Gu Huo's divine consciousness drifted in a daze, and he turned to look.
A youth was sprinting down the narrow path on the facing hillside. Reaching the riverbank, before he had even found steady footing, he began to complain, "Why did you come down here to wash again? I haul water up every single day—isn't that so you don't have to come down here? It's so steep, and after the rain it's slippery and dangerous... You really are..."
Gu Huo's gaze narrowed. He actually knew this youth.
It was none other than Xu Yao, the boy with the unusual eyes.
He had just seen him at dawn and tested his character.
To Gu Huo, coming here was because of the celestial phenomena: continuous violent downpours, wild thunder, and lightning, almost entirely concentrated over Black Mountain.
A heavy rainstorm alone would have been nothing, but such frenzied thunder and lightning accompanying torrents of rain, striking several times in a row, was unusual.
As everyone knew, thunder and lightning were typically ferocious before a torrential downpour; once the rain began, the lightning and thunder would weaken or cease altogether, leaving only a quiet, wild deluge.
Hence, these successive downpours over Black Mountain had aroused Gu Huo's sharp vigilance.
Something monumental had to be taking place!
Either a great demon was stirring, or a treasure was emerging!
To take the opportunity to pay respects to his mother and speak with her, Gu Huo had not dispatched any subordinates, coming here in person to investigate.
As for the Ning siblings' affairs, he had merely taken a casual look and had no intention of interfering. Even if Ning Wuxia had truly died, Gu Huo would not have lifted a hand.
*Grudges of the jianghu have nothing to do with me, as long as you do not provoke my Demon Suppression Bureau!*
Xu Yao had been an even more accidental discovery. His eyes were somewhat unusual, but that was all. There were far too many people in this world with bizarre gifts; a village lad whose eyes could see slight anomalies was hardly worth his attention.
So he had asked a few offhand questions, confirmed the lad's character was decent enough, and departed.
He had never imagined this boy was actually his former neighbor.
Down below, Xu Yao rushed forward, hoisted the large tub of washed laundry onto his shoulder, and took his mother's arm with the other hand to help her up the slope. "I fill the water vat every day. Don't come down here to wash anymore; it's too steep."
Liu Taohua smiled contentedly. "It's exhausting hauling water all the way up to fill that big vat. I can't bear to use what's in the vat. There's a river right here, so convenient. It's only a few extra steps."
Xu Yao fumed. "Can't bear to use it, can't bear to use it... The water in that big vat is growing moss... You really are... infuriating me."
"You just have a short temper, child. What's wrong with walking a few steps? Haven't generations before us done the same? Has your mother suddenly grown too delicate?"
Liu Taohua moved with agile vigor. Shaking off her son's hand, she said, "I can run up and down without losing my breath. Especially lately, after eating those fruits, I have even more strength. Don't you know that already?"
"Just don't come down here to wash anymore."
"Fine, fine, fine... Don't meddle in my business."
Liu Taohua grumbled, "Even your father doesn't manage me as much as you do... You're a boy, yet you're so naggy, fussing over this, managing that, not allowing this, forbidding that. Oh, right, your father said that Blacksmith Wang's daughter in Wang Family Shop, thirty li away, is quite nice. She's built sturdy and can even swing a sledgehammer..."
The moment this was mentioned, Xu Yao instantly shrank back. "*Cough, cough*... Mother, this matter... we should consider it at length... No rush, no rush."
Liu Taohua smoothly seized the upper hand. "How old are you? Almost twenty! If you don't find a wife now, when will you? All you know is 'no rush, no rush.' You aren't in a rush, but your father and I..."
With her son's prospects on the rise, Liu Taohua naturally wouldn't rush to marry him off so early; she was merely reclaiming the high ground.
Indeed, children could never outmaneuver their parents; a single sentence had him completely pinned.
Dejected, Xu Yao tried to turn the subject back. "...Then I'll find some time to repair the path up and down."
"I'm talking about a daughter-in-law!" Liu Taohua declared aggressively.
Xu Yao fell utterly silent. "..."
Watching Xu Yao hang his head with his bluster completely crushed, Gu Huo could not help the trace of a smile touching the corners of his mouth.
In his eyes lay an indescribable envy.
It was as if he were seeing that mother and son from years ago, leaning on each other for survival amidst the wind and snow.
*This boy is very filial... More filial than I was back then. My greatest regret is that I could not provide for my mother in her peaceful old age.*
Gu Huo's heart suddenly trembled. His mother's face seemed to flicker before his eyes, merging with the village woman before him, and his vision grew slightly hazy.
Stirred by an impulse, he found himself longing to do something for this mother and son, hoping they would continue on like this for a long time, living in quiet serenity, peace, and health...
Such a warm little home must not suffer endless regrets like he and his mother had...
Gu Huo's heart softened completely. With a thought, his spiritual energy stirred faintly.
The mountain branches swayed with a rustle.
Xu Yao grew instantly alert. Shielding his mother behind him, he spun around with vigilance. "Who's there?! Come out!"
Then his eyes flew wide. "..."
His black robes fluttering, the Lord Gu he had met just this morning was already standing before them.
Gu Huo cast him a meaningful glance. For a moment, Xu Yao felt his body turn completely rigid, held in thrall such that he could not even make the gesture to bow.
Then he noticed that every item on this lord that displayed his status had vanished, leaving only plain, pure black.
His cloak fluttered.
Gu Huo stepped to the side, his voice gentle. "Greetings, sister."
With the thirty-something appearance he currently displayed, addressing her as sister was fitting enough, yet it gave Xu Yao quite a fright, wondering what game Southeast Huo was playing.
Liu Taohua was even more flustered. Uncompromising as she was before her husband and son, she shrank back instantly when facing strangers. She stammered, "This... could this sir, could you be asking for directions?"
Gu Huo smiled faintly. "You have brilliant foresight, sister. I indeed need directions."
Liu Taohua was even more stunned. *I... I just offered a casual polite remark and guessed right? Am I that clever? I never realized I had this talent before...*
Gu Huo explained, "I came here on business, but halfway through I chased a pheasant into a gourd-shaped pass. I ended up wandering in circles and lost my way. Now I am exhausted and hungry, unable to find my way out. Could I trouble you for a meal and directions to leave?"
Looking at the direction of the "gourd-shaped pass" Gu Huo pointed toward, Liu Taohua came to a sudden realization. "You wandered into the Bewitching Pass. No wonder! It's nothing, this happens all the time. Come have a meal at our home. Once you're full and have rested a bit, I'll have Big Fatty lead you out."
Liu Taohua was very warm.
In the eyes of mountain folk, lending a hand to someone in need, providing a meal, and showing the way were nothing out of the ordinary.
Xu Yao had no idea what medicine this lord was peddling in his gourd, but seeing that he bore no ill intent, he could only lead him into their home, tense and on edge.
It happened to be dinner time. With a guest present, Liu Taohua specially prepared two extra dishes, including meat.
Gu Huo did not stand on ceremony, sitting down to eat.
They chatted as they ate.
Gu Huo naturally brought up the inhabitants of Black Mountain, and Physician Xu sighed with emotion.
"During the chaos of war in past years, our ancestors fled into the deep mountains, deliberately choosing rugged, secluded spots where great figures wouldn't deign to go..."
"Originally, throughout the several hundred li of mountain forests around here, there were many small hamlets with only a few households. Later, they gradually vanished. Those who could move away did, and the rest died..."
When Physician Xu reached this point, Gu Huo's gaze sharpened slightly. He smiled faintly. "I heard that originally there was a Pine Tree Settlement, an Elm Grove, and the like, with thousand-year elm wood hearts. I had hoped to search for them on this trip... but I ended up getting lost."
"There's no Elm Grove, though there is an Elm Gully in the neighboring valley."
Physician Xu held his wine cup in one hand and pointed the way with the other. "Only, it's been deserted for many years. Everyone is long gone. I'm afraid you'll be disappointed, sir."
"So it was called Elm Gully," Gu Huo murmured.
"Aye, full of elm trees. Back then, my father-in-law's aunt married into Elm Gully... What was that family's surname again?"
Physician Xu called out toward his wife, who was busy in the kitchen.
"Grandaunt's family was surnamed Gu. All the households in Elm Gully were surnamed Gu, and they say they all died out decades ago," Liu Taohua's voice drifted out alongside the clatter of the spatula.
Moments later, she brought out a plate of mountain mushrooms. "Eat while it's hot, these are fresh."
Hearing the surname Gu, Xu Yao could not resist stealing a glance up at Gu Huo.
He saw Lord Gu lowering his head, holding his wine cup to his lips, slowly, slowly drinking his wine.
His hair hung down, obscuring his face.
His eyes could not be seen.
Chapter 33