Chapter 537: The Little Shop Opened for Miss Yanzhi

Hua City Folk Culture Administration Bureau, lounge.

Huá Sāng lay flat on the carpet in the lounge, both hands holding the Black Iron Ruler on her chest.

Her eyes were tightly closed, her breathing steady and even, as if she were asleep.

……

In a patch of darkness, her body kept sinking, as if falling into a pool of dead water, so quiet it was suffocating.

Then, the sound of trickling water came to her ears, a moist breeze brushed her face, carrying a faint scent of locust blossoms.

Realizing she had arrived at that familiar street, Huá Sāng took a deep breath, opened her eyes, and saw the memorial archway standing at the entrance.

It was a small and shabby memorial archway, the green tiles on top broken, the upright pillars showing signs of decay, even the characters on the plaque were already blurred.

Below the memorial archway, in the middle of the street, a shallow and narrow crystal brook ran from north to south, winding and twisting with the terrain, dividing the street paved with bluestone.

The sky was gloomy, as if a heavy rain was about to fall at night, white mist drifting in the air, growing denser the farther it went.

Under the night, willow branches rustled, osmanthus fragrance wafted, deep alleys, black-tiled white walls, old wooden doors with ancient locks, all bathed in gentle moonlight, fallen leaves dancing, searching for a new place to rest.

The whole street was pitch-black, seemingly uninhabited, exceptionally quiet, except for a corner a hundred meters away, where candlelight glowed and smoke curled from the kitchen.

Following the direction of the candlelight, Huá Sāng walked familiarly along the stone pavement and stopped in front of a small restaurant by the street.

The restaurant’s storefront was very small. Inside, apart from the kitchen and counter, there was almost no space for customers.

So, the owner had set up a canopy outside, placed tables under it, and hung paper lanterns at each corner of the canopy, with wooden plaques inscribed with “Yanzhi” dangling below, swaying in the wind.

Yanzhi Restaurant.

This was the name of the little restaurant the mysterious elder had told Huá Sāng.

Although this little restaurant was far from meeting the standards of a restaurant, the mysterious elder couldn’t remember why it was called this name.

But he had told Huá Sāng with great certainty, and confidently said that, if nothing unexpected happened, in the real world, this little restaurant should have already become a famous restaurant known throughout the land.

Entering the canopy, sitting at the table closest to the counter, Huá Sāng gently knocked on the tabletop and called softly into the shop, “Elder, I’ve come to trouble you again.”

As her words fell, there came the faint clatter of kitchenware from inside, and soon after, a man of about fifty briskly walked out.

The man wore coarse clothes and an apron, looking every bit the chef, but without the “big head and thick neck” of many chefs. His features were handsome, his bearing ethereal, at first glance like an immortal disguised as a chef.

Just as Zhang Huainan had told Huá Sāng, the wisp of remnant soul residing in this ferule was a senior predecessor of the Great Pure Palace.

The man carried a tray, on which were two plates of delicate side dishes and a pot of yellow wine. He sat down beside Huá Sāng, smiling, “Not a bother, how could you be a bother? I was just thinking, you haven’t come for such a long time lately, and there’s been no one to talk to me!”

His leisurely manner was as if the person sitting across from him was an old friend he hadn’t seen in years.

In fact, the two were indeed friends despite the age gap, almost becoming sworn siblings after getting drunk together.

And all of this began twelve years ago…

——–

Twelve years ago, Huá Sāng was eight. It had been half a year since the uncle who claimed to be her father’s good friend sent her to the Great Pure Palace to “treat her illness,” and she first came into contact with the Black Iron Ruler.

According to her senior brothers, that ferule, which seemed cast from black iron, had always been stuck in a giant rock by the cold pool behind the mountain. Its origin was unknown, only that a remnant soul of a sect predecessor resided within.

The teachers never stopped disciples from touching the ferule, even encouraging them to try, hoping their disciples might receive guidance from that predecessor.

Some disciples had been lucky enough to enter the illusion created by the ferule and meet the legendary predecessor.

However, in nearly eighty years, there had been at least eighty or a hundred disciples who entered the illusion and met the predecessor, but none had ever received his guidance. Instead, most were tormented to the point of misery, going in with grins and coming out cursing.

After several, even dozens of attempts, within a year, all chose to give up.

Over time, a rumor spread among the disciples that the predecessor would never teach anyone anything, and the illusion created by the ferule was only meant to temper the disciples’ minds.

In fact, Huá Sāng later learned from the Headmaster that the original purpose of placing the ferule by the cold pool was indeed to temper the disciples’ minds. The fact that she could take the ferule away was just an accident.

At first, Huá Sāng only approached the ferule at her Shifu’s urging, and was lucky enough to enter the illusion created by the ferule, meeting the mysterious elder, and for a time was regarded by her teachers as a promising talent.

After all, in the past, disciples who could meet that predecessor all achieved remarkable things.

However…

Though she was not tormented into giving up like her uncles and senior brothers, she didn’t learn anything either.

She only used the excuse of touching the ferule to avoid morning classes, morning exercises, evening classes, and other cultivation activities.

After all, in the illusion, she could completely escape the pain caused by her Spirit Pattern running out of control.

After entering the illusion, that senior was busy in the small restaurant on the other side of the crystal brook, while she quietly recuperated on this side, not disturbing each other, each at peace.

And so, she stayed for an entire day!

Just like that, a whole year passed before she spoke her first words to that senior.

That senior called out to her, “Hey, you there, girl, come over and help me taste this new dish, see how it is.”

Huá Sāng nodded, somewhat unwilling, and replied, “Alright…”

After that, they would only drink together, taste dishes, and chat idly, sometimes with a word, sometimes without.

It wasn’t until four years later that the senior began, intentionally or not, to guide her.

Five years–if it had been any other disciple of the Great Pure Palace, they would have long since lost patience serving this old master under such torment!

Not to mention the disciples–even her Shifu, who once had high hopes for Huá Sāng, shifted his attention to Fu Xinyi under Huá Sāng’s deliberate attempts to shirk responsibility.

And so, Fu Xinyi fell into a sea of suffering…

As for carrying the ferule with her, Huá Sāng only barely managed to do so a year ago, by which time almost no one in the Great Pure Palace was paying attention to her.

The whole experience was just like those stories where a genius falls to ruin, only to rise again years later.

The difference was, Huá Sāng didn’t have any arrogant junior brothers or sisters rushing to challenge her and get themselves killed.

Simple-minded Fu Xinyi had already exhausted all her energy just trying to live up to the title of genius…

——–

“Headmaster recently assigned me a task, so I haven’t had time to visit you…”

As Huá Sāng spoke, she glanced at the man out of the corner of her eye, her gaze somewhat strange.

“Oh, it’s fine. Just come when you have time.” The man said, pouring two cups of wine and handing one to Huá Sāng.

Huá Sāng took the cup, looked at the clear, amber-like wine inside, then at the man, but didn’t drink for a long time, nor did she pick up her chopsticks, as if she were wary of something.

Sensing Huá Sāng’s odd behavior, the man frowned and asked in confusion, “What is it? The food and wine I prepared today don’t suit your taste?”

“…” Huá Sāng stared at the man, pondering for a few seconds, as if making some decision. A look of resolve flashed in her eyes, then she raised the cup and drained it in one go.

With a “pa!” she set down the cup, let out a long breath, and confessed, “Senior, you’ve changed, so I was a bit scared just now, and didn’t dare drink your wine.”

“Changed? What do you mean by that, my friend?” the man asked in surprise.

“Didn’t you notice?” Huá Sāng tilted her head. “I don’t know what happened, but to me, you look younger.”

That’s right, he really had become younger. The senior she used to see was very old, with a head full of white hair, and by rough estimate, at least seventy years old.

But today, he looked only about fifty, with most of his white hair turned black, suddenly going from old age back to middle age.

“Haha!” The man laughed heartily. “It’s only been a few days, and you’ve gotten so slick? But, complimenting someone on their youth is nice for a young lady, but for an old man like me, it’s a bit odd!”

Joking as he spoke, he saw Huá Sāng remain silent, her expression grave as she looked at him. His smile froze, and he pressed, “Did I really get younger?”

“Mm.” Huá Sāng nodded.

Seeing this, the man frowned and stood up, quickly walking to the nearby water channel, leaning forward to look down.

By the light of the lantern, he saw his reflection in the water. His pupils contracted slightly, and then, as if enduring some pain, his brows suddenly knitted together, his body staggered, and he clutched his forehead, hissing in pain.

After a long while, he steadied himself, turned to Huá Sāng, and said solemnly, “My friend, I… remembered some things…”

Hearing this, Huá Sāng’s expression also grew serious. She straightened her back, sat upright, and stared intently at the man.

She looked just like someone waiting for their college entrance exam results–nervous and earnest.

Who exactly was this senior? In the Great Pure Palace, he had always been a mystery; even he himself didn’t know his own name.

Huá Sāng guessed that the old Headmaster must know, but he wouldn’t say, and no one else could do anything about it.

After all, in the sect, whether in terms of strength or seniority, he was the highest.

“What did you remember?” Huá Sāng asked excitedly.

In the past, whenever her old friend mentioned himself or his past, he would always become sentimental, drowning his sorrows in wine.

Now, seeing him recall some of his past, Huá Sāng was genuinely happy for him.

“I remembered my name, and also…” The man turned to look at the small shop behind him, smiling faintly. “I remembered who this shop was opened for.”

“A happy occasion, worthy of a big toast!” Huá Sāng raised her cup.

The man walked back to the table, toasted Huá Sāng in return, and said with a bright smile, “Aren’t you going to ask me what my name is, or who this shop was opened for?”

Huá Sāng shrugged. “If you want to tell me, you’ll say it even if I don’t ask.”

“Haha, that’s what I like about you!” the man laughed. “But today I’m happy, so I insist on telling you!”

“I have no surname, my name is Qing Ji, and this shop was opened for a girl named Yanzhi…”

Yanzhi? A sweetheart? The old man is quite the romantic–he must have been a charming man in his youth. Huá Sāng nodded thoughtfully.