea, and remarked nonchalantly, "What matter? Young master, drink tea."
Xu Ying lifted the tea bowl, drained it in one gulp, set it down, and said, "I wish to consult Granny about my origins. Dare I ask, Granny, do you know of Xujiaping?"
The corner of Granny Meng's eye twitched. She poured another bowl of tea and chuckled, "Young master, try this bowl of tea."
Xu Ying lifted it and drank heartily.
Granny Meng's hand trembled slightly. "Young master, please wait a moment." She took the tea bag out of the teapot, tossed it into the Nai River, and called out, "Lucky you!"
Suddenly, iridescent ripples shimmered across the Nai River as a black dragon surged out from the water. Immense beyond measure, undulating like a rising and falling mountain range, it opened its maw to swallow the tea bag before plunging back down into the Nai River, vanishing without a trace.
Hanging beneath the Nai River Bridge, the bronze bell and Yuan Qi shivered. The bronze bell saw that the purple immortal plant was shivering as well, and was taken aback: *I thought it was a tough guy like Master Jin, but to think it is just as open-minded and detached as Seventh Master and me.*
It immediately felt a sense of mutual appreciation—heroes cherishing heroes—and was no longer so hostile toward the purple immortal plant, thinking: *The grave weed beat Patriarch Chanchan, beat Master Jin, beat Seventh Master, and beat Ah Ying, yet it never beat me. That proves heroes recognize heroes; it clearly recognized how extraordinary I am, too.*
Granny Meng took out a new tea bag, placed it into the teapot, and rested her palm beneath it. A cluster of Netherworld ghostly fire flickered in her palm, radiating a chilling aura as she slowly brewed the tea over a low flame.
Xu Ying waited quietly.
Shi Yuqing looked anxiously behind her, only to see more and more ghosts gathering on the Nai River Bridge.
These were merely the ghosts on the Nai River Bridge of the Yuanshou World; if one's vision could encompass the myriad heavens and worlds, countless Nai River Bridges would have ghosts queuing up.
These ghosts accumulated in greater numbers, their line stretching longer and longer until the end was no longer visible.
As the ghosts increased, the Nai River Bridge automatically lengthened, and the Nai River gradually widened.
Granny Meng boiled down the tea in the pot until only a single bowl remained, then poured it into the bowl. That bowl of tea actually gave off an oily green glow, thick and viscous, exuding an unidentifiable odor.
Shi Yuqing caught merely a whiff of it before collapsing to the ground with a thud, knocked out cold.
The ghosts upon the bridge were bewitched one after another, their memories dissipating as they drifted away.
"Young master, drink tea!" Granny Meng set down the teapot and glared at Xu Ying.
Xu Ying lifted the tea bowl, his hand trembling slightly, then tilted his head back and downed it in one gulp.
Once the bowl of tea was down his gullet, Xu Ying's vision suddenly blurred. His mind grew dizzy and muddled, the world spinning around him, and with a thud, he collapsed.
Granny Meng breathed a sigh of relief and chuckled sinisterly, "You have drunk this old woman's tea countless times, so perhaps you built up some resistance. But once I changed to a new tea bag, you couldn't take it anymore. A single tea bag of mine is meant to serve one billion six hundred million wandering lonely ghosts. Gulping it down in one go, you can obediently receive a new life."
She snorted, her expression turning somewhat ferocious. "Those little scamps Fu Yi and Beichenzi caused me trouble again. Who would have thought he'd track me down here?"
Just as she was about to resume business, Xu Ying's leg suddenly twitched.
Granny Meng was greatly shocked. She watched as Xu Ying slowly clambered back up, rubbing his right temple with his hand, his gaze somewhat unfocused.
Granny Meng's gaze also grew slightly vacant as she stared at him blankly, thinking inwardly in alarm: *Could my tea truly have lost its effect? Should I try a sip?*
She hurriedly dismissed the dangerous thought. Even though she had brewed the tea herself, if even she couldn't handle it and forgot everything after a single sip, wouldn't that be disastrous?
Xu Ying shook his head vigorously. Only after a while did his wits return. He praised Granny Meng, "What potent tea—goes right to the head! Granny Meng, can you answer my question now?"
Granny Meng's face turned dark and uncertain. Suddenly she cackled. "When did this old woman ever promise to answer your question if you drank the tea? Drink this tea if you like, or leave if you don't; this old woman won't stop you. Take this bird, that bell, the snake, and the weed with you—all of them!"
Jin Buyi flew into a rage. Swinging his body out from beneath the bridge, he poked his head up and shouted, "You dead old crone, are you tricking your Young Master? Believe me, I'll hack you to death!"
The bronze bell and Yuan Qi hurriedly tried to dissuade him: "Master Jin, don't! Don't do this!"
"Leave a way out for Ah Ying, don't do this!"
Xu Ying remained calm, looking at Granny Meng. "Granny Meng is a senior who must have witnessed my past. You should also know that I cannot be trapped forever."
Granny Meng's hand trembled slightly, her expression stormy. Xu Ying continued, "You said just now that I have taken Meng Po soup countless times. When my memories return in the future, is Granny truly not worried?"
Granny Meng's expression shifted slightly, and she cackled, "What would I worry about? This old woman was merely obeying orders from above to cooperate with the monitors. I never forced the young master to drink tea."
Xu Ying said, "Granny Meng can explain those matters to the future me."
Granny Meng's face changed again, and she sneered, "Xu Ying, though you were powerful back then, you and I never had a battle, so it's impossible to say who was superior. How can you be so certain you were stronger than me?"
Behind her, an immeasurable darkness suddenly welled up, enveloping the great chiliocosm, space and time, and the myriad heavens and worlds. Her form grew unimaginably vast, and beneath her robes, a great river surged, flowing from thousands of worlds and bringing countless wandering ghosts!
"Look upon my Dao image! Do I need to fear you in the slightest?" she said chillingly.
Right at that moment, sunlight suddenly blazed forth, illuminating the Nai River Bridge. Granny Meng raised her sleeve to block the glare, only to see a skeletal golden crow flapping its wings as it flew over, coiled in chains, dragging a decommissioned red sun as it skimmed across the vast, boundless Nai River.
Within the red sun, countless scraps of joss paper fluttered violently, suddenly taking flight with a rustle and transforming into winter crows flapping away.
With all the paper money gone, the red sun burned brighter than fire, rolling across the waters of the Nai River.
The golden crow skeleton dragged the massive sun toward the Nai River Bridge, bringing a suffocating pressure that made it hard to breathe.
Suddenly, the golden crow skeleton came to a halt, flapping its wings as it hovered in midair.
Within the red sun, a shadowy humanoid silhouette faintly materialized, swelling larger and larger until it gradually filled the entire red sun.
His figure was towering and majestic, surrounded by countless spinning paper scraps, making him look like an ash giant.
"Granny Meng,"
The figure sat within the sun, his voice booming. "Over these years, you have offered up countless bowls of Meng Po soup. Though you were forced into it, you have nevertheless incurred a grievance. Enmities are better resolved than maintained. Since he has given you a way to back down, why not take this chance to turn weapons of war into gifts of jade and silk?"
Seeing who it was, Granny Meng did not dare be discourteous. She bowed and said, "So it is Dongyue. ...an opportunity to intervene in the Netherworld..."
Laughter from the ash giant came from within the red sun: "If those above could truly do anything to the Netherworld, we would have died long ago. Why would we have survived until today?"
Granny Meng fell into thought.
The paper money surrounding the ash giant rustled and dispersed as that deep, heavy voice said, "You also know that the Netherworld is far from peaceful. If those above wish to punish you, their emissary might well be eliminated by the Netherworld's powerhouses before they even arrive."
Hearing this, Granny Meng breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. "With Dongyue's words, this old woman can rest easy. Young Master Xu, you have drunk my Meng Po soup countless times; in the future, you cannot hold this against me."
Xu Ying nodded. "If Granny is willing to reveal my origins, I will certainly not hold it against you."
Granny Meng dispersed her vision and said, "Young master may head to Kunlun to search for Xujiaping. That was where you walked out from back then."
"Kunlun?"
Xu Ying pressed, "What else?"
Granny Meng hesitated, wanting to speak yet not daring to.
The ash giant's voice sounded from within the red sun: "She swore an oath back then and cannot speak of it, or else she will suffer a fatal catastrophe."
Xu Ying bowed in greeting toward the red sun. "Thank you, Senior, for speaking up on my behalf."
Within the red sun, a figure slowly rose to his feet, gave a slight bow, and laughed. "Fellow Daoist Xu, those who treat you well may not truly have your best interests at heart. Who knows, perhaps I harbor an intention to use you as well?"
Xu Ying was taken aback.
The golden crow skeleton flapped its wings, dragging the red sun on its journey once more, swiftly receding into the distance.
Granny Meng removed the golden rope and released Yuan Qi, the bronze bell, Jin Buyi, and the purple immortal plant. She said, "Young Master Xu, you should leave early. By revealing heavenly secrets, I fear a calamity will soon befall me. If you linger, you might be dragged into it."
Xu Ying offered his thanks, gathered the unconscious Shi Yuqing into his arms, and asked, "Senior, will she forget the past?"
Granny Meng replied, "She didn't drink the tea, only smelled the scent and fell unconscious. At most, she will have a bit of amnesia, nothing serious. Her soul is protected by immortal arts, so she will awaken before long, and her memories should slowly return as well."
Xu Ying breathed a sigh of relief, took his leave, and walked off the Nai River Bridge.
After who knows how long, Shi Yuqing groggily came to. Looking around, she found herself lying upon the head of a giant snake. The chilly wind whistled, blowing quite cold.
Not far away was a youth dressed in black robes with a red sash, studying a 'Prison' seal.
Shi Yuqing studied the youth closely and found him utterly unfamiliar. She asked in bewilderment, "Who are you? Where am I?"
The youth turned around, flashing a sun-bronzed smile. "You're awake? We just got married last night, but you drank too much. Did you forget?"
"Married?"
Shi Yuqing shrieked, scrambling to her feet in a panic. "No! When did I marry you? I clearly remember I was still at the Sword Sect yesterday—yes! The apprenticeship ceremony was held just yesterday! I placed first in the ceremony and became the Headmaster's disciple!"
Perched upon Yuan Qi's long white horn, Jin Buyi asked in puzzlement, "Ah Ying, didn't Granny Meng say just a bit of amnesia? Why does this girl look even worse off than me?"
Xu Ying looked solemn. Shi Yuqing's 'bit of amnesia' had sent her memory back three thousand years.
*I don't know how slow Granny Meng's 'slowly recover' really means. What if it takes three thousand years to recover...*
Xu Ying was in no hurry to head to Mount Kunlun; instead, he first returned to the Fusang tree to rest and regroup.
A Shang tribesman said, "Ten days ago, someone named Xue Ying'an came looking for you. Seeing that our benefactor was not here, he left a letter and departed."
Xu Ying unfolded the letter. In it, Xue Ying'an wrote that recently, oddly dressed young Qi Refiners had appeared, challenging Nuo masters of all factions, and their strength was formidable. Some of them were searching for him, so he should be extra careful.
Xu Ying did not take it to heart, setting the letter aside.
During these past few days, Shi Yuqing had clung to Xu Ying like a shadow, trailing right behind him. The young woman was extremely cautious, terrified of being left behind.
Granny Meng's promise of slowly recovering memories was giving Xu Ying quite a headache; Shi Yuqing showed no sign whatsoever of regaining her memory.
*Is the Mount Shu Sword Sect going to die out just like this?* Xu Ying blinked.
On this day, Xu Ying was walking ahead of Shi Yuqing when, with a sudden clack, a scroll of scripture slipped from his robes. Xu Ying seemed utterly oblivious, walking straight on.
Shi Yuqing picked it up, only to see the words Six Secrets Dragon-Seeking Locating Art written on the cover. As if possessed by an inexplicable impulse, she flipped it open to look.
Clack!
Another scripture dropped from Xu Ying. Shi Yuqing stepped up, picked it up, and looked; it was a book titled Mud Pill Longevity Orthodox Method.
Clack!
Xu Ying dropped yet another scripture. Shi Yuqing walked over and picked it up, seeing that it was a scripture named Yellow Court Divine Sense Orthodox Method.
In this manner, Xu Ying dropped scriptures with every step along the way. Before long, Shi Yuqing had encountered Jade Pool Yuan Qi Orthodox Method, Crimson Palace Heart Power Orthodox Method, Jade Capital Yin-Yang Orthodox Method, and Bubbling Spring Soul Orthodox Method.
Shi Yuqing picked them up the entire way and waved, calling out, "Husband, your Realm of Xiyi is leaking! Husband? Husband!"
Xu Ying took to his heels, vanishing in a flash without a trace. Unable to catch up to him, Shi Yuqing had no choice but to cradle the armful of books, walk over to sit beneath the Fusang tree, and wait for Xu Ying.
Right at that moment, up in the Fusang tree, a giant snake slowly lowered its head, its voice dripping with temptation: "Little girl, do you want to learn these Six Secret Depositories Nuo methods?"
Shi Yuqing said delightedly, "Sure! You know them?"
The giant snake wound slowly around her, drifting left and right, east and west. "I can teach you."
A bronze bell flew over, hovering before Shi Yuqing, and said leisurely, "I can help you open the Six Secret Depositories of the Human Body."
Chapter 212